SERMONS With some Religious and Divine Meditations. BY The Right Reverend Father in God, ARTHURE LAKE, late Lord Bishop of Bath and Wells. Whereunto is prefixed by way of Preface, a short view of the Life and Virtues of the AUTHOR. LONDON, Printed by W. STANSBY for Nathaniel Butter. 1629. VENERABILI VIRO DOMINO JOHANNI YOUNG SS. THEOL. DOCT. DIGNISSIMO ECCLESIAE WINTONIENSIS DECANO. HAS REVERENDI IN CHRISTO PATRIS ARTHURI LAKE, BATHONIENSIS ET WELLENSIS OLIM EPISCOPI PIAS ET DOCTAS CONCIONES. Obseruantiae ergo L. M. D. D. D. PHILIPPUS MAHAT. JOHANNES COOTH. THOMAS WOODYATES. A SHORT VIEW OF THE LIFE AND VERTVES OF THE AUTHOR. Christian Reader: THou hast here a taste of the doctrine of that Reverend Prelate, whom if thou knewest not in his life time, I suppose it concerns thee to be acquainted with now, as with a man rare and eminent for all kind of virtue, natural, moral, theological, personal, pastoral; and indeed one of the examples of his time. If the laws of a Preface did permit so much, I suppose it would be a labour worth thy acceptance, to give thee a just story of his life, whereof there is no part but would yield thee good matter of imitation: But leaving that to the pen of some able Historian, whom God may stir up to write a special Volume of the Worthies of our age; I hold it my duty to impart to thee, some few of those observable passages concerning him, which returned to my mind upon the publishing of this work, not doubting but that by the attentive reading thereof, thou mayest be as well edified, as by the Work itself. First, then be thou pleased to take notice, that this holy man having been nursed up from his tender age in the exercises of true Piety, and in the studies of various and exquisite Learning (first, in the famous School of Winchester, where he was placed a child, and after in New College in Oxford, whether he was elected to be a fellow) was in his riper years advanced to diverse eminent places of dignity in the Church, not by any ambitious suit or seeking of his own; but by the special, and I had almost said; immediate providence of Almighty God, who beyond his expectation or desire, raised him by insensible degrees to the height of Episcopal dignity: thereby giving us one proof among many, that notwithstanding our great and manifold sins he hath not altogether abandoned the care of his Church. For while this man by the natural inclination and bent of his own mind, affected rather the f judges 9.11. fruitfulness of the Vine, and the fatness of the Olive, in a more private and retired life then to be a Governor over the trees; as appeared by his willing acceptance of a Fellowship in the College near Winchester, where for a time he lived, and could have been contented to have ended his days there in sweet contemplation if he had been let alone. Yet God, that rules all things, so disposed of him, that one while by the conspiring votes of a numerous Society he was, even before he thought of it, recalled to the Wardenship of that g 〈◊〉 Marry 〈…〉. College whereof he had been formerly fellow: another while by the special grace and favour of his Majesty, without any suit of his own likewise, preferred first to the Prefecture of the Hospital of Saint Crosses near Winchester, then to the deanery of the Cathedral Church of Worcester, and lastly to the Bishopric of Bath and Wells, where he died. In all which places of honour and employment, first, he forgot not the practice of those virtues, whereof he had made show in his more private life, but continued the same in his Rotchet, which he had been in his Scholar's gown; thereby showing that his virtues were virtues indeed, and that he used them not as Stage-players do their vizards, only to act a part in, which being done, they pull them off, and cast them into a corner. Jnstances of this kind may be, First, his Humility, the Basis, as it is well called, of all virtue, which being a fruit of true Christian mortification, and consisting in a low-prising of a man's self, and his gifts, he had studied so well in his younger years, that in the whole course of his life, afterwards there was no tumour of pride appeared, but as well in his actions as in his speeches, he ever t Rom. 〈…〉 made himself equal with those of the lowest sort. and that notwithstanding the many temptations which he had both from the eminency of his place, and excellency of his parts to do and speak otherwise. Secondly, From this, and not from the goodness of his nature only, though that were very good, did proceed that singular Affability, and easiness of Access which he ever retained to all sorts of men, and to those of his own Coat especially. There was no place nor time almost, except it were his times of devotion, wherein he might not be spoken with by the meanest person; and in his speech so fare as lawfully he might, he ever studied to give the party content; so that although it were not in his power to grant every man's suit, (for who can do that?) yet I think no man can say, he was ever slighted or superciliously used by him. 3. Add hereunto his rare Tranquillity and Contentedness of mind: which though a man would think should agree best with an honourable and plentiful estate, yet experience teacheth, that it is fare otherwise. Access of fortunes in most men, rather enlargeth than satisfieth desire, and new honours breed new ambitions: besides the very employment of great men occasioneth many troublesome & disquieting thoughts which a private life is naturally free from. But this man having first framed his mind to have true contentment in his more private fortunes, retained the same temper in all the alterations of his estate; so that whatsoever outwardly befell him either to the better or the worse part, he seemed very little to be affected, surely nothing disquieted therewithal. A strange serenity of mind in him; whereof I take it also to have been a good argument, that (as I have often heard him say) so long as he was in perfect health of his body, he did never g Vide Arist. de hist, animal. lib 4. cap 17. Item Plutarch. de Oraeulorum desectu, ubi hoc idem refert de Cl●one 〈◊〉 & Thrasymede. dream. 4. But a special cause of that also may have been his great Temperancie or rather Austerity in diet, which was another virtue that he retained from the time he first tasted University Commons unto his dying day. For as at the greatest and best furnished meals whereat the condition of his place required his presence, his feeding was commonly upon one dish, and that none of the daintiest; so it is well known, that when he was not hindered by the extraordinary resort of strangers unto him, he fasted commonly four times in the week from his supper, and spent that time until eight or nine of the clock at night in framing some Meditation or other upon a piece of holy Scripture, the copies of diverse whereof remained in his Study at his departure; some few of which thou shalt find annexed to this work for thy use and benefit. 5. As he was in his diet, so in his apparel, recreations, and all other outward things belonging to this life a most sparing and temperate user of God's blessings, and that as well in his richer as in his meaner fortunes: so that unless it were in the company of scholars, and in such ingenious and pleasant discourses, as are incident thereto, (wherein he would sometimes express much freedom of innocent mirth) a man could not observe that he took much delight in any worldly thing whatsoever; an evident argument, that his intellectual part had the predominancy over his sensual, or rather indeed that grace ruled them both; and that the Man in him was subordinate to the Christian. With these virtues did this good man come furnished to the Episcopal Chair; and being there he kept them: like as he did also his firm purpose of single life, which though it be not of itself a virtue t 〈◊〉 part. 3 de 〈…〉. but a State; yet he that could live in that state, free not only from the act, but from all suspicion of uncleanness, as I think no man in this age lived more free; had certainly attained that excellent gift, which our Saviour commends, and wisheth them that have it to make use of as of a great advantage, and help to godliness, Matth. 19.12. Now as the variety of his preferments in the world, did no way hinder him in the practice of these his private and personal virtues; (as hath been said:) so did they yield him a greater furtherance or opportunity at least of acting some others, which I may call public or Pastoral. For first, as he had been always liberal, from the time he had any thing to give; so upon the increase of his fortunes he improved that virtue even to a kind of Magnificence. I am verily persuaded, if he had attained to that wealth which some of our English Prelates heretofore have done: he would have built Churches and Colleges. But his forwardness in this kind, could never stay till his purse were full: therefore he never attained to the doing of any pompous work. But if it were possible to lay together his ordinary largesse to the poor at his gates, and in the streets; his contributions to pious works of all sorts upon his own and others motions: his Exhibitions to poor Scholars both abroad and in the University, of all which he kept no Calendar. I assure myself they would arise to as great a sum as the works of one of the greatest Benefactors of our time. Besides his increasing of the allowance of the poor Brethren of Saint Cross, both in diet and otherwise, (which was worthily continued by his i Sir Peter Yong. Successor) his maintaining of two Lectures in New College in Oxford, one for the Hebrew Tongue, another for the Mathematics: his leading the way to the setting up of the great Organ in the Church of Worcester, and to the founding of a Library there, as also of another in Welles, might well be reckoned as particular instances of his fare extended bounty in this kind. 2. Next his Magnanimity and Courage appeared well in the government of the University, that one year wherein he bore the office of Vicechancellor; For as they well know that have had experience of that place, the animosity of some spirits there, being like k Plutarch, in Alexanaro. Alexander's horse, generous indeed, and fit for great services, but yet fierce and untractable for the time, requires no less than an Alexander to curb them, and to bring them to their due temper and pace. And such an Alexander was he. For, notwithstanding all opposition that is usually made in that kind, he revived much of the ancient Discipline there: and indeed wrought such a sensible reformation upon the more distempered parts of the University, that as I have credibly heard, it was deliberated by those that had the highest care of that place to have continued him longer therein, though a consecrated Bishop: had not he of his own mind desirous to attend his greatest charge, shown himself averse from receiving any such dispensation. 3. Next to his Magnanimity, if not a part of it, I may reckon his Contempt of wealth, and especially of that manner of getting wealth which is too commonly in use among them which seek m Horat. Epist. 1 — quocunque modo rem. Had he made that his rule, he might have been a rich man. But I dare say, that in all Elections of Scholars, Collations of Orders, and Benefices, Dispositions of Offices, and Grants of College and Church-leases that passed through his hands, as there passed in his time very many, he never fouled them with the least touch of a Gehazi's reward; which Integrity of his, together with his open-handednesse and house-keeping, were the only causes that he left no greater estate behind him. But to come yet more nearly to the discharge of his Episcopal Function. His Ability to teach, (which Saint Paul makes one of the principal virtues of a p 1. Tim. 3 2. Bishop) as it was very great, so did it never appear more, then after he came to speak ex cathedrâ, for although the acts of government alone may seem sufficient to take up a man in that place: yet he knowing that there is a double honour which Saint Paul allows to such as do not only rule well, but also labour in the Word and Doctrine, 1. Tim. 5.17. did after the example of Saint Chrisostome, Saint Augustine, Saint Gregory the Great, and other ancient Bishops, whose Homilies we enjoy and read at this day, and never ceased after he was a Bishop to adorn the Pulpit with his no less frequent and assiduous, then learned and pious labours. Witness his ordinary preaching in the Cathedral Church of Welles, his frequent excursions into the Parishes adjoining; and indeed his leaving of no place where he came, if it were a sit time of preaching unsupplied. Besides all which, his ordinary Discourses were in one kind or other as good as Lectures to those that heard them: for indeed, he was a man of rare sufficiency in all parts of Learning; and for any doubts that were proposed to him, whether historical, textual, practical or controversal; as his readiness was singular to take notice of them; so was his dexterity no less happy in resolving them: So that to conclude for this point, I may say he was a q 1. Kin● 1 10. Solomon to his household Servants; to the City where he lived an r Or●●alum Ci 〈◊〉. Oracle: to any Scholar that resorted to him a s 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. living library: & to the whole Church such a Priest as God himself describes by his Prophet Malachi, one whose t Ma. ● 7. lips did preserve knowledge: and men did seek the law at his mouth. But it is required of a Bishop, that he should pascere cibo too as well as verbo: and therefore Saint Paul among other things says he should be u ●. Tim 3. given to hospitality. So was this man in a very extraordinary and remarkable degree. For to omit his house-keeping, first at Saint Cross, (where he made it his study and profession to refresh the bowels of the poor not with dry Pensions as his Predecessors for the most part had done, either for the saving of trouble or charges, or both: but as became the honour of that place, with constant, , and substantial meals:) and then afterward at his deanery of Worcester, (where he entertained the better sort with that splen, dour, and the meaner with that bounty and munificence, that the whole Country rings of it to this day:) to omit these, I say; the list of his ordinary Family which he kept in diet after he came to the Bishopric of Bath and Welles did commonly consist of at least fifty persons; a great part whereof he kept not so much for any state or attendance upon his person, as out of pure charity in regard of their own private needs. Besides all which, his gates were the daily refectory of his poor neighbours; and for supervenient strangers be was another h 1 Gen 18 5. Abraham, a i Gen 19.3. Lot, never suffering any man of fashion, Scholars especially, that came to him upon business or otherwise to departed empty away. Now in this rankness of housekeeping, I know it is a disease that commonly falls upon great Families, that they grow disorderly and riotous, abusing oftentimes the bounty of a good Lord or Master to their own hurt and the scandal of others. Which fault lest any man should suspect to have been in his house, I cannot but remember another virtue of his (which Saint Paul commends also in a Bishop) and that is the k 1 Tim. 3.4 ruling of his house well: and having those that are under him in subjection with all gravity. Surely this man had so. For notwithstanding his large allowances of all things fit for the entertainment of strangers, you should see no footsteps of riot or excess in his house: No tippling or carousing of healths; no casting of the children's bread unto dogs; not so much as any hawks or hounds kept, unless it were l Hi sunt catu● quibus venor regnum Coelorü those wherewith he hunted after the Kingdom of Heaven. And the reason of all this I take to have been first his own example, who was indeed a pattern of sobriety, and of all good conversation, as Saint Paul wisheth m 1. Tim 4.12. Timothy to be: then the choice of his servants wherein he imitated David, Psal. 101.8. and lastly his training them up whom he entertained in true piety and devotion. For besides his ordinary Chapel hours which he saw duly and by all frequented: he caused many of his household to assist every morning at the six a clock Prayers in the Cathedral Church adjoining: He never sat down to his meals, but he had according to the ancient fashion of Bishops a Chapter of the holy Bible, read by one whom he kept for that purpose; and lastly, at the close of the night, he called his whole Family into his ordinary dining room, and there in his own person most devoutly commended them by his prayers unto Almighty God. Which thing though it be no more than every Christian housekeeper in his particular charge doth or should do; yet I account it the more memorable in a man of his place, because the multitude and different quality of their attendants seems ordinarily unto such a sufficient pretence to remit that duty to their Chaplains, if not to lay it quite aside. Now as the Philosopher says, that each private Family is the model of a Commonwealth: so may I say that each Christian Family is the model of a Church: and therefore no wonder if he that was so good at the ordering of the one, proved no less excellent in the administration of the other. The care of his Diocese as it was of all other his greatest, and that which most taken him up; so did it bring forth in him fruits of exemplary diligence, and such as deserve not to be concealed from the World. For first, whereas the foundation of all good order in a Church, is the planting of an able and learned Ministry, which thing appertains to the care of the Bishop, and hath ever been accounted a chief o 〈◊〉 this Cau●●ut I the 〈◊〉 crete, that thou shouldst ordam. Fliers, etc. Trus 1.5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 75. Q●id facit excep●d erdination● 〈…〉 non ●aciat; Hic●●●: ad ●●utgr●um branch of his supereminent power: in the discharge hereof he was so careful and precise, that he never conferred holy Orders upon any person, whom he did not first examine strictly according to the Canons of the Church; neither did he trust herein any Chaplain or other Deputy; but himself personally performed the office for the satisfaction of his own conscience, as one that meant to give an account to God for what he did. A worthy example doubtless, which if it were imitated by all the rest of that Venerable rank, neither on the one side would they be troubled with so many clamours of the Laity against the unsufficiency of their Clergy: nor on the other would they have such cause as oftentimes they have to p Ma●●ianies Bishop of the No●tatians at Constant●●●●●, ham ordained ●abbatius a 〈◊〉 Priest, & 〈◊〉 him afterward to he a turbulent man wished he had laid his hands on the briers rather than on such a ma●●●●ad See Secrat. lib 〈…〉 1.20 beshrew their own fingers for ordaining them, who are no sooner put into the Ministry, but they become the ringleaders of faction and schism against that very authority which ordained them. As he was thus provident to plant a good Ministry in his Diocese, so was he no less careful to cherish those who were already planted. His care of them all in general was most tender and fatherlike. The most eminent among them for Piety and Learning he did not only use most familiarly; but studied to draw them nearest to himself by providing them of Prebends in his Church, wherein it was his want of opportunity rather than of desire and forwardness that he did no more. And lastly, to the weaker sort of them he spared not to give his advice and direction upon all occasions how they might enable themselves for the better discharge of their calling; to which purpose he had both intended and begun a plain and familiar explanation of the Doctrine of the Church of England, contained in the Catechism and thirty nine Articles which he meant to have communicated to them for their proper use and instruction; but the interruption of Parliaments and other great affairs toward his later time, and at last his untimely and much lamented death, as it seems, put an end to that worthy and religious design. In the exercise of the Discipline of the Church he carried himself so, that by his own practice he wrought a great reverence thereof, even in those who were otherwise not well affected thereunto. For when any ennormous offender was censured in his Consistory, whose punishment and penance was fit should be performed in the Cathedral Church as incestuous persons, notorious Adulterers, notorious schismatics, or the like; himself was usually the Preacher at such times: and this he did often and upon diverse occasions: and in such his Sermons, (sundry of which thou shalt find in this Work) did so open the grievousness of those offences, and the authority of the censures and discipline of the Church, as for the most part wrought great contrition in the parties punished; and after Sermon before the the whole Congregation himself gave them absolution. All which he performed with that gravity, learning, and power, as gave great comfort to all, and bred, no doubt, a general reverence and awe of the censures and authority of the Church. And here by the way I cannot but acknowledge (as himself often did) what a help he found toward the ordering of his jurisdiction in the assistance of a wise, honest, learned, and discreet r Doctor D●●k. Chancellor, whom as it was his happiness to find there, so it was his virtue ever to make much of his person, and to use his counsel as occasion served. By means whereof he not only was never crossed, nor contested with in any cause wherein he thought fit to intermeddle, but also for the legal and orderly carriage of such things as came before him, no man could ever take just exception to the formality of his proceed. His triennial Visitations, he always kept in his own person, and kept them so; that to say no more, he was ever welcome where he came; for indeed his coming was like Saint Paul's to the Corinthians, not s 2 Cor. 12.14. burdensome but beneficial to those he came too: for he sought not theirs, but them: yea, as occasion served, he did gladly spend, and was spent for them: though I cannot add as it is in the same place, that t Ibid. v. 15. the more he loved, the less he was loved again: for surely it was a great argument of their love, that they resorted & flocked to him in every place u Senec. de Clem. Lib. 1 Chap. 3. tanquam ad salutare & beneficum sidus, as Seneca speaks of good Princes going their Progresses; yea, they brought their children and whole Families to receive his blessing, and to be confirmed by him; which act being one of those that x Vide Hieronym. adverse. Luciferianos ubi tamen affirmat hoc factum esse ad honorem sacerdotij potiùs quam ad leg is necessitatem. antiquity hath ever reserved to the Episcopal power, he performed not in a tumultuary manner, or as we use to say, hand over head; but with advised deliberation and choice, admitting only those, whom either by the certificate of their Minister, or the examination of his own Chaplains, he found to be sufficiently instructed in the Principles of Religion, and so by the intention of our Church y See the Common Prayer Book, in the. Order for Confirmation. capable of the benefit of that sacred action. Of his care of the Clergy in general I have already spoken: yet it is not to be omitted here, how in those Visitations of his he particularly expressed it. Wherein his fashion was to examine strictly all those of whose sufficiency he any way doubted, as well touching their course of study, as of their preaching: and as he would restrain those from preaching for a time, whom he found weak and ignorant: so would he with all direct them both for the Books they should read, and the method they should use for the better enabling of themselves to that exercise: and thereof would he take account as occasion served: by which means he always quickened their industry, and drew many of them to such a commendable improvement of their talon, that the Country was much edified thereby. I will add but one thing more of the carriage of this man in his Episcopal Function; which though it were a thing small in itself, yet I know not how, it served to increase much as well the people's devotion to God, as their reverence to his person. In the Cathedral Church of Welles, whether it were so that himself preached or no, (as indeed very often he did; but though he did not) after the Sermon done, and the Psalm sung as the manner is, himself standing up in his Episcopal seat, gave the benediction to the people, after the example of the High Priest in the Old Testament, Numb. 6.23. which thing as he performed like himself, that is to say, in a most grave and fatherlike manner; so any man that had but seen with what attentive and devout gestures all the people received it, what apparent comfort they took in it, and how careful every particular man was not to departed the Church without it; could not but conclude, that there is a secret r 〈◊〉 ò obserua● 〈…〉 quod sa●erdotalis benedic●●a, non tant●m est simplex ena precatio, sed etiam v●l●ti pig●us ac●●●timonium savo is Dei, & omninò habet quandam v●m ac efficacia clavis soluentis & absoluentis. ●lly●●●. Clau. Script. in verbo Benedicere. virtue in the Prayers and blessings as of natural so of spiritual Parents, which as they are never the worse for giving, so those that have the relation of sons unto them, are much the better for the receiving; and it is not for nothing that the Apostle saith: s Heb. 7.7. The lesser useth to be blessed of the greater. By these few things which I have set down (Christian Reader) thou mayest easily perceive what an eminent pattern of all virtue as well personal as pastoral God hath bestowed on our Church in the person of this one man, whom as oft as I reflect on considering the rare integrity and sincerity of his life, together with his singular piety and Devotion, whereof no man that knew him but was a witness; me thinks I may well balance him with any of those whom the Church of Rome boasteth of, and whom she daily canonizeth among the Saints. Neither do I doubt but those of that Church that either knew him or shall read of these things, are by this time ready to say, Talis quum fuerit, utinam noster fuisset. Yea, who knows whether they may not by some forged plea go about to claim him after his death, who lived in a Church opposite to theirs all his life time? For such tricks have they practised of late upon some of our most eminent Prelates; and it is no new art; but that which they may have learned from that old m Cacu● apud Livium lib. 1. Italian Thief, who was wont to draw all the fair Oxen he could lay hands on, though it were obtorto collo, & aversis vestigijs unto his own Den. But to prevent all such practices in this particular, I hold it not amiss to acquaint thee somewhat more particularly with his resolutions touching matter of Religion, and how he stood affected to the controversies of our times. It is true that of his own disposition (whether framed so by nature or by grace or both) he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, of a most peaceable and mild temper, apt to reconcile differences then to make them, and to interpret the sayings even of the Adversaries where they were ambiguous in the better part: in regard whereof if there be yet any hope left of sowing up those innumerable rents which Faction hath wrought in the seamelesse coat of Christ, and of drawing the distracted parts of his Church to some tolerable unity, I think he had been such a man as is hardly found amongst many to be employed in that service. Howbeit as Saint james says of the wisdom which is from above, that it is k james 3.17. first pure, and then peaceable: so I may be bold to say, that this man's desire of peace came ever in the second place, and that his first care was to maintain the purity of Religion, as it is now taught in the Church of England. For proof whereof, though I might think it enough to refer thee to these and other of his Sermons, wherein he hath as his matter led him confuted and cut the throat of most of the errors currant at this day in the Church of Rome: yet because it may be excepted that a man's opinions are in some sort (as the Lawyers say of ones Will) ambulatory while he life's: and that no man is bound to stand to any Religion but what he dies in: I will rather impart to thee a late profession of his made in his last Will and Testament, which is the most authentic Record of a man's mind, and such, as when he is once dead, l Gal 3.15 no man disannulleth or addeth thereunto, as the Apostle speaks. In this last Testament of his, amongst other pious recommendations of his soul to God, he hath these words: I Desire to end my life in that faith, which is now established in the Church of England, whereof I am a member, and have been by God's blessing well nigh thirty years a Preacher: and my souls unfeigned desire is, that it may ever flourish, and fructify in this Kingdom, and in all his Majesty's Dominions, and from thence be propagated to other Countries which sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, whether Jnfidels or Heretics. Amen. Behold here not only a sound but a zealous Professor of the Religion established: and I would to God every man of learning and conscience whether of the one, or other side, would but make the like declaration of himself in his last Will: perhaps it would be as good a Legacy as any he could bequeath to God's Church. For by it would it appear what every man thinks of the sum of Religion truly and indeed, when all worldly hopes, fears, preiudices, dependences, and engagements being set aside, he hath none but God, and his own conscience to satisfy: And then I doubt not but as an eminent Prelate of the Church of Rome said of the doctrine of justification by faith only, that it was a good Supper-doctrine, though not so good to break fast on: so it would be acknowledged of our reformed Religion in general, that although it be not so plausible and pleasant a religion to live in, as some other may be, yet it is the only comfortable Religion to die in; as being that which settles a man upon the true rock, and gives a sure footing to his faith, when all the superstitious devices of man's brain, do like sand, fail and moulder away. But to return to this Reverend Prelate of whom we are speaking, being fallen upon the mention of his last Will and Testament, it may haply be expected that I should here relate what Legacies he gave therein to the Church, what sums of money he bequeathed ad pios usus, etc. for that is the pomp of Wills in these days. But for that I have said enough already. He that gave all whilst he lived (even his very Books a great part of which I think to the value of four hundred pounds worth, be disposed to the Library of New College in Oxford, by a Deed of Gift diverse years before his death, reserving the use of them only for his life time:) could not have much left to bestow at his death. Only a name he hath left behind him, and that more precious than any ointment a name that filleth the Church for the present, with the sweet savour thereof, and I trust that even Posterity also shall be refreshed by it. For r Wisd. 4 1, 2. the memorial of virtue, (as he saith) is immortal; because it is approved both with God, and Men. When it is present men take example at it, and when it is gone they desire it: it weareth a Crown and triumpheth for ever, having gotten the victory, and striving for everlasting rewards. As touching the manner of his death, though any man might guess at it that hath been acquainted thus fare with the passages of his life, (for seldom do a man's life and his end ) yet it will not be amiss to acquaint thee with thus much, that having some few hours before his departure made a zealous and devout confession both of his faith and sins, to the Bishop of Elie there present, from whom also he received absolution according to the order of our Church: and being assisted to the last gasp with the comfortable and heavenly prayers of that divine Prelate; after he had taken particular leave of all about him, and given them respectively both his counsel and benediction: he speedily yielded up his soul to God. There passed not many months before that Reverend Bishop, whom I last mentioned, followed him to his grave: with whom as he had lived many years in a most entire league of friendship, not unlike that which Saint Chrysostome describes to have been betwixt himself and Saint Basil (Lib. 1. de Sacerdotio) so I doubt not but they are now united and incorporated together in a fare more firm and undivided society, even that of the firstborn which are written in Heaven, (Heb. 12.23.) and as they were here geminum sidus, a pair of Lights of our Church, comparable even to those Primitive ones, whose lustre and influence remains with this day: so they have by this time received the reward of such as turn many to righteousness, even to be Stars in the Firmament for ever and ever, Dan. 12.3. Now although an k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Homer. Epitaph be a good man's due after his departure, I should have thought it needless to set any upon him, who as yet life's so freshly in the mouths and hearts of all that knew him, did I not find himself had meditated somewhat that way in his life time, not for the perpetuating of his Name, for he doth not so much as name himself in it; but only for the expressing of his firm hope in the Resurrection, and his charitable desire of their good that should survive him: for whose sake he wrote this, and desired it should be graved only upon a stone, where he should lie without any further cost or ambition. Viator consiste, paucis te volo; Me Vide. EXuviae hîc reponuntur hominis, sed Christiani Quibus nihil vilius propter peceatum hominis; Nihil pretiosius propter spem Christiani. Non eas deseruit anima, sed hîc deposuit. Custos bonae fidei Spiritus Sanctus, Qui cavet ne quis in vacuum veniat Dum legatione pro ijs apud Redemptorem Defungitur Anima: cui reduci cum Christo Eas reddet gloriosas gloriosè induendas, Et cum beatâ beandas in aeternum. Libentèr mortalis sum, qui sim futurus immortalis. Ne tantuli in me contemplando te poeniteat Laboris, non dimittêris sine praemio, Voveo haec historia Mei, prophetia sit Tui. Perge. If all this be not enough to continue the memory of so worthy a Prelate; behold another Monument of his own making too. A Monument of his wit shall I say, and of his Learning? or rather of his Piety and Devotion? Surely, if thou take the pains to read attentively the Sermons here published to thy view, thou shalt find in them a more than ordinary expression of both. For howsoever they are not set forth according to the ordinary fashion of these times, wherein ornaments of speech, variety of illustrations, allegations, allusions, and the like, are affected and used even to an excess (you must not expect too much of them, from a man that never took more time for the previding of any sermon than some part of the week preceding that day whereon he was to preach; and then also betook not himself to the help of his pen, but out of his strength of memory, and natural readiness of speech, in both which he excelled, delivered those things which he had first exactly digested in his mind, & afterward dictated to his Amanuensis in such sort as they are here published:) yet I dare be bold to say, that to an attentive, and judicious Reader they will appear to contain not only matter of excellent observation for the increase of knowledge and piety in our Christian profession: but also an exact Idea of the true form of a Sermon, so fare as concerns the essential parts of of it composed according to those rules of art which all men acknowledge to be of most use in Ecclesiastical Oratory. For whereas speech is fitly compared by the ancients to a picture, Plutarch. de audi●ndis poetic & alibi. in the framing whereof the chief thing that requires the Artisans skill, is to draw his lines in their just number and proportion, so as may express all the parts of the thing described, and the postures of them: which when it is done, it is no hard matter to add the colours thereunto: it follows that the principal point of art likewise in making of a Speech or Sermon is the delineation of the parts of it, and the apt connecting of them together, or opposing them one to the other: whereupon the several exornation of them with words and sentences, does either k Verbaque praevisam rem non muita sequetur. Horat de art. P●●●. of itself follow or is without any great difficulty put too. Now in that was our Author always so elaborate and exact that I think there was no point or circumstance in any Text that ever he handled, so closely concealed, which he did not both fetch out, and propose, and handle, in such order and method, as might best give illustration to the whole. Wherein what singular use he made both of his Logic, and skill in the Tongues, which are the two Spectacles, that I may not say eyes, that enable a man to look exactly and distinctly into a Text: I think there is no man of judgement that doth not easily discover. In this respect then (as I said before) he hath left unto younger men a pattern of preaching: And for the rest, though his fashion were not to lay on much colour: yet that which he did lay on will appear to him that marks it, to be very proper. His illustrations so natural, his allegations so pregnant, his words where the emphasis and weight of the sentence lies, so choice and significant; that if he had uttered plura, fare more in lines, he could hardly have said plus, more in substance and effect to any point that he hath handled. But I had rather thou shouldest discover these things (Christian Reader) by thy own judgement and observation, then by my advertisement: therefore I will detain thee no longer at this time from the reading of so useful and precious a work. Only thus much I will promise thee for thine encouragement before thou begin; that if thou take the pains to go through with attention, these or other Sermons of this Author, that are genuine (and I hope no other will be published) First, thou shalt gain thereby an exact knowledge of the meaning of the Text he handles, and of every particular word and phrase in it: Secondly, thou shalt meet with as great variety of choice observations both theological and moral, aptly deduced, and methodically laid down, as thou art like to find any where in so few leaves again; lastly, if thou be endued (as I hope thou art) with the same spirit of grace and regeneration, that the Author was, thou shalt find thine affections kinaled and stirred up thereby to a real practice of Piety and good Works, more than by a great many more flourishing Discourses, than these at first sight seem to be. And these things when thou hast found by thine own experience: I doubt not but thou wilt be moved together with me and all others that have received beneht by the godly example and pious labours of this holy, and learned man, to glorify that great God and Father of Lights, who out of his abundant mercy hath done, and doth daily raise such excellent Instruments as he was, for the advancement of his own glory in the propagation of his Gospel, and aedification of his Church. Soli Deo Gloria. A TABLE OF THE CONTENTS. In the first and second Alphabet. 7. SErmons upon the first Psalm, pag. 1. etc. 20. Sermons upon Psaline 51. p. 53. etc. 9 Sermons upon Matthew 22. Verses 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40 But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadduces to silence, etc. pag. 243. etc. A Sermon for the conclusion of the former Argument, Mark 12.32, 33, 34. Well Master thou hast said the truth, etc. p. 358. 10. Sermons on the 19 Chapter of Exodus, p. 367. etc. 5. Sermons preached at Saint Maries in Oxford. Luke 3. v. 7, 8, 9 Then said he to the people that came to be baptised of him, O Generation of vipers, etc. p. 473. A Sermon preached at Paul's Cross, Luke 18. v. 7, 8. And shall not God avenge his own elect, etc. p. 531. In the third Alphabet. 8. SErmons preached at the Feast of the Nativity of our Saviour, Esay 9 v. 6, 7. For unto us a child is borne, etc. p. 1. 6. Sermons preached at the Feast of the Nativity of our Saviour, Haggai 2. v. 6, 7, 8, 9 For thus saith the Lord of Hosts, yet once, it is a little while and I will shake the Heavens and the Earth, etc. p. 57 A Sermon preached at New College in Oxford, upon the Annunciation Day, Luke 2.28. Hail thou that art highly favoured, etc. p. 113. A Sermon on Palm Sunday, Matthew 26.40, 41. What could ye not watch with me one hour? p. 127. A Sermon on Good Friday, Mark 14. v. 35, 36. And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed, etc. p. 136. A Sermon preached at Saint Peter in Oxford, on Easter day, 1. Corinth. 15.20. Christ is risen from the dead, etc. p. 151. A Sermon preached in Wells on Easter Day, Matthew 26. v. 26, 27, 28. And as they were eating jesus took bread and blessed it, etc. p. 161. 3. Sermons preached in Wells at the Feast of Whitsuntide, Ephes. 4. v. 7, 8. etc. ad 17. But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ, etc. p. 177. A Sermon preached in Westminster before his Majesty, and the upper House of Parliament, at the opening of the Fast. july 2 1625. 1. Kings 8. v. 37, 38, 39 40. If there be in the land famine, if there be pestilence, etc. p. 200. 2. Sermons preached at Wells at an Ordination of Ministers, Matthew 28. v. 18, 19, 20. All power is given to me in Heaven and Earth, etc. p 221. A Sermon preached at a Visitation in , Zacharie 11 v. 7. And I took unto me two staffs, the one I called Beauty, etc. p. 249. Another Sermon preached at a Visitation in , 1. Cor. 15.10. By the grace of God, I am that I am, etc. p. 261. A Sermon preached at an Assize in Winchester, Esra 7. v. 26. And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the King, etc. p. 273. A Sermon preached at an Assize in Oxford, Psal. 75. v. 2 3. When I shall receive the Congregation, I will judge uprightly, etc. p. 282. A Sermon preached in Wells at the Inauguration of King james, Psal. 118. v. 24, 25. This is the day which the Lord hath made, etc. p. 299. A Sermon preached at Saint Maries in Oxford, Novemb. 5. Luke 9 v. 53, 54, 55, 56 But they would not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to jerusalem, &c, p. 307. In the fourth Alphabet. A Sermon preached in Welles, a man doing Penance for Incest, Psal. 50. v. 21. These things hast thou done, etc. p. 1. A Sermon preached in Wells, a woman doing Penance for Incest, Gal. 6. v. 1. Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, etc. p. 10. A Sermon preached in Wells, a man doing Penance for Incest with his wife's daughter, 1. Cor. 5. v. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, etc. p. 18. A Sermon preached in Welles, two doing Penance for Incest, a man and his wife's daughter, Levit. 20. v. 14. Likewise if a man taketh a wife, and her mother, this is wickedness, etc. p. 32. A Sermon preached in Welles, four doing Penance for Incest committed by one with his wife's daughter, by the other with his wife's sister. Deut. 27. v. 22, 23. Cursed is he that lieth with his Sister, the daughter of his father, or the daughter of his mother etc. p 42. A Sermon preached in Welles, one doing Penance for having two wives, Mal. 2. v. 15. And did he not make one yet, had he abundance of spirit, etc. p. 53. A Sermon preached in Welles, certain persons doing Penance for being at Conventicles, where a woman Preached, 1. Tim. 2. v. 11, 12, 13, 14. Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, etc. p. 67. A Sermon preached at Welles, one doing Penance for Blasphemy, Levit. 24. v. 15, 16. And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel saying, Whosoever curseth his God, shall bear his sin, etc. p. 79. A Sermon preached in Wells, a Schismatic doing Penance, 1. Cor. 3.18. Let no man deceive himself. If any among you seem to be, wise, etc. p 94. A Sermon preached at Farnham on Saint james his Day, being the day of King james his Coronation, james 1.12. Blessed is the man that endureth tentation, etc. p. 107. A Sermon preached at White-Hall, john 2.16. Make not my Father's House an House of Merchandise, p. 122. A Sermon preached at Greenwich, Psal. 32. v. 5. I said, I will confess my sins, etc. p. 132. A Sermon preached at White-Hall, Luke 22. v. 60, 61, 62. And immediately, while he yet spoke, the Cock crew, etc. p. 143. A Sermon preached at Greenwich, Matth. 3.16, 17. And jesus when he was baptised, went up strait way, etc. p. 159. A Sermon preached at White-Hall, 1. john 3. v. 20, 21. For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, etc. p. 176. Meditations upon diverse Texts of Scripture. AN EXPOSITION OF THE FIRST PSALM. VERS. 1. 1. Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the , nor standeth in the way of Sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. THis Psalm stands first in order, and for the matter, it well deserves to stand first. Venerable Bede gives the reason, Hic Psalmus fine titulo, quia ipse est titulus; this Psalm hath no inscription, because itself is an inscription, it contains the argument of all the other Psalms, and if of all the Psalms, then of all the Bible, know them and know all: yea know all in the best manner, Non Theoreticè sed Practicè: we may behold therein Man as a living Bible, the Man Christ exactly, of whom not a few of the Psalms entreat, and other men proportionably, whose affections are here limmed and described, be they good or bad. The division then of this Psalm, is the same with that of the whole Bible: in both we must observe a Covenant, and Parties thereunto: the Parties are God and Man, Man is remembered in the entrance, Blessed is the man, God in the close of the Psalm, The Lord knoweth the way of the righteous, etc. The Covenant stands in their mutual stipulation: Man vows, a Duty: God promiseth a Reward. Touching the first party to the Covenant, and his Vow, we must more distinctly observe, Who this party is, and what he vows. The Party is Harish, Vir ille, That man, each word will yield his note. First, that the Party to the Covenant is man; and secondly, that he is more than an ordinary man. As for his vow, it consists of two parts, an Abrenunciation of that corrupt state, wherein he life's by nature, and a dedication of himself to a better state, whereunto he is called by Grace. But these parts must be considered first jointly, in regard of their number and order: we must see, why they are in number two, and then how those two are digested: having thus considered them jointly, we must look into them severally, we must look into the nature of each of them apart; and then in the Abrenunciation we shall find From what, and How fare we must be severed: will you know From what? the text will tell you, that whereas there are Sinners, and Sins, we must be severed not from the Sinners, but the Sins; not from the , sinners, and scorners, but from their counsel, way, and chair. Secondly of sin, you shall find here the seed and the fruit, from which you must be severed: the seed is the counsel of the ; that is it, which is sown in our inward man, and comprehends the solicitation unto sin, from which spring two evil fruits, which shoot forth in our outward man; The way of sinners is the first, which is our falling to an ill course of life: the second, which is worst, is the Chair of the Scorner, our becoming ringleaders unto others, both to do ill, and also to vilify what is good. This is that from which we must be severed. But how fare? our first care must be to withstand the first offer of sin; we must not meddle with the seed thereof; Not walk in the counsel of the wicked. We should estrange ourselves so fare; but if haply we have not been so watchful, as to avoid the seed, yet we must be careful not to bring forth the fruit thereof: not the first fruit, we may not apply ourselves to a wicked course, stand in the way of sinners; at least take heed of the second Fruit, of professing the art of sinning, to the reproach of virtue, which is, a sitting in the seat of the scorners: this is the Serpent's method to draw us to the height of sin, from whence we must take the measure of our care in preserving ourselves therefrom. And this is the first branch of that Vow, which we made in Baptism, and I called it Abrenunciation, according to the ancient phrase of the Church. The second part of our Vow is our Dedication; when we have really shaken off this corrupt course, we must betake ourselves unto a better. We are taught here, what it is, and How long it must continue: It stands in two points, the first of which is the entertainment, that we must give unto God's Law; that must be acceptable to our inward man, Our delight must be in the Law of the Lord: the second is our employment answerable thereunto; the benefit thereof must redound to the whole man, the whole must meditate upon that Law. But how long? surely God will not be served by fits, we must persevere in this devotion Day and Night, that must be the term of our Meditation; neither only of our Meditation, but of our Delight also; yea, this continuance of time, though annexed unto the last, must be understood in all the former clauses; for the latter doth always presuppose the former: we cannot meditate, except we delight, neither can we delight, as we ought in the Law, except we sever ourselves so fare as is required from Communion with sinners; therefore we must be constant in all. To begin then, we are first to see the first Party to the Covenant, which is set down in two words, Vir ille, That man: it is a Man, and, yet such an one, as is more than ordinary. Man is a term, which though it properly note one sex, yet usually it includes both: and why? Man is the Head of the woman, therefore usually where he is mentioned, she is included; the Cinilians observe it in the Law, and so do the Divines on the Scripture. Certainly the Fathers thought it worth their noting upon this place: And it is well they did note it, for some School Divines have been so ill catechised, Acuteness in c. p 5. Mattha● as that they have questioned the woman's interest in this Covenant, forgetting the Text of Saint Paul, that In jesus Christ there is neither male nor female: Gal. 3.28. what therefore is spoken to man, the woman also must take unto herself. Secondly, as there is no sex excluded, no more is there any kindred; for in Christ there is neither jew, nor Greek; therefore is the Party set down in a name, that signifies all mankind; to signify, that all mankind are included in this Covenant. And indeed it was entered into with Adam in Paradise; therefore it concerns all his posterity: As the Sun in the firmament, so the Son of righteousness is common unto all: I say hath made a whole Chapter of it, Cap. 56. Let not the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself unto the Lord, speak, saying, The Lord hath utterly separated me from his people: Neither let the Eunuch say, behold I am a dry tree; the Prophet goeth on, and reports the interest which God gives to each of them in his Covenant. Saint Peter, Acts 10. Vos. 3●. having first received it in a vision, delivers it afterwards in a Maxim, Of a truth I perceive, that there is no respect of persons with God: wherefore then, if any man be excluded, it is because he excludes himself. And indeed, there are too many which exclude themselves, and though all may, yet few do partake of this Covenant: and therefore the Psalmist doth not only name a Man, but that Man is Ish, which usually notes some great man, especially with this Emphasis Ha-ish; if the person be so noted, sure it is some extraordinary Man. And verily whereas all the world lieth drowned as it were in wickedness, Psal. 14.2, 3▪ so that The Lord looks down from heaven and cannot see any one that doth good, no not one; Gen. 6.17. Psal. 12. Mi●. 7.2. and all flesh hath corrupted his way, so that the Psalmist cries out, Help Lord, for there is not one godly man left; there must needs be somewhat more than ordinary in him, which is not led away with the error of the wicked, seeing they are so many, but strives to enter in at the strait gate, and to go a way that is so narrow: to be as Noah in the old world, as Lot in Sodom, as Eliah in Israel, is a rare thing, and therefore deserves a mark of rarity; the Person deserves not only to be called a Man, but That man by an Excellency, and we must hold this rule, that though it may be, yet it is not a common thing to be a Party to this Covenant: therefore we must think it worth our pains to affect it, seeing we receive so honourable a title, for our right in it. The Fathers go one step farther, and apprehend in this title Hominem Dominicum (as Saint Austin speaks) our Saviour jesus Christ. And no marvel; for though the first Covenant were entered into immediately with a mere man, yet because he forfeited, and failed to perform his part of the contract, God in the renewing of it provided better for us, and entered into the second Covenant immediately with him, that is both God and Man, and so, that by him, as the Head, it should be communicated to the Church, which is his body: and who dare assume to be a Party to this Covenant but Christ, and those whom he will enable thereunto? we may not presume of this honour, except we derive it from him; for though it be a point of great dignity, yet is it a point of great difficulty also, as you will perceive when we have unfolded the Vow. Let us come then unto it. I told you it consists of two parts, which we must consider, first, jointly, and then severally: in the joint consideration of them, we must consider, first their number; they are two, they must needs be so many, since the Fall, before, one was enough. While we had the Image of God, we had nothing to do, but to dedicate ourselves to him, but now that Image is lost, we have more to do, we must not only put on the new, but also put off the old man: Gen. 3.15. those words of God, I will set enmity between the Serpent and the Woman, her seed, and his, imply, that there must be a separation between His, and those that are not His: and this he discovered immediately after Adam had children, in the separation of Abel from Cain; in whom Saint Austin layeth the foundation of the two Cities, the City of God, and the City of the Devil; which is true concerning so much of it, as hath a foundation in man, although it began before, in regard of the Angels, which before the fall of Adam were ranged into good and bad: After Abel, and Cain, God continued the separation in the posterity of Seth, and Cain, in the posterity of Noah, of Abraham, 2. Cor. 6.14. of Isaac, of jacob, etc. Saint Paul gives the rule, No communion between light, and darkness, righteousness, and unrighteousness, etc. As this number of parts is required, so must we take them in their order: and the natural order is here set down in my Text; we must begin at the Abrenuntiation. The Law for the most part is delivered in negative Commandments, which speak to us, as we are in the state of corruption, from which we must be cleansed, before we can make any use of the affirmative, and have our part in sanctification. Learn of our bodies, how we must deal with our souls; corrupt humours must be purged, before good nourishment be administered, otherwise, the peccant humours will corrupt good nourishment: Cap. 10. vers. 12. Hosea teacheth it by another Simile, bidding us to blow up the fallow grounds of our hearts, and not sow amongst thorns: good husbands know, that except the plough do first weed the ground, the weeds will choke the good seed that is sown therein: and surely the reason, why men profit so little at the Church is, because they are not by Abrenuntiation prepared for their dedication. But enough of the parts of our Vow, as they are considered jointly; let us now come to take them asunder, and look into the nature of each of them apart; and first of our Abrenunciation; wherein we shall learn, From what, and How fare we must be severed. There are Sins and Sinners, both expressed in my Text; the Sinners in three several names, whereof the learned give diverse significations, wherein they do rather follow the translations, than the original words; but the best exposition of these names is, that which we finde in the description of their Sins: The first is Rashang, which is a tumultuous, or an unquiet person, whose Sin is; Ambulare in consilio: who is more unquiet than he that is unresolued? The second is Chataim, from Chata, which signifieth one that shoots, but clean besides the mark; and his Sin is, Stare in viâ, look where his arrow pitcheth, there to take up his stand, and to resolve upon that course. The third is Letz, a crafty Scorner; and the definition of his Sin is, to sit down in a chair, to be a public professor of sin, with the disgrace of godliness. As we must mark this distinction of the Sinners, so must we also the specious titles that are given to their Sins, Counsel, Way, Chair; good names, but ill applied: Counsel is necessary to guide us in our course; but not the Counsel of the : we are all commanded to go a Way, but it must not be the way of Sinners; and a Chair is a seat of honour, but not if it be the seat of the Scorner: That we be not abused by the outside, we must look into the inside of a temptation; add unto Counsel, Sinner unto Way, Scorner to the Chair, and then we shall see, that there is reason, why we should be separated from these; and we shall not be overreached by wolves in sheep's clothing. But mark; whereas you have heard of Sinners & Sin, the persons & their ill qualities, we are not willed to be separated from their persons, but from their ill qualities, not from the , but from his counsel, not from the Sinner, but from his Way, not from the Scorner, but from his Chair; we must go out of the world, if we will be separated from their persons; but from their qualities we may be separated, and yet converse with them: only when public authority commands, whether Ecclesiastical or Civil, we must separate ourselves from the persons also, not only from the sins of men. The children of God are compared to light, and during the time of their spiritual warfare, they must show themselves like unto light: Light shines in the air, and on the earth, and yet contracts no contagious quality from the one, or the other: so should the children of God do; and as Christ tells them, they must be, though in the world, yet not of the world: yea, as the light doth discover, john 17. and correct the malignant qualities of the air, and the earth, remaining itself unalterable: so must not we be the worse for the world, rather, the world should be the better for us. But let us look a little farther into these things, from which we must be separated, and then we shall find here the seed, and the fruit of Sin; the seed, that is, the Counsel of the wicked, by that they seek to work upon our inward man, and frame that, and work it unto sin, by questioning the truth wherein it is settled. Eccles. 7.20. God (saith the Preacher) made man right, that is, set him in the right way, and set him upright in his way, But man sought out many inventions: what those inventions were, Solomon in that Book expresseth in his own person, where he showeth, that he was Ambulans in Consilio, he took a taste of all courses, but could rest upon none of them: Cap. 5●. vers. 20. the Prophet Esay compares wicked men to the restless seas, Cap. 1●. c. 8. Saint james saith, that they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, men that can no where take sure footing: And how should they, that have left a rock to walk upon the sands? Vers. 13. Saint jude calleth them wand'ring stars, and indeed nothing can better resemble them then a Planet, who is sometime in conjunction with one star, and sometime with another, and varieth according to his conjunction: and the world is at this day full of these walkers in Counsel, 2. Tim. 4.3. 2. Tim. 3.7. persons having itching ears, who are ever learning, and never come to the knowledge of the truth: And this breeds so many Sects in the world, wherewith our Church, as others, hath been, and is not a little disquieted. And yet mistake not, I favour not the blind obedience, or implicit faith, where unto the Church of Rome enthralls the consciences of her followers, and makes them seal their Vow of obstinacy, with the most sacred obligations of Oaths and Sacraments: whereupon our Recusants are become like deaf Adders, Psal. 58.4, 5. that stop their ears, and will not hear the Charmer, charm he never so wisely: did we teach any other doctrine then that which God first delivered in Paradise, and hath since unfolded by his Prophets and Apostles, from whence the world degenerated, and whereunto we recall it, they did well to stop their ears, as our people shall do well to stop their ears against them; because they draw not unto God, but from him: but it is one thing to forbid irresolutenesse, when a man is assured of Gods will warranted by his Word, such as was in Eve, Gen. 3. Gen. 6. when she conferred with the Serpent; and the Sons of God, when they would needs be acquainted with the daughters of men: and in the Israelites, when they would learn the manners of other nations: another thing to forbid that irresolutenesse which was in Nicodemus, Nathaniel, in Gamaliel, when they began to stagger, and could not presently resolve, whither that they were with others to oppose Christ, or else leave their former course, and become the Disciples of Christ; neither of those courses being at the first assured to their consciences. The Papists forbidden this latter irresolutenesse, when neither way is known to be right, which irresolutenesse causeth a man to inquire, and find out that which is right; we forbidden the former irresolutenesse, where one way is known to be right, the other to be wrong; which will bring a man from a sound resolution, to an irresolution: Certainly, if we do so walk in Counsel, we have received the seed of sin. Our lesson then must be this: When God hath set us in a right way, never to advice, whether it be good to take another way: if we do, than this ill seed of bad counsel sown in the inward man, will fructify and shoot forth in the outward man, Corrumpunt bonos mores colloquia prava, Ill counsel will corrupt good manners; He that takes this kind of counsel, when he comes to resolve, resolves commonly upon the worse, he will not stand in the right way, though he will stand in a way: so it befell Rehoboam; he heard the Ancients, and he heard the Youths, 1. Kings 12 he that had so little wit, as to hear both, had so bad a will as to follow the worse, the like befell Ahab, 1. King's 2●. who was contented to hear as well the true Prophet as the false, concerning his journey to Ramoth Gilead; but when he came to resolve, he gave more credit to the false, than to the true; the very same befell the jews, deliberating what way to take, jerem. 42. whether to go into Egypt, or abide in judea; they asked jeremy, he advised them to abide in judea, and that it was Gods will they should do so: they ask others, they advice them to go into Egypt, jerem. 43. and with contempt of God's pleasure they obstinately did so. But why do I seek for proof to these stories? Look to the first deliberation, that is of record, that of Eve with the Serpent, and judge thereby how dangerous it is at all to deliberate in such a case: that first deliberation hath given us a woeful proof, that he that doth, Ambulare in Consilio improborum, will stare in viâ peccatorum: Saint Paul hath a rule, Rom. 1.21. Rom. 1. that it is too natural for men to be vain in these Dialogismes: our foolish heart will be darkened, and when we strive to be most wise, we shall prove most sottish; well may we stand in a Way, to make some trial of the Counsel that is given us, but it is more than likely, that our Way will be the way of sinners. And it were well, if we bore only this fruit; there is yet a much worse, which is the Sitting down in the seat of the scorners: When the heart becometh so corrupt, that it depraveth the principles of Conscience, and our judgement is so perverted, that we speak good of evil, and evil of good, call darkness light, and light darkness, than we are come so fare, as to bear this second ill fruit. But the phrase imports two things: By Sitting in the Chair, it is meant, that men proceed so far in Sin, that they become Doctors of it, and the Chair of scorners shows, that they scoff all that are opposite to it: Touching the first, we must note, that a sinner desireth not to be single, but as good things have semen in speciem suam, a seed for the multiplication of their kind; so have evil also: The Serpent drew into his company Eve, & Eve Adam, the daughters of men corrupted the sons of God, yea whatsoever sin a man is given unto, he desireth company, A These, Prou. 1. an Adultress, Prou. 7. Idolaters, Num. 25. The same may be observed in others: Sinners are ambitious to be teachers of their Sin; neither only teachers of sin, but also mockers of godliness, so Ishmael dealt with Isaac, the Israelites with the Prophets, Gen. 21. 2. Chron. 36 the Scribes and Pharisees with Christ: Saint jude by a general name calleth wicked men Mockers, and hardly will he forbear to scoff at godliness, Vers. 18. that undertakes to be an Advocate of Sin; for whereas they are not able to resist the strength of the apparent grounds of piety and truth, they find, that the best way to entertain the favourable opinion of ignorant people, towards them that are bad, is to vilify those that undertake the defence of that which is good: This hath been always the practice of the enemies of the Church, whether Infidels or Heretics, as appears by the Ecclesiastical Story; and at this day the Romanists use the very same method, who spend more Books in reproaching their Adversary's persons, then in refuting of their Arguments, and thrive better by this indirect course, than they could by any that is direct. You have heard from what we must be separated, It remains that now in few words you hear, How fare. This it set down in three verbs, 1 Walking, 2 Standing, 3 Sitting; wherein there is a gradation, for standing is more than walking, and sitting more than standing: but this gradation is somewhat strange; for though in Exhortations we do rise from the lowest degree to the highest, yet in dehortations we use to fall from the highest degree to the lowest: As for example, when we exhort to liberality, we tell men, that it is not enough for them to have a charitable heart, they must also have a good eye, neither will a good eye suffice, except they have a liberal hand; so do we by degrees draw them to the height of virtue: but when we dehort (as for example) from murder, we tell men that they must be so fare from shedding blood, that they must not utter so much as an unkind word, yea they must be so fare from letting lose their tongue, that they must set a bridle upon their hearts, so do we endeavour to hold in the very first motions of sin. Strange then may it seem, that these words being a Dehortation should follow the course of an Exhortation, and in marshalling of sins should begin at the least: but the reason is: The Psalmist sets down the method, by which sin first entered upon man, and ever since doth work itself into man, to the end, that we may observe, how we must preserve ourselves from it, and take heed, that it prevail not so fare, as to bring us to a desperate case. There are three degrees here specified, which ascend one above the other. First, the Serpent tries, whether he can work in us an unresoluednesse of heart, and tries whether we be steadfast in our faith: and here must we begin to withstand him, and not be brought to any parley; such deliberation must be avoided, for it is no better than the receiving the Serpent's poison into our understanding, which must be the guide of our life, but if we have been so foolish, as to walk in his counsel, we must take heed, that we bring not forth the fruit of that we have conceived, and let not our life witness, that we have been inveighled by his Counsel, we must not stand in his way. But it is too usual with men to be overtaken with this second degree of sin, wherein, the Serpent will not suffer them to rest; He will carry them forward to the consummation of gracelessness, he will make them his seedsmen, like unto himself; he is not contented to have poison, except he also poison others; and whom he cannot work to be a Serpent, on him he will roar like a Lion: even so do wicked men, when they are come to the height of sin, they never cease till they have corrupted, or oppressed those that are good: answerable to this contagious disposition of theirs, the Septuagint, and the Vulgar call their Chair, the Chair of Pestilence: for it is observed, as a malignancy that doth attend the pestilence, that they who are infected, take great delight to infect others also. But when men come so fare, they are even past hope, nothing remains, but that judgement overtake such Miscreants: the flood must drown these Giants, fire and brimstone from Heaven consume such Sodomites, and such Israelites must be corrected with the Babylonian captivity. But I conclude; You see how fare a man may go in sin, if we will be as thoroughly separated from it, as we ought, we must have these three degrees always before our eyes; for we can never know certainly, how to keep ourselves in the way, that do not know, how fare we may go out of the way: wherefore let us take heed unto these degrees, that we slip not, if it may be, into any of them; or if we slip in, yet that we go not so fare, as to be past recovery: this is required in the first part of our Vow, that Vow, which we made unto God in Baptism. PSAL. 1. VERS. 2. But his delight is in the Law of the Lord, and in his Law doth he meditate day and night. THe Article that is required on our part in the Covenant, whereinto we are entered with God, or the Vow which we have made in Baptism, doth (as I have told you) consist of two parts; an Abrenunciation of the state, wherein we stand by Nature; and a Dedication of ourselves unto a better state, whereunto we are called by Grace. You have heard of the first of these two parts, of the Abrenunciation; but you have not heard of the best, that is, the Dedication. The Abrenunciation is required, Non per se, sed propter aliud, not that we should rest in it, but that we should tend unto a farther end by it. The reason is plain; it is but Removens impedimentum, non efficiens communionem, Heb. 12. 1● it is but the laying aside of the weight, and sin which doth easily beset us, and clog us in our race, we have not by it a Communion with God. Men blow their ground, but it is, that it may be the fit to receive good seed; and they purge their bodies, but it is that they may be the better able to digest good meat; even so the first part of our Vow serves to make way unto the second; true Piety is like jacobs' Ladder, which hath one foot upon the Earth, and the other in Heaven: it is not enough to ascend from the earth, we must also climb up into Heaven; when we have really shaken off our corrupt course, we must then betake ourselves unto a better. And that is expressed in the second part of our Vow. Wherein we must observe two points; First, Whereunto, then in What sort we must dedicate ourselves; that whereunto, is the Law of the Lord; and the Text tells us How, and How long we must dedicate ourselves thereunto; How, we must first receive it into our Inward man, our delight, or Will with a Delight, must be in the Law, from thence it must spread itself over the whole Man, we must meditate thereon. You see How. The Text also tells us How long, even Day and Night; this Dedication must never be given over; These be the particulars whereof now briefly, and in their order. First, we must see, Whereto we must be dedicated; and we find, that it is The Law of the Lord. When we find, that we have freed ourselves from our serpentine guides, then must we be advised in our choice, that we pitch upon a good guide: wherein the Scripture bids us take heed of two Rocks; the one is, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the other is, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, we must neither ourselves forge a Religion, neither receive any that is forged by others; for guiding of our conscience, as we must not be without Law, so must we take heed what Law we use. And indeed we may use none safely, but The Law of God; in such cases, Lanes 4.12. that of the Apostle is true, There is but one Lawgiver, no Law but his binds unto that, for performance whereof we may securely expect, that he will perform, what in the Covenant for his part he hath promised unto us. Many commendations we read in profane Writers, of the the Laws of Solon, Lycurgus, Zaleuchus, and others; but these must all be as imperfect, as the Lawgivers', whether we respect the Precepts, or the Sanctions; none comprehending exactly the Duty of Man, and therefore not being able to set Man in the way to the attaining of his Sovereign Good. This is peculiar to the Law of God. But what is meant by the Law of God? Surely the Law delivered by Moses, whereof the Prophets were but Interpreters, and their Interpretation shows the largeness of the Text; namely, That the Gospel is included in the Law; for the Decalogue clothed with the Ceremonies, what is it but Implicitum Euangelium? The substance of the Gospel, which is Salvation by Repentance, and Faith in Christ. And so must we understand not only Moses his commendations of the Law, Deut. 4. but King David's also, Psal. 19 and 119 the truth whereof cannot be acknowledged, if the Law and the Gospel be taken Oppositè, and not Compositè; if we oppose the one to the other, and do not by the one put comfort into the other; Certainly, in this place we must so understand the Law, because it is made the Way to Bliss. And mark, that here One Law of God, is opposed unto the three degrees of Sin; The Counsel of the wicked, The way of Sinners, and The Seat of the Scorners; one to three, to give us to understand, that what those three promise, is performed in this One: no true Counsel, but in this Law, no good Course, but that whereinto we are set by this Law; and if we will be Doctors, and despise the folly of others, we must sit in Moses Chair, we must profess no other, but the Law of God. And thus much of that Whereunto we must be dedicated. Let us vow see How. We must first receive it in the Inward Man; the word used by the Psalmist is Chephetz, which signifies Voluntatem, and Voluptatem, and notes where, and what entertainment we must first give unto The Law. Where, in our Will; so we find in the tenor of the Covenant, This shall be my Covenant, jere. 31.33. which I will make with the House of Israel (saith the Lord:) I will write my Laws in their Hearts, etc. God will not have a servile Dedication, he will not be served by compulsion; and therefore those that serve him are called, Psal. 110. A willing People: Neither can the service be reasonable, wherein the Will is wanting; for the Actions are not counted ours, wherein the Will hath no part; seeing it is by virtue of the Will, that a Man is Dominus actionum suarum, a free Agent; neither is any Action free, but that which is done willingly: though we cannot partake of the Law, but by our Understanding, yet is the principal object of the Law, our Will, for Theologia is Scientia, not Theoretica, but Practica, we learn not the Law for to know it, but to do it. Add hereunto, that Inclinatio voluntatis, is Inclinatio totius suppositi, it is not without cause, that God requires the Will, seeing the Will hath power to sway the whole Man, especially if the Will be Chephetz, joined with Delight, for so God doth require the Heart, he will have it seasoned with Love, Deut. 6.5. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and Love is the fulfilling of the Law; King David opens this Delight, 1. Tim. 1.5. Psal. 19 when he tells us, that the Law was sweeter than Honey, and the Honeycomb; the meaning of it is, we must not be mercenary, but the pleasure we take in it, mustbe the cause why we entertain it. And mark the phrase, His delight is in the Law; Multi habent Legem in Cord, sed non Cor in Lege (saith Hugo de S. Victore.) Many treasure up the Law in their hearts, that do not solace their hearts in the Law; they only know it, these also delight in it. Saint Austin observes a Distinction between In Liege, and Sub Lege; Qui est in Lege, secundum Legem agit; He whose heart is in the Law, follows the direction of the Law; Qui est sub Lege, à Lege agitur, he whose heart is under the Law, Rom. 7.22. entertains it rather of constraint, then with a willing mind; but we must Delight in the Law of God, in the Inward man, as the Apostle speaketh. For as ground is fruitful, not by receiving, but by liking of the seed: Even so man becomes not Religious, by knowing, but by affecting of the Law; Amor est virtus Vniens, by Love doth a man become one with the Law, yea, himself is turned into a living Law; for men are always busy about that wherein they take Delight, and the Law being received into the inward man will overspread the whole man; which is employed in the next branch, He meditates on that Law. To Meditate on the Law is, First, to ruminate on the Scripture, and sound the depth of it; for the Law is delivered in few words, wherein there are contained great Riches of sense, which by Meditation we must work out: Christ hath given us a pattern, Mat. 5. Where he unwraps the sense of several Commandments, of Murder, of Adultery, of Divorce. In the sixth of Saint john, how much matter doth he draw out of the Story of Manna? And what mysteries doth Saint Paul in the Epistle to the Hebrews find in the Ceremonies of Moses? This is the first branch of Meditating, the unfolding of the Riches of that sense, which God hath treasured up in his Law. This is the work of our understanding. But the understanding doth but prepare matter for the Affections; There is a second branch therefore of Meditating, which is, the seasoning of our Affections with that which we know; And as the understanding prepares matter for the Affections, so what use of our Affections, but to quicken our Actions? Therefore, as a man which takes into his mouth a morsel of good meat, chewes it, and by chewing doth discover the sweetness, and kindly nourishment that is in it, and having relished it, swallows it down, and by mean conveyances disperseth it into every part of his body, that every part may be made more vigorous, and Active thereby: So a man which takes into his thoughts the Law of God; must by his Meditation chew upon it, and when he hath found out the sweet matter that is in it, his Affections must swallow it greedily, and he must not cease to work upon it, till he hath made the power thereof appear, in his liberal hands, in his godly lips, and in a word, even in his whole outward man; for the Law is given to the whole man, Mat. 5. the Commandment, Thou shalt not kill, by the Gloss of the Pharisees was restrained to the hand, as if, Thou, were nothing but thy Hand, and, to Kill, were nothing but to shed blood. It is true that what a man doth by a part, the whole becomes guilty of it, but then he must know, that there i● no part, but may contract his guilt; a man may commit Murder with his tongue, and he may commit it with his Affections; this the Pharisee knew not, and because he knew not, he taught not, and his Disciples practised not, and so both of them for want of Meditation, scanted the entertainment which they were to give unto the Law. And so shall we if we tread in their steps, and learn not how to Dedicate ourselves to God; whose Law we must Delight in, Meditate upon, and Affect, that so we may occasionally set on work the tongue, and the hand, and may utter, and Act with the outward man, those things which we conceive, and love in the inward man. Thus you see How we must be Dedicated. But how long? Day and Night, saith the Psalm. For first we must Meditate Day and Night; Which words some take properly, some improperly, improperly the Day notes Prosperity, and the Night Adversity, these significations are frequent in the Scripture, and then the meaning is; that be we as happy as Solomon, or brought as low as job, neither condition must make us forget our Meditation, this is a work for all times; for, hereunto shall we be beholding for our temperate using of Prosperity, and resolute bearing of Adversity. But take the words properly; and then because the Proposition is Affirmative, some think that it holds Semper, but not Ad semper, that though habitual Meditation must never be wanting in us, yet the Actual need not be exercised, but as occasion is offered unto us; but if we take Meditation together with the fore mentioned Actions which must go with it, we need not doubt, but the Proposition will hold semper, and Adsemper; for when are we not doing, speaking, or thinking, and which of these can be perfect without Meditation? And how then should not our life be a perpetual Meditation; and why may it not be said, that we should Meditate on God's Law, Day and Night? Sure I am, Deut. 6. that Moses speaks thus unto Israel, These words which I command thee this Day, shall be in thy heart, and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy Children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thy house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up, and thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as Frontlet's between thine eyes, and thou shalt write them upon the posts of thine House, and on thy Gates. And the Apostle, 1. Cor. 10. Whether ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. The envious man will always be sowing Tares, therefore we must never sleep; the enemy will be always giving an assault, therefore we must always stand upon our guard, No man putting his hand to the Blow, and looking back is fit for the Kingdom of God. Luke 9 Secondly, as we must Meditate upon the Law, so we must Delight in it Day and Night; This circumstance of time must not be restrained only unto Meditation, but enlarged also unto Delight; neither must it only belong to our Dedication, but to our Abrenuntiation also. For Meditation when it goeth so far, as to season the Affections with that which is known (as I expounded it) presupposeth Delight in the will, and the Dedication presupposeth the Abrenunciation; it is impossible the later should subsist without the former: therefore as long as we are bound to observe this last, we must continue all the rest, which must needs go before it. Whereupon it follows, that except this Text be understood of our Saviour jesus Christ, who only hath performed this Vow which is undertaken by us; it rather shows us, what we should, than what we can do, and sets us up a mark, whereat all our endeavours must be aiming in this world, in hope that we shall hit it in the world to come. I conclulde. The sum of the Christian man's Vow is. Psal. 37.27. We must Decline from evil, and do good; from all evil must we decline, whereunto we are prone by nature, and we must do all good which is recommended unto us in God's Law; That, must relish pleasantly unto us, and therein must we continually exercise ourselves, our inward, our outward man, fully, constantly, far we well, or far we ill. PSAL. 1. VERS. 2. Blessed is the man. THis Psalm contains the Covenant between God and Man; so that we are therein to observe, the Parties to the Covenant, and Articles whereon they are agreed; the Parties are God and Man; the Articles, man vows his Duty, God promiseth a Reward; of the first Party, and his Article, I have already spoken; It follows that I now come on to the second Party, and his Article. The second Party is God; God is a party to a Covenant with man. A Mercy to be wondered at; for God is a Creator, man his creature; therefore God may require whatsoever man can do; a man is bound to do it, were there no other inducement but this, that he is God's creature; for he cannot owe his being, but he must with all own his service, and to whom he oweth the one, to him he oweth the other also. And yet see how gracious God is unto man, he will not have man serve him for nought. This is signified in that he vouchsafeth to enter into a Covenant. If a man have a bondservant, and make him his Farmer, the Law saith, of bond he makes him free, and inables him as well to implead his Master, as to be impleaded by him. And doth not God in a manner do us the like favour, when he doth contract to give a Reward unto our service, whereby he becomes bound to perform, and we may be bold to challenge it? It were honour enough done unto our Nature, if only it were vouchsafed some near attendance unto God, and it caries with it a great Reward to have our person so employed: how much more honour than is done unto us, when God not only yields that, but a much higher advancement also for that? It is a question; whether a man may serve God for a Reward? The nature of a Covenant doth clear this doubt; For seeing God puts on the person of a Contracter, it is plain that we may not neglect the Regard, which we must have unto the Articles of his Contract; especially, seeing the Contract is founded in Christ, whose Merit over and above God's word, doth embolden us to rely thereon. But yet this Rule we must hold; We must obey, Quia bona Lex, prius quam quod Nobis commoda; our first respect must be unto the Precept of the Law, and then to the Sanction; and we must observe the Precept absolutely and for itself, but the Sanction only conditionally, and because God is pleased to add it; and being conscious to ourselves of our own defect, we must presume, not upon our own performances, but upon Christ's, and claim, not for our own Merits, but for His, in whom we are vouchsafed an interest. But to leave the Party, and come to his Article. The Article is in effect this; If a man be dutiful in performing his Vow, God will be gracious in giving a Reward. Touching this Reward we are here taught, what it is, and what is the evidence of it; It is set down in one word, Blessed; And indeed Blessedness contains the whole substance of our Reward. But how shall it be known who is Blessed? Surely here are evidences by which it may be proved; and the evidences are as many, as there are degrees of Blessedness; thereof there are two degrees, for men are Blessed, either in this life, or that which is to come. How it may be known whether a man is Blessed in this life, we are taught in the third and fourth Verses; where we are taught the difference between Good and Bad men in this world. Good men are compared to a Tree, whereof we have here set down the Kind, and the Virtue; the Kind; it is not a Native, but a Sative Tree; Planted by the Rivers of Waters. And the virtue thereof is double, it is profitable, & it is acceptable; profitable, for it brings forth its fruit in due season, and his Leaf never fails, acceptable, Look whatsoever he doth it prospers. As for the Wicked, Non sic, we must remove all this from them, the Kind, and the Virtue of the Plant. And what are they then? Nothing else but winnowed Chaff, Chaff which the wind drives too and fro. This is the first evidence, the evidence of Blessedness in this world. The second is the evidence of Blessedness in the world to come. In the world to come two special times are observable, the beginning, and the continuance thereof. The Godly differ from the wicked in both; in the beginning, that is, the time of the general judgement; for then the Righteous shall stand, the wicked fly; in the continuance; the Righteous shall be of a Congregation, whereunto the wicked shall not come. Now this double difference proceeds from a double Act of God's Providence, an Act of his wisdom which doth distinguish these persons, He knoweth the ways of the righteous, and an Act of his power, The way of the wicked shall perish; but we must mark, that the first of these Verbs, that expresseth Wisdom, includes Power, and the second that expresseth Power, includes Wisdom. These be the particulars which are to be observed concerning the Reward, the Nature & the Evidence of it, whereof I shall now only unfold that word which expresseth the Nature; and that word is Blessed, Ashre. This word in the Original respects our steps; and touching them observes two things, their praise, and their Comfort; their praise is, to be strait, and that the word signifieth primarily; their comfort is, to be happy, and that the word signifieth secondarily. Heb. 13.14. We have here no abiding place, but are wayfaring men, we may not, we cannot stand still, we shall be ever in our way, only our care must be what steps we tread; and this word implies the two Characters whereby we may discern such steps as we should choose; they must be strait, and happy; first strait, then happy. What a strait step is we may learn of the Harbinger of Christ, who doth not only call upon the people to prepare the way of the Lord, Esay 40 3, ●. and make his path strait; but also shows what is opposite to strait: if there be any Hills they must be taken down; if there be any Valleys they must be filled up, if there be any crookedness declining to the one side or the other, it must be set even. These are shadows of better things. That which maketh a man go out of the ways of God, is either Presumption, which maketh him to swell like a Hill, or Desperation, that maketh him to sink like a valley; or else he is too much besotted with Prosperity, which is leaning to the right hand, or else murmureth in Adversity, which is leaning to the left hand. So many ways, to say nothing of the particulars contained under these several ways, may we decline from strait steps. There is both a Variation, and Declination of the compass of our life. A second thing that we must mark is; That whereas the ways of God lie strait, and Recta linea est brevissima inter eosdem terminos, that God doth not toil us out, but setteth us in the next way to Heaven; if we fetch a compass, and travel by the crooked line, the fault is our own, that will go aside when we might keep forth right: as the Prodigal Child, Luke 15. that might have stayed at home with his Father, who would needs try the world, and come after a long time home to that Father from whom he went. The third thing that we must mark is; that Rectum is index sui & obliqui, we must guess how fare we are out of the way, by comparing our course to the strait way; Look how fare we are distant from that, so fare we are out. Here Praeter and Contra, which the Church of Rome distinguisheth, concur in one, that which is Praeter viam, is Contra viam, because we should keep in the right way; and what more usual in the Scripture, then to charge us not to decline either to the right hand, or to the left? as if so to decline were a sin, and a violation of the Law, and a doing contrary to that which the Law commands; for the Law commands us not to decline. The patronage of Venial sin then, which it borroweth from the preposition Praeter, is but weak; for to go Praeter viam, is to do Contra Legem. As our steps must be strait: so if they be strait, they will be happy; for Holiness and Happiness concur in God, and by his Ordinance they concur in man. Gen. 1. When God made his Creatures, he beheld them, and saw they were all good, and because good, therefore he blessed them, and ever since hath Blessing been an inseparable companion from Good. In the Law, God by Moses telleth the jews, Deut. 28. that if they harken to his voice, and keep his laws, they shall be blessed; the like doth God pronounce by Esay; Chap 3. Say unto the righteous man, it shall go well with him; so true is this, that this word Ashre doth therefore signify Happiness, because Happiness is annexed to Holiness. Moreover, we must note, that this word is plural, so is it ever read in the Original; the Holy Ghost intimating thereby, that as a man is compounded of soul and body, a body of many parts, a soul of many faculties; that which must make happy, must contain a manifold Blessing, which must give content to every Part and Power: and withal, checking the vain, either definitions of Philosophers, or elections of Men, which have recommended unto us, or have addicted themselves unto a maimed Blessedness. But more of that anon, when I shall open the nature of Blessedness. By the way I may not omit to observe, how in this Reward the Holy Ghost doth refute the vulgar opinion. For vulgarly men are of their opinion, 〈◊〉. 3.14. whom Malachi speaks of, who account it a vain thing to serve God, and say, what profit is there in walking humbly before Him? we account the proud blessed, and they that set light by God, are lifted up: and in the Book of Wisdom the say, Chap. 5 4. They accounted the righteous man's life madness, and his end without honour; the Apostle telleth us, that Christians seem in this life, 〈◊〉. 15.15 to be of all men most miserable; the unthrifty servant did not stick to challenge his Lord to his face, that he was a hard man, and gathered where he hath not scattered, reaped where he had not sown. Matth. 25.24. So fare are worldly men from thinking, that the Children of God are encouraged by any Reward to be constant in performing of their Vow, that they hold them most miserable, because they keep the same. Read Esay 53. vers. 1, 2. etc. But in the places, you shall find an Answer to their Exceptions, and they are sufficiently answered, where they are brought in so blaspheming. But you will not wonder at their error, if I open unto you the ground thereof. We must observe then, that they frame unto themselves false Notions of Blessedness, and according unto them do they judge of every man's state: For Example, he that placeth Happiness in Riches, what wonder if he hold all poor men to be wretches? and if any make his Belly his God, will he not think basely of Daniel, Dan. 1. and the three children that live with water and pulse? Mark the forecited places, and you shall find, that every one of these made his own choice the measure of his judgement, and contemned all others, that were not like unto himself. Wherefore, that we be not lead away with their error, and that we may be, as we ought, affected towards our Reward; it is behooveful, that we better understand the nature of Blessedness. All men naturally desire to be blessed, and he were a monster, and not a man, that were contented to be a wretch: but that which in common we all desire, when we come to determine, most do mistake. Not to tyre you with the enumeration of mistakes in this kind, De Ciuit Dei lib. 19 c. 1 whereof Varro (as Saint Austin reports) made a long Catalogue, In few words, Blessedness is the enjoying of the Sovereign Good. What the Sovereign Good is, we must judge by these two Characters, it must be Optimum, and Maximum, it must be the best that can be, and the most complete; if it be not the best, it will not sistere appetitum, we shall not leave shifting of it; it will never give us content, we will ever be longing, until we light upon that, beyond which there is nothing that we may long for: And if it be not Maximum, the most complete, it will not implere appetitum, we shall not be satisfied therewith, we shall be hungering and thirsting still; though we desire no other thing, yet of that thing wherein we take content, we shall still desire more and more, until our vessel is filled, until we have as much as we are capable of. Now these two Characters of the Sovereign Good, belong only unto God; He, by the very Heathen, is styled, Optimus Maximus, and the Scripture that tells us; There is none good but God only, and that He only is Almighty, doth confirm unto him these attributes, as also doth that title of his, Shaddai, All-sufficient, and therefore as the Apostle speaks, 2. Timoth. ● 15. only Blessed. Whereupon we may conclude, that he only is our Sovereign Good; for if by enjoying of himself, he make himself blessed, he must needs be the Fountain of Blessedness to all others. And indeed Saint Austin expresseth this religiously unto God, Confess. lib. 2.5.1 Fecistinos Domine ad te, & inquietum est cor nostrum donec requiescat inte; Whom have I in heaven, O Lord, but thee, and there is nothing on Earth which I desire with thee, my flesh, and my heart faileth, but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever, Psal. 73. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house, they will be still praising thee, Psal. 84. But God is Essentia simplex, of an uncompounded nature, the nature of man is many ways compounded; how then can this single nature satisfy our compound? Especially, seeing before you heard, that it is a manifold good that must make a happy man? We must help ourselves with a School distinction. A good may be manifold either Formaliter, or Eminenter; in Kind, or in Virtue; As for Example, there is a vegetable Soul in a Plant, there is a sensitive Soul in a Beast, the Soul of Man hath not these in their kind, yet hath he them in Virtue; for the reasonable Soul is endued with faculties, which in his Body perform both vegetation, and Sense; a man hath an Eye, and an Ear, a Hand, and a Foot, to see, to hear, to work, to go, an Angel hath none of these Formaliter, according to their kind, yet hath he them all Eminenter, his nature is such as hath the Virtue of seeing, hearing, moving, and doing, and that in a more excellent sort then man is capable of: Even so the single nature of God may give full content to the manifold capacities of man, seeing no created good proceeds from God, which is not eminently in him; for there is no Effect that is not an Image of the Efficient; though created Effects are Images of the uncreated Efficient, no otherwise, then if we consider them defecated, or purged from those imperfections, whereunto the condition of a Creature, a mortal Creature doth subject them; sever them, and then whatsoever good they have is an Image of that which is in God. Whereupon it followeth, that if any sense of our Body, or power of our Soul find any good in the creature, it shall enjoy the same though in a more eminent sort, if it enjoy the Creator. Having found the Sovereign Good; It follows that we now see how we become Blessed. We become Blessed then, not by having but by enjoying; for if having were enough every creature should be Blessed, for all creatures have him, because they cannot be without him, yea they live, move, and have their being in Him; Acts 17.28. But only reasonable creatures are capable of happiness, for they only can see God, and take their Delight in God. The understanding, and the will are those immediate faculties whereby we partake the Sovereign Good; each by a double Act; First, the Eye of the understanding being enlightened doth discover it; then doth the will sanctified fall in love, and make to wards it; when they are both met, then falls the understanding a work again, and doth uncessantly contemplate it, wherewith the will is stirred to a second work, it takes inexplicable pleasure in it. And this is the true enjoying of the Sovereign Good which makes a happy man. Where hence, we may also gather the cause of the Angels, and Adam's fall, both of them were made after the Image of God, and thereby made partakers of the Divine nature, they fixed their Eyes, and settled their Affection upon themselves, that model of Divine being, which they had in themselves, and so fell in love with themselves, and overvaluing their own worth, deemed themselves meet to be their own Sovereign Good, and so lost the true, while they sought an imaginary Happiness. But we must know, that the abilities that we have, be they never so divinely qualified, are but Vessels whereinto we must receive, they are not the Happiness itself, which we must enjoy: the glory of being the Sovereign Good, is the incommunicable prerogative of God. But God is in Heaven, and Man on Earth; and of Man on Earth the rule is true, He cannot see God and live; how then should he enjoy him, Exod. 33.20. and so become Blessed? We must understand, that there is a presence of God in his Word, which is apprehended by faith, of which Saint Paul, 2. Cor. 3.13. We with open face behold the glory of our God, and are changed into the same Image; this sight is Enigmatical, as the Apostle speaks, 1. Cor. 13. and like the beholding of our face in a glass; but yet is it a true sight, and the pledge of a clear. It is true, for whether we respect the Object, God, as he is described in his Word, or our faith, whereby we apprehend God so described, neither can deceive us, if they be sincere, if there be no mixture of humane invention, with Gods Revealed Will, and our faith be not allayed with our corrupt affections. As this dark enjoying of God is true, so is it the pledge of a clear; Men come not to Heaven per saltum, men leap not out of the dregs of nature, into the glory of Saints, neither can they be Blessed in the Church Triumphant, that are not Blessed in the Militant; but if we be Blessed on Earth by believing God in his Word, we shall be Blessed in Heaven, and there our faith shall be turned into sight, and God will show himself unto us as He is, we shall see him face to face. Now because the state in Grace is Blessed, as well as the state in Glory, and these two Blessednesses are inseparable, as we may gather by the two Titles that the Scripture gives unto the Spirit, which are, Rom. 8.23. 2. Cor. 1.22. First fruits, and a Seal or Pledge, the Psalmist pronounceth them Blessed that perform their Vow; two ways Blessed, Re and Spe, Blessed, in that they are in the Kingdom of Grace, and Blessed, in that they shall be of the Kingdom of Glory; both these Blessednesses are included in this Word: and more Blessed a man cannot desire to be; As hereafter you will be more fully persuaded (if this persuade not enough) when you shall hear of the Evidences, that are annexed to either of these Blessednesses. But for this time I conclude. The sum of all that you have heard, and whereof I pray God we may all make use, is, we must not hold our labour vain which we take in serving God; and that we contemn not the true, Let us not fancy a false Reward of our pains: God vouchsafeth to be our Reward, and we shall want nothing if we enjoy him; and enjoy him we must by knowing, and loving, truly and sincerely, though darkly, and imperfectly, in the state of Grace; that we may clearly and fully know, and enjoy him in the state of Glory. God-grant that his Word may dwell richly in us, in keeping whereof there is so great a Reward. PSAL. 1. VERS. 3. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season, his leaf also shall not whither, and whatsoever he doth shall prosper. THis Psalm breaketh itself into as many parts, as are contained in the Covenant of God; therefore have you more than once been told, that we may consider therein the Parties to the Covenant, and their mutual Stipulation: the Parties are Man and God; Man is to vow his Duty, God doth promise a Reward. Of the first Party, Man, and his Vow, you have heard at large, and I have begun to speak of the second, I have showed you, what is observable in the second Party, in God. And whereas touching the Reward, the Psalm teacheth, What it is, and what Evidence there is for it; I have showed you, What it is, unfolding the riches that are contained in the first word, Blessed. It followeth, that I now go on, and with the Psalm let you see, what Evidence there is of this Blessedness. And here we find a double Evidence, as there are two degrees of Happiness: Men are happy in this life, and happy in the life to come, of each the Psalm expresseth a distinct Evidence: the Evidence of Happiness in this world, stands in the apparent difference, that in this life appears between the good, and bad. Good men are compared unto a Tree; and touching this Tree, we are taught, what good is done for it, and what good cometh of it. The Good done for it, stands in the Husbandman's care, and choice: Care, in setting the Tree; for the Tree is not wild, but planted: Choice, in setting it in a fruitful ground; For the Tree is planted by the rivers of waters: this double Good is done for the Tree. But what good comes of it? Surely, as manifold a Good; for it proves well, and is well approved: it proves well, whether you look to the Principal, or the Accessory Good expected from a Tree: the principal good is Fruit, and this Tree bringeth forth Fruit; Fruit that is good, it hath the two marks of good Fruit stamped upon it; for it is kindly and timely fruit: Kindly, the Tree brings forth fructum suum, such fruit as well beseems such a Tree, and so well husbanded: neither is it only kindly, but timely also; for the Tree bringeth it forth, tempore suo, in his season, when it is fittest to serve the planters' use. A tree that bears such fruit, answereth the desire of the Husbandman, in regard of the Principal Good: but what doth it in regard of the Accessory? It fails not there neither; for it bears leaves, which are Ornamenta arboris, and Munimenta fructus, that grace the Tree, and defend the Fruit; and this Accessory good is lasting, for the leaves do never fail. It is plain that the Tree proves well; neither is it less plain, that it is well approved, for what it doth prospers, the Fruit prospers, the Leaves prosper: yea, it is as fare Approved, as it proves good; whatsoever it doth prospers; it doth, and receives as much, as you can require of a Tree. A happy conjunction, when doing well, and faring well meet so lovingly together. But all this while I have been talking only of a Tree; the Holy Ghost means more than a Tree in this place: what Saint Paul said, Gal. 4. Gal. 4 24. of Abraham, his Wives and Children, the same may I say of this Tree, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, these things are spoken by an Allegory; and so much is intimated by the first words of this Text, He shall be like a tree: so that what you have heard, is but the outside, we must also look into the inside of this Allegory. And there we shall find, that by the Tree is meant a Christian, whom God the Father as a careful Husbandman hath planted in our Saviour Christ, as a soil well watered with the Grace of God; and that this Tree proves accordingly, abounding in good Works, clothed with their due Circumstances; so that they are acceptable unto God, and profitable unto Man. This is the inside of the Allegory. Having laid it open before you in gross, and given you a taste of the contents therein; it followeth that I now resume the particulars, and lead you by the outside, more fully and profitably to understand the inside of this Allegory. First then, the Holy Ghost resembleth a Christian man to a Tree. It may be, that you would expect that he should propose Abraham, Isaac, jacob, or some of the Patriarches, they may seem fit patterns and better looking-glasses: but the Holy Ghost passing by them, pitcheth on this. And why? to make the deeper impression in us, if we will profit, and if we will not, to work in us the greater confusion. Those Worthies are dead, well may we hear of them, we cannot now see them, Et segnius irritant animos demissa per aures, Quam quae sunt oculis subiecta fidelibus; things heard do less affect, than those that are seen: therefore doth the Holy Ghost bring every man home, and presents him with a visible Sermon in his own Orchard, whereof he should never behold the trees, but he should behold an Image of himself; in every good Tree, an Image (I say) of that, which he should strive to be. But a little more distinctly to show how reasonable this Choice is; We must observe, that (as the Philosopher saith) Homo est arbor inversa, a man is a tree turned upside-down; for a tree hath his root in the ground, and his branches spread above ground; but a man's root is his head, therein is the fountain of Sense and Motion, and there doth he take in nourishment: but the arms and legs, as branches of this tree, they spread downward. And there is a mystery shadowed in this; for the root of a Christian man it is in Heaven; Our life is hid in Christ, Col. 3▪ and we spread downward, fructifying in good works in the sight of the world; whereas before we were in Christ, our root was downward, It was in old Adam, and it bare fruit answerable to that Root: This Saint Paul sets down excellently. 1. Cor. 15. The first man was of the earth, earthly, the second was the Lord from heaven, as is the earthly, so are they that are earthly, and as is the heavenly, so are they that are heavenly. This is the first reason of the Holy Ghosts choice. A second reason is, Mat. 1●. 33. because a tree is the best pattern of Sincerity, make the tree good (saith our Saviour) and the fruit will be good, Mat. 7.18. make the tree evil and the fruit will be evil, for, a good tree cannot bear evil fruit, nor an evil tree good fruit. There is no dissimulation in a Tree, neither should there be in Men; but it falls out too often, that men's outside and there inside are not like, they are plain Stage-players, and very Hypocrites. A third reason, why the Holy Ghost delighteth in this Simile is; because a Tree is a pattern of true Gloriation, it makes show of nothing, but it's own Fruit, it's own Leaves, by them doth it commend itself unto the Husbandman: and men should not stand upon their Pedigrees, but upon their own Virtues, and think themselves best graced by that, which testifieth their own worth. But enough of the reasonableness of the Holy Ghosts Choice; especially, seeing the Analogy that is between the particular parts of this resemblance will more and more confirm the same. Some inquire what Tree is here meant; whether the Olive, Psal. 52. or the Palm Tree, Psal. 92. because these are perpetually flourishing, and green: but I suppose, that the whole contexture of this Verse alludes to the Garden of Eden, or rather, the Vision Ezech. 47. where we find flourishing Trees planted by the waters of the Sanctuary; that place and this have the same Mystical sense. But let us come to the branches of the Simile. And first we are to see, What Good is done for the Tree; and that appears in the Care and the Choice of the Husbandman; we have here first his Care, He plants the tree. The Tree is not Native, but Sative, not a wild Tree, but a Tree of the Orchard, and there is great odds between such trees, and the odds is worth the marking; for this observed in the outside of the Parable, gives light unto that, which we must principally observe in the inside. In the first of Genesis God bids the Earth, bring forth trees, but Genesis the second, it is said, that God planted a Garden, and there doth God first show himself to be an Husbandman, as Christ calls him, john 15.1. The Holy Ghost doth often frequent that Simile, to give us to understand, that God's care of Man is more than ordinary: we see in the Creation with what circumstances the framing of Man is described, Let us make man after our own Image; and when Man forfeited, the new-making cost more Care, the second planting, than the first. Saint Hierome out of Aquila reads transplanted; and indeed so it is. we grew upon a wild Olive, and we are grafted into a true, we were branches of a degenerated Vine, and are now set into a generous: to speak it plainly, we were Children of wrath, and are made Children of God; besides our birth in our Mother's womb, we have a new birth in the womb of the Church: This Saint Paul, Rom. 6. speaking of Baptism expresseth by Planting, and he calls a Man newly baptised 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, newly planted, which word is frequent in the Counsels. Our note is. We must acknowledge the prerogative of a Christian above other men, which must carry with it an acknowledgement of God's special care vouchsafed the faithful; whereof Infidels have no proof: they continue Wild, whereas we are Planted trees, they lie in the dregs of Nature, whereas we are brought to the state of Grace. The second Good that is done to the Tree, appears in the Choice that is made of the Soil. It is no small benefit for a Tree to be planted, but that is not enough, it must also be fitted with convenient ground, otherwise much care might be ill spent: here we have choice ground, it is locus irriguus, well watered ground, and such is commended for the growth of Trees, especially, if the waters be artificially divided, and carried round about the Trees, that they may yield nourishment to the root, which way soever they spread: and such is the site of our Tree; it is not only planted by the waters, but also by the divisions of waters, it hath juice enough, and that well disposed. This is the outside of the resemblance, but the inside teacheth us; that as we Christians are beholding to God the Father, by whose care we are planted; so are we to God the Son, by whose Spirit we are watered. For indeed by Baptism we are incorporated into Christ; He is the soil that bears the spiritual Trees; Cap. 13. He is the Fountain opened to the house of Israel for cleansing, mentioned in Zacharie; Cap. 4. He is a Well of living waters springing unto eternal life, whereof we read in Saint john; He is the waters, that streaming from the Sanctuary, ran into the Dead Sea, Ezek. 47. and were both Sanantes and Vivificantes, healed the Trees that grew on the banks thereof, and made them bear fruit abundantly; both which properties are necessarily required for a transplanted Tree, that it may cease to be what it was, and become, what it should be: And we do find a mortifying and a quickening grace in Christ, abolishing our Old Man, and reviving the New. Finally, there are in Christ, Rivi aquarum, joh. 7. He that believeth in me (saith Christ) out of his belly shall flow rivers of waters of life; yea, as we have manifold diseases and wants, so may we find manifold remedies and supplies in Christ: His grace doth compass us on every side, and is at hand every where to steed us. So good choice hath God made of the Soil wherein to plant the Trees: and so well are Christians provided for, that are made members of Christ. And so have I opened unto you the good, that is done for this Tree; let us now go on, and see what good comes of it. And we shall find, that as it received, so it yields a double good; for it proves well, and is well approved: it proves well, whether you look to the Principal, or to the Accessory Good, which is expected of a Tree. The Principal Good is to bear good Fruit; and so doth this, it bringeth forth fruit. Fructus comes from fruor; it must be such a thing as is useful, not briers, or thorns, that scratch and spoil: of which kind there is more then enough, appearing as well in men's lives, as growing upon Trees. Whereupon it comes to pass, that the Proverb is changed, and in stead of Homo homini Deus, we may now say, Homo homini Daemon; Men live not for their mutual good, but ruin. As that which a Tree bears must be Fruit, so must he bring it forth. Those that are planted in the Church, must not conceal the grace they have received, no more than a Tree doth his sap. We glory in the discovery of rich metals, and precious stones, that nature hath buried in the earth, and the sea; we suffer nothing of this great world to lie hid, we love to bring it forth, to behold, to show it: so should we deal with the gifts and graces, which God hath treasured up in this our little world. No Tree should strive more to send forth fruits, than we to bring forth works. But we must look that the Works be good, as the Fruit of this Tree is. It hath the two marks of good Fruit set upon it, it is kindly, it is timely. Lignum rationale (saith Hilary) that fructum non confusè, non importunè, As the natural, so the spiritual Tree bringeth forth fruit, neither confusedly, nor unseasonably. Let us behold these two properties, first in the Natural, then in the Spiritual Tree. First, let us see how kind it is. Profert fructum suum. Suum is a Relative, and looks back unto the good, that is done for the Tree: the first appears in the care of him, that of a wild Tree mad● it a planted Tree; and it must not degenerate again, and bear Fruit answerable to his former stock; being a generous Vine, it must not bear wild Grapes, nor sour Olives, being made partaker of the Sweetness of the true Olive Tree. The Children of God must not live like the Sons of men, neither must the members of the second Adam live, as if they were members of the first. We are offended when we see such degenerating in the Trees of our Orchard; it were to be wished, we d●d not approve it in ourselves, that are of the garden of God. The overflowing of Atheisms, Heresies, and impurities, do testify to the world, that we bear unkindly fruit. But Suum, His fruit, refers not only to the Husbandman's care, but also to the fruitfulness of the soil; and so requires not only a good nature, but a good measure also. For a Tree to bear scant fruit, where there is good store of juice, must needs be unkindly: and it is not kindly for men to be sparing in doing well, who are rooted so near unto the Fountain of grace. For him that hath five talents, to yield but two, or him that hath ten, to yield but five, will make but a bad account; seeing God expects, that men shall render according to that, which they do receive. Moreover, Suum doth import a respect to the doer, and also unto others, as it is joined with Profert. Look upon it, and you shall find, that grace g●ue● ability to do well, but the Faculties of our soul seasoned with grace, are they that are exercised in well doing: therefore is the work reputed ours, as the Fruit is reputed to be borne by the branch of the wild Olive, though it be beholding to the new stock (of whose fatness and sweetness it doth partake) for that it is able to bear such Fruit: It is no small honour that God doth us, in that he makes his gifts so become ours. But as Suum gives us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a Possession, and Propriety of the work, so Prefert calls for a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or a Communicating of the work unto others, we must be good dispensers of the grace of God, and edify others with our gifts. And here we see a difference between Rational, and Irrational Trees: of Irrational Trees, as of other Creatures the rule is true, Vos non vobis, they yield much good for which themselves are never a whit the better; but Rational Trees reap good of that, where with they do good; they do good, because they bring forth fruit; and from this themselves also reap good, because the Fruit continues their own, and shall be reckoned unto them in the day of the Lord. Finally, by His fruit we may understand such Works, as belong to every man's Vocation. For as in an Orchard there is variety of fruit, Appletrees, Peartrees, Plum trees, etc. and every tree endeavours to suck juice answerable to his kind, that it may bear such fruit; and an Appletree doth not turn a Plum tree, nor a Plum-tree, a Cherrie-tree, etc. but every tree contents itself to be of its own kind: So in the Church are there varieties of Callings, Pastors, People, Magistrates, Subjects, Every one is to walk as he is called of God, 1. Cor. 1.20. & learn what belongs thereto, and not encroach upon, or intermeddle with that, which belongs to others. Except men heed this, whatsoever good they seem to do, it is not accepted; the Saying of the Roman General to the Soldier that kept the tents, when he should have been fight in the field, Non amo nimiùm diligentes, will be used of God, if he call us to one profession, and we busy ourselves about another; God will not like such busy bodies. As the Fruit is kindly; so is it also Timely, the Tree bringeth forth fruit in his Season. As there are diverse seasons in the year, so are there fruits for every season; the health of our body doth require it should be so, for whose sustenance these fruits were provided; that is unkind to be taken in Winter which was fit in Summer, neither will that serve at Autumn, which was made for the Spring: Even so the qualities of men have their seasons, and (as the Preacher saith) There is a time for every thing, Cap. 3. a time for weeping, and a time for laughing, a time for peace, and a time for war. Nehemiah doth blame the people that Wept, Cap. ●. and biddeth them go and Feast; God reproveth the people that did Feast, because it was then a time to Fast; Rehoboam was stared by the Prophet, Esay 22. 1. K●ays 12. 2. Co●●●●, 19 when he would have warred upon Israel; jehosaphat is rebuked by a Prophet, for that he would have society with the King of Israel. The ground of this variety, is; We may not rebuke, when we should comfort, nor comfort when we should rebuke; the Habits of virtues must be always in us, but the Acts must be exercised upon their just occasions. You see by this time, that the Tree proves well in regard of the Principal Good, that is expected from a Tree: neither is it less true in regard of the Accessory Good: The Accessory good are Leaves; and indeed the Accessory are a great good of the Tree, for they are Ornamentum arboris, and Oper●mentum fructuum, they make the Tree more pleasant to behold, and serve for to defend the Fruit from the injury of the weather: therefore are they compared to the hair of a man's head, which if it should be missing, every man sees, how much deformity and discommodity would come unto our head. But this is but the out side of the Parable. Good Works have their Circumstances, which in doing them must be observed, and are as behooveful to the Work, as Leaves to the Tree, both to recommend it, and also to defend it: for Example, He that gives, must give with cheerfulness; he that obeys, must do it with willingness; he that reproves, must do it with charitableness, etc. take away these Circumstances, and a churlish gift is not worth thankes, stubborn service cannot content, neither will a man be reclaimed by a malicious reproof: put these Circumstances to it; and if ever a man will be thankful, it will be to him that gives unto him cheerfully; if any servant will please, it is he that doth his duty willingly, and if ever an untoward nature will be altered, Charity must season the reproof: Due circumstances give a sweet influence unto a good work; and they are the best Apology to stop the mouths of slanderers. Such Leaves a good Tree bears, and a good Man observes such Circumstances. And he observes them Constantly; for his Leaf Never fadeth. The reason, why the Leaves fade, and fall, is the disproportion between the heat and the moisture; when the heat is too weak, and so the moisture falls back to the root, or else is too strong, and consumes it faster, than it can be supplied by the root; so that, if the Leaf never fade, there must needs ever be a good proportion between them. The Grace of God is compared sometimes to Fire, sometimes to Water; because it hath a warming and cooling property, a drying, and a moistening: It warmeth us when we are over cold; as we are too often in doing good; and when through indiscreet zeal, we are over hot, then doth Grace cool us, and keep us in a good temper: Sometimes we are over dry, and spating in doing well, Grace then serves to moisten us, and make us more frivitfull; and when we grow luxuriant, it drieth up our superfluities, and brings us to a mean: from the due proportion of these qualities ruling our Actions, it comes to pass; that as a Tree casteth not his Leaves, so we fail not in the Circumstances which must order our good works. Fruit without Leaves, or Leaves without Fruit, make but an imperfect good Tree: So good Works without due Circumstances, and Circumstances without good Works make but an imperfect Man. As then the Trees of Paradise were all good for food and pleasant to behold; Gane. 2. good for food, in regard of their Fruit, and beautiful to behold in regard of their Leaves: even so should the Spiritual Trees be (I mean Christian men;) their works should be both useful and graceful, otherwise, they are not answerable to this Tree; neither do they attain the perfection of Christian men. And let this suffice to show that the Tree proves well. As it Proves well: so it is well Approved; for what it doth, Prospers; yea, it is as well Approved, as it Proves well, for Whatsoever it doth prospers. The Prospering of the Tree may well be expounded, out of the Parable of Trees, judg. 9 where the Olives' fatness is said to be that, wherewith they honour God and man, and the Vines Wine, that, wherewith they Cheer both; That is, the good use that is made of them, is their Prosperity. And what is the Prosperity of a Rational Tree, but that our Works set forth God's Honour, and edify men? Only the Rational Tree hath one advantage above the Irrational, that it yields the doer a good Testimony of his good Conscience; It is a great blessing, when a man doth labour to be assured of this, that he labours not in vain. Neither doth the Tree only Prosper well, but the Prosperity of it is universal, Whatsoever he doth prospers. As he brings forth good Leaves, and good Fruit: So there comes a Blessing upon them both. It is the unhappiness of the wicked, that nothing goeth well with them, Their very Table (as it is in the Psalm) is made their snare, and that, which should be for their comfort, is made unto them an occasion of falling; Psal. 69. ver. 22. but all things work for the best to them that Love God (as the Apostle telleth us, Rom. 8. their very afflictions are matter of exceeding joy, jam. 1. And this is. Mysterium Crucis, wherewith none are acquainted, but those that are truly initiated into Christ. Bede goeth a step farther, and shows, that their very sins do Prosper: He instanceth in Saint Peter's fall, by which he profited in Humility, and Compassion; we may instance also in David, and others, and this is Miraculum miraculorum, that God turns both sorts of Evils, as well Culpae, as Paene, as well of Sin, as Woe into the profit of a good Man: God turneth it (I say), for his hand it is, that works so strange effects, and his Hand is employed in jaztliack, which though it be vulgarly Translated, shall Prosper, yet according to the Conjugation it may signify shall make to prosper; and then must there be some Efficient, which most fitly must be accounted God. And God will bless in making all things to Prosper that a good man takes in hand: as in the Creation, when he saw all things that himself had made, That it was good, than he Blessed it. Or if you will refer it to the Tree, or the Christian noted by the Tree, than the meaning is; that the work Prospers for the persons sake. And indeed, if we be in ill terms with God, that which we do will succeed but ill, as all will succeed well, if we be in good terms: but the Prosperity here meant, must be understood not Corporally, but Spiritually; for Corporally they often are distressed, though that distress in the end turns to their greater good. Finally, Saint Chrysostom understands Christ by this Tree, and indeed, what you have heard can fully agree to none, but unto Him: He is the Tree of life, and the best of us is but a Branch in that Tree, yea a diseased Branch; therefore we must acknowledge the perfection of this Resemblance in Him, and beg, that according to our proportion, it may be communicated unto us. GOd our Father, which is the Spiritual Husbandman, so continue, and cherish our Plantation in Christ, that we may by the Holy Ghost become more and more fruitful and graceful Spiritual Trees, abounding in good Works, and doing them as we ought, that the world may be the better for them, and we finding grace in God's eyes, may ever enjoy the Comfort of them. AMEN. PSAL. 1. VERS. 4. The are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind drineth away. THe Reward which God bestows upon them, which perform their Vow made unto him in Baptism, is (as you have heard in the first word of this Psalm) Blessedness; Blessedness in this life, and Blessedness in the life to come. As this Blessedness consists of two degrees: so doth this Psalm yield unto us of either degree a special Evidence; A special Evidence of the Blessedness which is in this world; and that stands in the difference, which even during this life, may be observed between the good and bad; we have that difference expressed here in the third and fourth verses. Of the Good I have already spoken; on the third verse I have showed you, how fitly they are compared unto a Tree; a Tree, for which much good is done, whether you respect the Husbandman's Care in planting it, or Choice of the Soil wherein it is set. And as there is good done to it: so comes there good of it; for it proves well, and is as well approved: i● proves well, in Fruit, and Leaves; good Fruit, for it is kindly, and timely; never fading Leaves, which are a perpetual Ornament of a Tree, and Muniment of the Fruits. And as it proves well: so is it well approved; Whatsoever it doth is acceptable to God, profitable to Men, and comfortable to the Tree. These things you heard enlarged, and applied to a good Man; It follows that now I come on, and you hear what this Scripture saith of a bad Man. Wherein you must consider these two points; first, whom the Holy Ghost means by the ; secondly, What misery even in this life is heaped upon them. First, they are not what they seem to be; Non sic improbi; It is not so with the wicked, they have no part in the resemblance of the blessed Tree; Secondly, what they seem not to be that they are, a worse resemblance fits them; for they are no better than winnowed chaff. I begin with the first, they are here called . Venerable Bede obsernes well; that by the , you must understand not only Incredulos; but also falsos Christianos; not only the godless Infidel which is without the Church; but also the counterfeit Believer that life's within the Church. And indeed S. Paul, Rom. 3. out of the Psalms, and other passages of Scripture, making an Anatomy of a wicked man, gives a good Rule; those things which the Law speaketh, it speaketh to them that are under the Law; so that all they must take this Title to themselves, that profess they know God, but deny him in their works, that have a form of Godliness, but deny the power thereof; are called Christians, but yield no odour of that sweet Ointment, which being poured upon Christ the Head, Runs down to the very skirts of his Garments. And therefore whosoever they are, that are any parts of his Coat, they should all of them smell of Myrrh, Aloes, and Cassia, Psal. 45.8. 1. Pet. 2.9. and show forth the virtues of him that hath called them out of darkness into his marvelous light. All should, but more than a good many do not; and therefore they come under this name of . But enough of the Persons, of whom I have spoken at large upon the first Verse; Let us come on to their state; remembering this, that all come under the state, that come under the name; if they be , they partake of the misery. And what is their misery? surely, they are not what they seem to be, and what they seem not to be that they are. They are not what they seem to be; for in this world, of all men the seem to be in best state; but my Text denieth it, Non sic improbi, it is not so well with them, they are not that Blessed Tree. What then? Surely, what they seem not to be that they are, they are in a much worse state, and therefore are set forth in a base resemblance; they are but like chaff that is driven by the wind. Strange doctrine; the whole Text is a very Paradox. A Paradox is a truth which crosseth the common opinion; of the truth of this Saying there can be no question, seeing it is God's Word: but sure I am, that the state of the is commonly taken to be much better; if any, surely they in this life seem to be that Blessed Tree; I have seen (saith David) the in great prosperity, Psal. 89. and flourishing like a green Bay tree; In the second of Esay they are compared to the Cedars of Lebanon, and the Oaks of Basan; and what a goodly Tree was Nabuchadnezzar? so he is compared, Dan. 4. where we read, that his top reached up to Heaven, his Branches spread to the ends of the Earth; he was full loaden with fruit, and all the birds of the air did harbour in his boughs; and yet the Holy Ghost saith, Non sic impij, the are no Trees, no Blessed Trees. How then shall we prove this truth? We must help ourselves out of another Psalm; The sons of men of low degree, are but vanity, Psal. 62. and men of high degree are but a lie; All is not gold that glisters, neither may we mistake a painted face for Native Beauty: He that goeth to a Play, shall see on the stage Kings, and Queens, and other Personages of worth in outward show, whereas indeed the persons that acted them, are base, and mercenary fellows. And this world is but a great stage, and the wicked are but personated Actors, or Players, not one appears as he is; Or to follow the Simile of Trees, which God himself is pleased to use Deut. 32. the wicked are compared unto the Vines of Sodom, and Gomorrah, that bear grapes in show, but the juice of them is nothing but gall and bitterness; yea, it is deadly poison. They that writ the History of that Country observe, that the fruit thereof makes great show, but when men come near it, and touch it, it resolves altogether into Cinders, which happily the Wise Man meaneth, when he saith, that there grow Plants bearing fruit which never come to ripeness: Wisd. 10.7. Even such is the prosperity of the wicked, fair in show, nothing in substance. The reason is plain. For, seeing God only is good, and nothing good farther than it partakes of him; Ungodliness, that separates from God, must needs deprive of Good, and he is but a very wretch, that hath whatsoever else is called good, if he have it without God: yea he is more wretched, by so having what he desires, then by wanting it. It is Saint Augustine's note; and there is good reason for it, even that Aphorism in Physic, Corpora corrupta quo magis nutris, eo magis laedis; He that giveth a sick man whatsoever he calls for, may happily please his taste, but he will surely increase his disease: Honour, pleasure, wealth, make men unhappily happy; so, that if you look upon them with the eyes of faith, and not with the eyes of flesh and blood, you will acknowledge this to be true, though strange; The are not what they seem to be, they seem to be happy, but indeed they are unhappy. Two ways unhappy. For first, you must strip them of true Bliss; Non sic, they are not like the Blessed Tree; then must you them with their contempt; they are like the chaff. I need but touch at the former. You will easily conceive that Branch of their Misery, by measuring the Privation by the Habit; and you must judge of the want, by the desireableness of that which they do want. 1. God takes care of the blessed Tree; Of a Tree of the field, a wild Tree, he maketh it a Tree of the Orchard, a planted Tree. Non sic impij; No such care taken for the , they are as Outlaws left to themselves to grow on in the corruption of their Natures. 2. The blessed Tree is planted by the Rivers of Waters, it is set where it cannot want, john 4. 2. Cor. 12.9. on every side it is supplied with abundance of juice. If God as the Husbandman take care of any, Christ will be unto him a Fountain of living Waters, his Grace will be sufficient for him: Non sic impij; they drink little of Christ's spirit; as they are little husbanded by God's care. 3. The blessed Tree, as it receives Good: so it yields good again. For first, it proves well, it yields kindly Fruit. Non sic impij; their Fruit is not theirs, but it is the fruit of him that sets them on work, that is, of the Devil. For mark; The natural fruit that our Understanding should bear, is Truth, and that our Will should bear, is Good: The very Philosophers have taught us, that Truth is the natural Object of the Understanding, and Good of the Will; but our Understanding bringeth forth Lies to deceive us, and our Will Sins to give mortal wounds unto us, john 8.44. if we be . And what are these but the fruits of the Devil who is a Liar; and a Murderer from the beginning? 4. The blessed Tree brings forth not only kindly, but timely Fruit also; His good deeds are as seasonable, as they are Virtuous; Non sic impij. The Scripture, especially the Proverbs teacheth us, that the wicked are perverse; they are perverse, in that they do not only what they should not; but also when they should not: they will feast, and be frolic, Esay 22. when they should humble themselves before God; and when they should be joyful, and cheerfully serve God, then will they be discontent, and fall to their tears; as the jews, when after their return from Babylon they laid the foundation of the Temple: In the Book of Numbers you shall find, Ezra. 3. that when God would have had the Israelites enter into Canaan, than they would back again into Egypt, and when God would not have them go, than they would needs hasten into Canaan. 5. The blessed Tree bears not only Fruit, but Leaves. A good man clotheth his good deeds with good Circumstances; Non sic impij. If happily an man undertake a good matter, he will mar it in the manner of doing of it; if he give, he will do it churlishly; if he reprove, he will do it uncharitably; if he Pray he will do it hypocritically; finally, whatsoever he doth he will do it untowardly, and so his Good doth no good, and so proves no Good at all. 6. Finally, the blessed Tree is as well approved, as it proves well. When a good man doth good, it pleaseth God, and it profits men, and they have Comfort of it themselves. Non sic impij, God abhorreth them, as being unlike unto him, and to men they are as odious, as they are mischievous; Finally, they can take little true content in themselves, because in themselves they can find little true good. And so have you seen the stripped of all that is in the Blessed Tree: So, that although with the Church of Laodicea, they say, that they are rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; Reuel. 3.17. yet by by this time you see, that they are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked. And a man would think this were misery enough so to be stripped. The Holy Ghost doth not leave them so; but as it tells us, that they are not what they seem to be: so doth it also tell us, that what they would not seem to be, that indeed they are; and this it teacheth in another Simile. He resembles them to Dust; or to Chaff driven with the wind; he doth not resemble them to Nothing; for manet in ijs materia poenalis. Sin, as the School teach, is Nothing, but not simply Nothing; it were happy for the wicked, if as they were made at first of Nothing: so sin would bring them to nothing again; but sin is such a nothing as ever cleaves unto that which continueth Something; it destroys the Wellbeing, but not the Being of a Creature. For example; by sin our Understanding doth not cease to be, but to be furnished with the true Light, whereby we may see the way of Life; and our Will loseth not her being, but her holy power of choice; as likewise our Affections are deprived of their true taste. This which so remains being depraved with sin, doth Saint Hilary fitly call Materiam paenalem; it remains unto our greater woe. But to come to the Simile. The do not think so well of themselves, but the Holy Ghost thinketh as meanly; it appears by the Resemblance, Dust, or Chaff, things that are next to Nothing. And indeed to set forth their vileness, the Holy Ghost doth such kind of Resemblances; sometimes by representing them by Scum, sometimes by Froth, sometimes by Dross, sometimes calling them Vanity; yea, Psal. 62. casting them below Vanity; in the Scales if they be both put, they will ascend lighter than Vanity. The reason is; because all imperfection that is in unreasonable Creatures is but Malum Poenae; and therefore must needs come short of Malum Culpae: seeing the least Sin is worse than the greatest Woe; therefore the greatest Woe doth not sufficiently set forth the Evil of the least Sinne. We need not therefore wonder, that the Holy Ghost doth use so mean resemblances to set forth the , in whom there is so little worth. But to come closer to it. They are like Dust or Chaff. Puluis licet terra sit, tamen terra esse desijt, quia nihil habet solidi, destitutus humour; that which is Dust was Earth, but by losing his moisture, it is no longer a part of the Earth; and Chaff was a part of the Ear of Corn, though being thresht it continues no longer a part of the Ear: take which Resemblance you will, though the latter is thought best to express the Original, This you may gather; That all the have their Original in the Church, though they do not show themselves to be of the Church. The Husbandman carrieth out clean Seed, but when it grows into an Ear, that Ear that bears the good grain, bears also Chaff. Matti. 13. Our Saviour Christ useth this Simile; comparing the World to God's Field, his Word unto Seed, and himself unto the Sour; and surely God never sowed any of his heavenly Seed, but the Ears did spring accompanied with Chaff: God sowed it in Adam, of whom sprang Cain, and Abel; Cain, plain Chaff, Abel good Corn: He sowed it in Noah, of whom sprang Sem, Cham, and japheth; Sem and japheth good Corn, but I'm very Chaff: He sowed it in Abraham, of whom sprang Ishmael, and Isaac; in Isaac, of whom sprang jacob and Esau, from both came Chaff as well as good Corne. And this Resemblance of Chaff doth add much to the Ungodliness of the , that being vouchsafed to be in the Church, they have so little Grace, as not to be of the Church; which agrees well unto those persons which I told you before were meant here by , namely, Sergeant Christians. But Chaff hath two remarkable things in it, Ariditatem, and Sterilitatem; which you may very fitly oppose to the double good of the blessed Tree; the Dryness, is opposite to the Good that is done for the Tree, and the Barrenness to the good that comes of it. Touching the Dryness, it is plain to any one that beholds Chaff; for though while it was growing it had some sap, yet being cut down from the Root which did feed it, and thresht from the Grain which might yield some moisture to it, it must needs be dry. And such is the condition of the : if they let go their holdfast which they have on Christ by a true faith, and lose themselves from that blessed Communion, which they have with Saints, what sap of Grace can there be in them? seeing these two are the only means of Grace, and without these we may not expect any sap of Life. Therefore jeremy compareth the Wicked unto the Heath in the Desert, jer. 17.6. and parched places in the Wilderness, in a Salt Land. And if they be subject to Dryness, they must needs be subject to Barrenness; for who can expect fruit where there is no sap, seeing sap is the cause of fruit? and who can expect good works where there is no Grace, seeing it comes of Grace, that man doth any thing that is good? But the are not only compared unto Chaff, but unto winnowed Chaff. The state of the is but mean, if they be no better than Chaff; but their state is meaner, if that Chaff be winnowed. It is some honour to the Chaff, that it cleaves to the Ear of Corn growing in the Field, and in the threshing Floor lieth mingled with the grains; but it loseth much, though not of its substance, which it never had, yet of the countenance, which it seemed to have, if once it come to be winnowed. Those that are not of the Church acquire some estimation by being in the Church; which they utterly lose when they leave that Communion. But what is this Winnowing? The Fathers observe a double Wind that turmoils the : There is ventus Vanitatis, and Ventus judicij, they are exposed to an Inward, and to an Outward Wind; the Inward Wind is the Wind of Vanity, that taketh them sometimes in the Head; and as Saint Paul speaketh Ephes. 4. They are carried about with every Wind of Doctrine, by the slight of man; and as Saint james, jam. 1. they wave about, and are unstable in all their ways. Let a Theudas, or a judas of Galilee come amongst the jews; Let a Montanus, or a Mahomet come amongst the Christians, what a company will they draw after them? unlearned, and unstable souls how are they besotted with Novelties? how are they with their own Heads winnowed like Chaff? Neither with their Heads only; but also with their Hearts. There is not a Passion which like a strong Gale of Wind doth not transport them; Anger raiseth storms within them; Vain Glory as wings carrieth them beyond themselves; Covetousness makes them base; Envy makes them unsociable; Pride maketh them Tyrants; Luxury makes them Beasts: the are as pliable, as a Weathercock, neither need they any other wind to shift their situation, but only their own Passions. But as if this Inward Wind did not turmoil them enough, they are subject to an Outward, the wind of God's judgement, which the Chaldee Paraphrase calls Ventum furentem, and the Prophets very commonly call it a Whirlwind. Saint john Baptist tells us, Matth. 3.12. that Christ shall come with his fan in his hand, and therewith shall throughly purge his floor. Where mark, that God's judgement is compared to Wind, of which our Saviour Christ tells Nicodemus, the wind bloweth where it listeth, john 3.8. thou knowest not whence it cometh, nor whether it goeth: so do Gods judgements surprise men; when the cry Peace, Peace, 1. Thess. 5.3. then comes sudden destruction upon them. You shall find this fully and excellently described, job 21. But mark the Opposition of Chaff unto the Wind, the weakness of 〈◊〉 to the irrisistiblensse of the Wind; especially, if it be a Whirlwind, whither you respect the Impotency of their own Affections, under which they sink, or God's Vengeance which must needs ouer-beare them. Who would set the Briars, and Thorns against me in Battle? (saith God; Esay 27) I will go through them, I will burn them together: It must needs make much to the Misery of the , that being so little able they must abide so violent an encounter: violent it is; but yet such as is meet for them; for the are called Reshagnim, turbulent, and tumultuous people; and what judgement is so fit for them, as to be harrowed, and hurled with the Wind? They that give rest to none, it is pity they should have any rest. The Vulgar adds to the Text Exegeticè, from the Earth; The wind drives the Chaff from the Earth. Saint Hierome makes a good Note upon it; Tàm infoelix erit impius, ut ne terrenus sit puluis; most miserable is the case of the , when the Earth that bore them, 〈…〉. will not endure them. God in Deuteronomie threatens such a judgement to the jews, and we see that at this day they endure it: their case may be any man's case, and if we be , the Whirlwind may drive us out of the good Land which God bestows upon us. Russinus goeth a step higher, Si facies terrae species patriae Coele●lis accipitur, recrè puluis à facie terrae proijci dicitur, quia à Visione Calestis Gloriae impius removetur. Adam in Paradise below, forfeited Paradise above, and the jews had little hope of Heaven, the Truth, that were cast out of Canaan, the Type thereof: Neither may we presume of the Kingdom of Glory, if we be unworthy of the Kingdom of Grace. And no wonder; for, Chaff that is winnowed from the threshing Whore is reserved for the fire, 〈◊〉. 3. as Saint john Baptist telleth us; neither are the wicked separated from the good, but for their greater Woe. But I must conclude. Three things we learn in this Text; First, that the are subject to a double Punishment, Poena Damni, and Poena Sensus; they are deprived of great Good, and the Evil is great whereunto they are exposed. Secondly, the Non Sic, and the Sicut advice us to compare the Happiness of the Blessed Tree, with the Misery of this winnowed Chaff, that the Contraries being set one against the other we may the better discern them, and resolve which of them to choose. Last of all; We may see, that there is no reason, why we should envy the pomps and vanities of this wicked World; seeing they have neither Substance, nor Continuance. job teacheth it more than once, and so doth David, Psal. 37. and 73. When we go to a Play, we do with the Eyes of our Reason, correct the Eyes of our Body, and our Reason judgeth them but Varlets, whom our Sense beholds as Kings: It were to be wished that when we come to the Stage of this World, we would bring thither, aswell the Eyes of Faith, as of Reason; our judgement would not be so often perplexed, nor our Resolution staggered as they are with the seeming prosperity, and Glory of the World; we would with Moses, 〈…〉. esteem the rebuke of Christ better than the Treasures of Egypt, and endeavour to be happy, rather in deed, then show. To shut up all. Blessed we would all be in this World; but few take Notice of the Evidence of true Blessedness; That Evidence, is in the first Resemblance, the Resemblance to the Tree; Let us observe it, and desire to partake it; otherwise, we may be deluded with a seeming Evidence, which you have heard of in the latter Resemblance, the Resemblance of winnowed Chaff: the double Misery that is in it should make us abhor it; as the double good of the former, should make us affect it. God give Us a true judgement to distinguish them, and Grace to make that discreet choice, that we may partake the former of them. Amen. PSAL. 1. VERS. 5. Therefore the shall not stand in the judgement, nor Sinners in the Congregation of the Righteous. THe words contain the second of those Evidences whereby it may be known, who are Blessed. Men are Blessed in this Life, and that which is to come, and God hath set marks upon either degree of Blessedness. The marks of the first degree, you heard unfolded, when I last spoke unto you upon this Psalm: It follows then, that I now open unto you the marks of the second degree, so fare as I find them expressed in this Verse. For the better understanding whereof, we must observe; First, what matter is contained in these words; and then, whereupon these words are inferred. In the World to come there are two remarkable things; the Entrance into, and the State of it, in either of these, there is some thing Common, and something Proper, both to the good, and the bad. In the Entrance, that which is Common, is, judgement, both must come to the Bar; that which is Proper, is, That in the judgement the Righteous can, the cannot stand. In the state, it is Common to good, and bad, to be Societies, or Congregations; but it is Proper to the Righteous, to be of such a Congregation, whereinto the shall not come; neither shall the Righteous come into the Congregation whereof the shall be. So much must be supplied à Pari; the ground is the same for both, the reason of the latter difference is contained in the former; for they that differ in the judgement, must differ in the Society also; seeing God is pleased, that that shall be the ordinary passage unto this. These are the Contents of the words. But you must take notice of the Inference also remembered by the first word, Therefore. That, will inform us; that the Evidence of Blessedness in the Life to come, depends upon the Evidence of Blessedness in this present Life. He that is Blessed here, shall be Blessed hereafter; and he shall never be Blessed hereafter, that is not Blessed here. And so have I shown you whereof you shall hear: Come we then to the Text, and first to the Contents thereof; wherein we must first see, what is Common to the good and the bad at their Entrance into the World to come; and that is, judgement. By judgement, the Chaldee Paraphrast understands the General Assizes, that shall be kept at the end of this World; and he is in his Interpretation followed by most Divines, Ancient, and Modern. This being the meaning of this Word; the Persons here mentioned, Righteous and , must be understood to appear as well in their Bodies, as their Souls. There is a judgement, that passeth before upon them, wherein their Bodies are severed from their Souls; but that judgement is private and particular, whereas this is public, and general; and though they agree for the most part, in the Substance, yet in the Solemnity they differ much, and the latter doth much improve the former, whether you respect the Glory of the judge, or the Doom of the judged. This being resolved; that the judgement is that, which shall be at the last day: We must here observe; how the Holy Ghost speaketh very accurately in these words. He saith not, the , and Sinners shall not be judged, but the shall not Stand in the judgement, nor Sinners in the Congregation of the Righteous. And so the words have in them Aliquid Commune, which they imply, and Aliquid Proprium, which they express: It is Common to all the persons here mentioned, Good and Bad, to be judged, but Proper to the Bad, not to Stand in judgement. It is Common to Good and Bad, to come unto judgement; as commom, as to rise from the dead. Saint Paul who, Acts 24. saith, there shall be a Resurrection of the just and unjust, saith distinctly. 2. Cor. 5. that we shall all appear before the judgement seat of Christ, to receive according to that which every man hath done in his Body, be it good or ill. Daniel in the twelfth of his Prophecy teacheth the very same, 〈◊〉 2. Many of those that sleep in the dust shall rise, some to everlasting Life, and some to everlasting shame. The very same also we learn of the Preacher in his twelfth Chapter, 〈◊〉 14. God shall bring every work into judgement, and every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. The point is so clear, that it is made an Article of our Faith; so that I shall not need, to add any more proof. Here note; That whereas God is an absolute Lord, most wise, most holy, most mighty; so that he knoweth all, and detests all sin, and may deal with Sinners at his pleasure; yet, he will have all the World see; that he receives none into Heaven, nor sends any unto Hell, but the ground of his doing is just: for he sentenceth both in judgement; so that there can be no exception taken, (not by malice itself) unto his proceeding. Both good and bad pass by judgement to their state. And let this suffice concerning that which is Common unto Good and Bad, in the Entrance into the World to come. I come now to that which is Proper. And here I must begin with Venerable Bedes Rule, Intellectus est per Opposita. We must conceive; that what is denied to the is granted to the Righteous: so that these concise words must be resolved into more, and so some not unfitly supply in the first Branch of this sentence a word that is found in the last, to make it clear; wherefore they read thus, The shall not stand in the judgement of the Righteous, that is, the shall not stand in that judgement wherein the Righteous shall stand. Let us then consider these Propositions asunder; first, that which is expressed; then, that which is employed. The expressed Proposition is, The shall not stand in judgement. Standing in, is opposed to both Shrinking from, and Sinking under judgement: so that if the shall not stand, it followeth they will Shrink from, and Sink under it. And indeed the Holy Ghost observes both: when God ariseth unto judgement, the wicked will first try their heels; but when they will not serve, than they grow heartless, and despair of Help. But to open these Branches a little more fully. Flight is the first attempt of the at the Day of judgement; they are forced unto it from within, and from without, from the horror of their own conscience, and from the terror of the judge. Touching Conscience, it is an undeniable truth; that where there is sense of Gild, there is distress of Fear: see it in our Grandfather Adam; no sooner had he eaten of the forbidden fruit, and his eyes were opened thereby; but he took covert, and when he was questioned, he gave God this reason for his flying. I saw that I was naked. Neither was it his case only, Gen. 3. it is hereditary to all his offspring; Solomon hath put it in a Proverb; Poou. 28. The wicked fly when no man pursueth them; God hath put it into his Law, where the Israelites are threatened, that if they break God's Covenant, one part of their punishment shall be, amazedness of Heart, Leu. 26. and such a fearfulness, as that they shall fly at the shaking of a Leaf. An Example we have in Foelix, Acts 24. who trembled when Saint Paul did but preach of Righteousness, and judgement to come. As the Gild of Conscience: so likewise the terror of the judge will make the wicked to fly. When God gave his Law, he gave it with that terror, that the people gave back, and stood afar off; yea, Moses himself confesseth, as Saint Paul reports, that he was greatly afraid. Heb. 12. And how much more think you shall the wicked be afraid, when Christ shall come in the Glory of his Father, with all his Angels? with the dreadful sound of the Trumpet? and all the World burning round about him? certainly it cannot but strike such a terror, as shall make the wicked betake themselves to their heels. Christ in the Gospel describing the Last Day, saith, Luke 21.26. That Men shall be at their wits ends for fear and expectation of the evils to come; they shall call to the Rocks to hide them, to the Mountains to fall upon them. Saint john repeats the very same, reckoning, Kings, great men, rich men, mighty men, bond, free; the voice of every one of them shall be this; The great Day of the Lamb's wrath is come, and who shall be able for to stand? Revel. 6. Put these Causes of flight together; and then learn from Saint john; john 1.3, 20. If our conscience do accuse us, God is greater than our Conscience; and knoweth all things. And yet Saint Basil maketh such a lively Description of the work of Conscience in judgement, that a man would think nothing could be added to the terror thereof; 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, etc. The Conscience will so limb out our Lives, and be such a Looking Glass of all our deeds; that by an unspeakable power, in a moment of time as we would think, nothing can better represent ourselves to ourselves. But for all that; the Heart of a man is an intricate Labyrinth, none knoweth it but God only (as God himself teacheth in jeremy. 〈◊〉 17 1●. 〈◊〉 4. 〈◊〉 4. ) As all things are naked before his eyes: so will he then bring many things to light which are hid in darkness. When then both these terrors concur, whereof the one so much increaseth the other, you will not wonder, that the wicked upon the apprehension thereof betake themselves to flight. Flying is their shift; but it is a vain one; for whether should they fly, when every creature, which at the Creation was made a Soldier in God's Host shall at the last Day become a jailor to arrest prisoners, and present them at his Assizes? What remaineth then, but that they that cannot shrink from the judgement, visdome 17. sink under it? For wickedness condemned by her own witness is very timorous, and being pressed with Conscience always forecasteth terrible things: The man that was but questioned for wanting his Wedding Garment at the Marriage, Matth. 2●. grew presently speechless: Our Saviour Luke 21. saith; that their judgement shall come like a snare; and indeed in the Psalm we read, that God shall rain upon the wicked, Psal. 11. Snares, Fire, and Brimstone, Storm, and Tempest, this is their partion to drink. Now we know, that a Snare doth not only take, but overturn the wild beast that is taken therein. But if the terror of the judge do not, 〈◊〉 19.12. Under whom the mightiest Helps do stoop (as it is in job) nor the inextricable suddaines of his judgement; yet the weight of sin will crush, and bear a Sinner to the ground. David in his own person, and conflicts with a guilty Conscience, out of which notwithstanding, by God's mercy he did finally rise, yet confesseth; that the sense of guilt is like a drowning Flood, like a crushing Burden, a Burden too Heavy for man to bear; and if the righteous, that Man after Gods own Heart, when he sell as a man, were scarcely saved, where shall the , 1. 〈◊〉 ● and the unrighteous appear? You see then, how true it is; that, The shall not stand in judgement; Causâ cadent, & cadent persond, themselves with their Cause shall fall to the ground, they shall both sink as low as the Chambers of death. But Bon● concessum quod impijs negatum, (as Bede noteth), though They shall not, yet shall The Righteous stand. And no marvel; for they shall be free both from the guilt of Conscience, and the terror of the judge. And why? Their hearts are purified by Faith, yea, purified from dead works; whatsoever is mortal is taken from them; for, Christ jesus of God is made unto them Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification, and Redemption; 〈…〉 the Law of Life which is in jesus Christ freeth them from sin, and death: so that, Rom. 8. Matth. 24. there is no condemnation unto them which are so in Christ: And if there be no Condemnation; then may they Lift up their heads with joy when Christ cometh; 1. john 3. Luke 21 knowing that their Redemption draweth near; If their Conscience do not accuse them, they may have boldness in the Day of judgement, they shall stand before the Son of Man; and his Throne shall be unto them, a Throne of Grace. But more distinctly. The Standing of the Righteous is opposed to the Flying from, and Sinking under judgement; if Adam did fly only because he was Naked, that which remedieth the Nakedness stayeth the flight: now Nakedness stood in Sin, and Mortality; both these are remedied in the Resurrection of the Just. The Sin is all taken away, by the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness, and Sanctification of his Spirit. The Mortality, because as they are quickened by Grace in their Souls: so their Bodies of Natural become Spiritual, 1. Cor. 15. and their Corruptible puts on Incorruption, their Mortal, Immortality: so then, there being no part of Nakedness left, there can remain no cause of Flying. And if not of Flying from, than not of Sinking under judgement; for that which is the Cause of Flying is the cause of Sinking also: but the state of their Person doth deny all possibility of Sinking; the Spiritin their Soul is the Pledge of their Inheritance in Heaven, and their Bodies which they shall then receive, are not only Houses from Heaven; 2. Cor. 5. but such as are fitted for Heaven; both carry upward, and not downward. But mark more particularly, 1. Thes. 4.16. what the Scripture saith of the Resurrection of the just. The Dead in Christ shall Rise first: Yea, they only shall Rise from death; for the Resurrection of the wicked is not from, but unto Death, from one Death unto another. And therefore in Saint Luke only the Righteous are called Filij Resurrectionis; Luke 20.36. because their Resurrection is unto Life, which is properly a Standing; the wicked do but Rise to take a greater fall, they fall from a Temporal, to an Eternal Death. Secondly, As the Righteous shall Rife first: so being raised, 1. Thes. 4.17. Rapientur in occursum, They shall be taken up into the air to meet Christ, and so shall ever be with him: So that except He fall, they shall never fall; they shall be removed from the Earth which is the place of falling. Thirdly, they shall be placed at the right Hand of Christ: to be taken up unto him is to be admitted to a Beatifical Vision; Psal. 16. for what is our happiness but to see Him as He is? For, in his presence there is fullness of joy; and if we be placed at His right Hand, there is pleasure for ever more, secure Honour, and endless Life: if that support us, no fear of falling, we shall certainly stand. But to put it out of all doubt. When we come to the right Hand, Matth, 9 we shall be set upon Thrones, and shall with Christ judge the twelve Tribes of Israel, 1. Cor. 6 yea the Angels also; so fare shall we be from being woefully Passive, that we shall be gloriously Active in that judgement. How we shall judge is a curious question: I will not now undertake to resolve it, it sufficeth to my purpose, that howsoever we shall judge; as many as are honoured with that function, may well be held Standards; they shall neither Shrink nor Sink. But we may not forget; that the Sinews by which we are supported in this Standing are derived from Christ; if out of Him, we look upon ourselves, Psal. 113. we may well say, Enter not into judgement with thy servants, O Lord, for in thy sight, shall no flesh living be justified; Or, to keep to the word of my Text; Psal. 130. If thou Lord mark iniquities, who shall be able for to Stand? We cannot Stand without Corruption, except his Grace do cleanse us, neither can we Stand against Condemnation, except his Merits do secure us. Some here work upon the difference, which they suppose to be, betwixt and Sinners; understanding by , those wicked men who are open, and professed Enemies to God, Malefactors Deprehensi in flagranti Crimine, taken in the manner of doing: by Sinners understanding other wicked men, which seem to be in the Church, and are as it were but Probabiliter suspecti, Challenged upon suspicion. And they tell us; The first sort of wicked men, Shall not stand in judgement, that is, shall not be graced with any formal Arraignment, before their Condemnation: The second sort, howsoever they may stand in judgement, so fare as to be legally tried; yet they shall never come, to stand in the Congregation of the Righteous, In job. c. 36. never partake with them in Happiness. Princes (saith Gregory) deal otherwise with their Subjects, than they do with their Enemies, in point of judgement; for if they take an Enemy, they use Martial Law, and command Execution without any judicial Process; but if a Subject be called in question, he hath the benefit of the Law, he is suffered to plead for himself, neither is he doomed, before he is tried. The meaning is, that, of the wicked which shall be arraigned at the Day of judgement, such as are without the Church, shall without all plea, as professed Enemies of Christ, be proceeded against; for their Infidelity shall be undeniable: But those that are within the Church, God condescends farther unto them; they shall have a trial, they shall be heard what they can say; though it will steed them little, because it shall be showed them, how vain it is And indeed such a form of proceeding is expressed, Matth. 25. and Luke 13. Where, by the way, It is good for us to take notice; That though it be a Privilege to be of the Church Militant in this world; yea, and it gives us also a Privilege above Infidels at the entrance into the World to come; Yet, except we so show our faith in our works on Earth, that we may have the benefit of it, at the Day of judgement, there is little comfort in such a Privilege. For in regard of Death, a Citizen is no freer, than an Enemy, if both come to it; though one come to it by Martial Law, the other by Process in a Civil Court: So if both meet in Hell, it skils not, whether one come as an Infidel, and the other as a wicked Christian; except haply the Christians case be the worse; because he neglected the good means, which the Infidel had not. I have showed you, wherein the , and the Righteous agree, and differ, at the entrance into the world to come; we must now following the Text, see the very same points in the state of both, which followeth upon that entrance. And here first, we do find something Common; for both are Socteties, or Congregations. They have been so from the very beginning of the World, there hath been the Serpent and his Seed, the Woman and her Seed, the Sons of God, and the Daughters of men; Michael and his Angels, the Dragon and His, Babel, and Jerusalem. Saint Austen in his learned Books De Civitate Dei, hath enlarged this point; it is so clear, I need not dwell longer upon it. But we must mark; that these Societies may be distinguished ●ither only Habitu, or also Actu; only in Quality, or also in Place: In this World they are in place confounded, though they are distinguished in quality; the Righteous though they are not of the World, john 17 yet they are in it, and many false Christians are in the Church, which are not of it; the World is as God's Field wherein grow both Wheat and Tares; in his earthly Barn there is both Grain and Chaff; his House hath Servants Thrifty, and Unthrifty; and in his Flock, are as well Goats as Sheep. But this confusion shall not hold on always, they that differ in Quality, shall also be sundered in Place, the Goats from the Sheep, the Tares from the Wheat, the foolish Virgins from the Wise, the Unthrifty servant from the Thrifty. This is the first point of Difference. But it is not the only point; but as they are separated: Luke 16. so this separation shall continue for ever; so doth Abraham assure Dives, Between you and us there is a great Gulf, no passage from one to the other. The same God that separated the Egyptians from the Israelites by the Pillar of fire, when they came out of Egypt, will never suffer them to come together, will so part the Saints of Heaven, from the Fiends of Hell, that they shall never grow into one Society again. Not that absolutely it cannot be otherwise, but God will have it to be so, 2. Cor. 6.14. he will have it clearly to appear, that there is no Communion between Light and Darkness, Christ and Belial, the Temple of God, and the Synagogue of Satan. Eay 66.14. It is true that the Godly shall go out, and see the wicked tormented, Luke 16. and Dives in Hell shall see Abraham in Heaven, and Lazarus in his bosom, to the greater Comfort of the one, and terror of the other. But they shall never come together, neither shall they change their Place or State. This latter Difference is grounded upon the former, for they that differ at the entrance into the World to come, must needs differ in the state thereof; for judgement is the Gate that doth as it were lead unto that State; therefore, if the unchangeableness of the State do move us, we must not be careless of the judgement. Let this suffice touching the Contents of these words; a word of the Inference, and so an end. Therefore; the first word of this Verse looks back upon that which goeth before, and out of that truth collects this. You have heard that the shall not stand in judgement; wonder not at it. The are but Winnowed Chaff, and how should that Stand, that is so light as Chaff; or rest, which is so restless as Chaff, which is winnowed? The Righteous shall stand; and wonder not at it, They are Trees, well planted Trees, Trees laden with Fruit, with Leaves, Trees well-liking, well liked; every point adds weight unto them, maketh them firm, and standing. If a man be disenabled to stand, it is because he is Chaff; and if he be a Tree, he shall be well able to stand. You see what you should fear, what you should desire; fear, to be like this winnowed Chaff, desire, to be like the happy Tree, that you may have a blessed Entrance into the World to come. Neither a blessed Entrance only; but a blessed State also must you affect to have therein: and how shall you have it? Learn of, Therefore. It looketh back to the beginning of the Psalm; you see there the disposition of good Men in this World, they will have nothing to do with Wickedness; they will not walk in the Counsel of the , nor stand in the way of Sinners, nor set in the Seat of Scorners; they will have no communion with wickedness on Earth, and the wicked shall have no Communion with them in Heaven. It is a Poetical Fiction; that what every Man affected here in Earth, with that he shall be solaced in the Elysian Fields. Certain it is, that look in what men delighted while they lived on Earth, with their Companions in that shall they be ranged in the Life to come: they shall not there be the Servants of God, who here were the Slaves of Satan; spiritual Eunuches that bring forth no good works; Bastards that are not the Seed of God; the incestuous brood of Ammonites, and Moabites that are borne of worldly lust, and concupiscence, shall more certainly be excluded the Congregation of Heaven, than were the Corporal, from the Congregation of Israel on Earth. Dent. 23. Seeing then, Psa●. 5. God is a God that hath no pleasure in wickedness, neither shall Evil dwell with him, The foolish shall not stand in his sight, He hateth all workers of Iniquity; Ecclesiast. 18.18 Let us provide Physic before we are sick; and get Righteousness before we come to judgement: so shall the Tribunal of Christ be unto us as Mount Zion, when to others it is Mount Sinai; when they fly and fall, we shall approach and stand upright; And if we live the Life of Christ, tread the steps of the Faith of our Father Abraham, Philip. 32 ●. have our Conversation in Heaven; we shall not only be as Angels, but with Angels we shall be refreshed in Abraham's Bosom; we shall sit down with him, with all the patriarchs, and Prophets, with all the Saints and Angels at Christ's Table, eternally Blessed in the Kingdom of Heaven. God grant us such Grace in this Life, as may bring us to such Bliss in the Life to come. AMEN. PSAL. 1. VERS. 6. The Lord knoweth the way of the Righteous: and the way of the wicked shall perish. Upon former words of this Psalm, I have observed a double difference between the Righteous, and the ; a difference in this life, and a difference in the life to come: In this Life, the Righteous are like unto a Blessed Tree, to which there is much good done, and of which there cometh much good; but the Wicked are like winnowed Chaff, that hath small worth, and takes as little rest: in the Life to come they differ also, whether you look on the Entrance thereinto, or the state therein; at the Entrance, the Wicked shall not endure the judgement, wherein the Righteous shall stand upright; and the Righteous shall be of a Society, whereinto the wicked shall not come. I have opened both these differences so fare, as I was occasioned by words of this Psalm; It remains, that now we see the Cause thereof, which is the Argument of this Verse. It will teach us; that of so notable a difference, there is some remarkable Cause; the Cause than is, God's judicial Providence: God's Providence is very large; but there is a special Branch thereof, that calls Men to an account for their Lives. In this Branch which I call judicial Providence, there are two things which we must observe, Sapientia, and Potentia, it is a true Discerner and a powerful Rewarder of all men, be they Good or Bad; so much shall we find in these words, The Lord knoweth the way of the Righteous; but the way of the wicked shall perish. For the words are synecdochical, there is more employed, then is expressed in them; the word that notes Sapientiam, Gods discerning of the Ways, implies Potentiam, his answerable dealing with them; and the word that notes Potentiam, his revengeful Hand on the Ways, implies Sapientiam, his discerning thereof also. And why? this judicial Providence is Operosa Cognitio, therein the Power of God attends his Wisdom, and his Wisdom guides his Power. This being observed in General upon the words of my Text, we must more distinctly therein see; first, Whereupon, then How, this judicial Providence works; that whereon it works hath something Common, and something Proper; that which is Common is Via; be men what they will be, they have a course of Life; but all take not the same course: there is something Proper, which stands in their several courses; therefore the Text doth distinguish of Ways, saying, that there is Via justorum, the Just man's way, which is all one with a just way, and there is Via peccatorum, the wicked man's way, which is all one with a wicked way; this is that whereon Gods judicial Providence doth work. Now his work Thereon hath also Aliquid Commune, and Aliquid Proprium; both the Ways are wrought upon by Gods wise Power, or Powerful Wisdom; for God is a Discerner, and Rewarder of both, as I told you, when I opened the Synecdochie of the Verse. But there is something Proper in either Word; the Wisdom, and Power judicial, works one way upon the way of the Righteous, and an other way upon the way of the wicked; Novit Viam justorum, he takes a special Notice of, and bestows a gracious Reward upon the way of the Righteous; but Via peccatorum peribit, the way of the wicked shall feel another kind of Reward, because it is excluded from this special kind of Notice. And these be the Contents of this Scripture, which I will now unfold briefly, and in their Order. First then, of that Whereon the judicial Providence worketh; therein (as I told you) there is something Common, and that is a Way. Praesens vita (saith Saint Basil) nihil aliud est quàm perpetua Via; this our mortal life is nothing else but a passage, and this World a Through fair: therefore the Schools distinguishing between those that are departed, and those that Live, call the Living Viatores, way faring men; and those that are dead Comprehensores, such as are at their journeys end; the patriarchs acknowledge as much when they call themselves Pilgrims, Strangers, Sojourners, and their Life a Pilgrimage. And indeed, 〈◊〉 13 ●4. neither Good nor Bad have here any Abiding place, they do in purpose or in practice seek one to come. It is true that worldly men think of no other World; ●uke 11. but the 49. Psalm confutes their folly; so doth the Gospel in the Parable of the Rich man; and how should that be stable, 1. Cor 7 ●1. that rests upon a thing most unstable? Praeterit figura huius secult, the fashion of this World passeth away, and All these things must be dissolved: and how should the little World ever come to a stand, when the Great World makes away? so that we must provide for another place. We must, nay, every man doth, will he nill he, he doth; for his Life is but a Way; he is every day, every hour, every moment onward, somewhat toward Heaven, or Hell. But the Way notes not only a Course, but a settled Course. There are many start aside both of Good and Bad; the best many times slep aside into by-paths, but that is not Via eorum, the Just man's way: for he cometh to himself again, and with greater alacrity returns to his Religious Course: And the wicked out of fashion, or fancy, do oftentimes try the right way, but that is not Via eorum, it is not the wicked man's way; for he quickly distastes it, and takes again his former Road; therefore the Scripture doth not by the Way understand, that which we do by sits, but that which we do constantly, and wherein we persevere. So then, it is Common to all men to go a Way, and hold a settled Course, but yet the Course which all take is not the same: the Text will tell you, that though a Way be Common, yet not the same Way. Here are two mentioned, The Righteous man's Way, which I told you, is a righteous way; and the Way of the wicked, which I told you, is a wicked Way. The Scripture doth mention a Strait, and a Crooked, a Narrow, and a Broad Way; the way of the Eagle, and the way of the Serpent, a way upward, and a way downward, a way to Life, and a way to Death, the way of God, and the way of the Devil; the Strait, Narrow, eagle's Way, the way upward to Life, which is God's way, that, is the way of the Righteous, or the righteous Way; the Crooked, Broad, Serpentine Way, the way downward to Death, which is the way of the Devil, that, is the Way of the wicked, or the wicked Way. I need say no more of these Ways, that heretofore have said so much of the difference between Good, and Bad men; It shall suffice to have added thus much upon occasion of this word, Way, and the ●arietie thereof, specified in this Verse. Let us come on then to the judicial Providence, that worketh upon these Ways. And here I told you there is also some thing Common, and some thing Proper; both these Ways are wrought upon by the provident Wisdom, and Power of God; he Discerns them, he Rewards them both; were there no other proof, the trivial Verse confirms it. Entèr, Praesentèr Deus est, & ubique Potentèr. His Eyes behold all the ways of Men, and his Eye lids try them all; that which is applied to Baltazzar, Mene, Mene, Tekel, Vpharsin, Dan 5. concerns every one more or less. David hath made the 139. Psalm in describing this General Eye, and Hand of God; and the Son of Syrach hath excellently expressed it. Chap. 23. and we shall really deny God, and be plain Manichees, if we did exempt any thing from him, and not subject all things to his judicial Power. 'tis true; that some things he permits unto the Creatures, but it is neither an ignorant, nor an negligent Permission; he knows whereabout they go, and holds the bridle in his own hand: most majestically doth God in Esay, let Zenacharib understand as much, Chap. 37 in an answer that he gives unto that insolent Message. I know thine abode, and thy going out, and thy coming in, and thy rage against me; because thy rage against me, and thy tumult is come up into mine ears, therefore will I put my hook in thy Nose; and my bridle in thy Lips, and turn thee back the way by which thou camest. But I need not enlarge this point of God's General judicial Providence, for it will be farther confirmed by the particular branches thereof; If these particulars be true, the General cannot be denied, because the General is included in the Particular. Though then it be Common to both Ways, that they come under God's judicial Providence; yet come they not under it both alike; it works upon either after a special manner; first, upon the way of the Just, Novit Deus, The Lord knoweth that Way; The Knowledge of God here meant, being not General but Special, we must inquire what manner of Knowledge this is. I cannot better inform you then by paralleling Gods special Knowledge of Man, with Man's special Knowledge of God; for He which knows God, is also known of him, 1. Cor. 8. Et qui ignorat ignorabitur, 1. Cor. 14.38. Now the special Knowledge that Man must have of God, stands in two points, in Distinguendo, & Colendo: he must first learn to distinguish God from all others; and that Contra, and and Supra; he must oppose him to all that seems, but is not God; he must not think him like unto Idols that have eyes and see not, ears and hear not, hands and handle not, etc. For he must believe, that God is privy to the Ways of men, and disposeth all things at his Pleasure. As we must thus oppose God to those which seem, but are not Gods: so must we prefer him also before all to whom that name is communicable, be they Angels or Men; for though there be some thing like in both, yet doth God infinitely exceed in that wherein he is like. This is the first branch of our knowledge, which stands in Deo Distinguendo, in distinguishing God from all others. The second branch stands in Deo Colendo, in our Carriage towards God, and that also consists of two branches, Contemplation, and Dilection, our Eye must ever be on him, our Heart must ever be towards him; Psal 27 4. One thing have I desired of the Lord, saith King David, and that will I still require, that I may dwell in the House of the Lord, all the days of my life, to behold the fair Beauty of the Lord, and to visit his holy Temple; and how busy is the Eye of the Spouse in the Canticles in viewing her Beloved from top to toe? As the Beauty of God draws the Eye of Man continually to behold it: so being beheld, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a man cannot behold it, but he must fall in love with it. It was wittily replied by an Ancient Father, (Saint Basil as it is thought) unto julian the Apostata, when he wrote upon an Apology of Christian Religion presented unto him, 〈…〉. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Certainly it is impossible for him that knows God as a Christian ought, not to think he is bound to love him in the highest degree, with all his Mind, with all his Soul, with all his Heart, with all his Strength, as the Law speaks. This being the special Knowledge that we must have of God; we must observe, that God's special Knowledge of Us is answerable hereunto. He Knows His, first, Distinguendo; as in the departure out of Egypt, the blood of the Paschall Lamb was sprinkled upon the door posts, to direct the punishing Angel, not to mistake an Israelite for an Egyptian: And before the Babylonian Captivity, God sent a Man with a Pen and Inkhorn to mark in the forehead those that should escape the Destruction wrought by the Chaldeans: and in the Revelation, the Seal of God is set upon his Chosen, that they be not wrapped in the General desolation. So must we assure ourselves, Chap. 3.16. that God Knows all His by name, and there is a Book of Remembrance of them before him (as Malachi speaketh); he will never misdeem Wheat for Chaff, nor mistake a Sheep for a Goat. But the Scripture doth branch this Distinction, and God doth distinguish His Contra and Supra Alios; 〈◊〉. 2. 1●. Contra, he doth oppose them unto others. We learn it of the Apostle, Others are without God, without Christ, without Hope, Strangers from God's Covenant, Aliens from His Commonweal; but they that are His, have God for their Father, Christ for their Saviour, the Holy Ghost for their Comforter, eternal Life for their Hope, 2. Pet. 1.4. 〈◊〉. 2. 1●. they have precious promises made unto them, and they are of the Household of God, and Fellow Citizens with the Saints. Neither doth God only thus oppose them to others, but prefer them before others. We learn this of Moses, Exod. 19 though all the World be His, yet they are His peculiar, His treasure; elsewhere they are called his Inheritance, his First borne, his Image, Kings, Priests, all terms of pre-eminence, and note their prerogative above all others. So doth God Distinguish His. And as he doth distinguish them: so doth he also regard them; and that in two points, Contemplatione, and Dilectione. First, Contemplatione. His Eye is upon his Canaan from the beginning of the year to the end thereof; Deut. 11. The walls of jerusalem are ever in his sight, his Eyes are upon the Righteous, his ears are open to their Prayers, they find grace in his eyes, and his delight is to be with them, they are a Seal upon His right Hand, and a Signet upon His Arm; finally, they are the very Apple of his Eye. If you read the Song of Solomon, you shall see this gracious Contemplation of God set forth at large; where the Beloved doth confess, that he receives a Love-wound from this Contemplation. And indeed, the Righteous Lord loveth righteousness, Psal. 11.7. as his eyes do behold the thing that is right, and God doth therefore take delight to behold his Church, that he may use that as a means for to draw from him the Arguments of his Love, Love being the end of his Contemplation. King David doth excellently set this forth, Psal. 132. Where bringing in God testifying that he hath chosen Zion for his resting place for ever, and that there he delights to dwell, he goes on reckoning up the Blessings that he will pour upon the King, and his Subjects, the Priests and the People, the poor and the rich; and Deut. 11. where God professeth, that his Eye is always upon the Land, the End is expressed, to give them seasonable rain, and make their Land fruit full; for, his Love is Benevolentia non latens, he delighteth in the prosperity of His Servants. The very same is meant by those Titles which God gives himself of Father, Saviour, Husband; the Father's eye is upon his Child to provide that is fit for it; the Husband's eye upon his Wife to communicate both his Honour, and his Wealth unto her; the Saviour looks upon his Charge, that he may look to it, and not suffer any thing to annoy it, and that he may procure the welfare of it. This real Love makes good that which before I observed, that God's Power concurres with his Wisdom, and this special Knowledge is not Speculative, but Practice; God's Children feel most gracious effects thereof, and never more lively effects then at the Day of judgement, whereof this Text especially is meant. Well then; The wicked in this World have no Wisdom to discern the Godly, at least their Ways, though they observe their Persons; and the Power that they have, they bend against them in regard of their ways; you may see this excellently set forth in the Book of Wisdom, Cap. 2. But what need the righteous care? They may say with the Apostle, that they are though unknown, yet known; they are known to God, 2. Cor. 6. ● and God; Power is their support; and this makes a full amends for their worldly ignobleness, that they are so Heavenly Noble, and shall appear such at the General judgement. And so have I opened the first special Act of God's judicial Providence, which works upon the ways of the Godly. Let us now see the second; How the same special Providence works upon the ways of the wicked; The way of the wicked shall perish; here you must supply the word Lord; for he is the Person that doth destroy them. And mark what he doth destroy. Not the Person, but the Way. Quàm clementer? (saith Saint Hierome,) He seems to gather God's Mercy out of it, in that Non perit impius, sed impietas: And indeed were it meant of this Life, it were a great Mercy; because, that Sin is not abolished here, but Grace succeeds; and that is a Blessed Destruction. But the Connexion of this Verse to the former shows, that this is meant of the life to come; and than you shall find that the Destruction is woeful; and it stands in two points, as their Ways do import two things, the Act of Sin, and the Fruit of that Act. The Act of sin shall cease wherein they take pleasure, for in Hell though there be Sinners, yet is there no Sinning; the Corruption remains in their Persons, the Gild in their Consciences, the one, to make them fuel for the flames of Hell, that they may never go out, the other, to feed the Worm, that shall never die; but the terror of the judge shall be so great, whose hand they shall feel in the fire, and the Evidence of the evil of sin shall be so apparent in the Worm of their Conscience, that they shall not dare any more to fall to the act of sin, and so they shall be utterly deprived of the pleasure they took therein; That shall perish. A second thing that shall perish is, the worldly Fruit of their sinning, which is, Honour, Wealth, Friends, and such like. Saint james calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, james 1.11. Esay chap. 5. speaks it plainly, Hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure, and their Glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth shall descend into it; That, for which they take all their wicked pains, and wherein they took their wicked delight, That shall Faile. Fail, Totally, and Finally; Totally, the Glution shall not have so much as a drop of water left to comfort him. In this Life there is a kind of Mixture in the heaviest judgement of God, and some thing left to mitigate the extremity of their pain: not so in the Life to come; of that time we may use those words of the 68 Psalm. Let God arise and his Enemies be scattered, Let them also that hate him, fly before him, like as smoke vanisheth, so shall he drive them away, as Wax melteth before the fire, so shall the wicked perish at the presence of God. In the Book of Wisdom Chap. 5. this is amplified; What hath Pride profited us? What good hath Riches with our vaunting brought us? All these things are passed away like a shadow, and as a Post that hasteth by; he goes on resembling it to the way of a Ship, of a Bird, of an Arrow, and concludes, The Hope of the is like Dust, that is blown away with the wind, like a thin froth that is driven away with the storm, like Smoke that is dispersed with a Tempest; the same we may read, job 18. As these wicked ways perish Totally: so do they Finally also; for, destruction, Nahum 1. ●. as Nahum speaketh, shall not arise the second time; their perishing is eternal, like that of the Devil and his Angels, who go into ever lasting fire. And indeed these ways are in this point opposed unto the Righteous ways; Wisdom 3.4 Isal. 139.24. for Righteousness (as the Wiseman speaketh) is full of immortality, and the Psalmist calls it, A way everlasting: each Body shall continue his state answerable to his Head; as Christ so Christians, as the Devil so the wicked, both shall be lasting, the one in Bliss, the other in Pain. But the word here used, shall perish, is worth the noting; for Abad signifies Perdere, and Perire, and what is fit for a destroying way, then to be a way that shall be destroyed? During this Life the ways of the wicked are Viae Perdentes; for they do nothing but destroy either Gods good Creatures, as the Epicure, and Voluptuous; or other men, as the Covetous, and the Oppressors; yea their own selves, for they waste God's Image in them, and fight with their Lusts against their own Soul, they show themselves to be the children of their Father, which in the Revelation is called Abaddon, or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: Reuel. 9.11. and what is fit for him that is a Destroyer then to be Destroyed? and so to be destroyed as they do destroy; not quoad Esse, but quoad Bene esse; Their Persons still continuing, all their Comforts fail, as they endeavoured to make all good Persons, and things to be uncomfortable. But as this Destruction is Opus Potentiae, proceeds immediately from God's Power: so is it guided per Sapientiam, his wisdom hath a hand in it; for as he doth bless those whom he doth specially know: so if he destroy any, it is because they are not within the compass of his special knowledge. And indeed so shall Christ say at the last Day, Luke 13.23. Depart from me ye workers of iniquity, I know you not: How can God be ignorant, and yet judge? It is not meant simply of knowledge, but of that special knowledge whereof you heard before; and if you will have it more plainly, conceive it in these four Degrees. First, God knows not the ways of the wicked, In se, He finds no such thing in Himself; and yet is his Nature the Exemplar of all good things. Secondly, He knows them not, A●se; No such Effects ever proceeded from his Spirit; and yet Every good and perfect gift cometh from above, james 1.17. from the Father of Lights. Thirdly, He doth not know them, Secundum Se, as an Image of himself, as all his Creatures are; not only the little World was made after his Image, Psal. 19 but also The Heavens declare the Glory of God, and the Firmament showeth his handy work; and the Visible Creatures make known the Invisible Creator. Rom. 1 4. And lastly, He doth not know them, Secum; He hath no such in his Retinue; Psal 93.5. Holiness beseems his House for ever, and they must be sanctified that come near him, and be Holy as He is Holy, and the wicked shall not stand in his sight. Exod. 11, 44. Well then, When we behold the wicked on Earth, prospering in their wicked ways, we see that every one takes notice of them, and every body is ready to do service to them; and haply this may blear our eyes, and we may think better of their state, than it deserves. But as Christ when his Disciples shown Him the goodly Fabric of the Temple said unto them, Are these the things that you wonder at? I tell you; Luke 21. not a stone of these shall be left upon a stone which shall not be destroyed: So I tell you, gaze not upon such ways, dote not upon them; for God knoweth them but afar off, Psal. 138. They are strangers unto him, and therefore tollentur impij ne videant Gloriam Dei; they shall have as little part in God's Blessing, as they have in his special knowledge. Lay both these works of providence together, and then see the Truth of Maran-Atha in Saint Paul, the Lord cometh, 1. Cor. ●6 22. as Saint jude translates it, yea, and Christ himself in Saint john, Revel. 22. Behold I come quickly, and my Reward is with me to give to every man according to his works. What shall I then say to you, but even remember you of those words in the Prophet jeremy, chap. 6. Stand ye in the ways, and see and ask AN EXPOSITION Of the one and fiftieth PSALM. THE TITLE. To the chief Musician. A Psalm of DAVID, when NATHAN the Prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. I Have ended the first PSALM, wherein I opened unto you the Covenant of God; the Parts of it, the Parties to it; the Parts, are a Vow, and a Reward, the Parties, God and Man; Man voweth his Service, God promiseth a Reward, an everlasting Reward for a momentainie Service. Behold a gracious, an undoubted Truth; and yet doth it prognosticate little good to us, neither may we presume of any interest therein, if we try our Case by our Lives. For who is there amongst us that tolerably performs his Vow? And therefore which of us can hopefully expect the Reward? Surely, all assuredness of the latter is clean taken away, except we be provided of some remedy for our failing in the former. Now (God be thanked) there is one, and you shall find it in this Psalm. The Remedy is Repentance, and this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, so Saint Irenie calleth it, a Penitential Psalm. Lib. 4. c. 45. There are seven which we vulgarly call Deadly Sins, we may call them also (if not more fitly, yet as truly) Cardinal or Mother Sins; for they are the nurseries of others. For the recovery out of these Sins, Secund. Vsum Sarum. the old Liturgies have prescribed the use of seven special Psalms, they call them Penitentials, amongst them this is the chiefest, and to be used Contra Luxuriam, which is not the least of those seven Death's Heads. When we look upon the Deluge of Sin, we find that all the fountains of the deep, the bottomless Pit, are broken open, and the streams thereof drown many Souls in perdition, yet amongst them there is none more universal, none more prevalent, then is this Sin of Luxury. Desire you a proof? You shall have a short but yet a pregnant one; Men are turned into Women, and Women into Men. Anatomize that Carrion, well may you find more, certainly you can find nothing worse therein. There is nothing worse than this preposterous unreasonableness, and unreasonable preposterousness. Well; what then is the Remedy? Surely, I know none better than that old one, practised by the Church: and therefore have I chosen to recommend unto the World this Penitential, and shall be glad, if any that is bewitch with that pleasing poison may be cured hereby. This Psalm was occasioned by a wanton Man and Woman, and therefore the better fitting to our Wantoness of both Sexes; and I doubt not, but the most monstrous Changeling, if he meditate sadly hereon, may be brought to change again; but for, and to, the better; I mean, he may resolve to turn from his Sin, and turn unto God; To work this, shall be my endeavour, and to this end will I bend the Exposition of this Psalm. Let us come then to it. There are two means of Instruction, Rules and Examples, a Rule is more apt to make a man wise, but to make a man good there is much more power in an Example; an Example is not only a quicker, but also a more quickening course. Of Examples some are only reported, some are represented also; the force of a Report is very great, yet comes it far short of that which proceeds from a Representation; for we are much more affected with that which we see, then that which we hear; this was the ground of instituting Tragedies, and Comedies, or (to speak more to our purpose) of those severe Penitential Forms practised in the Primitive Church. Now the Doctrine of Repentance is in this Penitential delivered not in a Rule, but in an Example, in an Example not reported, but represented; Ambrose. therefore a Latin Father calls it Monumentum, A living Portraiture of a Penitent; Chrysosome. a Greek Father calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, A speaking Image, it doth so eye us, that it cannot but affect us; affect us not Sensually, as dead Pictures do, but Morally as a reflecting Example, that transforms into itself all those that do discreetly behold it. Certainly, if any, this kind of Instruction will work us, and work Repentance into us. Touching then this Virtue of Repentance, we may learn hear, Whence it springs, and What it is; The Fountain of it is opened in the Title, but the Nature of it is unfolded in the whole Body of the Psalm. The Title doth set before us a Person, and his State, the Person is David, for this is a Psalm of David. But the words must be resolved into more than appear; for, Davidis, is as much as, a Davide, and the Davide, David was the Author, and David is the Argument of it, with his own Pencil doth he draw this Picture of himself. He represents Himself two ways, Cadentem, & Resurgentem, in the State of a Sinner, and the state of a Penitent; In the state of a Sinner; he confesseth that he went went into Bath sheba, in the state of a Penitent in the other words. Where you have the Means by which he was brought to Repentance, and the Success of those Means. The Means are, Nathan the Prophet; Nathan, King David's subject, but as a Prophet he was the Ambassador of God; the King of Heaven had his Leidger, with that King on Earth. Neither doth the holy Ghost only mention the Means, but gives us also to understand the needefulnesse, and the powerfulness thereof; the needefulnesse in the word Venit; Nathan came to David, David never sought to Nathan; we are as careless to return; as we are graceless to go from God; it is needful therefore that God seek us, that we may seek to him; otherwise we will not, nay, we cannot. The Means is no less powerful, then needful; that is intimated by After that, that is, after he had committed his Sinne. Sin doth not only wound to death, but disenable also to rise there from; for, the holy Spirit of Discipline will fly deceit; Wisd. 1.5. & will not abide when unrighteousness cometh. That which we cannot do lying in the dregs of sin, God doth supply by the Ministry of his Word, the Ministry of his Word is the Means to work Repentance; Read this truth in the Success of those Means. The Success was King David's speedy and solemn Conversion; speedy, no sooner did Nathan reprove him, but he gave glory unto God, he acknowledged his sin, and penned this Psalm. Neither was his Conversion only speedy, but solemn also, he delivered this Psalm to the chief Musician, he would have it published in the Church, & the Church to be a witness unto his Conversion. I have broken up the Title, and pointed out the Particulars; to the fuller unfolding whereof, let us now so listen, that we may by God's grace be led onward some steps in our own Repentance. The first thing that offers itself is the Person. One Person is both Author and Argument of this Psalm; and when we consider the Argument, we may wonder at the Author; wonder, that there should be found a man so humble, as to record his own so notable defects. But yet such Ingenuity (though never so distasteful to flesh and blood) hath been found in many worthy Children of God; especially, in those that have been chosen to be Penmen of the Scripture; they report as sincerely their own faults, as their virtues, & no less God's Reproof of them, than his Favours towards them; such Ingenuity we find here in King David: But it was not only in King David, Moses went herein before him, & so did Samuel also; Saint Matthew followeth them, & so did Saint Paul, none of these spared themselves, neither were they ashamed to record the errors of their life; to record them, I say, which is much more than only to acknowledge them, though the acknowledgement be public. They observe not amiss who herehence gather; That the Scriptures are divine, because the Penmen thereof are so unpartial; such dealing is unlikely to come from flesh and blood; whereupon it followeth well, that they wrote as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. 1. Pet. 1.22. Our lesson is, the Humility of a Publican savoureth much more of God's Spirit, than the Pride of a Pharisee, and if we desire either to resemble these worthies in our Persons, or that our words should be conformable to the Holy Canon, we must indite no less Penetentials, than Panegyrics, and make Remembrances of our Sins, aswell as of our Virtues. Certainly, King David did so, witness this Title, wherein he sets forth himself Cadentem & Resurgentem; first, taking a grievous Fall, and then recovering himself by Grace. First, Let us see his Fall; that is noted in these words, He went in to Bathsheba. Few words, but they sum up a large Story; you may read it 2. Sam. 11. That Chapter is a full Commentary upon this short Text; and if we scan it, we shall find, that King David's Fall was Complicatissimum Peccatum, a sin of many roots. There are three Heads whereunto all sin is reduced. 1. Impurity. 2. Iniquity; 3. Impiety; and they met all in this Fall of David; first, Impurity, for the first degree of his sin was Incontinency, he defiled his Soul with unchaste lust, and his Body with an unlawful Copulation; a foul sin so to abuse a Member of Christ, 2. Cor. 6. and to pollute a Temple of the Holy Ghost. To cover this Sin, he fell into another, he fell into Iniquity. It is Iniquity for a man to take his Neighbour's Wife; but for a man that hath many, to take his Neighbour's Wife that is contented with one; for a King to take his Subject's Wife; a Master the Wife of his Servant; a Master, and a King, living at home, & lying at case, to take a Wife of that Subject and Servant, who is adventuring his Life, & spending his Blood, in the defence, and for the Honour of his Master, and Sovereign; Certainly this is heinous Iniquity. But what an Accession is there made unto it, if it be covered with a treacherous Murder of that person to whom such wrong is done? and David so covered his Iniquity: First, he assayed the Murder of Vriahs' Soul, by making him drunk; when that would not do what he intended, then doth he plot the Murder of his Body, he maketh him carry Belerophons' letters, treacheorous letters against his own life, yea, Letters that added treason upon treason; for they made joab the General, to betray the life of Vriah his resolute soldier, and for his sake the lives of many others; fearful Iniquity. But we have not yet sounded the bottom of this Fall, these two Roots of bitterness, have a third wrapped about them. Impurity, and Iniquity are accompanied with Impiety; So we learn from the mouth of the Prophet, God was despised in his Commandment; and the Enemies of God were occasioned thereby to Blaspheme; for the reproach of an ill life redounds upon the God whom we serve, who is by Infidels supposed to be an Abetter of such Courses. 1. Sam. 4.4. 2. Sam. 11.11. But there is a special reason of Impiety in this Fall. You must observe, that the Ark of the Lord was often carried forth in the Wars of Israel, and God so present as he was now gave them Victory in Battle; if the Israelite was foiled, the Enemies grew insolent, not only against those whom they foiled, but also against the Lord whom they thought to be foiled by their Gods, in them; Thereupon they did magnify their Idols, and villisie the Lord of Hosts. This may you observe in the Philistines; 1. Sam. 4. and in the story of Balthasar, Dan. 4. So that the treacherous advantage that was given to the Enemy, must needs open their mouths to Blasphemy, and so make King David guilty of Impiety, Impiety against God, that so often, so many ways, had deserved better of King David. Put all these together, and you will confess, that Saint Chrysostome saith truly; that this was Flendum Naufragium, a woeful wrack of so goodly a Vessel. The more shameful are the Talmudists, that would free the King in this fact from Sin, flatly against King David's own Confession, and the Prophet nathan's challenge; yea, so fare was this from being no Sin, that all his other Sins are as none in comparison of this: You may gather it from the Testimony of the Holy Ghost, 1. King's 1● David turned not aside from any thing that God commanded him all the days of his life; saving only in the matter of Vriah the Hittite. You have heard of a foul Fall, wherein many enormous Sins go chained together: There is one thing more in the Story which I may not omit, and that is, How David fell into this Sinne. Surely, by ease and Prosperity; whi●● he was persecuted by Saul, while he fought the Battles of the Lord, he walked uprightly towards God, and Men; no sooner had God given him rest, but you see what comes of it. The Naturalists observe well, that the Northwind is more healthful, though the South be more pleasant: the South with his warmth raiseth vapours, which breed putrefaction, and cause diseases; the North with his cold, drieth those Vapours up, purging the blood, and quickening the Spirits: Adversity is unpleasant, but it keepeth us watchful against Sin, and careful to do our duties, whereas Prosperity doth flatteringly lull us a sleep, that the envious Man may have opportunity to sow tares, and choke the good Seed of God's Grace; In pace amaritudo amarissima, Esay. 38.17. it never goeth worse with men spiritually, then when they find themselves corporally best at ease, jesurun waxed fat, and kicked, Deu. 32. 1●. he for sooke God which made him, and light lie esteemed the Rock of his Salvation. How wicked the Sodomites were we read Gen. 18. but Eze. Chap. 16. tells us, the cause thereof was fullness of Bread, and Idleness. Tunc cum maesta fuit defensa est Ilion armis; Militibus gravidum laeta recepit Equum. Most surprises of Cities have fallen out upon the secure riot of the besieged; our souls are never freed from the siege of the Compassing Lion, but he never gets so great an Advantage against us, as when he maketh the least show of an Assault; Solomon in greatest glory, was in his greatest danger, the woeful event proved it too true. It was a wise policy of Epaminondas, then, to be Sentinel, when the Citizens were at their Bacchanals; and when we have the world at will, it is good providence, then, to look most to our ways. And why? King David's Fall is a good Reason; It may seem strange that a man, such as David was, so endowed, so blessed that he was a Man after Gods own Heart, and the Penman of the Holy Ghost, that such a man, so good a man, should take so great, so dangerous a Fall. But the best men are men, and their falls do testify of what Tree they are Branches; by nature they spring from old Adam, he is their Root, & all though by Grace they are grafted into Christ, yet during this life, all the sour juice derived from the former stock is not clean dried up in them, it yields forth many shoots, & those loaden with many Clusters of bitter Fruit. And what doth this preach unto us, but that Admonition of Saint Paul, Let him that stands take heed lest he fall, 1 Cor. 10.11. for if the greatest Worthies have been Spectacles of humane frailty, who may presume of his own strength? Happy shall we be, if other men's Harms make us beware. And indeed, To beware, is the true use that we must make of their Harms; They grossly abuse such Histories, which by them countenance, and excuse their sin; David fecit, cur non ego? the Drunkard, the Adulterer, the Murderer Atheistically pretends, though he hath not a good Rule, yet he hath a good Example for his doing; some Patriarch did that which he doth; Non est hoc tollere, sed geminare Peccatum, this doth not mend, but mar the matter; such Apologies are worse than the Sinne. Saint Austin, and others, have at large replied unto them, I will only give two Animadversions, and so dismiss them. The first is, As in good deeds he that followeth another deserves less praise, because he doth but exemplify an other man's fact: so of ill doers, the latter deserves more blame than the former, because he is so desperate as to venture where he seethe a likelier man than himself hath taken a fall. This first Animadversion we learn from Reason. And from Religion we must learn a second Animadversion; It is gross Blasphemy so to pervert the meaning of the Scripture, and make the Holy Ghost an Advocate for sin; what need such fuel for lust, which hath the whole world continually to feed it? and Self-love will not want an Apology, though the Holy Ghost do not pen one; Certainly, this fall was never penned for so wicked a purpose; That will appear in the next Branch of the Text, or in the second state wherein King David doth set forth himself. There, you shall find, that the former state was not set forth Propter se, but Propter aliud, he took no pleasure to blaze his state, as a sinner, but that we may thereby perceive his other state, as he was a Penitent. Let us look now into that, and we shall find, that these few words do sum up a good part of a whole Chapter, the 12. of the 2. of Sam. wherein we are to observe, the Means that brought him to Repentance, and the Success of those Means. The Means are, Nathan the Prophet, one Man, but sustaining two Persons, the person of a Subject unto King David, as he was Nathan, the person of an Ambassador from God, as he was a Prophet. And indeed, Though a Sovereign have a Command over all his Subjects, yet is He himself a Subject unto God; and therefore hath God his Lidgers resident about him, to let him from time to time know his Sacred pleasure, whose office it is to hold their Master in, or call him back when he forgets, or neglects the King of Kings that is in Heaven. But this present * The Ordination of Ministers. Occasion calls upon me to enlarge this point, and I may do it fitly to the Occasion, and not stray a whit from my Text, not from the Story of Nathan the Prophet, intimated in this place. You then that are to take Sacred Orders must observe, that in the Function of a Prophet there was some thing Common, and something Proper; it was Proper to them to foretell things to come, the divine determination of Events which in humane judgement were contingent. But Moral instructions, and Corrections, were Common to them with the Priests; And indeed God did but supply the negligence of the Priest, by this Ministry of the Prophets. The Ministry of Nathan here touched, though it hath something of that which is Proper unto a Prophet, yet the most part of it is Common, and so concerns you. You than must learn of the Prophet Nathan what Furniture a Minister must have, and How he must use his furniture. His furniture must be Lex et Euangelium, both these appear in nathan's Message; the Law, by that he laid open King David's Sin; the Gospel, by that he absolved him from the Gild thereof: There is no Censure of Sin but from the Law, and only from the Gospel is the Propitiation thereof; therefore must you be well studied in both of them, and hold yourselves to be but imperfect Ministers, if you be ignorant of either. As you must learn of Nathan the Prophet to have this Furniture: so from him also must you learn How to use it; as you have a Talent, so must you employ it, The steward of the Lord must bring forth to his Family things both old and new; We are called Builders, and the Scripture is called a Canon, or a Rule, all the spiritual Stones which be laid in the Temple of God, must be squared by this spiritual Rule, neither without this Rule must we work any. Neither is it enough, to know that we must use our Furniture; we must know also When it must be used, and How; and you shall learn both of the Prophet Nathan. When; Praevenienter, and Subuenienter; if we can, we must prevent the Sins of our flock. Magister Historiae Ecclesiasticae observes out of Epiphanius, that Nathan would so have prevented David's Fall; for hearing that the King's affection was bending towards Bathsheba, he made haste towards him, but was hindered by Belial. Whatsoever is to be thought of that Narration, of this we may be sure, that the Prophet would not have been wanting to the King with a Ghostly preservative, if he had seen his proneness to that Fall; and a Minister if he see the signs of an imminent spiritual danger, must arm his people against Temptation, and as much as in him lieth prevent their Falls. But if he cannot be so timely, he must not leave them when they are down, Qui non potuit praevenire, debet subvenire; we must lend him a Hand to rise, whom we could not keep from Falling; so did Nathan the Prophet raise King David. But as you must learn of him When: so must you also learn of him How; he did it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Unpartially, but Discreetly. Unpartially; he was the Ambassador of God; and therefore he spoke with the liberty of an Ambassador: And we must not derogate from the Authority of our Master, to whose Tribunal all persons are Subject, even the greatest Monarches of the World; as a great Monarch Nabuchadnezzar confessed in a Proclamation registered Dan. 4. But there is an Vnpartialnesse Divine which is enjoined of God, and there is an Humane one, which is but a fiction of Man's brain. The Humane, dreams of faults which are not, and taketh up rumours upon trust, and rashly vents them to the disgrace of the innocent; heady and fiery Spirits offend too often this way, and in stead of Preachers turn Libelers, under pretence of freedom of Spirit, and unpartial Reprehension. But we must not reprove That which is not a fault, nor Those which are not faulty. Secondly, Humane Vnpartialnesse doth season Reproof with unmannerly language, whereas Saint Paul hath taught Ministers, in reproving to give every man his due respect; Rebuke the elder men as Fathers, the younger as Brethren, 1 Tim. 5. the elder women as Mothers, the younger as Sisters; the higher Persons are in degree, with the more respect must we temper our Reproof. This is the general Rule that we must follow; particular instances of some Prophets who brought special Messages from God, must not be drawn by us into Example; God will not have Theology to confound Policy. Add hereunto, that Nathan told his Message to David in private, because David committed the Sin privately; personal and private Sins must not have a public Reproof, except they have undergone first a judicial Censure; where public Authority hath not gone before, the Reproof of Personal faults must be private. These Rocks being heeded, our Vnpartialnes will be Divine, we may freely deliver what difference there is between men's lives, and Gods Laws, and set the People's danger before their eyes; yea, touching Sin we may tell them, that, Omne animi vitium tanto, conspectius in se Crimen habet, quanto maior, qui peccat, habetur; answerable to the Dignity which God vouchsafeth us, are the Sins improved, by which we offend him. Secondly, 〈…〉. Touching danger we may let them know, that Potentes potenter punientur, Mercy will soon pardon the meanest, but mighty men, shall be mightily tormented. This we may tell them, and tell them, that they must expect this from God. From God (I say) and not from Us, for we have only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, we are only Referendaries of Gods Will, we acknowledge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be the peculiar of God; if any corporal chastisement be to be laid upon a Sovereign, a Subject must not draw the sword, God only hath power to use it; and they into whose hands he is pleased to put it; which certainly is not the Pope, nor his Assign; whether he claim it Directly, or Indirectly, he doth it Contra Ius, & sine Exemplo, he hath no good either Rule, or Example for it, either in God's word, or in the writings of the Primitive Church; neither is it the People, who must take Law from, not give Law to their Sovereign, both in Precept and in Sanction. As Nathan did use his Ministry Unpartially: so did he use it Discreetly also; 〈◊〉 de 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, he handled the King so artificially, that he made him give sentence against himself, before he was ware. That seems a Beam in our Brother's eye, Mat 7. which in our own seems scarce a Moat, (as Christ teacheth in the Gospel) therefore our judgement is best tried in another Man's Case; for therein we will see with the most, if it be a fault; and if it be a good deed, we will see with the least; Therefore he that will handle a Man's Conscience, with spiritual Wisdom, must first work upon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, see what good Rules he hath to guide Conscience withal, and exercise them with some abstracted Case, and if he find that it passeth an upright judgement, then come on to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, His Conscience; and if ever, you shall then make him sensible of his own Case; Certainly, he must either condemn himself, which is a sign of Grace, or else contradict himself, which will argue him to be void of Reason. Neither is this the only point of spiritual wisdom which a Pastor must have, he must also use a good method in dispensing the parts of his Ministry; Nathan will teach him as much, who coming to David furnished with the Law, and the Gospel, first, humbled him with the Law, than raised him with the Gospel, first, told him, Thou art the Man, and then when David acknowledged it, Nathan added, The Lord hath removed thy sin, thou shalt not die. And you may not pervert this Order, you may not apply a Salve before you have vented the Corruption of a wound, you may not power Oil into it before you have scoured it with Wine; finally, You may not absolve a sinner, before you have made him penitent. Having sufficiently unfolded the Means, I must now let you see that these Means are Needful, and Powerful; Needful; that, is intimated in this word, Venit, Nathan came to David; Of himself David sinned, but when he was left unto himself, there appeared in him no disposition to repent; To manifest this, God did let him alone by the space of a whole year, and during that time, he seemeth to have been senseless of his state; Mortifera securitas, Austin Sermon de Temp. 51. he seemed to be (as it were) dead in that sin: It was a strange thing that such a Man should take such a Fall, but more strange that in so many Months he should not recover out of it. What was the Cause? was it because he did not know the difference between good and evil? it were absurd so to think; but it was because he did not make use of his knowledge in weighing his own Actions, whether they were good, or evil; wherefore, had not Nathan come to David, it is to be doubted, David would never have returned unto God. It is to be doubted; the rather, because if you look to the first sin of Man, you shall find that after he had eaten of the forbidden Fruit, he hide himself from God; no mention of his return, until God sought and found him out. And who may hope to be better than our Father Adam? surely the continual story of the Church shows, that we are herein all too like unto him; look upon all the restitutions that are recorded, and you shall find in them all, the preventing Grace of God, and that saying of God is of a perpetual truth, I am found of them that sought me not, and made manifest to them that inquired not after me. But what shall I need Examples of that Truth, which every man that hath grace may read in himself? The Conclusion is: Repentance springs not Naturally from us, it is an effect of God's word reclaiming us; of ourselves we are as unapt to Rise; as we are apt to Fall. Wherefore, we cannot too much magnify the goodness of God, that vouchsafeth unto us the Ministry of his Word; it is a great Grace that God is not wanting unto us when we are wanting unto ourselves; wanting, not only to instruct ourselves, but also to make use of our knowledge; for the Scripture is useful not only to inform, but also to remember us. Needful than the Ministry is: It is not only so, but Powerful also; The word of God is sharper than any two-edged sword, Heb. 4. it is lively, it is mighty in operation, it enters through even to the dividing asunder of the soul, spirit, joints, and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts, and intents of the Heart; The weapons of the Ministers warfare are mighty, through God, to cast down Holds, 2 Cor. 10. to cast down Imaginations, and every high thing which is exalted against the knowledge of God, and to bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. And it had need be so, it hath to do with so senseless a subject. Lib. 22. Moral: Cap. 13. Gregory the Great parallels David in his Sin, with Lazarus in his Grave; Christ cried with a loud voice Lazarus come forth; and it was not a weak voice that could rouse David out of his so dead a Sleep; and it is the common disease of all sinners; nothing less than God's Spirit can work a spiritual remorse in them: But the power of the Ministry will appear better in the success, wherefore I come unto that. The Success was a speedy and a Solemn Conversion; a Speedy, he did not outface the Prophet, he did neither deny, nor extenuate his fault, but presently acknowledged it, and desired to be unburdened of it, In Psal 37. gustavit tantùm peccatum (saith Saint Ambrose) ut ostenderet quomodo posset aboleri, he tasted of the poison, but did not digest it, he did not so take in sin, Dedoct. Christian. jab. 3. Cap. 21. but he could vomit it up again. Saint Austin wittily observes the word Hospes in nathan's Parable, and shows, that sin in the Children of God is but a stranger, well may it be entertained, it cannot have in them any perpetual abode, because it is not of the Household; yea, seeing they account this stranger to be an enemy, they make haste to be rid of him: we see this in David, and we must learn by him, when we are roused, to see that we are out of the way, to make haste, and not defer the time to turn our feet into the way of God's Commandments. Psal. 119. As David's Conversion is Speedy: so it is Solemn; it appears in two points; in that he penned this Psalm; and that he committed it unto the Chief Musician. james 5.13. First he penned the Psalm. Saint james his Rule, If any man be merry let him sing, holds not backward; therefore every man that singes is merry; There are mournful, aswell as there are joyful songs. Graceless persons when they have sinned are so shameless as to make joyful songs thereof, witness the impure Sonnets whereof every Age hath vented some, none, more than this our sinful Age, and they are accounted the fittest Music for their most riotous Feasts. But David's Song made of his sin is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, adolefull Elegy, a very Lamentation. But what needed this after Nathan had absolved him? yes, there was great need of it; first, His Confession to Nathan was very succinct, and though praematura venia arguebat profundam Poenitentiam, God knew he repent hearty, whom he forgave so speeedily; yet, so short a Text, needed a larger Commentary, least men should conceive too shallowly of Repentance, and perform it perfunctorily. Secondly, the Conscience is not so soon quieted, as it is pardoned; though our Faith do rest upon God's Truth, yet desire we to have it confirmed by a lively sense; therefore a godly man newly recovered, though he be safe, is not secure, which maketh him ply God with his prayers, until he have recovered again his former Peace. Finally, God released all the punishment of sin unto David, but not all the Chastisement, as it appears by nathan's Absolution; David might desire to be eased of that also, and to that end he might importune God with his passionate Prayer: And it beseems us well when we are free from the Flames of Hell, to deprecate the calamities wherewith God may justly visit us in this life. I come to the last note. This Psalm when David had penned it was delivered to the chief Musician, or Master of the Choir, not only to be kept, but also to be sung; he would have the Church to witness to his Conversion, and take a good Pattern from him, yea, so it was made a part of the Cation, and is to go for a Rule amongst us; The Septuagint intimate as much when they translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; they intimate thereby, that not only David's Case must be remembered therein, but others also must be conformed thereto. But I must end. 1. As Nathan was sent to David, saith Saint Austin; so is David sent unto us, we may, nay we do, go in to our Bath-sheba, commit spiritual, corporal fornication, and God knows we have little sense of our sin. As we tread David's steps in sinning: so in David's senselessness, let us read our own. 2. God doth not forsake us, when we will not, we cannot help ourselves; we have many nathan's, that are neither unlearned, nor idle, they deal as discreetly, as unpartially; it were to be wished, that as they are Needful, and Powerful, so they might speed with us, as Nathan did with David, and work in us a Speedy, and a Solemn Repentance. 3. If King David were not ashamed so to humble, so to afflict his Soul, which of us should be ashamed? we should not: but as Saint Ambrose in his days, Apolog. David 1, c. 2. we so may we complain in ours, there are few men, be they but of mean substance, that do not think themselves too good to be so abased, & yet he that will not submit himself to this painful impression of the Law, shall never feel that more comfortable that springs from the Gospel. GOd grant, that seeing the best of us shall ever carry about us, a Body of sin, we may never want nathan's, if it may be, to prevent, at least, to make us see our slips; and that we may be as tractable as King David, submitting ourselves to the voice of the Law, that we may have the benefit of the Gospel; so may Pastors and People have mutual Comfort in the Church Militant, and in the Triumphant be jointly blessed for Evermore. Amen. PSAL. 51. VERS. 1.2. 1. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving kindness; according unto the multitude of thy tender Mercies blot out my transgressions. 2. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. THis Penitential doth teach us touching Repentance, whence it springs, and what it is; Whence, in the Title, and What, in the Psalm. Of the Title I have already spoken; It followeth that I now come on to the Psalm; which when I have ripped up, and laid open before you, you will have just Cause to say, that it is the goodliest Picture of true Repentance, that ever was drawn by the pen of the Holy Ghost. The whole is a Prayer, but of that kind which we call a, Vow; And as King David did sustain a double Person, so is his Vow double; He was a Child of God, a dear one, He was a Member of the kingdom, the chiefest one, he was a man after Gods own Heart, and he was the King of Israel; therefore he vows not only for himself, but his Kingdom also. But in setting down his Vows, he observes a good Order, the first is for Himself, the second for the Kingdom. And why? The Kingdom was wounded by his Fall, and the Cure thereof depended upon his Recovery; therefore doth he first take care of the Head, from whom the same health was to stream afterwards into all the Body. For though the Vows be two, yet are they both resolved into the same parts, & there are in effect the same Contents in either votive Prayer. Let us take them asunder, and see it. In that either is a vow, you must find in either the parts of a vow, they are, a Desire, and a Promise; you may see them evidently in either Vow. First, in the Vow that King David maketh for Himself, he doth express a desire to be restored unto, and preserved in the state of Grace, and if he speed, he doth Promise a religious Service unto God. These two Points are enlarged in the seventeen first verses, in the personal Case of King David; and being contracted, are repeated again with a special Application to his kingdom, in the two last. You see the brief of the whole Psalm; but it is too scant, it will not yield you a full view; let us then go back again, and unwrap these particulars, that we may take more feeling notice of the spiritual riches, that are contained therein. The first Vow is made for King David, the first branch of that Vow is his Desire, and the first Petition in that Desire, is, That he may be restored unto Grace. In this Petition there are two remarkable things, the Matter which he presents unto God, and the Manner wherewith he doth ingeminate the same Matter, and press God with it. The Matter is contained in these two first verses, which in effect sound only this; Miserable King David desires relief, from the effectual Mercy of God in jesus Christ. Where there is Sin, there is Misery; behold here variety of Sin, Transgressions, Iniquities, Distortions, all cleaving to David, (for Me, and Mine, confirm as much) and make him a Wretch, though he were a King. Now what is the Remedy of such Misery but effectual Mercy? and this we find here, Mercy by Name, in the entrance of the Prayer, Have Mercy. But whereas there is Mercy in Affectu, or in Effectu, Mercy in God, or Mercy from God, King David doth desire not only that God would be graciously affected towards him, but also that he would work powerfully upon him; 1. Upon the Gild of his Sin, Deal, quit me thereof. 2. upon the Corruption of his Sin, Lava, wash me therefrom. Yea, because Gild is sooner removed, than Corruption cleansed, keeping correspondency with God's Course in working therein, he adds Multùm lava, Munda, never give over washing until thou hast made me throughly clean; thus doth Misery seek unto Mercy. But where is Mercy to be found? surely in God, to Him he directs his Prayer, Have Mercy upon me O God. There is no remedy for a sinful Man, but in God, whom he hath offended with his sin, and therefore he saith, Secundum Tuam Misericordiam, according to Thy Mercy; It is God's property to have Mercy, but it is Gods in Christ; so much is meant by the next words, according to thy loving kindness, according to thy tender Mercies: God shines Graciously to none but in the Face of jesus Christ, and in him is God become a tender hearted Father to all penitent Sinners. To all (I say) for he hath not only tender Mercies, but there is also in them to be considered the Measure. Rob is the Hebrew word, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we translate it Multitude, but it signifies also Magnitude, and giveth us to understand, that be our sinful Misery never so great, never so divers, we shall not want relief in Mercy, which is more great, and manifold. Finally, the Text doth tell us, that as our Misery must seek for Mercy in God only, in whom it may be found: so we must not dream, that any thing without God, can obtain this at God's hands; therefore we must pray, Secundum, according to thy loving kindness; O Lord let that be not only the Measure of the Mercy which I seek, but the inducement thereto also. And so have you the Contents of that portion of King David's Desire, which I have read unto you; I will now resume them, and to your, and my farther edification enlarge the exposition of them. First then; though Mercy stand foremost in the Text, yet I will begin with the Misery; for Misery is first in Nature, and were it not for that, there were no need of Mercy: add hereunto, that the sense of Misery sets the best edge upon the desire of Mercy, and he will more eagerly long after it, that perceiveth throughly in what need he stands of it. I told you, that David was miserable though he were a King, were there no other proof, there is enough employed in the first word; he that cryeth Miserere, have mercy, doth plainly confess, that he is in Misery; for one Correlative cannot subsist without the other. But to put it out of all doubt, here is enough expressed to prove him a Wretch, Pro. 14. Peccatum facit populos miseros; wheresoever there is Sin, there is Misery, yea, and there only; for sin only is simply Evil: Malum Paenae, Calamity, and Woe, though we call them Evils, yet indeed they are not so simply, but only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as the Person is, and as God intends; for that otherwise they are good, it is plain by two undoubted grounds, the Efficient, and the Final Cause. That which is Properly Evil, hath only Causam deficientem, it springs from the failing of a reasonable Creature, but Woe hath Causam Efficientem, it springs from the almighty Hand of God; He is the Creator of this Darkness, aswell as the opposite Light. As it hath an Efficient. so hath it a Final Cause, & that is, the Recovery of a sinner; God judgeth us temporally, that he may not judge us eternally: therefore David saith, Pal. 119.71. Bonum est Domine quod humiliasti me, it is good for me Lord, that I have been in trouble: but that which is truly Evil is destitute of a Final cause, aswel as it was of an Efficient, as it comes from weak enes; so it ends in vanity. It is true that God doth often times draw light out of darkness, & Good out of that which is simply Evil, but that is done by his Transcendent Providence; it will never prove, that that which is truly Good, & truly Evil, can have any natural habitude the one to the other, or that they have any Cognation between themselves: Wherefore, only Sin being simply Evil, is that which properly maketh a Wretch. And verily, we that beholding Beggars, Lazars, men any ways afflicted confess them miserable; si adspici possint lanitatus, if we had eyes to see the spiritual wounds and sores, the wants and the Woes of Adulterers, Murderers, Blasphemers, any other wicked livers, we would confess them to be much more miserable. My Text doth occasion me to give you a taste thereof by opening the three words wherewith David doth express his sin. The first is Peshang, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is well rendered a Transgression, that is, a passing of our bounds. Our lusts are apt to range, and exceed, God sets bounds unto them, by his Law he would hold them in, but it will not be, we are Sons of Belial, we will bear no yoke, we break Gods bands, and cast his cords from us. Psal. 2. The first evil of sin is, it maketh a lawless man: and who doth not know that liveth in a society, what an unhappy liberty the lawless have? But why will man be lawless? forsooth he thinks, that the more he hath his will, the more he shall compass his own ends: he thinks so; but it proves not so, that appears in the next name of sin, that is Chata, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and noteth a shooting clean besides the Mark. When we become Masterless, the upshot of our endeavour is, to mistake evil for good, and reap woe, where we looked for rest: The wicked, Wisd. 5. confess this truth, and all Histories are but Chronicles of it; they testify that lawless men have finally miss of that whereat they aimed, yea, that they have therein been deceived most, wherein they seemed unto themselves to have succeeded best. And doth not this Name of Sin then argue a sinner to be a Wretch? But that which is the height of Evil in Sin, is noted in the third word Gnaon, Perverseness. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And indeed Sin is nothing but the perverting of a Creature; God made the Great, and the little World, to set forth his own Glory, but sin turneth both to his dishonour; God made the little World to be Lord over the great, and Sin turneth the Lord into the Servant, and the Servant into the Lord; God made Man a Consort for Angels, Sin doth range Man with the Fiends of Hell; Finally, God made Man after his own Image, Sin doth change him into the Image of the Devil; most wretched perverseness. Now seeing this threefold Evil is found in sin, as the Names thereof give us to understand, we cannot doubt but Sin doth make a Miserable Man; he that is infected with it, will confess it, though he be a King. Certainly King David doth; He was at this time a King, a victorious, a glorious King, obeyed by many Nations, abounding in all kind of worldly prosperity; Add thereunto that same gracious Entail of his Crown sent unto him from God, 2. Sam. 7. the very crown of blessings. But see, being stung with the Conscience of Sin he is sensible of none of these, neither doth he find Comfort in any of them; notwithstanding all these, he confesseth himself a Wretch. Wherein we may observe by the way the difference between the judgement of flesh and blood, and of a Child of God, concerning that which maketh Happy; the one placeth it in the Things of this life, the other in the Peace of God. And indeed so long as it is not well between God, and us, all the World can give us no Content; the consciousness of sin, if we have as feeling hearts as King David had, feeling the mischievous nature of sin, we will account ourselves but Wretches, and we will with him fall to our Miserere mei, Have Mercy upon me, etc. which is the second part of my Text. The Correlative of Misery is Mercy, & as there were no need of Mercy, were there no Misery, so because there is Misery there is a remedy provided for it, and that is Mercy. The Verb doth properly signify, Be gracious to me. Grace is free love, so teacheth Saint Austin, Non est gratia ullo modo, si non sit omni modo gratuita; that favour deserveth not the name of Grace, that can be either merited, or requited. But yet there are two sorts of this Grace, one, Quae datur non merenti, another, Quae datur immerenti; The first was the Grace of Creation, it proceeded from the free Goodness of God; for there was no possibility of Man's Deserving, before he had his Being, therefore was his Being a gift of Grace. The second is the Grace of Redemption, this proceeds also from God's free Goodness; this was vouchsafed to Man, when he deserved the contrary, he deserved eternal Death, but God vouchsafed him eternal Life, This special kind of Grace is called Mercy; Therefore, considering the Argument, the Translator did not amiss in restraining the amplitude of the words, and rendering it, Have Mercy; for Evangelicall Grace is Mercy, and it is such Grace that is meant in this place. But this Mercy is considered either in Affectu, or Effectu, as it is in God, or as it manifests itself upon Man. The Remedy of Misery is Mercy, but that Mercy must contain, not only a Gracious disposition towards man, but a powerful operation upon him; God must be well affected so, as that Man's state also may be altered. In Misery's plea for Mercy, these two cannot be severed without Impiety, or Blasphemy; 1. Blasphemy; for Sin & Compassion are incompatible, if the one be not conceived as the remover of the other, but he doth not so conceive them, that looks only to the Affection, & looketh not also for the Action of Mercy; therefore he blasphemes the Author thereof. Secondly, there is Impiety in it; for it argueth that a Man would be free from God's displeasure, but he would not part with that, which offends his pure eyes, He loveth to be a sinner. And this is plain Impiety. But what are the effects of Mercy? even as many as are the evils of Sin. In sin then there are two Evils, the Gild, and the Corruption thereof; the Gild is resembled to a Debt; 〈◊〉 1●. & indeed it is a plain Debt, a double Debt; for in every sin that we commit, we grow in arrearages unto God, in regard of the duty which we own him; and God grows in Arrearages unto us, in regard of the punishment that is due unto us. Now of these debts God keepeth a Book, all our misdeeds are recorded before him, 〈◊〉 5. and of these Books there is mention made in the Revel: where the Soon of Man is represented upon his Tribunal, judging all the World according to those things, that are found in the Books that are open before him. As in regard of the Gild, Sins are compared to Debt; so in regard of the Corruption they are compared unto Staines; Staines of all sorts, to Froth, to Foam, to Scum, to Dross, to Mire, to all sorts of diseases, and impurities of the flesh; And indeed how can they be other, seeing they are the insection that we receive from the unclean Spirit? This being briefly observed; Let us now consider of David's Prayer, his Prayer for the Affection, and Operation of Mercy. First, for the Affection, in these Words, Miserere, Have Mercy. The Affection is the Root from whence springs the Operation; we learn it in another Psalm, Psal. 80. Cause thy face to shine, and we shall be saved, therefore he doth well to make sure of that first, because no hope of the other, if he speed not of that. No hope that the Beams will ever warm our Land, if the Sun have no aspect unto our Horizon, neither is there any Hope, that we shall ever seel God's comforts, if God's countenance be not propitious: yea, the influence is too scant to support our drooping souls, did not they first lay hold upon the abundance, that they believe to be in the Fountain of Grace. But what our Faith is assured of in God, we must desire to feel in our Souls; our desire that first craves Gods good Affection, must go on, and desire Gods good Action also; certainly David did so; it appears in Deal, and Lava, blot out, wash clean. Two Petitions, made for two Blessings, Innocence, and Sanctity. Innocence, for he desires to be acquitted of his Debt; he would have his name blotted out of the Obligation that God had against him. And no wonder; We know the perplexities of Debtors, if the Debt be only pecuniary, and may be redeemed by a Friend, how much more if it be Capital, and can be answered by none but our own Person? in such a Case, how doth fear haunt us, and anguish distress us? neither night nor day, at board or in bed, alone or with Friends, can we be quiet, until we are free from such an Obligation. And can a Man privy unto himself in what danger he stands to God-ward, find any rest until he have made his peace? can he choose but be overwhelmed with sorrow, except he can put off the storm that hangeth over him? Can he forbear to importune God for a pardon, knowing how obnoxious he is to the stroke of his vengeance? doubtless he cannot; be he as great, as good as King David, he will fall to Deal, Lord do away mine offences; for there is no security but only in Innocence. Innocence is not enough; it is enough to free us from fear, but it is not enough to cure our Misery; without Sanctity it is not fully cured; for though when we look without us, being innocent, we have nothing to dismay us; yet when we look into ourselves, if we be without Sanctity, how ugly shall we appear? Grego: Mag. Quid prodest malorum quae feci impunitas, nisi etiam bene agendi sequatur facultas? as good have no Innocence, as not to have it joined with Sanctity. We naturally delight in neatness, in our persons, our , our diet, and what not? and how much cost do we bestow in Cookery, Taylerie, Cosmetrie, to remove any uncomeliness or undecency that may offend, though it be but the eye of vanity? We that so care to have a fair outside, what a foul inside do we endure, if we endure the Corruption of sin? No sluttishness in diet comparable hereunto; 2. Pet. 2. the Scripture resembleth it to a dogs feeding upon his vomit. Reuel. 3. No slovenrie in Apparel to be matched herewith; the Scripture calleth it Nakedness, such Nakedness as discovers our Filthiness. Finally, no sores come near the spiritual ones in ugliness; the Scripture doth parallel the deformity thereof, with the disease of Leprosy. Can a man, being such, endure himself? can he choose but fall unto, Lava? be earnest with God, to wash him from his filthiness? Certainly he cannot; a sensible sinner cannot; and such a one was King David: he Prayeth, Lava, wash me O Lord. Neither Lava only, but Multùm Lava; the Original hath, multiply to wash: When he prayed for Innocence it was only Deal, put a way my sins, but when he cometh to pray for Sanctity, he is not contented with Lava, wash me, he will have his washing renewed again and again. What is the reason? Surely there are many Reasons for it. The first is, the difference that God puts between justification and Sanctification; it is his pleasure that the one should be Actio indivisibilis, the other divisibilis (as the Divines speak) the first he consummates at once, in the other he proceeds by degrees; he is pleased that our whole life should be an exercise of mortifying the Old Man, and quickening the New. As when a Garment hath taken a deep stain, it must have more scouring, and spunging then one, before we can get it out: even so the Corruption of sin sinks so deep, that it asketh a great deal of pains to work it out; therefore Multùm lava is very necessary in regard of Mortification: And it is as necessary also in regard of Vivisication. Saint Ambrose represents it in a fine Simile: He that will die a purple in grain, doth give his cloth inferior colours first, and after many dippings in many preparative liquours, he doth at length perfect the colour, and give it its full lustre: even so the splendour of Sanctity is not attained in the first moment of our Conversion, many a line must be drawn in our Souls by the Spirit of God, before we can fully recover his Image. Not, that there is any inability in God, so that he cannot in a moment make us both innocent, and holy, as he did in the Creation: but he is pleased in the difficulty of the recovery on our part, to make us mindful of our former unthriftiness, and careful to husband Grace better when God doth vouchsafe it. Besides these Reasons, there is a special one which concerns King David's Case. You have heard that he committed more Sins than one, whereof every one was very heinous, now a single cleansing doth not suffice for many enormous sins; though for our secret sins it is enough to say, Psal. 1●. Munda me Domine, cleanse me O Lord from my secret faults, and for ordinary slips, Austin. Dimitte nobis debita, our daily Prayer, forgine us our trespasses, may suffice; yet when we multiply sins, heinous sins, we must have Washing upon Washing, many Washings, for many sins: It is a perfunctory Repentance that wraps all such sins in one, and thinks that one washing will cleanse a sinner from them all. And yet God knoweth there is two much of this kind of Repentance in the World; but to such penitentiaries I will use the words of Solomon, There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, Pro. 30. and yet is not washed from their filthiness; they will unhappily be found in the state of corruption at that day, when there will be no comfort but for thorough, or perfect Sanctification. Through, or perfect Sanctification was it that King David sought, as you may perceive by the next word, Munda; This noteth the end for which David desireth the multiplied washing, he would so be washed, that he might be clean; he would not have God Laterem lavare, take much pains, and leave him never a whit the better. It is true that God complains of some, jerem. 13. that they are washed in vain, can a Leopard change his spots, or a Blackamoor his skin? if they can, then there is hope that you will be the better, but little hope of the one, and as little of the other. But King David would not have God's pains so wasted upon him, he would have it sort a good effect, and make him to be, as without blame, in regard of Innocency, so without spot, in regard of Sanctity; & we must desire that we may be renewed, aswell as discharged, as thoroughly renewed, as fully discharged, that we may be acceptable in God's eyes, and comfortable in our own. Put now these two together, the description of Misery, and the Petition for Mercy, and you shall find divers rem●akable things therein. First, that Misery presenting itself unto Mercy, doth take a right course. Nathan did charge David with sin, and threatened him many plagues, you find not here that he doth mention God's plagues, but his own sins; he spends his desire, not in deprecating the Plagues, but in ridding himself of his Sins. And this is good spiritual wisdom; for seeing plagues come for sins, we are sure that we shall never eat of that Fruit, if we pluck this Tree up by the roots; if sin cleave not to us, we need not fear God's wrath, either we shall not feel it, or we shall be the better for it. Pharaoh, and Pharoah-like Men have an eye to their plagues, not to their sins; and therefore as he, so they, are eased of one plague to fall under another: if God's Mercy hear our Prayers, and ease us of any Affliction, and do not rid us of our sin; let us assure ourselves that we are but like a Prisoner reprieved that may be hanged when he lest fears death. Secondly, Misery must learn of King David to lay itself fully open, that it may be fully cured; Ambros: Quis nostrum qui peccatum confitetur non perstringendum potius quam repetendum putet? When we repent, happily we can be contented to glance at our sins, but we will be loath to look fare into them, and search our wounds to the quick; But King David doth not so, he doth aswell amplify Sin, the Cause of his Misery, as he doth distinctly sue for the branches of God's Mercy. God's Mercy, And indeed God is the Person to whom he sueth for Mercy; he directeth his Prayer unto him, & from him, he doth expect this Mercy. But here is a Paradox; for he that is ugly in his own eyes, how can he but be odious in Gods? and how dares a guilty Prisoner offer himself at the Bar of his judge? God's face is against those that do evil, Psal. 34.15. to root out their remembrance from the earth. This is true, and yet David goeth to him. and no marvel, there is no flying from him, but to him, he only can restore a sinner, restore him to his own favour, and rid him of that that intercepteth the influence of the comfortable beams of grace; the Church confesseth it, in the Collect, it is God's property to have mercy; and it saith it according to the Scripture; Daniel confesseth it, 2. Cor. 1.3. To thou O Lord God belongeth Mercy and forgiveness; Saint Paul maketh God, the Father of Mercies; Moses, or God rather speaking to Moses, sheweeh us that it is an especial branch of God's glory, in that Proclamation which he maketh, Exod. 34. The Lord, the Lord God, merciful, and gracious, long suffering, etc. But as Mercy is Natural unto God: so it is not comfortable unto us but as it is derived through Christ; therefore we must mark the Words Chesed and Racham, words wherein King David doth express God's Mercy; for they note 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Affection▪ the bowels of a Father towards his Children. Now God is not a Father unto us but by Adoption, and we are not adopted but in Christ, which is the only Son; God doth except us in his Beloved, in him it is that he hath Mercy upon us; Therefore these very Words, loving kindness, are in the New Testament applied to Christ coming in the flesh; Christ also in the Old Testament is noted by the Propitiatory, or Mercy-seat, and in the New Testament he is called our Propitiation, 1. john 2.2. Heb. 2.17. and Merciful high Priest. The nature of sinful men without Christ, and God, that is judge of all the World, are Infestissimi inimici, they will never agree together; our infirmity will be overwhelmed by the divine Majesty, but it is Christ that turneth the dreadful Tribunal into a Throne of Grace. Neither must we seek only for God's kind affection in Christ, but his gracious Actions also, no hope of Deal, nor Lava, but in him, and by him. It is true that God by the Prophet tells us, that it is he that blots out our sins for his own sake, Esay. 43, 44.59. & 27. and blo●teth them out like a cloud, and casts our sins into the Sea: But he doth not this immediately, he doth it by Christ; Daniel teacheth, Chap. 9 Coloss. 2.14. that He was to finish wickedness, seal up sins, and reconcile iniquity; Saint Paul teacheth it, saying, that Christ fastened and canceled the Obligation that was against us on his Cross; Finally, the Father sent him, and he sent his Apostles, with power to remit, and to retain sins, which must needs imply, that Deal, blot out, belongeth to Him. And as Deal, so Lava. Zacharie foretold it; In that day, (meaning the days of the Gospel) there shall be a fountain opened to the House of David, Z●ch. 13. and to the Inhabitants of jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness; Saint Paul showeth the accomplishment of it, Ephe. 5 Christ loved the Church, and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify it, and cleanse it by the washing of water through the Word, that he might make it unto himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it should be holy, and without blame. Neither must we be beholding to Christ only for these gracious Actions, רב but for their measure also. The Text tells us, that there is not only Mercy in God, but that Mercy is of a large size, it is called here Rob; we translate it Multitude, it signifieth also Magnitude. The Conscience of a Sinner is afflicted some times with the Number, sometimes with the excess of sin; lest we should sink under either burden, this word must specially be heeded, which doth assure a distressed Conscience, that there cometh not only Mercy from God, but Great Mercy also; so Great, as that his Mercy rejoiceth over his judgement, & there lieth an Appeal from God unto God; from God the Righteous, to God the Gracious: and God in regard of his Mercy is in a manner Greater than himself; with this Moses presseth God significantly, Num. 14. Now I beseech thee let the power of my Lord be Great, according as thou hast spoken, saying; The Lord is slow to anger, and of Great Mercy, etc. in the whole period he importuneth him to show, that his Mercy exceeds his justice.. The Scripture doth amplify this point by setting down the dimensions of his Mercy, telling us sometimes, 〈◊〉. 3. 〈◊〉. 11 33. Psal 145. Psal. 25. of the height of it, it reacheth unto Heaven; sometimes of the depth of it, it fetcheth men from Hell; sometimes of the width of it, it is over all his works; sometimes of the length of it, it hath been ever of old; His tender Compassions fail not, they are renewed every Morning. Lamen. 3. But all this is to be understood in Christ; his Incarnation, his passion, the whole Redemption that he wrought is indeed Magna Misericordia, a wonderful Mercy; Saint Paul mentioning the breadth, the length, the depth, and the height of it, teacheth us that it passeth all knowledge. Ephe. 3. Neither is it Great only, but in this Greatness we must observe Magnitudinem & Multitudinem. Saint Chrisostome doth excellently amplify this point in regard of both branches; Oars novas & inauditas! Behold and wonder, the first fruits of those that come to Christ, are those which were most desperately enthrauled to Satan, Magi, Publicani, Meretrices, latro, blasphemus; the Conversion of such persons, is an undoubted Argument of the Magnitude of his Mercy. And touching the Multitude believe his answer to Saint Peter, Mat. 18. ●●. who ask Christ Whether he should forgive his Brother seven times, replied, Not only seven times, but seventy times seven; Eze. 18.21. At what time soever a Sinner doth repent from the bottom of his heart, I will put all his wickedness out of my remembrance (saith the lord) And verily, were it not for this double Greatness that is in God's Mercy, few should be saved; for, Psal. 130. If thou Lord shouldest be extreme to mark what is done amiss, who were able to stand? but with thee there is Mercy; we would despair of our cure, if there were not such physic; of our great sores, if there were not such a sovereign medicine; but this is our comfort, Where sin aboundeth, Grace aboundeth much more. Rom. 3.20. There is no sin either so great or manifold which cannot be remedied by the Merciful bowels of Christ. It was cain's voice, Gen. 4. my sin is greater than can be forgiven; but a Father, (Saint Austin I think) replieth to him, Mentiris Cain; this thy complaint is a blasphemous derogation from the unmeasurable bowels of Christ; and the Novatians were long since condemned by the Church, which straightened the power of the Remission of sins which Christ hath left unto the Pastors. Mark now the Correspondency of the branches of this Text. We found Magnitude, and Multitude in the Misery of David, and they did need a Magnitude and Multitude in the gracious operations of Mercy, and here we do find in the third place, that Mercy is so well stored, that it can do as much as is required by Misery. Whereupon two things follow. It is unbeseeming divine Mercy to be scant in giving, and humane Misery is foolishly modest, that is spare in ask. But this Divinity must not be abused, it was never intended to encourage Presumption, but God would have it published to keep men from Desperation. It is wholesome Doctrine for them that are Miserabiles, which labour and are heavy laden with the burden of their sin; but it is dangerous to them that are only Miseri, such as are grievous sinners, but have no sense of their wretched state. The last point in the Text is, Secundum Misericordiam, Have mercy upon me, according to that which is in Thee, not that which is in Me. Nothing to move God, but only the free goodness of God, certainly to move Mercy, nothing else can be pleaded by Misery; David had done many good things, Omnes voluntates Dei, as Saint Paul saith Acts 13. he had restored Church and Common Weal, and made many sweet Songs to the honour, and praise of God; But he remembreth none of all these in his Prayer, he doth not desire to speed for any of those. And why? Bona Opera Deo placere possunt, Deum placare non possunt, while we do them, though imperfect, yet are they well pleasing unto God through Christ, but if we do contrary unto them, we may not plead them for Satisfactions for our sin. No, God's Rule is, Eze. 18. When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness and committeth iniquity, all his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned; therefore David prayeth discreetly, when he referreth God to his own Goodness, and pleads nothing of his own Worth: and we must in the like Case lay before God only our beggary, and commend that unto God's Mercy; the less we have, the more we shall find in him, if we are not ashamed to confess our own baseness, and his Goodness. But it is time to draw to an end. Audi peccator orantem peccatorem, whosoever thou art, that art a sinner, learn from King David the argument of penitent Prayer; It must represent a feeling Misery, and a tender Mercy; and the feeling of Misery, must make us seek unto tender Mercy. It was a strange error in Saint Peter, that when he had seen a glimpse of Christ's Glory, Luke 5. ●. broke out into these words, Go from me Lord, for I am a sinful Man; he should rather have desired that Christ would approach him; for with whom should a Patient desire rather to be, then with his Physician, or a Sinner then with his Saviour? Surely Saint Peter at another time, john. 13.2. though at first he made dainty, that Christ should wash his feet; yet when Christ told him, except I wash thee, thou canst have no part in me, replied, Wash Lord, and not my feet only, but my hands and my head also. There is none of us that doth not daily run in arrearages to God, that doth not stain that garment of Innocence which he received in his Baptism; and what should we do then being in such a case, but, that ourselves may be written in the book of life, desire that our sins may be blotted out of the Book of death, & that we be not cast out of heavenly Jerusalem, ●euel. 7.14. as an vncleane thing, wash our garments white in the blood of the Lamb. No doubt, but as King David, so we shall have Paroxysms, sharp sits of despair, when our Conscience curiously suruaieth our Misery. But the eyes of our soul must not dwell there, we must lift them up unto the Mercy-seat, et abyssus abyssum invocet, let the depth of our Misery, seek a relief in the depth of God's Mercy; be our sins never so many, be they never so great, we shall find more bowels of tender Mercy, greater love & kindness there, than our Sins can need. Yea, not only find them there in God, but seel them also streaming from thence to the full relief of our distressed souls; We shall feel them so acquitting, so cleansing us, that we shall be assured, that we are vessels of Mercy, though we deserve for our sins to be Vessels of Wrath. I Shut up all with this Prayer. O Lord Righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces; to our God also belong Mercies and forgiveness, though we be plunged deep in Miserte and Sins. 'Cause thy face O Lord to shine upon us thy servants, and let not our sins separate between thee and us; remit the Gild, purge the Corruption of us miserable sinners, which do not present our supplications before thee, for our own Righteousness, but for thy great Mercies; though our sins witness against us, yet deal with us according to thy Name, for great are thy Mercies. AMEN. PSAL. 51. ver. 3. For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. THis Psalm (as heretofore you have heard) consists of two Vows, both were made by King David, one for himself, another for his Kingdom; the first doth express his Desire, and his Promise; his Desire to be restored unto, and preserved in the state of Grace: his Promise, if he speed hereof, to perform religious service unto God. In the former Petition, of his Desire there are two remarkable things; the Matter contained in it, and the Manner of King David's redoubling it; of the Matter I have already spoken, wherefore I now come on unto the Manner. And herein we must observe; first, the Inference, than the Amplification; that is, how that which followeth is brought in upon that which goeth before, and how King David enlargeth himself in unfolding the Confession of his own Misery, and Petition for God's Mercy: In the Inference we shall learn, that as God hath Mercy, so it is for such as are sensible of their Misery; in the Amplification we shall learn, that he which is sensible, must show himself not only ingenious in displaying his own wretchedness, but be assured also of the Remedy which is provided by God's Goodness. But to look more particularly into the former branch of the Amplification; behold therein how King David doth rip up his sins, the Branches, the Root thereof, the sin which himself hath committed, and the sin which he hath derived from his Parents, he layeth open both, both the Debt and the Usury, so Saint Chrysostom calls them. Homil. ad Neophytos. He beginneth at the sin which himself hath committed, he useth not the querulous Proverb of the jews, the fathers have eaten sour Grapes, jer. 34.29 and the children's teeth are set onedge, the remembrance of his woeful Inheritance, doth not make him forget his own graceless Purchase; no, he minds this first, he first amplifieth the Debt which himself hath contracted. In laying open this, he observeth two things; the natural Properties thereof, and the supernatural Event which followeth thereupon; the natural Properties are two, a Malignity, and an Impiety, he handles the Impiety in the next verse, the Malignity in this that I have now read unto you. Malignity is a vexing evil; first, there is evil in his sin, he toucheth a double evil, evil of the Heart, and evil of the Head, of the Heart, noted by the word Peshang, which signifieth a rebellious inordinatnes of the will; of the Head, noted by Chata, which noteth an erring judgement, or misleading advice; these two evils are in sin, enormous sin, and where they are, there they vex; for, they are Coram, or Contra, before us, or Against us, the word beareth both significations, and therefore it is translated both ways; and if we couple them (as well we may) than you shall find, that enormous sin committed doth haunt our thoughts, and afflict our wills. Neither only do they so, but they do so incessantly, so saith the Text, they are Semper Coram, & Semper Contra, Always before us, and Against us, always vexing both our Head, and our Heart. Of this King David is ingeniously feeling, and testifieth the truth of it in his own Case; in his own Case, I say, for the sin which he remembreth is his own, My transgressions, My sins, the disease of mine own Head, and mine own Heart; therefore saith King David, I am feeling, feeling in my Head, and feeling in my Heart, for, Agnosco, I Acknowledge it, Acknowledging importeth a work of the Head, which is Noscere, to know, and a work of the Heart, which is, Agnoscere, to Acknowledge, the use of knowledge, the applying of it to our Lives. Neither is King David only feeling hereof, but ingenious also in publishing the same, for he did Acknowledge it in this Psalm. These be the particulars which offer themselves in this Text, and whereunto (God willing) I shall now speak more fully, and answerably unto this * The 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈◊〉 of Welles. Occasion. But I must first touch at the Inference, and show you, how these and the following words are brought in upon those that go before: Have mercy upon me O Lord, etc. saith King David, for I acknowledge my transgressions, etc. Observe then; Man's devotion must follow God's direction, neither may we hope otherwise to speed, than we are waranted by his Promise. Now, God doth not promise Mercy but to those that are feeling of their Misery: in the beginning of the Liturgy we hear daily out of Ezek. E●c. 18.21.22. At what time soever a sinner doth repent him of his sin, from the bottom of his Heart, I will put all His wickedness out of my remembrance saith the Lord; joel. 2.13. and therefore out of joel we are called upon, to Rend our Hearts, and not our Garments, and turn unto the Lord our God, because he is gentle, and merciful, patiented, and of much mercy, and such an one as is sorric for our Afflictions: M●t. 5.6. to this purpose doth our Saviour Christ in the Gospel pronounce them Blessed, that hunger and thirst after righteousness, saying, M●●. 11. ●. they shall be satisfied; and inviteth those that Labour and are heavy laden, saying, he will refresh them. Although then we do yield, that the Mercy of God is infinite, and that it is ready to relieve all wretches; yet we may not forget, that in obtaining it there are Parts nostrae (as Chrysostom speaketh) there is some thing that God requires on our part; he requires that we approve unto him our Repentance. Saint Austin sets it forth in a pretty Dialogue between God, and King David; Quidergo? quaeris miserecordiam, & pecatum impunitum remanebit? what (saith God unto King David) dost thou seek for mercy, so that thy sin may remain unpunished? Respondet David, respondeant Lapsi. King David replied, and all sinners must join in this answer with King David; Non Domine, Nay Lord, my sin shall not be unpunished, I know his justice whose mercy I implore, my sin shall not pass unpunished, but therefore would not I have thee punish it, because I do punish it myself: and so Chrysostome. I see my sin O Lord, therefore do not thou see it, I register it in this Psalm, therefore do thou blot it out of thy Book, Agnosco, ignoscas, therefore pardon, because I am penitent; 1. Cor. 11. And indeed it is the Apostles Rule, That if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged of the Lord. Yet may we not corrupt this Doctrine as the Church of Rome doth, by over-valewing man's Penetencie, and esteeming it to be Satisfactory; Satisfactory (I say) Dignitatesuâ, for any worth that is in it, though it may go for Satisfactory Dignatione Divinâ, because God is pleased to rest contented with it. Paululum supplicij satis est Patri, to the Indulgence of a Father small sparkles of Grace make a good satisfaction, for a great fault committed by a Child, but he were a graceless Child, that would so misconster his Father's good nature, as to deem a few sorrowing tears, a full ransom of his offence: Our condition of being God's children by faith in Christ, and the affection of God respecting us in Christ as his Children, are the true ground why God requires no more of us; and he that instead of this Relation, plods upon a proportion between his Repentance and God's vengeance, doth not only corrupt a comfortable Doctrine by his error, but for his pride deserveth to forfeit Gods gracious Pardon. Let us keep the right path, neither over-valewing Godly sorrow, neither yet neglecting it, seeing God hath vouchsafed it so comfortable an effect; Let us all, especially you that are the Penitents, be feeling of our Misery that God may relieve us with his Mercy. And let this suffice concerning the Inference; I come now to the Amplification, to consider so much of it as is contained in this Verse; here, I told you, King David doth display the malignity of his Sinne. Malignity is a vexing Evil, therefore in the Sin here specified, we must observe, first, the Evil, and then the Vexation thereof; and we find a double Evil, noted by the two Names that are given to the Sin; I have on former Verses spoken of these words, but the present occasion hath made me look farther into them, and observe moreover, that which is not unworthy of our knowledge. These words than will teach us, that Sins, especially, if they be enormous, have plain Characters of the Devil; He is resembled to a Serpent, and to a Lion; in regard of the first Christ calleth him a Liar, john 8.44 in regard of the last, a Murderer, and where he instils Sin, he leaveth the steps of either of these; of his Lying, in the error of men's judgements; of his Murdering, in the rebelliousness of their Affections; the second of these is noted by Peshang, lawlessness, the first by Chata, aberration from the scope where at we aim: he desireth not to have men to halves, he endeavoureth to venom both the fountains of the reasonable Soul; and soldome shall you find a man misled in his judgement, whose Affections are not violent. See the truth of this, first, in Morality, then, in Divinity. Let a man be given to Drunkenness; if the Serpent have taken him by the Head, and made him conceive, that that beastly quality doth well beseem a man, the Lion will take him by the Heart, and he will grow mad against those that will not be as mad as himself; the blood that is shed in quarrels of this nature, are too daily proofs of this Truth: For unchastity, you need no better evidence, than the story of the Sodomites: 〈◊〉 1. it is no great matter to gather proofs, touching other Moral defects, but the occasion remembreth me especially to instance in matters of Divinity; here you shall see, if ever, that the enemy of mankind hath left the marks of either of his Persons. How the Serpent prevailed against the Pharisees, he knoweth not the Gospel, that doth not know; Christ doth therein discover manifold errors of their judgement: and that the Roaring Lion had entered their Hearts, is witnessed by their persecuting of Christ and his Apostles: how foully the Arians were deceived concerning the Deity of Christ, we read in the story of the first Nicene Council; and in the Ecclesiastical story we read, how barbarous, how bloody they were; as the Serpent had bit them, so the Lion raged in them: come on to the Papists; is not their erroneous judgement accompanied with most furious Affections? As they are not ashamed to put the Devil's properties into their Creed, teaching an Art of perjurious Lying, and Meritorious Murdering; so do they act them both, publishing Lies by their tongues and pens, and practising Murders by their enchanted Assassinate's; the Gunpowder-treason is a Monument hereof to their eternal infamy. The Anabaptists came fairly after them, whose opinions were not more gross, than their dealing seditious; not so few as a hundred thousand persons perished, while with their Rebellious sword, they laboured to make good the forgery of their brain; they made it plain, that as well the Lion as the Serpent had taken possession of them: This the German stories relate at large; And our own stories will tell us, that we have not wanted some that have been kin unto them, Hackets, Coppingers, and others, that though they have not gone so fare, yet had gone farther, then beseems those whose profession is truth, and practice should be obedience; they have received, nay they have vented some thing of the Serpent, and some thing of the Lyon. I think you see by this time, what I mean; I mean to launce the sores of these Penitents, to let it appear, that the Serpent hath got into their Head, and the Lion into their Hearts: They have had a false light that deluded their judgement, and an unkind heat, that hath warmed their Affections, they have scanted God's bounty in permitting unto us the use of his creatures, and entertained a jewish conceit of the unlawfulness of eating blood. And as their opinions have been erroneous, in regard of Christian liberty: so have they been also, concerning Ecclesiastical society; thinking, they may separate themselves from the Church, if those whom they esteem irreligious livers, be not excommunicated by Ecclesiastical censures: yea, so fare hath the Serpent prevailed, as to make them (if not deny) at least, to doubt of the Lawfulness of the Liturgy, the Ministry, yea, to question the very Root of all the Ecclesiastical Authority both of Prince and Pastors. So fare hath the Serpent been with them. And if He get in before, the Lion will follow after; and indeed he hath followed in them: for what Authority have they not set at naught? Ecclesiastical, Civil, either of them, more than once, and trod upon them more ways than one; and how Lion-like they would have been, if they had had power answerable to their will, God knoweth; the proof we have had of others, may make us justly suspect the worst. This only I wish them to take to themselves; that in their Sin there was this double Evil; and if they do not therein discern this dou, ble Evil, they do not as they ought look into their Sin; which not withstanding they should do, because so to do, is the first step of Repentance. The second step doth consider the vexation that doth accompany this Evil. As it seizeth upon the Head, and upon the Heart; so doth it vex them both, for it is Coram Nobis, and Contra Nos, both before us, and Against us. The word Neged doth contain both Praepositions, and therefore the Interpreters have differed in their Translations; but because sin cannot be before a Penitent, but it will be Against him, therefore will I conjoin them both, I will show you, that it doth haunt our Thoughts, and afflict our Hearts. Sin then is fitly resembled unto a Harlot painted, that her countenance may by art work, what by nature it could not do; while she doth woo her Lovers, that which she offereth to their view, is the painting, but when she hath drawn them into her snare, she giveth them leave then to see her native hue▪ she revealeth than what before she concealed: Even so sin hath a fair outside, but the inside thereof is foul, it puts on the one, to allure, but when men are alured, than it showeth them the other; we are easily tempted to the Act of sin, for pleasure maketh us swallow the bait; when the Act is determined, the sight of the pleasure vanisheth, but the sight of the guilty corruption abideth by us, the painting is quickly wiped off, and the ugliness thereof appears, and the Angel of light is quickly turned into an Angel of darkness; though we strive to cast our sins behind us, will we, nill we, they will thrust themselves before us. And why? Hom 3i. in Cap. 12. ad Hebraeo●● they are graved in Memoriâ Conscientiae (as Chrysostome calls it) they are registered in the Book of Conscience, which we are forced to read, even when we would be most glad to be rid of it; but the relation thereof cannot be suppressed, our thoughts cannot be freed from it. And this is the first vexing property of sin; it doth vex our Thoughts. But not our Thoughts only, it vexeth our Hearts also; it is not only Coram, but Contra, not only Before us, we cannot but think of it, but also Contra Nos, In Psal. 35. we cannot but be tormented with it. Saint Ambrose saith, it is Vltrix Imago, a very Fury, it is a Hell going before Hell, and racks us before we are put upon the rack, the Harlot suddenly turneth into a soldier, and giveth us as many deadly wounds, as she gave us counterfeit kisses. Chap. 20. verse 12. Chap. 1. job expresseth it in a very fine Simile, Wickedness is sweet in the mouth, and the wicked hideth it under his tongue, but this meat in his bowels is turned, it is the gall of Asps; the Wiseman speaketh it plainly, Men entertain sin as a friend, and make a Covenant with it; but what is the issue? it consumeth them, and bringeth them unto naught, and as Saint Peter speaketh, 1. Pet. 2. it fighteth against their Souls. Neither is this vexing momentany, it vexeth Semper, Always; Always Before, Always Against a Sinner, is the double Evil of sin, in the night, in the day, in prosperity, in adversity; while he is alone, while he is in company; a sinner that is roused to see his sin cannot but be vexed with the Evil thereof. Nec prius hi stimuli mentem quam vita relinquent. Quique dolet citius, quam dolor ipse Cadet. The torments will not end before death, and in the Reprobate after death, this Vexation shall be much increased. But of this Vexation more anon, when I come to couple the first part of the Text with this latter; Let us come on then to King David's ingenious feeling of this Malignity, Malignity of his own sin. And indeed it is his own Sin, that he is feeling of. Many study sin, and they can see evil enough in it, but it is other men's sin: in other men's eyes Moats seem Beams, Mat. 7.3. but Beams in our own eyes seem not so much as Moats; most men are like the Laodiceans, think themselves Rich, increased in goods, that they want nothing, even then, when they are poor, blind, naked, and miserable, as Christ tells that Church Revel. 3. Hereupon it is, Luke 18. that they come to God like Pharisees with I thank God I am not like unto other men; but King David choose rather to play the Publican, to look into his own sores, his errors, his rebellions, to amplify his own sins, and fit them with their proper names, to note the diseases of his own Head, and of his own Heart. It were to be wished, that you that are Penetents had taken the same course. You have traduced your Pastors, for the Diseases of their Head, and reproached them by the names of Baal's Priests, you have traduced your Brethren for the Diseases of their Hearts, and doomed them as unworthy of the Communion of Saints; and see how God hath rewarded your Pride; he hath suffered the Devil to wound you both in Head, and Heart, he hath made you spectacles of those diseases which you condemned in others; Rom. 7. they may press you with that question of Saint Paul, Thou that makest thy boast of the Law, by breaking the Law dishounerest thou God? And upbraid you with the Proverb, Luke. 4.24. Physician heal thyself. And it is a good warning that may be taken by us all, not to study others, before we have studied ourselves, and not to let our censure pass against any, more severely then against ourselves; so did King David in his practice of Repentance, and so must we; we must look into our own Case; not only so, we must be feeling thereof also; so much is meant by the word, Acknowledging. Acknowledge doth imply knowledge, and add thereunto the use thereof. To understand this we must observe; that, for the ordering of our life God doth furnish us with two helps, the one is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signify, or note, the Principles whereby we do distinguish good and evil; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 noteth the Application of these Principles to our Actions; the first you may call Moral knowledge, the second Moral Acknowledgement, the latter cannot be without the former, and the former should not be without the latter. But to touch at either of these for our present occasion. God hath set down those Principles which he thought expedient to guide a Christian Resolution, but two Evils have overtaken the Church: The Papists they breed up the people in an ignorant Devotion, and care not how little they know the true grounds of Conscience, but bid them rest contented with an Implicit Faith, and rest their Souls upon the Authority of the Church; they offend in Parum, in over-scanting of the people's knowledge: But the Separatists run into the other extreme, they offend in Nimium, attribute too little to the Church, and exceed in knowledge, or fancies which they suppose to be Divine knowledge. And what marvel? When leaving the guides of their own Church, than whom, since the Apostles days, God hath not raised up in any Kingdom so many, and so worthy, they commit themselves unto obscure Guides, that either lurk in corners, or fly their Country. No Books are for their eyes, but those which are of their penning, and they that scorn our Apocryphalls, what Apocryphal writings do they dote upon? And as no writings please them but such, so no men's Sermons but theirs can edify them; and indeed they do edify; but it is a Babel; their sancies are no better than that Tower of confusion, and yet to dwell in that, they will forsake Jerusalem itself. I will not amplify your fault that are Penitents, but a man may guess at the model of your knowledge by your Library, by the Books any may guess what Principles you follow; not of your own Church, but of Conventicles, and this is that that hath made you schismatics; hence forward you shall do well, to take your light from those Stars whom God hath placed in this Church; especially, seeing they refuse not to let those who with modesty desire to be resolved, see, that their Light is derived from the Sun of Righteousness; and that as Faithful Stewards they press nothing to the Consciences of their fellow servants, but that, for which they have warrant from their Master Christ, wherein they differ from the Popish Pastors. But Knowledge is not enough, Acknowledgement is required also; unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we must add 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and the Principles that we have, we must put in ure. As our Knowledge must not be Headless, so must it not be Heartless; when we have gone so fare, as that the Light of our understanding can discern between Good and Evil, we must then take care of our Affections, that the heat of Grace give them a good temper, that they take a true taste of their Objects, that Love and Hatred, Desire and Fear, Hope and Despair, arise out of that which was designed to work them. But to amplify this a little farther. We should use knowledge in guiding of our Actions before hand, and try what that is which offereth itself to be done, before we go about to do it: If a man were so advised, as timely to move unto his soul this question, quid ago? where about go I? such providence, if it would not prevent all sin, because of the manifold temptations, and man's too natural infirmity, either in neglecting Grace, which he hath, or forgetting to pray for Grace, which he hath not; yet would it put off many a sin, and make us take less content in the sins which we do not put off; yea, this would be a good inducement to the thorough feeling of our slips, which is the after use we must make of our knowledge, and is usually meant by Acknowledgement: for what is that, but only, that if sin have prevented our advisedness, upon a reviewe we retract what rashness hath committed? This is a profitable use of Knowledge. But sinful souls are now become like corrupt Bodies; corrupt bodies have often times great appetites, when they have but small digestion; so, many desire much knowledge, whereof they put but a little in practice; yea, as meat that is not digested in the Body doth encumber it, and breeds in it many disquieting diseases; so if our life be not the better for our knowledge, by our care to express it, it will be much the worse, by our quarrels that we will raise about it. Socrates the Ecclesiastical Historiographer reports a story of one Pambo, Lib. 4. c. 18. a plain ignorant man (such as you the Penitents are) who came to a learned Man, and desired him to teach him some Psalm, he began to read unto him the 39 Psalm, when he had past the first verse, I said I will look to my ways, that I offend not with my tongue, Pambo shut the Book, and took his leave, saying that he would go learn that point; when he had absented himself certain months, he was demanded by his Reader, when he would go forward, he answered, that he had not yet learned his old lesson, and he gave the very same answer to one that many years after moved the same question. I do not desire, that our people should have so few Sermons, the Canons of the Church have provided for the people better than so; but this I desire, that the people would make more use of that which they learn, and let their lives show that they are the better for the Ministers pains; for sure I am, that it is their negligence, that maketh the Minister's diligence the more needful; and though knowledge be wanting in too many places of the Land, yet is Acknowledgement wanting much more: the fruit of our pains is so fare from preventing sin in the people, that we cannot speed so well, as to work a feeling thereof in them, when they have committed it; we find not that tenderness in their souls, which Nathan found in the soul of King David, and which King David implies in his Acknowledgement. But feeling is not enough; that is not all that is meant by Acknowledgement, though the feeling be no less in the Heart, than it is in the Head; Therefore, I told you, that King David's was an ingenious feeling, he published what he felt. If sins be only secret, than the humiliation of the inward man may suffice in the sight of God, it is enough to confess his faults, or in a generality to acknowledge them in the public confession of the Church, without specification, except the burden of his conscience give him just cause to reveal it, that he may be relieved by Ghostly counsel; but if what he conceived inwardly, he hath vented outwardly, in word, or deed, to the offence not of God only, but also of the Church, then, unto the Confession made unto God in private, must be added a public also in the face of the Church: such was King David's sin, and such is King David's Confession; he testified publicly to the Church, the Religious feeling that he had of his sins; and this is thereason why I called his dealing ingenious. And indeed, herein standeth the great conflict, that Grace hath with flesh and blood; hardly are we contented to be privy to ourselves of our own sinfulness; for though we delight to commit sin, yet do we not delight to behold ourselves as we are sinners; the more natural the desire is in every man to be reputed good, the more unsavoury is that search that findeth him to be nothing so; And if we are so unwilling to know ourselves to be sinners, much less will we endure, that others should be of our Counsel therein. Stultorum incurata pudor malus ulcera celat. Many will rather die, then be known, that they are sick of some shameful disease; but men are less willing to have their sins published, than their sores. The more remarkable is King David's ingenuity, & rather to be wished, then hoped for, in this Age, wherein men sinne without shame, but shame to Acknowledge their known sin: outfacing of such challenge as was made to King David, and excusing, sometimes of the fact, most usually of themselves, are the best pleas which are stood upon by offenders; though many exceed King David in the infirmities which appeared in this fall, yet where is the man that cometh near the least degree of his ingenuity in confessing of his fault? Where such stupidity is, and men hide their sins like Adam, it is a sign, that the Principles of Conscience are dull, and dead; as it is a sign, that they live and are quick where contrary ingenuity doth appear. Which, you the Penitents should consider well, and let the Church see in your humble confession, what true Contrition there is in your soul; whether your Conscience be senseless, or feeling of that state whereinto you are brought by sin: to work this degree of penitency in you, I will somewhat enlarge a point which I did but glance at before. Know then, that there are two sorts of the laying open of the malignity of sin; the one is Voluntary, the other is compulsory; the Voluntary is that whereof I have spoken, which is medicinal, and prepares Misery to receive Mercy: for therefore doth God put a distance between our ill dealing, and faring ill, that Grace husbanding that distance thriftily, and we judging ourselves, before we are judged, might prevent that faring ill which is due unto our ill deserving. Add hereunto, that if we willingly ser forth the Malignity of our sin, the Object will be proportionable to our sight, and we shall so be confounded therewith, that we shall not be confounded; our Godly sorrow shall have an happy issue: But if we will not do this willingly, we shall be constrained to do it; happily in this world, certainly in the world to come; but whether now or then, the object will be too strong for our sight, and our souls will be overwhelmed therewith. In this world it falls out very often, that Satan which tempts many unto sin, doth tempt them afterwards to despair; and how doth he do it, but by representing unto them the malignity of their sin? the evil whereof, proveth so vexing, that it maketh some as restless as Cain, and some as unnatural to themselves as judas; and both of them that spared to let their tongues confess penitently, did not spare desperately to publish their own shame: but if happily God do not permit so much power unto Satan in this world; yet in the world to come he will force all the wicked unto this Confession; the worm than will so bite, and the Books of their Consciences will be so legible; God will so set their sins before them, that they shall power forth a full Confession, and give Glory unto God, though little to their own comfort, as it is excellently set forth Wisd. 5. Wherefore, this penitential Confession enjoined by the Church, should not seem irksome unto you, seeing it is so behooveful for you; for you do by this prevent a worse; prevent an uncomfortable one that will be forced upon you, by this Medicinal one, if you perform it Voluntarily, out of a godly sorrow for your sin. But I conclude. ipartit. Hist. b. 9 c. 15. Non peccare ultra humanam naturam cognoscitur; it is not to be hoped, that we should run the race that is set before us, and not take any fall before we die; lest therefore we should so fall, as not to rise again, God hath provided a remedy; he will spare us, if we do not spare ourselves; if we take notice of our sin, God will not inquire into it; if it be grievous unto us, God will neur grieve us for it; neither shall we ever be forced to confess to our Confusion, if we be willing to confess it to our Salvation: seeing then God hath given us our choice, whether our confession shall be a Medicine, or a Torment, let us not reserve ourselves for the Torment, by despising of the Medicine. But let us not be Like unto those that behold their natural face in a glass, Nes 1.23. and going away, presently forget what manner of persons they were; that will make out Repentance but like a Morning cloud which quickly passeth away: And no wonder, if men often relapse into sin, if they so quickly forget their former sins; he that will hold himself in, must imitate King David; his humiliation must be as lasting, as his Life; we should never forget, what wretches we have been, lest withal we forget, how much we are bound to God; the presence of our sin forgiven, will make us more sensible of the forgiveness of our sin. Wherefore, if at any time we find grace in God's eyes, as which of us doth not often find it in this life? let it not grieve us to say with Saint Paul that, we are chief of sinners, 1. Tim. 1.15. though God should do us the like honour he did to him, and make us chief Apostles; in a word, though we have sped of our pardon, as David did from the mouth of Nathan, let this be our constant Confession unto death; I do know mine own wickedness, and my sin is ever before me. LOrd, I have proved, that Satan is a Serpent, and that he is a Lion; he hath besotted my wits, he hath enraged mine Affections; when he did this, he transformed an Angel of darkness into an Angel of Light, and clothed a foe, under the habit of a friend; th●s was I deluded, and he entertained; but now he appeareth in his own likeness, the light is gone, the darkness remaineth, and my counterfeit friend, is an apparent foe; these frauds disquiet my thoughts, and how is my Heart afflicted by this unexpected danger? I find no Remedy, but to make known my Case to thee, to lay open these diseases of my Head, of my Heart before thee; Grant that I may so feel them, that thou mayst vouchsafe to cure them; that thou mayst vouchsafe to cover them also, let me never be ashamed to discover them; let me whet the dull sense that I have of thy Mercy, by the quick sense of mine own Misery; Let this never die, that that may live ever; So shall I by a godly sorrow, speed of a heavenly joy, and by a Medicinal Confusion in the Church Militant, make myself Capable of eternal Salvation in the Church Triumphant. AMEN. PSAL. 51. The first part of the 4. VERS. Against thee, thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight. KIng David in this Penitential, confessing that sin, which himself had contracted, observeth the Natural properties, and Supernatural event thereof. The Natural properties are two; a Malignity, and an Impiety which are in Sin; Of the Malignity I spoke last, I come now to the Impiety. We must then observe; That in all sin, besides the offence, there is a party offended, and the party offended setteth the Measure to the offence; as he is, so is that; he maketh it to be greater, or less: therefore, in a full Confession, the party offended must not be omitted; certainly King David in his Exemplary Confession doth not omit him; he doth not forget to express whom he had wronged; Against thee only have I sinned: and which is more, whom he had contemned; I have done this evil in thy sight. But more distinctly. In the Confession that concerneth the party wronged, you shall find something that is common to all sinners. Tibi peccavi, I have sinned against thee, must every one say; for whosoever sinneth, sinneth Against God; but here is some thing also proper; Tibi solj peccauj, Against thee only have I sinned, can none say, but a King; because there is none above him, but only God; and therefore none but God can challenge him. As this must be observed in the Confession of the party wronged: So in the Confession of the same party contemned we must observe; first, what contempt is in general; it is, Malum facere coram oculis, not only to wrong a party, but to wrong him to his face. Secondly, how this contempt in special is aggravated two ways, 1. by the eye of the party offended, Oculis tuis; for Gods is no ordinary eye, 2. by the sin, wherewith that eye was provoked, Malum hoc, the sin committed was no ordinary sin. These are the particulars which I mean to handle on this Text, wherefore I resume them, that I may run them over briefly, and in their order. First then, the whole Text is an amplification of sin, in regard of the party offended; and the party offended maketh it plain, that there is Impiety in the sin. Persons with whom we converse are, some our equals, some our superiors; if equals, and we offend them, the offence is properly called Iniquity, as taxing the unequal dealing of equal persons: But if the persons be superiors, and be offended, then, the offence is properly called Impiety; because all superiors are instar parentum, either they are, or they are unto us instead of our Parents: Now, the virtue which must moderate our carriage towards our Parents, is called Piety; and therefore is our misbehaviour towards them, no less than Impiety. And if they deserve this Censure that offend the Fathers of their flesh, how much more is it due to them that offend the Father of their Spirits? H●b. 1●. Seeing, the fathers of our flesh, challenge our Piety, in regard that they represent unto us the Father of our Spirits, therefore it belongeth much more unto him whom they represent; whereupon it followeth, that to offend him can be no less than Impiety, and Impiety will prove a natural property of sin. But let us come to the Branches of the Confession. The first is that which toucheth the Person as he is wronged; and here, I told you, we find some thing that is common to all sinners, Tibi peccavi: all sinners must say, that when they sin, against whomsoever they do sin, they sin against God. I will make it plain by four evident Reasons. The first is taken from that which we abuse in sin. All Creatures as they are made by God; so do they still belong unto him, so that we cannot abuse them, but in them we abuse him: Every man may perceive this in his one family: he that wrongeth a wife, in the wife wrongeth the husband; the abuse offered to a child, redoundeth to his Father; yea, & a Master, an owner, is feeling of whatsoever hurt is done, either to the Servant, or else to his goods; And shall we think then, that any creature can be violated, & the Creator not touched therewith? all Adulterers, Murderers, whatsoever Malefactors must remember, they abuse the Creator, while they use his Creature amiss. A second Reason is this, that we cannot abuse, nor wong others, but withal we abuse ourselves much more; that which we do to them, is but Injury, but that which we do to ourselves, is Depravation, we corrupt ourselves with sin, when we do unto them only a wrong; Now, the reference which ourselves have unto God, maketh the depraving of ourselves an offence against him; we are not our own, 1. Cor. 6. Psal. 100 1. Cor. 6. 1. Pet. 1. 1. Cor. 6. Psal. 132.14. God hath made us, and not we ourselves, yea, we are bought with a price, even, the precious blood of our Saviour Christ; yea, the Holy Ghost by Christ hath made us a Temple unto himself, and we are vouchsafed to be his resting place for ever. Look how many references we have unto God; so many ways do we offend him, when we employ ourselves in sin: By Creation we should bear the image of God; and what an abuse is it of his Image, by sin to transform it into the Image of the Devil? By Redemption we become the members of Christ, and how do we vilify him, when we make them members of an Harlot? we are vouchsafed to be temples of the Holy Ghost, was Christ so offended with the abuse of the material Temple, when the House of Prayer, was made a Den of Theenes, Mat. 21.13. and think you that the abuse of the Spiritual, doth nothing concern him? Certainly, his Spirit must needs be grieved therewith. A third Reason is this. The natural duties that we own man to man, and Creature unto Creature, are imposed upon us by a Law, and that Law is Gods; we swerve not from our duties, but we break his law. And if we break his Law, how can we but offend him? especially, seeing his Law is the Image of himself, of his Being, and of his Doing; in it we have a taste of his Holy Nature, and of that which is remarkable in his own works: Now, what Lawmaker will endure that his Law shall be broken? especially, whereas he imposeth no other Law on his Subjects, then on himself, and that Law requireth nothing, but an outward Resplendency of an inward Glory, that we should let our light shine before men, Mot. 5 that they may see our good works, and glorify our Father which is in Heaven; the breaking of such a Law must needs offend the Sacred Lawmaker. A fourth Reason is, the Blasphemy of the wicked occasioned by sin. They that know not the true God, measure him by that which they see in his Servants, & think, that as they are, so is he, impotent in Affections, impure in Conversation; & hereupon do they open their mouths against Heaven. Nathan toucheth this in his reproof of David, & the jews are often by the Prophets taxed for giving this occasion of Blasphemy, and the Christians had woeful proof of it in the Primitive Church; witness the strange imputations; that the Heathen did cast upon the Christian Religion, whereof a man may find more then enough, in the Heathenish writings of those times. Neither do we want proof in these days; the barbarous cruelty of the first Invaders of the Indies, how did it cause those Infidels to blaspheme the name of Christ? & what infamy is daily cast upon the Reformed Religion, by the adverse party, whose chief proof is, the unreformedlives of the Professors thereof? It cannot then be denied, but that, though in the eye of flesh & blood, when we sin, we satisfy our lusts upon the creatures, & mandoth injury unto man, as David to Vriah, to Bathsheba; yet, the offence redounds unto God, and God is a party Against whom we Sin, whensoever we sinne. Tibi peccavi, I have sinned against thee, must be put in the Confession of every sinner. Besides this Confession, that is common to all sinners, here is added another Confession which is proper unto Kings: Tibi Soli peccavi, against thee only have I sinned, could no man say, but he that is a Sovereign. But to open these words more fully; we must observe, that some understand them Absolutely, some Comparatively; and of those that understand them Absolutely, some understand them only de Facto, some de jure; some consider only, what was done, some, what ought to be done: these different senses agree all well with the Text, and because the knowledge of them is useful I will touch at them all. First, at the sense which conceiveth in these words that which was usually done. Great Men, especially Kings, are beset with flatterers, that will rather blanche sin, than set it forth in its own colour, plead for it, rather than against it, they turn Princes vices into virtues, and adore their imperfections, as if they were heavenly perfections; and so, if they begin to be bad, they never leave until they have made them stark naught, to glory in their shame, 〈◊〉 10. ●4. which they see others magnify. But God hath no respect of persons, he soweth no such Pillows under the elbows of Kings; neither will he cover their ruins, with such distempered mortar; when their subjects do sooth them, 〈◊〉 3.5. he will speak home, and be a swift witness against them; when all others hold their peace, he feareth not the faces of the mighty, neither will he spare to strike the greatest Monarch: job toucheth this more than once, and the Author of the Book of Wisdom doth evidently amplify it; never a Book Historical in the Bible, that hath not some examples of it. And this may be the first thing, that King David meaneth in these words: he might have slept, and died in his sin, for aught was said, or done unto him by men; but he found one that roused him, that searched his wounds to the quick, and that was only God; when the Prophet, when the Priest, the Councillors of State, all were silent, none made any Remonstrance to the King of his sin, God put forth His voice, 〈…〉 yea & that a mighty voice, that shivered both the soul and body of King David, and made him acknowledge the difference between his Sovereign in Heaven, and his Subjects on Earth, saying, Against thee only have I sinned. As these words are true de facto, & note what is usually done; so are they true de jure also, & note what lawfully may be done. In sinning there is a double difference between a Subject, & a Sovereign; the one is, ratione Praecepit, Commandments, & Laws; the other is, ratione Paenae, mulcts, and Chastisements The subject hath two obligations upon him, the Law of God, and of the King, he is bound to yield his Obedience to them both, neither can he dispense with his Obedience unto either of them; the King is absolutely bound only to God's Law, over his own Laws he hath power, & although he should use them as Directions for the good of his people, yet, when there is just cause he may dispense, not only with himself, but with others also; & in this respect do the Lawyers affirm, that a Monarch is Solutus Legibus, that a King in regard of his own Laws cannot deal unjustly; because in foro Soli, he only is to judge, when it is expedient for him to dispense with his Laws; So then, when a Subject offendeth, he offendeth against the Law of his Sovereign, and of God; but when a King offendeth, against the Laws of a Sovereign he cannot offend, he offendeth only against the Laws of God. And so in that sense it is true, Tibi Soli peccavi. Besides the Precepts of Laws, there are Sanctions; these contain the Penalties which they incur, that break the Laws; as manifold as the Laws are, so manifold are the Sanctions. And here cometh in a second difference between a Subject, and a Sovereign. A Subject is liable to both Sanctions, to the Sanction of his Sovereign's Laws, & the Sanction of God's Laws; if he offend, he is punishable by both: But a Sovereign is subject but unto one Law, & so but unto one Sanction, that Sanction which is annexed unto the Law of God; to the Sanction of his own Law, he is not subject. Nature abhors progressum in infinitum, as in Philosophy, so in Policy; therefore, subordination of Persons, that ariseth by degrees, must rest when it cometh to the Sovereign; all within his Territories are subject to his chastisement, but he to the chastisement of none; In Apolog. David. Cap. ●. tutus est Imperij potestate (saith Saint Ambrose) it is the principal of his Royal prerogatives; and upon this point do most of the Fathers insist, that have occasion to speak of these words; even from the very days of the Apostles, have they made these words, a Sanctuary unto Kings, and a sacred plea for their exemption, from the censure of any under God. This Doctrine is the rather to be urged in this Age, because the two extremes that impugn the truth, Papists on one side, and Schismatics on the other, are both usurpers upon the Crown, and Sceptres of Kings, both will give them Laws, & both will correct the errors of their Lives, and Government, one by the Pope, the other by the People. But both their usurpations are condemned in this Text: Tibi Solipeccavi; Against thee only have I sinned, confuteth them both, and subjects that will not pass for Rebels must be contented to take, not to give Laws, to suffer from, not to inflict Punishments upon their Sovereigns. Yet, though this be the duty of Subjects, Princes are not lawless, neither is this a Doctrine of Impunity; for though it be, peccavi Soli Tibi; yet, it is, Peccavi, and Tibi; God is their Lawginer, and will call them to an account for breaking of his law, Et potentes potenter, Wisd. 6. the greater they are, the greater shall their punishment be; Lactant. Lib. ●. de justitia c. 24 though they be exempted from the power of man, they are reserved unto a greater power, the power of God. This may stop all mutinous mouths, and hold in all treacherous hands, that declaim against the unbridled power of Sovereigns, and think it long before justice is done upon them. But enough of the absolute sense of these words. Some observe beside this a Comparative sense: King David offended God and Men; though the offence were great against both, yet was the former infinitely greater than the latter; the Men against whom he offended were his Vassals, God was his Sovereign; unequal Objects make unequal sins, and as is the sin, so must our apprehension be, greater, of greater sin. The apprehension then of the greater, did clean take away the apprehension of the lesser; as when a man is afflicted with two pains, the sharper drowns all sense of the duller: so that, though King David were not without feeling of the wrong done to his Subjects, yet was he more feeling of the wrong done unto God; especially, considering the amplification of the many favours which God had vouchsafed him; the more he was indebted to God, the more reason he had to be sensible of the offence, which he had given to him; and so in comparison to grieve only for that. And so should we in our Repentance, make the measure of God's favours to us, the measure of that Repentance, which the sins against our Neighbours, do at any time draw from us. And thus much for the first branch of the Confession, I come now to the second. We have heard Whom King David offended, we must now hear, How fare; that appeareth in these words, I have done this evil in thy sight. To offend God, is to do him wrong, but to offend him in his sight, is to improve that wrong unto Contempt, and that is to do wrong in the highest degree. But more distinctly. As before you heard, there was some thing common in the wrong, and something proper: so must you observe the like, in the contempt also. To offend a man before his eyes, is not only to wrong, but also to contemn him; take an example from yourselves, he that abuseth a man's wife doth him great wrong, but if it be done before the husband's face, how much doth that scorn multiply the wrong? there is much odds between a Servants abusing his Master, and abusing him to his face; for this is not only to displease, but also to despise him: If it be so between man and man, how much more between Man & God? That which is common to all wrong, we may not deny unto that wrong which we do unto God. Especially, if you consider the inequality of the eyes; for as the eyes are, so is the eyesore: Let a drunkard see one drunk, and an adulterer one committing of adultery, though in cold blood, out of some relics of Conscience, he will be moved, yet nothing so much as he ought, because the Objects of his eyes are such as himself is. But the eyes of a sober, a chaste man, are affected with such spectacles, answerably to their sobriety, and chastity; the more virtuous they are, the greater impression of grief do these vices make in them. And this leadeth us to that which is proper unto God in this Contempt, & doth aggravate the same; For there is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Coram oculis tuis, before thy Eyes; And, thy eyes, imply three properties that are peculiar unto God. For, His eyes are. 1. most piercing. 2. most pure, 3. most powerful. Most piercing. A man that breaketh wedlock (saith the Son of Sirach) saith thus in his Heart, chap 23. who seethe me? I am compassed about with darkness, the walls cover me, what need I fear? such a man only feareth the eyes of men, and knoweth not that the eyes of the Lord, are ten thousand times brighter than the Sun, beholding all the ways of Men, and considering the most secret parts; He knew all things or ere they were Created, so also after they were perfected he looked upon them all; Psal. 139. David hath made a whole Psalm concerning this piercing Eye of God: Saint Paul comprehendeth it in few words, All things are naked before his eyes. Heb. 4. 1. Sam. 16. And herein standeth the prerogative of God's Eye above man's; Man can see only the Face, God looketh on the Heart, Man beholdeth the Operation, Ruffinus. God the very Intention of the work. So that though David committed this sin in secret, & carried the matter (as he thought) very cunningly, yet was God too sharp sighted for him, & by Nathan brought to light what he thought was hid in darkness: and in vain shall we affect these coverts; we can never be out of God's Sight. The second prerogative of God's Eye is, that it is most pure, it can abide no iniquity, Such as be wicked cannot stand in his sight. The best of men are compassed with infirmities, and though they be not as bad as others, yet it is possible they may be, and this possibility may hold them in from being so censorious as otherwise they would: they that brought the Adulteress to Christ, john 8 when Christ bid Him of them which was without sin, to cast the first stone at her, slunk away one by one, and their own guilt, checked the forwardness of their judgement; But God is as fare from the possibility, as from the Act of sin, and therefore may his Holiness make him more free, in the abhorring of sinners. The last prerogative is the powerfulness of God's Eye, for it is the eye of a judge, the judge of all the world, a judge which is armed as well with power, as right, to take vengeance even of the greatest Monarches in the world: put the Case that all King David's Subjects, had been privy to his fall, yet had they no right to call him to an Account; but God could do what they could not, his eye was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, an eye that could take vengeance, and chastise the King according to his deserts. Lay now together all these prerogatives of God's Eyes, and see how they exaggerate King David's contempt. It was great immodesty to sin before the eye, in that it was so piercing an eye, not to fear a witness, that was so through a witness, from whom he could not conceal any part of his fact, nor the least circumstance that did his fact; greater immodesty to sin before so pure an eye, from which he could expect no extenuation of his fault; because it was free from all communion in corruption, it must needs as fully abhor, as it did throughly discern the fault but the greatest immodesty was, the sinning before so powerful an eye, the eye of his Lawgiver, before whom he was to appear, and from whom he was to expect his doom; to be careless of such an Eye, must needs be the height of Contempt: for whom will he regard, that regardeth not his judge, such a judge, that hath so Piercing, so Pure, so Powerful eyes? The Eyes of the judge do exaggerate the contempt: so doth the enormity of the sin also; for it is not only Malum, but Hoc Malum. Sins are of diverse degrees, some of Ignorance, some of Infirmity; these, men daily commit before the eyes of God, and they ought daily to repent of them, because they testify their neglect of God's Eyes: but there are sins of a higher strain, which men commit with a high hand, the Divines call them, Peccata Vastantia Conscientiam, they argue, that, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is fallen asleep, and so is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 too, when we use neither the directive Principles before hand, nor the corrective after hand; but as we shown ourselves graceless in committing sin; so show we ourselves senseless in not judging ourselves for sin. King David seemed not to be fare from such a case, and therefore he had good reason to exaggerate his contempt, by calling his sin, not only Malum, but Hoc Malum, not only Evil, but this Evil, so exasperating Evil, before so sacred Eyes. And indeed, the less excuse we have for sin, the more we should deplore it; deplore, that we make that the Object of God's Eyes, which he so much detesteth; especially, seeing he hath vouchsafed to be so gracious unto us, as to make us the delightsome Object of his Eyes: for his Children are as the Apple of his Eye: 〈◊〉 2. ●. though all the World be before him, yet his contenting Object is his Church; the walls of jerusalem are ever in his sight, and he beholds his Israel, as the Seal on his Arm, and Signet on his right Hand. Certainly, the delight that God desireth to take in beholding us, when we do well, doth much aggravate our contempt, when we are not respective of his privity to our conversation, whensoever we offend him. But I conclude. Out of all that which you have heard, the Lesson that we must learn, is, Religiously to amplify our sins, from the circumstance of the person against whom they are bend. Secondly, we must observe how many ways the Evil done on Earth, reflecteth upon Heaven. Thirdly, how much the presence of Heaven on Earth, adds unto sin; especially, if it be a crying sin. Fourthly, we must learn, that our sins offend the more, the more near we are joined unto God. Finally, none should more insist upon these points, than they that taste deeply of the Mercy of God; the more they are indebted for his favours, the more should they be afflicted with Godly Sorrow, when wittingly and willingly they offend before his Eyes. GOd grant, that the reference that we, and those with whom we live have to God, and the presence that God hath continually with us both, may make us as sensible as we ought to be, of the impiety that is so natural to all sin, making it reach as high, as from Earth to Heaven; and arguing the small regard that sinful man hath of his Righteous God: So may this sense work in us such Repentance, as may find Mercy with him, who only can forgive sin; and withhold that stroke of justice, which for the wrong done to him, and the contempt of him, whom we offend (besides, and above our Neighbours) may justly be feared by us, and may woefully destroy us. AMEN. PSAL. 51. The latter part of the 4. VERS. That thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. KIng David confessing the sin which himself committed, openeth unto us the natural Properties that are therein, and the supernatural Event that followed thereupon. Of the natural Properties you have heard heretofore. I come now unto the supernatural Event. The supernatural Event than is, the Praise of the justice of God. The justice of God here touched is twofold; Fidelity, and Integrity. Fidelity is justitia in verbo, a persons being as good as his word. Integrity is justitia in facto, the uprightness of his doom; God hath the praise of both; of Fidelity, for he is justified when he speaketh; of Integrity, for he is clear when he judgeth. This is the praise of God's justice; and this praise in reference to King David's sin, I call a supernatural Event. An Event, because it floweth not from, and yet it followeth upon the sin; but this Event is supernatural, because it must be a Divine Providence, that must make these figs, to grow from those thistles, and so clear light, to shine out of so gross darkness. These are the Contents whereof I shall now entreat; wherefore I will now resume them, that I may open them more fully, and you more profitably hear them. justice's then is the Argument of these words. God that is Sovereign above all, dealeth with all according to an even Rule, the Rule is well squared, and being well squared, is applied well also: Fortune, or Chance, have no place in his Government, whether he contract with, or take an account of the sons of men; upright reason, and evenness, are the properties of his Actions, and all things serve to commend them; they are the upshot of all his Providence, as will appear in the more distinct unfolding of these words. The first Branch then of justice here remembered is Fidelity. Fidelity, (as I told you) is justitia in verbo, Gods being as good as his word; we must then find out first, what Word is here meant: And you shall read it 2. Sam. 7. where God sendeth by Nathan a comfortable Message, a Message that contains manifold, and those gracious promises; for it concerneth a Crown, and the entail thereof: read it at your leisure; but in your reading mark, that the Message is Verbum Mysticum, & Mixtum. It is a Mystical Word; for it consisteth of a Type, and a Truth; the Type was David and his posterity; the Truth, was Christ and his Church; Saint Paul hath taught us so to understand it, Heb. 1. where he applieth the very words of Nathan unto our Saviour Christ. As it is Verbum Mysticum; so is it Verbum Mixtum also; the Message is a temper of the Law, and the Gospel; yet so, that the Gospel hath the upper hand of the Law: God will not have his presume, and therefore he useth the Law as a Curb to hold them in; but he will less have them to despair, the Gospel serveth to keep them in heart. This is the Word; and God will ever be as good as his Word, his Fidelity warranteth as much. Fidelity is a compound Virtue, it consisteth of Verity, and Constancy: First, there is Verity in it, no word in the Tongue that cometh not from the Heart, and the Tongue is a true looking Glass of the Heart; for God speaketh in Veritate Mentis, without all simulation or dissimulation, without all equivocation, or mental reservation; whensoever God speaketh, his speech is true. And as he speaketh in Veritate Mentis; so doth he in certitudine Veritatis also; 2. Cor. 1.22. Numb. 23.19. his Word is as stable, as it is true; his Promises are not Nay, and Amen, all are Amen that come from him; God is not like Man that he should lie, Rom. 11. Math. 24.35. Psal. 89. nor the Son of Man that he should repent; but his Promises are without repentance; Heaven and Earth shall pass, but his Word shall never pass; he will never lie against his own Truth, and therefore is he in the Revelation styled, Cap. 3. the faithful and true witness. Fidelity then there is in God's Word, which is the first Branch of justice. The second is Integrity; Integrity (I told you) is justitia in facto, when just deeds are squared by just words. The Deed here is judging; and this word must lead us to another Chapter, the 12. of the 2. of Sam. Where the same Nathan cometh unto David with a second Message, a Message that containeth a performance of that which God promised in the former Message: he promised that if he did sin, he should smart, and there he maketh him smart; he promised, that he should not so smart, but he should have good proof of God's greater Mercy, and there he feeleth it in the Absolution from his sin. So that God's Deeds in judging, keep good correspondency with his Words; therefore is Integrity ascribed unto them; for what is the integrity of a judge, but the true temper of Severity, and Mercy; if God be judge, the gracious mixture of the Law and the Gospel? where both these are put in practice, and put in practice as they ought, there is Integrity, & so much is wanting of Integrity as is wanting of these: if Severity be administered without Mercy, or if Mercy have not the upper hand of Severity, there wanteth Integrity in the government of the Commonweal, because he is commanded of God so to temper his judgement. And God may seem to come short of his Integrity, if he did not mix, and mix so his Law with his Gospel, as he himself (being otherwise free) hath by promise laid a tie upon himself. He covenanted with David to administer the Law unto him, and chastise his sins, but citra condignum, with the rod of a Man, and not of God; He covenanted with him to administer unto him the Gospel, but ultra condignum, not after the manner of Men, but after the manner of God. Thus to administer both Law and Gospel, so to dispense Mercy, and Severity, is Gods clearing himself in judgement, I called it his Integrity. join these now together, Promissionem, et Praestationem, the 7. and the 12. of the 2. of Sam. whereof one containeth the promising Word, the other the performing judgement, and couple the Integrity of the Performance, with the Fidelity of the Promise, and you have an excellent Picture, or Representation, of the justice wherewith God doth govern his Church. Now this justice must have its Praise. As God is Just in speaking; so must he be justified, & as he is clear in judging; so must he be clarified (that I may so say) that is, glorified. These two Verbs do not import, that the Creature can infuse any perfection into the Creator, will we, nill we, these things are in him; Fidelity is inseparable from his words, and Integrity from his judgements; all that can be done by us is, Cognitio, & Recognitio, we are bound to take notice of them, and not to smother our knowledge, but yield God the glory that is due unto them. To this end doth God manifest his perfections unto the reasonable Creature, and in their own Cases do they feel, and see in other men's Cases, the experience of them. Saint Paul seemeth to read the latter part of the Text otherwise then here is expressed; for he hath, Rom. 3.4. that thou mightest overcome when thou art judged, whereas here it is, that thou mightest be clear when thou judgest. They are not words of a contrary meaning; but Saint Paul's Text which followeth the Septuagint, doth add an observation over and above that which you have heard, that is, Though God be judge of all the world, yet worldly men stick not to take upon them to judge God; yea, and God is pleased to put his justice upon trial, as we read, Esay 1. Micah 6. and elsewhere; so careful is he, that not only his proceed be just, but his justice evident also; so evident, as that whosoever shall contend with him in judgement, shall be driven to yield. The best have oftentimes doubts and disputes, they question God's Integrity, how the Gospel and the Law can stand together, and God at the same time condemn and absolve, and yet be just; God would settle their consciences: Vnbeleevers not only quarrel with, but deny also God's Integrity, but the Mouths of all gainsayers shall be stopped, they shall be forced to subscribe, to confess, that God is clear in judging, free from all dross of contradiction; that Mercy and Truth may kiss each other, and the Law go hand in hand with the Gospel, as after appears. And so have I declared unto you the praise of God's justice. I come now to show you the reference that it hath unto K. David's sin, which that I may the better do, you must observe, that the former words Against thee, against thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight, may be understood either Materialiter, or Formaliter, as a Description of sin, or a Supplication of a sinner. Some understand them after the latter fashion, and so King David, Non not at finem peccati, sed precationis, he noteth not the end of his Sinning, but the end of his Praying, Non dicit quo fine fecerit Malum, sed quo fine nunc faciat bonum, he doth not show us whereat he aimed when he sinned, but what he desireth now heeprayeth. He desireth, that as in amplifying of his sin, he doth by a Comparison amplify God's justice, (for Contraria iuxta posita magis elucescunt, Virtue never shineth more gloriously, then when vice is made a foil unto it) so his recovery may be a Monument of God's Mercy. And we may well propose unto ourselves in our confession, the setting forth of God's glory, and this may be the end of it, yea, comfortless were our Confession, if it were not for this end, God would not accept it, neither should we have good of it, the more we humble ourselves to magnify God, the more we do our duty, and the more we shall taste of his Mercy. To make good this sense, some take in some of the former words, I acknowledge my sins, yea, go back as fare as the beginning of the Psalm, Have Mercy upon me O Lord. And indeed those two must concur, the humble Repentance of a sinner and the gracious Indulgence of a good God, that God may be justified in his sayings, and clear when he his judged; O Lord (saith Gregory) if thou do not forgive the Penitent, thou wilt have none to whom thou mayst perform thy Covenant: Ruffinus, and diverse other Fathers do amplify this sense, and restrain it to the particular Case of King Danid, as if the gracious promise in the 7th of the the 2. of Sam: must needs fall to the ground, if the indulgence specified in the 12th of the 2. of Sam had not released the forfeiture, which God might have taken for King David's sin. Though this be a religious and a true sense of the word, yet hath Saint Paul taught us another that doth better fit the Contexture; Rom. 3.4. wherefore Saint Chrysostome, and other Fathers tell us, that the particle ut noteth not Causam, but Consecutionem, not the end, but the event of sin; I called it a supernatural Event. An Event is that which followeth upon a former thing Accidentally, though naturally it cannot flow from it. Sin is destructive of good, and therefore cannot advance the Praise of God, we see it in every particular; for what are they but breaches of that Law, in the performance where of standeth God's honour? But what need I use any proof? I the last Sabaoth day shown you, that Impiety is one of the Natural properties of sin; It cannot be expected then, that so great a good, should naturally spring therfrom, as is the the Praise of God. Therefore (though old impure Heretics, and the latter Familists, that turn the grace of God into wantonness, that use Christian Liberty as a cloak of their Maliciousness, that hold let us do ill that good may come thereof, blaspheme Gods holy Truth, Row. 3.8. and their Condemnation is just; no man may pretend a good intent for his doing ill, nor compass a good end, by ill means, except he mean to go for a Libertine. But though Gods Praise do not naturally flow from sin, and so be the proper end thereof, yet an Event it may be, and follow thereupon. But this Event cannot be Natural, for the Creature that is mutable may ruin itself of itself, and of itself dishonour God; but having ruined itself, and dishonoured him, it cannot of itself repair either its own state, or His honour, it is only God can do this; this is a work of divine providence, it doth exercise all the Branches thereof, God's Wisdom to contrive it, God's Goodness, to affect it, and finally it cannot be effected without his power. The mixture of the Law, and the Gospel, is such a secret of God's wisdom, as could never have entered into the heart of a creature; that the fall of man should be foelix culpa, & produce a more glorious raising of him, who could ever have dreamt? or to keep myself to my text, may not we all stand amazed, when we read, that such a son as Solomon, should be born of Bathsheba with whom K. David had committed so foul an offence? But as we must admire God's wisdom in such works; so must we much more his goodness, that testifieth his love to sinful man, in being willing that his wisdom shall yield such remedy to man's distress. But God is pleased to let the world see in the freedom of his love, quod dare non dignis, res mage digna Deo; such goodness can be found no where out of God. Finally, the power of God shined herein, which was to encounter with so many difficulties; we hold God omnipotent, because he made heaven & earth of nothing; but the Fathers hold that the restitution is a greater work than the creation; if the former need an omnipotent power, much more the later. The reason is, because as there was nothing to help; so there was nothing to hinder, in the creation; but in the restitution God was encountered ab intra, & ab extra, from within, and from without. From within, by his own justice; he was fain to overmaster it with his Mercy; from without, by the powers of darkness, who striven to keep possession of man, yea, by man's own perverseness, who is too willingly a slave to sin, & Satan; Gene. 50. but of Satan's Temptation we may use the words of joseph to his Brethren, Vos cogitastis malè, Deus autem bene. Ye thought evil against us, but God meant it unto good; and concerning our own perverseness, we may use the words of the Psalm, As a Father pitieth his Children: Psal. 103. so the Lord pitieth us; mark the reason, for he knoweth our frailty, he remembreth that we are but dust. It is God, only God, that can cause such Events. And miserable were the state of the world, if he did not cause them; for else the Church had long since come to nothing. How quickly had Adam dissolved the Covenant? and when God had restored it by such a supernatural Event, the Sons of God dissolved it again; God was fain to redouble the Euentin Noah; in his posterity it failed the third time, and a third time was God fain to renew the Event in Abraham. And thus hath it gone on in all ages of the world; God hath been fain to show, that the Infidelity of Man, cannot evacuate the fidelity of God; that he will be true though all the world be liars, Rom. 3.4. 2. Cor. 4.6. that he can draw light out of darkness, when darkness hath extinguished Light. Such is his Omniscient Wisdom, and Omnipotent Goodness. The ground of all which proceeding is the freedom of God's love; that had no Cause without him when it first began, & it is continued by no Cause besides himself; for those duties, the performance whereof do seem to entertain God's Love, what are they but the influences of his free Grace? Wherefore, I conclude with Saint Bernard, Maior est Dei pietas, quam quaevis iniquitas, or rather with Gods own words, Ego Deus et non mutor, I am the Lord which change not, Malac. 3.6. therefore you Sons of jacob are not consumed: it is of the Lords morcy that we are not consumed, jament. 3. 2●. because his Compassions fail not, they are renewed every morning; great is thy faithfulness; the same God that told Noah, Gen. 8. I will not again curse the ground for Man's sake, and giveth this for a reason, for, the Imagination of Man's Heart is evil from his youth, doth imply, that we must seek for the cause of this strange Event, not on Earth, but in Heaven, we must hold it to be not an Earthly, but an Heavenly Event, and so to be not Natural, but Supernatural, as at first I told you. And this refutes all Manichees who dream of two Gods, a Good, and a Bad; and will have the Good, only to intermeddle with things that are good, and the Bad with the things that are bad; but here we may learn, that there is but one God, and that one God is good, & though good, yet intermeddling with that which is bad; intermeddling with it, out of bad to draw that which is good, and so to make it matter of his Glory; for Malum, non quâ malum, sed quâ ordinatum, (as Saint Austin teacheth) cedit in Gloriam Dei. In Enchyr. And so have I opened unto you the meaning of this Text, so fare as I find it in this Psalm, that is in Hypothesi applied to King David's Case. And there is no doubt, but King David in speaking of them had an Eye to himself, and in reference to himself, did penitentially utter them. But Saint Paul hath taught us in the Epistle to the Romans to turn this Hypothesis into a Thesis, Chap. 3. and apply this Text to the whole Church. And indeed, if you remember, that I told you that the speaking here meant, is Verbum Mysticum (though the letter immediately note David and his Posterity, yet in them the Holy Ghost representeth Christ, and his Church) here can be no question, but the promise that in Christ is made to the Church, hath a temper of the Law & the Gospel, & the Church in all Ages doth experience the truth thereof. Wherefore we must take the Text unto ourselves, and make use of it in our own Case: we have no more promised than David had, nor shall we feel less than he did; as his, so ours, both Verbum, & judicium, Promise and Performance, are mixed of the Law, and the Gospel; but so, that the Gospel hath the upper hand of the Law: Deus vincit malum bono, God doth ever over come evil with Good. Non ex merito Peccati, sed ex beneficio Misericordiae; Non ex dignitate nostra, sed dignatione suâ; Not, that sin deserveth this at his hands, but God is pleased to show the goodness of his Nature, and to be gracious unto us, when we carry ourselves gracelesly towards him. And indeed, it argueth wonderful Goodness, when it is vouchsafed to such as are so unworthy thereof. The use of all that you have heard serveth first, to direct our faith unto its true object, which (I told you) is Verbum mixtum; we must so apprehend a Merciful God, as that we forget not, that he is Just; and so remember, that he is just, that we forget not, that he is Merciful, we cannot omit either of these, but we shall either presume, or despair, if we forget him to be just we will be apt to presume; and be apt to despair, if we forget him to be Merciful. But we must add a Cautionary Rule, in this limitation of the Object of our Faith, and that is, we must not apprehend God's Mercy, and his justice, as Coordinata, but as Subordinata; I speak not of them, as these things are in God; for so they are more than Coordinata, they are in his simple nature all one; but as they shine in the effects which are produced by him; for so they are always Subordinate. In those that are Vasaira we may perceive, that Mercy is subordinate to justice; for the favours that they receive out of God's Mercy, through their abuse of them, serve but to set a sharper edge upon the sword of God's justice. But in those, that are Vasa Misericordiae, the justice of God is subordinate unto his Mercy, and his strokes on them, work such a godly sorrow, and good amendment, that God's mercies are thereby redoubled upon them. Thus must we learn to conceive of the true Object of our Faith. And our Faith so informed, will add sinews to our Hope; For what better support can our Hope have, than Verbun Mixtum, to conceive that God will not suffer us to run wild, though our Nature be luxuriant, but will timely use the Law, and repress the breaking forth of sin, and correct what is awry within us. And when we smart, is it not a comfortable support of Hope, that God cannot forget to be merciful, nor shut up his loving kindness for ever in displeasure? He will supple that wound with Oil, which he scoureth with wine, and the sweetness of the Gospel, timely administered, shall make us forget all the sowernes that we felt in the Law. Finally, as this Text serveth to direct our Faith, & support our Hope; so doth it, to inflame our Love, for can there be a greater motive unto love then this Mixtum Verbum? for, therein we have real proof of God's Love, therein we find, that he loveth us Verè, though severè, though with Correction, yet to Salvation; And can we do less then requite love with love? love him dutifully, that loveth us so mercifully? Neither are we only taught, that we must love God, but how we must love our Neighbour also; our Charity to our Brother, must imitate God's Charity towards us, we must join therein the Law, with the Gospel, first humble, then comfort them that go astray, so shall we neither cherish sin, nor yet destroy a sinner. And if we have the like proof of this Verbum Mixtum, as King Danid had, we must give glory unto God, as David did. There is none of us but sinneth, and expecteth favour, let us not be Libertines, and make God's favour the end of our sin (as it is to be feared over many do) but let us repent, and when we repent, let us admire, and adore that Divine Providence, that with a spiritual indignation doth break the Serpent's Head, that bruised our Heel, and tread Satan under our feet, that made us tread awry, let us consider the reason why the heinousness of our sin doth not deprive us of Heaven, which is only this, that God will be good unto us for his own Name sake, 1. Sam. 12. because he hath chosen us to be his Children; and therefore let us say, Not unto us O Lord, not unto us, Psal. 115.2. but unto thy Name give the praise. In a word; Let Gods dealing with us, teach us, how we should deal with others; we must do them good, notwithstanding they deserve evil; Let us not suffer ourselves to be overcome with evil, Rom. 12. 2●. but overcome evil with good. PSAL. 51. VERSE. 5. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity: and in sin did my mother conceive me. THe sin which King David confesseth in this Psalm, is partly that which himself Committed, & partly that which he Inherited from his parents; of that which himself Committed, I have already spoken, whrefore I must now come on, and open unto you, that which he Inherited. It is expressed in these words which now I have read unto you; here, King David doth Acknowledge, and Plead it; he acknowledgeth, 1. what this sin is, and 2. that himself is tainted with it; he pleads it in great humility, the strongest motive to work God's pity. These points offer themselves in this Text, and of these will I now speak briefly, and in their order. I begin at his Acknowledgement, whereof the first branch teacheth us, what Sin inherited is. But before I open it unto you, I may not omit a good Observation of Gregory the Great, which showeth us, how this point of confessing Sin inherited, In Psal. 5. springeth from the confession of other sins which ourselves have Contracted; Saepe dùm quaedam malè gesta plangimus ipsa vi amaritudinis ad discutiendos nos excitati, alia nobis plangenda invenimus, etc. He that is seriously penitent for one sin, is roused by godly sorrow to make a farther inquiry into himself, which leads him to a discovery of many other sins, which his memory, or his Conscience passed by unregarded; but whereof he than becomes so sensible, that he thinks then worthy to be repent of hearty; Certainly David did so; he is not only pressed, and burdened with the conscience of Adultery, and of his Murder, but he is pained also with an old disease, a disease which he brought from his Parents loins, and cannot be quiet except he be eased of that, except that be healed also. And our evil Deeds, when we bethink ourselves of them, will discover their fountain, which is our evil nature; neither have we sufficiently searched into ourselves, until we find the evil Tree that beareth evil fruit, the root of bitterness that fructifieth in all our evil Deeds. This we must observe by the way, as a fit preface, showing the reason of this branch of King David's Confession. Let us now come closer to the Text, and see, what this sin is which he acknowledged; and that is, a Native Corruption, Iniquity wherein man is shapen, Sin wherein his Mother conceives him. That you may the better conceive this, I must first remember you of certain grounded truths which give light hereunto, & without which it cannot be easily conceived. The first is, that in the Creation God put this difference between Angels and Men, that Angels had their several Creations, not so Men; but as Saint Paul teacheth Acts 17.26. God of one blood made all the nations of men, that were upon all the face of the whole earth; he would have them all propagated from one. Secondly, as all mankind is derived from One; so with that One God was pleased to enter into a covenant for All, and All were liable unto, and to communicate in, that which befell that One; this is clear in the Comparison which Saint Paul maketh between the First and Second Adam. Rom. 5. Thirdly, the first Adam failed in his obedience, & so forfeited that which was covenanted on God's part, & was subject unto that which was deserved on his own; no man can doubt of this, that reads the third of Genesis. Fourthly, by the tenor of the Covenant, man failing wrapped all his Posterity in his transgression; and condemnation; Rom. 5.12 the Apostle is clear for this also, By one man Sin entered into the world, and death by Sin; so that by the Fall all mankind becomes first guilty, & then punishable; both these Evils doth Adam communicate unto his Posterity. I must open the latter branch a little farther, because it is most proper to my Text. The punishment then of Adam's Gild was, the loss of Holiness, and Happiness; Holiness wherein, and Happiness whereunto he was created, in the loss of Holiness stands so much of Original sin, as my Text doth occasion me to speak of. The Father's use to express it by the Parable of the Man, that passing from jerusalem to jericho fell amongst thiefs, Luk. 10.30. who rob him, and wounding him left him half dead: The Schools abridge it thus, Supernaturalia sunt ablata, Naturalia sunt corrupta: both which being discreetly understood, contain a sound truth which I express more plainly thus. The loss of concreated Holiness consisteth in a Privation, and a Depravation; Adam was deprived of the Image of God, according to which he was created, they call it usually Original Righteousness; and the Powers that remained after he was thus stripped, were miserably perverted; he became not only averse from God, but adverse to him also. Sin is an Aversion from God, and a Conversion to the world, or a forsaking of God, and things eternal, to embrace the world, and things temporal. God left Adam in the hands of his own council, to choose whether he would follow Rationem Superiorem, or Inferiorem (as the Schools speak) that is, cleave to God, or to the World, but with this condition, that, which way soever he bent, thither should his inclination be for ever after; he preferred Earth before Heaven, and so his propension hath been ever since out of love of this earth, to make head against God, and goodness, so that his Depravation is not only Physical, but Moral, not only an Impotency unto Good, but an Opposition to it also; his understanding is not only blind, but a Sophister; his own judgement is a snare whereby he entangleth himself in error, his will is so fare from making a good choice, Ambros. Gen. 6.7. Gen. 8.21. Rom 7.18. jer. 17.9. Rom 6 6. Rom. 7.24. that it commands always for that which is worst; all his Affections distaste, and abhor the good which they cannot relish, and therefore not ensue; Finally, the Flesh is become, Illecebra peccati, sin needs no other bait than man's senfualitie, All the frame of the Imaginations of the Heart of Man are evil, only, continually, from his youth; and in his flesh dwells no good thing; the hear● is deceitful above all things; and he beareth about him a Body of sin, and death: And this is that Massa Corruptionis, and Perditionis, that woeful Being whereunto sin brought Adam. Whereby you may perceive that though he hath lost his Goodness, he hath not lost his Activeness, and though sin be Non ens, a Privation, yet it is in ente, a Drepravation also, by reason whereof, men that were reasonable Creatures by Nature, yea and Spiritual also, 1. Cur. 3.1. 1. C●●. 2.14. are vouchsafed no better names in the state of Corruption than those of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Sensual, and fleshly Men. Having thus opened the miserable case whereunto Adam brought himself, it will not be hard for you to understand the words of my Text, and acknowledge with King David the Native Corruption of mankind, or the Original Sin meant in this place. First then, the want of Original Holiness is in the Text called Iniquity, or Sin; and well may it so be called; for what is Sin but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, an Vnconformitie to God's Laws? and how unanswerable is his being herein, unto that state wherein he was made; were he only unanswerable it were Sin, how much more when he is opposite thereunto, and is become a rebel unto God? can any thing in the reasonable soul be less than Sin, ●on. 7. that tempts unto sin? but Concupiscence is Domesticus Host, a traitor in our bosom, that doth seduce us, and whose Lusts do sight against the Soul: 1. Vet. 2.11. Neither only doth it tempt to sin, but produce sin also, jam. 1.15. et simile producit sibi simile; we must needs make the Tree Evil, that beareth such evil fruit. Neither can it be excused, seeing the Leaven of Concupiscence hath seasoned all the powers of the soul, even of the Reasonable soul, and so maketh the whole man come short of fulfilling the Law, Deut. 6.5. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart, with all thy mind, with all thy strength, etc. join that general Precept, Exod. 20.17. with the general Prohibition Non Concupisces, thou shalt not lust, and by them measure the state of a natural man, and he must be very senseless, that doth not acknowledge sin in this Corruption, he must needs make the Habits of no other nature then are the Actions which proceed therefrom. They that yield it to be Vitium, but not Peccatum, if they mean Vitium morale (as they must needs in this Argument) grant what they deny; though they would shift it, by acknowledging nothing to be sin, but that which hath a concurrency of our will; which is too scant a Desinition, & (if it be admitted) will excuse, not only, habitual corruption, but our Ignorances' also, and Omissions, from being sin. But enough of this point. A second thing that is to be observed in the name given to this Corruption, is that it is called Sin in the singular number. And indeed, that which is Original is but One, even the first One that was committed by Adam, only that, and the evil of that, is propagated to Posterity. The difference between the Covenant of the Creation, and the Evangelicall Covenant stands in this, that without any imitation of ours, or sinning after the example of Adam, we are guilty of his first transgression, and the consequents thereof fall upon us, whereas he communicates no other of his sins, and all other successive Parents; until the time of our birth communicate no sins of theirs, but such as we imitate, and make our own by imitation; and in this sense must we understand the 18. of Ezekiel, where it is said, Vers. 20. that the Children shall not bear the iniquity of their Fathers; the second Commandment must have the same interpretation; Although we may not deny that temporally God doth visit the sins of the fathers upon the children, to the terror and example of others; whom Magistrates in their Politic Laws imitate herein, for the good of their State; Therefore, that extension of punishment must be understood Non absolutè, but Secundum quid, not of Original, but of Actual sins, and those not propagated, but imitated. The Sin than is but One, but yet that One is such a One, as is Universal, and Seminal; Universal, if you look to the Act which Adam committed; for it was an Universal Apostasy, and the Divines which look curiously into it, do find in it all kind of sins, both of the first, and of the second Table. But time will not suffer me to particularise. As it is Universal in regard of Adam's Act, so in regard of the corrupt Habit that followed thereupon, and is an express image thereof, it is Seminal; it containeth the Seed of all kinds of Sin, so that there is no kind of Sin whereunto the nature of man is not prone; Saint john reduceth all that is in the world to three Heads: 1. 1. Ep. 2.6. The lust of the flesh, 2. the lust of the eyes, 3. the pride of life, that is, Covetousness, Voluptuousness, and Haughtiness; and who is there in whom this seed is not found? and from whom doth it not fructify more or less, as men have more or less of the grace of God? Saint Paul speaketh significantly, when he sayeth, that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a sinning sin, Rom. 7.13. and that operatur omnem concupiscentiam, it worketh all kind of lusts in man; Rom. 7.8. and the Septuagint (whom the Vulgar imitates) may happily mean the compound nature of this sin, when it rendereth the word in the plural number, which the Original hath in the singular. These properties must be observed, because by them we may stop the mouths of all profane persons, that extenuate the grievousness of Original Sinne. As that which hath befallen our nature by Adam's Fall, may justly be called Sin; so is this Sin fitly called Native, or Original; for, (as the text teacheth) Man is shapen therein, and therein doth his Mother conceive Him; it is such a sin as we derive from our Parents. But our Parents are of two sorts, earthly, and heavenly, we have our being principally from God, so saith job unto him, thy hands have made me, job. 10. verse 10. etc. and fashioned me together round about, thou hast poured me out as milk, & curdled me like Cheese, thou hast clothed me with skin, and flesh, and fenced me with benes, and sinews, thou hast granted me life, etc. Vers. 15. Vers. 3. 1. Ep. joh. 2.16. Gen. 1.31. jam. 1. Feelesias 15.10.11. etc. Ecclesias. 25.24. Rom. 5.12. DAVID observes the very same, Psal. 139. and Psal. 127. Lo (saith he) children are an Heritage of the Lord, and the fru●● of the womb is his reward: But Concupiscence is not of that father, for All that he made was good, and only Every good, and perfect gift cometh from him: Therefore must we fetch this from other Parents, our Parents that are below, from the womb that bore us, and the paps that gave us suck; The Mother is here named, and indeed from the woman was the beginning of sin, and in her we all die; but not in her only, for the Apostle tells us, that By one Man sin came into the world, and that Man was Adam. Philosophy teacheth, that in generation the man is Principium Actiwm, he is the principal cause of our Being, and therefore of our being Corrupted; And indeed the woman could not conceive, which is a passive action, except a man did infuse the seed, therefore is he implied in this Text, though he be not expressed. And as we receitie from both our Parents our being: so do we our being Corrupt; Serm. de Excel. Eatust. Apolog. David c. 11. What Saint Bernard said of Adam and Eve, is true, Prius peremptores, quàm parents, they had first murdered, before they engendered their Children; and what of successive generations Ambrose, Ante usuram lucis, originis excipimus iniuriam, et antequam nascimur maculamur contagio, our parents beget Children after their own Image, Ephe. 2.3. dead in sin, and by nature children of wrath. And how can it be otherwise? 1. Pet. 1.23. john 3.6. the seed whereof we are made is Corruptible seed; so that that which is borne of flesh must needs be flesh, neither can any man draw that which is clean, joh 14.4. 〈…〉. 8. Psal. 58.3. out of a nature which is unclean; Therefore seeing old Adam is propagated in all, All must be called transgessors from their youth. But there is a curious Question, how this Sin is conveyed from the Parents to the Child, from the days of Pelagius it hath much troubled the Church, argued by the Fathers, by the schoolmen, by the Reformed Divines; yet so as that the most judicious have been most sober, and least adventurous to define the manner. I will not trouble you with that altercation; Saint Austin hath said enough for the Pulpit in those few words, The propagation is continued iusto, but occulto Dei indicio; God in so punishing hath done no more than he threatened in the Covenant, although how he doth execute this judgement, he is not pleased to reveal; but leaveth men rather to adore such secrets, then to pry too fare into them: Especially if their curiosity prove so vain, as to deny that which is evident, because they cannot find out that which is hidden, as Heretics have done, which have denied Original Sinne. Their Sobriety is tolerable, who supposing the undeniable truth of that Radical sin, seek only the ways of clearing God's justice in this propagation, wherein, (as in such dark and doubtful cases it often falls out) Saluà fide, holding the fundamental point, they differ about that which is not necessary unto Salvation. That which is most useful for us, is to know rather, how we may be rid of it, De Moribus 〈◊〉 c. ●. 1. c. 22. ●pis. 29. then how we do contract it, which Saint Austin expresseth in a fit Parable of a man fallen into a ditch, to whom he that findeth him there, should rather lend a hand to help him out, then tyre him with inquiries how he came in: We see that our ground is overgrown with briers, & thorns, yet we know, that God made the earth to bear better fruits; do good husbands misspend their time in reasoning how they came there? or do they not rather with their plough, and other instruments seek to rid them thence? surely they do; and we in the case of our souls should imitate them so doing. That Original Sin is in us, no man can doubt, that seethe how children die, even in their mother's womb, or so soon as they come out of it; and the wages of sin is death; in them of Actual it cannot be, Rom. 6.23. it must be then of Original: if they live we make haste to baptise them, and what doth Baptism imply, but that they need a new Birth unto life, seeing their first was no better than a Birth unto death? Add hereunto that our Saviour Christ's Conception had not needed to be by the Holy Ghost, if so be natural generation did not enforce necessarily the propagation of Original Sin; which they should consider, that magnify over much the Conception of the blessed mother of Christ. Let it suffice us, that the Church Catholic of old, and the Reformed Churches have resolved uniformly, that we are sinners so soon as we begin to be, and this Leprosy is hereditary to us all; that our worse part hath gotten the upper hand of our better, and we are by nature no better than a mass of Corruption, and the Serpent's brood; the sense whereof, should make us all cry out with the Apostle O wretch that I am, Rom. 7.24. who shall deliver me from this Body of Death? King David doth not only confess, that there is such a Sin, but also that himself is tainted therewith, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me. The words must not be wrested; some have mistaken them, as if Sin were the cause of Generation. That opinion, though it be found in some Ancients, yet it is so gross, that it is not worth the refuting; for we read Gen. 1. Multiply and increase, Vers. 28. spoken to mankind, before ever Adam and Eve committed sin; except happily this were their meaning, that before the Fall, the lust of generation was in the power of man, to fulfil, or restrain it, as reason saw fit; but after the Fall reason became subject unto lust, and man fulfilled it not when reason would, but when lust urged him; and this opinion is not improbable. A second mistake is, that David should lay the blame of his Sin upon his Parents, and tax their sinful lusts in the act of generation; but (besides that he could not conceive so ill of his virtuous, and chaste Parents) this were to make David a Cham, and so to deserve a Curse, while he seeketh a Pardon for his Sinne. The Fathers abhorred this sense, and observe, that King David here speaketh not of the personal sin of his Parents, but the natural, which derived from them, he had in-herent in himself; and that he was in the state of sin before he saw light. But this is strange; his Parents were members of the Church, circumcised, not only outwardly which is most certain, but inwardly also, which is very probable, and if circumcised, then discharged from Original Sin, and in the state of Grace: how cometh it about then, that they should engender Children in the state of Corruption? Saint Austin answereth briefly Parents non ex principijs novitatis, De. Peecata. Merit & Remis. L. 2. C. 2. sed ex reliquijs vetustatis generant liberos; they that are regenerated, do beget Children not according to the new Adam, but according to the old, not according to Grace, but according to nature; for Grace is personal, the corruption is natural, and God will, that they shall only communicate their nature, and leave the dispensation of Grace unto himself. Saint Austin illustrateth it by those who being circumcised, begat Children uncircumcised, and Corn which being winnowed from Chaff brings forth ears full of Chaff. And yet notwithstanding, a Prerogative the Children of the faithful have, Verse 16. which Saint Paul toucheth at, Rom. 11. If the Root be holy so are the branches. But this Holiness is in possibility, rather than in possession, and there is a distance between natural Generation, and spiritual Regeneration; though by their natural birthright, the Children of the faithful have a right unto the blessings of God's Covenant, yet do they not partake them, but by their new birth, which ordinarily they receive in Baptism, ●it. 3.5. which is therefore called the Bath of Regeneration. Where hence we may gather the truth of Saint Hieromes saying, Christiani non nascuntur, sed siunt; we may not vainly boast with the jews, we have Abraham to our Father, joh. 8.39. as if he could not beget children in iniquity, but it must be our comfort, that God corrects Nature by Grace, and thereby maketh us living members of the Church; whereas such the best of natural Parents cannot make us to be: We own this blessing to our Father in Heaven, who conveyeth it unto us by our Mother the Church; our natural Parents can yield no such benefit, they yield the contrary rather, as is clear in this Text. Ruffinus giveth another good note hereof, Qui ad munditiae locum iam pervenit, etc. He that is in the state of Grace, must not forget the state of Nature; if we remember whence we come, we shall the better esteem the estate whereunto we are brought: No man can be so proud, as to arrogate unto himself, the praise of that which he is, if he mind well what without God's grace he was. But King David was long before Regenerated, how comes he now to make mention of Original sin? How comes he now to lay the blame of his Actual upon that? Surely, not without good cause. Circumcision in the jew, as Baptism in the Christian, did absolve from all the guilt of Original sin, by means of justification; and by means of Sanctification, did impair much of the strength thereof: Much (I say) but not all; there are still in us relics of the Old man, a Law in our members rebelling against the Law of our mind, Rom. 7.23. Gal. 5.16. the flesh, and the lusts thereof disobedient to God's Law, and resisting his spirit. Saint Paul calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Heb. 12.1. Sin that cleaves so fast; so fast, that it cannot be loosed from us a conceptione ad funus, saith Saint Bernard, though we be working on it, and weeding out of it, from the beginning to the end of our life. Epiphanius hath an excellent resemblance of a Figtree getting into a Wall, Heres. 64. and spreading his roots therein, which well may it be pruned, yet can it not be utterly killed, except the stones be taken asunder, and the Wall new built again: Even so is this native corruption rooted in us, that until our dissolution we shall not be rid of it. The same God that left the Canaanites in the Holy-land, to exercise the Israelites, leaveth also Original sin in us, thereby to try, how we will serve, and obey him; until death we shall have some thing, which we must always watch, resist, keep down, mortify; if we do not, God will humble us therewith, and we shall receive many a foil thereby; David had trial hereof, and so have others had also, even all the sons of men more or less; I except not jeremy, nor john the Baptist, though the Advocates of Rome, (confounding the gifts of Edification, with the gifts of Adoption) would privilege them from the common condition of the sons of Adam. But let us not forget, no more than King David doth, this fountain of temptation; which in those that are of age will never be idle, it will find us work either of triumph, if we get the upper hand of it, or of complaint with Saint Paul, Rom. 7. if it prove too hard for us. Verse ●. You have heard King David's acknowledgement. I come now in a word to speak of his Plea. His Plea is for Pity, but he maketh the motive thereunto to be the displaying of his Misery; and this he doth in the first word (Behold) wherein he doth not so much inform God, as humble himself; God cannot be ignorant of that which man knows, but he is pleased, that man should in his devotion express unto him how feeling he is, and how desirous to be unburdened of that which brought him to offend God. But we must observe, that there is a double Ecce, or Behold, a Carnal, or a Penitential, whereof the one extenuates, the other aggravateth the sin. The Carnal man's Ecce, Behold, cometh out thus; I have done ill, what then? Vitijs nemo sine nascitur, what needeth so sharp a reproof? All men are ill by nature, if all, what blame deserve I? We would detest a debtor, who by his unthriftiness hath brought inevitable beggary upon himself, or a diseased person, that by riot hath overthrown his body, if either of them, should be so senseless of his woeful case, as not to blame himself, and deplore his state, with a longing desire, and earnest endeavour to be rid thereof. And may we then brook such Apologies of profane men, that have run so fare in debt unto God, and have made themselves such spiritual Lazars through sin? Fare be it from us to think, that David did so excuse himself to God; No, but as a discreet Patient, who throughly had searched into his own disease, and desired to be wholly cured, he openeth his sore to the bottom, and concealeth nothing from his Physician. He that desires to be freed from his Actual, but to continue his Original sin, desireth only to put off one punishment, that he might deserve another. But a true Penitent desireth so to be forgiven, that he may be preserved from offending again. We commend Prisoners for their wisdom, who knowing they are guilty more ways than one, desire that all the Indictments may be brought in against them, before the Verdict pass upon them; that so they may be throughly discharged: And he that Arraigneth himself before the bar of God, should not leave any thing unrepented of, whereof he knoweth himself guilty, nor conceal any part of his misery, that needeth the help of God's mercy, the rather because we need not doubt, lest the multitude of our miseries should tyre, or ouerburthen God's mercy; happily it may be so with men, he that will forgive seven, will hardly be brought to forgive Seventie times seven faults, but with God it is fare otherwise, in whom the sight of misery (especially if it be presented with Penitency) the greater it is, the more compassion it moves. What a miserable case was Adam in? Even in that woeful case which I have described unto you in this Text; yet no sooner came he into God's sight, but God was so moved, that he was pardoned, before he was doomed; and the just doom was made very tolerable, by the merciful pardon. After God had drowned the old World, what moved him to be more tender towards the new, Gene. 8.21. but the pity that he took upon this native corruption, The evil frame of the Heart of man? Excellent is the place of Ezekiel where the Church is represented weltering in her Blood, when no eye did pity her, God said, that then was the time of his love, he said unto her live, Verse 13. yea, he said unto her, when she was in her blood live, Ezek. 16. King David, Psal. 103. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him; Verse 14. but mark what a reason he giveth, He knoweth our frame, he remembreth that we be but dust. Doth God pity the misery of man, when there appeareth no Penitency in him, and will he reject him, when it doth appear? No, penitency maketh misery to pierce more deeply the tender bowels, and compassions of God. Wherefore let our, Behold, be expressed by the sorrow which we conceive for our sinful corruption, and we shall find, that nothing can more effectually move commiseration. But I must end. We are at length come to the depth of King David's ingenuity; and certainly in repentance a man can go no farther. The first confusion whereunto a penitent sinner may put himself, is to bring his sin before the eye of his own conscience; David did so, vers. 3. The second is, to have it published before men, as in the solemn Satisfactions made to the Church; David did so, as appears in the Title of the Psalm. The last is, to present it before God, to draw God's eyes to behold, as well our Original, as our Actual sin. In the first, self-love will diminish much of the shame, and our communion in the same corruption, doth much impair the second; but there is nothing can lessen the third, so pure, so unpartial are the sacred eyes of God; so that David could not be more humble, more could not be expected unto a full Repentance. Saint Ambrose upon this Consideration hereof, breaketh out into these words, quis tanto affectu agit paenitentiam? where shall a man find his parallel? suscepit personam generis humani, saith Saint Austin, King David spoke no more in his own person, then may beseem the person of every man, especially if he be a Christian; And therefore his practice should be a pattern unto every one of us; we are as he was, Si David, talis Rex, talibus parentibus, in peccato natus, quanto magis Nos? The fountain of Corruption runs as high now as ever it did, well may we deem ourselves worse, better without intolerable arrogancy we cannot deem ourselves; therefore his Ecce, Behold, will well beseem us, and we may well fall as low as he in the Confession of our sins. I press this the rather, because this is a secret which Philosophers could not, Heretics would not know; and so indulgent are we to ourselves, that we are too willing to be ignorant of, at least to forget, that which our proud nature doth not easily brook. The less the Old man doth like it, the more should the New man study it. And that we study it not in vain, let us all prey God that we may have Grace to exemplify so good a Sampler, that we may so deeply lance our Spiritual wounds, as that they may be the better cured by our Heavenly Physician, and the more severe we are against ourselves, we may find our Saviour more merciful unto us. Amen. PSAL. 51. VERS. 6. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part, thou shalt make me to know wisdom. K●ng David in that Vow which in this Psalm he maketh for himself, prayeth that he may be restored unto, and preserved in the state of Grace. To this end he layeth open his own wickedness, and layeth hold upon God's goodness; how he layeth open his own wickedness you have heard at several times (as I unfolded the verses that go before,) and you shall (God willing) hear particularly how he layeth hold upon the goodness of God, as I shall have opportunity to expound unto you the following verses. But my Text cometh in between these two main points, so that it is hard to say to whether of them it referreth most, for surely it may fairly be referred to either of them; it may be referred either to King David's unfeigned repentance for his sin, or steadfast confidence in the mercy of God, therefore it is diversely expounded by others, and it will not be amiss if I show you how the words look backward, and forward, respect King David's either godly sorrow, or hope of Grace. To come to the Text, The argument of it is remarkable Sincerity. Sincerity is fitly described in these words; truth in the inward parts; without truth there can be no Sincerity; but the truth that maketh perfect Sincerity must be in the inward parts. Touching this Sincerity, we are moreover taught, first of what regard it is; secondly how we may attain it; It is of principal regard, because entertained with the best affection, that is Delight, and this affection is in the greatest person, it is in God; God desireth this truth in the inwards parts. But how may it be had? surely not without divine instruction of our inward man; The inward man is noted, by the secres part, that must be furnished with good grounds, which here are meant by Wisdom, and this wisdom must come from Heaven; God must make us know it. These particulars wherein Sincerity is set forth in this Text are remarkable particulars, so we are taught by the first word behold; Behold they are evident, they may not be denied, Behold they are useful, every one must make his profit of them. And so have I set before you the contents of this Scripture, which I shall now farther enlarge as the time shall permit, and we may best be edified. But before I do enter upon the distinct points, I must acquaint you with the Language of the holy Ghost, which useth often times to mention parts of our bodies, when it meaneth the powers of our souls; the reason whereof is in vulgar experience, because so long as the soul dwelleth in the body, the powers thereof in their working make some sensible impression upon the parts of our body, those parts, which even for this cause, have by the wisest Philosophers, and most judicious Physicians been reputed the proper seats, if not of the whole soul, yet of the several faculties thereof; My Text doth occasion me to instance in two parts, the Kidneys and the Heart, which are here to be understood, though in the translation they are not expressed; in the Original the Kidneys are plainly mentioned, which because they are two, therefore they are translated parts, and those inward, or hidden parts, because in the body the Kidneys are usually covered with fat. The Heart is a single entrall, and therefore called by the name of a part also, a hidden part, because of the coverings wherein it pleased God, that naturally the heart should be enwrapped; upon these two parts, several powers of our soul do work, at least when they work or are wrought, there will be some sense thereof in these parts, in the Kidneys of Affections, as of Resolutions in the Heart; this every man that observes himself, may easily assure himself to be true. Having thus opened unto you, the reason why the Holy Ghost thus speaketh, let us now come, and look a little farther into the things; By the inward parts than are meant the Kidneys, and by the Kidneys the Affections that discover themselves therein; now our Affections have long since, by those that have been curious observers of them, been reduced unto four Heads, whereof two are exercised with Evil, and two with Good; Evil, if it be absent, we fear, and if it be present, we Grieve; as for Good that which we have not we Desire, and we joy in that we have. To apply this to my Text: I told you that it looketh backward, and forward, to David's Repentance, and to his Confidence; If to Repentance, then to Evil, malum culpae, the Evil of sin, for which he Grieved, and malum poenae, the wages of Sin, which he justly Feared. If to Confidence, then to Good, to Mercy, which so fare as he had received, he joyed in, and desired so much as he had not yet received; These are those inward parts, the affections of King David's soul, that are to be understood in this place, in these it is, that Sincerity must appear, so much is intimated by the word Truth. But what is Truth? surely nothing else but a conformity of one thing to another, whereof the one is the Sampler, and the other is the exemplification. All that is in man's nature received its being from God, and was form according to the pattern of God's eternal decree, which he expressed in the Creation, and which he often toucheth at in the reproofs which tax the obliquities of our nature; we should be in our Affections, as God first made us, and that is the first Truth required in them, a Truth that is opposed unto vanity, that vanity which doth dimimish the well-being of our nature, and so fare as it doth diminish it, of something maketh it nothing, for nothing can truly be said to be, farther than it is partaker of God, of the being which he giveth unto it, who only can say, I am that I am. Besides the Truth that is opposed to Vanity, there is another, which is opposed to Hypocrisy, and that is the correspondency of our outward actions, to our inward affections; for as our outward affections must have their stamp from God, so must they endeavour to print their true stamp upon our Actions; for as the seed that is sown in the ground, beareth the like seed above ground, and the fruit is not unlike the Tree; no more should it be in our moralities, we should not sustain one person in our bosom, and another in our countenance, be painted sepulchres, full of dead men's bones, we should be jacobs' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, plain men, nathaniel's without all guile, Mat. 23.17. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (saith Basil) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (saith Chrysostome) the character of an honest man is to be single minded, Gen. 25.27. single tongued, he that hath a heart and a heart, a tongue, and a tongue, hath not truth in his inward parts. This being the nature of Sincerity; if we will try the world by it, I think we may justly break out in to King David's complaint in another Psalm, Help Lord, there is not a godly man left, Veraces defecêrunt a filijs hominum, truth is perished from among the sons of men; the perjuries, which are frequent at Assizes and Sessions, Psal. 12.1. the deceit of Citizens which have denominated deceit itself (for from them is astutia derived, quia nihil lucrantur, nisi admodùm mentiuntur; whose thrift is fitly called craft, because did they not circumuenr, they would come short of much of their wealth. As for Statesmen all Chronicles do witness that they use the Fox's case, more frequently than the Lion's skin, and Policy is one of the words, that is degenerated, from a laudable, to an infamous signification, and is become a Synonymon for Machiavelisme; This is the cause that Leagues, and Contracts, though confirmed with never so religious bonds, are rather snares, whereby one State seeketh to entrap another, than pledges of their mutual security. But the quintessence of all falsehood is the Popish Aequivocation, and Mental Reservation, than which the Devil never hatched a more pestilent fraud to bane Societies, and desame Christian Religion. The reason of all these obliquities, and aberrations from Truth is, for that every man squareth unto himself a measure of his own, but that measure of Sincerity which here God hath squared out, is every where neglected; The Papist he maketh the Catholic cause his measure, the Politician his Greatness, the Citizen his wealth, the jurour the preserving of his Customs, or pleasuring his friends; these and some such like to these cautions and conditions doth the world patch unto Truth, without which they will not entertain it. The way to reform all is to try our Sincerity by the rule here set down, by truth in the inward parts, first that Truth that is opposed unto Vanity, for hereby must we correct our inward affections, reduce them to the temper which God first gave them, and keep them within the bounds, which Gods Law doth set unto them; and when we have done this, then must we come on to the Truth that is opposed to Hypocris●y, let our conversation be the looking glass of our affections, and let not any thing appear in the Outward man, that is not in the inward; so shall we be sincere, we shall have truth in our inward parts. And let this suffice for the nature of Sincerity. Such Sincerity is of great regard, that appeareth first in the Affection wherewith it is entertained; The Affection is Desire, and Desire is a compound affection of Loving and wishing, for we cannot desire that which we do not love, and what we love, if we want it, for that we wish; so that Sincerity is a lovely thing; And indeed how can it choose but be lovely, that holdeth together all Societies, Domestical, Politic, Ecclesiastical? without which jealousies must needs arise, and so destruction follow, every man commits himself securely to him in whom he suspecteth no guile, as where he doth suspect it, he thinketh himself safest, when he hath least to do. Secondly, as it is lovely where it is: so where it is not, there it is longed for; for man being by nature sociable, cannot but wish for that quality in every man, without which there can be no society, therefore those whom otherwise we hate, because we cannot but have to do with them, we wish them all this Virtue, Truth in the inward parts; which should make all sorts of persons careful to nurture those that are committed to their charge, Parents their Children, Masters their Servants, Pastors their People, Magistrates their Subjects in this Virtue, and sharply to correct their proneness to the contrary, the World groaneth under the mischiefs of falsehood, yet (as if it yielded no mischief) every where may you find a School thereof: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, every such master breedeth such a scholar, as maketh him a proof, that he hath profited in his Art. But the Affection only doth not show the regard; it is improved much by the Person in whom this Affection is found: I shown you that Sincerity is lovely, and longed for, but it skilleth much who the Person is that loveth it, and longeth for it, for our nature is corrupt, and with our nature our affections, we mistake evil for good, and we misplace our affections often upon evil rather than good: It is not so with God; as he is, so he affecteth, he is most Holy; and such are his Desires also, what he loveth is lovely indeed, because he cannot love amiss; and what he longeth for, that we want, because if we did not want it, he could not long for it; And indeed he must needs love Sincerity, because it is the Image of himself, for he is Truth, and there is nothing counterfeit either in him, or from him, yea his Truth is the ground of all our Faith, our Hope, our Charity, were it not for that, these could have no ground; Faith could have no ground without his Truth in promising, Hope could have no ground without his Truth in performing, Charity could have no ground, without his Truth in loving. Therefore there is Truth in him, and who what is in Him, he loveth in others, for every thing delights in his like; when God had made all things, and beheld that they were good, he presently kept a Sabaoth, which importeth nothing else, but the sweet content that he took in the work of his own hands. If in all things, specially in those that did best resemble him, and he is resembled in nothing more than in divine virtue; so that Sincerity must needs be exceeding lovely in his Holy Eyes. As it is lovely, so it is longed for also when it is wanting in our nature. By the Fall amongst other endowments this was lost, Psal. 62. ●. The Sons of men are become vanity, the sons of noble men are but a lie; God then beholding them, must needs find wanting, what in the Creation he bestowed upon them; and what he findeth wanting, that he desireth may be recovered; Behold, how he showeth himself as a Father, that might deal with us as a judge; what he might exact, he desireth, and desireth as a Father the supply of that, the want whereof he might punish as a judge; he taketh more delight to see us recovered mercifully, then justly to perish in our sins. The words must not be understood exclusively; He desireth Truth in the inward parts, as if he desired it not also in the outward; The inward is his Peculiar, a closet whereinto none can enter but himself, and as his residence is specially there, so doth his eye principally look into that; we may not think that the Holiness that will content the Creature, will content the Creator also; when we go about to reform, we must go as deep as God's eye goeth; and not think that all is well until all is well there; But when we are provided for that, Mat. 5.29. we must Let our light shine also before men, the outward parts must have Truth in them also; God that is the Author of societies, love's the bands of them also, and by commanding the observation, and commending the observers, testifieth his good will towards them, to the confusion of all Equivocaters, that divorce the Inwards from the Outwards, and care not how much fraud they use outwardly, while they please themselves with a counterfeit truth inwardly; We must entertain both such a truth in the Inward parts, as manifesteth itself in the Outward, and giveth good content both to God, and Man. But mark, God that desireth Truth, in the inward parts, commendeth not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, he doth not bid us root out our Affections, but order them aright, he calls not for stupidity, but simplicity, he wills us to fly all serpentine wiles, but to entertain a singleness of mind, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Cyril. unleavened affections are much set by of God, and sincerity is a virtue that yields sweet savour unto him. Finally, our Repentance, our Confidence, must specially be seasoned with this virtue, for unto them is the Text specially applied. And let this suffice for the regard that is yielded to Sincerity. I come now to the means by which it may be had, and that is by divine instruction of our Heart. The Heart is here meant by the hidden part, which elsewhere is called the Hidden man of the Heart; why it is called Hidden in some sort, I told you before, as also why it is called a Part, and not Parts, the entrall is single, and it hath a covering, as it appeareth in the anatomising of our bodies. But by the entrall is meant the Understanding, the thoughts whereof are known only unto God; They that writ of the Temple of Solomon do many of them parallel it with our persons which are temples of the Holy Ghost, as that was partly uncovered, and partly covered; so have we an Outward, and an Inward man, and as that part of the Temple which was covered, was partly Sanctum, and partly Sanctum Sanctorum: so have we in our Inward man, a covert seat of our desires, which must be holy, (as you have hitherto heard) and a covert seat of the rule of our desires, which must be more holy, and that is our Heart, there doth God reside as in his most Holy place, and from thence by our conscience giveth order to the whole course of our life. This place or power must be furnished with Wisdom; The Apostle doth teach us to distinguish between the Wisdom of this world, and the Wisdom of God, whereof the former is seeming, the latter is Wisdom indeed; This Wisdom is nothing but that guiding knowledge wherewith the Conscience must be furnished; our desires have no reason of themselves, that which they have, they have by participation of the higher power, which is therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; because it is the guide of the inferior powers; now you know the virtue of a guide is Wisdom, take away Wisdom, he will be but a bad guide, a bad, did I say? nay, a blind guide, for Wisdom is his Eye, and you know what our Saviour Christ saith, Mat. 6.22. The light of the body is the Eye, if therefore thine Eye be single, the whole body shall be full of Light, if thine Eye be evil, the whole body shall be full of darkness. This Wisdom is nothing else but those good and sound Principles of Direction which should give order to our affections, which of them should stir, when, and how fare; did not Wisdom give this order, out of a true judgement passed upon the Object, Fear would stir, where Hope is called for, and we would joy where we should Grieve; but that each affection taketh his proper turn, and observeth its just measure we are beholding unto Wisdom. But whence is this Wisdom? job 38.36. job moved the question; who hath put Wisdom in the inward parts, or who hath given understanding to the heart? he answereth himself fully in the 28. Chapter, and the sum of his Answer is; that God is the giver thereof; The reason may be taken from the nature of Wisdom, which is answerable to the name thereof, C. 6. ●. 23. so saith the Son of Syrach, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Wisdom is as the name thereof importeth, and it is not revealed unto many; Fu●l● Mis●. l. 1. c. 5. Now it hath its name from Tzaphah, which signifieth to cover; And indeed, true Wisdom had a double Covering in the days of King David, a Covering of Ceremonies, that darkened the things, and a Covering of Infidelity, that made most men incapable of them, only God could remove these Cover, clear the Mysteries of Religion, and give men eyes for to discern them; not that God useth not the ministry of men, and by men informeth us of our duties; but they can go no farther than the Outward man, Ambros. Cathedram habet in Coelo qui docet corda, none but our Master which is in Heaven, can open our hearts, and work these good instructions into our consciences; This is the tenor of the Covenant of Grace, Behold, jer. 31.32. the Day is come (saith the Lord) that I shall make a new Covenant with the House of Israel, and with the House of juda, I will put my Laws into their inward parts, and in their Hearts will I write them; and so; saith Saint Paul, 2. Cor. 3.17. Ibid. v. 18 where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty, liberty from both the Cover, so that Men with open face behold the glory of the Lord. And indeed who should repair these gifts when they are forfeited, but he to whom they are forfeited? the Author of Nature, must be the Author of Grace; And he is so, abundantly in our Saviour Christ, for in Him are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hid, Colloss. 2.3. in making him known, he maketh true Wisdom to be known unto us. It is not in vain that David saith; Thou Shalt make me know wisdom; for though in God's acts the Holy Ghost doth indifferently use all times, past, present, and to come, because they are continual, yet it is not amiss to observe, that in this life we cannot have so much grace, but we still want more, therefore we should not rest in the first fruits of the Spirit, but be still hungering and thirsting after righteousness, Mat. 5. and forgetting those things which are behind, be still pressing forward in wisdom, that we may be forward in Sincerity. Mark that if you lay both these parts together, the means of getting Sincerity, to the regard that God yields to it, it followeth fairly, that whatsoever in us pleaseth God, is a gift that God bestoweth upon us; neither indeed can any thing that cometh not from him, be acceptable unto him; so that we may well pray with Saint Austin, Da Domive quodiubes, & iube quod vis, Let it be thy good pleasure, O Lord, by grace to enable me, and then be thy Commandment what it will, it shall most readily be observed by me. Secondly, Sincerity is not immediately from God, he worketh it by heavenly Wisdom, neither may we ever hope to be Sincere, except we first be wise; if the Heart be nor first qualified, the Reins will not be reform; The world hath yielded too many smatterers in either of these, but because they put asunder, what God conjoined, they have been good in neither; Our Ancestors that lived under Popery, were good meaning men (as they say of them) and the Church of Rome did cherish in them good intentions, but good indeed they could not be, because they were misguided; We are very inquisitive after our Guide, and (God be thanked) we have a good one, and happily we confer often with him about a good course, but here is our fault, we do but confer with him, commit ourselves to his guidance we do not, we entertain not wisdom into the inward part, therefore have our inward parts little truth; we are as foolishly wise, as our Ancestors were falsely sincere; It were to be wished, that we would join both as King David doth, to be wise in the Hidden part, that so our inward parts may be true; especially when we make our Atonement with God, and humble ourselves before him, if ever, then beg wisdom, the wisdom of the heart, which may wholly order our affections, that our Repentance, and our Confidence may both testify, that there is Truth in the inward parts. The last thing that I observed, is, that this Sincerity is remarkable, we are taught it in the first word, Behold; which word noteth both Veritatem Divinam, and Vtilitatem nostram, the undoubtednesse of these rules, and the use which we must make of them; Ecce hoc patens est, (saith Ruffinus) this is as clear as the noon, none but those that are blind can deny, that God loveth Sincerity, and that he giveth that wisdom from whence sincerity streams; And as no man can doubt it: so every man must make use of it, every man must desire this sincerity that so he may be acceptable to God, & every man must desire to be furnished with wisdom from Heaven, that he may be furnished with Sincerity; We are by nature full of vanity and hypocrisy; our corruption was displayed in the verse that goeth before, but Contraria contrarijs illustrantur, we cannot so well conceive how bad we are, as if we clearly see how good we should be; when we observe that God requireth Truth in our inward parts, then may we perceive how miserable we are in being conceived and borne in Sin; so the Ecce here giveth light to the Ecce that goeth before. As this giveth light to that, so that must be a whetstone to make us to affect this. And seeing God taketh all excuse from us, by making us to know wisdom, we must receive wisdom into its proper seat, that from thence, it may produce this acceptable work; We must with David be able to say Ecce, Behold, thou hast made me to know wisdom in my hidden part, that we may also say, Ecce, Behold, O Lord, that Truth which thou desirest in my inward parts. I conclude all; Behold here the Dove and the Serpent which Christ commends for patterns to his Disciples, we must have the simplicity of the Dove, and the wisdom of the Serpent; He that can mix the wisdom of the Serpent, with the simplicity of the Dove, shall neither be sottishly sincere, nor deceitfulluy wise. GOD, that searcheth the Hearts, and Reins, so qualify both, by his grace, that being guided by him, we may be accepted of him, accepted for wise sincerity, and sincere Wisdom, in the whole course of our life; but specially when we turn to Him, and turn from sin, with unfeigned Repentance, and assured Confidence. AMEN. PSAL. 51. VERS. 7. Purge me with Hyssop, and I shall be clean: Washmee, and I shall be whiter than snow. KIng David desirous to be restored unto the state of Grace, doth first lay open his own wickedness sincerely, and then doth he sincerely lay hold upon God's goodness. Of the former you have hitherto heard, and are to hear of the latter hereafter; In opening whereof, you are to observe, how aptly the Remedy doth answer the Disease; In the Disease we found a double wickedness, one which King David committed himself, another which he inherited from his Parents; The Remedy cures both: it cureth the wickedness which King David committed, the Malignity, the Impiety thereof, the Impiety by Expiation in this seventh Verse, the Malignity by Consolation in the eight. As it cureth the wickedness which himself committed, so doth it that which he inherited from his Parents, that was a native Evil, and the Remedy doth cure it, as it is an evil, in the ninth verse, by forgiving, and as that evil cometh by nature, the Remedy cureth it by Regeneration, as we shall learn verse the tenth. At this time I shall handle only the first branch of the Cure, the cure of the Impiety of that sin which King David himself contracted; This I told you was done, by Expiation, or Purification; for the better understanding whereof, we must guide ourselves, by a good rule of Saint Ambrose, Benè Veteris Testamenti Sacramenta non evacuat, et Mysteria Euangelica praeferenda docet; These words are typical, therefore they have a compound sense; a Ceremonial, and a Moral, David acknowledgeth both true; but withal teacheth, in which standeth the greatest comfort; The Ceremonial was not to be omitted, because of God's Ordinance, but the Moral was principally to be intended, because that contained the Body, whereof the other was but a shadow; Which must the rather be noted, because the Holy Ghost doth often times tax the jews for either wholly divorcing the Morals from the ceremonials, or for that they were at least, preposterously zealous, preferring the Ceremonials, before the Morals; but our rule must be to observe whatsoever God commands, but so, that we value every thing according to the rate which God sets upon it; we are freed from the Ceremonial Law of Moses, yet are we not left altogether without Ceremonies, for we have Sacraments, in participating whereof, we must observe Saint Ambrose his rule; We must not neglect the visible Signs, wherewith God sustains our Faith, yet must we pierce farther into the invisible grace, and that must be the principal comfort of our Souls; So likewise in prayer, we must fall low with our bodies, but much lower with our Hearts, lift up our eyes, but soar higher with our Affections; in a word, Hoc oportet facere, illud non omittere; neglect not Ceremonies, but intent Moralities chief in all the service of God. But whereas I told you, that the sense of these words is double, Ceremonial and Moral, before I can inform you in the Moral, I must first resolve you, what is the Ceremonial sense; And here we find not all agreed, some find the Ceremony in the book of Exodus, some in Leviticus, C. 12.22. some in Numbers; In Exodus we read that the Children of Israel were commanded to sprinkle their dore-posts with the blood of the Paschall Lamb, that so when the punishing Angel came to destroy the first borne of Egypt, he might pass by them. Chrysostome apprehends that King David in these words prayeth against God's wrath, and desireth by such a sprinkling to be sheltered from that: And indeed, though God forgave David's sin, yet did he by Nathan foretell That the sword should never departed from his House, 2. Sam. 12.10. therefore well might he deprecate plagues; But though we find mention of Hyssop in that Law, yet none of sprinkling the person, but the dore-postes, nor finally any mention of purifying, but of preserving. Therefore other of the Fathers find this Ceremony in Leviticus, 14.4. in the Law of cleansing the Leper; And surely the words of my Text, speaking rather the malo culpae, then poenae, (as appeareth by those Phrases, I shall be clean, I shall be whiter than snow) may have good cognation with that Ceremony; the rather because the Fathers not unfitly make Leprosy a lively representation of the nature of sin▪ But in that Ceremony though Hyssop were used for cleansing of the Leper, yet the cleansing of the Leper there, was declaratory rather than operatory, whereupon S. Hierome doth parallel it with the absolution of the Priest, who doth not remit sin, but declare that it is remitted of God; As the Priest (saith he) did not make the Leper clean, but upon examination, pronounce him to be clean. But my Text speaketh not of a declaratory only, but an operatory Purification, Ci●●l. 〈◊〉. wherefore we must seek farther into the book of Numbers, in the 19 thereof we shall finde a Ceremony that exactly sitteth my Text, sitteth it in the phrase, (as they that are skilled in the Original do know) and sitteth it in the matter, as you may perceive, if you read the Chapter,; there God commandeth the burning of a red Cow, slain by the Priest, V●●. 6. with which was to be burnt Scarlet, Cedar wood, and Hyssop, and of the ashes which came hereof, and running water was to be made a holy water, wherewith he was to be purified that touched the dead, V●● 18. a clean person taking Hyssop, & dipping it in the water, and sprinkling it upon the unclean; C. 9.13. Saint Paul to the Hebrews, moralising that Ceremony speaketh thus; if the blood of bulls, and goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the , sanctified to the purifying of the flesh; how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the Eternal Spirit, offered himself without spot to God, purge your Consciences from dead works, to serve the living God? Out of which words we may learn to give a true Commentary unto this Text, and observe a good correspondency, between the Ceremonial, and the Moral part thereof. Which that we may the better do, observe that the whole Text is a Petition, wherein we must observe, first severally, what King David beggeth, and of whom; then jointly, how confident he is of the success of his Petition which he maketh to that person. That which he beggeth, is Purge, Wash; the person to whom he directeth this Petition is God, for to him he prayeth, but he would have him do this through Christ, for Christ is meant by Hyssop. If God grant this request, (as he doubteth not but that he will grant it, for it is Prophetica or atio, he prophesieth in praying) he then undoubtedly assures himself of a double effect, that shall be wrought upon him; Innocence, I shall be clean, and Beauty, incomparable Beauty; I shall be whiter than Snow. Let us look into these particulars, and carry along the Ceremonial with the Moral. First then see what he beggeth, purge, wash, but these words presuppose some thing that is not here expressed, and that is from what he would be purged, and cleansed; Read the 19 of Numbers, there you shall see the Ceremony; it was from the impurity that was contracted from touching the dead, and this impurity did exclude them from access unto the Tabernacle; Saint Paul Heb. 9 teacheth us the Moral of this Ceremony, Vers. 14. and that the touching of the dead did figure our intermeddling with dead works, that is sins; for they that are infected with them, are said Ephesians 2.5. to be dead in them; and our Saviour meaneth as much by the Proverb, Let the dead bury their dead. Mat. 8.22. And indeed Sins are fitly termed dead works, I●b. 1. for they had their original from him that hath the power of death, that is the Devil, Heb. 2.14. and they are in us the sting of death, so venoming our understanding, 1. Cor. 15.16. and our will that they bereave us of the Life of God, to whom we live only by the true knowing of him, and loving him as we ought; finally, Rom. 9.23. the wages of Sin is death, and death in sin bringeth upon us death for sin, the spiritual death in this world, an everlasting, in the world to come. As he that hath to do with sin, hath to do with Death: so he that hath the contagion of Death cleaving to him is unfit for the House of the living God, for that is the House of the living; for God by Covenant, is not the God of the Dead, but of the Living; Mat. 22.32. they that are planted in the House of the Lord (saith the Psalmist) shall flourish in the courts of our God; Mark then, in what case a sinner is, Psal. 92.13. job. 2.4. in the state of Death, secluded from the Living: Skin for skin, and all that ever a man hath, he will give for his Life, though it be but his natural Life, which is temporal; how much more would be give for his better Life, if he knew it, I mean his spiritual Life, which is Eternal? If it be a thing to hold our soul in our body, how much more is it, to enjoy God in our soul? Especially seeing the soul may be in the body, and afflict it with hearts grief; but no soul enjoyeth God, that is not filled with unspeakable joy. But Life is not the uttermost of our desire, we are by nature sociable, and solitariness is a kind of Death; it is so, if we be only excluded from the society of men, Psal. 42. & Psal. ●4. how much more if we be debarred the Communion of Saints? King David's Psalms show how passionate he was, when he was debarred the visible Communion by banishment, how much more passionate think you was he when he apprehended his exclusion from the invisible, through the deadliness of his sin; These things out of the Moralised Ceremonies must we set before us, as the Motives unto this Petition; Purge me, wash me, me, that have lost the comfortable presence of my God, the life of my soul, and have contracted the contagion of Death by my sin, and for this contagion, am unworthy to have access unto thy House in the company of thy Saints; the love of that life maketh me abhor the state of this Death, the desire that I have to that society, maketh this spiritual excommunication tedious unto me, and give me no rest, break my silence, make me importune thee O God, with Purge me, Wash me, expiate this impurity that hath so woefully distressed me. These two words, Purge and Wash, look to two parts of the Ceremony; Vos. 18.19. In the aforenamed 19 of Numbers you shall finde, that he that had touched the dead, was first sprinkled with the holy water, and then was to have his whole body bathed incleane water. These two acts Ceremonial, look to the two parts of spiritual Purification; In Sin there are two things, the Gild, and the Corruption, the taking away of the Gild, was signified by the aspersion or sprinkling of holy water, and the Corruption by washing in clean water. God that hath given his Law for us to obey, hath added a Sanction unto it, to hold us in, that we should not dare to transgress for fear of wrath, and ordained that a deformity should accompany sin, and make it more odious unto us, out of the love that we bear to ourselves; When we enter into consideration of our sin, the first thing that we should apprehend is the Gild, the danger that we stand in to God ward, we should set him before us as a severe judge, armed with vengeance, ready to lay on us deadly strokes; this should make us break into the first Petition; Purge me, O Lord, free me from Gild, let me stand on good terms with my God. But when we have made our peace with him, and all is safe from without; self-love, religious self-love must make us look home, survey ourselves, fix our eyes upon our souls, and take care to remedy the blemishes thereof; Deformity in our outward man we cannot endure, I would we could endure it as little in our inward; we desire the exactest proportion, the fairest complexion, and where Nature faileth, we help it by Art, and think no pains too great, no cost too dear, that is bestowed that way; Our better part deserveth the greater regard, by how much we should desire more to recommend ourselves to the eyes of God and Angels, then to the eyes of mortal men; yea, to the eyes of our own souls, rather than to the eyes of our bodies, for that these are truer judges, and judges of the best things; Certainly King David thought so, who knowing that sin carrieth with it not only a guilt, but a stain also, prayed no less Wash me, then Purge me, free me, O God, both from stain and guilt. But the Consequence must not be forgotten, the stain and the guilt themselves desire this favour, were there no evil beyond them, how much more, when (as I shown you in the Ceremony) they are necessarily accompanied with an Excommunication; so that purge me and wash me, must imply a desire of restitution also, a restitution into the Church, and into the Communion of Saints; a blessing that followed upon King David's person, being purified from his guilt and stain; and King David must be thought to have (correspondently to the Law) aimed at that blessing. And let this suffice touching that for which King David prayeth. I come now to consider the Person of whom he beggeth it in his Prayer. The Person is God, for it is to him to whom he directs the whole Psalm; And indeed none but God can do this that he prayeth for, for who can free from guilt, but he to whom a sinner stands obliged by his guilt? he that set the Sanction to the Law, must quit us from the danger that is due from that Sanction; and who is that but God? And as God only can purge the guilt, so he only can wash away the stain; he only that made us, can new make us, and he reformeth man to his Image, that first made him after his Image; This is the work only of God. But see; here is a limitation of God's power, he would have God to purge him, but do it with Hyssop; as if without Hyssop he could not do it, shall I say? God forbidden; he can do more than we can conceive; they are too presumptuous that set such bounds unto God, Faustus Socin. that is a most absolute Lord; no doubt he might have saved us otherwise then he did; This we may boldly say, he would not do it without Hyssop, and his will is that which doth menage his power, what he hath freely decreed, out of his good will; that he bringeth to pass, by his unresistable power; He spoke the word, and made us, but he was pleased that the redeeming of us should cost him more pains, he would use the help of Hyssop. Hyssop is literally understood in the Ceremony, so we find it in that often cited 19 of Numbers, but spiritually by Hyssop the Fathers understand Christ, and make a correspondency between him and that herb, in two respects, in regard of the smallness of the herb, and in regard of the virtue thereof, the smallness representing Christ's Humility, that vouchsafed to take upon him the form of a servant, the virtue noting Christ's efficacy; for as that Herb worketh upon our Inwards, De doctr. Chris● lib. 2. c. 16. so (saith Saint Austin) doth Christ work upon the Inward man. Hyssop worketh principally upon the lungs (say the Fathers) which are the bellowes of our body, and are an excellent Emblem of Pride; and it was Pride whereby we lifted ourselves up against God, that Christ came to cure with his Humility, when he stooped unto the ignominious death of the Cross. But it was not Hyssop alone wherewith he desired to be purged, but Hyssop dipped in the holy water, and this doth intimate yet more fully, that the expiation was to be made by Christ; for (to say nothing that the red Cow slain, whose blood was sprinkled directly before the Tabernacle, was as all other sacrifices a Type of Christ) those things that are principally to be marked in Christ, were most liucly represented in the things that were burnt with the Cow; For there were to be cast in, Cedar wood, Hyssop, and Scarlet; The Cedar is the highest of all trees, and well representeth the Deity of Christ; 〈◊〉. 4.33. Hyssop in the History of Solomon's knowledge in natural things, is opposed unto the Cedar, as the lowest of plants, and may well note Christ's Manhood; the Scarlet is an excellent representation of his bloody death, according to that in the Prophet Esay, 〈◊〉. 63.1, 2. who is this that cometh from Edom, with died garments from Bozra? wherefore art thou red in thy apparel? etc. And indeed Christ's blood is the Bath of purification, it cleanseth from all our sins; if we have our hearts sprinkled therewith, we shall be free from evil consciences, Heb. 10.22 9, 14 Zach. 13.1. our consciences shall be freed from dead works to serve the living God. Finally, his Spirit is that fountain that is opened unto the house of Israel, E●ek. 36.25. and the clean waters that in Ezekiel God promised to pour upon his Church; without Christ, the virtue of his death, and work of his Spirit, God purifieth no man. The Heathen had their Aquam lustralem, their holy water, and so hath the Church of Rome also, but the Heathen holy water had no respect unto Christ's blood, the Romish would seem to have, but sanctifying Ceremonies without Gods warrant are fruitless; not only so, but spiritual usurpations; If we expect purification from sin, we must tie ourselves unto Christ's death, and not look to partake the benefit of it, but by such means as are ordained of God, Mat. 15 9 for the Spirit breatheth where it will, not where we will; so that in vain shall we serve God, if therein we follow no better guide then the commandments of men. And let this suffice touching the Person to whom King David directs his Prayer. Having thus severally considered, What King Danid begs, and Of whom; by joining the points together, we must see with what confidence he expects the success of his Prayer. The first point of confidence is employed in the words purge, wash, for the Original hath it, thou shalt purge, thou shalt wash. And indeed such future tenses are Prophetical wishes; and why? Faith in prayer hath an eye to God's promise, and therefore a hope of his performance, 2 ●●moth. 2.12. and why? God cannot deny himself; he ever will be as good as his word; Numbers 19, he commands the carnal purifying, and promiseth the success; and shall he deny success unto the spiritual, if we observe it? Certainly he will not. A second branch of Confidence appeareth in the resolute affirmations, I shall be clean, I shall be whiter than snow, which import, that as God will be constant in keeping his word, so he will be powerful in accomplishing the deed; no doubt of the Effect when he is pleased to be the Efficient; 〈◊〉. 19 Vos. 1●. A clean person (saith the Ceremony) shall purge him that is unclean, and he shall be purified; And who so clean as God? in comparison of whom, the best of his creatures are unclean? If the carnal purification may be expected from a mortal man, how much more may we expect the spiritual, from our immortal God? But mark; here is not only expected a freedom from sin, but also a furniture of grace, not only innocency spiritual, but Beauty also; so saith David, I shall be clean, that is innocent, yea, I shall be white, that is, beautiful; Parum est mundari a sordibus peccatorum, Ruffin. in hu● locum. nisi contingat decorari candore virtutum, it is a cold comfort to be freed from impurity, except we be beautified with sanctity; But where sin abounded, Rom. ●. 20. grace abounded much more; sin stripped us of our original Righteousness, and wounded us in our natural power, and grace doth not only heal us again, but restore us also to whatsoever we lost. The same God that in the Law commanded, that when a captive Israelite was set free he should not go away empty, Detr. 15.13, ● but be furnished liberally with whatsoever God had blest his Master, is not fast handed towards us, when he freeth us from the death of sin, but adorns us as beseems the spouse of Christ. White is the colour of Saints, Mark. 9.3. it appears in the Transfiguration of Christ, and in the apparitions of Angels in the Revelation of Saint john more than once, as likewise in Daniel; so that that phrase implieth that the effect of Christ's purifying is not only Grace, but Glory also, yea unspeakable Glory, so the comparison will have us understand it, when David saith that he shall be whiter than s●ow. It was a gracious promise that was made, Psal. 68 though ye have hen amongst the pots, Vers. 13. yet shall ye be as the wings of a Dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold; yea when the Almighty scattered Kings for his Church she was as white as snow in Salmon; here David goeth a step farther, Vers. 14. whiter than snow; And indeed well may we resemble spiritual things by corporal, and eternal by temporal, for that the one doth somewhat resemble the other, but equal them we cannot, we may not, by reason of the many degrees whereby the corporal is exceeded by the spiritual, and the temporal by the eternal. I conclude; Who can say I have made my heart clean? I am free from sin? Prou. 20. Lib. 1. c. 5. No man; for Habet cor uniuscuiusque (saith S. Austin in his Confessions) quod offendat oculos Dominisscio & fateor; there is not the best of us that hath not touched the dead, that is not infected with dead works, it beseemeth the best of us to say with S. Austin, scio, fateor, I know, I acknowledge it, but we must go on with S. Austin, quis mundabit? who shall make me clean? and resolve with him, cui alteri praeter te Domine clamabo? ab occultis munda me Domine, Psal. 19 12. O Lord I have none to whom I may hopefully call but to thee, Lord cleanse me from my secret faults, or in the words of my Text, Purge me with Hyssop, and I shall be clean, wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. AMEN. GOd grant we may all so wash our garments white in the blood of the Lamb, during these days of Grace, that we may hereafter walk with him in white robes, when we shall be received into the state of Glory. AMEN. PSAL. 51. VERS. 8. Make me to hear joy and Gladness, that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. IN the desire, which King David expresseth of being restored to the state of Grace, I have told you more than once, that he layeth open his own wickedness, and layeth hold upon God's goodness. Having at several times sufficiently shown you, how he performed the former, I began the last time to open the later unto you. The first thing, that I then observed, was, that the Medicine doth point for point answer the Disease: the disease was of double wickedness, one King Divid committed himself, another he inherited from his Parents. I shown you, that here was a cure of both. In the sin, which himself committed, we found Malignity and Impiety, it vexed King David, and offended God, each of these hath his proper cure: the sin, as offensive unto God, is cured by Expiation, of that you heard the last time, as it is afflictive of King David's person, it is cured by Consolation, and of that you must hear at this time. But before we enter upon the Text, mark the method of the Holy Ghost, consider how the Cures are digested: the Expiation of sin, must go before the Consolation of a Sinner; and why? Sin had never been afflictive, if it had not been offensive, we then began to be in distress with the guilt of conscience, when we displeased God by breaking his Law; therefore if we be not first at one with God, we must never look to be at one with ourselves: ●om. 5.1. Cap. 14.17. learn it of Saint Paul, Being justified by faith, we have peace with God, and else where more fully, The Kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost, it beginneth at Righteousness, which is all one with the Expiation of sin, then upon Righteousness followeth Peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost: And what are these, but that Consolation whereof I shall now entreat? Only I give you this note by the way, that when so ever you shall need the like cure, you neglect not this sacred order; that you tender not your own case, before you have atained God's favour; such preposterousness will cause, that your spiritual physic will never sort a wished effect. But let us come to the Text. I told you, it containeth a cure of the Malignity of sin; Of the Malignity of sin we have here set down the Power and the Author; the power, it breaketh a sinner's bones, the author of this power is God, so saith the Text, The bones which thou host broken, the cure is restorative Comfort; comfort noted by two words, joy and Gladness, that is, Internal and Externall comfort, and such comfort is restorative, for it will make even broken bones for to rejoice. But whence cometh this comfort? And what hope is there of it? surely it cometh from God, David beggeth it of him, make me to hear of joy and Gladness, mark, every word is significant; the means by which we receive it, is the Ear, but God conveyeth it by the Ear, yea the capacity of our hearing is the gift of God; all these three things are contained in these words, Make me to hear. As God is the giver of it, so there is no doubt, but he will bestow it, the phrase imports as much, and so doth the contexture, for though in my Text it be read as a petition, Make me to hear, yet in the original, which our vulgar reading Psalms do follow, it is a plain assertion, Thou shalt make me to hear; Add hereunto the contexture, the inference of the cure upon the application of the remedy, Make me to hear of joy and Gladness, what will follow? The bones which thou hast broken shall rejoice. You hear whereof I must speak, I pray God, that I may so speak, that you may hear, and learn the means of true consolation in the distresses of your souls. The first thing then to be observed, is the power of the Disease, the Malignity of sin, and that is the breaking of a sinners bones: the Bones are but a part of the body, but they are used here to note the whole, and well they may in this case; for if they fail, the rest cannot continue: the bones are the pillars (as it were) and foundation of the other parts, the Ligaments are fastened to them, the Muscles, the Entrails, the Skin, all are borne up by them. Add hereunto that they being of the strongest substance, that which can crush them, cannot be resisted by any other part: well than may the bones signify the whole body, and the breaking of the bones, the consumption of the whole. But what? The wound is in the soul, how cometh the disease then to be in the body? surely there is evident reason for it: the body of itself is but a lump of earth, the life and vigour, that it hath, it receiveth from the soul, and according to the influence of the soul is the health and strength that appeareth in the body: Take a similitude from the Sun, and the Earth; the earth a huge globe, made to be the nursery of variety of Plants, Beasts, Birds, while the Sun shineth comfortably upon it, how cheerfully do all things look? how well do they prove, and prosper? but remove the Sun from it, as in Winter, or Eclipse the beams thereof, how squalid is the face of the earth? how do all things even languish as it were and die? Even so fareth it between our souls and our bodies: our bodies are in good liking, they are Summer-like, if they be cherished by our Souls, but if our Souls neglect them, than they grow Winter-like and droop. And how can they but neglect them, when the distresses of a guilty Conscience have seized upon the root of life, that is the Heart? If that once be cast into a spiritual melancholy, it groweth senseless, and careless of all other employment, and if the soul whither at the root, how should the branches flourish? how should any faculty perform its proper work, when the Heart, that is the common director & strengthner of the rest, giveth over her work? They that have seen any conflicting with this passion, might easily observe, how neither food, nor friends, nor family, nor children, nor any thing that either nature or reason doth endear, are any thing regarded by them; but feeding upon that pining humour, they seem to take no content, but in their disconrent, and spend all their thoughts in complaining of this fretting, and consuming humour. Read King David's Penitentials, if any where, you shall there see the Picture of such a languishing person, especially in the 38. Psalm, where expressing his disease Sin, in the fourth Verse he amplysieth the power thereof working upon his body, There is no soundness in my flesh, there is no rest in my bones, my wounds stink and are corrupt, I am weary, I am bowed down greatly, etc. you may read the rest at your leisure, 〈◊〉 18.14. and it is worth you reading, that you may clearly see the truth of that saying of Solomon, A wounded spirit who can bear? What body can choose but languish that is possessed by a languishing Soul? A man cannot be so wounded in the Inward man, but you may read it plainly in the Outward. The Fathers do Allegorise the Phrase, and by the Bones understand Virtues: Virtues that are to the Soul, as Bones to the body; for a man as he is a reasonable creature doth subsist in them, even as the body is borne up by the bones, as it is a living creature: the Cardinal virtues, the Theological, are our supporters, those as we are men, these as we are Christian men. The conscience of Sin shivers these figurative Bones also: for look upon a man distressed by a guilty conscience, what Prudence in him, that can give no good counsel to himself? And as for justice, he cannot have that, for he is unsociable: his Temperance is to starve himself, and his Fortitude to sink under his grief: there is not a Cardinal virtue, that hath place in him, as a Man: and as a Christian man Theological virtues have as little place, he maketh no use of his Faith to sustain himself with the promises of God? his Hope is heartless, for he forecasts only fearful things, and little sense hath he either of God's love to him, or his love to God. Not one of these Bones continueth sound, all of them sink, and are crushed under the burden of sin. A pitiful case, and yet such is the case of every one that secleth the worm of Conscience, of every one that is stricken with the sting of that Serpent. But whence hath sin this power? who giveth this wounding strength to sin? Surely God, the Text saith so, Tufregisti, thou hast broken my bones, Vose 2. and so in the 38. Psalm, Thy arrows stick fast in me, thy hand presseth me sore. It is true that God useth means, our Conscience within us, and Satan without us, to afflict us for sin; but both work upon his command, and according to the measure, which he prescribes: touching Conscience, 〈◊〉. ●. Saint Augustine's Rule is very true, jussisti Domine & factum est, ut omnis anima inordinata sibi ipsi esset paena, God to hold us in from sin, hath placed in us a Conscience, whose office amongst other things is this, to torture us for sin; and as for Satan we see in job, that he is but God's Executioner, and stirreth not, but when, and as fare as he hath leave, leave given unto him of God: but whether it be Conscience, or Satan, that which they harrow us with, is the arraigning of us before God's Tribunal, setting him forth in the dreadful Majesty of a judge, and amplifying our vileness, that cannot deny the Indictment, that is brought against us: These be the Engines wherewith they set upon us, this is the painful rack, wherewith they torture us. And no wonder if such a spectacle distress them, who are guilty of some enormous sin, that hath distressed the most Religious servants of God. Cap. 6. v. 1. & ●. Esay saw God sitting upon his Throne of judgement high and lifted up, his train filled the Temple, etc. Then said he, Woe is me for I am undone, because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips, for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of Hosts. Habakkuk had the like vision, and what saith he? When I heard, Cap. 3.16. my belly trembled, my lips quincred at the voice, rottenness entered into my bones. Cap. 10. Daniel that is called Vir desideriorum, when a Vision was presented unto him, being in the company of others, observeth, that a great quaking fell upon them, and they fled to hide themselves; as for himself he saith, that his comeliness was turned in him into corruption, and that he had no strength in himself. Moses that had his prerogative to talk with God face to face, yet when God appeared in his Majesty to deliver the Law, when he beheld the flaming fire, heard the sound of the Trumpet, and felt the Earth trembling under him, Saint Paul hath observed, Heb. 12. That he said, I exceedingly fear and quake: But what do I instance in these? Our Saviour Christ who knew no sin, but yet put on such affections as belong to a sinner, when our sin was imputed unto him, presenting himself in the Garden before God, and apprehending his Majesty armed with vengeance to repay the sins of the world, how was he afflicted? into what an Agony was he cast? The Gospel doth tell us, that he sweat great drops of blood: If the Prophets, if Moses which were not privy to themselves of any enormous sin, if Christ himself that was free from all sin, was so affected and distressed at the sight of God's judgements, if their Bones were so broken, how shall they be ground into powder that come before him laden with enormous, with crying sins? 1. Pet. 4.18. If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the and sinner appear? Surely, when God with rebukes doth correct such men for their iniquity, he shall make their beauty to consume away like a Moth, Psal. 39.11. Psal. 90.6. Psal. 68.2. they shall be like the withered grass, when he consumes them in his anger. As smoke is driven away before the Wind, and as Wax melteth before the fire, so shall the wicked perish at the presence of the Lord. And thus much of the punishing power of sin, what it is & whence: wherein you may behold two things most lively set forth before us, the true nature of grief, and the cause that it hath such a nature. The Philosophers teach, that Dolour is solutio continui, the renting in sunder of that whose content stands in union: and the breaking of bones what is it but a rent? the soul denyeth succour to the body, the parts of the body each denieth his service to the other, yea the powers of the soul grow strangers between themselves, and virtue itself is bereft of virtue; he cannot want woe thathath such a distraction in his little commonweal. Grief there is then, Aug. de verâ Relig. and that hath a cause, Saint Austin shall tell you, what it is, fluendo deserit amatorem suum corpus, quia ille hoc amando deseruit Deum, your bones are broken and you are pained therewith, will you know why? the body breaketh with the soul, because the soul first broke with God, if your soul do rend itself from God by sin, it shall find little rest in that house of clay whereon it doteth, this will make haste to return to dust, when our better part giveth itself over unto vanity. And let this suffice touching the disease. Let us now come on unto the Cure. That is expressed in two words, joy and Gladness: although the words may note one & the selfsame thing, yet may we not unsitly distinguish the Remedy, as we did the Disease: the broken bones were understood Properly and Figuratively: Properly for the languishing of the body, Figuratively for the languishing of the soul, this being the cause, whereof that is the Effect: or that being (as it were) the redundancy of this. Seeing then the Medicine must be of the same extent with the disease, we must find in it a Comfort for the Soul, and a Comfort for the Body: the Comfort of the soul noted by joy, and the Comfort of the body noted by Gladness, so that the whole Comfort must make up jubilum, which (as Gregory the great noteth in his Morals) is such a cheerfulness, as taking root in the soul, doth manifest itself in the body, and the light of the Countenance doth argue the peace that is in the Conscience. But Saint Austin upon the Gospel of Saint john, hath taught us to distinguish of joy, there is Gandium veritatis, and vanitatis, a true and a false joy: joy of itself is nothing else but the Content that every part of our body, and power of our soul taketh in the object, that was made for to please it: as the Eye hath joy in colours, the Ear in sounds, the Palate in meats, etc. if these be proportioned to the temper of the sense; so fareth it with the powers of our soul, but sin hath distempered us within, and without, and we can relish no better, than we can discern: we do as ill relish true joy and Sorrow; as we do distinguish Good and Evil: therefore that we mistake not our Cure, we must take heed, that we do not mistake joy and Gladness, Gaudium vanitatis, for Gaudium veritatis false for true joy: that you may distinguish the one from the other, I will show you three marks, whereby they may be discerned: true joy is first, purum, it is affected with nothing but that which is good, that which is evil should properly be the object of sorrow, therefore all that delight in drunkenness, adultery, blasphemy, or any other sin, though they seem to have joy, yet indeed it is no true joy, for it is, 〈◊〉 7.6. Chap. 20.12, 13, 14. ●●ke 6.25. but as the Crackling of thorns, as Solomon speaketh, or as job, like poison, sweet in the mouth, that killeth so soon as ever it cometh into the maw, of such Christ saith in the Gospel, Woe be to you that rejoice for you shall weep. The second mark of true joy is, that it is Solidum, it spendeth not itself upon toys, but upon that which is of worth: We observe it as a difference between children and those that are of riper ears, that children value things as they affect, those that are of riper discretion value them as they are: a child will prefer an apple before a jewel, and we sinile at it; but how many of us do more glory in fantastical fashions, than we do in the greatest virtues? but we shall be driven in the end to write upon them Vanity of vanity, all is but vanity; yea, those toys will help to break our bones, for they will prove vexation of spirit: and why? they want the second property of joy, there is no solidness in them. The third property of true joy is, that it is perpetuum, it resteth not upon that which is transitory, which may be taken from us, or we from it; that is a deceitful joy, the rich man was told so, Luk. 12.19. who said unto his soul, Soul be merry, eat and drink, thou hast goods for many years, but he heard, Thou fool, this night shall they take thy soul from thee, and then whose shall these things be? Luke 12.33. wherefore we must provide ourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in Heaven that fadeth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth, where such treasures are, there let our hearts be also. But all this while I have but distinguished true joy from false, I have not showed you what this medicinal joy is; Lib. 1. Cons. Est gaudium (saith Saint Austin) quod non datur impijs, sed ijs qui te gratis colunt; there is a joy whereof the wicked never partake, it belongeth only to them, that are thy faithful servants, and what is that? horum gaudium tu ipse es, they have no joy but thee, and they think their lives most blessed, when they joy in thee and for thee. But how can a man, that is a sinful man come to have God for his joy? surely in Christ, and by Christ, so saith the Angel to the Shepherds, Luke 2.10, 11. Behold, I bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be unto all people, for unto you is borne a Saviour, which is the Lord Christ. In the Prophet Esay, Cap. 61.1, 2, 3. Christ speaketh thus, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek, he hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, to give unto them that mourn in Zion, beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, etc. Cap. 9.3. And elsewhere speaking of Christ's birth, They shall joy before thee, according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil. And indeed, he that knoweth the case of one hunger-starved, and bound in fetters like a slave, cannot deny but the news of liberty, the news of plenty must needs be good news, joyful news unto him: and such is the news of Salvation by Christ; when we hear, Son be of good cheer, Mat. 9.2. thy sins are forgiven thee, when Christ's spirit beareth witness to our spirit, that we are the children of God, we must needs embrace these blessings with exceeding joy: as in Samaria there was great joy, so will there be in any City where this Salvation cometh to sinful men. You have heard what is the Disease, and what is the Cure, you must hear whence it cometh, not from Earth but from Heaven. It is usual with too many, when the worm of Conscience biteth them, and they smart from that invisible sting, to sort themselves with jovial company, by them to drive away melancholy, and to charm this Serpent with variety of sensual delights; but little do they think, that these are Medici nihili, Chap. 13.4. Physicians of no worth (as job speaketh) and that when they return to themselves again, and look again into themselves, they shall find that the worm hath crept in farther, and biteth more smartly, the sting gets faster hold, and paineth more grievously: and no marvel; for may a man expect to be cured by that which caused his disease? or shall he not rather be the worse, the more he applieth that Physic? Esay 45.7. Deut. 32.39. there is none but God that can create Light and darkness, Good and Evil, that can wound and heal, kill and make alive again: therefore if in so desperate a case we desire to have recovery, we must repair to him, and none but he must be our Physician. He cureth, but how? Per auditum, by the Eare. We have two Rational Senses, and contentions have been made about their precedency, the books that are given us to study, will easily resolve the doubt, they are Gods works, and his words: if the sight of his works might have recovered us, we should not have needed the Preaching of his word, but the infirmity of the former is argued by the supply of the later: and whatsoever Philosophy thinks, Divinity must hold that we are beholding much more to our Ear, then to our Eye for Saving wisdom: when I name the Ear, I mean the bodily: the Enthusiasts have an Ear, but it is only for God's spirit; but we must have an Ear for God's ministers; for ordinarily God dispenseth not the Comforter, but by their ministry. Fead job. 33. And this is the highest commendation of sacred Orders, and that which must work the greatest reverence of the people towards them, for that God conveyeth heavenly treasure by these earthen vessels, 2. Cor. 4.7. and into their hands hath put the power of the Keys, yea to their tongues hath he in a manner tied the efficacy of his word, they bind and lose men's souls, they open and shut unto them the King doom of Heaven. They do it, did I say? rather God doth it by them; so are we taught by my Text, God must make David to hear; it is not enough that God send his word, and great be the number of Preachers, God must breathe also with his spirit, 1. Cor. 37. and when Paul hath planted, and Apollo watered, he must give the increase: Acts 16.14. if God do not then open the Heart, as he did Lidia's, we may be no better than Francis Spera, whose bones being broken with the conscience of his sin, he could not be cured, because the many exhortations, that were given unto him by the words of men could have no entrance into his Heart, there wanted there the spirit of grace: therefore we must with David beg that God would make us hear. But I hasten to the last point, you have heard who gives the Physic, you must hear, what Hope there is that David's petition will succeed: there appeareth good hope; good hope in the phrase, for it is not only supplicatory, but assertory. I observed the like upon the former Verse, I will not repeat it. But there appeareth more hope in the contexture, for there David is confident, that the medicine shall not be applied in vain, the bones that thou hast broken shall rejoice, so it is in the Original: mark an excellent difference between God's children and others, Reprobates in such a case, Optare possunt, sperare non possunt, they may wish themselves in a better case, but they cannot hope for better; but the children of God, when their bodies are even brought to the grave, and their souls to the gates of hell, yet will they trust in God, and trust to see the loving kindness of God in the land of the living. We do not believe that the Sun hath lost his light, though the sky be overcast with clouds, Read Psal. 77. neither will we think that God hath forgotten to be gracious, even when he layeth deadly strokes upon us. The Chaldee Paraphrase observes not only a Real joy of the broken bones, but a Vocal also, not only shall our souls be comforted, and our bodies with our souls, but out of the sense hereof we shall break forth into the Praises of God, we shall praise our God with joyful lips. Finally, mark the method: the sorrow of the Inward man casteth the Outward into a Consumption: so likewise the Outward shall partake of Consolation, if so be Consolation by the Ear be distilled into the Inward; Caro ut Cor, no less the flesh than the spirit, being quickened, shall rejoice in the living God. I conclude all, As we are all subject unto sin, so are we not free from the distresses of Conscience. When we are put to it, let us hear, what the Lord will say, for he will speak peace unto our souls; if our sorrow be godly, let us not be without hope, Blessed are they, that mourn so, for they shall be comforted: let us rest assured, that though We sow in tears, yet we shall reap in joy, the Lord will turn our captivity, Psol. 12●. he will fill our mouths with laughter, and our tongues with songs. AMEN. PSAL. 51. VERS. 9 Hid thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. THe remedy, that King David sought in this Penitential, was answerable to his distress: That which distressed him was sin, whereof the only remedy is grace. The sin (as you have oftentimes heard) was two fold, first, that which himself committed, and secondly, that which he inherited from his parents: he seeks a remedy for both in Grace. You have heard, that it yields a remedy for the sin, which himself committed, for the Impiety thereof by Expiation, and by Consolation for the Malignity that is therein. It folowtheth, that now you hear of the remedy, which Grace doth yield to the sin which he inherited from his parents, that is a Native Evil, we commonly call it Original sin: Grace cureth this, partly by Forgiving, and partly by Regenerating, forgiving of the sin, and regenerating of the sinner. These two points are commonly known by the names, the first of justification, the second of Sanctification: of Sanctification by regenerating our sinful nature, you shall hear in the next Verse; on this Verse I must speak of justification from, by Forgiveness of, original sin. To come to the breaking up of the Text, there is something therein employed, and something expressed: that which is employed, is, God's Providence, that which is expressed, is, God's Indulgence; of God's Providence we have here intimated two Acts, his Eye seethe all things, and all things are recorded by his Hand. Did he not See all things, it were needless to pray, Hid thy face, and it were as needless to pray, Blot out, were not all things recorded by his Hand: such prayers must needs presuppose those works. Besides this Providence of God so employed, the Text will teach us the Indulgence of God, which is here fairly expressed: for the better understanding whereof, I will open unto you, first the suit that King David maketh for it, and then the possibility that there is of his obtaining it. In the suit we shall see, how answerable his desire is unto God's work: God's work is to See and Record, and his desire is that he would not See, hide thy face, that he would cancel, blot out. But in the prayer we must moreover mark, 1. to what, 2. how fare, he would have his desire extend. To what, not to his person, but to his sins, hide thy face, not from me, but from my Sins, blot out, not me, but mine iniquities: He restraineth then God's acts to their proper object. But having so restrained them, he enlargeth their work upon that object to the utter most, he excepts no sin, but would have them all plucked up by the roots, Hid thy face from my sins, blot out all mine iniquities. This is King David's suit, a hard suit; you may oubt whether it can be granted, you may doubt, whether such indulgence may stand with the Divine Providence, how he that seethe all, can hide his face from any thing; and how he can blot out any thing, that keepeth a record of all: I must therefore in the last place show you, the possibility which King David hath of obtaining his desire, show you, that such Indulgence doth not prejudice God's Providence, and God's Providence not hinder such Indulgence. You have the particulars which are contained in this Text, which I will now farther unfold, I pray God it may be to our edification. But before I enter upon the particulars, I must give some light unto the phrases, which are dark, because figurative, and may misguide, if they be taken as they sound. Whereas then here is mention made of a Face, we may not conceive, that God hath a body made of flesh and blood; they were long since condemned for heretics, that did so grossly mistake the Scripture; God in such phrases by a resemblance informeth us, as far as we are capable, of his incomparable Essence. Consider then the use of our face, it is the instrument of knowledge, therein are the senses placed of seeing, hearing, smelling, etc. but yet though they appear there, we must not impute the sense unto the body, but unto the soul, that quickens the body: Philosophy teacheth, that Anima est, quae videt, quae audit, etc. and there is sensible proof of it; when the soul is departed from the body, though there be an eye left, and an ear, yet there is neither seeing, nor hearing, whereupon it followeth, that the virtue of seeing and hearing, is in the soul, these are the faculties of a spirit, so that God may have them, though he have properly no face, he may have that which is signified by the face, the power of discerning things. A second use that is made of the face, is, that it serveth for a lookingglass wherein to behold our affections; this use followeth upon the former; for that which we apprehend outwardly by our senses, doth inwardly content, or discontent, the evidence of either you may read in our countenance; if it content, we look upon it cheerfully, and turn from it wrathfully if it discontent: hereupon it cometh to pass that the face is used to note sometimes God's favour, and sometimes his anger, according as that which is presented before him, doth please or else displease. Out of both these uses of the face applied unto God, we must learn that there is no perfection in man, which is not in God that beflowed it upon man; but we must conceive it in God as it beseemeth God, according to the uncompoundednesse and infiniteness of his nature. The second phrase of blotting out which presupposeth a Book, wherein things are written, is also a phrase borrowed from men, whose brittle memory maketh them have recourse to such helps, lest otherwise many of their affairs should either be forgotten by them, or denied by others: the Book supplies both these defects, and what is entered there, serveth our own memory, and resolveth the doubts of others; we have proof hereof in our Economics; no good husband which taketh not this course at home; and in the Politics, there is no well advised State, that is without a Register, and maketh not use of Annals and journals. To apply this. God is Master of his house the Church, the world is his Kingdom, wherein he reigns; we may happily think, that though he seethe all, yet he may forget much: to refute so vain a dream, the Scripture doth remember his Book, not meaning that his memory wanteth a help, but that it is as firm as ours is with such a help, yea, much more firm; for our helps are as much subject to casualty, as ourselves are, but God's book is nothing but himself, and himself is no more lasting than is his record we must therefore sublime our thoughts, when we think of God's Book, and fancy nothing which is not Divine. But I leave the phrase and come to the matter: I told you that God's providence intimated by these two phrases, consisteth of these two acts; the first is Omnia novit, he hath an ubiquitary Eye, all things, (as Saint Paul speaketh) are naked before his eyes, Elihu in job, Heb. 4.13. job. 34.21.22. his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his doings, there is no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves. Psal. 139. King David hath made a whole Psalm wherein he showeth, how vain a thing it is for a man to seek a hiding place from God. Ecclus. 23.19 The son of Syrach in few words, The eyes of the Lord are ten thousand times brighter than the Sun, beholding all the ways of men, and considering the most secret parts, he knew all things ere ever they were created, and when they were created he looked upon them; Cap. 30.1. therefore doth God in Esay cry out against them that take counsel, but not of him, and that cover with a covering, but not of his spirit: and it is not without cause observed as a great folly in our first father Adam, that he thought a thicket of trees would hide him from God. The same disease is inherited by his posterity, we may gather it out of the phrase, ●om. 1●. 12. 〈◊〉 3. ●0. job. 24.15, 16. wherein the holy Ghost describes sins, calling them works of darkness, because as Christ telleth us, Qui male agit, odit lucem, adulterers and theives choose darkness, when they will fulfil their lusts; and they that are drunken (saith the Apostle) are drunken in the night: but (silly wretches) while they think no eye seethe them, the eyes of God are upon them, 〈◊〉. 23.19. Psal. 39.12. and he is privy to their most inward thoughts, for night is to him as the day, and darkness is as the clear light. This is the first work of Providence, Omnia novit he knoweth all things. The second is, Omnia notat, he maketh a record of all things, that is implied in the Book. Psal. 139.16. Dan. 7.10. 〈◊〉 20 12. 〈◊〉. 20.12. & cap. 3.5. Often mention is made thereof in the Psalms, in Daniel, in Ezekiel, in the Revelation; and the Platonists Mundus intelligibilis, and Idaeaes' seem to import the very same: but that which I principally observe is, that God doth not see things, as if they did not concern him, but (as Solomon speaketh) his eyelids try the sons of men and he pondereth all their paths, yea he doth make a record of them, whether they be good or bad. Vers. 16. Of the good you have an excellent place, Malach. Chap. 3. when the Atheist had blasphemed, than they that feared the Lord spoke often one to another, and the Lord harkened, and heard it, and there was a book of remembrance written before him, for them that feared the Lord, and thought upon his name. And that the bad paths of men are also recorded, Vers. 4. we read Deut 3. where God having reckoned up diverse enormous sins, speaketh passionately thus, Is not this laid up in store with me, and sealed up amongst my treasures? he alludeth to the manner of Kings, whose Records were kept in their Treasure-houses, as you may gather out of Ezra, Cap. 5.17. where the Rolls are said to be kept, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon. The use of this note is made by the Wise man, Cap. 1. Beware of murmuring, which is unprofitable, refrain from backbiting, (we may add from all manner of sin) for there is no word so secret, that shall go for nought, yea inquisition shall be made into the very thoughts of the . God keepeth an exact Record of all. These two acts of God's Providence, refute two athiestical Positions; The first is their Tush, job. 22.13.14. God seethe not, is there understanding in the Highest? Eliphaz in job expresseth it most elegantly, How doth God know? can he judge through the dark clouds? thick clouds are a covering to him, that he seethe not, he walketh in the circuit of Heaven: so would they put out, but cannot, that all-seeing Eye, which they blaspheme. The second Position refuted, is Tush, God careth not, suppose that he seethe, yet he careth not for the things below, he leaveth every man to shift for himself, and they think, that the memory of their lives doth not outlive their breath, they fear no reckoning, so they blaspheme Gods all-recording Hand: we shall do well by acknowledgement of these two branches of God's Providence, to avoid these two rocks, whereat many old, I fear me new Atheists also, do daily suffer shipwreck. Having thus fare opened unto you, what is employed in my Text, I come now to open that which is expressed therein; I told you, it is Indulgence, and touching it I observed, first the suit that is made for it, wherein you may see, that David doth make the branches of his petition answerable to the branches of God's Providence; The first branch thereof is, God seethe all, and answerably to that doth King David pray, that God would hide his face: and no marvel, for God is a God of pure eyes, Cap. 1.13. (as Habakuk speaketh) and can abide no iniquity, therefore in whomsoever there is the conscience of sin, there must needs arise fear and shame, when such a party is presented before God; fear, for his eyes are as flames of fire, and sinners are but as dry stubble; Moses in a penitential representation of the calamity of the Israelites, in the Wilderness, Psal. 90.8. Cap. 16.17.18. layeth this for the ground of it, Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance; and in jeremy thus speaketh the God of Israel, Mine eyes are upon all their ways, they are not hid from my face, neither is their iniquity hid from mine eyes; what followeth, I will recompense their iniquity and their sin double, because they have defiled my land, etc. read the like Amos Cap. 8. Vers. 7. The Lord hath sworn by the excellency of jacob, etc. And the Imprecation against judas is fearful, Psal. 109.14. Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered of the Lord, etc. As fear, so also shame ariseth, we learn it of the same Prophet jeremy, by whom the Lord saith thus unto Israel, Cap. 2.22. Vers. 26. Thy sin is marked before me, etc. he addeth, As the thief is ashamed when he is found, so is the house of Israel ashamed: And indeed shame is an inseparable companion of the conscience of sin, when it is arraigned before a judge; we see how Malefactors hang down their heads, and Children blush, when they are taken in a fault: seeing then there is such fear, such shame, that ariseth from our guiltiness appearing before God's eyes, we cannot wonder that K. David in his first desire, doth deprecate the first act of God's Providence, and would have him hide is face, that so he might stand boldly and cheerfully before God. His second desire respects the second act of God's Providence, Deus notat omnia, God keepeth a Record of all, David therefore desireth that God would raze his book. To open this desire, we must observe that in the Scripture there is mention made of four books, which keep the Records of fin. The first is God's Memory, that is the most exact book, all things, with all their circumstances, are precisely set down therein; it is the express Image of his omnisciency; of that book I have said enough before. Lest the truth of that book should be questioned, God hath provided three other books that are without exception, which will justify his Record against the most wrangling sinner. The first is our own Conscience, which shall accuse or excuse in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by jesus Christ. It is of this book that jeremy speaketh. Rom. 2.16. The sin of juda is written with a pen of iron, Cap. 17.1. and with the point of a diamond, it is graved upon the table of their heart, by the Heart, meaning the Conscience, 1 〈◊〉. 3.20, 21. as Saint john doth, where withal he advertiseth us, that this record in our bosom, beareth witness to the record that is in Heaven; If (saith he) our heart condemn us; God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things; but God is not contented with one witness, he hath a second, and him without exception also, that is our Bodies and Souls, they every one retain the stain of sin, when the act is past, and gone, and from this stain every part and power receives a new name; our throats are called open sepulchers, 〈◊〉 2.13, 〈◊〉. 2. 〈◊〉 ●. 〈◊〉 30.3. 〈◊〉 18. our lips poisonous Asps, our eyes are said to be full of adultery, our hands bloody, our feet mischievous, our understanding darkness, our Will perverseness; finally our affections nothing else but impurity. A sinful man is a spiritual Lazar, and the leprosy; wherewith he shall appear, will undeniably prove, what a life he hath led. To these two, God adds yet a third witness, and that is a third Record; The creatures which we abuse in sinning, shall bear witness, when we are challenged for our sin, Cap. 17.1. The horns of the altar (saith jeremit) shall bear engraven the sin of Israel: The stones shall crie out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it, Cap. 2.11. Cap. 5.3. saith Habakkuk; your Gold and silver is cankered (saith Saint james) and the rust of them shall witness against you: nothing that we abuse, be it meat, drink, apparel, goods, or lands, but retains a stamp of our abuse, it is a book of record. Now then, in o'er duorum aut trium testium stabit omne verbum; if so be doubt should be made of the first book, the book that is in Heaven, it must needs be put out of all doubt by the threefold book, or record of our sin, which God hath provided here on earth. Now we throughly know the books, let us come to King David's deal, the blotting out of that which is in the book, or rather the Record, or bill of indictment, for as such must we apprehend these books. There is no doubt but David is primarily solicitous of the first book, and indeed that is the ground of all the rest, and the rest are but imperfect exemplifications of that, and if the book be canceled that is in Heaven, these on earth will be of no validity, God will not leave them longer uncancelled: if God raze our sins out of the book of his Memory, he will give an acquittance also to our Conscience, he will pluck out the tongue of the stains that are in our Bodies and Souls, and put to silence the clamours of those Creatures, which we have abused; all those records shall be canceled, and it is for the cancelling of them all, that King David doth pray. But mark that Hid thy face, is not enough, except blot out be added. God may dissemble the sins of men for a time, and punish them at length; 〈◊〉. 32. Moses is taught as much, when having prayed that God would forgive the Israelites Idolatry committed with the golden calf, God was entreated so fare as to hide his face, to forbear them, but not to blot out, Vos. 34. that is, to forgive them; for he addeth, Neverthelsse in the day, when I visit, I will visit their sins upon them, the like is to be observed in the case of Solomon, Ahab, Manasses, and others. David provideth better for himself then so, he joineth both in his desire, and prayeth not only hide thy face, but blot out also, and so must we, when we seek forgiveness of sins. It is a cold comfort to a debtor to obtain of his creditor, that he will not look upon his obligations; he is not secure, except he have them canceled; neither is a prisoner without fear, that is only repriued; and why? he may be hanged, when he little looketh for it; a sinner's case is no better than this prisoners, or that debtors, except God be pleased as well to blot the record, as to hide his face. But in the petition I observed, that King David doth not only express, what works he expects from God, but he showeth withal Whereto, and How fare he would have these works extend, 1. Whereto, not to his person, but to his sins; hide thy face not from me, but from my sins: for if God should withdraw his countenance from us, destruction, and annihilation must needs fall upon us; our being and our living, depend upon the influence of his countenance, and indeed our being, and our living they are his workmanship, and to pray God to hide his face from his own workmanship, must needs imply, that we would have God hate what himself hath made; but God delights to behold that which is of him, because it is like him, neither doth it fear, or blush to come before him: It is that, which we have patched unto his workmanship, which he abhors to see, and which abhorreth to be seen of him. Therefore King David discreetly limiteth the object of God's works, and will have them work not upon his person, but upon his sin; and we may not in our petitions confound these things, that are so different, whereof the one may endure, the other may not, these acts of the Providence of God; what so ever we have which is of God, may without dis-comfort endure his allseeing Eye, and all recording hand: therefore we may not crave in regard of them, either hide thy face, or blot out; both these desires must be restrained to our sins. And to them all. As David doth wisely restrain the acts to his sin, so doth he as wisely extend them to all his sins. He was not ignorant of that Maxim of law, Maledictus qui non permanserit in omnibus, Deut. 27.26. Cursed is he, that abideth not in all, that is written in the Law, for to do it: ill doth the Shipwright provide, who stopping all other leaks, leaves but one, for the water may enter thereat, and drown the whole ship: even so seeing every sin is mortal, we may not look for less wages for any one sin then eternal death; yea, Saint james his rule is, Reus unius & omnium, guilty of one, and guilty of all. And why? Cap. 2.10. though in conversion to the world sinners do differ, yet in aversion from God they all agree; & he that setteth light by God in breaking one commandment, doth not out of the fear of God keep any one; happily it is, because he is not so prone to, or gaineth not so much by, other sins; or some other carnal reason there is; but certainly out of the fear of God he doth not forbear them. Therefore King David would have his sin plucked up by the roots, not one sprig left in him; as before he confessed them all ingenuously, so doth he here desire that they may all graciously be pardoned; as in the 1. verse he begged great mercy, so doth he here express, how great he would have it. The last thing that I observed unto you, was the possibility that King David should speed in this petition; for it may seem strange, that such indulgence should stand with the divine providence; that God should See all, and yet not See something; and God's Memory to be a record of all, and yet to have something blotted out. Notwithstanding, that this is a truth, we learn of God himself in Esay, Ego sum qui deleo iniquitates, I am he that blotteth out sins, and remember them no more; the like doth God affirm in jeremy; Cap. 43.25. yea that which the heathen Orator spoke flatteringly of julius Caesar, Cap. 31.34. is most true of God, Nihil oblivisci solet, nisi iniurias, he forgets nothing but the sins of penitent suppliants. Wherefore to clear this doubt, we must call to mind, what I told you before touching God's face, that it signifies not only his knowledge, but also the consequent thereupon, his answerable affection; now his knowledge is necessary, his affection voluntary; so that though it be impossible that God should be ignorant of any thing, yet he may be affected as pleaseth himself, have mercy, on whom he will have mercy, and harden whom he will, as Saint Paul affirmeth out of Moses; When as then he is moved in pity towards any whom he is not ignorant to be sinners, ●om. 9.18. he is said to turn his face from their sins, Non advertit (saith Saint Austin) in quod non animaduertit, his indisposition to punish it, is meant by his hiding his face from it: so likewise his blotting out, is not Gods having no record of our sin, but not to use it as an indictment against us in judgement; and so because in law, Idem est non esse, & non apparere; that whereof no use is made, is figuratively said to be blotted out; so that the words are not to be understood absolutely, but metonymically; and Ruffinus doth well qualify them with a quasi, quasi abscondit faciem suam, and quasi delet; God so dealeth with a penitent, as if his face were hid, and as if his book were razed, in regard of the sinfulness of his person. A second proof of the possibility of King David's speeding in his petition, may be taken from the ceremonial Law of Moses, wherein God's presence was figured in the Cloud, so Moses calleth it in Exodus; now between that and the place where the Israelites did sacrifice unto God, there hung a double veil, Cap. 13.21. & Cap. 16.10, etc. whereby God's countenance was hid from seeing their imperfections, when they humbled themselves penitently at his altar. Add hereunto that the Propitiatory, was between God's face and the Tables of the Covenant, which the Israelites entered into with God, and by which in justice God might measure all the passages of their life. These are types of greater things, Saint Paul calleth Christ's flesh a veil, and he calls him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Propitiatory, Rom. 3.25. And indeed so it is, Heb. 10.20. God doth not behold us but in Christ, through the veil of that flesh that suffered for us, in him that hath canceled the obligation that was against us; not with the eyes of a righteous judge, but of a merciful father. And this sense must be added to the former to make the defence complete, and a Penitent hopeful, that he shall speed of such a prayer. I conclude all with a good note of Theodoret, who layeth this verse to a former, I know mine own wickedness, my sin is ever before me; thereupon (saith he) it followeth well, Turnethy face away from my sin, etc. if we fix our eyes feelingly upon our sins, God will turn his eyes from them, and God will not keep them in his book, if We record them penitently. Wherefore that God may look off, let us look on our sinful selves, let us book all our misdeeds, that God may blot them out; so shall we find him in Christ, not a judge but a Father, his love shall not suffer him to see that, whereof he cannot be ignorant, neither will he ever indict us, though the Record be never so fair and full that he hath against us; whereupon we may with King David pray no less hopefully then humbly, Turn thy face from our sins, O Lord, and blot out all our offences. If thou, Lord, mark what is done amiss, who is able to abide it? PSAL. 51. VERS. 10. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Our natural corruption is cured by Grace, and grace doth cure it partly by forgining, and partly by regenerating: of the forgiveness you have heard on the former verse, and on this verse you are to hear of the Regeneration. And that which you shall hear, is first What, then Whence it is. In opening What it is, the Text will lead me to show you, first in what part we must have it, and secondly of what gifts it consists: the part is set down first in general, it is our inwards, we must have it within: but within we have many inwards, whereof here are two distinctly expressed, and they are two principal ones, the Heart, and the Spirit, whereof the one noteth the sovereign, and the other the active power of our soul, these are the parts, that are to be regenerated. Now the gifts whereof this Regeneration consists, are Holiness and Staidness; Holiness of the sovereign power, and of the active Staidness, the first we have if our Heart be clean, and the other, if our Spirit be right. This is Regeneration. But whence is it? surely from God: to him King David seeketh for it, Create in me a clean heart, O God. As it is from him, so it is no ordinary gift of his; it is a Work of his great Might, for it is a Creation, Create in me, and of his great Mercy, for it is a Renovation, Renew in me; our forfeiture maketh us indebted unto God's Mercy renewing, not only to his creating Power. These be the particulars, which this Text doth occasion me to consider in Regeneration; what remaineth, but that our Regeneration may be furthered by them, we listen unto them with a religious ear, as they shall be further unfolded briefly and in their order. The first point than is the part wherein we must have Regeneration, the text saith, we must have it within. S. Ambrose, lest we should grossly mistake our corporal inwards for our spiritual, tells us that the inwards here understood are Intelligibilia viscera, the reasonable powers of our soul; and of them our Saviour Christ saith in the Gospel, ●●at. 15.11. Not that which goeth in, but that which cometh out defileth a man: now where sin first began, there must Regeneration begin also; but sin began in the inwards, Psal 49.20. for Man being in honour had no understanding; yea were it not for the understanding, a man could not sin: for it is an undoubted Maxim, Bruta non peccant, no creature that is devoid of conscience, can contract guilt; and it is as true, that in whom there is no Reason, there can be no Virtue, for Reason is the proper subject of Virtue, and because of Virtue, therefore of Regeneration, which is the root of all heavenly Virtues: see then why King David desireth Regeneration within, because there, is the proper seat of it. And indeed except it begin there, well may a man be an hypocrite, Religious he cannot be; Mat. 23 27. he will be but like a painted Sepulchre (as Christ speaketh) that within is full of dead men's bones. Living Temples of the holy Ghost must be like the material temple of Solomon, whereof the the innermost part was the place of God's residence, and therefore was Sanctum Sanctorum, the most holy place; the next place was Sanctum, holy; and the rest Sanctuarium, partaking of holiness, though in a lower degree, so much lower as it was farther from the place of God's residence: even so, though Regeneration must sanctify our bodies, yet more our souls, though it must sanctify our Understanding, yet must it sanctify our Will much more, and that which is most inward must be sanctified first. I conclude this point with Christ's admonition given to the Pharisees, Mundate quod intus; ●●t. 23 26. when we desire Regeneration, let us desire to have it specially in the inward man, to have our reasonable inwards new moulded by grace. But what inwards? here are two mentioned, the Heart, and the Spirit: these words are often used the one for the other, and therefore may seem to import but one thing: but Nazianzene doth distinguish them, and so do others both Greek and Latin Fathers: I will not trouble you with repeating of their words, thus I conceive, the Heart noteth the sovereign, the Spirit the active power of the reasonable soul. The Heart than is the sovereign power: for as in a Kingdom there are sundry ministers of State, but the Majesty is in the King; so in our little common weal, our senses inward, and outward attend, and inform, but with submission always to the pleasure of the Will; so that the Will is as it were a King in the person of man, therefore it is, that the Scripture maketh so frequent mention of the Heart in points of Morality. But the Sovereignty thereof appeareth in two special points, in commanding of the whole man, and in seasoning all his works: that it commands appeareth by that received Maxim, Inclinatio voluntatis est inclinatio totius suppositi; let the Will once incline, and all the whole person bends with it, whether it be to love, or to hate: what the will hates, the Eye will not endure to behold, the Ear to hear of, the Tongue to speak of, the Feet to go to, the Head to think of; Finally, no power of our Soul, or part of our Body, will have to do therewith, except it be to detest or to destroy it: but on the other side, what the Heart doth love, the Eye is not satisfied with seeing of it, nor the Ear with hearing, the Tongue cannot talk enough, neither the Hands do enough for it, it will ever be busying our wits, and we can never think enough thereon: such power hath the Will in commanding the service of the whole man, and so readily doth every part and power obey: we need not seek proof of this truth, every man may be an instance, or an example of it unto himself. As the Heart hath this commanding power, so hath it a seasoning power also: it giveth a Moral seasoning unto all our works, the rule is Actio tantum habet virtut is aut vitij, quantum voluntatis; look how fare our Will doth intermeddle with our works, so fare are they either virtuous, or vicious: a good Will maketh the work good, and the work cannot be good if the Will be evil: whereupon Nazianzene observes well, that God hath equalised all men in that ability, which doth most commend or discommend, and that is the ability of the Will: he giveth an instance in Liberality, the Widow's mites by the forwardness of her Will were made a greaten offering, then that, which out of their superfluity the rich did offer in greater measure, measure of coin, but not of Will; we may apply it unto any other works of wisdom, of strength, of learning, and whatsoever else; he that is less able, and more willing may be preferred before him, that is better able, and less willing; in doing well, and in doing ill, men are doomed accordingly: this is the sovereignty of the Heart, so to command, and so to season. But as this power is sovereign, so there is another power that is active, a power that putteth in execution the resolutions of the former power, it is here called Spirit: our common phrase showeth, that this word noteth an active power: for we say that a man is of an excellent spirit, a great spirit, a high spirit, when we mean that he is fit for, and forward in action; and when we mean the contrary, we say, that he is of a quiet, a meek, an humble spirit, Psal. 131. that is (as the Psalmist speaketh) he doth not exercise himself in great matters which are too high for him: that which the Philosophers observe concerning the concupiscible, and the irascible faculties of our soul tends this way; for they make the soul active in pursuing of her objects; the concupiscible hasting us to them, and the irascible encountering all difficulties, that may hinder us from them; so that the sovereign power resolves not in vain, because of this active power, that executes so well; but certainly were it not for the active power, the sooner aigne power were in vain: God having so linked them, we must not sever them, and seeing either of them is so necessary to the other, we must desire to have our Regeneration in them both. Out of this which you have heard, you may gather, that though our Inward man is named, yet the Outward is not excluded, because though a part is named, yet the whole is meant, seeing the whole followeth the condition of these principal parts; we cannot be regenerated in these principal parts, but the regeneration will redound unto the whole man. But what is Regeneration? of what gifts consists it? I told you of holiness and staidness, which are meant by cleanness of the heart, and rightness of the Spirit: where first mark, that Regeneration doth not concern the substance, john 3.4. but the qualities of our nature: Nicodemus conceived grossly, that thought a man must enter into his mother's womb and so be borne again, that he may be new borne; and they conceive as grossly that think, that Original sin is any part of the substance of man; we lost not our being, but our well being, as the moon in the Eclipse ceaseth not to be a star, but to be a bright shining star; the air in the night ceaseth not to be air, but to be lightsome air; the earth in the winter is earth still, though it be not a flourishing earth; finally when we have lost our health, we lose not our bodies, though they become but sick bodies. Yet may we not conceive superficially of Original sin, it is not as a painting, but as a dying of our nature: you know, that painting is a colour laid on, but the Dye is a colour that sinketh in, we may wash off, or scrape out a painting, the body continuing the same, but a die cannot be so taken out, but it sinketh clean through the wool, or the cloth, and the inwards of the stuff are coloured, as well as the outwards. The same may be illustrated by the former similitudes, but I will not be so troublesome; only this I observe, that as Illyricus and others have racked Original sin too fare: so the Pelagians old and new have shrunk it too much: we shall do well to keep the mean and hold the truth. It is a corruption, that though it be not our substance (for that can not stand with the articles of our Creed, as the learned have proved abundantly against Illyricus) yet is it throughly incorporated into our substance, neither is there any the least particle of our soul, and body, that is not infected therewith; whereupon God passeth his censure, The frame of the imaginations of the heart of man is evil, Gene. 5.6. & that continually from his youth: Rom. 7.18. and S. Paul maketh his confession, I know that in me, that is, in my flesh there dwells no good thing: therefore when we come to Regeneration we must conceive of it, as of a cure that worketh out a deep rooted Corruption: yea the terms of cleanness and rightness must so be conceived, as that the cure doth not only work out corruption, but work in the contrary, perfection: as we see that the Eclipse of the moon is remedied by the imparting unto it the brightness of the sun, and the darkness of the night by the succeeding of the daylight, the winterly hue of the earth is exchanged for the flourishing of the spring, and the weakness that we seel being sick, by the vigour that we have from health: Even so fareth it with our souls, we put off the Old man, by putting on the New, and the root of Original sin, by being endued with Original Righteousness. This being observed concerning Regeneration in general, we must now descend to the Regeneration of the parts in particular: the first of which is the regeneration of the Heart, it is here called Cleanness; I will not fall into the common place of the defiling Nature of sin, I have touched at it more than once on the former words of this Psalm, I will keep myself to that which is peculiar to this part. I told you, it is the sovereign power of the reasonable soul, and the first point wherein the sovereignty appears, is, that it doth Command: now the blemishes of a commander are two, 1. Folly and 2. Impotency, either he knoweth not what directions to give them that are under him, or else contrary to his judgement, he is over-borne by his affections: take an example of Solomon the father, and Rehoboam the son: Solomon was wise, the wisest King that ever was, and no wise King was ever more impotent in his affections, as appeareth by his so doting on his heathenish wives, that to content them, he entertained all kind of Idolatry: the son of Solomon Rehoboam, went as far in folly, as his father in impotency; the son of Syrach calls him the very foolishness of the people, Ecclies. 51. and well he deserved to be so called, that forsook the counsel of the Sages, and listened unto brainsick youths, and so lost ten Tribes of twelve. In these two Kings we may behold the defects of our commanding parts, for sometimes the judgement of it is so weak, that it misdeemes good for evil, and evil for good, light for darkness, and darkness for light, and this error is predominant in those that are without the Church, for of Infidels it is most true, that they have a foolish Heart; Rom. 1. yea when they think they be most wise in their reasoning they show themselves most foolish: it were endless to descend to particulars, if I should reckon no more than those which are touched in the Scripture, how much more if I should discover it out of there own writings, there speculative learning, their practice, their theology, their policy, their ethics, their economics, all are spiced with folly. Though this folly be predominant in those without the Church, yet is there more than a good deal of it within the Church also; were there no other proof, contentious writings proclaim to the world, that many believers, cum ratione insaniunt, have a cracked brain and weak judgement, working upon false principles, or working out such conclusions, as will never spring from truth. Folly is one defect of the commanding part, but not the only, it hath another, which is Impotency, though the judgement do not fail in setting the heart right, yet the affections do transport it, that it cannot resolve right, Video meliora proboque, deterior a sequor, we know our duty oftener than we can be persuaded to do it. And this disease, though it be in Infidels, as the former verse doth witness, and Saint Paul much more Rom. 1. saying, that They detain the truth of God in unrighteousness, and that though they have no Law, they are a Law unto themselves, yet is this disease more common in the Church, whose sins spring more commonly from the impotency of their affections, then from the ignorance of their judgement, as it is plain by those that teach others, but teach not themselves, and commit those faults themselves, which they condemn in others; there are few reasonably bred, that know not their Creed, and the ten Commandments, yet when they are put to a real maintenance of their faith, or observance of the Law, who is he that staggers not, that yields not to his affections. Well, seeing these are the defects of the heart, as it is a commanding part, you easily conceive what the cure thereof must be, and what is the first property of a clean heart: it is the rectifying of it in regard of folly and impotency, the making of it first wise and understanding, the furnishing of it with good and sound Principles, the knowledge of the good and acceptable will of God, in a word, a right judgement in all things; this S. Paul meaneth, 〈◊〉 2.16. when he saith, We have the mind of Christ, so that be the Scrpent never so crafty, be sin never so sweetly sugared, evil never so curiously blanched, be the suggestions of our adversary never so sophistical, yet shall we not be circumvented, we shall not be deceived by it. That our commanding part be so freed from folly is not enough, it must be freed from impotency also; we must have obedient and religious hearts, Mat. 10.37. be as ready to do, as to know; love nothing in comparison of God, and doing our duty; not father, mother, brother, sister, wife, etc. yea we must deny them all: L●ke 14 16. I say too little, Christ goeth farther, we must hate them all, if they be an impediment to our following of God, and keeping of his commandments; if we are so far masters of ourselves, as to make our affections conform themselves unto our judgement, then is the commanding part cured in regard of impotency, and so the commanding part, so fare as it is rid of folly and impotency, is truly regenerate. But there is in the sovereign part, besides the commanding power, a seasoning power also, and that must be regenerated. It seasons all our actions with virtue or vice, according as it is good, or ill. As the knowledge of God is the regeneration of it, as it is the commanding part; so is the love of God the regeneration of it, as it is the seasoning part, or rather the conjunction of the love of God to the knowledge of God. So that for a virtuous action we must be sani & boni viri, it must be the work of a well advised and a well-affected man; so that the latter part of regeneration is but a consequent upon the former, and the heart if it command well, seasoneth well, and seasoneth ill, if it command ill, according to the Commandment, our works do prove either Virtues or Vices. You have heard what is the regeneration of the sovereign power, here is another power specified, which is the active; Nazianzene calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, it is that which executeth what the commanding part resolveth. The word in the Original signifieth either Directum or Erectum, that which keepeth right forward, or standeth upright. The active power of our soul is subject to two defects, it may straggle out of the way through rashness, or stagger in the way through faintness; while we are in the way, allurements of diverse kinds draw us into bypaths, we are set upon by the crafty serpent; and if that succeed not, then with terrors we are startled, and made either to come to a stand, or else to march cowardly. The cure of all this is a right Spirit, when God is pleased by grace to set straight steps unto our feet, and strengthen our feeble knees, so that we step not aside out of the way, nor halt in the way: our Spirit is directus, it keeps good correspondency with our judgement, and executeth no more than it hath in charge; and it is also erectus, it bends no more than our affection's doe●; whether it pursue or encounter any thing resolved upon by the sovereign part: it showeth continually a religious staidness. Finally, whereas grace maketh a double cure, one on our Heart, and another on our Spirit, and the regeneration of our Spirit is but an attendant upon the regeneration of our Heart, we may not diminish the number of the parts, nor invert the order; but when we will try ourselves whether and how fare we are regenerated, we must look into our inwards, see how we find ourselves there, but specially to these fountains of life the Heart and the Spirit; see whether grace command in the Heart, before the Heart command, and that it may season our works well, whether itself be seasoned first with grace: and having taken this survey of the Heart, we must come on to the Spirit, and see whether our execution be as holy as our resolution: if grace preserve us from misguiding allurements, and support us against disheartening affrightments, then is our Spirit as right, as our Heart is clean, both are regenerated by the Spirit of grace. The Fathers understand here a double grace, not only the grace of Regeneration, whereof you have heard, but the grace of Prophecy also, wherewith King David was endued: as appear in his Psalms, wherein are many excellent Prophecies. It was no small grief unto him to have that divine influence suspended, and to have withdrawn from him those heavenly Revelations, therefore they conceive the words thus, David desired a clean Heart, that so he might have a right Spirit, for Blessed are the pure in heart, they shall see God, saith Christ: Mat. 5.8. Wis. 1.1.5. and the holy spirit of discipline will not abide in a soul when unrighteousness cometh in. The holy spirit of Prophecy is long since ceased, and we cannot be deprived of that, which we never had; but of this we may be sure, that sin in our heart doth not a little blear our eyes, when we come to consider of God's truth in his word, and endeavour, though not ourselves to be, yet to understand those that were undoubted Prophets. But enough of Regeneration so fare as this Text doth teach us, what it is. I come on to show you briefly the last point of the Text, which is, Whence it proceeds. It proceeds from God, of him King David beggeth it, Create in me a clean heart, O God: and well may he ask it of him, for God doth promise the gift of this grace, A new heart will I give you, and a new spirit will I put into you, saith God, Eze. cap. 36. and S. Paul in his Epistles, doth often direct his prayers for these unto God. ●t how then doth Eze. c. 18. bid us make unto ourselves new hearts, and new spirits, and Moses in the Law, Deut. 10. bids us circumcise the foreskin of our hearts? Surely not to note our power, but our want, that out of the conscience thereof we should seek unto the father of Lights, from whom cometh every good and perfect gift. jam. 1.17. Or if it be to note any power of ours, it is but power to use the outward means, but the effect wished hath a higher cause, which is the Spirit of God. And indeed the true cause why the Holy Ghost speaketh so differenly, sometimes calling upon us, and sometimes willing us to call upon God, is, because Gods inward work is seldom without our outward, though the honour which God doth to the use of the means, must not derogate aught from God's total producing of the effects. The more to be blamed is the Church of Rome, who by advancing the means impair that honour which is due unto God. Let it stand then for a grounded Truth that Regeneration is the gift of God. As it is God's gift, so it is no ordinary gift of his, it is a work of his great might, and of his great mercy; of his great might, for it is a Creation. Creation is either to make something of nothing, or at least if that whereof it is made, be something; yet that thing hath no disposition to become that, which it is made: if you look to the gift, that is given by Regeneration, surely that is made simply of nothing, it is an effect that proceeds immediately from the Spirit, who hath nothing out of which to work that effect, but his own almighty power, for non educiturè potentia naturae, nature sendeth forth no such fruit. If you look upon the Person, that receiveth the grace, than also Regeneration will prove to be a Creation: for so fare is he from being disposed fitly to receive grace, Rom 8.7. Is. 11.6. that he is naturally opposite unto it, the wisdom of the flesh is enmity against God, so saith the Apostle; and the Prophet will tell us, that regenerating is like the changing of the nature of Tigers, Lions, and Wolves, etc. a hard work: Saint Austin goeth so fare, that he thinketh it a harder matter to bring a sinner accustomed to an evil course into a right way, then to create a world, especially to bring him to entertain the Christian faith, which is foolishness to the Gentile, and a stumbling block to the jew. The more absurd is the patronage of free will in the case of new birth: the very word Creation doth refute it, 1. Cor. 1.23. 2. Cor. 5. Eph. 4. which Saint Paul useth more than once, and thereby both Testaments put us in mind, that we can do as little towards our spiritual creation, as we could towards our natural; in regard of both we may use that of the Psalm. It is God that hath made us and not we ourselves, both ways made us, by the power of a God. Neither is it only a work of great power, but of great mercy also, that is intimated by the word Renew, pulchre dixit, innova (saith S. Chrysostome) it is well said renew, the house was built before, which sin ruined, and grace doth re-edify; and indeed, that this is not the first time that we are beholding to God's grace, the very word Regeneration may teach: we had this clean heart and right spirit when we were first created, for we were created after God's image; sin lost it, grace restored it: now you know that if a Tenant forfeit his Lease, and a Landlord after reentry restore it to him again, this is a work of his goodness, which is more than a work of his ability, for many are able, and do it not, therefore if any being able do it, the inducement is not his ability, but his goodness: the like must we conceive of God, it was his pitying mercy, that employed his almighty power to repair what we had ruined, to recover what we had lost, to restore what we had forfeited, a clean heart, and a right spirit. Finally, both the creating and the renewing are actus continui, works that God never intermitteth, otherwise we should quickly come to nothing, or rather which is worse than nothing, become firebrands of hell; for we daily forfeit by sin, and God may daily take advantage of our breach of his Covenant. Add hereunto that our Regeneration is not in facto, but in fieri, and therefore needeth a perpetual influence, and supportance: for this cause though David were now in the state of grace, yet doth he beg grace of God; though God had created in him a clean heart, yet doth he desire, that God would create a clean heart in him; and though he bade renewed in him a right Spirit, yet doth he pray that God would renew a right Spirit within him; so doth he wisely provide against forfeitures, and religiously beg the increase of that, which he had received. But I conclude, sicut rogavit David, it a debet unusquisque nostrûm (saith S. Hierom) David's prayer is a prayer that beseems us all, we all bear about us a body of sin, and we should all desire that it might be abolished. We should indeed, but who doth? who doth inquire into the uncleanness of his heart, and the crookedness of his spirit? or who taketh notice whether there be in him at all any part of Regeneration? nay, who doth show that there is any? Nazianzene Oratione 43. writing de Encae●ijs, doth give a good observation, how a man should know whether his heart have any part in this Creation, or his spirit in this Renovation yesterday thou wert a time server, to day thou art not ashamed of thy Saviour Christ; yesterday thou didst affect the praise of men, to day thou settest more by an honest life; yesterday thou wert delighted with vain spectacles, to day thou art given to divine meditations, etc. if thou find such a change, Haec mutatio dextrae excelsi, God hath put to his merciful power to make thee a new man: if it be otherwise with thee, and the day following find thee as bad as thou wert the day before, thou hast no part in Regeneration. A fearful case, because the Psalmist moving the question to God, Psal. 24. Who shall ascend into the mountain of the Lord? who shall stand in his holy place? answers, Even he that hath innocent hands and a pure heart. Wherefore be ye renewed in the spirit of your minds, & put on the Newman, Eph. 4.25. which after God is created in righteousness, & true holiness: or because this is a work too hard for any one of us, Let us every one pray with K. David in this place, Create in me a clean heart, o God, & renew a right spirit within me. AMEN. PSAL. 51. VERS. 11. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy Spirit from me. KIng David's desire set forth in the first part of this Psalm, is that he may be restored unto, and preserved in, the state of grace. How he desires to be restored, you have hitherto seen; you have seen, how he sueth first in general, that God's Mercy would relieve his Misery, God's great mercy, his deep misery; Secondly, in special, how he brancheth his own sin, and God's grace; he confesseth sin which himself committed, and that which he inherited from his parents; and he beggeth a twofold grace, that the cure may be proper to each kind of sin; finally he would not have a plaster narrower than his sore, nor a medicine that could not throughly remedy his disease. Thus he desires to be restored. But to be restored is not enough, a Penitents desire must carry him farther, for how shall it appear that he doth unfeignedly sorrow for sin, and affect goodness, except he be as desirous to continue in, as to be brought unto the state of grace? 〈◊〉 Pet. 2. Nay Saint Peter will tell us that it were better never to have known the way of righteousness, then after we have known it, to return like dogs to our vomit, and like swine to our wallowing in the mire. Wherefore the second desire was necessary for King David, and must be exemplary unto us. Let us come then to it. It is set down in this, and the following Verse, and conceived in a double prayer, first in deprecation, and secondly, in supplication, a prayer against that which King David deserved, and a prayer for that without which King David could not persevere: we will meddle now only with the former prayer. But in the passage I may not forget a good note of Saint Bernard's, where he commends King David's method, Serm. 3. de Penticost. and observes that after he hath prayed, Create in me a clean heart, O Lord, renew a right spirit within me, he prayeth seasonably, Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy holy spirit from me. When we offend, we fall into sin, and out of favour, and when we repent, we must not desire to be received into favour, until we are first acquitted from sin; otherwise we shall betray that we wish there were no Sanction of the Law, but as for the transgression of the Law we are not much moved therewith, whereas the least sin must be more irksome to a repenting soul, than the most grievous punishment. But let us break up this prayer, wherein I will note two things; 1. the Manner, and 2. the Matter, the manner is a prayer against, the matter is, that which King David deserved. Now that which he deserved comprehends too fearful judgements: 1. Rejection, and 2. Deprivation; I will clear these two terms unto you. While we are in the state of grace, we have communion with God, and God hath communion with us, God receiveth us into his family, and we attend him, we wear his livery, and are known to belong unto him; the first giveth us free access unto his presence, and the second is a participation of his holy spirit. Sin (as much as lieth in it) dissolves both these communions, for we deserve by it, first, that God discharge us of his service, give us no longer place in his family which is that which I called Rejection. Secondly, we deserve that God take from us his livery, leave us no mark of our reference to him; and this is that which I called deprivation. But more distinctly in rejection we will observe 1. from what Place and state; both are included in God's presence; Secondly, with what disgrace and danger a sinner deserves to be rejected, we may gather them both out of the words, Cast out. In the deprivation we will observe; first, Whereof; secondly, how fare a sinner may be deprived. Whereof; first of what gift, of the Holy spirit; then What worth there is in the gift, spiritus tuus, thy holy Spirit, or the Spirit of thy Holiness; a most precious gift; of this a sinner deserveth to be deprived. But how fare? that appeareth in aufer as the taking away, which we will resolve into these two Notes; the first is the taking back of the spirit which God once gave him, and therefore some render it, Ne recipias, withdraw not; secondly, the spirit is so taken back that nothing of it remains with a sinner, it is not a diminution, but an ablation, a stripping him wholly of the Spirit of God. Finally both these, rejection and deprivation, must be considered not in themselves, but also in their consequences; and the consequences are two, and they much aggravate the fearfulness of the judgement: The first is; We cannot be rejected of our old good Master, but we shall fall into the hands of another who is much worse, and we shall be forced to wear a much worse Livery if we be stripped of his; Look whatsoever good we lose, we shall fall under the contrary evil, if we be rejected, if we be deprived. This is the first Consequence. A second is that such a sinners Case is desperate, God will hear no man's prayers for him, and he will give him no grace to pray for himself. And what can follow but that being brought into so bad a case, he senselessly run a graceless course? which cometh to the main point of my Text, which I told you was a desire of perseverance in grace, whereunto nothing can be more opposite than this rejection and deprivation, which is prayed against by our penitent King. And so have I broken up this Text, the parts whereof I shall now open farther unto you, God grant they may further our religious repentance. First then of the manner of the Prayer; I told you it is a deprecation, a praying against. When we are in danger we must not be senseless be it but corporal, how much more if it be spiritual? Now that we are sensible, we can give no better proof then if we pray against the danger; yea the more earnest we are in prayer, the more do we manifest the provident fear of our souls. David had committed enormous sins, adultery, 1. Cor. ●. 6. 1. job. 3.15. murder; of adulterer's Saint Paul tells us, that none shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; and of the murderer Saint john tells us that he hath not eternal life abiding in him; King David finding himself in this danger had reason to fall unto this kind of prayer, especially having before his eyes the woeful example of his Predecessor Saul. But what needed he? 1. Sam. ●. God had promised that it should go well with him, and with his seed also, and that when they sin, though he will punish them, he will not withdraw his Mercy, as he did from Saul whom he cast out from before his eyes; yea and David for his particular had his pardon brought unto him by Nathan. It is true. But it is as true, that he that doth recover out of a desperate danger, is not so soon secure, as he is safe; behold it in a corporal danger; If a man were ready to fall into a deep pit, and a slander by timely stretch out his hand, and recover him, he cannot so soon recover his spirits, as he saved his life, you shall see him look wan, feel his heart tremble, scarce get a word from him, or make him stand upon his feet; he will ask some pretty time before he can come to himself again. And may we think that he that found himself upon the brink of Hell, that saw himself entering at the gates of eternal death, that was singed with the flames of that unquenchable fire, and felt the palpable darkness of that everlasting night, though by God's mercy he tumbled not into the pit, came not into the Chambers of death, was not devoured of the fire, nor cast into the utter darkness; think we (I say) that he can soon forget those affrighting spectacles? that he can suddenly calm those storms which they raised in his soul? that he can as soon be secured as he is safe? certainly he cannot; they that have been exercised in such conflicts yield undeniable proof; and therefore wonder not that King David notwithstanding God's gracious promise, as if he did forget it, maketh this kind of prayer unto God. Add hereunto, that God doth not give his promises to make us idle, but to exercise our faith in importuning God for a performance; 1. ●im. 4.8. Piety hath the promise both of this life, and of that which is to come; yet do we not forbear daily to say the Lords Prayer, that we may speed of both. Our rule then is, That we must use God's Promises as directions in, not as dispensations from the devotion we own unto God. And let this suffice touching the manner of the Prayer. Let us come now to the matter; And first let us look to the Rejection, wherein the first particular was the Place from whence a sinner deserveth to be rejected, that is here called the presence of God. God from the beginning of the world had a special place whereat he appeared to the Patriarches, and they performed their devotions at it; the learned gather it out of the 4. of Genesis, where God threatneth that Cain should be a vagabond, and Cain complaineth, that he was cast from the presence of God, that is, excommunicated from the visible Church: and the severing of the sons of God from the sons of Men, seemeth to have been in regard of the meeting in that special place. But, howsoever that may be doubted, it is out of all question, that when God made the Israelites a national Church, he had a visible presence amongst them, he commanded the Tabernacle to be built for that purpose, whereinto he entered in the Cloud, and rested between the Cherubims on the Mercy-seat; This was the typical presence of a spiritual residence of God, of his gracious dwelling amongst his people. This was a thing so much reverenced by the Patriarches, Psal. 27. that they held it a great blessing to enjoy it; Vnum petij (aith King David) One thing have I desired of the Lord, and that will I still require, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to behold the fair beauty of the Lord, and to visit his holy Temple. As it was a comfort to them to enjoy it: so was it no small punishment to be deprived of it; King David confesseth as much, Psal. 84. when he breaketh out into those passionate speeches, How amiable are thy Tabernacles, O Lord of Hosts, my soul longeth, even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord, my heart and my flesh cryeth out for the living God; and again, As the hart panteth after the water brooks; so panteth my soul after thee O God, my soul thirsteth after God, even the living God, when shall I come and appear before God? I amplify this ancient respect unto the Place, that therehence you may gather the greatness of the loss thereof. But what is this to us? those types be long since past; but they had a truth which shall remain until the world's end, and that is God's gracious presence in the Gospel; learn it of S. Paul, who describing the dignity of the Gospel; setteth it forth in these words, God which commanded light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, 2. Cor. 4.6. to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of jesus Christ, and again, we all with open face beholding as in a glass, the glory of the Lord, 2. Cor. 3.18. are changed into the same image, from glory unto glory; so that our Churches have a residence of God, a residence much more glorious than that of the jews; and the loss thereof, if by any means it be brought upon us, we are not to esteem it unworthy a deep sorrow. But as the presence noteth a place; so doth it note a state also that doth accompany the place; I will reduce it to two heads; Gods special providence, and his gracious acceptance. Where God is pleased to reside, he taketh a special care of the persons; his care may be reduced unto two heads mentioned in the 80. Psalm, God is a Sun and a Shield; that is, he blesseth and defendeth them that are his people. It is a pleasant thing (saith the Preacher) to see the Sun, the corporal Sun, how much more the spiritual, the Sun of Righteousness? King David will tell you how much more; there be many (saith he) that ask, Psal. 4. Who will show us, any good? but Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us, and thou shalt put more joy into our hearts, than they whose Corn, and wine, and oil is increased; and no marvel; for in thy presence is fullness of joy, Psal. 16. and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore. Is God a Sun unto his Church? then every good and perfect gift will come down upon it from the father of Lights. They are happy that dwell with the Sun? but he that is happy would be safe also, and he that is the Sun is also a Shield, he hideth his servants in his Pavilion, Psal. 27. in the secret of his Tabernacle, he doth hide them; he that dwelleth in the secret place of the most high, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty: Psal. 90. he shall not be afraid of terror by night, nor of the arrow that flieth by day; Read the whole Psalm, it is nothing but a description of the Shield; In the entrance to the 18. Psalm David compareth God to all kind of Munition; and Saint Paul, Ephes. cap. 6. teacheth that God doth furnish us with complete Armour. Who can doubt then that God is a Shield unto his? You see what is God's special providence over his Church; beside that, the state doth contain a gracious acceptance also; Psal. 34.14. They that are near are dear, the Eyes of the Lord are upon them, and his ears are open unto their prayers; they find grace in his eyes with Noah, and he smells their sacrifice, he pitieth their defects, over-valueth their good endeavours, punisheth them less, but rewardeth them more than they deserve, Finally, as he appropriateth, as it were, himself to them, so doth he them unto himself. I cannot stand to amplify these things, only mark this; if the loss of the place be a punishment, there is a great access made to it by the loss of the state; if it be a punishment not to come near God, what a punishment is it to be out of such a Sunshine? to be without such a Shield? what a punishment is it, that neither we nor our works should find any grace in the eyes of God? we must put these things into the scales when we weigh our judgement. But not these things only, the manner of the Rejection doth aggravate it not a little; that is intimated in the word Cast out, it is actio indignantis, we must set before us a person highly displeased, and behold with what countenance he throweth from him that which he detests; David was a King, and he knew well the mood of an angry King, what woeful effects it produceth against those with whom they are angry; I reduced them to two heads, disgrace and danger; take for example Ahasuerus wroth against Haman, upon Queen hester's petition; first he was disgraced, his eyes were covered, that he might not see the King's face, and danger came not far behind disgrace, for he was presently hanged on a gallows. If the casting out of a Subject by the command of a mortal King draw with it this double evil; how is it improved when it is acted by the King of Heaven? But I will open it unto you in a Resemblance or two. This casting out is called a divorce; now you know that if a husband for adultery put away his wife, she forfeits her honour and her dower, she is branded for an infamous person, and destituted of her maintenance; Ose. 2. Christ (as the Prophet speaketh) doth marry us unto himself, and thereupon communicateth unto us his honourable name, we are called Christians, and endoweth us with his whole estate, maketh us heirs of the kingdom of heaven; how great is the disgrace then? how great is the danger that doth accompany the divorce? the disgrace that declareth us unworthy of our name, and danger that cutteth off our title to so glorious an inheritance. A second similitude is the discommuning of us; we were Gods peculiar treasure, a kingdom of Priests, so is our Prerogative expressed, Exod. 19 yea, we are made (as the Gospel speaketh) a Kingdom of Heaven; what greater worth, what greater wealth can be conceived then is in such a state? but if God be provoked to pronounce Lo-ammi against them, Osea. ●. you are not my people, I will not be your God, our worth, our wealth vanish both, they melt with the heat of that fiery doom. I might amplify it by other Similitudes, the cutting off the oline, the Vine branch mentioned, Rom. 11. and joh. 15. by the histories of Cain and of Saul, by the censures of cutting off from God's people remembered in Moses, and Christ's let him be unto thee as a publican and a heathen, but I will not tyre out your patience. Only this I would have you observe, that there is never a particle that I have insisted upon, that is not fit to augment the grievousness of the judgement, the judgement which casteth a sinner out of the presence of God. I should here take leave of this point, but that I cannot leave out a good note of Cassiodores; Cuius faciem timet, eius faciem invocat, a strange thing; two verses before, he prayed, Hid thy face, etc. and here he prayeth, Cast me not out from thy presence; hath the King forgot? doth he contradict himself? by no means; mark his words, and see a difference in the things whereof he speaketh, Russinus. the same difference which before I observed out of Ruffinus; when he prayeth, Hid thy face, he limited his petition to his sins; but here he cometh to speak of his person, and conceiveth a contrary prayer, Hid not thy face from me: we must ever pray that ourselves may be still in God's gracious eye; and we must pray also that his revengeful eye be never on our sins. I have done describing the first punishment, which is the Rejection; I come now to the second, which is the Deprivation. And here we must observe first, whereof we are deprived, of the holy spirit; and what is that? that which maketh all Saints: All Saints day. this very day is a sacred memorial of the gift; If I said no more you might reasonably conceive it, but it is sit I speak more, happily you will understand the day better. The Holy spirit (as I told you) is God's Livery, his Cognizance, john 14.16. none have it but they that are his; Christ tells us so, I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, even the spirit of Truth whom the World cannot receive, because it seethe him not, neither knoweth him, but ye know him, for he dwelleth in you, and shall be in you. But to what end? there are two principal uses of the Holy spirits inhabitation; he is unto us the Oracle of God leading unto all truth; without whom we cannot perceive the things of God, yea they will be foolishness unto us, but if we have him, 1 joh. cap. ● 1. Cor. 2. we have an unction that will teach us all things, yea, we can search the deep things of God. King David had him in a double sort, an Ordinary, unuailing his eyes that he might see the wonderful things of God's Law; an Extraordinary, illightning him to foretell secrets of the Kingdom of Christ which were then yet to come; The Chaldee Paraphrase, and many of the Fathers understand the holy spirit in this later sense for the Spirit of prophecy. That is true which they say, but it is not enough; King David had also the spirit of adoption, and he doth not forget that, in his prayer against deprivation. Yea, he must be thought principally to aim at that, for by the other gift we may serve God on earth, but without this we shall never go to Heaven; for so saith Christ, Mat. 7.24. Many shall say in the last day have we not prophesied in thy Name? but they shall be answered, depart from me you workers of iniquity, I know you not: Therefore no doubt but King David had an eye to that oracle which wrought in him a saving faith, and did (as we must) fear to be deprived of that. As the Holy spirit is an heavenly oracle in our Heads; so in our Hearts it is an heavenly fire. God who instituted sacrifices to be offered by the Church, would have them offered with no other fire, but that which should be sent by him from Heaven, yea, the using of strange fire was capital, as appears by the story of Nadab and Abthu. That type doth inform us of a greater truth; it teacheth us wherewith spiritual sacrifices must be offered unto God. The first sacrifice spiritual must be a pattern to all the rest, Christ by his eternal Spirit offered himself unto God; wherewith his propitiatory; therewith must our Eucharisticals be offered; Saint jude speaketh it plainly, we must pray in the Holy Ghost. The gift you see what it is, but you do not yet fully see what is the worth of it; that I gathered out of tuus, it is not only a holy spirit, but also the spirit of God's holiness, or Gods holy spirit. Our soul in us is a spirit, and we love it so well, that Satan said not untruely; skin for skin, and all that ever a man hath will he give for his life; the Angels are yet better spirits, 2 Pet cap. 2. higher in dignity than Men, their titles (as Saint Peter affirms) confirm it, Psal. 103. and the Psalmist saith that they exceed in Power; and we have reason to respect them, because they pitch their Tents about us, Psal. 91. yea, God hath given a charge unto them over us, to carry us in their hands, that we dash not our feet against a stone. But there is a spirit beyond both these, even the spirit of spirits, without whom the former cannot be, and from whom they receive whatsoever good they have, he is the fountain of being and well-being to them both. If we love our own souls, and the safeguard of Angels be dear unto us; how should we love Gods holy spirit, that is so fare beyond them in infiniteness of power, and excellency of being, yea, without whom they cannot be, nor stir without his command? The phrase doth not only import that the Spirit is Gods, but also that it is the spirit of that which is most in God, that is his Holiness; which doth much improve the gift when the livery that it giveth us, and whereby he would have us known to be his, doth make us partakers of this Divine attribute, wherein to resemble him, should be the highest ambition of a reasonable soul. But I will not wade farther in unfolding the gift; what hath been said, is able to make us sensible of their loss that are deprived thereof, especially when I shall have added thereunto the Manner of losing, which I called a deprivation. The word is rendered vulgarly, take not away. But this taking away, hath two remarkable things in it, it is a taking back of that which was given, and a leaving us not so much as any relic of the gift; In regard of the first some render it, Ne recipia●, take not home again, in regard of the other, Ne spolies, strip me not altogether, so the Arabic. I will touch a little at both of them. First at the Taking back. He that loseth what good he had, is much more sensible of the loss then if he never had it; he that was borne sickly, and hath a long time languished in a disease, is not so much pained, as he that being healthy and strong, is shaken with a fever, or tortured with some ache: Poverty and disgrace are more bitter heart-breakes to them that have lived in plenty and honour, than they can be to him who was never of better condition than a beggar, or a drudge; Miserum est fuisse foelicem, the memory of a better doubleth the misery of a worse estate: it doth so corporally, and it will do so spiritually, if ever we be put to the trial of it; yea we shall find it will do it so much the more, by how much the touch of conscience is more tender than any other sense; and the gift which we lose is infinitely more precious than any other gift. The taking back, doth much amplify the deprivation: but how much more doth it amplify that nothing is left behind? Though the harvest be carried away, yet if there be some gleaning behind; though a Tree be cut down, yet if there be a root left in the ground; though the Sun go down, yet if it be twilight, these small remainders of greater goods, are no small refresh to a loser: It doth a man some good to keep some monuments of his better estate, especially when they are pledges of some sparkle of good will towards us, continuing in him, upon whose just displeasure we forfeited all. As God in favour giveth the holy spirit; so in displeasure doth he take him away, and we cannot guess better at the measure of his displeasure, then by the measure of the deprivation. If he take it but in part, than mercy tempers judgement: but if he leave no sparkles of grace that may be kindled again, than we become Loruhama, Hose 1. we are clean shut out of the bowels of his compassion. And this is that which King David's trembling conscience doth deprecate in these words, Ne auferas, Take not away. I have opened unto you the nature of spiritual Rejection and Deprivation; and I doubt not but by that which you have heard, you conceive that they are grievous judgements, but the bottoms of them are not sounded, except we also take notice of the Consequents: two woeful consequents. The first, if man be rejected of God as before you heard, he must look for a clean opposite condition, he loseth the place of God's presence, and whether shall he go, but even to the pit of hell? He loseth the state of that blessed place, and he shall fall into the state of the cursed. God doth disgrace him, dares any creature yield a good look unto him? God layeth him open to danger, and whose indignation then will not burn against him? Whose hand will spare him upon whom God layeth his heavy hand? Guess what will become of them that are rejected by the King of heaven, by that which you see befall them, who are rejected by Kings on earth. The first consequent of reiestion is bad, neither is the first consequent upon deprivation better: he that loseth the holy Spirit, shall be possessed by an unclean Spirit, 1. Sam. 16. it was saul's case, the Text is plain, The Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil Spirit troubled him; where God is not, Satan will be. Some would be Neutrals in the World, but indeed none are: Man is either a Temple of God or a Synagogue of Satan: yea, and look how much God taketh from us of his Spirit, so much we shall be sure to have of the unclean Spirit; as Darkness taketh up all the room that is not filled with Light: if we have no portion of God's Spirit, those unclean Spirits will possess us wholly. A miserable exchange, and yet is this the insuitable consequent of deprivation. You would think I had brought the judgement to the height, but I have not: there is another consequent, a consequent worse than the former, Omnis spes veniae tollitur, so saith Gregory the Great, the case is not only very bad, but it is passed all recovery: and why? Is a man rejected? No other man may intercede for him; See this in the case of a King; How long, saith God unto Samuel, wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? See it in the case of a Kingdom, I will cast you out of my sight, saith God, as I have cast out all your brethren, even the whole seed of Ephraim, he speaketh of the Kingdom of judah, and therefore pray not thou jeremy, 1. Sam. 16. jeremy 7. for this people, neither lift up cry, nor Prayer for them, neither make intercession to me, for I will not hear thee. A pitiful case a man may have no Mediator if he be rejected. How much more miserable is his case if he be deprived? for than he cannot pray for himself, it is Saint Paul's doctrine, We know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit maketh intercession for us with groans which cannot be uttered; and he that searcheth the heart knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the Saints according to the will of God. You see there is no Prayer can be made hopefully, but must be indicted by the Spirit, and the Spirit prayeth in none but in those that are Saints, therefore they that are deprived of the Spirit, are deprived of the grace of Prayer, as Zacharie also witnesseth which joineth them both together, Zach. c. 12. When a man is brought to this case, that he hath no friend to stand up for him, and he cannot be a friend unto himself, how desperate is his case? What remaineth then but that he betake himself unto a wretched course? Surely Cain did so, when he was rejected, he became the Father of such Giants whom nothing could mend but the general Deluge; and what a life led Saul after he was deprived? So ill a life that his own death could not make amends for it, but many of his children were fain to be hanged up long after to pacify the wrath of God. Yea the Parable of the unclean Spirit witnesseth that they that have been in the state of grace, and by rejection and deprivation are fallen from it, are much worse upon the relapse then ever they were before they first began to be good. No wonder then that David conceived this deprecation against so fearful judgements. Yea most gracious was God unto him that gave him time for to deprecate, that put a distance inter meritum & iudicium, between his ill deserving, and Gods just revenge: he deserved to be cast out, but continued still in God's presence, he deserved to be deprived, but he retained still Gods holy Spirit. See what good use he maketh of God's patience, while he is in the presence, he preventeth the casting out; and preventeth the taking away of the Spirit, while yet the Spirit abode within him, and his preventing, is nothing but deprecating. And while we have the like time we must use no other means; how long doth God forbear us, when we grievously provoke him? Were we better advised we would be more provident, and not overslip the time allowed us for deprecation, lest to our endless grief we find, that when we are under these judgements, our state is past recovery. I should here end, but I must speak a little of this solemn time, All Saints day. and of the blessed Sacrament, which we shall now receive: and my Text is well fitting to them both; to the time, for turn the deprecation into a supplication, and what will it sound then, but King David's desire to continue a Saint? What is a Saint? Is it not a person that is vouchsafed to attend the presence of God? And is furnished with the holy Spirit of God? And he that prayeth, Take not from me thy holy Spirit, cast me not out of thy presence, what doth he desire but this? Lord, continue me, what thou hast once made me, let me ever be a Saint. And now you see how true that is which at the entrance I observed, my Text is a Prayer for perseverance in grace, it was King David's Prayer, it must be the Prayer of All Saints: I hope we are all such, and that we may never be other, let us timely pray against those fearful judgements of spiritual rejection and deprivation: pray so, we must; and that we pray not in vain, lo, yonder is a gracious answer to our Prayer, we shall find it at the Table of the Lord (that I may touch at the Sacrament, as I have done at the time.) Would any man be sure that he is of God's Family? What better evidence can he have then that he is fed at God's Table? Certainly he is not cast out that is allowed his Ordinary there. Doth any man desire to continue in him the possession of God's Spirit? Lo, yonder is the fuel that feeds that heavenly fire; the bread the drink are both Spiritual, they are pledges, they are Conduits of the Spirit of God; the Spirit will never fail them that worthily do partake of these. And why? it is Christ's Spirit, and where Christ is his Spirit must needs go also. But yonder is the fariest picture that ever was made of Christ; go to it, receive it, that thou mayst become one with it, and it with thee: so shalt thou be ever sure ever to be of the family of God, thou shalt stand before his presence, thou shalt ever wear his livery, and keep possession of his spirit. Fear not thou hast Christ promise, john 6. Him that cometh to me I will not c●●● forth, and God hath said, Heb. 13. I will never leave thee nor for sake thee. Only le● 〈◊〉 not be senseless of our danger, nor careless of these good means LOrd our sins are many, they are great but thou hast given David a prerogative beyond Saul, to the Family of David beyond the Family of Saul, to true Penitents beyond graceless Sinners. Vouchsafe us all to be such Penitents that we may enjoy there prerogative; when we sin let us not forget to return in time; and that we be not swallowed up of these fearful judgements of rejection and deprivation, hear us graciously, when we cry humbly, Cast us not away from thy presence, and take not thine holy Spirit from us. PSAL. 51. VERSE 12. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, and establish me with a free Spirit. KIng. David's desire to be continued in the state of grace, is conceived in two Prayers, one against that which himself deserved, another for that without which he could not persevere. I have already opened the former Prayer, I come now to the later. This later Prayer then that you may the better understand I will observe therein, what King David beggeth, and of whom. That which he beggeth is a restitution and a confirmation, restore, establish. We must moreover observe in the restitution, whereof it is; and in the confirmation, wherewith it is wrought. The restitution is of a comfortable sense of God's grace. God's grace is noted by salvation, whereof the comfortable sense is joy. The Confirmation is wrought by a generous disposition: the disposition is meant in the word Spirit, which that it may be generous must be free. Such a comfortable sense, and such a generous disposition are the two supporters of perseverance; by them are the children of God continued in the state of grace. But whence do they get them? Surely only from God, it is he that withdraweth in displeasure, and therefore it is he that in mercy must restore the comfortable sense: as our being so our well being subsists only in him, and therefore only by him, can we be confirmed therein, therefore King David desirous to speed of these means of perseverance, seeketh them where they may be had, he beggeth them at the hands of God. These are the contents of this text, which I will enlarge and apply in their order. But in the passage I may not forget to observe unto you, that for obtaining perseverance, the deprecation will not suffice without a supplication; it is not enough to be freed from the impediments, except we be vouchsafed the means of perseverance: put the case our Master should never in this World turn us out of his Family, which is the Church, nor strip us of his Livery which is his holy Spirit; yet if we be not provided of means heartening and exercising us in this service, better never to continue then to continue so in that blessed society. The unprofitable servant that hide his Talon in a Napkin abode in the house with his fellows that were more thrifty, 〈◊〉 25. and emplyed their talents to their Master's advantage; but at the reckoning day that idle one was cast into utter darkness, there to weep and gnash with his teeth, when his fellows upon their better account did enter into their Master's joy. God hath done us all this favour as to continue our entertainment in the Church, we must not neglect our employment in his service; if we do, well may God's favour increase our pain, we must never look that it will yield us comfort. For perseverance is not a bare continuance in God's Church, and participation of his gifts, it requireth that we make use of it, and advance his glory. This by the way: let us come now to the particulars whereof the first is salvation. The Fathers by this word understand our Saviour Christ, and indeed old Simeon calleth him so in his Song, taking Christ in his arms he speaketh thus to God, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant departed in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation, and salvation is included in the Name of jesus, therefore in the Kings Bibles, the Latin hath the Name of jesus instead of salvation. Acts. 18. ●. Saint Peter in the Acts telleth us that there is no other name under Heaven by which we may be saved, but only the Name of jesus; he is that salutare Dei, so often remembered in the Prophets, and the saving grace of God mentioned in Saint Paul. Titus 2.11. But we must not understand only the person by this name salvation, but also the fruit: that springeth from him, spiritual and corporal. The spiritual, I have handled upon former Verses; it is the discharge from the guil●, from the corruption of sin, sinne which King David contracted himself; sin which he inherited from his Parents. jesus saved King David from them both, this was his spiritual salvation. Ecclus cap. 47. But he had a corporal also: God was with him in all his wars, and bore down his enemies before him; He played with Lions as Kids, and with Bears as with Lambs; He slew the Giant Goliath, subdued the Philistines, and all the bordering Nations, whereupon the people sung those words, Psal. 21. The King shall rejoice in thee, O Lord, how exceeding glad shall he be of thy salvation! In the case of King David we must join all three significations, First, The person of jesus, Secondly, The spiritual redemption, Thirdly, the corporal deliverance. This observed touching the salvation, we must now consider what is meant by joy.. joy I told you, is a comfortable sense, between reasonable and unreasonable creatures, this is a special difference, that though both partake of blessings from God, yet a true sense of them none have but those that are reasonable: pleasure animals may have, but joy, they cannot have, for joy is an affection of a reasonable soul. And reason hath taught natural men not to receive good, but to be affected answerably to the good which we receive. In things that belong to our natural life every man giveth proof hereof; if a man be hunger-starved, what comfort will he express if one shall bring him sustenance? He that shall be eased when he is tortured with pain, how merry will he be? And how will his heart dance for joy, that should be received again into the King's favour after some great disgrace? Whatsoever our worldly distress is, we cannot choose but manifest our content, when we obtain a release. Whereby we may easily gather that joy and good should go together, they do so in God, they should do so in all that partake the Image of God, as he so they should joy in that which is good. A second thing that we must mark is, that according to the good must the joy be, as great, as manifold. As great, heavenly things call for greater joy then earthly, and those things that concern our eternal life, must yield us more comfort than those things that belong unto our temporal. This discovers a great defect in the World's joy: if our hungry bodies be said we joy, God daily feedeth our souls with his Word, and we joy not: if our bodies of sick be made whole, we joy; but who joyeth in that medicine that restoreth his soul from death to life? Who joyeth in the recovery of God's favour? That would be almost beside himself for joy, if he might be vouchsafed but a little favour? from a mortal King. So fare are worldly men from equalling their joy unto the worth of good, that the greater good can have no share while the lesser taketh up all their joy: yea, that whereunto the Scripture hath in a manner appropriated joy, findeth little entertainment in our affections, and that is the Gospel and Christ the substance thereof, whose attendant the Angels, the Prophets, the Apostles, in the Old, in the new Testament, make to be the affection of joy. In their Sermons you shall find joy and salvation coupled together; they make the news of salvation not only gaudium magnum a great joy, but also gaudium solum the only joy; Luke 2. and that with an absit: God forbidden, that I rejoice but in the Cross of Christ. Gal. 6. How much to blame then are we, that are so fare from making it solum, our only joy, that we are not come so fare as to make it magnum, matter of any extraordinary joy? Yea, in the most it findeth nullum, no affection of joy at all. What shall I say then? Those things which God hath conjoined let no man put asunder, least at the judgement day, joy and we be put asunder, when we shall wish, but wish in vain, that God would join us together. As joy must be as great as the good we have, so must it be also as manifold. A manifold good must not be entertained with a single joy. I have showed that salvation is threefold, and so a threefold good. David was a Prophet, and had Revelations of the Incarnation of Christ, that he should be borne of his Seed, that he should be the Saviour of the World, and he joyed in this salvation, in this blessed contemplation of the Kingdom of Christ; he could not with Abraham see that day, but he must needs rejoice. As the foresight of Christ's Incarnation wrought in him joy, so could he not reap the fruit thereof to his own redemption, but he must joy also: the participation of it cannot but bring pleasure, which we cannot but with great pleasure behold; therefore no doubt but King David's soul did sing his Daughters Magnificat, and his Spirit rejoiced in God his Saviour. Neither did his temporal deliverance pass unsaluted by this affection; witness the eighteenth Psalm, which is nothing else but an amplification of the joy which he took therein. According to this good example should we learn to multiply our joy, as God multiplieth his salvation. Certainly the Church meant we should do so, when it multiplied the Feasts, which in the old phrase of the Church are called gaudium, gaudy days, not so much from the corporal refection, as from the spiritual exultation: it meant we should join joy and salvation together, spiritual joy with spiritual salvation. But the corporal hath almost worn out the spiritual joy, so much more doth the comfort of our bodies carry us away then the comfort of our souls. But all this while we are not come unto King David's Prayer, the first branch of his Prayer that concerneth this joy of salvation. His Prayer is, as I said, for Restitution, restore: he that prayeth so, giveth us to understand two things, that he feeleth a want, and that he remembreth what is the supply thereof; both good signs of grace. We hold it a sign of grace in regard of things temporal: those poor and sick that are in ne●d and pain, we hold worthy of compassion, when we hear there lamentable complaints; but Vagrants that even in the Prison being loaden with irons, naked, and half starved, can be frolic, and glory in their misery, we hold as unworthy of our pity, as they have little feeling of their own bad case. Apply this now unto our souls, and see the difference between men and men, and judge thereby what regard they deserve to find at the hands of God. How many be there that want this joy of salvation, in whom notwithstanding there appeareth little sense that they have of such want? Surely they do live as if eternal salvation did nothing concern them; such are all profane persons that say, Let us eat, let us drink, to morrow we shall die, Quibus anima data eft pro sale ne putrescerent, which make no more account of their soul then of a preservative that keepeth their bodies from turning into dung, whose labour is only to make themselves everlasting fuel for hell. God regardeth them accordingly and they receive as little of this joy of salvation, as they would seem to want it. But if we mean to receive we must first feel that we do want, and our want must be declared as King David's was in this supplication, restore. For God then gins to take pity when men are brought to the knowledge of their wants: yea, he giveth men a sense of their want, before he vouchsafeth a supply thereof. But red doth not only imply a sense of want, but a remembrance also of that which sometimes we had. It is a good thing for a man to be feeling of his want, but there is no small access made unto that gracious sense, if we apprehend withal that our want proceeds from our own unthriftiness; that what we want we had, and that it is through our own fault that we are brought unto this want. And indeed if ever we be in want, we want through our own default; for God made us perfect, and we became not naked but by eating the forbidden fruit; and since that time men have been more or less unthrifty, and have misspent the portion which God hath given them. Therefore we must not come to God with the simple Verb da, that imports only that we are in want, we must use the compound red, we must confess ourselves Prodigals, that is the right voice of a Christian Penitent. But whereto shall we apply this restore? To the salvation? Or to the joy? Distinguish Quod fieri debet, & quoth fit, our deserving, and Gods dealing, and the answer is plain: no doubt we forfeit our salvation, God might strip us of it if he did reward us according to our sins: God's Covenant is like a lease that hath a clause of reentry, but leaveth a power in the Landlord to use extremity, or deal mercifully with his Tenant: God is unto his children as a kind Landlord unto bad Tenants: he doth not take forfeits as often as we make them, he doth not re-enter upon our Tenement, nor strip us of our salvation, we are often damnable, yet we are not damned. Notwithstanding, he doth not suffer us to scape ; when he doth not take the forfeiture, he taketh à nomine poenae; he doth inflict some penalty, yea, and that a sharp one too, for he taketh even from his dearest children the joy of their salvation; he casteth them into sad moods, he afflicteth them with heavy hearts; when they look upwards they see clouds cast over God's countenance, and cannot but sorrow for it; when they look down they see Hell's mouth gaping for them, they cannot but tremble at it: such agonies overtake them and make them smart for their sins wherewith they offend God, agonies I say of sorrow and fear. Take a similitude from the Sun, which may make a day, or a Sunshine day, while it is above our Horizon; it is often day when the Sun doth not shine, but thick clouds breathed from the earth make a sad sky, as if it were night, yet cannot we say the Sun is gone down: even so many times are we in the state of salvation, the Sun is with us, we are children of the day; yet have we no joy of our salvation, our Sun doth not shine, we have no clear day. But from King David you may learn that to be sure of salvation will not content a religious heart, except he may have the joy thereof also. I conclude this point; let us take heed that pleasure strip us not of pleasure, worldly of heavenly; let us not grieve God lest he grieve us, grieve him with sin, lest he grieve us with sorrow: for we see in King David's example, that God inflicts such penalties; and if at any time we suffer so for our desert, let us not continue stupidly in this distressing want, but importune him with King David's Restore, Restore me to the joy of thy salvation. And so much of the first part of the supplication. I come now to the second, from the Restitution to the Confirmation, Establish me with a free spirit. Where first we must see what spirit is here meant. There is a spirit in man, and there is a spirit of God; some understand the one, some understand the other, I will join both together. For indeed the attribute belongs to both, God's spirit is free, and so is man's, but Gods by nature, man's by grace: couple God's Spirit unto man's, and then you shall find the saying of the Apostle true, Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty: 2. Cor. 3. Rom. 8. john 8. for it is the Spirit of adoption, and if thereby the Son of God make us free, then are we free indeed. Therefore I told you that here by the Spirit I understand our disposition. But this disposition of ours must be considered, as it is by nature so it is servile; as it becomes by grace, so it is free. I called it a generous disposition, and indeed so the word signifieth. But to open it a little more fully, john 8. ver. 34 we learn of Christ that sin maketh a slave; it appeareth plainly in that which we call free will and the attendants thereon. Freewill is resolved into the judgement we pass upon things, and the choice we make according to the judgement: now no man hath a more slavish judgement than a wicked man, for sin blindeth his eyes, what he doth not desire he doth not believe, and you shall seldom see a man possessed with any enormous sin, in whom affected ignorance is not evident: yea sin maketh him put that out of all question, which if he would use his own judgement, he would find had no credibility. Had it not been for this servility of judgement, Pharaoh could never so long have held out against Moses, Israel have murmured so often against God, Scribes and Pharisees have so fearfully blasphemed our Saviour Christ, the Church of Rome so shamefully withstand the truth, and Atheists so profanely scoff at the reproof of their sins: not one of these many lewd ones which hath not a servile judgement. Neither hath servility taken possession only of our judgement, but of our will also; we can make no better choice than our judgement will give us leave, if that be servile this cannot be free. Not free? Nay, it were well, if it were no more servile than our judgement, but indeed it is much more: for how often do we see what we should do, and yet to please sin choose to do the contrary? Whether we be regenerate, or whether we be unregenerate (for the text is understood of both by several Divines) we may say with the Apostle, Rom. 7. I see a Law in my members rebelling against the Law of my mind, and carrying me captive unto sin, we have uncircumcised hearts, and do resist the Spirit of God. Take an example or two: the Pharisees could not deny the Resurrection of Christ, the Soldiers brought them direct word of it, but see what a perverse choice they made, Matth. 28. rather than they would give glory unto God by acknowledging the truth, they bribe the Soldiers to outface it with a gross lie. This servility of there will, is more plainly set down in the Acts 4. Chap. where after Peter had healed a Cripple in the Name of jesus, they therefore apprehended him and john, and fall to this consultation, What shall we do to these men? For that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell at jerusalem, and we cannot deny it: a man would expect that their will should yield unto such clear evidence yet doth it not, for mark how they resolve, That it spread no further amongst the people, let us straightly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name. O servile will! Neither are these principal faculties only but their attendants also servile, First, the concupiscible, or that faculty whereby we ensue what we suppose good, the servility thereof is most palpable. God made all these visible creatures to serve us, and us to serve only himself; but what creature is there which man doth not advance above himself? Yea deify that he may be a drudge unto it? Our meats and drinks so ravish us, that Esau sold his birthright for a mess of pottage: our money and wealth how base doth it make us? Chap. 1●. There is nothing worse than a covetous man, saith the Son of Syrach, for such a man will sell his Soul for a morsel of bread. The Apostle calleth the covetous man a plain Idolater, which is nothing else but a slave to an Idol. And to whom is not an ambitious man a slave? Whose eyes are observant of every man's looks, whose ears attend every man's tongue, whose tongue pleaseth every man's humour, whose feet go whether, whose hands do what every man will, that can inch him forward to the place whereunto he aspires. Finally, look whatsoever humour possesseth us, there is no slavery which for the satisfying thereof we do not willingly affect: yea mark that the base things are, the stronger are men's affections that bow to them; as we see in Epicures, Wantoness, Covetous and other wicked ones; it is hard to see a man so humbly, so earnestly to serve God, as they do serve their earthly lusts. Neither is the irascible, or the faculty wherewith we encounter difficulties while we pursue good, less servile than the concupiscible is in pursuing of vanity and toys: it maketh Pigmies seem Giants unto us, every danger is as ugly as death, every frown will over awe us, and the least terror cast us into a Fever. If we be put to it whether we will lose Heaven or Earth, God or the World, we will quickly betray with what resolution we are carried unto the best things, and how hardly we brook walking in the narrow way, though it lead unto the Kingdom of Heaven, how hardly we endure momentany afflictions, though they work unto us an exceeding and eternal weight of glory. 2. Cor 5. Read the Story of the Israelites passage from Egypt to Canaan, in them you may read what manhood we have: Servility hath so cowardized all our Fortitude, that we set lightly even by God himself, if we may not possess him easily and speedily. I need say no more: by this time you see what a base and servile spirit we have, certainly by nature it is most base and servile. I have amplified this that you might see there is great reason why King David should make this Prayer, and perceive better what that is which he desireth, and what he meaneth by a free spirit. He meaneth not a Libertines freedom, he would not be a son of Belial, have a cloak for licentiousness, but he would be enthrawled to none but God. And indeed his service is perfect freedom: he would have his judgement free, he would walk by no light but by the light of Heaven: his understanding he would have captivated only to the wisdom of God, and then he is sure he shall never mistake his true object, truth, because God's Word is truth, and he can never err whom God doth guide, and verily he is the wisest man that maketh God's Commandment the rule of his judgement, his judgement is free indeed. And what is a freewill? Sure that which chooseth the only good, that whose sovereign good is only God; he chooseth all that chooseth him, so that having him the will misseth nothing of her proper object: let it pitch upon other goods, and it will be if not deluded yet certainly scanted, because nothing can satisfy which is less than that for which the will was made. As grace doth thus free the reasonable faculty, so doth it the sensitive also, it freeth our desires: though there be no Law to compel, yet doth a man readily run the way of God's Commandments, he thinketh he cannot speed fast enough, nor have enough of that good, which a holy will guided by a wise judgement recommends unto him: unto him Modus diligendi Deum est diligere sine modo, he drinks himself drunk at the river of divine pleasures, and is so unsatiable in that, that he passeth in the World, for a fool and a madman. This is the freedom of desire, it made King David dance in an Ephod before the Ark; it made Abraham follow God, whithersoever he did call him; and many holy men to affect solitariness, that they might have the more of the society of God, and his Angels! Such a desire is no hireling, it loveth good for good, and will serve God only out of the content it taketh in his service; and such service God requireth, and such a desire is a free desire. The last faculty that is free is the irascible, the courage of a man must be made free; Saint Paul hath expressed that excellently, Rom. 8. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? No, I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, neither Angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ jesus. Behold a free courage, such a Martyr's courage as will readily obey and run to Christ, though he must be loaden with the Cross: that will be contented to hate Father, and Mother, Wife, Children, if they hinder him from being Christ's Disciple. Put these together, and you may reasonably conceive, what King David meaneth by a free spirit. And such freedom is to be desired by us all, we must all desire to be so free in our judgement, will, desires, courage, and so we shall become generous persons, such as stoop to no base things, and shall stick at the bestowing of nothing we have, though it be our own selves, whereby we may compass the true, the sovereign good. There is one thing moreover meant by this phrase which is peculiar unto David; and doth somewhat concern all those that are in authority, 1. Sam. ca 16 and that is an heroical spirit: Numb. 11. God gave him one when he anointed him first to be King, so did he unto Moses, Exod. ca 19 and the Elders which were chosen to assist him. Though every child of God must by a noble spirit testify his parentage, and that Kingly degree whereunto he is called of God, yet they that are set over others, must have a principal spirit in a higher measure, answerable to their charge must their gifts be; servility beseems none less than those, who are appointed guides to lead others out of thraldom. The next point is King David's prayer, uphold or establish. His late woeful experience had taught him that he was labilis and fragilis, that he was apt to take a fall, and with the fall a bruise; therefore he had good reason to pray God to hold him up, to strengthen him; yea the best are mutable creatures, as they were made of nothing, so of themselves they would turn to nothing again. Therefore he that standeth must pray that he may not fall, that his house rest not upon the Sands to be blown down by the winds, or borne down by the Waves, but upon a Rock which will hold out against them both. Secondly, this word importeth that he that hath recovered a fall, Clem. Alex. Stromat. lib. ● desires that he may no more relapse, Vilificat libertatem qui iterùm vult amittere, it is a shrewd argument that he setteth light by a free spirit, that doth not desire as well for to keep it, as for to have it, and the desire for to keep it, doth argue at how dear a rate we set it. Thirdly, Saint Bernard's rule is true, Quae modo sunt, modo non sunt, is qui verè est non acceptat; nec in caducis istis potest vera aeternitas sibi complacere. Virtue be it never so eminent pleaseth not God except it be lasting, he will have every one strive to resemble him as well in constancy as in sanctity. Finally, this comfortable sense, and generous spirit, are the two supporters of perseverance, for what should move him to fall from God, that is heartened with the comfortable sense of God's favour, and established by a generous spirit to do him service? Therefore Gregory the Great giveth us a good note, In 〈◊〉. Psal. that if we mean to persevere, we must take heed that we do not sever these: Solet quibusdam contingere, etc. it falleth out too often saith he, that men lulled a sleep with the joy of salvation, forget how feeble their knees are, and beg not to be held up with a free spirit, and so slip before they are ware: wherefore he addeth, Ita me correctum sac gaudere de veniâ, ut tamen nunquam desinam esse suspectus de culpâ, Let me never so joy in the pardon of my sins, as that out of the consciousness of my own frailty I should not desire to be strengthened against sin. The last thing I noted upon this Text is, Who is the giver of these gifts, and it appeareth to be God, for to him King David prayeth, and what better proof then that every man seeketh it of him, and thanketh him, Serm 6. Dei on●●e 〈◊〉. Cap. 6. 1. Cor. 1.31. if that he have it? What mean we (saith Saint Cyprian) by all the Lords Prayer, Nisi ut in eo quod esse cepimus, perseveremus? Whereunto agreeth Saint Augustine, and the Apostle telleth us, that he that glorieth must glory in the Lord: Until we come to God we can find no ground of stability: how glorious were the Angels in Heaven? How holy was Adam in Paradise? Both left unto themselves are monuments of the frailty of a creature. If they, how much more we that come so short of their gifts? Wherefore God having showed us how little steadfastness there is in the foundation of nature, Psal. 94. buildeth us upon a surer foundation, he buildeth us upon himself, He is become our refuge, and the strength of our confidence. And as he only can establish us with a free spirit, so only he can restore unto us the joy of his salvation. The earth may breathe forth vapours, and intercept the sunshine, but not the Earth, but the Sun itself must dispel those vapours, that with his brightness he may cheer the earth again: our sins may cloud the light of God's countenance, only God's mercy can make it break through that cloud, and shed a comfortable influence into our soul, I say, only God, that for sin withdrew it from us. It is not meant that hereupon we should grow idle, but we must not overvalue our endeavours, Heb. 3.12. we must take heed that our Lamps go not out, That there be not in any of us an evil heart of infidelity to departed from the living God, Psal. 127. we must gird up our loins, and we must watch. But yet we must still remember, that Except the Lord build the house they labour but in vain that build it, except the Lord keep the City, the watchman waketh but in vain, Tutiores, saith Saint Austin, Esay 46. Vivimus si totum Deo damus, & non nos illi ex parte, & nobis ex parte committimus; we are most secure while we value our own endeavours at nought, and give all the glory of our stability to God. Hear ye me, O house of jacob, and all that remain of the house of Israel, which are borne of me from the womb, and brought up of me from the birth, therefore unto the old age I am the same, even I will bear you unto the hoary hairs, I have made you, I will also bear you, and I will carry you, and I will deliver you. If God put his fear into our hearts, we shall not departed from him, if he keep us none shall be able to take us out of his hand. Read Colos. 1. Philip. 1. I conclude, though we can say with Saint Paul, 2. Tim. 4. I have fought a good sight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith, henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of righteousness, which God the righteous judge shall give me at that day: yet let us with the four and twenty Elders, Cast down ourselves and our crowns before him that sitteth upon the Throne and the Lamb, saying, Reve. 4.4. Praise and honour and glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the Throne, and to the Lamb for evermore. AMEN. PSAL. 51. VERSE 13. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways, and Sinners shall be converted unto thee. WHen I broke up the first part of this Psalm, I told you that it was a Vow, and therefore observed therein the parts of a Vow, a Desire, and a Promise, for when a man voweth, there is something that he would receive, and something that he must render, render out of thankfulness, for that which out of the goodness of God he receives. I have ended the first of these two parts, King David's desire hath been unfolded unto you, the brief whereof is, he desired to be restored unto, and preserved in the state of grace. Let us now go on and hear King David's Promise, hear what he will render thankfully, if God vouchsafe mercifully to grant his desire, King David doth promise that he will religiously serve God, this is the sum of his promise. But in the pursuit of this point we shall be led to see, first of what kind his service is, and then what reason he giveth for his choice. God's service is either Moral, or Ceremonial. The service which King David doth promise is moral; this is plain in my Text, and the two following verses. Will you know the reason of this his choice? You have it in the 16. and 17. verses; the reason is God's good pleasure; his choice is guided by that; God delighteth more in Moral then in Ceremonial service, absolutely he doth so, and especially in pacification for such enormous, such heinous sins. But let us look into the Moral service which he promiseth, there me thinks the first thing I see is, that Kiing David hath sped of that which he desired last; He desired a free, a liberal Spirit, and surely but from a free, a liberal spirit, so large a promise could not proceed. His promise taketh up both Tables of the Decalogue, his duty to God, his duty to his Neighbour. His duty to his Neighbour, he will edify others, his duty to God, he will glorify him. At this time I will insist only upon his promise to edify his Neighbour, for that is the proper argument of my text; wherein I shall show you first severally what Means he useth, and what Success he hoped for. The Means are the teaching of God's ways; Gods ways, the best of lessons, but such a lesson as cannot be known without teaching. His Success is the conversion of those that are taught. But more distinctly in the teaching we must consider Quis, & Quos, who is the Master and what Scholars he taketh in hand. The Master is King David, King David newly converted by grace, Ego docebo, I will teach. But whom Transgressor's, Sinners, those that are such as I was; and indeed such Scholars need such a Master, those that go astray such a one as is newly returned home. This we must observe in the Teaching. And in the Converting we must moreover observe Under, & Quo, from Whence and unto whom these Scholars shall return. Whence, that is employed in their name Transgressor's, Sinners, then must they return from their transgressions, and from their sins, that is from their own ways. But whether? unto God, from whom they went, unto him they must return, and to return unto God, is to return unto God's ways, and so to learn the lesson which their Master teacheth them. Having thus severally considered the Means and the Success, we will consider them jointly, we will see how fitly they are coupled together. There is no true conversion without teaching, and teaching must work that conversion which must bring a Sinner unto God. You hear the particulars whereat (God willing) I shall now touch, I pray God I may so do it that we may all carry away a true touch thereof. But first you must take a lesson from the connection of the parts of King David's vow, of his Promise, with his Desire, and the lesson is, we must not be unthankful, when God is merciful unto us, not that God can be bettered by aught which we do, for the Psalmist doth teach, Bonum meum nihil ad te, Esal. 16. My good reacheth not unto thee, but we should testify that we receive not God's grace in vain, our fruit must show what trees we are; and because we are it by an others gift, Ingenuiest agnoscere & imitari benefactorem suum, There is no truer character of ingenuity, than an humble acknowledging whose creatures we are, and a careful resembling of our Creator. Especially seeing our gifts are bestowed upon us, not only ut ornamenta, but instrumenta, not only to recommend us, but also for the good of others. We see it in the frame of the whole World, in Heaven, and in earth, neither of them is more beautiful, then useful; yea, the more glorious, the more commodious are the parts of the Great world, which should make our little world blush, if we use our endowments as many do their garments, for pride, and not for profit, that fools may gaze on us, and no body be the better for us. This lesson we must take in the way. Let us now come to the particulars, whereof the first is the means that are used, the teaching of God's ways. God's ways I told you is the best of lessons, for we are in this world, Viatores, way-faring men, and what should way-faring men spend their Study upon; but that which is answerable to their name, that is a Way. Yea, seeing we are not only wayfaring men, but as the Apostle teacheth, peregrinamur a Domino, 2. Cor. 5. we are absent from the Lord, what other ways should we study, but vias Domini, the Lords ways, the ways that are here mentioned in my Text. Surely that must needs be the safest way, for it is sine diverticulo, sine praecipitio, it is a very strait way, it hath no turnings where a man may lose himself, and it tends all upward, no fear of tumbling into the gulf of perdition. But the way of the Lord though in itself but one, is yet considered two ways, first, as God doth travel in it unto us, secondly, as we walk in it unto God, for both causes it is called via Domni; and good reason, for God is such a Lord as doth praeire not only praecepto, but also exemplo, he leadeth us not only by good Laws, but also by his own good deeds, and doth before us whatsoever he commands. If he command us to be holy, just, true, merciful, Psal. 145. the Lord himself is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works, and in another Psalm, All the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth. But what need any more proof, Psal. 25.10. when our goodness is but his Image, and our living well, but a showing forth of the virtues of him that hath called us. So that if a man were to choose a way, 1. Pet. 2. he can desire no better than the way which the King doth go in himself; and can a Christian have a better than is the way of God. Way, or ways, the Holiness is but one, but it showeth itself in many forms, in wisdom, in righteousness, in temperance, in patience, in whatsoever other virtue; the Charity is still but one, but such a one as is able to give fit entertainment to every object, and because the entertainment is various, we read sometime Vias, the ways of the Lord, and we read sometimes Via, because the Charity is always but one: and we should have such grace as may answer all occasions, neither is it true regenerating grace that is unprepared for any alteration, that can bear prosperity, but not adversity, that can converse with God but not with men, that can not be militant as well as triumphant. This property is a good toveh stone for every man to try his grace thereby. But to leave the Lesson and come to the Teaching. The way is such as no man can go without a guide, and no marvel, for no man ever went it twice, no man ever passed from Earth to Heaven, and being there came down to the earth to return to heaven again; haply if he did, he might have remembered the way, and so go it the second time without a guide, but God alloweth not a second journey to heaven, therefore is every man a stranger in this way, whereupon it must needs follow, that every man doth need a guide, or else he cannot be sure that he goeth a right; especially seeing the way he must go, is be set on either side with so many broad, but mis-leading paths. Teaching then is necessary for those that mean to go the way. Having thus in a generality shown you the means that is used, we must now distinctly consider Quis, & Quos, who is the Master, Ego ●ocebo, King David saith, he will take upon him to be the master. But King David must be considered as a newly converted Paenitentiarie as one restored unto, and established in the state of grace, he had plucked out the beam out of his own eye, before he offered to pluck the moats out of his brother's eye, he was enlightened himself, before he offered to illighten others, and he would not purge others, before he was purged himself. Grat. 1. Nazianzene hath a good rule, Cavendum est ne admirandae virtutis malipictores simus, we must take heed that we blur not the virtue which we desire to limb. A man that goeth about to teach another the ways of God, is by that father resembled unto a Painter that draweth God's Image upon his brother, now he accounts him a good Painter, that is himself a good pattern of the virtue that he doth teach, but he is but a bad Painter that blotteth out with his life, what he Painteth with his tongue, who may be cast off with that scornful Medice cur a teipsum; who will believe him whose deeds discredit his words? David was not such a Painter, he taught not others, before he had learned himself. But how did he teach? Two ways, exemplo, & verbo, his very case was a good Sermon, a Sermon of the ways of God, of his way of justice, of his way of Mercy, David was a monument of both. A monument of God's justice, who though he were a man after Gods own heart, yet did God not suffer his sins uncorrected. A monument of God's mercy, for though his sins were very grievous, yet upon his unfeigned repentance they were graciously pardoned. So did he teach by his example, teach men not to presume, because in him they may see God is just, teach them not to despair, because in him they may perceive that God is exceeding merciful. As he teacheth by example, so doth he by his word also; witness this Psalm wherein he taught the Church in his time, teacheth us now, and shall teach men until the world's end, for what is the contents thereof but this, Come unto me, harken unto me. I will show you, I will teach you, what God hath done, and for my soul? Add hereunto that David was a King, and his care that he voweth may go for a teaching, for Kings communicate in the name of Pastors, in the Scriptures they are more than once called by the name of Shepherds, and Constantine the Emperor said well, that Kings were Episcopi ad extra, they have a kind of Bishopric, and must be careful of the ghostly welfare of their charge. But we may not mistake, David did not take upon him the Priesthood as Vzziah his successor did, and was plagued for doing it, he kept himself within his bounds, he did but that which all that are trusted with Civil Authority are bound to do, except what in this kind he did as a Penitent, or as a Prophet, and his example is a good admonition for of all his rank, all in his case, yea, it may admonish all; It was Cain's voice that said, Numquid ego sum custos fratris, Am I my Brother's keeper? Yea, God hath given (saith the Son of Syrack) a charge unto every man concerning his brother. The law will not suffer a man to neglect his brother's Ox, or his Ass going astray, or sinking vn●●●● his burden; hath God care of Oxen? or doth he not intimate there●● how much more we must care for the master of those beasts? It is the property of good men that the good which they receive from God, they dispense to others, and are as careful of other men's salvation as of their own, according to the rule, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. We have found the Master; Let us now seek out the Scholars, we find them here to be Transgressor's, Sinners, an untoward subject you would think for a Master to work upon, to tame such headstrong Colts, and bring such persons to a better course, and yet nihil aptius, nihil acceptius, no Scholars are more fit to be undertaken by such a Master, and such a Master cannot better please the Master of Masters, that is God, then by undertaking of such Scholars, undertaking to teach transgressors and sinners, to teach them Gods ways that have gone farthest our of the way, for such must you understand by these words. It is every man's work to set them forward that are in the way, to teach the righteous; it is a harder task to fetch them in, that are gone out, and such a Master must put himself to the hardest task. A Soldier that hath played the coward, cannot recover the reputation of a valiant man, by adventuring no farther than ordinary Soldiers, but by undertaking some dangerous assault, or trying his valour upon an enemy of note, and no teaching is worthy of a convert, but the teaching of those that are much averse; for how should he show that he doth throughly detest sin, that having rooted it out of himself can endure it in another? No, his own passion will fill him with compassion, the remembrance of the loss which himself sustained, of the smart which himself hath felt, the experience (I say) of this double evil, will not suffer him to stand as an idle spectator, while the spiritual thief, the murderer, doth spoil, doth slaughter others; he will be aiding to such forlorn ones with his best, with his readiest succour. Add hereunto that they that are converted were corrupters while they were in the state of sin, they led many out of the way, and who doth it be seem better to be stir themselves for the recovery of sinners, than they by whom many have been made sinners? It is fit that by this care they do redeem that fault; surely Dives in hell shown a desire of such a thing, when he prayed Abraham to send teachers to his brethren, who might reclaim them before they came to hell, it implieth a sorrow (though a fruitless one) which he had for that he had corrupted them; and he is worse than Dives, who being conscious to himself, that he hath been an instrument of mis-leading others, doth not desire to convert at least as many as he hath corrupted. As there is nothing fit for such a Master then the dealing with such Scholars, so there is nothing wherein he can better please his Master, God, th●n by taking pains with such Scholars. God is compared unto an Husbandman, all the world is his Farm, now you know a good Farmer that hath many parcels of ground over grown with Briars and Thorns, taketh great comfort to see them grubbed up, and the ground made good Pasture, or Arable: even so God, who would have all men ●aued and come to the knowledge of his truth, is well pleased with their patens that are instruments thereof, ye●, therefore doth he convert some, that by them he may convertothers; you may gat●er it out of Christ's words to Saint Peter, 〈…〉 ●2. I have prayed for thee that thy faith should not fail, Tuantem conuersu●, confirmafratres, When thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren; 〈…〉. This lessen is excellently shadowed in a vision of Ezekiels', where the waters running from the Sanctuary into the dead Sea, healed it, and presently upon the banks grew up 〈◊〉 of life, of which we read in the Reuelat on, 〈…〉. that their leaves were for the healing of the Nations. And indeed all the famous Converts that we read of ●aue ever thought they could not dee God better service; I will instance but in two, Saint Paul, and Saint Austin; Saint Paul had been a persecutor, a blasphemer, he obtained mercy, and God put him into the Ministry, that as his eyes were opened, so he might open the eyes of others; and what pains did he take? 〈…〉. Becoming all, to all, that he might win some to Christ. Saint Augustine's confessions show what his first life was, how sick he was in Head and Heart, in faith and life, and his Works do show how careful he was, after God gave him the light of his truth, and fear of his name, to reform others, Epic●res and Heretics, and work into them a true knowledge and withdraw love of God. I conclude this point; As many of us as find grace at any time, must after the Pattern of King David labour to present some Convert sinner, as an Eucharistical sacrifice unto God. And let this suffice for the unfolding of the means that this King doth use. I come now to the success which is hoped for, which is a Conversion. Conversion is not a local motion, but a moral change, the making of us of old, new men, a metamorphi●ing, as Saint Paul calleth it, a changing of us into a new Image. But the nature of this Conversion will better appear, if I first unfold unto you the two terms, Vnde, & Quo, from Whence, and to Whom, sinners are converted. From whence you cannot better learn then by their names, they are called transgressors, such as leave God's ways to follow their own, the devices of their own brain, the desires of their own heart. God made man (saith the Scripture) after his own Image, but the Image of God in man, was much like the Image of the Sun in the Moon, so long as the Moon is in opposition to the Sun, we see what a goodly light body it hath, no sooner doth it divert to either side, but it soon loseth its light: even so a man keeping himself towards God, receiveth an impression of his sacred Image, which vanisheth when he turneth himself from God. Yea, you see daily that when you walk in the Sun, if your face be toward it, you have nothing before you but bright shining light, and comfortable heat, turn your back to the Sun, and what have you before you but a shadow? And what is a shadow but the privation of the light and heat of the Sun? Yea it is but to behold your own shadow, that you defraud yourself of the other, for there is no true wisdom, no true happiness, but only in beholding the countenance of God, look from that, and we lose these blessings; and what shall we gain? A shadow; an empty Image, instead of a substantial, to gain an empty Image of ourselves, we lose the solid Image of God: and yet this is the common folly of the world, men prefer this shadow before that substance. When we are willed to turn we must remember that we are averse from God; when we go our own ways we turn our backs to God, (as the Scripture teacheth) every of our ways goeth from him, and when we Convert, we must turn from our own ways, our evil ways, for such are all ours, we must cast away the works of darkness, put off the old man, so the Scripture varieth the phrase of conversion. But there are three conditions that must be observed in our Conversion. First, Eack. 18. it must be ab omnibus vijs malis; God loveth not mongrels; if a man have been a Drunkard, an Adulterer, a Swearer, he may not leave his drunkenness, and retain his swearing, leave swearing, and follow whoring; therefore Moses tells the Israelites that they must return to God toto cord with their whole heart. A second condition is delivered by Esay, Deut. 23. c. 31 6. Conuertimini sicut in profundum recessistis, look how profoundly we entertain sin, so deep must our conversion go, we must search our wounds to the very bottom, we must leave no creek unaltered, it must be verum Cor, our inside must be like our outside, so saith S. Paul, Heb. 10.22. Thirdly, our conversion must be constant, we must not be like unto Lot's wise, whose feet carried her from Sodom, and her eyes were back upon it; that will argue that we repent of our resolution, and that we can easily be persuaded to become again what we were before. This is the first branch of Conversion (we must if we return) so remove iniquity fare from our Tabernacle, yea from ourselves. The next branch is to whom we must return; If you will return return unto me, saith God in the Prophet: many do return, but it is from one vanity to another, such a turning as Solomon describeth in Ecclesiastes, and there are examples every where, many of prodigal turn covetous, and of profuse become base; many a Stoic turneth Epicure, and of senseless, becometh shameless; many an Atheist turneth superstitious, and as if he did repent that he had been long without a God, maketh his fancy the forge of Gods; of such turning there is too much in the world. But our return here meant, is a return to him from whom we went, we went from God therefore to him we must teturne again; lost sheep that we are, we must return to our Shepherd from whose fold we strayed, the only and great shepherd of our souls; prodigals that we are we must return to the Father that we forsook, even to our Father which is in Heaven; or to keep my former Simile, we turned from the Sun to the shadow, and so became dark and cold, ignorant and untoward, we must turn from the shadow to the Sun again, that we may be light and warm, and recover again the knowledge and the love of God. A quo habet homo ut sit, 〈…〉 70 apud ill in habet ut benè sit, if at any time we be ill, we must not look that it will be well with us until we come to God that made us. Put now these two points together, Vndè, and Quò, and we may reasonably conceive what Conversion is, it is that which by another word is called Repentance; and indeed the word in the Original doth import that virtue. But mark that whereas Repentance is a compound thing of our turning from the world, and turning unto God, it hath its name rather from turning unto God, then turning from the world; turning from the the world hath no commendations in it, except it be to the end that we may turn unto God, as also turning to the world, is no Sin, it deserveth no blame, unless in doing it we turn from God; the offence is properly in turning from God, as Repentance consists properly in turning unto God. Such a kind of turning is the success which King David hoped would follow upon his teaching, convertentur, the sinners, the transgressors will be converted if I teach them thy way; a confident speech, yet very likely, whether you look upon vias tuas, thy ways, or docebo, I will be the master, God's Ways, are God's Laws, now of God's laws we read in another Psalm, Psal. 19 that they are perfect, converting the soul, his testimonies are sure, F●●. 1. 1. Cor. 2. He●. 4. 2 〈◊〉. 3. and give wisdom to the simple, they are the power of God unto salvation, in them is the evidence of the Spirit, they are sharper than any two edgedsword, sinally they are able to make a man wise unto salvation; there is then good hope of Conversion from the efficacy of God's laws; and indeed they are able to work fidem infusam a saving faith. Docebo is a good ground of hope also, for that is able to work fidem acquisitam, a moral persuasion, it worketh that which maketh way to the other, while what we think credible by reason of the speaker, we are wrought to believe by the word which he speaketh, wicked men commonly scorn good men as fools, when they tell them of the vanity of the world, and the danger of sin; they suppose because that they had never any experimental acquaintance with it, the judge of it most absurdly; but when they shall have a Nebucadnezzar, an Antiochus, one that hath been as deep in sin as themselves can go, turn Penitent, declaim against; dehort from an ill life, they cannot but muse, they cannot but doubt, they cannot but bethink themselves in what state they stand. Or if they may shift of such a Teacher because they think novelty doth abuse his judgement, and the nature of man is delighted with change, yet when they shall hear a Solomon, a David, a Prodigal, that was first in the state of Grace, and having fallen foul into sin, is come to himself again, and upon an experimental comparison of both, passeth an indifferent judgement, giveth grace, giveth sin each his due, his thunderings and lightnings against sin, cannot but shake the greatest Oaks, the tallest Cedars, make the obstinatest sinners to tremble, and bring them upon their knees to Sing the Psalm of mercy; the Adder that cannot be charmed by this enchanter will never be rid of his poison until his poison riddeth him; his case is desperate; he that will not hear a Penitent malefactor, will never be converted by any Preacher. I have dwelled long enough on the unfolding of the Means, and the Success as we are to look into them severally: Let us now in a word or two consider them jointly, and see how reasonable it is, that those Means be used for this Success, teaching for converting. A man is a reasonable creature, and Conversion is an act of the reasonable soul, and therefore not to be expected but from means that can work our reason, ordinary means of this kind there is none but teaching; fear of the sword may over-awe the outward man, and hinder us from doing what we would, but it cannot alter the inward man, and make us well what we should, whether it be truth or goodness that is commended unto us, it is not torturing., but instructing, that must make us believe the one, and love the other; Magistrates may compel to the use of the Means, but without the natural means no hope that ever any one will entertain these virtues. The more barbarous hath been and is the tyranny of the Church of Rome, which useth the Inquisition instead of Instruction, and laboureth to convert souls, by subverting of whole states. Secondly, as without teaching, there is no converting; so if a man should be converted without teaching his conversion cannot please God, Rom. 14. 2●. for Quicquid non est ex fide est peccatum, as good that were never done, which we do without the guidance of our Conscience, because God looketh that in his service especially we should show ourselves reasonable. Wherefore let us leave Monks to their blind obedience, and the superstitious Papist to his implicit faith, let us turn to God, but so, that we first be taught his ways; let not our Conversion out run our Instruction, let them walk hand in hand together. I conclude; There is not one of us which doth not sometime or other by bad counsel, or evil example misled others out of the way; what must we do then? We learn here of King David; Let us by good counsel, by good example, bring them, or some others into the way again: the rather, because it is a work of the highest perfection, to be God's instrument to bring sinners from hell to heaven; Dan. 12.3. Daniel hath foretold that Teachers shall shine as Stars in the firmament, and Saint Paul, that the Converted shall be the Converters crown and Glory in the day of the Lord. 1. Thess. 2.19. LOrdwe are all apt to go astray, and how many stumble at us, that fall before us; when thou dost us the favour to lend us thy hand, let not us deny ours to them that are down, let us teach them, what thou hast taught us, and let it profit no worse with them, than it doth with us, let us both be converted thereby, and let us each hasten other in our return toward thee; Let us be careful to save not ourselves only, but others also, that each may be the others joy, when we shall both be presented spotless and blameless at the appearing of Christ. PSAL. 51. VERSE 14. Deliver me from blood guiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation, and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. THe religious service which King David vowed, is the Edifying of others, and the glorifying of God: how he will edify others, you have heard, and are to hear, how he will glosie God. God may be glorified, either in regard of the particular savom h● showeth us, or the general worth that is in himself; David promiseth to glorify God in both respects. At this time my Text doth occasion me to speak of the former, wherein I will observe first a spiritual Pang: hanover taketh his Devotion, and then the Devotion itself. In the Pang we shall see what he seeleth, and to whom he slieth; he feeleth a sting of Conscience, a remorse of blood-guiltiness; and being pained herewith, he seeketh for ease, he crieth Deliver. But he seeketh discretly, and ardently; discretly, for he seeketh to him that can Deliver, to the Lord, who is interested in the consciences of his creatures: and as he can, so he will, he is the God of his children's salvation. This is his discretion; which he warmeth with Zeal, he is earnest in his petition, which you may gather out of the doubling of the name of God, Deus, Deus salutis meae. Having thus overcome the spiritual Pang that interrupted him, he falleth to his Devotion, wherein you must mark, first the argument that he insisteth upon, and that is God Righteousness; Secondly, the manner how he doth extol it, which is public, and cheerful; public, for he will utter it by his tongue; cheerful, for his tongue shall sing aloud. These be the particulars which we must now look into farther and in their order. And first of spiritual Pangs in general. King David had a pardon of this sin particularly, besides a general promise that God would never withdraw his grace from him, and yet we find him here perplexed and distressed in conscience. Though I did on a former Verse touch at the reasons hereof, yet will it not be amiss that I a little farther enlarge this point. There can be no doubt but God's truth is infallible, he cannot deny himself, he will never recall his word, but yet Quicquid recipitur, recipitur ad modum recipientis, the virtues wherewith we entertain Gods promises are, as we are, imperfect, because we art partly flesh, and partly spirit; our faith is not without doubting, & if their be imperfection in our faith which is the foundation of our spiritual life, our Hope will be answerable, it will not be without distrusting, neither will our Charity be better, we cannot so love, but we will fear; And why? Can we cast our eyes only upon God, his goodness must needs appear wonderful, and so leave a kind of amazedness in us, neither can we easily believe that he should vouchsafe such favour unto man; but we more often cast our eyes upon ourselves, upon our wickedness, whereby we have broken Gods laws, upon our unthankfulness, which have set light by God's blessings, and this is able to stagger our faith much more; especially when the Serpent shall ply us with the representation of God's justice, thereby endeavouring to overwhelm our Meditations upon his mercies, and shall press unto our conscience the imperfection of our faith, hope, and charity, so fare as to persuade us that they have no truth at all. Here-hence spring those spiritual pangs, in so much that even in those which by grace have given sin a deadly wound, you shall perceive many pangs, as it were, of spiritual death, and as men that are recovered out of an Ague, have many troublesome grudge thereof, that disquiet them not a little: even so Penitents, aster enormous sins must look for many a smarting twitch of the worm of conscience. But to leave spiritual Pangs in general, and come to that which in particular is touched here in my Text; he feels are morse of bloud-guil●inesse, the evil he feels is expressed by the name of bloods, so the word is in the original, and is used to note either our original corruption, or actual sin; King David in the former part of this Psalm; confesseth both that sin that he inherited from his Parents, and that which he contracted himself; therefore of the Interpreters, some pitch upon the former, and some the later. Saint Austin pitcheth upon the original sin, and supposeth that David was moved with remorse of his corrupt nature, which is the cause of all sin; and indeed they that are borne in Concupiscence, are said to be borne of flesh and blood, 1. Cor. 15. and Saint Paul meaneth that we must put off that, before we can be fully blest, when he saith, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of heaven. Finally it is that where at God pointeth, Ezek. 16. when he speaketh thus to the Church, When I passed by thee and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee in thy blood, Live. The reason of the phrase is, because Vitaest in sanguine, (as the law speaketh) the animal life subsisteth in the blood, and the abundance of blood is the fuel of concupiscence; whereupon some conjecture, not improbably, that to note this, the legal expiation of sin was made by the effusion of blood. Some go not so fare as original sin, but understand the word of actual which is the fruit of original; and because of actual sins, some are by Divines called spiritual, some carnal; spiritual, such as move from, and are transacted principally by the reasonable faculties of the soul, and have but sequelam, a concomitancy of animal; carnal, those that are suggested from, and acted by the animal soul principally, and have but a concomitancy of the rational; by bloods they understand that later kind of sin. And indeed such were the sins whereof King David had now remorse, his Adultery, his Murder, both sprang from blood; adultery from blood luxuriant, which made him transgress in his concupiscible faculty, murder from blood ebullient, which made him transgress in his Irascible faculty; The word Sanguines being plural is by the Fathers observed to note plenty and variety of sin; some in one word parallel it with the first verse of this Psalm, where David mentioneth all his Iniquities, and then there is a Synecdoche in the word, species progenere, the carnal sins put for all kind of sins, which some resolve into sins past, present, and to come. But it is best to keep ourselves unto the Argument of that story whereunto this Psalm alludes, and then Variety shall note Adultery, and Murder, and Plenty shall consist in the many murders that followed the adultery, Vriah was treacherously slain, and that he might be slain treacherously, many others were slain with him, and these murders brought out another murder, even the murder of David's own child, for though he died justly by God's hand, yet was David the murderer of him, by reason of his sin; to say nothing of Absalon's rebellion, which shed much blood, and was denounced for this sin of David: David attending unto these manifold iniquities of his, doth wrap them up all in this word bloods, as being all the evil fruits of his sinful flesh and blood. But we must not understand only Sin, by the name of Bloods; the Scripture applieth the word unto the Punishment of sin also, and noteth, 〈◊〉 12. that all sin proveth bloody to the sinner; and therefore the Apostle observeth that without shedding of blood there is no expiation for sin, whereupon it followeth, that all sins are mortal, and do slay the sinner. Chap. 2. But of all sins, this is especially true of Murder; the Law in Deutronomic doth intimate as much, when it doth require so curious an expiation of uncertain murder; yea before Moses days, God expressed so much unto Noah, not only mystically when he forbids the eating of blood, but literally when he saith he will require bloodshed both from man and beast; Gone 9 4.5. yea he doth so abhor murder, and pursue it unto death, that he commands, that whosoever hath wilfully shed blood, shall be violently taken from his Altar (if he take Sanctuary there) and be put to death. ●●od. 21.14. Go higher to the Old world and there see how murder is justly called bloody, and proveth mortal to the murderer. Cain was the first that shed blood, and Cain is recorded for a monument of God's vengeance; Lamech speaketh fully, who is thought by some to have slain Cain, and so to have paid home blood with blood, Gene. 4. I have slain a man (saith he) to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt; that is, the stab which I have given to another, proves a deadly wound unto myself, in murdering him, have I become mine own murderer; so that in effect David in the phrase intimateth thus much, blood calleth for blood, and I deserve to have my blood shed, that have shed another's. This was that that perplexed him, the conscience of this, was the worm that gnawed him. And no wonder; he had heard from Nathan that he might not build God's House, because he had shed much blood, and yet the blood which he had then shed, was only the blood of the enemies of Israel, and it was justly shed in battle: how fare then might he well think himself estranged from God, that had so treacherously, so villainously, spilt the blood of his own subjects; of his faithful servant; yea of his own child? Saint Ambrose observeth that seeing David was of so gentle a nature, that he spared the blood of his adversary Saul, we cannot think but he grieved much, when he found himself overtaken with a sin which the goodness of his nature so much abhorred; guess at his disposition by his speech unto Abigal, who wisely charmed him, when in a furious mood he would have destroyed churlish Nabal, and all his family, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel (saith David to Abigal) which sent thee this day to meet me, and blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood. It were to be wished that Christian Kings had as tender hearts, and were as easily pacified, as they are enraged; there would not be so much Christian blood shed, neither would they be such unnatural butchers of their own subjects. Or because that is rather to be wished then hoped for, though it would make much for the public good that murder were prevented, yet I would at least, that when it is committed, Princes were not so altogether without remorse of that which they have done, and in godly sorrow would imitate King David, and be timely feeling of their offence, and provide for the safety of their souls. Though David were a King, and free from the danger of his own Law, yet found he a controller in his own bosom, and was indicted by his own conscience, from which the greatest Monarches cannot free themselves; Nero Emperor of the Romans, Richard the third, an usurper in this Kingdom, are in several Histories reported to have felt the vexation of this fury, and the biting of the worm: And if Monarches are not free, how shall meaner men be privileged? And yet I cannot without grief behold the senselessness of many that imbrue their hands in blood (whether in their cups, or for their honour) and never call themselves to an account, never judge themselves, before they are judged of the Lord, but smother their own conscience with frolic living, until their woeful ends, make them fearful examples unto others. It were well for them if they felt more smart, that they might with King David, desire ease, and cry out Deliver. The word is Vox confligentis, or ingementis, Ingementis groaning under the slavery of sin; peccatiseruitus pessima, sin is the worst kind of fl●uerie, and therefore no wonder if it force a cry, and as the children of Israel in their Egyptian bondage, so men enthrawled spiritually cry Deliver. Or if it be not vox gementis, it is vox confligentis; David was now in a hard conflict, a conflict with remorse of sin, a conflict with the fear of punishment, both were able to wrest from him this word Deliver. Sin is compared to an armed man, by the son of Syracke, all iniquity (saith he) is as a two edged sword, Chap. 21. the wounds whereof cannot be healed; it is there compared also to a Serpent which will bite; to the teeth of a Lion which slays the souls of men; he therefore counselleth us to fly from it; yea and we had need cry out too; sin maketh a hideous cry against us, it crieth in the ears of the Lord, and calleth for vengeance, it crieth in our conscience, and gineth us no rest, there is good reason therefore why we should cry out Deliver, deliver us from the inward, from the outward cry, which so distresseth, which so afflicteth. But when we cry out against the cry of blood, we must remember, that there is Mors sicca, as well as Mors humida, many do murder; that shed no blood, Si non pavisti, occidisti: He that suffereth the poor to perish for want of food, is plainly a murderer, how much more if he take their living from them; whosoever doth either of these, had need pray, Deliver me from blood guiltiness; blood every day, and every where, toucheth blood (as Hosea speaketh) and yet we see little remorse, and few there are that with King David pray, Deliver, that pray to be loosed from the bands wherein they have ensnared themselves, and to be eased of their guilt. I told you before, that Blood doth not only signify actual but original sin, and so the Fathers some of them understand King David's desire, as if he meant that he would not any longer be flesh and blood, he would be rid of that which is the nursery of sin, which slakes his life in grace, and disheartens his hope of glory: And it is likely King David did not call only for subvention against guilt contracted, but prevention that he might contract no more; he looketh backward, and forward, and it beseemeth us all to pray against original sin, 〈◊〉. 7. O wretch that I am who shall deliver me from this body of sin? Finally as Blood signifieth not only Sin, but the punishment thereof also: Gene. 4. so much the Prayer be understood to deprecate not only sin, but the punishment also. David heard ringing in his ears Cain's doom, Maledictus, because thou hast shed blood, therefore thou art accursed; the doom against murder, Gene. 9 which God denounced by Noah, thundered in his ear, 2 〈◊〉 12. He that sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed again; he could not forget that dreadful voice which Nathan uttered unto him, The sword shall never departed from thy house, and out of sense of all these, as if he were even presently ready to perish, fall upon this supplication, Deliver; his Penitertials do show what deep impression the terror of God's judgements made upon his soul, and also upon his body; and no wonder if he that so felt them, did pray to be released from them. But mark how he Prayeth; first how discreetly, then how zealously. Very discreetly, for he maketh choice of a person that can, and will deliver, Can, for he is Deus salutis, it is his proper title to be a Saviour. In creatures you may find vanity that will delude you, or infirmity that will fail you, even of Kings themselves it is said, that their breath is in their nostrils, and that they are not saved themselves by their much strength, David himself, who so often delivered Ismel, and was attended with so many Worthies, yet could he not expect salvation from himself; the Prophet jeremies' rule is peremptory, Chap. 17. Cursed is he that maketh flesh his arm, etc. We must therefore resolve, that salvation belongeth unto the Lord, especially when we speak of spiritual salvation, such as that is wherewith we have now to do, which standeth in the remission of sins, the peace of conscience, and freedom from death, for who can remit sins but God only? And except he justify us, how should we have the peace of conscience? God useth Ministers to work these effects, but they flow from grace, not inherent in them, but assistant to them, and so they are the effects of God's hand. And to him also belongeth the issues of death, for as it is his justice that inflicteth it; so, except he release, none can free from it. But mark the phrase, the God of salvation; 1 john 1● is it not a periphrasis of the name of jesus? And then behold a mystery sanguis liberat a sanguine, the blood of jesus cleanseth from all sin, and so delivereth us from blood, blood whereof we are guilty: and rising again he received the keys both of death and hell, and so can deliver us from the blood whereunto we are endangered. As David is discreet in seeking to a person that can, so is he also discreet in seeking to a person that will deliver, for he calleth upon him, not only as a God of salvation, but as a God of His salvation. God is a God of salvation, as he is the Saviour of all men; but no man can call him the God of his salvation, except he be a faithful man; so that there are two remarkable things in the pronoun, for it is verbum faederis Euangelici, & fi et spec●●lis, David showeth thereby that he is in Covenant with God, even in the Covenant of grace, for no man can use that word, except he be in so blessed a state, no man can call God His, except God have appropriated himself unto him, and appropriate himself he doth not but by the words of the Covenant, Ero Deus tuus, I will be thy God. And when God doth so appropriate himself we must keep the ●itle of the Conenant in our Prayers, and direct our words unto him as he is ours; this is the exercise of a special saith, and it is the greatest comfort of our prayer, it is most likely that he shall speed, that hath so near reference unto God, he that can, will help. And mark that though he were put to the conflict, yet was he not without Armour of proof, he saw whence salvation might be had, and cometh with boldness to the Throne of grace; more do conflict with the horror of conscience, and terrors of death, then prevail against them; to conflict is common unto all sinners, but to prevail is the prerogative of the children of God, the God ossaluation doth ease, doth unburden only those that can truly say he is the God of their salvation. David prayed Discreetly; and he prayed zealously also; for mark how he doubles the word, O God, thou God; Nota in repititione magnum cor●●● affectum, saith Gregory, such ingemminations proceed not but from ardent affections, they importune God, and they will take no denial. And indeed God doth not like cold suitors, for that betrayech cold desires, which in one that is at God's mercy, hath grievously offended, lieth open unto the sharpest wrath, can find no favour, can promise itself no mercy; we must therefore wrestle with God as ●acob did, reply as the woman of Canaan did, triple our petition as did Saint Paul, if we mean that our Prayers shall pierce the clouds, climb up into the Heavens, and enter into the ears of God. Neither sacrifice nor frankincense were offered without fire, upon the one Altar or the other, no more must any Prayer come from us, which is not warmed by zeal, quickening it, and giving it speedy wings to fly from earth to heaven, and make our words a lively representation of those desires that are conceived in our hearts. And let this suffice for David's spiritual Pang. I come now to the Devotion, the argument whereof is the righteousness of God. But there is a double righteousness of God, the one is legal, the other Evangelicall. The legal is that which dealeth with men according to their works, the Evangelicall is that which dealeth with men according to their faith; the latter is here meant, and not the former; from the former a sinner can expect nothing but condemnation, because this is the tenor of it, Cursea is he that abideth not in euerie point of the Law to d●e it; from the later we may expect salvation, because it stands in the renussion of sins; therefore we must join Libera that is gone before, with Iudit●a, and so you will find that it is justitta liberans, it is such justice, a freeth us from justice, and therefore Symachus translates it not amisle Misericordia, this justice is nothing but plain Mercy, mercy, if your respect us which apprehend it by faith, for it is nothing else but God's indulgence upon our repentance; but if we look unto God than it is pl●●●● justice, for it is Justice for him to keep his promise. We must ris● a step higher, and in this word find Christ, the Apostle 〈◊〉 us that he is made righteousness unto us, 〈…〉 the Prophet, that he is the Lord our righteousness. And verily this sweet temper of Mercy and justice is wrought in him, and through him derived to us, and therefore it is called the righteousness of saith, and the righteousness of God revealed without the 〈◊〉, when ●●●th apprehends steadfastly, what God promiseth faithfully, then is manifested this merciful righteousness. And see how God putteth it out of all doubt, that men are justified by faith, not by the works of the Law, for though it be a true rule that it is so, yet when we do see the ●●mpl● of 〈◊〉 worthy a person as King David, the rule becomes more evident. Wherefored will never be in the number of those, that presuming of their me its, and willing to establish their own righteousness, will not submit themselves to this righteousness of God, Ps●. 1. but I will go in the sh●●ngtho● the Lord God, and will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only, this merciful righteousness of God. There is one p●ant more to be observed in this argument of David's denotion, which I may not omit, it is made by Gregory the great upon the word Tuam, H●mini●s●●● videtur, ut s●um ulsciscatur inimicum, Dei 〈…〉, consitenti relax ●e offensam: At the Bar of man, it goeth for 〈◊〉 ●●e, if we repay all men as they deserve, but at the Bar of God, 〈…〉 we find another kind of justice, If we confess our sins, God is faithful ind●ust to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness; the rule is general all may have the benefit of it, though over and above the general rule, 〈…〉 King David had a special promise, at the performance whereof he aimeth in this place. But enough of the argument. I come now in few words, to open the manner how he performeth his Devotion. His performance is first public, for he will utter it with his tongue, The tongue is in the Scripture called David's glory, 〈◊〉 30.12 and the best member that he hath, because by it he did vent, what he inwardly conceived, and out of the abundance of his heart, his mouth did speak; the Angel giveth a good observation to young Toby, 〈◊〉 12 It is good to keep close the secret of a King, but it is honourable to veal the works of God; therefore we must not keep silence, when we have found mercy; The reason is clear, we must not be ashamed to acknowledge our Benefactor, so to do, would argue too much self-love, and pride, and in so doing we should take unto ourselves the glory of God. Secondly, what God doth for us, he doth it to encourage others; and how should they be encouraged, Psal. 34. except we do inform them What God hath done for our soul? And the most natural means of informing, is by the tongue, by that may we direct the eyes of men to behold Gods doing, yea and work their affections also to entertain them with due regard, particular persons, yea whole Congregations may be roused, may be persuaded by the tongue, therefore I told you that the mention of the tongue doth import that the Devotion shall be public. Neither public only, but cheerful also, for so he saith, that his tongue shall sing a loud; and well doth this beseem King David, for he was the sweet singer of Israel; he would bestow his best ability in praising of God. The word importeth two things, first, the property of thankes, it must not be sullen, and dumpish; as blessings come readily from God, so must they gladly be entertained by men, he is unworthy of them, that doth not so express the comfort that he taketh in them. Secondly, the words note the Character of a Triumph, which is Exultation; we heard before, that David was pained with the horror of his sin, and danger; out of this if he may escape, see what he promiseth, he will make melody to the Lord, he will conceive his deliverance in a Psalm, so you must understand him, he meaneth not a tune, without a Ditty, but this, as other of God's blessings, he will leave of record, it shall be entered into the Book of Psalms. But forget not to observe, that whereas the Titles of the Psalms, even of this Psalm, show, that David delivered his Psalms to the public Musicians of the Temple, by them to be sung at the service of God, he disdained not to act the same part himself, as he danced before the Ark in a linen Ephod, so it should seem by many of his Psalms, he did not think scorn to range himself also with singers, with his hand, with his voice, to sound and set forth the righteousness of God. We are naturally cheerful after a danger escaped, if it be but corporal, how much more should we be so when the danger escaped is spiritual? How should our hearts dance for joy, and our tongues break forth into the praises of God. But I must conclude; in the whole Text we may observe three notable things, the wisdom of faith, the confidence of hope, and the earnestness of charity. The wisdom of faith stands in discerning the true help in trouble; the confidence of hope stands in laying hold thereon according to our interest in the person; the earnestness of charity stands in our fervent importuning of him. Secondly, the wisdom of our faith stands in selecting the argument of our Devotion; the confidence of our hope stands in our public profession thereof; the earnestness of our charity stands in the alacrity of our spirit, in the cheerful resounding of that publication. Of this double wisdom, confidence, and cheerfulness, David is here an excellent example unto us, God give us grace to make use of his example, for we may all fall into his case boo of trouble, and comfort, bodily and ghostly. PSAL. 51. VERSE 15. O Lord open thou my Lips, and my mouth shall show forth thy praise. YOu have heretofore heard from me, opening former words of this Psalm; that King David out of a thankful heart promised to glorify God. Now God may be glorified, either in regard of some special favour which he vouchsafeth any of us, or in regard of that general worth which he hath in himself: David promised to glorify God both ways. How he would do it in regard of the special favour which himself had received, I shown you, when I opened the Verse that goeth immediately before; and in opening the Verse which now I have read, I must show you, how he would glorify God, in regard of that general worth which is in God. This is the scope of my present Text. God's general worth is meant by his Praise; for Praise is the due of worth: God is most worthy, and therefore most rightly to be praised. What God deserveth David will yield; for he intends to be Praeco a proclaimer of God's praise: He will show it forth, Narrando, and Enarrando, the word signifieth both; he will not only deliver a plain history of it, but he will also make a feeling Commentary upon it. This he will do; but wherewith? That also is set down in the Text he will do it with his Mouth; with his Mouth, that others might hear; and that Mouth shall be his own, it shall be the Interpreter of his own heart. You have heard his good intent, but it is a true pro●erbe, Man purposeth, God disposeth: therefore, for the doing of what he intended David presumeth not of himself, but imploreth the help of God. O Lord open thou my Lips. The Lips are as the door of the mouth; a door shut up naturally in regard of the service of God; and therefore he had reason to desire, that it may be supernaturally opened; Lord open thou, God only hath the key which will open this door, so open our Lips, that they may show forth the praise of God. These points which I have touched offer themselves to our consideration in the parts of my Text: but if we lay together these parts, there will arise two other good Observations out of the whole. The first is, the true use of our abilities; when we receive them from God, we must use them to glorify him; if God open our Lips, our Mouth must show forth his Praise. The second Observation is implied; which is. If our mouth be used to worse purposes, then certainly some other then God doth open our Lips. I have laid before you the Contents of this Scripture. God so open my Lips, and your ears, that my mouth may show forth, and your hearts be affected with God's Praises, and our duties that shall be opened therein. The first point that I specified was the Praises of God. The word Praise, as many other elsewhere, doth signify, not the Act but the Object, or to speak it plainly not the due, but the merit of goodness; so Saint Paul telleth the Thessalonians, that they are his hope, his joy, 1. Thes. 2. ●9. his crown in the day of the Lord; hope, that is, the thing hoped for; joy, that is, the thing wherein he shall joy, and Crown, that is the thing for which he shall be crowned: so here the Praises of God is that for which God deserveth to be praised; so strict a conjunction is there between the Act and the Object; and so inseparable should the one be from the other, that the name of the one, may very fitly be used for the other, he that is good should receive praise, and he that receiveth praise should be good. Gene. 1.31. God saw all that he had made, and lo it was very good, and presently he kept his Sabbaoth; whose native use is glorifying of, and glorying in, that which is good: And herein should God be a Precedent unto man; he should not put asunder what God hath conjoined, but as the very word here admonisheth, let Praises be a Synonymon for goodness. But when we come to determine what Goodness is understood in this word Praise; some will have us look back unto the Verse going before, and will have the goodness here meant restrained to the Righteousness there specified, to the Evangelicall Righteousness, the mercy of God in Christ, whereof David had good proof. And indeed that is the prime Goodness of God, and calleth for the highest degree of Praise. God deserved praise when he made man of the dust of the earth, so goodly a creature of so base stuff; but he deserved much more praise, when he redeemed sinful man from the flames of hell, and made him with his own Son an Heir of the Kingdom of Heaven; to bring so forlorn a wretch to so exceeding happiness, must needs be a matter worthy of extraordinary Praise; Ephes. 1.6. & S. Paul maketh praise the end of that great Work; and in the Revelation the Angels and Saints all fall down before the I hrone, and give glory for the same, for that it was a work▪ not only of Almighty Power, but also of unspeakable Grace; therefore had they reason, to give glory for the same. This is true; but yet Praise must not in this place be so restrained: David before his fall had more contemplations of God than one, and made his Psalms accordingly; and indeed the very word here used for Praise is Tehillah, and hath good cognation with Tehillim the Title of the Psalms; therefore may we well extend the one as fare as the other; the argument of the Praise, as fare as the Argument of the Psalms; and than you shall find, that there is no Book in the Bible whose Argument will not come under some one or other Psalm of David's: he hath Psalms of the Creation, Psalms of Redemption, Psalms Historical and Prophetical, Legal and sapiential Psalms; having been so copious, and in such variety having indicted Psalms before his fall, it is not likely, that after his fall he will confine his thoughts; and not be so large in God's praises, nor intermeddle with all sorts of them. Certainly, when God is called the praise of Israel, Psal. 22. ver. 3. it must be conceived in that wideness which is mentioned, Psal. 145. All thy works praise thee, O Lord; for God is totus laudabilis, nothing is in God, nothing cometh from God that is not praise worthy. So that there is something to be observed in the word Tua, thy praise, that is, the praise which is proper unto Thee. Gregory Nyssen writing the life of another Gregory called Thaumaturgus giveth a good note, Nulla vera est Laus, etc. There is no praise truly so called which consisteth not in that which the person praised may account to be his own; now that I account his own which abideth with him for ever. By this rule praise is proper only unto God; for with him only in Goodness is there no variableness, nor shadow of change: He that praiseth man cannot praise him but as a mutable creature, so good to day that he may be bad to morrow, he waxeth and he waneth even like the Moon; yea, and when he is full of goodness, as the Moon of light, yet are there Maculae in Lunâ; as stains in the Moon; so have there been blemishes in the best of those which have been but mere men; the Scripture that hath Chronicled the patriarchs lives, hath Chronicled their faults also. God only is as the Sun, 1. John 1.5. he is Light in whom there is no darkness at all; as he is constantly so is he entirely Holy. Therefore Praise when it is applied unto men is a word of limitation, it implieth inconstancy or defect, it never so praiseth but leaveth some place for dispraise; but when it is applied unto God, it is a phrase of Equipollencie, Exod. 23. it is all one with God; which is fairly insinuated unto Moses, when he desireth to see God's face; you shall find in the pursuit of that story, that God's glory & God's goodness are aequipollent terms: and it must be our endeavour. as far as humane frailty will permit, herein to resemble God, to be nothing, to do nothing, but that which may deserve praise. And let this suffice concerning the first point, the praise of God. Let us now see what King David intends to do about this praise; his intent is, to show it forth. I told you the word doth signify Narrare, and Enarrare, to deliver God's praises by way of History, and then upon that he studieth to make a feeling Commentary. In King David's Psalms you may find all kind of Histories, you may well call them an abridgement of the Historical Books, yea and of the Prophetical too, which are a kind of History; there are few Narrations that tend to the praise of God, whereat he hath not touched. But his special commendations stands in the Enarration, in the Commentary that he maketh upon Divine History; he maketh us see herein that which otherwise we would not heed, he maketh us sensible of that which otherwise we would not regard. Take a touch of it in some particulars. He hath made many Psalms of the Creation; read the 8. read the 19 read the 104. see how powerfully he doth work the observation thereof into the hearts of men; in the 8. Psalm mark those words; O Lord our Lord how excellent is thy name in all the Earth! and again, What is man that thou art mindful of him? Or the son of man that thou visitest him? And how powerful are those words, Psalm the 19 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handy work, Day unto day uttereth speech, etc. but beyond all goeth 104. Psalm: Bless the Lord O my soul, O Lord my God thou art very great, thou art clothed with honour and majesty, etc. the 107. Psalm is about God's Providence, but mark the Burden that is added to every branch, Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and declare his wondrous works that he doth for the children of men. The same method doth he use in opening the Redemption, Psalm 103. the Law Psalm 19 and 119. the Deliverance out of Egypt in many Psalms; it were endless to go over all particulars; take it for a general rule, you shall find in him never a History whereupon he doth not make such a Commentary, wherein he doth not point out some thing that is observable, and endeavour to make us sensible thereof, and to entertain it as matter of God's Praise; and this is that which he meaneth by showing forth. Whereby with all he teacheth us, that the occurrents of God's Providence, which befall our persons, fall out in our times, or any way offer themselves unto us, must be looked into with such a reflecting, such an adoring eye, that we must take notice of, and give honour unto God for his power, his wisdom, his goodness, his justice, his mercy, that shineth herein, and showeth itself unto the world. Thus we must learn to show forth the praise of God. David adds moreover wherewith he will show it forth; with his mouth; with the Mouth that others might hear the Praises. And indeed o'er fit Confessio, as fraudis, so Laudis; Luke 12.9. men therewith as they must confess their sins: so must they set forth God's praises, show them forth unto the world, for he that will not confess God before men, God will not confess him before his blessed Angels. The Church is a Body, and what befalls any member may befall every one, be it matter of hope, or fear, sorrow or joy, therefore ought every man to communicate to the other his case, and his knowledge, to work in them by the same means the like affection which he feeleth in himself: yea though we do not feel it, yet should we have a fellow-feeling each of the others affections, whereof we cannot ordinarily take notice, except each be informed by the others Mouth. The Mouth being the ordinary means of communication, the trump whereby we do mutually stir up ourselves unto the Praises of God. But when mention is made of the Mouth, we must not exclude the Heart; for though the instrument be the Mouth, yet the Musician is the Heart, he causeth the tune of the voice to sound, and addeth the Ditty to the Tune; and certainly the Music will never be welcome to God, should any part of man be wanting thereunto; Psal. 103. therefore David thus calls upon himself, Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me bless his Holy name. Gregory the Great worketh this observation out of the word Meum, my mouth; there be many (saith he) that praise God, but not with their own mouth, such as are the covetous, the wantoness, etc. They personate some other, they seem to take unto themselves another man's tongue, when they utter that which they conceive not in their own hearts. But let such men know, that their Prayers shall never have access unto God's ears, whose hearts are estranged from Righteousness. Wherefore let us imitate David in another place, 〈…〉 who said, that his Soul should be filled as it were with marrow and fatness, when he praiseth God with joyful Lips. Where withal we learn a good property of him that praiseth; and that is, he performeth it with pleasure; and indeed no man can sincerely praise, 〈…〉 but he must delight in that which he doth praise; for praising is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (as Nyssen speaketh) a loving disposition. And Saint Austin, ●au●at Deum veraciter qui eum amat, he praiseth God sincerely, that loveth he loveth him unfeignedly; and if our delight be not in him, we must not think that we do (as we ought) praise him. In a word: you heard before, that Deus was totus Laudabilis, wholly to be praised, and we must be toti Laudantes, have no part of body or soul that must not be an instrument to sound forth God's praise; our whole life should be a Psalm thereof. And let this suffice touching King David's Intent. The Intent is good; but men may intent more than they can do, good men have been over confident in their good meanings. Saint Peter thought he would never forsake Christ, and he would die in his defence, yet when he was put to it, he not only cowardly shrunk from him, but also fearfully denied him: wherefore David is well advised, he presumeth not of his own strength, but hath recourse unto God's help, O Lord open thou my lips. The Lips are the door of the mouth, a door that is shut up, therefore need to be opened, and it is worth the marking that the word which we translate open, is not only of the same original with a door in the Hebrew tongue, but it is also a word which the Prophets do use in foretelling the miracles of Christ, for he was (amongst other things) to open the mouths of the Dumb, and in the Gospel working such a cure, he useth the word Ephata, 〈…〉 be thou opened; losing the tongue by the ear. But we must understand, that in the corporal cure there was an intimation of the spiritual; and indeed Christ had never come into the world to cure the corporal, had it not been thereby to bring us to an higher conceit of him, that he was the Physician of our souls, and came to enable them to speak the language of Canaan; And this is the opening of the lips which King David here desires. This is a great work; great in regard of the difficulty that is in the thing, 〈◊〉 6 or the inability that is in us. There is a difficulty in the thing; for we cannot praise God farther than we know him, but how little a portion is heard of him? 〈…〉 We may speak much (saith the son of Syracke) yet come short when we glorify the Lord; exalt him as much as we can: for even yet will he far exceed, and when you exalt him put forth all your strength, and be not weary; for you can never go fare enough. There are yet hide greater things than these be, Psal 14●. 13 for we have seen but a few of his works. David in few words tells us; that his praise is above Heaven and earth, that is the conclusion which he sets down after he had summoned all creatures to praise the Lord. Seeing God then is above all praise, it is certain, that he cannot be worthily praised of us, by reason of the difficulty of the work. But were there less difficulty in that, yet is there great inability in us; inability from our Affections; inability from our Conscience. From our Affections; there are two prevalent ones that hinder us in this work; first, Spes Lucri, secondly, Metus periculi; the wages of iniquity will hire a Balaam, a judas, ro curse God's people, the subject of God's praise, and (though he be the top of God's praise) to betray the Saviour of the world: how many in all Ages have been so fare bewitch with worldly honour and profit? Have fallen down and worshipped the Idol of men's fancies, and blasphemed God and his truth? The hopc of gain is a great tongue tie; The fear of danger is a greater; the very Apostles themselves foot a time felt the strength thereof; and after their time it made many Renegadoes and Apostatas, job 2.4. Skin for skin, and all that a man hath will he give for his life, he will redeem that, though it be with cursing of God himself; the world hath had had too many spectacles of such fear of danger. But if we can master both these unruly Affections; yet will the conscience of sin be a bridle to our tongues, it will make us silent, In Levit. c 13. or put us to silence. Cyril of Alexandria moralising those words of Moses, that he that is a Leper shall have his mouth covered, saith, that he which is in the leprosy of sin, hath lost all authority of speaking; for how should he teach another that hath not taught himself? Comment. in Nazian. Psal. 137.3. And Nicètas to this purpose wittily allegorizeth those words of the Psalm, How shall we sing the Lords song in a strange land? A sinner is truly a stranger, and he that is in the state of sin, is farther from God, than Babylon from Jerusalem; therefore doth his conscience tell him, that he is in no case to make melody to the Lord. Certainly, Chap. 6. Esay when in a vision he heard the Seraphins sing the Lords song, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts, heaven and earth are full of thy glory, was thereby put in mind of the fault of his own lips, and the lips of the jews, which made him cry out, Woe is me, that am a man of polluted lips, and dwell in the midst of a people of polluted lips; neither was he quiet until a Seraphin touched his lips with a coal from the Altar. But put the case some man may be so foolhardy, that though he be a sinner, yet will he not be silent; he shall be put to silence; the unclean spirit gave glory unro Christ, when he said, I know thee who thou art, the Holy one of God; But jesus rebuked him, saying, hold thy peace; Mark 2. and Saint Paul refused the testimony of a spirit of divination, Acts 16. though he spoke honourably of him, and of his followers; these men are the servants of the most high God, which show unto us the way of salvation; yet did he command him out of the Damsel, and suffered him to speak no more. Neither is this check given only to wicked spirits, but even unto every wicked man saith God, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, Psal. 50. or that thou shouldest take my Covenant in thy mouth; seeing thou hatest instruction, Eccles. 15.9. and hast cast my words behind thee? Praise is not comely in the mouth of a sinner; for he that is unholy doth defile that which is holy; Hagga. 2.82. therefore no man may presume to touch sacred things with profane hands, nor with a profane tongue to speak sacred words. By this time you perceive that the showing forth of the praises of God is a great work, and whether we look upon the difficulty that is in the thing, or the inability that is in man, David had reason to pray, Aperilabia, open my lip;. But to whom doth he pray? To the Lord; Lord open thou my Lips; And he hath a good ground to pray so: Proveth 16 1. Solomon teacheth that the preparation of the heart is from man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord; he is the keykeeper of our mouth, if he shut, no body can open, and if he open no body can shut; ●●●d 4. God tells Moses that this is his power, Who maketh man's mouth, or who maketh the dumb, have not I the Lord? And verily, were it no more but our natural speech that we desire, we must seek it of him, Acts 17 2●. in whom only we live, move, and have our being, and who in the person of Zacharie showeth, Luke 1 that he giveth and taketh away even that speech at his pleasure. How much more must we account him to be the fountain of our supernatural speech? Certainly Christ giveth the glory thereof unto him; 〈◊〉. 50. Act● 2 the Lord (saith he) hath given me the tongue of the learned; and it was from God that the fiery tongues descended upon the Apostles, Psal. 8.2. and enabled them to speak, it is God that out of the mouths of babes and sucklings hath perfected praise. Men may be otherwise satis loquaces, of eloquent, of free speech; who when they come to the service of God, seem to be possessed with a spirit that is deaf and dumb, they had need that Christ should say unto them, Ephata, be thou opened, they will not be able so much as to say, 1 Cor. 12.3. jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. But if God once open our lips, than we shall be able for to speak. Neither to speak only, for there is more included in the phrase then so, Psal 45. Colos 2. but Grace shall be poured into our lips, our words shall be powdered with Salt (as Saint Paul speaketh) God that openeth the lips, will also Suggerere materiam, supply the matter of our speech; for that is it David aimeth at, that he may again be the Penman of God, and that his tongue may be the Pen of a ready writer, that he may speak nothing but that which is indicted by the Holy Ghost, that his words may flow always from the grace of Sanctification, and that he may, as he was before, be a Prophet also, and be inspired to speak by the grace of edification. Neither doth he aim in this Prayer only at the matter of his speech, but at the manner also, that he may speak with freedom, and with wisdom; with freedom, that he be no more checked with his consciousness of sin. And indeed ingenuous freedom in praising of God, is a good argument that our souls are possessed with the peace which passeth all understanding, Philip. 4 7 and joy of the Holy Ghost. As in the Prayer he desireth freedom: so doth he desire wisdom of speech also; it is Gregory the Greats note, Illius os aperit Deus, etc. God openeth his mouth who doth attend not only what he saith, but also when, where; and to whom. Our tongue though it be a little member, Cap. 3. T●e● 28. Chap 22. yet it is an unruly one (saith Saint james) Life and death is in the power of the tongue; which made the son of Syracke to move this question, Who shall set a watch upon my mouth, and a seal of wisdom upon my Lips, that I fall not suddenly by them, and that my tongue destroy me not? Whereunto you may shape an answer out of Daut●s Prayer, Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth, Psal. 141. and keep thou the door of my Lips; so that without this Prayer he could never have made good that promise which elsewhere he maketh, Psal. 39 I said I will take heed to my wares, that I offend not with my tongue. One Pam●o in the Ecclesiastical story is reported to have studied that short lesson many years, and yet in the end he professed, that he could not attain to the exact practice thereof. And which of us is here that offendeth not in his tongue? And therefore good reason have the best, even the very best to Pray with David, Lord open thou my mouth, and humbly to surrender the government of his tongue unto God. Finally, by this which you have heard, you may easily gather, that lips are to be understood as mouth before, this is no more exclusive than that, the heart, the whole man must follow the Lips, as before they did the tongue; for look with what we will praise God, for that must we crave Gods guiding and assistance. And let this suffice for the particular points which are contained in this Text. I come now to the general, which arise out of the parts laid together. Whereof the first is this, that seeing David prayeth, Open my lips, and my mouth shall show forth thy praise, we must not beg aught of God which we mean not to employ to his glory, that which cometh from him, must return unto him again; he that is the first cause, must be the last end of all his creatures, and of their gifts. Therefore when God first opened Zacharies' mouth, then presently he fell to, Luke 1. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, etc. When God first endowed us, he did it that we might the better serve him; by our own default we are disenabled, and out of the sense thereof we must confess, that without a second gift of grace we can do nothing, not so much as think a good thought, nor open our lips unto his praise, he must work in us both to will and do it. Philip. 2.13. Fare be it then from us, that we should with those profane persons, Psal. 12. say, Our tongues are our own, we will speak, who is Lord over us? And let ou● tongues run wild: Certainly God never openeth our lips for such end●; he doth not furnish us with any gifts, whereby we should oppose his glory. But all that cometh from him, doth show forth his virtues unto the world; In Exod. c. 3. and therefore if our tongues produce worse effects, there is some other then God that openeth our lips. Vereor (saith Origen) no sint aliqui quorum diabolus aperiat ora, many so speak that a man may well fear that the Devil hath charge of their lips; for their words honour him, he is a Liar, and deceit is under their lips; he is a murderer, and their throats are open sepulchres; he an impure spirit, and some men's talk is nothing but ribaldry; and doth not the Devil open their mouths? In some places the Scripture speaketh it expressly; Matth. 26. the Devil entered into judas, presently his tongue fell to conference with the High Priest, what he might have for betraying of Christ; Satan filled the heart of Ananias and Saphira, Acts ●. and they fell to lying against the Holy Ghost; a lying spirit entered into Michaia the false Prophet, and he presently seduced Ahab to go and be slain at Ramoth Gilead; 〈…〉 and what else mean those three unclean spirits like Frogs, that came out of the mouth of the Dragon, 〈…〉 of the beast, and of the false Prophet to gather the Kings of the earth to the Battle of the great day of God Almighty? Certainly they are those impostors by whose tongues the Devil doth abuse the world. There are some that have mongrel tongues, out of whose mouth cometh blessing and cursing, that can bless God within the Church, and curse their Brethren when they are without it; whom I must remember of Saint james his censure, 〈…〉 3 1. My brethren these things ought not so to be, can the Fig three bear Olive berries, or a Vine Figs? No fountain can send forth at the same hole sweet water and bitter, fresh and salt. What nature abhorreth in unreasonable creatures, sin produceth commonly in creatures that are reasonable, are not we then worse than they? Yea verily; much worse; in that they are but natural monsters and we are moral. It were much better for us to be plain dumb, then to be of graceless speech; 〈◊〉 12. for we shall give an account for every idle, much more for every evil word; I had rather than never speak, than not speak to God's glory. And yet mistake not; God needeth not our praising of him, only he would have us use our tongues so well, as that we may be at the day of judgement praised by him. Yea, s●eing praising is a delightful employment, God would thereby cheer up our spirits with a sweet foretaste of that life which we shall lead in heaven; for praising is the Angel's work; in the Church Militant we have both praying and praising, but in the Church Triumphant there is only praising, there is no praying at all; that Eucharistical sacrifice shall continue when all Propitiatories do cease; for praise is the everlasting sacrifice of the New Testament, and of that the saying is true; Praise shall never departed from the mouth of a Christian. jews and Christians have both agreed to repeat daily this Text in their Liturgy; out of that which you have heard you may gather, that it is not without cause that they have so done: We say it daily; I pray God we may have learned this day to say it well hereafter; so may we that now in God's House on earth speak his praise, sing for ever Halelu: ta●, praise ye the Lord, with the Saints in Heaven. The words, as I have opened them are conceived in a Prayer, but as they are read in the I salter, they represent a Prophecy, the odds is not great, because a good Prayer if it be conceived for spiritual grace, is indeed a prophecy, for he that disposeth to sue, doth purpose to grant. What shall we say then to these things? But even pray, that seeing God hath the key of our Ears, as well as of our Tongues, and by the temper of our ears, we may guess what will be the temper of our tongues; and he that hath a deligh to hear his duty, will have a tongue ready to yield God his due, and God will never open his tongue, that suffers the Devil to keep the key of his ear, Let us (I say) pray, that by being willingly deaf, we do not become unwilling dumb, but that Christ by his Ephphata would rid us of the spirit both deaf and dumb; that having heard these words as we ought, we may use our tongues as is meet. That we may so do, let us all jointly present our humble petitions unto God in the words of my Text. O Lord open thou our Lips, and our mouths shall show forth thy praise. Blessed are they, O Lord, that dwell in thy House, Psal. 8●. they shall always be praising thee. SELAH. PSAL. 51. VERSE 16. For thou desirest not Sacrifice, else would I give it: thou delightest not in offering. KIng David in thankfulness for God's mercy promiseth religiously to serve him; but whereas God's service is either Moral or Ceremonial, he voweth a Moral and not a Ceremonial service: Of this choice he yields a reason, and that reason is God's good pleasure, he maketh God's pleasure to set bounds unto his Vow, and is willing to enlarge or contract his Vow according to God's pleasure. To contract it; as appears in that which he speaketh of the Ceremonial worship, for he forbears it; and to enlarge it, as appears in that which he speaketh of the Moral; for that is it which he observeth as acceptable unto God. On this Verse which now I have read, we shall hear of his conceit concerning the Ceremonial worship; and what he conceiveth of the Moral worship which is answerable thereunto, when I open the next Verse, I shall then show unto you. The Ceremonial worship is expressed in two words, Sacrifice and offerings; which words may betaken either in a large, or in a restrained sense. In a large; so may you reduce unto them all Ceremonial worship; in a restrained, and so they comprehend the two offerings which the Law required for a Ceremonial reconciliation of a sinner. Take them which way you will, my Text sets down God's disposition towards them, and King David's conformity to that disposition of God. God's disposition is twofold; First, he doth not desire them, secondly, he doth not delight in them; before they are offered, he doth not desire them, neither doth he delight in them when they are offered: so must you in this place difference God's Desire and his Delight. To this disposition of God King David doth conform his service, he professeth that he would have tendered these Ceremonial offerings if God had affected them, and only because God did not affect them, therefore he doth not tender them; both these propositions are wrapped up in these words, Else would I give it; I would give sacrifices and offerings if thou didst desire them, if thou didst delight in them, but thou desirest not sacrifices, thou delightest not in offerings, therefore do not I presume to give them to reconcile myself by them. These be the Heads whereunto I purpose to refer whatsoever I shall deliver in farther opening of this Text; Now because you may mistake in your Devotion (as the jews did) be persuaded in the fear of God to listen attentively to what shall be said, that you may learn of King David, to pass a true judgement upon all Ceremonial worship, and upon all corporal service. Let us come then to the particulars, whereof the first is those words wherein the Ceremonies are expressed; and they are two; Sacrifice, and Burnt offerings. Which words may be taken first in a large sense, they may comprehend all kind of animat Offerings, that were burnt upon the Altar; for of them some were Merocausta, burnt but in a part; the rest was the Priest's portion alone, or else he did share in it with him that presented the sacrifice. Other Offerings were called Holocausta, they were wholly burnt; neither the Sacrificer nor the Offerer had any part therein, God reserved it wholly to himself; so that if we thus fare enlarge these words, they wrap in them all kind of corporal Sacrifices; Ruffinus, and others, give them so wide a signification. That signification is true; but happily it is not so proper to this Text; a more restrained sense may better fit this present Argument. Observe then, that these words do contain the two Offerings which God in Moses Law prescribed for the reconciliation of a sinner; he was required to bring one expiatory, the Law calleth it a sinne-offering, and that is it which is here, as elsewhere meant by the general name of Sacrifice; another Dedicatory, which was called an Holocaust, and is here translated a offering, but you must understand it burned not in part but wholly; therefore it is sometimes called a whole-burnt-offering. These two Offerings went together in the ceremonial reconciliation of a sinner; we find it so in Levit, at the purifying of a woman after Childbirth, Chap. 12. at the cleansing of a Leper, Chap. 14. finally, at the expiation of the Tabernacle or Temple, and therein of the whole Church of Israel, Chap 16. In all these places you shall find that they go together. But to look a little farther into these Offerings; there are two remarkable things in them; 1. the Mystery, and 2. the Method. There is a Mystery in either of them; Rom. 6. In the Sacrifice: That teacheth that the wages of sin is death; the innocent beast was slain, but the sinner first put his hands upon him, to note what we deserve, and Christ endured for us; from the guilt of our sins we are not freed but by the virtue of his death. The Mystery of the offering, is, we own ourselves wholly unto God, and to him must we give ourselves; but first we must be mortified, we cannot ascend in our thoughts unto Heaven, except we mortify our carnal lusts that grovel upon the earth. To note this mortification and vivification of ourselves, entire mortification, entire vivification which leaveth no hold unto sin in any part of our body or power of our soul, and which withholds no part or power of either from the service of God, and which withholds no part or power of either from the service of God, was the Holocaust so handled, as we read in the Law; first slain, then wholly consumed by fire. Besides the Mystery, there is a Method to be observed in these words; K. David doth not only express them but digest them, digest them according to the prescript of the Law; when they were both offered the Sacrifice was presented, before the offering. The Moral thereof is very good; We cannot have the honour to serve God, Proverb, 31.27. except we first find favour to be discharged of our sins; the Sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination unto the Lord, and without holiness it is impossible for a man to please God: therefore we must offer our expiatory Sacrifice before our Dedicatory offering; we must make our peace with God, before we presume to come into his presence. Finally, we must take good heed, that we neither main the parts of our Reconciliation, nor pervert their order. Main them we do if we offer the Sacrifice, but withhold the offering, desire remission of our sins, and take no care to become the servants of God. Or if we offer the offering and withhold the Sacrifice, put ourselves into the service of God, but yet do cherish a root of bitterness in our hearts, do not unburden our consciences of sin. And how few are there that thus fully reconcile themselves to God, and join together both these Offerings? Some can be contented to be rid of the unclean Spirit, and have their house swept and garnished, but they keep it empty, and unemployed, entertain not God, neither do they devote themselves unto his service. Othersome are contented that God shall dwell in them, and they will be his Temple, but they will have this Temple to be also an House of Merchandise, a Den of thiefs, a very Synagogue of Satan. So do men maim their Reconciliation, they are loath to be wholly reconciled unto God. As we must not maim our Reconciliation: so we must not pervert the parts thereof; the offering must not go before the Sacrifice; neither must we dedicate ourselves to God before we are cleansed from our sins; that were to put new wine into old bottles, Mark 2. 2●. new cloth into an old garment, which if we do, Christ tells us in the Gospel what will become of it, the bottles will break, and the garment will rend; and grace will never abide in a sinful soul, he will quickly return like a dog to his vomit, and a Swine to wallow in the mire; We must be new creatures, or else never let us offer to be the servants of God. And let this suffice for opening, of the two branches of the ceremonial worships; I come now to consider God's disposition towards them, and that is twofold; He doth not desire them; he doth not delight in them. Of the words Desire and Delight, though one be joined to Sacrifice, and the other to offering, yet do they both reach either of them, and do oftentimes signify the same thing; but yet here they do not; so I difference them, and I did it by warrant of the Scripture which observes two parts of God's disposition; before these things are offered God doth not desire them, that is, he hath given no precept concerning them; God speaketh it plain in jeremy, Chap 7 2. Put your offering unto your sacrifice, and eat flesh, for I spoke not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day when I brought them out of the Land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices. Psal 40 And the Psalmist, Sacrifice and offerings thou didst not desire, offerings, and sinne-offerings hast thou not required. In the fiftieth Psalm there is a plain denial of them, I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices or thy offerings, because they have not been before me, I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he goat out of thy fold. These places do justify the words of my text, and show plainly that God did not desire them before they were offered, he gave no precept concerning them. And as no Precept, so no Promise; he did as little delight in them after they were offered, as he did desire them before they were offered; read it in jeremy, Chap. 6. To what purpose cometh there unto me Incense from Saba, and the sweet Cane from a fare country? your offerings are not acceptable, Chap. 10. etc. In Esay God doth passionately amplify this point: Hear the Word of the Lord ye Rulers of Sodom, give ear unto the Law of our God ye people of Gomorrah, to what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me, saith the Lord? I am full of the offerings of Rams, and the fat of fed beasts, I delight not in the blood of bullocks, of lambs, Chap. 66. and of the goats, etc. and elsewhere; He that killeth an Ox, is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, is as if he cut off a dog's neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered Swine's blood; he that offereth incense is as if he blessed an Idol. Chap 5. Chap. 5. You may read the like in Micah, and Amos; so that be they part sacrifices, be they whole sacrifices, be they Expiatory, or be they dedicatory, God doth not require them, God delighteth not in them; there is no precept that requireth their performance, there is no promise that doth warrant their acceptance. And indeed though Desire and Delight, or Precept and Promise are differenced as I have showed you, yet have they a dependency the one upon the other; for therefore doth not God delight in these things when they are offered, because he did not desire that they should be offered unto him; for promise of acceptance depends upon the precept of offering; whereof there is a precept, thereunto there is anext a promise, and a promise doth presuppose a precept in all the service of God, prove one, and conclude both, and you overthrow both, if you can justly deny either. So that if my text did not expressly affirm, yet would it by consequence infer; that God maketh no account of this Ceremonial worship. But this is a Paradox, for Sacrifices are the peculiar of God, and no man ever offered them but only unto him who was, or (at least) was reputed to be God; neither any that have accepted them esteemed themselves less, nor would go for less in the opinion of the Offerers: Men and Devils that have rob God of his honour, have to that end chosen this kind of Sacrilege; by Sacrifices they have entiled themselves unto the glory of God; and doth not God out of his jealousy make it death for any man to sacrifice to any other but himself? Exod 22 20. and for himself he giveth this express Law, Exod. 23.15. Thou shalt not appear before the Lord empty; and what is that, but Thou shalt sacrifice unto him? But to come more close unto the point. We find directly in the Law Gods both precept and promise concerning Sacrifice. His precept; for in Levit. (to name no other place) how curiously doth God distinguish the kinds, set down the circumstances of all Sacrifices, and the accessories thereunto, and that by way of command? The patriarchs before Moses did sacrifice, and can we be so absurd as to think they did it without the direction of God? No verily; for they had a spirit of Prophecy. As the Precept is clear, so is the Promise also; you shall find it in the same place where you find the Precept; in the first and second of Levit. you shall find it called a sweet savour unto the Lord; in the 4. and 8. etc. it is called an Atonement; Genes. 4. the first Sacrifice that we read of was Abel's, and the Text saith plainly that God had a respect unto Abel and unto his offering; the second was that of Noah, and of that the text saith, Genes. 9 that, God smelled a savour of rest; job sacrificed for his friends, Chap. 42. and the Lord accepted him; and when Aaron offered his first Sacrifice, God testified his acceptance by fire from heaven: Levit. 9 so that it is as clear that God delighteth in Sacrifices, as that he doth require them, and the promise can be as little doubted as the precept. What shall we say then to my Text? how shall we make it agree with the rest of the Scriptures? surely we may do it easily and fairly. God is All-sufficient, and God is a Spirit; being all-sufficient he cannot need them, and being a Spirit he cannot be sustained by them; both these points are clear in the fiftieth Psalm, where God showeth that there can be no colour that he should need them, seeing all the beasts of the Forest are his, and so are the cattles upon a thousand mountains; and God casteth off the absurdity of his being sustained by them, with that pressing and convicting question: Thinkest thou that I eat bull's flesh, and drink the blood of Goats? Lucian scoffingly bringeth in the Heathen Gods, as if they took great content in the nidour of the sacrifices; but it were profane to think so of the true God. The occasion then of instituting Sacrifices was not from God, and that is the first thing we must learn. Whence then was it taken? surely from man. We consist of bodies and souls, and we need by our bodies to be put in mind of those things which concern our soul, and therefore did God institute them; he did institute them to help our infirmities. But what did he intent to remember us of by them? First, of our Ransom; Galat. 4.4. Christ came not until the fullness of time, but his death was to work presently upon the Fall, and in that respect he is called, Reuel. 13.8. the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world. That before Christ came, men should not forget by whom they had their redemption and the remission of sins, God instituted Sacrifices. Secondly, we were to be remembered of our Homage, we were to acknowledge, that, what we held we had of God, and were to seek unto God for what we did want; And in remembrance hereof did God institute Eucharistical and Votive Sacrifices. Some think that they should have been offered if man had never sinned, but the Scripture is silent, and I will not be so curious as to dispute it. Let it pass inter pie credibilia, and it is as possible there might have been Sacrifices, as there were Sacraments before the Fall; witness the two Trees, the one of Life, and the other of the knowledge of good and evil. You may add a third reason which is observed by the Fathers, and that is; That God therefore instituted by Moses the Sacrifices, to keep his people from Heathenish Idolatry, and distinguish them from other Societies; which reason must be warily understood; for it cannot be meant that God took occasion from the Heathen to institute Sacrifices amongst the jews; for the Heathen had it by tradition from the patriarchs, and God himself was the first Author of Sacrifices. But this is true, that the Heathen had corrupted four things in a Sacrifice. First, The Materials, for they used to sacrifice those things which God forbade. Secondly, the Form, for they corrupted it with many superstitions of their own. Thirdly, the End; they knew not wherefore they were ordained; and fourthly, the Owner; they did not know to whom they did belong. From these depravations God did cleanse the Sacrifices in the Law of Moses, and so did distinguish his people from other nations, not by sacrificing, but by sacrificing as they ought. The last end of instituting Sacrifices was the provision for the Priests, and the sacred Feasts, whereat the poor were relieved. These be the reasons why God instituted Sacrifices, wherein you see that they all import a relief vouchsafed man. But yet we have not found out the true ground, why God doth not desire nor delight in sacrifice and offerings; for put the case he did institute them out of compassion towards men, yet may he desire what himself had commanded, and delight in that whereunto he hath annexed the promise of acceptance. We must therefore go on and observe that Sacrifices are bona quia praecepta, non precepta quia bona; they are things in their own nature indifferent; but they become more than indifferent, they deserve the name of Good in virtue of the commandment of God: but they lose this worth if so be we place it in the Sacrifice, and not in God's Ordinance; no sooner do we so misdeem them, but presently God doth not desire them; God doth not delight in them. But to wade farther into their estimate, and to discover more near grounds of that truth which is in my text; ●t 〈◊〉 Dei, lib. 10 cap. 5. in the Ordinance of Sacrifices there are two things considerable, opus operatum, and opus operantis; Chap. 10. the Offering, and the Offerer. Touching the Offering S. Austin hath a true rule; Omne sacrificium visibile fuit invisibilis sacramentum; Sacrifices were but shadows of good things to come, as S. Paul speaketh to the Hebrews; There was in them a sign, and a thing signified, and the sign was commanded not for itself, but for the thing signified, to represent our Ransom, or to testify our Homage. Separate or oppose the sign and the thing signified, and presently you corrupt God's ordinance; and than God doth not desire, God doth not delight in such Sacrifices. For in the case of our Ransom if you separate, what do you but transfer the price of Christ's saving blood unto the contemptible blood of bulls and goats? the legal Sacrifices did purify the flesh, Acts 13. and made men sit for the visible congregation, not for the invisible without their reference to the death of Christ; and therefore doth Saint Paul say, that by him all that believe, are justified from all those things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses. And what wonder? seeing our Ethics, or Economics, or Politics, whatsoever virtue we have private or public, if it find any grace in the eyes of God, it is commended by the death, by the Obedience of Christ. If we may not separate, much less may we oppose the sign to the thing signified, set Moses against Christ, and in defence of his sacrifices vilify the sacrifice of Christ; And yet such blind zeal transported many of the jews, who so became guilty of sacrilegious blasphemy. That which is true concerning our Ransom, holds also concerning our Homage; we may not separate, we may not oppose the sign and the thing signified. If we separate; what do we but give a beast unto God, and a man unto the Devil? and seeing the gift measureth the respect, to whom we give the best, it is an argument that we love him most; He that so sacrificeth in stead of honouring, doth dishonour God. Oppose the sign to the thing signified, and then we do plainly dishonour ourselves; for if we offer what we think best, then, in our judgement, we are not so good as a beast; and he that judgeth so deserveth rather to go for a beast than a man; And how should God accept any thing from him, that doth so basely underualew himself? Certainly, when such persons come with such Sacrifices, it may truly then be said, God doth not desire them, God doth not delight in them. Greg. Mag. The rather; because (as I told you) God in his Ordinance did prescribe as well opus operantis, as opus operatum: Attendit Deus (saith S. Gregory) ad affectum magis quàm ad censum, nec animaduertit quantum in eius sacrificio, sed ex quanto proficiscatur; Sacrifices pass with God, not according to the worth of the offering, but the good will of the offerer; if that be wanting, the rest findeth no acceptance. Out of this which you have heard, you may learn, why the Prophets do so declaim against the Ceremonial worship, and why they speak so contemptibly of it they are not to be understood absolutely, but relatively; relatively to the Cautions of the Law; which are two; first a sound opinion of the Offering; and secondly a religious devotion in the Offerer. When men's opinions did not conjoin orderly the sign with the thing signified, or when they came not piously affected to the service of God, than God did not desire their Sacrifice, he did not delight in their offerings. In a word; in their Ceremonial worship, there was Aliquid Primarium, and Aliquid Secundarium, there was something to have the pre-eminence, and something that was but to attend that, when two such things meet, Math. 23.23. than Christ's rule is good; Hoc opportet facere, illud non omittere; we must spend our greatest devotion upon the Principal, but not neglect the secundary; Had the jews kept themselves within these bounds, God would never have derogated from that which they did by his own Ordinance. And if (for our abuse) God so disregard what himself commands, how vile will corporal worship, which man doth iustitute, be in his eyes, when it is soured with the same leaven? Which yields a good Item to the Church of Rome, whose devotion is most changeable in this kind. But all this while I have taken the words, Sacrifice and offering at large; I told you that the Argument of the Psalm draweth them into a narrower room. In relation to King David's case, they note unto us the two parts of the Reconciliatory Offerings, the Sin offering, and the Holocaust; and then my Text is not only true in relation to the opinion and devotion of men, but absolutely true according to the tenor of the Law. For sins for which a man may be reconciled unto God by Legal sacrifices are either only Ceremonial pollutions, (or if moral defects) than they were only such as came from ignorance or infirmity, as you may read in the fourth, fifth, and sixth Chapters of Leviticus, touching the latter and touching the former, in the 12.14. and 15. Chapters. But if a man sinned with an high hand, if that which he committed were a crying sin, God left the malefactors to the sword of the Magistrate, there was no Sacrifice appointed to discharge him from such kind of guilt, as God teacheth Numb. 15. and in this sense God sent Eli word, 1. Sam. 13.4. that the iniquity of his house should not be purged with sacrifice nor offerings for ever; Vers. 14. And to that purpose speaketh God also, Esay 22. of the enormous sins of the jews; Surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you, Quaest. ad Gentil proaspos: quaest. 97. till you die, saith the Lord of Hosts; stoning, heading, hanging, were the expiation of such sins, as justin Martyr teacheth. But we may not mistake; when God visited such enormous sins with corporal plagues, then, to stay his punishing hand from proceeding, Num 16.46. Sacrifice might be offered; Aaron with incense stood between the dead and the living, when the plague of God was upon Israel, and stayed his wrath; 〈…〉. David sheathed the sword of the punishing Angel with a Sacrifice on the threshing floor of Araunah; Hezechias expiated the Idolatry of his Father's time; yea, and by job (it seemeth that the wrath of 〈◊〉 may be prevented too, for he sacrficed, lest peradventure his sons 〈…〉 Hasphemed. But God would not exempt them by any Sacrifice 〈◊〉 the Magistrate; he left their souls to take benefit of the daily 〈…〉, and their bodies to public justice, who were disturbers of the ●●●●like peace either of Church or Commonweal. Where, by the way you may learn, how holy God would have his people, that in cases where the Magistrate could not touch them, would have them touched in conscience, and by Sacrifice seek their peace with God, and not give the same privilege to their heavenly estate, as he did unto the worldly. But to apply this unto King David's case, and therein to see the truth of my Text; His sins were in the number of those which are called crying sins; for they were Murder, Adultery, Treachery, and Blasphemy; for such sins there was no Sacrifice. justin Martyr observes it in the place before cited; If the Gospel (saith he) had not opened unto him the gate of repentance, in Lege seruatricem non invenisset humanitatem, he could have found no relief in any ceremonial expiation; the King's condition herein was no better than the subjects, as he confesseth in my text. And though he had no superior on earth to question him, yet doth he plead guilty, and intimateth what he deserveth at God's hand; his sins are such which deserve the sword, and God's sword he could not but fear, though he were out of the fear of man's. Add hereunto, that he doth not think, that every light remedy will suffice a King, as great men pass over the like sins with slight penance, but little do they think that heavy punishments are their due, which though they feel not from men, yet they may fear from God. But enough of God's disposition towards this Ceremonial worship; we are now to see in few words how David doth conform himself thereunto; that, is contained in these words, Else would I have given it. I resolved the words into two propositions; whereof the first was, If God had affected these offerings, he would have tendered them; It is the commendation which God himself giveth that, Act. 13.22. he was a man after Gods own heart, and he would perform all his will, and Gods will in sacrifiting he did not neglect, neither in peace nor war. Not in peace; for when he translated the Ark from Obed Edom's house, 2. Sam. 6. at every six paces he offered oxen and fatlings: so he offered also when he went to war, as it appears by the people's prayer for him, Psal. 20. The Lord remember all thy offerings, and accept thy sacrifices. I omit other places; no man may reasonably think that he would stick at the offering of any Sacrifice, who gave so bountifully towards the Fabric and furniture of the Temple, as you may read. 1. Chronic. 29. much more I dare say, than any Prince in Christendom hath in his treasury or ever had. And indeed, he thought nothing too good for God; how chargeable so ever the pattern of the Temple was which was delivered him, he most cheerfully made provision for the full accomplishment of it; wherein he shown himself a good pattern, and teacheth all that be able, to be willing, to advance in the best sort the service of God. The second proposition is, that, because God would not have them, he forbore these offerings; he would not prescribe to God: the satisfaction that God requireth is arbitrary in him, none but himself knoweth what will content himself; therefore he must go before us, and we must yield what he doth choose. He must definitely concerning our necessary service, and concerning our voluntary, at least indefinitely express his will, or else we cannot know or do what he will accept; by means whereof our offering will be thankless, or fruitless; for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will-worship pleaseth me not; it will be cast off with, Quis requisivit? L●ay 1.12 Mark 7.7. Who hath required these things at your hands? and in vain do they worship me teaching the traditions of men. And well may God so censure it; for experience hath proved amongst the Heathen, yea and amongst Christians also; that when they leave in such cases to be ruled by God, men run wild, yea mad in their superstitions or rather impious Piety. The lash note I give upon this text is; that the Fathers make it a Prophecy of the new-Testament, wherein all carnal Rites were to be done away, and men were to serve God in spirit and truth, we live to see it, and see to our grief too many envy themselves the comfort of it; the Church of Rome by a multitude of inconuenent ceremonies hath much darkened the light of the Gospel; and some are grown so absurd as to think that the jewish Ceremonies shall be revived at Jerusalem again. But I cannot stand to refute these follies; Let me only recommend two rules unto you out of King David's words. The first is, the rectifying of your devotion, that you never so mistake the helps which God affords our infirmity, as to give the the honour of things heavenly unto earthly, or to let our bodies in God service be other then attendants unto our souls. Besides rectifying of our devotion, Let us learn to resign ourselves wholly unto God's will, remembering this; that, as we must not be hasty and go before him: so must we not be slack in in following him. If in serving of God we take this course, and are led by this guide, we shall be sure, that our service shall neither be amiss, nor yet in vain, and may expect that comfortable doom, Math. 25.23. Well done servant faithful and true, enter into thy Mastersioy. PSAL. 51. VERSE. 17. The Sacrifices of God are a broken Spirit; a broken and contrite Heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. KIng David being resolved to serve God, adviseth how it may be done best; In this deliberation he taketh God for his guide, and will make no other choice than may stand with God's good pleasure. Now touching God's pleasure he informs us, that whereas there are two kinds of God's service, a Ceremonial and a Moral, God maketh little account of the Ceremonial. You heard that point opened the last Lord's day; that which he regardeth is the moral, and of that shall you (God willing) hear this day. My present Text will tell you two things; first, wherein the Moral service stands; secondly, how it is esteemed. It stands in the humiliation of the inward man; the inward man is noted by the words Spirit and Heart, two names but signifying the same reasonable soul, which, as it can subsist without the body is called a Spirit; and it is called a Heart as it liveth in, and doth manifest itself by the body. This inward man must be humbled; it must be broken and contrite; two words, meaning the the same thing; but not without some difference in degree; the former notes the beginning, the latter the consummating of our Humiliation. This is the moral service, and it stands in these points. He that useth it shall find that it is well esteemed; for what was denied unto the Ceremonial service, is yielded unto this; God did not desire that, but this he doth, it is the sacrifices of God. Wherein mark two things; first, God that careth not for the slaughter of a beast requireth the mortification of a man, he will have his Heart, his Spirit broken and contrite. Secondly, this one Mortification of man goeth in stead of the manifold slaughters of Beasts; for it is Sacrifices. The second thing that was denied unto the Ceremonial was, that God did not delight in it; but in the moral he doth, he will not despise that; in the word there is a Litote, there is more meant than is expressed, for the Holy Ghost meaneth that this moral service doth speed of both the effects of Sacrifices, it yields a sweet savour unto God, and he doth graciously accept it, it proveth a savour of rest into man; and his soul doth feel the comfort of it. Finally, out of the main branches of the text, we will draw two Paradoxes; First, A broken and contrite heart are God's Sacrifices; therefore this is a Religious manslaughter. Secondly, God doth not despise a broken and a contrite heart; therefore God is never better pleased with us then when we are least pleased with ourselves. You hear whereof I shall speak; that you may learn to serve God truly by that which shall be spoken, listen to it diligently, and with a religious ear. Before I fall upon the particulars, I may not omit to show you the coherence of this verse to the former; the former did show of how little worth Ceremonial worship is, this showeth the great worth of the moral. And well is this clause added unto that; for it is not enough to know what we must not do in God's service, our chief care must be to know what we must do; what good will it do me to know, that Turks, jews, Infidels worship they know not what, they know not how? it must be my comfort to know the true God, to know how to worship him as I ought. The ground is clear; Negatives are but to attend Affirmatives, and God doth not reward the forbearance of evil, but the doing of Good; forbearance doth hold back the impediments that would hinder us in our way but we must not only avoid them, but also go the right way, if we will come to our journey's end; In a word, our abilities are bestowed upon us not only to decline evil, but also to do good. But to the Text. The first thing that I observed, was, wherein moral service stands; it stands in the humiliation of the inward man: the inward man is here pointed out by two names, the spirit and the heart. How these words differ all are not agreed, upon a former verse I have said something of them; but in this place I think they note one and the self same reasonable soul, as it undergoeth a diverse consideration. It hath a prerogative above the soul of a beast, in that it can subsist though it be severed from the body, and so it cometh near unto the nature of Angels, and with them communicateth in the name of Spirit, which is a substance endued with understanding and will. But besides this separate Being, it hath another which you may call coniunct, it inhabiteth in, and manifesteth itself by the body, quickening and guiding our senses, and our affections; hence it is denominated from the body, from the principal parts wherein it doth reside, from none so often and so aptly as from the Heart, which is the the principal seat thereof. Neither is it without cause that the reasonable soul is remembered under both these names, the Holy Ghost thereby giving us to understand, that whether we consider the powers of the soul inorganically, as under the name of Spirit, or else Organically as under the name of Heart, either way considered they must be humbled, we must humble no less the superior than the inferior faculties of our soul; for sin hath infected both. A second thing that we must mark, is, that in our service, God calleth not for Nostra, but Nos, not our Goods but ourselves; and to this end did he command the people to put their hands upon the Sacrifices, to signify whom it did represent, and to accompany the Offering of the sacrifice with a zealous devotion, to testify that themselves were to have a feeling of that for which the beast was offered. And indeed it was fit that he should offer himself that had offended, that he might fear to offend when he saw that he must smart; if a beast only should die, and the pain there of might rid a sinner of his guilt, few would forbear sin, if any thing make them fear, it is this, that they must bear the burden of sin themselves. Secondly, as we must offer ourselves; so that which of ourselves we must offer, is the better part, our Spirit, our Heart. In all the Legal Sacrifices God reserved the Inwards to himself, his meaning was to point out the parts, which he desireth in us, he desireth our Inwards, they must be presented in our Sacrifice; 1 Tim. 4.8. the Apostles rule is, bodily exercise profiteth little, certainly very little of itself, it hath all his commendations from the Heart and the Spirit. But there are two distinct reasons why these parts are principally required in moral service; the first is, because they are freest from hypocrisy; jer. 3.10. God cannot endure that we should turn unto him in mendacio dissemblingly; Now Simulation and Dissimulation are manifest in our body; for we can personate therein whom we will, we may so be masked, as that no body shall know who we are; but in the inward man we are ourselves, we can there seem no better nor no worse than we are, there doth God behold us, and he doth judge of us thereby. A Second reason is, the prevalencie of those parts; they have the greatest hand in our sin, and must bear the greatest part in our repentance; other parts and powers partake of sin but by contagion which they contract by their attendance upon the Spirit, and the Heart, attend then they must in repentance, but the principal penitents must be the Heart and the Spirit upon whom they attend. But enough of the parts which must be humbled; Let us now come to the humiliation of those parts; they must be broken, they must be contrite. Between these words there is no great difference; for Contrition is a breaking very small, and the breaking here meant is a shivering; the English to shiver cometh from the Hebrew here used which is Shavar; and you know that to shiver a thing is to break it all to pieces. Or if you will put a difference between the words, than the first may note the beginning, and the other the consummating of this humiliation, as you know a thing may be first gross bruised, and that is breaking, and then it may be pounded all to powder, and that is the contrition of it. But how do these words agree with the former? by the Heart and the Spirit you understood the reasonable soul, and hath the soul any parts? can that be turned into dust? Surely no; therefore these words are figurative, they are resemblances borrowed from corporal things, which do most lively set before us the humiliation that is spiritual. But it is a question whence these words are borrowed; some fetch them from husbandry, some from masonry; either of them hath a fair ground in the Scripture. They that fetch it from Husbandry; for jeremy and Hosea speak of breaking up the fallow ground of our hearts, jer. 4.3. Hosea 10.12. that they may be sown; Now you know that they that break up their grounds use the Plough and the Harrow; the Plough turneth up the ground in great clods, that is the first breaking of it, then cometh the Harrow and turneth those clods into dust, that is, the second breaking of it; and so these two break represent corporally, what you must spiritually observe in a broken and contrite heart. The very same may fitly be represented by the second resemblance that is taken from Masonry; the Scripture doth often tell us, that sinners have stony hearts, and therefore they must be broken, that they may be made fleshy hearts, as tender and soft as flesh. Now you know that when a Mason or Plasterer will work a rough stone into all kind of shapes at his pleasure, he first breaketh him, (being calcined or otherwise prepared) all to pieces, and then those pieces he poundeth into dust, than that dust with liquor he can work into a soft substance, which will receive any shape, according to the fancy of the Plasterer. Even so must the Heart and Spirit of a man be hammered by God's Word, jerem. 23.9. broken and broken again, that so it may be made pliable unto the will of God. These be fair resemblances, and I might insist upon them, and by them illustrate the humiliation of a sinner; but I choose rather the resemblance that offereth itself in my Text, and that is contained in the word Sacrifices. In the Temple or Tabernacle there were two Altars, one of sacrifice, another of Incense; the sacrifice of either will fit our purpose. That of incense; Exod. 30. where God telleth expressly of what spices the perfume should be made, he addeth these words, thou shalt beat some of it very small, and put it before the testimony in the Tabernacle of the congregation, where I will meet with thee. The resemblance is very fit. But it is fit if we take it from the other Altar; and indeed it is fit we take it thence; for though my text be true of all moral service, God requireth it, God delighteth in it, (as might be showed at large if the time would permit, and it were to my purpose) yet now have I to do with no more than concerneth King David's case, the reconciliation of a Penitent, so much moral worship as answereth to offering and sacrifice, whereof you heard in the verse going before; now they did belong to the Altar of offerings; wherefore there will we se●ke, and we shall find our resemblance. For the sacrifices were first cut in pieces; that was their breaking; secondly, being so broken they were burnt into ashes, that was a contrition of them, a contrition and a breaking which doth most lively represent the breaking and contrition required in Repentance. Look back upon them. The Priest that did cut the sacrifice in pieces, did (as the jewish Rituals observe) not mangle, but joint the parts; and what should we do in our Repentance, but orderly take asunder, and in our meditations view apart the several powers that are in our soul, and not mingle the understanding and the will, but seeing each hath his own defects, we must feelingly consider the several defects that are in each power. And this is the breaking of the Heart and the Spirit. But the parts of the Sacrifice were not only broken, but they were brought to the fire, and there they were burnt to ashes; and it is not enough for us in gross to observe the defects of the several powers that are in our soul, we shall find them intricate, and a very Labyrinth, we must hunt out every lurking sin, and every particle must bear a part in this humiliation, the fire of spiritual affliction must pierce even unto the least jot of that which doth partake of corruption; otherwise our Heart and Spirit are not as they ought, broken and contrite. Saint Ambrose conceiveth that these words are meant of Christ. And indeed, he that doth but read the 53. of Esay, which is often alleged by the Apostles, especially Saint Peter, shall find that Christ had a broken and contrite Heart and Spirit indeed; the Evangelists do express it in significant words, Luke 22 44. Math. 26.38. Mark. 14.33. he was in an agony, his soul was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, on every side encompassed with heaviness even unto death, he began 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be even astonished, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to droop, to become even heartless: the Sacrament what is it but a representation of the humiliation of our Saviour Christ? not in conscience of his own sin, but for expiation of our pride, was Christ pleased to be humbled, not only in body; but in soul also. And to him must we be conformed; for he is the best pattern of a broken and contrite Spirit. But mark in these words broken and contrite, that every kind of concussion is not a penitential humiliation; jam 2.19. for the Devils they fear and tremble when they remember in what case they stand, Act. 24.25. and so did Felix tremble when Saint Paul preached of the judgement to come, and how was Pharaoh shaken when he was under the plagues of Egypt? Daniel 5. Baltazar quivered, and his knees smote together, when he saw the hand-writing; but their hearts and spirits were made of tough mettle, not one of them brake or was contrite; but after God's hand was off, they continued whole, and wholly the same persons. And so if we do (and it is too common for us to do so) cry we out never so much, I have sinned, and God be merciful unto me, in our danger, be it what it may be, we are not humbled as the moral service of God requireth. As we wound our souls; so must we be contented to search those wounds, and lest they fester, jer. 23.9. Habak. 3 16. search them to the bottom, we must be contented as throughly to grieve for sin; as to take delight therein. But a little farther to wade into this point; There are two kinds of Grief that the Schools speak of Appretiativus, and Intensivus, they apply it somewhat untowardly, but here we may make a good use of it; for our spiritual humiliation must testistifie; first, at what rate we do set the favour of God, and having no better thing to wreck our displeasure upon for the loss thereof, than our Heart and Spirit, we use them so roughly and choose them for the subject of humiliation. Secondly, the breaking and contrition of heart and spirit, do show, that our sorrow is as intensive as it is appretiative; as the thing is most dear unto us which we afflict: so there can be no deeper wounds given then those wherewith we afflict it. But sorrow is not enough unto humiliation; there are two other things that must go therewith, and are very clearly insinuated in this manner of breaking, and contriting our Heart. The first is the detestation of sin committed; for how can a man more clearly express that he doth abhor his own wickedness, then by so breaking and afflicting of his own both Heart and Spirit? if he make them suffer for it, it is an undoubted sign that he doth detest it. A second thing required is, that a man return to God; and that also is insinuated in a broken and contrite heart; for seeing it is the hardness of heart that did shut God out, what is the breaking of the heart but the letting of him in? Yea; this breaking and contrition being borrowed from the Sacrifice, there was no incensio sine ascensione; as the corporal so the spiritual fire doth not burn, but it doth ascend; therefore fitly doth the Holy Ghost call the Altar upon which the Sacrifices were offered Misbach Gnoloth, the Altar of Ascensions, that is, the Altar of Sacrifices that do ascend, because all such moral worship imports a man's religious disposition to be reconciled unto God. Hitherto we have spoken of the humiliation of a broken and contrite heart, but we have spoken nothing of the workemaster, who it is that can so humble both the Heart and Spirit. He seemeth not here to be expressed, and yet it is fit he be known; and if we inquire we shall find, that there is a double Author. The principal one is God; It is a good Rule of Saint Augustine's, De fide ad Petr. c. 31. firmiter tene neminem hic posse paenitentiam agere nisi quem Deus illuminaverit, & gratuità misericordià converterit. Saint Paul warranteth this Rule; the servant of the Lord must in meekness instruct those that are contrary minded, 〈◊〉 2.25. and see if God (peradventure) will give them repentance. But it is true also that the Heart and the Spirit that is broken and contrite hath a hand in its own breaking and contrition of itself; our own understanding doth discover our sin, and our own heart doth melt itself upon the sight thereof; yea, it would be no virtue of ours, were it not produced by our own reasonable faculties. It is true that the Cross sometimes, and sometimes discontent, worldly discontent because things go not with us as flesh and blood desireth, or spiritual discontent, because the worm of Conscience doth bite us, and giveth us no rest, do oftentimes humble us: but these things make not up our broken and contrite heart, except we be as well active, as passive therein; As Christ in his so we in our Sacrifices must be & Sacerdotes, & Sacrificium, we must be both the thing that is offered, and the offerers, we must as willingly humble ourselves, as be deeply humbled. But here we must observe a good Rule of Saint Bernard's when we say that this humiliation is from God, 〈…〉 Arbi●●. and from man; from God's Grace and man's freewill; we do not mean that these are , but subordinate; Non partim gratia, partim liberum arbitrium, Grace and freewill do not share the work between them, sed totum singula peragunt, each of them doth perform the whole work; Grace doth it wholly, freewill doth it wholly; sed ut totum in illo, sic totum ex illâ; As the whole humiliation is immediately wrought by the freewill of man; so is the freewill of man enabled thereunto by the Grace of God, Grace determineth the will, if not physically, at least morally. But to conclude this point; We often read in the Prophets that God doth threaten he will conterere peccatores, crush sinners all to pieces; Saint Basil telleth us, that there is a remedy against it, that is, contrition is to be opposed against contrition; In ●say 13. if we will humble ourselves, God will never humble us. I have dwelled long enough in opening our moral service, I come now to show you how it is esteemed. Here the first thing that I find, is, that what was denied to the ceremonial is yielded to the moral service. First, there it was denied that God doth require that, but here it is affirmed that God requireth this; for a broken and contrite heart is God's Sacrifices. And see here at first we mere with a rub, for in corporal Sacrifices a man might not offer that which was broken or bruised, Levit. 22. it should seem that in spiritual he may. But the reconciliation is easy, for those Sacrifices did principally note Christ, who was without all blemish before he was offered, and yet being such, he was broken for our sins: my Text doth not compare man to the Sacrifice before it was offered (though we should all strive to be as good as we may, when we present ourselves to God) but the comparison is of man to the sacrifice after it is offered, and then it may without fault be broken; yea it is brought thither to the end that it may be broken, neither except it be broken is it any Sacrifice. But to the main point. I told you there are two propositions in these words, the Sacrifices of God are a broken and contrite heart. First, That God which careth not for the slaughter of beasts requireth the mortification of men; that is the slaughter which he requireth, & therefore is the name Sevach given unto it, which signifieth a beast slain. And this bringeth us on to another note concerning a broken and a contrite heart, and that is, Our humiliation is the slaying of the beastiality of our nature; And indeed every lust is a very beast, and for them doth the Holy Ghost call men by the name of many beasts; sometimes swine, sometimes dogs, sometimes foxes; he that doth abolish these lusts doth slay so many beasts. A second proposition is, That one mortification of man is to God instead of all the sacrificing of Beasts. All that were required to reconciliation? or all simply? surely we may understand it both ways. It may be Sacrifices, if it comprehend only the Expiatory and Dedicatory, as it doth, so farre as God requireth these from us, and accepteth us in Christ; for he requireth no other Expiation of us, than a godly sorrow detesting sin; neither doth he expect any other Dedication, then that we be wholly converted unto God; and I shown you how both these are represented in the broken and contrite heart. Will you extend it to all Sacrifices? you may: Abulens. in Exod. Tom 2. p. 131. for all had some reference to Reconciliation, even those which seem to have least; the Votive and Eucharistical; for though their principal ends were to acknowledge or obtain some blessing of or from God; yet the manner of the sacrificing, so fare as it was common to the Sacrifice for sin, did withal deprecate God's wrath, and acknowledge that sin made the offerer unworthy as well of that blessing which he had received; as of that which he begged. Which must be observed, because this broken and contrite heart looketh to the praise of God, which David not many verses before promised he would show forth; And indeed a repentant confession is in the Scripture called, a giving glory unto God. Finally, these broken Spirit and heart are the Sacrifices which God calleth for; for he is a Spirit, and what can be more suitable unto him, then that which is spiritual? therefore ever in the legal he did aim at the spiritual, as you may gather out of the new Testament; the Gospel is set forth in terms of the Law; to preach is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to play the Priest; Rom. 15.16. the people converted are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Sacrifice and Oblation, the skilful handling of the Scriptures, 2. Tim. 2.15. is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rightly to divide the Word; yea, Heb. 4. the Word itself is by Saint Paul said to be sharper than any two edged sword, (or Sacrificers knife) piercing even to the dividing asunder of the soul and the Spirit: the whole passage is full of sacrificing phrases. I may not omit one thing; we are called a spiritual Priesthood, 1. Pet. 2 5. yea the whole body of the Church is so called; a Priest must not be without his Sacrifice; and here are the Sacrifices which God will have every one offer, even every lay man may offer these Sacrifices unto God. We may, nay we must offer them; but how will God accept them? surely very well; A broken and a contrite heart God will not despise. Men use to make little account of, yea, they make themselves sport, with those that are broken hearted, and of a contrite Spirit; that mourn like doves, and lament in the bitterness of their souls; David complaineth in his Penitentials, yea our Saviour Christ himself in the 22. and other Psalms, that when they were humbled, than they were derided. And indeed in the judgement of flesh and blood, these things seem to be of no value, they seem to be contemptible, but he that doth use them shall find, that he shall never be confounded of God; joel. 2 13. the reason we have in joel, rend your hearts and not your garments, etc. for the Lord is gracious, merciful, long suffering, Esay 24. etc. he will not break a bruised reed, nor quench smoking flax; he that would not despise Ahab in his humiliation, nor Manasses, will much less despise a Mary Magdalene, a Saint Peter, a Publican: verily 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he will never set them at naught. But the word hath in it a Litote, more is meant then is expressed: God is so fare from despising that he maketh great account thereof. I told you that it is vouchsafed the double effect of Sacrifices: First, it yields a sweet smell unto God; Luke 15.7. for there is joy in heaven for one sinner that repenteth, yea, more joy than for ninety and nine that need not repentance: and in the Prophet; Esay 66. to this man will I look, even to him that is poor, and of a contrite Spirit, C. 57 and trembleth at my Word. Secondly, it yields a smell of rest unto man; for so we read in Esay; I dwell with him that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble, and te revive the heart of the contrite ones. De interiore domo. c. 37. Saint Bernard coupleth them both together; Animam poenitentiae lachrymis afflictam Spiritus Paracletus libenter consolatur, frequenter visitat, & ad veniae fiduciam plenè reformat. Therefore let us learn of Saint Austin this good lesson; Aug. count. 5. Hereses. quaeramus lapidem quo percutiatur incredulus, & percussus quassetur, & quassatus comminuatur, comminutus in puluerem convertatur, conversus in puluerem compluatur, complutus seratur, satus ferat fructum, non quod igne absumatur, sed quod in horreo condatur. But I may not dwell longer hereon. There are two other notes which I drew, the one out of God's desire of, the other out of his delight in, these Sacrifices; I call them Paradoxes. And so indeed they seem to flesh and blood. God requireth a broken & a contrite heart and spirit as his Sacrifices; then there is a certain religious manslaughter. And so there is; a man may holily kill himself, break his heart, and crush his spirit (as it were) to dust: Mat. 5.29. but this must be done not corporally, but spiritually, as elsewhere we are willed to pluck out our offending eyes, and cut off our offending hands, we must mortify not our nature, but the corruption that cleaveth to our nature: such slaying God allows; for indeed it is a quickening; life in sin is death, and the death of sin is life. The second Paradox is, That we never please God better than when we please ourselves lest, seeing God doth not despise a broken and a contrite heart; for we are full of imperfections, of which God would have us rid ourselves; therefore he is glad when he seethe us play the good Husbands, weeding our fields; good Physicians, purging of our corrupt humours, careful not to foster or favour aught that may offend him, or cause our own ruin: Now this we cannot do without much disquieting and afflicting of ourselves, omnis medicina salutaris facit dolorem, our corrupt nature will repine at such alterations. But to draw to an end: What our Saviour Christ said when he went to raise Lazarus, this sickness is not unto death: that must we conceive of all those whom we see to have broken and contrite hearts; Mat. 17. rather as he that was to be dispossessed, was immediately before the devil came out miserably torn and turmoiled, and even left for dead, until Christ put out his hand, and raised him up safe and sound: Even so shall we feel the greatest conflicts with sin, when we are even ready to be set free by grace. Saint Austin setteth himself out for an excellent monument hereof in his Confessions. Secondly, seeing God is delighted with this Sacrifice, we are forbidden to despair of our own unworthiness, as to presume of our righteousness: this Text doth warrant us this comfort, when in these fits we seem to be furthest from God, God bringeth us then nearest unto himself; for this pang is a forerunner of health: but senseless sinners have no part in this consolation. Thirdly, God in this moral service hath equalled the rich and the poor: he doth hereby take off their eyes from their worldly estate wherein they differ, and fixeth them on that wherein they are equal. In these Sacrifices the poor may be as forward as the rich, and if there be any disadvantage it is on the rich man's side; for he thinking that he hath something to give besides himself, doth give himself to God the less; specially in this kind of service, which rich men desire not to be acquainted with: God herein taketh down their pride, because he passeth by all their wealth, and setteth his estimate upon humiliation. As for the poor that hath nothing to give but himself, God by this Text yields him this glory, he need not (if he will) be unprovided of the best gift that can be given, that is, himself, poor self, if he have grace to be as poor in spirit, as he is in purse, and lament the want of grace, as much as he doth his want of wealth. Finally, This Text is one of the Prefaces to our daily Liturgy, I would we did as often practise it, as we do repeat it: Certainly there is great cause we should, whether we respect sin or woe, whereof there was never more, or any that deserved more humiliation. The times deserve that every day should be a day of humiliation, and that every man should affiant his soul, the more we know God requireth this service, and the better we see that he accepteth it, the more forward should we be to perform it. ANd I pray God we may have so heard this Text opened, that our hearts and Spirits may relent with it; so shall we not be judged of the Lord, if we will judge ourselves: Nay, sowing in tears we, shall reap in joy. AMEN. PSAL. 51. VERSE 18. Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion, build thou the Walls of jerusalem. WHen I broke up this Psalm, I shown that it consisteth of two Vows made by King David, one for himself, another for his Kingdom; I have ended the first, that Vow which concerneth the King, I am now come unto the second, the Vow which he maketh for his Kingdom. This second Vow, as the first, will be resolved into a Desire, and a Promise. Of the Promise in the next Verse, the Desire is contained in this. In opening of this Desire. I will observe, first for whom it is conceived, secondly, what it doth contain. Those for whom it is conceived, are noted in these words Zion, jerusalem, which made up the mother City of the Kingdom of Israel, an excellent type of the Church: for these King David maketh a suit, and the suit for them is in effect the same which he made for himself. He sueth that they may be restored into the state of grace; that is the meaning of these words, Do well unto Zion. Secondly that being restored they may be preserved therein, which he beggeth in these words, Build up the Walls of ●erusalem. These be the blessings for which he sueth, and he sueth for them in a sense suitable to the places: his suit is Mystical. But to whom is the suit made? And for whose sake doth he hope to speed? Surely, he sueth only to God, to him it is that he saith, Do good, build thou the walls: and he hopeth to speed only for God's sake, therefore doth he add in thy good pleasure: Do good in thy good pleasure, and in thy good pleasure build thou the Walls of jerusalem. Lay together the parts of the Text, and then you will see in it two remarkable virtues, confidence in God, and compassion towards the Church. Confidence, for in the beginning of the Psalm, David seemeth so dejected that he hath enough to do to pray for himself, he so describeth his estate as if he were not worthy to do so much: but towards the end of the Psalm he showeth himself another man, he taketh heart, and becometh a suitor for all Israel, yea he presumeth to beg for it the greatest blessing of God. But he doth it out of another virtue also which shineth here, the virtue of Compassion: he is not contented to far well himself, he desireth the welfare of his whole Kingdom: as he made it obnoxious to God's wrath, so he holds himself bound to be a mediator for God's favour. Such charity in praying deserveth to be exemplary: wherefore let us listen diligently to the unfolding thereof, that we may learn to exemplify it in our prayers. The first thing that we must enter upon are those for whom King D●uid conceiveth this desire: they are Zion, and jerusalem: which words in the Scripture are taken sometimes historically, sometimes mystically: that is, either they nor places in the holy land, or else by those places represent unto us the Church of God. Because the mystical sense cannot be concerned, but by the correspondency which it hath unto the historical, I must first open the historical, that so I may the better guide your apprehension in the mystical. Before I do this, I must let you know, that Zion and jerusalem, were two distinct places, yet it is usual in the Scripture in naming either to mean both. In the second Psalm, I have set my King upon my holy hill of Zion, Zion there comprehendeth jerusalem, for David who is meant in that Text, was King of both. In the beginning of Ecclesiastes, Solomon is said to have been King in jerusalem, we may not exclude Zion, for he was King in that also. This being briefly observed, I come now to the pastorie of these words. Where first you must observe that either of these places were hills; of Zion the common attribute doth witness it, for it is called Mount Zion, and of jerusalem it is as true; josephus reporteth that it was built upon the hill Acra, the Psalmist beareth witness hereunto, saying, Psal 87. He hath laid his foundations in the holy mountains; and the common phrase of ascending to jerusalem. Secondly the whole tract of those hills was called the land of Moriah, which is by interpretation, the place where God appeareth, or is conspicuous: there God appeared unto Abraham, when he was ready to offer Isaac; there did he appear unto David, when the punishing Angel upon David's Prayer was commanded to sheathe his sword; Finally, there appeared the Son of God in our flesh, when he wrought the redemption of man. Thirdly, those places were two several Cities, whereof one was in the lot of Benjamin, the other was in the lot of judah; jerusalem that was in the lot of Benjamin, was conquered by josua, but Zion that was in the lot of judah, continued in the possession of the jebusites until the days of King David; he subdued them, though he did not wholly extinguish them, as appeareth by the story of Araunah the jebusite; David having gotten the possession of Zion, joined it with a Wall to jerusalem, and so of two made one City, one City of those which before were two, and that of two several nations, jebufites and Israelites; of this union we must understand these words in the Psalm; Psalms ●●. jerusalem is a City that is compacted together in itself. Fourthly, David having thus united the Cities, translated thither the Ark, and God there designed a place where the Temple should be built, even upon a piece of ground that lay indifferently between the Tribes of Indah and Beniam in, and so it became the fixed place where God chose to put his name, and where he vouchsafed to reside between the Cherubins, it was Gods sedes Religionis, the ordinary place of Divine worship; to this the afore-named Psalm beareth witness, Thither the Tribes, even the Tribes of Israel go up according to the testimony unto Israel, to praise the name of the Lord. Neither was it only sedes Religionis, but Imperij also, it was the King's royal Chamber, and there he kept his residence, there were the Thrones of judgement, even the Thrones of the house of David, as it followeth in the same Psalm. By the way. Out of that which you have heard, you may gather the reason why, when the ten Tribes revolted from the house of David, Benjamin and the Levites continued steadfast to it; Benjamin had a great interest in jerusalem, and the Levites maintenance depended on the Temple, whereunto their service was confined. To go on: Fiftly, you must observe, that though these two places only are named, yet the whole Kingdom is understood, for this was the mother City; though the honour of the prerogatives belonged unto her, yet from her was the benefit, both of Piety and Policy to be derived unto the whole land; yea unto the whole nation; for in whatsoever Country an Israelite dwelled, he was free of jerusalem; you may perceive it by the answer made by the Reubenites, ●shua 22. Gadites, and half Pribe of Munasses, when they were challenged for idolatry because they erected an Altar upon the bank of jordan, before they passed over into their own in heritance: It is more clear, Acts 2. where we read that there were Iewes dwelling at jerusalem of all Nations under Heaven; there are reckoned some of Africa, some of Asia, some of Europe. And further to make good this assertion, Philo judaeus in his embassy to Claudius the Emperor, maketh this a motive why he should be good unto jerusalem, because in so doing, he should preserve many nations, amongst whom the jews live dispersed. Finally, these places (as it hath been by many Divines observed) were seated in the midst not only of the holy land, but also of the whole world, the whole world (I say) that was then known; Gent. 2. so that as the tree of life in the midst of Paradise, so jerusalem in the midst of the whole World might easily be repaired unto by those that did desire it: and it had fit opportunity to spread itself into the knowledge of all the world. These things are to be observed in those places according to the History. But all things came to the jews in types, therefore we may not think that King David, had an eye only to the corporal places, his eye pierced farther, even to that which was figured therein, he looked to the Kingdom of Christ. And indeed the Church is in the Scripture called by these names; I might refer you to the vision of Ezekiel which taketh up the last eight Chapters, wherein all agree that the Church is delineated; or the vision of Saint john in the last of his Revelation, wherein there is more perspicuity; but both of those places are dark, I will point you out plainer, one in Saint Peter; 1. Pet. 2. Behold I put in Zion a chief corner stone, etc. he allegeth the words out of Esay, and showeth it was a plain prophecy of Christ, and his Church; Saint Paul affirmeth as much of jerusalem, jerusalem (saith he) that is above, Gal. 4. or from above is mother of us all; and in the Epistle to the Hebrews both places are conjoined in this signification, Chap. 12.22. You are come (saith he) to mount Zion, to the City of the living God, to the heavenly jerusalem, etc. I will not trouble you with more places, there are store in the Prophets, I come to more profitable matter. Ecce typum Ecclesiae, behold the correspondency that must be between the Church and those places. Those places were Hilly and had the valley of Gehinnon under them; Chap. ●5 I cannot give you a better Moral than is contained in that Proverb of Solomon, The way of life is above to the wise, that he may departed from Hell beneath, or if you will, take that of Saint Paul, Coloss 3.7. Set your affections on those things that are above, not on those things that are below; thoughts groneling upon the earth bend towards Hell, God will have us raise our thoughts, and testify that our treasure is in Heaven. The second correspondency is taken from Moriah, where the Church is, there is God to be seen, Psal. 76. In Inda is God known his name is great in Israel, in Salem is his Tabernacle, and his dwelling in Zion; without the Chureh, though God be, yet he is not by any gracious revelation, not by that transforming revelation whereby God shining unto us in the face of Icsus Christ doth transform us into the same image both of Grace and Glory. 2. Cor. 3.18. The third correspondency standeth in the Union; whereupon S. Austen and others observe the incorporation of the Gentile into the Church of the jews; it may be Saint Paul meaneth as much when he speaketh of Christ's taking down the partition wall; Ephes. 2.14. for while Zion and jerusalem were diverse Cities, there was no open passage out of the one into the other, as afterwards there was; Cap 3. v. 6. howsoever to the Ephesians he teacheth that they became 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one body, and partaked of the same prerogatives, I mean the jews and Gentiles. The fourth correspondency stands in the prerogatives of this City; for it was sedes Regni & Religionis, the City of God, and of the King; and what is the Church but Regnum and Sacerdotium, Exod. 19 Reuel. 5. first a Kingdom of Priests, or a royal Priesthood? The Church beareth a Kingly mind, free from Coercion, yet following the Direction of the Law; whereunto accordeth that of Saint Paul, Lex non est posita iusto, 1. Tim. 1 9 Righteous men are not led with the spirit of bondage to do things out of fear, but they are led by the spirit of adoption, they will do well though they have no Law. And indeed this is a true Kingly mind. But as our mind must be Kingly: so must it be Priestly also, all our services must be Sacrifices, we must prefent them at God's Altar, and we must offer them with the fire of heaven; for therefore doth God separate his Church from the world, that he may devote it unto himself; neither would God ever do us the honour to make us Kings, except he did expect honour from us as we are his Priests. The fifth correspondency standeth in the extent of these prerogatives; though they were bestowed upon jerusalem, yet they were to redound unto the whole Land, yea the Nation of the Israelites; Act. 10. Saint Peter hath moralised this to our hand, Of a truth I perceive that there is no respect of persons with God, but in every nation whosoever feareth him, and worketh righteousness is accepted of him; wheresoever we live we may be of the Israel of God, and partake the prerogatives of the Heavenly jerufalem. The last correspondency standeth in the situation; jerusalem was in the midst not of the Holy land only, but also of the whole world; a City (saith our Saviour Christ) built upon a Hill cannot be hid, Math. 5 and again, Men do not light a Candle to put it under a bushel; God was never so fare estranged from Apostates, but he placed his Church so, as that, before Christ's Incarnation, the journey was not hard for any to come at it; and after Christ's Incarnation, when God was pleased to seek to Men, that in so many generations did not seek to him, and the Law was gone out of Zion, 〈◊〉. 1. and the word of the Lord from jerusalem, the passage was the more easy for all parts of the world; so careful hath God been to take all excuse from the murmuring disposition of sinful men. The places yield these correspondencies which you have heard; there are beside these, two other which spring from their proper names; Zion signifieth a watch Tower; jerusalem, the vision of Peace. Apply this only to the Church Militant, and then this correspondency ariseth; The first representeth the nhture, the second the fruit of Faith. The nature of Faith is to stand as it were sentinel, and discover, with one one eye, Gods will, and what we ought to do: with the other eye, our spiritual foes, and how they make towards us. From such a Faith, the fruit that we reap is peace; for we shall have peace with God, if we take heed unto his will, and our foes will not much disquiet us, if they find us standing upon our guard. If we apply it not only to the Militant, but to the Triumphant Church also, then Zion signifieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, our waiting for the Adoption, Rom. 8. to wit, the Redemption of our bodies, or that same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mentioned; Heb. 11. the saluting a fare off, of that which we hope one day comfortably to enjoy. And that which we shall enjoy is noted by jerusalem, wherein we shall dwell as in a peaceable habitation, Esay 32. in sure dwellings, and in a quiet resting place, you may read at large hereof, Reuel. 22. and conclude, that quae nunc Sion est, futuraest jerusalem, the Church which is Militant, shall one day be Triumphant. Out of all this which you have heard, you may gather how due the commendation is which is given to this place; it is called, the City of our God, Psal. 48. Fers. 1.2. Chap. 2. Chap. 3. the mountain of God's Holiness, beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth. Esay calleth it a Mountain lifted up above all mountains; jeremy calleth it the Throne of the Lord; others give it other honourable titles; the Psalmists concludes all in this short Verse, Glorious things are spoken of thee, O thou City of God. I conclude this point. As that you have heard is Typus Ecclesiae, so it is also Imago nostri as it doth represent the whole Church, so ought every man herein to behold what manner of person himself ought to be. In Homogeneous bodies, such as the Church is, what is commended to the whole, must be observed by every part, every part must be, though not in quantity yet in quality, the same with the whole; as of a great wedge, there is not a Mite which is not as true Gold, as is the whole wedge. Wherefore you must take all these correspondencies, and apply them to yourselves, and try yourselves by them; for certainly every man is a Citiz en either of jerusalem, or of Babylon, and if you find not in yourselves the Characters of a Citizen of jerusalem, you have reason to fear that you are of a worse society, of the society of Babylon; and then read in the Prophets, read in the Revelation, of what a miserable Corporation you are. I lean the examination and comparison of these things to every man's private Meditation, and pass forward to my Text. Having found for whom King David conceiveth his desire, we must now see what he would obtain for them; and we shall find, that it is in effect the same which he begged for himself, he delivereth his mind in fewer words, but he altereth not his meaning, as you will perceive when I have unfolded the branches. First then he desireth that Zion and jerusalem may be restored into the the state of Grace; so do I understand these words, do good. That you may see I do not mistake them, observe, that there is something which these words suppose, and something which they express. They suppose that the contagion of King David's sin did cleave to his people: And surely so it did; such is the reference between a King and his people, that the fin of the one, doth affect the other; 2. King 21. Manasses filled jerusalem with blood, and God was not pacified, Quicquid delirant Reges plectuntur Archivi. Prou. 28.2. till for Manasses sins he gave jerusalem into the hands of the Chaldeans; you see there how the sins of the King do affect the people. And contrarily the sins of the people doeaffect the King; Solomon speaketh it plainly, for the sins of the people, there are many Princes, God taketh them away by untimely death, as he did josiah. This being true, must not be mistaken; for though each of their sins do affect the other, as fare as to bring punishments upon them, yet doth it not follow they should always infect one the other, and so deserve the punishment: Every man hath cause of punishment enough in himself, by reason of his own peculiar sins; but the occasion of punishing them is often taken from another man's sins, such an one, as between whom and him there is near reference. Upon this supposition doth King David make this prayer, do good; as if he should say, my sins do deserve that thou shouldest frustrate my good purpose, and thine own gracious promise unto Israel. David succeeding Saul, found the Kingdom in a very bad case; you may read it in the beginning of the sixty Psalm, and David set himself for to recover it again, as appeareth Psal. 75. yea and God himself did promise by Nathan, that all should do well. But now he might well doubt, that God would let lose the raines unto his enemies again, and interrupt all the peace and prosperity of his Kingdom, and so he should have no opportunity to go forward with this Reformation; he might fear lest God would retract those gracious words spoken of Zion, This is my rest for ever, here will I dwell; I will abundantly bless her provision, Psal. 138. I will satisfy her poor with bread, and I will also clothe her Priests with salvation, and her Saints shall shout out aloud for joy. Having this just ground of fear, he maketh this prayer, do good. And so the good which he meaneth must be Bonum indulgentiae, and Bonum beneficentiae; he prayeth God not to lay his sin to his people's charge, nor for his sake to interrupt their prosperity, but rather to grant, that the sons of Israel may be as plants grown up in their youth, Psal 141. that the daughters may be as corner stones polished, after the similitude of a Palace; that their garners may be full, affording all manner of store, etc. But as before you heard that the places are taken, not only historically but also mystically: so must these words be answerable thereunto; God then did good when he sent his Son into the world, dissolved the works of the Devil, and gave gifts unto men. And we must not conceive of the corporal prosperity of Israel, otherwise then as a Type of the spiritual: It is excellently set forth by the Prophet Esay, Chap 25. in this mountain shall the Lord of hosts make unto all nations a feast of fat things, etc. Finally, the word used by the Psalmist signifieth not only to do good, but to do it with delight, and so God speaketh in the Prophets that he will delight to do them good, and so do it abundantly: for we are not sparing in doing a thing when we de it with delight. Yea, and the good done, as the word also signifieth, Act. 14.16. shall contain in it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, it shall be such as shall cheer up the spirits of the Israelites; he desireth that to them that mourn in Zion may be given, ●sa. 61. beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, a garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. Thus David would have Israel restored to the state of Grace. Not only restored to it, but also preserved in it; so it followeth in the Text, Build up the walls of jerusalem. In muris tuitio salutis; jerusalem could not be blessed, but it would be envied, yea the more envied the more it was blessed; therefore it is not enough that it have good, it must also have means to preserve that good; otherwise better never have it, then to lose it again; Non minor est virtus, quam quaerere parta tueri: therefore is David as careful of the safety, as the plenty of his people. And indeed he did strongly fortify both Zion and jerusalem, the Psalm testifieth as much; ●sal. 48. Walk about Zion, go round about her, tell the Towers thereof, mark well her Bulwarks, etc. But I dwell too long upon the material Zion, the Church also needeth a preservation, and she must have her Walls, but they are of another kind. A Lacedaemonian being asked, why their City was not walled: answered that they had valiant defendants which were in stead of walls unto their C●●ie; the Heavenly jerusalem hath no other walls, the walls are the Angels that pitch round about it, Zach. 2.5. yea God himself doth environ it as a wall, so saith the Prophet. Beside this invisible, it hath a visible wall; the wall of the City hath 12. foundations, and in them the names of the 12. Apostles of the Lamb; All Governors that watch over God's people, Revel 21. 1 Sam. 25.16. 1. Pet. 2.5. Revel. 19 Cant. 6.4. and keep away their enemies from them are as a wall unto them; for this is a living City, and all the parts thereof are living; and therefore jerusalem is not only said to be trimmed as a Spouse, but also the Spouse is said to be fair as jerusalem. Yea every man's Grace of perseverance is a Wall unto himself, and thereby doth he hold out against all the manifold temptations wherewith he is exercised while he is militant; our Faith, our Hope, our Charity, all our spiritual weal and comfort are secured by perseverance. Here is mention made not only of Walls but of building, and building importeth an addition unto the former Fabric; And indeed great Cities are not brought to their perfection in an instant; Rome (we say) was not built in a day, no more was jerusalem; it did flourish in the days of David, but it was to flourish more in the days of Solomon; the Temple was not yet built, nor furnished with those Orders which David received from God, neither was the Policy settled or the Crown entailed; David wished that all these things might be perfected, and the state raised to that pitch of Glory, which it attained in the days of King Solomon. But to the Mystery. As the Church wanteth Walls in that it is militant, so in that it is in Via, in that we are but on our Way, we need Edification and Building up; Churches have their nonage, and every member hath no beginning, then of a babe in Christ, we must not always feed upon milk, we must use our stomaches to stronger meat, Heb. 5. Ephes. 4. they that are young ling must grow on to the age of perfect men in Christ, they must grow on in Faith, in Hope, in Charity; these must receive daily accessions so lon● as we live in this world, yea, and we must not think that here will be an end of our building; our Faith must end in the sight of God, our Hope in the fruition of God, our Charity in unseparable Union with God, until we have put off our mortality and infirmity and attained this perfection, we have not ended our Building; And there is no doubt but David looked thus fare. But here we must take heed of two Errors. First, we may not look for new Reuclations from Heaven, as if God would add any thing to his Oracles; old and new Heretics fancying otherwise, have set on work the forge of their idle brains, and have broached illusions of the Devil, as divine inspirations: But God's truth is consummated in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles, neither doth it admit any accession, either of Romish Traditions, or anabaptistical Illuminations; such building is Babylonish; the building of jerusalem is only the working of God's Word into our heads and our hearts, to make us wise and holy men. The second Error is of judaizing Christians, who dream of an earthly restitution of that City, and erecting of a glorious worldly Monarchy there, which shall not only over top, but overrule all the world. To countenance this fancy, they corrupt many a Prophecy, and deserve no other refutation than that check which was given unto the jews vain attempt in the days of Adrian the Emperor, by his General; and in the days of julian the Apostata, by the hand of God himself. Certainly my Text favoureth no such Building but that out of Amos in Acts 15. vers. 16. You have heard the Contents of King David's desire; I come now to see to whom he doth direct it: unto God: unto him it is that he saith, do good, build thou. And indeed to whom should he go, but to him that can and will grant what he sueth for? God only can; for he that is Goodness must do good; 〈◊〉 1 17. Every good and perfect gift cometh from above, it cometh from him: The eyes of all look unto him, he openeth his hands and filleth all things living with goodness. In the Creation he gave beginning to the goodness of a Creature: and, if it fail, no less power than this can restore it again: In a word, there is none other Good but he, and therefore none but he can do good, whether it be natural, or moral good, good of Grace, or good of Glory, all are but drops whereof he is the Ocean, and he is the Sun from whom these beams do issue. His Ability is not all the reason why the suit is directed unto him, but his Promise also must be joined thereto. Take the words corporally, then hath David a special promise both of the indulgence and beneficence of God, 2. Sam. 7. take them spiritually, and then the blessings come within the general promises of God's Covenant, for that hath the promises both of this Life, 1. Tim 4 ●. and of that which is to come. For do good, you see there is reason to pray to God; and there is as much reason for Build thou the walls. Men cannot so much as build corporally except the Lord build the house, he laboureth but in vain that buildeth, much more spiritually, Psal. 127. seeing none can give the spirit but himself, and all our sufficiency is from his spirit, without which we can do nothing: God is the wall of our wall, he standeth about those that fear him, as the Hills about jerusalem; Psal. 125. Psal. 147. he will build up jerusalem, and gather together the outcasts of Israel. But when we make God the Author, we do not exclude the Instruments, ourselves and others; but show their impotency if he make them not both able and effectual. The Person is well chosen to whom the suit is directed: but that is not enough, there must be some motive also which may plead for the Suitor. And here is the most prevailing motive, nothing without God ever moveth him to do good; many things from without may provoke his vengeance, but nothing can draw from him works of Grace but that which is within him. And that which is within him the first mover, is always his good will. God's will is always good, but we then use the addition of good when we feel the gracious effects thereof; when God dealeth with us according to the sweetness of his Nature, not the rigour of his justice. And this phrase cometh then in seasonably, when we have deserved the contrary, as David now had, and all men do, when they are put to this Petition do good, build up; witness all the Instaurations that have been since the beginning of the World. Nothing can be had from God by merit, but we own it all unto God's Mercy, who for his own sake doth repair his Church, as at first he gave it a being only for his own sake. And it is happy that that is the only motive; for, were it not for that, we should be left comfortless, but from this we may receive more than we can hope for: He dealeth like a God, 2 Sam 7. and not like a man. Secondly, this phrase may note some remarkable thing touching the nature and measure of the gifts. The nature, as if David did desire that most which would please God best, and did not sue to God for other gifts than such as he taketh the greatest content in; and so that he might obtain Gods good will for Zion and jerusalem, he passeth not for all the rest: And indeed it it is true spiritual wisdom, to make Let me find grace in thine eyes the upshot of our suit, and to seem to mind no thing else, but the recovery of God's good will; 1. King 's. we are sure then to speed with Solomon of any other good, though we mention it not in our prayers. Finally, this phrase may note, as the nature so the measure of the gifts, it implieth that we presume not to carve to ourselves, but leave him to enlarge or contract his bounty, as it seemeth best unto him. And indeed as he knoweth best what is good for us: so is he the best proportioner of his gifts, and will deal more freely, the less we presume to prescribe unto him. But let us draw to an end. I told you, that in the whole Text, you might observe two remarkable Virtues shining therein, The first is Confidence. In the beginning of the Psalm, King David seemed to be a very wretch so sinful that he might well seem unworthy to open his mouth for himself; yet having unburdened his conscience, and poured forth his soul for himself, he gathereth strength and groweth bold to pray for others, for the whole Kingdom, yea for the whole body of the Church; he presumeth to importune God to bestow the greatest of his temporal and spiritual blessings. And the conscience of sin must not so dishearten us, but when we have made our own peace, we may become suitors for others also: It is an argument of the Communion of Saints, and Christ out of a fellow-feeling, hath taught us to say, Our Father, 1. Tim. 2.1. yea the Apostle willeth us to pray for all men. But as we must pray with this Confidence like David: so must we be like David in seasoning our prayers with Compassion; though we do well enough ourselves, yet must we not be senseless of other men's wants, nor find ease in ease, while others are in danger: especially, if ourselves have been the cause of their danger, as David was; who as much as lay in him exposed all Israel to ruin and destruction. He had reason therefore to remember it in his prayers, and desire God to be gracious unto it. God hath visited our Land with a Plague of Rain, and no doubt but our sins are the cause of so unseasonable weather; for, Genes. 3. Cursed be the Earth for thy sake, hath a constant truth; and God doth not distemper the Seasons, except we be first distempered. You shall do well therefore to look upon the Land with Compassion, and remember in your denotion the distresses thereof. Finally, learn from King David to put into our prayers, those to whom we have special reference. Would the time permit, this Note might be enlarged to Parents, Masters, Magistrates, Pastors; I will insist only on Zion and jerusalem, to that we have the nearest reference: No consanguinity, no affinity worketh so strait a band as doth the Communion of Saints, yet is there nothing that moveth men less; I would it did move more, especially at this time, when Zion is as a wilderness, and jerusalem a desolation; what with the Turk, and what with the Pope, every where is the sword bathed in Christian blood; if ever, Ne ●rascaris Domine would now be a seasonable Anthem; we should all pray, Be not wrath very sore, O Lord, neither remember iniquity for ever. And I would there were that compassionate disposition in us, which appeared in the captive jews, Psal 137. when they said, If I forget thee O jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning, if I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, if I prefer not jerusalem before my chiefest joy. GOd grant us all such a disposition, so will our daily prayer be unto God; Do well O Lord unto Zion, build thou the walls of jerusalem. PSAL. 51. VERSE 19 Then shall they be pleased with the Sacrifices of Righteousness with offerings, and whole offerings: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine Altar. THe later of King David's Vows, that which he made for his Kingdom, doth present unto us a Desire and a Promise; I have opened the Desire, I am now to open the Promise unto you. In unfolding whereof, I shall (God willing) show you, First, What it containeth. Secondly, When it taketh place. It containeth a double undertaking of King David; He undertaketh first for God unto the Kingdom, in these words; Thou shalt be pleased with the Sacrifices of righteousness, with offerings and whole offerings. Secondly, he undertaketh for the Kingdom unto God in the words that follow, They shall offer bullocks upon thine Altar. But more distinctly. In King David's undertaking for God, observe a Devotion and the Acceptance thereof; the Devotion is noted by the name of Sacrifice. And touching this Devotion, we are moreover taught that it is solid and full; solid, as appears by the quality, for it is a Sacrifice of Righteousuesse, and righteousuesse maketh Devotion to be solid. As it is solid, so it is full; I gather that from the variety; for it consisteth of offerings, and whole offerings, and these two (as anon you shall hear) will make up a full Devotion. If the Denotion be so solid, so full, it will find Acceptance with God; it will find acceptance, for it will please; and he that is pleased is no other than God; to him David saith, Thou shalt be pleased with the Sacrifice of righteousness. In the second undertaking, the Kingdom is noted by this word They, for it repeateth Zion and jerusalem which were mentioned before; That which for them David undertaketh, is, that they shall be very thankful unto God; very thankful, for they shall offer Bullocks; and they shall not misplace their thankfulness, because, they shall offer upon God's Altar. But when shall all this be? The Text doth tell us in this word Then; Then shalt thou be pleased, Then shall they offer. When God hath fulfilled the Desire, whereof you heard in the former verse, Then shall follow the accomplishment of the Promise, whereof you shall hear on this. David undersaketh this; for, if you mark, he speaketh without all peradventure, he affirmeth confidently, Thou shalt be pleased; They shall offer. Finally, lay together the many parts of the Text, and behold a blessed Accord between God and his Church; God graceth the service of his Church, and the Church acknowledgeth the bounty of her God; a better accord we cannot wish. And we may have our part therein, if we listen to that which shall be said, as attentively, as affectionately, as I hope we will, I am sure we ought. Before we fall upon the particulars we must take by the way this rule, The Promise must be understood suitably to the Desire; that, had a double sense, a literal and a spiritual and so must this have also; This rule must be carried through the particulars of my Text: Whereof the first is Sacrifice; A Ceremonial word, and importeth a Legal service, whereof the most part was performed at the Altar, either the brazen or the golden Altar. But God was pleased to shadow a Moral in that Ceremonial service, as you may gather out of Ezekiels' last Vision, which is a Prophecy of the New Testament; Saint Peter speaketh it plainly when he telleth us, that we must offer spiritual Sacrifice through Christ to God. 1 Pec. ●. 5. And indeed, what is a Sacrifice, but a visible prayer? Neither is prayer ought else but an audible sacrifice. Yea, look how many kinds of prayers there are, so many kinds of Sacrifices was God pleased there should be. Saint Paul reckoneth up four kinds of Prayers, whereof the first, 1 Tim. 2.1. is f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Deprecation, when the conscience of sin maketh us endeavour to pacify God's displeasure; unto this answered the Propitiatory sacrifice. The second kind of Prayer was z 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Petition, wherein man seeketh to God for supply of his want; unto this answered the Votive sacrifice. Either of these, Deprecation and Petition may be made for others as well as for ourselves; whereupon Prayer receiveth a third fashion and name which is called a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Intercession; whereunto there was an answerable Sacrifice, as you may read in the first and last of job, where he Sacrificeth for his Children, and for his friends. Finally, when we have received that which we seek at the hands of God, by any of the three former kinds of Prayer, then come we to him with a fourth, and that is a c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Thanksgiving; whereunto did answer the Eucharistical sacrifice. Seeing then there is such a correspondency between Moral devotion and Legal sacrifices, the one may very well note the other, and I did not without cause tell you, that Devotion was meant by the name of sacrifice. But touching this Devotion we are moreover taught, first, that it must be solid; for it must be a sacrifice of righteousness; And indeed it is righteousness that maketh our Devotion solid. But there is a double righteousness, a righteousness of the Offerer, and a righteousness of the Offering; I will show you both, first in the Ceremonial, then in the Moral service. First for the Offerer. There was about salomon's Temple, a Court which was called Profane, beyond which no uncircumcised or unclean person might come; neither of them were deemed worthy to come into the Court of Israel, or offer at God's Altar, except he were first circumcised, if a Gentile, and if an Israelite defiled, except he were first Ceremonially purified. Whereby the Holy Ghost did give us to understand Morally, that neither Insidels nor unrepentant Christians are fit to serve God; their sacrifice wanteth that righteousness that must be in the Offerer, which is Faith and Repentance, without which no man is worthy to come into his presence. There is a second righteousness, and that is of the offering. In the Law God commanded that no unclean beast should be sacrificed unto him, Nu●● 18 15. and in those that were allowed for sacrifice; he endured no blemish either inherent or adherent, 〈◊〉. 3 6. they must not be blind, lame, or diseased, these were inherent blemishes; neither must they be ill gotten, for God would not receive the hire of an harlot. Apply this Morally; And than ye must observe, that all impure thoughts and lusts must be excluded from our Devotion, they are more abominable than unclean beasts; a man may not beg of God that he may speed in his adulterous, his murderous, his treacherous designs; we may beg nothing of God, but that which God alloweth for good: The lawfulness of the Desire, is the first Righteousness required in our offering. But it is not enough that the Desire be lawful, it must have no inherent nor adherent unrighteousness: 1 〈◊〉. 14. Inherent, our Devotion must not be blind, we must pray with our understanding; it must not be lame, we must pray with ardent affection; Finally, it must not be diseased, it must not be tainted with any corruption of hypocrisy, vain glory, etc. no unrighteousness must adhere to it, if any do, our Devotion will not deserve to be called, a Sacrifice of Righteousness. When we examine Devotion by these strict conditions, we, shall find, that there is no such Sacrifice to be found, but that only one which was offered by our Saviour jesus Christ; in him was most absolute the Righteousness both of the offerer and of the offering, and therefore of the offering because of the offerer; for one person was both, and the style of the person in the Scripture is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 〈◊〉 3.14. 〈◊〉 110 4. the just one, and He is a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec, which is by interpretation King of Righteousness, therefore do the Fathers understand Christ in this phrase. But by participation of Christ's grace, our devotion may also pass for a Sacrifice of Righteousness. In the last vision of Ezekiel the Priesthood is entailed upon the posterity of Zadok, wherein there is a Mystery; Ezek 44. for Zadok signifieth Righteous, and he was a type of Christ; so that not Christ only, but his Offspring (which we are) may offer a Sacrifice of Righteousness. Esay 8. And indeed our persons and our gifts are both righteous, if we be truly incorporated into Christ. But we must observe a great difference, for Christ's Sacrifice differeth from ours even as it is only just; for his Righteousness is perfect, ours is but imperfect, we cannot exceed the measure of our Regeneration, and therefore we may not ascribe unto it more worth than it hath in it. Notwithstanding, we must endeavour to have it such as it is, we must endeavour that our devotion may be a Sacrifice of Righteousness, that our devotion may be solid. That is not enough; although the Son of Syrac doth comfort us even in that respect, when he telleth us, Chap. 3●. that the Sacrifice of the Righteous maketh the Altar fat. But here is, besides the solidness, a fullness also required in the Devotion; I gather it out of the variety here specified, offerings, and whole offerings. The Arabic conjoineth these two words as if they noted but one thing, but they are distinguished in the Original, and in other translations; and there is a good reason they should be distinguished. For they note all kind of Sacrifices; for all are reduced to two heads; they were either Animata, or Inanimata, they consisted of living creatures, such as were birds and beasts, and they come under the name of Gnolah, or else they consisted of things without life, such as were flower, oil, etc. they come under the name of Kalil, here rendered whole burnt offerings; these being the heads of either kind may well comprehend all the rest. Secondly, not only all kinds of Sacrifices are noted by these words, but by consequence all sorts of persons; for Gnolah the offering was offered for the whole Body of the people, whereunto Kalil, that is, the whole offering was to be added for the Priest; so that whereas the whole Kingdom did consist but of Priests and people, all persons are comprehended under these words. Thirdly, these Sacrifices were offered every day early and late; In the morning there was a Gnolah a offering, and a Kalil a whole offering joined with it, and as much at the Evening, no day was excused from either of them. Fourthly, both of these were wholly consumed, no part reserved from God, contrary to the condition of other Sacrifices, whereof always the Priests, sometimes the people also, had a share, as in the Votive and Eucharistical Sacrifice. These thing were ceremonially to be observed; But in these there is a Morality enwrapped; and the Morality is as manifold as was the Ceremony; that fourfold, and so is this. First, of all things that we have living or dead, we must make a present unto God. Secondly, in so doing; the Priest must not post over Devotion to the people, nor the people to the the Priest, both must make their presents. Thirdly, every day must be a day of Devotion, if not publicly in the communion of Saints (although, that it might be public, was the true intent of the first founding of Cathedral and Collegiate Churches, yea and of Monasteries also) yet privately Priests and people should day by day offer spiritual Sacrifices unto God. Fourthly, when we perform our Devotion, we must take heed of Sacrilege. As we must offer of all kinds: so all parts of them to God; Acts 5. we must not be unwilling to forgo any thing if it may advance the glory of God; Ananias and Saphira their example most terrify us, and it must make both Priest and people willing to keeps themselves close to the tenor of the Law, and to Love the Lord their God with all their heart, and with all their soul, and with all their strength, etc. You have heard that the Devotion must be solta, and full; if it be such than it will find Acceptance with God. Acceptance; for it will please; the Legal phrase is, it will yield a savour of sweet smell, or a savour of rest, whereof the Mortll is pleasing or delight, and delight is the highestimprovement of Love.. For Love doth first draw the eye to behold a thing; Secondly, it draweth on the Will to approve it, Thirdly, it may open the hand to do good unto it; but farther it cannot go then to take content in it. So that this delight or pleasing she weth more than an ordinary Affection. But Affections are as is the person in whom they arise; No person greater than God, therefore no delight can be like unto his. But this is a Paradox; God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all-sufficient, he needeth nothing, and what then can work his delight? yea, it is a wonder that he should stoop to so base a solace that hath so incomprehensible pleasures in his own nature. Wonder not at it; for it is Condescensio paterna; as Parents use to grace the small endeavours of their Children: so doth God the Devotion of his servants; Non ex d gnitate rei, sed ex dignatione sua, not that the service descrueth it, but he vouchsafeth to respect it, so that we may defraud our service of the honour, but we cannot defraud God of the comfort; for God's comfort doth not depend on our service, it is inseparable from his Essence, but the honour of our service depends of God's favourable aspect, which I called God's Acceptance But how doth this Acceptance appear? If you look to the Legal Sacrifice, God did testify it to the corporal Zion and jerusalem by fire from heaven which consumed the Sacrifice, but unto the spiritual Zion and jerusalem, 1. Chron 7. he doth testify it by the sensible comfort which by his Spirit, he doth infuse into their souls while they are Militant, and he will testify it more plentifully by the light of his countenance which shall shine upon them, when in the Church Triumphant, they shall stand before his Throne. Mark here a Correction of that which was said before; you heard that Sacrifices and offerings were neither required nor accepted, here you find the contrary. And yet not the contrary; for there they be refused in Casu, in a Case wherein no sacrifice was allowed, and they be also refused opposite, if the Moral be not joined with the Ceremonial; but here we have no such case, no such opposition; God did accept them under the Law as exercises of faith, and he will accept the truth of them for ever; for that is most agreeable unto his nature; a spiritual service to God which is a Spirit. And let this suffice for King David's first undertaking. I come now to the second, his undertaking for the Kingdom. The Kingdom is understood in this word they, it referreth to Zion and jerusalem mentioned in the former verse: they that have the benefit, are they that shall make the acknowledgement Before it was Ego, the King spoke in his own person, I will show forth thy praise, I will teach the wicked etc. Now it is Illi, my Kingdom; Priest and people, both shall be as religions as myself. And indeed the Kingdom as well as the King ought to be thankful unto God, when God is good to both. David undertaketh for his Kingdom that it shall be very thankful; for they shall offer Bullocks. A Bullocke is a fair Emblem of a spiritual Sacrihce, for it signifieth an heifer that is come to the age of being fruitful, (or it cometh of Parah) and yet it hath not borne the yoke, nor been put to any drudgery: And such should every one be that serveth God, he should be fruitful and not servile, abounding in good works, but not be the slave of sin. There are two other things to be observed in this word; first, it was the fairest of Offirings. Secondly, it was the fittest for the Offerers. Amongst the Sacrifices, the fairer were the Beasts, and of the beasts, the fairest was the Bullock. God commanded no Sacrifice thet was greater than that. S. Paul out of Hosea doth moralise this Sacrifice, Heb. 13. Hos. 19 calling it the Calves of our lips, for by Calves are these Bullocks meant. We may add, that seeing Bullocks were the greatest of Sacrifices, we must think that nothing we have is too good for God, and we must make our Offerings of the best. The Bullock was not only the fairest Offering, but the fittetst for these Offerers; you shall read Leutt. 3. that whether it were the whole Congregation, or the Priest that had offended, either of them was to reconcile himself to God, by the oblation of a Bullock; and seeing they are meant in this place, such a Sacrifice doth best beseem them, but that the propitiatory is turned into a gratulatory. But to whom shall they be thankful? surely to him that doth deserve it, to God; they shall offer upon his Altar; he that fulfilleth the Desire hath iuterest in the Promise, they shall confess that it is He that doth good to Zion, that it is He that butldeth the walls of jerusalem. Secondly note that he sayeth not, that they will offer unto him, but upon his Altar, the Altar that was erected by his appointment. For though it be true, that where the Altar was, there was God, yet it followeth not, that where God is, there is his Altar. God is pleased to confine not only the substance, but the circumstance of our service also, Deut. 12.33. he would not be worshipped every where. The Ceremonial Altar is gone, but the Moral thereof abideth; where Christ is, thither must we bend our service, he is the Altar that halloweth our Sacrifice on him, and by him, must we present it unto God. Again, the Altar doth note, that it is not enough for us privately to recount God's blessings, we must divulge them publicly: though the Heathen had their private Altars, yet God had none but in a public place; therefore the setuice must needs be public that is done upon the Altar. Add the Bullock and the Altar together, and then you shall find, that this was Operaria gratitudo, the hand should testify the thankfulness of the heart, and the Kingdom would be thankful not in word only, but indeed also; And indeed God doth good to Zion, and buildeth up the walls of jerusalem, that they may offer him such Sacrifice. To conclude this point, as David in his own Vow made Gods praise the upshot of his promise: so doth he in the Vow of the People. And indeed the Church must not desire prosperity otherwise then that God may have the glory of it: God made all things for himself, and we must subordinate all things unto him, otherwise we substitute the Creature in stead of the Creator, and cannot excuse ourselves from Idolatry; from which David doth free his Kingdom in saying, They shall offer at God's Altar. You have heard of God's acceptance and the Kingdom's thankfulness; that these things shall be performed David undertaketh for both he undertaketh to each of them for the other; for mark how resolutely he speaketh, Thou shalt be pleased, They shall offer. Vox fidei & fiduciae, he believeth it assuredly, and therefore doth confidently affirm it. Neither, can their be any doubt, but if our service be the sacrifice of righteousness, God will accept it; for he will never refuse what himself commanded. And it can as little be doubted that the Kingdom will be thankful, if God do it that good; for it is a special effect of Grace to make us so thankful, so that we may not doubt of either. I have sufficiently opened the Promise unto you, one thing remaineth, the circumstance of time when this Promise shall take place; it is expressed in this word Then, which is set before either of the undertake, Then shalt thou be pleased, Theu shall they offer, etc. except God fulfil the Desire, there is no hope of the Promise, but the performance of the Promise will not be fare behind, if the Desire be fulfilled. Touching the Ceremony, we find it in the Dedication of the Temple, when many thousands of Bullocks were offered, 1. King 8. and God appearing unto Solomon told him how well he was pleased therewith. And touching the moral, though in figurative terms, yet it is fairly set down Ezek. 20. and Malac. 3. you have it in a short sentence. Psal. 110. The people shall be willing in the day of thy power, Math. 18.20. and the beauties of holiness; And Christ is as brief, when two or three are gathered together in my name, I am a 'mongst them. We pray that we may receive grace; and when we have received grace, what temaineth but that we give glorie● and we shall give glory as we received grace imperfectly here on earth, because our grace is imperfect, but when our grace is perfect, then shall we give glory perfectly to God in the Kingdom of Heaven; and of that glory which is given in the Church Triumphant do many of the Fathers understand this place. Finally, mark a blessed accord between God's acceptance, and man's thankfulness; it is an uncomfortable thing to serve, and not to be regarded, but if any thing will encourage, it is this, Math. 25. that we shall hear Euge serve bone, well done servant faithful and true, enter into thy Master's joy. Wherefore let us hearten ourselves that God will accept, and knowing that, let us do our best to please. I am come to the end of of my Text, and withal to the end of the Psalm; but God forbidden your profit should end with my pains. S. Austin thought that every man should sing over this Psalm every day; and act a penitent as King David did. And indeed which of us may presume better of himself then King David had cause? and who may not desire if he be so bad, to speed as well as King David did? He began at Miserere, fell as low in his humiliation as a mortal man can do; but you see how he endeth; his humiliation was not so low, but his exaltation was as high, and his joy proved as great as ever his sorrow was. It is a witty observation which Saint Ambrose hath; he maketh this Psalm a Psalm of jubilee, he gathers his note from the number: In the Septuagint which most of the Ancients follow, this is accounted the fiftieth Psalm, therefore doth that Father parallel it to the fiftieth year. The fiftieth year was the year of jubilee to the Israelites, wherein all debts were released, bondslaves were set at liberty, and he that had sold it was repossessed again of his Inheritance. And doth not that befall a man spiritually, if he be penitent, which the Israelites enjoyed corporally? yea verily. He that was by sin a slave unto Satan, by repentance is mad: a freeman of God; upon our repentance are all our debt-obligations canceled, which we have either inherited or contracted: Finally, it returns us again to Paradise out of which we were cast for sin; a blessed comfort of Repentance, and therefore a blessed use may we make of this Psalm, the Contents whereof is this virtue of Repentance. And what can I wish you, yea and myself also, but that from the misery of sinners, we may ascend to to the glory of Saints? and We thy humble Servants beseech thee our Lord jesus Christ, Hieroms Prayer. that thou wilt be indulgent to our grievous sins, and grant that being humbled by true contrition of heart, and having mortified all our corrupt lusts, we may be prepared as an acceptable Holocaust un to thee, and with the Angels sing for ever, Haleluiah, Haleluiah, So the Arabi● ends this Psalm Haleluiah in the Kingdom of Heaven. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. NINE SERMONS On the two and twentith CHAPTER of the Gospel according to S. MATHEW. The 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40. VERSES. BY The Right Reverend Father in God, ARTHURE LAKE, late Bishop of that See. LONDON, Printed by W. S. for Nathaniel Butter. 1629. NINE SERMONS ON THE TWO AND TWENTITH Chapter of the Gospel according to Saint MATTHEW, the 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40. VERSES. THE TEXT. 34. But when the Pharisees had heard, that jesus had put the Sadduces to silence, they were gathered together. 35. Then one of them which was a Lawyer, asked him a Question, tempting him, and saying, 36. Master, What is the great Commandment? 37. jesus said unto him; Thou shalt Love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart, and with all thy Soul, and with all thy Mind, etc. The first Sermon. NO sooner had I ended the Doctrine of Repentance, which I set before you in the example of King David, but it came into my mind that the next way to persuade any man to follow it, was to teach him how he might best be acquainted with his own state. For though it be true that every man that knoweth himself to be guilty doth not repent, yet it is as true, that no man doth repent except he know himself to be guilty. Now the Apostles rule is, Rom 7 ver●●. jam. 1. ver. 23. that The knowledge of Sin cometh by the Law, the Law is a looking glass wherein we may see what manner of Persons we are. Whereupon I resolved to make the Law my next Text. Not that Law which was proper to the jews, and was abolished by the Cross of Christ, the Ceremonial, and Politic: But that Law which is common to all the World, and shall never have an end, I mean the Moral Law which is contained in the ten Commandments: And indeed they are the great store-house of cases of Conscience. If ever a man be desirous to make a through inquiry into himself, and give up against himself a true verdict, they will set his Sin most clearly before his eyes, and lay it most powerfully to his charge. They will. But not so well, except a man be first prepared: you must first learn a lesson that containeth the Beginning, and the Ending of the Decalogue, and that is Charity, all the ten Commandments spring from this root, and this is the fruit that we must reap from them all, they begin from, and they end in Charity; this Charity is the Argument of those words that now I have read unto you, and the Text is nothing but a Preparative to the ten Commandments; Let us come then to it. The whole doth contain a Conference between our Saviour Christ, and a Pharisee: wherein it was to appear, whether of the two had more skill in Gods Law. In breaking it up, I will consider the Occasion, and the Argument; The Occasion, as given, was Christ's conquest of the Sadduces, he had put them to silence; as taken, was the malice of the Pharisees, they were so vexed therewith, that they no sooner heard it, but Conuenerunt they conspired to set upon Christ, this was the occasion. Thus fare the Pharisee goeth; I mean to go no farther at this time in unfolding the Text, I will begin then with the occasion; first as it was given. Christ in a dispute had foiled the Sadduces, the Text saith, He had put the Sadduces to silence. Here we must learn, first what these Sadduces were, they were a Sect sprung up amongst the jews; I will briefly relate their original, as the Hebrew story hath it. Antigonus Sochaeus, not long after the days of Nehemiah, was the chief Rabbin in the great Synagogue at jerusalem, Drusius de tribus sectis judaeorum. who gravely instructing his Disciples is said amongst other words to have used those, You must not be of servile minds, and do your duty for reward; his Disciples hearing this, desired him to expound himself more fully. Whereupon he addeth that men must not expect the reward of welldoing in this world; but stay for it until the world to come. To these words, Tzadock a chief Disciple of his took exception, and said, He never heard of any such thing as the world to come. And thereupon he with another fellow Disciple of his called Baithos turned Apostates, and repaired to the Schismatical Tempell built upon mount Gerizzim, and became principal Rabbins of the Samaritans. And amongst them did Tzadock first broach his Heresy, and taught them, that there was no Resurrection of the dead, because no immortality of the Soul and Spirit, and so consequently no judgement for to come. Therefore in this life was every man to make his fortune as well as he could, without any scruple of Conscience, and satisfy his lust whatsoever it were. If a man desire a fuller relation of their impiety, let him but read the second Chapter of the Book of Wisdom, where you have a Sadducee painted out to the full, you have his lively picture. But that which I specially mark unto you is that the Samaritans and the jews were at deadly feud, Ish. 4. ver. 9 they had no commerce one with an other. And here we find the Heresy of the Samaritans to have corrupted the Iew●s, and that even in jerusalem there were many Sadduces. I say too little, the Sadduces were chief Governors in jerusalem; read it Acts 5. where you shall find that the chief Priests to repress the Apostles preaching the Resurrection from the dead, were assisted with those of the Sect of the Sadduces. Flavius josephus goeth farther, and observeth that the Sect of the Sadduces was most favoured by those that were rich. And indeed it is most likely; because they that have a worldly state whereon to rest, are commonly so addicted thereunto, that they could well be contented there were no other life: So earthly, so sensual are their thoughts, their hearts, that they hardly believe, and do desire but coldly the things of a better life. Yea they think all men senseless and stark mad, that make little account of things below, that they may more fully enjoy those things which are above. It is a lamentable thing to see a Church degenerate so fare, as not only to endure, but to give countenance unto a Sect, that did raze the very foundation of Piety. But it was not their fault only, though Christendom hath none known by the Name of Sadduces, yet Sadduces it hath too many; too many that not only live as if there were no Resurrection: but also where they may be bold, are not ashamed to maintain so impious a conceit, and persuade men out of Conscience to live lewdly, who before did it only out of Impotency of affections. Magistrates are too patiented, to negligent in finding them out, in rewarding them as they deserve. I go on in my Text, you have seen what these Sadduces were, now see how Christ putteth them to silence. The word is markable, it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, he bridled their mouths, which is a phrase borrowed from fierce, and stomachful Horses, which are impatient of the rider, yet are they held in by a strong bit, and so subjected to the will of the Rider perforce, not out of their own tractableness. Men are resembled in the Scripture to such horses, Be not like horse and mule which have no understanding, Pet. 32. but must be held in with bit and bridle lest they run upon us, wherein you may perceive that the bridle doth not alter the disposition of the horse, but only stay him from doing what otherwise he would: Even so did our Saviour Christ silence the Sadduces; though they were ill affected to him, and men (as you heard) of great authority among the jews, yet did Christ so clearly dissolve their sophisms, and resolve their doubt with that Authority, that they became tongue-tied, had not a word to return upon him. Which is strange, whether you consider, and compare the mean outside wherein Christ appeared, with the great countenance of the Sadduces, or the out facing of Heresy with the modesty of truth. But though Christ stopped their Mouths, yet did he not alter their Hearts, for though they could not defend Sadducisme, yet did they continue Sadduces, as appears Acts Chap. 5. and Chap. 23. The reason whereof is, because they moved their question, not out of a desire to know the truth, but with a purpose to scoff at Christ. When men seek with such minds unto God, God is pleased to bring the scorn upon them, but he leaveth them in their gross ignorance. Add hereunto, that when men have resolved to make the satisfying of some corrupt lust the upshot of their endeavours; they accept, or refuse all things in reference thereunto, and stop their Ears and Hearts, so that they hear with a deaf Ear, and with a dull Heart entertain whatsoever maketh against them. Hence is it that the Ministers pains taken with those, who make their ●elly their God, or commit Idolatry with their Gold, or incline to any erroneous conceit, or sinful affection, is commonly so fruitless: Christ's was, who will wonder that ours is. The Use we must make hereof is this; Never to move question in religion but out of the love of truth, bringing with us a desire to yield when it is revealed unto us. Secondly, we must take heed how we set our Affections upon any thing, for if that become once our last end, a Black-more will as soon change his skin, and a Leopard his spots, as we will be removed from it. And let this suffice for the Occasion given. No sooner was it given by Christ's foiling the Sadduces, but it was taken by the Pharisees; for upon the hearing of it. Conuenerunt in vn●m they fell to consultation. But here must I briefly show you what these Pharisees were. I●b. cap. 1. & 2. We find in the Book of Maccabees, that when Antiochus Epiphanes had taken jerusalem, and (as the Prophet Daniel foretold) had put down the service of God, and interdicted the observance of the Law, many Religious jews chose rather to fear God then the King. And when many Apostate Iewes made covenant with the Gentiles, and uncircumcised themselves, the Religious held on the Circumcision, and observed the Law strictly; they are there called by the Name A●ideans, from the Hebrew Chasidim, 1. Mac. 2. v. 42. which signifieth men of pious or Religious hearts, in time they changed their name into Chacamim, that is wise men, and became the oracles of the people, and were consulted in doubts of Religion. Religion by this time was come out of their hearts into their heads. They changed their names a third time, and were called Pharisees, they went still from better to worse. For a Pharisee is he that is separated from other men, you may learn it of the Pharisee in the Gospel, Luke 18.11. I think God I am not like other men, so doth he vaunt in his Prayer to God. And indeed they thought themselves too good to converse with the vulgar sort. But the ground of this conceit is worth the marking for by that time they took unto themselves this name the forgery related in the Apocryphal Esdras began to be current. Lib. 2. ca 14. ver. 6.14. It began to be believed that Moses in mount Sinai received not only a Law which he writ, but another also which he delivered by word of mouth; that joshua received it from him, and others from joshua, & that so it continued by Succession until it was conveied into the Talmud The new Testament calleth it the traditions of the Elders, the jews themselves Mishne, which the Fathers render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, yea they are not ashamed to enter into a blasphemous comparison of the written Law with the unwritten, giving the pre-eminence to the unwritten above the written. The Church of Rome hath dreamt the very same dream in the new Testament, as they did in the old; and hath feigned a traditionary Gospel, as the other feigned a traditionarie Law. And she cometh fairly after them in the blasphemous comparison, the time will not suffer me to enlarge the Parallel, others have done it, you may read it in them. I will insist no longer here upon the Story of the Pharisee, I shall meet with him again: Only if you compare the Sadducee and the Pharisee, and observe how one did pair from, the other patch to God's Word, how the one bend to Atheism, and the other to Superstition: you will see how hardly men keep a mean either in knowledge or conversation; some overreach, some reach not home. But we must hold it the truest Piety to confine our wits, and conform our lives to that will of God, which we have of record. Having sufficiently described the Persons, we must now consider their taking of the occasion; When they heard, they came together. A strange thing; for what was that which they heard? was it not the making good of their Tenent against the Sadduces? the proving of the Resurrection of the dead? A man would expect that they should congratulate Christ's victory, and rejoice in the refutation of the Sadduces. Haply they would have done so, if there had been nothing else: but Christ got credit by the Sadduces silence, the people wondered at it, this was a corasive to the Pharisees, they were ●ealous that what Christ gained, they lost. Therefore they maligned his success, and malice hath no eyes to see good turns, or to be moved with them. Nay see; Christ was taking their part against the Sadduces, and they revenge the Sadduces quarrel upon Christ. Malice doth not only not see good turns but it can forget also ill turns, to do a mischief unto those that are good. The Sadduces and Pharisees were professed enemies, yet both of them agree to take part against Christ; so were Pontius Pilate and Herod made friends to crucify him. The extremes, though most opposite, yet do either of them impugn the mean in morality; covetousness endureth not prodigality, nor prodigality covetousness, yet both concur to overthrew liberality: As it is in the Abstract, so it is in the Concrete; men carry themselves according to the qualities wherewith they are seasoned. And this is the reason why, as in the time of Christ, so in our times, the orthodox Christian is assaulted and battered as well by the superstitious as by the profane. I have not yet shown you the depth of their malice, it was much that it would not let them see Christ's well-deserving, more that they did not see the ill-deserving of the Sadduces, but I wonder at neither of these blindnesses; malice suffereth them not to see their own desperate adventure; for they had not long before, (as it appeareth in this Chapter) set upon Christ, and went awy with disgrace: if they would not take warning from the Sadduces foil, they might from their own. But it is a true rule; Malitia & Ambitio nutriunt temeritatem, & impudentiam, where a man's heart is possessed with ambition or malice, he will be commonly foolhardy and past shame, he will venture without foresight of his present ruin, and he is shameless and senseless, though he have never so much cause to blush and take heed. The Devil tempted Christ, and though he were twice repulsed, yet he set on him the third time; his scholars have the same resolution. Which must make us not to wonder at the replications, Chry●ost. 16. in Math. and triplications of the Adversaries of our Church Audi homo sidelis (saith an ancient Father) harken to me O whosoever faithful man thou art that willingly dost encounter an Heretic; if the Pharisee could be quiet, then is there hope thou mayst quiet an Heretic, but it is no more possible for to quiet an Heretic, than it was to quiet a Pharisee. For what? art thou stronger than Christ, that thou shouldest quiet them whom Christ could not quiet? No; we must still bear in mind that the Church is militant, when we have put off one storm, we must look for another: Christ was so exercised, and so hath his Church ever been, and shall be until the end of the world. Finis unius cruci● est gradus alterius; Christian men by one conquest do but make way to another conflict. Chrysost. Hom, quae supra. And the Enemy of the Church, saepe confunditur, nunquam placatur, though often confounded, will never be appeased. And let this suffice for the Occasion. I come now to the Conference, whereof the first part is the Question moved. Here I told you we were first to see Who moveth it. Laying the words together, I found there were two sorts of Actors, many plotted, for Conuenerunt in unum, all the Pharisees laid their heads together, and they repaired all to Christ; all their wits did hammer it, and all their Persons countenance it, they were not unadvised upon that which they spoke, and they did afford it their best assistance: which maketh much for the amplifying of Christ's wisdom and his constancy, that could reply so suddenly to that which so many heads had premeditated, and was not daunted with the presence of so many great Rabbins. What Grace he gave to his disciples he wanted not himself, Ma. 10.19. dabitur in illa hora his spirit did suggest in an instant what he should speak; and he had a mouth given unto him, which the adversaries could not resist. As many plotted the Question: so there was but one that did propose it; S. Chrysostome and other of the Fathers observe a policy herein; for the Pharisees had reason to doubt of the success upon their former proof: therefore they handle the matter so, that but one should speak, & if he prevailed, they would all triumph because he was of their Sect; but if he were foiled, than they would put it off, and say it was but his private conceit. The like Stratagem doth the Church of Rome use, they publish their opinions by single men whom we have refuted, they tell us they are not bound, no not to the writings of Bellarmine himself. As for the Pope he is careful to resolve few doubts out of his Chair. And so they provide that they will not be refuted, no not when they are refuted. But Chrysostome giveth them a good Item, Levis est consolatio, si quis in seipso confusus est, quod ab alijs ignoratur, it is but a cold comfort for a man to set a good face upon a business, when the conscience is sensible of its own confusion. Although the Person were but one, yet was he no ordinary one, he is set forth here two ways: first, as very great in show, great for his learning; for he was a Lawyer, S. Mark calleth him a Scribe. And here I must open one Antiquity more. If we look into the original of the jews Religion, which is Moses Law, we shall find that God committed the teaching of his people unto the Priests and Levites. Whereupon is grounded that saying of M●lachi; The Priest's lips should preserve knowledge, Chap. 2.7. and the people should ask the Law at his mouth. And to that end were the Priests and Levites not only to minister in the Temple, and teach in the Synagogues; but to be of Council also in the Synedrion at jerusalem, and in the inferior Senates throughout the whole holy Land. But when corruption had overflowen the Church of the jews, and the Priests and Levites had degenerated, then started up certain usurpers, that took upon them the doctrinal part of their function. Of whom Christ speaketh in the Gospel, The Scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses Chair. Matt. 23. Which two seemed to differ (as Genebrard thinketh) no otherwise then the Canonists and the Schoolmen in the Church of Rome. Or to speak more properly to the jewish aniquities, the Scribe was a Textuarie, and the Pharisee a traditionary Divine. Understand me not exclusively, for the Pharisee did allow the Text, and the Scribe the Traditions, but it should seem they were not both alike studied in, or zealous for them both. Neither must you think that all Scribes were Usurpers; for if they were of the Tribe of Levy (as was Esdras) their calling was lawful. But they did usurp Moses chair if they were of any other tribe. Much like unto the orders of Friars which started up in the night (as it were) of Christendom; and taking advantage of the ignorance of ordinary Pastors, encroached upon their function, and engrossed all Devotion into their hands. When you hear this questionist called a Lawyer, you must understand that he was by degree a Rabbin, or a Doctor of the Law. For there were Novices which were brought up at the Doctor's feet, as Paul at the feet of Gamaliel. Yea they had Lay-followers, as the Friars have lay Dominicans, lay Franciscans, and lay jesuites, who hold it no small ghostly comfort to wear the badge of any of those Fraternities, and to be partakers of their merits. And the Fraternities do gladly embrace such followers, they thrive not a little by their Alms, and their countenance. But such followers are called Disciples; they have not the honour to be called Rabbins, neither come they under the name of Lawyers or Scribes; Whereupon it followeth that this man was great for his learning. But this greatness was only in show; for though they were accounted Doctors by their Novices, yet were they but ill seen in God's Law; Legis verba tenent hi Scribae (saith Saint Ambrose) vim ignorant, they were ready at the Text, but altogether ignorant of the sense: like Anabaptists and Brownists. Christ observeth two notable defects in them; the one was that they did reach the Ceremonial Law too fare, and the other; that they did shrink the Moral Law too much. So that their Key of knowledge did open the Kingdom of Heaven, neither to themselves nor others. Whereupon Saint Paul doth not without cause move the question; Where is the wise? Where is the Scribe? 1. Cor. ●. Where is the Disputer of this world? So we may conclude of this Scribe, that he was great for learning, but that greatness was only in show. He was not great only for learning, he was great for holiness also, for he was a Pharisee, and Pharisees were Saints among the jews. For they did supererogate; lived not only according to the written Law, but according to the traditions also. Whatsoever did concern solemn prayers or religious worship, was learned from them, and they were a Law unto the people. Aui●●●● 18 cap. 2. lib 17. cap. 13. ●●de ●e●● Iud●●●●, lib. 2 cap. cap 7. Flavius josephus saith, that they had gotten such Authority by their holiness, that though they did oppose King or Priest, yet the people would give credit to them. I will not trouble you with particularising their superstitions, they were as apish as the Friars are. And they were as great busy bodies as either the jesuits or our precisians are. But all this holiness was but in show, if the things themselves did not speak it, our Saviour Christ in the Gospel doth paint out the vanity thereof. Saint Paul after he had been a Pharisee, and was become a Christian, telleth us that he accounted all his Pharisaisme was no better than loss and dung. Phillip 3. Heres. 16. Epiphanius passeth a very true censure upon it, when he telleth us that it was spontanea & superflua Religio, nothing but a pack of will-worship, and that which setteth a man never a whit forward towards Heaven; nay it set them backward rather: Christ giveth the reason, they made the commandments of God of none effect by their Traditions, Mat. 15.6. or at least they leavened them. So that when I say he was a great man whom they made their Champion, I mean great in their eyes, but not indeed or in Christ's eyes. What he was indeed, and what he appeared to Christ is intimated by that which followeth, he came with a sword in his heart, he was a Tempter, what is that but a Devil? It is one of the Titles which Saint Paul giveth unto him, and all Tempter's do resemble him; Tempter's in that sense which is here meant: for God is said to tempt, not as ignorant of us, but to make us to know and show ourselves: and not with any ill meaning towards us, but intending our good. But devilish Temptation proceeds either from Infidelity, when it is bend against God, and showeth that we do not believe that which we ought to acknowledge in God, namely his Wisdom, his Power, his Holiness, etc. so the jews are said to have tempted God in the Wilderness; or else it proceeds from malice, when it is bend againstman, and seeketh some advantage to work his destruction. The temptatation that in my Text is bend against Christ, is mixed; it proceeds partly from infidelity, and partly from malice, they did not believe that he was the Messiah, and they would willingly have destroyed him, because he affirmed himself to be so. In this sense they often tempted Christ, sometimes tempting his Power, Luke 11. sometimes his clemency joh. 8. sometimes his Zeal in the question of divorce, Math. 19 sometimes his allegiance, as in this Chapter in the question of Tribute. That which we must mark in the temptation is, that as temptation presupposeth ignorance of the Person whom we tempt, both what he is, and what he will do: So there is great difference between simple ignorance, which in simplicity of heart maketh trial for better resolution; such a trial as Nathaniel was willed by Philip to make of Christ, joh. 1. Come and see, when he doubted whether any good could come out of Nazareth? and that of the Samaritans joh. 4. who being bid by the woman to come and see a Prophet, went, heard, and believed: such kind of tempting in simplicity of heart, neither is ill nor displeaseth. But the Pharisees proceeded from Ignorantia pravae dispositionis; notwithstanding Christ had done so many things miraculously, and spoken so many words most wisely: yet are they not moved either with his words or works; but passing by that which should reclaim them, they seek matter of advantage whereby they may oppress Christ. There is no kind of people so mischievous as those which are learned and want a good conscience; for their Learning is nothing but armata nequitia, it serveth both for defensive and offensive weapons of sin. A learned wicked man is two ways worse than he that is unlearned, though he be wicked: worse passiucly; for he can most hardly be wrought by, or brought unto the truth: worse actively, for he can find out most tricks, and take most advantages of doing ill. Wherefore we must take heed to our knowledge, and pray God that he would give us such as may be accompanied with a good conscience, lest otherwise we become brethren of the Pharisee, and our Questions moved to Christ, prove no better than his temptation. You see that he came with a sword in his heart, and that he had a mischievous purpose; see now what oil streameth from his lips. He saluteth our Saviour with a smooth tongue, Master: Saint Hierome doth not unfitly compare flatterers unto Bees, which have honey as well as stings; flattery is the best art of insinuation. The title is honourable which this questionist giveth unto Christ; for it was the title of the Rabbins, of all those that took upon them to teach the people. It was much affected both by the Scribes and Pharisees, as you may read in the Gospel, and why? They held it an honourable acknowledgement of their learning. But though they did affect it, yet was it due to Christ, by reason that He was the great Prophet that should come into the world, D●●●. 8. he was the Wisdom and the Word of God, john 13. you call me (saith Christ to his Disciples) Lord and: Master, and so I am. But as for this Scribe he had no intent to express so good a conceit of Christ, or such purpose as to be Christ's Disciple: you may learn it out of S. john, where with scornful indignation they bid the blind man be Christ's Disciple, as for themselves they were Moses Disciples. Origen hath a witty observation upon the nature of correlatives; as none is a father except he have a child, so none except he be his child can truly call another father. The same correspondency should there be between Master & Scholar: we do but abusively call him Master to whose instruction we purpose not to commit ourselves as doth beseem a Scholar; but as judas cried, Hail Master, when he was playing the Traitor: so doth this man use the word Master, when he is playing the Tempter: and enerie one that calls Christ Master, or Saviour, and is not a true correlatine in disposition, est frater Pharisei; and many such brethren have the Pharisees in the world. Couple that which you have heard of these Persons what they were indeed, and what they were in show, and you shall perceive that the questionist is an Angel of darkness, though he make show of an Angel of light. The Devil never appeareth in his own hue: and they must not want a fair pretence that plot mischief against others. I have discovered the Questionist sufficiently unto you; it remaineth that we briefly consider of his Question. And here we shall find, first that the Question is indeed good, for it is about God's Law, and men cannot better employ their thoughts then there about, King David doth often recommend this study. But there are two soul abuses wherewith this Scribe, this Lawyer doth corrupt his question; the one is vain glory, the other is impiety. He heard Christ tax the Sadduces for their ignorance in the Scripture, he thought it was now time for him to get himself credit, and no better means then the moving of such a Question. The vain glory is a foul fault, but the impiety is much worse; for he maketh God's word serve for a weapon in the Devil's quarrel. He learned this of the father of Temptations, who used such weapons against Christ: and he is followed therein by most heretics, whose practice is to oppose the truth by the truth, God by himself. As if the malice of man could deprehend any such advantage of oversight in God, whereby any might be induced to sin against him, but abuse they may, they can never use aright such weapons: and if they do abuse them, well may they sometimes, nay they do too often, succeed in their adventure against men, but it is senseless that they should hope to speed against God, or Christ. The Question is not only good, but it is weighty also: for it is about the great Commandment in the Law; great for greatest, for the Hebrews have not superlatives, Mark calleth it Primum omnium, the chiefest of the Commandments: Another Scribe, Luke 10. seemeth to expound the word (great) by those words; What shall I do to inherit everlasting life? So that the great Commandment seemeth to be that, the keeping whereof doth best please God, and giveth us the nearest communion with him. Wherefore though it skils not which is the greatest, so we set ourselves to keep all as we ought, yet is the resolution desired useful to make a man know how fare he is gone from God. It should seem that there was a Question here about between the jews, some holding for the Ceremonial, Mark 12.33. some for the Moral, as we may gather from this Scribes answer made elsewhere. And this Scribe as Mark calls him, or Law yet as here, would show himself to be no ordinary man by his question. It is true that though all the Commandments of God be equal in regard of the Author, and nothing may be accounted small that cometh from God; yet in regard of those that must observe the Law, all are not equal, and Christ himself telleth us that there are Mandata minima. Matth. 5. Wherefore the doubt had a good ground: but the Scribe, knowing that the Law had three main Heads, the Moral, the Politic, the Ceremonial; and that from every of the heads sprang manifold branches; moreover, supposing that Christ was illetterd, Matth. 13.54. and not seen in these studies: thought that it was the only way by such a Question, either to disgrace his knowledge, if he could not suddenly lay together the variety of Commandments, and out of an advised comparison pass a true judgement, and so they should lessen his reputation with the people. Or if he did answer to the Question, and clearly express himself, than he should set those that held the contrary tenant against him, and so at least wise, they should do him some mischief, which was the upshot of a Tempter. And to that ●nd he doth not only Socratically move this question, hoping for an ironical conclusion, and to put a scorn upon Christ: but politicly also, hoping to distract his Auditors, and raise him up many adversaries. But foolish man that he was, he looked only upon Christ's outside, of his inside he knew nothing. Had he known who Christ was, he would never have made such an adventure. He that gave the Law understood the Law to the full, and he knew the degrees of observance which prescribed them unto men; the event proved it, and the Tempter's success was fare other than he expected; as hereafter you shall hear. There is one note more, De magno mandato quaerit (saith Chrysostome) qui minimum non implevit, Matth. 23. the Scribes and Pharisees did use to bind heavy burdens and lay them upon other men's shoulders; which they would not lift at with the least of their fingers, ambitious of profound knowledge, but careless of any degree of true piety. We have many such that busy their wits in the most learned Inquiries of God's Predestination, of the day of judgement, of the mysteries in the Revelation, of Chronologie, Genealogy, sacred Antiquities, and in the mean time soaring in these contemplations aloft, take no heed unto their steps, but are spectacles to the world of no small Moral infirmities. Wherefore Chrysostome adviseth well, Quaerat de maiore justitia qui implevit minorem, let us practise our lessons as we learn them, and not pain our wits in studying a greater, until we have brought our Hearts to obey a lesser commandment: otherwise we shall be but like the Alchemists, that all their life are making of Gold, and go to their graves stark beggars. You have heard both of the questionist, and the question, and how well the question fitteth the questionist, the temptation representeth the tempter. Examples are not unfitly compared unto looking Glasses, wherein we may behold as well what to eschew; as what to follow, in this we have found little to be followed, much to be eschewed. GOd grant we may make the right use of it, and that we do not in our lives show ourselves to be either Scribes or Pharisees, either counterseitly holy, orignorantly learned. But let our inside be no worse than our outside, and let us presume of no more than we are sure is good, either in our life or learning. Finally let us in simplicity of heart become the Disciples of Christ, and let our ghostly edification be the end of our inquires. So shall we be free from the just censure, that was deserved by this questionist, and that for this question; a question otherwise good, but tainted by the ill meaning of so bad a questionist. The second Sermon. MATT. 22. VERSE. 37. jesus said unto him, Thou shalt Love, etc. THese words contain an answer to a question, the question was moved by a Lawyer; the answer thereunto is shaped by our Saviour Christ. Having heretofore unfolded the Question, it followeth that I now come on and unfold the answer unto you, wherein first we must observe, that Christ doth vouchsafe an answer unto a tempter, jesus said unto him, to him, who before is said to have come to tempt Christ. Secondly, we must see what the answer is which Christ doth vouchsafe; it is such as doth fully, yea abundantly resolve the question, and which withal doth discreetly, and powerfully defeat the malice of the questionist, this later point is implied, but the former is expressed in the Text. At this time I will meddle only with the Answer to the question; I will show you the particulars contained therein, and handle as many as the time will permit. In the Text we do find that Christ doth fully, yea, abundantly resolve the doubt; for he not only affirmeth which is the great Commandment in these words; Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart, etc. but he confirmeth it also, in these words, On these two Commandments depend the Law and the Prophets. To resolve the Question fully doth not content, he doth resolve it abundantly also, he teacheth the Pharisee more than he did ask; he asked but after one Commandment, Christ teacheth him two, as well that which enjoineth the Love of our Neighbour, as that which enjoineth the Love of God; he giveth an Answer with a vantage, but this vantage proveth in the end a disadvantage to the Pharisee: as hereafter you shall hear. But more distinctly to break up that which Christ affirmeth to be the great Commandment: We find that therein God inioyneth Love, thou shalt Love.. As he doth enjoin it: so he teacheth where it must be seated, and on whom we must bestow it. It must be seated in the inwardman the Heart, the Soul, the Mind. And it must be bestowed upon the Lord our God, and our Neighbour. Neither is it enough to bestow it on them, except in bestowing it we observe an Order, and a Measure. An Order, for we must first love God, and then our Neighbour. Therefore in my Text is that called the first, and this the second Commandment. A measure; for we must love God more than our Neighbour; God with all our Heart, Soul, and Mind, this first (saith the Text) is the Great Commandment. But we must love our neighbour only as ourselves, therefore doth the Text tell us that this 2 and. is not equal, it is only like to the first Commandment. Let us come to the particulars, whereof the first was this; Christ doth vouchsafe an Answer, and that to him whom he knew to be a Tempter. Though the person deserve to be reproved, to be rejected; yet Christ beareth with him, and doth not refuse to satisfy his demand. Wonder not at it, long before he dealt no worse with the Arch-tempter, in the 4. of S. Matthew, you shall find that he replied unto him even a third time. And in so doing taught us, that we must not be ashamed to avouch God's truth though it be to the Devil himself: nay we have a more comfortable note included herein. For if Christ dealt so graciously with those that came dissemblingly to learn of him; what confidence may we have that he will answer us, if in singleness of heart, and humility of spirit, we open unto him the scruples of our conscience, and desire his resolution? no doubt but he that biddeth us to seek, Math. 7.7. will help us to finde, and we shall receive of him that biddeth us ask, and he that biddeth us knock will open unto us. But this point of answering questions in Divinity deserves to be stood upon a little longer, and our judgement set right that it err not herein. We must then learn of the Preacher, that There is a time to speak, and a time for a man to hold his peace; Chap. 3. this distinction in the Proverbs is fitted unto answers; Answer not a fool according to his foolishness, lest thou be like unto him; answer a fool according to his foolishness, Chap. 26. lest he be wise in his own conceit. So that there is a time when a mau may answer a question, and a time wheu a man may not answer it: and how shall we be able to distinguish these times? Surely, the time when we may not answer, is known either by the question or by the questionist. If the question be either frivolous or curious, it must have no answer; for we must not feed mens either idleness or sauciness. Tit. 2, Touching frivolous questions, we have S. Paul's rule, foolish questions avoid: And for curious questions we have our Saviour's example: joh. 21. Christ bad Peter follow him, Peter asked Christ what shall john do? Christ taketh him short, What is that to thee? follow thou me. If we look into the Schoolmen, and the Casuists, we shall find that their wits have been idly busy, yea and often wickedly too, in answering such questions as were very unfit to be demanded; yea the resolutions upon Cur and Quomodo, Why and How, in debating articles of Faith, beyond the bounds which are set down in the Scripture, have bred the greatest distraction in Christendom; while each side with words and with blood shed maintaineth his determination of that point, which if it had never been heard of, the Christian Faith had been never a whit the less sound, and the Communion of Saints had been preserved. Aug. expla. 56. Take this then for your first rule; that if a question be either not behooveful, or above our reach, it must receive no answer; nay ordinarily we must not give answer to them that study questions which nothing concern their calling; especially if neglecting theirowne duty, they are too inquisitive after that which concerneth other men. The world is much sick of this disease, and you shall hear oftener of idle and curious questions, then of those that concern the health of men's souls, and the ordering of their calling; Christians are herein as ill employed as were the jews. Though there be no defect in the question, yet there may be in the questonist, in regard of his ill disposition, be it Obstinacy or Impiety, though his question be good, he deserveth no answer. An Heretic, (saith Saint Paul) after one or two admonitions avoid, 〈◊〉. 3 10. knowing that such a man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he carrieth his doom in his own bosom, and doth wilfully withstand the truth, he must not be answered because of his obstinacy. Math 7 Touching Impiety we have Christ's Rule; Give not holy things unto dogs, and cast not your pearl among Swine, lest they trample them under their foots, and turn again, & rend you: yea profane Atheists move questions touching God or sacred things which they disbelieve, that they may therewith make themselves wickedly merry; our silence must take from them all occasion to blaspheme, and such questionists must receive no answer. Truth is never mute for want o● arguments of defence, but sometimes silent out of holy wisdom; whereas falsehood hath nothing in reason to reply, but yet it will be ever prating. To our purpose then, the premises conclude, that it will be time to speak, and that we may answer though it be a fool, so the question be profitable, and the questionist be not profane. But Chrysostome setteth down the two useful ends of our answer, Hom in Math. 26. when we answer a fool, it must be either for the public confusion of proud folly, and to make Pharisaical spirits see they know not what they think they know: or for the edification of the standers by, those which with meekness will receive the truth: we may not suffer such to continue perplexed through ignorance. At these ends did Christ aim in his Answer. And so have I sufficiently shown you, why Christ doth vouchsafe an answer, though he that moved the question came as a Tempter. Let us now come on to the Answer that Christ vouchsafeth; whereof the first branch is Thou shalt love. Wherein I will open two points, 1. What is enjoined, and 2. to Whom. That which is enjoined is Love, and he that must love is noted in this word Thou; Chap 6. in Deuteronomie you shall find that this Thou is Israel. Love is in the number of those things, quae melius sentiuntur quam verbis exprimuntur; man may better feel then say what it is: yet this is out of all question, that it is an Affection, and whereas our affections are either sensual, or rational, Love is found in either of them. There is a sensual Love, we see it in Beasts, they love their mates, their offspring, their benefactors. But we have not to do with this love, farther than to note, that this in man though it be not the rational love, yet should it be guided by the rational. And were it so (as commonly it is not) as appeareth by the enormous wantonness, and monstrous lusts that have been, that are in the world, men would not prove themselves to be worse than beasts, as every where they do Comedies, Tragedies, other Poems have too much of this stuff, and it is the argument of two many true Histories. This Love if regulate, though it be not illicitus amor, yet doth it not rise to the pitch of that Love which is commanded here. ●ut the Love here meant is that which is in us as we are reasonable creatures, or rather religious, as appears after in Thou. The Divines commonly call it Charity, and so will I for distinction sake. Though I hold that the exception of the Rhemists taken to the word Love in our Translations is but a mere Cavil, and I could easily prove it such. To understand what this Rational Love or Charity is, we must remember what God said when he had made Adam, It is not good for Man to be alone, let us make him a help like himself. For though that be spoken of Mariage-Charitie, yet doth it contain the ground of all other. For even by the law of creation, every man is subject to some want, the supply where of is to be found in another. Pla●● 〈…〉 pesin. Therefore the Mythologists have wittily conceited that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is plenty & penury were the parents of love, because these two mutually affect the one the other, and Love is nothing else but that strong attracting and full contenting power, which bringeth them and holdeth them together. The Hebrew Ahabh and Habha and the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 import as much, if you will give credit to the Etymologists. But to open the nature of it a little better, Charity hath in it the power of Union, and Communion; Union of Persons, Communion of their Abilities. Union of persons mutual, Austin deord●●li. 2. ca 18, for amicitia non est si vel unus tantum sit, vel unus tantum amat. Now union requires 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ratione intellectus, & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ratione voluntatis. gregor. Mag. ●. 2. p. 1582. & 1583. Therefore union is only between those that are good; for only good men are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they can tune well together: so cannot the wicked, they are like discords in Music, though they join their tunes there will be but a jar in the sound. If you put gold to gold they will agree well, and hold fast together; but mingle Iron and Clay, you may read in daniel's Image, they will presently fail asunder. And indeed how should wicked men ever entertain union with others? They hold not long like themselves, but change like the Moon, and therefore they are unfit for Union. Union requireth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a correspondency in disposition; and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a familiarity in conversation. But this is to be found only in virtue; virtues are all agreeing between themselves, so are not vices, and therefore virtuous men of all sorts can consort together not so the wicked, they cannot long continue society. A momentany conspiracy there may be, but a loving union there can never be, such a union as should make sever all Persons to become as one, and transform the loving into the beloved person, and so ●oyne the Soul of one to the other, that it seemeth not to be ubi animat, sed ubi amat, it liveth as it were, it enjoyeth itself, not in the body wherein it breathes, but in that person whom it love's, according to the definition of Love, est passio animi qua erga aliquem ita afficimur▪ ut nostri obliti, toti in eum, eiusque obsequium feramur. Upon this first act of Charity which I called Union, followeth a second act which is called Communion, what the persons have, that they communicate, each communicateth with the other all that it hath. There are three kinds of Good, as the Philosophers call them, first, Honeslum, secondly, Vtile, Thirdly, jucundum: and they teach us tot genera amorum, as they do bonorum. But Christians are to know that their Charity must be full, it must contain a Communion in all kinds of good, and observe in them a due order. First the Communion must be in bono honesto, in virtue and virtuous actions; for therein is the sure foundation of Charity, and without that there can be none, non est bonitas vnioms nisi sit unio bonitatis. Upon this first communion followeth a second, and that is in bono iucundo; for each Person taketh content in the other, and they strive mutually to make each the others life sweet and comfortable. Upon these two followeth a third Communion, and that is in bono utili, each doth communicate in the wealth of the other, and each supplieth the others wants. You have an excellent pattern of this Charity in the Acts of the Apostles, both in regard of the Union and Communion, read it, Chap. 2. from the 41. verse unto the end thereof. And observe the threefold Communion between those Christians that were first united into the body of the Church. But worldlings communicate, some only for thrift, as tradesmen, some only for pleasure, as good fellows: and these Communions attend not any Communion in honesty, and therefore come not within the compass of our Communion; neither will they hold long, because of natural hatred: take away the necessary outward tye, and it will appear. But to open the Communion a little farther; we may resolve it (as Philosophy doth) in Benevolentiam, & Beneficentiam, , and Good-deeds. The persons do repay each the other hearty Affections. Whereupon followeth a sympathy, a fellow feeling that each hath of the others state; 1. Cor. 12. which S. Paul doth excellently amplify, the effect of it is in the 26. Verse, Whether one member suffer, all the rest of the members suffer with it, or if one member be honoured all the other members rejoice with it. Men that are in Charity bear one another's burdens, and partake each of the others comforts, and that as feelingly, as if another's were their own case. And this is the benevolence of the Communion. Secondly, there is in the Communion Beneficence or Good-deeds, each doth not seek his own, De sect. Philo. Tom. 3. but another's good; and where there is Charity, Meum & Tuum are verba frigtda (as Saint Chrysostome speaks) they melt at the heat thereof. Men have all things in common, and no man thinketh aught to be his own; his own, quoad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in regard of the use, though it continue his quoad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in regard of the property. For it is an anabaptistical dream to make a perpetual Rule of that which was but temporary, for some part of the Apostles days, and to turn an extraordinary case into an ordinary. But good will is cherished by mutual good offices in society. And the good offices do consist in 2. things principally, in donando & condonando; giving and forgiving. In giving, loving Christians strive ever beyond their ability (as Saint Paul speaketh of the Macedonians) And the reason is plain, 2. Cor. 8. nonest vectigalis amicitia, they do not merchandise their good deeds, but provoke each the other to emulation. And as for Forgiving, salomon's Rule is true, Charity covereth a multitude of sins, Provorb. 10.10. and will forgive not only seven times but seaventy times seven. In other things a mean is commended, but in regard of Charity he is most commended that doth least keep a mean, a mean in good will, or a mean in good deeds, the more of either, the more perfect is the Charity; for the harvest of Charity holds all the year long, and it is a treasure that can never be exhausted, cum soluitur, non amittitur, sed multiplicatur. Will you have a true description of the Properties thereof, read 1. Cor. 13. Will you have a true exemplification of it, read the Song of Solomon. Of these two Union and Communion, the latter is the fuel of the former, and by Communion the Union is continued; alitur ijs rebus quibus gaudet. Whereupon it followeth that there is one thing more which I may not omit concerning the nature of Charity, and that is the Constancy thereof, Love is strong as death, jealousy is cruel as the grave, Cant. chap 8. the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame; many waters cannot quench Love, neither can the floods drown it, if a man would give all the substance of his house for Love, it would be contemned. Abhorret vera Charitas omnia distrahentia; pereat, qui inter nos dissidium volunt. We must not be like little children that love to day and hate to morrow, nec ita amare ut aliquando osuri, manente bonitate, & non exigente superiore lege aut patriae aut religionis. I have competently opened unto you the nature of Charity: But you must observe that whereas there are two things in it, the quality and the exercise thereof, Bernard. it is not the quality but the exercise that cometh under the commandment, Vbicunque in Scriptura dilectio requiritur non tam extgitur dilectio affectus, quam Charitas operis; Gal. 5. Deut. 10. the quality is the gift of God, for he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Charitatis efficax, it is he that maketh men to be of one mind, and circumciseth men's hearts that they may love, and Charity is the fruit of the Spirit. And the Spirit doth work it in our hearts, not only by moving without qualifying them (as Peter Lombard erroneously thought) he improveth our Charity too fare; but the Love of God is poured abroad into our hearts by the holy Spirit, Expla. 11, ad Carth. & substantialis Charitas dat accidentalem (as S. Bernard speaketh) God which is Charity giveth unto man the gift of Charity. But when we have received the gift of God, we must employ it, we must not receive the grace of God in vain. As in nature, so in grace we have our abilities for action, and the Parable will tell us what will be our doom, if we hide our Talon. But the Commandment is affirmative, and therefore tenet semper, but not ad semper, we must never be without a loving disposition, yet are we not bound to manifest it but as occasion shallbe offered us. Yet must we take heed, that we neither will nor do aught that is contrary unto Charity. You have heard What is given in charge, you must now hear to Whom this charge is given; Thou shalt love, and this Thou is Israel, so we read in Moses, Harken O Israel, Thou shalt love. Deut. 6. It is given then to the regenerate; for Israel is a name of the Church, of those that were in covenant with God, and had in their flesh the seal thereof. Without the Church is the Kingdom of Satan, and where Satan reigneth, there Satanisme, that is hatred is, there can be no true Charity. john 13.35. Christ telleth us, it is the badge of his followers, By this shall all men know that you are my Disciples, Cant 2 4. if ye love one another. In the Canticles it is called the Banner of the Church: now you know that the Banner keepeth every Soldier to his own station, and so strengtheneth the whole by every ones good order. And we never break our rank in the Church militant, and hazard the whole by our disorder; but we do it through want of Charity. What is spoken to the whole Church, every member must take it to himself, and understand himself in the word Thou. Saint Paul hath taught us that hatred and Charity distinguish carnal and spiritual men; 1. Cor. 3. by Charity Saint john telleth us it is known that we are borne of God. 1. joh. 3.10. Sola Charitas dividit inter filios Regniaeterni, Austin. de Trinit. & silios perditionis, saith Austin, we have no assurance that we shall be Saints in heaven, except we entertain the Communion of Saints on earth; if in this life, we delight in hatred, after this life we shall be ranged with those which are hateful. But whose charge is this? who is he that commands, Thou shalt love? surely, it is God's charge, he layeth this commandment upon his Church. Do you hear it and not wonder at it? God is a Sovereign Lord, he may give what Laws, please him unto the Creatures which he hath made; yet see how gracious he is, he will lay no other charge upon his Church, then that which may be performed by love; than which kind of command, nihil facilius, nihil foelicius, none can be more easy, Chap. 38. etc. none can be more happy: nothing more easy; for what difficulty can there be in Love? If God should come upon a man as he did upon job, and press him to reveal all the secrets of the Creation and providence; much more if he should bid him open the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, he might answer, Alas Lord, I am an ignorant man. If he should bid him build such a Temple as salomon's was, and furnish it with so many instruments and ornaments of gold and of other precious stuff, he might say, alas, Lord, I am a poor man. If he should bid him go and root out all Infidels from the face of the earth; he might answer; alas, Lord, I am a weak man. And so to many like commandments he might plead some excuse. But when God saith, Thou shalt love, no man hath any excuse to plead but the malignity of his own nature; yea, no man comes to Heaven that did not love, though many poor, ignorant, weak ones, etc. come there. A poor man may love as well as a rich, an ignorant as a wise, a weak as a strong; especially, seeing, though Charity consists of beneficentia, aswell as benevolentia, good deeds aswell as good will; yet there is a dispensation allowed for want of good deeds, ●. Cor. 8. if a man have a good will. For, he is accepted according to that which he hath, not according to that which he hath not. So that although God hath dispensed his temporal blessings unequally; yet the spiritual he will have common unto all. I mean those which are the Graces of Adoption, amongst which Charity is a chief one, and by it, though there be otherwise great distance between man and man, yea, the Creator and his Creature; yet may they easily be brought together. Neither is Love only an easy work in itself, but also it doth facilitate other things, our doing, our suffering, both are made easy by Charity. Let a man attempt any thing whereunto he hath no mind, and it groweth presently tedious, but Love takes away all bitterness of pain. It was a painful life that jacob lived under Laban, as he showeth in Genes. Gen 29 verse 20. 31. yet the seven years that he served for Rachel, seemed to him but a few days, for the love that he had unto her. The like we may observe in all sorts of men that are affected with any kind of profit, or pleasure; how doth the covetous man toil himself out of the Love of money? the ambitious out of the Love of honour? the falconer, the Huntsman, out of Love of their sports? Guests by them how cheerfully we would be doing good, if we were prepossessed with Love; for Love sweetens all pains: yea guess by Lust what Love can do that goeth upon much surer grounds. Love doth not only facilitate our doing, but our suffering also; out of love to their wives and children, what hunger? what thirst? what wounds do Soldiers endure? But beyond all go the sufferings of the Martyrs, of whose wonderful patience and constancy therein, you can give no other reason but Love, They loved not their lives unto death, Gal. 5. because they did love to keep God's commandments. I begin now to understand S. Paul, against Love there is no Law; for though there were no Law, yet he that loveth would readily obey, he needs no other obligation, 1. joh. 5. ●. to whom to do his duty is a very pleasure. I now begin to understand Saint john; The commandments of God are not grievous; for grief and love cannot stand together, it is rather a grief not to do that which our soul doth love. You see then that God could not provide an easier commandment for us than Thou shalt love. And could he have provided a happier? No verily, for though amor be sui praemium, it carrieth contentedness in the very nature of it; yet, as if that would not satisfy, all the requisites unto felicity are distinctly ascribed unto it. Whereof the first is freedom of Spirit; he in whom Charity is, hath exchanged the spirit of bondage for the spirit of Adoption, than which there cannot be a more ingenuous, a more free spirit. So that whereas no obedience pleaseth God, but that which is voluntary, it is Charity that maketh us such servants as God requireth. A second requisite unto felicity is store or plenty of provision, and what better purveyor can we have then Charity? Look how fare it extendeth, so fare, it enritcheth; for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 look how many friends, so many supplies we have of our wants, and if all men were true friends, Hom. 5. adps ●ul. Asti●ch. no man could want that which another man hath. The last requisite is security; and there it no guard to the guard of Love; for by Charity it cometh to pass (as Chrysostome wittily observeth) that one man is as many men, as he hath friends: whether you respect acquisitionem bonorum, or depulsionem malorum, so many pair of eyes to watch for him; so many pair of hands to defend him; so many pair of feet to travel for him; so many heads to advice, tongues to speak, hearts to encourage, and what better munition would a man desire? God commends Charity when he vouchsafed to hear job for his friends; and in the 41 Psalm shows that nothing is more detestable than treachery in friendship. Would time permit me I should show you, that there is nothing like unto Charity, that doth prove a man to be a man, and turn a man into a God. Some guess that Homo hath his name from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to note that he is a sociable Creature: but it is out of question that Ratio and Oratio were given him for this purpose, that men might have communion one with another. Take Charity out of his tongue, what is it but an unruly evil, (as Saint james calleth it) full of deadly poison, a world of wickedness, a firebrand of hell, that is able to set the world on fire. Take Charity out of the reason of a man, then that will prove true which God told Noah, The frame of the thoughts of the heart of man are only evil, and that of jeremy, The heart of man is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. So that you may seek a man and not find him in a man, if Charity be away. But season him with Charity, and then shall you see the excellency of a man; his tongue will be a tree of life, and the issues of life will come out of his heart, as Solomon teacheth in his Proverbs. I told you that Charity doth also turn a man into a God; for God is Charity, and he that dwelleth in Charity dwelleth in God, and God in him. Therefore Christ commending Charity, giveth this reason, that we may be like unto our Father in Heaven. It is not without cause then that Saint james calleth it, the royal Law of liberty, and Saint Paul, the supereminent way. Other gifts (saith Saint Austin) are given by the Spirit, but without Charity they become unprofitable; Vbi Charitas est quid potest obesse? Vbi non est quid potest prodesse? In God it was Charity that set the rest of his Attributes on work, when he made, when he redeemed the world; and our abilities will all be idle except they be set on work by Love; and if Love stir, all will come plentifully from man as they do from God. Finally, as Charitas is omnium hominum, so omnium horarum & locorum, nunquam, nusquam excluditur. Which cannot be said of any other affection, there is no man that may not love, and that at all times and in all places. Wherefore God hath laid this fundamental Law, Dilige, than which there is no more excellent gift, and it is the immediate ground of Piety, the root of all moral virtues, and Theological also, as hereafter you shall hear; and hear that hoc unum necessarium. LEt us now beseech the God of Love so to sweeten our nature with his holy spirit of Love, that being rooted and grounded in this fundament all Law, all our works may be done in Love.. AMEN. The third Sermon. MATT. 22. VERSE 37. With all thy Heart, and with all thy Soul, and with all thy Mind. Out of those first words of this Verse, Thou shalt Love, you have been taught, What it is to Love, and who it is that is bound to observe this virtue. We must now come on; and see in the next place, what is the seat of Love; and in my Text we find that it is pointed out in three words the Heart, Cap. 12. Cap. 10. the Soul, the Mind; Moses Deuter. 6. and out of him S. Mark and Saint Luke add a fourth, which is Strength. The words may be taken confusedly or distinctly. Confusedly, and so they will teach us only in gross the seat of Love.. Distinctly, and so they will show us that these parts which are the seat of Love, are ordinate and subordinate. Ordinate ad intra, as Love must be within us, and ordinate ad extra, as Love must be employed without us. Subordinate, for one of the parts is imperative or definitive, the other are Imperatae & definitae. And out of altogether we shall learn that Charity is a Catholic and transcendent virtue. I purpose to handle these words both ways, as they are taken confusedly, and as they are taken distinctly, because though the first understanding of them be true, yet the second is more full: and my desire is that you should understand that most fully, which you are bound chiefly to observe. Some than suppose, that, as in other places, so in this, many words are heaped together whereof the meaning is but one; they yield a double reason. One is, because if you compare Moses, and the other Evangelists in whom this Text is found, with Saint Matthew; you shall find that these words are either not reckoned by the same number, or not digested in the same order. Another reason is; for that the Holy Ghost calling for the same duty, doth often mention but one or two of these parts, as if they did import as much as all the rest. And indeed it is true as the first reason affirmeth, that propter Emphasin, or Exegesin, to show the earnestness of the speaker, or to help the understanding of the hearer, the Holy Ghost doth often multiply words of the same signification. I will give you an example of either; of the Emphasis; Harken O daughter, and consider, incline thine ear. Psal. 45. The Holy Ghost meaneth no more but this, he would not have the lesson pass unregarded. Of the Exegesis; I will incline mine ear unto a parable, I will open a dark speech; Psal. 49. the Holy Ghost by these words (dark speech) doth but help the reader to understand what he meaneth by a parable. You may light upon many such examples in reading the old, or the new Testament: And it may well be that the Holy Ghost doth in this place intent by these many words to make a deeper impression of that which he speaketh in us; and that every of these words should give light unto the other. As for the second Reason; Wheresoever we find fewer of these words expressed, the rest are implied; which they cannot deny that allege the reason: because they conceive, and conceive aright, that the whole Soul is meant. But I told you the words may also be understood distinctly. Bernard thinks that these three words, Heart, Soul and Mind, were intimated in Christ's question tripled to Peter, Lovest thou me? Lovestithou me, affectuosè? Prudenter? Fortiter? But I rather think they point out those other three remarkable things in the seat of Charity; which I have named; The first, that it is virtus ordinata, it taketh up the parts wherein it is seated in a due order. The second, that it is virtus subordinate; of the parts wherein it is seated, the first is to guide and command the rest. The third, that it is virtus transcendens; if it must be in all these parts, than it takes up the whole man. First it takes up the parts wherein it must be seated, in due order, and this order is two fold; there is ordo ad intra, and ordo ad extra; an order in the spreading of it within us, and an order for the using of it without us. Touching the order of the spreading of it within us, observe that here the Holy Ghost setteth down, first the native seat of Love, which is the Heart, and then the Derivative seats, which are the Soul & the Mind, whereunto you must add the Strength, I will touch briefly at them all. First there is no question but the Native seat of Love is the Heart, the very definition showeth it, for Idem velle, & idem nolle vera est amicitia; Love is nothing else but a correspondence kept between persons in willing and nilling the same thing. So that there cannot be any thing more voluntsrie than Love: therefore in the Canticles, Christ speaking to his Church, instead of thou hast inflamed me with Love, saith; Thou hast enheartned me; so you shall find it in the original; and King David doth desire that his Heart may be knit unto God; so that there the fountain must be opened, and Charity must begin there. The reason is, because Good is the proper object of the Will, and what is Charity but the embracing of good? And therefore the Will must be first seasoned therewith; and it is the Will that is here understood by the Heart. But Charity is like unto a fountain that overfloweth, and though it beginneth at the Will; yet doth it diffuse itself into other powers, much like the vital spirits that having their original in the Heart, are conveied from thence in the Arteries throughout the whole body. Charity then hath beside the native, diverse Derivative seats. The first here mentioned is the Soul, by which is understood the concupiscible faculty, by which we long for that which we Love, which when we obtain, we take our delight in it. This power must receive a stream of Charity, and whether we do long for, or delight in any thing, we must do both in Charity: Charity must make these of sensual to become rational, otherwise the longing, and the liking of a man, will be no better than the longing, and the liking of a beast. And indeed they are too commonly so; this distemper began in Eve, and hath been propagated in to all mankind, not to be corrected, but by a stream from this fountain. A second derivative seat here mentioned, is the Mind, thither must Charity send forth a stream; for our wits are apt to be sorges of vanity, and to yield snares to entrap others. That which must correct this ill disposition is Charity; it will so qualify our wits, that they shall never be ill employed. The word that the Evangelist useth is worth the marking, it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or discourse: Charity must not only season our understanding that it may be capable of the apprehension of good, but also, that our Meditations may be upon that which is good. In this life our soul hath no intuitive knowledge, that is reserved for the life to come; a discursive it hath, and that must be seasoned with Charity. Besides these we find elsewhere a third derivative seat, and that is the Strength; the Hebrew word is Meodh, by which is noted the irascible faculty, or that courage wherewith we undertake to pursue what we love, and resist the opposite; In doing whereof, because we often make use of our substance, or goods, the Caldee Paraphrase rendereth the word by substantia, but the Enuangelist out of the Septuagint renders it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strength, by which that courage is meant which before I specified, enixe omnia moliaris, & viriliter. Now this courage must not be without Charity, there must come a stream thereof even into this power also: Men must not be so valiant as to forget to be in Charity; nor without Charity bestow their substance. If we find Charity in the streams, we may not doubt but it is in the fountain, and we may conclude well it is not in the fountain, if it be not in the streams. Because it is not with this fountain spiritual as it is with the corporal; for a corporal may be full, and yet not overflow. But this spiritual fountain have it never so little of the water of life, even of that little, some will run over, and the derivative seats of Charity will keep some proportion to the Primative. You see there is an order in these seats of Charity, ad intra, as Charity spreadeth itself within the Soul. Look upon the words again, and you shall see that there is also ordo ad extra, a good provision made in these seats for the exercise of this virtue, when it must be employed without us. For though it be properly the Will that must love, yet must it love discreetly and effectually. And see, here is not only the elective power seasoned with Charity, which is the Heart, but the directive also, which is the Mind, and the executive which is the Soul and strength. So that God giveth us thereby to understand that we must not only love, but love as we ought; he will not have our love to be either undiscrete or idle. Ignorance is no good mother of Love, of Lust it may be, and therefore the Poets fain Cupid blind: but God will have us know what we love. And though men do not always love so much as they know; yet certainly he that knoweth little cannot love much; not love as beseemeth Charity, which I told you is a reasonable Love.. As Love must not be ignorant, no more must it be idle: God will have the executive faculties employed, the soul, and the strength must attend the discretion of the mind, and choice of the will, and endeavour to obtain what the one doth direct unto, and the other choose. If this be done then is our Charity as ordinate in the exercise, as it is in the spreading. Besides the Doctrine of the Ordinatenesse of Charity in regard of the seat thereof: we must look into the Subordinatenesse; for of the seats one is Imperative and Definitive, the rest are Imperatae, & Definitae. Charity is an elicit action of that power which is the native seat thereof, the Will: it springeth properly from thence. But it is an action of the other powers as they are commanded by the Will, the Will layeth a command upon them all, and that command is Love.. The understanding must Love, the Soul must Love, the Strength must Love, all of them by the commandment of a loving Will. The Will prepossessed her sclfe with Love, doth not only derive her quality into them, but command them also to employ the same. And here must I lead you to observe another point of the powers of our Mind, Soul, and Strength: Their actions are indefinite, our understanding may muse upon what it will, and to what end it will, if it be left unto itself: and if the Soul be left unto itself; it may long after, and delight in what it will: and so may our Strength pursue or repel. But God is not pleased that they should be left unto themselves, that they should work at random, they are all subjected to the power of the Will. The Will commandeth the Mind whereon to think, what to study; to employ its discourse upon that which herself doth Love, Lord (saith David) what Love have I to thy Law? All the day long is my study in it. And as for the Soul, mark how that followeth the Will, I have loved (saith David) the habitation of thy House, Psal. 26. and the place where thine Honour dwelleth. Hereupon sprung that passion; My Soul longeth, even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord. Psal 84. Neither is it less true of the Strength, as it appeareth in the same Psalm; they go from strength to strength until every one of them appeareth before God in Zion. Yea Charity putteth sinnewes into them that Love, which make them as strong as Death which cannot be conquered, Can. 8. and like a flame of fire which cannot be quenched. So that though the seat of Charity be manifold, yet is one of them a limiting power, & the other are limited, the Will receiveth Charitte, and maketh all the rest of the powers to frame themselves for the advancement thereof; it restraineth their roving disposition, and maketh them bend all their service thereunto; Certainly in sensual Love it is too plain; carnal men draw their thoughts, their desires, their endeavours, to that which they love carnally. It should be so with spiritual men also, and no doubt hath been in many servants of God, that have lived in the world as if they were not of it; their Will hath showed a great power in commanding the powers of their Soul, though they have found some reluctancy. Out of all gather this, that Charity is virtus Catholica, a virtue that overspreadeth the whole man. And no marvel; for it is the Image of God, and God's Image was not limited to apart, no less than the whole man was made after his Image. Seeing then God is Charity, man must represent in every power a Charity answerable unto God. In the Canticles, wherein this virtue is lively set forth, Christ and his Church are not only said to be each the Beloved of the other, but each is called by the name of Love, Christ in the second, the Church in the seventh Chapter. As if the Holy Ghost did mean we should never leave extending this virtue until we were as it were wholly transformed into it: or until it did as universally qualify our Soul, as our Soul doth quicken our body, Of good qualities which are commended unto us there is a double perfection, partium, and graduum, of the parts wherein they must subsist, and of the degree whereunto they must arise. Of the degree of Charity, I shall speak hereafter, when I come to the measure, the perfection here required is of the parts; the Holy Ghost calleth here for every part of man, and will have no part of him void of Charity. This is agreed upon by all; and therefore I told you that it may well be called a Catholic virtue. Much a do there is in the Christian world, whether are the truer Catholics We or the Romanists, and each side striveth to make good his claim, even unto blood. Might this Catholic virtue, which is out of controversy, prevail in our lives, the quarrel would be sooner determined, and we should be better provided against the common enemy. But the more is the pity, malice maketh a way unto malice, the mutual malice that distracteth Christians, unto the deadly malice of the Turk that would destroy all. Rom. 3. The description that Saint Paul maketh of an unregenerate man doth fit too well many of those that go for Regenerate; Charity that should of right have all, hath at all no part in them; the poison of Asps is under their tongues, their throat is an open sepulchre, their feet are swift to shed blood, etc. And their Inwards are worse than their Outwards, whether you look into the Head or into the Heart, mischief and hatred possess both; Charity can find place in neither. What Christ foretold hath fallen out in our age, Matth. 24. 1● the Charity of most men is grown very cold, which is a shrewd prognostication, that spiritual death groweth a pace upon the World, at least upon this our part thereof. As Charity is Virtus Catholica, so is there a transcendency thereof. For in that Charity taketh up all these powers as the seat thereof, it taketh up all the virtues that are incident to these powers. I will pass by our Affections, and our Senses over which it hath a full command, as Anger, fear, etc. hearing, seeing, etc. I should weary you, if I should run through all these, and show you the sovereignty of Charity over them all; I will insist only upon Virtues, whereof there are two sorts, Moral and Theological. All Moral virtues are reduced unto four, which are called Cardinal, first Prudence, secondly justice, thirdly Temperance, fourthly Fortitude. Not one of these is exempted from the sovereignty of Charity, because their proper seat is not exempted. The proper seat of justice is the Will, the Civil Law doth define it thus; justitia est constans, & perpetua voluntas ius suum cuique tribuendi; if justice be in the Will, and the Will, as you have heard, be the seat of Charity, then must Charity moderate justice; without her, sumum ius would be summa iniuria, Law would be strained beyond Equity. As Charity is at hand to temper justice in the Heart, so is it at hand to temper Prudence in the Head; it tempereth the Done with the Serpent, and maketh them that are otherwise as wise as Serpents, to be careful that they be as innocent as Doves. We are apt to be prudent for ourselves, and care not who is the worse for it: here Charity is at hand to tell us that we must not suffer our wits to work to the wrong of others. That Prudence is no prudence which is not Charitable, without Charity we may be wily, we cannot be wise. Come to the Soul, the seat of Temperance, because of the Concupiscible faculty thereof, Charity hath a hand here also; for Temperance standeth in the moderating of our sensual desires and delights, and is not Charity most prevalent in this moderation? which is (as you heard heretofore) so accompanied with a fellow feeling of other men's weal & woe, and is most sensible of our own also: and therefore is the sittest to prescribe our feasting days, and our fasting days; and to make us seasonably either rejoice, or mourn. It is the best rule of Temperance. And it may not be excluded from Fortitude, it must teach us what to dare, and what to fear: when we bestow our courage aright, when amiss: Courage not directed thereby is no Fortitude, many are mighty to hunt as Nimrod, to drink as those jews that are censured in Esay, and to make their strength the Law of unrighteousness; as the Atheists in the Book of Wisdom. But this is not the strength of men, but of beasts; and so doth the Scripture set forth such men. But the rule is; id tantum possumus quod iure possumus, righteousness must be the Law of strength, not strength of righteousness. And before you have heard that Righteousness is guided by Charity, and therefore Charity doth give Law unto Fortitude also. You see that Charity is transcendent above the Moral virtues; It is transcendent over the Theological also. For though it be one of them, yet is it the chief one, 1. Cor 13. learn it of Saint Paul; Now abideth Faith, Hope and Charity, even these three, but the greatest of these is Charity. Take them asunder, and see the truth hereof; see now transcendent it is above Faith. But here we must distinguish inter Ortum, and Vsum, the original, and the use of Faith. Faith is not derived from Charity, but Charity from Faith; for Charity is Faith's first borue. But it obtaineth this power over faith, 1. Cor. 8. that Faith without Charity edifieth not, it is Love that maketh our Faith intent its object. For though Charity have its light from Faith, yet Faith hath all its Heat from Charity: and light, were it not for heat would not be active. And therefore Saint Paul saith; If I had all Faith so that I could move Mountains, if I have not Charity, it availeth nothing. But what needeth any better proof than this that Charity commandeth the Mind; and Faith is the perfestion of the Mind, for it captivateth our wits unto God's wisdom, and maketh us build undoubtedly upon that which God affirmeth. Faith than cannot but be subject unto Charity, to whom our Mind is subject. And what shall we say of Hope, that is a patiented longing after that which is promised by Faith, and so it partaketh somewhat of the Soul, and somewhat of the strength, whereof you heard before: therefore must it needs follow their condition, it must needs be at the command of Charity. And who would long for that which he doth not Love: or how could Hope be patiented, if Charity did not keep it in heart? We have found that it doth transcend Faith and Hope; you would think it could go no further, but it can. For Charity doth transcend Charity itself. It hath a double Act, a direct and a reflected; the direct, is that whereby it is carried to embrace other things; the reflected is that whereby it doth delight in its own disposition. And of this that we continue in loving, we can give no other reason but this, that we do love to love, and so doth Charity become transcendent above Charity, that which is reflected, above that which is direct. So that Bernard's rule is true, Tanta est Virtus Charitatis ut si desit frustra habentur caetera, si adsit rectè habentur omnia. I have discovered unto you the seat of Charity; I have showed you a fourfold seat thereof, the Heart, the Soul, the Mind, the Strength; there is not one of these four, but is a power of our Soul. But hath Christ forgotten our Body? hath it nothing to do with Charity? nor Charity with it? God forbidden, for we are soctable in regard of our Bodies as well as our Souls, and theresore must the one be charitable as the other. We must have charitable eyes, the Scripture condemneth an evil eye, and in condemning an itching ear, it commendeth Charitte to our ear; and God that doth not endure a slanderous tongue, doth teach us how our tongues must be qualified. So likewise doth he call for charitable hands, when by the Prophet he speaketh against bloody ones. And hath my Text forgotten to provide for these? No verily; for what is necessarily included, may not be thought to be omitted. For what is the Body? of itself, it is but a dead Instrument, and the Instrument followeth the motion of the chief Agent. The Philosopher can tell us, that Anima est quae videt, quae audit, etc. it is not thy body that seethe, but thy soul by thy body, and so doth it hear and speak; it performeth all its natural actions. And so doth it its Moral also, more heavily in some then in other some, by reason of the temper, doth the body in moral actions follow the Soul? but yet it followeth. And this may be a good reason why God rememi●reth here the powers of our Soul, and not the parts of our Body. But there is a better, and that is delivered by S. Paul, The Law is spiritual: Christ layeth the ground of that; God is a Spirit, joh. 4. and he that worshippeth him must worship him in spirit and in truth. Now we are sure that there is no hypocrisy in our Charity, if the seat of it be the powers of our Soul, there may be, if it be the parts of our body; witness the Pharisee, to whom Christ not only directs but fitteth his speech also; who made some show of Charity to the world, but his inwards were full of Hatred in the sight of God; for he was a Tempter. And this doth Christ perstringe, or strike at in pressing these words of the Law; and shows that God doth not esteem the outward deed without the inward affection. And the Lesson which we must all draw from the seat of Charity is this; that our outwarid charitable conversation must be rooted in our like inward disposition. I should now, if time would give leave, carry every man's eye into his own bosom, there to take a view whether this virtue be Catholic, and Transcendent or no; and if he find any part unpossessed, or not improved as fare as it should be, I should persuade him to see it presently amended. Nay, I should tell you from that which all the world seethe outwardly, that few have Charity inwardly; for if they had, how could their eyes be so full of Adultery? their ears so set open to entertain slanders and untruths? their mouths so ouer-flowe with blasphemy and ribaldry? their hands be so exercised with extortion and cruelty? Certainly these things could not be without, if Charity were within. And if Charity be not a Catholic and Transcendent virtue in us, no hope that it is either Ordinate or Imperative; these are perfections whereupon the other are raised as on a foundation. But I cannot stand to take this view and quicken your ear; only remember this that if Love do not, Hatred will take up this full Soul. GOd, that hath commanded this extent of Charity, give us eyes to see our want, and grace whereby to supply the same, that so this virtue may be excluded out of no power, that hath right unto them all; and the parts of our Body may be conformable to the powers of our Soul. That so no power nor part may appear devoid of Charity, whether in the eyes of God or man. AMEN. The fourth Sermon. MATT. 22. VERSE. 37. The Lord thy God. THe Scripture that doth command Charity, doth withal teach, Where it must be seated, and upon whom it must be bestowed. Where it must be seated you have already heard, you are next to hear upon whom it must be bestowed. And here we find two kinds of persons both capable of our Charity, because they can return Love for Love; and it is the property of Love to be mutual. Of these two persons the names are expressed, the first is the Lord thy God, the second is thy Neighbour. But we must farther observe, What is included in these Names; the Cause why they must be beloved, and Who are excluded by them. They are not capable of the Love due to the Lord our God, that come not under his name: neither are they capable of the Love due to our Neighbour, that are not contained under his name. Secondly, though the Persons only are named, yet are there things also comprehended under the names: even such things as have reference to the Persons: and whatsoever things are opposite are excluded thereby. Touching the first person only shall I handle these points at this time. First then of his name. He is called the Lord our God; every word hath some remarkable thing in it. That which is here rendered Lord, is in Moses jehova; but the Septuagint, partly because the Greek tongue hath no Characters wherewith to express that word, and partly because the signification of it cannot be fully expressed in any Language by any one word, use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the fittest which they could light upon; the Evangelist doth follow them, and so do the vulgar translations. But when you hear this word, you must not understand it in a popular but in a mystical sense. I will open the mystery unto you. It noteth then two things; the one is absolute in God, the other is relative to his creatures. In God it noteth the prerogative of his nature, which standeth in two things, the singularity, and the eternity thereof. Touching the singularity: When Moses asked God What is thy name? Exod. 3 14. God answered him, I am that I am; The Scripture calleth him by diverse names, sometimes True, sometimes Just, sometimes Holy, sometimes Mighty, etc. We must no otherwise conceive of these Names, then as being his very Nature: We call him True, and what is his Nature but Truth? and Holiness is his Nature, whom we call Holy; the like must be observed in his other Attributes, they are all his Nature, and and therefore inseparable from him: he must cease to be, before he can cease to be that which he is properly called. And herein he differeth from his Creatures, whose Virtues are a distinct thing from their Nature, and therefore they may be stripped of them, and yet continue themselves still; a man may cease to be holy, just, true, and yet be nevertheless a man. The reason is plain, he cannot say as God doth, I am that I am, his Attributes and his Nature are not all one. But this singularity of God's Nature, doth appear specially in two compositions with the Attributes, whereof none are capable but be. The first of which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, etc. look whatsoever perfection he hath, he hath it of himself, and is not beholding to any other for it; he is his own Original, and therefore his is the perfection itself; he that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Good of himself, is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Goodness itself: the like may you say of the rest of the Attributes. The second Composition, is with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: all the treasures of wisdom are hid in him, he is Almighty, Coloss 2 3. the fullness of all perfection is in him. In regard of these Compositions it is, jude 15. that the Scripture useth these Phrases, God only is wise, Math. 19 17. 1 Timoth. 6. 1● there is none good but God; God dwelleth in light which no man can attain unto. And indeed no Crea●●●e hath any perfection which is not given it from above, which cometh not down from the Father of Lights; and that perfection which it hath, is but as a beam in comparison of the Sun, and but as a drop unto the Ocean. You see what is the singularity of God's nature pointed out in the word Lord, as it is used to note the Hebrew jehova. Besides this Singularity, it noteth also God's Eternity: And indeed where there is such Singularity, there cannot choose but be Eternity, the one doth necessarily infer the other, as I could show you, if the Time would permit. The Cabalists find Eternity in the Syllables whereof the Name jehova is made: they find a preterperfecttense in the last syllable, a present tense in the middle syllable, and a future tense in the first. Chap. 4. verse 8. This might seem idle subtlety, but that S. john in the Revelation goeth before us in so resolving the name jehova, telling us that the Lord is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Revel. Chap 3.6. 1. Timoth. 6 16. Chap. 1.17. which was, which is, and which is io come. But to to give you more plain proof of this Eternity; In Malachy God speaketh thus; I am the Lord, I change not; Saint Paul telleth Timothy, God only hath immortality; Saint james; with God that is the Father of Lights there is no variableness nor shadow of change. You see then that there is Singularity and Eternity in the Nature of God, and both are noted by the Name jehova, or Lord. But as these things are noted when we look into the Nature of God, so is there another thing noted which is God's relation to his Creatures. And indeed though the name jehova seem not to be, yet is the name Lord apparently a relative word; so that what God is in himself, of that he is a fountain to his Creatures; all things live, move, and have their being in him, and when he sendeth forth his Spirit he reneweth the face of the Earth. Yea, not only the dependency of the Creature upon him, but also the making good of his Word unto his Creature is employed in this Name; God himself teacheth it, Exod. 6. where he telleth Moses that he had before appeared unto the Fathers by the name of Shaddai All-sufficient, but he would now appear in his name jehova, as a powerful efficient; he would perform the promise which he had made unto the Patriarches. To conclude this point; Out of that which you have heard you may gather that the name Lord doth note an everliving, and overflowing fountain of Blessedness, and Perfection. The second word is God; in the Original of the Law it is Elohim, it it noteth the Trinity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, and such a God doth the Church acknowledge, and by her acknowledging God for such, differeth from those that are without the Church. Those without the Church, though they have not reached home, yet have they gone fare in the knowledge of jehova, in the knowledge of the fountain of Perfection; but by strength of Reason they could never find out the Trinity; some touches we read in Trismegist and the Platonists, but it was traditionary Divinity that brought them to the knowledge thereof, and that too very imperfect, and corrupt; to say nothing that Trismegist is by the learned censured for a counterfeit. But the true knowledge of one God in three Persons is a peculiar mystery of the Church, the Infidels for want of faith cannot comprehend, do not acknowledge it. But this Trinity may be considered either ad intra or ad extra; as it is in God, or as it doth manifest itself too man. As it manifesteth itself unto man, so each Person purteth on another consideration, the first of a Father to men, the second of a Redeemer, and the third of a Sanctifier. Although it be necessary for the truth of our Faith to acknowledge the Trinity, in the first manner, yet the Comfort of our faith lieth in the second consideration thereof, as will appear in the third word of my Text, whereunto I now come, and that is thy, the Lord thy God. Wherein we must first mark, that as there are three persons in God: so every one of those persons is Ours; he that is a Father, is our Father, he hath adopted Us: and he that is the Son of God, hath redeemed Us to make Us Gods sons, and his own spouse; and he that is the Holy Ghost hath sanctified Us, that we may be his holy Temples. Secondly we must draw the Name Lord throughout all these persons; he that is our Father is the Lord, and so, is he the Lord that is the Son, the Holy Ghost is Lord also; that is, they are all three the over flowing Fountain of blessed prefection, and what they are, they are it to me, for they are all three my God, and so their good is mine. They are mine by Creation: I was made after the Image of God, and so are they all three mine, they were the sampler according to which I was framed; For because God could not be like man, man was made like God, 1. Tim, 2.16 Colos. 2.9. that likeness might be a ground of mutual love. But much more mine in the Redemption; for then God was manifest in the flesh, the Godhead dwelled bodily in my nature; God became mine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: my nature hath possession of his person, and is admitted into an association in his works. It is no small prerogative then that is intimated in this word thy God; I understand now what an honour is done to the Patriarches when God saith, I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of jacob; what honour is done to David's son when God saith, I will be his Father; this appropriation of God is the greatest prerogative vouchsafed unto the Church. I have opened the Name unto you, out of which you may presently gather Who are excluded from our Love, the Love that is due to the first Person, even omnes fictitij and factitij dij, as well corporal as mental Idols, all that are not capable of this title jehova Elohim, with whom we are not, or at least we should not be in covenant. But because hereafter when I come to the Commandment, I shall fall upon this point, I will now pass it over. As such persons are excluded: so there is included in the Name, a reason of our Love; and we find therein a double reason; Exemplum and Meritum. Good examples are strong persuasions, and men fashion themselves to nothing more willingly then to that whereof they have a pattern in their betters. Now the exactest pattern of Charity is in the Lord God; for there is Unity and Trinity, and Trinity in Unity: Austin de Triritat. l 15. c. 17. & alibi. and what is that but the two parts of Charity, Union and Communion? But this is too high a speculation for a vulgar ear. The second reason is more popular, and that is Meritum, this merit is two fold, dignitatis, and dignationis. Dignitatis, the merit of Gods own worth; for causa diligendi deum est ipse Deus; Bernard. Basil●n Psal. 46. there is enough in God, to make him lovely; and why? 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, good and lovely are reciprocal, that which is lovely is good, and that which is good is lovely; whereupon is grounded that Maxim in Philosophy, Bonum est quod omnia appetunt; Reason hath no better mark to guess at that which is good, than the propension of all men for to attain it. Now look upon the Name the Lord God, and see whether you do not find that good in it which doth challenge Love.. Begin with Dominus, ou herd that he was goodness itself; if a man do love that which is good, how can he but love goodness. Nay; if we love the streams, with what love must we embrace the Fountain? If we Love that good which is dependent, how much more that which is independent? Seeing there is a possibility for us to be defrauded of that which is dependent, but of that which is independent we cannot be defrauded. Yet see the common folly of men, jere. 2.13. they forsake the fountain of living waters, and dig unto them Cisterns that can hold no water. If 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deserve Love; how much more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉? You heard before that what God is, he is it to the full; Creatures have but drops, or beams: and who would leave the Fountain to rest contented with a drop? And when he might enjoy the whole body of the Sun to solace himself in a single beam? And yet such folly there is in the world, and he that thinketh God's gifts lovely though they are but single in a Creature, how little is he affected with the loveliness of his Creator? We cannot deny that good is the object of our Love, therefore where there is the greatest good, thither we should bend the greatest of our Love; dost thou love Wisdom? Colos. 2.3. All the treasures of wisdedome are hid in him; dost thou love Holiness? It is to him that the Angels sing, Holy, holy, holy; Esay 6.3. Psal 24.1. Psal. 16.11. dost thou love Wealth? The earth is the Lords, and all that therein is; dost thou love Pleasure? In his presence is fullness of joy, and at his right hand are pleasures for evermore. Finally dost thou love Power and Honour? He is the Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory; even a King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. Add hereunto; that what he is, whether 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, he is it Only; he is it Eternally; both which are strong Motives unto Love; for we use to love that which is not common; as that which is common, by reason of the familiarness of it groweth vile in our eyes; now such good as is in God is no where else to be found. As we love those good things which are not common: so we love them the more, the more they are lasting, because our desire would never be defrauded of that wherein it taketh content; this good is more lasting than our desire; the good of every Creature is as mutable as the Creature is, yea more; because it differeth from the nature of the Creature: but this good being all one with the nature of God, it is as lasting as is his nature. It is no marvel then that every Creature eluding our desire, which is carried unto good, doth (as it were with a real voice) put us off when we dote upon it, and by experience say to us, Non ego sum bonum tuum, it is not I that am thy good which is to be sought after: and after all our painful enquiry, we are driven to Saint Augustine's resolution; Fecisti nos Domine propter te, & irrequietum est cor nostrum dones requiescat in te; so great is the capacity of man's desire, that nothing can fill it but only the Lord; and his soul must needs remain empire, that doth not make the Lord the object of his Love.. You see that there is much worth in the Lord, and great cause why he should be beloved; there wanteth not worth also in God, in every of the three persons in Trinity. Had we eyes to look upon them ad intra, as they are in the blessed Trinity, we might easily perceive it; but there is no proportion between our eyes, and that light, therefore we will forbear to behold the dazzling brightness. Only of this we may be sure, that every person is most lovely, because every of them loveth the other; the Scripture speaketh it plainly; the Father loveth the Son, the Son loveth the Father, and the holy Ghost is the love of them both; Now what they love is lonely indeed, because their judgement is most upright, and their desire most Holy. But we will not sound that bottomless depth, let us look upon these persons as they manifest themselves ad extra, and see how lovely they are. He that is a Father in the Trinity doth manifest himself as a Father to the Sons of men; the Scripture doth often remember his tender bowels, he shutteth them not up, no not against them that are Prodigals: a Father and a Mother on earth may forsake, may forget their Children; but our Father in Heaven cannot forget, he will not forsake his. And is not such a Father lovely? God the Son doth manifest himself to the world as a Son, he useth all his credit with his Father to work not only the remission of man's sins, which he expiated with his blood, but also the advancement of their Persons whom he vouchsafeth to be his Spouse; by taking man so near unto himself, he bringeth him near to God also, and maketh them Children that were Servants, entitles them to Heaven that deserve to burn as firebrands in hell. And is not such a Son lovely? The holy Ghost doth manifest himself as the holy Ghost, quickening man and sanctifying him, testifying by these effects that he is a Spirit of life to him, even of such a life as maketh him a sacred Person; he maketh him a living Temple, a fit habitation for himself, that he may be an Oracle of God within him, and kindle the fire upon the Altar of his Heart, wherewith only he can offer acceptable Sacrifices unto God. And is not this holy Spirit lovely? All three Persons are most lovely, if the consideration go no farther then that which I have expressed. But how great an access will be made unto their loveliness, if you draw through every one of them that ground of loveliness which before we found in the name Lord? for the Father is Lord, the Son Lord, and the holy Ghost Lord, as we are truly taught in Athanasius his Creed; every one of them is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, good of himself, and all-good: and by this access we must in our meditations improve their loveliness. But I have dwelled long enough upon meritum dignitatis, the desert of love that is included in their own worth; I told you that in the Text we sound another merit, and that is meritum dignationis, the interest therein vouchsafed us. Were there none but meritum dignitatis, there were ground enough of our love, but this meritum dignationis, the interest that we have doth quicken us to take notice of the worth that is in the thing. Every man naturally loveth that which is his own, and if the thing be good, it doth him the more good to look upon it: Let a man walk in a fair Meadow, it pleaseth him, but it will please him much more if it be his own; his eye will be more curious in prying into every part, and every thing will please him the better; so it is in a Corn field, in an Orchard, in a House, if they be good, the more they are ours, the more contentedly do they affect us; for this word meum is suavissima amor is illecebra, it is as good as an amatory potion. Then mark; put tuus to Dominus, and if so be the Lord be lovely; how much more lovely should he be in our eyes if he be our Lord, and doth appropriate that infinite good that he hath unto us? he holdeth of none but of himself, and who would not joy to be owner of that good which is independent? He is whatsoever heart can desire, and who can but rejoice in having him, in having of whom we can want nothing? Put tuus to Deus, and see how it doth improve the motive of love there also. Had we nothing to do with so tender hearted a Father, so sweet natured a Son, so gracious a Comforter as is the holy Spirit; we could not but love them if we did know them: But when we do hear that these bowels of the Father do yearn upon us, that we are the Spouse whom the Son of God doth woo, and that the holy Ghost vouchsafeth to make his Temple of us; how can we be but lovesick? how can our Hearts choose but melt, and our Affections gasp, and bray like the Hart after those Persons which have in them so strong, so manifold persuasions to love? But alas, we that in regard of our carnal love, are easily transported by any seeming good, are altogether senseless when we are solicited by our spiritual good; so senseless, that God is passionate in his Prophets when he doth tax our more than brutishness herein; Isay 1. Harken O heaven, hear O earth, for the Lord hath spoken; I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me; the ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib; but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider. jer. 3. Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? yet hath my people forgotten me days without number. We do love our corporal benefactors, at least while they are doing us good, but our spiritual benefactor we forget, even while he is doing us good; for when is he not doing it? we cannot look upon our souls, our bodies, our state, but we see the perpetual influence of his goodness; and yet Tuus worketh little here; and though God vouchsafe us a great interest, yet are we little moved therewith. We can love a man in whom there are so many defects to allay the regard of his goodness, and from whom we may receive as much wrong as favour; how much more should we love God in whom there is no defect, and from whom thou canst receive nothing but good? I have showed you the reason of love, which is included in the name: it followeth that I now come on to the duty that is required, and that is Love.. Wherein we are first to observe that God speaketh not unto us as unto servants, but as unto friends; he would not have us in his service express a spirit of servitude in fear, but of adoption in love; he would not be feared as a Lord, but loved as a Father: O derint dum metuant is a Tyrant's voice; God will have all his servants ingenuous, he will have our service as natural, as is our allegiance. Wherein the King of Heaven giveth a good pattern to all Kings and Governors in earth. Though God hath qualified us many ways to do him service, yet doth he in this word diliges Love, show what he doth principally respect, and his eyes are upon nothing so much as our Love, not on our wit, our wealth, our honour, etc. yea, all other things are valued according to our Love, and without Love they are nothing worth: And why? Love is that which setteth all a work; for he that loveth will keep God's commandments, he will do no evil. But we may not forget, that seeing this Love hath for its object him that is so fare above us; we must not sever it from Reverence, which must qualify the love which we own to our Superiors; in expressing our affection we must not forget our distance; yea and our fear in regard of our flesh, may be servile to awe it, and keep it down, though it must be also filial in regard of the spirit, to keep it in heart. I should now, if the time would give leave, show you how those things that are required in love must be applied unto this object. The first property of Love is Union, and we should endeavour to become one with the Lord, to be transformed into him, and as near as a Creature can partake of his Creator, partake of the divine nature. We should desire Union also with God, with God the Father by Adoption; with God the Son by a spiritual Wedlock; with God the holy Ghost by entertaining him as his Temple: we should so grow one with all three persons. From this Union our Love should come on to a Communion, Communion in that infinite good which you heard is in the Lord; for though Union be a great advancement of our Nature, yet doth our comfort stand in the Communion; neither did God ever intent the Union, but for the Communion. As we must have Communion with the Lord; so with God also: as Children we must communicate in the inheritance of our Father; as a Spouse, in the honour and state of a Bridegroom; as the Temple in the ornaments and endowments thereof. Yea, in this Communion there must appear Benevolentia, & Benesicentia, there must appear an intercourse of good will, and good deeds, between the Lord God and us; otherwise we do not love as we should. This is not all; the seat of Love must be exercised also, the Heart; for the love of God must be free, God doth not respect forced Love.. The Mind; God will be known before he is loved, and he will have them that love him to meditate upon him; he will not regard an undiscreet Love.. Thy Soul must be exercised; if thou dost not long after him earnestly, and take sweet content in him, thou dost not love. Finally, thy Courage must be employed; thou must be as resolute to compass this spiritual Union and Communion, as carnal wooers are in pursuit of their Love; De vera virgiaitate. it is Saint Basils' Simile. And why not? seeing for the most part they are the worse for their loving, and we are sure for ours to be the better. But I must leave the enlarging of these things to your own private Meditations. You may remember I told you that though the Person only is here expressed, yet things are also included so fare as they have reference to this person: we must respect every Creature as it is Gods, and grieve at the abuse of the meanest of them. But our special regard must be unto those things that work, or witness this spiritual Love.. Work it; as God's word, and his Sacraments: these things we must have in a singular regard, by reason of the heavenly power which they have to work Love, the more we use them, the more it will appear we desire to Love.. As these things work Love: so there are other things that testify it; our praising of God, our praying unto God, our readiness to please God, though we suffer for it; the more we are exercised in these things, the more it will appear we are in Love.. But though God kindle Love in us by his Creatures; yet must we not love him for them; for that were Amor Concupiscentiae, but we must by them be led to love him, and that is Amor amicitiae. Mea tibi oblata non prosunt (saith Saint Bernard) sine me, nec tua mihi sine te; though we come to know God by his Creatures, yet must our Love immediately fix on him. As those things which have reference are included so are those things excluded which have no reference, and whatsoever things which do not lead to him, draw from him; of all which this must be kept as a a rule; Pereant qui, & quae inter deum & nos dissidium volunt, we must have nothing to do with whatsoever will separate between God and us. You have heard what the Person is, Confess. l. 8. and what it is to Love him. When Saint Austin put these two together, he fell into that humble admiration; O Lord who am I? That thou shouldest command me to Love thee. And verily, a man may well wonder: Hath not God Angels? Archangels? Cherubins? Seraphins to love him? And what grace is it then for him to stoop so low as man? Yea and whereas the best ability of man is too base to be employed in his service, he doth this honour as to stoop to the meanest of our abilities; he commands our Dust and Ashes, this worm's meat our vild selves, to Love him, that is, to be as it were consorts with him; for amor nescit inaequalitatem; therefore God doth (as it were) deify that which he doth so fare honour. ●sal 8.4. When David looked upon the interest which God hath given us in his Creatures, when he put all things in subjection under our feet, the beasts of the field, the fishes of the sea, etc. he breaketh out into Quid est homo? Lord, what is man that thou art mindful of him? Or the Son of man that thou so regardest him? What an admiration than should arise in us, when we see what an interest God hath given us in himself? Especially seeing he hath no need of us and all the gain is ours: can we forbear with amazedness, and wonderment to utter the same words; O Lord what is man? Nay, out of the sense of every man's own interest to say, Lord what a man am I, that thou shouldest be so mindful of me? And what a Son of man am I, that thou shouldest so regard me. David when he describeth the temporal blessedness which he wisheth to Israel, Psal. 144. concludeth, Happy is that people that is in such a case, but he addeth to our purpose, yea, Happy are the people whose God is the Lord? The prerogative that Man hath above other creatures, yea, that the Christian hath above all other Nations, should make, us set it at a higher rate then commonly we do. A word of the day and so I end. This is All Saint's Day, and it is Love that doth a Saint, for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: Basil in Psal 44 Nyssen. de Anima & Resurrect. yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; we have in Earth a Communion of Saints, in Faith, Hope, and Charity, but in Heaven there is no Communion but only in Charity: Faith and Hope are done away. Nay, in Earth our Communion with God standeth properly in Charity; for there can be no mutualnesse between God, and Us but only in that; and to be mutual is a property of Charity; as I told you at the entrance of this Sermon. We believe in God, but God doth not believe in us, we hope in God, God doth not hope in us; but if Man love God, God loveth him again; and therefore Love is the proper virtue of Saints; it is that which both in Earth, and Heaven doth knit us unto God. Ps●l. 18. What shall we say then to these thing? seeing Charity beginneth a Saint on Earth, and consummateth him in Heaven, I will vow with King David, I will love thee my Lord my strength, etc. And that I may perform this Vow, I will pray with Saint Austin, Lord, so inspire my heart that I may seek thee, seeking may find thee, and finding may love thee. ANd grant, O Lord, thy Grace unto us all, so to exercise ourselves in this Love, that we may have the honour to be thy friends both in Earth and Heaven. AMEN. The fifth Sermon. MATT. 22. VERSE. 39 Thou shalt love thy Neighbour. THere are two Persons expressed in my Text on whom we must bestow our Love.. First, The Lord our God, and Secondly, our Neighbour. I spoke last of the former of these persons; It followeth that I now speak of the later, so fare as I am occasioned by these words, Thou shalt love thy Neighbour. Wherein it will appear, that Love is not only due to God, but also to his servants, as many as can return Love for Love; that is, all Rational Creatures; so fare as God hath conjoined us, we must not sever ourselves, for every creature love's his like: Amity is inseparable from society, at least it should be. For my fuller unfolding, and your better understanding of these words, I will therein distinctly consider, first ●o whom, than what is due. The Person is called a Neighbour, that which is due to him is Love.. But farther in the person we must see, first, that in him there is found the ground of that Love; I will discover it when I have opened the Name. Secondly, that every man hath his interest in this ground, the text pointeth out this, when in a reference to every man, it calleth the person, Thy Neighbour. As this must be observed in the person: so in the Duty we must observe, that we that have the interest must perform the Duty; this interest belongeth to every man, and so doth the Duty also, if thy Neighbour, than thou must Love.. But though all do not so, yet he to whom God speaketh in this Law must, and that is Israel: the members of the Church must not fail in this duty, Thou must love thy Neighbour. These particulars I hold worthy of observation in this text; I will therefore enlarge them. I pray God it may be done to our edification. First, then of the person. He is called our Neighbour; the word signifieth one that dwelleth by us, or is joined with us, but there is more in the word than is vulgarly conceived; I will distinctly show you the extent thereof. There is a double Neighbourhood; First, an humane, Secondly a Divine; the humane is that which we apprehend by the light of reason; the Divine is that which we know not, but by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. Such Neighbourhood there must be, because God hath joined us, in nature, as we depend upon jehova; and in grace as we are in covenant with the Lord our God. Of the humane, the first degree (for it hath more degrees than one) is that which first offereth itself to the common understanding, and that is Neighbourhood in place; whether that place be the same Town, or Parish, or Country, or Allegiance: all these have a Neighbourhood between themselves, and have some bonds, by which they are knit together, because men are naturally sociable creatures, and as the word Reang imports, like sheep of the same Pasture. Add hereunto that society is enforced, Quia non omnis fert omnia tellus, this linketh Islanders with the Continent by Leagues, and Commerce. The second degree is nearness in Blood, this Neighbourhood is between those that are of the same kindred. And indeed, this was the first Neighbourhood that ever was in the World: for several Families dwelled by themselves, you may gather it out of Genesis the tenth, where the roots of all Nations are set down, as likewise in other Historical Books. For, what is an Ismaelite, but one of the offspring of Ishmael an Edomite, but one of the Posterity of Edom, that is Esau? and an Israelite, one that cometh from Israel, that is jacob? Yea, Affinity in the first Age was not ordinarily contracted, but between those of the same blood; when by remoteness from the stock it grew cold, they warmed it again by the help of Wedlock. But after that Nimrods' arose, those mighty Hunters that contented not themselves with their own Dominions, (such as were the Governors of those four famous Monarchies) they subdued other Nations to themselves; as likewise did they intermingle with other Nations, whose multitudes could not be contained within their own Territories; here hence arose that mixed neighbourhood, which we see in all the world, a neighbourhood that seemeth rather of place then in blood. But howsoever they of the same blood are distracted in place, yet is there a natural neighbourhood between them still. The Laws of men have set bounds unto Consanguinity, and beyond the tenth Degree, they acknowledge none, except it be in the succession of Monarchy, or absolute Principalities, wherein (some Lawyers hold) there is no limitation of Degrees. But howsoever Policy alloweth limitation of Consanguinity, the Scripture doth not; for Acts 17. Saint Paul teacheth the Athenians, that of one Blood God made all Mankind: so that all men are the sons of Adam, and they are all kin. The Apostle goeth a step farther in that place, and out of a heathen Poet proveth, that we are all the offspring of God; and indeed, in Adam we were all made after God's Image, and so must needs have Alliance between us. It is true, that when we look upon the several generations in the world and the petty Dominions, whole Nations seem to be strangers one to another; the Northern to the Southern, the Eastern to the Western, they of Europe to those of Asia, both unto them of Africa, all three to them of the New world: but if we acknowledge the root from whence we all spring (Adam and God which is the Lord of all) we must needs confess, that no man can be a stranger to us, because every man is our blood, and communicateth with us in the Image of God. And if we conceive any man unworthy to be accounted of our cognation, let us know that Rex coeli honoratur vel contemnitur in imagine sua, not the dead Images of the Church of Rome, but this living Image of the nature of Man. The world is but like a great house wherein the family, though but one, must lodge dispersed because so great; or if you will a large Signiory under which there are many Tenants, but all of the same Homage, and holding of the same Lord, so that man can no more be a stranger unto man, than one tenant of the same Lordship can be unto another, or one person may be unto another in the same family. Thus fare our neighbourhood reacheth by the light of Reason, for you may perceive by the very text which I alleged out of the Acts, that for this third degree of neighbourhood, there is an evidence in Reason, which another Poet also confirmeth; Hom. Odyss 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. All both strangers and poor are belonging unto God. Were there no other light but this of Reason, we see that neighbourhood reacheth very fare. But the Holy Ghost that by the Scripture hath inspired into us a clearer light, hath taught us another kind of neighbourhood which I called Divine, and this is the neighbourhood of the Church: and is between all them that belong thereunto. For these persons have all one Father in Heaven; one Saviour that died for them all; one Comforter that dwelleth in them all; they partake of the same Sacraments; they are taught the same Gospel; they are called to the same Kingdom; there is not the least of these prerogatives, but communion therein is enough to make a neighbourhood. And this neighbourhood also hath several degrees; The first is that which is between men on Earth whereof some are all already of the mystical Body, they are incorporated into the Church, are made members of Christ, are quickened by the Spirit; are professed children of the Kingdom of Heaven; these wheresoever they live, they must needs be neighbours, because they can live no where out of the body, the body (I say) of the Catholic Church. Whose extent may be over the face of the whole Earth, but wheresoever it is, it is but one: as we profess in the Creed, one holy Catholic Church. Though of men there be very many which are not in this Church, and therefore may seem not partakers of this Divine Neighbourhood, yet indeed they must not be excluded from it, for what they are not they may be; the commission of the Gospel sendeth the Ministers unto all, Go teach all Nations, and God would have all men saved, neither is there any respect of persons with God, jews, Gentiles, Males, Females, bond, free, all are capable of the Gospel. Whereupon Saint Austin groundeth that saying of his, multi intra lupi, extra oves; many are within the Church, that are indeed wolves, though they be in sheep's clothing, and many are without the Church, that are indeed sheep, though they appear in wolf's clothing. He meaneth it of God's purpose, which is to permit many Christians to turn Apostates, and to reclaim many Infidels, and make them Christians; you see that judas of an Apostle became a Traitor, and Saint Paul of a Persecutor became an Apostle. Here cometh in a strange enlargement of our Neighbourhood; for it comprehendeth even enemies also, the same person whose malice maketh him carry himself towards thee, as an enemy, must in regard of his possibility of coming to the state of grace be reputed by thee to be a neighbour. Were not we enemies, not only strangers when Christ came to seek us, and holy men converted us? All enmity must give place where God showeth mercy. And if malice of an Infidel do not exclude him from being thy neighbour: much less doth a faithful man cease to be a neighbour unto thee, if happily he grow to be malicious against thee, for thou that persecutes Christ in him. Thus you have heard the first degree of Divine neighbourhood. The second is between Men and Angels, for they are our neighbours, they are inhabitants of Zion, whether we are brought when we are made Christians; Heb. 12. they are of the same nature with us, though not in regard of our bodies, yet in regard of our souls; and they partake of the same holy Spirit; Heb 1. Psal. 39 Psal 91. Matth. 18. yea, they are ministering spirits, for all their sakes that shall be heirs of salvation: they pitch their tents about us; they carry us in their hands: Christ in the Gospel calls them our Angels; all which are marks of neighbourhood. Touching the Saints departed, there can be no question, for though they are advanced to greater perfection: yet the condition of neighbourhood is not altered, they can no more cease to be our neighbour, than they can cease to be members of Christ or children of God, or living stones in the Temple whereof we are a part. There is a third degree of neighbourhood Divine, and that is between us and Christ; the Father's Greek and Latin, meditating upon the parable of the Samaritane which is in the tenth of Luke, acknowledge Christ to be our neighbour. And verily whatsoever other sense may be fastened upon that parable, 1. joh 1. c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Math. 1. it is certain that our Saviour Christ came so near us in his manhood, that he may well go for our neighbour, he pitched his tents amongst us, he became Immanuel, God with us, he became bone of our bone, and flesh of our flesh. Yea there is no kind of relation requisite unto neighbourhood that is not found in Christ: he is the Lord of his Church, the Husband, the Father, the Brother, joh. 13. Eph 5. ●sar. 8. Rom. 15. joh. 15. the Friend, etc. No doubt then but if any, he must needs be our Neighbour. And in him our neighbourhood is brought unto her highest pitch; for higher it cannot go and not exceed the pitch of a Creature; whereas it is only the reasonable Creature that cometh under this name of Neighbour. It may now be questioned whether any be excluded from our neighbourhood, seeing we have taken up all the Inhabitants both of heaven and earth: whereto I answer that no reasonable Creatures may be excluded by us, but those only that are either in Hell, or of Hell: In Hell, as Dives and the rest that burn there; Of Hell, as the Prince of darkness that ruleth in the Air and his Angels: not one of these are capable of divine neighbourhood. Not those in Hell, as Abraham telleth Dives, there is a great gulf between; Luke. 1●. no intercourse between them and the Saints. And for the other, though there be two much nearness in place between them and men on earth: yet there should be no commerce, because they are under a definitive doom, and so all hope of veighbour-hood cut off between them and us. There is a third sort of persons that are excluded from divine, though not from humane neighbourhood those whom the Scripture calleth sinners against the holy Ghost men that sin unto death (as Saint john speaketh. But because these are hardly discerned except they turn plain Apostatas, we must not be hasty to put any in that rank. Our zealous Spirits in this age have been too forward in such separations; it were much better for us to acknowledge many that are not, to be our spiritual Neighbours, then to deny any that are. And so have I set you out the bounds of neighbourhood both humane and divine. The second point that I observed in the Person is the ground of the duty, the duty is Love, and there is a ground of love in the Person, take the neighbourhood which way you will. Look first upon the humane neighbourhood; the first degree of it is neighbourhood in place; the first motive that drew men together, was auxilium & solatium, that they might mutually help one another, and each sweeten the trouble of another's life: hereupon arose the Proverb, better is a Neighbour at hand then a Brother, a fare off; so that here we find a fair a ground of Love.. But in the degree of Consanguinity we find that which is fairer; for it hath in it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 natural affection, which moveth of itself, when there is nothing else to move it: Yea, many things that are apt to work the contrary disposition cannot remove this; as you may observe in Parents, and Children, and Kinsmen whose nature hath not degenerated, they cannot choose but love, even when there are many provocations to hate. Take one example for all; David's compassion towards his rebellious son Absalon. Yea, extend we consanguinity as fare as the Scriptures have taught us to extend it, we shall find ground for the like extent of our Love.. Strangers to our knowledge, must not be strangers to our love, because they bear in that blood of Adam which is common to them with us, the Image of God, which is the greatest thing that we are to glory of as we are men. And seeing we all hold it of the same Lord; our common reference unto him doth require our mutual respect, no less than doth that common endowment which we receive from him. I am sure by this time you do not doubt but there is a fair ground of love in humane neighbourhood, you shall find yet fairer in that which is divine; follow it by the degrees. The first degree I told you was that which is between men in the Church militant; there is no part of our Catechism that doth not teach us a ground of love in this neighbourhood. You cannot say your Creed but therein you profess the Communion of Saints, and therein many grounds of love. You begin the Lords Prayer with Our Father, and so profess that every member of the Church and you, are Children of one heavenly Father, wherein you acknowledge in every member a ground of love. Throughout the second Table of the Commandments, our neighbour is enjoined to love us, which injunction to perform he having taken upon him in his baptism, we cannot look on him but we see ground why we should love him: for than we look on the man that hath vowed unto God that he will love us. And if we look on him as he partakes in the Sacrament of the Eucharist, than we see another ground why we should love him; for than we behold him, as professing that he doth love us: in testimony whereof the Saints were wont to begin this Sacrament with a mutual holy kiss, in lieu whereof the superstitious kissing of the Pax succeeded in the Romish Church. You see then that if so be the sociableness which is natural requireth love, that of grace requireth it much more. What shall we say to them that are without the Church? that persecute the Church, is there any ground of love in them? yea, the wickedness of man cannot evacuate the right of Nature, much less of Grace, they are our neighbours whether they will or no, by Nature, because they are men; and so are they also by Grace, because they may be Christian men: so that we cannot say to them in neither respect, what have we to do with you? Therefore in the same person we must distinguish between his ill affection towards us, and his neighbourhood, which God vouchsafeth him, and not let the malice of the one intercept the sight of the loveliness that is in the other. And if so be we may not forget that spiritual Lovelines which is only in hope, as it is in Infidels, much less may we forget that Loveliness which is indeed in those which are Christians; these have in them most undoubted grounds of Love.. The next degree of Divine neighbourhood is between us and the Church Triumphant, Angels and Saints, we cannot doubt of their Loveliness, if we know wherein their neighbourhood consisteth; I shown it you before; and further they really testify their Love toward us, the Saints in praying for the Church in general; the Angels in being ministering spirits for the good of the Church. Heb. 1. But here we must take heed that we enlarge not this bounderie too fare; for men that have made little account of Saints on Earth, have made too much of them when they have been departed this life, and to Angels they have attributed more than ever God bestowed upon them. We for the avoiding of their errors must confine our thoughts within the just bounds of their Loveliness. The third degree of neighbourhood, is that which is between the Church and our Saviour Christ, and here we find the fullest ground of Loveliness that ever was, or will be created; the Church saith truly in the Canticles, totus est desiderabilis, view him from top to toe, C. 5.16. you shall find nothing in him that doth not show him to be a most lovely neighbour, peruse all his fore specified references towards his Church, there is not the least of them that doth not challenge the love thereof. And now that we have gone over all, you see a good reason why the word that is used by Moses, Reang, signifieth not only a neighbour but also a friend: for every one that is a neighbour, is by the virtue of his neighbourhood, to be accounted as our friend. Secondly, that all persons must be considered, as they are in God, and Christ, and not as in themselves, otherwise we shall misdeem them; for any communion which a man hath with God and Christ, cannot but seem unto us an apparent right that he hath to be accounted our neighbour and our friend. But he that appeareth unto us as devoid of both these communions, he cannot seem unto us to be our neighbour, and therefore not our friend. A third thing that I noted in the person whom we must love, is every man's interest in him; for the Law speaking to every man saith, He is thy Neighbour; therefore thou must not look upon him only with thy direct sight, but with a reflected also. Let us run over the degrees of Neighbourhood again, and see how every of them doth concern every one of us. The first degree of humane neighbourhood, is neighbourhood in place, that was instituted (as I told you) Propter auxilium & solatium; and God knoweth, there is no man that doth not stand in need of both, and it is not God's will that any should be excluded from either: but every man hath an interest of help and prosit from him that is his neighbour in place; therefore we must every man take care to yield, and expect to receive whatsoever help or comfort he hath in himself, or is in any other; these gifts must be mutual, they must be interchangeable, a neighbour must do for thee, as well as be a receiver from thee, therefore doth God call the neighbour thine. The next degree of humane neighbourhood is that of blood, wherein men are brought nearer one unto another, than they can be by any politic Laws, because of a nearer interest which doth combine them; the interest of nature. For every man hath his nature and being in or from those of his blood, the father hath his being in his son, the son hath his being from his father, a brother hath his being in a brother, an uncle in a nephew. And so between all other degrees, there is an interest of being which one hath in anoher more or less, as the degrees are more or less remote. Whence it is that politic neighbourhood respecteth no man but out of deliberate reason, it is quickened by hope of receiving like kindness when time shall serve: but neighbours in blood respect each other out of an inborn affection; for it is natural to every man to affect himself and his own being, without any farther consideration, and consequently he cannot but affect another, in whom he beholds his being to be preserved as well as in himself, or from whom he conceives his being to have proceeded. Hence it is that Parents love their children, and children their Parents, and a brother love's a brother, and an uncle his nephew, even where they look for no retribution. Come we on to the third degree of neighbourhood, which superaddeth another ground of love, and by consequent increase of interest. This third degree goeth beyond that of blood, as the Laws of men do limit Consanguinity; but yet in true judgement, Consanguinity hath no stricter limits than the nature of man, because all men are made of one blood; and so in true judgement every man must think that he hath in every man an interest of his natural being; and upon this ground a man in whom nature is not degenerate, will love another man; and do for him be he never so strange unto him, and though there be no hope to be recompensed by him; upon this ground a Christian will love and relieve a poor Turk. But setting aside this just extension of Consanguinity that we are all made of one blood; we are all neighbours also in that we are all made by one God, and after one Image of that God; whence ariseth another ground, of love similitude; in our nature we all resemble God, and in our original we all come from God: and hence comes increase of that interest which we have one in another; the father thinks the bond of his natural affection towards his child to be strengthened if his child be like unto him; especially if he be like in that which is the greatest honour of the father; so doth a brother think of a brother that is like him; and generally similitude is conceived to give unto those men betwixt whom it is an interest each in the other; therefore men cannot in reason acknowledge that reference unto God wherein they all meet, they cannot conceive how they all partake of the same Image of God, which is their greatest honour as they are men: but withal they must confess a mutual interest, which hereby they have one in another. Let us pass on from the Humane to the Divine Neighbourhood, & see what interest we find there. The more grounds of Love, the more interest; Now here is grace added to nature: Children we are all of the same Father in Heaven, and not by many Descents (as in humane Consanguinity we fetch our pedigree from Adam) but immediately, for we are all made children by the same Baptism; so is our Consanguinity collateral in the first degree. And can we then deny a mutual interest that are Fratres Germani Brother-Germans? Let us look upon one another as we are in Christ our Saviour, we are incorporated into him, and so members one of another, and therefore we cannot have less interest one in another then the Eye hath in the Ear, or the Ear in the Hand, or the Hand in the Foot, each hath need of the other; and they may claim right each in the others ability: Like interest will arise out of our being Temples of the Holy Ghost, the living stones that make up that building do mutually support themselves; Et fortitudo omnium tota esb singulorum, they are made mutually necessary by the manner of their compacting. Neither have we a religious interest only in those that are already in the Church, but also in those that may be. What interest in re, we have of them that be within, we have of them that be without in spe; they may be Christians, and so become profitable helps unto us in the mystical body of Christ: in regard of this hopeful interest may they justly claim our Love, and our pains to work their Conversion. The second degree of Divine Neighbourhood, is between us and the Saints and Angels in the Church Triumphant, who continuing still to be members of the Church must needs with all continue unto us the interest which we have had in them. Therefore the Angels call themselves our fellow servants. And it goeth inter piè credibilia, Revel. vlt● that the Saints do pray for us, at least in general. The last degree is the neighbourhood with Christ; I need not prove unto you that we have an interest in him, and he in us. We call him our Lord, our Saviour, our Brother, and he as many ways calleth us his, his Body, his Spouse, his Church: these mutual appropriations d●e necessarily infer mutual interest. Thus have we found the extent of neighbourhood, in every part of this extent we have found a ground of Love, and there is not a parcel of this ground which doth not concern every of us; a man would think that the case being such, our own propension would produce the duty, and that there needed no such Commandment as Thou shalt Love.. But yet the Commandment is no more than necessary; for what degree of neighbourhood is there which is not infested with hatred? Neighbours in place how do they envy? Tradesmen in Towns, and inhabitants in the Country, if their Lands lie near, quarrel every where, and seek to ruin and destroy, not only to vex and disquiet each other: as if that which was instituted for succour and comfort did yield the best opportunity for malice and rage to work on. As for neighbourhood in blood, Rom 1. how soon did Cain make that unnatural reply even to God himself, Am I the keeper of my Brother? I'm discovered his father's nakedness. The Apostle doth tell us of Infidels that were without natural affection, and every smatterer in Histories can give examples thereof, and justify that Proverb, Rara est concordia fratrum. Come to the more remote Consanguinity, which is moreover graced with the Image of God, few have taken notice thereof, strangers have been thought a sit subject to pray on, and men have shed their blood without remorse. Matth. 10.21. And fareth it better with Christians? Doth not Christ's prophecy prove true, The brother shall deliver up the brether to death, and the father the child, and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death? I need not instance in particular persons, for what Nation is there round about us wherein there are not many lamentable spectacles of Civil wars, and throat-cutting? The world is every where full of Nabals and Samaritans. As for Infidels; rob them, and reproach them we do, but who doth labour their Conversion, and seek of enemies to make them friends, and of strangers to make them fellow-citizens with the Saints? But it may be we respect the Church Triumphant more; No; even here also our uncharitableness appears, for we grieve the Angels which are witnesses of our carriage; and live clean contrary to the good examples which the blessed Saints have left unto us. Finally, the world is grown so profane, as that men tread under their feet the Son of God, they account the blood of the Covenant wherewith they were sanctified, an unholy thing, Who can make any better construction of those blasphemies which come from foul mouths, when they call the sacred wounds, and blood, and body of Christ to witness their impurities? Seeing then there is so little Charity towards our Neighbour, take neighbourhood howsoever you will, you see there is great need of this Commandment; Thou shalt love thy Neighbour. But what is it to love? Gal 6. Ephes. 4 I might tell you in few words, Let not everyman seek that which is his own, but that which is another's. I might branch it into these two points, first, a man must be careful to do no hurt, and secondly do all the good he can for his Neighbour; and in doing good he must be as kind in adversity to weep with them that weep, james 5. 1. john 3. as in prosperity, to rejoice with them that rejoice. Or I might carry you along through all those branches which were touched when I opened those words, Thou shalt love; I told you then that Love beginneth in Union of the persons, it cometh on to Communion first in good will, and then in good deeds, and this every one that loveth doth labour to express both in soul and body, for it must be sincere. But because I have expressed diverse kinds and degrees of neighbourhood, I cannot better teach you what it is to love your neighbour, then to persuade you to entertain each kind of neighbourhood, and that according to its degree. Is any man thy neighbour in place? be (as occasion serveth) his Help, his Comforter, otherwise God will not account that thou lovest him, Non prodest si nos continet una domus & separat diversa voluntas, plus attendit Deus unitatem animi quam loci. 〈◊〉 any moreover thy neighbour in blood? let him find how much nature is more potent than Law, and let Consanguinity double the heat of thy affections to wards him. Dost thou apprehend that all Mankind is made after the Image of God? Let thy humanity towards strangers testify the reverence which thou bearest to thy Maker, job 3● Let not the stranger lodge in the street, but open thy doors unto Travellers. Neighbourhood in place, doth but supply neighbourhood in blood, therefore if we respect that which is the sample, much more must we respect this which is the sampler. Art thou advanced to an higher degree of neighbourhood, in that thou art a member of the Church? thy good offices must be multiplied accordingly, and thou must promote the Communion of Saints, with much more zeal than the society of men, here thou must show how fare Grace goeth beyond Nature. Is man thy friend? Dilige eum in Dec, love him because already he stands in good terms with God. Is he thy enemy? Dilige eum propter Deum, love him for God's sake, and after God's example; he maketh his Sun to shine, and his rain to fall upon the just and unjust, thankful, unthankful; therefore, If thy enemy hunger, Rom. 12. Mat. 5. Prou. 16. give him meat, if he thirst give him drink, and so heap coals of fire on his head. If thy enemy be a member of the Church, remember he is but like a part of thy body out of joint; though it be painful, yet how tenderly dost thou handle it, and never leave until thou hast set it in joint again? Even so shouldest thou use thy brother, never leave until thou hast brought him to yield thee as much content as he hath wrought thee woe. Is he without the Church that doth afflict thee? Look not upon him but upon the Devil that provoketh him; pour out thy malice against the Devil; for this is a lawful enmity, Gen 3. upon that ancient ground, ponam immicitias; but pity the man, let him find in thee the comfort of a Neighbour? Thou canst not better overcome the Devil then by such love of thine enemies. A man cannot so many ways afflict thee, but thou must be as many ways charitable unto him, as Christ teacheth in the fift of Matthew, verse 44. In a word, Amor nescit inimicum, and this every Christian man must show, or else he will betray that he is no living member in the mystical Body of Christ; for how doth he live therein that is either senseless or Satanical? his own body will refute him. 1. 〈◊〉. As we must love our Neighbours in the Church Militant, so must we love also our Neighbours of the Church Triumphant; we must reverence the presence of the Angels that are about us, and not misdemeane ourselves before them, nor grieve them in their Ministry; we must thankfully commemorate the lives of the Saints departed, and be careful to resemble them in their virtues. But we must not with the Church of Rome rack our love towards either Angels or Saints, and honour them farther than we have warrant, much less derogate from God or Christ in our honouring them. As for Christ, it is not hard to conceive how we must Love him, his Names will guide us. The Church is his Spouse, she must Love him with a chaste Love, the Church is his Body, she must Love him with an obedient Love, He is our Brother we must love him with a Natural Love; the diversity of his titles will teach us how to diversify our Love, for he beareth no title which we must not entertain with an answerable Love.. In all that you have heard you may perceive that there are diverse kind of persons that challenge our Love, but Christ calleth never a one of them by his proper name, but comprehendeth them all under one name Neighbour; (other names would have imported some personal respects) teaching us two things; first, that our love must be without respect of persons; we may not love because a man is rich, wife, or Honourable; nor for any other worldly respect, these be the motives that sway with Publicans and Sinners, with carnal men, but these are base respects in the eyes of Christian men. Especially seeing God that hath made men unequal in these, hath made them equal in better things. Yea, and these which are so unequally distributed, are therefore so distributed that they might give the fit opportunity for the exercise of our Love.. Look upon thy Body, it is made of the four Elements whereof one is cold, another is hot, one is moist, another is dry, Doth the hot abhor the cold, or the moist the dry? No, rather they impart their qualities to them, and out of so loving neighbourhood cometh this goodly fabric of man's body, which would soon be dissolved if this loving neighbourhood should fail. The whole frame of the world is preserved by the loving association that is between unequal creatures; so the great world the little world, both do teach us how due our Love is unto neighbourhood, only in regard of neighbourhood. The second thing that we must observe is, that we must take the scantling of our Love from the kind and degree of neighbourhood. But of that I shall speak more when I come to the measure: only now observe that, as I told you, when I spoke of the Love of the Lord our God, that Love must not only extend to his person, but to those things that belong unto him: so must we conceive also of the Love of our Neighbour. Whereupon are grounded those Laws, Thou shalt not see thy Neighbour's Ox nor his Ass going astray, sinking under his burden, lying in a ditch; but thou shalt bring him home, ease him, lift him out; In a word, whatsoever thing concerneth our Neighbour in any kind or degree of neighbourhood, we must testify the acknowledgement of our reference to him in carefully procuring the welfare of that thing. You have heard the Duty. But who must perform it? Surely, whosoever hath the interest, is he thy Neighbour, why then thou must love him. But the Law speaketh properly to them that are under the Law, and so Thou an Israelite, and teacheth us which are the Israel of God; In this word Christ taxeth the Pharisees gloss who straightened the extent of neighbourhood, Matth. 5. as appeared by the Addition they made to the Law, Thou shalt love thy Neighbour, and hate thine Enemies, they confined neighbourhood to their own sect, at least to their own Nation. And we see at this day the jews mention not Christians without reproach, no more than Papists do Protestants. But a Christian must know that in jesus Christ there is neither jew nor Gentile, Coloss. 3.11. Grecian nor Barbarian, male nor female, bond nor free. Saint Austin hath a convicting reason, De Doctrina Christiana c. 30. which is that otherwise there would be some persons, with whom we might commit adultery, whose goods we might steal, whose bodies we might murder, without any sin against them, which is absurd. The case of the Canaanite was extraordinary, Austin. tract. in johannis cap. 15. we may not match our affections with God's precepts, as if they were alike lawful. Wherefore let us bear fruit answerable to the seed which God hath sown in our hearts, and though our nature be prone to satanisme and hatred (for this charity is a strain above nature, and known only to those of the Church) yet let us mortify it, and subdue it to the Law of God, Let us not define whom we must love other wise than we are taught of God; let us not think we love as many as we should, if we exclude any from our love; for our love must be the fulfilling of the Law, therefore it is impossible for us in regard of any man whatsoever, to perform the Law which bindeth us to him without Love.. NOw therefore the God of Love season all our hearts so with Love that Hatred being clean rooted out; we may all be of one mind, of one heart, and out of the sweet sense and comfort hereof, we may all say and sing, Ecce quam bonum? Behold how good and joyful a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in unity? The sixth Sermon. MATT. 22. VERSE 37, 38, 39 Thou shalt Love the Lord thy God, with all thy Heart, and with all thy Soul, and with all thy Mind. This is the first and great Commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt Love thy neighbour as thyself. THe last point which I opened upon this Text, taught us, upon whom we must bestow our Charity; we learned, that we must bestow it upon The Lord our God and our neighbour; upon these persons, and upon those things that have reference unto them, must it be bestowed. Therefore though the Commandment seem in nature to be but one (for it is only Love) yet Christ breaketh it into two, and these two unequal. As it must be bestowed on them: so, in bestowing it, we must observe an Order, and a Measure, both are plainly prescribed in the Text. The Order; for here is a Frist, and a Second commandment mentioned. The Measure; for here is mentioned the great commandment, and a commandment that is only like it. We are willed to love first The Lord our God; secondly Our neighbour; this is the Order. And we are willed to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul and mind, etc. and our neighbour as ourselves; this is the Measure. Order then and Measue are to be observed in the bestowing of our Charity. And indeed without Order and Measure, no work hath either Beauty, or Perpetuity; look upon the frame of heaven and earth, were not the parts thereof so well ordered, had not each of them his limits, it could neither be so goodly, nor so lasting a Creature; want of Order would blemish the goodliness, and want of Measure would shorten the lastingness thereof: Even so is it in Charity, invert the Order, altar the Measure required therein by the Law, we do foully deform it, and all society grounded thereon, be it heavenly or earthly, will quickly be dissolved. This time will not suffice for the opening of both; wherefore I will now only handle the Order, and reserve the Measure for some other time. Touching then the Order that is to be observed in Charity, we must know that it is twofold, there is Ordo ad intra, and ordo ad extra, an order in the generation of it, or the working of it into our souls; and an order in the employment of it, as we express it in our lives. Of the first Order you heard, when I opened unto you the seat of Charity, and shown you that it is either Primitive, or Derivative; it must begin at the Heart, and from thence spread itself into the Soul, the mind, the strength. With that Order we have nothing to do now; my Text leadeth me to speak of the second Order, the Order of employment; the bestowing of it upon others, after we are seasoned with it ourselves. To come then to this Order; to understand it we must take this Rule, Scire quid facere debeamus, & nescire ordinem faciendt, perfecta scientia non est; morality requireth, that we not only know what we ought to do, but also in what order; otherwise the knowledge of our duty is imperfect, therefore imperfect; because it will be indiscreet, discretion being that which doth distinguish and digest the parts of, De Cinit Dei. lib 5 cap. 22. and points in, our duty. So that take away Order, virtue will presently degenerate into vice, especially if we admit that definition of Saint Austin, short, but true, V●rtus est ordo amoris; virtue is nothing else but the well ordering of our Charity. Wherefore the Order of God's precepts must not be passed over unregarded, because therefore doth God keep an order in commanding, to intimate unto us, what order we must keep in our living. Whatsoever is good may be beloved well, or ill, well, if you observe the order, and if you neglect it, than you love it ill. But let us come closer to the Text. Here we find a first, and a second Commandment. It is doubted by some whether they are rightly so called, seeing that which concerneth our Neighbour, was first delivered, Levit. 19 vers. 18. and therefore delivered on mount Sinai, Levit. 27.34. Comp. numb 10, ver. 11, 12 with De●●r 1 6 & vide Deut. 2 1● and that which concerneth the Lord our God was delivered afterward, Deutro. 6. vers. 50. and therefore delivered in the land of Moab, Deutr. 1.5. The distance of times wherein they were delivered was thirty eight years. But we must not insist upon these words, as referring to the times wherein Moses delivered the Commandments, but as expounding their sense, as they are a Sum of the Decalogue, and point out the principal duties prescribed therein. Now because the Decalogue was engraven in two Tables, and the brief of the first was our duty toward God, therefore is that called the first Commandment, and our duty toward our neighbour being an abridgement of the second Table, it is therefore called the second Commandment. Where by the way you may take notice, that those jews err, who breaking the ten Commandments into two five, think there were siue graved upon either Table, whereupon it would follow, that the first Commandment which commandeth our duty towards our neighbour, was joined with those Commandments which enjoin our duty toward God, which cannot stand with this first and second of my Text. Having found in regard of what Scripture these Commandments are called First and Second: Let us now see how well the matter contained in them doth deserve these names. And here we shall find that this Order is very natural, for as in their being, so in being the objects of our Love, these persons are to go the one before the other; God, before our Neighbour; God hath the first right unto our Love, and then our Neighbour. But let us look into the Commandments a sunder. The love of God is termed the first Commandment, and it is two ways first, Ordine naturae, & dignitatis; whether you look to the original of the Loveliness, or to the worthiness that is therein. You cannot deny the Lord our God to be the original of loveliness, if you remember what I observed unto you on the name of Lord God, and our Lord God, not a branch of these observations which doth not strongly prove this primacy of Love; but I choose rather to represent it unto you by two or three familiar Similes. The first is of Consanguinity. Brethren love each the other, but their Love is not immediate, it passeth unto them by their Parents in whom they both meet, and there groweth the root of their love, take away that dependency which they have thereon, and brotherly affection will presently whither: Even so it is between us and our neighbour, Love we must, and why? Because we are sons of the same Father, Malachi pointeth out this ground, Have we not all one father? Chap 2. 〈◊〉 10 Wherefore doth any man wrong his brother? You see here is a fair ground of Primacy. There is as fair in our body, wherein our members have a fellow feeling each of the others case, and they bestir themselves for their mutual comfort, but whence cometh this but from the Head, where is the fountain of sense and motion? The members have no virtue for which they are not beholding to the Head. The Church is a body, whose Head is Christ, and Christ is the fountain of fellow-feeling, whereof if he do not communicate an influence, we shall be absurd if we seek it in the body, yea we shall seek it in vain. Take a third Simile of an House, or a Temple; these buildings have a foundation whereupon the whole pile is reared; the parts support the one the other, but it is the foundation, the corner stone, that knitteth them, that holdeth them all together; you ruin the house, if you lose the foundation. And the Temple of God which we are, or the Communion of Saints wherein we live, where shall we find the sinnewey bands of it, but in the Spirit of Christ, whereof we all drink which foundeth us all on him? I might amplify this point by the title of Creator, which belongeth unto God, which cannot be acknowledged, but it will enforce his right to the first fruits of our love, from whom our being taketh beginning. In order of nature than it is clear that our first love belongs to God. Now I will make it as clear that in Order of worthiness it belongeth to him also. Love is an affection of our Will; our Will naturally is carried unto good, where then we find apparently the preeminency of good, thither must the precedency of our love deservedly bend; now the preeminency of Good is out of all question in God, he is so good, that Christ telleth us there is none good but he. Matth. 19.17. When I opened the name of the Lord our God, I fell upon this point, and I said enough to clear it, wherefore I will now be the more brief, I will only point out three grounds, the least of which doth argue God to be worthy of our first love, if that which we love be good. First God is good ace, he hath no other original of his goodness but himself; and this no other can be but God. Others as they have their being, so have they their goodness from him, Enerie good and every perfect gift cometh from him, 〈◊〉 1.17. which is himself the Father of lights. As God is good ace, so he is pierce, good by nature, yea Goodness is his Nature. In all Creatures Nature and Goodness (I speak of moral goodness) are two distinct things, so that Goodness may be separated from the nature, and be recovered by it again; Angels by Creation had and lost it; it was Adam's case, but he recovered it again; both of them were like the Moon, between whose brightness and Body there is no such union, but that they may admit a separation, as appears in the Eclipse: but Goodness and God are as Light and the Sun, one so essential to the other that they cannot be severed except they cease to be. A seeming Eclipse there is of the Sun, but that seemeth to us which indeed is not: even so though God never cease to be good, yet may flesh and blood conceive worse of him; but it is only a carnal conceit, jam 1.17. for in God's goodness there is no variableness, nor shadow of change. Thirdly, God is good propterse, he hath no end of his goodness without himself; other things have their goodness given them for a farther end, their goodness is not only for their perfection, but for their union to some other, to this they tend, and are restless till they attain this: but God's goodness is absolute, it is its own end, and beside itself, it needeth nothing, as appeared before the Creation, while it enjoyed itself, and it is no necessary but an arbitrary graciousness, out of which God vouchsafeth to entertain communion with his Creatures. If then the most worthy good do justly challenge our first love, then certainly our first love is undeniable due unto God, whose Goodness hath this threefold pre-eminence; whereupon it will follow, that we are bound first to love the Lord our God, and the commandment that enjoineth this is for good reason called the first. But though the first, yet not the only. Victor Antiochenus hath a good note, Primum eò magis vocat, ut secundum quoque quod a primo divelli non debet, commodiùs inferri queat. The Pharisee moved his question concerning the Great Commandment, Christ telleth him there are more Great Commandments then one, and therefore beginneth with the first, that he might the more fitly teach him the second, a second inseparable from the first. This second it did concern the Pharisee to know; for whatsoever his love was to wards God, it is plain he was without the love of his Neighbour, because he came to tempt Christ; and therefore Christ striketh directly at his fault, and showeth him that there is a second Commandment beside the first, even such a one as without which the first cannot consist; for there can be no true Love of God, which is not accompanied with the love of our Neighbour, 1 joh. 4.20. He that loveth not his neighbour whom he doth see, how can he love God whom he doth not see? So that Christ doth answer not only fully but abundantly. The word Second doth moreover teach us that these Commandments are not Coordinata, but Subordinata, the do not go hand in hand, but one doth attend the other, and there is good reason why, because the one doth flow from the other. To open this a little more fully. This Commandment hath a secondarinesse in nature, and a secondarinesse in worthiness. A secondarinesse in nature; for we cannot love the fountain of Love, but we must love the streams that flow from it, the same nature that teacheth Children to love their Parents, teacheth them to love one another; Abraham thought so, Gen. 3. when he persuaded Lot not to contend upon this ground, for we are Brethren; and Moses upon the same ground would have reconciled two Israelites that were at variance, when he reproved him that was injurious, thus; you are Brethren. The secondarinesse is as plain in the resemblance of the Body; Acts ●. for the members that are respective of the Head, should not in reason be ill affected between themselves; the sense which they derive from the Head, maketh them effectually feeling of each others state: and Christians cannot be senseless of any part which is in Christ's body, except they have lost the sense of their conjunction with Christ their Head. Finally, the living stones that are in the Spiritual Temple, do as willingly embrace and hold fast each the other, as they do gladly entertain the fountain of their union, which is the holy Ghost; whatsoever motive there is that persuadeth us in the first place to love the Lord our God, doth persuade us in the second place for to love our Neighbour, because our Neighbour and we do partake thereof; so that the love of our Neighbour is a second Commandment to be obeyed, not arbitrarily, but necessarily, because the same nature teacheth us in the second place to love our neighbour, which taught us in the first place, to love God. Another secondarinesse there is, and that is of worthiness; for though our Neighbour deserve to be beloved, yet is his worthiness but secondary. And why? Such is his Goodness; God is good a se, his goodness springeth from himself; but our Neighbour's goodness is a Deo, he hath it from the gift of God; God is good pierce, Goodness is his very nature; but our neighbour is good only in Deo, so fare as he hath communion with God. Finally, God is good propter se, there is no end of his goodness, but his own glory; but our neighbour's goodness is ad Deum, it aims at something beyond itself, and that is at God, and union with him. So that this must pass for an undoubted and grounded truth, that as the reason why we must love our Neighbour must be Goodness, so that Goodness must be conceived to be but in a secondary degree: And as the effect doth respect his efficient, so must the love of our Neighbour respect the love of God, because no man can love his neighbour orderly, that doth not first love God. Yea, as he concludeth sound, that hath the principles whence his conclusion must issue, ever in his eye, and observeth their direct influence into the Conclusion: even so a man can never err in the love of his neighbour, that guideth himself by his love of God; for Quod primum est in unoquoque genere est mensura reliquorum. In a word, we must never love our neighbour but in a double intention; a primary, which looketh upon God; a secundary, which looketh upon our Neighbour, and beholdeth God in him. This Rule is of special use to make our love regular, whereof we have an excellent example in the Macedonians to whom Saint Paul beareth witness that they gave themselves first to the Lord, ●. ●or 8 5. and then to the Apostles according to the will of God: we must not be content to know this will do our neighbour good, but see that it agree with the first Table, which doth qualify the second. It is true, that as in natural knowledge, so also in the affection of Love, we begin a prioribus sensui, we first apprehend the lineaments of a living body, and then discern therein the effects of a soul, and last of all come to know the Soul itself: even so in the course of nature, we first take notice of our neighbour, and the inducements to love him; then we apprehend some higher cause that worketh these inducements; and last of all, we acknowledge that that cause is most lovely: whereupon Saint Austin, Tract. in. joh. Diligendo proximum purgas oculum ad diligendum Deum. But yet, as in natural knowledge, when by going backward, we are come to that which is first in nature, we make that our guide to understand distinctly, what before we knew but confusedly: even so, though the imperfect love of our neighbour, doth draw us to a knowledge of our love of God; yet when we have attained that, we must take the true taste of our affections from thence, and that must correct the corrupt relish which otherwise would be in our Love; for it fareth with our spiritual taste as it doth with our corporal, if either be possessed with any quality, whatsoever it receiveth will seem answerable, according to the Maxim in Philosophy, Intus apparens excludit alienum. Again, this order of first and second doth teach us that we must first give to God and our Neighbour our Love before any other gift; for all other will easily follow, if this go before, and they are all of no value if they flow not from this; it is not possible we should do any other service, if we yield not this, and if it were possible, yet we should do it in vain: Therefore we must repute this first and second Commandment the foundations of piety, before we set ourselves to do our duty, we must love God if we will serve him; and if we will serve our neighbour, we must first love him. To conclude this point, out of all which you have heard you may learn the truth of that which Saint Austin hath, Lib. 15. d. civet. Dei. c●p 22. Ipse amor ordinatè amandus est, Love itself must be loved orderly, and if Order be requisite in the exercise of every virtue, much more in Charity, which is the root of virtues, in somuch, that where there is no Order, there can be no Charity, Austm. ibid. because this Order is nothing else but that Quo benè amatur quod amandum est, ut sit in nobis virtus qua bene vivitur; so that he liveth justly and holily, which passeth a true judgement upon the objects of Love, and such a one is he only that hath his Charity well ordered, for he, nec utitur fruendis, nec fruitur utendis, he doth not misapply his Love.. But where is he? In Cant. cap 2. vers. 4. Nunc confusam in plerisque & inordinatam licet videre Charitatem; it is Gregory Nyssens complaint; and this inordinateness began very early; Saint jude telleth us of the Angels, that they kept not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their Original, which is in effect, they did not observe the subordination of these Commandments, they would have no dependency upon God, and so shut him out of their Love; Adam did no better, who being made after the Image of God, affected another likeness, and so cast off the first of these two Commandments. The children of God that coupled themselves with the daughters of men, were most infamous for this disorder of their Charity: And who is not guilty of it? where be the Parents that begin not their love at their Children, and care for no more of the love of God then may stand with their thriving for them? Saint Paul insinuates as much concerning man and wife, when he telleth us that the unmarried care for those things which belong unto the Lord; but the married take care for those things wherein they may please each the other, as if that were ordinarily their principal care. And how servants forget their love of God, while they seek to please their masters, you may perceive in every shop, where apprentices are enured to lying, false-swearing, deceiving, and all to advance their master's commodity. It were infinite to run over all degrees of persons; but if you list to do it, you shall find that all their Charity is out of order, for want of this Order, and that they place the precedency of their love amiss. And it were well if men went no farther than to prefer Man before God: there is as much disorder in our love of Things, yea the disorder in the love of Persons, groweth from the disorderly love of Things: O ciues, ciues, quaerenda pecuniaprimum est, Virtus post nummos,— Profane men think that gain is the best godliness, and covetous men will sell even their souls for a morsel of bread; Esau sold his birthright for a mess of pottage; yea judas sold our Saviour Christ for thirty pieces of silver. De do●● Christ. 〈◊〉 1 cap 23. Saint Austin distinguishing things telleth us, that some are supra above us, as God; some intra within us, as our own souls and selves, some iuxta even with us, as our neighbours; some infra below, us as the world and worldly things; we may add, some contra, our deadly enemies, as are the Devil, and the powers of darkness. Of these, Love is due to God above us, to our Selves, to our Neighbours, we find them all three in the Commandment of Love, but we find not there those things which are below us, much less those things which are opposite to us. And yet when we come to consider what Order the world keepeth in Love, we shall find that these two which God never thought worthy of our Love, have the greatest share therein, and we have no leisure to love the other, so great is our love to these; at least our forwardness in the love of these, maketh us backward in the love of the other; our meat, our money, our pleasure, our profit, that were by the Creation subjected unto us, are become masters of our affections; yea, the cursed serpent can so charm them, that we will deny him nothing; and men, like a generation of vipers, do his will, as if the Devil were their Father; so farreis' Charity disordered. The more reason have we to listen to this Method of Lone, which is here taught by our Saviour Christ, and think that there is more in these two words First, and Second, than we did haply apprehend. Certainly the knowledge of them is of great consequence; for it is the true rule of virtue; and the observance of them is of great difficulty, for our corrupt nature can hardly be brought unto it; wherefore we must imprint deeply in our minds that which we have heard, and pray God that we may have grace to do what we are taught. LOrd, we confess that our Love hither to hath been perverse, and that nothing can rectify it but thy Spirit: We beseech thee that he may so inform our judgement, and reform our affections, that we consecrate the first fruits of our Charity unto thee, and that thou mayest have the precedency therein: But let not our Charity rest there, but descending from thee, let it light on those to whom thou directest it; yet so, that but for thee, and in thee, we may love nothing beside thee; So shall we be thy beloved, if we be such Lovers; and be admitted into the blessed society of those whom thou hast honoured with the name of thy friends, in the Kingdom of Heaven. The seventh Sermon. MATT. 22. VERSE. 37. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy strength. This is the first and great Commandment. IN bestowing our Charity, we must observe an Order, and a Measure, an Order, because concerning it we find in this Text, a First, and Second commandment; a Measure, because of the two Commandments, the one is great, the other is but like unto it. Having the last Lord's day opened the Order, it followeth that this day the Measure be opened unto you. For entrance hereunto we must take these two Rules: First, though Charity be a common due to God and our Neighbour; yet must they not both be served by the same Measure, and why? the Persons are unequal: God is infinite, our Neighbour is finite, and we may not dispense equal portions to unequal persons. The second Rule is, That the Order layeth the foundation of the Measure, and therefore is the Order correspondent unto the Measure, he that hath the precedency in, must have the praeheminence of our Charity, and whom we must love last, we must love least. God is first in Order, therefore must he have the greatest measure, thou must love him with all thy heart, all thy mind. etc. thy Neighbour is but second, therefore he must have a lesser measure, thou must love him as thyself. The time will not suffice me, so fare as is meet to handle both these Measures; wherefore I will confine my pains to the former, and that is expressed in these words, all thy heart, mind, soul. If we must love the Lord our God with all these, than we must love him perfectly; but that perfection is no other than the perfection of a man; for thou must love him with heart, mind, and soul; so that we have two points to handle, first the perfection of that Love wherewith we must love the Lord our God; secondly, the degree of that perfection; wherhence will arise a third point, and that is the just reason why this first Commandment is called great. I begin with the perfection. In the question of virtue, Divines require a double perfection, one partium, the other graduum; there is a perfection of the parts in man, which must be seasoned with the virtue, and the virtue in those parts must arise unto its full pitch. This Text requireth both these perfections in Charity; the perfection of the parts of man are intimated in the enumeration of the heart, mind, soul, strength; unto these all our inward and outward abilities may be reduced; so that there is no power nor part of man, that must not be qualified with the love of God. But of this perfection I have spoken, when I shown you the Seat of Love; I made it plain unto you, that there was to be in our Charity a perfection of parts: That with which we have now to do, is the perfection of degrees; the Text will tell us that it is not enough for every of those parts to have the love of God in them, they must also be wholly taken up therewith; and this perfection is noted by the word All which is added to Heart, Mind, Soul, Strength. Let us come then to it. A Commandment is the sooner admitted, if the reasonableness of the ground thereof be first discovered, I will therefore first discover the ground, upon the reasonablesse whereof this great Measure is required. The ground is twofold, there is one in God, and another in Vs. The ground that is found in God, is taken from the preface of this Text, as Moses hath delivered it, and Saint Mark hath repeated it; the preface is, Harken O Israel, the Lord thy God is but One; but One, therefore the entire Object of our Love; he will not give this his glory unto any other, neither will he endure any Corrival herein; the beginning, the middle, and the end of this Object, is only He that is Alpha and Omega, first, and last. Had we many Lord-Gods, than might we have many objects of our Love, the Object can no more be multipliced, than he can. Take all the parts of his Title asunder, and you shall sinned oneness and entireness therein. He is first called Lord, which importeth the fountain of Being, and Goodness which doth accompany the same. Now there is no other fountain but He, for as he is, that which he is: so are are all things of him, yea and in him also, no one shareth with him herein. As he is the only fountain of Being, of all being, so is he of Goodness, Math. 1● 17. of whatsoever thing is good. Our Saviour telleth us, there is none good but he; and Moses, that all which he made (and he made all) was exceeding good; Gen. 1. Every good and perfect gift cometh from him; and if from him, than it is in him, be it honestum, iucundum, or utile; so that we can seek nothing without him, james 1.17. which we may not find in him, and find it much more eminently. Neither can we forsake any thing for him, but in having him, we shall have more than an abundant amends; for as he is One, so he is All, Aug. Manual. cap. 33. all good is contained in this One Lord, & bonorum totum totaliter diligendum, we can do no less then be wholly his, that doth vouchsafe to be wholly ours. As for the name God, which I told you importeth the three Persons, what every one is called that he is Only and Graciously. Call no man Father on earth (saith Christ) for you have but one Father, even your Father which is in Heaven, Math. 23 9 and he is a most loving Father, no such tender bowels to be found, no not in most natural and indulgent Parents. As for the second person, which is God the Son, he is Vnicus & Vnicè dilectus, an only Son, only begotten, most dear Beloved; we can find no means of our being adopted, being accepted, but in him, and by him. jesus is not divided, how often doth he proclaim it in Isay, Beside me there is no Saviour; Isey 43. neither is Christ divided, he is the only Prophet, that can acquaint us with the counsels of God; the only Priest, whose sacrifice can pacify God; finally, the only King, that can subdue all the enemies of the Church, and make it partaker of his Kingdom. Neither is the third person lesse Vnus & Omnia, the Apostle telleth us that there is, but one Spirit, and he deriveth all graces from him, 1. Cor 11. be they graces of Adoption, or graces of edification, he worketh all, and he works in all, he is our Leader, our Comforter, our Sanctifier, our Supporter. Ours, I say, for (which is the last note in the name) whether it be Lord or God that is One, they are that which they are unto us; unto us have they appropriated their Oneness, for they are to no other what they are to the Church; and the Church (as heretofore I have told you) is meant by Thou; and to the Church, they communicate their All, all the treasures of their common and several Good, so fare as the Church is capable thereof. I suppose, that if you have well heeded what I have said, you will acknowledge that there is a fair ground in the Lord our God, why he should challenge all our love. Let us come now and look upon ourselves, and see what ground thereof we can find there. When the question was moved unto Christ, whether the jews ought to pay tribute unto Caesar, or not; he called for the Coin, and asked, whose image and superscription it bare? and when they answered him, Caesar's; he replied, Give unto Caesar, those things which are Caesar's; but he addeth to our purpose, that upon the same ground, they must give unto God those things which are Gods; If the image and superscription were a just ground why Coin should be paid unto Caesar; where God's Image is found, there is as good a reason that that should be rendered unto him. Now God's Image is found in us by Nature, for we were made according to his Image; so that all which we receive from him, we own unto him by the Law of Creation. A second way is God's Image in us, by Grace; for our Regeneration is but a second Creation, wherein we are reform unto that Image, according to which God at first created us. All then is due unto God a second time, by the Law of our Redemption, so that whether we look upon our heart, our mind, our soul, or strength; it may well be demanded of us, Quid habes, quod non accepisti? What hast thou, which thou hast not received? and if we have received it all, the exaction is but reasonable, Si totum exigit à te, qui totum fecit, refecit te; surely Saint Paul thought so when he willeth the Corinthians to glorify God with their bodies, and with their souls; he addeth this reason, for they are Gods. Well then we have found fair grounds of this Measure; for if God be such and such to Us, (as you have heard) the only lovely thing, and all that can be beloved, and we are all his, and all that we have is due unto him, both by Nature, and by Grace, than ought we with All to express our love towards him. But what is it to love him with All? Surely it is to love him sine Divisione, & sine Remissione; none of our abilities must be divided, none of them must be slack in doing of this work. First, of the Division. We must not divide our Heart, that is, (as the Scripture speaketh) have a heart, and a heart, a heart for God, and a heart for the world, will that which God willeth, and fulfil the will of his enemies also, as if we would keep good correspondency with both; we must always will the same thing, and our will must conform itself only unto Gods, if it do not, we do not love God with all our heart, because our heart is divided. As our Heart must not be divided; no more must our Mind, we must not be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, double minded, unstable in our resolution; we must not be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, like Meteors hanging in the air between Heaven and Earth, or as (Elias told the Israelites) halt between two, between God and Baal, make all Religions indifferent, and think that we may aswell partake of the Table of Devils, as of the Table of the Lord, and like waves of the Sea be tossed up and down with every blast of vain doctrine: but we must captivated our wits wholly unto God's Wisdom, and be so resolute in abiding by his truth, that if an Angel from Heaven should bring us any other doctrine then that which we have received from God, that Angel must be accursed. If our faith in God be not so fixed, our Mind is divided, we do not love God with all our Mind. As we must take care that these Reasonable faculties be not divided: so must we take care also of the Unreasonable; of our Soul; that is, the Concupiscible faculty. I told you that hath two works, the one to long after that which we would have, the other to delight in it, when we have it; neither of these should be divided; and why? they must both attend the Will; we may not long for that which we may not will, neither may we delight in that, for which we may not long. If we long for more things than we do will; non benè currimus, we take not the right way to bliss; we fall into bypaths: and if we delight in more than we should long for, non benè quiescimus, we take up our rest, where we shall find no rest; we have a divided Soul, we do not love God with all our Soul, as we should. The other Unreasonable faculty is noted by our strength, they call it the Irascible faculty; and it is that Courage wherewith we encounter those difficulties which either cross our Long, or interrupt our Delighting: this must not be divided, for this must attend the Soul, the Longing, the Delighting thereof; it must bend all its force to further that, that so it may be both constant in longing, and perseverant in delighting. It must not be like Metius Suffetius (that wicked Neutral) look on, and be ready to favour the strongest side; much less must it take part with the adverse; if our Courage be thus divided, we do not love God with all our strength; for we should imitate King David, to whom the Scripture beareth witness, that when he offered, he offered to God with all his strength, 8. Chron. 29.2. and so did he with all his strength dance before the Ark; whatsoever ability we have, we should employ it to the best advancement of the love of God. 2. Sam. 6.14. You have heard the first impediment of loving God with all our heart, etc. I told you of another, which is Remissness, or slackness; and this followeth necessarily upon the other; for as a river that runneth strong in one channel, will have a more weak current if it be divided; upon that principle, Vis unita fortior: so fareth it with our ability, Pluribus intentus minor est ad singula sensus, a man cannot divide, and intent either his heart, or his mind, or his soul, or his strength, as he ought. Touching this Remissness in the service and love of God, take a Similitude from Music; He that playeth upon an Instrument may strike every string, b● do it negligently or weakly, Psal. 81.92.149 150. and so impair much of the sweetness of the Music; therefore in the Psalms those Levites that were the Musicians, are called upon, not only to sing, and to play, but to sing lustily, and with a good courage; and to praise God upon the loud Cymbals, and upon the high sounding Cymbals. Hath God care of Instruments? Speaketh he not it rather for our souls? To intimate their devotion to God. Psal. 108 8. Psal. 103.1. Surely King David thought so, when he said, Awake Harp and Lute, I myself will awake right early, and doth not more often call upon his Instrument, then upon himself, to praise and serve God; Praise the Lord O my Soul, and all that is within me praise his holy name; So that it is not enough to give every part unto God, except every part do its best to Love.. I might carry you through all the parts; and show you what is the Remissness of them; Of the Heart, which is a willing-nillingnesse, or a nilling-willingnesse; of the Mind, which is a waving doubtfulness; of the Soul, if the longing be faint, and the Delighting have in it Acediam, or a loathing; of the strength, if it sink or shrink. If any of our abilities be thus impaired, then is there a Remissness in them, which hindereth our loving God with all our Heart. But I choose rather to point it out in a generality by two Marks, one of which the Scripture setteth upon the thing beloved, the other upon true Lovers. The thing beloved, is said to be Sweeter than Honey, and the Honiecombe; more to be desired then gold, then much sine gold; more precious than pearls, and most costly stones; finally, nothing is comparable to it: If we do not conceive so of the object of Love The Lord our God; there is apparent Remissness in our Love.. The mark set upon the true Lovers, is, Psal 63.1. Psal. 42.1. Cant. 2 5. they compare themselves to parched ground which gapeth after the rain; to a chased Hart that brayeth after the water brooks; to those which are Lovesick; If we find not such a passion in ourselves, then is there likewise a Remissness in our Love: Read. Psal. 84. that which was the commendation of the Macedonians must be affected by all Christians in the love of God; The abundance of their joy, and their deep poverty, abounded to the riches of their liberality, for to their power I bear them record (saith Saint Paul) and beyond their power, were they willing of themselves; such must be our disposition. The rather because all division of our abilities is a plain abandoning of the love of God, for no man can serve two masters (as Christ telleth us) if he love the one, he will hate the other; two loves, if one be good, and the other bad, 〈◊〉 Meditate. cap. 5. cannot stand together. Take an example, or two. The sons of God, that is, those that did love God, fell in love with the daughters of men; what issue had they? Giants; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, such as fought against God. The Samaritans worshipped both the God of Israel, and the Assyrians Idols, and they were the most deadly enemies of jerusalem; Never have you seen an heretic, that is, a person that professeth partly the truth, and partly error: but he turneth a bloody persecutor of the Truth; and he that loveth God and the World, out of his love to the World, will do the greatest dishonour he can to God. This is the reason why God will have All, or None; Ananias and Saphira were stricken with sudden death for withholding a part of that whole substance which they freely vowed to God, and which (had it not been for their vow) they might have disposed at their pleasure: And if the embeseling of so small a matter, due upon no other ground, then upon a free Vow, received so heaume a doom; of how much sorer punishment shall we be worthy, if we withhold our better things which upon a more necessary vow are due unto God? As for the Remissness; that also is followed with a curse, for cursed is he that doth the work of the Lord negligently; jere. 4●. 10. Revel 3.16. and Christ will spew out of his mouth all those that are but luke warm, that are neither hot, nor cold; God loveth none but zealously cheerful Lovers, and less than an entire dedication of all our faculties will not please him. But mistake not, all other things besides God are not excluded from our Love; if they were, how should we love our Neighbour? whom notwithstanding in this Text we are commanded to love. Wherefore for the farther understanding of this Entireness of our love of God, we must not take other things Oppositè, but Compositè, we must exclude nothing from our love, that doth not enter into competition with God, and oppose itself against the love of God. Secondly, if there be any thing that may be beloved jointly with God, it must not be taken as Coordinatum, but Subordinatum; it must not share equally with God, but keep its distance, and receive our love by a reflection from God. Excellent is that which Saint Austin hath to this purpose, Totum quicquid aliud diligendum venerit in mentem, illuc rapiatur, quo totius dilectionis impetus currit; and Minus te amat Domine, qui tecum aliquid amat, quod propter te non amat. Thirdly, upon this Inequality, must our love ground an unequal estimate of things, and we must love God above all appretiatiuè; we must account all in comparison of God, to be but as dung, to be very loss. Finally, according to the estimate, must the heat of our affection be, we must love God above all intensiuè also; we must love other things as fit to be used, not fit to be enjoyed; yea we must use all the world, as if we used it not: but we must love God, as him, whom we would not only use, but enjoy also; yea so enjoy, that we may be able to say with King David, Psal 73. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none on earth that I desire with thee. My flesh and my heart faileth, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever: when we attain hereunto, though we love other things beside God, yet we love God as we ought; for we will (as Solomon biddeth us) think upon him in all our ways. But I may not forget, that though I seem to have said much of our love of God, yet there is a limitation expressed in the Text; though All be required, yet no other All then that which can be performed by man; for it is all thy heart, thy mind, thy strength, etc. we may not expect that we should be able to love God according to his own worth, but we must love him to the uttermost of our power: Only God, can love God as he is worthy; so the Father loveth the Son, the Son the Father, and the holy Ghost both; but a finite creature, can have but a finite virtue, which can bear no proportion unto God, who is infinite, as also is his goodness, which is all one with himself. This serveth to check all pride which thinketh that by loving it can demerit God; well may he vouchsafe to accept our poor endeavours, but the best come short of deserving aught at God's hands; especially, when the heart, mind, etc. though they be called ours, yet are they nothing but his gifts, (as before you have heard) and so are all their endowments, namely this of Love.. And if we cannot merit by love, much less can we supererogate in loving; for who can give God more than is due, that learneth by this Text, that All is due unto God? Praetererogate haply we may in some indifferent thing which God leaveth to our choice, although that choice also must be guided by the general end whereat all our actions must aim, and the ability which we have received of God; whereof if we employ not the one to the other, well may God be indulgent to our weakness in choosing; certainly it deserveth no commendation. But as for the Act of loving, so fare is it off, that we can supererogate any thing, that we cannot so much as praetererogate a jot therein. I have opened the Measure wherewith we must love the Lord our God, the perfection, the degree thereof; but I doubt I have not done it so popularly and plainly, as that every one doth conceive me, and can try his own love by that which he hath heard, and discern when it is come to this strain; I will therefore propose from the mouth of our Saviour Christ, certain plain Rules, which are for the capacity of the meanest hearer, which if he apply unto himself, he may thereby guess at the pitch of his love. The first is, He that loveth father, mother, wife, children, etc. Mat. 10. Mat. 19 20. Luc. 14.26. more than me, is not worthy of me. The second, He that forsaketh not father, mother, wife, children, etc. The third, He that hateth not father, mother, wife, children, etc. he cannot be my Disciple. There be many things and persons (as you heard before) which we are allowed to love, but we must love them only until they come unto the comparison; if then the question be whether of the two we love more, to whether of them we will stick, in a case where both cannot be held; or upon which of them we will fall foul, when it is not possible for us to keep in with both: if then we can with Moses esteem the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt we conform ourselves to Christ's first rule. 〈◊〉. 11 26. If when God calleth, Heb. 11.8. we can with Abraham forsake our country, and our Father's house, though it be to go to a Country which we know not; we conform ourselves unto his second rule. And if we can be as resolute as Levi was, Deut. 33. who said unto his father and his mother, I have not seen them, neither did he acknowledge his brethren, nor know his own children, that he might keep the word and observe the Commandment of God, even that Commandment which is delivered elsewhere, Deut. 13 If thy Brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy Daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend which is as thine own soul, entice thee to Idolatry, thy eye must not pity him, thou must not conceal him, thou shalt surely kill him, and let thine own hands be first upon him; if thou canst (I say) be so resolute, than dost thou conform thyself unto Christ's third Rule. The examples which hitherto I have alleged show only what must be a Christian man's observance of Christ's rules quoad sua & suos, so fare as concerns a man's goods or his friends: but Christ's rules go a step farther, Luke 14.26. for they mention a man's own life also, and tell us how little we must set by that in comparison of our love of God. Christ knew well that Satan hath a shrewd temptation to stumble thee when thou hast profited so fare as tua and tuos, and that is to try thee how well thou dost love God quoad te, job. 2.4. in comparison of thine own person, skin for skin, and all that ever a man hath will he give for his life, affinity, consanguinity, amity, farewell all so our life may be preserved; but our love of God must overcome this temptation also, and we must take in this case Saint Paul for an example, who being dissuaded from going to Jerusalem because bonds and imprisonment did expect him there, made this answer, What do you weeping and breaking my heart? Acts 21.13. I am contented not only to be bound, but also to die for the name of the Lord jesus. A great resolution; and yet not so great as our love of God requireth of us. For though dying seem to be a bitter work, yet to die for the name of Christ addeth much sweetness unto it, and why? it maketh a plain martyrdom; and of that S. Paul hath given this definition, that it is nothing else but dissolute & esse cum Christo: To be dissolved doth little content nature, but what would a man rather desire then to be with Christ? for to be with him is to be as he is, that is most happy; so that hitherto love is not come to its height; for a man may so far love God, and love God for himself, because his own good goeth pari passu, with the love of God; Moses went farther, Blot me out of the book of life, rather than thou shouldst not make good thy word to Israel; a strange wish; and that of a thing impossible; for it is impossible that any child of God should be excluded from eternal life; so that he may seem to have wished rashly and vainly; but this Commandment will excuse him (as it will S. Paul's like wish when I come to speak of the love of our neighbour) this Commandment containeth the best Commentary on his words, for they import no more but his absolute love of God; so absolute that were there no Heaven where with his love should be rewarded; yea, though Hell were the place wherein (notwithstanding his love of God) he should be eternally tormented, yet would he not withhold Gods due, he would love God with all his heart. And indeed so high must we ascend in love; if we will ascend to that pitch which is contained in this Commandment; though our love shall have a reward, a most plentiful reward; and we may (after the example of Christ, and the Saints) look upon it, and encourage ourselves with the hope of it; yet that must not be the first motive of our duty, God may challenge it without a reward, and we must acknowledge it to be a just debt. Thus if we love God, we love him as we ought, that is, we love him above all things, and we love him for himself, for that must needs follow, when we love him for no other thing, no not for our own sakes, but are willing to hazard all, even ourselves and all, for the love of him. From this measure when we depart, we do offend against our love of God; how much more if we love those things which are contrary to him? and can be contented that others offend him, or are so graceless as to offend him ourselves. But I must draw toward an end. The last point which I observed in my text, was the reason why this is called the Great Commandment. I need give you no other reason then the doctrine which you have heard concerning our love of God; for you have heard enough to persuade you that the Commandment is very great; yet I will point at some few reasons. The Commandment than is Great, first, in regard of the Object, for what can be greater than the Lord our God? secondly, in regard of the Act, for it maketh our nearest approach unto God; both in Union, and Communion with him. Thirdly, in regard of the Quality; it is the sweetest commander of all our abilities. Fourthly, in regard of the Sovereignty, it giveth law to the whole man. Fiftly, in regard of the Efficacy, it worketh the greatest effects. Sixtly, in regard of the Commodity, it hath the most precious promises. Finally, in regard of the Continuance, it out-liveth all other graces, for Charity never faileth, 1. Cor. 13.8. other graces do not outlive this mortal life, No wonder then if S. 〈◊〉 call it a Supereminent way, and in a comparison preferreth it before all gifts, not only of Edification, but of Adoption also. 1. Cor. 13. And what is the use of all this? but to make us see how little we perform of this Commandment, and how little cause we have to boast of the best, that we do therein. Who is he that can deny that his abilities are divided, and that he loveth more things than God? yea, most things more than God, and those not only idle but evil things also? And if we cannot excuse our Division, much less our Remissness; the days are come which Christ foretold, and the Charity even of the Church is grown keycold, yea every one is come to that lithernesse which God taxeth in Malachi, ye say, Behold, what a weariness it is? Cap. 1. Whether our love be put to Do, or to Suffer, it is quickly tired, it quickly giveth over; and how should he ever yield all, that doth repine, if but a part of his Heart, Mind, Soul, or Strength be employed in the love of God? I report me for the truth hereof to every man's conscience, and because the time biddeth me end, I desire every man to keep a scrutiny hereof in his own bosom. DOmine imperfectum nostrum vident oculi tui, utinam & nos videamus: Lord, thou that searehest and triest us, knowest how little love of thee there is in the best of us; kindle this heavenly fire in all our hearts, and let the flame thereof take all the powers of our souls; and parts of our bodies. And seeing it is not praise worthy, barely to love thee; cast us into a spiritual trance, that being strangers unto all things of this life, we may with indefatigable constancy aspire unto thee, August. Soliloq. cap 19 Amo te Deus meus, magisque semper amare cupio, etc. accendar totus ut te totum diligam. be restless till we are fully by love joined unto thee. Yea, let us put off ourselves, and with a happy alteration be wholly transformed into the love of thee; Or if we cannot but love other things besides thee, Let the love of them, attend our love of thee; the more we love thee, let us desire to love thee the more; till all on fire like the Seraphins, who in this love are said to come nearest unto thee, we may (as we are here enjoined) love thee the Great All of Holiness, and Happiness, with this manifold, but mean All of ours, all our Heart, all our Mind, all our Soul, and all our Strength. The eighth Sermon. MATT. 22. VERSE 39 And the second is like unto it; Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thyself. IN bestowing our Charity, we must use a Measure; and this Measure varies, as do the Persons upon whom we must bestow it; they are unequal, therefore they must not be equally beloved. The Text therefore doth assign unto each his proportion, to God his, and his unto our Neighbour. Of Gods I spoke last. It followeth that I now speak of our Neighbours; It is expressed in these words that now I have read unto you. Yet doth it not take up all the Verse; for that we must love our Neighbour, and that the love of him is the Argument of a second Commandment, I have heretofore shown you. But there remain two points untouched; of which the first is the limitation, and the second the comparison of this Love.. The Limitation is in these words, as thyself, the comparison in these, The second Commandment is like the first. But to break it up somewhat more distinctly, I will observe in the limitation, that there is one thing implied, We must love ourselves; and there is another thing expressed, the love of ourselves must guide us in the love of our Neighbour. So likewise in the Comparison I will show you; first that there is no equality, because the Commandments are but like; and yet notwithstanding because they are like, they have a good Correspondency, the Second to the First. These be the particulars which I mean (God willing) to open unto you briefly and in their order; I pray God I may do it so effectually, that we may all learn to keep our neighbourly charity within the prescribed bounds, and so love one another, that our mutual love may testify to the world that we all have the love of God. I come now to the limitation. Whereof before I open the particulars, I cannot omit to touch at a good observation of Saint Basils', he tells us that the Love of God is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, exclusive of all others, but it admits the love of others, as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as helping to fill up the the measure thereof, so that it have dependency thereon. Before you heard that we must love God with all our Heart, Mind, Soul, and Strength; you would think that because God challengeth all, no other may partake of our Love; but it appears to be otherwise, for that we are here willed to love our Neighbour and ourselves. The reconciliation is this; all must be devoted to God, but it must be employed as pleaseth him, and it pleaseth him that we bestow it there wheresoever he vouchsafeth to impart himself. I will show it you in a plain Similitude. Light is the only object of our eye, for our eye was made to see the light; but light is not only in the body of the Sun, or Moon, or Stars, but by beams it doth insinuate itself into all these lower creatures, and presents itself in that great variety of colours wherewith this lower world is beautified; in seeing them, we see the light, and delighting in them, we take pleasure in the light, from whom they have their gracefulness: Even so, God is the proper object of our Love, and his goodness must draw our abilities unto it, and it is able to satisfy them to the fall, though they to the full can never possibly comprehend it; So that out of the nature of God we need not seek for any other object of our Love.. But because God is pleased to communicate himself unto his Creatures, and frame the reasonable of them according to his Image, he would have our Love to attend this communicating of himself, and be bestowed on them whom he doth so grace. And this our so loving of others detracts nothing from that All which is due unto God, because we do it by his direction, and our Love doth still reflect upon him, and in loving them we love him, as you shall hear an on more at large. But let us come to the particulars, whereof the first is that which is employed in the Limitation, and that is The love of ourselves; for if we must love our neighbour as ourselves, then undoubtedly we must love ourselves. It might have been thought that Christ in setting down the object of our Love, had left us clean out, as if we were not to love ourselves: but that we may, yea must love ourselves, it is clear, because the Love of our selves is made the measure of that Love, which we must yield to our Neighbours. Though this be clear, yet is there a great difficulty in the Commandment, I mean not of practice (though that will appear hard to flesh and blood when it is expounded) but of understanding it; for how doth Christ command us to love our Neighbour as our Self, whereas How we must love ourselves, he seemeth not to teach at all. He seemeth not; and indeed some think that he doth not. And why? A man is taught by nature Wherein, and How to love himself; Nature hath taught us to wish and procure ourselves all good, at lest whatsoever we think to be good, and whatsoever we think to be evil, evil unto us, Rom 16. job. 14. that we abhor and resist; there is no indulgence that may pity our infirmities, no beneficency that may supply our wants, which out of Love of ourselves we do not naturally desire; as also condoling and congratulating of our woe and weal. Yea natural reason, if it have not lost reason, hath taught men to distinguish Bona animi, Bona corporis, and Bona fortunae, and give them their due precedencies, and answerable estimates in our desires; our soul is more precious unto reason then our body, and our body then our goods, and we are in reason affected with the welfare or ill-fare of every of these according to its price. Neither doth nature teach us only to love things which concern us, it teacheth us also the manner of our Love; Rom. 12. for it teacheth us to Love ourselves in regard of these things. First, Sincerely, there is no hypocrisy in natural Love, 1. joh. this love is without dissimulation. Secondly, Really, we love not ourselves only in words but in deeds also. Thirdly, Tenderly, we are very feeling of our own weal and woe. Fourthly, Constantly, no difficulties or crosses can make us weary of loving ourselves. This being our inborn love, some think that it is supposed by Christ, and according to this supposition made the Measure of that love which we own to our neighbour: So that the Commentary upon these words as thyself, is made by Christ in another place, Mat. 7. That which you would that men should do unto you do you unto them; Cap 4. whereunto you may add Tobies negative. Do not my son to another, that which thou wouldst not endure by another should be done unto thee. Christ's meaning is, that before we resolve how to carry ourselves towards our neighbour, we must suppose him to be in our case, and ourselves in his, and then think with what measure we would have him to measure to us, and meet ou● the same to him. If the judge that sitteth upon the ench, the Landlord that deals with his Tenant, the Tradesman that venteth his commodities, finally, every man that dealeth with another did square his carriage by this rule, there would be much less wrong in Society, and much more comfort in men's consciences; for Pulcher liber cor tuum, every man beareth in his own bosom a fair Table engraven legibly by the finger of Nature, wherein, if he would read, he might learn without any other help, what usage is fit for his neighbour. And if men were as prompt Scholars in learning active Charity, that is the charity which they must show to others, as they are acute Doctors and teachers of the Passive, of that charity which they expect from others; the Moralists and Casuists might save much of their pains in discoursing and determining of our mutual duties. But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the corrupt love of ourselves, which spends our affection inordinately, and maketh it unworthy to be accounted the natural love of a man's self, because it is more brutish than reasonable, doth make us oftentimes to love indeed our neighbour as our selves; but such a love of ourselves, is too base to be the measure wherewith we ought to love our neighbour. Yet is there too much of such mutual love in the World; such is the love of all those that fall in their desires and delights below the condition of men; yea some so low that they may be consorts for the Devil. If Philautie, or corrupt love grow not so base, yet may it grow insolent, and men may appropriate themselves to themselves, as if none were worthy of their love; and therefore they are all for themselves, and not caring if all the World mourn so they rejoice, or be in want so they have their fill: Forgetting that natural Principle, that Homo is animal politicum, a sociable creature, and though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in propriety we are our own, and so are our goods; yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in regard of the use of ourselves and our goods, both are ours for the comfort of others, and they should be as dear to us as we would have ourselves dear unto them, were they in our case. But this taketh not away the distinction that is between them. Before you heard how many ways a man might be a neighbour, a neighbour only in place, or in blood, or in the common nature whereof we all partake, or in Society either private of friendship, wherein likeness of disposition doth link us, or public, either Civil or Ecclesiastical. We must cloth every one of these with his due circumstances, and as occasion offers us to have to do with any of these, we must personate them unto ourselves, and look what we may justly challenge, if we were in their case: by the rules of Morality, that must we offer to every one of them, be he only a Man, or also a Kinsman, an inward friend, or fellow member of the Church or Common Weal; finally, be he a superior or inferior unto us. And this is indeed, to love our neighbour as ourselves; and for want of making this supposition the rule of our resolution, what we would not willingly endure, we offer with great eagerness to others; and withhold from them what we think cannot without injury be denied unto us; Which is the more in Christians, because that rule Whatsoever you would that men should do unto you, do the same unto them, not only preached, but practised, made Christianity venerable in the eyes of Alexander Severus, an Heathen Emperor; who acknowledged this Apothegme, Quod tibi fieri non vis, altori ne feceris, learned from Christians, and squared his judgement by it. This sense of the Limitation of the love of our neighbours is a good sense, and it were to be wished that at least so much were entertained by the World; it would set much right that is awry. But I hold there is much more meant in the Text then so, for that supposition riseth no higher than the state of Nature. My Text belongeth also to them that are in the state of Grace. Wherefore observe, that though Christ seem not to teach how we ought to love ourselves; yet indeed he doth; for the love of ourselves, is enwrapped in our love of God; though God call for the duty as respecting himself; yet in doing what we are bid we benefit ourselves; it is the true love of ourselves. For what love doth a man own unto himself, but the love of his Perfection? And what is his perfection but the love of God? Go over the parts God will have employed in this work. The first is our Mind, or our Understanding; what greater perfection can that have then the knowledge of our sovereign good? This is life everlasting (saith Christ) to know thee the only true God, john 17. and whom thou hast sent jesus Christ. The second is our Heart; and what greater perfection can that have then to entertain God? john 14. If any Man love me (saith Christ) my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him; and where Gods and Christ's abode is, there is the Kingdom of Heaven; even righteousness, peace, and joy of the Holy Ghost. The third is the Soul; and whether doth the desire thereof run, but unto God? Psal 84. and where will it rest but only in him? My soul longeth, even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God; Blessed are they that dwell in thy house. The sensitive Soul, that is on attendant upon the Will; what greater happiness can it have then to feed upon the crumbs that fall from that Table where God suppeth in the reasonable soul of man? whereat nothing is served but the bread, the water, the fruit, the food of life. The last ability is our Strength; Psal. 84. and Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee, O Lord; they go from strength to strength, but whither? Ibid. That every one may appear before God in Zion. David therefore had rather be a door keeper in God's House, then to dwell in the tents of ungodliness; and he giveth the reason, for God giveth good wages to his servants, Ibid. The Lord is a Sun, and a shield; he will give grace and glory, and no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. Yea, whereas in the service of others we cannot use our strength but we wear it out. It is not so in the service of God, he satisfieth thy mouth with good things, Psal. 103. so that thy youth is renewed like the Eagles; Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall; But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up their wings as Eagles; they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint. Isay 40. The longer a man serveth God, the more able he will be to serve him. So then, that a man may love himself, he must love God, and he that doth not love God, cannot Love himself; because by Love he hath communion with God, wherein standeth his happiness; and of this happiness he doth defraud himself, so fare as he cometh short in his Love of God. And indeed this is no small difference between God and the devil. The devil in show biddeth us Love ourselves, do all for ourselves, and we are so simple as to believe him, and think that we do so; whereas the event proves we do all for him, and to our own ruin; for he is the plain Image of Usurers, who live by the sweat of other men's brows, and cunningly grow rich by undoing others with a seeming relief. But as for God, his precepts bid us renounce ourselves, give ourselves wholly unto him, but in the conclusion, he hath nothing, we have all. According to the answer which the Father of the prodigal made to his murmuring eldest son, who expostulated thus with him; Loc these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy Commandments: and yet thou never gavest me a Kid, that I might make merry with my friends; Son (said the Father) thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. Much more is this true of our heavenly Father, who doth not desire to keep us busily and well employed for his own thrift, but for ours, it is for our comfort and not for his own. Be not sad therefore O Christian Soul, if he that made thee wholly, will so wholly be beloved of thee, as if he had left thee nothing wherewith to solace by self, for thou dost never love thyself better, neither ever shalt thou take greater content in thyself, then when thou lovest God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. Thus at length we have found out the second measure, the measure of that Love of our neighbour, which is prescribed by Grace; a man is here bid by loving God to love himself; that so loving himself, he may know how to Love his neighbour. Because he that doth not Love God, cannot love himself, and so by consequent cannot Love his neighbour, Love being so sanctified, it is true which the Schools have, Regula est prius regulato & se prius quis diligere debet quam proximum. Seeing then such is the Measure wherewith we must Love ourselves, we must keep the Love of our neighbour within the bounds of the Love of God. We must love in him the love of God, if he have it; Psal. 16. Mine eyes (saith David) are upon such as are faithful in the land; my delight is in thy Saints and such as excel in virtue; and elsewhere describing a man that shall dwell in God's Tabernacle, and ascend into his holy Hill, he saith, Psal. 15. that it is he in whose eyes a vile person is contemned, but he honoureth them that fear the Lord. When one told Christ, that his mother and brethren stood without desiring to speak with him, he answered and said to him that told it, who is my mother? And who are my brethren? And stretch out his hand towards his Disciples, saying; Behold my mother and my brethren; for whosoever shall do the will of my father which is in Heaven, he is my brother, my sister, and my mother. If we cannot love our neighbour for that he is not yet seasoned with the Love of God, we must love him that he may be so seasoned; for so did Christ love man, not for that he was, but for that he might be the son of God, Acts 28. and heir of Heaven, as himself was. And Saint Paul when upon a Sermon Agrippa told him thou hast almost persuaded me to be a Christian, I would (saith he) that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, 1. Epistle 1. were both almost and altogether such as I am. excepting these bonds. And Saint john, That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us, and our fellowship may be with the father and with his son jesus Christ. For this cause would not Saint Paul have the believing wife forsake the believing husband, 1. Cor. 7. and Christ so love's his Spouse, because all fair, etc. in the Canticles. You see then that if we love our neighbour we must love him propter Deum, in regard of the love of God. And why? because you must not love yourselves otherwise. De Doct Christ. lib. 1. cap. 22. Whereupon Saint Austin giveth this good note: Siteipsum non propter teipsum diligere debes, sed propter Deum, non succenseat homo sieum diligas propter Deum; If I make the love of God the only reason why I love my neighbour, my neighbour hath no cause to be offended with me, because I must make it the only reason why I must love myself. And this will lead us to another note; Christ saith that we must love our neighbour as ourself, but not for ourself; that were amor concupiscentiae, but ours must be amor amicitiae; he that loveth for himself ceaseth to love, 2. Cor. 12. if he cannot, and when he doth not speed of his own benefit; but he that can say with Saint Paul, Quaero vos, non vestra, will say with him, Idem. I will love you, though the more I love the less I am beloved. Such love is a stable love, like that of Booz towards Ruth, whereof Naomi said, the man will not be at rest until he hath finished the matter. But yet observe, that though a man must love his neighbour, rather for his neighbour's sake, then for his own that loveth him; yet must he not do it so much for his neighbour's sake, as for Gods, towards whom he must bend all his neighbour's love, as being the upshot of humane felicity. This which I have observed in thesi, or in general concerning our neighbour, must be applied in hypothesi, and fitted to every degree of neighbours. Though they be knit together by natural or civil obligations which yield reason of lower degrees of love; yet must not Christians rest there, they must improve their love until they have brought it as high as this measure of grace; Parents love their children, Governors those that are committed to their charge, Citizens, Friends, love each the other; but whatsoever else causeth this love, we love them not as ourselves except first having qualified ourselves with the love of God, we qualify them therewith also. It is a question whether As be a note of similitude or equality, so that it is enough to love our neighbour with such a love as we love ourselves though not with so great. A needless question if Christ's words be understood as I have opened them. If you take them in the first sense as the measure of our mutual love is dictated by the light of Nature, there can be no doubt but the measure must be equal; for how can I suppose myself in another man's state and him in mine, and in reason deal any jot worse with him, than I would have him leale with me, if the case were altered: to scant the measure if it were but in the least grain, is plain philautie, or corrupt love of a man's self. Take the measure in that sense which is dictated by Grace and that will admit no inequality of love; for should I love the love of God in any man less than I do in myself? that would savour of envy at the least, if not implerie; for I should have an evil eye when God is good; yea, I should not as I ought take comfort in the highest advancement of the honour of God. The Scripture teacheth us to do fare otherwise, A new Commandment give I unto you, (saith Christ) that you love one another, as I have loved you, that you also love one another: joh 13. Now you know how Christ loved us, and gave himself for us; forgetting (as it were) all the content that he took in his own Holiness and Happiness, that he might promote ours. Saint john applies it to us: 1. joh. 3. Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the Brethren. Take an instance in Saint Paul: Phil. 2. If I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, that is, in working and increasing it, I joy and rejoice with you all; for the same cause also do you joy and rejoice with me. Or if this instance do not satisfy because that Saint Paul's death which he wished was a martyrdom; and though he preferred the love of the Brethren before his corporal life, yet therein he manifested the greater love to God; for higher in his love to God, during this life, a man cannot ascend, then willingly to be a Martyr, to to seal God's truth with his blood, and confirm the faith of the Church. Rom 9 S. Paul hath another of a higher strain concerning the love of our neighbour, which be utterth with a sad Preface, testifying that he is earnest and well advised. I say the truth in Christ I lie not, my Conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, that I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart; for I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ, for my Brethren, my Kinsmen according to the flesh; Divine brotherly Love how dost thou transport the Apostle? to whom Hell is not terrible, nor the loss of Heaven grievous; so the Israelites might escape the one, and obtain the other. And did he not then love them more than himself? But might he do it? and may we imitate him herein? Surely he might without any offence to God, testify his wish, because he doth not contradict God's decree, which will not have Holiness unhappy; but supposing there were a posibility that a man having no sin, might be subjected to those torments, he means that he could be contented to undergo even the torments of Hell, so the Israelites might have the grace to believe in Christ; and to have such a mind is no sin, but it bringeth Charity to the highest pitch to which it can possibly be raised in a Creature. Neither is there any reason why we may not imitate him herein, seeing what was virtuous in him cannot be vicious in another man. But indeed it is not to be expected that our Charity will ever fall into so heavenly an Ecstasis, it is well if we come so fare as to love our neighbour as ourself: although it is not improbably observed by some upon those passages which before I cited out of Saint john, that the Law which biddeth us love our Neighbour as ourself, could not teach perfect Charity, because the jews being under age were not capable of so profound a doctrine and therefore Christ under the new Testament goeth farther with the Church being of ripe age, and would have christian's love their neighbours more than themselves; this is a new or Evangelicall Sicut. Which being true, Aquinas his conceit followed by many Romanists must needs be false, who teacheth that it is against nature, morality, and Charity for a man to love his neighbour more than himself; except happily we will distinguish between the inward affection and the outward action of Charity: the inward affection must be equal to all, at least as great as to ourselves, but in outward action, because it is impossible for us to do this good unto all, we must dispense it as fare as our ability will reach, proportioning our endeavour according to the number and strictness of obligations whereby we stand bound to persons; for so is Paul's rule; Galath. 6. While we have time let us do good to all men, especially to those that are of the Household of faith; and in this respect we may love ourselves more than others. But to shut up this point, with some few observations. The first is, That seeing our Love towards our neighbour must be such as you have heard, you see how little brotherly and neighbourly Charity there is in the world; there be few that observe the Measure prescribed by Nature, scarce any dream of that which is prescribed by Grace. Secondly, you see that the love of our neighbour must not be mercenary, as for the most part the worlds is; for who is hired to love himself? Or who seeketh for any other reward of that affection but only the love of himself? The Love of our neighbour should be as free; yea it should be clothed with all the properties which before I specified: First, Sincerity, secondly Reality, thirdly Tenderness, and fourthly Constancy. Thirdly, you see that we must not love our neighbour, either in peccato, or ad peccatum; we must neither cherish any man in sin, neither may we tempt him to commit it. And why? We must not so love ourselves; Qui amat iniquitatem odit animam suam, such an affection is not Love but hatred, deadly hatred, which leadeth unto eternal death. Fourthly and lastly you see, that as we must bridle ourselves and our lusts lest we sin, and afflict our Souls if we have sinned: so must we deal with our Neighbour also, hold in as many as we can (though against their wills) to prevent their sinning. And if they have fallen, we may not suffer their wounds to fester; though we put them to smart and pain; yet must we endeavour their reformation. De Trinit. S. Augustine's rule is worth our observing; Potest odium blandire, charitas saevire, radicem inspice; attend verba; illa blanditur ut decipiat, Psal. 141. haec saevit ut corrigat; Let the righteous smite me, it shall be a kindness, let him reprove me, it shall be a excellent oil which shall not break my head; Christ doth so chastise his Church, and God those whom he reputes children and not bastards. Heb. 12. But enough of the limitation. A word or two of the comparison, and so I end. I told you it is not a comparison of equality, because this second Commandment is but like the first. And indeed how should there be equality in the Loves, when there is so much inequality in the Persons? But Christ putteth it out of all doubt in the Gospel, when he telleth us that We must forsake, yea hate father, mother, brother, sister, yea even our own selves and lives, if they come in competition with our Love of Christ and the Gospel, which is all one with the Love of God. Though there be no equality between the Loves, yet there is a good Correspondency; for the second Commandment is like the first, it floweth from it, and beareth the very Image of it, so like that Saint john concludeth, that He that doth not love his brother whom he hath seen, 1 job 3. never loved God whom he hath not seen. It is the best way to know whether a man be a counterfeit in his observance of the first Commandment: by trying how he keepeth the second. But take notice of three or four points wherein the likeness standeth. First, in Obiecto, for a man in his Neighbour must love nothing but God. Secondly, in Subiecto, for this Love must take up all the powers of man, as the Love of God did; though with a subordination. And it makes the straitest knot; straighter than either consanguinity, or affinity, or any other kind of society. Thirdly, in Fructu, a double fruit, for it bringeth forth all the duties of the second Table, as the Love of God did the duties of the first. It bringeth them forth most readily, most cheerfully; for what will he stick at that Loves? Mat. 25. And it reapeth the very same fruit which the former did, which is eternal life. When I was an hungered ye fed me, saith our Saviour, come ye blessed, possess the kingdom, etc. Fourthly, in Duratione, It lasteth as long as the other doth, that is, it is everlasting, for Charity never falls away, no more than doth the communion of Saints. I omit other resemblances; only this I note concerning both Charities, that they must be begun in this life, Gal 5. otherwise we shall never have them in the life to come, for it is a fruit of the Spirit; after this life God giveth not his spirit, therefore he giveth not Charity; from hence men carry the Spirit, and with it Charity; in hell there can be no charity, because none carry the spirit thither. I conclude; The Ecclesiastical story reporteth that S. john the Evangelist, the beloved Disciple and chief Doctor of Love (as appears by his Epistles) when he grew so old that he was carried to Church, and could Preach no longer, used to say nothing at all Church meetings to them that came to him, but only Filioli diligite invicem; Children Love one another, Children love one another, and being asked why he reiterated it, he said, Quia preceptum Domini est, & sisolum fiat sufficit, Hier. in Epist. ad Gal. there needed no other lesson to keep all things well. Sure I am there is no lesson more needful, in these bloody, in these malicious days, and therefore instead of a longer conclusion, I will use to you (and I pray God I use it not in vain) a tautology or sacred ingemination not much unlike unto that of S. john, Love your neighbours as yourselves, Love your neighbours as yourselves, Love your neighbours as yourselves. This Grace God grant us all, for the public good of Christendom, and the private of every Society, through jesus Christ. To whom with the Father, etc. The ninth Sermon. MATT. 22. VERSE 39 Upon these two depend all the Law and the Prophets. IN our inquiries we desire to know not only what is true, but also upon what ground we may acknowledge it to be so; neither are our doubts fully satisfied, except we be informed of both. Therefore our Saviour Christ that vouchsafed an answer to the Pharisees question, so answereth, that he leaves no place for farther dispute; for what he affirmed, that he confirms; he proves sound that the Love of God and our Neighbour, so described as you have heard, deserve to be accounted the Great Commandment; and the proof is contained in these words that now I have read unto you. The sum of it is this, That which is the brief of the Bible, may well go for the great Commandment; but the love of God and our Neighbour are such a brief; therefore there is no question, but they may justly challenge that title of pre-eminence, and we must acknowledge what Christ saith in Saint Mark, that there are none greater than these. But to open the Text a little more fully; we will consider therein, first severally the parts of the Bible, which are the Law and the Prophets; and the contents of those parts, which are the two Commandments of Love.. Then jointly we will see, how these contents can be so fully enlarged, as to take up those parts, the two Commandments, all the Law and the Prophets; and those two parts so contracted, as not to exceed these contents, all the Law and the Prophets not to exceed the two Commandments; for the Text saith, they do all hang upon the Commandments. These be the particulars which I shall now (God willing) enlarge and apply, briefly, and in their order. The first is, the parts of the Bible. When I speak of the Bible, I mean the old Testament; there was no more extant when Christ conversed, here on earth, the rest was added after his Ascension. Now you shall find all the Books of the old Testament concluded sometimes under one name, that is either the Law or the Law of Moses, or the Prophets; and as Saint Peter speaketh, the sure word of the Prophets. Sometimes the Books are divided; Christ divideth them two ways; Once into three parts, the Law, the Prophets, the Psalms; often into two, Luke 24. in the Parable of Dives and Lazarus, Luke 16. They have Moses and the Prophets; and in his commendations of Saint john the Baptist, The Law and the Prophets prophesied until john, which is also found, Luke 24. Where it is said that Christ taught the two Disciples that were going to Emmaus, out of the Law and the Prophets; and this division (so familiar to Christ) is used in this place. I am not ignorant that there are many other divisions collected by the learned out of jewish and Christian Writers, but I will not trouble you with them; I have showed you those that are in the new Testament; and of them I will open this unto you. The first branch is the Law. By a Law is understood that obligation unto duty which is laid by those that have authority upon reasonable creatures. Of Laws there are two sorts; that which is called the Law of Nature, and that which is called positive Law. The Law of Nature was concreated with a reasonable Soul, and was to be in her the nursery of all kind of virtues or honesty of life; it is that which is commonly known by the name of the Moral Law. And the things that are prescribed therein, are Praecepta quia bona, they are commanded because they are good, good in their own Nature, they are properly called Virtues. Therefore is this Law immutable, undispensable, it binds all Nations, and in all Ages. It is true that sin hath much impaired our knowledge of, and obedience to it; yet there remaineth enough in the ruins of our Nature, to make even Infidels unexcusable at the Day of judgement, as Saint Paul teacheth. Rom 2. The second kind of Law is called Positive; this is made upon such things as are in their own nature indifferent, the use whereof notwithstanding is fit to be ordered by the wisdom of the Lawgiver, as is most expedient for the State. Now, a State doth undergo a double consideration, of a Church, and of a Common Weal; therefore the Laws are of two sorts, those that concern the Church are called Ecclesiastical, and those are called Civil which concern the Common Weal. These Laws contain Bona quia praecepta, being in their own Nature indifferent they are made, unto those that are subject to the jurisdiction, not indifferent in their use: by reason that that is limited by a Law: So, that although, if there were no Law, a thing indifferent might be done or left undone; might be done this way or that way; yet the liberty is taken away when a restraint is laid upon us by those that have Authority. Notwithstanding, this kind of Law, whether Ecclesiastical or Civil, is mutable, is dispensable, yet so that none can change it, none can dispense with it, but he that maketh it; according to the rule of the Law, Eius est destruere, cuius est construere; none can abrogate but he that doth enact, except he have some lawful superior. What you have heard of Law, is most true of Moses Law with which we have now to do; for that is the most exact Sampler of all Laws, I mean Laws of public Governments of States; (for we have nothing to do now with the Laws of Arts, Sciences, and of Tradesmens Corporations.) In Moses Law then you shall find, first, the Law of Nature; that is in the Decalogue or the ten Commandments, the exactest Moral Law that ever was penned; for never did any so strictly as that doth search into man, and commend the perfection of virtue unto him, yea, command his conformity unto it. As for Positive Laws, Moses hath delivered both sorts; The Ecclesiastical, or those that frame the Israelites to an outward devotion beseeming that Church in the religious worship of God; commonly called the Ceremonial Law. Besides which he hath also delivered Civil Laws, such as were fit to order the Common Weal of the Israelites, commonly called his Politic Laws. Though we may not deny that there be in him some Ceremonial Laws that have reference to the Civil Policy, or the second Table of the Decalogue; and some Politic Laws, that have reference to the first Table and worship of God. Neither may we forget touching Positive Laws, that they are all attendant upon the Law of Nature, the Ecclesiastical or Ceremonial upon the first Table, the Politic or Civil attend upon the Second. And let this suffice concerning the first Branch; The Law. The second Branch is the Prophets. The original of a Prophet amongst the Israelites, you shall find in Moses to have been this, Deut. 17. When God had delivered the Law by his own mouth, the people were so affrighted with the Majesty of his presence; that they desired they might not hear God speak any more; thereupon God promised that he would raise unto them a Prophet of their Brethren, whom they should hear; His Office was to supply the defects and defaults of the Priest; For the Priests lips were to preserve knowledge, and the people were to ask the Law at his mouth; moreover, in the difficulties and distresses of the Church, they were to consult God by the Vrim and Thummin, and deliver his Oracles. But the Priests did quickly degenerate, they intended principally the beneficial part of their service, which were Sacrifices as for the doctrinal, they cared not much for that. Wherefore God raised up Prophets, and by them refreshed the people's memories concerning his Laws; and though they had some thing answerable to the Vrim and Thummin, that is, they did deliver divine Oracles; yet if you mark them well, those Oracles do contain little, besides the gracious promises that are made unto them that observe the Law, and serve to encourage them to do well; or the judgements that are threatened to the transgressors of the Law, and serve to deter them from doing evil. Although we may not deny that the corporal blessings and curses were shadows of spiritual; and the temporal of eternal. So than you see that the second part of the Bible is but a practice Commentary upon the first, the Prophets upon the Law; The Prophets apply the Law to the people's lives, and pronounce them accordingly. And thus much of the parts of the Bible, what they are, and what they mean, I come now to the Contents, and the Contents are the two Commandments of Love.. But these two Commandments may be considered as Special, or as General Commandments. As Special, so they require only the act of Love.. As General; so they signify the habit thereof, as it is the Nursery of many other virtuous acts. To make you understand this, we must observe that a moral Virtue hath two Acts, the one is called Actus elicitus, or its proper work, the other Actus imperatus, the work which is at its command. I will show it you by a familiar Similitude. The Sun hath a proper work, which is to shine or give light unto the World; and it hath a work of command also, for it maketh the earth to bring forth fruit, which is done by virtue of an influence of the Sun into the earth: Even so Love hath a proper work, which is to be kindly affected to the Person beloved; but besides this it hath a work of command; it layeth a charge upon all the Powers and Abilities that we have to be serviceable to him whom we love. For example; If I love God, my Love will command my feet to go to his House, my knees to bow in his presence; my mouth to speak of his praises, and to pray unto him; finally, whatsoever is within me, without me, belonging to me, shall be devoted to him, and do nothing that displeaseth him. Take a taste of this also in the love of our Neighbour. Do I love him? then surely if I see him naked I will command my Wardrobe to cloth him; do I see him hungry and thirsty? I will command my victuals to feed him; and I will command myself to visit him if he be sick, or in prison, by the command of Love my counsel, my countenance, my house, my purse, all shall be at the command of my Neighbour. Finally, these works reach unto not only all virtuous acts, but also to the acts of our vocation, for they must be seasoned with Charity, as appears in the positive Laws. When then I say that these two Commandments are the contents of the Bible, you must comprehend more under them then the proper work of Love; Christ meaneth also the other work, the work of command; if both these works be joined together, they will make up the contents of the Bible. I have opened unto you the two main branches of my Text, as they are considered severally. I told you we must consider them jointly also. And here first we are to see how these two Commandments can so be enlarged, as to be the contents of the whole Bible; we will see it first in regard of the Law. The Law I told you, is either Natural or Positive; these Commandments are the contents of either of them, though in a different manner. The truth of this appears in three points. I will show them in both kinds of Law. First, in the Law of Nature. First, Charity is the Seed of all that kind of Law, it springeth as naturally from it, as a spreading Tree doth from his root; witness the ten Commandments (which I told you are the exactest draught that ever was made of the Law of Nature) there is never a branch of the first Table, that doth not arise from the Love of God; we will have no other Gods, because we love God entirely; we will make no Images, because we love God holily; we will not take God's Name in vain, because we love God reverently. Finally, we will keep the Sabbath, because we love God sociably in the Communion of Saints, and celestially, as having here no dwelling place, but looking for one to come. As for the second Table, Rom. 13. Saint Paul hath made the observation to our hand, where having particularised many, he summeth up all in this general Rule, If there be any other Commandment it is comprehended in this; john 13. Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thyself. Concerning both Tables, Christ's rule is short, If you love me keep my Commandments; and what a company of duties doth Saint Paul derive out of Love? 1. Cor. 13. Whence you may learn also, that not only so much as is in the letter, but whatsoever else is in the sense of the ten Commandments, springeth from Love; of which sort Saint Paul there specifieth sundry particulars. Secondly, as all Moral duties spring from Charity; so must the mark whereat we principally aim in doing them be Charity; we see that all plants which have their influence from Heaven, look up to Heaven again; as he that loveth God will have no other Gods besides him: so a man must have no other Gods besides him, only for this end that he may love him. If he be moved by any other end, profit, pleasure, or whatsoever else, he doth not keep the first Commandment: no more doth he keep the second, that maketh no Idol; nor the third, that taketh not God's Name in vain; nor the fourth, that keepeth the Sabbath, except they do these things in reference to their love of God. The second Table requireth the same Rule. He that honoureth his Father or his Mother; that doth no murder; that doth not commit adultery; that doth not steal; etc. shall not pass for not guilty at the Bar of God, except his purpose were to testify in his obedience, the love that he beareth to his Neighbour. A third Reason, why Love is said to be the contents of the Moral Law, or the Moral Law is said to hang upon it; is, because without Love that Law can never be understood; Love gives a clear sight (as it were) to the understanding, Origen. applying itself to any particular Commandment concerning our duty to God or our Neighbour, because it must have no straiter nor wider bonds than Love setteth unto it. Yea, if a man be once inflamed with Love, the Spirit of Grace will be aiding unto him, and help him to understand the Law aright. Whereas they which are without Love, and the Spirit that doth accompany it, have many carnal scruples and suspicions which perplex their judgement, and straighten the measure of their obedience. The second Law is Positive, and Love is the contents of that also; though (as I told you) somewhat in a different manner. For Positive Laws be they Ceremonial or Politic, which are grounded upon things indifferent, spring indeed from Charity, but not immediately, as doth the Law of Nature, the Wisdom of the Lawgiver cometh between, and considers how fare they may be remembrances of, and furtherances to Charity; the Ceremonial to the love we bear God; the Politic to the love we bear to our Neighbour. But though Wisdom come between; yet must not that Wisdom (certainly Gods did not) resolve upon any Law which Charity did not approve; and so even those Laws also may be said to spring from Charity. And as they spring from it: so must our obedience to them aim at it; it must not suffice us to keep the Law of the Church, and of the Commonweal, but we must keep them to testify how much we tender the glory of God, and the good of our Neighbour, which the Wisdom of the Magistrate teacheth us may be advanced this way. Yea, those that are disposed as they should be in Love, will not be so frivously curious in scanning of, or cavilling with the Laws of men, Ecclesiastical or Civil; considering that Love bindeth them in things indifferent, to captivated their wits to the wisdom of the Magistrate. And which is more; they will obey more conscionably and more fully, and think there is more than a penalty due to the transgression thereof, and more than the avoiding of scandal required in the Obedience; these are but Accessories, Love teacheth the true end of the Law, the Love that inditeth it, sheweth the true end in obeying it; and pointeth out the glory of God, 1. Sam. 15. Mich. c. 6. and the common good. The observance of these Laws is not in morality thanks worthy, except Charity be the life of our obedience. Finally, this Love must clear the eyes of the judge or Interpreter of the Law, and teach him how fare it must be pressed. Yea, and teach the Lawgiver also, when he may dispense, and what he must alter, in these dispensable and changeable Laws; his Wisdom in both must be guided by Charity, the Charity that is contained in both these Commandments. In both (so saith the Text) on these two Commandments hang the Law and the Prophets; Hila● Alterum sine altero nullum ad salutem affert profectum, both must go together. It is true that sometimes the Scripture ascribes unto one of the Loves, as much as here Christ doth unto both, Matth. c. 7. but then there is a Synecdoche in the speech; so that in one expressed, both are understood: And well it may be so, because a man cannot love God but he will love his Neighbour, because he must love his Neighbour for God's sake, and he cannot love his Neighbour but he must love God; for this is the stream that floweth from that Fountain, and you know if there be no Fountain, there can be no stream; distinguish we may, sever we cannot these two Loves; though they show themselves in two acts; yet they proceed from one habit. As it is but one virtue of my sight, that seethe Heaven above me, and earth below me: so it is but one Virtue of Love that unites us to God above, and our Neighbour here below. Wherefore, What God hath conjoined, let not men sever; let them not sever these two loves in their study of the Laws; both Loves do make up the full contents of either Law. And if these Laws depend on Charity, then simply all, because there be no other kinds than these; and so we must conclude, that whatsoever Law is not squared by Charity, deserves not the name of a Law. You happily may expect that I should show you that these two Loves are the contents also of the Prophets; But what need I? seeing I have told you that the Prophets are in effect nothing but the Law, or the Law looking upon the lives of the Israelites. Whereupon it will follow necessarily; that if so be the two Commandments be the contents of the Law, they must needs also be the contens of the Prophets; and that more evidently, by so much as Examples are more evident than Rules. Wherefore we will pass over that, and come to a point of special regard. Some captious persons may demand, If the love of God and our Neighbour be the contents of all the Law and the Prophets; why do they print so many Books? Levit. 19 Deut. 6. Why do you preach so many Sermons? So may the laziness of wretched men argue for itself; but it may receive an answer out of that which I have already said, or rather out of that which Christ saith in my Text; for though by Moses God had delivered these two Rules of Love; yet in his wisdom did he think it fit, upon them to make a first Commentary by Moses, and a second by the Prophets; And who are we that we should think ourselves wiser than God, that made the Commentaries? or better than the Israelites that received them? Wherefore, we must observe that though Love be the ground of the Law; yet it is but as a Seed, and though a seed grain be potentially, or in possibility an ear, yea, many ears of corn; yet must the ground be first ploughed, and the seed sown, the rain must fall upon the ground, the Sun shine upon it, before it come to be an ear, and be carried into your Barn for your sustenance: even so the Word of God requireth the ploughing up the fallow grounds of your hearts, there must be a sowing and a watering of it before it will fructify, and your lives be the better for it. Men look immediately upon particulars, and not upon the general rule by which they should frame their lives. Add hereunto that we must remember, that not only good is commanded, but also evil is forbidden, and though we keep the Affirmative, yet we need Negatives. There are first Principles in all Arts and Sciences which are virtually the whole body of the Art or Science; but it is not for every one to draw out the conclusioons whereof the whole body must be made. And it is much more hard to draw out practice Conclusions then speculative, because they are clothed with many circumstances. And though it be hard to draw out all the Commandments of the Law of Nature out of Love; yet you will find it much harder to draw the positive Laws. After all the ease that God hath done us in the Bible, yet if Magistrates and Ministers do not make Commentaries upon those Commentaries, the Church and Commonweal would be full of ignorance, and men would not know how to apply or resolve the general Rule. To say nothing that what we do know, it is as if we did not know it, because had we not those powerful remembrancers, the Minister in the Church, the Magistrate in the State, we would take no heed to do what we know. I come to the last point of my Text; you see how these Commandments may be enlarged to take up both parts of the Bible. But can those parts of the Bible be so contracted as not to exceed these contents? For the Bible doth contain aswell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, what God offereth us, as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, what he requireth of us. I answer; some enlarge the words so fare as to make them comprehend both, yea, the very Gospel; for that Christ's Redemption tendered us therein is nothing else but the gladtydings, that what these two Commandments enjoined us is by Christ fulfilled for us. Saint Paul's words sound that way, Rom. 8. That which was impossible for the Law by reason of the weakness of our flesh, God sending his Son in the similitude of sinful flesh, and for sin condemned sin in the flesh, Math. 5.17. Rom 10.4. Gal. 3. 2●. that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us; and Christ saith, I came not to abolish the Law, but to fulfil it, and he is the end of the Law, and the Law a Pedagogue to Christ. But Hilary hath a good Rule. Sensus dictorum sumendus est ex causis dicendorum, Christ's words are an Answer, and therefore must be understood suitably to the Question. Now the Question was touching that which was enjoined us, therefore the Answer is not to be thought to extend farther. And doubtless, the Questionist thought nothing of the Gospel, for how should he think upon that whereof he had no knowledge? Wherefore in contracting of those parts we must include no more than that duty which is enjoined us by the Law, as it is contradistinct to the Gospel, and all that is contained herein. Yea, Saint Austin was conceited that not only God did work the Law and the Prophets out of this ground, but that the very Heathen also wrought all their allowable Morality and Policy out of it; Neither is there any point of this kind in Christian Religion which may not be fetched out of Heathen Writers; Not that any one of them hath all the Rules, but that there is no Rule which may not be found in some one of them. (I except always the Rules of the Gospel.) Whereupon it followeth, that Reason itself acknowledgeth the truth of all those Rules. I will not be so confident as to affirm that the Heathens did ever acknowledge all that I have opened on these two Commandments; a glimpse they had of most of it, the writings of Plato, Seneca, others do testify as much; the fragments of the twelve Tables, which are the foundation of the Civil Law, and the body thereof testify how fare Reason hath gone. But I hasten to an end. You have heard a Lesson which is recommended unto us in Christ's Answer; I told you it is a brief of the Bible, the whole is no more in effect then, Love God above all things, and thy Neighbour as thyself; a short lesson you would think; but it is a very hard one, whether you respect the proper work of Love, or the works which it commands. The reason is partly in our Ignorance, which doth not easily learn our duty: and partly in our Concupiscence, which hinders us from doing that which we know; from these two impediments, no mere man ever was free, De perfect & justit ad Coelest. 1. Cor 13. since the fall of Adam, neither is it likely any man shall be until the end of the World. Wherefore Saint Austin is of opinion, that our entire obedience is reserved for our state in Heaven, When that which is perfect is come, then shall that which is imperfect be done away; Saint Paul speaketh it of Charity which shall not be abolished in Heaven, but consummated; where we shall love God, though not quantum diligibilis in se, yet quantum ab homine; and our Neighbour as ourself. But Saint Austin giveth a good Rule why these Commandments were given. I am ante praecipitur, quia non recte curritur, si quo currendum nescitur; quomodo autem sciretur, si nullis praeceptis ostenderetur? Therefore we must understand the Commandments aright; we are wayfaring men, and these Laws trace out the way which we must go to Heaven. We, I mean as many as are faithful. For to us is the Law given; and some steps must we make herein every day that we may be the forwarder to our journey's end. So all our work should proceed from it, and the Love of God should order our life especially; with that we should be principally affected, and coldly with other things in comparison of that, 1. Cor. 7. v. 31. Use the world as if we used it not. If a man be perplexed in his deliberation, how he should carry himself, because the profound disputes of Morality exceed his capacity: let him hearken to the good counsel of an ancient Father; Noli per multa three, nec discendi terreat te ramorum diffusio, radicem tene, & de magnitudine arboris noli cogitare; A man may rid himself of much trouble in resolving his conscience what to do if he season his Heart well with the Love of God and of his Neighbour. I mean not that he should refuse other helps, if he may have them, but the more he hath of this, the less he will need other. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that makes us obey out of fear, this out of goodness. The Papists abuse this Text, for they say this is one of the directories of the Church, whereby she may supply her Traditions; but it warrants no supply of the Moral Law, much less of Articles of Faith, though if it be reasonably used, it may extend to positive Laws. Lastly, seeing all hang on these two Commandments none can cry nesciebam, I knew not what to do. But I draw to an end. In the Hebrew Bibles the first Characters of these two Commandments are extraordinary great, whether by the appointment of Esdras when he digested the Bible, or by the Authors of the Mazoreth, when they set down the various lections, I will not dispute; of this we may be sure, that whosoever was the Author, he meant we should take notice of these as most remarkable Commandments. Not such notice as the jews take, who writ them in schedules, and wear and read them as Annulets to keep from them all evil; which superstition diverse Christians did imitate in Saint Hieromes days, hanging about their necks little Gospels. In Matth. c ●●. But that Father saith well, that caskets and closerts may hold our Bibles and be never the better for them; they are the better for Scripture, who lay it up in their hearts; and this God meant the jews should d●e when he bade them bind his Laws as frontlets about their heads, Deut. 6. and bracelets about their arms; he would have them in all their ways think upon them, and be ever exercising themselves in them; and not to use the ceremony only forgetting the substance. And I pray God these Commandments may be such frontlets on our eyes as God meant, and not such as the jews used. Charity is the end of the Law; the fulfilling of the Law; 1 Tim 1.5. Rom 13.10. Col. 3.14. as Saint Paul speaks in imitation of Christ; the bond of perfection; the way of life; yea, the superexcellent way; all these commendations the Scripture giveth it. But beyond all commendations goeth that which Christ giveth it in my text, Upon it hang all the Law and the Prophets. Wherefore own nothing to any but this that you love, Rom. 13. Chrysost. Col. 3. v. 14. 1. Cor. 16.14. which is a debt that semper soluitur, nunquam persoluitur. Above all things let us seek after Charitte, and let all our things be done in Love.. Yea, let us fall in love with Love, that so we may grow therein, until we come where it shall be so consummate, as that all our life shall be spent in Love; in loving God with all our heart, with all our mind, with all our soul, with all our strength; and loving our Neighbour as ourself. THE CONCLUSION OF THE FORMER ARGUMENT, DELIVERED IN a Sermon, on the twelfth of Saint Mark, Verses 32, 33, 34. And the Scribe said unto him, Well Master thou hast said the truth: for there is one God, and there is none other but he. And to love him with all the heart, and withal the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his Neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burns offerings and Sacrifices. And when jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him; thou art not fare from the Kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question. Our Saviour Christ in the conference which he had with the Pharisee about the great Commandment, Matthew 22. had to do with a Question, and a Questionist; The question was good; the Questionist was a Tempter, therefore he fully, yea, abundantly resolved the question, but he put the Questionist clean besides his purpose, and marred the pl●t of the Pharisees; For they thought either to disgrace or endanger him; disgrace him, if he were silent; or, if he did answer, to endanger him to those that were of a contrary opinion. But Christ handles the matter so that they sped of neither of these ends; for he answers, that they might not disgrace him for ignorance; but answers so that he clean defeats their malice. This being but insinuated in Saint Matthew, is fully opened by Saint Mark, therefore at length, to put an end to the Doctrine of the great Commandment, whereupon I have dwelled long, I have chosen these words, as the fittest close of that Argument: I purpose (God willing) briefly and plainly to unfold them unto you. Therein than we are to observe Christ's discretion, in answering; and the confusion of his adversaries by his answer. The first point is gathered out of the whole body of Christ's speech; the second out of the event thereof. More distinctly. The discretion appears in that Christ answers not only secundum veritatem truly, but also ad hominem, he fitteth his answer to the Questionist. Answers out of his own Principles, so that he cannot deny it, and discovers his sin, that he may be stung with it. Touching the confusion of the adversaries, that is double, as they were of two sorts. For one moved the question, the rest plotted it, both are confounded, but not both alike. The confusion of the Questionist is comfortable, two ways comfortable. First, in regard of his ingenuity, for he doth acknowledge openly what Christ answers, yea, and justifieth it sound, though with the disgrace of his companions. Secondly, in regard of the clemency with which our Saviour entertains it. First, he took notice of it, he saw that he answered discreetly. Secondly, he encouraged it, for he told the Questionist that he was not fare from the Kingdom of God. Thus was the Questionist confounded. His Complices also were confounded, but their confusion was damnable, for they had no more to say, they asked him no more questions; not because they were ever a whit the better for our Saviour's answer, but because they durst not. Their malice was overawed, they durst not play the Serpents any longer, and set upon Christ with craft, and temptation, but from this day forward they turned Lions, and put him to a cruel death. This is the sum of this Scripture, the particulars whereof I will run over again; I pray God it may prove for our instruction and edification. First, then of Christ's Discretion; it is gathered out of the body of his answer, which contains not only a truth, but truth fitted to the Questionist, fitted two ways. First, because it works upon his own Principles, for Christ keepeth himself to the words of the Law, and maketh Moses give the Scribe an answer. Now the Scribe was a Doctor of the Law, and Moses authority was sacred with him. Add hereunto Christ's answer was the Scribes own Tenent, as appears, Luke the tenth. Where Christ moving the question, another Scribe answereth the very same words of the Law. So that he could not deny Christ's answer, except he would contradict himself. The like discretion in working upon the Adversary's Principles, doth Christ use in his dispute with the Sadducees about the Resurrection. They are said to have received only the siue Books of Moses, and out of those Books doth Christ make good that Article of Faith. Saint Paul imitates Christ, arguing against both jew and Gentile. Against the jews in the Epistle to the Hebrews, where you may perceive that he taketh most of his grounds out of the Law. Against the Gentiles in the Acts; Chap.. 14 & 17. where he seeketh no farther than the Creation, and the Providence to convict them of Idolatry. The Fathers in the Primitive Church took the very same course, as appears by justin Martyrs Apologies to the Roman Emperors, and his Dialogue with Trypho the jew. The like might be showed out of Origen, Irenie, Tertullian, Eusebius, and others; whether they deal with Infidels or Heretics, they press them still with their own principles. And so must we, for so shall we conclude most evidently against them, and if any way, this is most likely to prevail with them. A second branch of Christ's Discretion is this, that his Answer stings the conscience of the Questionist, it layeth his sin open before his eyes. For he was a Tempter, and to tempt is a work of Satan, which hath his name from hatred. So that Christ's answer doth unmask the Questionist, and show, that although the title of a Pharisee and a Scribe, the one for Holiness, the other for Knowledge seem to make near approaches unto God: yet in that he is a Tempter, he will be found fare from him, if he be measured by the great Commandment, the tenor whereof is nothing but Love.. And such a manner of teaching, which closely conueys a good admonition to the heart, when it seems only to inform the head, is very discreet, and hath many worthy precedents. But enough of Christ Discretion; let us come now to the Confusion of his adversaries; and first to the comfortable confusion of the Scribe which moved the question; wherein we are first to see his ingenuity, double ingenuity. For first he acknowledgeth that Christ had answered right, Well Master, thou hast said the truth. He acknowledgeth it (I say) which is not only to know, but to confess openly what a man doth know. Yea he confesseth it before his fellows, at whose hands he knew he should have no thankes for his labour. So to confess must needs be an ingenuous Confession. And indeed such an ingenuous Confession doth well beseem all in debates of Religion. For it falls not out in them, as it doth in the Games of Activity, wherein only he that conquereth is crowned; the conquered also shall have his crown in this case, if being convicted, he acknowledge and submit himself unto the truth. It were to be wished that the World would imitate this Ingenuity, that God might forgive us our infirmities, and give us grace to profit in the way of eternal life. But the World is possessed with a spirit of obstinacy, so that men will not be persuaded though they be persuaded, nor convicted when they are convicted, be it in head or heart. When we deal with Papists, or Anabaptists, we have too lamentable proof hereof, they carry themselves like deaf Adders, they stop their ears, and will not hear the voice of the Charmer, charm he never so wisely. But to leave the absent, and direct my speech to ourselves that are present. Are our Hearts better disposed then their Heads? I would they were; but experience teacheth that though our sins be laid never so clearly before us, and God's Law that condemns them often applied close to our Conscience; yet few there are that become sensible as David was upon nathan's reproof; or as the Ninivites were at the preaching of jonas. The want of this Ingenuity is the cause why drunkards, sweareas, adulterers, all wicked livers, notwithstanding all our instruction, continue still like unto themselves. But let them take heed; their obstinacy will one day cost them dear, they will be put unto a worse shame for persevering in sin, Eccle 4 Aust Epist ●8. than ever their Repentance could bring upon them. You have heard one branch of the Scribes Ingenuity, manifested in his acknowledgement of the truth when he heard it. But he doth not only acknowledge, but he doth justify it also, he showeth that he is able sound to confirm it. And indeed this is complete Ingenuity, when a man doth not only yield, when he hath nothing to say against the truth, but also goeth farther, and becomes an Advocate thereof, showing the reason that moves him, and may move others to subscribe unto it. See how this Scribe doth it; To love God with all our heart (saith he) and our Neighbour as ourself, is better than all offering and sacrifice. Nothing could come in competition with Moral Law but the Ceremonial; giving it then preeminence above the Ceremonial, he gives it absolute preeminence, and so proves Love to be the great Commandment, following herein the direction of God himself in Esay, Osea, Amos, Cap. 1. Cap. 6. Cap. 5. Cap. 7. and jeremy. I have handled this point upon the fifty one Psalm, and therefore intent to pass by it at this time; only giving you this rule, whereby you may the better judge of his proof; Charity pleaseth God immediately of itself; Sacrifices please not but in virtue of Charity. But mark how with this his Reason he doth perstring his fellows. You know the Pharisees were for their Corban, Irenie i. ● c. 323 and taught children to disobey and destitute their parents, rather than not to perform their sacrifice; which Doctrine of theirs this Scribe acknowledgeth to be most perverse, a fruit of covetousness. Of whom we may learn this good lesson, that we must not perfunctorily read the Scriptures, but learn by them how to argue for them, by knowing what is contained in them, and weighing what will follow upon them. Secondly mark that whereas this Questionist came as a Tempter, he so profited by Christ's answer, that he went away a commender of Christ; which ingenuity of his makes it probable, that of himself he was well disposed, but carried away with ill company; of which sort no doubt but there are many in the Church of Rome, many that rather follow the stream, than their own judgement, whose unhappiness it is to be so unhappily yoked; which must teach us to take heed how we sort ourselves with malicious adversaries of the truth; lest we become like unto them, at least be made instruments of theirs. Finally observe, that Christ hath a greater conquest over the Pharisees, than he had over either the Herodian or the Sadducee, for he only put them to silence, so that it was left wholly to the Auditory to judge whether they were fully answered or no; but the Scribe that thought to speed better is driven to a harder strait, he is driven to confess, and that before the people, that Christ had answered the truth; he that thought to procure his disgrace, is made the trumpet of his praise and glory; so strangely doth God work in the hearts and consciences of men, according to that in the Psalm, He received gifts for men, even for his enemies, that the Lord God might dwell amongst them; and to this purpose are his arrows said to be very sharp, and to pierce the hearts of the King's enemies; Psal. 45. the preparation of the heart is of man, but the answer of the tongue is of the Lord; Baalam went to curse the Israelites, God made him bless them; Saul went to take David, God made him prophesy of his succession; the messengers went to take Christ, but they returned with this commendations of him, Never man spoke as he speaketh; Saul went to persecute the Christians of Damascus, but on the way he was so changed, that when he came thither, he preached the Gospel. So doth the rage of man turn to God's praise, and the fierceness of their Spirits doth he refrain, he turneth Lions into Lambs. And thus much shall suffice to be spoken of the Scribes Ingenuity. I come now to Christ's Clemency, the clemency wherewith he entertained that Ingenuity; the Text saith first that he took notice of it, he saw that he answered discreetly, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the word is significant, as one having a reasonable soul. The proper object of our understanding is Truth, it is naturally carried thereunto; and so is the will to Good, the the natural object thereof. But these reasonable abilities are diverted and perverted by our sense and sensual appetite which beset us, and which we are desirous to please; Whereupon it follows, that though men be reasonable creatures; yet are their resolutions for the most part, carnal; so that it is no small commendation for a man to be able to sequester in his consultations, the better part from the worse, and notwithstanding the solicitations of the worse, to follow the direction and inclination of the better, as did this Scribe. And what he did Christ saw, his piercing eye discerned not only the words which he spoke, but the fountain also from whence they sprang; otherwise he would not have spared, after his custom, to have told him plainly that he was an hypocrite. But Christ is so fare from blaming him, that he seemeth rather to encourage him. For (which is a second branch of his Clemency) he tells him that he is not fare from the Kingdom of God. There are two things in the Law, first the Depth, and secondly the End of it, both which the Pharisees misunderstood. The Depth, as it appears, Matth. 5. where Christ shows how shallowly they did understand it. The End, for that they so rested in the perfection of the Law, that they little thought of the relief which man's inability to perform the same was to receive from the Gospel; and therefore they stumbled at the doctrine of Christ, who never meant to derogate aught from the Law considered in itself, but to discover man's weakness, the conscience whereof should make him fly unto the Gospel. This Scribe seems to have had a reasonable understanding of the Depth of the Law, but he was not come so fare as to have an understanding of the End thereof. Notwithstanding because the knowledge of the Depth, is a good step to the knowledge of the End; therefore our Saviour Christ tells him he is not fare from the Kingdom of God. By the Kingdom of God, or of Heaven, the Scripture usually understands the Gospel, that is the way unto eternal bliss. Now seeing Christ is the end of the Law, and the Law is a Schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ; he that doth well understand the Law, how the Moral exceeds the Ceremonial, and how much the Moral requireth at the hands of men, (as this Scribe did) if he do but try himself thereby, he will see what need he hath of the Gospel, and may be persuaded to embrace it. Therefore doth Christ tell him, that he is not fare from the Kingdom of God. Non abest procul, abest tamen. A man that is almost at the top of the water, may aswell be drowned as he that lieth in the bottom; therefore a man must not content himself to be almost a Christian, as Agrippa did; he must be altogether, if he mean to be saved. Therefore Christ in these words wils the Scribe to build forward, and to supply that which he wanted of the means to life. Observe here how Christ would not break a bruised reed, nor quench a smoking flax; because of his ingenuity, he handled him gently. Teaching us how odious unto him a Romish butchery is; and that we in dealing with Adversaries of the Truth must follow the Apostles rule, In meekness instructing them that are contrary minded, 2 Tim. c. 2. if God at any time will give them repentance unto the knowledge of his truth. Especially, if we see them prefer the truth before their own private affections, and not resist the Holy Ghost. What became of this Scribe the Scripture doth not teach us; it is not unlikely, but that afterward he believed in Christ, and that his ingenuity made good use of Christ's clemency. I have opened unto you the comfortable confusion of him that moved the question; they that set him a work also were confounded, but their confusion was damnable. For though their mouths were stopped, yet their heart was not stopped, their heart was not changed, they continued malicious still. They asked him no more questions, no more serpentine questions; otherwise questions they did ask him, but having by their perplexing temptations laboured in vain, for that still they had the worst: Yea, and (which vexed them more) Christ by answering them got honour amongst the people, who wondered at his readiness and wisdom: Luke 13. they therefore gave over playing the Serpents, and turned Lions. The next news we hear of them is, that they contrive and compass the death of Christ. And this is the right Method of the world, when disputations and books will not make good a bad cause, nor bear out error and falsehood: then the sword is set a work to do what the tongue or pen cannot, and the blood of God's servants is spilt to satiat cruel minds. This Age hath too lamentable proof thereof, all our neighbour countries be turned into shambles of the Church. But wonder not at it, for Venena invidiae possunt superari, sed difficulter quiescere, Malice may be overawed, but it will never be idle, if it may work with opportunity. Therefore I told you that their confusion was Damnable; Damnable, seeing their reason was convicted, and yet they persecuted Christ. I will dwell no longer upon this point, because I touched it in part before in this, and also in the first Sermon. Only observe, that which Saint Paul hath, God maketh the wisdom of this world foolishness, and taketh the crafty in their wiliness; so that we may say with him, Where is the Scribe? God puts into the mouths of Christ's adversaries such an answer as that they confirm his Doctrine, and Testimonium ab Aduersario validissimum. Moreover their answer clears the innocence of Christ, when they were still confounded that sought to have just cause against him. And no wonder, for he that foiled the Father of temptations, could not be foiled by any of his Children. One point more, and so I end. It is a note of Saint Chrysostom's, tentando Iudaei sibi acquisiverunt confusionem, nobis providerunt salutem, the Temptations wherewith Christ was exercised by the jews, occasioned him to deliver many excellent lessons for the instruction of his Church. So did God bring light out of darkness; and how many excellent tracts have the Fathers written, which had never come from them, if their industry had not been whetted by the enemies of the truth. And the same providence, at this day sets the Orthodox a work to look more and more into the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven; enabling them to stop the mouths of gain sayers, and to bring their Charge forward to the measure of the age of a perfect man in Christ. I conclude, you have heard of exemplary discretion and confusion; discretion of Christ; confusion of Christ's adversaries. You shall do well to imitate Christ's discretion, learn of him to be not only Innocent as Doves, but wise as Serpents. If our words be powdered with such salt, they are most likely to yield grace unto the hearers. As for the confusion of Christ's adversaries, let us take heed of the damnable confusion, that doth but help men forward to fill up the measure of their sins in this world, that they may have the greater measure of plagues in the world to come. But let us set before us the comfortable confusion, let us be ever ready to show our ingenuity, that we may have experience of Christ clemency. Only let us take care not only to begin well, but also to go on; not only to come near unto, but also to enter into the Kingdom of God; that Christ which is as ready to encourage as to discern our good disposition, may establish us in grace, and crown us with glory, who only can so work us readily to obey, that he may bless our endeavours; and receive us in the end with those comfortable words, Well done servant faithful and true, enter into thy Masters joy.. Πάντοτ● δοξά Θηῶ. TEN SERMONS Delivered on the nineteenth Chapter of Exodus, containing the Preface of GOD, and the preparation of the people to the promulgation of the LAW. BY The Right Reverend Father in God, ARTHURE LAKE, late Bishop of that See. LONDON, Printed by W. S. for Nathaniel Butter. 1629. TEN SERMONS DELIVERED ON THE NINETEENTH CHAPTER OF EXODUS, containing the Preface of GOD, and the preparation of the People to the promulgation of the LAW. The first Sermon. EXODUS. 19 VERS. 1, 2. In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone out of Egypt, the same day came they into the Wilderness of Sinai. For they were departed from Rephidim, and were come to the Desert of Sinai, and had pitched in the Wilderness, and there Israel camped before the Mount. YOu may remember that opening unto you those words of our Saviour Christ in the Gospel of Saint Matthew, Chap 22. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy mind, with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and thy Neighbour as thyself; I told you they were the general contents of the Decalogue, whereof I then promised you a special and distinct explication. I have not forgotten that promise, although I have been interrupted by intervenient texts occasioned by the times▪ wherefore my purpose is this day to begin my performance of that promise. And I could not do it on a fit day, for this is Ascension day, and it was an Ascension day that is mentioned in my text. Moses, being a type of that whereof Christ was the truth, began upon the day here mentioned to ascend into the Mount, thence to bring the Law: as our Saviour Christ upon this day which we solemnize ascended into Heaven, thence to send the Holy Ghost, which as the Apostle telleth us, giveth life to the Law. Add hereunto, that as Christ ascended into his glory, so Moses in his Ascension had a kind of Transfiguration, for coming near unto God his face so shined, that he was fain to put a veil upon it, because the children of Israel could not endure to behold it. There is then a good correspondency between this Feast and my text. Neither do I only think so, but our Church also which commandeth the tenth of Deuteronomie to be read this morning, wherein is a report of this Ascension of Moses. So that the time which I have chosen is fit, and I mean, God willing, not to be scant in my performance. I will pay you the principal with interest for I mean to unfold not only the twentieth Chapter, but also the nineteenth of this Book, though that more fully, yet this competently. And there is good reason why; for the nineteenth containeth a remarkable preparation to the twentieth; neither will the twentieth be so well understood, or regarded so well, if the nineteenth do not make us more docill, and attentive, then vulgarly men use to be. Wherefore what God thought fit at the giving of the Law, will not amiss be remembered at the expounding thereof: it will be behooveful for you that I quicken your capacity; and raise your attention with these powerful observations, wherewith the Holy Ghost doth preface the promulgation of the Law. You must then take notice of the forerunning Circumstances, and Solemnity, which are recorded in this Chapter. The Circumstances (whereof only I shall speak now) are two. First, the Time, Secondly, the Place: of both which we have here the two terms, A quo, and In quo, Whence they take there beginning, and where they have their ending. Of the Time, the reckoning beginneth after the children of Israel's going forth out of Egypt, and it endeth on the third month, the very same day, that is the very same day that the third Month began. As for the place, the text teaceheth us, first, whence they came immedately from Rephidim. Secondly, where they took up their rest; in the wilderness of Sinai, thereon the cloud pitched, and they encamped before it. These be the particulars which I mean to observe in these Circumstances. That you may the better understand them, I will resume them again. God grant that, as I open them more largely, so you may hear them more profitably. The first Term then of the Time, showeth us whence the reckoning doth begin, it beginneth at the children of Israel's coming out of Egypt, which words do not only note a motion from a Place, but also an Alteration of their State: for they did not only come out of the Land, but also out of Bondage, wherewith they were oppressed in that Land. And such a going out giveth the name, unto this Book, this Book is called Exodus, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is nothing but a going out, a going out of bondage into liberty. There is a great mystery in the word which concerneth Christ and his Church; we learn it in the Transfiguration of Christ, therein Moses and Elias appeared unto him, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Luke 9.31. and spoke of the Exodus or departure which he should perform at Jerusalem. The Apostle maketh it plain, Heb. 2. By death (which is an exodus, Verse 14, 15. for we usually say that a man is departed when we mean he is dead) he overcame him that had the power of death, that is the Devil, that he might set them free, or give them an Exodus, which all their life time werein fear of bondage. And who are they but the Church? Let this be the first note. A second is, That God did not give his Law to Israel when they were in Egypt, but when they were come thence: when they were a Society by themselves, than he gave them a Policy, whereby they might be Distinguished, and Ordered. Distinguished, first, from themselves, for though before they were a Church: yet was it but Domestical; each Family, at least each Tribe, was left unto itself; but now they were to become a Nationall Church, to be knit into one Body, which could not be, but by one form of government. And this form, being of God's Ordinance, must needs distinguish them. Secondly, from others also, whose Policy was but of humane institution. Moses telleth them, that the very heathen should acknowledge the difference: especially if, as God did them the honour to distinguish them by the Law, so they should answer the Distinction in the good order of their Lives, whereat the Law did principally aim. There is a mystery in this point also, which Saint Paul doth observe out of the Prophets Esay and jeremy, Come out from amongst them, 2. Cor. 6. v. 17, 18. and separate yourselves saith the Lord, and touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you, I will be your Father, and ye shall be my sons and daughters saith the Lord Almighty, So long as we are mingled with the heathen, and learn their works, God will not vouchsafe us his Oracles, nor incorporate us for his people, the branch must be broken off from the wild Olive tree, before that by grafting it can be made partaker of the fatness of the true Olive. Therefore our Baptism beginneth with Abrenuntio, I renounce the Devil and all his works, etc. then come we to the confession of our Faith and profession of our Obedience. And this Separation if not in Place, yet at least in Disposition, we must hold to our life's end, if we mean to have any communion with God. This is a true rule, but not to be racked, as it was by Novatians and Donatists of old, and is by the Anabaptists and Brownists at this day. For they fancy Egypt in Canaan, and think that the Oracles of God, are revealed only to them in their Schism. Silly souls that they are, feeding only upon the wind, and running mad with their own devices. The Romanists are little better, they please themselves with the usurped name of Catholics, and conclude the Holy Ghost within the Diocese of Rome, and affirm, that none can go out of the Pope's sheepfold and be saved. Chap. 11.8. But we that have tried them, and found them to be the spiritual Egypt mentioned in the Revelation have upon just grounds come out from the, and without any prejudice to our Communion with the Catholic Church, have forsaken their corruptions, since which time the Oracles of God sound more clearly to us, and are enjoyed by us more comfortably. You have heard whence the reckoning of the Time beginneth: let us now see where it endeth. The word in the original signifieth, either a new Moon or a whole Month, and therefore a whole Month because a new Moon. For it is an usual thing in the Scripture to denominate the whole time, from a principal part thereof, Gen. 1. The evening and the morning were made the first day. Luke 11. jeiuno bis in Sabbato, saith the Pharisee in the Gospel: the sense is well expressed in our English, I fast twice in the week, the week is there denominated from the Sabbath, which was the seventh day thereof; and the whole year is in Hebrew called Shanah from the Tropic point, to which when the Sun is come, it turneth from us or to us: in like manner is the whole month denominated from the beginning thereof. Our language beareth some marks of this observation, for what is a Month but a month, that is, the time of the Moon's period or circle? The word then being doubtful, there are here other words added to expound it, which are, On the same day, that is, the very day of the new Moon. For as for their opinion, that think it was the third day, that so the number of days might answer the number of months, it is not so agreeing to the signification of the word, therefore the most judicious Chronologers justly reject it. But you must moreover observe, that because the Moon was made to rule the night, Psal. 104 19 and as the Psalmist speaketh, for certain seasons, and to distinguish times, therefore in the first ages of the world (and at this day in some Countries) the civil months were not solary but Lunary, that is every month began with the new Moon, and ended at the change; Numb 18. Psal. 80. Es●y 1. when therefore you read in the Scripture, that amongst the Feasts of the jews, one was the feast of the new Moon, enjoined by the Law, and practised by the jews, you must understand that, of the first day of every month. So then my text, in the third month, in the same day, is as much as the first day of their third month. Theirs I say, for we cannot parallel ours with theirs, ours being solary and theirs Lunary months. Every one of ours partaketh two of theirs, and every one of theirs partaketh two of ours. Therefore when Chronologers say this was the month of june, because the first month was April, they must be understood warily. Only, this is agreed upon by the jews and Christians, Greek and Latin Fathers, that this day was the seven and fortieth after the Israelites departed out of Egypt. Whereupon will follow another note, more for the capacity of of the people, That God did not defer long, the giving of his Law, for he suffered not much more than a month, and half to pass before he gave it. So great a Body would not have held out without confusion, except it had been speedily provided of a Law. Verse 18. jethro taught Moses, as appeareth in the Chapter which goeth before, that the government of so huge a multitude, was a burden too heavy for one to bear, wherefore following his advice Moses made many Officers. But God was not pleased to be so familiar with them as he was with Moses, whom he knew by name, and spoke with all face to face, that they should come immediately to him, for resolution of their doubts. Therefore a general Law was expedient, and it was timely given them. The King of Heaven in this branch of his providence being a good pattern to Kings on earth, teaching them that they must not leave their subjects cases, to the discretion of their under Officers, but command them to be ordered by an indifferent Law. Put both the Terms together, that wherein the reckoning beginneth, and that wherein it endeth, and there will arise another very profitable note. For how cometh this month to be called the third? The ancient year of the jews began at Autumn, when they gathered in their fruit, as it appeareth, Exodus 23. and from that this was the ninth month. It is true; but God in Exodus 12. taken order for another Epoch, he commanded from that time forward their year should begin at the Spring, This month shall be unto you the beginning of months; the beginning of the Sacred year, as some distinguish, calling the other Politic. Yet the sabatical, and jubilee began at the other; it may be because of the rest of the Land the Feasts began here. I will not dispute, whether this were a new or a renewed beginning; Whether it now were first instituted of God, or whether it had his beginning when the world was first framed. Let Chronologers perplex themselves with that doubt, who are still seeking, but cannot agree, at what time of the year the world began; the resolution thereof is not to our purpose if it might be had: But hardly can it be had, for the world being an exact Globe, there were in the first moment of creation all seasons of the year, though in several places; and the season from whence they will begin the world, must be understood but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, according to the place first inhabited (Paradise) whose situation is not yet resolved. This we must observe, That though the common reckoning of time be from the beginning of the world, yet have all nations specially Epoches of their own, occasioned by memorable events, which have befallen their States; which being not well either known or heeded, cause those great perplexities and errors in Chronologie. I will not trouble you with enumeration of them, they that are learned may find them in the Chronologies, the ignorant may find enough in the common Almanacs. That which I will observe unto you is, That our merciful God, hath so done his wonderful works, that they ought to be had in remembrance: and amongst other helps of memory God useth this of Chronologie. We should not think of these dates of times, but we should refresh our memory of that which was done at the beginning of that date. God was pleased that the Israelites should so be remembered of their deliverance out of Egypt. And the Church by whose ordinance the year of the Lord is so familiar in our tongues, and in our pens, would have us still think how much we are bound to God, for the Incarnation of our Saviour jesus Christ. Descend to smaller matters, but yet of good regard; when you find in your Almanac the general Earthquake, the year eighty eight, the Gunpowder treason, etc. Consider with yourselves, that neither God's judgements, nor his mercies ought to be forgotten by us. Yea, this Chronologie must put us in mind, that neither our being, nor our being that which we are, be it good or bad, was always the same. There was a time when it was otherwise with us, and the memory thereof must not be buried in oblivion, lest we prove unthankful, as certainly we will, if we make not so good use of the Chronologie. And let this suffice concerning the first circumstance, the circumstance of time, the Beginning and Ending thereof. Let us now come to the second Circumstance of Place. And here we must first see, Whence the Israelites came immediately, they departed from Rephidim, a place of pressure, and the last place where they conflicted with difficulties before they received the Law. Exod. 17. Numb. 33. There, was no no water, and there, Amaleke set upon them. But God relieved them supplying them with water, and giving them victory over their Enemies. God did not give them a Law, before he had given them good proof of his gracious power; he made them fe●●e the extraordinary relief of his hand, before he spoke unto them with his voice; thus dealt he in delivering of the old Testament. And thus dealt Christ in delivering of the New; he wrought miracles before he preached Sermons. And indeed this is a very likely way to prevail with men, to have their reason first subdued before their faith be informed. When reason is first brought to confess that which is done cannot be done but by a divine power, then will faith easily believe that what is spoken, john 3. is a divine word; Learn this of Nicodemus, Master we know that thou art a teacher come from God, for no man could do that which thou dost except God were with him. Act 14 v. 16. So were the men of Lystra, the jailor, and others brought to believe. Another note is, that there is great difference between Gods dealing with them, before they came to Rephidim, and when they came there. For before they came there, their deliverance from their enemies was wrought by God without any concurrency of theirs; Exod. 14. v. 13. Fear you not (saith Moses) stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord which he will show you to day. But afterward when Amalek came and fought with Israel, Exod. 17. v. 9 than Moses said unto joshua, Choose us out men and go out, fight with Amaleke, etc. I will pray. Though God was pleased to deliver them from their enemies, yet not without their own labour of body; yea and devotion of mind too, after he had once set them free. Therefore it was fit they should now have a Law to guide them in their actions, and in their devotions, and God giveth them one. And us whom preventing grace doth first make Christians, without any cooperation of ours, afterward will God have to be instruments to cooperate with him, and that in this cooperation we follow his direction, for he loveth not will-worship, and therefore that we may do what pleaseth him, in the service wherein he useth us, he giveth us for our Guide, his sacred Law. Thirdly, whereas God first gave them Victory, and Water at Rephidim, and when they were free from bodily danger, and provided of food, than God gave them the Law. We may here observe, Greg. Niss de vit mos p. 17●. that Homo supponitur in Christiano, and our animal life must be provided for, that we may intent our spiritual. Come we at length to the last Term of this second Circumstance, and that is the Place whether they came and where they settled. This place was the wilderness of Sinai, they pitched before that mount. First the place was a wilderness. Philo judaeus inquires the reason, De De●●log. why God would give his Law not in some City, but in a vast Desert: And though he resolve modestly, what is the true reason God only knoweth, yet doth he yield some likely reasons. One is this, because the worldly employments of Citizens, wherein their thoughts and desires are for the most part taken up, make all sins abound there, both against the first and second Table, and men so prepossessed are not capable of good laws. Retiredness from such employments, and solitariness which silence, those clamorous and disturbing thoughts and affections open men's ears and hearts better to listen to God. When we are weaned from the world we are fit to be. God's Disciples to learn what he teacheth; therefore God saith, Ose 2. v. 14. ducam vos in solitudinem, & loquar ad Cor. This made many in the Primitive Church, to forsake Cities and the frequencies of people, and in solitary places to to give themselves to spiritual contemplation. Which custom degenerated long since into superstition, whereof the Church of Rome hath too many spectacles, in there Anchorites and Ermites', myere hypocrites, which abuse the credulity of the simple with their seeming holiness. A second reason which he giveth, is, that as Navigators before they set to Sea, are provided of Tackling and other necessaries which they must use at Sea: so God was pleased to furnish the Israelites in their way with those Laws which they were to make use of, when they came into the Holy-land. You may if you please improve this reason mystically. Canaan was a type of Heaven, the wilderness a type of the world which we must pass through, the grace whereby we must live in the world to come, we must be furnished with in this present world. Glophy 〈◊〉. To leave Philo judaeus, take another from Cyrillus Alexandrinus. Desertum typus Ecclesiae militantis, a Desert is a type of the militant Church, certainly this Desert was, it did most lively represent to the Israelites, what they were by Nature, and what they became by Grace. This wilderness was of itself a disconsolate place, it had neither meat nor drink for reasonable creatures, yet did the Israelites abound both with meat and drink there; that wilderness was to them as commodious as a paradise, they had showers of bread from heaven, and streams of water from the rock. God that provided so for their bodies in so desolate a place, provided no worse for their Souls, whose condition was by nature as barren as the wilderness. They were to conceive that his Law was to be unto them a spiritual Manna, and a spiritual Drink that streamed from the rock Christ, they were to repute it the bread and water of life. Learn the Allegory out of Esay, The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them, Cap 35. v. 172. the Desert shall rejoice and blossom as the Rose, it shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing, the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmell and Sharon, Cap. 44. ver. 3. they shall see the glory of the Lord and the excellency of our God. And again more plainly; I will pour out water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground, I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring. I will add one reason more, Revel. 12. Heb. 11. the Church is oftentimes by Tyrants driven to flee into the wilderness, God's children are made to wander in Deserts, and in Dens and Caves of the earth; but God giving his Law in the wilderness, biddeth us be of good courage, for there is no place so desolate in worldly respects, but God will not only be there with his, but will there also open unto them the treasures of his wisdom, and receive their Devotions. Wherefore though I walk in the midst of the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; thou O Lord wilt be with me, thy rod and thy staff shall comfort me. Psal. 23. It was not only a wilderness wherein God gave his Law; but the wilderness of Sinai, there were more wildernesses than one, through which they passed: all the country from the Red-Sea to the Holy-land is wilderness: therefore in their Travels we read of the wilderness of Sur, of Sin, of Pharan, and here of Sinai, which was in Madian; for there Moses dwelled, and fed his Father in-lawes sheep when God first appeared unto him. Gal. 4. ver. 25. But more distinctly we learn of Saint Paul that Sinai is a Mountain in Arabia. And whereas there are three Arabia's, Felix, Deserta, and Petraea, this was the last of the three, and it was through that, their way lay into Canaan, that compasseth the South and Southeast part of the Holy-land. Sinai a Mountain in this Arabia did denominate the wilderness that lay about it. But whence was it denominated itself? Surely the word in the original signifieth a bramble bush. Some histories report, that there are such brambles there, that a Bird cannot light on them but he will lose all his feathers. I leave the truth of that to the reporter. Of this we are sure that there was a Bush there, wherein God appeared to Moses in a flame of fire: and from that bush it is most likely that this hill was named, as all the rest of their stations bear Hebrew names. For from whom should they learn how to call them, that had no body there besides themselves? But God was pleased that that hill, should keep a perpetual remembrance of his apparition in the bush, because the bush was such an excellent emblem of his Church. A double emblem, First noting, that though we by nature are as fruitless and hurtful as brambles, Heb. 12.19. and God is a consuming fire: Yet that consuming fire can be so gracious, as to abide in this unworthy plant of the wilderness, and not to consume it. Secondly, what himself will not consume abiding in it, that no fiery trial shall consume, be the wick I never so much enraged against it. I will not trouble you with the tradition that you shall read in some, that there are stones to be found about this Hill, which if you break, in memory of this bush, you shall find in them the print of a bush. Of this we are sure, Exed. 3 ver. 4. Antiq lib. 2. that in honour of this bush Moses calleth the Hill (though under another name Horeb, which was a part of Sinai) Montem Domini, in honour I say of this bush. Although josephus saith, that before God appeared there to Moses, vulgari rumore creditum numen ibi habitare, it was commonly reported that God frequented that place, and so was it in●●● ss●●●lis propter Religionem, men durst not ascend into the top of it, not only because it was an exceeding high mountain, so high that men could not see to the top of it, but also for the reverence that men did bear to some Divine power, that was thought to abide there. This conceit, though it may have some colour from the third of Exodus, because it is called the Hill of God, before the story is reported of Gods appearing in the bush; yet we must know that anticipations in giving names are usual in Scripture, especially where stories are written long after the events are past: and Moses seemeth to control that conceit of josephus, in the blessing which he giveth to the Tribe of joseph, Deut. 33. ver. 16 for the good will of him that dwelled in the bush, let the blessing come upon the head of joseph, dwelled, he saith, not dwelleth, teaching us that it was a transient not a permanent abode. Exod. 2 5. And God meaneth no more when he biddeth Moses put off his shoes, because the ground whereon he ●●ood was holy ground? Holy, when God was present, but when God departed, the holiness ceased, although the title continued even in the days of Elias; but that was in a mystery, that God, 1. Reg. 19 ●er 8 would in the very same place have the Prophet report the foul breach of his covenant, where his covenant was first made with Israel. This maketh little for any countenance of pilgrimage to the Holy-land, for God himself said that of an holy, he would make it a profane place, because the Israelites had polluted it with their sin. But I will not trouble you with that point. This I may not omit, that God gave his Law upon a Hill; As Hell was shadowed in the valley of Hinnom which was a very deep place: so heaven is usually figured by hills, places lifted up high above the earth. And such places were anciently designed for sacred uses, whether God revealed himself to men, or men performed their devotions to God. The places are obvious in the Old Testament and in the New, Zion, Gibeon in the old; the mount where Christ made his Sermon, where he was transfigured in the New Testament, etc. To speak a little to the day. Christ ascended this day in his Person, and we in good time shall ascend in ours. But there is an ascension which must go before that Ascension, an Ascension of our Conversation before the ascension of our Person. Colos 3. Phil. 3. We must seek those things that are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. We must have our conversation in heaven. Of this the Hill putteth us in mind, as we are excellently taught by the Psalms proper for this day, the 15. 24. and 68 read them at your leisure, and remember to learn out of them, that grovelling thoughts beseem not the children of God. I come at length to the last point, the Israelites encamped before this mountain, Numb. 9 the cloud which was their guide rested on it, and where that rested they were to encamp, and not to move except that moved before them. This was their twelfth and their longest station, the cloud moved not hence almost in the space of a year, the Tabernacle was built here, and so much of the Law, as is recorded until the tenth of Numb. was delivered before they departed hence. But that which I chiefly note is that the place where they encamped was not only sacred as you have heard, but also fore-appointed of God. For when God appeared to Moses in the bush, Exod 3. he said unto him, This shall be a token that I have sent thee, when thou hast brought the people out of Egypt, Li. 2. c. 12. you shall serve God upon this Mount. Which Flavius josephus expresseth very well, In hoc loco sacrificium gratiarum actionis ob felicem successum offeretis, where I first acquainted thee with the glad tidings which thou shouldest carry to my people, there shalt thou and my people offer me the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, when I have made good my word. We have a laudable custom this week to perambulate our parishes, and in the fields to sing certain Psalms, or read certain portions of Scripture; this some dislike as superstitious, it is because themselves are not so religious as they should be. You see God's precept, and the practice thereof you have in the twenty fourth Chapter; you have likewise jacobs' vow, and his performance of that vow by Gods own appointment. Gone 28.35. Though we must serve God in the Church, and at home, that hindereth not, but we must serve God also in any other place, where he hath done us good, or doth, as in our Cattle, Corn, or whatsoever else belongeth unto us. The jews have a conceit, and others out of them, that the Israelites pitched upon the East-side of the Hill, that they might worship towards the West. But that agreeth not with the story, because they came out of the South; and it hath a false ground, that what was commanded them when they were within the Tabernacle and the Temple (whereof neither was at this time built) should be observed wheresoever they were; which could not be observed after they were built, for they were ever to pray towards them, and that could not always be East. But the truth is, as it appeareth verse 9 they pitched about the hill, as they might best see the representation of him, and he might best be heard of them that was their chief general. There is a mystery in it worth the marking, with which I will end. It showeth that the Church is always in God's eye, and God must always be in the Church's eye. And this is on his part a most gracious, on our part a most blessed aspect. LEt us beseech God, that we may be ever as the apple of his eye, and he may ever be the delight of our eyes in his Church Militant, that so he may lift up the light of his countenance upon us, and we may behold him as he is, and that for ever in the Church Triumphant. AMEN. The second Sermon. EXODUS. 19 VERS. 3, 4. And Moses went up unto God, and the Lord called him out of the mountain, saying, thus shalt thou say to the house of jacob, and tell the children of Israel: Ye have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagle's wings, and brought you to myself. WHen I began to unfold this Chapter unto you, I told you that the contents thereof were the Circumstances and the Solemnity that did forerun the promulgation of the Law. The Circumstances were two, the Time, the Place, I have spoken of both. I now come on to the Solemnity. In opening whereof we shall see. First, that there is a common minister used therein, Then, that there are two principal branches thereof. The Minister is Moses, he was common to the parties that did con●ract. The Parties were, First, The Lord God, Secondly, the house of jacob, and the children of Israel, between these Moses went: He went up from the people unto God, and God returned him with a message to the people. God called him out of the mountain saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of jacob. The branches of the Solemnity are two. The first is a mutual Stipulation which passed before the parties met; The other is a Preparation of the parties against their meeting, answerable to either of their persons. Though the stipulation were mutual, yet God beginneth, and he maketh the first motion, than the Israelites answer and entertain his offer. In the motion which God maketh we must consider; First, whereof he remembreth them. Secondly, upon what terms he will contract with them. He remembreth them of two of his undeniable works. One done for them, The other done to them. That which was done for them, was a work of justice, it was Vindicta, the revenge of their wrong upon that which he did to the Egyptians. The work which he did to them was a work of mercy, it was Vindicatio, their deliverance. But touching this work we are taught more distinctly wherein it stood, and whereat it aimeth, or rather the Manner, and the End of it; the Manner, God carried them on eagle's wings; the End, God brought them to himself. These were the works, and they were undeniable, vos vidistis. You saw those things with your eyes, and you can desire no better proof. Only thus fare purpose I (God willing) to go at this time, and therefore I will not encumber your memories with breaking up the Chapter at this time any farther. That then we may orderly pursue our present purpose, you may remember that the first particular I pointed out was the common minister. And He was Moses a remarkable person. Flavius josephus, and Philo judaus amongst the jews, Eusebius Caesariensis, and Gregory Nyssen amongst the Christians, to omit others, have set out the life of this Worthy at large, though some of them have inserted Apocryphal relations. Not to trouble you with whatsoever might be gathered out of them, I will only out of the Scripture give you some short notice of the man. In Exodus the second, he is set out as a spectacle of God's extraordinary providence, by the barbarous Commandment of a cruel King, he was exposed to the mercy of the river Nilus, but he was preserved by that King's daughter, and bred as if he had been her son. There was a mystery in it, God typed out in his person, the condition of his people, whose deliverer he was then designed to be. He was unexpectedly to set them free when in their own eyes their case was most desperate. Neither was his person only typical, his qualities also were heroical, Acts 7.22. first, his Intellectual, skilful in all the learning of the Egyptians; to say nothing of his forty year's contemplation in Midian, of which Philo judaeus; there are four moral virtues, which they call Cardinal, he had them all in a high degree. Prudence, God gave him the spirit of Policy, Numb 11. as it appears by the story of the seventy Elders, to whom God gave part of his Spirit, when they were made his assistants in the government. justice, the apology which he maketh upon the rebellion of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, witnesseth that, I have not taken one Ass from them, Numb 10. neither have I hurt one of them, the Holy Ghost giveth him this testimony, Heb 3.2. that he was faithful in all God's house. Temperance, how little was he transported with the love of profit, Heb. 11. or pleasure, that thought the rebuke of Christ, greater riches, than the treasures of Egypt, and chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, then to enjoy the pleasure of sin for a season. Fortitude, no man can doubt of that, who considereth that being a single man, in show a mean man, he should adventure to go to so mighty a King in so unpleasing an errand; not fearing the King's wrath, when he had exasperated him, nor desisting from urging what he had in charge, though he were threatened by him; certainly God that sent him on that message endued him with an extraordinary courage. Besides these Moral he was renowned for his Theological virtues, his Faith and his Hope, Saint Paul hath chronicled, Heb. 11. and ranged him with the most famous Worthies. And in Charity he did exceed them all, he is not only commended for the meekest man that lived, Numb. 12 3. but so indulgent were his bowels towards his ungracious charge, that he desired rather to be blotted out of God's Book of Life, Exod 32 v. 3●. than they should be punished as they deserved. Finally, no Nationall Governor of the Israelites besides Moses did ever communicate as a type in the threefold honour of Christ. Moses was a Prophet, Deut. 34. and there never lived such a Prophet as Moses was, for his Books contain the foundation of all prophecy, therefore do the Fathers call him, Oceanum Theologiae, the great Sea of Divinity. He was a Priest, yea, Sacerdos Sacerdotum, Nazian. he did not only act the function, but also consecrated Aaron and his sons thereunto. Finally, he was a King, a mighty King, not only ruling the twelve Tribes, but also conquering their enemies, the Amalekites, the Midianites, the Ammonites, the Bashanites, but above all the Egyptians, and also he sacred his successor josuah, giving him part of his glory. I have insisted the longer in this delineation of Moses perfections, to the end that you might perceive, that though God Almighty can compass his will, by the weakest of means: yet he useth to endow men proportionably to that wherein he meaneth to employ them, he doth perform weighty works by worthy men; such a one was Abraham the Father of faithful men, David the Father of faithful Kings, and our Moses called to be the Law giver of Israel. This Person, so eminent a person went between the parties to the Covenant. The Parties are two, each called by two names, The first is called the Lord God, Lord that is the name of his nature jehovah, he is of none, and all things are of him. God, that is, the name of the persons, subsisting in the nature, or in whom the nature doth subsist, Elohim signifieth all three; so that we have here Trinity in Unity, and Unity in Trinity, even the true God, and such a one is he that is the first party to the Covenant. Neither is it enough to conceive of God in gross, we must so as it were resolve him. We must behold God the Father, that becometh our Father, God the Son that maketh us sons, and God the Holy Ghost that vouchsafeth us to be his Temple: all three persons act their part in the Covenant. Notwithstanding all three concur, yet must we take special notice of the second Person Verbum Dei, as the Chalde Paraphrase calleth him here, Esay 63 v 9 Mal 31. Acts 7. and throughout this Chapter, The Angel of God's presence, the Angel of the Covenant, that is Christ, he was the Angel that conversed with Israel in the Wilderness. And indeed it was he, that in this Covenant became the Bridegroom of the Church, for the day of the Covenant was a wedding day, as anon I shall show you more at large. The true knowledge of this first party, maketh much to the Dignity, the Commodity, the Constancy of the Covenant. Dignity, for with whom can we contract more honourably then with our Lord God? The higher he is above us, the more honour in the contract is done unto us. And this Party maketh the Contract as Profitable, as it is honourable, 〈◊〉 2. Ez●k 16. not only because he can do us good that is the Lord God, but also because he will do it, because his contract maketh up a marriage knot. Finally, a Covenant made with such a party, is a Covenant of salt, james 1.17. an uncorruptible Covenant, there is no variableness nor shadow of change with him, and therefore in regard of him we need not fear any divorce. The second Party is also set forth by two names, the house of jacob, the children of Israel; which yield us a Civil and a Mystical Observation. The Civil is in the first name, therefore are they called the house of jacob, because they were his offspring. Read Genesis the tenth, and you shall find that all Nations in the beginning of the World, did this honour to their first Ancestors, they were called by their name; after this pattern were the Edomites, Moabites, Ammonites, Ismaelites distinguished by the stock from whence every one sprang. Conquests and Colonies have long since altered this fashion, neither can we now tell the true original of any Nation under the Sun, except that of the vagrant jews, who by God's special providence remain yet unconfounded with other Nations. The mystical observation is in the second name, the same people are also called children of Israel. Israel was a second name given to jacob, signifying that he had prevailed with God, and his Enemies should not prevail against him. Now because that blessing was to be not only Personal but Nationall, his posterity communicated in his second name, and jacob confirmed it unto them in the benediction which he gave to the twelve patriarchs. In these two names than we are taught, that as this people were to be a seed, not only according to the flesh, but also according to the promise, so were they to enter into the Covenant, as persons clothed with this double relation to their Ancestors. We have a double birth, one from ours mother's womb, the other from the Church's womb; the latter we claim in right of our parents from whom we have the former, and we should remember that God expects we should be as well heirs of their Faith, as of their Lands; and not look otherwise to have any interest in his Covenant, except we be as well children of Israel, as of the house of jacob. Well, by this time you reasonably understand who the parties are that enter into the Covenant. Now I must show you that Moses whom before I described was their common Minister. It is plain in the text, that he went up from the people unto God, that is, to the mountain of God, as the seventy supply; add, to the representation of God that was upon the mountain, for that is meant by the name of God. And God sent him down with a message to the people; that is plain in the text, God called him out of the mountain, saying, thus shalt thou say to the house of jacob, etc. It may be a question whether Moses went up before God called, as some think he did; to relate the success of his embassage to Pharaoh; and to receive instructions what manner of worship God would have done unto him in that place, in performance of the sign which he gave to Moses of good success: or to be farther directed what the people should now do. These may be thought reasonable inducements to Moses to go up uncalled. Others think that God called before Moses went up. The reason is, because he had before been checked for coming too near, when God first appeared there unto him; it is likely therefore, say they, he would be more modest, and not ascend before he was called, therefore they render the text for God had called him. But whatsoever is to be thought of this question, the whole Chapter putteth it out of question that he went between them both, that he was God's mouth to the people; and the people's mouth to God, and so was as the Apostle calleth him a Mediator, Gal. 3. But lest we mistake we must observe that there is a principal and a Ministerial Mediator. S. Ambrose openeth the difference between them, Tom. 2. p. 3●●. the brief of it is, Moses was but a figure whereof Christ was the Truth; or to speak in the Apostles words, Christ was the son, and Moses was but the servant, to signify that there is such distance betwixt God and man, that they cannot come together without some intervenient person. God appointed properly his son to be the Mediator, but in a type of him he appointed Moses. And there is a perpetual succession of such mediating persons, in the Clergy, which do administer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, they inform us of God's mind, and present the Church's duty unto God, and though in a much lower degree than Moses, yet we must repute them Mediators, Ministerial Mediators, otherwise the word cannot be usurped without arrogancy by any mere creature. I have done with the common Minister, and come now to the first branch of the solemnity, which is the mutual stipulation; mutual I say, this is worth the marking. That God would be pleased to Contract, that may Command, this is a great grace done to man; for so though we own all our duty to him, yet for our performance of it, he becometh now a debtor unto us. Not only so, but also our good deeds have a double valuation, one of justice, another of Mercy. God's justice when it scanneth them, findeth them very mean, Mercy setteth a higher rate upon them, it esteemeth them not only as a duty, but as a means which by God's ordinance may acquire a reward. So is God pleased to grace our duty, for it hath not this estimate ex dignitate operis, for any intrinsecall worth, but ex dignatione gratiae, out of God's gracious acceptance. The Fathers meant no more by the merit of works, and we should not differ from the Church of Rome, about the word merit, if they did not rack it farther. It is too much pride to challenge the reward of our works at God's justice, which are happy if we may expect it from his Mercy: the rather because the little which God requireth and would accept, the best of us do not perform as we should, we need a second, that we may have the benefit of his former grace. Though the Stipulation be mutual, yet God maketh the first motion: and indeed who should begin in such a work? who can think himself worthy of such a Contract, if it were not offered of God? especially being in the state of sin. Nay, when it is offered, we have good reason to think ourselves most unworthy of it. 8. Sam 25. Abigail when David's servants told her that he would take her to wife, bowed herself on her face to the earth and said, Behold, let thy handmaid be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my Lord. And how then should we abase ourselves, when an offer is made us of marriage to the son of God? Such hopes could never enter into our hearts, therefore God must needs prevent us therein, we cannot presume that we shall come so near him, except he vouchsafe thus to favour us. But let us come to the Motion, and see whereof he doth remember them. From the first time that Moses brought them the message, that they should be delivered out of Egypt, they had showed themselves untoward people, murmuring upon the least occasion, and repenting that they had harkened to God's voice, and come out of Egypt. God doth not challenge them for this, though well he might, and the best of us would have done; we would not have endured so great unthankfulness, but God was more patiented. Before the contract he did not so much as reprove them, much less strike them for their murmuring. And how often doth God pass in silence our sins, and win us to our own good with second favours, when he might justly punish us with neglect of the former? In steed thereof he recounts those things, wherein he had already well deserved of them, that the remembrance thereof might make them more willing to enter the covenant by virtue whereof God was pleased to deserve of them much better. The works of God whereof they are put in mind are two. The first is that which he had done for them, and it was a work of justice, he had revenged the wrongs which they had received from the Egyptians. The Egyptians were of the posterity of Cham, infamous for Idolatry,— Quis nescit qualia demens Aegyptus portenta colat? so that there was cause enough why God should destroy the Egyptians, though they had nothing to do with the Israelites, but God took an occasion from the wrongs done to his people, to pour forth his displeasure upon them. Wisd. 19 The wrong was double. First they brought friends into bondage, that had well deserved of them. The story is plain in Genesis how joseph saved them from perishing by famine, and therefore how willingly they received him and his into the Communion of their Laws, therefore it was against all Law to make them bondmen. God therefore which is judge of all the world sent Moses, and by him commanded Pharaoh to deliver them, and to suffer them being his first borne, to go three days journey into the wilderness and sacrifice unto him. But so fare was Pharaoh from obeying God, that hardening his heart, he vexed the Israelites more: What then did God? In revenge of his people, he broke Pharaohs hard heart, he made the proud King give him the glory both of his justice & of his power, while he destroyed that ancient, that goodly Kingdom, and slew the persons, the principal persons of it, the offspring of those whom joseph had saved, together with their country. Moreover he forced them to make an amends to the Israelites for their servitude, not only in willingly letting them go, but in furnishing them also for their journey with the richest of their garments, and most precious of their jewels. This did God to the Egyptians. And indeed it was God that did it. For though there were some ceremonial means used, yet there were none used that were effectual; Moses and the people did but look on, God's immediate power produced those wonderful effects. The same God that took this vengeance for them, is the same still, and he will never suffer his Church to be unrevenged; though he suffer her to be cruelly persecuted, when he seethe time he will do to her enemies, as he did to the enemies of Israel. Saint Paul, Saint Peter, and Saint jude teach it briefly. 2. Thes 1. 2 Ep. 2. Saint john in the Revelation delivereth the Doctrine more a large by way of prophecy, and the Ecclesiastical Story showeth, that that prophecy is accomplished for a good part of it. The second work showeth what God did to the Israelites, and that is a work of Mercy. Moses here teacheth the Manner, and the End of it. The Manner. God bore them on eagle's wings; we account it a great honour that God doth unto men, when he giveth his Angel's charge over them, to carry them in all their ways, that they dash not their foot against a stone. And indeed it is a great honour that these glorious spirits which attend God's throne, should become ministering spirits and attend sinful men. How great an honour is it then that God doth us, Heb. 1.14. when he himself vouchsafeth to be the supporter of Israel? Carrieth them as a man carrieth his little babe. God putteth them in mind of it by Esay, Chap. 46. vers. 3.4. Harken unto me O house of jacob, Deut. 1. and all the remnant of Israel, which are borne by me from the belly, which are carried from the womb, and even to your old age I am he, and even to the hoary hairs will I carry you, I have made, and I will bear, even I will carry and I will deliver you. And Christ like the good shepherd in the Gospel, bears his sheep, and so likewise in the Prophets. And indeed the passage out of Egypt was a Divine transportation: for of so many hundred thousand, that past so great a journey through so desolate places, there was not one sick, not one tired; and how could they have all been so well at ease, except God had carried them? They might well take to themselves those words of Esay. 〈…〉. 31. They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as Eagles, they shall run, and not be weary, they shall walk, and not be faint. When at any time we have strength to do that which neither in our own judgement, nor in the judgement of others we are able to do, we must give the glory of it to God, as David doth in the 18. Psalm, we must acknowledge that God did carry us through. God doth not only say that he did carry them, but he carried them upon eagle's wings, quasi super alas aquilarum, saith the Chalde Paraphrase, as it were upon eagle's wings. There is a Simile in the phrase, which breeds two inquiries, first who is understood in the Eagles, secondly what the Wings mean. Some understand Moses and Aaron the two guides, that led the people of Israel out of Egypt, and will have them compared to Eagles, Propter acumen intelligentiae, & altitudinem vitae, by reason of their piercing judgement, Hom 46. in Matth. and their holy life. Saint Chrysostome nearer to our purpose saith, that they were Mollissimae pennae misericordiae divinae, as it were the down feathers of God's mercy, because they handled the people committed to their charge tenderly, and entreated them gently, in imitation of Eagles, of whom some report (how truly let the naturalists inquire) that whereas other birds carry their young ones in their talents or claws, which cannot be done without some griping, they lay them upon their wings, and so transport them without any grievance: which is a good emblem for Magistrates, and teacheth them paternal affection towards their people. Saint Ambrose resembleth Christ to an Eagle, Lib. de Solomone and that in three points. First because as the Eagle fluttereth over her young ones, and safegards them from any that would annoy them, so doth Christ carefully protect his Church. Secondly as the Eagle stirreth up her nest, and taketh up her young ones, enforcing them to look towards the Sun, thereby trying her generous or degenerating brood: even so doth Christ make trial of true and counterfeit Christians, he rejects them as counterfeits that have but Owls sight, and which hate the light; but those which can look upon the Sun of righteousness, and delight in beholding him, they go for true Christians. And why? They can see their prey a fare off, and where the carcase is, there will the Eagles be. Sursum Corda, though Christ be in heaven their thoughts ascend thither. Thirdly, the Eagle hateth the Serpent, and wheresoever he seethe him, renteth him with his beak, and Christ the seed of the woman did break the Serpent's head, there is perpetual enmity between them and their seed. There is good correspondency in these points between Christ and the Eagle; but they cannot be so fitly applied in this place, because the word in my Text is plural Aquilarum, of Eagles except we shall say that Christ had in him the perfection of many Eagles, or was attended with many Angels, which are sometimes compared to Eagles, Ezek 1. Reu 4. and the Cherubins in the Temple and Tabernacle had large and broad wings. But let us come to the wings. By them are meant two things, the first is the height, the second is the swiftness of the flight. The Eagle flieth very high, Prou. 23. Ier 49. whereupon many Proverbs are grounded in Scripture. And this high flight intimateth that the Israelites were carried above the reach of their enemies, so that they could neither hinder nor hurt them. Not that they were lifted up in the air, but they were as safe as if they had been: because (saith the Psalmist) thou hast made the Lord the most high thy habitation, Psal 91 ● there shall no evil befall thee. Certainly, the Cloud interposed between the Israelites and Egyptians would not suffer them to take any harm. And indeed the children of God are very secure except it be for their good, their enemies shall never have their will of them, no more than the Egyptians had of the Israelites. As the Eagle flieth high, so doth he fly swift also; the Scripture groundeth many similes hereupon, job 9.1. Sam. 1. and giveth us to understand, that from the time that the Egyptians let the Israelites go, which was ●o soon as Moses had performed all the miracles intended of God for plaguing the Egyptians, the Israelites had a very quick passage. And indeed, it is a wonder, that six hundred thousand men besides women and children, and a rabble of strangers, should in one night be ready and get out of their enemy's land, and that with all their impediments of stuff and cattle, and flocks. Neither was it a less wonder that in one night, they should all pass through the Red Sea, and standing on the shore, the next morning see that all their enemies were destroyed. Certainly, they that made such speed were carried upon eagle's wings; it was a divine power that conveyed them. And how quickly doth God change the face of the world, when he is pleased to work a great deliverance? The Church of Christians is not herein inseriour to the Church of the Israelites. For as the Israelites had a Dragon, so Pharaoh is called, Ezek. 29. from whom they fled; even so have the Christians, Revel. 12. And Eagles wings are there given to the woman, the type of the Christian Church, to sly into the wilderness: as the Israelites upon eagle's wings were carried into their wilderness. So like is God always to himself, and the Church always provided for a like. I may not forget the order of these words, that work which was first done, is first commemorated, and that which was last done, is commemorated in the last place. And why? though God for sin doth otherwise punish the wicked, yet in this world he doth it commonly, that he may free his Church. But I touched at this before, therefore I will pass it over, and come to the end of both works. God brought them to himself. And this is a greater blessing than that he carried them on eagle's wings, that shown a deliverance from evil, this a bestowing of good. The Eagle doth sometimes carry her young ones only from a dangerous unto a safer nest, sometimes she rouseth them out of their sloth, and directs them where they may find their prey. Even so dealeth God with his children, he freeth them from danger, Luke 1. and bringeth them to comfort, He bringeth them to himself, to his service (saith the one Chaldie Paraphrase) to the doctrine of his Law (saith another) and indeed we are delivered from our enemies that we may serve God, and live according to his Laws. If there were no more in it, it is a great comfort so to be employed. But there is more in it, I told you that the end was a Covenant of wedlock, so that to myself, is as much as to be appropriated unto me, and to be my Spouse, to be the Mother of my children, and bear inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven. Any way to come near God is a great honour, but to come so near, and become so dear, is more grace than man's heart can conceive, or his tongue utter. But the two next Sermons will be spent for the most part in amplifying this, therefore I will speak no more of it at this time. You have heard of both the works. One point remaineth which I will touch in a word. Both these works are undeniable, the proof is Vos vidistis, I appeal to your eyes, whether I speak not a truth, and your fresh experience doth justify my words. Rational proofs satisfy much but not so much as sensitive, therefore the intuitive knowledge that Angels have, is fare more excellent than our discursive: and what is our hope, but that our faith shall be turned into sight? Neither doth sight work so upon our head only, but upon our heart also, Segnius irritant animos dimissa per aures Quam quae sunt oculis commissa fidelibus. had God done these things and they had only heard of them, they would have been moved with them much less: the more undoubted their knowledge, the more strong should their affections be. Finally observe, that Vos vidistis you have seen, is referred not only to the work of Mercy, but also to that of justice, wherein God doth condescend to an affection that is predominant in us. It doth add not a little to the content we take in our better estate, if we see withal our enemies brought into our worse. Psal. 58. When the righteous seethe the vengeance, he will rejoice, and wash his feet in the blood of the wicked. Mal. 1. Your eyes, (saith God to the jews) shall see the desolation of Edom, and you shall say the Lord will be magnified from the border of Israel. Luke 16. Lazarus in Abraham's bosom to his greater comfort seethe Dives burning in Hell. Esay 66. And after the last judgement, the Saints shall go forth, and see the carcases of them that have transgressed against God. This doth not commend 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, but allows congratulating of God's judgements. To conclude. These two works, serve to work two affections, which sway much in the ordering of our life, Fear, and Love.. In the work of justice, you see that God is almighty, there is no striving with him, he that will not relent with repentance, shall be grinded with his vengeance. In the work of Mercy, you see that God is bountiful. Let us not be unthankful, but let us repay Love with Love.. In a word, seeing every day God doth present such spectacles before our eyes, God grant we be not like the Israelites of whom Moses complaineth that they were as if they had no eyes, RAther he give us grace to make such use of our eyes in beholding his works, that his Fear and his Love, may ever live in our hearts. So may he ever manifest his justice for us, his Goodness to us, until having delivered us from all our enemies here on earth, he bring us to himself, to live with him blessed for ever in Heaven. AMEN. The third Sermon. EXODUS 19 VERS. 5, 6. Now therefore if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my Covenant; then shall ye be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people; for all the earth is mine. And ye shall be unto me a Kingdom of Priests, and an holy Nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. IN the motion which God by Moses maketh unto the Israelites; I told you that there are two points considerable; the first is whereof God doth remember them, the second upon what terms God will contract with them. I have handled the former, I come now to the later, wherein you shall see first what God requires, than what he offers; both points are to be handled, first severally, and then jointly. That which God requires is Obedience and Fidelity, Obedience; They must hear God's voice; Fidelity; they must keep God's Covenant; that which God doth promise is a plentiful reward, which is set forth first Comparaetively, then Absolutely; Comparatively, it is a gracious prerogative, for they shall be a peculiar treasure to God above all People; and this prerogative is gracious, because all the world is Gods Absolutely, it is set forth in regard of Eminency, and Sanctity; Eminency, for they shall be unto God a King doom of Priests; Sanctity for they shall be unto him an holy Nation. Having considered these points severally, we must consider them jointly also; we must see how that which God doth offer depends upon that which God doth require; God's blessings are promised upon condition of our duties, Now therefore if ye will obey, etc. Then shall ye be, etc. This is the substance of the whole passage, whereof I mean to handle at this time only the first branch, whereunto that we may all learn to conform, let us in the fear of God listen to the particulars thereof, as they shall now be unsolded briefly, and in their order. First, then of the Obedience; Israel must hear God's voice. I need not in many words observe unto you that God being a Spirit, hath properly no corporal voice, such as we have, but yet by his almighty power, he can at his pleasure create voices, and by them reveal his word unto men▪ or else if he d●e not create a new voice, he can by his inspired servants deliver his mind. But to make this point a little plainer. God's voice is either direct, or reflected; Direct is that which he doth immediately utter unto men, such was that voice, wherein God delivered the Decalogue in Mount Sinai, a terrible voice and wonderful; wonderful in that it was heard of so many hundred thousand at one instant; terrible, for it did so affright them that they desired to hear it no more. Moses in deuteronomy doth not only describe, but remember also the Israelites of this voice, and it is this voice that is principally understood in this place. Besides this direct there is a reflected voice of God, wherein God maketh himself known to some particular persons, with whom he talketh face to face, as he did to Moses, and by them maketh his will known to the whole Church; this reflected voice was used by God, because the people could not endure to hear the direct; they did deprecate the hearing of that, and God condescended to their desire, and from that time forward spoke unto them, first, by Moses, and then by other men. But this reflected voice hath a reflection also; as there may be an echo of an echo; and so the Priests that received the Law from Moses and the Prophets, and read it to the people, and the Pastors that receive the Gospel from Christ and his Apostles, and preach it to the world are God's voices; of them all Christ's saying is true, He that heareth you, heareth me, and he that heareth me, heareth him that seut me. The voice then must not be restrained to the direct, it must be extended to the reflected also, to the primary, and to the secondary, so long as all three agree in one, and the later doth represent the former; and so by consequent all the Scripture is God's voice, and they are Gods voices unto us that are sincere Preachers of the Scripture, which now is the summary of God's Word; for other voice of God we must now acknowledge none, but leave the Romanists, and Enthusiastes to be deluded with their counterfeit Echoes, and imaginary Voices. Having showed you what is meant by the voice, I must now show you what it is to hear; Of hearing then there are two sorts, a physical and a moral; a man is defined to be animal rationale, a living creature endued with reason; now if he hear only as a living creature, that hearing is common to him with beasts, which having sense are apt to apprehend sounds and be moved with them; but a man in hearing must do more, he must hear not only as animal, but also as rationale, his sense must be but as a gate to convey the Voice unto his reason; and then must the Voice work upon his reasonable powers, his understanding and his will; it must inform his understanding, and he must assent to it, and it must persuade his Will and Affections, and he must also submit to it, otherwise he doth not hear as a reasonable creature, though as a living creature he doth hear; well may his action be Physical, moral it cannot be. But even Moral hearing is of two sorts, Philosophical or Theological; philosophical I call that which goeth no farther than natural reason can carry us; and so if we hear the Voice of God, the contents thereof will be no better than folly to our blind understanding which scanneth them; 1. Cor. ● Rom. 1. or we shall prove ourselves fools when we draw our conclusions out of them; And as for our Will and Affections, they will be enmity to them, and that our sinfulness may appear more sinful, by them, we will be more exasperated, to set ourselves against God. Rom. 7 Man's reason is unreasonable in hearing God's voice, which otherwise in hearing man's voice showeth itself very reasonable; witness the many examples of Philosophers Eagle-eyed in humane literature, but Owle-eyed when they read the Scripture, such were Porphyry, Galen, and others. There is then an other Moral hearing, which is Theological. When God saith Ephata to a man's ears, as Christ did to the deaf man in the Gospel; when God doth circumcise men's ears, as the Law speaketh; when God doth open men's ears to hear as the Learned; when our hearing is tempered with Faith, and we rest undoubtedly resolved of God's truth in regard of our understanding, and in regard of our Will, the word of God is sweeter unto us then Honey and the Honey comb, more to be desired then Gold, yea then much fine Gold: Psal 19.10. then we hear Theologically, we do audiendo audire, hear indeed; or as it is rendered, we do obey God's voice, we are such hearers as are doers of God's word. Psal. 10 6. And this was excellently figured in the boaring of the servant's ear, who in the sabatical year would not take his liberty, out of the Love he bore to his Master, and his Wife and Children: Christ in his own person maketh the allusion, and we may accommodate it to our own persons. In a word, a man doth hear Theologically, when the Law which is perfect converteth his Soul, the testimony of the Lord that is sure, Psal 19 maketh him wise of simple, the statutes of the Lord that are right rejoice his heart, and the commandment of the Lord that is pure doth illighten his eyes; so that this hearing-eare is of God, Deut 29. as also the Voice is; and therefore Moses tells the Israelites that God hath not given them ears to hear, and Christ in the Gospel saith, qui habet aures ad audiendum audiat, for vobis datum est, it is not to every body given to hear; but of them to whom it is given, Christ hath pronounced, Bless are the ears that hear that which you hear. Having heard what the Voice is, and what it is to Hear, we must now join them together; and indeed speaking is for hearing in civil society, neither would God ever have given men tongues, if he had not given them ears. And if for this life he so provideth, how much more doth he provide so for the life to come? Surely S. Paul saith, that he received grace and apostleship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Rom 1 5. 1. Thes 2 13. that men might hear him, with faith; and he calleth the word of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a word of hearing, that is a word which must be heard; Esay goeth a step farther, and calleth the word of God, Cap 53 1. Rom 10 16. Schemugnah, Saint Paul rendereth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hearing; who hath believed our hearing? So it is in the original; the meaning is, who hath believed the word that we Preach, to the end that men might hear it? The word of God is still to sound in men's ears, and men are still to hear the sound thereof. How injurious then is the Roman discipline, Luke 11. Matth. 23. which like the jewish Lawyers takes away from people the Key of knowledge and shut up the kingdom of heaven against men? Which heretofore made it a mortal sin to read God's word? And now clogs the liberty it grants, with such cautions that very few (especially of those that are with in the reach of the Inquisition) dare be acquainted with it; yea and those clogs content not, but now it is thought fit utterly to deny liberty. As such teachers are injurious: so are there some scholars impious, that may but will not hear, whether out of contempt or neglect; they are impious murderers of their own Souls; for this Voice only is the Voice of life, and it quickeneth by the ear; although we must not so limit the conveyance thereof by the corporal ear, that we exclude the eye; for our eye also since God's word is written by reading, may convey God's Voice unto the ear of our Soul; and men by this second means are not a little edified in God's truth; the Fathers (especially Chrysostome) doth commend reading earnestly to the people; yea the Law hath commanded it long since, when it willed the jews, to write the Law upon their door posts; certainly the jews even at this day inure their children to a daily reading of the Law; so soon as they come to years of discretion; and it were to be wished that Christians did imitate them therein. But mark that as the Israelites must hear God's Voice, so they must hear it absolutely, for God doth not yet acquaint them with the contents of his Voice, he speaketh indifinitely, he requires obedience not to this or that Commandment, not to this or that Article of faith, but to whatsoever he shall purpose. And well may God require such obedience; for he is first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Truth of himself, yea Truth itself, so that a man need not fear that at any time, or in any thing God can be deceived, or will deceive us; neither can agree with the Omniscience, and Holiness of his nature. Secondly, God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Almighty, and the sovereign commander of man; so that his word is not only Truth, but a Law; where the word of this King goeth, there goeth power; it admitteth no disputing, no resisting; As he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Truth, so we may safely captivated our wits unto his wisdom; as he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, so we must dutifully submit our wills unto his commands; upon these two foundations are built our absolute obedience unto God's indefinite Voice. The word my voice is a word of limitation, joh. 10. Christ's sheep hear his voice, the voice of a stranger they will not hear; God's voice must be reputed obiectum adaequatum of his people hearing; we must neither stretch nor shrink it, neither add thereto, nor take therefrom. These two Attributes of Truth and Power, are so proper unto God, that they are not communicable to any creature; Omnis homo mendax, Psal. 116. every man may deceive or be deceived; and Omne sub regno graniore regnum est, the greatest Sovereigns unto men, are subject unto God; therefore men's words must be tried, before they must be believed; we must not credit all their words, and we must yield obedience unto men, no farther then may stand with our obedience to God. This must be observed, because the glory that is due only to God, is too often communicated to men: so Disciples take their master's instructions as Divine oracles, and follow them in error, out of a preconceipt that they are not men likely to err. But Saint Paul's rule is, Omnia probate, 1. Thes. 5 1. job. 4. quod bonum est tenete, prove all things, but hold that which is best, and Saint john, try the spirits whether they be of God or no; for many false Prophets are gone out into the world; Amicus Plato magis amica veritas, we must never dote so upon any man, as to forget that he is a man, that is a creature subject unto error. If this caution had been observed, and the Disciples had in all ages examined their master's Doctrine, by his word that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: neither should the Church heretofore have been, neither would it now be pestered with those many Sects that dictract the same. As Disciples have their caution, so have Subjects also; they must dutifully obey their superiors, but always with a saving: saving the Allegiance which they own unto the Superior of Superiors, that is unto God; so long as there is no contradiction between the commandments of God and superior men, subjects must obey, though the obedience be unsavoury, and the command rigid; but so soon as there appears a contradiction, endure they must patiently the Sanction of the Law, but perform the Precept, they must not. Were this caution observed by Subjects, did they consider the subordination of all earthly Powers to the power of God: many enormous sins had never been committed, neither would the people so familiarly shift their Religion at the beck of their superior. But above all usurpations of God's glory in this kind, take notice of the Votive blind obedience of the Religious Romanists (especially of the jesuites) they make it a part of their solemn profession, and put it in practice impiously and mischievously, as the world hath palpaple and woeful proof, True it is that they pretend good limitations set to their Vow, as that the superior must not be obeyed against God's Law, and the law of Nature: but while they make the superior the interpreter of both these Laws, and that they must rest in their superiors Voice, as in the Voice of Christ: what they abhor in words, that they commit in deeds; they commit many things both against the Law of God, and nature. And in general all Papists that hold the Pope's infallabilitie, taking from him the resolution of our faith and manners, how do they serve God, against God's will, and massacre God's servants out of an erroneous zeal for God's glory? Let the conclusion then of this point be, that no man may dispute or resist any voice of God, but withal he doth challenge God's Truth, and his Power; and whosoever requires absolute credit, and obedience to all his words, he usurps God's Attributes which are incommunicable, that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; Vnerring Truth, and Vncontrowable Power; And so have you the first of those things which God doth require which is Obedience. The second followeth which is Fidelity; Israel must keep the Covenant of God; a Covenant is a solemn contract made between diverse persons; and God's Covenant is the contract that is made between him and his Church in those terms, I will be your God, and you shall be my people. But of Covenants there are two sorts; Foedus aequum, and Faedus iniquum (as the Civilians speak) Foedus aequum is that which is made between persons that are of equal rank, whereof one is not superior to the other; Foedus iniquum is that which is made between persons, that are impari iure, of unequal rank whereof the one is superior to the other. When we speak of God's Covenant made with man, we must not conceive that that the persons are equal, they are very unequal, there is no proportion between them, neither can there be between an infinite and a finite person; this must be observed in the very first Covenant that ever God made, the Covenant of the Creation; for then the Persons differed as the Creator and Creature, there was odds between them. Secondly, as there may be odds between the persons that enter into a Covenant. so there may have been before they enter into the Covenant no enmity, or no great enmity between them; Nations that never were at war may enter into Covenant one to strengthen himself by the other, or one to have the freer commerce with the other; but oftentimes it falls out that Leagues put an end unto quarrels, and Covenants are the security of a reconciliation, and open the intercourse of mutual good offices which war shut up. Though the Covenant of the Creation had no precedent enmity, yet that of the Redemption had, and therefore it is called not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Covenant; but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Reconciliation; when we were enemies Christ died for us, and by his blood was the New Testament ratified. Thirdly, the Covenant primarily here meant is the Decalogue; on those Ten Words did God make a Covenant with Israel; and the Tables wherein they were written were called the Tables of the Covenant; 1 eut 9 11. the Ark wherein the Tables were put is called the Ark of the Covenant; 1. Reg 8.1. and the Tabernacle wherein the Ark was, was called the Tabernacle of the Covenant. But this Covenant of the Decalogue hath a double consideration, whereof the one is intrinsical, the other is extrinsical; the intrinsical is that which looketh to the natural power of the Law, which is to discover sin, to convict a sinner, and to doom him according to his desert; the extrinsical consideration is that which looketh to the supernatural power of the Law, and that is to be a Schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, who is the end of the Law, and came to fulfil it. To shadow this double consideration, the Decalogue was clothed with the Ceremonial Law, wherein the offerer imposing hands upon the Sacrifice did confess himself guilty, and the slaying of the Beast shown the desert of a sinner; thus there appeared what is the natural power of the Law. The supernatural power also appeared in the ceremonies, in that the offerer unburdened himself upon the Sacrifice as a sinner doth upon our Saviour Christ, and that by the death of the beast the offerer was exempted from death: as men are delivered from death, by the death and passion of our Saviour Christ. Wherefore though the Covenant of the Redemption be but one, yet in regard of the shadow, it is called the Old, and in regard of the substance the New. You have seen what is the Covenant of God, you must now learn what it is to keep it. First, we must learn to observe our distance, though God do us the honour to contract with us, yet must not we presume to equal ourselves to God; for so shall we betray our ignorance that we know not of what kind the Covenant is; we must therefore discern the inequality of the Persons that have contracted, and we must confess how low God hath descended that hath vouchsafed to take us into so near a reference. As in keeping the Covenant we must observe our distance, so must we not be unmindful of the danger, which we have escaped thereby; he that considereth not that he stood at God's mercy when he was received to grace, that he was by merit a firebrand of Hell when by mercy he was designed to be a Saint in Heaven: cannot as he ought, keep the Covenant of God. Now the Decalogue wherein this Covenant standeth hath a double consideration; therefore he that will keep God's Covenant must make use of both. First, he must make use of the Intrinsical consideration, and of every branch thereof; by the Law cometh the knowledge of sin, therefore that he may have a true iudgemement of the nature, differences, and degrees of sins, he must be well conversant in the Decalogue, he must not trust to Moral Philosophy, to Civil Constitutions, and Customs, to Pharisaical or Papistical Traditions, these are but imperfect guides in such inquiries. Only God's Covenant can tell what is, and what is not fin; Moses is the best Casuist. Secondly he must often survey himself at this glass of the Law, and there find the excesses, and defects of his life; no other thing can represent them so truly as this will do; this Glass will neither flatter nor deform us; our consciences directed hereby will return a true verdict, and indict us of no less sin than we have committed. Thirdly, as a man must convict himself according to the Law: so according to the Law must he doom himself; acknowledge whatsoever is due to a wretched sinner, what place, what state, what worm, what fire, what loss, what pain, that all these are due unto himself; this Intrinsical consideration of the Law must every one have that will observe God's Covenant. But he must not rest here, he must come on to the Extrinsecall, the supernatural Power of the Law, whereat the Lawgiver did finally aim; man finding no innocence in himself must seek it in Christ; he must unload his conscience upon the propitiatory Sacrifice, and wash his garments white in the blood of that Lamb; through confidence in Christ's death he must insult against that death which is the wages of his sin. Rom 6. Finally what was impossible for the Law by reason of the weakness of his flesh, Rom. 8. this must be his comfort that God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit. You see what it is to keep the Covenant of God. I may not omit the reason why God calleth it his Covenant; and the reason is twofold: First, because we being inferiors and enemies could not prescribe any Articles to God, but were to take such as he was pleased to prescribe both to himself and us; so that though there be two parties to the Conenant, yet is there but one that proscribes. And we may well be content with it for being in that case that we were, in, we could not have wished for so much as God hath done for us. A second Reason is, because in point of Religion covenanting with any other is forbidden; God brooketh not, that, he having appropriated himself as it were unto us, we should communicate unto others the honour that is due to him. The Covenant of God is of the nature of those leagues which require entire offensive and defensive service; we must have to do with no others but for the Lord, and in the Lord. I draw to an end. Let us lay together the two parts of the Text, and so you may learn two good lessons. That which in the former part is called God's voice, is in the later part called God's Covenant; the later name sweetens the former; the first is imperious, the second is gracious; and who would not hear that voice the argument whereof is nothing but Gods wonderful favour; though the pride of our nature be impatient to be commanded, yet can it not choose but take it for a great honour that we are contracted with, by the Sovereign Lord of Heaven and Earth; that we are contracted with, about our heavenly advancement, and our everlasting emolument. Our second Lesson is. That seeing to hear God's Voice is to keep his Covenant, the breach of our duty is not only Sin but perfidiousnes; our evil deserving of God is aggravated by Gods well deserving of us, which we should well observe: for if we have not lost all ingenuity, the due consideration hereof will work in us the deeper remorse for sin past, and be unto us the stronger preservative against sin to come. Add a third Lesson; that hearing the Voice is put before keeping the Covenant, because that is a means unto this; for we cannot keep God's Covenant, but by the grace which we receive by hearing his Voice. I will end with the Prayer of King David. TEach me, Psal 119, 33, 34 O Lord, the way of thy statutes, and I shall keep it unto the end; give me understanding and I shall keep thy Law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart. The fourth Sermon. EXODUS 19 VERS. 5, 6. Then shall ye be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine. And ye shall be unto me a Kingdom of Priests, and an holy Nation. IN the message which God sent by Moses to Israel, testifying upon what terms he would covenant with them, there are (as heretofore I have observed two remarkabe points, the first teaching What God doth require; the second, What God doth offer. And these points must be considered, first in themselves, we must see what they mean; then between themselves, we must see how the one depends upon the other. I have handled the first of these points; I have showed you what God requires of Israel, he requires their absolute obedience, and their constant fidelity, that they hear his voice indeed, and that they keep his Covenant. It followeth that I now come on to the second point, that I show you what God offers, and that which he offers unto Israel is a gracious Prerogative. A Prerogative is some great good vouchsafed us, wherein we exceed others; and in Gods offer there is a manifold good contained. This good is first specified, than it is amplified. In specifying it, God doth first resemble it, he telleth the Israelites they shall be a peculiar treasure; Then he brancheth it into a double blessing, an eminency of their state, They shall be a Kingdom of Priests; and a Sanctity of their persons, They shall be an holy Nation. These blessings so specified, are also amplified in the words, Eritis mihi; ye shall be to me. It is a great blessing to be a peculiar treasure, to be a royal Priesthood, to be an holy Nation; but to he any of these, how much more to be all these unto God, doth not a little improve our blessing? You see the Good is great, which they are vouchsafed; But we do not yet see that the having of it is a Prerogative. It becomes then such, if it be not a common good, and if therein we go beyond others; and such is Israel's blessing, that which God will vouchsafe them to be, they shall be above all other Nations. The offer you see doth contain a Prerogative. But this Prerogative is moreover Gracious; gracious, whether you respect the Receiver, or the Giver, the receiver vos ye, persons of no worth, the giver God, that hath no want, all the earth is mine; in so little worth of theirs, and less want of Gods, to honour them so fare, must needs be a work of Grace. I have laid before you Gods offer; All Saints day. it deserves your attentive listening unto it, the day which we solemnize putteth us in mind of our interest therein, and we may become all Saints, because this gracious Prerogative is offered to us all. Wherefore that we may partake it, let our diligent ears quicken the desire of our hearts, to entertain these particulars, which I shall now unfold unto you, briefly and in their order. I begin with the Prerogative; The Good therein offered is first resembled unto a peculiar treasure. Of the goods which a man hath, (if a man have much goods) he committeth some to his servants, they are trusted with the keeping, and the care thereof, but if he have any thing of special price, and which he esteemeth more than ordinary, that he layeth in his own Cabinet, he reserveth the keeping thereof unto himself. The portion of Good which is so tendered, is by the Holy Ghost called Segulia, 1 〈◊〉 19 Luck● 2 8. which we render a peculiar treasure, such as King David had, and Solomon. Unto this practice of Kings, or great men, doth God allude in this resemblance; all the world is his, but by commission, or permission, he intrusteth his creatures with much of it; but his Church is more dear unto him then so, he maketh her the subject of his special care, and gives us to understand, that she is a special jewel, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an exempt people, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a people of extraordinary note, so the Translators render Segulla; no phrase more usual in Moses, then to call Israel a precious people, and never doth God resemble his Church when he meaneth to honour it, but he resembleth it to things of greatest value. I will not trouble you with the Canticles, Cap. 4. 1●. where it is called Hortus conclusus, and is made the very Paradise of God; I will keep myself to our present allusion. In the old Testament the Tabernacle was a type of the Church, as it was militant, the Temple of Solomon was a type of it, as it shall be triumphant, and what were both of them made of, but of the costliest timber, mettle, stones, silk, that could be had? Esay foretold the fabric of the Church in the state of Grace, that it should be of Carbuncles, and precious stuff; and how sumptuous is the state of it in Glory, as it is described by Saint john in the Revelation? Cap. 21. Our Saviour in the Gospel compares the Kingdom of Heaven, Math 13. which is the Church, unto a treasure hid, and to a pearl of very great price. But to speak more plainly; the fountain from which the Church springeth is the precious loving kindness of God, Psal 36 7. 1. Pet 1.19. the redemption that was paid for it, was the precious blond of Christ, the foundation whereupon it is built, Esay 28.16. 1 Cor 3.11. is a precious corner stone; the doctrine by which it is built up is gold, silver, and precious stones, the persons whereof it consisteth are vessels of Gold, 1. Tim. 1.19. 1 Pet 1 4 1 Pet 1 7. vessels of honour, all the promises that are made unto it are precious promises, and their faith is precious; how can they then choose but be a precious people? If you have not enough to prove it, that one phrase putteth it out of all doubt, that the Church is God's peculiar treasure; God himself resides there, and frameth the Church unto his Image; Christ liveth there, the Church is his body; the Holy Ghost doth breath there, the Church is his Temple; finally the Angels attend there, the Church is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Cyrill Alexand. it is the Sanctuary of God. Can there be any thing added unto the value, where there is such a Presence? And where there is such a Providence, becometh not the Church most peculiar? Certainly that which is the Treasure of those Divine mysteries, must needs be accounted Gods peculiar treasure. I will dwell no longer upon the Resemblance; only take notice that it promiseth more than an ordinary good, in so significant a phrase. And indeed what tongue can express the favour that is implied, in the value that God setteth on us, and the care that he will take of us, when he calleth us his Peculiar treasure? But what God resembleth, that he brancheth; he openeth the good more plainly, which he did but shadow figuratively, and the first branch doth set forth the Eminency of the state of Israel, They shall be a Kingdom of Priests. The phrase is read diversely, 1. Epist. 2. Cap 1. & 5. Moses hath here a Kingdom of Priests; Saint Peter rendereth it a Priestly kingdom; in the Revelation Saint john telleth us that Christ hath made us Kings and Priests. The reconciliation is easy, for in the Church, every member of the Church, is so a King, that he is a Priest, and so a Priest, that he is a King. And why? He is Primogenitus, God's first borne, Exod 4.22. so God called Israel (and Saint Paul telleth us, that they that come into the Church, Hebr. 12. come into the congregation of the first borne. Now the Law of nature doth acknowledge this right of Primogeniture, that is made a man Lord of his brethren, and Priest of the most high God; so that these words Kings and Priests, are equipollent to first borne, and are the ground of our prerogative, whereof you shall hear anon. But let us take these words a sunder. Cap 16. Cap. 12. First then the Israelites shall be Kings. The Church as it is described in Ezekiel is adorned with a Crown, and that woman which is described in the Revelation, hath a Crown of twelve Stars upon her head, Psal. 45. Matth. 18. the Psalmist calleth her a Queen, the Parable of the marriage Feast, calleth her the Wife of the Kingssonne, her state is royal; and all her children are Filij regni Children of the Kingdom, the Gospel that is verbum regni doth so honour them, they are heirs apparent unto the kingdom of Heaven. Saint Chrysostome upon 2 Cor. 1. Ad sinem Cap. doth excellently open the Analogy between a member of the Church and a King. A King, saith he, hath a Crown, and God doth Crown his people with mercy and loving kindness. Psal 103. A King hath his Robes of state, and the Church is at the right hand of Christ, in a vesture of Gold wrought about with diverse colours; Psal. 45. Christ himself is her clothing. A King hath his Guard tending upon him for his honour and safety; and the Angels of God pitched their Tents round about the godly. Psal. 34. A King hath a multitude of Subjects whom he doth direct, and correct, and the children of God have many thoughts and desires over which they have power, to order and repress them. And indeed herein principally standeth the Kingdom, residet in se quisque animo regali, every man is a Sovereign over himself, he doth polish his own little Commonweal, prescribing a measure, and observing good order, in his head, in his heart, in his soul, and in his body. It is the Kingdom of grace which is Preached in the Gospel, 〈◊〉 2. 〈◊〉 3. john 8. 〈◊〉 1. by which we obtain the Kingdom of glory, which is promised to them that rule well therein; slavery to sin, is the direct opposite unto this kingdom; this title forbiddeth us all earthly and sensual thoughts and desires, it requires that we be kingly in both, or else we do not answer our title. And, the more is the pity, there are but few that answer it; but let us take heed, this is our danger, he that is not a King in grace, shall never be a King in glory. You see the first advancement of the Church's state, which is to be Kings; The second advancement is to be Priests; and a Priest was he that offered sacrifice, and every member of the Church must offer, he must offer at both the Altars. At the Altar of Incense, Prayers and Prayser. Prayers Psal. 141. David prayeth that his Prayers may come unto God as the Incense. Praises, Psal. 50. we are willed to sacrifice praises. And as they must offer at the Altar of Incense, so must they at the Atar of offerings also; Psal. 51. a sinner repenting becometh a Priest, because a broken and contrite heart is the sacrifice of God, such an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, sacrificing of man's own self, is a special act of Christian Priesthood. And so is in general 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 well doing; Heb. 13. Cap. 12. Be not weary, saith Saint Paul, of well doing, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased; and he exhorteth the Romans to offer up their bodies a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable unto God, which is their reasonable service of him. A Priest, saith Origen, is men's Deodicata, and he is called a Levite which doth continually attend God, In Levit. 25. and minister to his will; in this sense Esay saith of the Church, you shall be called the Priests of the Lord, and they shall say unto you, the Ministers of God. This second title of honour putteth us in mind religiously to serve God, for it is a plain contradiction for a man to be a Priest, and not to attend the Altar; he that never prayeth unto God, never praiseth him for his benefits, he that never repenteth of his sin, nor crucifieth his sinful flesh, he that doth not exercise himself in good works, doth really renounce the Christian Priesthood. And here by the way let me observe unto you, how senselessly they cast dirt into their own faces, that vilify Gods Ministers in the name of Priests; forgetting that it is one of the honourable titles which themselves are vouchsafed of God; and it is their dignity in God's word, to be styled Priests. But happily they would be such Kings, as are no Priests, absolute in themselves, and acknowledge no superior, which was the headlong pride of Angels; and of Adam. Put this title of Priest, to that of King, and then you shall find that this doth temper that, for it teacheth that our Eminency is subordinate; for a King is he that hath inferiors, a Priest is he that hath a superior; for a Priest doth honour those above him, as a King is honoured by those that are below him; the name of a King must not make us think so highly of ourselves, but the name of a Priest must teach us to be humble; we must so carry ourselves, Masters of ourselves as that in all things we be the dutiful servants of God. Well then Kings we are, and Priests, but how? in Christ. The name of Christ is as much as anointed, and Christ was anointed to be the the King of glory, and a Priest after the order of Melchisedecke; and we in Baptism put on Christ, we are grafted into him, Aug de Civit. Dei lib. 10 c 10. and so become Christians, partakers of his unction; and if of his unction, then of his Kingdom, and Priesthood, Whosoever therefore doth separate himself from Christ, doth withal deprive himself of his Royalty, and his Priesthood; for we are not Kings, nor Priests, but in him, and by him, who is the sovereign both Priest, and King; so Saint john teacheth in the first, yea, all the Saints profess in the fift of the Revelation. You have heard hitherto much of a King, and a Priest; but these titles must not be misconstrued, they favour not the rebellion of Corah, Numb. 10. Dathan,. and Abiram, nor anabaptistical anarchy, not the wrest of those words in Daniel. The Kingdom shall be given to the Saints; Cap 7. as all are Kings, so are all Priests: and as all are Priests, so are all Kings: all are both spiritually, without prejudice to Civil, or Ecclesiastical government. The case is clear both in the Old and New Testament; Deut. 33.5. for notwithstanding this promise Moses continued a King (so he is termed) in Israel; and Aaron with the Levites did minister in the Tabernacle; and the rebels against both were fearfully swallowed up by the earth that cloven under them. And though the Apostles give unto Christians the same honourable title that God by Moses giveth to Israel: yet do they require them to be subject to higher Powers, Rom. 13. Heb 13. and obey them that watch for their souls, and threaten vengeance and damnation to such as are disobedient. Wherefore that we be not carried away with the error of the sons of Belial, let us observe, First, touching our Royalty, that regnum Dei est intra nos, the kingdom here spoken of is a kingdom within us; and Rex est qui se regit, the King in this kingdom is he which ruleth himself well; the sphere of this sovereignty extendeth not farther than a man's own person; we may not confound it with the kingdoms of this world, with those Powers that are ordained of God, for the peace and benefit of Church, and Commonweal; if we do, we do misconstrue God's words, and are usurpers of the Civil Sword. So likewise must we conceive of the Priesthood; for there is Sacerdos in persona sua, a Priest that acteth only his own person, and there is Sacerdos in persona aliena, a Priest that doth act the person of another. Lay men are Priests, if they be Christian men, but they act no bodies person but their own; they perform no other sacred duties but such as every man doth owe to God: the Clergy they are Priests, but they are so in persona aliena, they represent the persons of others; you may perceive it in their form of speeches, they speak in the plural number, We beseech thee, O Lord, We praise thee O God, etc. and all the people saith thereunto, Amen, confessing in that word, that the Minister is but their mouth; not that he deriveth his power from them, as if they had it habitually, and communicated it actually to him (for never can it be proved, that Holy Orders were at any time in the multitude) it hath ever been either Native or Donative still by the appointment of God, who made it Native only to the firstborn, at first; and then to the seed of Aaron; and after their Priesthood determined, it became Donative, Christ gave it to his Apostles, and by his Apostles took order to continue a succession, but so as to derive the power of Holy Orders, still from them that were in Holy Orders; so that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in use, it was ever the whole Churches, as the sight of the eye is the sight of the whole body, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in possession, it was never, Basil. lib ● de Baptismo. Aug, de Ciuit Deili●. 20, cap. 10. Leo de anniversaria assumptione, Serm. 3. no more than the whole body could ever see. We must not then confound the hierarchical, and the Mystical Priesthood, no more than we may the external and the internal Kingdom, each must keep within his bounds. And as we must in our private be religious as Priests in serving God: so we must not without a lawful calling; and a man's lawful calling is not as Anabaptists dream, his own conceited ability, but a Mission and Commission from lawful Superiors; without such a Calling, I say, we may not intermeddle with Pastoral Functions. Finally, the public Kings and Priests, must neither of them abuse these titles, neither of them must wrest this place. The Romanists are careful to remember Kings that they play not Priests, they amplify Vzziahs' example that was stricken with Leprosy for being so presumptuous; I would they did aswell remember Christ's speech, whose Vicar the Pope claims to be, john 18.36. Luke 12.14. My kingdom is not of this world, and that, Man who made me a judge to divide inheritances? they would not so often, being Priests, usurp upon the sword. But let them take heed, Christ told Saint Peter, Math. 26.52. and they will find it one day true, The Priest that meddleth with the sword, shall perish by the sword; the Kings over whom the Pope hath long tyrannised, shall one day work his ruin. And thus much of the Eminency of the Church's state. I come now to the Sanctity of their persons; Israel shall be an holy nation; and indeed Kings who are Priests, such as you have heard described, how can they choose but be Holy? especially seeing the persons that communicate in those titles are the Firstborn, Exod. 13. for the Firstborn by the Law were holy to the Lord. And what is the oil wherewith they were anointed, Exod 30. Cap. 2 Cap. 1 18. but oleum sanctitatis, holy oil? what are their persons, but Temples of the Holy Ghost? jeremy calleth them Gods first-fruits, and Saint james telleth us that all Christians are a kind of first-fruits to God. 2 Cor. 11.2. Ephes. 5 27. The Church is by the Apostle said to be a chaste virgin, without spot or wrinkle; in the Revelation the Spouse is clothed in fine white linen, Reuel. 19 8. Esay 26. which is the righteousness of Saints, in the Prophet she is called, The land of righteousness, finally, in our Creed, the holy Catholic Church. ●sal 101. King David required virtue in his servants, He that walketh in a perfect way he shall serve me, how much more God? To whom the Psalmist speaketh thus, Lord who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle, who shall abide upon thy holy hill, God answereth, He that leadeth an uncorrupt life, etc. But what is Holiness? Origen will teach us; the holiness of a man must be conceived as the holiness of a beast, a vessel, a vestment; now those things were separated from profane uses, and dedicated to sacred: so must a man be first separated from earth and earthly things, he must not set his affections upon them; though he be in the world, Col. 3.2. john 17. yet he must not be of the world; he must not love the world, nor the things in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life; 1. john 2.15. Ephes. 5.11. he must have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness; This is his separation, the first branch of Holiness. The second is Dedication, his life must be devoted unto God; Christianity is an imitation of the Divine Nature, a reducing of himself to the Image of God in which he was created, 2. Pet. 1. Ephes. 4. 1. Pet. 2. to righteousness and holiness of truth, a showing forth of the virtues of him that hath called us into his marvelous light. If a man profess himself to be a Painter, and take upon him to make the picture of a King, and mis-shape him, doth he not deserve just blame? yes surely, for he occasioneth strangers to think meanly of the King's person, because of his ill favoured portraiture: and shall a Christian escape punishment whose life is to be a visible representation of Christ, if Infidels blaspheme Christ, while they judge of him according to his counterfeit? he shall not. Wherefore faciamus de terra coelum, faith Saint Chrysostome, In Matth. 12. Tem. 2 p. 332. let us represent Heaven in earth, let us so live as that men may say that God is in us of a truth, Let our light so shine before men, that they may see our good works, and glorify our Father which is in Heaven. Holiness is the true characterizing quality of a Christian, it distinguisheth between the faithful, Iust. Martyr ad Diogn●t. p. ●97. 〈◊〉 in Apolog. p. 61. and infidel, they differ not in place, in apparel, in diet, etc. but in charity, in piety, in obedience, in patience, in every Christian virtue, whatsoever show a man make if he want these virtues, he is but like the jugglers' Ape which being attired like a reasonable creature, and dancing curiously to his Master's instrument, deceived the people of Alexandria, until one espying the fraud, threw a few Dates upon the Stage, which the Ape no sooner espied, but he tore all his vizard, and fell to bis victuals to the scorn of his Master, which gave occasion to the Proverb, An Ape is an Ape, though he be clad never so gaily. Nyssen applies it unto men that call themselves Christians, profess that they know God, Tom. 2. the professione Christiana. and that their hope is in Heaven, but no sooner doth any vanity come in their way, but their heart doth betray where there treasure is; but let them remember the Proverb, It is a snare for a man to devour that which is holy, Origen applies it to the sacrilege that a man committeth that vowed himself in Baptism to the Lord, and giveth himself unto the World. I conclude this point with God's words in the Law, Lenit 11.44. Math. 5. 4●. Be ye holy, for I am holy; and with Christ's words in the Gospel, Be ye perfect, as your Father in Heaven is perfect; sin must not reign in our mortal bodies, because we are an holy Nation. You see how the Good which God offereth to Israel is specified, you must next hear how it is amplified, that appears in the words, Eritis mihi. As the Proprietary is, so doth the value of a thing rise, he addeth to the worth, at least to the esteem thereof; though man only to the esteem, yet God also to the worth, for he can proportion the creatures worth answerable to his esteem; he whose glory shineth in the heavens, and handy work in the firmament, doth declare his glory much more in the Church, according to that in the Prophet, This people have I form for myself, 〈◊〉 45. they shall be to set forth my praise. And indeed of what regard the Church is with God, we may gather out of that which God hath done for it, he is become a father unto it, in Christ; and tendereth every member thereof as his dear child; he hath given his only begotten son to death for the salvation of it, and made him the Bridgeroome of the Church; the Holy Ghost doth he send to guide, to comfort it; and the Angels are ministing spirits for their sakes that shall be heirs of salvation. Can any man believe this, 〈◊〉. 1. and not believe that we are a precious treasure unto God? He hath provided for us a Kingdom that cannot be shaken, 〈◊〉 12.28. 1. ●ct. 5.4. an immarescible Crown of glory, he hath communicated unto us the Throne of his own Son, and given us power over all our enemies, and can we doubt but we are Kings unto him? And as for our Priesthood, james 5 16. that is as evident; the prayer of the righteous avails much; their sufferings are to him sacrifices; all their life is a savour of a sweet smell; and he is well pleased with the work of their hands. Feuci 7 14. Finally, they have washed their robes white in the blood of the Lamb, they are clothed with the righteousness of Christ, God vouchsafeth to converse with them, to dwell with them, therefore they are to him an holy Nation. We that account ourselves happy, if we be dear to great men, great, if we be but petty Lords, think not meanly of ourselves, if we be but Priests unto Baal, and look big if we have but the righteousness of a Pharisie: how happy should we think ourselves, that are vouchsafed to be the Favourites of the King of Kings? how should we esteem ourselves, that are made Kings of Heaven? how should we glory in our divine Priesthood, and joy in our true Holiness? when we consider ourselves as we are in ourselves, dust, and ashes, weak and wicked ones, we may well cry out with David, who am I, O Lord, and what is my Father's house, that I, O Lord, should be such a one unto thee! and sing the Virgin's Hymn, My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour, for he that is mighty hath magnified me, etc. And when under the Cross we find that in the eye of worldlings we are reputed worms, and no men the reproach of men, and the despised of the people, when they oppress us with more than Egyptian bondage, scoff at the sighs and groans which the Holy Ghost indites in us, and repute all our devotion to be but madness, when they traduce us as Samaritans', as friends of Publicans and Sinners, yea, as instruments of Beelzebub, and condemn us to a shameful death, as pestilent fellows, traitors, and blasphemers: what greater comfort can we have then this promise of God, Eritis mihi, You shall be to me a peculiar treasure, a Kingdom of Priests, an holy Nation? But I go on. You have heard of much good, but what you have heard doth not yet amount to a Prerogative, that appears in these words, above all people. When we have good things that are not common to others, especially if it be better than they have any, then have we obtained a Prerogative; and this was Israel's case, for the Church was not now Catholic, as it had been before Abraham's time, and was to be after the coming of Christ. God's promise was Catholic to Adam, though Cain played the Apostata, it was Catholic also to Noah, but his children fell away; therefore when Gods revives it unto Abraham, he made it but particular, and Israel only was his Inheritance, In juda was God known, his Name was great in Israel; Athanas. de Incarnate. verb. not that others might not be, if they would become Israelites, but ordinarily none but Israelites, or Proselytes, had part in the Promise. Therefore the Law speaketh thus, What Nation is there so great, Deut. 4. who hath God so nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for? And what Nation is there so great, that hath Statutes, and judgements, so righteous as all this Law that I set before you this day? And the Psalmist, God showeth his word unto jacob, Psal. 147. his Statutes and judgements unto Israel, he hath not dealt so with any Nation, etc. This is often repeated by Moses, Deut. 10. but especially Chapter 32. Seeing then God doth compare one Nation unto all people, and prefer it, he doth extol his own grace, and teach us that the blessing is singular; and if singular than a Prerogative; and because singular, and a Prerogative, the more to be esteemed. Surely in worldly things we think so, for what is he that hath any gist or good which others have not, who doth not esteem it as much for the rareness, as for the greatness thereof? I would we did pass as true a judgement upon our heavenly Treasures; surely the Church was wont to do so, Pone me ut signaculum, Cant 8. saith the Spouse, Set me as a Seal upon thy arm, and in her Plea, Populus tuus omnes nos; We are thine, enen the sheep of thy pasture. Esay 63. As God doth honour us above others, so will he that we be mindful of his special favour. Put now together the Greatness of the Good, which God offers with the Singularity of the favour, which God vouchsafeth Israel, and they will yield us a definition of the Church; for what is Ecclesia but a people chosen out of the world, and preferred before it, in that it is Gods peculiar treasure, and to him a Kingdom of Priests, and an holy Nation? But I leave that point to your private meditations, which will be the fuller, if you add the next particular unto it, for that also is considerable in your contemplations of the Church. That which God offers is a Prerogative, and such a Prerogative as is Gracious, I gather it first out of Vos, Deut 7 ye, ye shall be unto me a peculiar treasure, etc. And who are ye? neither the most, nor the best of people; Moses from God telleth them so; bondslaves in Egypt, and much more bound to Satan, for they were a rebellious nation; more base in mind, then in condition; and therefore God biddeth them look unto his free love the cause of their deliverance, Et dare non dignis res mage digna Deo, the less worth there appears in the receiver, the more grace doth there shine from the giver. As Israel's want of worth made the gift gracious, so also was it gracious in that God was not driven to make the choice out of any want, for all the earth is mine (saith God;) All Nations they are the same by nature, and it was free for God to make choice of any other; the more choice God had, the more grace he vouchsafed to them whom he chose; so that we must resolve the words thus, Although all the world be mine, yet thou shalt be to me; and so the Offer will appear absolutely free. What shall we say then unto these things? Surely as God hath little cause, by reason of our vileness, to joy that we are His: so we have great cause, by reason of our happiness, to joy that God is ours; who would be ambitious after any woddly thing, that may be partaker of this gracious prerogative? And all Nations may partake of it. It is true that these words were spoken to Israel; and therefore the jews at this day count all Nations slaves beside themselves, appropriating unto themselves this Prerogative; but their pride should blush when it considers that God hath so many hundred years stripped them of their spiritual ornaments, and made them corporal slaves to all the World. 1 Epist. 2. Saint Peter applies this very text unto Christians, and the four and twenty Elders confess thus unto Christ, Reuel. 5. Thou hast redeemed us to God, by thy blood, out of enerie kindred and tongue, and people, and nation, and hast made us unto our God, Kings, and Priests. These words than belong to Us; Rom. 11.20. yet must we not be highminded, but fear; Gen 49. if Israel lost his primogeniture, so may we; God may say to us, as jacob said to Reuben for his sin, Non excels, thou shalt be disinherited, Hos. 1.9. Gnammi, may become Lognammi, they are God's people, may cease to be his people. What is the way to prevent it? Surely, duty to consider of this gracious Prerogative, and endeavour carefully to partake thereof. If we esteem it, as it deserves, and desire it, as we ought; we shall not fail to have it, and by it be entered into the household of Saints; those Saints whose memory we solemnize this day; for they became such by this Prerogative, and this Prerogative will make us such; if we be Gods peculiar treasure here on earth; we shall be it much more in the kingdom of heaven, by how much our gold shall be freer from dross, and no cloud shall dim our precious jewels. If we be Kings here in the state of grace, our kingdom is but like that of David, full of war; but when we come to heaven, our kingdom shall be like that of Solomon, it shall be a kingdom of peace. And our Priesthood which is now often interrupted, and neglected often, shall never departed from before God, and we shall sacrifice to him day and night. Finally holy we are now, rather in the good purpose of our mind, then in the performance of our life: but then we shall be Trees of life, ever laden with kindly fruit, fit to honour, to cheer, both God and men. LEt us all prey for, and God grant unto us all, such a beginning of this gracious Prerogative in this life, that we may have the full consummation thereof, with all the Saints departed, in the life to come, Amen. Remember me, O Lord, with the favour of thy people, visit me with thy salvation, That I may see the felicity of thy chosen, and rejoice in the joy of thy people, and glory with thine inheritance, Psal. 116. The fifth Sermon. EXODUS 19 VERS. 5. Now therefore if ye will obey my voice, etc. Then shall ye be, etc. IN the first message which from mount Sinai, God sent by Moses unto Israel, I have told you heretofore that there are contained two remarkable points, the first showeth what God requires, the second what God offers. I told you then also, that the Text leadeth me to consider these two points, first severally, then jointly; I have already considered them severally; I have showed you what they mean; it remaineth that I now consider them jointly, that I show you how they depend one upon the other. And this Observation I draw from the reference of these two particles, If and Then, If ye shall obey my voice, etc. Then ye shall be unto me, etc. But to deal more distinctly. Out of this reference we may draw too good Observations, The first, We must not expect what God doth offer, except we perform what God doth require, for thus speaketh the Text, If ye shall hear my voice, and keep my Covenant, Then shall ye be unto me, etc. The second, We may not slick at that which God requires, because that which God offers doth infinitely exceed it; that will be evident if we compare them as they are laid down in the Text, Ye shall be unto me a peculiar treasure above all people, a Kingdom of Priests, an holy Nation, If you hear my voice, and If you keep my Covenant; Now there is no comparison between these. Out of these two Observations, do arise two other; for this reference will teach us that Our faith and our Charity must go before our Hope, for we must hear God's voice which is the work of faith, and keep God's Conenant, which is the work of Charity, before we can expect to be Gods peculiar treasure, a Kingdom of Priests, an Holy Nation, which blessings are the matter of our Hope. And back again, Our Hope must keep in heart, both our Faith and Charity, for he that is thus resolved that he shall be Gods peculiar treasure, a King to him, and his Priest, finally, Holy to the Lord, no doubt, no danger, will stay him, will quell him from hearing God's voice and keeping Gods Covenants; he that so hopeth, will believe and love God. These are the particulars wherewith I will endeavour, God willing, to order and quicken yours and mine own faith, hope, and charity, I pray God we may all so listen to them, as those that mean to live by them. But before I open them unto you, I must acquaint you with a difference of God's spiritual promises: of them some are Absolute, some are Conditionals, we may not confound them; Absolute are all those prophecies of the Messiah to come, and the work of Redemption foretold and presigured in the Old Testament, whereof in the New we read the full accomplishment; they take up the first part of our Creed; and of all these absolute promises, Gods saying in Esay is true, My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my will, Cap 46. maugre all the infidelity of man, and the machinations of Satan, without great absurdity, yea impiety cannot these promises be conceived to depend on the will of any ereature, Angel, or man. Conditional promises are those which concern particular persons, or states, participation of Christ, incorporation into the Church, fruition of crernall life; of all these the rule of Saint Austin is true, Quifecit te sine te, non saluabit te, sine te; every person, every state, must put their hands to this work, or else it would never go forward. My Text doth contain a Promise of this later sort, a Conditional, not an Absolute promise. Let us come then to it. The first Observation that I made upon the reference of If, and Then, was this. We may not expect what God doth offer, except we perform, what God requires. In conceiving the mystery of our Redemption, we must observe a double method of God, the one according to which he resolved on it, the other according to which he was pleased to communicate it. If you look unto the first method, that was first in God's intention, which was last in his execution; he resolved first upon the End, to manifest his Mercy and justice, in saving a certain number out of the Mass of perdition, and leaving others to perish therein through their own default; and he made choice of, and proportioned such means, as in his wisdom, might seem fittest to compass this End. If we deny this, we make God's providence more indiscreet, then is usually that of well advised men, for in all their deliberations, they begin at the end, and according to the rule of wisdom, Finis praescribit speciem, & mensuram mediorum, they dispose all things answerable thereunto. But as when men have done their deliberations, and give order for their work, they prescribe first the means, in their order, and by those means, will have such as they employ, to compass those Ends: even so doth God, setting men in time on the way to their salvation, whereupon he was eternally resolved, lead them first to the means, without which it is not his pleasure they should ever come unto their happy End. These two methods must not be confounded, the method of publishing the Gospel, with the method of Gods making the first Decree thereof; The Decree of saving men, did not run the same way, with the Decree of bringing men to salvation. I would not observe this dark point unto you, but that our English Anabaptists are become plain Arminians, as their Pamphlets show which they scatter abroad to corrupt the people. The ground of the error of both, as the learned may perceive in ripping up their discourses, is the confounding of these different Decrees and Methods, when they study the mystery of our salvation. But let us come to plain matter. God from the beginning though he were Lord of all, and might at his pleasure give Law to any, yet hath he proceeded with his reasonable creatures by way of Covenant; now a Covenant consisteth of mutual stipulation or promise, Gods to Us, and ours to God, so runneth the Law, Hoc fac & vives, to do God's will was to be our promise, and God's promise was to give us life; so runneth the the Gospel, Crede, & saluus eris, we must yield Faith unto God, and God will bestow salvation upon us; It is the first thing children learn in their Catechism; as they are taught that by Baptism they are made children of God, members of Christ, and heirs of the Kingdom of heaven: so likewise are they taught, that by their sureties they have vowed to renounce the devil and all his works, the pomp and vanities of this wicked world, to believe the Articles of the Creed, and keep Gods holy Commandments. There is then a mutual conditioning between God and man; man with God, so jacob, Genes. 28. which is generally to be observed in all votive Prayers▪ God with man, here, and elsewhere, Deut. 28. And yet we may not mistake, for there is great odds between these Conditioning: for when God conditioneth with man, he asketh nothing but what was due to him before; all the obedience we can perform is due by our native allegiance, the allegiance which a Creature oweth to his Creator; but we in our conditioning with God, may not desire aught of God, which he hath not first promised (for no Creature may carve to himself, he must be contented with that which God will vouchsafe him) and whatsoever he offers unto us, is such as whereunto we have otherwise no right. Add hereunto, that we may be sure of God, that what he offers he will perform, for with God there is no variableness nor shadow of change. Scio cui crediderim. jam. 1. But he cannot be so sure of us, Omnis homo mendax, we never abide steadfast in our Covenant. But Gods conditioning with us, I must open unto you a little more fully. Know then that though what God requires, we must perform, yet perform it out of our own strength we cannot; original sin hath disenabled us; and by adding actual unto it, we are made less able; though in regard of their natural gifts there is inequality between men, yet a bono caelesti omnes aequè aversi, nisi discriminet gratia. God requires that we should hear his voice, 1 Cor. 2.14. believe in him, but a natural man cannot perceive the things of God; yea he will wink with his eyes, and stop his ears least ●ee should see and hear, return and be saved. God requires that we keep his Covenant, 〈◊〉 8. but the wisdom of the flesh is enmity against God, it is not, it cannot, be subject to his Law. Yea so impotently are we given to spiritual fornication, that though God graciously woo Us, yet gracelesly we reject him. Thereis no remedy then but the condition which God requires on our part, must remain unperformed, except he give us grace wherewith to perform it; he must give us supernatural power to perform this supernatural work. 1. Cor 47 Quis te discernit? Quid habes quod non accepisti? He biddeth us hear his voice, believe in him, whereas faith is his gift, he must purify our hearts by faith. He biddeth us keep his Covenant and love him, but Charity is a fruit of the Spirit, Acts 1●. and this fire must be kindled from heaven, God must circumcise our hearts, and make us keep his laws; Dat non tantum novas revelationes, s●d & bonas voluntates, for no man can come to the Son except the Father draw him, Ex nolente faciens volentem, as saith Saint Austin. But if God give, that which we must give to God, how is the work ours? Surely thus, though God give the ability, yet he will have us make use of it; use the eye of faith which he doth illighten, and so obey his voice, use the Charity wherewith he doth seasen our hearts, and set our affections upon him; let it be our chiefest care to hold fast unto him, if we do so, we shall be reputed performers of the condition; for grace doth not take away the liberty of our will, though it gives new qualities, working upon it not only Physically, but morally also. Yet here again remember that we need a second grace, that we may make use of the first, for our understanding though enlightened may be circumvented with Sophistry, and our will may be transported with vanity, even after God hath sanctified it (though otherwise the Will doth tend naturally to good, when it is sanctified, as the understanding to truth.) It is clear in Adam and Eve's case, immediately upon their Creation after God's Image, how foully were they overreached by the Serpent? How shamefully did they plunge themselves in sin in the full integrity of their nature? And if they could stand so little in the fullness of grace, how little shall we be able to stand that come so short of their their measure? Lest therefore we make no use of our ability, God must be pleased to do for us, that which he was not pleased to do for them he must in compassion of our frailty, either keep off temptations, or arm us against them, he must give us grace to make use of his grace. In any other sense to conceive that the first grace is indifferent, and our will doth determine it, is an Arminian dream. Not that we are excusable, if having abilities we do not use them, for temptations work not physically, but morally; persuade they may, they cannot compel; and it is plain that we do not use that care and conscience in trying the fallacies wherewith we are tempted to disbelieve God, and those allurements which endeavour to withdraw us from God, as we do in reading the discourses of humane Arts, and entertaining advices concerning our worldly State. Therefore we are without all excuse, and should justly perish for our sin when we neglect the means that are given us of God, inward or outward. And indeed all would so perish that have them, because all would so neglect them, did not God as well follow, as prevent some with his grace, provide by a second, that they receive not the first grace in vain. You have not yet heard the uttermost that God doth for us toward the performance of this condition, for the condition must be performed not for a day, or a year, but all our life long; it is not enough for to hear God's voice to day, and to morrow to despise it; to day to be true to him, and to be false to morrow; our Faith and our Charity must be as lasting as our life. But alas our faith and our charity have their wanings, they fall often into a swoon; we break every day with God, and if we break with him, he is no longer bound to us; yet he doth not so deal with us, nor take the advantage which we do give him: he is like a kind Landlord, who when his Tenant neglecteth his Covenant, and he by virtue of the Lease may make a reentry, forbears, and gives his Tenant leave to salve the forfeiture; he is long-suffering toward us, and giveth us space to repent and return to our good God, which is always ready to receive us unto grace, and to pardon our offences. Yet we may not presume of this upon the Covenant, for when God doth it, he doth it upon another ground, upon the ground of Predestination. Yea, that which the kindest Land lord useth not to do, God out of his goodness doth supply us with those helps, whereby we may recover again his favour; by the ministry of his word, or some other means, he seasonably worketh in us repentance and faith, and indeed this is a great height of grace, Philip. 〈◊〉. that he that beginnineth this good work in us will perfect it to the day of the Lord, that we are thus preserved by the power of God, and that he doth so put his fear into us, 1. Pet. 1. that we depart not from him totally or finally. What shall we say then to these things? Seeing that God by grace is Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the author and the finisher of the performance of the condition required; therefore though we perform what we are commanded, yet must we give him the glory, and he that doth glory, must glory in the Lord. I will shut up this first observation with two good Admonitions. The first shall be this, when we receive these commands from God, Hear my voice, keep my Covenant, let us humbly pray with Saint Austin, Da domine quod iubes, & iube quod vis, Lord enable me to obey thee, and then lay upon me what commandment thou wilt. Or rather, if you will let us pray as the Church teacheth us when we hear the ten Commandments, Lord have mercy upon us and incline outr hearts to keep thy Law. And God give us all this Spirit of Grace and Prayer. 1. Epist 1. The second admonition let us take from Saint Peter, Brethren give all diligence, by the practice of Christian virtues, to make your calling and election sure; for if ye do these things you shall never fall; If we follow the first admonition God will not be wanting unto us; if the second, we shall not be wanting unto ourselves. Thus much of the first Observation. The second followeth, We must not stick at that which God requires, because that which God offers doth infinitely exceed it; That which God requires is neither thank worthy, nor, in comparison, of any worth. It is not thank worthy, for what thankes doth a man deserve for yielding that which he doth otherwise owe to God? nay, which God, as before you have heard, doth give him to bestow. I will not again amplify these two points, I add a third, what thankes doth a man deserve for working his own perfection? for to hear God's voice, and to keep his Covenant are the perfection both of our head and of our heart; they were first qualified for this use, and this use is their happiness. It is true that so long as Concupiscence doth distemper our soul, these employments at first are not so pleasing, they relish as medicines to a sick body. And if you mark it well, this is no small difference between Virtue and Vice; wickedness is sweet in the mouth, and a man hideth it under his tongue; but when he hath swallowed it it is like the gall of Asps unto his conscience: but with virtue it is clean otherwise, the first time we enter thereupon is the harshest time, Eccles 6. Verse 24, 25. the longer we are acquainted, the better friends shall we be, Put thy feet (saith the son of Syracke) into wisdom's fetters, and thy neck into her chain, bow down thy shoulder and bear her, and be not grieved with her bonds, Vers. 28, 29. for at last thou shalt find rest, and it shall be turned to thy joy; For than shall her fetters be a strong defence for thee, and her chain a robe of glory. He that maketh his ear liable to God's voice, maketh his ear happy, and he maketh his heart happy, that maketh it steadfast in the Covenant of God; for wherein can he take more contentment? And doth a man deserve thankes for thus bringing his own person to perfection? Put the case these things were thank worthy, yet certainly, in comparison, they are but of little worth: for of what worth is the obedience of a servant; in regard of the favour of a Sovereign that vouchsafeth him to be his Favourite? Of what worth is our love of God, which is our Sovereign Good, in regard of God's love of us, which have in us no loveliness at all? Nay, mark; it biddeth us tender ourselves unto him, and what are we but as earthen vessels? and what doth he with us? he maketh us vessels of gold, the peculiar treasure of the King of Heaven. He biddeth us obey, but that he may make us Commanders; we must hear his voice, keep his Covenant, these are marks of obedience, but thereupon we shall be Kings, and Priests, those are marks of authority. Finally, he biddeth us apply ourselves unto him which doth beseem a creature, and he will make us like unto himself, like unto our Creator, we shall be holy, as he is holy. Behold here then the bounty of God, and folly of man; the bounty of God who giveth, though according to our capacity, yet not according to our deserts; he giveth as beseemeth himself; according to the widensse of his own Greatness, and Goodness, doth he fill his creatures with his blessings, especially Man, and above all men, these whom he receiveth into the Church. A man would have thought that it had been mercy enough in God, in such a strange fashion to deliver Israel out of Egypt, to take such sharp vengeance upon their enemies, to promise the Israelites that they should not be subject to the plagues of Egypt, and that he would bring them into a good land, a land flowing with milk and honey; a man would think, I say, that these blessings did more than deserve their best obedience and fidelity, and they could in reason desire no more; but so to deal with them was not enough in the eye of God's bounty, he measureth unto them with a more liberal hand; and how often doth he give unto every one of us more, not only then we deserve, but also then we can desire? especially concerning our spiritual state, wherein he is most bountiful to the meanest of his children. As God exceeds in bounty, so do men in folly; for their ears are open to none seldomer than unto God, to whom they are due; neither are they false to any so much as unto him. Let the World or the Devil, or our own flesh solicit us, how attentive, how credulous are we? how willingly do we suffer ourselves to be deceived, to be rob by them? but when God speaketh to us whose word is truth, who counselleth nothing but for our eternal good, how heavy eared are we, shall I say? nay, how rebellious? Christ may complain, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength in vain, Esay 49. all the day long have I stretched out my hands to an vnbeleiuing, and a gainsaying nation. Yet this is not the uttermost of our follies; for in our falsehood to God we are not only contented to be rob by others, but rather than we will not have our will to do ourselves mischief, we will hire them that shall rob us. God in Ezekiel observeth it in the resemblance of the Israelues to a strange kind of Harlot, for whereas usually they are hired to be naught, she did use to hire her lovers, and prodigally to bestow upon them the blessings which she had received from God, that with them she might commit spiritual fornication against God; so much more doth our sottishness esteem our chiefest enemies, than the author of our sovereign good. This folly first took place in Eve, wherewith she infected Adam, and from them both, do we all derive it, and there is none of us, which doth not usually betray it; witness the many good Sermons which we hear, and whereby we profit little, but run madding after every vanity that woes us, and every new corruption how suddenly doth it overspread most of us? I will dwell no longer upon these primitives' observations, I come to those which I derived from them. There are three virtues which are called Theological, Faith, Hope, and Charity, of these three consisteth, as it were, the life of a Christian man; now though they are all three given to a Christian, at one time; yet in nature, one of them goeth before another. This text will teach us how we must order them; Faith must have the first place, for we must first hear God's voice, Heb●● i. and to hear God's voice is the work of faith. And indeed the Apostle telleth us, that He that cometh unto God must believe, and without faith it is impossible to please God. Saint Austin therefore maketh Faith the foundation of our spiritual building, we must begin our Piety there. There is in every one of us by nature a knowledge of God, and so a kind of Piety, but this will not make a man God's peculiar treasure; but the limiting of our piety to his voice, and performing his Covenant; for naturally men vanish in their discourse, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not please God. The next Virtue must be Charity, for as heat springeth from light, even so doth Charity from Faith; Faith worketh by Charity, and as a man believes, so will he love. Now Charity is meant by keeping God's Covenant, that is the work of Charity. But withal observe, that Faith and Charity both go before Hope; for we must hear God's voice, and keep his Covenant, before we can look to be his peculiar treasure, which is the matter of our Hope, if we do not, we shall be perverse servants, hope untowardly; for Sine fide spes non habet firmamentum, a man that doth not believe, cannot hope; how should a man hope for good from him whom he doth not believe? and Sine charitate, spes non habet invitamentum, he should not hope, that doth not love; and love is a strong encouragement unto hope. A very Heathen could say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, plutarch. they that are well bred hope not but upon sound reason. Saint Paul, He●. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Cap. 8. Cap. 5: Eccles. 1. a better Author, saith, that Faith is the ground of things hoped for, he then that hopeth without faith hath an ungrounded hope. The same Heathen Author saith, that the hopes of a virtuous soul are genuine, but if they be in a vicious soul, they are but bastards; job compares them unto a Spidersweb; the Book of Wisdom varieth the resemblance of them with great eloquence, Ye that fear the Lord trust in him. Quaenam spes hypocritae, what hope hath the hypocrite? Seeing then that vice can be no ground of hope, it is not without cause that Saint Paul in his two Apologies which he maketh for himself, the one to the High Priest, Acts 24. the other to Agrippa, Acts 26. layeth for the foundation of his hope, his care to keep a good conscience; and indeed, by how much the more a man loveth God, the bolder may he be to trust in him. When Faith and Charity have done their work, and yielded their furtherance unto Hope, then cometh Hope in seasonably with her work, and maketh amends unto them both, by quickening both Faith and Charity. First, it quickeneth our Faith; Hope, Pedagog. lib. 1. cap. 6. saith Clemens Alexandrinus, est sanguis sidei, it is the blood of Faith, and you know what the Law saith, in sanguine anima, in the blood is the life of that thing whose blood it is; certainly the life of our faith is in blood of Hope; for the more we let out this blood, the weaker groweth our faith, and he that despairs will quickly become an Apostata; Therefore that we may be constant in our faith, when the winds blow, and the waves beat, and we are tossed in the Seas of this World with perplexing doubts, we must take sure Anchorhold in Heaven; we must draw up our souls in that golden chain of Hope, and by it be as it were present with our future felicity; 1. P●●. 〈◊〉. and then we shall find, that it is (as Saint Peter calls it) Spe viva, a living hope; it will answer its definition, Spes est futurae pollicitationis religiosus assensus; Hope most devoutly resteth upon the promises of God, the performances whereof are yet for to come; it is unto us a second faith. As it doth thus keep our Faith in heart, so doth it our Charity also, for it biddeth our charity not to consider what it leaveth, but what it shall have; Spes semper in ●nteriora tendit, non retrò respicit, it forgetteth the World, which we have forsaken, and still presseth forward unto the blessed estate whereunto we are called. Christ for, Heb. 12.2. the joy that was set before him endured the Cross and despised the shame and Moses and the Prophets that forsook their country, their kindred, their profit, their pleasure, were animated hereunto, by having an eye to the recompense of reward. I had utterly fainted, Psal. 27. saith King David, but that I verily look to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Gregory Nyssen hath a witty conceit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Afflictions are but the flowers of eternal felicity, we must them willingly gather the flowers for the fruits sake. And indeed many abhor the flower because their hearts are not steadfastly set upon the fruit; wherefore when our charity to Godward groweth cold, let us rouse it, and warm it as David did his, Why art thou cast down, O my soul; and why art thou so disquieted within me? Hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise him, who is the help of my countenance and my God. Saint Chrysostome meditating upon those word; of the Psalmist. I trust in God, why say ye then to my soul, fly hence as a bird to the mountains, giveth us a good observation, Spes omnia componit, Hope calmeth all things, he falleth upon diverse particulars which dishearten men from the service of God, banishment into a Wilderness, who will be disquieted with it, that hopeth that God will accompany him there? Dreadful Armies besieging us, what need we fear seeing our Hope is confident that he that is with us is mightier than they that are against us? the rack and threatening us, torture the foresight of our Crown will make us senseless of our most bitter Cross. In a word, No man ever trusted in God, and was confounded, he that buildeth upon this principle, whatsoever he suffereth for God will never be disheartened. But I may not forget to put you in mind of a good saying of S. Austin's, Qualis res, talis spes; Godliness hath the promise of this life, and the life to come; if our hope rest upon the earthly thing, it is but an earthly hope; it becomes heavenly, if it be carried unto those things which are heavenly. God dieteth his children in regard of things earthly, he would have them hope for them, as if they did not hope, as those that can be contented to want them, when God thinketh it not fit to bestow them; but the Hope which must support both Faith and Charity, it must be a resolute hope of this plentiful reward that is promised in my Text, of the gracious prerogatives of the Church; we must look for them assuredly, and without wavering long for them; such a Hope will keep our Faith waking, and our Love working, donec spes fiat res, till God make good his word. I draw to an end. That which God offers in reward of that which he requires, doth (as in the last Sermon I told you) amount to as much as Ius primogeniturae, the Birthright of God's firstborn. You know the story of Esau, he had it in a Type, and sold it for a mess of pottage; Saint Paul's admonition given thereupon to the Hebrews, shall be mine to you, Chap. 12. v. 16. Let there be no such profane person amongst you; Esau when he had so despised his birthright, found no place of repentance, though he sought it with tears; and we, if we neglect the hope of so great salvation offered us, in refusing the condition which God requires of us, shall weep and sue in vain, with those wretches in the Gospel, after the door is shut, and find no entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven. Wherefore I will close up my Sermon, as the Son of Syracke closeth up his, Behold, saith he, with your eyes, how that I have had but little labour, and have gotten me much rest. Work therefore your work betimes, and in his time, he will give you your reward. ANd God grant we may so perform that which God requires, that we may obtain what he doth offer, and in due time find, that faithful is he that promiseth, and that saying in the Psalm to be true. In keeping of his Commandments there is great reward. The sixth Sermon. EXODUS. 19 VERS. 7, 8. And Moses came and called for the Elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the Lord commanded him. And all the people answered together and said, All that the Lord hath spoken we will do, etc. ON the two Verses immediately going before, we heard of a gracious message which God by Moses sent unto Israel; on these two verses we shall hear, that Moses delivered it, and the Israelites returned an answer to it. Touching the delivery of the message we must observe, First, To whom Moses maketh his report; and Secondly, how he doth discharge himself therein. He maketh his report unto the Governors of the Tribes, for he called the Elders of people. And in his report he dischargeth himself fully and clearly; fully, for he reported, All which God had commanded him unto them; and clearly, for what was commanded him he laid before their faces. Touching the answer we are to consider; First, Who maketh it; then What manner of answer it is that is made. They that make it are the Congregation, the People answered and said. And in them we find here two commendable things, unanimity and Alacrity. unanimity, for they joined together in the answer, All the people answered and said. Alacrity, for not one stuck at it, every one was as forward as another, they answered all together. As for the manner of their answer, it is a consent, they accept of the motion which God maketh by Moses, They will do. In this Acceptance there is an observable mixture, of very much modesty, and overmuch confidence, they do not presume, and yet they do presume. They do not presume, for whereas in the message there was something which God required of them, and something which God offered unto them, they pass eue● in silence that which God doth promise, and do not capitulate for that. Neither do they limit God in that which be requires, they yield absolutely unto it, All that the Lord hath said we will do. In these two points they show very much modesty, they do not presume. Look upon the words again, and you will acknowledge in the answer overmuch confidence, you will confess they do presume; presume of their ability, and presume of the extent of their ability. For what say they? Faciemus, we will do that which God commandeth, yea Faciemus omnia, we will do all that which God commandeth. And are either of these in man's power? Can he make good the least of these undertake? Surely he cannot. Therefore they lay too hard an obligation upon themselves, and so express in their answer overmuch confidence. Though as you shall hear anon there is a commendableness in their confidence. These are the particulars which I purpose (God willing) to speak of at this time; I pray God we may all so hear, as to imitate, that when God sendeth a gracious message unto us, we may return no worse answer then Israel doth unto God. The first particular that I pointed at, Exod 18. Numb. 11. was the persons to whom Moses maketh his report; They are the Governors of the Tribes, who are here called the Elders of the people. But the Elders when they note Governors are in this book understood two manner of ways, Elders by birth, and Elders by choice. Elders by birth, such were all the first Governors in the world; as Parents in their families; and the firstborn of many brethren after the death of Parents, by the Law of Nature; and in this sense doth Moses speak of Elders in the third and in the twelfth of this book. But because the Eldest in years are not always the wisest, nor the most upright; therefore when the Israelites became a Nation, Moses ordained Elders by choice, as appears in the Chapter next before this; he made such persons Governors as he thought were best qualified for such an employment. And these Governors still retained the name of Elders, partly because they were, as near as might be, chosen our of those that were eldest in age, as appears in the fore cited place, or at least such as succeeded them in their right; ●●sd chap. 14. and partly because Wisdom is grey hairs, and an unspotted life is old age. Their office giveth them this title to put them in mind that the maturity of their judgement, and the gravity of their carriage, must be such as be seemeth, the ancientest of the people. So have the very Heathen conceived, 〈◊〉 Select. as may be gathered out of the Lacedaemonian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Roman Senatus, both of them assemblies of ancient men, ancient not so much for their years, as for their good parts. And we also in our Governors' Civil and Ecclesiastical retain this title given by the Holy Ghost. For in Corporations the chief are called Aldermen, and in the Church the Pastors are called Presbyters or Priests, that is Elders of the Church. The only observation that I will give upon the title is this; interpretetur quisque vocabulum suum, & nitatur id esse quod dicitur, Let every one in authority consider often of this his name, and endeavour that his life may be answerable unto it. The rather because there can be no shrewder prognostication of a States or a Church's downfall then the degenerating of those Elders into youngsters, whether in Head or Heart, whether green witted, or inordinately affected. But why doth Moses make his report unto the Elders? Surely, because there was of it a kind of necessity, and in it a very good policy. A kind of necessity there was, because the voice of one man, though never so strong a voice, could not be heard by such a multitude. Therefore as in great Armies, (and this was a very great one, it consisted of six hundred thousand men, besides women & children, and a rabble of strangers that accompanied them) as, I say, in great Armies, the General calleth the undercommanders and acquaints them with his pleasure, that by them it may be made known to their several companies: even so dealeth Moses, what by himself he could not do, he is fain to do by these Elders, by them he reporteth the message unto all the Congregation of Israel. Yea, and sometimes when all Israel is named, you must necessarily understand immediately the Elders. This he did of necessity. But with this necessity there was a very good policy, for the Governors' being newly created, he did inure them to exercise their authority, and the people to reverence the word of their mouth, that so the ordinance might not be in vain. And according to this rule doth Saint Peter direct Christians to be subject to all manner of ordinance of man, not only to the King as supreme, but also to those that are sent from him. There is not the meanest Officer but he hath some beam of the King's power, which challengeth from the people a proportionable respect. You have heard to whom Moses maketh his report, let us now see how he dischargeth himself therein. Surely he showeth himself a faithful and a wise Messenger; faithful, for he delivereth his message fully; wise, for he delivereth his message clearly. Let us consider these points asunder. He delivereth his message fully for he told the Elders all that the Lord commanded him. It is the Rule of the Law, Deut. 4. v. 1●. Thou shalt not add nor take from it; it is the promise of our Saviour, that the Spirit should lead the Apostles into all truth, and bring into their remembrance All that he had spoken. And for practice we have our Saviour Christ, john 12. All that I have heard of my Father have I made known unto you; and Saint Paul, I have showed you all the counsel of God. These are in the New Testament. john 14. And in the old Testament Micheas the Prophet, when the messenger of Ahab would have had him do as the other Prophets did, that is, 1. King's chap. 2● speak pleasingly to the King; As the Lord liveth (saith he) what the Lord saith unto me that I will speak. Nay Balaam, though otherwise he loved the wages of iniquity, yet did he answer Balaks messengers, Num. c ●2. v. 18 though Balak would give me his house full of gold, yet can I not go beyond the word of the Lord to do either more or less. From these good Rules, and these good precedents they that are honoured to be God's messengers must learn, that it beseems Referendaries to keep themselves to their instructions, and deliver so much as and no more than they have received in charge. But to speak a little more distinctly to this point. The message did consist of two branches; First, That which God required; Secondly, That which God offered. Moses that did deliveral God's Commandments delivered both these branches, he informed them of their duty, aswell as of God's mercy, and of God's mercy no less than of their duty. And indeed both are requisite to be taught; our duty, that we do not presume, God's mercy, that we do not despair; omit either, and you may me the doctrine of God's Covenant. There is also committed unto us, the Law and the Gospel; the one to humble, the other to comfort men; we ought to conjoin both, and you must be content to hear of your duty aswell as of God's mercy. We preach them both to our people; the Papists charge us with taking from the doctrine of the Covenant, but the books of our Confession, the Articles, and Catechisms, and the book of our Devotion, our public liturgy, and finally, the Homilies which are appointed to be read unto the people, refute this slander. But we justly charge them with adding to the doctrine of the Covenant the books Apocryphal, and their ungrounded Traditions; and we remember them of that saying of Solomon, Pro● 30 v. 6. add not to God's Word, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar. And what we have censured in them are nothing else but the forgeries of men's brains, which may not be reputed the Oracles of God. Therefore though we call upon you, dutifully to hear and receive, aswell what God requires, as what he promiseth: yet as necessarily to salvation, we do not, we should not call upon you to hear more than he requires, or to believe more than he promiseth. But enough of Moses Fidelity, Let us now see his Wisdom. As he dischargeth himself fully: so doth he discharge himself clearly also. For he laid all that God commanded him before the faces of the Elders, Nec incautis nec nescientibus ingeritur Lex. Here first we meet with a strange phrase, for can words be laid before men's faces? you would expect that the Text should have said, Moses spoke that which God commanded in the ears of the people, and here we find their ears turned into eyes. When the Holy Ghost meaneth evidence of speech, it useth to express it in such significant terms. Saint Paul telling the Galathians of his perspicuous preaching the Gospel unto them, 〈◊〉. 3. v 1. saith, that jesus Christ was described in their sight, and crucified before them. Although the Holy Ghost do speak to some in Parables, Mat 13. that in hearing they may hear and not understand, (which he doth in punishment of their contempt of evident truth which hath been laid before them, Mat. 6. because as the Proverb is, Pearls are not to be cast unto swine, nor holy things unto dogs:) yet to those that hear with a reverend and an obedient ear, Mat. 13. ●. 11. Datum est nosse mysteria regnicoelorum, the Parables are unfolded, the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven are laid before their face. To open this point a little better. We must distinguish the Covenant of God from the Illustrations and Amplifications thereof. The Covenant itself both Old and New is plainly delivered, whether you respect that which God requires, or that which Godoffers, aswel in this chapter, as in other parts of the Bible. But there are many Illustrations and Amplifications of either of these, Typical, Mystical, dark and hard to be understood, which the people cannot understand without an Interpreter, ea, which the Interpreter himself cannot understand without manifold help, help of Devotion that God's Spirit may enlighten him, and help of Meditation painfully scanning and comparing the branches of the Text, with other places; finally, help of Variety of humane literature, which giveth great light sometimes to the phrase, sometimes to the matter in hand. But above all in matters necessary to salvation, we follow Catholic Tradition. This we say. And yet the wrangling Romanists bear the World in hand, that we say there is no difficulty in the Scriptures; and that for their guide we refer the people only to their private Spirit; which are gross untruths. We encourage the people to read the Scripture, and tell them, that though there be some depths therein, wherein an Elephant may swim, yet there are some such shallowes wherein a Lamb may wade. The simplest may meet there with all parts of their Catechism, the ten Commandments, the Articles of their Creed, the Lords Prayer, the Sacraments. These points contain the substance of the Covenant, and they are plainly delivered there. And more than these are not necessary to salvation. Some may have more, some less understanding of these, according to their breeding; yet all should understand these. And for this purpose did Moses and the Prophets, Christ and his Apostles, and the Fathers of the Primitive Church commend unto the people the reading of the Scriptures. But we advice them to leave unto the learned, at least to learn of them to understand those things that are vailed; and soberly to edify their piety with these things which they shall find there unuailed, or laid before their faces. I have done with the delivery of the Message, I come now to the Answer that is made thereunto. And here we are to take notice first, Who maketh it; the whole Congregation; The people answered. But do not you remember that the Message was delivered to the Elders? why then do the People answer? Surely because the Elders received it to deliver it to the people, and therefore not only the Elders but the people also were to make an answer. Some are of opinion that the Elders were the representative body of all the people, and that their consent was the consent of all, and that all were bound by that which they did; as in Parliaments the chosen Knights and Burgesses; in Synods the chosen Proctors of the Clergy have such obliging voices. Which conceit the Romanists wrist so fare, as thereupon to make the tenants of the Elders of the Church, the ground of the people's faith, to which purpose they also abuse the maxim of Cyprian, Ecclesia est in Episcopo, The Church subsisteth in the Bishop; & ubi non sunt Sacerdotes Ecclesia non est. The same premises serve aswell to conclude for the liturgy in an unknown tongue, and for their private Mass. For if the people may believe because their Bishops believe, they may aswell, (as indeed they do) serve God in the Priest, and in the Priest they may communicate, without any their privity to what he doth, or any their cooperation with him, from which they are necessarily excluded by private Masses and unknown Prayers. But the reason why the people are said to answer to that message, which is said to have been delivered to the Elders, will better be declared by another simile taken from an Army. In the spiritual host of the Lord, every one taketh Sacramentum militare, and solemnly professeth his consent to the Covenant. In the Old Testament children of eight days old when they were circumcised and received the seal of God, had their Sureties that undertook for them that they should stand to the Covenant. So in the New Testament, when children were baptised they anciently had (as appears by the ancient liturgy) and so now they are required to have Sureties that vow in their name. Whereby it is clear that the Church hath ever taught, that the stipulation necessary in the Covenant doth personally concern the people, and that they cannot unburden themselves of it upon their Elders, and therefore of purpose the Holy Ghost nameth not the Elders but the people, when it specifieth the Answerers. Although we will not deny that of the stipulation made by the people, the Elders which heard it made report unto Moses. Having found the Answerers, we must observe two commendable things in them, whereof the first is unanimity, for they joined all in the answer. The word all is taken sometimes Communitèr, sometimes Vniversalitèr, that is, sometimes for the greater part, sometimes for every particular person. Again, whereas men are ranged into diverse Degrees, some Nobles, some Commons, some Rulers, some Subjects. All doth sometimes note only genera singulorum, all sorts of men, sometime singula generum, every one of every sort. The unanimity which is here meant is of the largest size, and signifieth not only the greater part, but every one, not only all sorts of men, but every one of every sort. And indeed, if in the message, you shall hear, etc. you shall be, etc. God do mean every one of every rank, than all in the answer must mean so, for all that were spoken unto, answered. God in his Covenant, as the Ministers have authority to promulge it, comprehendeth all, we are to preach the Gospel to all, and tender the Sacraments to all, 〈◊〉 2. v 4. all must hear, all must receive, God will have all men saved and come to the knowledge of his truth. If any be excluded, he excludeth himself. Yet are there in the world of such wretched men, many more, then of those that do consent, for many more are Infidels than Christians. And between those that consent there is not that unanimity as is to be wished, some hold of Paul, some of Apollo, some of Cephas; The East Church against the West, and the West against the East; and each part hath its Subdivisions, thus the seamelesse coat of Christ is rend into many pieces. I would we could all learn unanimity of these Israelites, and that with one heart and voice we would make the same restipulation unto God which here they did. Besides their unanimity, there is in them a commendable Alacrity. For they did not only answer all, but they did answer all at once; All the people answered together. There are two ways of collecting voices, per scrutinium, by private whispering in the ear, or some other private course; or viva voce, by a free and open delivery of the mind. The first was thought sit to avoid quarrels that were likely to arise, if the voices were known who gave them. But when men use not the benefit of that course, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with open face profess their consent it is a sign they are, neither ashamed nor afraid of their doings, which are the characters of a cheerful heart. Whereas therefore they might privately have expressed their consents, and they do it openly, it is a plain argument of their Alacrity But were not this, yet their answering altogether putteth it out of question. Saint Paul telleth us that in a race all run but one carrieth the prize, and therefore he biddeth all so run as that every one may obtain. Now these so answered, 1 Cor. 9.24 as that no precedency of voice could be distinguished, and while every one did strive to speak first, all their voices made up but one first voice. So willingly did they all consent, that one was not suffered to be more forward than another. The like shall you find in Exod. 24. in Esdras, and in the Book of Chronicles when the people come to profess their readiness to stand to God's Covenant. And God is pleased that there should be monuments extant of the forwardness of his people to receive him as there are of his enemies to reject him. In the Parable of the Marriage feast the invited guests 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without deliberation, Luke 14. v. 18. and with too much readiness refused to come. And shall we not be as forward that do purpose to come? God loveth a cheerful giver, as of his goods: 2. Cor. 9 v. 7. so of himself. And in this case the old Proverb is true, Bis dat qui c●tò dat, I will interpret it by those words of Christ in the Gospel, Matth. 11.12. the Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it. Enough of the Answerers, let us come now to the Answer. The Answer doth contain their Acceptance, they promise that they will stand to the Covenant which was represented to them by Moses. Neither had they received the Law except they had first had a disposition to be commanded. God will not covenant with the unwilling, his people must be, as the Psalmist calleth them Populus spontan●us, Psal. 110. a willing people. Especially those that are parties to the Covenant of Grace, for that is a Conjugal Covenant, and a Conjugal Covenant is knit by love, both party's consent with a ready mind. God inquires after his former gifts in us for our capacity of more. Therefore we may not look that God will offer force to our will, by grace he takes away the servility, but the liberty of our will he never taketh away; our choice is free, such as beseemeth reasonable men. Yea, the nearer God draweth us unto him, the more in our doing will he have us like unto himself, he will have us not only to do well, but to do it willingly. Whereupon will follow two things; the one is that we cannot murmurre against God for imposing the Law, seeing, he layeth no heavier burden upon us, than we are willing to undergo. The other that we cannot excuse our inconstancy seeing what we did resolve on, we resolved upon it advisedly, we liked well of the conditions, when we first entered into the Covenant. And certainly, as it doth add much to God's mercy, that he would take this loving course, so it will add much unto our sin, if having upon deliberation dutifully accepted what God doth offer, we shall gracelesly break with God. But in this acceptance of the Israelites, there is a remarkable mixture of contrary qualities, Modesty and Confidence, for therein they do not presume, and yet they do presume. First see their modesty. You must call to mind that in the message sent them, there were two parts, the one shown what God required of them, the other what he offered to them. In their answer they show much modesty in regard of both parts, I will show that modesty first, that respects what God doth offer. Observe then that in their answer they pass that over insilence, they do not capitulate with God for it. And indeed the stipulation of our duty, must be absolute and not conditional, (though Gods promise to us, be conditional and not absolute.) And why? we own our duty to God absolutely, and God's mercy is not due to us, but out of his gracious promise. So that to capitulate would imply a denial of our native obligation, and that we would not obey, were it not for the adoptive; beside we should seem to doubt whether God will be as good as his word: as God hath reason to doubt of us that we will not be so good as our word. So that to put a difference between God's fidelity and ours, this branch of the Israelites modesty may beseem us all; it may beseem us rather assuredly to expect, then unmannerly to capitulate for that which God doth promise: so deal children with their Parents, Subjects with their Sovereigns; and we much more ought so to deal with God our Father, and our Sovereign in Heaven. Our eyes, yea, and our hearts too must be more upon that which God requires, then upon that which God doth promise. Not that we may not hearten ourselves with that which God doth promise, yea, and remember God of it also in our Prayers, after the example of the Patriarch jacob. Gen. ●8. But if we be silent we do in godly humility insinuate that we hold ourselves unworthy of it, and we shall speed never a whit the worse. For what we forbear to do out of this consciousness of our unworthiness, God will supply out of his abundant goodness; he will set an honourable estimate upon our duty, and will take it as worthy of whatsoever he doth promise. We cannot undervalue ourselves so much as God will overualue us. The second branch of their modesty is, that replying to that which God requires, they do not limit him, but yield their obedience as fare as he requires it. Yea, if you compare the clauses you shall find that God spoke but indefinitely. If you will hear my voice, If you will keep my Covenant; but they do answer universally, All that the Lord hath said we will do, they submit themselves unto God's charge in the largest sense. And indeed this is true Piety not to carve out our own obedience, but to let God carve it out, we must absolutely captivated our wits unto his wisdom, and surrender our wills wholly unto his pleasure, his Law must be the bounderie of our life. Hitherto you have seen that in their answer there is much modesty, much modesty, you have seen they do not presume. But I told you that if we look upon the words a second time, we shall find that there is over much confidence in them, we shall find that they do presume. They presume first of their Ability, faciemus, we do not think God's commandments impossible, we will do that which God commandeth, we think we may adventure to promise so much. Cap. 4. Saint james checks man's confidence in a smaller matter, go to (saith he) you that say to day and to morrow we will go to such a place, and there buy and sell, etc. whereas you should say, if we live, if the Lord will. If our Ability be so small in regard of those things which are here below, and concern this animal life, that we may not presume of ourselves but under such a condition: how much more must we add a condition when we speak of those greater matters, those that concern our spiritual life? here we should add, if God's grace be sufficiently vouchsafed me, if he shall be pleased that his strength be, made perfect in my weakness. For Auxilium speciale, is more extraordinary than generale, and we must beg the special, the general will not suffice is this case. If King David confessed and did as it were wonder at God's grace, that himself and his people offered their goods so willingly unto God: how much more cometh it of grace, and grace to be wondered at, that a man doth wholly and cheerfully devote himself unto the service of God? Therefore we must all remember that Item which Christ gave to Saint Peter, a great undertaker in this kind, Mark 1●. the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak; and imitate Saint Paul, a more modest undertaker, who affirmeth of himself, I can do all things, Phil. 4. but it is through Christ which strengtheneth me. Wherefore what the Israelites omitted, we must in all these vows supply, If God shall convert, if God shall incline our hearts; otherwise our undertaking will savour of too much confidence, and we shall be guilty of presuming. It was too much that they presumed of their ability; but see their confidence goeth farther, they presume of the extent of their Ability also, faciemus omnia, we will do all that the Lord commandeth us. Certainly if they will do so much, they will do more than ever any man did, or can do, except him that was both God and man our Lord jesus Christ. To make this plain, understand that in the Law there are two parts, the Affirmative and the Negative, and either hath something in it, which is impossible to be done in this life. The Affirmative requires that we Love God with all our hearts, with all our minds, with all our strength, and our neighbour as ourself. The Negative, Ne concupiscas, Thou shalt not lust. It is confessed by all that are not Pelagians or Pelagius like, that neither of these can be performed in this life. Touching the Affirmative I will say no more than that which Saint Bernard observed, that whereas in our Charity thereiss Affectus and Actus, the Affection and the Action: we must expect in heaven the integrity of our Affection, as the reward of the best endeavours of our Action, while we are in this world; and if the integrity of our affection be above the reach of this life, much more the integrity of our Action which flows from the other, and is correspondent to it. I will insist a little longer upon the other clause, the negative part of the Law. The rather because if I can make it plain that we cannot perform the negative, it followeth undeniably that we cannot perform the affirmative. For as one instance to the contrary overthroweth an universal affirmative: so if we be tainted with the least spot of concupiscence, our Charity cannot be entire. Observe then (that I may tread the steps of the Romanists and overthrew their conceit of Moral perfection in this life, out of their own principles, that in regard of the negative part of the commandment, there is perfectio viatoris and comprehensoris. Perfectio comprehensoris the perfection of a man when he cometh to heaven will be this (saith Saint Austin) Non concupiscet, he will not there covet at all, covet any thing against the prescript of Gods Law. But we may not expect to have that perfection in this life, because God is pleased even in his best Children to continue here Luctam inter spiritum & carnem, a conflict between the flesh and the spirit. Only in Baptism he taketh away reatum Concupiscentis, and regnum Concupiscentiae, those that are regenerated are not guilty, because sinful Concupiscence is or stirreth in them, neither doth Concupiscence continue her sovereignty over them. So that God unto their perfection in the Church militant requires only of his Children, ut post Concupiscentias ne eant; that they take no care for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof. Rom 13 14. Rom 8. v. 1. And there is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ jesus that walk not after the flesh but after the spirit; which is Saint Paul's conclusion upon the conflict described, Rom. 7. and he shows plainly that he would have it understood of the New and Old man's Conflict, not of reason and sensuality as the Arminians. And can men perform so much as in the Apostles words is required? The Romanists say they can, but they say it untruely. For this contention of the spirit and the flesh is not duellum but Bellum, it is not a single combat but a plain war. And you know there is great odds between these; for in a single combat a man is to ward but one, and be hath but one to wound. But in the war, in a pitched battle, Singuli pugnant contra omnes, & omnes contra singulos, every man must take care of all his enemies that are in the field. For there is not one of them but may give him a wound, eminus or cominus, either buckling with him, or striking him from aloof. So that when he guardeth his head from one, another may smite him at the heart; when he maketh all sure before, he may be smitten behind, or he may be pierced in the sides. As he is thus encumbered in the defensive, so is he in the offensive also; he may not think himself safe, so long as any one of his enemies doth live. Behold here a lively Image of the militant Soldiers of Christ; they have not to do with one, but with many enemies; the flesh, the world, the devil. And these have under them many desperate Soldiers. The flesh as many as we have senses and affections, parts of our bodies, and powers of our Souls. The world as many as there are creatures. And the devil is a Prince of many legions. We must withstand them all, and that at all times; and not only withstand them, but also stand against them, at all times we must look to be set upon by them, and we must set upon them. A very hard task, Pluribus intentus minor est ad singula sensus, saith the proverb, and the more our strength is distracted by many, the less must it needs be against any one. Were I only to defend my eye, happily I might make my part good against the lust thereof; but at the same instant that I turn them away lest they behold vanity, I am assaulted with an itching in my ear, that is exposed to flattery. Put the case I bestir myself so well that I keep the enemy out of both those inlets, he will give me a fall by my tongue, he will cast some fiery Dart into that, it shall be set on fire of Hell (as Saint james speaketh) to slander, to blaspheme, james 3.6. to speak some idle or evil words. Neither are my hands secure at the very same time from being solicited with bribery or unto bloodshed. It were infinite to go over all the powers of my Soul, all the parts of my body, they are all at once and ever in the same danger, and must all at once and ever be put unto the same labour both defensive and offensive. Add hereunto three great disadvantages, of the spiritual warfare above the corporal: for in the corporal warfare as there are many enemies, so those against whom they come being many, distract them that they cannot all fall upon one: but in the spiritual war it is not so, all our spiritual foes at one time may set upon every one of us, yea they never go a sunder, for our flesh ever joineth with the world, and the devil with them both. The second disadvantage is, that whereas open hostility in earthly warfare is not always accompanied with treachery, in the spiritual it is. For ourselves hold secret intelligence with, and yield assistance to our ghostly enemies, we betray unto them a propension that we have to be conquered. And when the battle joins, our members become weapons of unrighteousness, and with our own lusts we fight against our own souls. The third disadvantage is, that in earthly warfare when the soldiers come to execution, they spare none, and they go upon a good principle, shall I spare his blood that will be ever ready to spill mine? 1. Sam. 15. Reg. 20. Saul in sparing Agag, and Ahab who spared Benhadad were taxed, and punished for their foolish pity. But of this foolish pity there appears too much in our spiritual warfare, for if God bring the world under us, yea and our flesh too, we are afraid to be hard hearted to either of them, we hold it too much spiritualty to crucify the world, and we hold it too much inhumanity to crucify our own flesh. And by reason of this indulgence, even when they are foiled, they are still in heart, still in hope to recover the mastery, and bring us under again. This being the condition of sinful man, the Schoolmen hold that no man in the state of grace, is of sufficient strength to over come all sin; though they add, that there is no one sin, which he may not overcome, they speak of actual sins: and they speak truly, if they be understood of that which a man may do. For if a man be tempted unto any sin, if he pray unto God for grace, and make use of that grace which God doth give him, he may withhold his consent, and choose whether he will act it, and if he do consent and act it, he is without all excuse. Tertullian hath a pretty simile, when two strive oftentimes the one overcometh the other, not because the conqueror was the stronger, but because he that is conquered was the more cowardly, and such cowards the best of men do prove very often in their spiritual war are. But it is in vain to dispute what may be done by grace against all sin or any one sin otherwise then to show all men's frailty. For the least of the two was never so done, as that any man can truly boast of perfectio viatoris I will follow this point no farther. By this time I doubt not but you conceive that the Israelites in their answer were over confident, they presumed too much of their ability, R●m. 8. especially of the extent thereof, they did not know what was impossible to the Law by reason of the flesh. And yet mistake not, there is a virtue in this vice. Neither is their confidence so but there is something commendable in it. When a father willeth something to be done by his child, the child doth, not so much consider what it can do, as what it would do, and therefore undertaketh even beyond its strength. The father that seethe it, doth not so much dislike the vanity of the attempt, as he liketh the willingness to obey, he delighteth in the good nature of his child, and desires that his abilities may be answerable to his endeavours. And in this sort did God take the answer of the Israelites, as it appears in the speech which he made to Moses when he presented the like words unto him; I have heard (saith he) the voice of the words of this people, they have well said all that they have spoken, so he commends their confidence. But to give them to understand that they undertook more than they were able to perform, Deut. 5. God addeth a wish, O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me and keep my Commandments always. For nullius momentiest subitus affectus nisi accedat perseverandi constantia. As the parable of the two Sons, Matth. 21. plainly showeth. God foresaw that all this profession of the Israelites was in them but a flash of a temporary faith, Psal. 79. such as out of temptation appears in most of us. For if we be prevented with grace, yea in many good things out of the light of nature, we assent unto the truth of God's Law, and our hearts incline to the good thereof. Yea if we sit judges in other men's cases, and are not transported with prejudice and acceptance of the persons, we manifest this assent and inclination to the Law of God in general, in our dooming of other men; but we do not cast up our own accounts. When our own case cometh a foot, and we are exercised with any particular temptation, than Gods wish is necessary, O that there were in them such a heart! It is necessary even for those that have been so forward to say and that commendably, All that the Lord hath commanded we will do. Let us then know that the strictness of God's charge serves only to exercise our faith in Christ, to inflame our love towards God, and to encourage our hope of perfection in heaven. Multum ille in hac vita profecit qui quam long sit a perfectione justitiae proficiende cognoscit. But I draw to an end. This answer did the Israelites make unto the message that was sent from Mount Sinai, what answer then must we make unto the message that cometh to us from Mount Zion? The yoke that Moses put upon them was grave, an heavy yoke, Acts 15.10. Matth. 11.30 the yoke that Christ putteth upon us is suave, an easy yoke. The easier our charge, the readier should be our acceptance; it could not be so commendable in them to under take beyond their ability, as it will be shameful in us if we come short of them in expressing our forwardness to obey God. For if their state were glorious ours doth much more exceed in glory, 2. Cor. 3. What remaineth then, but that we oblige ourselves cheerfully to the Covenant of Grace, and penitently bewail our manifold defects in observing our obligation? and that in our conflicts when we are driven to cry out, O wretch that I am, who shall deliver me, etc. Rom. 7. 2●. we answer, Thanks be to God through jesus Christ our Lord? I conclude all with that passage in the Psalm, Lord, thou hast commanded that we should keep thy precepts diligently, and let David's wish be every one of ours, Oh that my ways were made so direct that I might keep thy Statutes. The seventh Sermon. EXODUS. 19 VERS. 9 And the Lord said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick Cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever. YOu may remember that I broke this whole Chapter into two parts, a mutual stipulation that passed between God and the Israelites; and a preparation of the parties for so great a work, as was the promulgation of the Law. I have spoken of the mutual stipulation, it followeth that I now come on to the preparation. This preparation is first ordered; then the parties being orderly prepared do meet each other. The order for God's preparation is set down in this verse; for the Israelites in many Verses following. Touching Gods preparation we must observe, first, that he will vouchsafe his presence at this great work, I come to thee; Secondly, touching God's presence, the Text will teach us the Manner and the End. The Manner is such as beseemeth the person, and fitteth the business; as it beseemeth the person, so it is majestical; as it fitteth the business, so it is mystical: both are included in the thick Cloud. The End of God's presence was, partly to grace Moses, who was to be the Lawgiver, that the people may hear when I speak with thee; and partly to dispose the people aright, who were to receive the Law, that they may believe thee for ever. These be the points, and they are remarkable, therefore are they prefaced with a note of attention Lo, which will also direct our application; it is remarkable that God was present, it is remarkable that his presence was full of majesty, and mystery, the countenance which God vouchsafeth Moses is remarkable, and remarkable is that disposition towards Moses, which God requires in Israel. I beseech you therefore in the fear of God to mark these points diligently, whilst I clear them unto you briefly and in their order. I come. God vouchsafeth his presence at the work, and is this strange? Must this have a Lo put upon it? Is it strange for God to do that which he cannot choose but do? Acts 7.49. For he filleth heaven and earth, heaven is his throne, the earth is his footstool; read the 139 Psalm, and see whether a man can be any where without the presence of God, He beareth up all things by the word of his power, saith the Apostle, therefore it is not strange that God should be present at this work who is every where: it is rather strange that God should be said to come to it, as if he changed the place of his presence, which he cannot do, because he is infinite. Observe therefore, that though God be everywhere alike in regard of his being: yet in regard of his being manifest he is not every where alike; now it is not his being, but his being manifest that is meant in this place, therefore the Chaldie Paraphrase instead of the Hebrew I come, saith fitly to this purpose, I will appear; and because God doth not always appear to men alike, therefore when he doth more notably appear unto them, he is said to come. Touching the variety of Gods appearing or manifesting himself to the world, take a similitude from the Sun. The Sun doth manifest itself, first, by daylight, and that is common to all that dwell in the same Horizon unto which the Sun is risen; some have more than the daylight, they have also the Sunshining light, which shining light of the Sun is not in all places where the day light of it is; finally the Sun is manifest in the heavens in his full strength, for the very body is present there, which none can endure but the Stars, which become glorious bodies, by that special presence of the Sun amongst them: In like manner God in whom all things live, move, and have their being, doth manifest himself, unto some by the works of his general providence, of which manifestation Saint Paul speaketh when he saith, Acts 14. God left not himself without witness to all nations in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons filling our hearts with food and gladness, This manifestation of God is like the daylight, Psal. 145 v. 15. it is common to all, it is an universal grace, The eyes of all things look up unto thee, O Lord, and thou givest them their meat in due season. There is a second manifestation and that is peculiar but to some, it is like the Sunshine, it is that manifestation which God vouchsafeth his Church, of which Esay speaketh, Arise, shine, Chap 60. for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee, but darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people, for in comparison of the Church the rest of the world sitteth in darkness, and in the shadow of death. The third and last manifestation is that which God maketh of himself in heaven, to the Angels and Saints, the clearest and fullest whereof a creature is capable; and those, which partake this presence of God, become thereby glorious Saints, more glorious than the stars which receive their resplendent lustre from the aspect which they have to the Sun's body. The manifestation that we have to do withal, is of the second sort, it is not so clear as that which the Saints enjoy in heaven, it is not so dark as that which is common to the world, but it is of a middle temper proper to the Church militant, to whom God is said to come when he doth so manifest himself unto her. From hence we must take notice that as there are those who are in better case than we are, so there are who are in worse case, and therefore we must thank God for our present advancement, and remember that we make forward to that nearness unto God, which is reserved for us in heaven. This may suffice for our understanding of this phrase, I come. The next point is the manner of his coming, In the thick cloud. Before I speak distinctly hereof, I will give you a note upon the Cloud. Some make a question whether it be the same Cloud which guided the children of Israel through the wilderness, or some other; they think some other greater and thicker, but they think so without great reason; for after that the guiding Cloud once rested on the Tabernade, we hear no more of any Cloud upon Mount Sinai, neither did Moses after that ascend unto Mount Sinai, but God delivered his mind unto him in the Tabernacle where the Cloud then rested; and God promised to dwell amongst the people after the Tabernacle should be built, by bringing the Cloud and his glory thither, which was accordingly performed (Exod. 40.34.) Exod. 19.43, ●● before that the people removed from Mount Sinai, yet after that time we read of no other Cloud upon Mount Sinai. Instead then of coining a new Cloud, observe rather how by degrees God approached to his people; at their first coming out of Egypt he kept aloft in the air, the people had not yet shaken off their Egyptian disposition, neither were they sitted for any nearness to God. When they rose higher in their thoughts, and had contracted with him, God descended lower, and came nearer unto them, he descended to the top of Mount Sinai. Afterward when they had yet better expressed their affection to entertain God by building the Tabernacle, God vouchsafed to come lower to them, he chose to reside in the midst of their Campe. And let us take this for an undoubted lesson, the better we (prevented by grace) prepare ourselves for God, the nearer will God approach to us. I now come to speak distinctly of the manner. I told you that the manner of God's appearance was first majestical, because in the thick Cloud, in this Cloud, that you may see the majesty of God, observe first that God was in it, for there was the Angel of God, that Angel in whom is God's Name, so we read, Exod. 23. verse 21. and who is called God's presence, Exod. 33. verse 14, 15. so that the Cloud was God's chair of State, or his Chariot, or Pavilion, as the Scripture doth call the Clouds when God putteth them to this use. And as God was in the Cloud, so was the Cloud environed with an host of heavenly Courtiers, becoming the majesty of such a King, learn it out of the sixty eight Psalm, The Chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of Angels, the Lord is amongst them as in Sinai in his holy place. And besides these attendants we find observed two other Ceremonies of State. As Kings give notice of their coming by the sound of Trumpets, so this Cloud was attended by the voice of a Trumpet exceeding loud. And as before Kings there is wont to be carried the instrument of justice and Vengeance the Sword, so was God's appearance in this Cloud attended with those dreadful Meteor's Lightning and Thunder. Lay together those particulars, and you will confess that God appeared in awful majesty when he came in the thick Cloud. The Israelites confessed as much, Deut. 5.24. Behold, the Lord hath showed unto us his glory and his greatness, we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire. Mortal Kings never put on greater state than when they go to their Parliaments, the reason that moveth them is the same that moved God, that men should fear to offend them whom they see armed with so great power, and the greater regard be had unto their Laws. As the thick Cloud doth set forth God's majesty, so is it also full of mystery. The first mystery to be gathered out of it, is observed by God himself; he clothed himself with a thick Cloud, to put the people in mind, that having seen no shape of him, they should not presume to make any image. Let our lesson be, Voluntas Dei non essentia quaerenda in hac vita, what God is, is a lesson for the life to come, in this life it is enough for us to learn what Gods will is. A second mystery in the Cloud is that it agreeth well with the revelations of the Old Testament, Gal. 4. for God appeared then in shadows, and figures, there was a veil cast over the Law, which was figured in the veil wherewith Moses covered his face, 2. Cor. 3. So that though the Church in the Old Testament had much more knowledge than the rest of the world, (for they had saving knowledge, as appeareth, Heb. 11.) Yet he that is least in the Kingdom of God, saith Christ, is greater than john Baptist, notwithstanding that he was greater than any Prophet of the Old Testament. A third mystery is the condition of the Law, Chap. 33. which in Deuteronomic is called a fiery Law, very piercing, and very scorching, it enters fare in searching of a man's conscience; it is a discerner of the thoughts; I had never known, Heb. 4.12. Rom. 7.7. saith Saint Paul, that lust is sin, had not the Law said thou shalt not lust. As the Law is piercing because fiery, so is it scorching also, it vexeth and tormenteth their consciences whom it findeth guilty, it is a burden too heavy for the best of us to bear, Acts 15. Saint Austin observes well, Brevis differentia Legis & Euangelij timor & amor, although both these affections beseem both Testaments, and he that loveth must fear, and he that feareth must love; yet Fear was prevalent in the Old Testament, and Love is in the New; We have not (saith Saint Paul) received the spirit of bondage to fear, Rom 8.15. which was the state of man under the Old Testament, but we have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba, Father, which is the liberty of the New Testament. The same Apostle resembleth the different conditions of the Church under the two Testaments to the different conditions of a child when he is in nonage, and when he is come to his full age, Gal 4. while he is in his nonage though he be heir, yet is he kept in awe and under a Pedagogue, but when he cometh to full age his Father affords him a more cheerful countenance, and more liberal maintenance: Even so under the Law the Church was kept under and scanted of grace, but under the Gospel she is more free, and endued with a more plentiful measure of God's holy Spirit. Finally, hereunto looketh the difference that Saint Paul maketh between Mount Sinai and Mount Zion, Heb. 12. the terribleness of the one, and the sweetness of the other, I shall have occasion to compare them before I come to the end of the Chapter. By the mixture of the Cloud and of the Fire, you may also conceive a mixture of our knowledge of God: as the light of the fire signifieth that he is in some good sort manifested unto us, 1. Cor. 13. 1●. so doth the Cloud signify that out knowledge is very imperfect, we see but as through a glass darkly: that which we know not of God, is much more than that which we do know. Let this suffice for the manner. I come now to the End, which is twofold, for God came first to grace Moses, whom he designed Lawgiver to Israel, or rather referendary of that Law which himself would give unto them. And he graced him two ways. First, in coming to him and not unto them, so saith the Text, I will come to thee. Moses was upon the hill, the people in the bottom, now the Cloud came down but to the top of the hill, not into the bottom, wherein there was no small grace done to the person of Moses: in the sight of all the people, God vouchsafed his presence only to him and not to the people. The second grace is yet greater, that in the hearing of the people God would speak with him, for it is not here said that God did speak with them. But that we mistake not this grace which is done to Moses, and give him more honour than hereby was by God intended towards him, we must observe, that though here we find no mention of Gods speaking with the people, but only of his speaking with Moses, yet Deut. 5. verse 5. Moses himself saith, that God talked also with them; and here we read that God so talked with Moses, as that he talked in the hearing of the people. When here we read of Gods talking with Moses only, without any mention of Gods talking with the people, hereby the Holy Ghost intends to honour him with the Mediator ship of the Old Testament: that honour which Saint Paul giveth him when he saith, The Law was given by Angels in the band of a Mediator. But where Moses saith, Deut. 5. that God talked with the people: there the Holy Ghost would teach us that God intended the Law to the people. And out of both places compared together, it followeth that the Law was committed to Moses, to the end that the people might receive it from him, not only as he should deliver it in the two Tables, but also as he should report unto them by word of mouth. And because they were to receive God's Law as he should report it, that they might be sure he brought them nothing but that which he received from God, therefore God uttered the Law to him in their hearing. Whatsoever cometh from a man as a mere man will hardly work upon the conscience, because of that known principle, Omnis homo mendax, men have their errors, and their private ends, therefore their projects are entertained with jealousy, that they mistake or intent their own good; but if a Law be once known to be God's pleasure, we readily submit, because we know he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he can neither deceive nor be deceived, and he hath absolute power to command. Upon this principle those famous Lawgivers amongst the Heathen did make it their first labour to persuade their people that they had familiar colloquies with some divine power, by whom they were directed in their Law-giving: Minos with jupiter, Lycurgus with Apollo, Numa with Aegeria, etc. Mahomet could never have made his Alcoran so currant, but by that notorious imposture of a Dove which had been taught to come familiarly to his ear, and which to the people he pretended to be the Holy Ghost; Heretics old and new have had their enthusiastical guides; Papistical pretended apparitions and revelations are much of this kind, abuses of that sacred principle. But to the point, when God would establish the Canon both of the Old and New Testaments, by two demonstrations he shown that they came from him, the one of Miracle, the other of Oracle. So did he establish that which the Church received by Moses. First, he gave him power to work many Miracles, which was a second proof that he came from God, for no man could do what he did except God were with him, the very Magicians confessed so much, Digitus Dei est hic. Secondly, God not contented to give him the power of Miracles, because Magicians might, if not do them, yet make show of them, added also this second confirmation of Oracle, which putteth the other out of controversy, because it is not so easy to be counterfeited. Our Saviour Christ by whom was laid the foundation of the Canon of the New Testament, had the same evidences to confirm his doctrine; besides the many Miracles which he wrought, that Oracle was once and again uttered from Heaven, Matth 3. Matth. 17. Matth. 24 25. This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, hear him. And withal he forewarned his Church not to rest barely upon Miracles, for that false Christ's and false Prophets shall arise, and show great signs and wonders. But why did God grace Moses by speaking with him in the hearing of the people? Surely the end was, that they might believe him for over, that faith towards his person might be wrought in them. For Faith properly relieth upon the person, and resteth upon his word, although it doth not comprehend many things which he speaketh; as indeed the Israelites did not understand many parts of the Law, yet never did they question them because they were delivered by Moses, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was enough to them, farther enquiry they made none. But how could Moses be believed for ever, seeing he is dead diverse thousands of years since? Surely Moses liveth in his Writings, he that believeth them, believeth him. The Prophets long after him, refer themselves to him in his Writings, Ad legem & testimonium, Chap. 8. saith Esay, Remember the Law of Moses which I gave him in Horeb, saith God, in Malachi. Thus also in the New Testament, Chap. 4. Christ referreth to him, You believe in Moses; Matth. 22. john 9 The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses his chair, And we find the jews still covering their oppositions to Christ and his Apostles with pretence of their faith to Moses, We know that God spoke to Moses, we are Moses his Disciples. So deeply did this Oracle of God take root in them, that through ignorance and misconceit, it became their stumbling block, and that which truly understood should have brought them to the Gospel, through the error of their judgement set them against it. God doth as much as is fit to establish our faith, but we often pervert the best means to our own ruin. I may not here forget to observe unto you a gross error of the Church of Rome. God spoke once to Moses, saith my Text, in the hearing of the people, that the people should believe his words for ever, therefore the Canon of the the Law was to stand for an eternal truth. The same must we affirm of the Canon of the New Testament, whose confirmation is much surer, as Saint Paul testifieth, Heb. 2. Hence it is that we call upon the Church of Rome to reform according to this double Canon; but they call as fast upon us for Miracles and Oracles, to confirm our Doctrine. But new proofs are only for new Doctrines, we allege nothing but that which was taught by Christ and his Apostles, and consequently nothing but that which hath been already proved by Miracle and Oracle; an● that which hath been once thus proved is to be believed for ever. The last note which I gave on my Text is, that it hath a word which biddeth us mark diligently all the points thereof, mark what Gods coming is, in what sort he doth manifest himself unto us; that which is not vulgar 〈◊〉 must not vulgarly be regarded; mark that Gods coming to give the Law was full of Majesty, full of Mysteries, we must adore his Majesty, and not neglect any one of the Mysteries; finally, mark, that whom God employeth in his service, he vouchsafeth honour to their persons, that his Word may pass with more weight from their mouths. The end of all is our good that we may cleave faster unto God. ANd God grant that by the Ministry of man our faith in God may so increase, that at Christ's second coming our faith may end in a beatifical Vision, and then we shall have no other Teacher but God. The eighth Sermon. EXODUS. 19 VERS. 10, and part of the 15, and 22. VERSES. And the Lord said unto Moses, Go unto the People and sanctify them to day and to morrow; (yea and the Priests to Verse 22.) and Let them wash their Clothes, and be ready against the third day. Add out of Verse 15. And not come at their Wives. YOu may remembe what I have told you more than once, that there was a Preparation to go before the Promulgation of the Law, a Preparation of God, and of the Israelites. This Preparation was first ordered, and then the meeting followed. So much of the Order as concerns God, I opened the last time, it followeth that I now come to the other part which concerneth the Israelites. This branch of the Order doth prescribe, First, their Purity, and Secondly, their Modesty. Their Purity (whereof only at this time) is delivered in those words which now I have read unto you. Wherein, we will observe, First, A Work that is enjoined, and secondly, the Circumstances that do attend that Worke. The Work (in a word is, to Sanctify. But we are moreover taught wherein this Sanctification doth stand, and Whom it concerns. It standeth in a Ceremonial Observance, They must wash their clothes; and forbearance, (this you must must supply out of the 15. Verse) They must not come at their Wives. These Works that must be done concern the Governor and his Charge; the Governor is Moses, he must sanctify; his Charge are the Israelites; but they are divided into the People and the Priest; (you must supply the Priest out of Verse the 22.) both these must be prepared. The Circumstances that must attend this Work are two, place and time; the place is the Tents, the ordinary place of the Israelites abode. Go to this people. The Circumstance of time is double; for here we have mentioned, first, the time during which the Work was to be a doing, and that is to day and to morrow; Secondly, the time against which the Work was to be done, and that was the third day, the day wherein God would appear unto them, and they were to come in his presence. You see then the particulars of my Text, I purpose (God willing) to open them now, and God now so open all our ears and hearts that we may learn by them to sanctify ourselves; so shall God never appear unto us, nor we appear before God but to our endless comfort. Come we then to the first particular, and that is the Work which must be done; this is in a word to sanctify. To sanctify is to separate from a common to a sacred use. God made us not only men, that is, reasonable creatures, but also his children, that is, consorts with Angels, and we were by times or by turns to intent no less our Heavenly then our worldly vocation, the things of a better no less than the things of this present life. To take off our thoughts and desires, our care and endeavour from this world, and bestow them upon the world to come, from the earth, & place them upon heaven, is that that which the holy Ghost meaneth by Sanctifying of our persons. And verily before the Fall, no more was required thereunto then such a change of our employment; but after the Fall more is made necessary; for sin cleaveth unto our nature, we are conceived and borne therein: Psal. 51. Not only those that are without the Church, whom Saint Paul describeth, Rom. 1. but also those that are within the Church, whom he describeth in the third of that Epistle. And this sin doth defile us; read Esay the first Chapter, and Ezech. 16 there you shall see how loathsome, how ugly we are by reason of our sin. Esay 64. v. 6. All our righteousness (as the Prophet speaketh) is like a menstruous cloth. Neither doth sin only defile us, but by us it defileth all other creatures, Concupiscence is a contagious thing, Contactu omnia foedo inquinat, what it toucheth it staineth; Titus 15. Unto the impure (saith the Apostle) nothing is pure, nothing is pure to a sinful man, because his mind and conscience is defiled. So that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are synonyma; Acts 10. the common thing, or things unseparated, the things of this life that are not hallowed are all impure. Wherefore to sanctify now is not only to change our employment, but also to cleanse ourselves from sin; and before we do dedicate ourselves unto God, we must remove not only our employment from the world, but also our corruption from our persons; Corruption, not only that which is inherent in us, but also that which by our means is adherent unto our goods, and to other creatures, whereof we make any offering to God. This which in gross I have said concerning Sanctification, is distinctly taught in the rest of my text, and the rest of my text is a fair Commentary upon this word, for therein you shall see, first, the separation of sin from them, in the washing of their Garments; Secondly the separation of their employment from the world, in not coming to their Wives; and last of all, that which is the upshot of all, their preparation to meet God. Let us look into these points orderly. First into the ceremonial observance. The Israelites were to wash their clothes. God fitted his Law in the old Testament unto the nonage of his Church; so the time before Christ's Incarnation is called by the Apostle, Gal. 4. 1 Cor. 10. and all things came to his people in types and figures; much of their Law was ceremonial. But those ceremonies of God's institution were (as the fathers call them Sacramenta) they were mystical things, they had an outside, and an inside, an outside corporal, an inside spiritual; wherein they differed from Heathenish and Pharisaical ceremonies; for example to instance in the ceremony which we have in hand. The Heathen, the Pharises had their washing. Touching that of the Heathen we read in the profane Authors, and in the Gospel we read of that of the Pharises; both of them had Lavacrum but not Mysterium, the outside, but not the inside of the washing: their thoughts reached no farther than the Carnal work, ascribing to the Carnal work a supernatural power; which the Poet taxeth in the Heathen. Ah nimium faciles qui tristia Crimina coedis, Tolli fluminea posse putatis aquâ. And our Saviour Christ taxeth it in the pharisees, who thought when they had washed their hands they were quit from their bribery. Neither is the Romish sprinkling of Holy water much better, whether we look to the consecration of it, or the confidence that is put in it. In the the consecration, the Priest doth pray without a promise; and as for the people, they rest upon Opus operatum, the doing of a work that hath no warrant, and so trust in a lie. Ceremonies of significancy the Church may institute, but ceremonies of efficacy it cannot institute; God only, who is the fountain of grace can institute those Conduits by which he will convey them to us. But to leave these carnal ceremonies, and come to the mystical. Saint Austin giveth this good rule to guide us in understanding them, Epist. 49. Quest. vet. Humana Consuetudo verbis, Divina potentia etiam rebus loquitur, It is usual with men to express their meaning in words, God hath moreover another language, suitable to his power, he speaketh by things, by corporal things to let the Israelites understand spiritual; and their ceremonies were Symbola pietatis, sensible Images (as it were) of their moral duty. But lest we mistake, we must observe three differences between the cutside and inside of the ceremonies. First, the corporal part of it was to be considered, not according unto its own nature, but according to its reference, not according to that which it was in itself, but according unto that whereunto it was ordained of God, so Sacrifices were to be considered, not as beasts or birds, etc. but as Types of Christ that was to die for the sin of the world: but the spiritual part of the ceremony was to be considered and esteemed according to its own and absolute nature. A second thing is, that the Type containeth good or evil in regard only of the Commandment which requireth the doing or the forbearing thereof, whereas otherwise the thing in itself is indifferent: but the inward part of that ceremony is commanded or forbidden, because in its own nature it is good or evil. Thirdly, man can only perform the Corporal or outward part of the ceremony, the inward and spiritual can be done only by the special grace of God; and we may not ascribe unto the Creature that which is in the power, and gift only of the Creator. These rules being considered in general, must also discreetly be distinguished according to the main parts of Religion, which are two, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that wherein God doth exhibit aught unto us, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that wherein we do present some thing unto God. The ceremony wherewith we have now to do is of the later sort, for washing our clothes is a part of man's sernice which he doth to God-ward. In all the Purifications of Moses Law, washing of Clothes was always one, as you may find in the Book of Leviticus, where those Laws are set together; and the jews from this precept gather the practice of baptising them whom they receive into their Covenant and Church. Neither was this an introductory Law of Moses, but a declaratory; for we read of it in the story of jacob, when he did purge his family; Gene. 35. one of the ceremonies practised, was the shifting of Garments, which shifting implieth washing, because it was a putting off the soul to put on the clean; and the garments of those Countries were clean by being washed, as anon you shall hear. By the way take this observation; that the ceremonial Laws of Moses (excepting such as were requisite upon the Churches becoming Nationall, or were occasioned by the Israelites deliverance out of Egypt) were in practice amongst the Patriarches from the beginning of the world, as may be gathered out of Genesis. Let us now come closer to our present ceremony. And here first it is worth the enquiring, why God should pitch upon this kind, upon the washing of Garments? The reason is evident in the Scripture; the similitude of God according to which we were Created is compared to a Garment, not only by the fathers, jeremy, Ambrose, Austin, and others, but also by the Holy Ghost, who speaking of the loss thereof, saith, that thereby we become Naked; Gene. 3. and the recovery of that Image is the buying of raiment from Christ; the phrases of putting on Christ, Reve. 3.18. putting on the new man, putting on the Armour of light, allude hereunto, and if you mark it well, our original righteousness resembled a Garment in three things. For first it did cover and adorn us as a robe of majesty sit for him, that was made to rule in this lower world. Secondly, as a Garment that is put on may be put off: so might we lose our original righteousness. And indeed Adam was disrobed thereof, and we in him: The fathers say, L●ke 10. v. 30. he was meant by the man that going from jerusalem to jericho fell amongst thiefs, and was rob. Thirdly, though a man keep his robe on, yet may it be stained, so though a man do not forgo his righteousness recovered in Christ, yet may he much blemish it. These correspondencies are fair grounds of God's choice of this ceremony. We have not now to do with the wanting or losing of our garment, only let me tell you, Reuel. 3. v. 17. that Christ speaketh of some that think they are clothed when they are ●aked; let us take heed of being such blind Laodiceans. Reuel. 16. v. 15. Again, Christ biddeth all take heed that they lose not their garments, and their nakedness and filthiness appear; let us take heed of such unthriftiness; though Adam smarted well for it, we shall smart worse; God restored unto him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his first raiment, Luke 15. v. 2●. and he restoreth it to all his, to as many of them as put on Christ: but if they lose it again, if they put off that garment, their nakedness shall never be covered again, Heb. c. 6.4. and Cap. 10.26. But we have not to do with that desperate sin, we have now to do with staining of those garments which we keep. The ancient colour of garments which they did usually wear was White, and so very apt to be stained, therefore they were often to be washed and scoured. In the Primitive Church, one of the ceremonies of Baptism was this; the baptised person had a clean white garment put upon him with these words, Take this White garment and keep it unspotted until thou be presented before the tribunal of Christ. The Church's meaning was that we should continue in that innocence which we received in Baptism. But that which Christ said unto the Church of Sardis, Thou hast a few Names which have not defiled their garments, was spoken but comparatively of them, and absolutely it can be spoken of none; for who doth not defile himself more or less, and stain his innocence? Yea and that more ways than one? and that too in a high degree? And the ground of this Commandment is, because the Israelites in Egypt had defiled themselves with Idolatry and other kinds of impiety. The Church of Rome exempteth some of their Saints from mortal, though not from venial sin; some from Actual of both sorts, but not from Original as john Baptist, the Virgin Marie from original also: but they are conceits whereupon themselves are not agreed; wherefore leaving them to wrangle, 1. john ver. 18. we will hold with Saint Austin, That if all the Saints in the world (during their militancie) had been assembled, their common confession would be this, If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and there is no truth in us. Now when our corporal garment is unclean, what do we? We do that which is commanded here, we wash it, we scour it, but we must do it as it is commanded here, that is mystically. When a Dog is beaten before a Lion, the meaning is, that by that which is done to the Dog the Lion should see what he deserves. And Theodoret noteth well upon this place, that When God biddeth them wash their garments timorem illis ingerit, religiosioresque reddit, ex his enim colligebant magis expurgandam animam. God doth not delight so much in the cleanness of garments: as in the purity of oursoules; for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Nazian. And no marvel; for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, saith Nazianz.) As that wihch doth enter a man doth not defile a man, no more doth that which covereth a man; therefore Christ biddeth the Pharisees wash their own insides, and then all things should be holy unto them, for unto the pure all things are pure. Except happily we may say, that the Garment also is defiled, jude 23. because spotted with the flesh, and so there is in this phrase a touch at the contagion of sin; which was also meant in the Ceremonial uncleanness, when they were bid to wash their Garments: but that vanisheth so soon as ourselves are purified; the Holy Ghost would have us take principal care of our souls that they may be purified. And there is a fountain opened to the house of David, and to the inhabitants of jerusalem; Zach. 1.13. we may wash ourselves white in the blood of that Lamb, for his blood doth cleuse from all sin; and if our sins be as red as scarlet, he can make them as white as snow; Malachi saith, Chap. 3. it hath in it the virtue of fullers soap, it is his blood that can make his Spouse all fair, make his Church without spot or wrinkle; he that is purged therein, shall have his Conscience cleansed from dead works to serve the living God. By his Spirit and our faith doth Christ's blood work these things; wherefore let us all prey with King David, Psal. 51. Purge me, O Lord, with Hyssop and I shall be clean, wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Mark, that the Israelites are bid to wash their Garments, not to change them, though it appeareth, Exodus 33. that they had change of raiment. There is a mystery in it; it signifieth that the children of God from the time they are incorporated into Christ, though they have often occasion to scour out the stains which their Regeneration contracteth, yet they do not shift it, it shall abide the same for ever, bettered in quality, but never altered in substance. Finally observe, that though the children of Israel did often wash their Garments Ceremonially while they abode in the Wilderness, yet did their garments never wear out; contrary to the common Observation, A Laundress washeth fair, but she weareth withal: Even so though we do spiritually bathe our souls often in the blood of Christ, our Regeneration will not spend at all, nay, it will be very much increased. I have dwelled long upon this Ceremonial Observance, I will be shorter in the rest. The second part of Sanctification is the Ceremonial forbearance; when we have removed that uncleanness which cometh from our person by sin, then must we withdraw our person from employment on the world; and that is meant by the Israelites not coming as their Wives. And mark the phrase. Saint Paul doth exhort us, 1. Thess. 4. v 4. to keep our vessels (that is our bodies) in honour, and not in the lusts of concupiscence, that is, not for to accompany strumpets, which we cannot do but we shall betray ourselves to be subject to dishonourable affections; so Saint Paul calleth them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in opposition to marriage which is honourable in all; 1. Thess. c 4. This honourable state of marriage doth Saint Paul make a branch of Holiness. But here is a strain beyond it even that Holiness is as it were, no Holiness: when we are to prepare ourselves for God, we must forbear the use thereof. Will you know the reason of it? We may say, that though the ordinance be holy, yet the Accessary which from our Concupiscence cometh to the use thereof maketh some thing cleave thereunto which may make us unfit to come immediately from the use thereof to give our attendance upon God; which is intimated in the Ceremonial Law delivered, Levit. 15. besides, the presence of carnal pleasure maketh us not so ready to entertain those pleasures that are spiritual. These things a man may say, and say truly, that it is sit every man should observe Saint Paul's rule, 1. Corin. 7 v. 5. by consent for a time, the man must for bear his wife, and the woman her husband, that they may give themselves to Fasting and Prayer. But there is an higher point which at this time concerned the Israelites, and that is, the day of their appearing before God was to be their espousal day, God was then to contract himself to them, as appears, Ezech. 16. And should a man mind the earthly, when he is called unto an heavenly espousals? No verily; it is then time, if ever, for a married man to be as if he were not married, to be as if he were an Angel, to show that he hath no other love but Christ, to show that Christ is his beloved, as he is the beloved of Christ. The desire of that match must drown in us all delight in our earthly companion, be she never so lovely in our eyes. But, when they are bid not to keep company with their wives, it is not meant simply of their company; for they should both join, as in suspending their power each over the other, and each endeavour to please the other▪ so in provoking each the other to care for those things that belong unto the Lord, and with a virginlike disposition to prepare themselves for him. It is not needful for me to remember you, that God in forbidding the Conjugal Act, forbiddeth all attendants thereupon, or provocations thereunto; for that is a common rule to be observed in all God's Commandments as hereafter you shall hear. Only this I will note unto you, that by this one carnal content all others are meant, yea all lawful profits and pleasures, and God will have us show, that being not only reasonable, but religious persons also, we are so fare masters of our worldly Desires, that we can, when we are to attend God and his service forbear, not only illicita but licita also; and be so fare from delighting in any thing that is unlawful, that we can willingly deny ourselves those things, the use whereof God hath otherwise, and at other times made lawful for us. Urias would not keep company with his wife while the Ark was in the field, 2. Sam. 11. brutish is the jews conceit that think the Sabbath the fittest day to lie with their wives; Chastity beseems married men when they go about sacred things, especially at solemn times. I have done with the separation required, separation of sin from our persons, and our persons from the world. You would think that it were fit I should now come to the other Act of Sanctification which is dedicating ourselves unto God. But there are some things mentioned in my text, which I must take in by the way. We must see first whom this Sanctifying concerneth; it concerneth first the Governor Moses, He must go and sanctify. But Moses did as yet sustain two persons, he was both King and Priest; for he had not put off the Priesthood, seeing Aaron as yet was not consecrated. And indeed this work may be done, either by the Priest or by the Prince: by the Priest; so joel commanded them to sanctify a fast; Ezechias and others did the like as Princes. jeet 2 15. But the difference is, that the Prince doth it Imperio and Gladio, by peremptory command, and threatening the sword; but the Priest doth it Mimsterio & verbo, as a servant, and not using any other power but of the keys Prince and Priest both serve God in this work, but they serve him with this difference. It skilleth not much whether of these persons Moses did act in this business, it is plain that he was authorized to do it from God. And his authority was to do it two ways. First, to acquaint them with God's pleasure; and then to take care that they did conform thereunto. And indeed, good Magistrates, whether Temporal or Ecclesiastical, Austin. Epist. 50. must not only give Laws to the people, but also see that they be executed; and in vain is the wisdom of good Laws, if no care be used to have them kept; a Governors' providence must extend to both. Therefore the text goeth on, and showeth that this Sanctifying concerneth all the Israelites; the people are mentioned here, and out of Verse the 22. you must supply the Priests. Some think that the name Priest is used in this Chapter by anticipation, and that Moses here informeth them how they were to sanctify themselves after they were consecrated; and it is very true, that while they did serve they did forbear their wives, and wash though not their clothes which they shifted in the Sanctuary, yet their hands and feet. But the Priests here meant were the firstborn, who were then the ordinary Priests, and the work was presently to be done, it was not to stay till Aaron was consecrated. The principal note that I give you herein is, that though there be different callings in the Church, some are Pastors, and some are people; yet as the salvation is common unto both: so are also Faith, Hope, and Charity. In moral duties, in works of Piety and Charity, the Priest must go with the people, and the people must go with the Priest; though the Priest must go before the people in these things, yet must he not go alone; yea Moses himself, though otherwise a Shepherd, yet herein is a sheep, he that sanctified others must sanctify himself. A Governor must in virtue be exemplary to his charge. These persons must be prepared. And Sanctification is the best preparation, the word signifieth also to be Confirmed. And indeed, Purity is the ground of Confidence; sin is fearful, as you may perceive by Esay's, W●e is me, Chap. 6. and Saint Peter, Go from me Master, Luke 6. read Psal. 1. Luke 21. Esay 58. and Wisdom 5. it appears there, that righteousness is confident in the presence of God and the enemies thereof. I have done with the persons whom this Sanctifying concerneth; Let us now come to the circumstance. I will run them over briefly. The first is the place, the place was the Tents, the ordinary abode of the Israelites, thither Moses was sent, Go to the people, and whether he was sent there is was to be done. And indeed the Acts required could conveniently be done no where else; for where a man used his wife, there he was to forbear; and where do the people use to wash their clothes but at home? That which we must take notice of is this. Before we come from home we must think whither we are going, and fit ourselves for God's presence before we come at him. We must not have our worldly, much less our wicked affections to put off when we enter into God's House; our shoes must be put off before we tread upon holy ground; private meditations and devotions must go before the public hearing of God's Word, and performing of divine service; and seldom doth he serve God at Church, that doth not begin his piety at home. And the reason why our devotion is so often interrupted by unseasonable and unreasonable thoughts, and desires in the Church, is because we do not rid ourselves as we ought of them, by preparing Sanctification before we come there. Wherefore that we may be much more religious when we come into this place, let every man begin the practice of his religion in his own house. The second circumstance is the circumstance of Time; this I told you is twofold. First, here is set down a time during which this Sanctifying was a doing, that is, to day and to morrow. The time allowed for Sanctifying varieth much in Moses Law; in some cases it was but one day, in some seven days, in some forty days, in some eighty days, you may read it in Leviticus, I will not now inquire into the reason of the variety. That which I will observe is this; our Cleansing, or Sanctifying is not perfected in an instant. As wounds are easily taken, but not easily cured: so are sins quickly contracted, but not quickly purged. Sins are compared unto scum, and you know meat will ask some good boiling before all the scum will come out of it; it is compared to dross, and you know metals must be long in the fire, before they will be refined from their dross; or to keep myself to my text, stains if they be deep in a garment, will not be fetched out without the fullers soap, and he doth not scour garments without a great deal of toil. David therefore desirous to be rid of his sin prayeth thus, Multiplica lava, wash me again and again, wash me throughly from my sin; And the old Canons required, that Penitents should spend a good deal of time to scour off their contracted guiltiness and corruption. Ester 2. If the women that were to be joined with the Kings of Persia were to be so many months a purifying, shall it be much that we take this time to be purified that must be joined with the King of Heaven? A time there was of purifying before all the jews Feasts, john 1●. the jews prepare before they go to their Synagogue, so do the Turks; it was one of the Laws of the twelve Tables, Deos castè adeunto, & procul hinc procul este profani, and sancta sanctè was the admonition given to the people in the Christian Churches: the Fasts that went before all solemn Feasts, the forbidding of marriage for certain time, (which some without cause except against (although we cannot deny that Dispensations are grown to an abuse) tend to this purpose. Finally, the old Vigils, and the ordinary Eues of Sundays and Holy days show the Churches desire herein to imitate God, and to appoint a moderate time to dispose us to divine service, and the Commemoration of God's blessings. A time is here appointed by God, but it is a very moderate time, God doth not tyre us out in our Preparation. 2 Cor. 2 v. 7. And Saint Paul that would not have the incestuous Corinthian swallowed up of sorrow, by reason of an overlong Penance, doth bid man and wife for devotion not to forbear company overlong, lest Satan tempt them. 1. Cor. 7. v. ●. The Church is to be discreet in appointing, and Christians in undertaking this time of washing, lest that which otherwise is good may be turned into evil. If the Law required three days preparation for hearing, how many more for obscruing it? If the Law required preparation, how much more the Gospel? josepus saith that the jews during these two days did feast, Huge de Sancto Victore saith, that they fasted. And verily the latter opinion is much more probable; for surely mystical washing of Garments and forbearing of wives are works fit for fasting then feasting. But I will not trouble you with that; I come to the last point; which is, the Time against which this work was to be done; and this is the third day, the day wherein God would vouchsafe his presence, and they were to give their attendance; and this will bring us to the compliment of Sanctification. For God delighteth not in our separation from sin and the world, except it be to remove them as impediments, that so we may be capable of Him, his Spirit, his Word, and his Grace; Wisd. 1.4. For wisdom will not enter into a wicked or worldly soul; God will not put new wine into old vessels, nor new cloth into an old garment, he will not cast pearl before swine, nor holy things unto dogs. The children of Israel borrowed of the Egyptians rich clothes when they went to sacrifice to God, Exod. 13. Luke 1●. The prodigal child was not permitted to eat of the fat Calf before he was clothed with the chief Robe, and a Ring upon his finger; jacob before his going unto Bethel, Gen. 35. God's House, purged his Family; job 1. job sanctified his children before he sacrificed; Esay 6. Esayes lips were touched with a coal from the Altar before he could receive his message. When we come before God, we must endeavour to be like unto him, Leivit. 11.44. Holy as he is holy; for God is a God of pure eyes, Habak. 1 13. and can behold no iniquity; such as be wicked cannot stand before him. Wherefore cleanse your hands, james 4.8. ye sinners and purge your hearts ye double-minded, If he that was invited to the marriage was challenged for wanting his wedding garment, how shall God take it at his Spouses hand, if she come unprepared? We read Ezech. 16 how God trimmed her against that day, the day of Espousals, and how he will trim her against the marriage day, we may read Reuel. 21 But I cannot stand to amplify these things. To draw to an end; I will put you in mind to do that to a good purpose which you usually d●e. You put on clean linen, your best clothes, and how often do you look in a glass to see that all be handsome before you show yourselves in the Church to your Neighbours; I was about to say, that they may see how gay you are? but I will hope in Charity you do it out of good manners to God. You that will not come slovenly before your betters, should do well not to come stovenly before the Lord of Heaven and Earth. But remember that God that approveth this outward decency, requireth the inward much more, he will have you lift up to him, not only clean hands, but pure hands also; he will have you not only to hear his Word, Luke 8. v 15. but also to receive it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, into an honest and good heart; A neat outside, and a slovenly inside is like a painted sepulchre full of dead men's bones. And most Churches are full of such painted sepulchers. They are a generation clean in their own eyes, but not washed from that filthiness. Prou. 30. I wish better to you, and I hope better of you. Therefore I exhort you, I exhort myself in the words of the Prophet Esay, Go out of her, expounded by the Apostle, 2. Cor. 7. or briefly in the words of the Apostle, Let us cleanse ourselves from all uncleanness both of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. And that this exhortation may succeed with us, no worse than Moses did with the Israelites (for they did as they were commanded, Verse 14. and observed the first stipulation, 1. Thess. 5 23. Verse 5.) The very God of peace sanctify us throughout in spirit, soul, and body, and keep us blameless to the coming of our Lord and Saviour jesus Christ; At what time having had our fru● here in Holiness, our end shall be everlasting life. This God grant us for lesus Christ his sake, To whom, etc. Blessed are the pure in heart, 〈◊〉 8. for they shall see God. The ninth Sermon. EXODUS. 19 VERS. 12.13.21.24. 12. And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying; Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the Mount, or touch the border of it: whosoever toucheth the Mount shall surely be put to death. 13. There shall not a hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through, whether it be beast or man, it shall not live: when the Trumpet soundeth long, they shall come up to the Mount. THat branch of God's order, which prepared the Israelites ●o receive the Law, required their Purity and their Modesty; I spoke last of their Purity, I come now to speak of their Modesty. It is delivered in those words that now I have read unto you. Therein we must observe, that Moses had his charge, and the Israelites had theirs. Moses charge is, to make a fence between the people and the Hill, he must set bounds round about the people. The Israelites charge is, they must not break through the fence made by Moses, They must not go up into the Mountain. The Israelites must not. But they are divided into common People and the Priests, the Prohibition is laid upon them both; upon the People in this 12. verse, and in the 24. verse it is laid upon the Priests; Moses is to bid both, take heed unto themselves. Neither to themselves only, but to their beasts also, they are put into the number, verse 13. Besides this in the Prohibition the text doth lead us to consider, the strictness wherewith the Israelites were to observe it, and the sharpness of the punishment which they were to undergo if they presume to violate it. The strictness is great, for they might not transgress the bounds set them either Cominùs, that is, at hand, by so much as touching the border, making the very first and least approach unto it; there can be no less than touch, and the first touch is in the border. As they must not transgress Cominùs: so must they not Eminus aloof, they must not gaze on the Hill, and you know, the eye can go whether the foot cannot come. God will have the first Inlet and the first Outlet of sin to be heeded. And he will have them both heeded under a Pain, a sharp Pain, it is no less than death, the Transgressor must die. But observe touching this death, that it is such as is inflicted upon an execrable thing, and the doom thereof is unpardonable. See both these points in the text. First the execrableness of the Transgressor; all must abhor him: for, No hand may touch him; and yet all must be against him, for they must stone him with stones, or shoot him through with Darts. And he that dieth so, dieth as an execrable thing. He that Transgresseth must die that death without remission, Moriendo morietur, he shall certainly die, Non vivet, he shall not live; both phrases are peremptory; they leave no place for pardon. Not for the pardon of any one, for the text saith, Quicunque, Whosoever shall presume to transgress, be he of the People, or be he of the Priests, be he a reasonable creature, or be he a beast, the doom is unchangeable, They must die. Die certainly, for though they scape the hands of men, yet they shall not scape. God will break out upon them, as we read verse 24. especially upon the greatest of them, which are otherwise most likely to scape. He will break out upon the Priests. Finally observe, that the charge of the Israelites is often repeated and limited to a time; you have it in my Text, and you have it again and again in the 21, 22, 23. and 24. verses: what God will have carefully obeyed, of that he will have us often remembered. But our obedience is limited. Though in morals our duties are everlasting, yet our ceremonials do last but for a time; When the Trumpet soundeth long, than the Israelites may go up into the Mount. You have heard the particulars whereof I mean to entreat on this text; they all Preach unto us Modesty, to be showed whensoever we approach God, or have to do with sacred things. That we may learn and practise it, Let us in the fear of God listen to that which I shall further say of these points briefly and in their order. The first is Moses charge. He must make a fence between the people and the Hill, set bounds round about the People, or as it is in the 23. verse, He must sanctify the Mountain, and make of it a Sanctuary. And indeed well might it so be reputed, when it was covered with all the visible tokens of Gods majestical presence; and if it be sanctified hereunto, than it followeth, it must be reverend in our eyes, and inviolable by us, we must not esteem it as common ground, nor make bold with it as if it were such. Every man should know his distance and observe it; but ignorance in some, and negligence in others, are the causes why men left to themselves, either know not what they should do, or do not what they know. God therefore in pity of our ignorance, and to hold in our unruliness, hath appointed those that shall set us our bounds; especially, in things indifferent, wherein presuming of lawfulness, few will have an eye to expediences. The vulgar eye is not sharp enough to discern it, neither is the vulgar heart pliable to the observance of it. It is the work of the Governor to remedy both these defects. Neither only in things indifferent, but also in moralities; for they are to make Laws even upon the Law of nature, and keep us to the doing of that, which we would not do, though our Conscience suffer us not to be ignorant thereof, because the moral Law is written in our hearts. What man that hath not put off a man, knoweth not that murder, adultery, theft are sins? And yet what more common in men's lives? The commonness hath made it necessary for all States to set bounds unto their people in regard of these things. And if in regard of Civil, how much more of Ecclesiastical things? Men are never more lawless then in those things wherein you would expect that every man should especially be a Law unto himself, that is in keeping his distance from God. But herein also we need a boundary, and God hath appointed those that must set it. And who are they, but such as Moses, those that are set over us? For Moses must be considered here, not only as a messenger from God, but also as a Ruler of the Israelites; neither were they to hear him only as a counsellor, but as a commander, his words did more than inform, they did order their lives. And in a word this is a principal branch of Magistracy, to take away the common excuse of offenders, which is, Non putaram, I witted not that this was my duty, and to direct them by Laws, before they call them to an account for their lives. I will not here fall upon the question which is much debated at this day, whether Magistrates may set bounds unto the people in causes Ecclesiastical as well as Civil. Only take notice, that here by an example we are taught, that they may. And let this suffice for Moses charge. The Israelites charge is, They must not presume to go up unto the Mount. And indeed a boundary were no boundary if it might be passed. You know by your ground that an Enclosure is no Enclosure, if it may be common; how much more must this be conceived of the Enclosure of God, that Ground which he hath fenced unto himself for a Sanctuary? If it be a trespass to break through your neighbour's fence, how much more through the fence of God? This is Transgression indeed, it is indeed Peccatum, for that is quasi pecuatum, playing the unruly sheep that will not be kept within his pen, or to speak plainly with S. john, 1 john 3 4. it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Transgression of Gods Law. But God will not have his people Sons of Belial, such as cannot endure his yoke, Psal 2. he will not have them like those insolent ones, that say, Let us break his bonds, and cast his cords from us. God hath given a Law to the sea, saying, job. 38. Hitherto shalt thou come, and here thou shalt stay thy proud waves, and the Sea passeth not the bounds which God hath set it. How much less should we presume, notwithstanding the swelling of our nature, and the impetuous affections thereof? God exspecteth we should check the presumption of our nature. But about all presumption, we should take heed of that which is the highest, going up into the Mount, profaning of the Sanctuary of God, and venturing in sacred things farther than he giveth us leave. Curiosity in this kind hath been the mother of Heresies, when men have been busily witty in searching into, rather than believing of that profound Article of the Trinity. Man that is not able to understand his own nature (David confesseth such knowledge is too wonderful for him) dreameth that he can comprehend the nature of God. 〈◊〉 39 Others have lost themselves while they have dived into the mysteries of the Incarnation, who are not able to understand their own regeneration. Some over-studie themselves in the Book of God's providence, and would know more than is possible for man to conceive of God's counsel in Predestination, of the cooperation of grace in freewill, etc. Others climb not so high but yet they go to fare in determining the manner of the mystical Union in the Sacrament, and discovering of mystical senses in many passages of the Scriptures. To say nothing of the jewish Cabalists, of Astrologian divinations, of heretical Revelations, and heathenish mysteries. It is too clear, that what with the curious Cur Why of some, and quomodo How of others, there hath been manifold passing the Bounds, climbing the Mount, and intrusions upon God, and the things of God. It is natural to a man to desire knowledge, but since we did eat of the forbidden fruit, we have been very perverse in that desire; we that have no mind to know God as we ought, are very eager to know him as we ought not. In this world, Non Deum scrutari sedam are debemus, we should rather desire to love God then to know him, whereas we desire rather to know him then to love him, and as our first parents desire rather to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, then of the tree of life. And we need, as a spur unto good and saving knowledge: so a bridle to restrain us from that knowledge which is curious and presumptuous: 〈◊〉 12. wherefore blessed is that discretion which maketh us wise unto sobriety. I will conclude this point with a good admonition of the Son of Syrach. 〈◊〉 3. Seek not out the things that are too hard for thee, neither search the things that are above thy strength, but what is commanded thee think thereupon with reverence. The ground of that good advice you shall sinned in Meses, 〈◊〉 ●● The secret things belong unto the Lord God, but those things which are revealed belong unto us, and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this Law. I have hitherto told you only in general whom this Prohibition doth concern; but in the 24. verse, we find a distribution of these persons, there we sinned that the Law is laid not only upon the People, but upon the Priest also. No body will make a a question of the people, what modesty beseemeth them; yet there was a time when the question was made of them also: 〈◊〉 16. ●. 3. for Korah, Dathan, and Abiram came upon Moses and Aaron thus. You take too much upon you, all the congregation is Holy, and the Lord is amongst them, God is as near to every man as he is to you, and every man may come as near God as you do. See you how they plead for confusion, and animate the People to be bold with God? But they were taught better manners. I but if the people be, what is that to the Priest? Yea, the Priest also is to learn modesty. Not only the minor Clergy (as the Rhemists mince it) but the mayor too, they that are likely most to presume, were to have a special Item. For the pride of our heart will carrieus above ourselves when we see that others are placed below; therefore they that are advanced in any degree need to be remembered that they keep their station. This did God excellently express, in the fabric of the Tabernacle and of the Temple, wherein there was. First, Atrium prophanum, thither might Infidels and unclean persons come, but no farther; within that was Atrium populi, thither might the Lay both women and men come that were circumcised and not unclean, but farther they might not come, except it were to offer their special Sacrifices; within that was Atrium Sacerdotum, thereinto might the Levites come to do their service to the Priest, but no farther; within that was Sanctum, thereinto might the Priest go to offer Incense, but no farther; within that was, Sanctum Sanctorum whereunto the High Priest only had access, and that but once a year, in reverence of God's majesty sitting in the Cloud there upon the Mercy Seat between the Cherubins. You see that the nearest places to God's presence were of rarest access, and that by fewest persons. Look what state God kept in the Tabernacle and Temple, the same he kept at this Hill, appointing unto the Israelites several stations, the multitude both of Priests and people have their station allotted in this text. Some might come nearer as Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and the seventy Elders, but they are willed to worship afar off; and Moses alone was to come near the Lord, but they are expressly willed not to come nigh. Verse 2●. In this Chapter Moses and Aaron are called up alone, and are excepted out of the prohibition, they may pass beyond others whom God calleth, and they only. God was pleased to do them this honour. And we must repute it a great honour done unto them, that they might come so near unto God. Our Saviour Christ in the days of his humiliation kept the like state so fare as might stand with his form of a servant. For he did not converse so familiarly with the multitude, as with the seventy Disciples; nor with the seventy as with the twelve Apostles; nor with the twelve Apostles, as with the pillars of them, Peter, james, and john, who only were admitted to be privy to the highest glory that he manifested on earth, which was his Transfiguration, and the deepest Passion which he endured on earth which was his agony. Yea, even of these three he chose out one as the principal favourite (john) whose style is the beloved Disciple, who at supper leaned on his bosom, whom Saint Peter himself used unto Christ when he would be resolved, Who it was that should betray him? Finally, him he made the high soaring and sharp sighted Eagle; the beholder and penner of that Revelation, which hath as many mysteries as words. God then who is an absolute Monarch will be a free disposer of his favours, and we must not presume of more than he vouchsafeth; the People may not, the Priest may not, both must take heed unto themselves that they do not presume. Take heed unto themselves? Then themselves have a proneness to curiosity. Ia●●e● 1 And indeed so it is; for every man is baited and so ledaside by his own lusts, and there is no lust so ancient in man as pride is. Yea the first sin of Angels was the stepping over their bounds; and though pride be not homebred in man, as it was in Angels; yet experience proved in Adam and Eve, that man's nature is a soil very apt to conceive the seed of pride if it be sown in it by the Devil; neither will any seed of iniquity prove sooner or faster. Considering then the aptness of our nature to receive, and forwardness to bring forth this evil fruit, God doth not without cause by Moses bid the Israelites take heed unto themselves. Neither to themselves only, but to their cattles also, they must be watched that they break not the bounds. And indeed, if our peccare be quasi pecuare, if we show ourselves beasts when we do straggle, than it is the property of beasts to straggle, and seeing it is their property, they must be looked unto. But you will say; that they are unreasonable creatures, and so able to do morally neither well nor ill. True, but yet the place which we must not profane ourselves, we must much less suffer our beasts for to profane. Yea observe it well, and you shall find, that whether we keep fasting days or feasting days, God will have even beasts to communicate in some sort in the Ceremonial part of our piety. In the solemn repentance of Ninive, not only the men but the beasts also are commanded by the King to be kept from meat, to be clothed with sackcloth. In the Law of the Sabbath, when man resteth, the beast must rest also; think you only in a cruill sense? There is more in it then so, as hereafter I shall show you. God would have them also to observe his Feasts. And here we see that what prohibition God layeth upon men, he layeth upon beasts, neither may profane holy ground. And may ours do that which theirs might not do? May dogs tread in God's Sanctuary during the New Testament, which under the old Testament were not suffered to be so very dogs, that is, impudent creatures? It should seem we think they may; else would we not bring them hither, and endure them here; not only to disturb God's service, but also to disgrace God's House. I shame to speak, what we blush not to see, the marks of their uncleanliness in the most sacred places of this Church, and I think other Churches are not used much better. Well, I would we were more sensible of it. But if we be not, assure ourselves, that not only Papists, but jews, Turks and Infidels, will rise in judgement against us, who endure no such brutish profaneness of holy places. I might tell you of your children also, if the time would give me leave, whom you bring hither, but no otherwise then as to a market place to pipe and dance, to cry or to mourn, Matth. 1● to do any thing saving that which beseems a Christian, and the reverence that they should show here. Whereas you should inure them to hear, to bow their knees, hold up their hands and eyes, and testify that they honour God even before that they have discretion to know him. But I will take some other time for this, now I go on in my text. The next point herein is the strictness wherewith this prohibition is to be observed. The Israelites must not transgress their bounds, either Cominùs or Eminùs, at hand, or aloof, by but touching so much as the border of the Mountain, or gazing upon that representation of God's presence which was upon the Mountain. As God doth honour Kings by giving them the title of Gods: so doth he use to resemble the state of earthly Kings when he representeth himself unto the world. Now the Eastern Kings, to whose state the Scripture doth commonly allude when it setteth forth God, used to require two Ceremonies of their subjects. The one that they should not press into their presence uncalled; that you shall read, Ester 4. the other, they never looked their King in the face, but ever demissely fixed their eyes upon the ground while they were in his presence. Alluding to these Ceremonies of state doth God here require, that the Israelites be not too forward with their feet, nor misplace their eyes. And indeed if we may not without unmannerliness press into the presence of a mortal King, how much less into the presence of the King of Kings? If earthly majesty is thought to be underualued if it be made the object of a subject's eye, what disrespect is done unto the glory of God, if it become a familiar spectacle of a creature? Esay 6. Surely the Angels veil their eyes with two of their wings, when they attend the presence of God, and in the most holy place the Cherubins were made with their eyes looking down unto the Mercy seat, not upward to the Cloud, the Type of God's presence. 1. Pet. 1. v. 1●. Whereunto Saint Peter alludeth, when he saith, that into the mysteries of the Gospel the Angels themselves desire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, with bowed heads to peep. If there be such modesty in the Angel's eyes that are such glorious creatures; how much modesty should there be in our eyes that are but mortal men, most weak and wicked creatures? And if ever God may expect reverence from us, certainly then when he sitteth as it were in Parliament, and giveth Laws unto his people. Yea verily, God doth us a favour in that he doth prohibit our presumption. For our abilities are nothing proportioned to that object, and our near approach, without extraordinary support, would but work our confusion; as they have confessed that have made trial of it. And it is the maxim of Philosophy, Excellens sensibile corrumpit sensum. God as the Sun, is not comfortable but in a reasonable distance. Mark moreover, that both the first Inlet, and the first Outlet of Sin are restrained by this prohibition. The first Inlet is by the eye, by that the tempting object entereth us; so it entered Eve, the sons of God, Achan, and David, all of them were taken by gazing. Add hereunto that there was another evil that might be feared from the eye; they were called now to use their ears and not eyes, to hear God, not to see him. In Heaven we shall see God, here we must hear him, here we must live by faith, there we shall live by sight. Therefore God will not have our eyes to hinder our ears, our gazing on the Mount to hinder our listening to his Law. Not that it is an evil thing to see God, but it is evil to see with curiosity when we are forbidden; as it was for Lot's wife to behold Sodom, after the Angel had bid her not to look back. Therefore is this first Inlet of sin forbidden; the rather, because it will easily set on work the first Outlet of sin, and whether the eye goeth before, the foot will be ready to follow after; if we gaze upon the mountain, it will not be long before we touch the border. And touching is a kind of tasting, and a taste doth but set an edge upon our appetite; he that doth once relish any sin will never leave till he be glutted with it; give your appetite an inch and it will take an ell. Where. fore God cutteth off all occasion of presumption; as in the twel●th of this Book he took order lest the Israelites should eat leaven in the prohibited time, that they might have no leaven in their houses: Even so here, lest the Israelites should venture up the hill, he forbiddeth them so much as to touch the border thereof, or gaze on that which appeared thereon. And we must make a covenant with our eyes, and with our feet that neither of them come, within the lists of sin, and so we shall be sure to sin with neither. You have seen how strict the charge is; Now you must hear how sharp the punishment will be if they break their bounds. The punishment is death. You may think this very rigid justice, no less than death for violating a Ceremony. For it was but a Ceremony to hold back the foot, and withhold the eye from that sacred place, the access whereunto was not in its own nature unlawful, for others without blame went unto it. But God's Ceremonies contain Moralities, and we must not look so much upon the outward as the inward action, which of this Ceremony was modest Reverence, or reverend Modesty. Secondly, our eye must not be so much upon the matter wherein we offend, as the person against whom we offend; though the matter commanded be but small, yet it is no small matter to despise him that commandeth. And how shall it appear, that we surrender our sclues absolutely to his pleasure, if our obedience be not at his command, when his command doth limit our use of things indifferent? Yea, the lighter the thing wherein he doth try us, the greater our contempt if we disobey. By these rules must you take the scantling of Adam's sin, which was much greater indeed then in show; neither was his doom: more grievous, than his sin was heinous. The like must you judge of this doom. And this will stay your wondering when you read the story of Vzza in the second of Samuel, Chap 6 who was stricken dead when he offered to do as he thought a good office, to stay the Ark when it was ready to fall: but the Ark was not made to be carried in a Cart but upon men's shoulders, and for neglecting that was he stricken dead; as you may gather by the correcting of that fault in the very same Chapter. Neither would David have been displeased with Vzaes' death, if he had sooner known this; 1. Sam. 6. nor the Bethshemites would never have asked this question, Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God? when that more than fifty thousand were slain for looking into the Ark. For God had provided, Numbs ●. that the Levites that bore it should not come near till the sons of Aaron had wrapped it in three or four coverings, if before that they touched it, they were to die. How much less might the promiscuous multitude behold it, and not suffer for their presumption? Two affections there are, Love and Fear, which must order our respect towards God; and the less we are apt to love God, the more doth God take order we should fear him. And Severity is never more seasonable than when the first foundation of a State is laid: as this of Israel now was; for if Laws be then slighted, they will never be obeyed, and awe well begun in the people is like to be the longer lived. Therefore will God have justice so quick in this case, But here is not only death denounced, but such a death as belongeth to an execrable thing. For first, all men must abborre the person; so I understand the phrase, No hand shall touch it. Though some conceive thereby, that all rescuing of the malefactor is forbidden. But that sense, though it be good, yet is not so natural to my text. This rather is meant, that no man must desile himself by touching him, who by his presumption had made himself abominable. For as he that being himself impure touching holy things in the Law maketh them profane and abominable: so he that being otherwise pure, intrudeth upon holy ground, or usurpeth holy things, makes his own person abominable. And none is reputed of God more abominable than he that is sacrilegiously presumptuous. Though no man must touch him, yet every man's hand must be against him, they must stone him with stones, or shoot him through. If near, then must they stone him with stones, if farther off from them, than they must shoot him with darts; every hand must try every means rather than they must suffer the malefactors to scape. And he must needs be an execrable person against whom God doth arm the hands of all the people with justice. Finally, note that this doom is unpardonable, the very phrase importeth as much Moriendo morietur, non vivet, these words note a peremptoriness in the sentence. You have the like in Ezech. 18. as the contrary thereunto in that place, He shall live, he shall not die, noteth a certainty of life. We must take heed of corrupting the phrase, as Eve did, Gen. 3. who when God told Adam, At what time thou shalt eat of the forbidden fruit, moriendo morieris, Thou shalt surely die; she turned the phrase which was undoubted into a peradventure, and told the Serpent lest ye die. And see our weakness. Commonly in doubtful cases we incline to the worst; she did but doubt she might not do it, the Devil putteth her out of all doubt, and telleth her she may do it. It is not good therefore for us to play the wantoness with God's threatenings; if we mean to hold in our untoward nature from sinning, we must understand them in that rigour as God doth deliver them. Every man must. For here is Quicunque, no respect of persons, none of the people, none of the Priests; as many as are forbidden to sin: so many are threatened the doom. Neither have the great any privilege to do ill and farewell, all shall far as they do. Neither only men but beasts also; you have heard before they were forbidden to transgress: so here you see, if they do transgress, they are doomed to die. The master shall be punished in the loss of his beast, because he looked not better to him; and the beast shall be punished, because it had ventured to profane holy ground; for I told you before, that even beasts were tied to do reverence to the Sanctuary. Man and beast must die, if they transgress, die by the hands of the Israelites. But a malefactor may yet hope that the people will be foolishly pitiful; at least great ones may think they may find as much favour as Agag did at the hands of Saul. What then? shall they escape? shall God's doom be reversed? it shall not be reversed, they shall not scape; The Lord shall break forth against the greatest of them. God's justice is fenced with mercy, and his mercy is as it were a bulwark between us and his justice; but if so be our sins grow to this height, it will not be held in. And when it rusheth forth, it is like an overbearing flash of lightning which flieth not abroad without a fearful clap of thunder, it terrifieth, and destroyeth together. But more of that hereafter. There remain two points more, which I will touch in a word. The first. This prohibition is often repeated, here we have it in my text, and we have it once and again towards the end of this Chapter; you would think this superfluous, Moses himself thought so, he seemeth somewhat discontented with God for inculcating it so often. But Moses was but a Novice in government, therefore he thought once telling was enough. Dan 7 9 God which is the ancient of days, and throughly acquainted with man's infirmity, knows that his forgetfulness, his untowardliness, needeth be remembered, he must be urged more than once; and often is not more then enough, to work our care, and keep us in awe. See then God's clemency, that doth not hold his tongue in warning, that he may hold his hand in striking. We are no better than the Israelites, neither do we less need reiterated warnings than the Israelites did; the Minister therefore must not be secure of his charge, but suspect these defects in them, and redouble his admonitions to them. As Moses added a Deuteronomie to the former Books of the Law though he repeated but the same thing; and the Evangelists added Gospel upon Gospel of the same argument; and the Apostles added Epistles to Epistles, not much varying their doctrine: So it must not grieve us to write and speak the same things to the people, and for them it is a sure thing (as the Apostle teacheth) Philip. 3. v. 1. The last point showeth, how this prohibition is limited in time, When the Trumpet soundeth long, then shall they come up to the Mount. It is disputed, whether these words point out the time wherein the Israelites must come out to meet God; and then come up the Hill, is but to come to the foot of the hill, whether Moses brought them. Or whether it point the time when God would go from the Mount, and leave it free to be resorted unto by man and beast. This last agreeth better with the old Translations, the Septuagint and Chaldie, and the most judicious Divines pitch upon it, and we will follow them. Though I will not rashly define, whether the symbolical presence of God left the Hill before it rested upon the Tabernacle, which almost was a twelve month after. But this I note. That positive Precepts are not perpetual, when their end ceaseth, the Law is at an end. Yea, and the vigour of it sensibly decayeth, when the people become unfit to use it: so that God doth not tyre out their care and fear of danger, but setteth them free in due time, whom for a time he doth restrain. After God was departed, that Hill was no more a Sanctuary; well might the Israelites bear a civil respect unto it, a religious they might not without impiety. Which I note the rather, because of the common superstition, especially of Papists, who continue a religious opinion and respect unto the places which Christ frequented in the days of his flesh, and the Apostles after him; Canaan for example, which they term the holy Land. Whereas God hath long since, as he long before threatened, profaned that place, neither may we expect any heavenly virtue from it, but out of gross superstition. Yet will we not deny unto all those monuments a due respect: so that it be no more than civil. But to our purpose. The ceremonial prohibition is ceased, but the moral contained under it must never cease; we must never cease with reverence to come to God's house, Psal 5.8. and not forget in his fear to worship towards his holy Temple. Moses bade the Israelites Take heed to themselves, he discharged his duty in commanding this modesty, and the Israelites obeyed, they did not pass their bounds, nor came before they were summoned, Verse 17. and therefore scaped the punishment; a blessed concurrence both of Pastor and people. And what can I say but bid us Take heed to ourselves? Let us take heed of the sin here forbidden, Let us take heed of the punishment here threatened, Let us be as ready to obey, that I admonish not in vain; and we shall never undergo the punishment, if we avoid the sin. And a better way to avoid it I cannot commend unto you, then that which was practised by King David, you have it in the Psalm. Lord mine heart is not haughty, Psal 131. nor mine eyes lofty, neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me; surely I have behaved and guieted myself as a child that is weaned of his mother, my soul is even as a weaned child. Here I should end; but I may not forget to bid you join this Sermon with the former. That taught you Purity, this Modesty. It is not enough for a man that com● 〈◊〉 unto God to be pure, he must be modest also; we are apt to presume upon our Holiness, but modesty will keep us humble. Modesty will teach us, that be we never so pure in our own eyes, 〈◊〉 15.15. we are not so in Gods, The Heanens are not clean in his sight, and He layeth folly to the Angels; How much more to men who dwell in houses of clay, and who drink iniquity like water? Wherefore, Let us never think ourselves more worthy than God thinketh us, yea, let us acknowledge ourselves unworthy of the least grace that God doth do unto us; so may our humble holiness make us more capable of God's goodness here, and blessedness hereafter. To God the Father, God the Son, etc. The tenth Sermon. EXODUS. 19 VERS. 16. 16. And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud, etc. to the end of the twentieth verse. WHen God and the Israelites were prepared in such manner, as at several times I have showed you, God to deliver, the Israelites to receive the Law; then they met together. This their meeting is the only point in this Chapter that remaineth unhandled, my purpose is (God willing) to dispatch it, at this time, that so hereafter I may come on to the next Chapter, which containeth the principal matter of my arrant. We are then first in this meeting to consider when, and What it was When, it was upon the third day, and that in the morning. To know what it was, we must see, Pirst, In what manner, Secondly, by what Mediator. The manner hath two remarkable things, the Signification which God gave of his readiness to come, and the Impression which that made upon the Israelites. The signification was full of dreadful state, for the harbingers came before to provide God's place, Thunder, lightning, the cloud, the trumpet, etc. And these harbingers were very dreadful; some to the eye, the slashes of lightning that broke out of the cloud, the dusky flame that ascended from the whole Hill on fire: some to the ear; the claps of thunder, and the loud sound of the trumpet. As the harbingers were dreadful: so they made an answerable Impression in the Israelites, the Impression was hopeful fear. Fear; the Israelites quaked in their Tents, yea and Moses himself quaked upon the way. Neither will you wonder that the reasonable Creatures did quake at such a presence, when you read in my text that the mountain, the senseless mountain became (as it were) sensible at this foretaste of God's access unto it, it trembled exceedingly. Such was the fear. But this fear was not without Hope: for notwithstanding it, they set out from their Tents, and came onto their standing to the foot of the Hill, the place where they were to attend Gods coming down upon the Mountain, and this they could not do without some hope. But in this interview we must take notice of the decorum or decency observed by the Israelites, and the gracious benignity expressed by God. The decorum or decency was this; the Israelites came first to their place before God came to his. And you know it is good manners when unequal persons meet, that the inferior should wait for the coming of his superior. The benignity was this; no sooner did man make towards God, but God vouchsafeth to meet man half ways. Out of both these will arise another note. That except man ascend above himself, and God descend below himself, there can be no meeting of God and man. These things we shall consider in the manner. But this manner sufficeth not unto the meeting, except there be moreover a Mediator; for persons so fare distant in nature as God and man cannot come together except some body come between. And here we find Moses acting that person, he puts heart into the quaking Israelites, and led them out of their Tents to the place where they were to attend God, and he kept them in heart standing between God and them while the Articles of the Covenant were proclaiming. I have pointed at the particulars which I purpose (God willing) to handle at this time briefly and in their order. God grant that we may so profit thereby, that whensoever God giveth any signification of his access to us, we may be affected with a religious fear toward him, that so keeping this manner by the help of our Mediator, we may give him a blessed meeting. Come we then to the first particular, the circumstance of time. It was the third day, the third after their coming unto mount Sinai, but the fiftieth after their coming out of Egypt. Which you may gather, if you add hereunto the time specified in the first Verse of this Chapter; there you read that they came to the Hill the first day of the third month. Now the months of the jews being Lunary, and reckoned from one conjunction to another, in vulgar computations are reckoned to consist of thirty days one with another, though in the exactness of Astronomy, it be somewhat otherwise; this being known we must calculate thus. The children of Israel came out of Egypt the fourteenth Moon (as they call it) that is the fourteenth day of the Lunary month; so that of the first month they spent seven ten days on their way; for so many there are from fourteen to thirty inclusively. Add hereunto the whole second month which consisteth of thirty days; and seventeen and thirty maketh forty seven; whereunto if you add the three days which they had been now at the Mount, your number will be just fifty. So that the Law was delivered the fiftieth day after the celebration of the Passeover. You may not think this note overcurious, it is of special use in comparing the new Testament with the old. The truth did exactly answer unto this Type, and Whitsuntide keepeth the same distance from our Easter. Christ the true Passeover was offered for Us to deliver us from the slavery of sin, death, and Hell, at the season of the year, wherein the Passeover was offered for the Redemption of the Israelites out of the Egyptian thraldom. And at that time in which God delivered the Law unto the redeemed Israelites, he gave the spirit, which is the life of the Law unto the redeemed Christians. That spirit which is the finger of God to write the Law in the fleshly Tables of our hearts, which the I sraclites long before received written indeed with the finger of God, but in no better than the two Tables of stone. So that that we enjoy the truth whereof they had the Type. Understand me de 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the formal administration of this first Covenant, Colos 2. v. 14. which did contain only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (as the Apostle calleth it) man's Obligation, what duty he owed, what punishment he deserved. These be the things that are principally represented in the form of this first covenant. And therefore doth the Apostle call it the ministry of the letter, and of death, 2 Cor. 3.6. in opposition to the second Covenant which he calleth the ministry of the spirit and of life. Otherwise we may not deny that the patriarchs had the spirit of Grace also, though not dispensed by the form of the old Covenant, yet whereunto the old Covenant led them as a Schoolmaster; making them sensible of their misery, it made them seek unto Christ for remedy. But I have touched at this point once before, therefore I will dwell no longer on it. Only take this note, that as Whitsuntide followeth Easter, so doth Sanctification follow after justification; whom God redeemeth, to them he giveth his Law, and he doth sanctify all those whom he instifieth. He that keepeth one feast must keep both; because he that hath one, hath both these gifts. I need not speak of the Morning, which shown God's exemplary forwardness for this blessed meeting; which we shall do well to follow as David did, Psal. 130, Enough of the time. I come now to the signification of God's readiness to come. I told you it was full of state, the harbingers come before to prepare God's place. Mortal Princes come not to great assemblies, to Parliament, to the throne of judgement, to the ratifying of Leagues, Act. 25. ver. 2● but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a great deal of pomp. If ever, they then show their royalty, they make it appear that they are neither beggarly nor contemptible, nor unable to revenge themselves, they make show of their glory and their power. There is reason for it; for the vulgar that have no judgement of true Morality are held in from disrespects to their Governors by these ceremonies, and the attention of their ears is kept waking by such amazing of their eyes; and discreet Policy doth this way make them obedient beyond their understanding. God taketh the same course, and showeth not himself unto his people, but with much ceremonious Majesty at this meeting, which did partake of these three kinds of assemblies. For it was a Parliament, it had the Image of an Assizes, and therein was the conjugal league confirmed between God and Israel. I shall touch at all three. I might lead you to behold this in his appearing to Abraham, Gene. 25. when he entered into Covenant with him, where the thick darkness, the smoking furnace, the fire go before him; 1. King. c. 19 his apparition to Elids which was attended with an Earthquake, a whirlwind, and a fire too. None so stately, Cap. 4. so ample, as that which is described by Ezechiel, and Daniel, except happily that in the Revelation. I omit many others, it is enough in these to let you see, that it was usual with God to show himself in state, to send his harbingers before him. The reason whereof is, to work a due respect towards his sacred Majesty, you are taught it plainly in the Psalms. Give unto the Lord, O ye mighty, give unto the Lord glory and strength, give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name, worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. The reason followeth in the Psalm, and it is taken from these harbingers of God the Thunder and the Lightning; you may read it at your leisure. I call these the harbingers of God, because we may not grossly conceive, 〈…〉 lib 2. 〈◊〉 ●●. that God is like unto any of these. Saint Austin hath refuted that dream; and indeed it is the seed of Idolatry. They are but the attendants upon God, his guard, you may call them, or you may call them his host, they are the instruments of his Power, he was pleased to use them to set forth his state, both in Mount Sinai (as we read here) and in Mount Zion, as we read, Act. 2. the place parallel to this. But I will keep myself to mount Sinai. I told you then, that the harbingers here specified were dreadful; dreadful, some to the ear, some to the eye. The eye and the ear are the best Intelligencers of the reasonable Soul, the quickest of apprehension, and truest in their information. And therefore when God will work our heart, he worketh it by these, and in these you shall first see what feeling we have of dreadful objects. You have a prover be touching the ear, 〈◊〉 5. which the holy Ghost useth more than once, I will do a thing which whosoever heareth both his ears shall tingle. Experience doth discover this, that hideous noises work a commotion in our spirits; and make them fly up into the head, & ring there as it were an amazed alarm, and that in diverse forms, which are better discerned by our feeling then I can express in words. And as for our eye; such spectacles, how do they fix them, as if they could not move, dazzle them as if they had no sight, melt them, as if they were a fountain of water? God could not present these Objects to such eyes, such ears, but they will be confessed to be dreadful. Dreadful in their own nature, for so are flashes of lightning; huge & dusky flames of fire; great claps of Thunder; the sound of such a Trumpet, whose loud sound might be heard of so many hundred thousand people. And if they were dreadful in their own nature, as experience teacheth, how much more when they are clothed with such circumstances as these were? The circumstance of Place: for these meteors were wrought in the lower Region of the Air, whereas the middle Region is their natural place; In the Deserts of Arabia; a dry parched Country which yields no exhalations, no vapours, which are the matter of these meteors. Add hereunto the season of the year; for it was now the month of june, 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈◊〉 3. 2●.4. a time wherein these Meteors are not usual. But specially observe out of Nyssen, that as at the destruction of Sodom so now, the sky was clear, there was no prognostication in the Air of such an imminent storm. So that it could not be imputed unto nature, it must needs be confessed that the finger of God was there. job 38 And God (whom the Book of job doth set forth as the father and treasurer of Rain, of Winds, of Thunder, of Lightning, can at his pleasure, immediately by his word, or else if it please him by his Ministering spirits, the bad Angels as it appears, job 1. how much more by the good, who attend his Throne, and whom he used at this time, produce such Meteors when and where he he will? But the more unexspectedly he produceth them, the more dreadful they are, and were at this Time and Place. I am not yet come to the quick. It is a good rule in Divinity, that these harbingers or attendants upon God's apparitions, are an Image not only of his greatness, but of his providence also. In them as in a looking Glass you may behold the work which he hath in hand. I will show it you in this present one; you may make use of the rule in understanding other of God's works. God was now about to deliver his Law, and these harbingers represent the dreadfulness thereof. The dreadfulness of the precept; that is noted, first by the lightning and then by the thunder. By the lightning; for the precepts of God are like sire, they search and discover the duty of a man. It is a shallow conceit that the natural man hath of his duty to God or to his Neighbour; Rom. 7. Saint Paul confesseth what a stranger he was in it till he was better nurtured by the Law, and giveth this for a general rule. By the Law cometh the, knowledge of sin. So that the Law suffereth not a man to be ignorant of his Obligation, but setteth it most legible before his eyes. This is the Lightning of the precept of the Law. And this lightning cometh not without a clap of Thunder: for when a man from the Law reflecteth upon himself, and seethe how short he cometh of fulfilling the Law, what perplexing terrors will arise in his thoughts, what unquietness will distress his soul? His spirit within him will be overwhelmed, and the tumult of his Conscience will drown the sound of all consolation that shall be ministered unto it: many have had woeful experience hereof. As you have seen the Image of the precept of the Law; so must you also behold the Image of the Sanction. For the Trumpet calleth to judgement; the flaming fire is an Image of the doom, the wicked shall be summoned with much terror, and they shall be sent into endless torments. For the summons shall be by the Trumpet, and the wicked shall go into everlasting fire. I cannot stand to amplify these things: only take these few observations; that if this high Parliament of God be kept with so great terror, how dreadful shall the grand Assizes be? Our Saviour Christ in the Gospel hath set it forth by three Euangelisls, Matth. 24. whom you may parallel with Mark and Luke; where you shall find, that if this be terrible, that is much more terrible. Secondly observe, that things corporal come short of things spiritual, and no words can fully express those things which are here meant, for much more is meant then can be said, and according to the meaning doth the terror arise. God's Motto may well be, Nemo me impunè lacesset. Thirdly, we must consider the wonderful patience of God, and stupidity of men. God showeth us in this spectacle of Thunder, Lightning, etc. what he can do, what we deserve. But what sometimes Caesar said to the Questor, who would have hindered him from entering into the Treasury at Rome, shaking his sword, It is easier for my Power to dispatch thee, then for the goodness of my Nature to be willing to strike thee; may much more truly be said of God; His Power maketh him Merciful, and his Mercy doth manage his Power. The Author of the Book of Wisdom openeth this at large. Chap. 11. etc. But what stupidity is there in the mean time in men in provoking of God that is armed with such power, and hath in readiness such instruments of death? Yea which giveth such evidence of them, to the intent that they may fear before him? It is true that mocking Atheists ask, 2. 〈◊〉 3. Where is the promise of his coming. But this is vox coeci & surdi, they do wink with their eyes, and stop their ears, other wise there is no man but in all ages God hath discovered unto him the Ensigns of his revenging power. For have we not Thundering and Lightning in all ages? You will say they are but ordinary Meteors; no more is a Rainbow. And yet that Meteor hath a mystery in it, and that Bow of Heaven is called God's Bow, because it containeth a perpetual Prophecy that the world shall be no more destroyed with water. Gen. 9 Numb. 10. And are not the Thunder and Lightnings called God's voice? And why? because they signify that God will come to judgement with a tempestuous fire. We may also make the same use of the Trumpets; Sure Saint Hierome had a good meditation when he said, That whether he did eat or drink or whatsoever he did, he heard the Trumpet sounding in his ear, Surgite mortui & venite ad iudicium. I will not stand to allegorise the two silver Trumpets, still sounded while the Sacrifice was burning at the Altar. Verse 7. I will only bid you remember Saint judes' note of Sodom and Gomorrah, whose perpetual burning God hath left as a remembrance of the everlasting fire of Hell. Some are yet more desperate, and call for the Day of the Lord; Let it come, Let us see it, as you may read in the Prophets. Fool hardy wretches, that desire that which they will never be able to endure. Luke 23.30. Upon the first overture of it, their hearts will fail them, they will be at their wit's end, they will call to the Hills and Rocks to cover them. The Kings of the earth, the great men, the mighty men, bond and free, all sorts of men shall then cry out, The great day of the Lamb's wrath is come, Reve. 6 1 Pet. 4.18 and who is able to stand? And indeed, If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the wicked and appear? But to leave them; The last observation that I will give upon this dreadful state shall be, That we are much bound unto God, that we live not under the Old Testament, but under the New, that God hath brought us not unto Mount Sinai, but unto Mount Zion. Where God appears in our nature, and cometh meek, and in the form of a servant, so sensible of our infirmities, that he cryeth not, Esay 42.2. his voice is not heard in the street, he will not break a bruised reed, nor quench smoking flax. He putteth upon us a light yoke, and an easy burden; his doctrine is a Gospel; their feet are beautiful that bring it; Esay 52 ●. 7. this yeara is an year of jubilee; his Trumpet soundeth nothing but deliverance; his Light is comfortable like the Sun, Psal 45.2. Cant. 5. v. 16 for he is the Son of Righteousness; his lips are full of Grace, his Mouth is most sweet. In this Hill all things are lovely, there is nothing dreadful at all. And why? God hath given us the Spirit of Adoption, which is the Spirit of Love, Rom 6 2. Tim 1. and of a sound mind: so that we can endure the very top of Mount Ston, whereas they could not endure the bottom of Mount Sinai. Time will not give me leave to pursue this comparison, you may amplify it out of Saint Paul, 2. Cor. 3. Heb. 12. And if you will have it to the full, you must parallel the whole Oeconomic of the New Testament, with that of the Old. Only let me give you this note for a farewell to this point; That as the Patriarches that were brought unto Mount Sinai, did bear themselves out under those terrors by casting their eyes forward unto Mount Zion, the place of comfort: So we lest we grow carnally secure during our abode at Mount Zion, and surfeit upon the comforts thereof, must cast our eyes backward upon Mount Sinai, and rouse ourselves with the terrors thereof. The solace of Zion is to none so pleasant, as to him that cometh newly from Sinai; their souls do best relish the Gospel whose consciences have first sinarted from the Law, or that have been exercised by that hopeful fear, the point that cometh next to be handled in my text. Hopeful fear than is the impression that was made on the Israelites by the dreadful Harbingers of God. First, Fear. Fear is argued from quaking. For we usually say that men quake for fear. And indeed what is quaking of the body, but a consequent of fear in the soul? For the spirits are conveyed by the arteries, the sinews, and the veins into the outward parts to sustain, confirm them, enable them to their functions; and the vital parts send them forth abundantly while themselves are secure. But while we are or suppose ourselves to be in any great danger, all those forces repair unto, and endeavour to safeguard those principal inward fortresses, especially the heart. Whereupon the outward parts being vnfurnished fall (as it were) into a shaking Palsy; and so Quaking is a consequent of fear. But let us fit this impression unto the apparition, and so you shall find, that it followeth thereupon. If there were nothing in these Harbingers but an Image of God's Majesty, yet you shall not find in all the Bible, that ever any man had any extraordinary glimpse of God's glory, that did not upon the apprehension thereof become as it were dead, and give himself over for a dead man. Read the story of Gedeon and Maneah, in the Book of judges, and of the Prophets whose inspirations were accompanied with Visions, Ezechiel, Daniel, others; the general rule is, Si te noverim Domine, me ipsum noverim, I shall never know how vile, how frail I am by any thing so well: as by presenting myself before the glorious Majesty of God. Let us descend to the second Image that is to be beheld in these dreadful Harbingers, the Image of the Law, and let us see how that worketh fear. The Image of the Precept; I told you it is searching, and you cannot therewith search a man but you make him fear. Ask Saint Paul, he tried it, and will tell you so, he found by surveying himself, That the Law was spiritual, and he was carnal, and out of a sensible acknowledgement that his strength was nothing proportionable to the Law, 〈◊〉 7. 〈◊〉 19 he broke out into those passionate words; O wretch that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death? King David surveyed the Law, and the excellent properties of the Law; but what is the upshot of his meditation? Even this: Who knoweth how oft he offendeth? Lord cleanse me from my secret faults, keep thy servant from presumptuous sins, lest they have dominion over me. And verily no man can behold himself in that glass and consider what manner of person he is, but he will be driven to that prayer in the last Penitential, 〈◊〉 143 Enter not into judgement with thy servant, O Lord, for in thy sight shall no flesh living be justified. The Precept than maketh afraid. And doth not the Sanction also? Certainly it doth. The Prophets, that had a sight of God armed with vengeance against sinners, how do we find them affected, and affrighted? C●ap. 6. Esay saw the Lord sitting upon a Throne, high and lifted up, his train filled the Temple, above it stood the six winged Seraphins, etc. it is a Vision of judgement, and it made Esay cry out, Woe is me for I am undone, 〈◊〉 3.2.16 etc. Habakuk had a Vision of the like argument, which he describeth more at large; and hear what was the effect; When I heard it, my belly trembled, my lips quivered at the voice, rottenness entered into my bones. Psal 119 David confesseth of himself, My flesh trembleth for fear of thee, O Lord, and I am afraid of thy judgements. But you will say: such objects may work fear in a natural man, but what need these Israeltes to fear? They came armed against it, they came prepared with Purity, with Modesty, and should such men fear? It is certain they did fear; and there was good reason for it, for what proportion between man's Ability, and the Majesty of God, when man is at the best? And the Israelites ceremonial preparation could not so suddenly become moral, that will ask more time than three days. The more they had of the old man, the more they were subject unto this Passion, and it might well rise in them, though the object which they discerned were aloof off, as indeed it was; for their Tents were in some good distance from the Hill, and though they were so fare cut of danger, yet were they not out of fear, the dread of these Harbingers of God seized upon them. Add hereunto, that the spirit of the Old Testament, as Saint Paul telleth us, is the spirit of bondage and fear, and so this passion had good correspondency with that Covenant. Neither upon them only, but upon Moses also did these dreadful Harbingers work, for so must you understand those words in the text, Moses spoke; Saint Paul will tell you what he said, Verse 19 Heb. 12. I exceedingly fear and quake; so terrible was the sight in his eyes. The Rhemists come in here unseasonably with the doctrine of their Traditions, and they will have Saint Paul by tradition know that Moses spoke those words. As if he might not know it aswell by Revelation, for the spirit of Prophecy looketh aswell backward as forward. Else how did Moses pen the Book of Genesis, that speaketh of things done so many hundred years before? But what gain they if we do acknowledge he had it by tradition? Do we deny all traditions? We acknowledge traditions of many Histories; as that of jannes' and jambres. Of Ceremonies; as that of concluding the Passeover with blessed Bread and Wine, whence Christ took an occasion to improve them to an higher use, and institute the Eucharist. Our question is about Articles of faith, and I hope this is none; and therefore they may keep the note in store, until they meet with a more pregnant place. But let us leave those Wranglers, and come to Moses. Happily you wonder, why he should quake? A man that came so near God, and was so dear unto him; God talked with him face to face, as familiarly as a man talketh with his friend. I but then these Harbingers did not appear; no Thunder, no Lightning then, no burning Hill, no loud sounding of the Trumpet; when these appear they will make Moses himself to quake. And why? shall I say, because there are some relics of sin even in the best of God's Saints during this life, and being not perfect in love, they must needs be subject unto fear? If I should say so, 1. Iohn ●. I should say something, but not all that is to be said. For our Saviour Christ that was without all sin, when he appeared in our nature, at the (as it were) Mount Sinai. Certainly, at the Tribunal of God, where he had presented, if not to the eyes of his body, yet of his soul those dreadful attendants upon the Throne of judgement, the sight cast him into an agony, and made him sweat water and blood, it made his humane nature to droop, as himself confesseth, and be heavy unto death. And do we wonder that the servant feareth, where we see the son in such a case? Let not the holy Ones of God, think to be privileged from that whereunto the Holy of Holies was pleased to be subject. Let us all rather confess, that that indeed is dreadful which is dreadful to such a person, and let us all fear that which Christ himself feared. But why go I so high as Christ? If they should not have feared, the Mountain would have risen in judgement against them; for that trembled, Verse 18. Psal. 18. it trembled exceedingly. In the Psalm it is said that the Earth shaken and trembled, the foundations also of the Hills were moved and were shaken; alluding unto this story, another Psalm saith, that The Mountains skipped like Rams, Psal 114. and the little Hills like young sheep; and moving the question, What ailed ye O ye Mountains that ye skipped like Rams, and ye little Hills like Lambs? The answer is made; Tremble thou Earth at the presence of the Lord; at the presence of the God of jacob. And shall not we fear him, nor tremble at his presence, when the senseless creatures show themselves awfully sensible of his access unto them? surely our senselessness must needs be without all excuse. Yet some such there have been. Such were the Scribes and Pharisees, who, when the Sun lost his light, the Rocks cleft, the Graves were opened, and the Earth quaked were so little touched, that their heart could serve them to contrive a forgery wherewith to countenance that villainy wherewith they brought Christ to his painful and shameful death. This was a spirit of slumber indeed, and never did a greater spiritual Lethargy seize upon the sons of men. God ever keep us from such senselessness, and give unto us the spirit of fear, whensoever his dreadful Harbingers present themselves before us; yea, let us often represent them unto ourselves, that this fear may be seasonably present with us. But let our fear be such as was that of Israel, and of Moses a hopeful fear. For there is a fear that deters from God, and there is a fear that doth only humble us before God. Ge● 4 The first is the Reprobates fear, and maketh men like unto Cain, Renegadoes and Vagabonds, forsake God and go they know not whether. But the godly man's fear maketh him tremble, and yet keep on his way; though he go quaking yet he goeth to God. And indeed, after God hath made us sensible of our weakness, and his greatness; he useth to support and strengthen his children, he makes them experience the truth of that answer which Christ gave to Saint Paul, Psay 6 My grace is sufficient for thee, my strength is made perfect in weakness 2. Cor. 12. vers. 9 So did he hearten Esay with a coal from the Altar, Daniel with a touch, Deut. 15. Moses with an answer, a kind answer, and by Moses he bid the Israelites not fear. And what wonder if he support his children in these tremble, seeing he supported the Hill? for other wise the hill being all on fire & trembling in the fire must needs have been consumed, but it held out. Yea and so did Moses & Aaron when they entered into the cloud, & trod upon that fiery hill, no less securely than the three children did in the fiery Furnace, whereinto they were cast by the appointment of Nabuchadnezzar. 〈◊〉 3 And so shall the righteous at the day of judgement, when all the world is on fire, and a louder Trumpet shall sound then this at mount Sinai. And we must repute it a singular privilege of the children of God, that they can subsist in such a place, and such a presence. The lesson wherewith I will conclude this point, is that of the Apostle, Philip. 2. ● 12. We must work out our salvation in fear and trembling; or if you will, that of the Psalm, Serve the Lord in fear, Psal. 2 ver. 11. and rejoice before him with reverence. The Lord loveth in his children the mixture of fear and hope. The argument of the I sraelites hope is, that they set out from their Tents, and came on to the place of their attendance, and expecting of Gods descending on the Hill. I will not here trouble you with the manner of their march. After the Tabernacle was built God prescribed a manner; what they did before the jews tell us, but in the silence of the holy Ghost we will not be curious. It is likely they came as Deut. 27. when the Covenant was as it were renewed. In this moving of God and Israel to the place of meeting, I observed the good manners of the Israelites, and the benignity of God. First the good manners of the Israelites. For if you mark the text, they came first to their place, before God came to his. And it was fit it should be so; for God being so much better than man, it had been insolent rudeness for man not to wait for the coming of God. I need not spend time to prove so common, so known a morality, at your ordinary meetings, if they be public, you practise the same. I rather choose to note a mystery enwrapped herein, which is, that although God prevenr us in regard of our ability to come to him; yet when we are enabled, he looketh that we should make use of his grace, and cooperate with him, and not expect a second blessing before we have well husbanded the first; and we should think it grace enough done unto us, if he then vouchsafe to answer our desires, and crown our endeavours. I do not here patronise Popish freewill, for I speak not the libero, but liberato arbitrio; what our will can do in entertaining the first grace is not the question, but what it must do after it hath received grace. And therefore here also the Romanists come in unseasonably with their observation. The second thing that I observed was God's benignity, which appeareth in this, that if man make towards him, he will meet him half way, God descended upon the Hill after the children of Israel came out of their Tents towards the foot of the Hill. Luke 15. We know the Parable of the prodigal child's father, who descried his sons returning home a fare off, and made haste to meet him: It is a lively picture of God's benignity, and we cannot have a better encouragement to seek unto him. Put both these notes together, and then observe, that if ever we look there should be any meeting between God and man, man must rise above himself, but God must fall below himself. For we see here, that the children of Israel came out of their Tents, and moved towards the upper ground, giving us to understand, that Sursum corda, Colos 3 we must set our affections on those things that are above. Base thoughts and grovelling that are fised upon things below, and mind earthly things, a natural man that will continue himself, and that cannot put himself off, or soar above himself, and have his conversation in heaven, is not fit to give meeting unto God. Again, if God should keep at his own pitch, and fall not much below himself, humble himself (as the Psalm speaketh, to regard those things that are below; how should we poor wretches be raised out of the dust? How should we needy ones be lifted out of dunghills? How should we ever be set with Princes, and ranged with glorious Angels? I come not home enough: I told you before, that this was Gods Parliamentary meeting, that it bore some image of his grand Assizes. It was more, it was the great day of the espousals of Christ and his Church. And did not the King's son and heir, the Son and heir of the King of heaven stoop very low when he came to espouse himself unto such base and sinful persons? Surely, when we consider the exceeding height of God's estate, and the lowness of our own, of how little regard we deserve to be, and yet of how great regard we are; we have good reason to think that God's goodness maketh him, as it were, lay aside his majesty and be unlike himself, that he may so fare like us, and link us so near unto him. How then should we strive to ascend unto him, that doth thus vouchsafe to descend unto us? You would think that by this time there is enough done to fit the meeting. We have purified the Israelites, we have learned them modesty, they have been humbled with fear, and they have gone out from themselves, ascended above themselves, and God hath fallen below himself, there hath been much done. And yet there is one thing more to be done; there wanteth a Mediator. Galath 3.1.19. And so indeed the Apostle saith, The Law was given by the hands of a Mediator. And we have here a Typical one; and that is Moses, these persons would never have come together, except he had come between. And we find here two Acts of his: the first is, that he put them in heart when they quaked, and led them the way towards the Mount; neither would they ever have adventured, had they wanted such a guide, their fear would have been too strong for their hope. Neither did Moses only put them in heart to go on, but also kept them in heart when they were come to their standing, by his encouragement it was that they held out, while the Articles of the Conenant were proclaiming; they had flown off, if he had not stood between God and them. But this was but a typical Mediator, the true is our Saviour Christ, it is by him, Heb. 4. Rom. 5. joh 10. joh. 14. Reuel. 3 7. Heb. 6. that with boldness we come to the Throne of Grace, it is by him that we have access unto God; He is the Door, the Way, the Truth, and the Life, even the true way unto eternal life; He hath the key, openeth and no man shutteth, shutteth and no man openeth, neither doth any but he bring Children to God. And whether he bringeth us, there he keepeth us, we are preserved in him, and by him. For as at first we are accepted in God's Beloved: so by his perpetual Propitiation and Intercession are we continued in the love of God; he standeth between God and us, covering our imperfections that they offend not God, and tempering the dreadfulness of God's majesty with so much grace, that the aspect thereof becometh comfortable unto us. I will not fall into any long refutation of the Romish new coined Mediators, they egregiously dishonour the Saints and Angels while they make them usurpers of Christ's office. And howsoever their Schools qualify the matter, their Liturgies cannot be freed from this imputation. And the notions of the vulgar understanding, and the affections of their heart in their practice devotion are framed according to their Liturgy, not according to their Schools; the more reason have we to censure the abuse. Moses at Mount Sinai, Aaron in the Tabernacle may be typical Mediators, but there is no true one either in Earth or Heaven but only our Saviour jesus Christ; None of Redemption, as the Papists confess, neither any of Intercession, as we moreover hold, and hold it with the Primitive Church. But I here end my Text, and with my Text this whole Chapter. Only I will give you one general observation upon it, which may not be neglected. This whole Chapter is but an Exordium to the next Chapter, shall I say? or to the whole Law? indeed to the whole Law, but immediately to the next Chapter. Now in this Exordium, I would have you observe, how God playeth the skilful Orator, and performeth all things which the best rules in Rhetoric require in an Exordium. The rules require, that an Orator should Captare benevolentiam, work himself into the good liking of his Auditors. And why? because if they like not the man they will not much care for the matter. And doth not God this at the fourth Verse? Doth he not set forth his well deservings of them, in overthrowing their evemies? in setting them free? And what may better give God an interest in their love, than the experiment that he had given them of his real love? The next rule of Rhetoric is, Reddere Auditores dociles, to bring them that already affect the man to be desirous to be informed of the matter. And how is that done? by showing how much the matter concerneth them, how beneficial it will be to them. For men gladly hear of their own good; and the greater the good, the more gladly do they hear of it. See how excellently God playeth this part of the Orator, at the fift and sixth Verses, how significantly he setteth forth the benefit which they shall reap by their obedience, showing them what a rate he will set upon them, what an approach they shall make to him, how sacred, how blessed their state shall be; which is so much the more to be esteemed, in that they shall have it as a Prerogative, none shall have it but they. And who will not be curiously inquisitive after such a matter, and hear them gladly that bring such good tidings. The third point of Rhetoric is Auditores attentos reddere, to rouse his Auditory, make them shake off all dulness and drowsiness, that no part of the speech slip by, or pass unweighed. This is done by setting before us the danger that may overtake us, and the respect that must be used by us. And God omitteth not this point of Rhetoric, all the rest of the charge is spent hereabout. It serveth to quicken and qualify the Israelites as beseemed that heavenly Sermon which they were to hear from the mouth of God. Chrysoil. Hitherto tend, their Preparation which you heard of heretofore, and the humiliation wrought by the Harbingers of God, whereof you have heard this day. What shall I say now to you, but only this? The same Sermon that was preached to Israel is to be preached now to us; for we are now the Israel of God, therefore unto us belongeth this Oratory of God. Yea, God hath deserved better of us then ever he did of Israel, for we enjoy the truth whereof they had but the Type. We have reason then to affect him. Yea, and to affect also that which is delivered by him, for it containeth our sovereign good, our blessed communion with God. And those spurs of attention must work upon us no less then upon them: Because, though we be not called to the Parliament, we must come to the Assizes; the Assizes is much more dreadful than was the Parliament. Finally, though we were not at those Espousals, we shall be at the marriage feast; It concerneth us therefore to provide our wedding garment. In a word, will we, nill we, we are parties to this Covenant, though not as it was vailed, yet as it was unuailed. Therefore not one of the Articles must pass us unregarded, because enquiry will be made after our conformity unto every one of them. GOd grant that we may so set God and our own good before our eyes, that we may willingly open our ears, and gladly apply our hearts to hear him, and hear of it; that what we shall learn at the foot of Mount Sinai, may make us more fit to climb to the top of Mount Zion; Heb. 12. So shall we be incorporated into the blessed Society that dwelleth there, while we live here, and hereafter having our Harps sing there a new Song before the Throne, before the four Beasts and the Elders, Reuel. 14. which none can learn but the 144000. which are redeemed from the Earth. AMEN. FIVE SERMONS PREACHED in Saint Maries in OXFORD. Upon Luke 3. Verse 7, 8, 9 BY The Right Reverend Father in God, ARTHURE LAKE, the late L. Bishop of Bath and Wells. LONDON, Printed by W. STANSBY for Nathaniel Butter. 1629. FIVE SERMONS PREACHED AT Saint Maries in OXFORD. The first Sermon. LUKE. 3. VERS. 7.8.9. 7. Then said he to the people that were come be Baptised of him. O generation of Vipers, who hath forewarned you to flee from the wrath to come? THis Chapter is the second Lesson appointed for this Morning Prayer; the Argument whereof is nothing else but a story of Saint john Baptists service, what pains he took, and what success he had; his pains were great; his success diverse. To say nothing of them with whom he prevailed nothing at all, such as were they that despised the counsel of God against themselves being not baptised of him, Luke 7. This Chapter showeth that between them with whom he prevailed, there was no small odds; for some were sincere, some hypocrites; Saint john useth them accordingly. For he instructeth the sincere mildly; but his Sermon against hypocrites it very sharp; you have it in my Text; my Text is Saint john's reproof of those jews which came dissemblingly to his Baptism. More distinctly to open it, consider Whom he reproveth and How. The persons were many, a multitude, and they seem well disposed, whether you respect their Pains, or their pretence. Their pains, they came out, they took a journey from home to come unto him and the pretence of their journey cannot be disliked, for they came to be baptised. Such were the persons. But how dealeth Saint john Baptist with them? Surely, notwithstanding their great number, and their fair show, he doth not spare to tell them that they were in worse case than they thought, and must take a better course than hitherto they had. For their Case, whereas there are but two heads whereunto we reduce all Evil, Malum culpae, and Malum paenae, Sin and the wages thereof: he telleth them that they were free from neither; deep in sin, for they were a generation of Vipers; in danger of the wages of sin, which is the wrath to come. In danger they were of it, and yet they were not ware, for, Who had forewarned them to ●ite from the wrath to come? No master, as yet, had taught them that leison. So he opened their case. But here to have ended his Sermon had been to leave them to an un 〈…〉 end, even to desperation; but he doth not leave them so; as 〈◊〉 would have them throughly to understand their own case: So doth 〈…〉 prescribe them a good course; his words are plain, but 〈…〉 of them is dark, by a few propositions I will make it 〈◊〉. The 〈◊〉 was to have a double being in the Covenant, an here 〈…〉; the hereditary was nothing but the birthrigh, which 〈◊〉, 〈◊〉 ad rem; be that lineally descended from Abraham, might clamme to be admitted into the Covenant which God made with him. The posse●●orte consisted in his personal grace, which gave him Ius inre, when he did not only descend from Abraham according to the flesh, but communicated also with him in the graces of the spirit. These two beings in the Covenant were to concur in every jew, and they could not be scuered without danger, danger not to the Cou●nant, but to the jew. Now mark Saint john's words, he showeth that the jews did separate the Personallgrace from their Birth right; wherefore he calleth upon them to remedy that, bring forth fruits worthy of Repentance. This is the Personal grace which Saint john will have the jews add to their Buth right, and which he telleth them they cannot separate without danger; danger to themselves, not to the Covenant. To themselves; Begin not to say with yourselves: We have Abraham to 〈◊〉 father, We have Abraham to our father, is too single a plea, it plead●●h only the birth right; God can derive that unto others without 〈◊〉. This Covenant, he can raise children unto Abraham of the very steres. And he can ●ustly, according to his Covenant, reward you as you deserve, root you out of that family, Now ●●the 〈◊〉, etc. You see what is the substance of this Scripture, and the 〈◊〉 that I shall handle thereon, not all at this time, but so many as the time will perm●●. Consider what I say, and the Lord give us understanding in all things. I begin at the persons, and of them first, consider the Number: the na●●● great, a Multitude, in the original it is Multitudes; Saint Matth●● con●●●imes it by particularising the several companies. But whereas the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may signify either the quality, or the quantity of persons, the quality, and so is used for the vulgar people, whom in English we call the Multitude, or else may signify their quantity: here it is taken not for quality, but quantity. For the persons are many in number, jerusalem came out, all judaea came out, and so did all the confines of jordan, Matth. 3. so saith S. Matthew; and he saith also that amongst them that came out, there were more than vulgar persons, for there were Pharisees & Saducees, Antiq. lib. 3. cap. 14 de Bell●. judaic. lib. 2. c. ● persons of principal note amongst the jews, as appears not only in the Gospel, but also in josephus. And of those there came a great many, so many, as that some would have the word Multitude in Saint Luke to be restrained unto them, according to the direction of Saint Matthew, in whom this sharp Sermon seemeth to be made only unto the Pharisees and Saducees. But because hypocrisy might be common unto more, we will take the words at large, and concerning the Multitude observe this; that though they had lost the true knowledge of the Messiah, yet the hope of a Messiah they had not lost, they harkened diligently after him. Their calamity sharpened their desire; such was their misery under the Romans, that no person either seditious or superstitious promised news of the Messiah, but he was flocked unto by men of all sorts; we have a touch at it in the Acts, but in josephus it is delivered more at large. Acts 5. The same God that in punishment of their gross mistake of the Messiah suffered them to be abused by Impostors, honoured the coming of the true Messiah, with resort of no small numbers to his harbinger. And this agreeth well with those titles that the Scripture giveth unto Saint john; he is called the voice of a crier; he was heard fare, and roused many; he was a burning Lamp, he shined clear, and drew many; his doctrine, his life were both such and so powerful, as be seemed the harbinger of Christ, that harbinger that was to take up many lodgings for him; by them Saint john prevailed. And Ministers must herein imitate him, and the people must imitate these multitudes; they must learn of them to come forth. And so from the persons I come to their disposition. They seem well disposed, first in their Pains, they came from home unto Saint john, and some of them came somewhat fare. The principle is good and ancient, that men that will serve God must go from their own home; though a man may serve God at home, yet the solemn place of worship was commonly distinct from the private home; so was it even in the days of Adam, as Bertram observeth; it is more clear in the days of the patriarchs, but most of all in the time of the Tabernacle and Temple (to say nothing of the Synagogues,) and the most Christian Emperors did not disdain to come into public assemblies of the Church. As Religion grew cold: so private Oratories were erected, at first only for Kings, afterward for Peers, and now scarce any man, of more than ordinary rank, that must not have a Church in his own house. Men think themselves too good to sort with the common assembly. But though their be a subordination of States in the Commonweal, yet this subordination ceaseth when we come into the Church, where all should alike bow and pray, hear and obey, as having but one God, one Saviour, one Faith, one Hope, and all these fare from respect of persons; whereupon Saint Paul grounded his exhortation, Heb. 10 15. which I also renew unto you, Forsake not the assembly, as some do. In a word, we must go out to Saint john Baptist, not from our home only, we must go from our state also; these jews did go out from their houses indeed, but not from themselves, and so their pains was rather great then good; not like Abraham that did not only come out from his father's house, but from his Idolatry also, especially, if we come to receive sacred things, we must forsake our former evil ways. Let us us see their pretence, That cannot be disliked they went to be baptised. Baptism was a Sacrament wherewith God began the New Testament. Whensoever God began a new reformation of his Church, he did always accompany it with some new Ceremony, which served to show the beginning of that work, and to keep it in remembrance. When Adam fell, God altered the Ceremonies whereunto he was used before the Fall, namely, the tree of life, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil, into Sacrifices, that might prefigure the Redemption by Christ. When the world degenerated again, and God renewed this Covenant with Abraham, he instituted a new Ceremony, that of Circumcision. When Abraham's posterity degenerated, God reformeth again, and to point out this new Reformation, he instituted the Tabernacle, the Priesthood of Aaron. And when this could not hold the jews in the truth of Religion, God cometh to his last Reformation, and that hath his Ceremonies also; whereof the first was Baptism; Baptism whereby men were admitted into the Church of Christ. And this Baptism was the easier entertained by this multitude, because the Prophets had foretold, that when the Messiah came he should pour forth clean waters, Ez●k. 36 v 25. and cleanse the filthiness of Israel with them. Galatinus saith, that the old Rabbins did understand it of such a work of the Messiah. But whatsoevet is to be thought of his judgement: who doth oftentimes make the most of the Rabbins sayings, sure it is that the Prophet's words do sound that way, read Ezech. 36. Esay 44. Zacharie 13. where this point is enlarged, and Baptism foretold, 〈◊〉 5 which also was prefigured in Naamans' cleansing, and in the curing virtue of the pool of Bethesdah. In a word, hearing that by this Ceremony they might be admitted into the kingdom of the Messiah, they frequented it. A dispute there is, whither Saint john's Baptism and Christ's were all one? Some difference is pretended out of the Fathers, but they are mistaken, as Zanchius hath well observed in the Annotations upon his Confessions. Neither is it likely that the Baptism of Christians should differ from the Baptism of Christ; although the efficacy of Saint john's Baptism was not from his sprinkling of the water, but from Christ's giving of the spirit. The defect of these persons that came to be baptised was, that they did affect Baptismum fluminis, but not flaminis, and this Saint john apprehended, and this made him to be quick with them, as he shown himself to be in the manner of his reproof; I come now to that wherein you may perceive the spirit of Elias. Notwithstanding their great number and fair show, whereof the one would have terrified, the other deceived ordinary men, this Prophet, (of whom Christ saith, Matth. 11.9. more than a Prophet) revealeth and declareth the bad case of these I●wes, as by the holy Spirit, it was no doubt discovered unto him; for Christ elsewhere useth the same phrase, and that to the same persons. And mark that he doth not only in general preach repentance, but he doth discreetly apply himself to the persons, and tempereth his language as is fitting to them. And so should we do; for nothing is more absurd than uniformity of language, when we have to do with different hearers. But yet herein we must not be indulgent to our corrupt affections, but the fire that kindleth our zeal must be heavenly. We must reprove those within the Church more sharply than those without, and the leaders more sharply than the followers, those that are Hypocrites, then plain dealing men. And it was fit that the Pharisees and Saducees that were so self-conceited, and so domineered over the consciences of the common people, should hear how little they did answer the opinion they had of themselves, and the people should see there was no reason they should have their skill in the Scriptures, or holiness of life in so great admiration. The Saducees and Pharisees were at odds between themselves, but all agreed in this quality of Vipers. And if they that pretend so fairly, are so reproved, how should they be reproved that are openly profane? There are but two heads whereunto we reduce all evil, Malum Culpae, and Malum Poenae, Sin and the Wages thereof; he showeth that they were no● free from either. First, not a Malo Culpae, not from Sin; for they were a generation of Vipers; few words, but they reach home, and challenge these persons as being gone as fare, as may be in sin. For, behold, the three dimensions thereof, the Intensivenesse noted by the word Viper, Secondly, the Extensivenesse, noted by the word Generation, and Thirdly, the Protensivenesse, the generation of Vipers. The word Viper showeth that they were corrupt, every one in his own nature, and the word generation showeth that the corruption had overspread whole multitudes, for a generation is a multitude of persons that live at the same time; put Generation and Vipers together and that will import that the infection reached from Parents to children, whereof the later were no better than the former. It is a woeful thing if sin be only personal, and defile the nature of any one man; but yet there is good hope that the righteousness of a multitude may slay God's hand from proceeding against the personal sin. If of personal, sin become Nationall, the case groweth much worse; and yet some hope remaineth even for a whole sinful Nation, if their Parents were not such; for God doth oftentimes spare the children fare gone in sin, in remembrance of their Parents which had served and feared him. But when they also have been bad, and sin is become natural to a Nation, what hope? none, for sin can go no farther then of personal to become Nationall, and of Nationall to become natural. So fare was sin gone in these persons, whom here Saint john calls a generation of Vipers. But to single the words, a Viper is a beast, the persons of whom Saint john speaketh were men, behold that unto men he giveth the name of beasts. Man that was created after the Image of God was to better his estate and become like an Angel, but by the Fall he made it worse, and fell below himself, to the condition of a beast. Man being in honour (saith the Psalmist) hath no understanding, Psal. 49. v 20. but becometh like the beasts that perish. Hence is it that the Scripture doth often give him the name of a beast, Basil. in Hexameron Hom 8. & 9 Tertull. contra judaeos cap 4. of a Lion, of a Leopard, of a Wolf, etc. yea what beast is there whose name the Scripture doth not fit unto man? giving us to understand, that he is a compound beast, compounded of all those ill qualities that are observed in any beast; so that no one beast, be it never so bad, can be matched unto man, seeing man can transform himself into the savageness of all; be as cruel as any Lion, as ravenous as any Wolf, as implacable as a Bear: as crafty as a Fox, as filthy as a Swine, etc. But of all beasts he is most compared unto the worst, that is, to the Serpent; and of all kinds of Serpents (for there are many kinds, even an Alphabet almost as Gesner observes) the last in the catalogue, and worst is the Viper mentioned in my text. The Fathers observe sundry properties of the Viper, and they are witty in the accommodation of them unto men; but because the learned Naturalists disprove the observations, I will not trouble you with the applications. And indeed, the Holy Ghost is not very curious in distinguishing the kinds of Serpents, but applieth them indifferently unto men, calling them sometimes by the name of one Serpent, and sometimes of another. That which we must principally, observe is, the ancientness of this phrase, which leadeth us to the first fall of man; of all beasts the Devil pitched upon the Serpent, and by the Serpent wrought the overthrow of man, and unto this overthrow doth the Scripture allude, when it calleth men a generation of Vipers, which in plain terms is the children of the Devil, as Christ speaketh john 8. and 1. Epist. john Chap. 3. We are all by nature children of Wrath, but by adoption children of God, and if grace be in us we are denominated from our new not our old birth; but these are denominated from their old, as if they had no new. john 8. But there are three things in the Serpent which carry a correspondency unto sin, the venom, the craft, the terrestreitie. The venom being in the Serpent is insensible, but coming from him disquiets those that receive it: even so sin is not felt of the sinner, yet is it mischievous to them that have to do with him. Secondly, the Serpent is crafty in conveying his venom: even so are sinners, they recommend their wickedness under some fair pretence; evil worketh not upon well disposed persons, except they be deluded by some fair show. And therefore they are like Serpents in that their outward show is fair, though the inward be venomous; Chrysostome. and so Christ compareth the Pharise to painted Sepulchers, within full of dead men's bones. Last of all: the Serpent groveleth upon the earth, and feedeth thereon: even so of sinners, the highest minded sinners, their thoughts are but base and earthly. Hitherto I have spoken but in general; this phrase in special sort belongeth unto the jew, than whom none is more properly the brood of the Serpent. The first enmity, and the most direct was to be between the woman and the Serpent, his seed and hers; and the seed of the woman is our Saviour Christ, and they are most the brood of the Serpent, that most directly impugn him; and none doth this so much as the jew. The heathen people as they know not Christ, so they care not for him. The Turks though they do not receive him for the Son of God, yet do they reverence him for a great Prophet; yea, they will not receive a jew to be a Turk, except he first, as it were purify himself by being a Christian, and of a Christian turn Turk. Only the jew is in direct opposition, and the most desperate impugner of our Saviour Christ, witness their Talmude, as Galatinue reporteth; and other histories of this day have registered such blasphemies, as neither I can endure to utter, neither would you endure to hear, more than enough to show that they are most properly the brood of the Serpent. Neither is this sin personal to some few of them, but national, the same malice is found in them all. Neither is it only national, but natural also; they have for many generations brought up their children in it; so that we may well say that sin is grown in them to the highest, amongst them there is neither good egg nor bird, they fill up the measure of their father's iniquity; nay, they fare exceed them. Ordinarily sinful Parents do not teach their children to be like themselves; a drunkard will not endure that his children should be such; no more will the Adulterer; only the jew laboureth nothing more than that his child should be like him in his sin; every succession eateth more sour Grapes than did their predecessors, they are a generation of Vipers. A pitiful fall, for those that had not only Abraham, as they thought, but God also to their father (as hereafter you shall hear) to become such, and a great heart-gaule to their pride to be branded with such a name▪ But to leave them, and touch a little at ourselves; seeing there will always be a generation of Vipers in the world, it is God's pleasure also there should be a seed of the woman, this to impugn that; and Universities were intended principally to nourish such seed; we do little answer the intent of Founders and Benefactors, and requite their Liberality very ill, if these goodly buildings degenerate into Viper's nests, and harbour a generation of such vermin. Mistake me not, I mean not jews, for though they principally are, yet are they not the only generation of Vipers, All sinners are in their degree Vipers, drunkards, adulterers, blasphemers, whatsoever wicked persons, and of such there are some in these places, Sin is even here become personal. Yea, there are a great some, we may say it is Nationall also, there is a Generation of these offenders. And it is too much endeavonured to make these sins natural also; those that are grown old in them labour to leave a succession after them, and cannot endure, that though they die their sins should die also. But so ill a brood should be crushed; the very head of the Serpent should be bruised, the seed of the woman should set itself to this work, and none of us should be at rest till this is done. The time is past, and I can go no farther; only this I wish, That because you are next to hear of Malum Poenoe, the Wages of Sin: you would, in the mean time, think well upon this Malum Culpoe, which you have heard, I mean the measure of sin, that the feeling of this may prepare you for the fearing of that, and both may make us fit to entertain that remedy which Saint john doth teach us of both. Amen. The second Sermon. LUKE. 3. VERS. 7. 7. Who hath forewarned you to fly from the wrath to come. SAint john doth not only tell the jews that they were deep in sin, but also that they were in danger of the wages thereof; and he telleth it them in these words, Who hath forewarned you to fly from the wrath to come? Wrath to come is the proper and full wages of sin, from which they that must fly are certainly in danger. But this danger is of that nature that of ourselves we may run into it, but we cannot of ourselves foresee it, we need a forewarner. The jews needed one, but had not what they needed, which made Saint john press them with this question, Who hath forewarned you? Of this you have not been forewarned. So then the argument of these words is the jews second evil, Wrath to come; whereof we are taught, First, what is the remedy, flying; and Secondly, that these jews wanted that remedy, for, Who hath forewarned you to fly from the wrath to come? I begin at the evil, wrath to come: few words, but a full definition of the wages of sin; for they consist of wrath, and that wrath hath his note of difference, It is wrath to come. I will not enter into any subtle dispute, how wrath is incident to the impassable nature of God; only lest you should with Martion dream of an evil, or with the Epipicure, of an idle God: I must put you in mind of Athanasius his rule; The speeches wherein we talk of God, are borrowed from men, but we must so conceive them as is befitting God, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. james 1. ●●. Now the odds that is between God and men, we may learn of Saint james, who giveth us to understand that there is the same odds, as is between the Sun and the Moon; he compareth God unto the Sun, when he calleth him the Father of Lighss, but removeth from him the properties of the Moon, which is the Image of man, namely, variableness and shadow of change. The Sun and the Moon both work upon the earth, but the Moon altereth nothing, but she is first altered herself: if she cause a flux and reflux of humours below, she waxeth and waineth in her light above; but the Sun that so turneth and windeth the hue of all this lower world, continueth still the same, and when it scorcheth most, is never a whit the warmer. Even so men cannot disquiet others, but they are first disquieted themselves, whereas God changeth his creatures, continuing himself unchangeable. The sky of God is ever clear, Nazian. orat. 19 raise he never so many storms on earth. This being heeded that we fasten nothing upon God unbeseeming his Majesty, neither turn the Sun into the Moon, or God into man, I will now plainly let you see what the Holy Ghost meaneth by God's wrath. God giveth his Law, and expecteth obedience thereto, and if we fail two things follow upon our transgression, God is displeased, and we shall smart; both these doth the Holy Ghost usually understand by God's wrath. Wrath then noteth not only a bare act of Gods will, but it signifieth moreover two effects that are joined therewith, the effect of sin, which offends God's holiness, and the effect of God's justice, that taketh vengeance on sin; the first may be called wrath in God, the second, wrath from God. But to clear this a little farther. All our actions should have a double end, a direct, a reflected end; the direct is to please God, the reflected is to procure our own good; they were both shadowed in the Sacrifices, Sacrifices should all our actions be. Now the Sacrifices were of a sweet smell, they gave content unto God, and also of rest, they procured peace unto men: and it is God's pleasure that his honour and our welfare should both go together; and when we would divide them, Hab. 1 13. than ariseth Wrath. First▪ Wrath in God; for God is a God of pure eyes, he can abide no iniquity, so saith the Prophet and the Psalmist, that such as be wicked shall not stand in his sight; he hateth, he loatheth, Esay chap 〈◊〉 he abhors sin, stoppeth his ears, turneth away his eyes, and shrinketh in his hand at the presence of sinners; nay, his spirit wrestles, is grieved, despited, and quenched with, and by the ungodliness of men; these be all Scripture phrases, to set forth the first wrath, which floweth from the neglect of the first end, whereat we should aim in our works. But this wrath goeth not alone, the other wrath doth still attend it, wrath from God attends wrath in God, and therefore sins are usually called provocations; a commentary upon which word we have in the seventh of jeremy) do they provoke me to anger (saith the Lord) and not rather their own selves, to the confusion of their faces; Though God be patiented yet will he not suffer the wicked unpunished, Exod. 34. If men will not turn he will what his sword he hath bend his Bow, and prepared the instruments of death, Psal. 7. No man ever discontenteth God but he doth it to his own woe. Thus have I so fare as was requisite to my present purpose shown what the holy Ghost doth understand by God's wrath; I must now sever so much, as doth not belong to my Text. Whereas then there is wrath in God, and wrath from God, my Text hath to do with the latter; and whereas that also is either in this World or in that which is to come, the note of difference which is here put unto Wrath, showeth of which of these Wraths we are to speak, no present Wrath but Wrath that is to come. 〈◊〉 Caianos come 3. p 85. And first Epiphanius scanneth this word To come, and telleth that it argueth the impassibility of the nature of God; affectus exortem se probat deus praevaticinatus futurum iudicium. If a man doubt whether the Wrath in God be a Passion, he may (saith Epiphanius) be resolved that it is not, in that it is foretold; for Passions are wrought by present objects, but here the effect is foretold before the working of the object, which is an argument that Wrath is no perturbation in God, but a mature resolution. This by the way. Let us come to the point. Punishment is meant by the Wrath to come, but what punishment? Whether the destruction of jerusalem, or the damnation of these jews? Surely both, both do communicate in this name Wrath to come; compare Matth. 21. with Matth. 23. as all other things, so this Wrath to come came to them in a Type, and therefore Christ joineth the destruction of Jerusalem, with the desolation of the World, in one Sermon prophesying of both. Immediately then, Saint john meaneth the destruction of Jerusalem, but mediately the last judgement day; I will touch at both. First at the destruction of Jerusalem. To open which briefly, and yet competently I might relate Christ's prophecy, and refer you to the Commentary that showeth the event thereof, Flavius josephus his History. But I choose rather to present unto you Hosea's three children, that were borne therein: you have them in the first of his Prophecy, and they are these; jezreel, Loruhama, Lo-ammi, which intimate the three degrees observable in that Wrath. The first noteth that God's arm acted it; though we hold truly that there is no penal evil in the City which God hath not made, and that it is he which createth all light and darkness: yet extraordinary plagues are especially ascribed unto him; when these fall upon men, his Axe, his Sword, are said then to be working; the very Magicians will confess the finger of God is in them; job 32 13. and who will not use the words of Elihu, It is God that hath cast him down and not man? Philostratus reporteth that when Titus the Emperor, Apud Photium in Bibliotheca. after the overthrow of Jerusalem should have been crowned by his Soldiers as a Conqueror, he refused it, and gave this answer, This work is none of mine, I lent my hand, but God gave the strooke. You see a very heathen did confess the birth of jezreel. But jezreel was not the only, child Loruhama was borne also, God gave the stroke, and it was a Merciless stroke; Theodoret observeth well in comparing the many judgements that befell the jews, that they were vindemiati & defoliati at other times; their enemies had fruit gatherings upon them, and they had falls of the leaf, they were made very bare, and brought very low: butyet never so low as now when they became as the Figtree which Christ cursed in those words, never fruit grow on thee any more, when they became not only a naked but also a withered Tree, Mal. 1. ● when the habitation of jacob became like the habitation of Esau, a border of wickedness, and the jews as the Edomites, a people with whom God is effended for ever. Tertullian in his Apology describes their woeful state; Caeli & soli extorres, sine Deo, sine homine, Rege, they may neither breath in their own air, nor tread on their own ground, they have help neither from God nor man, as if they were the brood of Cain continual vagabonds, semper novi ubique alieni, never suffered long in any one pla●●, neither entertained otherwise then as mere strangers, whatsoever liber●● they have, they pay for it to the uttermost. Saint ●●nard goeth farther in an Epistle of his saying, Never was there such a 〈◊〉 as God hath brought upon the jews, who are Catholic slaves, slaves in 〈◊〉 the world. I will not rip up stories to prove this, even this year God hath made us see the truth hereof, Germany hath yielded a spectacle of their slavery. In the City of Frankford which was inhabited with many thousinds of them, when they were preparing themselves to solemnize that day wherein they bewail the destruction of Jerusalem, the Inhabitants otherwise exasperated against them, wreaked their displeasure upon them, and hazarding many of their lives, rifled most of their goods, and forced them out of their City. There is yet a third child the worst of the three, Lo-ansmi; the heaviest calamity that ever befell the jews. God oftentimes afflicted them, and the affliction was very sharp, but he never before dissolved the bond whereby Israel was knit unto him, and was by Covenant his peculiar people: but now that which Theodoret would have the world to wonder at, silij facti sunt canes, & canes filij, We that at the plauting of the Gospel were no better than Dogs, have now the honour to be children of God, and they that then were children, what are they now but Dogs, Dogs not vouchsafed so much as the crumbs that fall from their master's table? At first their Kingdom failed, then failed the Prophecy, and now the Priesthood faileth also: there is no bond of Commerce left between them and God; such was the destruction of Jerusalem. But this was but a Type, we were in this to behold a greater evil, the eternal damnation of the jew. Non aliquid usitatum dicit, saith Chrysostome, it is no usual matter that john Baptist meaneth by the wrath to come; it is not the sword, or pestilence, or famine, that he terrifieth them with; he puereth them in mind of some other judgement, such as they had never heard before. We are then from the Type to come to the truth, from the destruction to the damnation, which is here called, wrath to come. And the first thing that this phrase putteth us in mind of is, the difference that God hath made between Angels and men; both sinned and were sentenced, but the stroke of justice was respited unto man, which on the Angels was inflicted presently; no space left unto the Angels to be reconciled unto God, but God hath given a space unto man. Saint Chrysostome observeth well there upon, If thou sin and God do not presently strike, think not that he doth it out of Impotency, he doth it out of Patience; it cannot be Impotency, for he presently did strike the Angels that are greater than men, it is Patience then, which argueth God's wonder full mercy towards man. Yea and thereupon it followeth undoubtedly, that during this space which God granteth for repentance, no man need to despair, Lib. 2. de Panitentiá. or to be despaired of. Saint Ambrose is confident herein, I am persuaded (saith he) that if judas, judas that betrayed Christ, had spoken unto Christ, that which he spoke unto the high Priest, I have sinned in that I have shed innocent blood, he might have been saved; if judas, who not? Man is not doomed definitely in this life. But I must remove a stumbling block, for restraining Wrath to that punishment which is to come, I may be thought to deny it in any of those punishments which we feel in this life; and indeed I do deny it. For whatsoever is inflicted here is improperly Wrath, and in comparison deserveth not the name of Wrath; you may call it Wrath materially, but formally it is no Wrath. I will show it by a three fold difference which is between the punishments of this life and those of the life to come, The first is in their Original, the second in their Measure, the third in their End. For the Original; we must learn that wrath is no immediate affection, there is something else that cometh between it and the Will, and that is Love and Hatred; the Will is prepossessed by one of them before it bringeth forth Wrath, and Wrath is the immediate fruit either of Love or Hatred; we learn it out of God's message sent by Nathan to King David, 1. Sam. 7.14, 15. If thy children break my Laws and walk not in my statutes, I will visit their sins with the rod, and their offences with scourges, but my Mercy I will not take from them, as I did from Saul, David's house felt stripes, and so did saul's, but mercy laid on those, and hatred these. The very same may you gather out of God's words in the first of Malachi, jacob have I loved, Esau have I hated, and these two God expressed in punishing them both, as it followeth in that Text. Now all punishments in this life they are effects of Love, that Love which fixed a space between our sins, and the receit of our wages. But when the space is ended, the Love doth end, whatsoever we feel after it is the stroke of hatred, Psal. 88 God forgetteth then to be merciful, and shutteth up his loving kindness in displeasure. So that as this stroke is properly Wrath: so the other cannot be but improperly so called, seeing thereby God so chastiseth us not because he hateth us, but because he loveth us; Castigo te non quod odio habeam sed quod amem, is in this life much more truly said of God than it can be by any man. The second difference is in the measure, a double measure, of the stroke, and of the time. Touching the stroke, Nazianzen observes, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Naziá. Orat. 15. p. 228. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. that in this world, God doth allay his severity with mercy, but they that shall be punished in the world to come shall drink the very dregges of the cup of his wrath; the judgements in this life are but the smoke of wrath, the preface unto torments, such stripes as Schoolmasters give unto little children that learn their A.B.C. But the judgements in the world to come they are more than smoke, they are the flaming fire itself; read Mal. 3.4. they are more they the preface to torments, they are the torments themselves; so we read of the rich Glutton that he was in the torments; Finally, they are more than children's smart, they are the stripes of the oldest Truants, such as are provided for the Devil and his Angels; E●eck. 8.18 Then God will deal in his fury, his mercy will not spare, neither will he have pity, and though they cry in his ears with a loud voice, he will not hear them. If any body desire to know more of the measure of the stroke, let him read the Prophets, they are copious in amplifying the terror of the Lords Day. Besides this measure of the stroke, there is a measure also of the time; for in this world afflictions are but momentany, in the world to come they are eternal; here heaviness may continue for a night, but joy cometh again in the morning; as God doth not suffer all his indignation to arise: so is he very quickly reconciled, so quickly, that it scarce can be remembered that he was offended; certainly it is too usually forgotten. But in the world to come wrath is permanent, Affliction (as Nahum speaketh) ariseth not the second time, the worm never dieth, neither doth the fire ever go out. This being the odds in the measure, it proveth, that, in comparison, that which is inflicted in this life, deserveth not the name of wrath, especially if you add the third difference, the difference in the End. Saint Austin doth give us a distinction of wrath, Con●. 2. ●● Psal. 58 ●a consun●pti●nis, Ira consummationis. and telleth us that there is a wrath consuming, and a wrath consummating; a wrath which God inflicts to make men the better, and a wrath which God inflicts therewith utterly to destroy men; that is the wrath which he inflicteth in this life, and this is the wrath which he inflicteth in the life to come. And indeed God in this life doth not punish man but the Devil; God reserveth man's punishment to the life to come. The corruption that is in our nature is the Devil's possession, in working out that God worketh out him, and it is his intent to work him out; his strokes here are like a physical potion given to a sick body, not to abide in him, but, when it hath drawn unto itself the matter of his disease, to be cast out again with the humour that did offend him. This is the true end of God's chastisements in this world. But it is as true that this physic doth not always sort this effect; the fault is not in the potion, but in the stomach that taketh it; if the stomach have strength to make use of the potion than doth it recover thereby, but if it want strength, then doth the potion increase the peccant humours, and augment the patient's disease. The wicked for want of grace are the worse for their punishment, it proveth unto them wrath of consumption; but they that have grace are the better, wrath to them is better than laughter (as the Preacher speaketh) because by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better; ●celes 7. and chastisement bringeth forth the quiet fruit of righteousness to them that are exercised thereby; Heb. 12.11. yea, Maior ira quädo Deus non requirit. Saint Austin observes well, God is most displeased with us in this world, when he is displeased least, and his long patience here doth prognosticate his heavier vengeance hereafter; it maketh it suspicious that we are bastards and no sons, if, seeing such is our infirmity that we cannot but sin, we be not timely reclaimed by chastisement of sin. But to shut up this point; that which proceedeth from love, and is executed with so tender a hand to so good a purpose, as is our perfection, doth not deserve the name of wrath; this name belongeth more properly to that punishment which proceedeth from God's hatred, and is executed without mercy to the eternal destruction of man, and that is, The wrath to come; therefore is the day thereof properly called, The day of wrath, and the persons that suffer then are properly The vessels of wrath; In the number of which that we may not be we must hearken to the Remedy. And the Remedy is flying, fly from the wrath to come; if the Remedy be flying, then there is no standing to it, no traversing of our indictment, no bribing of our judge, no privilege of our persons, no relief from our strength, no standing to it by these or any other means, we must fly. But flying is either corporal or spiritual, the corporal will be attempted, it should seem so by Christ's relation in the Gospel; and Saint john saith in the Revelation, Reuel. 6 that Captains, and rich men, and great men shall fly to the rocks, to the hills, and desire to be covered, to be hid from the wrath of the Lamb, but all in vain, for they are rejected by rocks and hills. And indeed, whether should they fly then, when all the world becometh God's jail, and every creature becometh his jailor? yea, the shower that doth attend Christ's coming to judgement is a shower of snares; Psal. 7. Amos 5.19. and the Prophets, Amos especially, doth excellently show the vanity of this flight, It shall be as if a man did fly from a Lion, and a Bear met him, and he runneth from the Bear unto a wall, and there a Serpent biteth him, that is, whithersoever he turn, he shall find those that will seize upon him, he cannot possibly escape, not by flying corporally. He must then fly spiritually; and indeed it is spiritual flight that is the Remedy. But what is spiritual flight? Surely we must conceive and be in travel with amendment of our lives, and never stop until we have brought forth a complete spirit of salvation; that is, we must fly from sin, and fly unto grace, in both which consisteth the flight from wrath. Quem poenit et peccati iram Der mortalem facit. Lactantius de ira D●●. He that judgeth himself in this world, he whose heart is pricked with remorse of sin, whose heart trembleth, melteth, and is broken with the fear of God's wrath, he that singeth the song of mercy, and layeth hold upon the Mercy-seat, desiring to be made a vessel of mercy, this man flieth, and the more he exerciseth himself in these, the swifter he flieth from the wrath to come. But to come closer to the text; flight from the wrath to come is the benefit of Baptism; for these jews came to the Baptism, and Saint john moving then this question thereupon doth show that flight from the wrath to come is the right use of Baptism; Baptismus aqua est sed quae ignem aeternum possit extinguere. which Nazianzen doth wittily intimate, when he saith, that Baptism is such a water as is able to quench the eternal fire; Saint Peter more plain in his Parallel of Baptism to Noah's Ark showeth, that in Baptism there is to be considered, not the washing away of the filth of our flesh, but a good Conscience maketh request unto God through the resurrection of jesus Christ. This is the manner of flight. But from what must we fly? Mark; From wrath, from wrath to come. From wrath; there is the stroke which we feel, and the stamp of God's displeasure in that stroke; that wherewith we must be moved most, and from which we must especially fly is God's displeasure, which is the sharpest part of the stroke. As good men out of grace in this world when they repent do grieve more, for that they have offended God, then that they have cast themselves in danger of Hell: so by God's providence, to the damned shall the loss of God's favour be more gricuous than the torments of Hell, which is answerable to the nature of sin, wherein aversion from God is more grievous than the conversion to the world, therefore in our flight our eye must be principally not upon the stripes which we might feel, but upon Gods disfavour. Thus must we fly from wrath. And our flying from it must be whiles it is yet wrath to come, no flying from it when it is present; there is no Oil to be bought by the foolish Virgins when the Bridegroom is come; Noah entered the Ark before the flood came; Lot went out of Sodom before it reigned fire and brimstone; the children of Israel sprinkled the blood of the Paschall Lamb on their doors before the destroying Angel slew the firstborn of Egypt; in Ezekiel, in the Revelation the servants of God are marked and sealed before God's wrath is executed; all these are but Types signifying, that if we mean to escape, we must take advantage of the time, agree with our Adversary in the way, Luke 12. left he pass us over to the judge, the judge to the Sergeant, the Sergeant to the Gaoler, never to be released until we have paid the utmost farthing, then hath God no ears to hear our cry, no eyes to pity our state, but Wisdom will laugh at our destruction, and rejoice when our fear cometh; wherefore provide Physic before thou art sick, and Righteousness before judgement. You have heard the Evil and the Remedy; the misery of these jews was this, that they wanted this Remedy; and why? They wanted one that should forewarn them to fly. We can cast ourselves into danger, but foresee that whereof we are in danger we cannot; it is the Devil's policy to hoodwink us in this respect, or to bus●e us with other objects, lest we should be reclaimed by this; therefore it is God's second mercy that we have forewarners. The word signifieth to show and to foreshow; Intus apparens excludit alienum. to show, to Sense, and Reason. Touching our Sense that Axiom is true; If there be any Object that busieth it, other Objects are not discerned by it; Now he that draweth us into sin, taketh order that we shall not want variety of other objects, therefore this object needeth a Remembrancer; we need have a Map of Hell to be set before us (not such an apish, or rather impious one, as is depainted in the jesuites Chamber of Meditations, whereby they make Proselytes, treacherous Proselytes, such as this Age hath had too much proof of) but such a Map as the Scripture maketh, and which by the finger of the Spirit is able to make a solid impression in our souls, as it is excellently described in job. Chap. 33. So must he show to Sense. There is a showing also to Reason; for even when we see these things flesh and blood hath sophisters wherewith to stay this flight; they that do not deny there is a Hell, yet think that God's providence doth not see them amongst so many thousands, or cares not for that which they do; therefore there must be a confutation of that sophistry, such a one as is Psal. 94. Understand ye brutish among the people, and ye fools when will ye be wise? He that planted the ear, shall not he hear? and he that framed the eye, shall not he see? He that chasteneth the Heathen, shall not he correct? Thus must the forewarner show. Neither show only but foreshow also; for if there be no flying but from the wrath to come, then before the wrath come it must be shown, for when it is present, it shall need no showing; the testimony of our own conscience shall the clear our fancy, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. and resolve our reason; our sense shall then have nothing else to apprehend, neither shall our reason cast any doubts of the truth thereof; whosoever then is judged of God, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. shall also be condemned of his own conscience, he shall set to his seal That, God is true, and that his judgements are most just; you have such a confession in the fift of Wisdom. Foreshow than he must. But all foreshowing is not enough; for many can endure to see it afar off, Amos 6.3. as they in Amos that did not deny but put fare off the evil day; and so the evil servant in the Gospel, My Master will come, but after a long time; therefore the word here used signifieth to foreshow a thing imminent, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; who hath foreshowed you to fly from the wrath hanging over your heads? that the judge is at the door? that ye are at the gate of Hell? such a kind of foreshowing is that that will shake off carnal security, and will if any thing, make men betake themselves to this flight. Finally, mark that the forewarning must be not only of the wrath to come, but also of the flight. If the forewarning were only of the wrath to come, and we had only the torments of Hell set before our eyes, what could this do but make us at our wit's end, and overwhelm us with despair? but here is the comfort of the forewarning, that it setteth before us the flight also; and as it fixeth one eye upon the danger to humble us: so doth it the other upon the Remedy wherewith it is God's pleasure to relieve us. The Ministers (for they are chief these Forewarners) have two branches of their power, to bind, to lose; to bind the obstinate to the wrath to come, and to lose all those that will make use of the flight, amongst which these jews were none; For who hath forewarned you? saith Saint john unto them. Before I come to the question, I must a little describe the persons; they were Sadduces and Pharisees. There are but two extremities of Religion into which men run, Superstition and Atheism; these fell, the one, that is the Pharisees, into the one extremity; and the other, that is the Saducees, into the other extremity. Now sins are of two sorts; some whose nature is in opposition to the flying from the wrath to come, and some which are such as they do not exclude the same. A Drunkard, an Adulterer, a Murderer are grievous sinners, and in danger of the wrath to come, but the Principles are not corrupted upon which the forewarner must work when he persuadeth then to fly; they do believe the judgement to come, and in cold blood will easily believe that there is evil in their lives; therefore upon such, good counsel may work, and we see daily that many such are reclaimed. But there are many whose sins are opposite unto this counsel of flying, either because they think there is no wrath to come, as the Saducee, or that they are out of danger of it, as the Pharisee, upon such it is hard working. Now come to the question, Who hath forewarned you? I am not ignorant, that sundry Writers, ancient and later, suppose that this is Quaestio admirantis, and make Saint john Baptist, who received all others quietly, when these persons came, to stand amazed, and wondering, Is it possible? hath God's grace prevailed with Saducees, with Pharisees? and will they also be Christ's Disciples? Is Saul among the Prophets? Can he that thought there was no Hell, be brought to fly from Hell? and he that thought himself righteous provide against the judgement day? Surely such examples are rare, not that God doth not yield some, to show nothing is impossible to his grace; but he yieldeth but few, because men should take heed of such sins; and we see by experience how Pharisaisme in Papists, and in Atheists Saducisme, frustrate the labours of many painful Forewarners, the corrupt Principles of their conscience hinder their prevailing Who forewarn them to fly from the wrath to come. But I take the Question rather to be Negative, and that, as Christ often, so Saint john here doth detect their hypocrisy, and telleth them that they aimed little at that which was intended by Baptism. The Kingdom of God happily in their sense, they could be content to enter into by the Baptism of Saint john, for their Messiah was to be a worldly King; or if so be they thought upon wrath which they desired to escape, it was wrath present, not wrath to come, the wrath of men not the wrath of God; they would shake off the yoke of the Romans, they feared not the pains of Hell; when they perceived that Saint john's Baptism sorted not with their desire, it is observed that they despised it to their destruction; and when Christ asked them, Whether it were of heaven or of men? they durst not answer him from Heaven, lest Christ should come upon them with Why did you not then believe it? Add hereunto that it is not likely Saint john would have reproached them with these words generation of Vipers had there not been hypocrisy in them. I conclude then, that the Question containeth a negation, and that S. john herein doth set forth the second evil of these jews, They wanted means of forewarning which might apply to them the Remedy, which God hath appointed against the wrath to come. Matth. 21. v 25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Orat. 31. p. 501. Nazianzen observeth well, It is not the Nation but the disposition that maketh a Pharisee; every Country may have Pharisees and Saducees, for it is not the name of a Nation but a conversation, and therefore this question may concern us, and we must inquire into ourselves whether we have either a Pharisees or a Saducees disposition. And indeed we shall find too many of both, Heretics, Atheists, upon whom Forewarners cannot work, and if we be better disposed, we must acknowledge God's great mercy, that as he hath appointed wrath, so he hath appointed a Remedy; we must learn both of our Forewarners, and so learn both, that we be the better for them, and scape the vengeance that is to come. The sum of all is, sins and punishments are not inseparable, God hath set a space between them, and appointed a Remedy to the one for the avoiding of the other; for the knowledge hereof he refers us to our spiritual Pastors, and we must take heed we have neither Saducees nor Pharisees ears, which may make us uncapable of their forewarnings. O Lord that hast appointed Forwarners to thy Church, so bless their pains, that they may fix our thoughts on, and resolve our reason of that wrath which is to come; not only the sight of it, but also the flight from it. Let us not despise the riches of thy goodness, forbearance, and long-suffering, nor with hard and impenitent heart's treasure up unto ourselves wrath against the day of wrath; Rom. 2. Eccles. 18. but knowing that thy goodness leadeth us to repentance, let us so think upon the wrath that shall be at the end, that we may fly from sin to grace, and so be thought worthy to escape this evil, and stand in the last day with comfort before the Son of man; stand for ever to give glory unto thee the Father of mercy, through jesus Christ our only means to obtain this mercy, in the Communion of the holy spirit, who only teacheth us to make the right use of this mercy. Amen. The third Sermon. LUKE 3. VERSE 8. Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of Repentance. SAint john Baptist hath in his Sermon hitherto shown the jews of their bad case, in regard both of sin and woe. If he had here ended, he should rather have seemed to be a minister of Moses then an harbinger of Christ; and although happily he might have awakened the worm of Conscience to bite them with the terrors of the Law; yet should he not have answered his father's prophecy by giving light to them that sit darkness, Luke 1. and in the shadow of death, and guiding their feet into the way of peace; wherefore to show that he came indeed in the spirit of Elias, and meant to turn the hearts of the fathers towards their children, Malachi. 4.6. and the children towards their fathers, before the Lord came and smote the earth with cursing; as he unpartially gave the jews to understand the evil of their case: so doth he carefully endeavour to set them in a better course. The ground and scope of his words is in effect this. Every jew is to have a double being in the Covenant, an hereditary, a possessory; in that he is the of spring of Abraham he hath a title to the promises, but possession of that whereunto he is entitled he hath none, except he partake of the same grace that was in the Patriarch. These two must concur, they cannot be severed without danger; danger, not to the Covenant, for God will be true though all the World be liars, Rom 3 4. but unto so many as were graceless jews; although they vaunted that they were Abraham's seed, yet were they never to come into Abraham's bosom. Wherefore seeing the jews did divorce these things which God would have conjoined, Saint john adviseth them to correct this error, and to begin to tread Abraham's steps, lest otherwise they be nothing the better for being Abraham's sons. So then the Baptists exhortation hath two parts; the first teacheth what these jews ought to intent, the second, upon what they may not stand. That which they ought to intent is Penitency; that whereupon they may not stand is their Pedigree; at this time only of the former. That which the jews ought to intent is expressed in these words, Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, wherein we are to observe, first the Inference, than the Argument. The Inference; S. john gathereth this counsel out of his former reproof, and wisheth them to take a better course, because they were in so bad a case; this is the force of the particle therefore. In the argument we have the works, and an answerableness that must be between them; the works are two, Gods, and man's, God giveth Repentance, which man must employ in bringing forth fruits. The answerableness is, Man's work must keep good correspondency with Gods; Men must bring forth fruits such as are worthy of repentance. Of these points briefly and in their order; I begin with the Inference. Although in the fits and heat of our passions it seem otherwise, yet is it a grounded truth, that there is no man except he be given over to a reprobate sense, which doth not naturally abhor to be either wicked or a wretch. You may perceive it by his judgement in cold blood; And ●o peccanti o●endere mala su●, vitia si non excidero inhibeho Seneca Epist. 40 certainly reason doth acknowledge this to be so true, that Seneca thought one of the best means to reclaim a man that goeth a stray, was to set his case before him; though I shall little please (saith he) yet I will be bold to let him that erreth know his fault, for it is likely that thereupon if he do not presently turn, Tunc melius proteruns coriqimus, &c Gre●. Madge in & astor. yet he will at least make a stand. Gregory the great a better Author speaketh in the voice of Religion; we cannot take a better course to reclaim untoward natures then if we show them how ill they do, when they suppose they do well, and turn their vain glory into a profitable shame. The holy Ghost master both of reason and Religion, is the guide unto them both. For in the Scriptures we find that the Prophets seldom show what God requires before they have showed the jews what they want; they preface the doctrine of that which they should be with a former doctrine of that which they were; the instances are every where to be found, I will allege some few; God himself when he dealeth with Adam after his fall beginneth with, Where art thou? The father's Commentary is not unfit, Non modo ubi loci sed ubi conditionis. God demandeth of him not only in what place, but in what case he was. Surely their Commentary is made probable by Adam's answer; for Adam doth answer as well in what case, I was naked, as in what place he was, I hide myself. Wisdom in the first of the Proverbes dealeth thus plainly with men, How long ye simple ones will ye love simplicity, and ye scorners delight in scorning? Our Saviour Christ useth the same method in his Epistle unto the Church of Laodicea, 〈◊〉 3. Thou art wretched and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. Thus they all set before their eyes with whom they deal, as Saint john Baptist doth, their poor, and woeful case. But they rest not therein, but proceed from the reproose unto the remedy, as S. john Baptist doth, lest other wise they should seem rather to reproach then to reprove, to insult upon them rather than to correct them. Nemo prudens punti quod peccatum sit, sed ne peccetur. It is not so much as good Policy, much less Piety to punish because men have offended, they should rather provide by punishments that they offend no more; and therefore are chastisements called corrections, because they are not so much afflictions for as preventions from committing sin. Now reproofs are Verbal punishments, therefore they must imitate them, so show a disease, as that withal they prescribe the cure thereof, 1. Sam 2.6 imitating God, who, as Anno speaketh, killeth and maketh alive again. Certainly he which asked Adam, where are thou? Relieved him again with, the seed of the woman shall bruise the Serpent's head; and Wisdom that began with, How long will ye fools delight in folly, etc. concludeth with, Turn you at my reproof, I will pour out of my spirit upon you, I will make known my words unto you; And our Saviour Christ, lest he should seem to upbraid the Laodiceans offereth them a present supply of gold, of raiment, of eye-salue, Rnuel. 3. of whatsoever they did want. Certainly if so be we add the means how they may recover whom we reprove, we are most likely to speed of their amendment; for the remedy prescribed is an evidence that the reproof proceeded from Love, and the reprehender may say with S. Paul, 1. Cor 4 I wrote not these things to shame you, but as my beloved I warn you: and Love is so necessary in reproof, that Saint Austin is of opinion, That no man should reprove except he first strictly examine his conscience whether he do it out of Love; I add, that this Love must be made evident by the care that we show of the reproveds good. The reason is plain; for although the inborn principles before specified, I mean our natural desire of goodness and happiness make us capable in our worst case of good counsel: yet whether the counsel that is given us be for our good we argue oftener from the person, then from the things; and our jealousy of the person is a prejudice to his words, and stoppeth us from deliberating upon the truth of his reproof; whereas on the contrary side the Love of the person doth open our ears, and be his words never so tart, they sink down into our soul, and our most stubborn affections are contented to be wrought by them, Let the righteous reprove me (saith the Psalmist) and it shall be a precious balm: and Saint Austin, Love me and say what thou wilt; let it appear that they mean our good, and it shall not grieve us if we be blamed so much as we deserve. I note this the rather, because I wish that all Ministers would herein follow Saint john Baptist, and neither smother sin which is no farther hated than it is known, nor yet neglect Christian wisdom to win a sinner, who seldom distasteth the Law if it be seasoned with the Gospel, neither murmureth at the reproof, if it do not degenerate into a reproach; If any thing will reclaim, it is the prescribing of a good course coupled with the description of a sinners bad case, Eccles. 12. 1● so the words of the wise will prove as goads, and as nails fastened by the Masters of the assemblies which are given from one shepherd, they will hasten us speedily, and couple us most firmly unto the Church, and our Saviour Christ. And thus much of the Inference. I come now to the Argument of the words, where of the first branch was the Works, they are two; the first is Gods, He gives repentance. Though the Author be not expressed, yet is he necessarily to be understood, the Apostle is clear for it, 2. Tim. 4. The servant of God must meekly instruct those that are contrary minded, trying if God at any time will grant them repentance; and were not the Text so plain, the nature of the Work putteth it out of all doubt; for what is repentance but the Souls rising from death to life, and no man ever quickened his own soul, he must leave that to God for ever, the same God that made man after his Image, must repair his Image in man, and therefore in the Psalm and in the Apostle it is plainly called a Creation. But because the Author is not expressed in my Text, I forbear further to speak of him, and come unto the Work, his Work is Repentance. The Grecians (according to Lactantius) speak better and more significantly that use the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Lactan. Lib 7. than the Latines that use Paenitentia. Tertullian before him writing against Martion, presseth the significancy of the Greek word, and because words do lead us to the understanding of things, we will a little look into the word, it may happily make us to sound the things much better. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cometh from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signify properly the first faculty of the reasonable soul, but by a Trope it is used oftentimes to note the whole: whereupon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth a change of the mind, signifieth a change either of the understanding, or jointly of the will also. The understanding of man is the first mover in the whole course of his life, because nothing is desired which is unknown, our Appetite and our Will stir not except they be informed of some thing which may occasion their stirring, and informed they can not be but by the understanding. Now the understanding for want either of light or care doth very often mistake, and then the Will that taketh all upon trust, must needs go astray, and we are called to a review of our ways, Mens recitit se ab insania. and upon after thoughts altar our judgements, or, as Lactantius speaketh in the place before cited, after a fit of madness we come to our wits again. This is the first kind of of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or changing of our mind. But use hath obtained and the practice of the Scripture which is the best Commentary upon the words to take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in thesecond sense, for the changing of the whole reasonable Soul, and then it is compounded of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the change of understanding, and of the will; Inclinatio ●oluntatis st inclinatio totius su posits 〈◊〉 intell 〈◊〉 tot●●●uppositi in 〈◊〉. and indeed seldom do they go asunder; for as it is true, that whither the will bends thither the whole man inclines; so it is as true, that our understanding cannot be resolved, but it carrieth us with it; which way so ever either of them incline, they usually earie the whole man, though in a different manner; the will by compulsion, and the understanding by persuasion; so that we may not restrain this change to the one faculty but extend it also to the other, & by them to the whole man. Adbi●ent penitentiam in bonis facti● sa●●, & citius ●er 〈◊〉 delinquunt quàm recte faciunt. But Tertullian doth give us a good observation telling us that the Heathen, or those that are without the Church, often change their mind, and do repent, but it is of their good deeds, of their temperancy, truth, liberality, fidelity, and more usually do they change from better to worse, then from worse to better. He observeth it of them that are without the Church, I would it never had been, or now were not also true of them that are within the Church: how many jews have uncircumcised themselves, and how many have unchristianed themselues, that were sometimes members of the Church? How many do daily return like Dogs to their vomit, and like Swine to their wallowing in the mire? yea how few are there of us that do not oftener sorrow for some thing which we have done well, then for many things which we have done ill? unto whom I must remember that of Saint Peter; It were better never to have known the way of righteousness, then after we have entered it, to turn from it. 2 Epist. cap. 2. Tertullian giveth the reason, for they (saith he) that repent of their Repentance towards God, by how much they shall be more acceptable to the devil to whom they come, by so much they shall be more odious unto God from whom they go. Wherefore we must add one clause more to the definition of Repentance, and not only hold it to be a change of the mind, but as Nazianzene, and Theophylact; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Naz. Iamb. Non est simplex mutatio animi, sed mutatio in meliorem sententiam. Rom. 12. Repentance is not only a change of man, but a change from worse to better. Saint Paul openeth the change very plainly, fashion not (saith he) yourselves like unto this present world, but be ye changed by the renewing of your mind, wherein he showeth us that as in sin, so in Repentance, there is a whence and a whither. Sin is an aversion from God, and a conversion to the world: so likewise Repentance must shake off the world, and embrace God. Nazianzene setteth it forth in a very fit resemblance, Orat. 40. comparing the Soul of a man to a pair of writing tables, out of which must be wathed whatsoever was written with sin, and instead thereof must be entered the writing of grace; both these are necessary in Repentance, God hath dedicated both parts in his own Repentance; for as when he repentech of the evil intended against us, he doth not only give over to hate us, but also doth embrace us with Love: even so when we repent of our sins against God, we must not only cease for to hate him, but begin to Love him also. Secondly, Christ founded both these parts in our Redemption, for He died and rose again; Saint Paul telleth us there is a moral in that mystery, it lessoneth us to dye, unto sin, and to rise unto righteousness; finally the Sacrament of Baptism, which in the Scripture is called the Baptism of repentance Symbolically preacheth both unto unto us, the dipping into the water, and the taking out of the water what doth it figure but the drowning of sin, and the recovering of a sinner? The use that we must make hereof is, that we must not only desire to be rid of the unclean spirit, but also to be possessed of the holy Ghost; if we do not change one for the other, we are not changed so fully as we ought to be; and we must fear his doom out of whom the unclean spirit was cast in the Gospel, whom because the holy Ghost succeeded not, the foul spirit repossessed the person with seven worse than himself, Matth. 12. and made the latter end of that man worse than his beginning. And thus much of the nature of Repentance, which is the first work, God's work, which changeth us from bad to good, not only cleansing sin, but also giving grace. I come now to the second work, which is man's work; in handling whereof we must consider the Order and the Nature of it; A word of the order. God's work goeth before man's, man could never do good, if God did not first make him good; as truly as the dew doth first fall from heaven, before there can be fatness in the earth: Psal. 1. even so must God's grace change man before any alteration will appear in the conversation of man, the tree must be planted by the Rivers of waters, Ephes. 2.10. before it can bring forth her fruits, and we must be God's workmanship created unto good works, before we can walk in them. We must not therefore take such pleasure in beholding the Tree be it never so richly loaden with fruits, as to forget the root which yields the juice, without which the Tree could bear no fruit; we must so regard man's work that we give the precedency always to Gods, and acknowledge this to be the off spring of that; but enough of the Order. I come now to the Work, which is bearing of fruits. That which is here called fruits, Acts 26. is called works, whereby we gather that good works are fruits; and indeed only good works deserve this name, for if Saint Augustine's definition be true, Fructus est quo quis cum gaudio fruitur. That is fruit which a man may with comfort enjoy, how should sin be reputed fruits? Who can take any content in it? Not the sinner himself; for though it be sweet in his mouth (as job speaketh) yet when it cometh down into his maw, job 20. it turneth into gall of Asps; Deut 22. well doth Moses compare it to the fruits of Sodom and Gomorrah, for as the Book of Wisdom describeth that fruit, fair on the out side, but the inside nothing else but cinders: even so the appearance of sin is pleasant, but the substance of it is very unsavoury. If only our lusts should be judges, howsoever at first they taste it as fruit, yet even they also loathe it, if they be long used to it; but if they swallow it, and find no offence in it, as too often they do, yet when it cometh to our conscience, and thither sooner or later it must come, Saint Paul's question will then come seasonably, Tom. 6.21. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? Sin's then may not pass for fruits, fruits properly so called; this title belongeth only to good works, they are fruits indeed, they may say as the Vine in the judgess They cheer God and Men; Chap. 9 God taketh delight in them, they are to him a sacrifice of a sweet smell, yea, he taketh as much content in them as if he did feed upon them; we learn it in the fiftieth Psalm, Thinkest thou (saith God) that I will eat Bull's flesh, and drink the blood of Goats? Offer unto God praise, and call upon his Name; in denying the former, he acknowledgeth the later to be his food; not that God is the better for aught we do, but so is he pleased for to honour our works, as the Angels that came to Abraham did partake of his me●te, not to refresh themselves but to do him honour. As God accepts them for fruits: so are they fruits unto men also, unto others, and unto ourselves, but with this difference, that whereas God was not the better for them, men are; other men by our good works are either brought to goodness, or confirmed therein; and as for ourselves we grow thereby in grace and favour with God, and feel more comfortable joy in our own souls; therefore well may good works bear the name of fruits. And I the very name of fruits distinguishing good works from bad, containeth a good motive to do well, and forbear sin; for, Who would labour for nought, and spend his strength in vain, being not to have so much as his labour for his pain? for he must write upon his wages not only vanity but also vexation of spirit. And again, Who would be weary of well doing, that knoweth his labour is not in vain, but that in good time he shall eat the fruit of his labours; O well is he, and happy shall he be. But we must mark that our work is called fruit and not flowers, not but that the flower goeth before the fruit, but it is the hope of the fruit that maketh the flower to be esteemed, and God counteth that flower little worth that never cometh to be fruit; we see this in the parable of the seed, where that ground only goeth for good, in which the seed giveth not over until it be fit for the Barn; and he that puiteth his hand to the Plough (saith Christ in the Gospel, Luke 9. 6●. and looketh back, is not fit for the Kingdom of Heaven. I observe this the rather because here we may see many fair flowers, which in their youth show good effects of their Governors' care and pains, who no sooner are set at liberty (as too often they are before the flowers become fruit) but they whither and fail; neither Church, nor Commonwealth, nor themselves are the better for their breeding; whom I would have to carry this Lesson with them, That Goodness is not a flower, it is fruit, and they must aswell ripen as blossom; otherwise it will appear that God in them hath done his work, but they come short of their own. Neither is Goodness only called Fruit in the singular number, but the word is plural, our work is many works, we must bear Fruits; we must as the Apostle speaketh) be fruitful in all good works. Col 1.10. The soul of a man is but one, but it quickeneth a body consisting of many different members, all which it setteth on work, the eye to see, the ear to hear, the foot to go, etc. even so though the grace of God, which is the soul of the soul of man be but one, yet doth it animate the whole man, and doth as truly communicate good manners to the parts, as the Soul doth Life. Titus 2. The grace of God which bringeth salvation unto all m●n, teacheth us to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Ephes. 6. hereupon Saint Paul biddeth us put on the whole armour of God, and to cast away all works of darkness, and in another place, Whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are holy, Rom. 13. Philip. 〈◊〉 whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are of good report, think upon these things. We must have not only a disposition to do well, but remember that we are to do well more ways than one. The same God that commandeth one virtue, commandeth all, and he will not have any part or power of man exempted from his service. Which must be heeded by us, because there are few that are of Saint Paul's mind, Philip. 3 13. to forget those things that are behind, and make forward; no sooner have we brought forth one good work but we fall in love with that, and there take up our rest, and think that may serve instead of all; suffering Gods graces to be idle, which are aswell able to make a chast●cie, as a sober tongue, and an obedient ear, as a diligent hand. Much more good might come from every man, if he did not think he did good enough; therefore let us remember that nothing must be accounted enough that is less than all; and that we set not straighter bounds to our duties then those which are in Gods Law. But we have not now to do in general with good works, my text restraineth me to works of repentance; I come then nearer to those. And although I have already opened unto you the nature of repentance, yet must I wade a little farther in it, and branch it (as it were) into its kinds. The Law of God hath two parts, the Precept and the Sanction. The Sanction showeth unto us the danger of sin obliging unto punishment, from which we are not free but by justification; and this justification is attended with Repentance, Repentance that looketh unto the guilt of sin, which cleaveth unto the Act thereof. This Repentance is that which is practised in the times of Humiliation, when we deprecate God's wrath which is upon us, or hangeth over us by reason of enormous sins of the whole state, and of particular persons; 〈◊〉 2. jonah 3. such is that which is called for in joel, and whereof we have the practice in jonah. The Primitive Church was well acquainted with it, as appeareth by the Ecclesiastical story, the Canons of the first Counsels, the writings of Tertullian, Origen, Cyprian and others; our Church taketh notice of it in a part of the Liturgy, and wisheth the public restitution of it. Tantae severitati non sumus pares. But it is rather to be wished then hoped for. Notwithstanding, what is not done in public by malefactors, should be supplied by better observance of those days which are appointed weekly; and of those weeks which are appointed yearly to be Penitential; to be days and weeks of Fasting and Praying. We cannot deny but crying sins are daily committed, and therefore God's wrath might daily be inflicted; The way to stay it, is to show that we are not guilty thereof; and as he is not guilty by the Law of man which had no hand in sin: so by the Law of God none go for not guilty, except they do express a penitent sorrow that any should be so wretched as to commit the sin. You remember how one Achan troubled all Israel, and his sin is laid to all their charge, joshua the seventh; and they were all made to sanctify themselves from that sin; and how the unknown murder was expiated, we read Deut. 21. there must be a feeling in us of other men's sins, a religious feeling, seeing thereby they put not only themselves but us to in danger of God's wrath; and therefore though our conscience have no special burden of its own, yet must it have of others, and endeavour to ease both itself and the whole state thereof: And how may private men better do this, then by those solemn acts of Humiliation, the only atonement which by faith in Christ we can make with God? But Saint Paul's complaint may be renewed; 1. Cor. 5. It is reported commonly that there is fornication, we may add, Murder, Adultery, and any other enormeous sin; the seats of judgement can witness that our Land is fertile of all sorts; but as Saint Paul said, so will I, all men are puffed up, and who doth sorrow? The emptiness of our Churches upon Fridays and Wednesdays, and other Fasting days, showeth how little feeling there is in us of the crying sins of our State; It were well if we had some feeling of our own. But where is that Drunkard? where is that Adulterer! where is that Murderer? where is that Blasphemer! that Usurer? that Oppressor? that cometh into God's House bathed in his tears, broken in his heart, stripped of his pride, humbled in his body, and making a real cry for mercy in the ears of God? No, we come not so fare as a vocal; our tongues cry not, God be merciful to me a Sinner, which is but the voice of man: much less do our sighs do it, which are the voice of God's Spirit; we shame not to sin, Regis admirabilem virtutem fecit multò splendidiorem, etc. but to repent we are ashamed. Ashamed of that whereof we should glory; surely Theodoret thought better of King David's repentance, when he pronounced of it, There were many Heroical virtues in King David, but for none is he so illustrious as for his repentance; so much more illustrious, by how much it is a rarer thing to see a King come from his Throne clothed in sackcloth, sitting in dust and ashes, feeding upon the bread of sorrow, and mingling his drink with his tears, then to see him in state either uttering Proverbs like a Solomon, or triumphing over his foes, as at other times he also did; Stultum est i●e eo statu vivere in quo non audet quis Mori. or doing any other act in the majesty of a King, But most men are ashamed of this glory, and chose rather to glory in their shame, unto whom I will use Saint Austin's words; It is gross folly to live in that state in which a man would be loath that death should take him; he addeth; That the man which dareth go to bed with a conscience charged with the guilt of one enormous sin, is much more desperate than he that dareth lie unarmed with seven armed men that are his deadly foes, for a sinner is less sure of his life then the other. And yet how many such desperate ones are there in the world, that sleep securely upon the brink of Hell? Yea, how many, that inuring not themselves daily to reconcile themselves to God, make a comfortless end, and are taken before ever they have thought of making their peace? My exhortation is, that we presume not so fare upon God's patience, as to neglect this kind of repentance. But this is not an every day's repentance. It hath his times appointed by the Church, if it be public; or if it be private, the times are assigned by a man's own conscience. There is another Repentance which attendeth Sanctification enjoined by the precept of the Law; unto Sanctification, we make way by Mortification, and this is an every day's Repentance, which doth not look to the Act of sin, as the former, but to the Habit. Were it possible that there were no Act of sin committed, than we should not need the first kind of Repentance: but yet this second we should need, because the best bear about them a habit of sin. Cecidimus super aceruum lapidum & in luto. Bern. Serm. de Coena Domini. Saint Bernard setteth it thus before our eyes; When Adam fell, and when every one of us doth fall, be may be compared unto a man that falleth not only into the mire, but also upon a heap of stones; he may quickly be washed, but not so quickly healed, there is great time spent therein, even the whole time of our life: we must begin our Repentance at Baptism, which we must continue until our death. As there be many other reasons why the Church is compared to the Moon, and Christ to the Sun, so one may be, The odds between justification and Sanctification; justification maketh Christ's righteousness ours, and it is from the first moment at the full, not capable of any increase; but Sanctification is Righteousness in us, which if it have not his wanes, certainly it hath its waxings, and will not be at the full, till the day of our death. This fruit is nothing else but the putting off the old man; 〈◊〉 4 ●2. G●●. 5 24. Rom. 6 6. the crucifying of the flesh with the lusts thereof; the casting away of the sin which cleaveth on so fast; the abolishing of the whole body of sin. He that neglecteth this, Rom 12.1. forgetteth that a Christian, must offer up his body a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God; that the name of a Christian is the name of justice, Goodness, Sincerity, Chastity, Humility; for what else are these but drops of that Oil wherewith he is anointed? I might amplify this point; Rom 8 22. but I hasten to that which followeth, only observing that of Saint Paul; Every creature groaneth, desiring the liberty of the Sons of God, and therefore it is a shame for the sons of God not to bear a part in this mourning, but to stand still as if they made no haste to Heaven, and had no desire to be that whereunto they are called. It was not so with Christians of old, I report me to the Character of the Church (as Epiphanius calleth it, and describeth it in the last Chapter of his third Book) but specially to Gregory Nyssenes' Oration of Baptism, where he bringeth in a baptised Christian thus resisting the temptations of the Devil; A vaunt thou wicked fiend, I am dead, and can a dead man be moved with those things which he affected when he was alive? When I was alive I could riot, I couldlie, etc. can a dead man do these things? Certainly, when we look upon ourselves, and see how common sins are amongst us, the rankness, the plenty of the fruit that we bear, showeth that the sinful root is not dead in us; and the scarcity of good fruit showeth that the root of grace is not alive. So that our Abrenunciation was but in word, that it was not indeed it appeareth by the rarity of our Mortification. I conclude with the exhortation of Saint Paul, C●●os 3.5. Let us therefore mortify our members which are upon the earth, formication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, Rom 13.14. evil concupiscence, and covetousness which is Idolatry; and let us take no more care for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof. You have heard what is our work, There remain two things yet, The one is the Commandment to do it, the other is the degree in which we must perform it, Men do not light a Candle to put it under a bushel, neither doth God give grace but for the use. But the phrase in English is scant, it seemeth only to call for worke● in the sight of men; but the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is of a larger extent, and may reach those things which can be discerned only by the sight of God. And indeed the Fruits are inward, or outward; for there is a workhouse in the inward Closet of our heart, where we must fructify, and lay the foundation of those works which we do in the outward man; all our outward deeds should be but deeds of deeds, the deeds outward have no more value than they receive from the inward. Qu●salu● ment peecat ●a 〈◊〉 ven●● in Gh●noam de●●●detur. Tertullian. O●●t. de Baptismo. But we must not be contented only with the inward, we must bring forth the outward also: He that hath an inside for God, and an outside for the Devil, may with his pardon be cast into Hell; we must therefore show some outward evidence of the efficacy of grace. Gregory Nyssen setteth it forth excellently; Come on you (saith he) which glory in your Baptism, how shall it appear that the mystical grace hath altered you? In your countenance there appeareth no change, nor in your outward lineaments, how then shall your friends perceive that you are not the same? I suppose no other way but by your manners; they must show that you are not what you were, when you are tempted with the same sins whereunto before you were subject, and yet forbear them. It is reported of one of the worthiest of the Ancients, that before his conversion had kept company with a strumpet, when after his conversion she came towards him, he stead; she calleth after him, Whither fliest thou? 〈…〉 2.10. It is 〈◊〉 his answer was But I am not I: And indeed every one should say with Saint Paul; I line, yet not I now; but jesus Christ liveth in me; and let every one that is in jesus Christ become a new creature. And so I come from the Commandment to the degree. There must be an answerableness between God's work and ours, It is not enough to bring forth fruits they must be worthy of Repentance. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (saith a learned Interpreter) hath his name from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and is a Metaphor taken from balances when one seal doth counterpoise another; the Syriac word seemeth to sound that way also. But Etymologies do not always yield good grounds of Divinity, It is well if there be a correspondency, an equality is more than may be hoped for between God's work and ours. Which I observe the rather, because the Rhemish note findeth Sacisfactorie works in this word, forgetting their own Dininitie which maketh Satisfaction attend penance, but not the Sacrament of Baptism. But to leave them, and deliver the truth concerning Repentance. We must observe that in sin there are two things: the Gild and the Act of sin; the Gild infinite, the Act finite. Nothing can worthily satisfy for the Gild, but only the precious death of jesus Christ, his Blood only is the propitiation for our sins. But the Act is finite wherewith we sin & so is the Act wherewith we repent; between these Acts we should endeavour to show an emulation; so that look what pleasure we took in sin against God, so much sorrow should we express when we return again unto God; he that sinneth a great sin must not think it enough to sorrow as he doth for a small one; Peter wept, but be wept bitterly, because he had sinned grievously; and King David wore out his eyes, and watered his Couch with his tears sorrowing for those sins wherewith he had provoked God. But let us draw this through both parts of Repentance, Mul ò firmior est Fides & Charitas quam repoint I ●enit●ntia Lactantius. Vitque Deo gratior amore arden's pest culpam vita, quàm securitate torpens innocentia. Gregorius. and see how the degree must appear in them. In the first; of solemn Repentance, the rule is, If a man slip in his faith or love of God, and recover, he will cleave faster unto God, and love him mere ardently, and he pleaseth God the better when his love after a recovery groweth zealous, then when in innocence it groweth lukewarm. As in the body of a man, if an arm or leg be broken, and be well set again, it groweth the stronger. Take an example from Saint Paul, who as he was a bloody persecutor, so did he prove a most painful Apostle, and most patiented Martyr. Saint Austin's Confessions show, how erroneous in judgement, how dissolute in life, he had been; but since the Apostles days, never had the Church a better Bishop than was Saint Austin. But if we should look for this degree in this age, we might happily seek long, but scarce find any parallel; not but that there are every where those that exceed them in sin, but of those that imitate them in Repentance we find none; no Adulterers that so change as to become markable spectacles of Continency; no Oppressors that turn Deacons, and minister out of their goods to the necessity of the poor; no Drunkards that pinch their bodies with Fasting and Abstinence; He that hath not committed unlawful things, may be bold to use the lawful blessings of God, and notwithstanding perform acceptable works of Piety; but he that hath been a Fornicator, an Adulterer, etc. must go as fare in abstaining from the contentments of this life, which are otherwise allowed him, as he hath exceeded in the use of them. 〈…〉. But this Rule is grown too much out of date, and we think that so we repent, it matters not in what degree we repent; and so we make a real Confession, that howsoever we do turn to God; yet we are afraid to be too fare estranged from our sin. Wherein God doth not obtain so much of man as the Devil doth. For when a good man degenerateth he keepeth no mean, but commonly striveth to be the worst, plunging himself most deeply into sin, and persecuting goodness and good men most bitterly. It were to be wished that our zeal that turn unto God were no worse in the love of goodness, and the hatred of sin: But it is rather to be wished then hoped for. The Reason of it lieth in our neglect of that degree which should be in the second kind of Repentance; for if we did affect that, we would be more apt unto this. The Degree of the second kind of Repentance, is when a man's outward life striveth to be answerable to his inward calling. It is strange to see how in worldly state every man striveth to live futably to his rank, and is accounted base if he do not so; if of a Yeoman he become a Gentleman, of a Gentleman a Knight, as his person is improved, so will he improve his port also; yea, the excesses of all sorts of men show, that herein every man goeth beyond his rank, in his house, in his fare, in his clothes. But in our spiritual state it is nothing so; for our house, we can be contented to dwell in seeled houses, when the Ark of God is under Tents; and who doth endeavour that himself may be a Temple fit for God? As for our Clothes, they should be royal, our Garments should ever be white, the wedding Garment should never be off; but we are so fare from covering our nakedness with convenient robes, that it appears not in the eyes of God, as that we take no care to hide our filthiness from men. Certainly we do not endeavour to be clothed with the righteousness of Saints. Finally, for our diet, we that are called to the Table of the Lord, and should be sustained with Angel's food, content ourselves with Swine's meat; for what else are filthy lusts? Wherein we are so much worse than the prodigal child, in that he did desire them, and no man gave them to him, we have our sils; his was desired of necessity, but our food is voluntary. In a word, we are called to be sons of God, our eye is seldom upon our Father, to see what beseemeth his Sons; we are called to be members of Christ, but little do we care what beseemeth that Mystical Body; we rather are in name then in deed either Children of God, or Members of Christ. I conclude this point with Nazianzens' Admonition; we may not counterfeit our purity, but have it remarkable and illustrious, we must have our souls perfectly died with grace. Let us walk worthy of that vocation whereunto we are called. This lesson belongeth to them that are of age; between whom and infants there is this difference, that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Repentance, which is God's work, is enough for Infants, but bring forth fruit belongeth to them that are of riper age. If time be granted unto us after our Conversion, it is granted to the end that by our good Conversation we may set forth the virtues of him that hath called us into his marvellous light. And we should think it enough, if not too much, that we have spent the time passed in those lusts that are unbeseeming Christians; but we may use that saying of the Apostle; Rom. 2.5. Know you not that the patience and long-suffering of God draweth you to Repentance, but you, after your hearts that cannot repent treasure unto yourselves wrath against the day of wrath. Repentance should be used while we may sinne, for than it will be fruitful and medicinal, because we leave sin before sin leaveth us, but if we will then use Repentance when we can sinne no more, our Repentance will be unfruitful and only penal. And indeed, they which will not use Repentance in this World fruitfully, shall, will they nill they, repent in the World to come, but it will be unfruitfully; they will not weep here for their sins, but in Hell they shall both weep and gnash their teeth; they will not here manicle and fetter their lusts, but there they shall be bound both hands and feet; they will not here purge their stubble and dross with the fire of God's Spirit, therefore hereafter they shall burn, and their dross, their chaff shall be endless fuel of the flames of Hell. O then, let me weep, let me repent, out of the love, and with the comfort of jesus Christ, that hereafter I be not driven to repent out of fear, and with the pain of the fire of Hell. The conclusion of all is, God by the sight of our evil moveth us to a desire of our good; when he preventeth us with his grace, we must take care that we receive not his grace in vain; and this shall we do, if we disparage not our heavenly Conversion with an earthly Conversation. LOrd grafted in thy Preachers such Charity, that they may aim wisely at their hearers good; and increase in their hearers that desire of goodness and happiness which may make them capable of wholesome counsel: So shall the dew of Heaven work fotnesse in the Earth, and we shall all grow in thy Church as trees loaden with abundance of fruit: when we sin, we shall repent, and we shall repent also that we may not sin; until the Harvest day come, when thou shalt have reaped all the fruits thou requirest of us in this state of Grace, and we shall begin to reap those fruits, which thou hast premised unto us in the state of Glory. Amen. The fourth Sermon. LUKE 3. VERSE 8. And begin not to say within yourselves, we have Abraham to our father; for I say unto you that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. OF the remedy of their Heart, which came to Saint john Baptist I have already spoken; the next point is the remedy of their Heads, which taketh up the remainder of the Text. In applying this remedy, the Baptist doth first open, then correct their error: he openeth it in their objection, and in his own answer doth correct it; their error was this vaunt, We have Abraham to our Father, this they objected against the first part of john Baptists Sermon. But the words are ellipticall, they include more than they express; you may gather it out of the Baptists answer, which is the rust measure of their objection, for what he correcteth, in that they erred. Now he correcteth in their objection, Ignorance and Arrogancy, both double, double Ignorance, double Arrogancy; double Ignorance, for they first maine, secondly misplace the truth. They maim it, in that not knowing how much was requisite to the making up of a child of Abraham, their words meant that they were wholly his, whereas they were his but in part, and that too the worst part. Saint john correcteth this, he forbiddeth their claim, say not we have Abraham to our father, you have nothing in you worthy of so honourable a title. As they did maim the truth through ignorance: so did they also through ignorance misplace it; they did misplace it in beginning their defence at this claim. For although there be comfort in being any ways a child of Abraham, yet the trial of our comfort must begin at our resemblance of not our alliance unto Abraham; therefore Saint john that corrected their defect in matter, correcteth also their defect in order, Begin not to say, let not this be the entrance to your Apology. Having thus corrected their Ignorance, he goeth on, and correcteth their Arrogancy. Arrogancy is the child of Ignorance; of the good things which we think we have, the less we know the more we crack; certainly the jews did, they were doubly arrogant; first they did appropriate Abraham's family unto themselves. As they thought themselves to be wholly his, so they thought none his but themselves only, they held all other Nations vile, the jews only to be noble. And this first branch of Arrogancy sprang from the first branch of their Ignorance, for indeed as they were children of Abraham, so none were children but they. Saint john correcteth this Arrogancy, and telleth them that there is no impediment in God's power but Abraham may have, yea there is fair evidence in God's Covenant that Abraham shall have other children, seem they never so unlikely to become children, not only besides them, which is enough to take down their pride: but also, which striketh them to the very heart, instead of them, though they all fail; this Saint ●ohn meaneth when he saith, that, God is able even of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. The second branch of their Arrogancy is their scoffing at God's judgements, as if, We have Abraham to our father were armour of proof against them; and they needed no buckler but their pedigree. This second Arrogancy springeth from their second Ignorance, for where they begin their defence, upon that they stand; and think their needeth no more provision against the wrath to come, so they put it off, as if, lived they never so inordinately, it did nothing concern them. This Saint john correcteth, he telleth them that they are not so in the Covenant, but they may be cast out, that they must have some worth of their own, besides that of their fathers: otherwise they must look for (and that shortly) a total, a final eradication, Now is the Axe laid to the root of the tree. You see what particulars remain unhandled; of these by God's affistance and your Christian patience, I will now touch at so many as the time will permit. And first because no defect nor excess (and such are the jews Ignorance and Arrogance, the on detracting from, the other adding to the truth) can be known without the mean which is their measure, in reference whereunto we judge of them; the truth of Abraham's fatherhood must first be opened, and we must see what grace God vouchsafed him, that thereby we may conceive the uprightness of the Baptists censure. I will not fall into the common place of Abraham's praise, the large Texts which the Scripture doth yield thereof hath found most eloquent, most abundant commentaries, there is scarce a jew or Christian, Greek or Latin Father that doth not write of him, and make a Panegyricke of his worth; I will cull out of them so much as will illighten my text. And the first thing that I observe is, that there were Patriarches before him, and Patriarches that came after him, yet none left behind them so honourable a name. If you look to the Patriarches that lived before him, they had the same Covenant in substance, but in ceremonies and circumstances wherewith God was pleased to clothe his Covenant Abraham did excel them. As for the Patriarches that succeeded, though they did partake of all that Abraham had, yet this was Abraham's advantage, that God first gave these things to him, and only confirmed them unto them, Gene. 26. In Matth. ●ap 〈◊〉 Hom ● operis imperfect● Decimae Deo sacra and that too for his sake. But to speak more distinctly. Chrysostome observes that which is clear, 1. Cor. 1. that Abraham was the tenth from Noah, and that God took him out of that profane age and place wherein he lived, as his own portion; for the tithe is sacred unto God, Noah was such a tithe before, in whom God began the new world; Abraham was then a person sacred unto God. Not only so, but consecrated also by God himself; for Eusebius in his Chronicle observeth that Abraham was the first Prophet to whom the Son of God appeared in the shape of a man, Cui verbum dei appa●uit in sigura humana at what time he invested him with the Patriarkship. Now of a person so sacred, so consecrated, we must look to hear of some thing more than ordinary; and indeed Saint Austin telleth us, that whatsoever the Scripture reporteth of Abraham it is Factum & prophetia, Tom. 10 Sermane de tempore 72. a prophetical fact, it concerneth not only the time present, but the time to come; as well his, as him. But two things principally set forth Abraham's prerogative: the first is, that his family was to be the depositary of God's Covenant; the second is, that his virtues were to be exemplary to the whole Church. Touching the first, the Promise is plain, that in his seed all Nations of the earth shall be blessed, the Prophets usually meaning the Gentiles call them Israel; Rom. 11. and the Apostle saith that the branches of the wild O live must be engrafted into the true; it is not enough that the partition wall is broken down, but we must be incorporated into the same body; for God is not pleased that any shall ordinarily be saved except he be of Abraham's family. Secondly of those which are of Abraham's family, it is not God's pleasure that any should be saved that doth not exemplify Abraham's virtues in his life; Tom. ● Serm 42 in Gen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. john 8 for Abraham's virtues were to be exemplary: of his virtues in general, S. Chrysostome observeth, that any man might take a pattern of any virtue from him, for they were limmed with lively colours in him. But of his virtue's Saint Paul doth especially insist upon his Faith; S. james upon his Charity; our Saviour Christ upon both; both are saving virtues, and no hope without them of entering into Abraham's bosom. This may well go for a third prerogative of Abraham, that the place of Bliss beareth his name, and that our best fare in heaven is to be guests at the same Table with him; to be blessed with blessed Abraham: but no hope I say to attain this but by conforming our lives to Abraham's, in such a faith as worketh by charity. Therefore Gregory Nyssen calleth him viam fidei the path of saith, Orat in Basil lib 4. c. 38 De Ciutt Dei. lib 16 cap. 16. Irenie saith, that his Faith was prophetia sidei, Ambrose that he was Forma credentium; but Saint Austin observeth well that (which cometh yet nearer to my Text) Duplex prophetia facta est Abrahae, carnalis & spiritualis; He was a most noble Patriarch corporally, but spiritually he was much more noble; yea whatsoever he was corporally, was but a Type of that which he was spiritually: observe in the points of his prerogative, the Sacrament a pledge of God's Covenant, the sacrifices Types of his virtues, in both the thing corporal was but a Type of a better thing, of that which was spiritual. The last thing which I observe concerning Abraham is Gregory Nyssens note; P. 250. Abraham had a carnal and a spiritual generation or offspring; whereof the carnal was to continue but during the old Testament, but the spiritual was to last until the end of the world, It is an error of the jews to think that Circumcision must be Catholic both in time and place; for when the spiritual seed came, than the carnal was to cease, and with the carnal the Character thereof, so doth Epiphanius call Circumcision. In a word, Christ when he came, changed not the Covenant but the Sacrament, that so although carnal children cease, yet spiritual might continue unto Abraham. Having thus fare opened unto you the prerogative of Abraham; it is time that we now come to speak of the error of the jews. In handling whereof (for more brevity and greater perspicutie) I will branch by branch carry along the answer with the objection. Let us come then to their Ignorance. Whereof the first branch is the maiming of the truth; they understood the prerogative of Abraham only according to the flesh, and not according to the spirit; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Cyrill Alexand. in Amos cap ●. Though in their Synagogues they do boast of four things; first their Birthright, secondly their Circumcision, thirdly their Law, and fourthly their Country, and mis-understand them all: yet do they glory most in their Birthright, and that they understand worst. It is true, that even according to the flesh, no nation may compare with the jew in Nobility ●of parentage, none ever sprang from such worthies, as they do; Saint Paul doth them but right when, Rom. cap. 3. cap. 9 he acknowledgeth their preeminences therein; to say nothing of that which we find in the Prophets. And certainly it is in itself a great blessing to be borne of worthy Parents, because it is a Monument of God's favour to a family: but unto us it is no blessing except we communicate in their virtues. For there are certain notes by which every living thing must be known, notes stamped in the body, and notes stamped in the soul, lineaments and qualities; of which the quality doth morally denominate rather than the lineaments. Take for example a sheep or a Wolf; they have outward shapes and inward qualities whereby they are distinguished; the quality of the one is meekness, of the other is ravenousness; when we come to consider whether either of these be such, as he should be, we find that either of them may degenerate either in the lineaments or in the qualities: in the lineaments, for a sheep may happily have the shape of a wolf, and yet retain the meekness of a sheep; a wolf may have the linearnents of a sheep, and yet retain the ravenousness of a wolf. It is not the lineaments of either, but the qualities, that will give them their name. Doth reason acknowledge this in beasts, and shall not Religion acknowledge it much more in men? It was gross ignorance in the jews to think that the outward Character could denominate them without the inward, and that they should go for sons of Abraham, who in Piety, were so unlike Abraham. Therefore Saint john correcteth this ignorance of theirs, and telleth them they are not worthy of so Honourable a title; nay God himself doth vilisie them, calling them sometimes Gentiles in general, sometimes descending to particulars, Amos 9 are you not all as the children of A●thiopia unto me? And as if that parentage were too good, Thy nativity (saith God) is of the land of Canaan, Ezech 16. thy father was an Amorite thy mother an Hittite; yet this doth not vilify them enough, the worst place of Canaan was Sodom and Gomorra; thither doth God send them for their Pedigree, Deut. 32. Finally after ye are past Sodom there remaineth nothing but Hell, and so low doth Christ debase them, joh. 8. You are of your father the Devil, even you that say, ye have Abraham to your father. I do not wonder why Saint Paul after that he had reckoned up all the parcels of his corporal Nobility, concludeth: I am not the better, I am the worse for all this, all this is but dung, it recommendeth me nothing unto God; nay it may make me blush for that I have no inward resemblance of him, with whom I have this outward alliance. It were good our Nobility and Gentry did learn this, who have nothing to show that they are the of spring of such worthies as their fathers were, but only that which Tully yields to Piso, a Genealogy, or an earthly patrimony. Saint Chrysostome compareth such unto froth; and indeed generous liquor doth cast a froth, which froth is insipid, and hath nothing of that taste which is in the liquor: even so are they descended of their Parents, but their Parents live not in them, and therefore all that they can boast of, Ignabili● nobilitas. is but an ignoble Nobility, as Theophylact speaketh, it is not worth the standing upon. Malo Pater tibi sit Thersites, dummodo tu sis Aeacidae similis, Vulcaniaque arma capessas: Quam te Thersitae similem producat Achilles. The truth whereof Saint Chrysostome setteth before us in an excellent Simile, Behold (saith he) Gold cometh of the earth, a precious mettle of a very base Element, we esteem the Gold, we care not for the earth; even so, Opaere imperfect. in Matth. if a child be worthy, it skilleth not how unworthy his Parents were; faithful Abraham is not the worse because the child of idolatrous Sarah. The similitude goeth on; Silver yields Tin, the better, a worse mettle; we neglect the Tin and keep the Silver: so if a child be unworthy, what doth it avail him to be of worthy Parents? What is Ishmael the better for being the son of Abraham? If this rule have exceptions (as indeed it hath) in worldly societies, for many make Idols of rich Nabals, Fil● De●nulla externa prarogativa aesim●n●●●. and knotty blocks; yet to Godward the rule is true, none can claim spiritual kindred with Abraham, but they that are new Creatures, dissimilitude of manners, argueth Bastards and no Sons. You have heard the first branch of their Ignorance; they maimed the truth. The second is, they misplaced it, for they began their defence against the wrath to come at this claim, We have Abraham to our father. The father's note that this is preposterous dealing, it is not enough for us to take care that we partake as well of the substance, as of the ceremony in sacred things, we must add a second rule, which is this. As in knowing God, so in knowing our state to Godward we must rise from the effects to the cause, that so afterward, we may from the cause conclude the effects; the evidence is in the effects, whereof the assurance is in the cause; that we are the children of God, we see most clearly in our virtues, though the ground whereupon we stand most assuredly is God's covenant. Wherefore the Covenant is not the first step where we must begin our trial, much less may we begin at Predestination; we must by degrees of reason read the gifts of God in our Faith, Hope, and Charity, to work which, the Word and Sacraments were ordained; if we find these, they argue God's love to us, they prove we stand in good terms with him. And when we have thus argued from the effects, we may safely make demonstrations from the cause; and than it will be a good plea, if our Conscience doth question the certainty of our salvation, because the good that we would do, we cannot do, Rom. 7. to say with Saint Paul, thankes be to God through jesus Christ our Lord; or that which is equivalent, I have Abraham to my father. This plea was provided to keep us in heart in that conflict. Of this the jews were ignorant, and therefore Saint john correcteth this in them, blameth them for putting in their claim to the Covenant, before they had given some proof of their virtue. We are not ignorant of the Romish calumnies, and of the distraction of our brethren in foreign parts about this doctrine; happily some occasion hereof may be because some deliver Theology more Theoretically then practically. It were to be wished, that, at least, in so much as must come to the vulgar eye and ear, this method were changed: lest, as it hath, so it prove dangerous to many; though (I dare say) that, if the parts of the doctrine publicly authorized by the Reformed Churches be charitably laid together (and otherwise to construe the writing is against good manners by a rule in the Civil Law) we shall find nothing but that which may pass for sound and good. But to leave methods of Books, and come to methods of our lives; when I rip up the Tracts of this Argument written by those that either would seem to be, or are indeed zealous of Piety, I find that men's lives opened both their mouths, and set both their Pens a writing; therefore I think there can be no more compendious course to silence the slanders of the one, and reconcile the distractions of the other, Mat. 5.16. then to Let our lights so shine before men, that they may see our good works, and glorify our father which is in heaven. And thus much of S. john's answer to the first part of their error, the correcting of their Ignorance. I come now to the second part, their Arrogancy, double arrogancy; for first they appropriate Abraham's family to themselves. As they thought themselves to be holy, so did they think themselues to be the only children of Abraham. In their Synagogues it is one of those things for which they give thanks unto God, that they are born Israelites not Goim Gentiles, of whom they never speak but with great scorn; Cyril Alexandrinus amplifieth this point upon, Osea cap. 9 The Israelites looking loftily, and speaking big, boasted we have Abraham to our father, he addeth to our purpose, Cyrill Alex in Oseam ca●. 9 Novels & abortivi pu●abantur Hieron. Deus vocand● Gentiles ●udaeos maxima melestia ●ffecit. Theod in Rom. 10. that they did most insolently despise all other nations. S. Hierome Ecclesiastes the sixth, that the Gentiles were reputed but upstarts and abortives: yea this pride was so rooted in them, that the crossing of it was their greatest heart-breaking; Theodoret observeth it in Rom. cap. 10. for neither their servitude, nor their dispersion, nor the ruin of their Temple and Country doth so much vex them, as the glory of the Gentiles Church. And there is good ground for this note both in rule and practice, God foretold it should be so, Deut. 32. Because you have provoked me to jealousy by those that are no Gods, I also will provoke you to jealousy with that which is no people, by a foolish nation will I anger you. The Gospel telleth us it was so; when Christ went into Zacheus, did they not murmur? Luke 19 Were they not filled with indignation, when a whole City of the Gentiles came to hear the Word of God? 〈◊〉 13. 1 〈◊〉 2. Did they not forbid the Apostles to preach to the Gentiles? All these are proofs in what estimation they had the Gentiles. And do not the Romanists in the like manner glory now in Saint Peter, and think none built upon the rock of Saint Peter's confession but themselves? Syrians, Armenians, Ethiopians, Grecians, Protestants, all are Heretics but themselves; they are not so eloquent in any argument as in their invectives against these; but nothing so galleth them as the glory of the Reformed Churches, which is a spice of their jewish pride, Saint john shall correct them in the jews: Let us come then to the Correction. Saint john disproveth the jews, appropriating of Abraham's Family to themselves, showing that there is no impediment in God's Power, but that Abraham may have: yea, rather, there is fair evidence in his Covenant, that Abraham shall have other children: even those that seem unlikely to become chilrens, though all the jews sail. Both these Propositions are contained in Saint john's answer, the Fathers observe both, and I will show you what ground there is for both. But because the latter doth presuppose the former, the former must first be unfolded unto you. Some than take the name of stones properly, though they also differ amongst themselves; some understand the twelve stones that were by joshuah pitched in the midst of jordan, when the children of Israel passed it upon the dry ground; other understand common stones, such as lie by the River's side. But the difference is not worth the standing upon; those which joshuah pitched were common stones, and to the working of the Miracle it skilleth not whether they were those or any other; for it must be an Almighty Power that must work this alteration of any. By God's Power than you must understand his absolute ability to do what he will, and can there be any question, but that the same God, which out of the dust of the earth, made man, of the rib of man made woman, can raise up children unto Abraham? to take away all doubt from the jew, and to make it out of all question that God can do this, see how he speaketh in the Prophet Esay, Look upon the rock from whence you were hewn, and the pit out of which you were digged; Look upon Abraham that begat you, and Sarah that bore ye; The Fathers think that Saint john in his phrase alludeth to this place of the Prophet: And if out of the withered body of Abraham and Sarah God could draw Isaak, why cannot other children by the same power be given unto Abraham? There should be no doubt with us; the first Article of whose Creed is, I believe in God the Father Almighty; and yet a doubt is made of this, 〈◊〉 ●nim ●i lapidem r●●ente 〈…〉 hom●nem 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈◊〉 11 ca●. 24. a double doubt, one Impious, another Curious. The Impious is made by Galen, for thus he saith; Were God never so willing he cannot make a man of a stone, and in this doth our opinion and the opinion of Plato, and other Greek Philosophers which have written aright of the nature of things, differ from Moses; for God, thinks Moses, is Almighty, and can do what he will, although it be of Ashes to make an Horse or an Ox. But we think not so. But afsirme, that there are somethings which nature cannot do, and that God never attempts any such thing; but of that which is in his power he chooseth to do that which is best. The weakness of so worthy a man's judgement, I censure not, as it deserveth, because it was a fault of his infidelity; only I answer him as Christ did the Saducees, He erred not knowing the Scripture, Mat. 21 2●. nor the power of God, he equalled Nature unto God, whereas God is the God of Nature, and therefore many things which nature cannot do, Aliud est naturae possibile, 〈◊〉 lived natured. Ephes. 3. God often doth: the instances are many that may be given hereof in the Old Testament, and in the New the Apostles Rule is, He can do above all that we can think: according to which words we must understand those of our Saviour, That which is impossible to men, that is, not only above their power, but also above their conceit, is possible to God; Potentiae Dei nullus neque numerus neque terminus. Bern. pag. 1253. for as Saint Bernard, There is neither number nor boundary of those things that come within the compass of God's Omnipotency. But here the Papist cometh in unseasonably with his Transubstantiation, thinking this a fair ground to prove the possibility of it; but they rack God's power too fare. For as God simply hath no Passive Power, because he can fail in nothing: So in his Active Power he is dissinabled by their own confession unto some things, namely, to make contradictories; and they cannot with all their sophistry free this their Tenent from manifold contradiction. But to shut up this first dispute; Rom. 4. Heb. 11. Abraham had an eye to this Almighty Power, both when he expected, and also when he would have offered his son; and so must we in our faith and in our obedience; Gods Almighty Power must make us resolute in both. The second dispute is Curious, the Schoolmen move it; they inquire how these men which God by his Almighty Power can make of stones; can possibly be the children of Abraham? whereas Abraham's children must spring from Abraham's loins; A question unworthy of Divines: But to the purpose. In hominem Physicum & Theologicum. A man is distinguished into natural constitution and supernatural condition. In this dispute we have not to do with man, as a man, but as a member of the Church; that it is so, you may gather out of the very phrase, it is not said, God shall raise children of Abraham, but unto Abraham, they are not to be his children by Generation, but by Regeneration. Which the rather must be admitted, because the Apostle telleth us, Rom. 9 john 1. They that are children of Abraham, are children of God: and then Saint john will tell us, that the children of God are not borne of flesh and blood, but of the will of God. Add hereunto that they are first members of Christ, than Abraham's seed; and Christ hath no Native but Adoptive members. Finally, Gregory Nyssen doth wittily meditare upon those words of God to Abraham; Look to Heaven and behold the Stars: so shall thy seed be; Orat. 1. de Paschate. Haec sydera dico, quae de spiritu nobis orta sunt, & Coelum Ecclesiam rep●●te fecêrum. I mean those Stars which have their original from the holy Spirit, and have suddenly turned the Church into a Firmament. The children here meant are not natural but spiritual; and this cognation excels the other as much as the soul excels the body. Certainly, Christ did so esteem his kindred, Et tanto maior Fidei & Virtutu cognatio; quanto anima praestantior corpore. when he moved that question; Who is my Mother? and who is my Brother? And God meant no other when he promised King David of his son, I will be his father and he shall be my son; he meaneth, that God would take him for his son, though he be not so by nature. But this leadeth us unto a second Proposition; and Saint Ambrose doth prefer the meaning thereof before the former. The former seemeth to say that God will work a Miracle rather than Abraham should want children; but the second Proposition importeth a Mystery, in the words the promise is mystical that supplieth children unto Abraham; Quia mihi plus p●odest mysteri●● quam m●●aculu in praenuntio Christinihil magu quàm aedificationem Ecclesiae debe● agnoscere, quae non rupeis saxis, sed conversionibus nostrorum surrex tanimorum I am more benefited by the Mystery than the Miracle, therefore in the speech of Christ's Harbinger, I observe specially the building up of the Church, which was not erected of stones material, but of converted souls. Wherefore the Fathers for the most part, understand the word stones figuratively for the Gentiles; and observe a resemblance between the Gentiles and stones; a double resemblance: the one in regard of senselessness, another in regard of worthlessness. The Senselessness is double; Active and Passive; Active, in that they worshipped stones; and than you know what the Psalmist saith; They that make them, are like unto them: so are all they that put their trust in them. Quiam●sso sensu ration●s, lap●d●●us putant incsse alicunis rationem d●uinitatis it si in natured lapidum non usu corporis sed mentis habitu vertuntur Revel. 3. Their passive senselessness is that whereby they are incapable of the mysteries of Heaven, having stony hearts like unto stony ground, whereon whatsoever seed is cast, is cast away. Besides their senselessness, there is in them also a worthlessness wherein they resemble stones; a double worthlessness; a Passine, for they are without ornament; an Active, for they are without fruit; they are as the Church of Laodicea, blind, wretched, naked, miserable; and what fruit should they bear that drink not in the dew of Heaven? You see good resemblance between stones and the Gentiles. You must also note that the power here meant is not absolute, but limited. Though God's Power be equal to his Will; yet is not his Will always as large as his Power, therefore are there many things which the Scripture saith, God cannot do, meaning not absolutely but upon supposition. Mark 6. The Angel could do nothing whiles Lot was in Sodom; jer. 44. Christ could work no Miracles because of the jews unbelief; God himself could no longer forbear the jews because of their wickedness; the meaning is that the contrary was decreed, and God would not alter his Decree. Now upon this distinction ariseth the question, seeing the Gentiles may be figured by stones, whether here they be figured by them. Why not? There were before john, at this time, Publicans, and Soldiers, which for the most part were Gentiles, and why might not Saint john point at them? Sure I am that when Zacheus a Publican received Christ, Luke 19 Christ himself doth witness, This also is a son of Abraham; Matth 8. and when the Centurion expressed his humble faith in Christ, Christ assigned him a place at Abraham's Table; 1. Pet. 2.5. and it is worth the marking that Saint Peter calleth Converts to Christ, living stones; and what is that but a Periphrasis of a son of Abraham made of a stone? There are two things in a stone, Insensibleness and firmness; that must be removed, this must continue, that the parts of the building may be suitable, Gentium natura habendo institutionem ●abere potest cessationem Tert●ll. ad●ersus Hermog li●. de Amma cap 21. Cum universorum Deiss vid. sset se unum populumer Iudaeis & Gentibus aggregaturum, & is per fidem salutem praebiturum, utrumque in Patriarcha Abraham prius descripsit. Theod. in Rom. 4. and we built upon the Rock Christ, may grow up into a holy Temple in the Lord. The Gentiles then may here be meant, and there is no impediment in God's Covenant, but that they may become children of Abraham. Yea, it is so fare from being against God's Covenant, that it is contained in it; Abraham's name is a Prophecy of the Gentiles Conversion, it is contained in the Promise that is made of Abraham's seed, when the God of all flesh saw that he purposed to make our Church of jews and Gentiles, and that he would save them by Faith, he prefigured both in Abraham. And the Apostles text is clear for it. The Fathers make Thamar's children a type hereof, wherein the Gentile seemeth to have a priority, and to be in the Covenant before the jews; for Abraham was a type of the Gentiles being justified, and receiving the promises in uncircumcision, before he was a type of the jews, and had the promises renewed after that he was circumcised. But as of Thamar's children that which first put out the hand, was not first borne: so fell it out between the Gentiles and the jews; finally, Galatinus proveth out of the Rabbins, that the Gentiles, aswell as the jews were to be saved by Christ. To conclude, the Apostles Rule must be held, Rom. 9.6. It cannot be that the Word of God should be of none effect. But why doth the Baptist make mention of God's Power only, and only say that God can do this? Chrysostom's opinion is, that he would fear them only, and not drive them to despair; others say, that taking Gods will for a thing clear, he did put them in mind that he could perform his will when he would. But the time is past, wherefore I will now conclude; Saint Cyril, Saint Chrysostome, both say that this Text may be applied unto Christians; for even of them also more than a good many ar●●, ●nted with this Ignorance, with this Arrogance; they maim the truth in contenting themselves with outward Characters, little caring for the inward which principally make a Christian, and how many do enter their names into God's Book in Heaven, before ever they look whether they have a counterpart thereof written by the finger of the Holy Ghost in their souls? And what wonder if this Ignorance breed Arrogancy, and they that think better of themselves than they should, think worse than they should of others? But let us take care to be sure of our Resemblance, before we crack of our alliance; let us find in ourselves Faith and Charity Abraham's virtues, and then hope well that we are Abraham's children; let us so hope well of ourselves, that we despair not of others; Gods hands are not tied, his power hath no bounds, they that seem to be of least hope may prove more worthy than ourselves. But whether we look upon ourselves or others, if we find that of stones we are become the children of Abraham, let us magnify God according to his mercy; which we shall the better do, if we call to mind what we were, and what we are; how senseless we were, how little feeling we had of Gods either words or works; how brutishly we adored the basest of the creatures. Neither were we only so senseless, but we were most worthless also; poor souls indeed, spiritual Lazars, not worth the looking after, but with contempt. And as we had little: so it was little we could do; we could do no good either in glorifying God, or edifying the Church, or increasing our own comfort, we were as barren to these things as very stones. But see now these stones do live; our hearts are sensible of the influence of Heaven, and we adore only him that liveth for ever; he with a liberal hand hath enriched us, and we with a cheerful heart fructify unto him; we cannot turn our eyes upon ourselves, but we behold his mercies, and we present before his sacred eyes our most humble duties: Thus should we magnify our God that hath done so great things for us; for us (I say) that are the Offspring of them that were sometimes very stones. I end with Saint Bernard's Caution, Bernard de Sc●la claust. pag. 1253. God indeed can raise of stones children unto Abraham, as sometimes he did Saint Paul; yet must we not tempt God, and neglecting what is to be done on our part, presume that God's hand will work all; we must read the Scripture, meditate therein, Seek, knock, pray, and then we shall find grace; the windows of Heaven will be opened unto us, and the hand of God will new mould us, he will mollify whatsoever is stony in us, and supply whatsoever worth we lack; what God can do, that he will do; if we be in any part stones, he will make us even in that part also Children of Abraham, and if Children than Heirs, Heirs annexed with jesus Christ. GOd by his grace make us all Abraham's Sons, and give us all grace to walks Abraham's steps, that we may all finally meet in Abraham's bosom. Amen. The fifth Sermon. LUKE 3. VERSE 9 And now also is the Axe laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn down and cast into the fire. SAint john Baptist preaching to the unbelieving jews, shown them that they were sick both at head and heart, and therefore applied fit remedies to either part. Having before, in your hearing, ended the first remedy that is applied to the Heart; I began, the last time I spoke out of this place, to entreat of the second remedy, which is applied unto their head. Their head was sick of Ignorance and Arrogancy, both double: I have spoken of their Ignorance and the first branch of their Arrogancy, their appropriating Abraham's family unto themselves; there remaineth yet one branch of the Text, that which checketh their second pride, their conumpt of God. They did contemn God, in that they set light by the judgements that were denounced from him; mark their ground; they thought they had such interest in Abraham that, for his sake, God would spare them; and his wrath should never seize on them. But they hear from the Baptist, that they are not so in the Covenant, but they may be blotted out, and if they have not some worth of their own, besides that of their Parent, they must look for an imminent, total, final eradication: for Now is the Axe laid to the root of the trees, etc. These words are a Parable, and therefore they have a Moral. For a Parable is a Comparison of things spiritual unto corporal; wherein the things corporal and spiritual do mutually give light each unto other; the spiritual do guide us in the setting bounds unto the corporal, and the corporal do help us to understand the secrets of the spiritual; seeing then the spiritual is the key that must unlock the corporal sense, we can say little to the corporal, until we have found out the spiritual. But where shall we find it? It is not here, we must look it else where. We have it, for a good part, in Saint john cap. 15. where Christ speaketh thus; I am a Vine, you are branches, my father is an Husbandman, Cap. ●. every branch in me that beareth not fruit is taken away and cast into the fire; Esay is more full and express to my Text; The vineyard of the Lord of Hosts is the house of Israel, and juda is his pleasant plant; he looked for judgement, and behold oppression, for righteousness and behold a cry; therefore hath the Lord of H●sts revealed this in mine ear, many houses shall be desolate, fair ●nd goodly houses left without inhabitants, yea hell hath enlarged itself, the mouth thereof is opened without measure, their glory, their multitude, their pomp, every one that rejoiceth shall descend into it. According to this Monrall, if we break up the Parable, we must observe the Persons therein contained, and the judgement that is denounced; the persons are two, God compared to a husbandman surveying his Orchard, the jews compared unto Trees of the Orchard, Trees planted therein to bear good fruits. Of the judgement we have here the Cause and the Parts. The cause is the jews not living suitably to their incorporation, which is represented by a Tree not bearing good fruits. The parts are two; first the jews are deprived of that blessed estate wherein they stood, the Axe is put to the root; and by the root they are cut up: so the Parable doth resemble it. Secondly, they are exposed to the misery which they deserved, they are cast into the fire: A fruitless tree burning in the fire is the Emblem of a sinner tormented in hell. If you lay these two parts together they are a total, a final desolation; for kill the root, kill the whole tree. What life can he have that is separate from Christ the fountain of life? Trees that are rooted up for their barrenness, are not set again; and when do we hereof an Apostata a second time incorporated into Christ? The judgement is fearful. And yet as fearful as it is, our Husbandman doth denounce it unto these Trees; God doth denounce it against the jews, Every tree shall be cut, cut up, shallbe cast into the fire. Neither doth he only denounce it, but biddeth them also to look for it speedily, for Now is the Axe laid to the root of the tree; and universally, Every tree that beareth not good fruit, etc. You hear what particulars are remarkable in my Text, whereof it remaineth that you now hear again somewhat more fully, as the time will permit. But before I come to the particulars, I must point at a stratagem of Satan's, which he useth to stay men from amending their lives. It is impossible for a man in cold blood to silence the accusing voice of conscience, Acts 24.25. not to think on, and thinking, with Faelix, not to tremble at the remembrance of the judgement day; now left men should be reclaimed hereby, he hath provided Fig. leaves to cover their nakedness, and persuadeth them, that if they be attired therewith, they will not be so cowardly, as Adam was, and fly from the fearful presence of God; he filleth their heads with the holiness, worthiness of the ceremonies which they use, the parentage from whence they come, and persuadeth that these are armour of proof against the heavy stroke of God's wrath, they need no more but cry out, The Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord; jere. cap. 7. and we have Abraham to our father. These words (if they had no more to say for themselves but these words) are able to stay the punishing Angel, and sheathe the sword of God; certainly the jews put their trust in them, and they were the rather induced so to do, because they seemed to have a fair warrant for it. God himself promiseth that in their greatest extremity he would remember Abraham, ●●uis 26. Isaac, and jacob, and for their sakes relieve them: And how often doth he divert his wrath only out of the remembrance of his own Name? by his Name meaning his visible residence in their Tabernacle and Temple, which were built to put his Name there, even the Cloud that led them out of Egypt, wherein resided the Angel of whom God said that his Name was in him. Of this kind of Indulgence, you have a whole Chapter in Ezekiel. Chap. 10. But they did not distinguish between temporal and eternal wrath. It is true that the stroke that is but temporal, is often kept off from the children in contemplation of their worthy Parents; there are many examples in the Scripture, but no example of any child that scaped eternal wrath out of God's regard unto his Parents. There is an example to the contrary; for Christ setteth forth the rich Glutton in Hell torments who being there calleth Abraham his father, and Abraham yieldeth him the name of a child, and yet that child of such a father did burn in Hell fire; and not he alone; for Christ saith, that many shall come from the East and the West, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven, Matth 8. and the children of the Kingdom shall be cast out into utter darkness; yea, they shall see Abraham, Isaac, and jacob, and all the Prophets in the Kingdom of God, Luke 13. and themselves thrust out. So fare is it off that graceless children should far the better for their worthy Parents, that God useth to exaggerate their sin by comparing them with their Parents, as appeareth in the doom of jehoiakim the son of josia, who under the very name of the son of josia, for being so unlike his father, jer. 22. is heavily doomed; and in the same form doth God proceed against the Levites. Mal. 2 If God were so much in love with the children of Abraham, and, if they failed, could not supply others, haply he might tolerate them notwithstanding their unto wardliness, as many a natural father beareth with an unthrifty son, and putteth not off his natural affection towards him, because if he do justice upon him and disinherit him, it is not in his power to have another: But this is not God's case; you heard it proved at large in the censure of their first arrogancy, therefore doth Saint john beat them from this hold, and make way in this Text to the terror of God, which he would have timely to enter into their souls: Blandimenta delinquentiae de patrum resum●sêrunt gratia. Tertull, de pudicitia. And in them he doth warn us never to presume upon like pretence; they made a Parasite of God's favour to Abraham, which was ever at their elbow, to soothe them in their foulest sins; but let no prerogative so blind us, as to make us think that the Sermons of repentance do not concern us; and we will never so think, if we think, as we ought, upon the particulars of this text; let us then come to them, and begin with the Persons, whereof the first is God. God is here rather intimated, then expressed, yet so intimated that by resolving of the words we shall easily perceive him to be here; for if the axe must be laid to the root of the tree, there must be some body to lay it; and who is that but God? none besides God can give the stroke, that is here threatened. Men take their first rooting in God according to the maxim; In him we live, move, and have our being, if natural, much more spiritual; none then can root us out of him, except he have power over him, & such power hath none besides himself; others have insolently threatened eradication to the Church, as you may read often in the Prophets; but you may read withal how the Holy Ghost doth scorn them, and how vain their attempts have been, it is only for God to pronounce it sadly, and effectually to perform it; whereupon it followeth that the person here meant must needs be God. And God is here compared to a Husbandman surveying his Orchard. The Scripture that every where speaketh of God, doth more usually teach us, what he is to us, than what he is in himself, and describeth him rather according to his Providence then his Essence, because, although the later would more affect our curiosity, yet the former doth work more upon our conscience: and it is our conscience whereat the Scripture doth aim, it desireth rather to make us good then wise, which we shall be, if we learn so to know God, as we may best be brought to fear him; a knowledge which I the more earnestly commend unto you, because this, otherwise learned Age, seemeth not so much as it should, to be acquainted with it. But that you may the better perceive this description of God, you must observe that of his Providence there are two parts, the first is the blessing of his creatures, especially man; the second is the Inquirie how these creatures use his blessings; this later point concerneth my Text. As then no Husbandman is so careless as, having planted an Orchard, not to look into it, and see the success of his pains: no more is God. Esay will teach us that the Husbandman's discretion cometh from the Lord of Hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working: neither is there any perfection in man, which is not much more eminent in God. We may not then dream that we hold of God without account, or impeachment of waste, we own our appearance both at his Court, and at his Audit; he taketh his times for both; or, not to go from our Parable; the sons of Adam have no exemption, seeing their Father had none: God placed him in Paradise, and came into Paradise to survey him; and the Figtree that grew in the Vineyard was surveyed by the Lord thereof. And let this suffice touching the first Person, and the resemblance that is made of him. The second Person is Man. But as the description of God doth show us rather what God is to us, than what he is in himself: so in the description of man the chiefest consideration is, what he is to Godward, not what he is. We have here then to do with not simply a man, but a member of the Church; the Law speaketh to them that are under the Law: Now of a member of the Church we have here an excellent resemblance, he is resembled to a tree bearing fruit. 〈…〉 73. 〈◊〉 5. The Church is likened to a Paradise which is full set with fruitful trees. As God in the Creation made the whole world, but of a part of the whole made Paradise: so hath he selected his Church out of a whole mass of the sons of Adam, and calleth it his Orchard; and of this Vineyard or Orchard the members of the Church are trees, every member is a tree, though he be called sometimes by the name of a branch, for every branch is potentially a tree, a tree growing in a tree. You may perceive it by the little shoots that we take to inoculate, and many branches that bored, or otherwise planted take root in the ground, although while they are but branches, they do not immediately root in the ground: even so every member of the Church, seeing he hath no communion with God but by the mediation of Christ, is but a branch, yet seeing Gods promises are made both to him and his, 〈…〉 Cap. 52. and others may spring from him, he is not unsitly compared to a tree. But it is to a tree that beareth fruit; whose inward virtue manifesteth itself by outward works. As a tree that sucketh nourishment from the ground, spendeth part of it in sustaining itself, and when it is sufficed, therewith worketh the rest of the juice unto fruit: so should the members of the Church themselves be the better for the Grace which they receive, and do good to others also; they must bear fruit. Fruit is significantly expressed; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, etc. Athanas. Tom. 1. Serm. de 〈◊〉 ment. Gen. v. 9 for the likeness of leaves doth often deceive the overseer, but when the profit of the doctrine doth show itself in works; than it appears who is a sincere faithful man, and who is an Hypocrite. Add hereunto, that though great is the ornament of leaves, yet their best commendations goeth no farther than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pleasure, it doth not come so fare as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meat; But out of the ground of Paradise God made to grow every tree that was both pleasant to the sight, and good for sood; and such a tree must our tree be. But every tree by nature is a fruit tree; Gen. 1. v. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. God that made all made no other. Saint Basil hath observed it, and because some trees make show of the contrary, he giveth us a distinction of secret and open fruit, with one of which every tree is furnished; And indeed seeing every tree hath seed according to his kind, it hath fruit, because naturally the seed is included in the fruit, and followeth the condition of it, being (as that is) either secret or open. Seeing then every tree beareth fruit; to bear fruit is not enough, wherefore there is another word added, it must bear good fruit; there are trees of the field, and trees of the Orchard, both bear fruit, but the fruit of the field tree feedeth only beasts, and birds, only the fruit of the Orchard-tree yieldeth sustenance for man. There must be some difference between them that are within the Church, and them that are without; as between Orchard and Field trees, the fruit of the one, and the fruit of the other; they without the Church fructify for the Devil and the World, but the members of the Church bear fruit to God and good men, as it is intimated by the Vine, Judges 9 by the Fig, by the Olive, unto which trees the godly are compared. Mark then that the difference between the trees of the Field and of the Orchard is not the bearing, and not bearing of fruit; in bearing fruit the native and the sative, both agree, but it is good and bad fruit that doth distinguish them. And this distinction is necessary; because it is possible that trees of the Orchard should become as bad as the trees of the Field; and why? since the fall of Adam they are all grafted trees, and you know that a grafted tree may shoot out, either out of the wild stock, or out of the sweet graft; and it is a special care of a good Husbandman to cut off still all the shoots of the stock, that the graft may prosper the better; Origen observeth well, we have inward trees, a Good and a Bad, we have the flesh and the Spirit: Habemus a●bores internas bonam & malam. ●n● cuit. Gal. 5. and Saint Paul telleth us that both these have their fruits. To bear good fruit than is to walk in the spirit; and not to fulfil the deeds of the flesh; Here is no species of good works set down, neither intent I at this time to fall into the common place of good works, a former clause of my text gave me occasion to speak heretofore of them; Nazian Zenocia hath a good Epitome of that argument, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Tom. 1. p 555. in two words: of good works there must be Variety, and Plenty. But I may not forget that there were two special trees in Paradise; the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and the Tree of Life; Lib. 2. ad. Autoluc. God forbade the one and permitted the other. Theophilus' Patriarch of Antioch giveth the reason, and it is, that God would have us captivated our wits to his wisdom, and for knowledge, be contented with so much as he doth reveal; but we should spend all our time and pains in obedience, and conforming ourselves to God's Law; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 H●mil. de Cement. tom 1 Io●l 2.23. Esay 61. Revel 21 Gal. 5. Rom 6. Therefore doth God's Law and a shower of rain come in Hebrew both from one root, to signify that we should drink it in as fruit trees do rain, to be the better for it; In Io●l it is plainly called the rain of righteousness; and of rain Athanasius his observation is good, though the substance of it be but one, yet doth it yield sustenance for diverse fruits. Sure I am that the Scripture calleth us, Trees of Life, Trees of Righteousness; and we should bring forth fruits of the Spirit, which is called the fruit of Sanctification; have a man never so much knowledge, if he go no farther than knowledge, he can deserve no better a name then the Devil hath, who from his knowledge is called Daemon, N●mdicit. Qui non se●it, sed non●●cie●● fruct●m. ●●om●er enim oportet far 〈…〉; Nam! cetheri ●●ser●cors fueris 〈◊〉 rapines this d●dities, ●on cris bonus. but the Scripture denominateth a good man from his virtue Chasidh. But there remaineth one note more which Theophylact maketh upon this description, He saith not every tree which hath not borne, but every tree which is not bearing, for we must always be bearing fruit; though the other day thou wert merciful, if to day thou be an extortioner, thou shalt not go for a good tree; And God himself doth justify this doctrine telling us that all the righteousness of an unconstant good man shall be forgotten; Those that be planted in the House of the Lord, shall flourish in the Courts of our God, 〈…〉 they shall still bring forth fruit in their old age, they shall be sat and well liking. The Tree described, Psal. 1. and Reuel. 21. confirm this truth. To shut up this description of a member of the Church; out of it we must learn these few Lessons. First, God expecteth to behold in us rather our works then his own, what we yield, than what we receive, and our care must be rather to do our duties, then boast of our gifts, seeing for those, not these, we are called to an account. Secondly, we must bear fruit according to our kind; Men do not gather Grapes of thorns, nor figs of thistles; it is unnatural for Vines to bear haws, or Figge-trees burrs; we betray ourselves rather to be in, then of the Church, if we bear such fruit; and though we cannot be challenged for being idle, yet shall we be, for being ill employed. If to bear fruit were enough, the case of the wicked would be better than that of the godly, for as wild trees commonly bear greater burdens than the grafted or planted, (you know Aesop's reason for it) so do the wicked commonly abound in works more than the good. But God considereth not How many, but How good, yea, the more of evil works the worse; so that when we come to cast up our account, we must consider not so much the number: as the quality of them, remembering to write upon the evil, vanity of vanities, all is but vanity and vexation of spirit; for what fruit is there in those things whereof we shall be then ashamed? we must desire to bear that fruit which may abound to our account. Philip. 4. And so have I delivered unto you so much of my Text, as concerneth the persons, speaking of them so fare, as I have been occasioned by their resemblances. I come now to the judgement, whereof we must consider, first, the Cause; where we shall see that God observeth his own Law, and cutteth up no tree in this siege, that his vengeance layeth to his Church, but such as are no fruit trees. It is a clause in the covenant, Deut. 2●. that as God maketh us fruit trees: so we should bear good fruits, if we fail, he is no longer tied to continue us trees, or perform unto us the blessing Sanction of his Law, Deut. 28. his justice requireth that he make good the second sanction, which curseth sinners, and come to eradication. But to open this cause a little fuller; we must observe that Gods dealing with men though it be acted by his Power, yet it is ordered by his justice; neither doth he use his power until he have examined our deserts; this is undoubtedly true in plagues, though not in blessings. In blessing he preventeth us; but he never striketh until he be pronoked; therefore the Scripture seldom mentioneth any judgement of God, but it prefaceth it with some cause thereof first given by man; you may read it in the doom of Adam, the old World, Sodom, Gen. 3.6. & 1●. Chron. 2. and Israel, In this place the not bearing of good fruit is expressed as the cause of the judgement which followeth; the not bearing (I say) of good fruit. For whereas the Commandments of God are Affirmative or Negative; The Affirmative are those for which our faculties were given us, the performing of the Negative are but with standings of such impediments as hinder us therein; Add hereunto that the Affirmative is the measure of the Negative; so that we know not how fare we must withstand, but by knowing how much we are bound to do; moreover, the Devil that he might have us at leisure to do what we should not, maketh us neglect to do what we should. Because than we should strive to the height of virtue, for (homo est animal officiosum, man is made for virtuous action, and his commendations is well doing, and doing ill is but a necessary consequent of not doing well, as appeareth by the Parable of the unclean spirit; it is impossible for a man to be idle, it would imply a contradiction to the definition of the soul) therefore the transgression of the Affirmative Commandments are here called in question, they are alleged for the cause of judgement. Si sterilitas in ign●m mittitur, rapacitas quid meretur? Fulgent Serm. de dispen. Duplex fructus bonus, Gratiae, & Poenitentiae. Aust de Contritione cordis. And if Om●ssions be so punished, what is due to Commissions? It is Fulgentius his collection. If barrenness burn in hell, what shall wickedness seel? the deeper men go in sins, the greater is the account they have to give. But lest men should not well conceive this cause, we must learn of Saint Augustine, that there is a double good fruit, of Grace, and of Repentance: we should indeed principally take heed of Omissions: and be filled with the fruits of righteousness: but if instead of those good fruits we fall into sins of commission, there is a second good work wherewith we must relieve ourselves, a work of repentance; in the defect of the first, this second must succeed. Though God might by the Law punish us for want of the first, yet from the Gospel we have this comfort, that he will not punish, if we do the second. And indeed, this being a Sermon of the Gospel, supposeth us to want the first good fruit, and challengeth us that we do not supply the second. The world is very busy in seeking out the cause why so many run headlong into Hell? I doubt not but they which with sobriety enter the Sanctuary of God, may discern a higher ground of God's judgements: But let no wicked man deceive himself, if he will take the pains but to study himself, he shall find, that himself is the cause of his own ruin, wittingly and willingly refusing to bear that good fruit that should grow upon such a tree, as he is vouchsafed to be; barren, not only according to the Law, but also to the Gospel, and then what remaineth, but if the cause be found in him, the judgement one day light on him? And so from the Cause, I come to the judgement, whereof I told you there are two parts. As our sins are compounded of Omissions and Commissions: so is our judgement either privative or positive; there is some good which we should do, but we do not, and therefore there is some good which we might have, whereof we miss; there is some evil we should not do, but we do it; and therefore there is some evil which we might scape, and yet we shall feel it; the Omission goeth before the Commission in sin, so doth the privative before the positive part in judgement. I begin therefore with the privative figured by the laying of the axe unto the root, and cutting up of the tree; What is the axe, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Nazian Tom. 1. pag. 633. saith Nazianzene? he answereth, that which cutteth off an uncurable person, though God hath done what was fit for his recoverte; which you may expound by that of the Poet, Cuncta prius tentanda, sed immedicabile unlnus; Ense recidendum est; When milder Physic will do no good, we must come to searing and cutting off a rotten member. After God's complaint, What could I have done for my Vine which I have not done? the next news we hear is the dissolution of the Vine, and the instrument of desolation is the Axe. By the Axe some understand Gods own hand, some the Army of the Romans; both say true, for both did concur; God's hand intelligibly, and the Romans sensibly; but if we parallel this place with that in Esay, Chap. 14. it seemeth more proper to understand the Romans here. For the Axe is an instrument, and the instrument is distinct from the efficient. But howsoever; the word giveth us to understand that God wanteth not means to execute his vengeance, the Scripture observeth variety of them; sometimes his Bow and Arrows; sometimes his Sword, sometimes his Hammer, but here his Axe, as best fitting an Husbandman that hath to do with barren trees; the axe is laid to the root of such trees. What is meant by the root there is some question; To pass by the tropological interpretations of the word, the literal is understood by some to note Abraham, by other some Christ. And indeed Abraham is immediately meant, as you may gather out of Saint Paul, Rom. 1●. If the root be holy, etc. and he is termed, The Father of the faithful; but mediately Christ is meant, who is the root of that root, and therefore doth he make all the faithful branches of himself, who is their Vine. But wherefore is the Axe laid to this root? to cut it up. The Axe hath two uses; the one to prune, the other to cut up; if a tree bear not so much fruit, as it should, than it is enough to prune away the rotten, the watery branches; but if it bear none, then cut it up; for the tree, that doth no good, will do a great deal of hurt, it maketh the ground barren, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Luke 13.7. not only by taking up the room of a fruitful tree, but by hurting above ground, and hurting under ground, it keepeth off the comfortable Sun from better plants, that is the mischief that cometh from the barren trees boughs: besides which there is another mischief that cometh from his roots; for they suck away the juice that should feed better trees; therefore must the Axe be put to them; not only to the branch, but also to the root. Behold the Image of God's lesser, his greater judgements; if our devotion be cold, God correcteth us by restraining our luxuriant affections, and cutting off our wasteful lusts, he pincheth us in things temporal, that we may have the more appetite to things eternal; but, if our devotion be none at all, he will no longer endure us to be the bane of others. But we must not mistake; it is not meant that the root shall be cut up, but the Tree shall be cut from the root: the fruitless branches should be cut off from the cognation which they have with Abraham, Rami iudigni excidentur à cognatione Abrahae. Theoph. john 15. Abraham shall continue a root still; you heard that proved in my last Sermon; much more shall Christ continue a root, without whom no tree can be. But the wicked shall take no root in them, they shall not be partakers of these roots either sweetness or fatness; they were trees planted in God's Orchard, the choicest of grounds, the best manured, on which the Husbandman bestoweth his greatest care, but they are not suffered to abide there any longer. To speak it plainly; see what they were, and judge thereby what it is to be cut off; Rom 3.9. Ephes 3. Heb. 12. it is to be deprived of God our Father, Christ our Saviour, the Holy Ghost our Comforter, the protection of Angels, the Communion of Saints, the inheritance of heaven; a woeful case to endure such loss. And yet this is the loss which they endure, which have been members of the Church, and are cut off; Infidels as well as Christians are shut out of Heaven, yet they that had means shall be more afflicted with the loss, than they which never had means, shall be afflicted with the want of Heaven, for Miserum est fuisse foelicem, it is a double woe to have been happy. He that is borne poor is not so sensible of poverty, as he that of rich is become poor; neither is he so sensible of sickness that was never well, as he that hath long enjoyed his health; want is not so bitter, as loss? This we must consider as the chiefest part of the trees punishment which beareth not good fruit. It is the chiefest, but not the only part; one mischief cometh not alone; there is another part which is more feared before hand, though when we are in it, it is less felt; and yet the sense thereof must needs be very painful, the word importeth as much; the word is fire. The curious wits of the Schoolmen misled by their bad Geography, Deign inferni ca usmodi fit, vel in qua mundi vel terrae plaga suturu● sit, hominem scire arbitror neminem, nisi forter cui spiritus divinitus estenderet. Austin. de Civit. Des lib. 2. cap 16. Non quare●dum ubi Gebennae ignis situs sit, sed magis quo pacto enitari possit. Chrysost Hom. do promise sanct ●om 1. pag 443. Cyril Alexan●in. p. 710. and worse historiography have delivered a great deal of ungrounded stuff concerning the nature and place of this sire, but we shall do well to follow the sobriety of the Fathers, Greek, and Latin, Touching Hell fire, what kind it is of, and where, in what region of the earth. I think no man can tell except he to whom God will be pleased to reveal it; saith Austin; and Chrysostome, We must not be curious to know where is the place of Hell fire, but study rather how is avoid it. Only let us learn of Nazianzen, that there is a double use of fire, for therewith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men are doomed, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or they are purified. We have not now to do with the purgative, but with the corrective use of fire: and seeing that fire is the symbol of plagning we must from our fire learn two properties of fire; it searcheth most, and spareth least, it leaveth no part unseized upon, and look whereon it seizeth, it afflicteth to the uttermost; which Nabuchadnezer knew, that chose that wherewith to torment the servants of God; yea, God himself doth show, who therewith destroyed Sodom and Gomorra; certainly in the Valley of Hinnom, it was so dreadful, that the Holy Ghost was pleased to use it as a symbol of the tortures of Hell, which leave no part of the tormented unpained, and paineth every part extremely; Only when we look upon our fire we must observe two differences between that and the fire of Hell. First, Hell fire goeth fare beyond it in degree; well may the torments be like, they are not equal. Secondly, they are unlike in durance; for ours consumeth and is consumed, but Hell fire neither wasteth his fuel, nor is wasted itself, both are everlasting; so that let ours afflict never so painfully, Sie perit ●t possit saepe per●●e. Horaque erit tant is ultima nulla mal●●. it cannot afflict long, but he that is in Hell fire endureth an everliving death. The tree that grows in the field grows for fuel, and it is no wonder to see it prove so; but a heavy thing it is for a tree to to become fuel, that grew to bear fruit? But in this case, the case of a barren fruit tree is worse than a tree of the field; because a tree of the field may be cut down not for fuel, but for building, but fruit trees are not fit for building; and nature hath made this their ineptness a privilege against the Axe; when for the building of stately Palaces the trees of the field go down, they stand, and are not cut down until they give over-bearing fruit, and then they are cut down only for fuel; for they are good for nothing else. Ezechiel hath a whole Chapter of it, wherein as in a glass, we may behold the condition of a sinner. If you put these parts of the judgement together, you may easily perceive that they amount to a total, a final eradication: It is total; for if a tree be cut up by the roots, there is no hope of the branches, because the branches have no life but derivative from the root; cut a tree as close to the root as you will, job will tell you there remaineth still hope of him, but it is past hope when the root is dead. As the judgement is total, so it is final; Chap. ●4 we never heard of the second grasting of a tree, certainly not of these trees; The Parable of the foolish Virgins showeth that there is no getting in when the doors be shut, and that there is no passage from Hell to Heaven, M●t. 25. L●●e 17. Abraham telleth the rich Glutton burning in those flames. But of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reprobation of, and Bill of Divorce given to to the jews, I spoke enough, when I spoke of that which they were willed to fly, which in former words of this Sermon is called wrath to come; wherefore I forbear to enlarge this point any farther, only wishing uncurable Impenitents herein to behold what a fear full thing it is to shall into the hands of the living God. You have heard of the persons and the judgement that the one of them doth denounce against the other. But the judgement is not only threatened, but threatened that it shall come upon them speedily, and overtake them universally; the speed is intimated in the first word Now, now is the Axe laid to the root of the tree; all the words are present, Now is put, Now is cut, which carry with them an Emphasis, and hasten the repentance of the hearer. Before it was calied Wrath to come, lest therefore they should put it fare from them, as the wicked in Amos, and the bad servant in the Gospel, and grow Atheistical scoffers, as some do in Esay, and others, 2. Peter 3: he is instant with them, and proposeth this judgement as imminent. But this seemeth to be a Paradox; john was the Harbinger of Christ, and with Christ began the Kingdom of grace; and how doth he then make it the time of judgement? so terrible a judgement? We must therefore observe that God never did any public remarkable good to magnify his mercy, but he did withal show the world some notable spectacle of his wrath, therein to magnify his justice; when Noah was saved, the world was drowned, and five Cities burnt, when Lot was delivered; how were the Egyptians destroyed, when Israel was set free? And when the Gentiles were received into the Church, what a desolation did he bring upon the jews? God will have fear and hope still to live in the hearts of the sons of men. Add hereunto, that Christ's coming is the last offer of Grace both to jews and Gentiles; he that refuseth now shall never speed; mark this point pressed by the Apostles both to the jews, and to the Gentiles; This is the reason why the Baptist, Christ, his Apostles begin their Preaching with Repent, A●● 13 Acts 14 17. this is, as the greatest, so the last manuring; the tree that proveth not now, must needs down, needs into the fire. But is not God always putting the Axe to the tree? yea, verily; he maketh daily spectacles of them; but to whole Nations he putteth not the Axe every day, he forbeareth them until they have filled up the measure of their sin; But if they abuse his patience and long-suffering whereby he laboureth to draw them to Repentance, than they shall find that they have treasured unto themselves wrath against the day of wrath; Rom 2 the Axe shall go unto the root. But in this jam there are two other remarkable things, the one is noted by Saint Ambrose, Hine disce quàm Philanthro●os Deus fit, Cu● et●ira●catur, th●wine●ur, adhuc relinquit locum averiendi ultionem. Hence learn how gracious God is, that even when he threatens irefully, yet leaves place for mercy. It is not with God as it is with men, men cannot check their passions nor hold their strokes, God can; and he leaveth it to our choice, whether he shall strike or no; for to that end doth he forewarn; and his messengers so temper their speech, as if they would have us fear, they would not have us despair. The Axe (saith john) is laid to, he doth not say, it is entered into the roots. The second is noted by Saint Chrysostome: A man would think that the judgement being so near, the time were too short to bear any fruit? Non est ta●●●● f●uctus 〈…〉 rationalium, qua●s 〈…〉 liwo, 〈◊〉 vimiram t●mpus expecta●s, sed vi●e suntaxat 〈◊〉 statim 〈◊〉 e●u●pit in ger●ina. Eccles. 5. Vrou. 1. But the fruit of Rational trees is not such as that of Irrational, it needs not so long time to ripen; be willing, and by and by thou mayst be said to fructify. Wherefore we must not put off from day to day, when will we repent, if not, when the stroke is at hand? Punishments work the more, the more they are imminent, on themon whom they will work at all; let us be sure that if we will not turn, God hath whet his sword, bend his bow, prepared the Instruments of death; When the Axe is cutting, thou shalt call and I will not hear, saith Wisdom. Therefore we must take advantage of our jam our Now; every man must; for the judgement is denounced universally; Every tree that beareth not good fruit; though he be a child of Abraham. Esay doth excellently amplify this figuratively; Saint Paul to the Corinthians, and Saint john in the Revelation expresseth it plainly; There is no Prerogative, no respect of persons, Every barren tree shall bear his punishment; Although there be difference between fruit trees in regard of quantity, yet fruit of the same quality will be expected of all. Neither may we think that the Eradication did seize upon every particular; Saint Paul hath taught the contrary, there were amongst them remainders of grace; but their state perished irrecoverably; and I think they are much deceived that think they shall ever become a Nation again. From the beginning of the Gospel God hath evermore as they became Christians mingled them with the Gentiles, and so (I think) will do unto the world's end. But to leave them, and come to ourselves. This Sermon was preached unto the jews, this judgement was denounced against them; But our Saviour Christ hath given us a good observation, when they told him of certain persons; Luke 13. ●. Think you (saith he) that these were the only sinners? Nay; I tell you, that except you repent, you shall likewise perish. Repentance then concerneth Us no less than them; and here is a good motive unto repentance, to think on these things, how great an evil it is to be excluded Heaven, what a miserable thing it is to burn in Hell; It is a sure way (saith Prosper) to make a man renounce all vice, to refrain all allurements of the flesh; specially if we add hereunto this Humility, not to presume of any good fruit, excepting that of jesus Christ; that will profit us, if we want our own; or rather, that also profiteth no man in whom it doth not work some of his own. When Saint john had ended this Sermon, the Chapter goeth on and telleth us that many came to him saying; Master what shall we do? Quomuis malus nec timore corrigatur, tamen bonus, nisi timuerit, perihit. Ergo denunciatio irae, etsi in malis nihil agate, tamen à malis bonos segregat. Although (saith Chrysostome) a wicked man will not be reclaimed no not with plagues, yet a good man except he fear shall perish; therefore denunciations that profit not the wicked, do notwithstanding discover the difference that is between the good and bad. Saint john had diverse kinds of Auditors, his Sermon did good to some, though to othersome it did no good; the Scribes and Pharisees were none of them that asked; What shall we do? the Publicans and Soldiers, the common people were; every one of them had his question, and received his answer. You perceive whom I wish you like in these days, so like those of Noah and Lot; O that we knew those things that belong unto our peace; the Axe hath been often put to our branches, if we profit it shall not come to our root, but it will not fail to strike as deep as the root, if we prove not more fruitful for the pruning of the branches: Let us inquire into ourselves, before God make his inquiry, and provide that we be not found fruitless, lest, Fructus in Iudaeis ●●uenire non potuit, utinam in nobis inveniat. we that have the honour to be grafted in their steed that are broken off, for like sin be subject to the like doom, both of Loss and Paine. I end with Saint Ambrose words. Christ came and could find no fruit in the jews, I would he might find some in us. Let us pray the good Husbandman that he would mediate for us, that space and grace may be bestowed upon us, that the sentence may be respired, and we again manured, lest we also prove fruitless, and be used as unfruitful trees. O Lord who only canst correct our nature and dispose our hearts, let the diew of thy grace so enable us, and thy assistance so stili guide us, that we may so fructify in this Paradise of Grace, that we may be transplanted into the Paradise of Glory; there to bear the fruit of Holiness, and reap the fruit of Happiness for ever. AMEN. A SERMON PREACHED at Paul's Cross. Anno 1623. Upon Luke 18. Verse 7, 8. BY The Right Reverend Father in God, ARTHURE LAKE, the late L. Bishop of Bath and Wells. LONDON, Printed by W. STANSBY for Nathaniel Butter. 1629. A SERMON PREACHED AT PAUL'S CROSS. ANNO 1623. LUKE 18. VERSE 7, 8. 7. And shall not God avenge his own elect which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? 8. I tell you that he will avenge them speedily: Nevertheless, when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on earth? THis Scripture doth apply a story which is reported immediately before. The story setteth before us the proceeding of an unjust judge, as a glass wherein we are to behold the dealing of our most righteous God. The judge, though he had no conscience, was overcome by importunity; and at length relieved a poor widow against her oppressor, only that he might rid himself of a suitor which would not be said nay: So God, though he forbear long, will in due time repay the persecutors of his suppliant Church, if her devotion never give him over. This we are taught in the words that now I have read unto you. More distinctly to break up this Application; I will observe therein Argumentum and Argumentationem; What is affirmed, and How it is inferred. That which is affirmed is in a word this; The Religious devotion of the Militant Church is very powerful, but is not very lasting. The Church is here called the Elect of God; but we have to do with no more of them then are on earth; that limitation is in the end of my text, wherefore no more of the Church is here mentioned then that which is militant. The Church being militant is made devout by the Cross; the Elect therein are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; being conscious to themselves of their own weakness, they call for help against their adversaries. The text telleth us, to whom, and how; They call unto him that is best able, and most willing, unto God; and to him they call earnestly, for they cry; and constantly, for they cry day and night. Such is the religious devotion of the Church Militant. And such devotion is Powerful, mark with whom, and to what effect. It is powerful with him to whom the Church prayeth; it prevails with God. And the effect to which it prevaileth is vindicatio cum vindictà, the deliverance of the Church to the utter confusion of her foes. God will avenge his Elect. But yet in this avenging festinat lentè, God maketh no more haste then good speed, for he forbeareth long; and yet he stayeth not so long as to come too late; he will avenge speedily. The devotion is powerful. But it is not very lasting; the rest of the text will teach that, Nevertheless, etc. though devotion steed us so much, yet become we most lither when we should ply our help most. And here mark first how the word is changed. Before our devotion was called crying, here it is called faith. There is good reason for the change; for Prayer, if it be religious is Oratio fidei; it is indicted by, and uttered from our saith. This crying faith, or faithful cry hath a wayning; the nearer the world is to an end, the older it groweth, and becometh weaker. The end of the world is here meant by the coming of the Son of man; at that time the dotage (shall I call it?) or rather death of this devotion shall appear: for it shall be sought for then, but it will not then be found; there will be then found no such praying as is powerfully devout. These things shall you find in that which is affirmed. After that you must see how they are inferred; And we shall find, that the inference is made strangely, but strongly. Strangely; for whereas God should be a pattern to the best of men; here one of the worst of men is made a pattern unto God. And that is strange. But yet the conclusion is strong; for if there be any sparkle of compassion in stony hearted man; how tender are the bowels of our most gracious Father? Whatsoever good the best of men will do, God will do the same infinitely much more. You have the contents of my text; what remaineth but that we beseech God that I may clear them so plainly, and you so religiously entertain them, that whereas the ends of the world are hastening upon us, our languishing devotion may so be quickened, that we may come with boldness to the throne of Grace, obtain mercy, and find grace to help in all our time of need. The first particular which I pointed out was the Title that is here given to the Church; it is here called Gods own Elect, which is all one in the Original Tongue with Ecclesia; the things, as well as the words, have a near cognation. And if you look upon them well, they are, though a short, yet a full definition of the Church for the Church doth consist of a number of persons, exempt from the common condition of men; and none can so exempt them but only God. More plainly. Men by the common condition of their nature, since the fall, are children of wrath, a Mass of Perdition; they are without God, without Christ, without the Spirit, without the Covenant, without hope, without all true life. To be elected is to be taken, not only out of the number, but out of the condition of such wretched men; to be made vessels of mercy, a new lump unto the Lord; to be admitted into God's house; to be incorporated into Christ's body; to be possessed of the Holy Ghost; to be made parties to God's Covenant; partakers of the Communion of Saints, and heirs of everlasting life. This is the Exemption or Election here remembered. And such an Exemption, such an Election, none can make but God. God only can forgive sins, release punishments, give grace, adopt for sons, finally, do whatsoever was before expressed in the Exemption; every branch is a Royal Prerogative of the King of Heaven. But I must not omit to observe unto you, That if God's Election (I speak not of the eternal Decree, but the manifestation thereof in the Church militant) there are two Acts. The first is the admission of persons into the outward Congregation, and unto the Sacramental Obsignation; which is nothing else but the outward profession of man, that he is a party to the Covenant of God; Deut. 7. Psal. 146. and so Moses telleth the Israelites that God hath chosen them to be his peculiar people; which is no more than that God hath given them his Law, which he had not done to every Nation. Rom. 9 Saint Paul addeth more particulars of this kind; and in this respect giveth the name of Elect to whole Churches of the Gentiles. But besides this Outward, there is an Inward Act of Election, and that is the operation of the Holy Ghost giving unto us spiritual Wisdom and Holiness; making us Gods children; and members of the mystical Body of Christ. And that Church which we believe in the Creed is partaker of both these Acts of Election, aswell the Inward as the Outward; and these latter be Electi ex Electis, whom Christ doth design when he saith in the Gospel, Many are called, but few are chosen. Because there are none in this world actually of the Church invisible, but those that are in the visible; and men cannot distinguish between the persons that partake either only one or both of the Acts of Election; therefore in my text we will take the definition of a Church in the widest sense, according to the rule of Charity which the Scripture observes, although the power of denotion doth properly concern the whole visible Body, by reason of the better part thereof, those which are aswell inwardly as outwardly of the Church. The use that we must make of this definition of the Church is by the first word to be remembered of our Prerogative; If we do partake only the outward Act of Election, how much are we better than the Heathen that know not the true God, nor the Saviour of the world jesus Christ, and are destitute of all those means by which they may be saved? But if, looking into our heart, we find saving grace there, (for God's Spirit doth witness unto our spirit that we are the children of God) when we contemplate in ourselves this second Act of Election, we have reason to think our Prerogative much more improved, by how much an inward is better than an outward jew; the Circumcision of the spirit, better than the Circumcision of the flesh; to be baptised with the Spirit, better than to be baptised with water; to eat Panem Dominum eat the flesh and drink the blood of Christ, better than to eat only and drink only Sacramental Bread and Wine; finally, to be a doer is better than to be a hearer of God's Word; The farther Christians go beyond Christians in these gifts, the better must they think their state; and these spiritual differences between man and man, better than whatsoever other differences there may be found between them. Although the world useth to be little sensible of this greater good, but most sensible of the lesser; wealth, honour, etc. wherein every man thinketh it a great matter to be advanced above his Neighbours. When we look upon the second word in the definition of the Church, that is God, we see to whom we are beholding for our advancement, and to whom we must give the glory of it; the glory of the first Act of Election; David concludes the remembrance thereof with Praise ye the Lord; Psal. 147. And of the second Act also, the glory must be given unto Him, for so do the Angels, the Beasts, the Elders, etc. after they have mentioned it, Reuel. 5. Revel. 5. If the question be moved, Quit te discrevit? Who hath differenced thee? our best answer will be, I thank God through jesus Christ our Lord, and let him that glorieth glory in the Lord. I told you I have not to do with the whole Church, but with that part which is militant, for such are the Elect which are on the Earth; Heaven is the place for our Crown, Earth for our Cross; where Michael and the Dragon striven, there must their Angels strive also; and the heel of the woman's seed must be bruised in the same place where it must break the Serpent's head. The Fathers do wittily observe that the Church came out of Christ's side when he died, as Eve out of Adam when he slept; Now out of Christ's side when it was pierced issued Water and Blood, Monuments of our two Sacraments, which remember us that we must drink of the same Cup whereof Christ drank, and be partakers of the same Baptism wherewith he was baptised; every one must take up his own Cross and follow his crucified Saviour. Saint Austin is resolute, Ad Bonifacium Comitem. Si Ecclesia vera est, ipsa est quae persecutionem patitur, we are bastards and no sons if we suffer not for Christ; and suffer we cannot but on earth; for when we part from the earth, we part from our enemies, the Flesh, the World, and the Devil; flesh and blood cannot enter into Heaven; Satan is cast out thence, and the world shall then be unto us as if it were not, therefore the Church Peregrinam agit in terris, she is here a Pilgrim, here she is like the desolate widow, here she grieveth for the wickedness of the world, and because she is not alike wicked with them, therefore doth the world implacably work her woe. Read this day's Epistle. Wisdom ●. In this militancie of the Church, the Elect of God become 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, they find that they need, and they seek for help; the word implieth as much; The Church is compared unto a Dove for her simplicity, and for her meekness she is compared unto a Lamb; As a Dove she is nothing suspicious, for quisque est vir optimus, ita difficillimè credit alios esse improbos, Good men look to find plain dealing as themselves deal plainly. As a Lamb the Church is as apt to be a prey, as she is not apt to pray upon any; she is a fit subject for the Shearer, and the Slaughterer, though itself be harmless and useful. Look upon the enemies of the Church, they are the Serpent and the Lion. The Serpent is full of fraud; fraud which circumuenteth our wits with sophistry, and transporteth our affections with vanity, coloured and blanched with a show of Truth and Good. The Lion is full of Cruelty, and delighteth in blood, watchful upon all opportunities, and never giving over the least advantage. And the instruments of the Serpent and the Lion (I mean wicked men) are Serpentine and Lion-like, deceitfully compassing their own end, and spending their power only in cruelty. This hath been the carriage of the enemies of the Church ever since God put enmity between the seed of the woman, and the seed of the Serpent. But it was never more remarkable then in Popish Equivocation, and that which they call their Holy Inquisition, the very marks of the Beast; and by them they make their nearest approaches to that Father of L●●s, and that ancient Murderer; sure I am they have cut the heart strings of all both Civil and Ecclesiastical true Policy. The Church being thus besteed, when from her enemies she reflects her eyes upon herself, findeth her own inabilite, her need of succour: and as the Apostles in their peril: so she in hers calls for help, Help Lord, or else we perish; so said they: so saith she. And my text telleth us that she hath recourse unto God, Psal 121. I lift mine eyes unto the Hills (saith David) from whence cometh my help; Our help standeth in the Name of the Lord who hath made Heaven and Earth; Psal 46. and God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble; And see how full the help is, He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High, Psal 9● shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty; the whole Psalm is an excellent commendation of the Church's choice, but specially that Verse, Verse 13. Thou shalt tread upon the Lion and the Adder, the young Lion and the Dragon shalt thou trample under feet; though we be as simple as Doves, yet God is able to make us as wise as Serpents; and he will make us confident as Lions, though of ourselves we be as meek as Lambs. And why? we have a Serpent to oppose unto a Serpent, even him that was figured by the Serpent whom Moses lifted up, Christ the wisdom of God; him we have to oppose to the grovelling Serpent that feedeth upon earth and earthly men. If you be stung by this latter Serpent, do but look to the former, and you shall presently be healed; for he is able to take that crafty one in his own wiliness. We have a Lion to oppose unto a Lion, the Lion of the Tribe of juda, to the roaring Lion; and out of the eater he can draw meat; by death he overcame him that had the power of death; and being the stronger, rifled that strong man's house: so that we may well say, If God be with us, who can be against us? if we rely upon his wisdom, we shall never be circumvented; neither shall we be oppressed, if we rely upon his Power; therefore the Church doth well to make her prayer unto Him. But how doth she pray? First fervently, for she cries. In the Ceremonial Law, Incensio went before Ascensio, the Sacrifice was set on fire before it yielded an odour of sweet smell ascending unto God; besides the silver trumpets sounded aloud, with variety of other Music while the Sacrifice was burning. These were but types whereof the moral was, that we must not be lither in devotion, but express a fervency therein. And we have a good Precedent in our Saviour Christ, who prayed with strong cries; Heb 5. King David doth express his earnestness by many sit Similes of parched ground, that gapes wide for the showers of rain; Psal 41. of a chased Hart that breatheth and brayeth after the water brooks; Psal ●4. N●●m. of the passions of Lovers which are very violent; And God liketh such devotion, for sitit sitiri, he longeth to be longed after. But we must remember that there is Clamour Cordis & Oris, a crying of the heart and the mouth; And as God is specially Inspector: so is he also Auditor Cordis; as his eyes are specially upon our hearts: so are his ears open thereunto; Non vox sed votum, non cordula musica sed Cor; Non Clamans sed Amans cantat in aure Dei. God doth best understand and accept the sighs and groans of our spirit which cannot be expressed. And yet, Ex abundantia cordis os loquitur, the sire that is in the heart will not be suppressed; a vehement passion will make a vehement elocution. Psal 39 But when we cry, we do it to manifest the earnestness of our affections, and extremity of our distress, not to rouse God, as if he could not otherwise hear; that were a conceit fit for the worshippers of Baal, ●. King 18. Tertull. de Oratione. whom Elias scoffs for it; for quibus arterijs opus si pro sono audiamur? if the cry of the voice were the measure of devotion, he that hath the most Stentorean voice should be most devout; but we must know that no cry of the lips can ascend higher towards God, than it is carried up by the fervency of the heart; though the fervency of the heart can ascend unto God, though the tongue be mute, for God said to Moses, why criest thou? when he spoke never a word. Whether we pray only with the heart, or also with the voice, we must be remembered by this practice of the Church to be earneest therein; earnest in our Soliloquies when we enter into our Closet; much more, when we are mustered in the holy Assemblies, must our devotion offer a grateful violence unto God; according to that good pattern which we have, Psal. 130. The Church prayeth earnestly; not only so, she prayeth constantly also; she cryeth day and night. The four Beasts in the Revelation day and night cease not saying, Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God Almighty; which is the practice of the Triumphant Church. Moses was willed to make all things according to the pattern that was she wed him in the Mount, therefore he instituted that the Sacrifices should burn day and night; Of the day there is no question; and it is put out of all question concerning the night also by those words in the Psalm, Behold, Psal 134 bless ye the Lord all ye servants of the Lord, which by night stand in the house of the Lord; 1. Chron. 9 33. and that phrase which we meet withal often in the Scripture of keeping Gods watches. The New Testament should herein answer the Old; and we are willed therein to pray continually. 1. Thess 5. The Divines have a rule, Precepta affirmativa tenent semper, sed non ad semper, the habits of virtue must ever be in us, but we must perform the Acts when we have just occasion; certain times we must appoint ourselves for Prayer, not only in the day but also in the night; so did David, he remembreth it often; and no doubt but others did it aswell as he; for the Church speaketh thus in Esay, Esay 26. With my soul have I desired thee in the night, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early. Christ spent nights in prayer, Acts 16. and Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises unto God at midnight. And the Canonical hours which are mentioned in the old Liturgies were distributed aswell through the night as through the day. To say nothing of the Vigils at solemn times. But so much of the public old Devotion which was used in the night, long since degenerated, and is out of use, even in the Church of Rome, as Bellarmine confesseth; though privately men may pray at all hours, and no doubt but many do, aswell in the night as in the Day. Some not contented with that limitation of affirmative Precepts to congruous time, do mingle our Meditations with our actions; so Saint Ambrose, Clamant opera tua, clamat sides, clamat affectus, De Cain 〈◊〉 Abel. clamat passiones, clamat sanguis; whatsoever good we do, or cross we suffer patiently, that is a real prayer. But to let pass these Observations, which may have their good use, (as may that also which understandeth Prosperity by Day, and Adversity by Night, and telleth us that we must pray in whatsoever state we are) I will observe unto you that which is more proper, and profitable, and which will show you that indeed the Church Militant doth cry day and night; take the words as strictly as you can. Observe then that a man prayeth many ways. First, in his own person; as David did, who professeth of himself that in his adversity he gave himself unto prayer; we have his practice in the Psalms; and we have Christ's not only practice but precept, Watch and pray; yea, Matth. 26. Chap. 6. and direction too, When thou prayest enter into thy chamber, etc. Finally, this duty is made a part of our Catechism; no man therefore should be ignorant of it, no man should neglect it. Secondly, we pray when any member of the Church doth pray, for Christ hath taught every man to say our Father, so to include others aswell as himself, even all that are members of the same body; so Singuli orant pro omnibus, 〈…〉 & omnes orant pro singulis, every man prayeth for all the Church, and all the Church doth pray for every man. And this is no small part of the Communion of Saints which we believe in our Creed; for God will that Oratio be Insigne charitatis, that out prayer be a perpetual Badge of our mutual Charity. Thirdly, every man prayeth when the Minister serveth God, he doth not only pray for us, but we also pray in him; mark the form of his words, they are all plural, We confess, we beseech, we pray, etc. he is the Minister of the Church, and it is the whole Church's Devotion that he presenteth unto God. Fourthly, whether we pray, or other members of the Church, or the Minister, we must observe that in all these prayers, there is something transient, and something permanent; the Act is transient, the Memorial is permanent; 1 Kin 18. learn this out of salomon's Dedicatory, Let these my words wherewith I have made supplication before the Lord, be nigh unto the Lord our God day and night; but you will say this is but a wish; read the beginning of the next Chapter, and you shall see that there God granted it, 〈◊〉 10. and the Angel told Cornelius that his prayers were come up for a memorial before the Lord. Fiftly, The Church Triumphant prayeth for the Militant in general as not ignorant of the condition out of which itself is come, and out of which it wisheth the Militant freed, as appears by that voice of the souls under the Altar, their crying loud voice, which saith, Reuel. 6. How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell in the Earth? This is Piè credibile, we may defend it without any offence to Piety. But that which the Church of Rome buildeth hereon, the Innocation of Saints, because they make Intercession, we may not admit; it trencheth too much upon divine Attributes, and hath too much cognation with their Doctrine of Transubstantiation; therein they give as it were an ubiquity unto Christ's Body, and here to the souls of the Saints. But I will not trouble you with Controversies, neither is that point so natural to this Text; only take this Item, that out of the general Intercession of the Saints for us, we can never gather our particuar Invocation of them; no nor general neither. Finally, our Saviour Christ doth only put sweet odours into our Prayers that they may come acceptable unto God, Reu●l 8. 〈◊〉 8. but also himself maketh perpetual intercession for us unto him, his blood cryeth better things than doth the blood of Abel. Put now all these together, Christ the Head, his Body the Church, that part which is Triumphant, that which is Militant, all the members, all the Ministers thereof; & you cannot doubt but the Elect do pray day and night. But every man in his own case must remember a good observation of Saint Chrysostom's, That Oratio propria our own prayers, make all the other prayers useful unto us; They avail for us by way of Impetration; but if we desire to be accepted of God, we must contribute our own devotion with theirs; for they do not pray to make us idle, but to supply the interrupting of our prayers, which is occasioned by our honest vocation or necessary refreshing; during which time we need not doubt but that we are remembered aswell to God, as of God. This constancy of prayer favoureth not the Euchites, who turned all Piety into Prayer, as if there were nothing else to be done; the Church hath long since branded them, and many of the Friars may go for their Cousin Germane. Matth. 6. Neither doth it favour the Heathenish battology which Christ condemneth. De Orand● De● ad Probam. Saint Austin helpeth us out with a distincton; Absit ab oratione multa locutio, sed non desit multa precatio, si fernens perseverat intensio; Christ forbiddeh bare Lip-labour, but Heart-labour he doth not condemn; pray as long as you will, so your heart pray as well as your tongue. Put now together the Persons and the Devotion, and then we see the Elect must pray, or else they shall not have what God doth purpose them; for as Christ saith; Ask and you shall have: so Saint james saith, you have not because you ask not. How absurd then are they, that make this profane Collection, I am elected, therefore it skilleth not whether I serve God; Thou vain man, he that electeth to the end, electeth to the means; yea, the election mentioned in my Text is unto this Service; for when thou art elected into the Church, thou art elected to be a Priest; thy person is elected to be a Temple; and prayer is that Sacrifice which every man must offer in that House of Prayer. Can any man be more elect than Christ was? And yet the Gospel teacheth that he sought for all things unto God by prayer; yea in our own case, when he was in an agony he prayed most earnestly, most constantly. But how can we doubt of this that the Elect must pray, whereas it is most true, that no Prayers are acceptable unto God but those that come from the Elect? john 9 For God heareth not sinners but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doth his will, him he heareth; The Sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord (saith Solomon) but the prayer of the righteous is his delight. There is a quarrel between us and the Church of Rome, Prou. 15. whether 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, those things which God offereth unto us, do work ex opere operato, produce their effects out of their inherent or adherent efficacies: but we are both agreed that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, those things which we tender unto God are accepted of God, ex opere Operantis, according as the person is religiously disposed in acting them. wherefore we must wash our hands in innocence, and so compass the Altar of God, and pray as beseemeth the Elect in Faith, Austin. Epist. 121. Hope and Charity. I have dwelled long enough upon the Nature of Devotion; let us come at length unto the Power thereof; I told you that the religious devotion of God's Elect is very powerful; Saint james telleth us, that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 very effectual, a little before my text we read that it will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bring under those things which it hath to do withal. In th● Law it is figured in Isha, ●euit 1. that is Ignitio, or a fiery thing, which you know, is piercing, and so prevalent. Chrysostome saith it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, it is Defensive, it is Offensive, it hath in it all power requisite for preservation of ourselves, and confusion of our enemies, he that can do nothing, if he can pray can do all things, neither can any thing conquer him that can be vigilant and fervent in prayer. But to come closer to my Text, that showeth us with whom it prevaileth, even with him to whom the Church doth pray, that is with God. We read that jacobs' name was changed into Israel, to signify a Prince with God, or (as the Angel himself openeth it) one that hath prevailed with God, and so by God's power shall prevail with men; but mark, the reason of this was because of his importunity in prayer, for the Text saith, Gen. 32. he wrestled with the Angel, and though the Angel desired, yet he would not let him go till that the Angel gave him a blessing, and the blessing was this name Israel, a monument of the efficacy of Prayer. God in his just indignation was ready to destroy all Israel, Exod. 32. formaking and worshipping the golden Calf, Moses set upon him with prayer, God said to him, Let me alone, Moses would not, God was sane to yield and pardon his people; Numb. 14. Aaron made the like experiment, wrath was gone out from God, Aaron made haste with his Censor, and stood between the living and the dead, and presently God's wrath was quenched; 3. Same 3●. And did not God command the punishing Angel to sheathe his sword so soon as David sacrificed in the threshing flower of Areunah? and for a perpetual Monument of that prevalent prayer consecrated that place for the Seat of his Temple, which was to be (according to Gods promise made to salomon's Dedicatory) a house of prevailing prayer. That we have not a second Flood to drown this world that is as sinful as the former, that the seasons of the year have continued so long, ●en 3. Winter, Summer, Seed-rime, Harvest, we own it unto the powerfulness of Prayer, for Noah sacrificed unto God, and God promised it should be so. But beyond all goeth the efficacy of Christ's Sacrifice upon the Cross, Intercession at the right hand of God, which wrought the redemption of man, and doth continually preserve and propagate the Church if there were nothing else, this showeth abundantly how powerful prayer is with God; and the power which our prayers have with him, we are beholding for it unto this, they prevail with God only through josus Christ our Lord, But we must not mistake; this prevalencie of our Prayer, is not physical but moral, God is not forced by us against his will, but out of his good will he yieldeth unto us, as parents use to be overcome by the petitions of their children. ●eui● 1. Pr●●. 15. Therefore is the Sacrifice of God in the Law said to be Ratzon, a thing that pleaseth him well, to be his delight, a savour of a sweet smell, a savour of rest, it is grata violentia, he that ruleth all, is well pleased to be overruled by prayer. Wherefore seeing we know what will prevail most with him, if we mean to speed of our desires, let us use that most which we are sure will please him best, let us not be lither therein, but fervent in spirit. Rom. 12 But whereto serveth this powerfulness of Prayer? The Text saith, ad vindicationem & vindictam, God upon their prayer will avenge his Elect. And indeed in the Law God saith, Vengeance is mine, Deu●. 22 Chap. 32. Psal. 93. and I will repay, the Apostle repeateth it to the Romans, the Psalmist saith as much, O God to whom vengeance belongeth, thou to whom vengeance belongeth, show thyself; Chap. 1. Nahum doth amplify this property of God very emphatically, the Chapter is worth your reading. The first thing I observe here is, That when in our distresses, and while we are under crosses we seek for secure unto men, we find that for the most part they have blind eyes, they will not see our case; deaf ears, they will not hear our groans; fast hands, they cannot open them for us; and feeble knees that will not stir towards us; finally, they have hard hearts, they have no fellow-feeling of our misery; but here is our comfort, there lieth an Appeal from man to God, and they shall prevail with God, which cannot prevail with man, he will not shut out our petitions, though no body else careth for our soul. Therefore we must in welldoing commend our case to him that judgeth righteously, assured, that as salvation belongeth unto him, so his blessing is upon his people, He is nigh to them that call upon him, to all that call upon him faithfully. The word in my Text doth signify vindicationem, and vindictam, the deliverance of the Church, and the destruction of her enemies, which commonly go together, as appears in all the principal deliverances recorded in the Scripture; when Noah was saved, the whole world was drowned; Lot was delivered when Sodom was burnt; when God freed the Israelites, the Egyptians perished; so did the Babylonians when the jews were set free; finally, the just shall go to Heaven, when the wicked go to Hell. The reason why these are coupled together, is because the enemies of the Church are like savage beasts, which when they have a prey in their power will not let it go by fair means, they must be forced to do it, which David insinuateth in those words in the Psalm, Thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone, Psal. 3. thou hast broken all the teeth of the ; or if you will, the is made the ransom of the just, and cometh in his place when he is delivered, as teacheth Solomon. But yet, this rule must we observe for guiding of our Piety, that although vindicatio & vindicta, our own deliverance, and the confusion of our foes usually go together; yet in our prayer we must desire vindicationem propter se, vindictam propter aliud; our own deliverance with a full and with a direct affection, we may, we must desire; but we may not, we must not desire the confusion of our foes, otherwise then if it stand not with God's pleasure to convert them, nor to make way to our deliverance but by their destruction. Yea and then too it standeth with the Charity of the Gospel to be compassionate to them, and to pray unto God for them. Finally, observe, that whereas the wicked in sinning offend God, and wrong us, God seemeth more sensible of our wrong then of his own offence; in that Christ saith He will avenge his Elect, he seemeth to hold himself wronged in them. Psal. ●●●. And indeed he that said, Touch not mine Anointed, said also He that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of mine eye; he avengeth them as if he suffered in them. God doth so; but yet in avenging festinat lentè. First, lentè, he maketh no more haste then good speed, for he forbeareth long. You shall find in the Scripture a double 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or long-suffering of God; one towards the Sins, the other towards the Woe of his Elect; and we must be contented aswel with the one, as the other; we must be contented aswell to stay during God's pleasure, as he stayeth our leisure until we repent of our sin, he is unworthy to have the benefit of the latter, that is discontented with the former. The rather, because it hath so manifold a use, and is so beneficial both to ourselves and others. To ourselves, First, ad probationem, to make proof that we are that which we would seem to be, to be Gods own Elect. The Ark (saith Saint Austin) was made of square timber, which, which way soever it turned, stood firmly: even so doth the Church consist of Saints that always are the same, and like themselves. Secondly, Ad preseruationem; war is more expedient for the Church than peace, for peace maketh us effeminate and cowardly, but wars put strength and courage into us; This the Author of the Tripartite story observeth well speaking of the persecution of the Church. And indeed, Lib. 11 cap 33. Bernard. In pace amaritudo amarissima, we are never worse to God-ward, then when we are most at ease in the world, free from Tyrants, and free from Heretics. Neither have we only the benefit of God's patience, others have it also, facit ad propagationem, it maketh for the increase of the Word. Lactantius handleth this point very elegantly: Lib 5 tom. Instant cap. 23. Amongst those that are spectators of the Martyr's sufferings (saith he) some wondering at their patience, ask, What that good thing is for the obtaining whereof they endure such losses and pains? and so come to be informed of the Gospel. Othersome inquire, What evil that is, the forbearing whereof, maketh them to be handled so oruelly? and they come thereby to learn the vanity of Idols. Both ways, Sanguis Martyrum fit semen Euangelij, by Martyrdom the Gospel getteth ground, and Idolatry doth lose it. Neither only doth this patience propagate the Gospel, it confirms also the Professors thereof; Phil. 1. Many of the Brethren in the Lord waxing confident by my bonds are much more bold to speak the word without fear; wavering consciences are settled when they see Confessors and Martyrs endure so much for God's Truth, and seal it with their blood. Finally, Christ will have that appear in the members, which hath been already approved in the Head, that they can break the Serpent's head, and that they are built upon the Rock, so that the gates of Hell cannot prevail against them, no winds or waves, though they beat and blow, can beat or bear down their house, because it is built upon a Rock; Sic deferre inagnae est clementiae, Chr●sostome. Christ doth his Church a favour in so delaying. These are important Reasons of Gods suffering long. And yet God stayeth not so long, as to come too late, for God's permissive Providence is always followed with an effective, he suffereth not the enemies of the Church to pass their bounds, he always holdeth the bridle that is fastened upon their nostrils; 1 Cor. 10. Psal ●8. No temptation befalleth us which is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, sufferable by man, and with the Lord are always the issues of death, when the wicked have filled up the measure of their sin, when the number of the Elect is fulfilled, then is it seasonable for God to avenge, Gen. 15. then behold he cometh quickly. That is no speed that preventeth this season, and we must hold that quick enough which God holdeth quick, with whom a thousand years are but as one day. And this the rather we must think, because the time which we suffer is nothing to the time wherein we shall reign, for our light afflictions which are but for a moment, are rewarded with an exceeding eternal weight of glory. The time in which the wicked revel and riot, is as nothing, in comparison of the time wherein they shall suffer, for they shall be bound in everlasting chains of darkness, fed upon by a Worm which never dieth, and burning in a fire which never goeth out. Add hereunto that when God beginneth, he will quickly make an end; he hath laneos pedes, but ferreas manus, & tarditatem vindictae gravitate compensat, though God come slowly to it, yet he payeth home, and the wicked go down in a moment into Hell. And yet see our weakness, Eccles. 8. Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the hearts of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil; yea, Psal 116. David himself said in his haste that All men are liars, so languishing was his devotion, and so much did his impatien●i pr●u●nt God's season. But we must learn to possess our souls in patience; If God tarry, wait for him, Habacuck. 2. for he will surely come and will not tarry; behold his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him. For the just must live by his faith; which is a virtue not very lasting, as you must now hear in the next point. Nevertheless, etc. Though religious devotion be very powerful, yet it is strange to see how short lived it is, had we a friend upon whom our welfare depended, how diligently would we attend him? How often would we remember him of our case? How earnestly would we importune him for his help? And yet the best men are not always alike kindly affected, neither are they always alike able to steed us. God is always like himself, Almighty, Al-mercifull; and yet who plyeth him for his eternal defence, so much as we usually ply men for their temporal? But mark here how the word is changed for before it was Crying here it is Faith; The reason of the change is very good, for our Crying must be indicted by, and uttered from our faith. And indeed, how shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? H●e that asketh any thing of God (saith Saint james) must ask in faith nothing wavering; and Let not a wavering man think that he shall receive any thing from the Lord. But Faith is here understood not as it is Sciential, but as it is Conscientiall; not as it entertaineth God's Truth, but as it putteth it in practice, and turneth a Sermon into a Prayer; such faith doth Christ mean often in the Gospel, when being sued unto to work a miracle he answereth one; Mark 10. Go in peace, thy faith hath made thee whole, saith unto another, Matth 15. Mttah 8 O woman great is thy faith; and of another, I have not found such faith no not in Israel. Of this faith the rule is true, Si defici● fides, deficit oratio, our devotion and this faith will live and die together. And the point which my Text, teacheth is that this Faith, and so Devoion is not long-lived. But here observe two things, first, That it faileth; secondly, When it saileth. First, That it saileth. We should all hold out, but few do; being under God's permissive Providence, we should expect his effective; but Adversity maketh wisemen mad, and in time of adversity many fall away; men do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shrink in the conflict like Cowards both in soul and body. There is not a more sensible decay in the Great then in the Little World, in our bodies, then in our souls; there are periods of Piety aswell as of Policy, and Conversions of Churches aswell as of States; witness Arrianisme, Mahumetisme, Papisme, yea, and Atheism too, which have brought practice Faith and religious Devotion unto an irrecoverable consumption. The Papists will needs be an exception to this decay of faith; but whether you take faith for Sciential or Conscientiall they are spectacles to the world of a dying faith, their errors cannot be excused, and their superstitions are intolerable. Whether we be in our declination or no, it is worth our enquiry. An old Friar preaching to his Brethren spoke these words; Fratres, in principio religionis nostrae, etc. Brethren, when our Order first began we were full of Conscience, in process of time we lost a syllable, and then retained nothing but Science; we have now lost one syllable more, and we are nothing but Entia, certain flow Belites good for nothing. I am sure we have lost one syllable, if we have lost no more, for Conscience to Godward and towards the world are rare things. But what talk I of Christian faith? We have overlived Civil faith; I am pridem fugêre pudor, verumque fidesque, In quorum subiere locum fraudesque dolique. though cases of Conscience be not so corruptly delivered by us as by jesuits, Psal 14. who teach men artificially to lie, and to murder meritoriously; yet in practice we are gone very fare, and if God should look down from Heaven to see if there were any that would seek after God, Chap. ● he should find that all are gone aside, etc. We may read a picture of ourselves in jeremy, if we do not exceed it. What may we conceive, but that the Son of Man is coming? Psal 110. for towards his coming this degeneration will be most manifest. Not at his first Coming, for then, the birth of his womb was like the morning dew, it suddenly overspread the earth, The Kingdom of Heaven suffered violence, and the violent took it. Christ's second coming shall be like the days of Noah, as then, so at Christ's coming, Men will be eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage; then the Flood came, and then shall come the Fire. Neither shall Faith be only latens lurking, as in time of persecution, but languens giving up the Ghost, for want of grace. But let us weigh the phrase; shall he find when he cometh? then he cometh to seek this faith; and so indeed be doth. For as all judgement is given to him as he is the Son of Man, and he shall come to judge in the glory of his Father: so his first enquiry is, not only What his Church suffereth, but How it is disposed, neither must we look for his relieving hand, except he find us busy at our faithful cries. When God sent Moses to deliver Israel, mark what he saith unto him, Exod ●. Rom. 8. I have seen the affliction of my people, and have heard their cry, and Saint Paul telleth us that they that have the first-fruits of the Spirit sigh in themselves while they look for the redemption of their bodies; Saint Peter, 2. Pet. 3. Seeing all these things shall be dissolved what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for, and hastening to the coming of the Day of God. Christ before both, Luke 21. Watch and pray always that you may be accounted worthy to escape all those things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man. If God give us sighs and groans which cannot be expressed, it is a good prognostication of our delivery, if we be senseless and stupid, it is a sign of our destruction, either in terra nostra, when he bringeth troubles upon our State, and the Clouds gather apace and threaten a storm; Ambros. or cum orbe terrarum at the genetal Day of judgement, which cannot be fare off, as appears by the general defect of faith, at which time there will be very few left to be saved. Finally, observe the phrase: Christ doth not doubt, but foretell what shall be; yea, and deplore also those wretched times, because he is the Son of Man, that is, hath given us so great an interest in him, and himself beareth so great an affection to us: So that the manner of the speech doth Terrorem incutere; and should Torporem excutere, it serveth to strike a terror into us, and to rouse us out of our lethargy. I have done with the Argument, I have showed you what is affirmed; I come now to the Argumentation, and in few words will show you, How it is inferred. It is inferred, First, very strangely; for God in good things should be a pattern unto man, but man is here made a pattern for God, a wicked man, for a good God; but it is not in wickedness but in goodness; And Christ's meaning is to teach us, That we may imitate not only the good, but the bad also in that which they do well; Christ himself did so, he compares his second Coming to the stealing on of a thief in the night, Et quod decuit Christum, cur mihi turpe putem. Yea, he biddeth us do so, imitate not only the bad Steward in his Providence, but the Serpent also in his wisdom. Saint Paul. borroweth Sentences out of the Heathen Poets; Saint Austin borrowed a rule of interpreting the Scripture from Tichonius the Donatist. Truth and Goodnessse in whomsoever they are, they are Gods, and therefore whether the point be speculative or practice, if it be of this kind, in whomsoever we find it we may follow it, and in following it we follow not m●n but God; God (I say) in that of his which we find in men, for virtus vel in host landatur; and this imitation is one of the profits we may make of our most deadly enemies. Therefore it is too much preciseness to dislike some things in our Church, because therein we follow the Church of Rome, as if all principles of reason and Religion were dead in them: as it is too much malice in the Romanists to dislike many things because they come from us, though otherwise they cannot deny them to be reasonable. Christ's Inference teacheth us more indifferency of judgement. Though the Inference may seem strange, yet is it very strong, for we may strongly conclude à minus probabili ad maius; if a corrupt judge will be moved with importunity, how much more a just God? If a poor Widow prevail so with man, how shall Gods own Elect prevail with him? If the Cries of Nature work so much, how shall the Cries of Grace work? The proceeding of the wicked judge may well resolve us of that which we may expect from God. This Parable represents a strong motive. Maith 7. If you that are wicked know how to give good things to your children when they ask you, how much more your Father which is in Heaven? etc. Therefore Christ doth not only move the question, as if it were a Problem, but turns it into a direct Affirmation: I tell you He will; and Christ's I tell you is a seal of certainty, for he is Amen, the faithful and true witness; yea, it is He himself that shall do what he saith, as appears, Esay 63. Who is he which cometh from Edom? and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Thanksgiving in the Revelation. But I draw to an end. The conclusion of all my Text is this; If at any time we be distressed and not relieved; the fault is not in God, it is in us, for our Devotion is tired oversoone, we are all modicae fidei, men of little faith, and though the spirit be willing, yet the flesh is weak, and the weakness of the flesh prevaileth more than the willingness of the Spirit. Wherefore we must all pray unto God to give us the Spirit of Grace and Prayer. ANd Lord we beseech thee help our unbelief, and increase our faith, yea, Lord, pray thou that our faith fail not, and the more thou dost exercise our patience, the more earnest let us be for thy deliverance; deliverance from our corporal, deliverance from our spiritual foes; that well overcoming our Militancie here on earth, we may be Triumphant with the Saints in Heaven, where we shall turn our Prayers, into Praises, and sing day and night, honour, praise, strength and power be unto him that sitteth upon the Throne, and to the Lamb for evermore. AMEN. SUNDRY SERMONS DE TEMPORE. PREACHED UPON Several Occasions by the Right Reverend Father in God, ARTHUR LAKE, D. of Divinity, Lord Bishop of and Welles. printer's device of the brazen serpent, used by Robert Young LONDON, Printed by R. Young for N. BUTTER. 1629. יהוה EIGHT SERMONS ON THE NINTH CHAPTER Of the Prophecy of ISAIAH. ISAIAH 9 VERS. 6, 7. For unto us a Child is borne, unto us a Son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulders: and his Name shall be called, The wonderful Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his Government and Peace there shall be no end, upon the Throne of David and upon his Kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgement and justice, from henceforth even for ever: The zeal of the Lord of Hosts shall perform this. THis is the first Lesson appointed for this Morning Prayer; and appointed fitly: For the Argument well fits the Time. We are now met to praise God for the Morning of the Church. Zacharie, Luke 1. doth so call the Birth of Christ, saying, The day spring (that is, the Morning) from on high hath visited us: Yea, Christ himself (Revel. the last, vers. 16) doth call himself The bright Morning star. And verily his Birth was the most blessed Morning that ever the Church saw; whether you respect the Night that went before, or the Day that followed after, it was the blessedest Morning that ever the Church saw. The Night was long and dark, a Night of want, of war: so we read in the last of the former, and the first verse of this chapter: But the Day that followed was a clear and lasting Day, a Day of harvest, a triumph Day; so we are taught in the four verses that go immediately before my Text. A great alteration: Who could work it? who could turn that night into this day? what Sun shone forth in so great strength? In such a case, man was like to move such a doubt; therefore the holy Ghost hath resolved it, and his resolution of that doubt is my Text. Lo here is one that can undertake that work: who he is, How excellent he is, we are taught here, and that in regard of his Person, and of his State. For of his Person here are the Natures wherein it subsisteth; here is the People to whom it belongs. It subsists in two Natures; 1. The Nature of Man, He is a Child: 2. The Nature of God, He is the Son. The Person subsisting in these two Natures belongeth unto whom? To Us was he borne, he was given to Us, saith the Prophet Esay, and Esay was a jew. Christ then belongeth to the jews; though the jews must not be understood according to the flesh, but the spirit. To these jews was he vouchsafed by taking and giving. Natus, he took his nature from them; and Datus, what he took, he with advantage bestowed upon them. But of what degree was he amongst them? here cometh in his State; He was a King, The Government shall be upon his shoulders. The Government, that was Royal; for verse 7. it is called The Throne, The Kingdom of David. He shall sit upon that; and that is the Government that shall be laid upon his shoulders. And happy are the People that have such a King. You will confess it, if you consider his Excellency. The Excellency both of his Person, and of his State. Of his Person; that appears in his endowments: Of his State; that appears in his managing thereof. The Endowments of his Person are Royal: Read his Titles, He shall be called (and what he is called, that he certainly is) He shall be called by those names that express such virtues as most beseem a King, our King. For a King, over and above the Virtues which are common to him with his Subjects, must have more than ordinary Wisdom, and Power. And see, this King is called for his Wisdom, The wonderful Counsellor; for his Power, The mighty God. But mistake not his Kingdom; it is not of this World. He that is our King, is The Father of Eternity, that is, Of the World to come. And as his Kingdom is not of this World: so is not the condition of his People worldly; it is Peace: and Peace is not the portion of this world, but of that which is to come. Our King is the Prince of this Peace. You see how the Person is endowed, and thereby how excellent the Person is. There is an Excellency in his State also; it appears in the Effect, in the Cause. The Effect; for of this Kingdom there are no bounds: and the felicity of the Subjects is also boundless. so saith the Text; Of the increase of his Government and Peace, there shall be no end. Such an Effect must have an answerable Cause; it hath: justice and judgement are the Policy of this State. with these, as a wonderful Counsellor, he doth order, as a mighty God, he doth support his State. And he doth it uncessantly, From henceforth and for ever. As the Effect: so the Cause; this is eternal, therefore that. These Truths concerning Christ's Person and State, are not only affirmed in the body of the Text, but also assured in the close thereof. Much you have heard, and yet no more than shall be: He that hath promised, can do it, such is his Power; He is the Lord of Hosts. Nay, he cannot but do it, such is his Love: for his Love is Zeal. So concludes the Prophet, The zeal of the Lord of Hosts shall perform this. You have heard the sum of this whole Text, and therein see a most exquisite picture of our Saviour Christ: certainly it is the fullest, the liveliest, that ever the holy Ghost in so few words expressed in any part of the Old Testament. For here Christ is not only drawn from top to toe, but drawn also with those varieties that befell him from eternity to eternity; from the eternity that was before the world began (for it looketh as fare back as his eternal Generation) unto the eternity that shall be after this world shall cease to be: for it looketh as fare forward as his Glorification. Yea, whereas Christus is either Naturalis, or Mysticus, considered alone in himself, or jointly with his Church, lo, here are both, both are clearly revealed unto us. So that what is there that you would desire to see in Christ, that you may not see in this Text? See it no doubt you do, but yet not so fully as I wish. Wherefore let me point more distinctly at the meaning of my Text, and follow me (I beseech you) with a religious eye, and a diligent view thereof. The whole Text doth break itself into two parts: a Doctrine, and a Warrant thereof. The Doctrine openeth the Person and the State of Christ: and of both these it delivereth the substance, and the eminency. I begin at the substance of the Person. Wherein first we are to see the Natures wherein this Person subsisteth; The nature of Man, noted by the Child; The nature of God, noted by the Son. Though the later jews, in hatred of Christ, whom they will not have to be their Messiah, misapply these words to Ezechias, who was indeed a Type of Christ, Esay 32. yet not the Truth itself; notwithstanding the ancienter jews (not only the Christian Fathers) refer them to the Messiah, as may be gathered out of the Septuagint, and Caldee Paraphrase. The Child then and the Son are plain, but they are solemn words. The holy Ghost is not curious in paraphrasing them, or setting limitations to them, such as happily might make his meaning more apparent, and let us know what Child, what Son he meaneth, because these words were more frequent in the mouths of the jews; by them did they ordinarily note their Messiah; from the fall of Adam were they used to these Phrases. In Paradise Christ was called The seed of the Woman; which is but the Periphrasis of a Child. jacob speaks of Shilo which should come from juda, and come, when the Sceptre, and Lawgiver were both gone. Acts 15. This appears to be meant of Christ, who (as St. james observes out of Amos) came to repair the Tabernacle of David, which was quite fallen down. Touching the Son, most lively is the Prophecy made to King David, 2 Sam. 7. concerning this seed, of whom God said, He shall be my Son, and I will be his Father. St. Paul Heb. 1. applies this unto Christ; it must be understood of him: as likewise that place, Psal. 2. Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. St. Luke Chap. 3. fetcheth his Pedigree from Adam, from God: The Gospel calleth him The Son of David, and the Son of the Highest. I need add no more places. This you must observe, that by the Child, by the Son, the Old Testament, the New Testament warrant us to understand Christ, who was usually called The Child, The Son. These are solemn words. As they are solemn; so are they necessary also: the Child was not enough, neither was the Son enough in our case. Supposing Gods decree, we must have a Person apt, and able: The Child was apt, but he was not able; the Son able, but not apt: Put them both together, and then you have ability and aptness to work the Redemption of man. There is aptness in the Child to obey, to suffer, to undergo whatsoever cannot beseem the Son: But that he may do, and suffer meritoriously, acceptably, the Child must be enabled by the Son; from the Son must the Child receive both strength and worth: Therefore we have both a Child, and a Son; and if not both, none, no Saviour: for neither could alone suffice. As the words are solemn and necessary: so are they strange. It is strange the Son of such infinitencsse, the Child of such finiteness; the Son of such glory, the Child of such meanness; the Son of such power, the Child of such weakness, should come so near together, as to make one Person, a deified Man. And because strange, therefore many have stumbled at them; some at the Son, some at the Child, severally considered; some at them both, considered jointly. The Arrians they set upon the Son, the Godhead of Christ, and would have him a creatitious God, or at the best, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Against them the first Council of Nice was assembled, and defined, that Christ was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, truly God, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the same substance with his Father, God of God, (as it is in the Creed) light of light, very God of very God, begotten of his Father before all worlds. When they were quelled, the Apollinarists set upon the Child, and pared away the best part of the Manhood of Christ: They granted Christ's Godhead, and so much of his Manhood as concerned a Body; but a reasonable soul they would not grant him, they thought that his Godhead supplied that. The Understanding, and the Will of Man is not requisite (say they) seeing both are found in God. Against them was assembled the Council of Constantinople, which defined, that Christ was, not only perfect God, but perfect Man, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, of a reasonable soul, and humane flesh subsisting; as it is in Athanasius Creed. And miserable were our case, if their definition were not true. Damascene his Rule might strike a terror into us, Quod non est assumptum, non est curatum: And what shall become of man, if the better part of man, nay that which only maketh a man, for, Forma dat nomen, & esse; be not saved by Christ? When these Heresies were stopped, which set upon the parts of Christ's Person severally, than began those which set upon them jointly. Nestorius he acknowledged the truth of the Godhead, and fullness of the Manhood: but he brooked not that Union of these two in one person, without which Christ could be no Redeemer. A friendly and loving association and cohabitation he would have of two Persons, The Child of Marie, and The Son of God: but he would not endure, that both should be accounted but one Person, or, that the Virgin Marie should be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, The Mother of God; expressly crossing the saying of the Angel, That holy thing that shall be borne of thee shall be called the Son of God: Yea, razing the comfort of many passages of Scripture, which by a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (as the Fathers call it) not real, but verbal, whereof there is no other foundation but this personal Union; do attribute to the Child in Concreto, that which springeth from the Son; and to the Son in Concreto, that which springeth from the Child. As for example; No man (saith Christ) ascendeth into Heaven, but he which descendeth from Heaven, even the Son of Man which is in Heaven: Take away the personal Union, this speech cannot be true. For the son of Man was not in Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, not in the nature of man, but in the nature of God, hypostatically united unto man. In the twentieth of the Acts, God is said, with his own blood to redeem his Church. An impossible thing, were it not for the personal Union, which maketh that to be ascribed unto God in Concreto, which indeed belongs unto Man. But the reason of the Phrase, is, God is one with Man. Yea, all the nature of merit is founded in this Union: Lose the union, and overthrew the merit. For the ability of the Son closeth not with that aptness which before you heard of in the Child, to perform the blessed Act of Redemption; but by this means of personal Union. Against so pestilent an Heresy, was assembled the Council of Ephesus, that defined, that God and Man made but one Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and that the nature of man, assumed by the Son of God, was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, it had no personality, but that which before was in the Son. And the Reason of it is very clear: For, seeing Christ came to save, not any one person, but the seed of Abraham, as the Apostle speaketh, Heb. 2. he was to assume, not a person, but the nature of Man, that so he might be the common Saviour of Mankind. Nestorius' being put down, up starteth Eutyches, and he, in stead of a personal Union of the Natures, forged a Confusion of them: He would so join them, that two should become one, not Person, but Nature; and so of God, and Man, we shall neither have God, nor Man; one shall be swallowed up in the other, at the least, the Manhood, in the Godhead. And this overthrows not only the apparent Texts of Scripture, which speaking of Christ after the Incarnation, call him sometimes God, and sometimes Man; and particularly, as Rom. 1. Phil. 2. and elsewhere reckon up either Nature: but it abolisheth all the comfort of those sweet Texts, which affirm, that the Law was fulfilled in our flesh, that we were crucified with Christ, that we rose with him, and that with him we sit in heavenly places; but especially that Text to the Hebrews, which biddeth us come with boldness unto the Throne of Grace, because we have not such an High Priest as cannot be touched with our infirmities, seeing he is like unto us in all things, sin only excepted. Against Eutyches was assembled the Council of Chalcedon, which provided for the sincerity of our Faith in this Article, and hath defined against this confusion of Natures, the compounding of the Nature of God and Man, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. And the learned Writings of Leo the First, Vigilins, and others, are excellent Commentaries upon that Council. But to what end have I opened all this? Surely that you might see the riches of this first branch of my Text, teaching us what Christians must believe (maugre all Heretics) guided by those famous General Counsels; namely, four things there are to be considered therein: 1. The truth of the Godhead. 2. The fullness of the Manhood. 3. The Personal Union of both. 4. and yet without abolition of either. So that we may in these words read the whole Mystery of the Incarnation. But one Caution I must give you, and not I but the Fathers generally, and that is, You must acknowledge these Mysteries, but you must not pry too fare into them, lest that befall you, which is in the proverb, Qui scrutator est Maiestatis, opprimetur à gloria: While you will know more than is permitted, you mistake that which is revealed. In every Article of our Creed, especially in this, that of Moses holds, The secret things are for the Lord, but the revealed things are for us. That these things are so, is the revealed part of the Article; but how they come to be so, is the secret part thereof. Let us be contented with that which is ours, and leave Gods unto himself: Licet scire quòd natus sit Christus, non licet discutere quomodo natus sit, illud negare mihi non licet, hoc quaerere metus est. Nam generationem eius quis enarrabit? saith St. Ambrose. And it was this Quomodo, that was the bane of all the forerecited Heretics; and I pray God their harms may make us to beware. Let us be wise unto sobriety, the seeds that they sowed are not yet all dead, they fructify too much in other parts, and something have they shown themselves of late in our Country; lest they possess us, this Caveat must be marked by us. The last thing which I will note on these words, is, they are most sweet words. The name of Child and Son make Christ most lovely in the ears, in the eyes both of God and Man. If man were put to his choice, what nature he would wish to be used in his Redemption, is there any that he could desire, rather than his own? And what nature can better content God in the Redemption, than his own? Look upon the Child, Man hath what he would; and look upon the Son, God hath what he would: both cannot be but well pleased. You hear not all the sweetness of it, look again upon the Child. The Physicians and Divines druid the life of man into many ages; some after one fashion, and some after another; but the very first is that which most properly is noted by this word: it signifieth that age which gins upon the conception, that moment wherein the nature of man taketh beginning. No sooner is the Child quickened, but it is jeled, it is that which is noted by this Child, and the English word seems to come thence. The love of Christ to children appeared many ways; when he rebuked his Disciples that would not suffer them to be brought unto him; when he accepted Hosanna out of their mouths; when he vouchsafed them to be Martyrs at his death: but never did he express so much love unto them, as he did in being like unto them, even the youngest and tenderest of them, lodging in his mother's womb, borne in his mother's arms, sucking at his mother's breast, and learning to speak from his mother's mouth; could Christ ever have taken a more gracious course to sanctify their simplicity, plicitie, their infirmity, and show how dear they were unto him? I wonder not now at those other words of Christ, The children's Angels continually behold their Father's face in Heaven: and, To them belongs the Kingdom of Heaven: yea, They that will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven must be like unto them. And who would disdain to be like unto them, to whom Christ was pleased to be so like? And is not the Child then a sweet word? Have not Parents therein a great comfort? Children oftentimes dye in their mother's womb, and often so soon as they come out of the womb: despise them not, despair not of them, they cannot be so yongue, but Christ was as yongue; and what he was, he sanctified: they are holy unto him, and by him to God their Father. The name of Child is sweet then, sweet in regard of the nature of man; and yet more sweet in respect of the first beginning (as it were) and infancy of man's nature. The name of Son also hath in it a sweetness: and why? The Son is in nature nearest, and dearest in affection to his Parents, especially if he be unigenitus, then is he unicè dilectus; the only begotten is the only beloved. This word than shows, that Christ can bring us most near, and make us most dear unto God. Most near; for the Son is of the same nature: most dear; for he would be one with us, that he might make us one with God. This word than looks most cheerfully upon the case of Man. We had been Sons, but by reason of the fall we were not; and be again that which once we were we could not, but by the Son. The Recovery then of our state, our former state, but in a more excellent manner, is promised in this word. The Son by nature, comes to make us Sons by adoption. this title of the Person putteth us in hope of that recovery. When we hear this, can we but exclaim; Lord, what is man that thou art so mindful of him, and the Son of man that thou so regardest him! we cannot, we must not: No, we must root our Faith in this substantial Mediation (as the Divines call it) and comfort ourselves therewith, if ever we mean to have comfort of the actual Mediation. Therefore was the Sacrament provided as a looking glass, wherein we might see and partake that Spiritual Manna, that Bread of God, that came down from Heaven, to give life unto the world. Theodoret in one of his Dialogues hath an excellent parallel between the Incarnation of Christ, and the Condition of the Sacrament; which withal shows, how unsound the Doctrine of the Church of Rome is concerning Transubstantiation: Neither indeed can there be a more lively representation of the one, than by the other. As in Christ there are two Natures of God and Man: so in the Sacrament are there two Substances, the Heavenly, and the Earthly. As in Christ these two Natures are truly and entirely: so are those substances in the Sacrament. As after the Union, the two Natures make but one Person: so after the Consecration, the two Substances make but one Sacrament. Finally, as the two Natures are united without Confusion or Abolition of either in Christ: so in the Sacrament, are the Substances heavenly and earthly knit so, that each continueth what it was, and worketh answerably on us. These things we should observe when we come to the Sacrament, and so shall we reap the greater benefit thereby: the rather, if we not only behold the one mystery in the other, but possess ourselves also of the one, by the other; as indeed we ought. For if we feed upon the Sacrament aright, we become thereby what Christ is, Bone of his bone, and flesh of hu flesh: yea, we are made partakers of the divine nature (as St. Peter speaketh.) And what more can be wished of a mortal man? But I must conclude. LOrd cherish in us this Faith, Lord let us (as we ought) acknowledge the Child, acknowledge the Son, our own Nature in thy Son, and thy Son in our Nature. Let us never sever that which thou hast conio●ned: Let us never confound that which thou hast distinguished: Let us believe without disputing. So shall our Faith be free from error, and our souls be full of comfort; comfort in hearing of, comfort in receiving that Child, that Son, which hath so made us Children, that we are the beloved Sons of God. Amen. THE SECOND SERMON. For unto us a Child is borne, unto us a Son is given, etc. IN handling the Substance of Christ's person, we were to consider the Natures wherein it subsists, and the People to whom it belongs. I began the unfolding of the Natures, and shown you, that they are two, and that between these two there is some odds. The two Natures, are the Nature of Man, and the Nature of God, noted by the Child, and the Son: Solemn, necessary, strange, sweet words. Solemn; because received amongst the jews to signify their Messiah. Necessary; because they import the aptness and ability which is requisite in a Saviour. Strange; if they be throughly considered, the four Mysteries observable in Christ's Incarnation appear in them: 1. The truth of his Godhead: 2. The fullness of his Manhood: 3. The union of two Natures in one person: 4. and yet the distinction of these Natures in the Person. Sweet; because they give contentment unto God and Man. That these things are so, it is plain by the Text. How it is so, Faith must not inquire; it must only entertain the Union, as a great honour done to the meanness of Man, which is assumed by the Majesty of God; for which we must give glory unto him. Thus far I came, and farther the time would not suffer me to go. Let us now see the People to whom he is vouchsafed. He belongeth to Us, saith the Prophet. But who are We? whom meaneth the Prophet by Us? of what Nation? of what condition were We? By Nation Iewes: for it is Esay that speaketh, and Esay was a jew. When he saith, He is borne to Us, he is given to Us: it is as if he should say, He was borne to the jews, given to the jews. And indeed so it is: God conditioned to be their God, and that they should be his people; he entered into a Covenant with them, and placed the seals of his Covenant in them; they had the Tabernacle, and the visible presence of God with them; all the types of Christ, personal, real, were amongst them; yea, from them was Christ to take his Nature. St. Paul, Rom. 2.9. sheweth what Prerogatives God vouchsafed them: yea, and in the 14. Chapter goeth so far, as to call Christ The Minister of Circumcision. Christ himself in the Gospel seemeth to appropriate himself to the jews, when he saith to the Woman of Canaan, I was not se●t, but to the lost sheep of Israel. But this notwithstanding, the Prophecies must hold true, whereof a brief is delivered by old Simeon; Christ was to be the light of the Gentiles, not only the glory of Israel. Christ was borne, and given, not only to the jew, but also to the Gentile. The 87. Psalm is excellent to this purpose, showing us, the Christ was borne, not only amongst the jews, but among the Gentiles also. But we must mark, that the Gentiles have no other interest in Christ, than if they become jews: The Law is to go out from Zion, Esay 2. and so to come to them; the forecited Psalm imports as much. Esay showeth, Cap. 49. & 60. & 44. Rom. 11. that they must become Sons and Daughters of jerusalem; that they must submit themselves to her; they must all speak the language of Canaan, as it is Esay 19 But St. Paul is most plain, who to the Romans sheweth, that the true Olive is the jew, and if the Gentile partake of the fatness thereof, he must be grafted thereinto, and become a Branch of that Olive. To the Ephesians more plainly, more fully, he maketh the receiving of the Gentiles into the Church, to be an admission into the Covenant, into the Commonwealth of Israel. Ephes. 3. a becoming one body with them. But as the Gentile becometh a jew: so is it not a jew according to the flesh, but according to the spirit. A Son of Abraham he is, but a spiritual Son: the partition wall is taken down; yea, the Ark itself is removed, jeremy 3. and the Ceremonies which cloth the Religion of the jews cease, they are not imposed upon the Gentiles. Yea, the jew himself becometh a Gentile: the jew (I say) becometh a Gentile carnally, as the Gentile becometh a jew spiritually. Of the ten Tribes it is most clear, that after their Captivity, they never returned, and there is no such Nation to be heard of in the world; they are mingled with other Nations, and become Gentiles according to the flesh. And as for the other two Tribes, that made up the Kingdom of juda, many thousands of them were converted to the Christian Faith in the days of the Apostles, and yet there is not extant any Nationall Church of them, neither was there long extant any; they also are become Gentiles according to the flesh. And God that buried the body of Moses, so that it could not be found, lest the jews should commit Idolatry with that body, whereby God had wrought so great Miracles; seems also to have (as it were) buried so many jews as became Christians, by mingling them with the Gentiles, lest that superstition which hath besotted the Gentiles to go a Pilgrimage to the Holy Land, should have wrought more strongly in making them dote upon that holy people. But God hath turned all the world into a Canaan, hath of all Nations compounded the Israel of God. Of a truth (saith St. Peter) I see there is no respect of Persons with God, but in every Nation whosoever believeth, and feareth God, is accepted of him: There is neither jew nor Gentile, Grecian nor Barbarian, bond nor free, but all are one in Christ: all are contained under this name Vs. In the Prophet, upon this ground Israel seems to note the Gentiles; Ezek. 37. when both juda and Israel are remembered to be converted to God, and the whole house of jacob. You see of what Nation the People is: now see of what Condition. Born to Us, given to Vs. And who are we for whom God hath done this? Gifts are bestowed upon Persons, either for their worth, or for their need: For their worth; and so they are Munera honoraria, they are presented in dutiful acknowledgement of their worth; whether it be worth of virtue, or worth of degree: For their need; and so they are Munera eleemosynaria, conferred out of a pitiful compassion of others wants. This gift is not of the first kind; it cannot be Honorarium: There was no worth in us which God should honour with this gift bestowed upon us. Our degree was of no regard, & our virtue of much jesse: the former was none in comparison, and the later was none at all. It must then be Munus eleemosynarium: and indeed so it was; the Scripture so speaketh of it. Through the tender mercy of our God, the dayspring from on high hath visited us; so saith Zacharie. And St. Paul, Tit. 3. After the kindness and love of our Saviour towards man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but of his mercy he saved us. And indeed it was a work of great mercy. For, whereas there is but duplex malum, malum Poenae, and malum Culpae; a double evil, of Sin, and Woe; we were plunged deep in both: deep in Sin, deep in Woe. To pity him that is deep in woe, is not strange; it seemeth to be the proper act of Mercy: but pity towards Malefactors, the Philosophers acknowledge none. No man (say they) pitieth a Thief when he goeth to the Gallows, or a Murderer feeling the stroke of justice; how much less would they pity them, if the sin were against themselves? and that committed by a Vassal against his Lord; a Vassal that had received much favour, against his Lord from whom he received it. In such a case they acknowledge no pity. Yet this is our case, and we have found pity: so great pity, that Christ was borne for Us, and Christ was given unto Vs. So that of this pity, as well Causa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, not only the Cause, but the Occasion must be found in God. It is clear, that the proper Cause is the goodness of God; and it is as clear, that the occasion also must be fetched from him. Were there only malum Poenae in us, there might be found in us an Occasion of Mercy: but seeing there is also malum Culpae, there cannot but be an Occasion of justice. Our double Evil worketh a double Occasion, and so maketh Mercy and justice as it were to strive in God. And indeed both take their occasions. Natus satisfied justice; for a Person came forth that was able to give full satisfaction unto justice: but Datus satisfied Mercy, because this Person was freely bestowed upon Vs. So that if we put Borne for Us, and Given to Us together, we see the sweet Harmony that is in the Choir of God's Attributes. None singeth alone, they consent together; yet so, that some one doth most loudly speak the praise of God: and in our case Mercy rejoiceth over judgement. For though our sins have occasioned justice; and therefore Christ was borne for Us, that he might satisfy that justice that was too heavy for us: yet our Woe occasioned Mercy, which gave Christ unto Us, that in our own Person we might enjoy the Blessings of God. We are borne for ourselves, that we may live, and have all the comfort of our life present, & to come (blessings which we wanted, and by which, when we receive them, our state is the better.) It is not so with Christ; he was borne for others, not for himself; and given to others, not to himself: for what wanted he, whereof he needed a supply? He was in the form of God: and what good is there that is not in the Nature of God, which is the overflowing Fountain of all good? Look upon the State of Christ, this Point will appear clearly. No man will doubt, but his Birth was for the good of others, that considereth that his glory is not his own, but ours. He sitteth indeed at the right hand of God, and is lifted up above all Angels and Archangels, and every Name that is named in Heaven and Earth, in this World, and that which is to come: but what gaineth he by it, who was from eternity most high in the glory of his Father? Christ himself affirmeth it, john 17. Glorify me, O Father, with that glory which I enjoyed with thee before the foundations of the world were lay●. Himself then received nothing, which he had not for ever: but in him we receive the honour to be loined in one person with God, Christus esse voluit quod homo est, ut homo esse poss it quod est Christus. Cypr. de vanit Idol. in that person to conquer sin, death, and hell; after the conquest to receive all power both in heaven and earth; and possessed of this power, to sit upon the Throne of God. It is not the Godhead, but the Manhood in Christ: and so it is We that have received these Blessings. So that we must begin the observation of God's favour unto us, at that dignity which our nature hath attained in Christ. These different words Natus and Datus, Borne and Given, imply, that they were not both of one time: The Manhood began when Christ was incarnate, but the Godhead was long before. It was, though it were not manifested until the time of his birth. So that being, and being manifest, make the difference: for that the Manhood received then his being, but the Godhead only his being manifest. And yet we must not make such a difference, without taking heed of Nestorius his error: For if the words be sound understood, if they be understood of the Person, not of the Natures, we may apply Natus and Datus to either of them: the Godhead may be said to be borne, and the Manhood may be said to be given. That the Godhead, or rather God, may be said to be borne, it is clear Luke 1. The holy thing that shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God: And the Virgin Mary, by the Fathers, is (as you heard) called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. St. Bernard's observation is true, speaking to the Virgin Mary, as it were in the person of the Angel, Quod natum est ex ipso Deo, erit tuus, & quod ex te nascetur, erit eius: ut tamen non sint duo Filij, sed unus, licet aliud ex te, aliud ex illo sit; ita tamen non cuiusque suus, sed unus utriusque Filius. So that understand it of the Person, and Natus will agree with Filius; understand it also of the Person, and Datus will agree with Puerulus: for the Child was given also, and had a being before, even as ancient as the Son of God, to whom he is inseparably united. Whatsoever attribute of God may be verified of Man, so long as we mean no more but the Person. But if our meaning do once point at the Natures, than Natus is peculiar to the Child which began in time; and Datus to the Son which was before all time: so the Divines, ancient, and later, do usually distinguish these words. Thirdly, note that Natus goeth before Datus; Christ is, before he is bestowed. And the Holy Ghost would have us to consider two distinct Acts of God: 1. The Constitution of our Saviour's Person: 2. And then the Donation thereof unto Us: And it is requisite, that our meditations confound not Gods Works. We must multiply our meditations, as God's works are multiplied: The Constitution of the Person is as a means which God provideth, and provideth for an end, which was his Donation. So that Christ's Incarnation is not to be taken as a speculative, but a practic thing: God therein did not only reveal his Wisdom, and his Power, which we may speculate with our wits, but thereby doth give us a taste of his Goodness also to affect our hearts. So that we may not separate Datus from Natus, lest we prove ignorant how useful this Incarnation is, and so deprive ourselves of the comfort thereof. Lastly, if Datus be the end of Natus, and he that is Borne is Given unto Us, we must make St. Paul's Conclusion, God that spared not his only Son, but gave him for us, what is there that he will not bestow upon us? He hath nothing nearer and dearer; he that is vouchsafed this, may presume to speed of whatsoever else. We cannot have a better encouragement to pray, nor anchorhold of our prayer: nay, we cannot learn better how to demean ourselves towards God, than by imitating God's dealing herein with us. Let Natus, or rather Renatus, go before Datus in us: Let us first be newborn, before we give ourselves too God. Except we be provided of this gift, we are not fit to make a Present: and if we be provided, and unfeignedly make this Present unto God; what have we that shall not be devoted unto him? our honour, our wealth, our friends? He will never deny aught unto God, that first giveth himself to him. And thus much for the odds between the two Natures, implied in the words Borne and Given. Moreover we must observe, that the Child borne, and the Son given, if they be separated from Us, they make an Article admiràble, but comfortable it is not, except you add unto it Vs. When this Clause is put unto that, our Faith is Faith indeed, and taketh place as well in our heart, as in our head; and we listen diligently unto the Annunciation which the Angel made unto the Shepherds, Behold, I bring you glad tidings of great joy that shall be to all the People: for unto you is borne a Saviour, which is the Lord Christ. In a word, you have the true Description of Immanuell, God with us; which then proved true, when this Child was borne unto Us, and to Us this Son was given. Finally, mark the Tense of these words, Natus, Datus, it is the Praeter-tense; they speak of Christ, as if he were already borne. Christ was not borne in six hundred years after. The reason is, the style is Prophetical: The Prophets speak of things to come, as if they were present, or past; they speak of the Works of God, answerably to the Nature of God. In the Nature of God there is no time, because it is eternal. When Moses asked after God's name, he received this answer, I am that I am. In the Revelation that Name is resolved into all the parts of time, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; and it imports, that all parts of time are together in God: they are all present in him. As it is with his Nature, so it is with his Works. Nothing falleth out in time, that was not decreed before all time; and whatsoever is in the decree, is ever present to God. And because present in the decree, therefore as concluded, God may speak of it as a thing past: because the Conclusion is before his eyes, he may speak of it as a thing present; and as his hand shall produce it, he may speak of it as a thing to come. And the holy Ghost useth liberty to speak of such things so diversely. But for their speaking of Christ's birth as if it were passed when it was yet to come, there are moreover two special Reasons: The one is, for that the efficacy of his birth began immediately upon the fall. As in Paradise Adam was stung by the Serpent: so in Paradise was he cured by the seed of the Woman. The Patriarches in their order, Heb. 11. not only knew, but felt the virtue of this Child, this Son. St. Paul comprehends it in a short Rule, jesus Christ yesterday, and to day, and the same for ever. He was a Lamb slain, not only borne, from the beginning of world. Neither only did the efficacy of his person work, but in a sort his presence also was vouchsafed unto the world. It is an ancient opinion of many of the Fathers, and not a few of the worthiest late Divines approve it, that all apparitions of God in the Old Testament, were of the second Person. In the eighth of the Proverbs himself saith, that his delight was to be amongst the Sons of men. Yea, and to say nothing of other shapes, how often did he appear in the shape of a man? which apparition the Fathers call, Praeludium incarnationis: It was a fair intimation of that which in time he should be for ever, after he had once taken upon him the nature of man, which death itself should never sever from him. O Lord, that wouldst not only become Man, but also be God's gift to Man, thou which wert before all time, wouldst be bestowed in time, bestowed upon jews, bestowed upon Gentiles, and make them both one Israel of God: Notwithstanding there was nothing in them to demerit thee, much in them to provoke thee; yet hast thou out of thine own goodness so tendered Man, as to satisfy thy justice, that it might be no hindrance unto thy Mercy, but that thy Mercy might remedy both our Woe, and Sin; We beseech thee, that we may all be new borne by virtue of thy Son's birth, and give ourselves to Thee, as he is given to Us, that so we may be in the number of those which with the Prophet may say, Tous a Child is borne, to us a Son is given. Which grace he vouchsafe us, that is given unto us: To whom with the Father, and the Holy Ghost, be given all honour and glory, now and for ever. Amen. THE THIRD SERMON. The Government shall be upon his shoulders. THe Doctrine of this Scripture contains the Truth and Excellency of Christ's Person and State: Of the truth of Christ's Person I have already spoken, and shown you both the Natures wherein it subsisteth, and the People to which it belongs. The Natures wherein it subsists are two: The Nature of God, and of Man. which have a most straight union in one Person, and yet without the least diminution of either nature. This Person belongs unto the jews, not according to the flesh, but according to the spirit, even to the whole Israel of God; which consists of believing natural both jews and Gentiles. To this People doth Christ belong. But of what degree is he amongst them? For every company that consists of many persons, if they be incorporate, hath men of sundry degrees by the Ordinance of God, and the common rules of discretion: there are superiors, there are inferiors; some which command, some which are commanded. Of which rank is our Saviour Christ? Of the highest; it appears in his State, The Government shall be upon his shoulders. Although then the Scripture affirm, that Christ appeared in the form of a servant, and himself said, That he came not to be ministered unto, but to minister: et must we not mistake; his Ministry was not of the foot, but of the head; it was not an obeying, but a commanding Ministeric. The Head ministers, and so doth the Foot in our body natural, but they minister not both alike: The head ministereth to the foot by way of commanding, the foot ministereth to the head by way of obeying. Christ's Ministry was of the former, not of the later kind; his Foes and his Friends in the Gospel both salute him by the name of Rabbi, or Rabboni, which is by interpretation, Master. And our Saviour Christ telleth his Disciples in St. john, You call me Master, and Lord, and you say well; for so I am. And elsewhere he calleth himself The Heir of the Vineyard, The Lord of the Sabaoth. The Name of Christ or Messiah is a most clear proof hereof; for none were anointed but to be superiors: and the Acts which Christ did exercise bear witness hereunto. which were all of them either Prophetical, when he taught, or Priestly, when he sacrificed, or Kingly, when he wrought Miracles. These be the things which were done by him, and the Gospel relates no other kind of acts, or (at least) none in comparison. And all these are commanding acts; they are acts of a Superior, exercised in the days of his flesh, in the days of his greatest humiliation. So that the form of a Servant, and the ministering of Christ, show, that he had not the attendance for worldly respect that was due to such a Superior: he had not so much as a house to hide his head in, much less had he any Princely pomp. But they deny him not to have been a Superior, they deny him not that which was given him in my Text; and my Text giveth him the State of a Superior. To come then unto it. There are two things to be observed in the words: 1. Of what sort the Government was: 2. and Wherewith Christ did sustain it. The Government was of the best sort, it was Regal; it appears in the next Verse, where Christ is said To sit upon the Throne of David: And this Government he sustains by his own careful Power; for it is laid upon his shoulders. These two Points we must at this time look into briefly, and in their order: I begin with the Government. If we look back to the Story of Genesis, we shall find, that when God promised Isaac, which was a Type of Christ, he changed both his Fathers and his Mother's name: she was called Sarai, but God new named her Sarah, which is a Princess; and Abram was new named Abraham, a Father of many Nations. And me thinks, when I read these words here in the Prophet, and those that follow, wherein Christ is described, I see the application of those names, to this Person; I see the Principality, I see the Posterity, I see in Christ the truth of Sarah, and of Abraham's name. And surely the word which here signifieth Government, hath great affinity with the name of Sarah. But of Governments some are subordinate, some are absolute: Some so command as the Centurion in the Gospel, I am a man set under authority, though I have diverse under me, and I say to one come, and he cometh, and to another go, and he goeth: But some so command, as Solomon speaketh of a King, against whom there is no rising up, whose Laws must not be disputed on earth, and his Commandments be obeyed by all that are his Subjects. Christ's Government is not of the subordinate, but the absolute sort; it appears by the Throne, by the Kingdom upon which he sitteth, places of absolute power; especially if they be Native, and not Elective, they must needs have a most free absolute Power. And such Christ's is, Natus Rex; it is the express letter of my Text: And the Wisemen that came to present him, Matth. 2. asked for him that was borne King of the jews. Nay Christ himself, when Pilate asked him whether he were a King, replied, for this cause was I borne. And Pilate set up this style over his Cross, jesus of Nazareth King of the jews: which he would not alter, though he were much importuned by the Scribes and Pharisees. The places of the Prophets are very clear, Esay 32. jer. 23. but specially Dan. 7. all of them bear witness to the Kingdom of Christ. So that we must acknowledge in Christ a Kingly power: such a Power as none must dare to dispute the verity of his Word, as curious and scoffing Atheists and Epicures do; or resist his Authority, as proud Pharaohs and Senacheribs': Christ can brook neither. But as Christ is called a King, so here is an addition unto his Title; his Throne and Kingdom are termed the Throne and Kingdom of David. And indeed Christ's Pedigree is by St. Matthew, and St. Luke, fetched from King David. Himself calleth himself in the Revelation, The root and generation of David. The Apostle telleth us, that be was of the seed of David according to the flesh: And how often in the Gospel is he called The Son of David? In the Prophets even David himself sometimes; and sometimes The branch of David. Finally, the Angel in the first of Luke telleth the Virgin Mary, That Christ shall sit upon the Throne of his Father David. But how can that be, seeing that which David had, Christ had not, and what David had not, Christ had? Christ had not the Temporal state of David, that was fallen into the hands of Herod the great; and the Spiritual state of Christ David had not, His Kingdom was Temporal. How then could Christ be said to sit upon his Kingdom? Although it were granted, that by succession Christ was the right heir to the Crown of Israel: yet seeing the Sceptre was departed, and the Lawgiver gone, the Tabernacle of David was down, we cannot find a Truth of these words; we cannot, if we understand them literally, but if mystically we may. And St. Paul's rule is our guide, All things (yea and persons too, if they were eminent) came to the Israelites in Types, 1 Cor. 10. they had shadows of good things to come. St. Bernard's rule is true, This Throne of David which Christ sat on, was not sedes Typica, but Vera; not Corporalis, but Spiritualis; not Temporalis, but Aeterna: yet so, that Illa was huius Imago; the Temporal of the Eternal, the Corporal of the Spiritual, the Typical of the true Throne, David's state of the state of the Church. And indeed there is an excellent Analogy between the Person of David and Christ, as both were Kings: David was anointed to be a King long before he was possessed of his Kingdom; and so was our Saviour Christ anointed with the holy Ghost, long before he entered into his Glory. For though he did many acts of a Governor Prophetical and Priestly; yet few Regal acts before his Resurrection: and those which he did, he did them rather with the efficacy, than in the Majesty of a King; for his outward Man represented nothing less. But after his Resurrection and Ascension, Efficacy and Majesty conjoined, and he sat him down at the right hand of God, and now doth he govern in the glory of his Father. Secondly, as there was a distance between David's Unction too, and Possession of the Crown: so was that a troublesome time, few quiet days had he, being persecuted both abroad, and at home, by Saul, by his Servants. Even so our Saviour Christ entered not into his glory, but by many afflictions; all kind of Enemies pursue him with all kind of malice: so that his life was a continual Cross. And as David, so Christ; the nearer he drew to his Crown, the sharper was his Cross. Thirdly, as King David first possessed only the Tribe of juda, and after some years the ten Tribes: even so our Saviour Christ at first possessed only the jews, and after some time enlarged his Church unto the Gentiles. Fourthly, David being possessed of his Kingdom, spent many years in repressing the Foes of his Kingdom, Philistines, Amonites, Syrians, etc. and at length fate down in peace, and ruled with justice and judgement in much Prosperity: even so our Saviour Christ, though ascended into Heaven, and reigning there, yet shall he be until the general Resurrection subduing his Enemies under his feet, and freeing his Church from troubles and calamities. when that is done, then shall he rule and reign with his Church in much peace and joy. These, and such like Analogies, are observable in comparing of Christ and David: which are the cause why the Kingdom of Christ is called, The Kingdom of David. But yet in the letter of the story, which is the ground of this comparison, you shall find many Hyperboles: read the 89. Psalm, the 72. Psalms, the 132. to say nothing of diverse places of the Prophets which seem to exceed the truth, if they be applied to King David; whereby the holy Ghost giveth us to understand, that they must be applied to a greater than David. And indeed the phrases that are in these real Allegories or Types, must be understood of the Corporal part; but Quodammodo, in a measure answerable unto them, the fullness of their truth appears in the Spiritual. And some Divines observe, Ez●k. 21.26, 37 that The Throne of David is not that which David possessed, but that which was promised to David for his son: And indeed in 2 Sam. 7. the Promise though it be made unto David, yet is it made for his son; his son is Christ. It was not meant of his immediate Son, otherwise than in a Type; but it was meant of his Son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, The Messiah, or Saviour of the world: As also the Promise made to Abraham, was made for his Son; which in appearance seemed to be Isaac, but St. Paul to the Galathians, telleth us that that seed is Christ. Well then, this Kingdom is the Church, and therein Christ sitteth as in his Throne; it is the Government thereof that is committed unto him. And here we may not dream of a corporal Kingdom, and turn the truth into a Type. St. Paul hath told us, that The Kingdom of God is neither meat nor drink, but righteousness, and peace, and joy of the holy Ghost: And Christ in the Gospel, The Kingdom of God is within you. The Parables of the Kingdom, if you look to their Moral, imply as much; all sound things and persons spiritual. Gross then is the usurpation of the Bishop of Rome, who, in Christ's name, contrary to Christ's rules, combines both Swords, the Spiritual and the Corporal. And they that understand The Kingdom of Christ carnally, as if all temporal jurisdiction should be swallowed up in the Ecclesiastical State, savour not of the things of God, but of the things of this world: yea, they sow dangerous seeds of discord between Princes and Pastors, and seek to breed jealousies; upon which what will follow, but that the one will seek to ruinated the other? Christ's Kingdom than is of his Church; and it is a spiritual Government of his Church. Notwithstanding, these words must not be understood exclusively, as if Christ were so confined to his Church, as that he had nothing to do with those that were without the Church. As King David ruled in Israel, but so, that the Philistines, Ammonites, Moabites, and all the bordering Countries were subject unto his Sceptre, and he laid tribute upon them, and commanded them at his pleasure: Even so our Saviour Christ, not only ruleth in his Church, but commandeth them also that are without it, not only men, but even the powers of Hell also: He hath the keys both of death and hell, and every knee boweth to him, at of things in heaven, and of things in earth; so even of things under the earth also. And it is our comfort, that he which is our King hath so great a Power over our Foes: the more power he hath over them, the less we need to stand in fear of them; the more securely may we obey him. And so have you heard of what sort Christ's Government is. The next Point is, Wherewith he sustains this Government; it is here said that it shall be upon his shoulders. Moral Princes unburden themselves upon the shoulders of others: the wits, the power of their Officers, in peace and war, do bear up the greatest part of their state. It is not so with our King, he beareth all himself; even when he useth means, those means are but Instruments, whose ability and efficacy, are both from him. The Minister speaketh words, and dispenseth Elements; but in vain doth he both, except Christ be with him, and his spirit make effectual that which is done by him: if there be not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, it will be indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. And what likelihood was there that a few Fishermen, and those unlearned, should ever have subjected the crowns of Princes, the wits of Philosophers, the stomaches of the Mighty, the desires of the Ambitious, finally, all kind of dispositions, unto the Sceptre of Christ, had not Christ's spirit wrought with them? A second thing that is to be observed in this Word, is, that as Christ is highest in degree: so is he deepest in care; and so should Kings be. The Great world, the Little world, both preach this Lesson unto temporal Kings. The Great World hath many parts whereof it doth consist, and of them one is placed above another. The higher any part is placed, the more it laboureth for the rest by motion and influence. Witness the Sun, the Moon, the Stars, compared to the inferior Bodies; all which labour for the Earth, the basest of all. In the Little World of our Body, is not our Head set above our Hands, and our Feet? And how painfully doth the Eye watch, the Ear hear, and every sense employ itself for the direction and preservation of the Hands and Feet? If it be so in the Creatures that are destitute of Reason, between reasonable Creatures it should be much more so. The Governor must less take his ease, and less be idle, than those which are governed: nay, his care, his pain must fare exceed theirs; he must partake of every one of theirs. Do we not see it so in our Body? The hand hath his peculiar work, so hath the foot, and every other in feriour part employs itself about some particular function: but the directive and commanding parts in man are architectonical, they resemble the Master of the works in a Building, whose presence and guidance runneth through all the several kind of Labourers, appointing what they must do, and caring that they do it well; whether they hue stones, or lay them, square timber, or co●ple it: whatsoever other work is to be done, the Master hath, though not his hand, yet his head working with them. No otherwise should the Magistrate carry himself in his charge, nor be less provident in the Commonweal: the influence of his care must quicken, must order, must further whatsoever functions of the people, and make them tend to the common good. The 72. Psalm compares our Governor (I mean Christ, of whom this Text speaketh) unto a shower of rain: and we see that a shower of rain waters carefully all the plants of the fields, the rose, the lily, the violet, the cedar, and the pine, all of them do far the better for the watering of the rain. And the grace of Christ's spirit is no otherwise showered down upon every member of the Church, every one is nourished therewith. Malachi compares him to the Sun; he calleth him The Sun of Righteousness: And who knoweth not how common the warmth of the Sun is? and how effectual it is also. The Rain yields matter to the earth, but that it may become proving matter, the earth is beholding to the Sun, which works the moisture, and distributeth it through the whole body of the herbs and plants. Christ's grace supplieth both Rain and Sun; from him we have both Posse and Velle: nay, the Apostle saith, He worketh in us both to will and to do, even of his own good pleasure. So that we may well say, The Government lieth upon his shoulders. Upon his shoulders? Princes on earth bear the Ensigns of their Government, some in their hands, as Sceptres; some on their heads, as Crowns: but Christ weareth his on his shoulders. The Fathers generally understand this of Christ's Cross: some looking to the History related in the Gospel, that Christ was made to bear his own Cross upon his shoulders, when he went unto his death; which, they say, was prophesied of in the 95. Psalm, Dicite in gentibus, quia Dominus regnavit à ligno: So saith St. Austin it was anciently read, though it be not found so read now ordinarily in the Septuagint. The jews in malice razed it out, as he thinks. But because the Hebrew Text hath it not, we need not stand upon so uncertain a ground: We may take a better, either from the type of Aaron bearing the twelve Tribes engraven upon his shoulders, when he went into the Temple; or from Eliakim, Esay 22. upon whose shoulders the key of the house of David was laid; or from the shepherd bearing the lost sheep upon his shoulders; or if you will have it of the Cross, take it from Christ himself speaking to the Disciples that went to Emmaus, Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and so to enter into his glory? or from St. Paul also, Christ triumphed over Powers and Principalities in his person, but then when this Person suffered upon the Cross. So that Christ reigned in his passion, and because in his passion, therefore had he his Government upon his shouldeas. And indeed our Faith in him must begin at that which was endured by him; and therein must we imitate him, and writ Cedendo vincimus. The Church never triumphed so much over the world, as when it did most resolutely sustain the bloody malice of the world. The last thing that is to be noted on these words, is, the exchanging of the yoke mentioned before, and rod of the oppressor, which lay upon the shoulders of the People, into this Royalty and Government, which lieth upon the shoulders of the King. Great odds there was between the People and the King: the enemies had to do with the People, they imposed their persecutions as a yoke upon them; but when they come to deal with the King, this yoke is turned into a government. The same God that commanded light to shine out of darkness, so altered the Cross of Christ, that it became to him the Chair of Triumph. And this is the cause, why Princes wear it in their Crowns, in token that they are subject to it; and why it was of old set up where triumphal Arches were wont to stand, that the world might have so many witnesses (as it were) of the Triumph of it. Which superstition at length abused; and therefore have they in many places justly been abolished, though the original of the erection of those Crosses deserved rather praise than blame. But we may not omit to observe the seeming Contradiction that is in the Prophet's words: At first it is said, The Government shall be upon his shoulders, as if he did bear it: afterward it is said, that He shall sit upon the Throne, and the Kingdom, as if it did bear him. The reconciliation is easy. The body politic is like the body natural; the foundation of it stands uppermost, the head stands above the feet: and a man would think that the feet did bear the head; but indeed the head beareth the feet. For were it not for the influence of sense and motion, which the head derives unto the feet, the feet could not sustain themselves, much less could they bear the body: We see it in a dead palsy, that intercepts the intercourse of the spirits between the head and feet. We have another Simile also of our Souls and our Bodies. We would think that our Body did contain our Soul, but indeed it is the Soul that contains the Body. For no sooner doth the Soul part from the Body, but the heterogeneous parts fall asunder, and this goodly frame cometh to nothing: Even so fareth it between the Prince and the People; he seemeth to rest upon the people, as the head upon the body, but indeed the people do rest upon him; and therefore in Greek a King is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; a phrase borrowed from a Building, whereunto the Commonwealth is compared, and whereof the King is said to be the Foundation. For a wise King, as it is Wisd. 6. is the upholding of the People: and King David, Psal. 75. The earth, and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved, I bear up the Pillars thereof. And indeed the parts of every State, were they not united and supported by the Sovereignty of the Prince, would sooner moulder, and come to nought, than do the parts of our Natural body when it wants a soul: for there is not so much, nor so eager natural ambition and covetousness in the elements whereof our bodies consist, whereby they strive to gain the one upon the other, and to tyrannize the one over the other, until the one hath wrought the others bane; as there is civil both ambition and covetousness in the Members of every State: whereby the one striveth to get the upperhand of the other, and each man would denour his brother: Ephraim against Manasses, and Manasses against Ephraim, and both against juda, (as the Prophet speaketh in this Chapter) until the Kingdom of Israel be laid waste. Whereas then in every State there are rich and poor, that the rich do not devour the poor; crafty and simple, that the crafty do not circumvent the simple; strong and weak, that the strong do not offer violence to the weak; the reason is, There is a King Rege incolumimens omnibus una, The King maintains the Concord. By him it cometh to pass that every man sitteth quietly under his own vine, and dwelleth safely under his own roof. Mutineers and Murmurers are therefore justly to be abhorred, who speak evil of Authority, and would withdraw their necks from obedience, upon this ground, That superiors live by the sweat of the inferiors brows, being themselves devoid of care. Their quarrel is like that which in Menius Agrippaes' Apologue, the outward members of the body had against the stomach: They complained of his laziness, and their own painfulness, and therefore conspired to starve him, and ease themselves. They even discovered their folly; for soon after, the hands began to faint, and the legs to falter, and the whole body to pine. Then they perceived, that the stomach which they condemned as lazy, laboured for them, and that they were beholding to the labour of the stomach, that themselves had any strength to labour: So is it in the body politic; though the State of the Prince is supported by the Commons, yet the spring of the Commons wealth is the providence of the Prince; and soon would these streams dye, if that fountain were dammed up. It is so in a civil state, but in the spiritual state it is much more so. If a mortal Prince be so beneficial unto a temporal State, much more is the immortal King of heaven and earth beneficial to the state of his Church, sustaining and supporting the same. That which you have heard of mortal Princes, showeth rather what they should do, than what usually they do: But this immortal King doth what he should; he is not so much advanced above his people, as his people are eased by him. He beareth them up on his wings, as an Eagle doth her yongue ones, as it is Deut. 32. but more amply, Esay 36. his care, his providence, and the efficacy thereof are most aptly, most significantly set down there. But because of this we shall speak more hereafter, when we come to entreat of his excellent managing of his State; we will pursue that Point no further, nor trouble you further at this time. O Lord who art high in place, and great in care, in thy Person, and by virtue of thy bitter Passion, exercising thy providence, which guides and supports the whole frame of, and every member in thy Church; Lord we beseech thee to guide us, that we be not misled; and that we fail not, to sustain us. So shall we never repine at thy sitting upon us, thy Kingdom, seeing we rest more upon thee that art our King. And ever, good Lord, so rule us from Heaven, that we may rest on thee in Earth: So shall we, being translated from Earth unto Heaven, fully rest and reign with thee for ever. Amen. THE FOURTH SERMON. And his Name shall be called, The wonderful Counsellor, The mighty God. THe Nature and Excellency of Christ's Person are those two Points of Doctrine which have been observed in this Text: The first I have ended; you have been taught what Christ's Person is, what is his State: I come now to the excellency of both. Each hath an excellency; there is an excellency of the Person, and an excellency of the State. The excellencte of Christ's Person, is to be seen in the endowments thereof, which are contained in his style: but the excellency of his state appears in his managing thereof. I begin at the excellency of the Person, which consists in the endowments; and the endowments are expressed in the style. As mortal Kings, so this immortal, hath his style proclaimed, And his name shall be called; his style expresseth endowments, which are Regal, but Spiritual: Regal they are. Two virtues are peculiar unto Kings, over and above those which they must have in common with their Subjects: they are Wisdom and Power; Wisdom to provide for, and Power to sustain their estate. This King hath both: he hath Wisdom; for he is The wonderful Counsellor: and he hath Power; for he is The mighty God. But as his endowments are Regal; so are they Spiritual: for they must be proportionable to the Kingdom. His kingdom is not of this world; for he is the Father of eternity: Neither is the condition of his people worldly, it is Peace; it is an heavenly, not an earthly portion. He is Prince of this Peace. These be the endowments of his Person, and of these we are to speak distinctly, and in their order. And first they are given him in his style: Herein he answereth mortal Kings, in that he proclaimeth his style, lest his people should fail in their respect. For the greatness of respect, ariseth with the greatness of the style: we use to look upon them with a more awful eye, in whom there are more grounds of awe. This hath made Monarches in all ages to strain their Titles to the uttermost; as he that reads the Story of the Assyrian, the Persian, the Roman Monarches of old, and the modern histories both of barbarous and Christian Kings, may easily perceive. But here is the odds, that their styles do commonly show rather what they should be, than what they are. They are given them, propter spem, in hope they will prove as their Titles import: or else they show what they would seem to have done, rather than what they have done indeed. And here flattery amplifieth beyond truth, and maketh mountains of molehills; yea, substituteth fables in stead of verities: as might easily be proved, if we would insist upon their particular styles. You may read the title of Augustus given unto such Emperors as did not enlarge, but diminish the Empire: of Pater patriae, to those that were so far from being Fathers, that they were plain Tyrants: of Pontifex Maximus, given to them which were so fare from serving the gods that they did sacrilegiously canonize themselves for gods: and yet propter spem, the Senate gave them these titles; and by flattery they did amplify in the rest. He that had but a small conquest, increased his style, as if he had conquered a whole Kingdom; as appears in the styles of Germanicus, Illiricus, Brytannicus, etc. To omit the fabulous styles of the eastern Monarches, he that will may read them in their stories, and see how ridiculous they are in claiming kindred of the gods, of the stars, and of what not, which might amplify their Majesty? In a word, Hope and Flattery are the best ground, whereupon all men's worldly titles are built, especially great mens, and Kings most of all. But it is not so with our King, the truth in him is answerable to the titles that are given him. They are not given him propter spem, but propter rem: He is that which he is called, neither is there in them any flattery; yea, his titles do come short of, they do not exceed those perfections that are in him. So that we may not measure the style of Christ, as we do the styles of mortal Kings; but conceive rather more than less, when we hear his style. Mark also another difference between the style of Christ, and the style of mortal Princes. Mortal Princes, amongst other amplifications of their style, are spoken unto in abstracto; you seldom hear of any salutations given to them, but they are so conceived, Majesty, Dominion, Celsitude, Grace, and the like; as if they were framed of Plato's Idea, upon which Diogenes played wittily, Scyathum video, Scythietatem non video: and another, applying it to Princes, observes, That before this style began, virtues were in concreto, the Persons and the Virtues met in one subject: but since they have been separated, and as we hear the virtue abstracted from the subject; so do we commonly see the subject void of the virtue. But it is not so with Christ: but whereas he may justly, and doth sometimes, not only to note the eminency of his virtue, but also to note his Godhead, call himself by abstract names, Wisdom, Truth, Righteousness, Life, etc. yet doth he usually receive his style in concreto, to note, that his Manhood is endowed with these qualities from his Godhead, and that the subject and the virtues go in him both together. Lastly, we must not begin Christ's being, this which he is called, at the time when he is first called; and so, with Seruetus, question the Godhead of Christ, as if it were no more ancient than this solemn proclamation of his style. For though then his endowments began to be manifested, and communicated to his Manhood, yet as God, he had them from everlasting; from everlasting was he, the wonderful Counsellor, the mighty God, the father of eternity. But to leave the preface, and come to the endowments, to the Regal endowments. The first imports his Wisdom, he is called The wonderful Counsellor. Some sever these words, and make two titles of that which I read but as one: one title of Wonderful, and another of Counsellor; and so it may be. Wonderful may well be a title of Christ, nay a transcendent title, which goeth through all his titles: for not one of them is there, in which we must not conceive him to be wonderful; and we cannot have a better preparation to those meditations which we have on the eminency of Christ, than if we begin at wonderful. Admiration is but broken knowledge, but it is the seed of perfect knowledge, so perfect as we are capable of. It maketh us when we study upon the nature of God, and of Christ, and the excellencies of both, to conceive a good rule, which is, That though God speaks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, yet we must understand him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and ever rise higher in our thoughts, than we are led by the signification of the words. We must add a degree of eminency, wherein they exceed all creatures; such eminency as we must adore, because we cannot comprehend it, for they are wonderful. Even the name of wonderful be longs unto them; as appears by the answer that was given to Manoah in the book of judges, when he enquired after the name of the Angel which appeared, Why askest thou after my name, seeing it is wonderful? It were easy to show how this title fits Christ, by running through the whole story of the Gospel, which to every part setteth a mark of wonder; to his birth, to his life, to his death, to his resurrection, to his ascension. I will instance only in his birth, because we now solemnize the memory thereof. In that appear three great wonders: 1. That natures so fare distant as God and Man, should be joined in one person: 2. That the nature of man should be conceived in a Virgin's womb that never knew man: 3. That she should, being herself conceived in sin, conceive a Son without sin. Were there no other wonder, these were enough to style Christ wonderful, and to make it one of his peculiar titles. But because the Fathers, following the Septuagint and the Caldee, have coupled these words Wonderful and Counsellor together, and made of them but one title, and their opinion is made probable by the Hebrew Text, and the other titles which are all compounded, Almighty God, Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace: I will so join them, and handle them as one title, whereof there are two parts, Counsellor and Wonderful. Christ is a Counsellor. And here also mark the odds between mortal Princes, and this our King: mortal Princes and their Counsel are distinct persons; the weakness, and the idleness, or both, of mortal Prince's wits, maketh them to use the counsel of others; as it is evident in all States: whereupon is grounded that proverb of Solomon, In the alundance of Counselors there is welfare. But here our King is the Counsellor also; he is both King and Counsel: And that which the Apostle hath out of the Prophet, Who ever was his Counsellor? may well be applied to him. His understanding is so large, so clear, that it reacheth to all things, and pierceth into the depth of all, as St. Paul describeth it: Heb. 4. and by it he meaneth Christ, as it appears by the close of his speech, The word of God is sharper than any two edged sword, and entereth in to the dividing of the joints, and the marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts; all things are naked before his eyes. And David showeth, that the night and the day to him are all one, and the darkness is as clear as the light. And as such is his ability, so is his care answerable: His wits are not idle, He that keepeth Israel doth ne●ther slumber nor sleep, as it is Psalm 121. His eyes are upon his charge, from the beginning of the year, till the end thereof, as it is Deut. 11. Not a Sparrow lights upon the ground without his providence. So that he needs no counsel besides his own; he well deserves the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, of whom Aristotle allegeth that Verse out of the Greek Poet, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. But let us come nearer the Point. You have heard, that he is a Counsellor, but whereof I cannot express better, than by two of his usual titles, the Wisdom, the Word of God. He is Consiliarius ad intra, and ad extra, being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: St. john comprehendeth both in that sentence, The Son which is in the bosom of the Father: and so is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, hath declared himself unto us, & so is become 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. And our Saviour Christ, Those things which I have heard of my Father, being Consiliarius ad intra, have I opened unto you, as Consiliarius ad extra: and so Proverbs 8. Wisdom describeth herself as a Counsellor both ad intra, and ad extra, with God, and to the world. But what is the Matter of this Counsel? surely the principal is the Conenant between God and his Church, which St. Paul, Heb. 6. calleth the unchangeable Counsel of God: and God in the Prophets, speaking of the Kingdom of Christ, calleth it his Counsel, not excluding all other secrets of God; for Christ is privy to them all: He is the Lamb, mentioned in the Reuclation, that only can open the sealed Book of God's hidden Mysteries, especially those that concern his Church. Now Christ, as the Wisdom of God, was of counsel when this Mystery was resolved on, before all time he was of counsel with God, and when God was pleased to reveal it, than Christ also became the Counsellor unto men, as he was the Word of God. These two things are comprehended in his Counsellourship; and in regard of both these may he be called wonderful. It was a wonderful course that this wisdom of God found out to work the Redemption of man, by coupling of these Natures, and satisfying Mercy and judgement, and that by Man without sinful man. And as the course is wonderful, so likewise is the communicating thereof; seeing the power of God useth such weak instruments. When we behold the means, we cannot but wonder at the effects; when we see such heavenly treasures in earthen vessels, and see such efficacy of the one shine through the infirmity of the other; and behold the evidence of the spirit in the foolishness of preaching, and see it casting down of strong holds, and captivating unto Christ every thought; this must needs make it wonderful. And wonderful certainly will we acknowledge him to be, if we consider these things: for that is wonderful which is above the reach of the understanding. We see the first royal title, and Christ's first royal virtue, which is his Wisdom. The second followeth, which is his Power. Primò opus est consulto, deinde cum consulueris maturè opus est facto, said the Heathen Orator: for as it is true, that Vis consilij expers mole ruit sua; so is it no less true, that if wisedome ●aue not strength to execute her designs, it is fruitless. Therefore our King is as well armed with power, as furnished with wisdom: So that he is able to execute whatsoever he doth resolve. Therefore his second style is, The mighty God. El of itself signifieth mighty, but it is communicated to others besides the true God, to Angels, to Men, that are t●e Lieutenants of God, or usurp the state of God; all these have a power, but it is but a weak power in comparison, and it is often times checked and kerbed, limited and stinted. The Angels that are great in power, are no farther powerful than to do God's will; much more are men at Gods control: He refraineth the spirit of Princes, and maketh the stoutest of them to know that they are but men. The story of Nabuchadnezzar in Daniel, who was for seven years cast out of his Palace, to live amongst Beasts, and upon his acknowledgement of the Lord of Heaven and Earth was restored again; maketh this clear. Canutus, a King of this Land, when flatterers magnified his power, and did almost deify him, to confute them, caused his chair to be set by the Sea shore at the time of the flood, and sitting in his Majesty commanded the waves that they should not approach his Throne: but when the tide kept his course, and wet his garments, Lo (saith he) what a mighty King I am by Sea and Land, whose command every wave dareth resist. Though then they are mighty, yet there is much weakness joined with their might: Not so Christ. It appears in the Epithet that is added unto El, which is Gibbor, importing that he is a God of prevailing might: In Daniel he is called El Elim, The Mighty of mighties; whereupon Moses, magnifying his might, saith, Who is like unto thee, Exod. 15. O Lord, amongst the gods? Which words abbreviated the Maccabees in their wars against their enemies, did bear in their standard, and therehence (as the learned observe) did take their name of Maccabees, Certainly this Epithet is a lust ground of that which King David persuades, Psalm 29. Ascribe unto the Lord, O ye mighty, ascribe unto the Lord glory and strength. But there are two Eminences in Christ's might, by which he is advanced above all Creatures. The first is, that he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, mighty of himself: The second is, that he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, almighty. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; other Creatures have their power from him, and therefore their power depends upon him; so that he can at his pleasure intent or remit theirs; but his own continueth ever the same. Secondly, they can do but every one so much as is permitted him: and never was there any creature to whom God imparted all his power (I speak not of the degree, but the parts thereof) some things he committeth to Angels which Men cannot do, and some things to Men which Angels cannot do; the earth hath not the power of the heavens, nor the heavens of the earth: but God is the fountain of all power; there is nothing done by any of these, which without these he cannot do. jer. 23. Nothing is hard unto him: and the Angel, Luke 1. Nothing is impossible unto God. therefore he hath wrought the same effects without these creatures. What he doth by his Angels ordinarily, he extraordinarily hath done by himself: and what doth he by Man, which without Man he hath not done? And as for the Sun and the Stars, he hath enlightened the air without them; and without the earth, hath he provided both bread and flesh; yea, at his pleasure he hath stripped all those of their power in an instant: in a word, He doth whatsoever he will both in heaven and earth; he cannot will that which he cannot do: nothing resisteth his will, but all things readily do serve him. If this title be carried through the Gospel, every point of the Gospel will witness the truth thereof in Christ; it will witness that he hath a prevailing power, and that he is therefore worthily called a mighty God. When God promised him, he promised him in these words, I have laid help upon one that is mighty, Psalm 89. When God exhibits him, Luke 1. Zacharie proclaims him thus, God hath raised up a mighty salvation unto us in the house of his servant David: Christ himself, Mat. 28. All power is given to me both in heaven & earth. to say nothing of like titles that are remembered in the Revelation. But I choose rather to observe unto you out of both Christ's Regal titles, how well they fit us, what comfort they do yield unto us. Our enemy the Devil is compared to a Serpent, to a roaring Lion: he is full of craft, and of great strength, and so are his instruments, the wicked, subtle and violent; but we are silly, and we are feeble. If we compare ourselves to them, how can we but fear to be deceived, to be oppressed? See how God hath provided for us, see how he hath furnished Christ, whom he sendeth unto us; He is a Counsellor, and it was a Counsellor that we needed, that ●ight discover unto us the Serpent's policy in his end, and Sophistry in his means, wherewith he setteth upon us: He pretends that we shall be like unto Gods, when he meaneth to make us Devils; and by setting an edge on our desire of the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil, he would deprive us of the Tree of life: but Christ is at hand to discover his purposes, and to give us timely caveats that we be not abused by them. Secondly, he still compasseth the world, seeking Whom he may devour, and is mighty to destroy. And certainly none should escape him, were it not that we have on our side a mighty God, the seed of the Woman, that shown himself so much mightier than the seed of the Serpent, by how much breaking of the head is more than bruising of the heel. We have a David for that Goliath, and a stronger man that hath entered that strong man's house, bound him, rifled him, and divided his spoil. So that if now it be doubtingly asked, Shall the prey be taken from the mighty? or the lawful captive be delivered? we may answer with the Prophet, Esay 49. Thus saith the Lord, Even the Captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered; for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and will saue thy children: and all flesh shall know that I the Lord am thy Saviour, and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of jacob. Wherefore seeing Christ is become our Counsellor, let us not lean unto our own wisdom, but be counselled by him. It is the second degree of wisdom, when we cannot advice ourselves, to be advised by others; if we fail herein, the Philosopher himself will censure us for fools. And remember withal that of the Son of Syracke, Be in peace with many, nevertheless have but one Counsellor of a thousand, cap. 6. he gives the reason at large, cap. 37. And well may we rely upon the judgement of this Counsellor, who much better than Elizeus can detect unto us the plots of the King of Aram, of all our Enemies, that we may provide against them: yea, he can take them all in their own wiliness, and infatuate their Counsels, as he did Achitophel's. Read Esay 19 & 8. So did Christ deal with the old Serpent, and with the brood of the Serpent in all ages; our age, our country hath had proof thereof. As this must encourage us to rely upon his Counsel, so must the other title encourage us to rely upon his power, his prevailing power. We walk in the midst of our enemies, and they use the uttermost of their strength to ruin us; yet though we are in the midst of the valley of the shadow of death, let us fear none evil: for they that trust in the Lord are like unto mount Zion, which shall never be removed. LOrd guide us by thy Counsel, support us by thy Power, that we be neither circumvented, nor quelled, but by thy direction and protection we may escape both the craft and the force of all our Enemies. So shall we ever glorify thee as our admirable Counsellor, and our most mighty God. THE FIFTH SERMON. The everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. THe Excellency of Christ's Person consists in the endowments thereof, which are Regal, but Spiritual. That they are Regal, appears in his two first titles, whereof I have already spoken; and that they are Spiritual, it will appear by the other two, whereof I am now to speak. Whereof the first showeth that Christ's Kingdom is not of this world, He is the Father of eternity: the second showeth that the condition of his people is not worldly, Christ is Prince of Peace. To begin with the first. In the Original, the first of these two titles is so expressed as I have read it, The Father of eternity. And the words bear a double sense: for either Eternity is made the Attribute of the Father, and so by an Hebraisme, The Father of eternity is no more than the eternal or everlasting Father; so some Translations read it: or Eternity may note that which is subject to the Father, and so the title imports that he is a Father of eternal things; and so some Translations read, The Father of the world to come. We need not to be troubled with this variety: for the words will bear either Translation, and both these things concur in the same person; He that is the everlasting Father, is a Father of everlasting things. We will therefore handle both; and first show you, that Christ is an everlasting Father. The phrase doth distinguish between our Father, and our Father: the Father of our flesh, and the Father of our spirits. of whom St. Paul speaketh, Heb. 12. Of these two the first is Temporal, the other is Eternal: that the first is but temporal, we may gather out of the fift of Genesis, where are reckoned up the longest lived Fathers that ever were in the world: but of them all it is said, that they begat children, and then they died; they left their children to the world. And as they, so their posterity come within the compass of that of job, Man that is borne of a Woman is but of a short time: or as David speaks, His days are but a span long. When he hath served his course, he goeth the way of all flesh, and sleeps in his grave. Neither is he temporal only in regard that he must dye, but also in regard that his affection is mutable. Some parents destitute their children enforced by death; but not a few put off the affection of Fathers even in their life, and they in that respect also may be termed but temporal Fathers. Our Saviour Christ, speaking of the later times, telleth us, that the Father shall rise against the Son, as the Son against the Father. Saint Paul, speaking of former times, Rom. 1. amongst other wicked ones reckoneth up persons that were without natural affection: and it were an easy matter out of Histories to report, that many have disinherited, many have murdered, many have devoured their own children, so fare unnatural have they been. In opposition unto these two cases, which apparently conclude that the Parents of our flesh are temporal; temporal, in regard that they are mortal in their nature, and temporal, in that they are mutable in their affections; our Saviour Christ is termed an everlasting Father, death cannot take him from us: for even in his death, (wherein, notwithstanding his abode was so little that he saw no corruption) the hypostatical Union, which made him a father, did not cease. And as for his affection, it is immutable, Whom he loveth, he loveth unto the end: of the perpetuity of his being, excellent is that place, Esay 63. Doubtless thou art our Father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not: Thou O Lord, art our Father, and our Redeemer, thy name is from everlasting. And touching the perpetuity of his loving, the Church there speaketh also, Look down from heaven, and behold from the habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory: where is thy zeal, and thy strength, the sounding of thy bowels, and of thy mercy towards me? 〈◊〉 9 ●●al. 27. are they restrained? No, they cannot be restrained. For as God in this Prophet speaketh elsewhere, Can a Mother forget her child? If she can, yet will not I forget thee, saith the Lord: And King David, When my father and my mother forsook me, the Lord took me up. This is the reason why our Saviour Christ in the Gospel, biddeth us Call none father upon earth, for that we have but one father which is in heaven: he liveth, when the other dye; and when the other hateth, he continueth his love. and therefore is deservedly called, the everlasting Father. Two good Lessons are employed herein: the one teaching Piety, the other Charity. We are taught Piety, when we are taught that he whom we obey is our Father: for if I be a Father (saith the Lord) where is mine honour? Mal. 1. and Moses to Israel, Deut. 32. Dost thou so reward the Lord, O thou foolish people and unwise? is not he thy Father that made thee? etc. And as the very name of Father teacheth Piety, so doth the name of Everlasting teach it much more. St. Paul argueth so, Heb. 12. If so be we honoured the fathers of our flesh, which are mortal, as is our flesh, how much more should we honour the father of our spirits, which is immortal, as is our spirits? Great reason have we to reverence this Father, that never ceaseth to be our Father, that hath provided, that even when we lose our fathers, we should yet still have our Father, have him for our Father, which is the Father of Orphans. It is no small comfort nor weak pillar of our faith, that we never want a Father: yea, our double birth readeth us this Lecture. For as we come out of our mother's womb by the help of our mortal Parents; so to signify that we have immortal parents, we are then borne again in the Church's womb. Neither doth this title teach us only Piety, but Charity also; charity one towards another. For whereas our mortal parents extend their consanguinity and affinity but to a few, this everlasing father extends his unto all. Malachy worketh upon this, Have we not all one Father? Cap. 2. wherefore then do you injury one to another? The blood should never be cold, seeing we are all kin in the first degree; all brethren, sons of one father, even of him that is here called, the everlasting father. But how cometh Christ to be called father, who otherwise is called our brother; he being the son of God, and God being his father, as he is ours? If you respect the Communion of those things whereof we both partake, he is our brother, but if the Communication or derivation of them, he is our father; for he is the second Adam, as the Church is the second Eve: and as we are termed the sons of the Church, or of Jerusalem the Spouse, so are we also of Christ the Bridegroom, who begetteth us in, and by his Church. We bear the image of this second Adam, as we do of the first, and his children are we whose image we bear: therefore Christ that saith, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, Rom. 14. saith, Esay 8. Behold, here am I, and the children which thou hast given unto me. As he is, so he calleth himself, sometimes brother, sometimes father. And so have you heard, how he is The everlasting father. But the words bear also another interpretation, which is, That he is the father of everlasting things. As he is, so are those things that are subject unto him, both everlasting. And this distinguisheth between this world, and that which is to come, making Christ King of the later. St. Paul telleth us, Heb. 2. that God hath subjected unto him the world to come. That temporal and eternal do distinguish between these two worlds, it is clear in St. Paul, teaching that those things which are seen are temporal, but those which are not seen are eternal. And touching the things which are seen, the Preacher hath pronounced peremptorily vanity of vanities, all is but vanity: One generation passeth, and another cometh, and nothing abideth steadfast in the world. 1 Cor. 7. St. Paul biddeth us use the world as if we used it not, because the fashion of this world passeth away. St. john biddeth us not to love the world, nor the things that are in the world; Psal. 102. for this world passeth away, and the lusts thereof. The Psalmist telleth us that they all wax old like unto a garment: and St. Peter, 2 Pet. 2. Rom. 8. that the heavens shall melt with heat, and the earth with the works thereof shall be burnt up; they shall be dissolved. For all are subject unto vanity. But in the very same places where the temporalty of this present world is set down, there is mention made of the eternity of that world which is to come: you heard it out of the place to the Corinth's: and the words in the Psalm are very clear, 2 Cor. 4. Psal. 102. 1 john 2. The children of thy servants shall continue, and their seed shall stand fast in thy sight: and St. john, He that fulfilleth the will of God, abideth for ever. St. Peter intimateth as much: and so doth Solomon in the Preacher. This our Prophet that in the fortieth is willed to cry, All flesh is grass, and the glory thereof is as the flower of the field, the grass withereth, the flower fadeth; is willed also to cry, That the Word of the Lord endureth for ever. 1 Pet. 1. And this Word is the incorruptible seed, by which we are newborn; it is the food, by which we are nourished, which endureth for ever; it is the riches, which neigh their rust can corrupt, nor thiefs spoil us of; john 6. it setteth upon our heads an immarcessible Crown, and placeth us in a Kingdom that cannot be shaken. All the graces wherein stands the life of Christianity, they are eternal graces, they possess us of that which is eternal, and make us eternal possessors thereof. Therefore well doth Christ in this respect also receive this title of The father of eternity. But eternity must be understood à parte post, not a part ante. The eternity à parte ante, is God's prerogative; to be so eternal, is to be without beginning. A creature hath his beginning, and so fare is temporal: but he may be continued for ever, and so be eternal. And in this sense doth the Prophet in this place speak of eternity, and maketh Christ The father thereof. And well may he be called the father, that was the Author, and is the Disposer thereof: for in his own Person he first gave being unto this both grace and glory, and from his person doth it stream unto us; we no otherwise enjoy it, than as we have union with him. And these three interests of Christ in these things, do make him to be termed, the father of this eternity. But now this title must look back unto the two formertitles, and then we shall see the sweetness that is in it. In the Regal titles we heard of that Wisdom and Power which we may admire and adore: but when I hear that the wonderful Counsellor, the almighty God is my father, this sweetens these two glorious titles, and maketh them the more comfortable to me. For whom doth the wisdom of a father provide, but for his child? and for whom so readily as for his child, doth a father use his power? I presume then of Christ's providence, of Christ's supportance, because Christ is my father. He that is the king is my father, and what I might not presume of a king, of a father I dare presume, yea, and presume it constantly; for he is unchangeable. My immortal father is not like my mortal, that his wisdom or his power should steed me but for a time, they will stick to me for ever; no death can take them from me, neither will they be estranged upon any dislike. Can there be greater comfort for a feeble, for a sinful soul, than this assurance of such an everlasting father? The comfort is great that appears in the person, but in the inheritance there appears much greater: for wherein hath, or doth this my everlasting father spend his everlasting wonderful wisdom, and mighty power? hath he spent them to provide me a momentany estate? is his inheritance like that which is left by my mortal parents, such as I may lose, or must leave? No, it is like himself, his works be are the image of his person, they are eternal like himself. Let then the world fail me, let all earthly things be taken from me, let them be unto me as my parents, natural parents were, but temporal: yet shall I not want. I can as little be poor, as be an Orphan: My father never dyeth, and the portion he gives me endureth for ever. When I read of what stuff Moses made the Tabercle, Solomon the Temple, much more when I read St. john's description of the heavenly jerusalem, I now perceive God's meaning; it is to let me understand, so fare as earth can shadow heaven, how much more stable my inheritance of heaven is, than the best inheritance I can get here on earth, if it be of earth: though on earth I may have (every child of God hath) the earnest, the first fruits of that which we expect in heaven. And so have you the first of these two titles, which teach that Christ's royal endowments are also spiritual. I come now to the second, which showeth that as Christ's kingdom is not of this world, because it is as he is, not temporal, but eternal: so likewise the condition of it is not worldly, it is Peace. Divus Nerua (saith Tacitus) duas res olim insociabiles coniunxit, imperium & libertatem. He spoke with the most that ascribed so much unto Nerua: but of Christ is may be most truly affirmed, that where he reigns, there is peace and free liberty for every Subject. It is too usual with men, the wiser they are, the more to be turbulent, and disquieters of States, the more power they have, the more to tyrannize: it is not so with our King, but he that is wonderful for Counsel, mighty for Power, bends both his Counsel and his Power to work Peace, that peace which is the portion of his Church, and which none partake beside the members thereof. This Prophet hath peremptorily pronounced, There is no peace unto the wicked, saith my God: Esay 57 He compares them to the Sea, still raging and foaming, casting out their own shame: & Solomon unto vanity, adds vexation of spirit. You may see it in the particular case of all wicked men, that sure they have no rest. They have no rest ab intra; they never can light upon that which doth sistere appetitum, which maketh them range in their desires, in their endeavours, never finding where to settle: and ab extra too, they are unquiet, for the whirlwind of God driveth them like chaff, and like a flood it driveth them down the stream. And indeed, how should they be quiet that are compared unto the sea, which when there is no storm cannot stand still, but hath his flux and reflux? And no wonder: for it is the subject of the Moon, than which, nothing is more changeable. A fit Emblem of the world, upon which, whosoever dependeth, cannot be stable, when the world itself is so unsteadfast. But no greater argument can be brought for their want of quiet, than that which is taken from the nature of peace: and the nature thereof is insinuated in the word, wherewith the holy Ghost in the Hebrew tongue expresseth it; no tongue doth so usually fit words to things, and give us a notion of the things by the words. Now the word Shalom, which signifieth Peace, doth in the root contain two significations, the one of Perfection, the other of Retribution: and these two comprehend the full nature of peace. wherein there is first perfection. What perfection is, I will show you corporally, that you may the better conceive it spiritually. God hath made the eye to see, and the ear to hear; the eye seethe colours, the ear heareth sounds: that between those objects, and these senses, there may be quiet, the sense must be in good temper, and the object such as will give content: if the sense be sound, and the object pleasing, there groweth peace between them; but if either the object be not proportioned to the eye to please it, and so likewise the sound to the ear; or if the ear and the eye be unsound, so that it cannot endure the object, then groweth unquietness. As it is thus bodily, so spiritually there is an object that must be entertained by us, and we must be fit to entertain it; God's Word and his Works. If our senses be so sanctified, that we can behold them, and they do so testify God's will to us, that we receive comfort by them, than there is Peace. Apply this unto the godly, and you shall find, that the things of God do always give them content, and they delight to solace themselves in them: yea, though the cross go withal, and they are exposed to worldly troubles, yet every good man is Medijs tranquillus in undis: Et si fractus illabatur orbis, impavidum ferient rumae. As for the wicked, it is not so with them: for either they want those senses, whereby they should entertain Gods gracious countenance when it is present with them, and so peace faileth in them, for want of that wherewith they should receive it; or else if God give them senses to see him, they see nothing but justice and Wrath in him, and so in regard of the object, they have no peace: (stupidity, and senselessness of God's judgements, which sometimes doth befall them, especially in prosperity, maketh a show of peace; but indeed it is nothing less;) For if so be the parts of our body, and powers of our soul, do not work upon their proper objects, and in working find content, there is not the nature of peace; peace, so fare as it consists in perfection; Which understood spiritually, is nothing else but grace; grace is the first kind of peace which belongs unto the Church. Besides this peace of perfection, there is a peace of retribution. Every Commandment, as it hath his precept, so it hath his sanction also; and as we are commanded in the one, so we have a promise in the other: Glory is promised for grace; and the servant to whom the master saith Well done, shall enter into his Master's joy: he shall have peace for peace, yea peace upon peace; the peace of heaven heaped upon that peace which he had in earth, which is nothing else but the reward of godliness. You see the two branches of peace, perfection and retribution; of both these Christ is Prince: He is the Author both of grace and glory, the true King of Salem, Ephes. 2.14. the true Solomon, the true Noah, whom St. Paul calleth our Peace; Luke 2.14. Luke 10.5. at whose birth the Angels sung, In earth peace; whose first Sermon that he commanded his Apostles to preach, was, Peace be to this house; who taking leave of his Disciples, joh. 14.27. gave them Peace, when he went to his death, Luke 24.36. when he rose from the dead; finally, as the Apostle saith, Slew hatred, and set at one all things both in heaven and earth. The Prophets every where speak of his Kingdom, as of a Kingdom of peace. Read Psalm 72. Esay 32. etc. That the inheritance we shall have is eternal, you heard before: But the inheritance of the wicked is eternal also, Go ye cursed (shall the judge say) into everlasting fire; and they have a worm that never dyeth: but theirs is a miserable eternity, an unquiet inheritance, hunger and thirst, nakedness and pain, chains and utter darkness, weeping and gnashing of teeth are their portion; and where these are, what trouble is there not? But ours is a better eternity, it is a peaceable one: as we shall ever be, so shall we ever be at quiet; at quiet passively, nothing shall disquiet us; at quiet actively, we shall disquiet none. We shall be pacati and pacifici, sit at rest ourselves, and disturb none. It shall be so in heaven fully, in earth it should be so in a good measure: for Gods will should be done in earth as it is in heaven; and we should begin our heaven here upon earth. We should begin to exercise the Peace of Perfection, and foretaste the Peace of Retribution; that so we might have a good experiment, and give the world a good testimony that we are the subjects of the Prince of peace. I will set God before mine eyes, and I will try how mine eyes can behold God; and if I find that mine eye delights to behold him, that his countenance puts gladness into my heart, when I do behold him, I am sure we are at Peace. For, were we not, either I have no eyes, and do not see him, or when I do, I shall be confounded with the sight of him. I will open mine ears, and I will hear God in his Word, and if when I hear him, the Law of his mouth is sweeter unto me than honey, and the honey comb, I know we are at peace; were we not, I must needs be like Adam, hear, and fly. And if, in the days of my mortality, I can attain this Peace of Perfection, I doubt not, but in the days of my immortality, I shall attain unto that higher peace, the peace of Retribution: all tears shall be wiped from mine eyes, all sickness from my body, all blindness from my understanding, all untowardliness from my will. This civil discord of the flesh and the spirit, and that greater between my conscience and God, how much more these lesser discords that are between me and other men, shall fully cease, and be abolished for ever; the Prince of Peace shall consummate my peace. And so have you those two titles of Christ, which show, that we must understand spiritually those two former titles, which you heard before do royally belong unto him. I should now farther show you, that the Scripture gives Christ many names, because one or few cannot fully express him, or (at least) we cannot fully sound the depth of that name when it is given unto him. The name of jesus, is a rich name, and so is the name of Christ, the usual names by which our Saviour was called: but the riches of those names are unfolded unto us in these particular titles, and we must take these as Commentaries upon those: for as it is in the eleventh of this Prophecy, The spirit which rested upon Christ was manifold; how manifold, the holy Ghost doth there describe in abstracto: but here to like purpose he speaketh of Christ in concreto. The time will not suffer me to parallel these, and the like places; this is our Rule, That as our nature delights in variety, so there is a variety in Christ, to give full content unto our nature; and we must not lightly pass by any one of his titles, seeing every one of them promiseth so much good unto us. O Lord, that being my Lord, art pleased to be my Father, such a Father, as that I need not fear that I shall ever be an Orphan, and hast provided me an inheritance that shallbe as lasting as myself, that when all other fail me, shall be enjoyed by me; an inheritance most comfortable, because therein consists my Perfection, and thy Retribution; the Retribution of glory, wherewith thou dost crown the Perfection of grace: grant that I never want that piety which I own unto my Father, that charity which I own unto my Brethren. Let my heart go where my best treasure is, and let that peace which passeth all understanding have the upper hand in me: Let me feel it, let me practise it so in heart, that I may have the fullness of both sense and practice of it, in the Kingdom of Heaven. Amen. THE SIXTH SERMON. Of the increase of his Government and Peace there shall be no end, upon the Throne of David, and upon his Kingdom, to order it, and to establish it etc. IN Christ, whom the Prophet describeth here unto us, I observed a double excellency, one of his Person, and another of his State: The first I have already handled; I come now to the second, the excellency of the State. Which stands in a boundless growth of the Kingdom, and a constant policy of the King; that is the effect, whereof this is the cause. But more particularly in the effect, observe, that there is a growth, the Prophet calleth it an increase, a growth of the government, and a growth of the peace; both partake of the same increase. And the increase of both is boundless, there is no end of it; no bounds of place, it overspreadeth all; no bounds of time, it endureth for ever: the word beareth both. Of this effect or boundless growth of the Kingdom, the cause is the constant policy of the King. Which consisteth in the exercise of his two roy all endowments: of his wisdom, He shall order, and to order is nothing else but to employ that wisdom which Christ hath as a wonderful Counsellor: of his power, He shall support, and to support, what is it but to employ his power? the power that he hath as he is a mighty God: he employeth them both, his wisdom, his power. But they may be employed either well, or ill, according as the rule is by which they proceed: Christ employeth them well, his rule is good, it is judgement and justice; he calls all to an account, and measures to all as they are found upon their trial. This is the policy. And herein he is constant, he continueth it without ceasing, from henceforth even for ever: So that of the everlasting effect, there is an everlasting cause. You see what is the sum or substance of this second excellency; but that you may see it better, let us run over the parts briefly, and in their order. And first we are to observe, how answerable the excellency of the state is, to the excellency of the person, one goeth not without the other. Christus naturalis will have Christum mysticum conformable unto him, the body to the head: Where he vouchsafeth an union of persons, he vouchsafeth a communion also in the dignity of the persons. It appears in the name, he is called Christ, which is, anointed with oil of gladness; and we are called Christians, we partake of the same oil. His name is but an ointment poured out, as it is in the Canticles; Cap. 1.3. poured out like that precious oil upon Aaron's head, which ran down to the skirts of his garment. Cap. 60. All Christ's garments (and the Church in Esay is compared to a garment) smell of Myrrh, Aloes, and Cassia, as it is Psalm 45. This is taught by diverse Similes, Of the wife's communicating in her husband's honour and wealth, The branches partaking of the fatness and sweetness of the root, The members deriving of sense and motion from the head: So that our King is not like the bramble that receiveth all good, and yields none to the state: but he is like the Figtree, the Vine, the Olive; they that pertain to him, are all the better for him, they are conformable to him; if he have an excellency, they shall have one also. A good pattern for mortal Kings and Governors, who should herein imitate the King of Heaven, that as when a man seethe an excellent work, he ghesseth that the work man was excellent, though he see him not: so the eminency of the Governor may be seen, when he is not seen; it may be seen in the eminency of his people. Surely, the corporal Heaven doth not more declare the glory of God, Psalm 19 nor the corporal Firmament his handy work; than the mystical heaven, and the Firmament of the Church, do set forth unto the world the glory of Christ. But enough of the correspondency of one excellency to another: let us descend now to the particulars of the later, and speak first of the growth. And here we see how Christus mysticus doth answer Christum naturalem also. In describing of the King, the Prophet began at his childhood, of which St. Luke saith, that Christ grew in wisdom, in stature, and in fanour both with God and man. And what doth the word increase intimate, but a childhood as it were of the Church, from which it groweth forward? Certainly, the Scripture doth follow the Simile, and fetcheth, as Christ out of his mother's womb, so the children of God out of the Church's womb, by a new birth. And as Christ sucked his mother's breast, so do these children live at first by reasonable milk, (as Saint Peter speaketh) sucked from the Churches two breasts, the Old, Heb. 6. and the New Testament. As he, so they come at length to stronger meat, and both come to the age of a perfect man: Christ naturally, the Church mystically. Ephes. 4. And this doctrine is taught by other Similes also. In the Prophets we read of Vine-plants which grew, and spread fare; Dan. 2. of the little stone in Daniel, cut without hands, which grew into a great Mountain. In the Gospel the Kingdom of heaven is compared to mustard seed, the least of seeds, but not of the least growth, it becometh a Tree; and it is compared to leaven, and who knoweth not how that disperseth itself throughout the whole lump? But this is plain in the story, Crescite & multiplicamini was a blessing that concerned as well the spiritual, as the natural propagation of man, both had a like small beginning. Before the Flood one Adam and one Eve, from whom sprang all the children of God: after the Flood there was but one Family to people all the world, and but a piece of that to people the Church. Abraham had but one Isaac, whose offspring was to become a mighty Nation: he that marketh how it increased in Egypt, will say that it increased indeed. Come to the New Testament; what a small beginning had the Church thereof? but what an increment do we find of it? And when the Gospel was in this later age new planted, how few were they from whom it spread? It were no great matter to weary you, with relating out of the Prophet's Texts that handle this increase. But it needeth not, the matter is plain. And this is the use, even the comfort of the Church, that when we see but a cloud, no bigger than that of Elias, we may prognosticate, that the whole heavens shall be overcast, there will follow more, as truly as when a few grains are sown, there will arise many ears, and each loaden with many grains. God somewhere in the Prophet useth that Simile, and speaking of the Church, he promiseth that he will sow it with the seed of men: So that we may use those words of Zachary, Cap. 4. Who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel, with those seven, they are the eyes of the Lord which run to and fro through the earth. For there is an increase, and this increase is boundless. But before I come to the measure of the increase, I must a little observe, what that is which doth increase; it is here specified to be the Government and the Peace thereof. What the Government, and what the Peace is, you heard before: at this time I am only to observe, that both of them increase; for it is remarkable, that they both increase. When mortal Princes enlarge their Dominions, they are fain withal to increase their garrisons. Witness the Roman Empire, which never kept so many Armies, as when they had most Provinces. And no marvel; for what they conquered by the sword, they were fain to hold by the sword. for, but for fear they were not obeyed by them whom they held by force. Quem metuunt, oderunt: Et quem quisque odit, periisse expetit, are too evident, and too much experienced rules. All Nations have had the trial of it in their conquests. But it is not so with the Kingdom of Christ; where he enlargeth his Dominions he bringeth Peace, the inseparable companion of his Dominions: and why? he maketh all his Subjects natural. The Romans in the end found that to be the best policy, to denizen whole Countries whom they conquered, and give them the same immunities with the Citizens of Rome. And sure, this was a better provision for their peace, than the sword could be. But this was but a moral perswafion unto peace, it could not work the heart, and alter it, that was still indisposed thereunto; as appears by many rebellions and wars of those that had these immunities, when fit occasion was offered them. But our Saviour Christ changeth the heart. In the eleventh of this prophecy it is excellently figured, by the cohabitation of the Wolf and the Lamb, the Leopard and the Kid, etc. Have men never so salvage dispositions, yet when they come under the Government of Christ, they put them off, and become as meek, as tame, as the Lambs and Kids in the flock of Christ. He that readeth the stories, how barbarous other countries, yea our own country was before it was christianed, will acknowledge the truth hereof. I will only instance in two well known persons. St. Paul and St. Austin, what they were before, they have each of them registered with their own pens; St. Paul in his Epistles, St. Augustine in his Confessions; what they became, who knoweth not that hath read the Writings of them both? The ground of all, is, None cometh under Christ's government, but he is newborn, not so much naturalised, as indeed made a natural subject: and we see in our own Country, how true the affection is, as of a natural Prince to his Subjects, so of natural Subjects to their Prince. This City lodgeth no garrison, neither doth any other, except the frontier Town that is armed against the foreign enemy, and yet we all readily obey: even so is it, and much more so in the Kingdom of Christ; where the government cometh, peace cometh with it, they both go together, they both increase. But how fare? surely without stint of time or place; of the increase (saith our Prophet) there is no end. Where the Prophets do speak of the increase of the government, they join withal the increase of the peace. Psalm 72. Esay 60. Micah 4. etc. The increase is (as I termed it) boundless; it hath neither limits of place, nor period of time. The Hebrew word beareth both, and so doth the Syriac, which Luke 1. is used in the same argument. In the Hebrew Text the word Marbe hath, contrary to the usual orthography, Man clausum for Man apertum; some impute it to the error of the Scribes, but the uniformity of all copies disproves that, seeing it is not like that all should commit the same error, especially seeing they wrote not all out of one copy. Whereupon the Divines suppose, that there is some mystery therein; what the mystery is, they are not agreed: some would have it to be but a circumstance, a circumstance of the time when Christ should be borne; Man understood numerally signifieth 600. and about 600. years after this prophecy Christ was borne: othersome not content with this circumstance, seek for a mystery in the substance of the description of Christ; and here their judgements vary also: for some respect Christum naturalem, and some Christum mysticum. They that respect Christum naturalem, suppose that the strangeness of the character signifieth the strangeness of Christ's birth, which was not to be after the ordinary course of man: They that respect Christum mysticum, observe, that the squareness of Man, pointeth out the four quarters of the world, and the closeness of Man, the perpetuity of time; for that you cannot see in the letter where it ends. And if there be any mystery, this is the likeliest: for seeing this letter falleth out to be in those words, wherein the Prophet speaketh de Christo mystico, it is like the mystery concerneth Christum mysticum, and noteth the boundless increase thereof in place and time. But to leave this mystery. The phrase doth plainly observe a difference between the Church in the Old Testament, and the Church in the New; that had bounds, this hath none. The bounds of the old Church were the limits of the holy Land, which you may read in Moses, and in josuah: the like difference is observed in the old, and in the new jerusalem; the old jerusalem had walls, but Zachary, cap. 2. saith, that the new should be inhabited without walls. And indeed here we see the truth of the promise made to Abraham, He is a Father of many Nations. As in Sarahs' name we saw the royalty of the King, so in Abraham's, the amplitude of the Kingdom. We may likewise apply hereunto the story of jacobs' two sons, juda a type of the King, and joseph, of the Kingdom; his very name soundeth the increase thereof: and jacob describeth in his blessing, this blessing of increaso. But to come to the plain cuidences; In thy seed (said God to Abraham) shall all nations of the earth be blessed: And Psalm 2. Ask of me (saith God to Christ) and I will give unto thee all nations for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. I omit the rest of the Prophets: the Psalms have Texts enough, All nations shall remember themselves, and be turned to the Lord. read Psalm 45.72.89. Come to the New Testament, Many shall come from the East, and from the west, from the North, and from the South (saith Christ) and shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and jacob, in the Kingdom of Heaven, Matth. 8. & 13. He maketh the whole world the field wherein God soweth his seed: and speaking of the end of the world, he giveth us the meaning of that Parable, saying, That the Gospel must be preached to all nations. But most excellent is that, Acts 2. where when the holy Ghost descended, it pleased God that there should be of all nations under heaven; some that should hear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the wonderful works of God, every one in his own languagne. So that the Gospel was preached to all nations, before the Apostles stirred from jerusalem. And who can tell whether they were not harbingers unto the Apostles, to prepare a people for Christ against their coming thither? The place also in the Revelation, cap. 7. is very clear, where, after the sealing of those that were Israelites, john saw a multitude of all nations, which none could number, triumphing as members of this Kingdom. Finally, St. Paul compares the circuit of the Sun of righteousness, Rom. 10. unto the circuit of our corporal Sun; both compass the world, no place is hid from the light or heat of either of them. You see it hath no bounds of place, neither hath it any bounds of time. As it is the largest Monarchy that ever was (for none of these four notable ones ever took up half so much ground) so is it the most lasting also, jesus Christ yesterday, to day, and the same for ever. You have it in the type of David, and Saul, whereof the Kingdom of the one was temporal, but of the other eternal, as it is 2 Sam. 7. The Angel repeateth the same promise, Luke 1. The Psalms do often urge it, Psalm 45.72.89. So do the Prophets, Esay especially, they all concur in this, that the Kingdom shall have no end. Christ's words are short, but they are full, The gates of hell shall never prevail against it. And behold here another excellent difference, between mortal Kingdoms, and this heavenly. Mortal Kingdoms are not lasting; and while they last, they continue not uniform, they have their clymactericall years, and commonly determine within certain periods. The Politicians writ of it, Bodin by name, and he out of others: and the Stories are clear that it is so. justin hath calculated the three first: but Slèidan all four; and we see their beginning, and their ending. And as they are not lasting, so while they last, they continue not uniform. The Planters of great states are commonly Heroical men: but the Proverb is, Heroum filij noxae, The Parents were never so beneficial, as the children are mischievous, oppressing by tyranny, or wasting by vanity; worldly peace breedeth plenty, plenty breedeth luxury, and luxury breedeth war, wherewith cometh ruin. This being the condition of mortal Kingdoms, how blessed is this Kingdom, that is boundless in place and time? both for government and for peace. If a man would choose himself an habitation, would he not pitch there where he might have the most commerce, and the safest harbour? See then our vanity, that for the most part wrong ourselves herein, and prefer the world before the Church, desire to be of that corporation, rather than this: where we have less scope, and more trouble, do we rather choose to make our abode, than where the bounds are wider, and the peace is never interrupted? I say there is more scope in the Church than in the world; not only more lasting peace, because though there be few that shall be saved, yet those few are all at one: But of those that perish, it is true, Quot capita, tot sensus, there are as many factions almost, as persons, they jar as much between themselves, as they do with the godly. and in that respect the godly may be said to be most in number. But there are two cautions to be observed in this boundlessness of the Church: One concerning the bound lesnesse thereof in regard of place: Another concerning the boundlessness thereof in regard of time. Touching the former, whereas the Church is said to spread itself over the whole world, we must not only understand it de generibus singulorum, (not the singulis generum) in all nations; but also observe, that Christ which hath Ius ad omnem terram, hath not at the same time Ius in omni terra: the propriety of all is his, but he taketh possession of it successively, and by parts. As the scope of the Sun is all the world, and yet at one time the Sun doth not shine in all parts thereof; it beginneth in the East, and passeth to the South, and so to the West; and as it passeth forward bringing light to one place, withdraweth it from another: so is it in regard of the Sun of Righteousness; the eastern Countries, the foutherne, have had his light, which now are in darkness for the most part: and we that were more northerly do now enjoy the clearest noon-tide; but the Sun beginneth to rise to them in the West, and it is too plain, that our light beginneth to grow dim; it is to be feared, that it hasteneth to their Meridian, and whether after their noon, it will then set, God knoweth. The cause hereof is not (lest we mistake) in the Sun of Righteousness, as the cause why all have not light at one time, is in the corporal Sun: The corporal Sun cannot at one time illighten all, the Sun of Righteousness can: But for the sins of the people the Candlestick is removed, and given to a nation that will bear more fruit. We interpose our earthliness between ourselves and the Sun, and so exclude ourselves from the beams thereof. A second caution concerneth the time. The peace and the government are said to be everlasting: But they may be considered in fieri, or in facto, when they are once consummated, they shall be continued for ever; but while they are in fieri, the rebellion of the flesh against the spirit interrupts the government, and the conscience of sin within, and the cross without, interrupt the peace. Yet both are lasting pro modo viatoris, in the root, though not in the fruit; the principles of obedience, which are repentance and faith, by which we recall ourselves, and the principles of peace, which are faith and hope, by which we pacify ourselves inwardly, and patiently sustain what befalls us outwardly, continue for ever: yea, and disobedience repent of maketh us more obedient, and the interruption of peace breedeth us more peace; more peace inwardly we have, the less we have outwardly; and after our reconciliation with God, we do more comfortably enjoy the light of his countenance, but when we are comprehensores, than our Obedience shall be entire, and our peace be full, and both without end. The last note is that which is the life of all, to wit, the use, that we must make of it. Although we cannot say of a body consisting of heterogeneous parts, that Eadem est ratio unius & omnium, yet when it consists of homogeneous parts, we may say it truly: I cannot say, that my hand is my head, or my head is my hand, or that in the one I see the nature of the other; but whereas of flesh every part is flesh, in the least part I see the condition of the whole. The Church hath a double consideration, so fare as these children are subjects of the Kingdom, they are all homogeneous parts; but as they have several functions, so they are heterogeneous parts. We have not all the same graces of edification, but the same graces of adoption we should all have: though we be not all Prophets, all Apostles, all workers of Miracles, all Pastors; yet are we all children of God, servants in his house, subjects in his kingdom; every man so fare is a little catholic Church, at least should be. And we should all try ourselves by the rules of my Text, whether we find in ourselves the government of Christ, in our voluntary subjection to him; the peace of Christ in his comfortable influence into our consciences. We must try how these things increase in us, how we daily profit in both: And we should profit so fare, as that no part of our body, norpower of our soul, should be withdrawn from Christ's government: there should be no part or power of either, that doth not partake of the sweetness of his peace. They should do so, and every day should they do it: as they must exclude Christ from no place, so must they exclude him at no time. But alas, many of us are no subjects at all, we are sons of Belial, few of us growing subjects: but Catholickesubiects there are none on earth; for, how many holds hath Satan in us, in our bodies, and in our souls, out of which we keep Christ the lawful owner of them? And for Time, it were well if we paid a tenth part thereof unto Christ; but we afford him not so many hours as we do years unto the Devil. We are like unto the image in Daniel, which had a golden head, silver shoulders, brazen thighs, feet of clay and iron, the lower the worse; and we, the longer we live, commonly the worse we are, the first time we come to Christ we are at the best. How it is with particular persons, let every man ask his own conscience. Certainly it is so with whole Churches; what zeal, what charity, was there in the days of the Apostles? but it was of no long continuance. The Fathers that writ of the persecutions, say, That God sent every one of them to correct in his Church the decay both of zeal and charity. When the Gospel revived with us, those that are old may remember, how religious this Kingdom was, both within the Church and without, and what a friendly conspiracy there was between true devotion and honest converfation. But may not Christ say now to us, as he said to the Church of Ephesus? I have somewhat against thee, Reu. 2. because thou hast left thy first love. Nay, rather may not he repeat the words which he sent unto the Church of Sardis? I know thy works, Reu. 3. thou hast a name that thou livest, but art dead. Certainly, true Piety, true Charity is dead amongst us. I conclude all with Christ's exhortation, Reu. 2. Let us remember from whence we are fallen, and repent, and do our first works, lest he come upon us quickly, and remove our Candlestick out of his place, because we do not repent. O Lord, that hast vouchsafed to place thy Government amongst us, and with this Government to give thy Peace, we beseech thee that hast planted them, so to water them, that both may grow in us; and let us set no bounds to that which thou wouldst have boundless: Let not our whole Church, let not any member thereof withhold aught that should be subject unto thee, either in soul or body. And let our whole soul, our whole body, be comforted with thy peace: Finally, let them last as they grow both Government and Peace, in all, in every one of us, and that world without end. Let neither end in this world, where they are subject to danger: So shall both last for ever in that world that is to come, where they shall be free from all danger. Amen. THE SEVENTH SERMON. To order, and to establish it, with justice and with judgement for ever. THe Excellency of Christ's State standeth in a boundless growth of the Kingdom, and a constant policy of the King. Of the boundless growth I have already spoken: I come now to the constant policy. This is the cause, whereof that was the effect: and as the effect is answerable to the cause, so the cause is not inferior to the effect; it must be such as is likely to produce it, and so is this. Let us consider it. The policy is the exercise of the royal endowments of the King's wisdom and of his power: of his wisdom, for he doth order; and to order, what is it, but to show himself the wonderful Counsellor? of his power, for he doth support; and what is it to support, but to show himself the mighty God? But both these may be done ill or well; Christ's are well done: for in doing both he followeth a good rule, his rule is, judgement and justice. He calleth all to an account, and he deals with all unpartially. And this he doth constantly, from henceforth and for ever. For of an endless effect, the cause must also be endless. These be the particulars which now we must handle. I begin at the first. And the first thing that I observe herein, is, That as Christ hath endowments, so he useth them to that end, for which he received them. No creature, though destitute of reason, but keepeth his course, they let us see in their working, wherefore they were ordained: the Sun giveth his light, the Fire his heat, the Water moistness, the Earth beareth fruit; in all creatures you may read this lesson, Deus & Natura nihil faciunt frustra. And if creatures void of reason deal so, much more should those that are endued with reason; they should not be like the vuprofitable servant, that wrapped his talon up in a napkin, and hide it, but (as St. Peter adviseth) Every one as he hath received the gift, 1 Pet. 4.10. so must he dispose it; as a good Steward of the manifold graces of God. Certainly Christ doth so, and he is a good Precedent unto every one of us, especially unto those of place and authority, be it in Church or Commonweal: their gifts must not be idle, seeing there was an end for which they were bestowed upon them. As they must not be idle, so must each be applied unto his proper end: for, praestat otiosum esse, quam nihil agere, to busy our gifts, and not intent that whereat every one must aim, is an unprofitable business. And much business of this nature there is in the world; which is the cause why St. Paul doth blame certain persons, whom he calleth busy bodies, 1 Tim. 5.13. Mark then, that our Saviour doth employ his endowments, and employ them fitly. Wisdom is appointed to order, and he doth order by his wisdom: Power is appointed to support, and he doth support by his Power. But let us look further into either of these. Christ doth order, order his Kingdom: therefore it was out of order. The Physician's medicine doth intimate the Patient's disease; and we do not use to set in order that which was not out of order. And indeed, this Kingdom of Israel was out of order: In the temporal state it was, when Christ came, as it was when David came to the Crown. When David came to the crown, he professed, All the Land is dissolved, I bear up the Pillars thereof. it was much more so, when Christ came in the days of Herod; as he that readeth Flavius josephus, writing of the life of Herod, may easily perceive. At what time jacobs' prophecy appeared true, The Sceptre was gone, Cap. 9 the Lawgiver ceased: whereupon ensued that which Amos foretold, The Tabernacle of David fell to the ground; It was so with the temporal State. But Christ meddled not with that, he left unto Caesar that which was Caesar's: his endeavour was, that God might have what was due to God. As the temporal State was out of order, so was the ecclesiastical much more: it appears in the Gospel, where Christ layeth open the abuses of the Priests and of the Scribes, of the Pharisees and of the Saducees; it was their abuses that he came to reform, to set in order. Secondly, this word remembreth us of the Apostles rule, 1 Cor. 14. God is not the God of confusion, but of order. Confusion is from the Devil, but order is from God; especially in the Church: which St. Paul resembleth to our body, wherein the parts are fitly disposed, and every one keepeth his place, the eye, the head, the hand, the feet, one usurpeth not the function of the other: in answerableness whereunto, the Apostle telleth us, that All are not Prophets, all are not Apostles, 1 Cor. 12. and Cap. 7. exhorts all men, as God hath called them, so to walk. A good rule for these days, wherein the hands, yea and the feet too, take up the room of the head, and every man thinketh himself fit to be a Teacher, both by his pen and tongue, whose place notwithstanding is amongst the learners: Christ came to reform such disorders. But the order that Christ setteth in his Kingdom, must be learned from that order which wise Kings set in their temporal Kingdoms; they do order their subjects two ways, inter se, and ad bonum commune, they take care that there shall be a variety of professions, and that all those shall bend themselves to procure the common good: Even so should it be in the Church, Christ bestoweth diverse gifts, but all for the edification of his Church. And as in the Commonweal a man doth not live orderly, if he only follow a Trade, except the Commonweal be the better for it; no more doth he live orderly in a Church, that doth aught by which the whole Church is not benefited. The last thing that is to be observed in this order, and which indeed is the chiefest of all, is the ordering of each man in himself. In the Creation, God set in man an excellent order, subiecting, as the whole man to himself, so in man the body to the soul, the appetite to reason, whatsoever inferior faculties to their superiors: But time put all these things out of order, and man which from his better part should be denominated spiritual, is from his worse part called carnal; and more usually doth the Scripture call him sensual than rational. The holy Ghost meaneth thereby to intimate the disorder that is grown by sin, and the order that we are to expect from Christ, who cometh to set us in frame, and (to use the Apostles words, Ephes. 4.) to set us in joint, that every part of man should keep his order, and none in working exceed his measure. It is one of the curses that God in Esay threatneth to the Kingdom of Israel, that the vile person shall set himself against the honourable. And it is no small curse in every one of us, to have the worse part command the better; and command it will, except Christ do order, except he do use his first royal endowment. But as he useth the first, so must he use the second also: for as the Kingdom is out of order, so is it weak also; and the establishing presupposeth this weakness: yea, indeed weakness is the cause of disorder, men fall to disorder through weakness. The weakness of the civil State of Israel is clear in the Story; for the Israelites were become enthralled to the Romans, and had no power to relieve themselves, though they were exposed to all kind of ignominy and cruelty, as he that readeth Flavius josephus will confess. It was bad with them in the Assyrian captivity, but in the Roman much worse: and it was this weakness that the jews thought their Messiah should support, who rejected Christ, because he came not into the World as a likely person to do this, to crush their enemies, and to make them a mighty nation, according to the Prophecies, which not only affirm they should be so, but set it out in diverse Similes, as you may read in Esay, in Zacharie, and in others; that they should thresh all Nations, as a heavy stone should grind them; should be as a soporiforous cup, and as fire working upon stubble. These places they understood literally, which indeed should have been understood spiritually. Another weakness (for they had another kind of weakness) was disability to do well, whereby they were carried captives unto sin (as St. Paul speaketh, Rom. 7.) and that was it which enfeebled them (as God had threatened, Deut. 28.) and gave their enemy's power over them; Christ came to remedy this weakness, Esay 35. to strengthen these weak hands and feeble knees, as you may perceive in that excellent description thereof which Zacharie hath, cap. 2. where God promiseth power to all the house of Israel, and showeth, that the feeblest of them shall be like unto David, and the house of David like unto the Angels. St. Paul, Ephes. 6. describeth the armour wherewith we are strengthened, and telleth us that it is, The power of the Lord: and cap. 3. he telleth us, that therewith we are strengthened in the inward man: and to the Hebrews, cap. 11. telleth us, that by Faith many of weak became strong, even so strong, that St. Paul saith of himself, Phil. 4. He could do all things through him that strengthened him, which is Christ. Finally, this is the strength for which he so often prayeth, when he prayeth for the Church; it is the strength whereby we may be able to encounter our chief enemies, which are ghostly, and to perform the duties which concern a Christian life. The substance of our faculties was not abolished by sin, but the sinews were enfeebled, as we hold in the question of . Try it in the particulars, and you may perceive it: Our understanding had proportionable strength to the object thereof (the truth of God) to apprehend it; and the will to the object thereof (our sovereign Good) to embrace it: so had all the affections the strength that was expedient for such attendance upon the will, to further our possession of the object thereof: But now every one of these is disabled by sin, and it is Christ's grace that enableth them again, giving us such wisdom, such holiness, such courage, and desires, as are expedient for a child of God to bring him unto, and keep him in enjoying of his final end. And this power is that power by which we must overthrew our enemies, if they be irreconcilable, as the devil, and his angels are: we foil them when they can fasten no sin upon us; then we break the Serpent's head, when his craft cannot delude us; and his tail too, when we continue stars in the firmament, notwithstanding his violent striking at us: and though he roar like a Lion, yet we continue steadfast in the faith; whether both these be used immediately by himself, or mediately by his instruments. And if the enemies be reconcileable, than the conquest of them by this power, is not the foiling of their bodies, or spoiling of their goods, but the casting down in them of all imaginations, 2 Cor. 10. and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ: And in this manner did the Apostles conquer, and the Christians in the Primitive Church; taking-in all these holds that were possessed by Satan, and imposing the easy yoke of Christ upon the wits and wills of all Nations. And in this sense should the jews have understood the Prophets, and made David's Kingdom a type, not of historical correspondency, but of mystical presignificancy; for other power they meant none, none that should appear in this world. And the Popes of Rome are jewish, that herein stand for a temporal power over Kings, direct or indirect, whereby they may overtop the sceptres, and dispose of the crowns of Princes. Christ left unto his Church no other sword, than that which cometh out of his mouth, which elsewhere is called, the breath of his mouth; Heb. 4. and the Word of God, which is sharper than any two-edged sword; and works in it by no other power, as it is a Church; though he hath not abolished the civil sword, nor rebated the edge thereof in peace or war, but strengthened it rather, in proceeding upon lawful and legal grounds. But the civil power is not to be confounded with the power of the Gospel; the power of the Church, and the power of the Commonweal, distant in toto genere: and it is the power of the Church that is meant here, that is the power which Christ established. And mark, it is not enough for Christ to order, except he establish. It was the case of Adam, he was well ordered, but he was not established; and thereupon the good order became mutable, and all the gifts of God be they not well rooted and founded in us, will come to nought, and fall to disorder. So that stability signifieth the preservation of that good order which wisdom sets, and is the principal blessing of the Gospel; wherein standeth the prerogative of Adam regenerated above Adam created: and it is that which Christ promiseth in the Gospel, and for which the Apostles do pray in their Epistles, namely, for prescruation and steadfastness in the truth: and Christ in his prayer before his passion doth specify it expressly. If we consider the mutability of our nature, which coming of nothing is still prone to return to nothing, especially being wrought upon by the Devil and the World; you will not so much wonder that the children of Israel's garments did not clean wear out in their forty year's passage through the Wilderness, as that the garment of Regeneration, which we receive in Baptism, weareth not out all the days of our pilgrimage in this world. But we must not mistake; stability doth not exempt us from storms, yea storms that may shake our house, and peradventure untile some part thereof, and break some boughs off from our tree: but the foundation, the root, are immoveable, the house, the tree, shall never fall. And this is the uttermost of that stability which we must expect in this world; The gates of hell shall not prevail: Valere poterunt, non poterunt praevalere. We shall experience that they had might, but not might enough to ruin us: they may give us wounds, but none that are uncurable: they may bruise our heel, but shall not be able to break our head; we are so fare established in this world: and in the world to come we shall be established farther, even so fare, as to be free from all storms, and all wounds, we shall not be at all moved. You hear how Christ doth establish, how he doth order. But these things may be done either well or ill. Many make orders which are not good, and support their people in doing evil: it is not so with this King, in doing both he followeth a good rule, judgement and justice. I will not trouble you with the diverse significations of, much less with the manifold commentaries upon these words; I suppose the fairest to be that which points out the two especial acts of a King, which are, the calling of his people to an account of their lives, that is judgement; and to proceed in their trials by an even rule, that is justice. Every man is required to have a care of his life, and to be respective of the society wherein he life's. A Roman Emperor in the Preface of his Institutions, makes this abridgement of civil conversation, A man must honestè vivere, not do aught disgraceful to his own person; that is not enough, he must be careful of others also, alterum non laedere, that he worst not another man's state while he would better his own; yea, he must suum cuique tribuere, so live, that every man be the better for him. This is the duty of a Subject, and the King looks that he shall perform it; to this end he keeps an Assizes, and executeth judgement. It fareth with the body politic, as it doth with the body natural; in the body natural, if the humours keep their proportion, we shall have our health; no sooner do they swerve from it, but they begin a disease, which maketh way to putrefaction, and so to dissolution; wherefore we apply physic to reduce them again into a due temper: even so while good Laws sway our carriage towards ourselves, towards our neighbours, each man doth well, the Commonweal doth prosper; but no sooner doth the subject break these bands, but a civil putrefaction entereth, which maketh way to the ruin of a State, wherein every particular man's welfare is hazarded with the whole: the remedy whereof is the work of judgement. judgement then is a fit remedy; but it must be attended with justice also: not the King's affections, but his laws must moderate his judgement, and the medicine must be fitted to the disease; otherwise if the Scales of justice do not first weigh the merits of the cause, the judgement will as much disquiet the State, as discontent the parties judged. If you put these words together, to order and to establish with judgement and justice, each requires both; ordering is not perfect without judgement and justice, nor stablishing perfect, except both concur: for stablishing is nothing but a perpetuating of good order. Therefore to set the subjects right, the King must use judgement guided by justice; and that he may keep them in that state, he must persevere in so doing. These words (as you see) have an evident truth in a Commonweal, and from thence are they borrowed; but to note a higher truth which concerns the Church, whereof Christ is King. And here we must observe an improvement of the virtues, upon which Christ will pass his judgement: Honestè vivere, is not only to live as beseems civil men, but as beseemeth Saints, children of God expressing his image, members of Christ leading his life, and temples of the holy Ghost, bearing in our foreheads Holiness to the Lord. And as for alterum non laedere; it is not enough for us not to defraud others, we must love our very enemies, bless them that curse us, do good to them that hate and persecute us. Finally, our suum cuique tribuere, must be to deny ourselves, our friends, our life, when we will testify our duty to God; yea, to lay down our lives also for the Brethren, after the example of Christ: So dear must their welfare be unto us. As that which comes into judgement is so improved, so is the judgement itself also: for Christ's judgement is without prejudice, without partiality; nothing can be concealed, no person can be exempted, he will bring all, both persons and things, secret and open, before his judgement seat, all books shall then be opened, and the secrets of all hearts revealed; he will judge them all. But his judgement is ordered by justice, and this justice is of a higher strain than civil justice can be: for the justice is Evangelicall, wherein God through Christ doth so question us, as that he tenders withal a pardon unto us, and is as ready to forgive, as to discover our faults. Not only to forgive them, but also to amend us; it sufficeth not Christ graciously to cleanse us from the guilt of sin, he also giveth us a new heart, and createth an ingenuous spirit within us, by which we may be held in from sinning: With such judgement, and with such justice doth Christ order and establish his Church. And here must we mark a notable difference between this King of heaven and Kings on earth; earthly Kings neither give minds unto their subjects to observe their Laws, neither is it lawful for them in all cases to exempt their subjects from the stroke of justice, when they have offended: But our King can do both; he can rectify our conversation, and when we have sinned, he can comfort our distressed consciences. Last of all, in using this rule, whereby he directs and supports his State, this King is constant, he doth it incessantly, from henceforth and for ever. As the growth hath an eternity, so must the cause thereof (which is the King's policy) have an eternity also. For there could be no eternity in the effect, were there not an eternity in the cause, especially in effects which are always in fieri and not in facto, such as is this. It is in the mystical body as it is in the natural; sense there is in the body, but it is from the head; intercept the insluence of the head, and you extinguish the sense of the body: And as it fareth with the body in regard of sense, so doth it in regard of motion also. The like appears in the spirits that have their original from the heart; in the blood that streameth from the veins. In the great world you have many like spectacles, the Sun and the Light, the Streams and the Fountain, the Roots and the Trees; every one of these (you may perceive) endure not, if the effect be severed from the cause: How much less may we expect any enduring in those spiritual effects, did they not receive continuance from this spiritual cause? It is our comfort, that considering there is a mutability in us, this mutability prevaileth not, because of the King's constant influence upon us. We sin and recover, we are in danger and escape, neither our inward weakness, nor our enemies outward mightiness destroy God's gifts in us, or so hinder their increase, but that they become Catholic: for all which, we are beholding to the constant policy of the King, who never faileth to support us, but continueth ours unto the end. But the Prophet speaketh of this policy as if it began when he spoke these words; Christ was not borne till some hundreds of years after. The answer is easy, you had it before. The efficacy of Christ's birth wrought long before he was borne, not only in the time of this Prophet, but even from the time of Adam's fall. A scruple there ariseth, how these words can be true, that our King shall so rule for ever, seeing a time shall come (as the Apostle teacheth, 1 Cor. 15) when he shall give up his Kingdom to his Father. The answer is, if we respect the Kingdom of Grace, That as the effect shall not cease increasing till it become boundless, that is, have attained all his parts and degrees: so the cause shall work till the consummation of that effect, till all enemies be put down, and we are throughly perfected. And in this sense both cause and effect are termed endless, because they shall continue till the world's end. If you extend it to the Kingdom of Glory, it hath an eternity also, though not of Restauration, but of Conservation: though he shall cease restoring of us further, when we are fully restored, yet shall he never cease preserving us, because we can no longer be than we are preserved. You have heard the constant Policy of the King, wherein standeth the second branch of the Excellency of the State; what remaineth, but that if we were affected with the growth, and desired to be partakers of it, we submit ourselves unto the cause thereof, the Policy of the King; that we yield our disorderly selves to be set in order by him; and repose our weak selves to be supported on him, who will prescribe no Laws of order, but those that spring from justice, that spiritual justice which will abide the trial at God's bar, and work the highest kind of righteousness in our lives? Neither doth he only prescribe it, but possess us of it also: and lest it should fail, he supports it in us; his judgements are as watchful over us, as his justice; they rectify us when we break order, and bridle us that we do not break it. And this he doth uncessantly, by bringing us from growth to growth in the state of grace, and prescruing us in this growth in the state of glory: He will be unto us a lasting blessed cause, that there may be in us no end of that blessed effect. O Lord, I am out of order, and I am very weak, thou art that Counsellor, that knowest how to set me right again, and that Almighty God which only canst sustain me: Lord rule me by thy justice, and by thy judgements bridle me, that I may be conformable to the holy members of thy Church, and ever continue conformable unto them: Let thy work never cease in me, so shall I never cease to be thy Subject; if thy Policy fail me not, I shall every day grow on to the fullness of grace, and shall therehence proceed to the eternity of glory. Which I beseech thee to grant unto me, that art the fountain both of Grace and Glory. THE EIGHTH SERMON. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts shall perform this. THese are the last words of that Text whereof you have heard often, but have not yet heard all. The whole Text was divided into a Doctrine, and a Warrant. The Doctrine delivered the Substance and Excellency of Christ's Person and State: both which I have at sundry times so far unfolded as the time would give leave; it were tedious now to repeat, were it only the heads, whereof I have distinctly spoken. In stead of that repetition, I only recommend unto you the laying together the parts, and therehence the gathering of a description of the Catholic Church. Which what is it but a Kingdom, such as I have described? growing in grace, without stint of Place, or term of Time; under and by means of such a Person as, being God and Man, is called to be the King thereof; royally endowed with Wisdom and Power eternal, to work an eternal good; both which he employs, ordering and stablishing by justice and judgement the disorderly and feeble members of his Church; and that without intermission, until he hath brought them to the fullness both of grace and glory. More than this in the nature of that Catholic Church which we believe in the Creed, there is not; neither is there any thing more that we would desire to be therein. So that we may take this Text as a full Commentary thereupon, and to our comfort understand the riches that are treasured up in that Article. But to leave the Doctrine and come to the Warrant. The Doctrine containeth a large Promise; the Warrant showeth that it shall be performed; and showeth this by renewing those impediments that may cross the performance thereof. The impediments that stay a man from being as good as his word, are of two sorts, they proceed ab extra, or ab intra, from without, or from within. From without we may be overruled; from within we may change our mind. Neither of these can hinder God: he cannot be overruled, for he is the Lord of Hosts: he cannot vary in himself, because of the greatness of his love, which is termed zeal. So that the removal of these two impediments from God, are the principal argument of these words: Let us look into them. That God's Word shall stand, That his Counsel is immutable, yea, That heaven and earth shall pass, and yet his Word never pass, are Maxims in the Scripture, and therefore have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, credibility enough in themselves: but yet so fare doth the holy Ghost condescend to the weakness of our Faith, as to point unto these grounds which will content even reason itself. Reason when it questioneth the word of any man, it bethinketh itself, whether he can if he would, or whether he would if he can; if it can clear these two, than it resteth secure, but if it cannot be satisfied in either or both, it doubts and distrusts. Now in both these doth the holy Ghost here satisfy us touching God's Word, in that it maketh God of a mighty power, so that none can resist his will, he is the Lord of Hosts; and of a steadfast will, which is inseparable from so high a degree of Love as is zeal. Touching the first of these Pillars that support God's Word; I observe upon this phrase The Lord of Hosts, that there is in God a double Power, an internal, noted by jehovah; and an external, noted by the Hosts. The first is coessential to the nature of God, and is as infinite as God is. But though this Power be, yet it is not apparent; and it is that which is apparent that must satisfy us: therefore God hath manifested his power (as it were) in his creatures which come within our reach, and whereof we have daily experience; these are all termed God's Host. We look upon them, and consider nothing farther in them, than what they are according to their kind; the Sun we take to be a Star that ruleth the day, and the Moon a Star which ruleth the night; we think the Air was made for our breath, and the Earth to bear us fruits; finally, what Creature is there, from which we expect not some such service? The service they do us we take notice of, and our eye is upon it; but it is not upon that service which they do unto God, though it should be upon that principally; and it is that which is intimated by this word Hosts. So that as Christ is set forth to be a King, so also that he wanteth not an Army: all the world is his army, there is no creature in heaven and earth that fighteth not under his banner. And this title is very ancient; for even in the second of Genesis, when the world was made, the whole received this name, it was called an Host: And God did before hand give man to understand, that it was good for him to observe his allegiance, otherwise there was no possibility of escaping, seeing he was environed with the soldiers of God: As likewise that he need not fear if he did well, because he had so great a guard. These two Lessons should we read in in this title of the Creatures: which may also be applied to correct their error, that suppose a confusion in the affairs of this world. God's providence so ordereth all things that they never cease to be a well martialled Army. True it is, we cannot perceive it, as long as we stand in the level of the world: but if we ascend into God's Mount, and from out of his Sanctuary behold the occurrents of this life, we shall see how every creature marcheth under his colours, and every one keepeth his rank. Another thing that we must mark, is, that at first there was but one Army; for we read Tzebaam, Genesis 2. but after the Fall, than we read Tzeboath, that one is become two: ever since God pronounced Ponam inimicitias, Michael and his Angels, have contended with the Dragon and his Angels, and two Armies have been on foot in the field. But though they be two, and two so opposite, yet is their General but one; for my Text maketh but one Lord of Hosts. The reason is clear, The wicked may subducere se felicitati, but they cannot subducere se potestati divinae, though like Rebels they march against their General, yet doth this General not only retain his right unto them, but also his power and authority over them; he hath his bridle in their nostrils, and but when he will, and no farther than he will, can they stir or prevail. And this hand wherewith God so ordereth and stinteth their malice, is a just ground why he is termed The Lord of Hosts. And fitly in this place doth he receive this title, because mention is before made of difficulties which sprang from the enemies of the Church, by which it might seem unlikely, that the Church being brought so low should ever recover itself so well: But all of them are not to be regarded, seeing he that promiseth is The Lord of Hosts. The word Hosts may also be referred only to the Church, which though it be but one Catholic one, yet hath it many particulars, parts of that whole one. So that as all the Roman Soldiers of the Empire were but one Army, in relation to one Emperor, whose they all were, and by whom they were alike commanded, though in regard of the particular Generals by whom they were conducted in several parts of the world, they were named several Armies: Even so doth the Scripture speak of the Church, sometimes as of one, sometimes as of more Armies; as of one Reuel. 12. as of many Psalm 110. or Psalm 48. In the Leviticall service it useth the very word Tzaba, and the Apostles continue that metaphor, speaking of the spiritual service of God. And if you so restrain the word Hosts, then is this branch of the warrant very apt also; for it implies a reason of the Church's growth, and of Christ's employing his royal endowments in ordering and stablishing thereof. And why? every Church is his Host: and what doth a General more delight in, than the perfection of his Army? the double perfection, as it is both militant and triumphant by grace and glory. You have heard the first branch of the warrant; the second branch is the removal of the second impediment, to wit, The changeableness of God's will; he can no more vary in himself, than he can be resisted from without: and why? this Lord of Hosts hath zeal; and zeal is the height of Love, which Love if once it possess the will, it maketh it an unchangeable will. Zeal is an affection proper unto men, who over and above their will, whose object good is, and to which belongeth the choice thereof, have two attendants thereon, the concupiscible and the irascible part; whereof the first is that which moveth towards the object, the other encountreth whatsoever difficulties hinder our attaining or enjoying of it: when these two come to a height, they become zeal; for zeal is compounded of them both. The nature of it seems to be described in the eighth of the Canticles, where the Church desireth to be set as a seal, Set me as a seal upon thy heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death, jealousy is cruel as the grave, the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: If a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly b● contemned. This affection being properly in man, is by the holy Ghost ascribed unto God; but not ratione affectus, but effectus, and in reference to that conjugal Covenant that is between God and man: God hath promised to be our God, and we have promised to be his People, but either side promiseth to the other exclusively: God promiseth to be our God, and the God of none as he is ours; and we promise to be his People, and to be the People of no other God as we are his. This appropriation of our selnes unto God, is that which the Apostle speaks of 1 Cor. 8. Though there be that are called Gods, whether in heaven or in earth, as there be Gods many, and Lords many; yet unto us there is but one God, God the Father, and one Lord, jesus Christ. This made David to say, Psal. 73. Whom have lin heaven but thee? Psal. 139. and there is none in earth that I desire in comparison of thee. Yea do I not hate them that hate thee? I hate them with a perfect hatred, as if they were mine enemies: Psal. 16. but all my delight is in thy Saints which are on the earth. As man in his zeal doth so proceed exclusively towards God, so doth God towards man: for God taketh the Church for his peculiar, Exod. 19 & thereupon promiseth Abraham, I will bless them that bless thee, and curse them th●t curse thee. This is true conjugal Love of each side, and upon this knot cometh in zeal, which is otherwise called jealousy, and is nothing but the affection of either part, whereby it so desires to enjoy the other, as that none other either have it, or wrong it: for if either the wife communicate herself to any other, or be by any other wronged, the jealousy of the husband is stirred up against his wife's enemies, or against his wife. Against his wife; so speaks God, Ezekiel 16. And I will judge thee as women that break wedlock, and shed blood, are judged: and I will give thee blood in sury and jealousy. And as he proceedeth in jealousy against his adulterous wife, so doth he against enemies that wrong her: thereupon the Prophets express his anger against them by jealousy. and the Church, Esay 62. desiring revenge, saith, Lord, where is thy zeal? In this place the zeal respects revenge upon the enemies, not upon the Spouse; you may perceive it by the coherence of this Text with that which goeth before, where mention is made of a deliverance, and Christ is here brought in as the Deliverer; the ground of the work is zeal. Finally, mark, that whereas God's glory doth as well appear in our deliverance, as our own good, yet in working thereof, God seemeth to be moved rather with his love to us, than care for his own glory. and giveth a good pattern unto us, that we likewise in serving of God must respect, not so much our own salvation, as his glory. And so have you heard the Warrant of this Doctrine; what remains but that I use unto you the words of the Psalmist? Be ye lifted up, O ye gates, be ye lifted up O everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in. Who is the King of glory? even the Lord of Hosts, he is the King of glory. You have heard him described, and have heard the substance and excellency of his Person and State: Behold, God is our salvation, let us trust, and not be afraid, the Lord johovah is our strength and song, he also is become our salvation: therefore with joy let us draw waters out of this Well of Salvation. O Lord, that art able and willing, let me feel the efficacy both of thy power and will, in making me partaker both of the Person and State of Christ, and the excellency of both: So shall all my power be set on work by all my will to make me wholly thine, as thou art pleased to be mine. Grant this mutual knot may be so knit, that I never break it; so shall I be sure that thou wilt ever hold it. IHS SIX SERMONS UPON The Second of HAGGAI. HAG. 2. Vers. 6, 7, 8, 9 For thus saith the Lord of Hosts, Yet once it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land. And I will shake all Nations, and the desire of all Nations shall come, and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of Hosts. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of Hosts. The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of Hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of Hosts. ALthough the fruits of serving God be not his, The first Sermon. but our own welfare, yet if it were not more furthered by him, than it is endeavoured by us, we should never far well, because we should never serve him. Our impediments are two; and they are two extremes, Carelessness, and Curiosity: Carelessness keeps us back when we should begin, and when we should go forward Curiosity slakes our zeal. Sometimes we do not serve God, because we do not care for him: and sometimes we grow cold in piety, because we think our best endeavours are not worthy of God's majesty. Thus the evil Angel, whether he appear in his darkness, or in his counterfeit light, both ways gains upon us. This Prophecy of Haggai doth little else but propose an example of either impediment, and the remedy that is applied thereunto: the jews yield the example, but the remedy is from God. The jews in acknowledgement of God's great goodness, should upon their return out of the Babylonian captivity, have made their first work the re-edifying of God's house: but they were otherwise minded, and busied themselves about their own houses. That memorable speech, King David's religious meditation, never came into their hearts, which is recorded, 2 Sam. 7. Lo (saith he) I dwell in a house of Cedar, but the Ark of God lodgeth under Curtains: therefore I will build him an house. But these jews could find in their hearts to dwell in sieled houses, and let the Temple lie in its ruins. Wherefore God corrects and reforms this their carelessness: corrects it with rebukes and stripes; reforms it by his word and spirit. By these means were they brought at length to begin the work. They began, but were quickly wearied; and it was curiosity that wearied them: They were contented indeed to build a Temple unto God, but not except it might be so goodly a one as was that of Salom●n; and because their ability would not reach so fare, many of them gave over working, and fell to weeping. Behold a wicked curiosity, which under colour of God's honour, would not honour him at all. Well, God must remedy this impediment also: and he doth it by teaching the jews two excellent rules in Religion. The first is, we must not judge of God's works, as we do of men's. In men's works, by the beginning we make conjecture of the ending; and a judicious man when he seethe a foundation, will easily guess what pile of building will be raised thereon. It is not so in God's works; Christ told St. Paul that his strength was made perfect in weakness. 2 Cor. 12.9. St. Paul taught the Corinthians, that the weakness of God is stronger than men. For proof hereof, God in this Prophet refers himself unto the Israelites deliverance out of Egypt, and willeth the jews by his proceeding in that work, to measure all his projects. The first encouragement then of the jews, is a consideration that God is the Architect of their building; and where he is the chief workemaster, seem the beginnings never so small, the work cannot fail to prove glorious. This is the first Rule. The second Rule is, that they must not set the estimate of the glory according to the charge spent in the building, but according to his worth that shall inhabit it: for Non domus dominum, sed dominus domum c●h●nestat, it is not the house that maketh the master, but the master that maketh the house honourable. Therefore the jews eyes were to be fixed rather upon the grace which God would do their Temple, than on the expense which they were able to bestow in building thereof. This is their second encouragement, expressed in a second Rule; and it is the argument of those words that now I have read unto you. The sum is, Christ will assuredly make a remarkable, a comfortable entrance into that Temple, seem it never so mean a Temple, which was now a building by Zorobabel, josua, and the rest of the jews. The chief points therein to be considered, are two; Christ's presence in the Temple, and the assurance thereof given to the jews. The presence is Majestical, whether you respect the preparation thereunto, or the description thereof. This time will not suffer me to pass beyond the preparation: for this, though the last Sunday of Aduent, is but a preparation against Christmas day, and therefore it may suffice if I prepare you for that Feast, the rest of the matter shall be reserved for its due time. In the preparation we will observe the manner, and the time. The manner will show us what is prepared, and how▪ What, both the worlds, the great and the little: The great is set down in these words, Heaven, Earth, and of Earth, the Sea and the dry Land: The little world is noted by all Nations; all, not only contradistinct to the jews, but including them also. Both the Worlds shall be prepared: But how? They shall be extraordinarily roused, and as it were summoned to attend and intent the presence of Christ: this is meant by the shaking of them. Besides this manner, there is a time here also set down, that doth belong unto this shaking. For, hearing of so strange a thing, a man may demand, how often, how soon shall this shaking be? If the demand be, how often? the holy Ghost answers, Yet once: once more, and no more but once; for those two notes are included in these two words, Yet once. If the demand be how soon? the holy Ghost answers very soon, it is but a little while; this shaking is very near, it is at hand. You have the particulars which (God willing) I mean to unfold at this time; I pray God I may so do it, that we all thereby may be prepared, as we ought, to commemorate the Birth of Christ. First then of the two worlds that shall be prepared, the greater offers itself unto us. It is here broken into its parts, Heaven, Earth, etc. Heaven is in the Scripture threefold; first, that which is called the Throne of God, and is inhabited by the Angels and Saints which are departed. The second is that which is called the Firmament, wherein move the Sun, the Moon, the Stars; they are the Host of that Heaven. The third is the Air, wherein fly the Birds; for they are called volu●res Coeli, the Fowl of Heaven. Heaven in my Text must not be limited, it extends to all three. The second part of the world is called Earth; that contains all the inferior Globe, and is here, as elsewhere in Genesis, resolved into its parts, the Sea, and the dry Land. Also the word which we translate dry Land, noteth a desolate place, and may be rendered a Wilderness; and so therein and in the Sea may be intimated an allusive parallel to the passage of Israel from Egypt into Canaan. The little world is here expressed by the name of all Nations. To understand the phrase, we must observe, that after God had chosen a peculiar people, the rest of people were called Gentiles, that is, Nations; and so properly they signify in the language of the Old Testament all people and kindreds that are without the Church. But in this place it must have a larger extent, because Christ came to be known as well to the Gentile, as to the jew; as in the next Sermon you shall hear more at large. Therefore by these words we must understand simply all people, as well those that were within, as those that were without the Church. Having thus showed you what is to be prepared, I must now show you how? God will shake them, that is, rouse them extraordinarily. Though all Creatures do continually serve God, yet while they keep their ordinary course, they do not so evidently serve him, but that Atheists question his providence. St. Peter shows us what is their ground, All things continue alike from their beginning. To refute them, 2 Epist. c. 3. God doth sometime, as it were, unjoint the frame of Nature, Exod. 8.19. and maketh the very Magicians to say, Digitus Dei est hic, this miracle must needs be wrought by the God of Nature. josua 2.11. He maketh the Canaanites to confess, The Lord your God is the God of heaven above, and of earth below, as Rahab told the Spies. Dan. 3. The proud King of Babylon, when he saw that the Lions could not touch the body of Daniel, nor the fire sing the three Children, was fain to give glory to the true and everliving God. It is none of the worst arguments wherewith we may stop the mouths of Atheists, and make them acknowledge the Lord of Nature, if we press them with those many stories found in undoubted Records, for which in nature there can be no reason; yea, there is evident reason for their contraries. Such a kind of change or dealing with the Creatures, and putting them out of their usual course, is here meant by shaking. But let us apply it to the two worlds, and you will see it more evidently. I begin with the Heaven, Mat. 3. & 17. the uppermost Heaven, that was apparently shaken at the first coming of Christ. God the Father more than once uttered his voice so audibly at the first coming of Christ, that it was plainly heard by men on earth: Mat. 3.16. Acts 2.3. God the holy Ghost, he came down in the Dove, came down in fiery tongues; he became (as Tertullian speaks) the Vicar of Christ unto the Church. john 1. As for the Angels, they ascended and descended upon him: when God brought his first begotten into the world, Heb. 1. that was done which he commanded, Let all the Angels worship him. Mat. 17. And what did the Saints? Moses and Elias came to him in the Mount, and conferred with him about his death: many also rose out of their graves, and appeared in the holy City. There remains only the place where God dwells, and those blessed Spirits; that also was shaken more than once; for more than once did it open, as we read in the Gospel, and in the Acts. You do not doubt by this time, but that the uppermost Heaven was shaken, which was shaken so many ways. Only that shaking was answerable to the subject, it was without all corruption. Come we now to the second Heaven; that also had a shaking, a double shaking: Mat. 2. there appeared a Star that was never seen before, at Christ's Birth, which drew the Wisemen to seek out him that was borne King of the jews. And at his death the goodliest Star in the Firmament, I mean the Sun, lost his light, when the Moon was at full. Which sight was so strange to the Philosophers at Athens, that (as the Story saith) it drew from Denys the Areopagite▪ that memorable saying, Aut Deus naturae patitur, aut mundi machina dissoluetur, either the God of nature is overcharged, or is disposed to end the world. Tertullian observes, that the Romans did register this Eclipse in their Chronicle. I say nothing of the renting of that Heaven too: Acts 7.55. for the uppermost could not be opened, without opening the second also, that the Dove might descend, that St. Stephen's sight might ascend, and see Christ standing at the right hand of God. The third Heaven remains, that also was shaken: for Christ commanded the winds, and they were calm; he suffered not the air to transmit the Species, but was invisible; yea he commanded it not to give breath, and to give breath to men, as pleased him: you find it in the story of those that came to apprehend him. john 19 Enough of the Heavens, the first part of the great world. Only observe, Acts 2. ver. 17, 18, 19, 20. that that which out of joel St. Peter observes, was in part performed in this shaking of Heaven. The second part of the great world is the Earth. The Earth in the beginning was one confused Globe of Water, and dry Land: upon God's commandment these two Elements were separated, and each appeared by itself, as we read, Genesis 1. As than they first were, and as they now are; so are they here mentioned, and so we must understand them. Touching their shaking, I might in few words refer you to the Psalm, Let the Sea roar, and the fullness thereof, Psal. 98. let the Floods clap their hands, let the Hills be joyful together before the Lord; for he cometh to judge the Earth, etc. But I will show you some particulars out of the New Testament: there shall you read the Earthquakes that were when Christ was in the flesh; the cleaving of Rocks; Mat. 27. the opening of Graves, which made the jews return from his Cross knocking their breasts; made the Centurion say, Of a truth this was the Son of God; put the Scribes and Pharisees, and high Priests to their bribery, Mat. 28. lest the Soldiers should bewray what they could not deny. As for the Sea, that apparently took notice of Christ: when he wanted Tribute-money, he commanded the Sea to supply him, and it did by a Fish: when Peter, james and john, had laboured all night at Sea, and caught nothing, he commanded them to cast out their net, and the fish came readily, and filled it, to their great astonishment: at another time when their ship was ready to be drowned, Christ did but rebuke the waves, Mat. 〈◊〉. and presently there followed a great calm. Thus apparently did the Sea acknowledge Christ come into the World. But because the word that we render dry Land, doth properly signify a Desert, or Wilderness, it is not unlikely but that these two words do imply a parallel of that which fell out while Christ conversed on Earth, and that which was wrought at the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt; the Sea then divided, and gave passage to the Children of Israel upon dry Land: it did more to Christ, it became itself as dry Land, he walked upon it, and made St. Feter to do so also. And as for the Wilderness, it was to Israel no Wilderness, no more was it to Christ: they were amongst wild beasts there, and so was he, and neither was annoyed: the Wilderness yielded them plenty of food, and in the Wilderness did Christ multiply the Loaves and the Fishes, so that after many thousands were fed, the remainder was much more than was the first provision. There remains one part of the Earth which I have not yet touched, and that is Hell. Hell holdeth fast all that come thereinto, but it could not hold him when he descended thither: and while he lived upon Earth, how did the Fiends confess him, obey him, come and go at his pleasure. It is clear then, fully clear, that seeing shaking doth signify an extraordinary manifestation of the Deity, working by, or on the Creature contrary to their usual course; the great world, and the parts thereof were shaken at the first coming of Christ. Let us see now how true this is of the little world, the world of mankind, here called all Nations: which are distinguished into jews and Gentiles, both had their shaking. The jews, their whole policy was dissolved, I mean that which was peculiar to them, whether Ecclesiastical or Civil: as Daniel foretold, Dan 9 Heb. 12. Gen. 49.10. so St. Paul affirms, both received an end by the coming of Christ. jacobs' prophecy was then fulfilled, The Sceptre departed from juda, and the Lawgiver from between his feet: that State was not only shaken, but shivered all to pieces. As for other Nations, they had their shaking; a double shaking, a spiritual and a corporal: Spiritually their heads were shaken, their judgements were enlightened and amazed, that ever they should be so sottish as to worship stocks and stones, ●say 2. & cap. 8. the works of men's hands, yea the Devils themselves: upon this, they threw away their Idols, and cursed their forged gods. This abrenunciation doth Gregory Nazianzene, Orat. 37. and Austin de Civit. Dei, understand by this shaking. To this shaking of their head, we must add a shaking of their heart: A contagious air is not purged but by thundering and lightning, and a corrupt conscience must feel the terror of Mount Sinai, before it can have the comfort of Mount Zion. The voice wherein God spoke to Elias was a soft voice, 1 Kings 19 but there went before it Fire, Winde, Earthquake, etc. the Peace which you shall hear of hereafter comes not to the spiritual Temple of God without some terror going before. The jews were pricked at the heart when St. Peter preached unto them, Acts 2.37. and, as perplexed in conscience, cried out, Men and Brethren what shall we do? before they received the comfort of the Gospel. Saint Paul was stricken down to the ground from Heaven, before he was converted: The Gaoler came trembling to him and Silas, Acts 16. Esay 67. before he was baptised. It is a broken and contrite heart that must make us capable of grace; neither will the filial fear enter, except way be made by the servile. This may be the reason, why the holy Ghost, by whose power the Apostles were to convert the world, Acts 2. Cap. 4. came upon them at first in fire, and with a mighty wind, and a second time with an earthquake, which shaked all the house wherein they were. It shows, how their Ministry should shake the hearts and consciences of the World: for in omnes terras exivit sonus eorum. Besides this spiritual, Luke 12. the Nations had a corporal shaking. I came (saith Christ) to send a sword into the World: No sooner had he begun the Gospel, but we see how the Herodians, the Sadducees, the Pharisees, bestir themselves against him, and against all the Apostles. The Apostles intimate as much, when in their prayer they repeat those words of the Psalm, Psal. 2. Acts 4.25. Why do the Heathen so furiously rage together, and the People imagine a vain thing: the Kings of the earth stand up, and the Rulers take counsel against the Lord, and against his anointed. And how furious was the Dragon against the Woman, Reu. 12. because she had borne a Man child? I will not trouble you to reckon up the Heathenish or Heretical Persecutions of the Primitive Church. Gen. 3. Ponam inimicitias, I will put enmity between the Woman and the Serpent, and between their seeds, is the true ground of this shaking, and it holdeth in all ages: No sooner is the vanity of Oracles, of Idols, and of false worship discovered, and deserted, but the Devil in revenge of his quarrel will set Nation against Nation, Family against Family, Kindred against Kindred, and a man's enemies shall be those of his own household. We have woeful proof of it in this age: the bloody wars which have been, and are in these western parts, whence have they sprung, Gal. 3.1. but from Christ's coming amongst us in the truth of his Gospel? which St. Paul to the the Galathians, termeth a second forming of Christ in us, and (as it were) a crucifying of him before us. But the envious man that sowed tares, cannot be contented that he should be so overtopped with good ears of corn; therefore there will follow a shaking. I have sufficiently shown you that both Worlds were shaken: but I may not forget a difference which is between their shaking: though both are roused, and give their attendance at the first coming of Christ; yet the great world doth it only effectu, it serves to the honour thereof, but not knowing what it doth. But the little World attends also affectu, it is sensible of that which it doth. And indeed the shaking of the great World is only to work a sensible shaking in the little World. Which, as it is wont to be wrought in other cases, as when upon the sight of Eclipses, and blazing Stars, men are affrighted, and prognosticate unto themselves Famines, Pestilences, Wars, Confusion of States; which is likewise done by them upon the sight of Earthquakes: So God would have it also in this case; he would that men should be observant and feeling of his extraordinary Works, wrought upon the Heavens and the Earth, in honour and testimony of his coming into the world, who is the Saviour of the world. I have done with the shaking, I will only give you an observation or two upon it, and so pass on to the Time. The first is St. Chrysostom's. Hom. 14. in Mat. c. 14 & Hom. 1. ad Rom. God when he doth any great Work in the world, non solet subrepere, stealeth not upon the World, but giveth signification before hand. So did he before he brought on the Flood; before he delivered his People out of Egypt; before he gave the jews over unto the Babylonian captivity: We cannot read those Stories, but we must needs find in them Gods palpable harbingers. So that if men be surprised, it is not because men are not forewarned, but because they will take no warning. The old World, though the Ark was building before their face, yet were they eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, till the flood came: Though Moses told Pharaoh what evil God would bring upon him, yet did Pharaoh still harden his heart: and the jews mocked the Prophets that early and late told them of their captivity; neither would they believe it until they were past recovery. 2 Cor. 4. 3. If our Gospel be hid (saith St. Paul) it is hid unto those whose eyes the God of this world hath blinded that they should not believe: Acts 26. 2●. for (as he told Agrippa) the things which they preached were not done in a corner. As the corporal Sun doth not rise without a dawning of the day, so Christ came not into the world without some prognostication thereof: jews and Gentiles that do not believe are without all excuse, because God hath so plainly shaken both the Worlds. Neither shall we have aught to plead for ourselves, if we neglect, or forsake the Truth which God hath brought unto us; because he hath accompanied it with so wonderful deliverances, and comforts us in honour of it with so many diverse blessings: God hath vouchsafed many ways to premonish us, let us take heed that we disregard him not. The second Observation is this, Mat. 5.18. No Creature can hinder the performance of God's will; Heaven and Earth shall pass, rather than one jot of his word shall be undone. We need not fear any opposition on the world's part (notwithstanding it is the common fear of worldly men) because all the world is in God's power; he can shake and shiver it at his pleasure. Of this God doth often put his People in mind by the Prophets, and biddeth them be bold thereupon: And we may say, Si Deus nobiscum quis, Rom. 8.31. yea and quid too, contra nos? Quid? Is it the great World? God can shake Heaven and Earth, the Sea, and the dry Land. Quis? Is it man? God can shake him also, he can shake all Nations: therefore we need not fear what either World can do unto us. And thus much of the manner of the Preparation; I come now briefly to show you the time thereof. When a man hears of such great matters, he will be inquisitive after this circumstance, he will desire to know how often? how soon? And the holy Ghost doth here resolve both those questions. How often, Nazianz. orat. 37. p. 607. & ●rat. 21. p. 388 if you ask, he answers, Yet once. Which word, I told you, imports two things, that the shaking hath been once before; for both Worlds were shaken at the giving of the Law: St. Paul taketh notice of it, Heb. 12. and you may read it in the Story delivered by Moses. The Gospel, as St. Paul 2 Cor. proves at large, being much more glorious than the Law, was not to come short of it in solemnity, when it was to be promulged: therefore, because the Worlds were shaken then, they were to be shaken now, Once more. Some gather out of St. Paul's words, Heb. 12. not only the Earth, but also the Heaven, that the later was much the greater shaking. But though once more, yet no more but this once: for there is no more new Doctrine to be broached in the World, no second Messiah to come. We must observe this, not only against the jews, but also against the Heretics. The Montanists thought that as there were three Persons in God, so every one should have his Time: the Father under the Law, the Son during the Gospel, and then the holy Ghost, Montanus sending the Paraclete into the World. The Koran was built upon the same ground; whose Author, though he give honourable testimony unto Christ, as being a great Prophet, yet he would make the world believe, that God was to send a greater after him, Vers. 3. and that was Mahomet. But we keep ourselves to St. judes', Fides semel tradita, the one Faith that was once delivered to the Saints: 2. Epist. 10. We obey St. john, who biddeth us, If any man bring us any other Doctrine, we should not so much as bid him, God speed: We follow St. Paul's counsel, Gal. 1.8. If an Angel from heaven bring any other doctrine, we hold him Anathema. The Church of Rome chargeth us with novelty, but we may rather charge them with many additions to the Truth; they call to us for Miracles to confirm our Doctrine, but Miracles would argue another shaking of the World, we hold there shall be no more: And what need there any more, seeing we hold no other doctrine than that which was confirmed by the shaking of the two Worlds, in the days of Christ and his Apostles? They have patched their fancies thereunto, therefore are they driven to abuse the World with their forged Miracles, and to counterfeit a second shaking. When I say there shall be no more shake, I mean during the militancy of the Church: for immediately before the Triumph thereof, there shall precede another shaking; Christ hath opened it at large in St. Matthew, Cap. 24. I will not insist upon it, it is not to my purpose; you may there see how both the Worlds shall be shaken against that time: Heb. 12. but then we shall have regnum immobile. And of this last shaking, the world is now too full of Prophecies and Resolutions; but be ready for it, not rash in determining it. I come to the holy Ghosts answer to the second Question, how soon? And we find here that it shall be very soon; it is but a little while to the time of the shaking. But that little time must be understood according to a Theological, not according to a Mathematical measure. Theologie measureth our Time in proportion to eternity, but the Mathematics according to our mortal life. In regard of eternity St. Peter's Rule holds, 2 Pet. 2.8 A thousand years are but as one day, etc. But in regard of our mortal life, Omnis mora properantilonga est, patienti verò longissima, the deferring of our hope, is the languishing of our soul. To support ourselves, we must pass from Mathematical commensurations to Theological, and then we shall find, that Modicum and Longum may stand together: and jacobs' saying be true, Bernard. Gen. 47.9 that evil days are but few. From Haggai's prophesying until the coming of Christ, past better than four hundred years; the holy Ghost calls that but a little while. And we must inure ourselves to this divine Chronologie, when we think of the second coming of Christ: the Apostle tells us, that upon them that live in the time of the Gospel, the end of the world is come: and these are the last days, yea the last bower; 1 Cor. 10.11. the judge is at hand, he is at the door, yet there have passed 1600. years: But let us not think it long, let us remember that of Habakkuk, Hab. 2.4. The just must live by his Faith, patiented Faith: and if any man make haste (saith the Lord) my soul shall have no pleasure in him. Wherefore if at any time our impatient heart, wearied with the tediousness of this life, shall break out into these words, Tu autem Domine usque quo? how long Lord dost thou cease to put an end to this miserable World? Reu. 22. Let us rest satisfied with Christ's answer, Behold I come quickly; and congratulating the abridgement of our momentany afflictions, and desiring, that according to his promise, the cloud thereof may speedily be dissolved; let us put this clause into our daily prayer, Even so Lord jesus, come quickly. God so prepare us, that we may have the comfort of the Person that is to come, comfort of his first and second coming. Amen. THE SECOND SERMON. And the desire of all Nations shall come. THe sum of this Scripture (as not long since I observed unto you) is the exceeding grace which the first coming of Christ should assuredly do unto that Temple at Jerusalem, which in Haggai's days was building by Zorobabel the Prince, josuah the high Priest, and the rest of the jews. The general parts which I pointed out, were, 1. the Presence of Christ in that Temple, & 2. the Assurance thereof given to the Builders. The Presence was to be extraordinary: I gathered it partly from the preparation thereunto, whereof I then spoke, and partly from the description thereof, which remains to be spoken of. The description is of the Person that was to come, and the good that bee should do. Of the good that he should do, I shall speak (God willing) hereafter; at this time my purpose is to speak only of the Person that was to come. The Person then here meant, is in plain terms our Saviour Christ. But he is set forth here in most comfortable words, words most comfortable to all the world: for he is styled the desire of all Nations; and what is that, but the sovereign good of all? That which all desire, the Philosopher could say, is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the chief Good. And again, if it be desired of all, then is it common to all: for, appetitus non est frustra, there was never any desire engrafted in the nature of man, but the good whereunto that desire doth bend, doth certainly belong unto it. If it be so in nature, it is much more so in grace; the holy Ghost doth never inspire into us any longing, but it doth destinate unto us that good which he inclines our hearts to long for. According to these Principles, the points which we are to consider in this description are, the Sovereignty and Community of that good which we must seek, and shall find in Christ; in Christ as he was incarnate, or first came into the world. But before I come to these particulars, I must clear my Text from some over-shallow interpretations that have fastened thereon. For whereas in Christ's first coming two things are to be observed, 1. the principal, and 2. the accessories; his person, and those things that did attend him: many pass over the principal, and apply these words only to the accessories. The Prophets do speak of two remarkable Accessories: The one is, the munificency of the Gentiles, the other is, the Obedience of their Persons; both were to be of the best sort. The Psalm touching the munificency, Psalm 72. saith, that the Kings of Tharsis and of the Isles should bring presents, the Kings of Seba and Sheba should give gifts. The Prophet Esay, cap. 49. & 60. doth particularise the Gold, the Silver, the jewels, the Plants, the Beasts, all kinds of choice things that were to be tendered unto Christ: And the Story of the Church shows that this was accomplished not only mystically, but even literally. We commemorate on this * Epiphanie, Mat. 2. Day the oblation of Gold, of Myrrh, of Frankincense, which was made by the wise men unto Christ. In the Acts, cap. 4. verse 37. we read that those Christians which had possessions sold them, brought the price, and laid it at the Apostles feet. The first Christian Emperors how open handed were they in erecting, and providing for Places and Persons dedicated unto Christ's service? And, as of other Countries, so the Christian Kings and People of this Island have left honourable memorial of this kind in their magnificent Foundations, and munificent Endowments thereof. All these followed the rule of God's Law; whatsoever they offered unto him it was ever of the best. But by the way, let me observe unto you, That the flood of our Ancestors liberality rose not so high, but their Posterities sacrilege hath taken it down to as low an ebb; and the saying of a great, but no good King of this Island, pleaseth too many that live on the spoils of the Church, William Rufus. Christ's bread is sweet. They are fare from offering 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as the Septaugint do render my Text, the choice Treasure of the Nations; the first of those Accessories which was to attend the coming of Christ. A second Accessory foretold by the Prophet, are the Persons that should honour him, even the choicest of persons: For although Saint Paul's rule be, Brethren, you see your calling, not many wise, not many noble, not many mighty, etc. yet that negative doth contain an affirmative, and implies, that some, even of the best rank, should submit themselves, and be homagers unto Christ; be nursing Fathers, Esay 48. and nursing Mothers of his Church: Where the Prophets speak of the wealth, they speak also of Persons; read the forecited places, and take notice withal of a difference in this kind that God was pleased should be before the coming of Christ, and after. Before the coming of Christ many of the Persian Kings, as likewise of the Grecians, gave their goods, but not themselves unto God; they provided sacrifices for the Temple at jerusalem, but themselves went on in their Idolatry. After the coming of Christ it was otherwise, great personages gave themselves first, and then their goods unto Christ; the Wise men upon this day first prostrated their bodies and worshipped, than they opened their Treasures and offered unto Christ; Nicodemus and joseph of Arimathea, great and rich men, first believed, then bestowed a funeral upon Christ; the like may we say of all Christian Emperors, Kings, Potentates. And indeed Christ seeketh not ours, but us; and careth not for our goods, 2 Cor. 8. if we dedicate not ourselves unto him: both will do well; and we shall do well if we deserve the Macedonians commendation, of whom St. Paul saith, that they gave themselves first, and then were bountiful to the Saints. These were Accessories where with God was pleased Christ's first coming should be honoured: But these do not contain the true, at least, the full meaning of my Text; for surely these were not the cause of shaking the great, and little World; neither were these either persons, or goods, improvements of the glory of Zorobabels' Temple: for little of this Prophecy was accomplished while that Temple stood. Malachi, cap. 3. therefore gives us a better interpretation, and more agreeable to the words of my Text, The Lord whom you seek, shall suddenly come to his Temple; the Angel of the Covenant, whom ye delight in, or desire, behold he shall come, saith the Lord of Hosts. And indeed Christ's Person was the true attractive of all other persons, & of their goods also; they had never come, except he had come first. Therefore the jewish Rabbins, Galatinus. though they do not believe that jesus is the Christ, yet do they understand this Text of the Messiah. And St. Hierome renders the phrase, Desideratus Omnium Gentium, The Person that is desired of all Nations, purposing in those words to point out our Saviour Christ. Finally, St. Paul, Heb. 12. if you mark well his drift, favours this interpretation. Wherefore I take it for a plain truth, that, if not solely, yet principally, Christ's person is meant by this phrase, The desire of all Nations. Let us come then at length to the Points which I observed in it. The first is the sovereignty of good; that cannot be less which is the desire of all Nations. And mark, that the word is abstract, not concrete; the Text calleth him, not the person desired, but the desire. Now these abstract titles when they are given to God or Christ, import two things: The first is, That all his nature, or whatsoever is in him, is that which he is called: and secondly, That all whatsoever is comprehended under that title, is in him, and cannot be had, but by participation of him. In this sense is God and Christ called truth, righteousness, holiness, etc. these attributes are his nature, and are not imparted to any but those that have communion with him. To our present purpose, Christ is called desire: it followeth by virtue of the word, that he is totus desiderabilis, altogether, and in every part desirable; and totum desiderabile, whatsoever the heart of a man can desire. And if he be these two, then certainly he is the sovereign good. Take them asunder. And first see how he is totus desiderabilis. I might send you to the Song of Solomon, where the spouse limmeth out his amiableness from top to toe: or to the marriage Psalm, which in few words tells us, Psal. 45. That he is fairer than the sons of men: or to those words of Saint john, 1 Epist. c. 3. The Word was made flesh, and dwelled amongst us, and we saw his glory as the glory of the only begotten Son of God, full of grace and truth. But beyond all is the testimony of God the Father, whether delivered by the Prophet Psay, Cap. 42. Behold my servant whom I uphold, mine elect in whom my soul delighteth; or uttered by a voice from heaven, This is my well-beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. Mat. 3.17. For can he be less than altogether desirable that is God's delight? But passing by all these, I will insist upon three Titles of his which have special reference to our good: The first is Immanuel, the name of his Person; for it signifieth God with us: and how is he that hath knit that knot hypostatically in himself, which is the ground of that mystical knot which is to be between God and us, wherein stands our eaerlasting bliss? Certainly in regard of this name he is most desirable; the name that so linketh together heaven and earth, a mortal wretch with the immortal God: especially if you observe that he is united totus toti, the whole person of God to the whole nature of Man, that we may be wholly joined; and so doth he become wholly of us. His second name is jesus, that maketh him as . St. Bernard hath sum●ned up the pleasurablenesse thereof in few, but very sweet words, Nomen jesuest mel in over, melos in aure, & iubilum in cord; all our reasonable acts are divided into speaking, hearing, and thinking; and lo we cannot speak of him, but he is as honey in our mouths; and if we hear of him, the talk doth make the best melody in our ears, finally, the greatest joy of our heart, and the truest also springeth from our meditation upon him. The reason of all which is, this Name soundeth nothing but Salvation; and Salvation is the most wished, most welcome thing to a child of wrath, to him whose sins can promise no better than a neverdying worm, and an ever burning fire. Well may we term thee sweet jesus that deliverest us from these plagues, especially seeing there is no part of thee that hath not borne a part in saving us. His third name is Christ, a most name: and why? it signifieth a person anointed with no other than that which the Psalmist calleth the oil of gladness. This precious oil, poured upon his head, Psal. 4●. & 143. & 45. ran down to us the skirts of his garments, insomuch as we now smell of Myrrh, Aloes, and Cassia, and are now through him become a sweet savour to God, who in the corruption of our nature were loathsome unto him. He that was Christ, that is, anointed, that he might so perfume us with the sweetness of his graces, must needs be to us, as he bears that title, wholly . But for your further insight into the loveliness of this name, resolve it into those three offices, whereunto he was anointed, and being anointed or consecrated unto them, was called Christ. First, he was Christ a Prophet, such a Prophet as we cannot desire a better; he was the very wisdom, the word of God; grace was poured into his lips; and they that heard him wondered at the gracious words that came from him: and well they might; for that which he uttered was Euangelium, glad tidings of good things. His Priesthood was more desirable than his Prophecy: for he offered the sacrifice of sweet savour unto God, which expiated all our sins, and propitiated all his wrath; and upon his cross he prepared that delicate feast that Esay speaks of, cap. 25. Fat meat, full of marrow, and pleasant wines, throughly refined from the Lees: His flesh and his blood were made such a feast for us, though in dressing of them he endured much pain. Finally, he was a King, and in regard thereof he is most ; for his Kingdom is righteousness, peace, Rom. 14.17. and joy in the boly Ghost: He is such a King as maketh all his subjects kings, and that of the same Kingdom which he himself hath, even the Kingdom of Heaven. I need say no more to prove that he is totus desiderabilis, altogether . But he is more: for he is also totum desiderabile, all that can be desired; which is not granted to any Creature. The Scripture labours to make us understand, that all that we seek out of him, is to be found only in him. Happy (saith Solomon) is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding; Pro. 3. for the merchandise thereof is better than the merchandise of silver, and her gain than fine gold: he goeth on, and parallels it with all that worldly men desire. In Esay, cap. 55. you have the same parallel, Ho ye that thirst, come unto the waters. Christ himself to the Church of Laodicea presseth the same point, Reuel. 3. Thou thinkest that thou art rich and wantest nothing, whereas thou art poor, blind, miserable; come to me and buy etc. When St. Paul, Phil. 3. had reckoned up all his prerogatives, he concludes vers. 8. I account all these but dung and loss in comparison of the excellent knowledge that is in Christ jesus: But most full is that place of St. Paul, 1 Cor. 1. Christ of God is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption. Where, observe how he fitteth us with supply from Christ, as well for the Church Militant as Triumphant. In the Church Triumphant we must have understanding heads, and pure hearts, that we may see God, and enjoy him; and Christ giveth us such heads, such hearts: for he is made unto us wisdom and sanctification. As for the Church Militant, we need therein discharge from our sins, and deliverance from woe; and Christ is made unto us righteousness, that we may come with boldness before the judgement seat of God; and redemption, from the curse which is due to the transgressors of the Law. Wisd. 16.21. So that what the wise man saith of Manna, is certainly true of Christ, he is unto every man what he can reasonably desire; he serves to the appetite of every eater, and is tempered to every man's liking. The Septuagint, as if they had intended to teach us that all things are in him, have used the plural number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: wherefore we conclude, that Christ is totum desiderabile; and we may all say with King David, What have I in heaven but thee? and what is there in earth that I desire with thee? To end this point, two things we must learn from this sovereignty of good, which are concluded in this one rule; Primum in unoquoque genere est mensura reliquorum, seeing Christ is the sovereign good, he must season and stint all our desires. Fire is the original of heat, and the Sun of light; and we see that other things have neither heat nor light but as they do partake of fire, or the sun; and their measure of both is answerable to the participation of those originals: So should it be with our desires, they should look to the prime desire, the desire of all Nations; take their relish from him, and relish nothing without him; whatsoever doth not partake of him is no reasonable, is no comfortable desire. If by this we try ourselves, we shall find that for the most part they are but vain, they have little communion with that from whence they should flow, and which should set right bounds unto them. And let this suffice for the sovereignty of that good which is in Christ. I come now to the Community: He that is the sovereign good about all, is also the common good unto all. But here appears a paradox: for all nations whose desire Christ is said to be, were divided into jews and Gentiles: And St. Paul in one 〈◊〉 sentence tells us, that the manner of Christ's first coming was, a stumbling block to the jew, and foolishness to the Gentiles. Touching the ●ew●s St. Ioh●, cap. 1. saith, Christ came amongst his own, and his own 〈…〉 not: And St. Paul tells us of the Gentiles, 1 Cor. 2.14. The natural man perceiveth not the things of God; and it is a true rule, Ignotinulla cupido, No man desires that which he doth not know. Cap. 43. verl. 2. Esay speaketh close to my Text concerning Christ's first coming, He shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground●: he hath no form nor comeliness, and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. This made St. Decivit De● l. 18. c. 35. Austin think that this Prophecy should not be accomplished until the second coming of Christ. But the Text will not bear his Commentary; wherefore we must help ourselves with a distinction, Propositidivini, and Propensionis humanae. It is certain, that in regard of God's purpose, Christ was the desire of all nations: for God's pleasure was, that the Church should be enlarged unto all the world, and that even of the choicest persons in the world many should flock unto the Church. Tertullian hath a witty observation, Lib. the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. that Christ was therefore called Alpha and Omega, because he brought all things in the end of the world to that state which they were at in the beginning: So that God's favour is as general to mankind at Christ's the second Adam's birth, as it was in Paradise when he made the first Adam. Christ himself insinuates as much; for whereas the jews called him the son of Abraham, the son of David, he delighteth usually in the Gospel to call himself the son of man: as if he did not belong to this or that family, but were common to all mankind. Therefore the Apostle saith, Gal. 3.28. that in Christ jesus there is neither jew nor Gentile, Grecian nor Barbarian, bond nor free, male nor female. The holy Ghost came down in the languages of all Nations: the Stone in Daniel, cut out without hands, did bring under all the Kingdoms of the earth. I will not trouble you with the general prophecies delivered to Adam, Noah, Abraham; nor with those which were delivered by David, Solomon, Esay, the rest; let old simeon speak for all, Christ was prepared to be a light to the Gentiles, and the glory of the People Israel. So that after the birth of Christ, it is evident that according to God's purpose the Church is to be Catholic. But what shall we say to the Propension of men? for that also is a requisite unto this desire. For he that is Lord over all is rich unto all, that is, to all that call upon him, so saith St. Paul, Rom. 10. And when St. Peter saith, that there is no respect of persons with God, Acts 10. he addeth, that in every Nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousness, is accepted of him: Wherefore though in the tenor of the Gospel God excludes none, yet the enquiry must be, whether none exclude themselves. To make good my Text, we will search how truly and how fare all Nations may be said to desire Christ. Which that we may the better do, we must learn, that there is Appetitus implicitus, and elicitus: we are taught the distinction by the Prophet Esay, cap. 65. v. 1. God there speaketh thus, I am sought of them that asked not after me: the words cannot be true, except you understand that there is a silent and a speaking desire. A silent desire is that which is uttered by our state: the ground when it is dry is said to thirst for rain; a wound in our body to call for a Physician; not that they speak, but that their state showeth that if they could speak, they would utter such a desire. The Philosophers call it, appetitum naturalem, a desire that every thing hath of its perfection and preservation, which languisheth until it doth attain it. There is no man so graceless, but in this sense Christ is his desire; yea, the more Christ is his desire, the more graceless he is: for where sin most aboundeth, there is grace most behooveful. There is a second kind of this silent desire, which is not altogether so mute. I may call it desiderium semivocale, an halfe-voiced desire: In the hearts of men there is a natural desire of sovereign good. Adam, when he was stripped, was made naked; but he had so much eyesight left him, that he saw he was naked, and thereupon bestirred himself to seek a covering, and a simple one he lighted upon; it was but fig leaves. His posterity have every one of them revealed the same consciousness of want, and carefulness to supply their want. The very heathen Epicures, Stoics, covetous, prodigals, men of all sects, and all dispositions, have sought after a sovereign good, though in the nature thereof they have erred. Whence it followeth necessarily, that as in their many god● they worshipped ignotum Deum; so did they amongst their diverse opinions of the sovereign good, tacitly confess and affect ignotum benumb. Hitherto you have heard only of implicitus affectus, the dumb, or (at most) the but halfe-speaking affection; we must not rest here (for this will not reach home) we must therefore find another desire, which is affectus elicitus: and this also is twofold. Indefinite, of which you read in Stories, sacred and profane; and definite, which the Prophet seems specially to mean in this place. Touching the indefinite, I might insist upon the sacrifices, the use whereof amongst the Heathens, what is it, but a perpetuation of the first memorial that God instituted of Christ to come? And no question but Noah's sons did spread that tradition. Some think that the Wise men which (as upon this day) repaired to Christ, were stirred up by the Prophecy of Balaam, who in his trance said, There shall come a star out of jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel. It may be, that some knowledge of Christ was spread in the time of the Egyptian captivity. Whence Trismegists works (if those be his works which we have) savour of so great Mysteries; for he was an Egyptian, and from the Egyptian Priests had the Platonists their more than heathenish Theology. But when the ten Tribes were carried into Assyria, and after them the jews into Babylon, this mystery was spread much more by the dispersed of the twelve Tribes, whereof there were some dwehing in all Nations under heaven; as you may gather by comparing St. Luke's words, Acts 2. with the entrance to the Epistles of St. james, and 1 Peter. It could not be but that by these the world should have some notice of a Messiah to come, especially after the Bible was translated into Greek. Surely the Sibyls wrote so plainly hereof, that not only the Fathers allege them against the Heathens to prove the coming of Christ, but the Latin Poets also relate what they find in them, though they misapply it: witness that Verse, jam nova progenies Coelo demittitur alto. Yea, they so misapplyed it, Baron. apparat. ad Annal. that sundry did affect a Kingdom in the Commonweal of Rome, only working upon the common opinion that was in the hearts of men, that a great King about that time, should be borne into the world. Thus fare we find in histories that there was an indefinite report of a Messiah to come, whom the world therefore had an indefinite desire to see. But this will not yet satisfy our Prophet: and indeed his words are a prophecy rather of that which should be upon the coming of Christ, than a report of that which should be before. And not he only, but other Prophets testify that Christ should be no sooner revealed unto, but he should be received by the world; that the Nations should flock to him, as if they had formerly longed for him. The Nations, I say, in opposition to the jews; Luke 1. Mat 8. not but that many of the jews did look for him, and entertain him, but few in comparison of the Gentiles themselves; therefore he was rather the expectation of the Gentiles: The Gentiles entertained what the jews refused, as appears, Acts 13. Rom. 11. and it was foretold, Deut. 32. Matth. 8. The propagation of the Gospel amongst the Gentiles was strangely sudden: the Psalm compares it unto the dew, Psal. 110. The fruit of thy womb is like the morning dew. Malachi, to the rising of the Sun: And you know, Cap. 60.49.11. that both of them, as it were in an instant, cover the face of the earth. Esay's similes are of a Woman that is delivered before she is in travel; and of the flocking of Doves unto their house. Zachary tells us, that they should come so fast, that the City could not contain them. Christ, that the kingdom of heaven should suffer violence. In Apol. Tertullian reckons up the Nations which in his days believed, and shows, that Christianity had out-spread the Roman Empire: Which was the more to be marvelled, because the conquest was made by so mean men; and that not over the bodies, justin Martyr Dial. cum Tryphon. but over the souls of them with whom they dealt: They subdued the souls of the greatest Potentates, and brought them under Christ, and made the simple peasants that followed the plough to sing hymns and psalms unto his praise. And no marvel, for the Apostles were enabled to speak to every Nation in their own language, and their tongues were tipped with the fire of Heaven, which suddenly enlightened their understandings to whom they preached, and filled their hearts with a devout zeal: by this efficacy Christ became the desire of all Nations. And until we come thus fare, we have not the full meaning of our Prophet, though I have brought you hereto by many degrees, all comprehended under common desire. A common desire there could not be, except God had purposed that Christ should be a common good; neither could it be, that this common good should take place, except there were a propension thereunto in men. And this propension is evident in the misery of man's state without Christ, more evident in the feeling that man hath thereof: the evidence increased, when men discovered but an indefinite harkening after him; but it is made complete, when they distinctly discern him, and their affections desire ardently to be partakers of him. There is one point more which I may not omit, and that is the strange construction of the words in my Text; they are desiderium venient, the desire they shall come; a noun singular, and a verb plural. There is a mystery in it: As the Articles of our Faith are beyond the strength of nature, so doth the holy Ghost often times in uttering them, vary from the prescript of Grammar rules. I will show it you in the two first Articles of our Creed. The first is of the Trinity of Persons, wherein there is an Unity of Nature; to note this in the beginning of the Bible, you have a plural noun joined with a verb singular, Eloh●m bara. The second Article is this is Christ's incarnation, wherein though there be but one Person, yet are there two Natures; and to note these two Natures in one Person, doth the holy Ghost use this phrase, desiderium venient. A significant phrase, and puts us in mind that either nature in Christ will not satisfy our desire; if he come only as God, his majesty will be too great for us to endure; if only as man, his infirmity will be too weak for to relieve us: he that comes must be both God and man. Again, though the natures that come be two, yet is our desire but one, because it apprehends them both in one person; and it is the unity of the person whereupon our desire doth finally rest itself. But I will conclude: This Text doth check our cold zeal, and should make us blush when we try ourselves by it, or by them that in the Primitive times did justify the Truth of it: their early flocking to pray and to hear, their long perseverance at it, and often returns to it, shown that they delighted to sit under the tree of life, and that the fruit thereof was sweet unto their soul; they were even lovesick with the spouse, and their thirsty souls did with King David's, Cant. 2. Psal. 42. like the chased hart breathe (as it were) and bray after the water brooks. Even in our Father's days upon the reviving of God's truth amongst us, some of this heavenly fire burned in the hearts of our people; but it is long since quenched, and our lives manifest the difference between factus, Tertull. and natus Christianus: when a man first becomes a Christian he is at the best, and then if ever, his soul will pour out those passionate speeches, In the way of thy judgements, O Lord, have I watted for thee: Esay 26. the desire of my soul is to thy Name, and the remembrance of thee: with my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea with my spirit within me will I seek thee early. O ye heavens above drop down the dew, and ye clouds rain righteousness: let the earth open, let justice and salvation grow forth; let them both grow forth together. But the longer we live, commonly the worse we are: aetas parentum peior avis, and our children will be worse than we are, as we are worse than were our fathers. The Scripture witnesseth that Christ's desire is unto us, his delight is to be with the sons of men; yea he spreads his love as a banner over his Church to make himself more desirable to her. And how kind hearted was he, who being to eat the Paschall Lamb, a type of his bitter passion, and that immediately before his death, could say, Desiderio desideravi, I have earnestly desired to eat this passcover with you, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉? this indeed argued unspeakable love of Christ to man. And should it not be answered with the like affection of man towards Christ? it should; yea, and indeed it would be, if we did know what want we have of him, if we did feel the burden of our sin, if we did see how little we have of heavenly grace. This sense, this sight, would set an edge upon our dull appetite, and Christ which is here styled the desire of all Nations, would be to every one of us our desire. But let us take heed, who, when we may have him, do not desire him, lest the time come when we shall desire him, but may not have him. Christ may remove our Candlestick and his Kingdom, and then the jews doom may be ours; and we may desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and shall not see it. This God forbidden, and that he may forbid it, He pour the grace of his holy Spirit into our souls, that may so illighten our minds, and warm our hearts, that discerning clearly, and ardently affecting that sovereign good which God is pleased should be common to us all, we may not only during this feast, but ever, congratulating our happiness, sing Hosanna, blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord, Hosanna in the highest. THE THIRD SERMON. And I will fill this house with glory. THE description of Christ's presence in that temple which was built by Zorobabel, josua, and others, doth set before us, first his Person, than his Works. Of his Person I spoke last: it followeth that I now come on to his Works. They are two, Bounty, and Security: The Bounty is set forth, first absolutely, then comparatively. Of the comparison hereafter (if God will,) my purpose is now (God assisting me) to open so much of the Text as sets forth Christ's Bounty absolutely: it is comprehended in these words, I will fill this house with glory. Wherein observe, what is conferred, and on whom. The gift is glory, the receiver the house: both are amplified; the house by the meanness, this house; the gift by the greatness, I will fill it with glory. Out of both is made manifest the exceeding grace of Christ, who honoured that so much, that had so little to make it honourable. That God who is pleased that we all should be his houses, may so honour us: let us listen attentively, that we may entertain affectionately the honour which he vouchsafeth to us. Come we then to the particulars: the first is the thing conferred, Glory. Glory, if it be true glory, is a resplendency of some Good solid, and eminent: The foundation of glory must be that which is good; for where there is no true good, there can be no glory: shame there may be, according to that of the Apostle, Rom. 6. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? and St. jude, The wicked foam out their own shame. But of good things, some are transitory and vain, some heavenly and eternal; not the former, but the later kind is the foundation of Glory. Caboth. Calal. The Hebrew (mother of tongues) which speaketh of things most properly, by one word noteth weightiness and glory; as likewise with them one word signifieth things vile and light: The Apostle seems to allude hereunto, 2 Cor. 5. Our momentany affliction doth work unto us an exceeding eternal weight of glory. Waight of glory, that is, weighty glory, glory that hath some substance or solidness in it: whereunto he opposeth light afflictions; though they seem grievous, yet do they consist of no enduring substance: nubecula sunt, they quickly pass, and vanish away. Esay 40. And indeed of such shadows, or dreams rather, are all worldly things made: All flesh is grass, withering grass; the glory thereof is as a flower, Psal. 93. a fading flower: The sons of men are vanity, the sons of noble men are but a lie; if they were put in the scales together, they would weigh lighter than vanity itself. But of faith, hope, and charity, the Apostle speaketh better, Heb. 3. Heb. 11. 2 Cor. 8. 1 Cor. 13. he gives them the title of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, of substance; and he telleth us that we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the substance: finally, the Wise man tells us, that righteousness is full of immortality. So that in those lasting, not these fleeting things, must we seek the foundation of true glory. The Apostles rule is, we may not glory in the flesh: not in the flesh as it is the good creature of God, jer. 9 I mean in the mortal state thereof; the strong man may not glory in his strength, the wise man in his wisdom, the rich man in his riches: how much less may we glory in the lusts of the flesh, sinful lusts, which are the workmanship of the devil? No such boasting can be good, 1 Cor. 5. as St. Paul tells the Corinthians in his censure of the incestuous person: Psal. 53. and David checketh Doeg in those words, why boastest thou thyself thou Tyrant, that thou canst do mischief? But yet if we look upon the face of the world, we shall find, that not only transitory things, but also wicked lusts are the foundation of most men's glory: and we may renew the Apostles words, mourning words, There be many which walk, Phil. 3. of whom I have told you often, and now tell you weeping, whose God is their belly, whose glory is their shame, which mind earthly things. But our glory must have a better foundation, it must be a solid good. Neither is it enough unto glory that the Good be solid, it must be also eminent: An ordinary good may be laudable, it cannot be honourable; it may make a man accepted, but not admired: no man is thought worthy of glory, that is not more than an ordinary man. For glory is an attendant upon heroical virtue, and that is virtue in the highest degree: such as was the chastity of joseph, the patience of job, the fortitude of josua, the pictie of David, and the wisdom of Solomon. A man must partake of the divine nature, and draw as near as may be to God's image, before he can deserve to be glorious. The last thing required unto glory is, that the solid and eminent Good be also resplendent: A worthy man must be as a well-drawn Picture set in bono l●mine; neither will be regarded, except they be placed there where their worth may be discerned. For in regard of glory, Idem est non esse, & non apparere, A hidden treasure, and wisedoine concealed, are both alike, saith Solomon, Ecclus. 41.14. they lose their praise and glory: the Kinsmen of Christ out of this principle set upon him, There is no man that doth any thing in secret, and himself seeketh to be known openly. The Greeks' call honesty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, because it calleth all men to it: The Hebrews call it tab, because it is beautiful and pleasant, and maketh all in love with it: most languages call worthy personages Lights, because the lustre of their virtue is the pleasing object of every man's eye. Wherefore our Saviour biddeth us, Matth. 5. Let our light so shine before men, that they may see our good works, and glorify our Father which is in heaven. I have hitherto opened unto you the nature of Glory, I have showed you what, and how many things are requisite thereunto: But where shall we find it? what is the first, or rather proper subject of it? Surely God: cap. 33. we learn it in Exodus, Moses desired to see God's glory: God made his goodness to pass before him; as if his goodness and glory were synonyma's: certainly they are inseparable. His goodness is solid, it is his very nature, who is called johova, and is that which he is. Secondly, his goodness is eminent: for whatsoever is good, is predicated of him in abstracto, wisdom, truth, righteousness, holiness, james 1, Psal. 8.19.104.45. etc. and abstract names note absolute perfections. Finally, his goodness is most resplendent, therefore St. james calleth him, the father of lights: David hath made many Psalms in acknowledgement hereof. For this cause doth the Scripture often times use the name of Glory when it meaneth God: The jews in the Old Testament are blamed by the Prophets for neglecting, for forsaking their glory, that is, God: And St. Peter in the New Testament, 2 Pet. 1.17. speaking of the testimony which God the Father gave unto our Saviour Christ in the Mount, saith, He heard a voice from the magnificent Glory. Glory then is originally in God, but by derivation it is communicated from him unto others; Angels, Princes, Luke 2. 2 Pet. 2. both are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Scripture. But to none doth this title so truly belong as unto Christ. St. Paul, Heb. 1. calls him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, The brightness of his father's glory: When he was to come into the world Esay saith, cap. 40. The glory of the Lord should be revealed; and biddeth jerusalem be bright, because her glory is risen: and, in the person of Eliakim, speaking of Christ, cap. 60. he shall be a glorious Throne (saith he) unto them, and they shall hang upon him all the glory of his father's house. Cap. 6. Behold (saith Zacharie) the man whose name is the Branch, 1 Tim. 3.16. he shall come out of his place, he shall build a temple, and he shall bear the glory. Finally, seeing our Saviour is God manifest in the flesh, he deserves well that praise which is given him in the Church's hymn, Thou art the King of glory, O Christ. But whereas God's glory doth shine unto us in the face of Christ, we must inquire what manner of glory it is: for in God there is a twofold glory, as you may gather out of the forecited place of Exod. cap. 33. compared with cap. 34. a glory of his justice, and a glory of his mercy: the solemn and public manifesting of either of them (I mean his justice, or his mercy) is manifesting of his glory. Touching his justice, we have an excellent place in Esay, in a vision God shown himself in the Temple, Esay 6.3. environed with the Saraphims, who cried, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts, heaven and earth are full of thy glory: this was the glory of his justice; for verse 9 he denounceth the sentence of induration against the jews: the like manifestation we find in Moses, Numb. 14. As I live (saith the Lord) all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord: but it is the glory of his justice; for immediately he doth doom all those Israelites that had not harkened to his voice, saying, Surely they shall not see that Land which I swore unto their fathers to give them. There is another branch of God's glory, I called it the glory of his mercy; it was figured partly by the Cloud, and partly by the Ark: The Cloud was a type of God's mild appearance; for it was seated, not between Seraphims, fiery Angels, messengers and instruments of wrath, but between the Cherubims, which had the shape of men, lovely and meek men. Add hereunto, that it rested upon the Ark, the covering whereof was called the mercy seat. Either of these was called, the glory of the Lord: The Cloud often in Moses; the Ark in that known story of the destruction of Elie's sons; at what time the Ark being taken by the Philistines, 1 Sam. 3. Heb. 9 Psal. 27. jer. 14. & 17. Elie's daughter called her child Ichabod, the glory is gone. For attending upon these two were the Cherubims called Cherubims of glory, and for containing them the Temple was called the habitation and throne of God's glory. But all these were types, the truth of them was Christ. He was the truth of the Cloud; in his flesh did God so appear, that he might be endured by the sight of men: and he appeared for those uses whereunto the Cloud was designed, for direction, and protection; you may gather it out of Esay, cap. 4. and St. Paul speaketh plainly, 1 Cer. 1.24. that Christ came into the world as the wisdom and the power of God. As Christ was the truth of the Cloud, so was he of the Mercy-seat. St. Paul, Rom. 3.25. calls him by the very name of it, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, God accepteth us in him: By him we come with boldness to the throne of grace, and find mercy in the time of need, Heb. 4.16. The Angels that attended him were not Seraphims, but Cherubims, they appeared in the shape of men, and whensoever they appeared they came to bring comfort: Christ then did in his person manifest Gods merciful glory; which is the glory meant in this Text. Wherefore I will conclude this point with the words of the Evangelist, john 1. The Word was made flesh, and dwelled amongst us, and we saw his glory as the glory of the only begotten Son of God, full of grace, and ●●ll of truth. I have sufficiently opened unto you that which is conferred; we must now see whereon. The text saith, it was the house, the Prophet meaneth the Temple then building by Zorobabel. Some have thought that the Temple which was standing when Christ was incarnate, was not the Temple built by Zorobabel, but another which Herod built. But we must take heed of that opinion: for it hath two evils in it; 1. Flavius josephus. it giveth the holy Ghost the lie in this place; 2. and it cherisheth the jews vain expectation of their Messiah. It is true that Herod enlarged that Temple, and added many buildings to it: but he did not demolish the old, neither indeed could he, and this prophecy continue true; for God promised that Christ should come even into this Temple that now was building. And seeing that Temple with all the additions of Herod, hath many hundied years since, according to Christ's prophecy, been so destroyed, that there remaineth not one stone upon another, the jews do more than vainly yet look for a Messiah: especially, seeing God hath manifested to the world that it was not only totally, but sinally also destroyed. The jews had good proof hereof in the days of julian the Apostata; when, Euseb. hist. l. 4. Chrys. orat. 2. in judaeos. notwithstanding that wicked Emperor encouraged, and furthered them to re-edify it, fearful tempests from heaven destroyed in the night what they did in the day; God then making good against jacob what in Malachi he spoke against Esau, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Mal. 1. they shall build, but I will cast down; they shall call them, the border of wickedness, the people against whom the Lord hath indignation for ever. But I will leave them to God, whom God hath left to the world as a spectacle of stupidity, and a bridle to hold us in from like contempt. It is plain the place here meant was Zorobabels' Temple; upon that place was the glory conferred. Malachi, cap. 3. said it should be so; he said, that the Lord should come into his Temple, and he should sit down there and refine the sons of Levi, and rectify the divine worship. The Gospel teacheth us that it was so: for he was not only presented in that Temple when he was a babe, and when he was twelve years old a disputant there with the doctors; but also when he was solemnly inaugurated, he first purged the Temple of buyers and sellers; then he reform the doctrine, and the discipline at several times, when he resorted thither at solemn feasts; there he made his sermons, and wrought his miracles: so that he might truly say to the high Priests when he was arraigned before them, I sat daily with you teaching in the Temple. Mat. 26. I will add one text more which may serve in stead of all; when his parents that had lost 〈◊〉, found him in the Temple, they expostulated with him in these words, Son, why hast thou served us thus? Luke 2. thy father and I have sought we sorrowing: Christ replies unto them, Why sought ye me? did you not know 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; we render it, Witted ye not that I must go about my father's business? but the words may well bear another sense also, Witted ye not that it was sit for me to be in my father's house? for so he calleth the Temple elsewhere: and so speaketh St. Paul, Heb. 13. john 2. Christ as a son was over his own house. Some refer hither that speech of Christ touching the paying of tribute, Mat. 17.26. The sons are free; because that money is thought to have been originally a taxation for the Temple, and by the Romans converted to other uses when they collected it. But enough of the place: only take this note out of the conjunction of the place and the gift, That Christ's coming to be the glory of the Temple, giveth us to understand that his Kingdom was not temporal, but spiritual; he came not to raise an earthly Monarchy, but to gather a people unto God. The next point that I observed, is the amplification both of the place and the gift: of the place in regard of the meannes, which is noted in the word this house. The jews had two Temples, one built by Solomon, a glorious one; this built by Zorobabel, a poor one. The jews wept when they saw the foundations of it, and God testifieth that it was as nothing in their eyes; and this nothing (as it were) moved Herod to make those additions before specified, that it might become like something. Mark, Christ came not unto salomon's Temple, but unto Zorobabels': so that the Temple which had most of earthly cost, had nothing in it but the type of Christ; and that Temple that had least of earthly glory, had most of heavenly: it had the truth, Christ came thither in person. God regardeth not outward pomp, neither doth he tie his presence thereunto, as if he would not be where there is no worldly state: nay, commonly where there is least of the world, Heb. 11. God is there most; and they have greatest familiarity with him, who have worst entertainment in the world. Did not our Saviour Christ give us an excellent representation hereof in his own person? Col. 2.9. Phil. 2.7. 2 Cor 4.7. the Godhead dwelled bodily in him, but that body bore the shape of a servant: the Apostles carried about the world heavenly treasures, but they carried them in earthen vessels. An ancient Father observes wittily, that when the Church was so poor that it had but wooden chalices, it had golden Priests, we may add People too; and when the ornaments of the Church became golden, than the Priests and People became wooden: God's Word was heard more reverently, he was served more devoutly, when the Church met in caves, in woods, in deserts, than ever he was in towns, and cities, and these most stately fabrics. This must be observed in the question of the visibility of the Church, or rather conspicuity. The Advocates of Rome seem to triumph much against the reformed Churches, as if the obscurity, wherein sometimes they lay hidden, Cont. Auxent. did prejudice the truth which they professed: they forget St. Hilaries admonition, Male nos cepit parietum amor etc. We are ill advised to measure faith by multitude of professors, Epist. 48. or by goodly temples where the profession is made. St. Austin will tell us, Ecclesia aliquando obscuratur, & aliquando obnubilatur multitudine scandalorum, The glory of the Church is subject to Eclipses: it was so in the Old Testament, as appears by Elia's complaint, 1 Reg. 19 They have slain all thy Prophets, and thrown down thine altars, Cont. Lucifer. and I am left alone. It hath been no better under the New Testament: witness St. Hierome, Ingemuit totus mundus, & see Arianum factum miratus est, Arianisme so got the upper hand, that the Orthodox faith scarce durst be known in the whole Catholic Church. In the Old Testament God promised by Zephanie, cap. 3. I will leave in the midst of thee an humble and poor people, and they shall trust in me: Christ in the Gospel, Fear not little flock, it is your father's pleasure to give you a Kingdom, Luke 12.32. As the Text doth amplify the place from the meanness, 1 Reg. 8. so doth it the gift from the greatness thereof; I will fill, fill this house with that glory. The phrase is allusive to God's typical presence in the former Temple, for therein rested the Cloud, and it filled all the house, all that part of the house which was called the holy place. When the second Temple was built, there was no such thing; God was pleased to reserve it for the truth, that he that is the fullness of all should fill that Temple. And indeed God was never more there, than when he was there in Christ, if ever, he was then an Oracle to his Church. I add out of Ezechiel, cap. 43.12. that by his presence, omnis circuitus Templi was made sanctum sanctorum. For aught we read, Christ never came into that place of the Temple which was called sanctum, or sanctum sanctorum, the holy place, or holiest of holies; but this he did, being borne that holy thing, Luke 1. Dan. 9 and anointed the most holy, he made all places of the Temple where he came holy, yea, and most holy, he filled them with the glory of his person, and the glory of his function. The truth (I say) filled even the worst part of the Temple, which the type did not. But I shall meet with this point in the next Sermon, wherefore I will dwell no longer now upon it. This historical sense which I have hitherto opened, doth present unto us a mystical, which I may not neglect: God doth not delight in material houses built with timber and stone; the Temple was but a type of the Church. Christ's house are you, saith St. Paul to the Hebrews, cap. 3. and to the Ephesians, cap. 2. he tells us of the foundation, the corner stone. Saint Peter, 1 Epist. 2. showeth us, that we as living stones coming unto the precious stone Christ, make up a house unto God. So that whatsoever blessing is contained in this text, belongeth unto us, and unto the Temple but in reference unto us. A thing to be observed, because the world hath always been shallow-witted in looking into these intentions of God; they have rested on the types, without due reflection upon themselves; whereas God therein would only help our memory, and condescend to our infirmity, and that upon a Principle which prevaileth much with us, which is this, Sense is the best informer of our reason, and solliciter of our will. And did we make as good use of it in things belonging to God, and our soul, as we do in things pertaining to the world, and concerning our natural life, Christ should not have been occasioned to utter that sentence, The children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light. Well then, let us gather some few such morals as this text will yield. The first is, That where Christ cometh, he bringeth a blessing: jacob did so to Laban, joseph to Pharaoh, Daniel to Nabuchadnezzar. There is not a good man that maketh not the place whither he cometh the better for him: How much more the chief of Saints our Saviour Christ? the very type of him, 1 Chro. 13. I mean the Ark, made Obed Edom's house to prosper. If the shadow wrought so much, what good may we expect from the substance itself? The second moral is, That God in Christ taketh upon him to be the glory of the house, so that where Christ is, there the glory is. The Church of Rome is plentiful in earthly ornaments of their Church, and we are careful that the Word of God should dwell richly in ours; it were well if both were joined together; I wish we had more of their ornaments, and they had more of Christ's truth. But if they must be kept asunder through the malice of the Devil, our case is better, that have fewer ornaments and more truth, than theirs that have less truth and more ornament. For CHRIST is properly the glory of a Church; where he is, though it be in the wilderness, there is glory; and there is no glory where he is not, though the temple be as goodly as salomon's. The third is, the particle this, this house contains the comfort of poor souls: For though in the sense of our meanness we have all reason to say, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under the roof of my house; yet saith the Lord, Esay 66. Heaven is my throne, and the Earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? hath not my hand made all these things, saith the Lord? But to this man will I look, even to him that is poor, and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my Word. And it was the very life of Kings David's penitential prayer, Psal. 51. A broken and contrite heart, O Lord, wilt not thou despise. Wherefore I conclude this point with the exhortation of St. james, Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted: be he never so mean a house, Christ will not disdain, even in his glory, to come unto him; he will come and bring his glory with him. The fourth is, That he will not only bring his glory, but fill that house. But it is as the soul filleth the body, every part according to his proportion; some part is filled as the head, some as the hand, some as the feet: so that every house may be full, and yet one house contain more than another. As it is most behooveful for us, so doth Christ dispense his grace unto us. But this filling may be understood either inhaerenter, or immanenter in Christ; or transeunter and redundanter to us; that is, either that he which cometh into the house is full of glory, or else that the house whereinto he cometh is by him transformed into glory. Take a simile from the Sun; the beams of the Sun do fill the air and the firmament, but you easily perceive that they do it in a different fashion; they fill the air, but so that the air altereth not in nature, but continueth the same, only it is the place wherein the beams of the Sun do appear: But as for the firmament, the Sun sendeth his beams into that, so that it maketh many a light body of it, many a star: and St. Paul telleth us, 1 Cor. 15.41. that they differ each from the other in glory. Christ doth fill our house both ways: if you look to our justification, he brings glory to us, as the Sun doth the light unto the air; the brightness whereof doth grace the air, yet it remains inherently still in the beams, and is not transfused into the substance of the air: Even so Christ's righteousness passeth not out of his person, and yet it is the ornament of our person; it is inherent in him, it is imputed to us, and in the eyes of God doth grace and commend us, as if it were ours. But if you look to sanctification, that redounds from Christ unto us; it maketh us stars in the spiritual firmament, though of unequal magnitude, and unequal glory. St. Paul is clear for it, 1 Cor. 3. We with open face behold the glory of God, and are transformed into the same image from glory unto glory, even by the powerful spirit of Christ. When the Apostles did but see Christ's transformation in the Mount, though themselves were not transfigured, yet they thought it so happy a sight; that they cried out, Bonum est esse hìc, Let us pitch our Tabernacles here. And what would they have thought if themselves also might have been partakers of the same glory? if themselves might have appeared like unto him? if they might have been as he was? yet such is our condition in Christ. The last moral shall be, that whereas other things that fill us, proportion themselves unto, and take up whatsoever capacity they find; it is not so with Christ, whatsoever he filleth that he enlargeth, Aug. Confess. and the more we have of him, the more capacity we have, the more capacity of glory, for that is that wherewith he filleth; all other things deal worse with us, they straighten our capacity, or fill us with vanity. Wherefore were we as wise as we should be, we would suffer no body to take up any room in us but only Christ; we would leave no corner for the devil, or the world, or our corrupt lusts. And indeed, who would withhold any part from him, to continue a strait, a dark, a filthy dungeon, that by his presence may be made, a large, a light, a glorious habitation? And yet so it is; some of us steal our heads from him, and entertain error; some steal their hearts from him, and therein lodge sinful lusts: there is no man that doth not withhold some part, and keep that part the worse for it. But this should be to every one of us his votive prayer, To thee, O Christ, I consecrate totum me, and totum mei, my whole self, and all that is in me; humbly desiring that nothing may inhabit me, but thyself, and that which cometh from thee. This is that whereunto I advice myself, as I advice you: And that I advice not in vain, let us lay this text to the former; there we heard of a desire, here of a filling. Solomon hath a good rule, A desire accomplished delighteth the soul: So that if we profited so much by the last sermon as to make Christ our desire, we may be comforted by this, which assures us that our desire shall be filled. Yea, whereas desire is sinus cordis, the bosom, or lap (as it were) of the heart, if we do enlarge it, God will replenish it. But let us be sure that this sermon doth little concern us, if the former took no place in us. David no sooner heard that Obed Edom's house prospered by having the Ark, but he was stirred up with a godly zeal to bring it unto Zion, to bring it to his own City. What shall I wish unto you, but that having heard the blessing that Christ's presence brought to Zorobabels' Temple, every one of you would strive to lodge him in your Temples, the temples of your bodies, the temples of your souls? So may he fill these mystical, as he did that typical Temple; so fill them here with the glory of his grace, that they may be hereafter filled with the grace of his glory. Psal. 24. Wherefore, lift up your heads O ye gates, and be ye lift up ye everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in: & 85. Salvation is near them that fear him, that glory may dwell in their Land. LEt thy work, O Lord, be seen towards thy servants, and thy glory upon their children, that in the sensible sweet comfort thereof, we may all now and ever sing, Glory be to thee O Lord most high. Blessing, honour, glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. Amen. THE FOURTH SERMON. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine. The glory of this later house shall be greater than the glory of the former. THe bounty which Christ vouchsafed that Temple which was built by Zorobabel, is by this our Porphet set forth absolutely and comparatively. Of the absolute consideration thereof I spoke last, I will pass now on to the comparative, expressed in those words which now I have read unto you. Of this comparison we must observe 1 the preface, and 2 the contents. The preface will teach us what Christ can, the contents, what he will do. Christ can in point of bounty do as much as he will: so much the words of the preface import, The silver is mine, the gold is mine. And he will do more than the jews do desire: for they would have been contented if they might have had a Temple but as goodly as that of Solomon; Christ will do more for them, The glory of the later house shall be greater than the glory of the former. But more distinctly. These points of Christ's power and his will, must be opened first severally, then jointly. If we look into them severally, than we shall find that the preface which sets forth Christ's power, doth in the outside of the words entitle him to these earthly metals, gold and silver; but the inside will inform us that he is owner of much more precious metals, of gold and silver that are heavenly. As for the contents, the comparison therein presented unto us, may be conceived either of fabric to fabric, or furniture to furniture. I will touch at both, that so you may the better see of whether and how far my text may be justified. Having thus opened the points severally, I will join them together, and show you, that first Christ's power is set down before his will, that the jews should not think he doth promise more than he can perform: secondly, that his will beareth correspondency to his power; and he giveth gifts not suitable to the narrowness of our desire, but to the wideness of his own store. Of these particulars I shall now (God willing) speak briefly and in their order. God grant we may so listen to, and profit by that which shall be said concerning Christ's power and will, that it may be his gracious will always to sustain and bless us according to his all sufficient power. Come we then to the preface, and first to the outside of the words, The silver is mine, the gold is mine: If so we read the preface, it doth entitle Christ to these earthly metals, gold & silver; and his title is just and clear. he that made all is owner of all: now all things were made by Christ, and without him nothing was made that was made, john 1. therefore we may conclude with the Psalmist, Psal. 24. The earth is the Lords and the fullness thereof, the round world and they that dwell therein. It is true, that the Devil shamed not to Christ's own face to say, All the Kingdoms of the earth are mine, and theirs to whom I will give them, Luke 4. but that was but the vaunt of the father of lies. Nabals' speech was a speech beseeming a Nabal, 1 Sam. 25. Shall I take my flesh and my bread, and give it unto men whom I know not? the devil experienced Christ's right, and so did Nabal too; Christ stripped them both of that which they had: and he threatneth no less unto the jews and Israelites, Ezek. 16. Hos. 2. when they became so graceless as to derive his title to others, to their Lovers, as the Prophet calls them, be they idols or men. I will open this point a little more fully. There is ius ad rem, and ius in re, property and possession, right to a thing, and power over that thing: These are many times severed in men; many a man hath right to that over which he hath no power, he is kept out with a strong hand; Wisd. 2.11. and many a man hath power over that whereunto he hath no right, his strength is the Law of all his righteousness. It is not so with Christ, property and possession meet both in him; and he hath power over whatsoever he hath right unto, both right and power extend unto all things. His right, john 1. Heb. 1. for he is the only begotten of the father; therefore heir of all things: In the second Psalm, he that said, Thou art my son this day have I begotten thee, said also, Ask of me and I will give unto thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Neither is Christ an inheritor only, but a purchaser also, Rom. 14. He therefore died and rose again that he might be Lord of quick and dead, that he might be King of kings, and Lord of lords. A double right than hath Christ unto all, by birth, & by purchase. And his power is as wide as his right: Mat. 28.18. by birthright he is an almighty God, and by purchase, all power is given unto him both in heaven and earth; therefore job saith, cap. 1. The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh: the Psalmist, Promotion cometh neither from the east nor from the west, Psal. 75.6. but the Lord setteth up one, cap. 2. & 5. Psal. 115. and taketh down another. Daniel, Blessed be the name of the Lord for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his; he changeth times and seasons, he removeth kings and setteth them up; he doth whatsoever he will, both in heaven and in earth. Out of this which I have told you concerning Christ's right, you may learn many good Lessons: first, from the property. If he have right to all, in whosoevers hand it is, than no man should come unjustly by his goods: for he that defraudes his brother, defraudeth not man but God: Even as a master that putteth his goods into his servant's hand is the principal party that is wronged, if his servant be either deceived, or oppressed; and as the Master will pursue his right against the wrong doer: so will God also take vengeance upon all unjust persons; he will in the world to come, nay he doth in this world: for what Chronicle is there that doth not justify the proverb, de malè quaesitis non gaudet tertius haeres, will gotten goods never prosper? As Christ's property in our goods teacheth us not to get them unjustly, so doth it teach us also not to use them unreasonably. A tenant that holdeth land from a Lord may not use it otherwise than according to the covenants agreed upon; if he do, he forfeiteth: even so is it between God and us, the grant which he maketh us of his creatures is but conditional; we may take convenient food for our sustenance, decent clothing to shroud us from the injuries of the weather, and we may bestow our money to supply our own and other folks necessaries. To these ends we may use God's creatures: but we may not riot with our meat and drink, we may not be fantastical in our apparel, neither may we with our wealth grind the faces of the poor; we have no covenant that warrants any of these, and therefore the doing of any of these is a forfeit to him that is proprietary. And how often might Christ re-enter upon our goods, if he would take advantage of our daily abuses? yea he daily doth re-enter, if we had grace to see it; for what goodly patrimonies daily come to nought by drunkenness, pride, oppression? I would the world did take as much notice of it, as every place doth give them just occasion to do: for what country, what shire, what city, yea what village, aboundeth not with examples hereof? These lessons Christ's right to our goods doth yield us. His power over our goods will yield us as many: for seeing our goods are not in our own power but in Christ's, we may not trust in them, but in him. It is the Apostles rule, 1 Tim. 6. We may not trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God. Our wealth may be taken from us, as jobs was, or we may betaken from our wealth, cap. 1. as the rich man in the Gospel, who while he was inviting his soul to eat and drink because he had store laid up for many years, heard that unpleasing message, Thou fool, this night shall they take thy soul from thee, Luke. 12. and then whose shall all these things be? Ourselves are not in our own power, much less our goods; therefore it is good trusting in neither of them, but in him that hath power over both. Secondly, this power of God over our wealth, must remember us, that to our honest endeavours we add our devout prayers: for, Psal. 127.1. for, except the Lord build the house, they labour but in vain that build it. We may plant, we may water, it is God that must give the increase; if he be close-handed, every thing will famish, and he filleth every living creature with his good gifts, when he openeth his hand: It is his blessing (as Solomon teacheth, Pro. 10.22) that maketh men rich. join Christ's right and his power together, and gather what wretches they are, that for wealth forsake him, who hath right to it, and power to bestow it, and betake themselves unto the devil, who is but a pretender of right, and when by God's permission he hath done his best for them, he cannot keep them in possession. And no wonder, the Gospel teacheth that Christ with a word did cast him out, how then should he be able to keep others in? Secondly, when God's children are in want, we may not argue therehence that Christ is unable to relieve: Psal. 78.19. Can God prepare a table in the wilderness? was the voice of infidelity; for God is Shaddai, all-sufficient; it is one of his essential Attributes, and it is not unlikely that the names Deus and Dives come from thence. But it is not expedient that God always bestow wealth upon us; the fatness of the earth doth make us less think upon the dew of heaven; the content we take in things earthly doth make us less mind those things that are heavenly: wherefore God keepeth us to a shorter diet in things corporal, that we might relish things spiritual the better. To pass here from the outside of the preface to the inside thereof, we must observe that the holy Ghost meaneth also by these words to correct a carnal conceit of the jews: they were much troubled for that they wanted gold and silver wherewith to make a house for God, as if he stood in need of, or did primarily respect those things; whereas it is not gold and silver which God requires of men, but that which was signified by these metals. And who can tell whether God did not destitute them of these things corporal, that their hearts might be set more ardently upon those things that were answerable unto them, upon the things spiritual? Certainly Christ's purpose was so to raise their thoughts; the phrase in the original seems to import it: For whereas we read, the silver is mine and the gold is mine, the Hebrew word forword is, mihi est argentum, mihi est aurum, I have gold, I have silver; the words give the jews to understand, that there are more kinds of gold and silver than they dreamt of, that there are heavenly metals whereof Gods house must consist: Learn it of St. Paul, 1 Cor. 3.11. Other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, jesus Christ: upon this if any man build gold or silver, his work will abide. What gold or silver doth he mean? that which is digged out of the mine? St. Peter, 1 Pet. 1.19. denieth that, saying, We are not redeemed with corruptible things, as gold and silver, but with the precious blood of jesus Christ. It must be gold then suitable to the foundation, and that is spiritual, such as heavenly jerusalem is built of, all whose streets are pure gold, Reu. 21. and such as the children of God are made of, who (as the Apostle, 2. Tim. 2. tells us) are vessels of gold. In comparison of these heavenly, those earthly metals are but vile, as job, c. 28. Solomon, Pro. 3. teach at large; Wisd. 7. and the Wiseman hath comprehended it in few words, I did not compare unto wisdom any stone of inestimable price, because all gold in respect of her is as a little sand, and all silver shall be accounted as clay before her. What then doth the holy Ghost mean by these phrases? Surely because we cannot apprehend things heavenly, but as they are represented in things earthly, he speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in a language familiar to men, but would have us understand him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in a sense beseeming God. As then these metals are things highly esteemed by men, so must we think that those are not of mean value which God bestoweth upon us in Christ; they are as gold and silver, there can be no better. And see how God's providence hath disposed of words, to work in us the deeper impression of things: for whereas there is a double valuation of things, the one as they are considered in se, in themselves, the other as they are considered ad nos, as we respect them; here are both valuations. If a thing be considered in itself, so we value it according to the purity thereof, and as it is freest from dross; and that purity is intimated by the Hebrew name of gold zahabh, which is as much as mundum: and therefore it is applied to the northern wind that cleareth the sky, and to oil that is most bright and pure. Ad nos, if things be considered, so are they valued as they most affect us: and this affection is noted by the name of silver, which is Ceseph, and hath its name from desire, because all men do desire it. So that whether you consider Christ in himself, or unto us, you see by these words that he is very valuable; valuable for the purity of his nature, as gold; and for our affection towards him valuable also, because as silver. Finally to shut up this note, mark, that mihi argentum, mihi aurum, I have silver, I have gold, this phrase doth restrain these things unto Christ, as if they were not to be found in any other besides him. Come to me (saith Christ to the Church of Laodicea, Reuel. 3.18.) and buy gold tried in the fire, etc. taxing whatsoever they had beside as beggary and poverty. To the same sense, though under another resemblance, speaketh Christ in Esay, cap. 55. Wherefore do ye spend your money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat you that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. As than God under the name of gold doth give us to understand that he hath treasured up all purity and perfection in Christ, so by the name of silver doth he call for all our desires, and command them to be placed upon Christ. And let this suffice touching the preface, the outside and the infide thereof. I come now to the comparison whereunto that preface is prefixed; and the contents hereof open Christ's will, what he will do, as in the preface you had his power, what he could do. Now the comparison may be either of fabric to fabric, or furniture to furniture. If we compare the fabrics, then certainly Zorobabels' Temple came short of salomon's: you may gather it from these four inequalities. The first is of the Architects; the plot of salomon's Temple was drawn by God himself, he inspired it into David by the holy Ghost, 1 Chron. 2●. and he committed it unto Solomon, the wisest Prince that ever was in the world, and best able to conceive it: to say nothing of the instruments or workmen that were employed to execute it. The second Temple had no other Architect prescribing the form but Cyrus, Esra 6. who delivered it by charter unto Zorobabel, and it was performed by no extraordinary workmen. The second inequality is in the number of the labourers. 1 Kings 5.14, 15, 16. Solomon employed well-nigh two hundred thousand, which is more than three times as many as returned from the Babylonian captivity. Add hereunto that they laboured at least seven years uncessantly about the building of salomon's Temple: the second Temple was not so long in building, ibid. if you except the intermissions which were caused by their Adversaries, though there were fewer workmen upon it. A third inequality appears in the dimensions: for Cyrus scanted much the measure that was used by King Solomon: And upon this ground it was that Herod, willing to get the good will of the jews, undertook the enlarging of the Temple to equal it to the first, as josephus reports. The fourth and the last inequality stands in the materials used about the fabric: to say nothing of their qualities, certainly those that were used about the first Temple, did in quantity fare exceed those that were used about the second. For what comparison could there be between the riches of poor captive jews, and of King Solomon that was the most glorious Monarch in the world? 1 Chron. 22.14 2 Sam. 8. Add hereunto the provision that his father King David made in his time, a hundred thousand talents of gold, and a thousand thousand talents of silver, and brass, and iron without weight; besides what he gave out of his own peculium, or private Treasury, (for the former were dedicated out of the spoils of kingdoms which he conquered) three thousand talents of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and seven thousand talents of refined silver, besides great abundance of all sorts of precious stones. Whereunto add the offering of the Fathers of Israel, five thousand talents, and ten thousand dams of gold, and of silver ten thousand talents, of brass eight thousand talents, and a hundred thousand talents of iron, besides precious stones. And put all this together, and therewith increase salomon's wealth, the total will be a sum of infinite value, fare exceeding that wherewith Zorobabel was furnished, either by the Persian Kings, or by his own countrymen: yea although you add what afterward was bestowed either by Alexander the great, or his successors, Kings of Syria, and those of Egypt: Neither will the additions of other benefactors, no not that of Herod, make up the sum. I dare say boldly, that if all the Christian Kings of the West, for so many years as the Temple was a building by Solomon, should contribute their treasures, they could not raise a sum answerable to that which was expended upon the first Temple, and reserve to themselves their Kingly ports, as David and Solomon did. Neither need we out of the incredulity of the sum (as some learned do) question the signification of the word talon, as if it signified a lesser sum than commonly it is taken for. For (to say nothing that it is the same Author that wrote both the 22. and the 29. of the first of Chronicles, and that it is not likely he would vary the sense, keeping himself to the same word) they do not mark that David's offering was the spoil of many Kingdoms; that God promised that Solomon should be the richest King in the world; that the vessels of gold and silver used in the Temple were many thousands (as appears by josephus); and that there was great store of treasure laid up there beside, 2 Chro. 5. I need say no more to prove that if we compare fabric with fabric, we cannot find therein the truth of these words of Haggai. Let us come then to the furniture; that is either typical, or spiritual: such parts of the furniture as were figures of divine things, and that by Gods own ordinance, were typical. Upon Diana's Temple at Ephesus, Apollo's at Delphi, the Capitoline Temple at Rome, and many other heathenish Temples, there was much gold and silver bestowed, yea and precious stones also, but they wanted a typical relation; and therein did the temples of the jews infinitely exceed them. In these types, if we compare salomon's temple with Zorobabels', Galatinus Chrysost. orat. 3. adversus judaos Zorobabels'.. cometh fare short of salomon's. The jews confess that five eminent things were wanting in the later temple which were in the former: 1. the Cloud wherein God resided between the Cherubims: 2. the Ark, with the contents therein, whereon the Cloud rested: 3. the fire kindled from heaven, wherewith all their sacrifices were to be offered: 4. the Vrim and Thummim on the breastplate of the high Priest, by which he was enabled to give out divine Oracles, and ordinarily resolve the jews perplexing doubts in peace and war: the fifth was the spirit of prophecy, wherewith God furnished diverse other persons whom he sent as messengers unto the kings and people of juda and Israel. Now these five were the chief of all the typical furniture; if Zorobabels' temple came short in these five, there can be no doubt but it was inferior in types unto that of salomon's temple. What remains then but that the greatness of the glory here meant, must consist in the spiritual and heavenly furniture of the later temple? or else there was none at all. And indeed it is that which we find there; we find Christ in person, as in former sermons I have showed you, and he is the truth of all those types. Of the Cloud; for in him God dwelled visibly on earth: Cyril. l. 4. in joh. c. 2. 1 Pet. 2. Rom. 8. Ind. Of the Ark; by him God shown mercy unto men: Of the Fire; for by his spirit all sacrifices must be offered that are acceptable unto God: Of the Vrim and Thummim; for he is the word, the wisdom of God: Finally, of the spirit of prophecy; for he is the Prophet that was to come into the world, and the Revelation of jesus Christ is the spirit of prophecy, Revel. 1. What shall I say of the table of shewbread? Christ is the bread of life; of the golden candlestick? john 6. john 1. Reu. 5.8. Christ is the light of the world; of the altar of incense? it is Christ that putteth sweet odours into the prayers of the Saints; of the altar of offerings? Psalm 40. Heb. 10. john 1.29. 1 john 1.7. sacrifice and offerings God did not desire, but he opened Christ ear, and gave him a body: he was the Lamb of God that took away the sins of the world, and his blood cleanseth from all sin. And what comparison between this truth and those types? certainly no more than between earth and heaven; therefore when the truth appeared, the type vanished. jer. 3.16.17. It must needs follow then, that the glory of the later temple must needs be greater than the glory of the former. Greater, if we insist only upon Christ's apparition in the material temple of Zorobabel: L. 3. Epist. 11. De civet. Dei. l. 18. how much more if with the Fathers, St. Ambrose, and St. Austin, we enlarge it to the Christian Church in whom Christ abideth? And indeed Zorobabels' temple being void of the types did represent the Christian Church, as salomon's full of them did represent the Church of the jews; and then mark what St. Paul saith, if these two Churches be compared, 2 Cor. 3. Even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth: for if that which was done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious; that whole Chapter is a good commentary upon my text, the Epistle to the Hebrews is much fuller. So then we must read and consider this text as directed unto us; it concerns us, for we are partakers of that glory. And see how God dealeth both with the jews and us; we have envious eyes, and ambitious hearts, we would not only be great, but greatest, we would not willingly that any should be in better case than ourselves. God's promise than goeth very fare which he maketh to the jews, and in them to us, when he saith that they shall not only have great glory, but also great in comparison, in comparison to that which was very glorious. So that if fertilior seges est etc. and we covet after the best gifts, 1 Cor. 12. the very phrase did put them, and doth put us in mind how deeply they were, we are bound to God for the honour that he did them in Christ, 1 Reg. 8. and doth to us. we should both joy more therein than ever the Israelites did at the dedication of salomon's Temple. But we must not mistake, and understand the comparison made between the Old and the New Testament in an anabaptistical sense, as if they in the Old Testament had only corporal glory, and they in the New Testament spiritual; the glory of both is spiritual: But theirs of the Old Testament was veiled with ceremonies, ours in the New Testament is unueiled; they had Christ, but they saw him not but through sacrifices, and dark rites; but we with open face do behold the glory of the Lord, 2 Cor. 3. therefore the Apostle teacheth, Ephes. 2. that of two we are made but one new man: and Rom. 11. we are grafted into that ●liue from whence they sprang. Secondly, we must distinguish the means as they are offered of God, and as they are received of men: the glory of the New Testament is greater in regard of the means offered of God, Blessed are the eyes that see that which you see (saith our Saviour Christ to his Apostles, Luke 10.24.) and the ears that hear that which you hear: for I tell you, many Kings, Prophets, and righteous men have desired to see those things which you see, and have not seen them, and to hear those things which you hear, and have not heard them. But in regard of entertainment of the means, the glory of the patriarchs faith under the Old Testament, may well be thought to have equalled, if not to have gone beyond, the glory of most of their faiths that live under the New. And why? the darker their means were, the stronger was their faith that built upon them; and our faith though in work equal, is in worth unequal, because our means are clearer, clearer than was afforded any of those Worthies which are chronicled, Heb. 11. Whereupon will follow a third thing, which is, that seeing in heaven men shall far not according to the means which God affords them, but according to their use of the means; we may not so advance the glory of the New Testament above that of the Old, as to think that in the life to come all that live under the New Testament shall have precedency of all those that lived under the Old. Well it will be with many, if not most of us, if we may have a place in Abraham's bosom, and sit down with him, and with Isaac and jacob in the Kingdom of God. I have done with the points of my Text as they were to be opened severally: I have showed you what Christ can do, what he will do; it remains that in very few words I show you what instructions they will yield us, if we join them both together. Observe then, that the Prophet doth first set down Christ's power, and then his will: in so doing the holy Ghost doth help the infirmities of men. Were we such as we should be, we would never question God's promise through doubt of his power; But the best of God's children have taken exception to God's promises, and expressed their distrust. God promised Abraham a child in his old age; Gen. 18. Sarah laugheth at that, and objects her dead womb, and Abraham's decrepit body. God promised Moses that the children of Israel should eat flesh a month together in the wilderness; Num. 11. Moses thus reasons against God, The people amongst whom I am are six hundred thousand footmen, shall all the flocks and the herds be slain to suffice them? etc. You will not wonder to hear a Prince of Samaria disbeleeve the unexpected plenty promised by Elizeus; 2 King 7. nor Ahaz distrusting the despaired deliverance of jerusalem from the armies of the King of Israel and Syria: Esay 7. It is not strange to see flesh and blood so backward in believing God, seeing they which are a good part spirit are not so forward as they should be. It is not then without cause that the holy Ghost prefixeth Christ's power before his will, lest the ignorance of the power should make us think that the Prophet doth lavish in expressing his will. Wherefore the holy Ghost, taking us for no better than we are, encourageth us to hope well of Christ's promise, out of the consideration of his sufficiency: And this is the reason why the first Article in the Creed is prefixed before all the rest; it prevents the scruples that would rise in our distrustful nature. A second instruction that the coupling of Christ's power and his will will yield, is, that Christ doth give his gifts, not according to the narrowness of our desires, but the width of his own power. St. Paul, Ephes. 3. telleth us, that Christ is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think; and here the Prophet telleth us, that he is willing to deal so. The jews would have had a Temple glorious, but they did not wish it more glorious than that of Solomon. Christ will have the glory of the later house greater than that of the former. Abraham's wish was, Oh that Ishmael might live in thy sight: God heard him, and promised to multiply Ishmael exceedingly; but he added a promise of an Isaac too, Gen. 17. in whom all the nations of the earth should be blessed, and whose offspring should multiply as the sand of the sea, and the stars in the firmament, which are innumerable. Solomon begged only wisdom, 1 King. 3.11. God gave him that in the highest degree, but over and above, and that in no low degree, he heaped upon him honour and wealth. How many came to Christ for the help of their bodies, and beyond their desire went away cured in their souls? If we in our prayers make the like trial of Christ, we shall find no worse success. I will conclude all with two good remembrances taught us by King David. The first is grounded upon the consideration of Christ's power. When we clothe the naked, feed the hungry, do any good deed, give any thing to any good use, we must with that religious King, confess, 2 Chro. 29. Omnia exmanu tua accepta offerimus tibi, We have nothing which we have not received; and we could not have offered it to him, except he had first bestowed it on us: for the silver is his, and the gold is his. The second remembrance is grounded upon Christ's will, and in sense hereof we may learn of King David thankful devotion. When Nathan brought him a message of more good than ever he expected, he went unto the Tabernacle, and first villifieth himself, Who am I, 2 Sam. 7. O Lord God, and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto? than he magnifieth God's mercy, This was yet a small thing in thy sight, O Lord God, but thou hast spoken also of thy servant's house for a great while to come: then he doth, as we must all do, turn God's promise into a prayer, And now O Lord God, the word that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant, and concerning his house, establish it for ever, and do as thou hast said. God did it for David, he will do it for us; & whereas they that are temples of grace have a farther hope to be temples of glory, if we believe his power, and desire the accomplishment of his will, we shall in due time experience a comparison which is beyond all comparison, we shall be clothed with a later house in heaven, the glory whereof shall infinitely exceed the glory of the former house of God, which we are vouchsafed to be while we live here on earth. WHich God grant us for jesus Christ his sake, to whom with the holy Ghost be rendered all honour and glory. Amen. THE FIFT SERMON. And in this place will I give peace. THe exceeding grace that Christ would vouchsafe to Zorebabels' Temple, I reduced to his bounty in giving, and the security of his gift. Of the bounty I have spoken; it followeth that I now come to the security, that is expressed in those words that now I have read unto you. Wherein we will see first severally by what name the security is called, it is peace: secondly, where is the resting place thereof, in this place: then jointly how the place cometh to be possessed of that peace. wherein we shall consider that this work is a free-gift, whereof the only giver is our Saviour Christ, I will give (saith he) peace in this place. These be the particulars, whereof (God willing) I shall now speak briefly, and in their order. First then of the peace. Peace is nothing else but a free enjoying of whatsoever good we have: But the good which we have may be either ordinate or inordinate, full or scant; and so the enjoying thereof may bring unto us a peace true or false, perfect or imperfect. If the good be ordinate, the peace is true, and if full, than it is perfect; but the peace is false, if the good be inordinate, and the peace cannot be perfect, if the good be scant. I will speak somewhat of the false and imperfect peace, that thereby you may the better conceive the true and perfect. We must know that unto flesh and blood many things do relish as good, which indeed are nothing so: for the true character of good is a conformity to Gods will, the warrant whereof is his word; from which all sinful lusts do swerve, and yet in them do carnal minds place their good, and the enjoying of them is the world's peace. For what is carnal security, but a plunging of a man's self into all kind of wickedness, without remorse of conscience, or fear of judgement? Amos, cap. 6. doth describe such persons as stretched themselves upon ivory beds, drank wine in bowls, eat calves from the stall, cheered up their spirits with music: This was their good, a sensual good, yea and a senseless too; for they took not to heart the affliction of joseph, but approaching to the seat of iniquity, put fare from them the evil day: This is a false peace, grounded upon an inordinate good. Our Saviour Christ maketh the like description of the old world, Matth. 24. they were eating, drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage, when the flood came, and took away those ones. He speaketh not of ordinary marriage, Gen. 6. which is God's institution, but alludes to the story of the sons of God, marrying with the daughters of men: And as their marriage was irregular, so was their eating and drinking too; for they were feasts congratulating their irregular wedlock; much like the feasting of the children of Israel, when they worshipped the golden calf, Exodus 32. The Wise man, speaking of Idolaters, passeth this censure upon them, cap. 14. living in the great war of ignorance, those so great plagues they called peace. But this is not Gods, it is the devil's peace, qui 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dum vult cudere cudit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, he maketh men like bedlams, who gashing themselves with knives, laugh in the beholder's face, risu sardonio, they laugh, and dye. By this security doth the devil lull men asleep in their sins, that they may the better be overtaken with an unexpected ruin: for when they ●ry peace, peace, than (as the Apostle foretold, 1 Thes. 5.) cometh sadden destruction: In the midst of their pleasure they go in a moment down into hell. job. I would we had not too many spectacles of this peace: that of the Poet may be truly verified of us, I am patimur longae pacis mala, saevior armis Luxuria incubuit; the peace which God hath granted us from foreign enemies, what hath it wrought but this sinful peace? peace in sin? never did this land by profaneness, by injustice, by riot, more offend God, and never was it more senseless thereof: And the Church may well complain in the words of the Prophet, Esay 38. in pace meâ amaritudo amarissima, this calm of ours is a very storm, a storm of sin that will bring a storm of woe. The Prophet jeremy, cap. 48. hath an excellent resemblance of a vessel of wine, which while it is settled upon the lees hath a good taste and smell; but stir the lees, you mar the wine, it will then become muddy and unsavoury. The wicked think they have no lees, nothing that can interrupt or alter their state; but when God cometh to pour them from vessel to vessel, they will find the contrary: they will find that Christ's saying in the Gospel is true, Matth. 13. Voluptuousness and covetousness are nothing but briars and thorns; and they will justify that saying of the Preacher, Eccles. 1. All is vanity and vexation of spirit. God's heavy hand hath been long off from us, but it useth to come upon irrepentant persons with redoubled strokes. Esay 57.21. Seeing then non est pax improbo, it is no peace which the wicked have in their prosperity, and that which they have, they cannot long enjoy; I will conclude with the admonition of Moses, Deut. 29. Take heed lest there be amongst you a root that beareth gall and wormwood, and it come to pass that when any man heareth the words of the curse denounced against the breakers of the Law, he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace though I walk in the imaginations of my heart; the Lord will not spare that man etc. You see then that an inordinate good bringeth no true peace. And it is as true that a perfect peace cannot spring from a scant good. By a scant good I mean that good which belongs only unto a civil moral life. Many keep themselves within the bounds of natural reason, they exceed not in meats and drinks, neither in thriving nor aspiring are they scandalous or injurious in their carriage towards men: In so doing they do well, but they do not well enough; they have a peace, but it is only humane, and not divine: it might suffice, were they only men; but being called to be Christian men it should not content them; Religion must carry them farther than they can reach by reason. Abraham, Isaac, jacob, etc. were Worthies of a higher pitch, than Socrates, Aris●ides, Plato, Aug. etc. could be. Pecistinos Domine propter●te, & irrequietum est cor nostrum donee quiescat in te, The full rest of our souls cannot be attained by Reason, only Religion must bring us to it. And yet when we look abroad in the world, how many shall we find that think they have done enough if they go so fare as they are led by Reason, but care little for Religion, which is the life of a Christian? These forget the double communion which they must have, the one in things of this life, the other in things of the life to come; the first worketh peace on earth, a civil peace; but it is the later that worketh the heavenly peace, which we should principally affect: the good which will not reach so fare is a scant good, therefore the peace that attends it must needs be imperfect peace. Seeing then neither the inordinate nor the scant good can work that peace which our Prophet speaketh of, we must seek out a good which is ordinate and full, the enjoying whereof is the peace here meant. Now such a good both ordinate and full is only God, and the participation of him is the peace noted in my Text. But this exposition is yet too short, and too dark; though I need speak no more of the good, for that is the glory, which before I opened, and the desire of all Nations; yet of the enjoying thereof, which is the peace, I must speak more. Observe then, that as God is but one, so did he make all at one; and at one they were by communion with him that is but one. Separate them from God, and by and by they fall at odds, they fall one from another, yea, and one upon another, until they are consumed. So that there is no conjunction lasting, no comfortable union, which is not consolldated and soldered with, and in God. Apply this in special to men; Gods image in us is the ground of our union with him: for where there is no similitude, there can be no union; therefore the loss of God's image was the cause of our rent from him: and (as the Prophet speaketh) fin separateth between God and us. And this separation interrupted the peace wherein we were created, by a four fold War. First it arms God's justice against us, who provoke him by sin; he whets his sword, he bends his bow, prepares the instruments of death against such rebels, he hath his full vials of wrath ready to be poured out against the . Upon this follows a second war, a war in our bosoms: for, seiudice, nemo nocens absoluitur, a man's conscience is a thousand witnesses against him, yea and judges also; it vexeth him with accusation, with condemnation, yea, and execution also: caeco verbere pulsat, it is a hell that goeth before hell, a neverdying worm. Besides this we have another civil war; the law of our members rebels against the law of our minds, and carrieth us captives unto sin: We are full of fleshly lusts that fight against our soul, 1 Pet. 2.11. yea that are such weapons of unrighteousness, as fight against God, against our Neighbours: Which is a fourth war springing from this third. So St. james, cap. 4. teacheth, from whence come wars and fightings amongst you? come they not hence? even of your lusts that war in your members? Men that have unruly affections within them, will suffer none to be at quiet that come near them: the covetous will despoil other men of their goods, the malicious will bereave them of their lives, the ambitious will supplant them, the crafty defraud them, there is not an evil root within us, from whence our Neighbour shall not gather some evil fruit. This fourfold war sprang out of our first separation from God; and our true and full peace must put an end unto this fourfold war. First it must take away the guilt of our sin, and propitiate God; it must make an atonement for us, and free us from the curse: for if thou O Lord, Psal. 130.3. mark what is done amiss, O Lord who is able to abide it? if he enter into judgement no flesh can be righteous in his sight: Psal. 143.2. But the first degree of our peace is that which turneth our judge into our Father, and maketh the eyes wherewith he beholdeth us no less gracious than pure. The second degree of peace is that which killeth the worm, and quieteth our conscience, making it of an accuser to become an excuser, of a condemner an absoluer, and of a tormenter a comforter; being no longer privy to ourselves of the guilt of sin, we feel not the horrors of hell in our souls. A blessing to be highly esteemed, because fearful are the examples of those, who, having felt the sharpness of such horrors, have been so disconsolate notwithstanding all worldly comfort, that they have been driven to seek a release of their pain by butchering themselves. The third degree of peace is the purging of the corruption of our nature, that the conflict between the worse and the better part may cease: So that though sin remain, yet it reigneth no longer in us, all our powers and parts are brought in subjection unto Christ; and we yield up our members as weapons of righteousness unto holiness. Rom. 6.19. Whereupon followeth the fourth degree of peace, which abolisheth all dissension between men and men; it maketh them all of one mind, of one heart, to love together as brethren: and as to have a fellow-feeling one of another's state, so likewise a loving disposition to advance each the others good; neither covetousness, nor malice, nor any other wicked affection shall disturb the common good; as much as lieth in us, we will have peace with all men. These be the four degrees of peace, which must concur to make up Shalom, which is peace in the Hebrew tongue: but such peace as is entire and perfect; and we understand it too shallowly, if we do not comprehend these four degrees in it. Having found out what the peace is, we must in the next place see where it shall rest; the place is Zorobabels' Temple. But that place must be considered not in its meanness as it was built by the jews, but as it was furnished with that glory whereof heretofore you have heard; that house so adorned was to be the place of peace. Salomons Temple was a place of peace, but his peace was but a type, it was a worldly peace: Zorobabels' Temple is also a place of peace, but his peace is the truth that answered the former type, the peace thereof is heavenly: that Temple which had but the type of the glory, had no more but the type of the peace, and the truth of the peace rested there, where the truth of the glory was. So that there is an emphasis in the words this place: the holy Ghost giveth thereby the jews to understand that it was not the former, but the later Temple whereunto God intended the peace which he promised to David: 2 Sam. 7. 2 Chro. 22. Isay 25. & 26. and all the promises of peace in the Prophets were to be referred thither; this jerusalem was to answer unto her name, and to be indeed the vision of peace. But I told you heretofore that Zorobabels' Temple was to be understood not only literally, but mystically; and so it signifieth not only that material house, but also the Christian Church; peace is annexed unto this peace: Extra Ecclesiam non est salus, No salvation without the Church, and therefore no peace: he shall never have God for his Father, that hath not the Church for his Mother. In our Creed we place the holy Catholic Church and Communion of Saints, before the remission of sins and life everlasting. As the soul doth not quicken other parts than those that are united to the body, no more doth the spirit of God give his blessing of peace to any that are distracted from the body of the Church. This must be observed against all Schismatics, that do excommunicate themselves, and disorderly persons that are justly excommunicated by the censure of the Church: all these, while they continue in that state, though they do not lose ius ad pacem, yet they do lose ius in pace, though they do not lose their interest in, yet they suspend the benefit of that peace; and their state is uncomfortable, though it be not irrecoverable. And they which follow negligently the assemblies of the Church, do not a little defraud themselves of this peace: for they must seek it chief by prayer in God's house, and there doth God dispense it by the mouth of his Ministers. I will give you only two proofs; the one our of the Old Testament: when the sacrifices were ended, which were typical prayers, Num 6.25. Aaron is willed to dismiss the people with these words, The Lord bless thee, and keep thee, the Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee, the Lord lift up the light of his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. A second proof we have in the New Testament, where the Church doth solemnly use those words of the Apostle, when, after the Liturgy, it dismisseth the people, The peace of God which passeth all under standing keep your hearts and minds etc. And what better invitation can we have to repair often to the Church than this blessing of peace's fourfold peace, which is there daily offered unto us, and may be received, if we come, and come prepared for it. I say prepared: Before you heard that the peace cometh to the house, but as it is furnished with the glory; where there is none of the glory, there can be none of the peace: therefore we must prepare these Temples of our bodies and souls, by entertainment of the glory, that they may be made capable of the peace. The Apostle speaketh plainly, Rom. 5. We must be justified by faith, before we can have peace with God. Esay 32. If judgement dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness remain in the fruitful field, the work of righteousness shall be peace, 1 Cor. 2. and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. God doth anoint us, before he doth establish us. St. Austin hath a witty conceit upon the words of the 85. Psalm, Righteousness and Peace have kissed each other, Duae sunt amicae justitia & Pax, etc. Righteousness and Peace are two fast friends; happily thou wouldst gladly enjoy the one, but thou wilt not be persuaded to perform the other: for there is no man that would not willingly have peace, but all are not willing to work righteousness; yet be thou assured that if thou dost not love peace's friend which is righteousness, peace will never love thee; for righteousness and peace do kiss each the other. 2 King. 9 You know what jehu answered the King of Israel, when he asked him, Is it peace jehu? what peace can there be, so long as the whoredoms and witchcrafts of thy mother are so many? So may we reply to every soul, unquiet soul, that enquireth after peace, Look for none where there is sin: Well may there be the enemy assaulting, and daily sounding alarms; but this securing peace, which is God's garrison, cannot be there. So long as the jews served God, their enemies could not invade their borders; Exod 34. but then the Temple was exposed to the enemy, when the Prophets could not reclaim them from sin. It is a good conscience that is a continual feast. You have heard severally of the Peace and the Place, you must now hear jointly of their knitting together, who knits them, and How. He that knitteth them is God in Christ; God is the God of peace: so the Apostle calleth him, Phil. 4.19. and the Prophet tells us, that he creates light as well as darkness: and Elihu is so bold as to say, job 34. that if God give peace none can hinder it. But as God giveth it, so he giveth it in Christ; for it is his work to make peace: the Prophet Esay, cap. 9 vers. 6. calleth him the Prince of peace; his true members are Sons of peace; his Apostles, Messengers of peace; and his doctrine is the Gospel of peace: all the four specified degrees of peace were wrought by him. First, he took away the guilt of our sin. Esay 53. The chastisement of our peace was laid upon him: For he that knew no sin was made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him, 2 Cor. 5. Secondly, he hath killed the worm: for, being justified by faith in him, our heart condemns us not, and we have confidence towards God; so that we can come with boldness unto the throne of grace. Thirdly, the Law of the spirit of life that is in jesus Christ doth free us from the Law of sin and death, Rom. 8. It mortifieth, it subdueth the old man, and maketh us walk, not according to the flesh, but according to the spirit. Finally, he putteth an end to that discord that is between man and man. The Prophets foretold that when he came, the Nations should beat their swords into ploughshares, Esay 21 and their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against Nation, neither shall they learn war any more: cap. 11. the same Prophet by an allegory doth elsewhere teach, that where Christ cometh, and is entertained, he doth civilize the most barbarous Nations; The Wolf shall dwell with the Lamb, the Leopard lie down with the Kid, the sucking child shall play on the hole of the aspe, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice den, they shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. Worthily therefore doth the Apostle call Christ our peace, whose kingdom is righteousness, Ephes. 2.14. Rom. 14.17. peace, and joy in the holy Ghost. Moreover observe, that to whom we own our glory, to him we own our peace: the blessings of God do much affect us, as being good, but except we have security in the possession of them, we lose most of our content: for it is a great accession to misery, once to have been happy; and, plus refert undè, quàm quò cadas, he that taketh a downfall from an high place is more sensible of that which he hath lost, than of that which he suffers. Therefore the addition of peace unto glory, doth import no small comfort: which Esay also foretold, cap. 4. Upon all the glory shall be a defence. The Apostle speaketh significantly, Phil. 4.7. The peace of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, shall be as a Court of guard to keep our hearts and minds in the state of grace, whereunto we are brought by Christ. They that are rich, and are to convey their goods by sea or land haunted with thiefs & pyrants, do think themselves to be so much more or less bound to those that will secure their passage, as their goods are more or less precious. Goods of greater price than is the glory of the house before specified, there cannot be; how great then is our debt unto Christ, who safe conducts us with our glory through the wilderness of this world, maugre the might and malice of the Serpent and the Lion, of all our deadly foes? You have heard who settleth the peace in the place; you must now hear how. He giveth it. And it is truly termed a gift: for whereas there are two kinds of peace; one made between parties, whereof each is able to make good his quarrel against the other; yet they are contented, to avoid trouble, to agree upon reasonable conditions: the other kind of peace is that which a conqueror, out of his goodness, vouchsafeth to persons subdued, which are at his mercy, and whom by the law of arms he might make slaves. Our peace is of this later sort; we all deserved to be captives to the devil: for we were all become children of wrath by Adam's sin, Ephes. 2.3. When we lay thus weltering in our blood, no other eye pitying us, than God said unto man, Thou shalt live, Ezech. 16. He gave him this peace, therefore is peace a free gift. Neither a free gift only, but a stable also: they are not induciae, but pax; not a cessation from arms for a time, that admitteth a return to war again, but a reconciliation for ever, a covenant of salt: God's mercy shall not departed, and this covenant shall not be removed, Esay 54.10. Ezech. 37. Prou. 1. v. vlt. You have heard what the peace is, the place where it resteth, by whom, and how they are joined together; what remaineth, but that every man inquire whether he have this peace or not? in this enquiry we must proceed ascendendo, not descendendo, the lower must assure us of the upper degree. The abolishing of the guilt of our sin is the darkest branch of our peace; which we know only by faith: But for the trial of this point of faith, we must have recourse to our conscience, and inquire what peace we find there. For the peace of our conscience is the looking glass of that peace which we have with God; if we find none there, we have none with God; and we may be sure we have it with God, if we find it truly there. Truly I say: for a man may be deceived in the trial of his conscience; many have quiet consciences, but it is because they are seared. Wherefore we must look one step lower, and judge of the second degree of our peace, by that which we find in the third; we must see it in our mortification, and subjection of the flesh to the spirit: for justification, which doth quiet the conscience, is inseparable from sanctification, which doth reform our nature. Finally, to remove all doubt concerning sanctification, we must look to the effects thereof: for, a good tree bringeth forth good fruit, and our conversation will testify our sanctification; if our deeds be seasoned with charity, the spirit of God doth rest in our souls. This inquiry is most behoof full in these days, wherein more talk of peace, than do partake thereof: partake (I say) of that true and full peace, which here is meant by Haggai. Yet lest men stumble by over great curiosity, and dishearten themselves (for the devil is apt to make men as well despair that they have not peace, when they have it, as to presume that they have it when they have it not) we must distinguish inter pacem viatoris and comprehensoris, the peace of the Church militant, and that of the Church triumphant. Touching the Church militant, it hath outward crosses and inward conflicts. We do not always apprehend the light of God's countenance, it is often overcast, and he is despleased with us: but it is as a father with his child; of whom the Poet, Sit licet in natos facies austera parentum, Aequa tamen semper mens est, & amica voluntas. Therefore the cloud will dissolve, and the light will cheer us again. The worm is not so dead, but if we sinne it will give us a remembrance, a happy remembrance: for it awakeneth us to repent and believe; which so soon as we do, the smart is at an end. The law of our members will often times rebel against the law of our minds, and, carrying us captive unto sin, will make us cry out with St. Paul, Rom. 7. O wretch that I am, who shall deliver me front this body of death? but the conclusion is comfortable, Thanks be to God through jesus Christ our Lord. Finally, very often when we speak unto men of peace, they will prepare themselves to war; for except we will riot & communicate with them in their sin, they will hate us: so that we must redeem our inward peace with an outward war. In this case let it be our comfort, that much happier is the war that keeps us close to God, than that peace which will separate us from him. Psal. 23. Though I walk in the midst of the valley of the shadow of death, yet will I fear no evil; if thou O Lord art with me, thy rod and thy staff shall comfort me, etc. In all assaults of our peace we shall at last be conquerors. And this is enough ad pacem viatoris, to the peace of the Church militant, that we shall never so be dejected, but we shall have strength enough to rouse ourselves with King David, and say as Psalm 42. Why art thou cast down O my soul, and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God, for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance and my God: and be as resolute as St. Paul, Rom. 8. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect? it is God that justifieth, etc. who shall condemn? it is Christ that is dead, etc. with the temptation God will make a way for us to escape, that we may be able to bear it, 1 Cor. 5. We may expect no more than this in the Church militant, because as Christ came to preach peace, so he came also to send a sword; and if the work of the house prosper in the hand of Zorobabel and josua, Tobia and Sanballet will impugn it: no sooner doth Christ rest gloriously in his Church, but there will be many that will profess enmity against it. But the time cometh when all enmity shall cease, all enemies shall be put down, we shall be fitted for, and admitted unto the sight of God, when our glory shall be consummated, and withal our peace be made perfect, so perfect as that it shall be everlasting. What shall we say then to these things? Livy. When the Romans by conquest might have given law to the Grecians at Corinth in the solemn time of the Istmian games, their General by an Herald unexpectedly proclaimed freedom to all the Cities of Greece; the proclamation did at first so amaze the Grecians that they did not believe it to be true, but when it was proclaimed the second time, they gave such a shout, that the very Birds flying in the air were astonished therewith, and fell dead to the ground: Ps. 126. Or if you will have a better story, take that of the jews, who when at first they heard of Cyrus' proclamation, and that the Lord thereby had turned the captivity of Zion, they confess that at first hearing, they were like men that dreamt; but afterward their mouth was filled with laughter, and their tongue with singing. Now the peace that the Grecians and the jews had, was but a temporal, a corporal peace; how much more reason is there that our affections should be strained to the highest pitch of joy and thankes, when we hear the proclamation of our peace, which is so true, so perfect peace? the peace not of our bodies, but of our souls; a peace not of our earthly, but of our heavenly state; a peace that shall so be begun here, that it shall endure for ever. Wherefore let us acquaint ourselves with God, job 22. that he may give us peace; Christ's peace, job 5. which maketh God at peace with us, reconciles us to ourselves, and maketh us at concord with all the world: So may we lay ourselves down in peace, and take our rest, and God, which only can, will make us dwell in safety, Psalm 4. NOw the Lord of peace himself give you peace always, 2 Thes. 3.16. by all means. Amen. THE sixth SERMON. Thus saith the Lord of Hostes. THese words, thus saith, or saith the Lord of Hosts, have often come in my way since I first began the unfolding of this Text, and I still past by them; you may think I did forget, or neglect them: but it is not so, they are of greater moment than that I should do the one or the other; I reserved them to the last, because than I thought I might handle them best. For they are the warrant of God's undoubted truth; and a warrant is then seasonably opened, when that whereunto it is annexed hath been fully declared. You have heard of the blessed presence of Christ in Zorobabels' Temple, of the preparation thereunto, of the description thereof; the description of the person that should come, of the good that he should do; his bounty in giving, set forth, first absolutely, then comparatively, the security of his gift, consisting in a fourfold peace. These be many, they be great blessings; lest we should fear that they are too good to be true, our eye must be upon the warrant, that will ascertain us that nothing is promised which shall not be performed. In opening of this warrant, I shall inform you of two things, What it is, and Why it is reiterated so often. It is the signature of a most powerful Person: There is a double power, Internal, Externall; this Person is mighty in regard of both: in regard of the Internal, for he is the Lord: in regard of the Externall, for he is the Lord of Hostes. As for his signature it is such as beseems so great a Person, plain and peremptory, thus he saith. And these words taken jointly, are the full warrant of the preachers message, and the people's faith: He saith enough to assure and command, if he say only, Thus saith the Lord of Hosts: and they must neither disbeleeve, nor disobey if he say no more. The reason why the words are reiterated so often, is the weightiness of the matter expressed in the reiteration. The holy Ghost hereby would work in us a regard answerable to the matter which he hath declared to us, and cause us to ponder it, as it deserves. Let us then in the fear of God listen to the unfolding of those particulars which I have pointed at, whereof the first is the power of the person. The first branch of his power is his internal power, it is noted by the name Lord. In the original it is jehovah, and jehovah is that name which signifieth the first moment of God's nature: for it noteth his being, and being goeth before living: as likewise do the attributes of being go before the attributes of living; the later do necessarily suppose the former. Mistake me not, I mean not that God's nature is compounded, but we cannot conceive the oneness of all his perfections, therefore we help ourselves in our contemplations by distinguishing them as they are in the creatures, which are a shadow of the Creator: a shadow like a body, which receives distinct beams from the Sun; all which in the Sun are but one: for so those perfections are but one in God, which grow manifold as they come from him to us. But to our purpose. When Moses was desirous to know God's name, the first that he expressed unto him was this, I am, or I am that I am; the meaning is all one with the title of jehovah, which is here rendered Lord; and giveth us to understand, that all other things in comparison unto God indeed are not, though they seem to be: for they have not the two characters which are stamped upon true being, the one is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the other is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a being from itself, and so is being itself. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a being, all that which hath being, and so stands in need of nothing besides itself. All creatures, as they are from God, so are they no longer, nor no otherwise, than it pleaseth him; and it pleaseth not him that any one creature should have all the parts, much less the degrees of all his perfections. The King of heaven deals as kings on earth; Kings on the earth reserve in themselves the fullness of regal powe●, whereof they do impart but some branches, and those limited to their subordinate officers: after the same manner doth the Lord dispense of his infinite power to Angels, to Men, to other Creatures. Therefore the name jehovah is by the Wise man truly called Gods incommunicable name: it noteth that internal power in God which is found in no other, and which giveth whatsoever power any other have. For from this inward proceeds an outward; and he that is Lord, is also Lord of Hostes. It is not God's pleasure that we should pry too fare into his inward power; and, if we would, we cannot: he directeth us therefore to his outward, which is more fitting to our capacity, and may sufficiently resolve us that he is very powerful, though he were no more powerful than as he appears in his creatures, in regard of whom he is termed, The Lord of Hosts. Let us leave then his inward, and come to his outward power. In the second of Genesis, Vers. 1. where the Creation is recapitulated, we find mention but of one Host of God; the Text is plain, God made heaven and earth, and all the host thereof: and yet it is usual in the Scripture to call God, the Lord of hosts, as if there were many. Surely it is clear, that God made but one, but Apostasy, of that one, hath made many. First, Apostasy in heaven hath made two hosts of spirits; Reu. 12. Michael and his Angels, the Dragon and his; then an Apostasy in Paradise began the distinction of the seed of the woman, Gen. 3. and the seed of the serpent; and of mankind, part is fallen to the Dragon, and part is preserved and cleaveth to Michael: the truth whereof appeared presently in Abel and Cain, and although Cain by murder of Abel killed and destroyed one of the hosts, yet God renewed it again in Seth; and the Armies went on again in the Children of God, and the children of men. Gen. 4. A man would have thought the stoud had swept away all the seed of the serpent, but it revived again in cursed Cham; and the City of God and the City of Babel will be, and be opposite until the end of the world. But touching these Apostasies, the first of Angels, the second of men, we must hold this true rule, Summonere se potuêrunt saeliettuti coelest●, non potuêrunt se eximer● porestati divinae, they might defraud themselves of their blessed communion with God, but free themselves from his power they could not: God hath set his hook in their nostrils, and his bit in their mouths, so that they cannot stir without, nor beyond his le●ue. It is plain in the story of job, cap. 1. and of Ahab, 1 Reg. 22. But there is an effective, and a permissive power of God; God is Lord of both hosts, but he worketh in them differently: his work in Michael's host and the seed of the woman is properly effective. For though sometimes, to make them sensible of their frailty, and to make them cleave faster unto him, he leaveth them for a time unto themselves; yet ordinarily the influence of his grace doth direct and support them, unto, and in good works, and they sight his battles. But as for the Dragon's host, and host of the Serpent's brood, God's power in them is properly permissive: he leaveth them to their own corrupt judgements and affections, to follow and to execute them; but he doth not communicate in their corruptions, either as author, or abettor of the root, or fruit thereof. Yet this sovereignty. God hath over the most wicked, that they cannot break out according to their own disposition, but where, and when God will; and when they break out by his leave, they stop when he checketh, and give over when he saith it is enough. So that God's permissive power is always accompanied with his effective, which doth stint the wicked in their works, maugre their gracelessenesse, and without their privity directs their endeavours to his ends: so that even than they fulfil his will, when transgressing his commandments they seem to be most contrary to his will. And this is no small comfort to Michael's host, and the host of the woman's seed, that the host of the Dragon, and the brood of the Serpent must not be feared according to their own malice, but according to God's leave. And this is the reason why Christ taught us to pray daily, Led us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: and this we do, or should mean, when we speak these or the like words, Our Enemies cannot assail us, except thou, O Lord, permit them; and if thou O Lord, assist us, they shall assault in vain. Seeing all the world is compared unto Hosts, howsoever we apprehend confusion in the world, yet may we not think but that all things are well disposed, because these Hosts are the Lords: he is the common General, and he directs the conflicts; neither are any put to try masteries, but by his special appointment, and for the accomplishment of his ends. But it befalleth us as it doth them which stand in the same level wherein two huge Armies are pitched, they conceive them to be a disordered multitude; whom notwithstanding if they behold from a high hill, they will discern that they are artificially ranged, they will see how every one serveth under his own colours: Even so we, which behold the state of the world with the eyes of flesh and blood, dim by reason of the weakness of our judgement and wickedness of our affections, think all things are out of tune, bonis malè, malis benè, that the worse men are, the better they far, and they far the worse, the better they are. But we must ascend into the sanctuary of God, and judge of occurrents by heavenly principles; if we do so, than we will confess that no army on earth can be better marshaled than is the great army of all creatures of heaven and earth, yea and hell also: and notwithstanding all apparencies to the contrary, queniam bonus mundum Rector temperate, ●mnia rectè fieri ne dubites, doubt not but that all is well, and shall end well, because God is Lord of Hosts. Again, seeing God is Lord of Hosts, we must make no worse conclusion than the Centurion did in the Gospel, when Christ promised to come to his house and cure his feruant; he desired Christ not to take so much pains; mark what reason he giveth, I myself am a man set under authority, and I have soldiers under me, and I say unto one, Come, and he cometh, and to another, Go, and he goeth; and if I a petty Captain, that have but a handful of men under me, can so easily command them, what mayst thou do that art General of heaven and earth? thou mayst do whatsoever thou wilt, for all things are thy host; wherefore only speak the word and my servant shall be whole. Where, by the way, and yet fitly to our purpose, we may observe that he reputeth sickness one of Christ's soldiers: before I made the Armies consist only of persons, I must now enlarge it also unto things; for indeed no less things than persons are Christ's soldiers: The Sun shineth and scorcheth the Earth, whereupon followeth a drought, accompanied with those noisome creatures which are engendered in a drought; these are soldiers of Christ: And joel setteth them forth like an Army, The rain falls and glutteth the earth, from whence spring weeds, the offspring of rain, and undigested moistures; whereupon followeth the diseases of fruit, and corn. these are soldiers of Christ. The pestilence wasteth the city, the sword eateth up the people; these are soldiers, they come to execute Christ's wrath as truly as the good Angels do pitch their tents about us for to guard us, or any other good means is bestowed upon us to do us good. Wherefore we must not consider the Creatures only as they are in their own nature, but according to that employment also which they have under God: for they are all soldiers of the Lord of Hosts. There is one thing more which I may not forget: the whole world is called God's Host; but the Church is it in a special sort. Solomon calleth it en Army with banners, Cant. 6. Moses, speaking of the Church under the Old Testament, calleth it the entering into the Leviticall ministry, ingress●m in militiam. St. Paul of the New Testament bids Timothy do what himself had done, fight a good fight, 2 Tim. 2. and cap. 4. the whole body is called a Church Militant. When we assemble together, then David will tell us, Psalm 110. Thy people, O Lord, will come willingly at the time ●f mastering thine army in holy beauty: The Lord's day is his muster day, all that are enroled should then appear before him, Ephes. 6. partly to fur●●●h hemselues out of his armoury, and partly to be directed how to carly themselves in their several stations; for every man must walk as he is called 1 Cor. 7. Which they should observe that little frequent the Church, and take as little notice why these Church meetings were instituted: No wonder if they be unarmed, no wonder if they offend; were we careful to appear at the musters, we would be more resolute when we are gone thence, because we should be completely armed; and more vigilant against the enemy, because we should be better instructed. As the Church is an Army, so it is but one Army, though divided into several bands: Though there be particular Congregations, yet there is but one holy Catholic Church; and seeing the Host is but one, there should be no mutiny against the General: That disloyal speech, Nolumus hunc regnare super nos, We will not have this man reign over us, Luke 19.14. received in the Gospel a just reward of treachery. As we must not mutiny against the General, so must not the soldier's side between themselves: We should not sheathe our swords one in another corporally, much less spiritually: there should be no civil, there should be no ecclesiastical rents between the parts of Christendom; for so Michael's Host doth degenerate into the Host of the Dragon, that of the Woman's feed into the opposite, which is the Host of the Serpent's brood. To weaken them, God is pleased that his enemies should be as the Madianites, by his providence one of them doth ruin the other: but he would have his children always one man, and be always of one mind; not to hazard their own lives, nor the lives of others, but in his quarrel, and against his enemies. This religious, this honourable disposition of a Christian that is a soldier in God's Host, is much to be wished, though little to be hoped for in these uncharitable and bloody days. I have spoken enough of the power of the person, I come now unto his signature: which I told you is plain and peremptory. It is plain; for here are no logical demonstrations, nor rhetorical declamations, but a plain expression of God's mind. This is the best eloquence of Kings, or Generals, they are not bound to yield a reason of their commands, or to use insinuations into their people's affections; it is enough for them to express their pleasure in those things that are of their absolute command; and if they do more, they do it out of their goodness, & show that they do as much desire to lead their subjects by reason, as to require their obedience: Much more may the Lord of heaven and earth do thus, whose wisdom is undeceiveable, and his power most absolute; though he be pleased sometimes to give us a reason of his command, yet may we not expect it farther than he is pleased to vouchsafe it. The signature is plain, but it is peremptory: for he that speaketh so plainly, speaketh as one that hath authority; we may not dispute, much less resist such commands, because they are the commands of the Lord of Hosts. This is to be noted both by Pastor and People: for thus saith the Lord of Hosts, is the Pastors warrant for his message; he must bring nothing to the people without this signature: I speak of things necessary to salvation. For otherwise, as in the Commonweal, so in the Church, there be many indifferent things which are left unto the disposition of those that are in authority, who are referred only unto the general rules, 1 Cor. 14.26. Let all things be done to edification: Let them be done decently and in order, 1 Cor. 14.40. But in matters necessary to salvation, it is with the Church as it is with the Commonweal, we must distinguish between the Lawmakers, and the Executioners thereof. They that are the Executioners of Laws may not take upon them to make new Laws. judges and justices in their assizes and sessions, inform the people what is the Law already established, and by virtue of their Commissions they doom every man's cause according to such Law: Even so God the King of kings hath decreed the Laws of Christian Faith, and Life, and these Laws hath he committed to the Pastors of the Church; he hath committed unto them the promulgation & application of his laws, and more he hath not committed. The Church of Rome agreeth with us in the general rule, that thus saith the Lord of Hosts must be the warrant of the Pastors proceeding: the Council of Trent layeth it for a ground in the entrance to their decrees. But when we come to inquire where the Lord saith so, here we differ: we differ about the Register of God's Word; we acknowledge none but Verbum scriptum, the written Word, they add unto it Verbum non scriptum, unwritten Traditions: but when we press them with where is that to be found? here they jar between themselves. To omit smaller differences, this is a main one, that they cannot tell in whom the infallibility of relating these traditions is placed, as likewise of interpreting the written Word. The Council of Constance, and Basil placed it in the general Council, to whom they gave power even over the Pope to overrule him, and give Laws unto him: and to this doth the French Church stick, though otherwise it hold the Romish faith. But the Italian faction, and specially jesuites, place it in the Pope, and give him authority over the Council, to control it, to give Laws unto it, and without it to make Laws that shall bind the whole Catholic Church; and besides the Pope, they hold that there is infallibility in none, no not in a general Council. Some place it jointly in both, in a general Council that hath its approbation from the Pope, wherein he presides by himself, or his delegates, and whose Canons he confirms. But while the Advocates of the Pope strongly overthrew the reasons brought for the Counsels infallibility, and the Advocates of the Counsels overthrew the reasons brought for the infallibility of the Pope; we may fairly collect from both, that the infallibility is in neither; and if in neither, than not in both. For as a cipher added to a cipher maketh but a cipher, it maketh no significant figure: so if the Pope may err as the one side holds, and the Council as the other side holds, the fallibility of either added to the fallibility of the other, cannot amount to the sum of an infallibility. But we hold that which they confess, that the Word written in the Canonical books is undoubtedly signed with Thus saith the Lord of Hosts; as for the Apocryphal Scriptures, not only the Fathers, but their own men have branded them for Bastards, before ever we challenged them; therefore do not we recommend them to the people further than they agree with the Books Canonical. Neither do we burden the people's consciences with their Unwritten Word, whereupon themselves are not yet resolved, either Where or What it is. Wherefore, Thus saith the Lord, must limit the Pastor's message, and the People's faith must not desire any thing beyond it; for it is a sure foundation, The best of men speak but in veritate mentis, without simulation or dissimulation, without equivocation or mental reservation: but God speaketh in certitudine veritatis, no mist of error can overcast his wisdom, or his holiness; his Word is tried to the uttermost, Psalm 12, Heb. 12. as silver tried seven times in the fire: there is stableness in his promise, immutableness in his counsel. What should change him? within him nothing can; for he is the Lord: neither can he be changed by any thing that is without him, for he is the Lord of Hosts; therefore he speaketh thus in the Prophet, Mal. 1. Ego Deus, & non mutor: immutability is reciprocal with God's nature; james 1 With God there is no variableness or shadow of change: God is not as man that he should lie, neither as the son of man that he should repent; Hath he said it, Numb. 23. and shall he not do it? Yea, he spoke the word, and it was done; he commanded and it stood fast: The Lord breaketh the counsel of the Heathen, and bringeth to naught the devices of the people; Psalm 33. but the counsel of the Lord shall stand for ever, and the thoughts of his heart throughout all ages. What need we then fear julians' scoff, who derided the Christians, for that they had nothing to say for their faith, but, Thus saith the lord Orat. 3. Nazianzene replieth well unto him, you that allow Ipse dixit in the scholars of Pythagoras, (and though Suidas think that God was meant by Ipse, yet Cicero saith, Ipse erat Pythagoras) may not except against 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, I believe, in the followers of Christ. It is more lawful to captivated our judgement unto the authority of God, than of man; and if they might do it in the principles of Philosophy, which are examinable by reason, much more may we do it in the Articles of Faith, unto the secrets whereof no approach can be made by the wit of man. Wherefore, Thus saith the Lord may well pass for an indemonstrable principle of our Faith, and an irrefragable rule of life: If there were no more in the signature, but Thus saith the Lord, this were enough to secure the Faith of a Christian man. But, Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, is enough to stop the mouth of an Atheist: let julian himself teach them: he derided Thus saith the Lord, but he had a woeful experience of the Lord of Hosts: for being mortally wounded by Christ's hand, as himself confessed, he breathed forth his impure soul with those words, Vicisti Galilaec; O Galilaean thou hast overmastered me. Secondly, if Thus saith the Lord of Hosts be the signature, we are hence to learn, that the function of the Ministry is not only for promulgation, to instruct you in God's will, and in so doing, to open unto you the riches of our knowledge; but it is for application also: we thereby bind, or lose the souls of men, and remit, or retain their sins, which the world little thinketh upon. For whereas there are two things considerable in a Minister, his Sufficiency, and his Authority, the people listen much to his Sufficiency, but take little heed to his Authority; and therefore come they to Church rather to judge, than to be judged: forgetting that many may be as skilful, but none can be as powerful in this kind, as is a Minister. A judge or justice of Peace may have less Law in him than a private man, but he hath much more power; and they that appear before him, regard his acts according to his power: so should it be in the Church. But men fear the Magistrates that are under earthly Kings, because the pains which they inflict are corporeal, our hands, our feet feel their manacles and their fetters. And did our souls as truly feel, as indeed they should, the Pastors binding and losing of them, we would make more account of these officers of God than we do. And it were good we did so; for they so bind as that they can lose again: but if we neglect them, when our Lord and Master cometh, he will command all contemners so to be bound hand and foot, that they shall never be loosed again. Wherefore let the power of the Keys work more upon your souls and consciences, than usually it doth; I speak in regard of your religious submission to them. If any be otherwise minded, will they, nile they, they shall one day find, that they have no exemption from them: Thus saith the Lord, is our warrant; regard not our persons, regard that Lord whose Ambassadors we are, receive the words we speak, so long as we speak his Words, not as the words of men, but as the Word of God. Finally, couple Thus saith, with the Lord of Hosts; The Lord of Hosts noteth God's Power, Thus he saith, noteth his Will: Our souls shall find little rest on God's Power, if it be not sure of his Will; for God can do many things which he will not do, though he cannot will any thing which he cannot do. Luke 3.8. God could raise up Children unto Abraham of stones, but he would not; but the many miracles which he hath wrought show that he can do what he will. The coupling then of these words, Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, imports Gods willing power, and powerful will, which amount unto an authority fit to build our Faith upon, and to give law unto our Conversation. I have sufficiently shown you, What the warrant is, we must now in few words see Why it is repeated so often. For (I dare say) you shall not find any passage in the Scripture, where Thus saith the Lord is so often read in so few lines: The reason is, the weightiness of the matter whereunto it is annexed. Mortal Princes use not to sign Bills, the contents whereof are trivial matters; many things are done by virtue of their Authority, whereunto their signature is not used: Even so ordinary matters pass in the Word of God, without nay special urging of his Authority; when that is prefixed, the point is of great regard, and if it be often ingeminated, it giveth us to understand, that we must take special notice of every clause of it. What must we gather here then but the weightiness of every branch of this Text? And indeed, if you have not forgotten what hath been observed on every part thereof, you will easily confess, that there is not one of them which is not so weighty, as to deserve Thus saith the Lord of Hosts. Was not the shaking of Heaven and Earth, the shaking of all Nations a weighty point; and therefore deserved it not to be signed with, Thus saith the Lord of Hosts? If the shaking did deserve this signature, much more did the Coming of the desire of all Nations, especially seeing he came to fill the Temple with glory; and as it deserved, so it was signed with, Thus saith the Lord of Hosts. If the giving of Glory were a matter of great moment, what shall we say of the degree of Glory? Surely it required a great ability, so great as we would hardly have believed, had we not been heartened by Thus saith the Lord of Hosts; and it must proceed from so great bounty, as may be testified by the same, Thus saith the Lord of Hosts. Finally, the peace wherein we possess whatsoever good is contained in Christ's presence, doth so pass man's understanding, that to establish his heart in the belief thereof, he needs this signature, Thus saith the Lord of Hosts. At length to conclude. You have heard in the former Sermons What, in this Whom you must believe; you must not separate Whom from What, that which we must believe doth no doubt most pleasantly affect us, because it is our good; but he whom we must believe, doth most firmly secure us, because he is the Author of that good. As then, when we gather fruit from a tree, we do not fix our eyes only upon the boughs from whence we immediately gather it, but also think upon the root which feeds those boughs, and maketh them to be fruitful: so in our religious meditations, we must couple the Author with the Matter of blessings, that God may be glorified as well as our souls are benefited. If we say with Saint Paul, I know whom I have believed, than we shall be secure that he will safe-keepe whatsoever any of us committeth unto him; he will keep our souls, keep our bodies, and all that which himself hath bestowed upon them, Grace and Peace. Christ will keep them until his day, his second day, the day wherein the great and the little world shall receive their last shaking. Then shall the desire of all Nations, which at first came in Humility, return again in Glory; he shall return to fill his House, his Church, with glory conformable to his own Glory. Then he will open unto us all his treasures of silver and gold, and therewith adorn his Spouse, which being Triumphant, shall infinitely exceed herself as she was Militant. Then shall our Peace come to the full, and none shall be able to take our blessedness from us, because none shall be able to separate between us and Christ. They shall not, if we build our Faith upon Gods revealed Will, upon his Almighty Power, upon my Text, Thus saith the Lord of Hosts. Now let us that are a handful of his Host while we are militant, so give glory unto the Lord of Hosts, that we may hereafter be triumphant; and having palms in our hands, and crowns on our heads, with harps and tongues we may sound and sing jointly and cheerfully Halleluiah, Praise ye the Lord; and with the whole Host of the Kingdom of Heaven, saying, Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of Hosts, Heaven and Earth are full of thy Glory. Amen. יהוה A SERMON PREACHED Upon the ANNUNCIATION day. LUKE 2.28. Hail thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: Blessed art thou among women. THis is a part of the Gospel appointed for this day, and this day goeth commonly for the Annunciation day; whether the day have his right place in the Calendar, I leave to be disputed by Chronologers; what is meant by the Annunciation is an argument fit for Divines, certainly for the Pulpit; the third part of this Chapter treats thereof, and it is conceived in form of a Dialogue. In the Dialogue there are two speakers, the Angel Gabriel, the Virgin Mary; and each of them maketh two speeches, the Angel to the Virgin, and the Virgin to the Angel. The Angel in his first congratulates the Virgin, whom he informeth from God, that she shall be the mother of jesus Christ. Good news, but strange; strange that a Virgin should be a mother, this Virgin the mother of that Child. The Virgin thought so, nay she said so; whereupon the Angel addeth his second speech, importing, that though the thing be wonderful, yet the means are powerful: these must be thought upon as well as that; and she must resolve that nothing shall hinder it, because it is the Holy Spirit that will do it. So spoke the Angel. The Virgin replies unto him, to his first speech, showing her willingness to understand the message which he brought; that is gathered out of her question, Quom●do, etc. to his second, showing her readiness to obey so soon as she understood it; that appears in her submission, Ecce, etc. These four speeches contain the whole doctrine of the Annunciation, of which I haud pitched only upon the first branch. It is enough for this time, enough if I only unfold the true meaning of the words; but if I should moreover encounter the false glosses made thereon, then certainly you would say it were more than enough: For there are no words in the Scripture so few in number (I always except the Sacramental words, Ho est corpus meum) whereupon idolatrous superstition hath so much fastened, as it hath upon these. But the full ripping up thereof is a work for the Schools, here I had rather edify with truth, than refute falsehood; wherefore well may I touch at the latter, but I will principally bend myself unto the former; not doubting but a Dagon compounded of so many impieties, will of itself fall down, and fall asunder at the presence of the Ark, and they which shall be but reasonably informed of the truth, will never be perplexed with the opposite gross errors. Let us come then to the words. They are gratulatory, in them the Angel showeth How and Why he would have the Virgin affected; he would have her affected comfortably, he signifieth so much in his first word Hail, or be of good cheer; there is good cause why, consider thy estate, consider it in itself, consider it in comparison, both ways considered, it showeth there is good cause why. Thy state in itself is good; first, because thou standest in so good terms with God, Highly favoured: secondly, because thou hast so good a pledge of that favour, the Lord is with thee; if thy state be such, it is surely good, good in itself. But good things, the more peculiar they are, the more are they precious, and thy state is a prerogative; it is good also in comparison, for Blessed art thou among women. This is the sum of the Angel's congratulation, wherein you easily perceive, that I must speak of two principal points, the Affection required in the Virgin, and the Motives working that Affection; they are two, the nature, and the measure of her state. That these Motives may work in us no less than they did on her, that blessed affection which I wish common to us, God grant us all, her ears, her heart in hearing, though not the Angel Gabriel himself, yet him whom God hath appointed to be unto you as the Angel Gabriels' voice. As my Text then, so do I begin at Hail, the Affection which is required to be in the Virgin. Hail is a Saxon salutation, it was wont to be more full as the Antiquaries observe, and to be pronounced Washaile, corruptly Wassail; a salutation answerable to the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or the Latin Salve, that is, health be unto you; the Syriac Paraphrase translates Shelom Leki, that is, Peace be unto you, which was the jews common salutation: both translations may stand with the Angel's meaning, because howsoever we phrases in saluting, yet is our meaning still the same, we wish all good to them whom we salute. But yet neither of the Translations doth express the proper signification of the Evangelists word: for his word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is, be of good cheer, the English Cheer is plainly the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Wherefore we must note, that of salutations, some do express the blessing that is conferred upon us, and some the sense and feeling thereof that must be in us: he that saith Hail, wisheth health or good estate of our persons; he that saith Peace be unto you, wisheth a happy success in all our affairs; but he that saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, be of good cheer, doth wish unto us the comfort of them both, of our persons, and of our affairs. This I note the rather, because my Text doth plainly distinguish between the blessing bestowed on the Virgin, and the feeling that she was to have thereof, and it is her feeling that he calleth for in this first word. The feeling is joy, an affection suitable to the blessing; for the blessing is a Gospel, so the Fathers observe, that what goeth before these words, is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gins here, here gins the Gospel. And where the Gospel beginneth, there must joy begin also; we learn it of St. Paul, who relates it out of the Prophet, Rom. 10. yea the word itself doth speak it; the Greek word doth, the English word doth, the old word Gospel, which is nothing else but a Good spell, dark English, because old; but we make it plain by an equivalent phrase, and significant to our purpose, when we translate it Glad tidings. joy then must attend the Gospel. And if you read the Prophets, hardly shall you find where they mention the one, Psalm 96. and do not call upon us for the other, Rejoice O heavens, and be glad O earth; Let the sea roar, and all the trees of the field rejoice: for he cometh, for he cometh, etc. saith the Psalmist, speaking of this first coming of Christ: And Esay, Cap. 9 Thou hast made them rejoice as in the day of harvest, and as they that divide the spoils; for unto us a child is borne, unto us a son is given, etc. But what need more places, seeing our Saviour Christ in the fourth of Luke gives a plain intimation, that his first coming was the true year of jubilee; and that you know began with jubilation. This jubilation or joy is common to all the Church; so we learn of the Angel speaking to the Shepherds, Behold, I bring you glad tidings of great joy that shall be to all the people; for unto you is borne a Saviour, etc. If required in all, then specially in the Virgin; according to her interest in, ought her joy to be for this Gospel: Her interest was the greatest, as will appear in her state; therefore is this joy so expressly commended unto her. There is another reason also why it is commended, and that is, that the truth may be answerable to the type, Abraham, saith Christ, saw my day and rejoiced, john 8. And when did Abraham see it and rejoice? If we look into Genesis we shall find when, even then when he received the promise that he should have his son Isaac, than he laughed, as the Text observes, and for a memorial that he did laugh, God commanded him to give unto his son this name Isaac, which signifieth laughter. St. Paul, Heb. 11. that pierced deeper into the secrets of the Scripture, than every reader is able to do, doth observe, that Abraham did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Verse 13. see this object a fare off, and as being a fare off, did with reverend joy give entertainment thereunto; he meaneth that he did not only apprehend Isaac the Patriarch, who was to be born within some few months, and so was at hand, but our Saviour Christ also, figured by Isaac. who was not to come but after many generations, and so was a fare off. And if being a fare off his sight caused joy, being come so near, how much more joy must the sight of him cause? If the Type wrought so, how must the Truth itself work? And if the Father of the Type were so affected, ought not the Mother of the Truth to be affected much more? Certainly, she must needs have joy.. But what is joy? joy is a pleasing evidence of the love which we bear to any thing which we acknowledge to be good; so that joy, though it be but one thing, yet it presupposeth two other things, Knowledge and Love, as the roots from whence it springs. The first root is Knowledge; for where there is no Knowledge, there can be no joy.. Mark the great and the little world, though each be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a goodly frame, enriched with many markable endowments, yet is not the great world privy to the endowments it hath, no not the eye thereof, I mean the sum, of whom the Poet long since spoke truly, Per quem videt omnia mundus, Et videt ipse nihil. So that the passage in the 19 Psalm, The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handy work, etc. is to be understood passively, not actively, or to speak it more plainly, they do it as a Scripture, but not as a Lecture, they are a silent representation. But the little world is not only passive, but active; he can contemplate whatsoever perfection is in himself or others, it is the very nature of his understanding to become all things, and to bear about itself, which it can study at all times in itself, a map of all the world. Whether therefore we consider the great or the little world, we may call each of them a book; but such a book as to the reading whereof none is admitted under the degree of a man. And herein consists the first excellency of the reasonable soul, this is the first act wherein it ariseth higher than the unreasonable; man goeth beyond a beast in the knowledge of perfection, and this knowledge is the first root of joy.. From hence springeth a second which is Love.. Knowledge is not unfitly compared unto a seal, which is graved not for itself; but to set a print upon the wax, and our heart is as wax, and easily receives the impression of our knowledge. Now the print which the knowledge of perfection leaveth in the heart, is Love, according to the Greek Proverb, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Amor transit in rem amatam. known good cannot be long unaffected, because the heart is as transformable into all good, as the understanding into all truth: the heart, I say, that hath his right temper, and is capable of his proper object, that object discerned must needs breed love; Love, which is Virtus vnie●s, a Virtue which maketh a match between our soul and perfection: for as Knowledge is the eye, whereby the soul seethe it, so is Love the hand whereby it closeth with it. Dua● civitates distingunt duo amores. St. Austin. So that Love is the second act of the reasonable soul, an act which distinguisheth between good and bad men, and is the second root of joy.. When Knowledge and Love have done their part, then cometh in the reasonable souls last work, and that is joy, which is nothing else but the evidence of love; for where there is no love, there is no joy; but we cannot but joy in that which we love: for joy is the natural fruit of love, and we cannot love any thing but the heart will have a pleasant feeling thereof. This third act of the reasonable soul, putteth a difference between happy and unhappy men; for joy is the upshot of all our endeavours, nothing can satisfy till we come to it, and he that hath it resteth therein: We study, we love, both, that we may joy, but beyond joy we cannot go. And this I think is the reason, why 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was so usually received for the common salutation. But we may not only consider the Nature, but the Power of joy also; great power, for it is in the pleasure of joy, how much we shall be capable of, whatsoever good we either know or love: the enlarging of our heart more or less is the act of joy, and as much as we joy, so much is our heart enlarged. Mark then; as is our Knowledge, so is our Love: for we can love no more than we know; and as is our Love, so is our joy, for joy is an effect of Love: but as is our joy, so is our portion of good; we can receive no more than our vessel will contain, and the measure thereof depends from joy.. To come now unto the Angel's words, he calleth upon the Virgin for this Affection, the affection of joy; what meaneth he thereby? Out of that you have heard, you may gather this, he would have her most sensible, most capable of that divine object, which in his following words he presents unto her. And what the Angel commended unto the Virgin, give me leave (Fathers, and Brethren) to commend unto you, joy.. When we receive the message of grace, certainly it is God's pleasure that we should rejoice in his blessings. Lord, saith David, lift thou up upon us the light of thy countenance, Psalm 4. and what followeth? That shall put more joy into our hearts, than they whose corn and wine is increased. The want of this joy cost the Israelites dear. Deut. 28. Because, saith Moses, thou servest not the Lord thy God with joyfulness, and a cheerful heart, for the abundance of all things, therefore thou shalt serve thine enemies in hunger, and thirst, and nakedness, and the need of all things. Wherefore at all times, Let our garments be white, and let not oil be wanting to our beads, Eccles. 9.8. whensoever the Lord doth answer the desire of our hearts, O then be ●oyfull in the Lord, serve the Lord with gladness, and come before his tresence with a song: for we forfeit God's favour, if it be not unto us the very joy of our heart. And no marvel; for to want this affection in the midst of God's mercies, what doth it argue, but that either we want the Understanding of men, and discern not our blessing, or else want that Love that should be in good men, wherewith to embrace the same, or at least we make not so much use of God's mercy, as thereby to become happy men? for happy men we are not without joy, that affection that is here commended by the Angel. And thus much of the Affection. As for that jowly obeyzance, wherewith the Romanists say the Angel spoke the word, I think the mention thereof more unworthy your learned ears, than their superstitious pens that have so childishly observed it unto us. And therefore I pass from the Affection, to the Motives that must work the same. In vain should the Angel call for the Affection, except he proposed the Motives; for our affections stir not but as they are raised thereby. The Motives are her state, considered first in itself; and that, first, in what terms she standeth with God, good terms, Highly favoured. The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the very word calleth for joy; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are as near in nature as in name, Grace is the seed of joy, we learn it in the 86. and 87. Psalms, Light is sown for the righteous, and joyfulness for them that are true hearted. But the Rhemists interrupt us, and quarrel with our translation, they would have it full of grace. And do we deny it? we do not; our Liturgy refutes them, in the Gospel we read it, Hail full of grace; we confess the Syriac agreeth with it, and that the Fathers have it so, and did not they abuse it, still might it go so: but the abuse is gross, and to show that the advantage thereof is not in the original words, the Church not without cause hath recourse unto the fountains, and therehence doth discover how weak the hold fast is which they take upon their translation. For Full of Grace are doubtful words; there is Grace of acceptance, and Grace of inherence, whether is here meant? 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 showeth that the Angel meant the former. Neither do we only say so, but themselves also, yea the very jesuites themselves, most devoted to the Virgin Mary confess, that the word so signifieth, and must be so taken here; the more inexcusable is the Rhemists' slander. But you will say they include Grace of inherence also: Do we deny it? God forbidden; we confess St. Augustine's rule to be true, Vasa quae creatrix sapientia format ut sint, adiutrix gratia implet ne vacua sint, God that with the holy oil anointed the Tabernacle before he entered to dwell within it, did no doubt sanctify the Virgin's person, whom he did destinate to be his sacred Temple. But the question is concerning the Measure. In the measure we say that they exceed, their Church exceeds. If the Council of Basil, and the Council of Trent deliver the Doctrine of their Church, they exceed in the measure both of her grace and glory. Of her Grace, freeing her very conception from sin, contrary to the judgement not only of the Fathers, but also of their best Schoolmen; St. Bernard hath written a very learned Epistle against it, Epist. 174. ad Canonicos Ludgnnenses. Neither do they lavish only in their Doctrine of her Grace, but of her Glory also, and in this much more dangerously; even so much more dangerously, as the danger of Idolatry exceeds the danger of Heresy, especially this Idolatry, because it includes that Heresy. They then having so fare advanced the Virgin in the opinion of her Grace, doethereupon proportion unto her such a degree of Glory, as that seeing Christ is Head of the Church, she must be the Neck; and as no influence cometh from the head into the body, but by the neck, so no grace is communicated to the Church, but by the Virgin Mary. Are you not amazed when you hear it? certainly you would be, if you read the prayers which they make to her; evident arguments that they do believe it, and foul Idolatry stains all their prayers wherein they do express it. I would they would behold themselves in the Collyridian Heretics, and apply unto themselves that doom which Epiphanius passeth upon them. Heres. 79. But I forget my promise, I said I would rather edisie you with the truth, than refute error; wherefore leaving them, let us come to better matter. joy is an effect, whereof the Angel will have the Virgin to look unto the cause; the cause may be looked for, either in herself, or in God, or as I spoke before, in Grace of Acceptance, or Inherence. It is plain by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that the Angel guides her eyes to look on the former, not the later; to look upon the favour she findeth, rather than the endowments which she hath: Angels fall, and Man's also was caused by their desire to joy in themselves; for self-love bred their Apostasy. And though since the Fall, man have little cause to fall in love with himself, yet is he not free from danger, if in himself he will find the ground of joy; for he is through the sight of his imperfection as much in danger to despair, as through the sight of his perfection he was to presume: the perfections of the best, though they be such as are not void of comfort, yet because they have intermingled many imperfections, that comfort must needs have a mixture of much discomfort, entire and joy cannot be found there. Wherefore St. Anstins' confession must be the confession of us all, Beata vita est (saith he, speaking unto God) gaudere ad te, de te, propter te; if we will joy, we must lift up our souls as high as God, and in our joy couple nothing with God, we must be induced unto joy by no other end but to express our thankfulness for the mercy of God: this is the true motive of entire and joy. But a little farther to open it: this word doth elevate the joy to that degree which beseems a Christian man; there are other objects which usurp falsely that which belongs unto God. Carnal pleasures are the first usurpers, and many rest upon them, they relish nothing but their meats, their drinks, and sensual lusts, whose joy, if it be any, it is but gaudium animalis, there is nothing that can give content unto a man in such a joy, because these pleasures are common to us with beasts. Rational endowments either of the understanding or of the will, furnished with liberal arts or moral virtues, are the second usurpers; indeed their title unto joy is much better than the former, yet their plea is but weak; Solomon hath censured knowledge as unfit to breed joy, in that short saying, Qui addit scientiae addit dolori. And as for Moral Virtues, Eccles. 1.18. destitute of Grace, what joy can there be in them, which the Fathers have judiciously censured to be no better than splendid a peccata? So that the joy promised by this usurper, if it be any, it is but gaudium hominis, the joy of a natural man, and therefore as imperfect as is his nature. The third usurper goeth a degree higher, and that is Inherent Grace, whose plea is so probable, that it perplexeth many a man; and yet it is but an usurpers plea, because of the rebellion between the flesh and the spirit, and the often overthrows which the spirit receives in us from the flesh; and what joy can there be in the midst of so many foils, in him that daily receiveth so many wounds? so that joy, if there be any, it is but the Pharisees joy, that thinks of himself better than he should, and so doteth upon the little good he hath, that he observes not how much more there is which he should have, but wanteth. We must ascend then yet farther; and whither but unto God? from the Grace of Inherence, to his Grace of Acceptance, to that reconciliation which we have with him, springing from his own free good will towards us. And this breeds indeed gaudium Christiani hominis, and it is this that is meant, when the Angel saith to the Virgin, that she is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, he telleth her what is the true motive of joy, the free love, the high favour of God, which are comprehended within the word Grace. And indeed excellent are the properties of this Motive, wherein it excelleth all the other: First, it is that which only can make all the promises of God credible unto us; the Adoption, the Inheritance of a child of God, the Incarnation, the Mediation of the Son of God, can they find any credibility in any of the other motives, the sensual, the rational, the pharisaical? well may they breed distrust, but faith of these things they can never make, yea they are all clogged with manifold exceptions to be taken thereat: but if we come to So God loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, etc. john 3.16. in God's jove, free love, we find ground for our faith, and rest for our souls. As this Motive doth make all God's promises credible, so it maketh them communicable unto all; for other blessings of God are dispensed in variety: some have one, some another, some have riches and no honour, some have honour and no riches, some have wisdom which have neither of these two, some have extraordinary virtue whose wisdom is but ordinary. But the free love of God is common unto all, to all the children of God; they that are unequal in graces of Inherence, are in grace of Acceptance all equal; the grace of Adoption, the grace of Reconciliation, is measured with as liberal a hand to the poorest Publican in earth, as to the most glorious Saint in heaven; though not in active, yet in passive righteousness all are matches. Whereupon followeth a third property, this motive to joy is most parable, or easy to be had; the poorest may keep as great a gaudy day here as the richest, and the simplest as the wisest, he that is lowest as he that is highest; for we need none of those things, wherein it pleaseth God to advance others before us, to the keeping of this gaudy day; which consideration should make this motive most welcome to us all, in that it contains a provision that may be had at all times. And as to be had at all times, so it faileth at no time; for, which is the fourth property, it is as stable, as parable, as it is easily had, so is it best kept. All other motives have their waxings, and their wanings, their ebbs and their floods, only Gods free love is that that stayeth by us, and recovereth again his other gifts when they fail in us. Look upon King David, look upon St. Peter, and see what instability there is even in that which is most likely to be stable, the grace of Inherence; and when that faileth, how cometh it to pass that they failed not also? we can find no other ground, but God's free love expressed in his promise unto David, My mercy I will never take from thee, Psal. 89.33. and Christ's prayer for St. Peter, his prayer that St. Peter's faith might not fail, Luke 22.32. this is that that fetched them again when they were gone, and revived them when they were even dead. How often doth error overcast the best men's knowledge? how cold doth charity grow even in the best? and yet we see how they recover both their light and heat, whereof there can be no other reason but that they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, such as God doth love; God's love is only that which worketh this cure. Whereupon followeth the last property, and most natural to my Text, that this motive is most comfortable. A motive that hath all these properties, must needs be most apt to breed joy. What fools then are we in the choice of the object of our joy, if forsaking this we pitch upon any of the other, of which you have heard how unapt they are to breed joy? nay, how apt they are to breed sorrow; so that what Solomon said, we may say unto all their joy, Thou art mad, what dost thou? 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Eccles. 2.2. saith Nazianzene, speaking of all corporal pleasures, sufficient unto the disquieting of the body is the concupiscence thereof. Yea the imborne concupiscence is sufficient to disquiet both body and soul, we need not have recourse unto these objects as fuel to kindle that fire, nor pamper that beast which is so headstrong against reason and piety, and doth so often dispossess them of the sovereignty they should have over us; Certainly, in the upshot we shall find, that the more we have to do with th●se objects, the less true joy shall we find. And if we may not joy in any of ●hese objects, whereof not one is able to reconcile us unto God, nor assure us of his love, the only sure motive unto joy; how much less may we joy in that which setteth us at odds with God, and argueth that there is no commerce between us: I mean concupiscence, and the sinful fruits thereof. It is true, that this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that sin may take place with us, Satan doth it with a seeming joy, even the most vexing affections thereof, as appears in the very word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and did it not promise joy, men would not be so transported by it; but certainly this is plainly risus Sardonius, men laugh and dye; the Scripture elegantly compares it to the crackling of thorns in the fire, whereof you see a blaze, and hear a noise, but upon a sudden they are turned to ashes; even so wicked men (as job speaketh) spend their time indeed in a seeming pleasure, but in a moment go down to hell. Wherefore to shut up this point, let us be so fare from affecting our own corruption, that we do not so much as foster that which is but the incourager thereof, the incourager, though for a time to tickle us, yet to sting us in the close; let grace be unto us the only motive unto joy, even the free grace wherewith God vouch safeth to accept us; as it only can be, so let it be only the ground of true joy, whensoever joy is desired by us. The Angel did bid the Virgin joy because of that. But how could she be sure of it? the Angel addeth, that she had a very good pledge of it, The Lord is with thee. Mark how the Angel placeth his words, first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and thirdly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. If he should have said Hail, the Lord is with thee, the one would never have followed well upon the other; for though before the fall God's presence was comfortable unto man, yet since the fall fear is inseparable from sin, and the very best abhor God's presence, being privy to their loss of his resemblance; Adam is the first pattern, and after Adam we read of many others. So that Highly favoured, or freely beloved must stand between Hail, and The Lord is with thee, otherwise they will never come together; Esay could not give his Woe is me, for I am a man of polluted lips, Esay 6. and dwell in the midst of a people of polluted lips, mine eyes have seen the Lord of glory, till that the Seraphin was sent with a coal from the Altar, and touched his lips, in token that his sin was removed, and he become 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; Dan. 10. neither could Daniel endure the presence of the Angel, till he was heartened by this message, that he was Vir desideriorum, one in whom God did take delight; and the best of us will say as St. Peter, Go from me Lord, for I am a sinful man, Luke 5.8. except the Lord himself be pleased to hearten us, and say to us as Christ to St. Peter, Fear not; or as God to Moses and Noah, Thou hast found grace in mine eyes. As we must observe the Order of the words, so must we also the Distance of these persons, the distance between the Lord and his Handmaiden, and then the combination will seem strange. Strange it is that persons so distant should come together, but most happy it is that they do, because the perfection of the one, can yield so good supply to the imperfection of the other; God's Majesty honoureth the baseness of his Handmaiden, his might strengtheneth her weakness, Non sumita vel divinae ignarus magnitudinis, vel humanae fragilitatis, ut non magnum putem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, saith Nazianzene; and the Psalmist, Blessed is he whom thou choosest to come near thee: he shall dwell in thy courts, and shall be satisfied with the pleasures of thy house, even of thy holy Temple, Psal. 65. But the Angel saith not Thou art with the Lord, but, The Lord is with thee: it were much better you would think for us to be with him, than for him to be with us, for man to ascend to heaven, than for God to come down to the earth. True it is, that it maketh more for our happiness to ascend to God, but it doth more argue God's love, that he descendeth to us; to ascend is our advancement, but to descend is a debasement of God: yea the Psalmist saith, That God doth humble himself, whensoever being so high, he vouchsafeth from heaven but to behold the things on earth. Add hereunto, that the Lord must needs come to us before we can come to him, because his coming to us is the giving of that ability by which we do afterward ascend to him, so that the Angel being to give the Virgin a proof of God's love towards her, could give her no better than these words contain, Hom. 3. super missus est Angelus. The Lord is with thee. But Deus vbi● aqualiter totus est per suam simplicem essentiam, as St. Bernard speaketh, and speaketh fully and truly of the presence of God. Were there no other text of Scripture, that did testify the immensity of God's essence, as there are many, job 11. Esay 66. Psal. 139. Dominus tecum is strong enough to refute Vorstius his erroneous conceit, mistaking certain passages of Scripture, and thereupon limiting Gods essential presence within the circle of heaven, and admitting only an efficiency to proceed from him so low as the earth. But this Dominus tecum will not endure that; for you must understand, that whereas the name Lord is common to all three persons in the Trinity, as we learn in Athanasius Creed, the Fathers usually understand here the second person, which was to be incarnate in the Virgin's womb; her womb was to be the Temple of the living God, Quem totus mundus capere non poterat, acceptura erat quasi in angustum cubiculum uterisui, so that the Lord was necessarily to be, even in his Essence with her, that was in his essence to come from her; otherwise she could not be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the mother of our Lord, as Elizabeth doth call her, Luke 1. The Lord is with thee, they are words mystical, and import a main Article of Faith, even the conception of our Saviour Christ, which could not be without the presence of his Essence. And yet the presence of the Essence alone sufficeth not to the conception, because the Essence is every where, & that presence is necessary; there must be acknowledged also an Efficiency proceeding therefrom, even such an efficiency as is arbitrary, for God worketh according as it pleaseth him. In the case of the conception, the efficiency is singular, and the Virgin's womb is the only place where God did ever manifest it, and so we must acknowledge it. But the Virgin did conceive Christ, not only Corpore, but etiam Cord; the first was Singular, but the second is Common: for St. Paul telleth us, that we may also conceive Christ, though not in our womb, yet in our soul, My little children, of whom I travel again till jesus Christ be form in you, Gal. 4.19. and St. Peter telleth us of the seed of this conception, The immortal seed of the Word of God, 1. Pet. 1.23. And indeed we could not be called Christians, were it not that we partake of Christ, 2. Cor. 13.5. Know you not (saith St. Paul) that jesus Christ is in you except you be reprobates? So that The Lord is with thee may be spoken to every one of us, though not in regard of Christ's Incarnation in our bodies, yet of his Union unto our souls. Yea therefore was he conceived by the Virgin corporally, that spiritually he might be conceived of every one of us, and so become indeed Immanuel, The Lord with us. And what shall we say to these things? surely with an ancient Father, Gratia Dei non potuit gratiùs commendari, quàm ut ipse unicùs Dei Filius in se incommunicabiliter manens, indueret hominem, & spem dilectionis suae daret hominibus, homine medi●, this is the most sweet comfort, wherewith God anciently used to sustain his children, each in particular, Gen. 26. Iosh. cap. 1. & cap. 3. and the whole Church in general, Esay 41. Reuel. 1. yea Christ left this comfort for his farewell to his Disciples, Lo, I am with you to the world's end, Matth. 28. And no marvel, for as when God is angry he departs from us, so when out of favour he cometh to us, it is the prognostication of some good that is then towards us; so followeth it in my Text, next to Dominus tecum, cometh Benedicta. The presence of the Ark brought a blessing upon Obed-edoms' house, how much more must a blessing follow wheresoever the truth of the type cometh, I mean the Lord himself; the Spouse in the Canticles confesseth that when her beloved knocked at the door, he left the sent of his sweet odours as a remembrance, Cant. 5.4. But blessed is the Virgin, and in being blessed she is a Patient, she becometh not such but by means of some Agent; this Agent may be either God, or Man, and so the Benediction be either Real, or Verbal. Some understand the Real, the Benediction of God, some the Verbal, the Benediction of man; the use of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, reacheth the former, but the signification thereof imports the latter, both may stand together. And indeed the Verbal Benediction is but an attendant upon the Real, you may learn it of Balaam, Num. 23. vers. 8. & vers. 20. How shall jeurse (saith he) where God hath not cursed? How shall I detest, where the Lord hath not detested? Behold, I have received a commandment to bless where he hath blessed, and I cannot alter it. Two things there are which the Verbal Benediction must take heed of, and wherein it must guide itself by the Real; it must be sure that the person whom it blesseth doth partake of the Real; and being sure thereof, it must proportion the Verbal unto the Real. The Fathers did not without good cause pen many Panegyrics in honour of the Saints, and they penned them with those two Cautions, and therefore might they without danger be pronounced even in the Church to the edification of the people. But the Golden Legend is too palpable an evidence of the latter Churches neglect of suiting their Verbal Benediction to the Real Benediction of God; for how many have they blessed whom God hath cursed, and calendred for Saints, such as, it may be feared, are firebrands in hell? And as for those which are Saints indeed, how lavish are they in reporting what God never did, either for them, or to them? the whole Legend being become nothing else but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as Epiphanius speaketh, a farthel of forged dreams. Not to go from our present instance of the blessed Virgin, in whom, if ever in any, they have disproportioned the Verbal and the Real Benediction. We forget not Epiphanius his good rule, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Virgin must from our mouths receive no less, nor no more, than her due. The Church of Rome challengeth us for giving her less, but they charge us falsely; for we most willingly go as fare in our Verbal, as we have any fair evidence that God hath gone in his Real; farther we do not go, neither indeed should we. Epist. 174. St. Bernard hath taught us well, Virgoregia falso non eget honore veris cumulata honorum titulis, infulis dignitatum, he gives a good reason, Nam non est hoc virginem honorare, sed honori detrahere. Atheists are encouraged to elevate the credit of the whole, if they can justly challenge the truth of any part of such stories. job saith well, We may not lie for God, much less may we lie for a Saint, and yet the Legends of this blessed Virgin, how are they fraught with officious lies? But I will not trouble you with farther discovery thereof, who cannot forget their excess in the public Doctrine of her grace and glory, whereof I gave you a taste on the second branch of my Text. I come then to the last point which I mean to touch. The Angel doth not only say that the Virgin is blessed, but also blessed in comparison, the phrase is comparative. Amongst other words, this is one wherewith the Hebrews, which have no formal comparative words, use to express the superlative degree, Blessed amongst women, is as much as Amost blessed woman: as if the Angel should say, Many daughters have been blest, but thou surmountest them all. And indeed it is no great prerogative to be blest above many wretches, but above many blessed ones to be blest, is a blessing indeed. The Angel therefore biddeth her observe not only the nature, but the measure also of her estate. Sarah was blessed, and so was Rebecca, Rahel likewise, with Deborah, jael, and many others, but their blessing was nothing unto hers, for this phrase alludes to former prophecies; Moses speaketh of a woman, Gen. 3. whose seed should bruise the Serpent's head, but it was Haisha, a special woman that he pointed at, and that woman was this Virgin. Esay speaketh of a Virgin that shall conceive and bear a son, whose name shall be called Immanuel, Esay 7.14. but it is Hagnalma, a special Virgin, and that Virgin was this blessed Mary. jeremy saith, The Lord will create a new thing in the earth, and a woman shall compass a man, Geber, an heroical man, and no woman bore such a son but this blessed Virgin. Add hereunto that which the Fathers generally observe, and Sedulius hath comprehended in two Verses, Gaudia matris habens, cum virginit at is honore, Nec primam similem visa est nec habere secundam. Never was the like woman before her, neither ever shall the like come after her; so true is it that she is, and is to be acknowledged superlatively Blessed. Farther comparison than between her and women, the Holy Ghost is not pleased to make. Others have gone farther, and lifted her higher than all Angels, how truly I will not dispute, I list not to be inquisitive where the Holy Ghost is silent; these things shall better be known when we meet in heaven. That which only I observe upon this point is, that a Comparison showeth the Eminency of a grace, and is a most feeling motive unto joy, thereby we are not only put in mind of our good, but of the greatness thereof. Were there no base creatures whereunto a man might compare himself, he should lose much of that joy which ariseth out of the knowledge which he hath that he is a man; were there not many out of the Church which are men, we should not know how much honour our being in the Church addeth unto us in that we are Christian men: King David maketh the 8. Psalm out of his feeling of the first comparison; and to put us in mind of the second, the 147. Psalm concludes thus, He hath not dealt so with every Nation, neither have the Heathen knowledge of his Laws. Finally, in comparison of ourselves, let us remember a good observation of St. Augustine's, Beatior Maria percipiendo fidem, Cap. 3. de sancta Maria. quàm concipiendo carnem Christi; his assertion is grounded upon Christ's own words, Luke 12. who when a certain woman cried out, Luke 11.27, 28. Blessed is the womb that bore thee, and the paps that gave thee suck, answered, Nay blessed are they that hear the Word of God and keep it. And those else where he calleth, His mother, his brethren, and his kindred, Matth. 12.49. where he had both carnal, and also spiritual cognation, he did value the spiritual more than the carnal. The eminency of the blessed Virgin was this, that she did partake of both, and therein she hath an eminency above us; but if we do as we ought, value our spiritual state, the eminency is very great which God vouchsafeth every one of us; and that we may joy in it so much as we should, this degree of God's blessing must be weighed by us. But I will pursue this Text no farther, only a general Use there is that we must make of the whole, and that is taught us by this blessed Virgin herself; her Magnificat is an excellent pattern thereof: see therein how her words are correspondent to the Angels. The Angel biddeth her Hail, that is, be glad; and what saith she? My soul doth magnify, and my spirit doth rejoice. The Angel telleth her, that she is highly beloved of God, and she doth not magnify herself, she reioyceth not in herself, but My soul (saith she) doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit rejoiceth in God my Saviour. The Angel goeth on, The Lord is with thee, and she sings on, The Lord indeed hath regarded the low estate of his handmaid, He that is mighty hath magnified me. Finally, she heareth that she is Blessed amongst women, and she gathers, that because she is so graced of God, not for her own worth, that from thenceforth all generations shall call her Blessed. A better pattern of meditating upon God's mercies we cannot have, nor learn a better use of the Auemarie. I would the Church of Rome, that are so devoted to the Virgin, would of her learn this good lesson; if they will not, let us not neglect so good a pattern. But I must end. The sum of all is, As the blessed Virgin, so every one of us, must have a comfortable feeling especially of God's free Love, that is the living spring of his gracious presence, of that singular presence wherewith he honoured the Virgin's womb, and that common which is vouchsafed to all believing hearts, the least whereof must be deemed to be no small prerogative. O Lord, it was thou that show'dst the Virgin light, wherefore with cords of devotion we bind our sacrifice to the horns of thy Altar; yea thou art a God to every one of us, therefore we thank thee; Thou only art our God, and therefore we praise thee, and let us ever set thee before us, that dost vouchsafe to come so near unto us, that our heart may be glad, and our tongue rejoice in thee, so long as we live here, and when we depart hence, our flesh also will rest in hope, till we come both body and soul into thy presence, where is the fullness of joy, and be crowned with that right hand, whereat there are pleasures for evermore. Amen. IHS TWO SERMONS PREACHED in the Cathedral Church at WELLS. THE FIRST SERMON. On Palm Sunday. MATTH. 26. Vers. 40.41. What? could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. THese words were read unto you out of this days Gopell, 〈…〉 therein you heard that they were uttered by Christ to his Disciples; Christ out of his own foreknowledge, and out of the Prophet Zachary, gave the Disciples to understand, that no sooner should himself their Captain fall into the enemy's hands, but they would all show themselves to be but cowardly followers. St. Peter with the rest, though more forward than the rest, answered, that they would be so fare from flying in his danger, that they would spend their lives in his just defence. Hereunto Christ replied, that they would not be as good as their word, nay, that they would shamefully contradict their words by their deeds; and it fell out even so: for scarce had an hour passed but they began to betray their weakness. Christ taketh them in the very beginning of it, and from it taketh an occasion first to reprove, Vers. 40. then to advice them, Vers. 41. He reproveth them for their present defect, What? could ye not watch with me one hour? and adviseth them to prevent a future revolt, Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation, etc. More distinctly, in the reproof we must note the matter, and the manner; the matter is the Disciples drowsiness, they did not Watch, that is amplified by the circumstance of time and of persons; of time, they held not out for the space of one hour. And of persons, the persons of Disciples, and the person of Christ; drowsiness was intolerable in them, because they had promised so much, especially in Christ's company to whom they did owe more than to Watch. As was the sin, so was the reproof; that foul, this sharp: it is uttered in few words, but they go to the quick; for the first, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What? is Elleipticall, and implies Christ's wondering at their unanswerableness to their presumptuous undertaking. The next words, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 point out their ignorance of themselves, Can ye not? this is more than you thought on; so Christ reproves. But he doth not leave them so; as he disliked what was past, so would he have them better provided against that which is to come: you may perceive it in his advice, which is respective to their disease; they presumed much, but could do little, Christ biddeth them therefore be more careful and less confident; more careful, Watch, less confident, Pray: do the uttermost of your endeavour, but build only upon God's succour. But why need they be more careful and less confident? Christ yields the reason of both; where there is danger there is need of care, they were in danger to enter into temptation, Watch lest ye enter into temptation. But if they be careful, why may they not be confident? there is good reason, their help standeth not in themselves, The Spirit indeed is willing, but their flesh is weak: therefore they must seek to God, and seek by prayer, Pray. You see the contents of this Scripture which we must now farther open and apply unto ourselves: I begin with the Reproof, whereof the matter is the drowsiness of the Apostles, their drowsiness is noted by not watching. It was night when Christ spoke this, and so a time to sleep; add hereunto that they had newly supped, and had heard the doleful sermon of Christ's departure, all which serve to increase the heaviness as of their minds, so of their bodies. But it was the night wherein Christ was to be betrayed, and wherein themselves were to be exposed to danger; and therefore it was a time to watch. The care of our duty sometimes, and sometimes of our safety, maketh us forbear many things which otherwise we might lawfully use; sometimes we fast from our ordinary fare, sometimes we put off robes of state, and ourselves with garments of heaviness, and eat the bread of mourning; so is there a time when we should deny our eyes their beloved sleep, and then not to deny it is a sin, a great sin: as great as to far deliciously when we should fast, and attire ourselves gorgeously when we should mourn; the Scripture condemneth all three, the apparel, Exod. 34. the fare, Esay 22. both apparel and fare in joel, joel 2. jonah 2. and in jonas the couch is added to them, Amos 6. We must then note, that every thing hath his appointed time, Eccles. 3. and it is not a sin to be drowsy, for nature requireth refreshing; but to be drowsy at an unseasonable time, when grace doth not overrule nature, and the body is not made serviceable to the soul, willing to do her duty to God, this is a sinful drowsiness. And such was the drowsiness of the Apostles, and it was extraordinarily in them; for the Text doth amplify their sin by two circumstances, first of the time, then of the persons; the time the space of one hour. When God requireth that our bodies should attend our souls, though he did require more time in that attendance than reason conceiveth can stand with the strength of nature, we should not stick at it; because the same God that strengthened Moses in the Mount, twice to fast forty days and forty nights, and Elias not only to fast, but also to walk so many days without either sleep or meat, can support us, employed in his service, so long as therein he is pleased to employ us. But if he limit the time within the strength of our frail nature, what excuse have we if we fail in our duty? the time required of the Apostles was but an hour, and who doth not upon all occasions of profit and pleasure put off his sleep more than an hour? The covetous man riseth early, and goeth late to bed to increase his wealth; the voluptuous man in gaming and rioting is well content to add the night unto the day; and though it be a winter night, the ambitious will be contented to travail in it, rather than miss the preferment whereunto he doth aspire. And doth not then the natural man condemn the spiritual, when the one watcheth so long, and the other cannot watch so short a time? But why seek I so fare? the Apostles are condemned by their very enemies, iugulent homines surgunt de nocte latrones, teipsum serues non expergisceris? the high Priests sat up all this night in consultation, judas and their servants were busy all night about the execution of their wicked designs, & the Apostles cannot watch, no not an hour; will not their enemies rise up against them & condemn their drowsiness? They will; especially if this hour were the very first hour of the night, which might best be spared; for the farther the night goeth on, the more weakness cometh on, and less is drowsiness in the dead, than in the beginning of the night: now happily 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is an Hebraisme, and is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 elsewhere, so that it noteth not only the space of an hour, but also pointeth out which hour it was; but howsoever we understand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, it is out of all question, that the Disciples drowsiness overtook them the very first hour, which addeth much to the aggravating of their fault. As the circumstance of time, so also of persons makes to the amplification of the sin, as well the persons who are drowsy, as his person in whose company they were so. First of the drowsy persons, they were the Apostles; all the Apostles were drowsy, but Christ singled out three, Peter, james, and john, to accompany him unto that place in the Garden in which himself chose to pray: wherein Christ shown that he had more than an ordinary conceit of them, and did expect more than ordinary service from them. And well might it be so, for he had showed them more favour than the rest; they only were with him when he was transfigured in the Mount, and saw his glory. As he shown them most favour, so they were most forward to offer their service: St. Peter, Mat. 16.33. Though all the world be offended with thee, yet will not I be offended. james and john, Matth. 20.22. We 〈◊〉 drink of the Cup whereof thou shalt drink, and be baptised with the Baptism wherewith thou shalt be baptised. Had they been only Disciples, they were bound to do what their Master commanded; but the more trust he reposed in them, the less were they to fail him, especially seeing they were so fare indebted for extraordinary favour, and had vowed their lives in his defence: all these things are included in the drowsy persons, necessary, voluntary obligations; but neither work; though there was so much reason why they should, yet did not these Apostles Watch: nothing is remarkable in their persons, that makes not their drowsiness more inexcusable. And if their sin be amplified by their own persons, how much more by the person of Christ? it was a fault not to watch in danger, a greater fault not to watch the space of one hour, especially seeing they were Apostles, such Apostles; but what access is made to this sin, when they neglect to watch in the company of their Saviour? Had Christ sent them alone to the place, then because of Vaesoli this fall had not been strange; for it is not strange to see a man disheartened with danger, and overwhelmed with woe: but Christ went with them, his presence was enough to keep them in heart. Though I walk (saith David) in the midst of the valley of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me, O Lord, thy rod and thy staff shall comfort me, Psal. 23. and this good Shepherd was now with the Apostles, why then were their hearts heavy? Nay he was not only with them, but he was watching and praying; and was not his example a strong means to keep them from being drowsy? As iron whetteth iron, so doth the face of a friend quicken his friend. Had he been only a companion in the work their eyes should have been on him, they should have blushed not to imitate him: but he was their Captain, their Master, and what a shame for a Servant to sleep when his Master waketh? and when his Master watcheth to show himself drowsy? And yet this cometh not home enough; for this Companion, yea this Captain did watch, did pray for them, it was for them that he stood out; he presented himself to God, and prepared himself for the Cross, but he did both for them: himself needed neither, we wretched sinners needed both; God laid our burden upon him, our tears, our sighs, our groans, our stripes, our death. It is a general rule of Piety, that we should weep with them that weep, how much more should we be affected with the like passion if any one be distressed for us? It was a strange stupidity in jonas, when God pursued him with a tempest, to get under hatches, and there sleep securely, while the poor Mariners toiled out their bodies in rowing, and broke their hearts in praying to their gods to free them from the tempest: how much more stupid are these Apostles, who lay them down to rest, when God was reaching unto Christ that Cup of vengeance whereof we all should have drunk for our sin, had not Christ eased us of that bitter draught? the preparation for that potion which should have been our porion, kept Christ waking and praying; it cast him into an agony, and drew tears of blood from all parts of his body. While he is thus affected and afflicted for us, the Apostles are at rest, as if these things did nothing concern them, which their sins no less than the sins of others poured upon Christ. It might have been some ease to Christ if he had seen them compassionately devout; certainly their senselessness added not a little to the bitterness of his pain; the more he suffered for them, the greater impression should his suffering have made in them, and they should have had the more fellow-feeling, the nearer they were vouchsafed to be to his person. You have heard enough of the Apostles drowsiness their sin, and degrees thereof; it well deserved a Reproof. And Christ doth not spare them, spare first to tax their presumption, that he doth in the first word, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, What? One word, but wherein is implied that the Apostles answered not that resolution which they pretended, yea that they came so short that Christ could not but wonder at their drowsiness. Both these are implied in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, What? is all your boasting come to this? is this the courage that you would show in my defence? did you conceive so well of yourselves, and so liberally amplify your service? all proves but vanity, all argues nothing but presumption. It is a natural disease of all the sons of Adam, that if they have but motes of virtue, they think they are mountains, and presume that their actions go hand in hand with their speculations. Little children when they begin first to find their feet, think they can go as well and as far as those that are of riper age, and this conceit maketh them take many a fall. The most of us are but babes in Christ, and our judgement erreth in nothing more than in taking an estimate of our ability, wherein we come so short of performing what we promise to ourselves, that as we may blush, so Christ may wonder and break into this question, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉? What? is it so? so great words, so small deeds? certainly Man, even the best of men is altogether vanity, Psal. 39 his vaunts are nothing but the sparkles of his pride, and he presumeth above his strength. For what is his strength? surely very small; the displaying of that is a second branch of Christ's reproof, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Can ye not? Your strength is very small, you are much weaker than you suppose, you thought not of it before, you have now given plain proof of it, your drowsiness represents it plainly before your eyes, it telleth you how little you are able to perform. But we must not mistake; for inability is to be understood not physically, but morally; they were not simply disenabled to watch: for the instances before given in covetous, ambitious, and voluptuous men, show that men can (if they will) break their sleep, and what they can that they do, when the world setteth them on work: but when Heaven enioynes them, than how weak are they? their affections have no vigour, they are soon tired, and give over at the first onset; so that as the Prophet speaketh of the jews, They were wise to do evil, but to do good they had no understanding at all: so may we say of our affections, they are strong to sin, but to do good they have no vigour at all. Or rather men do not put out their strength, and they are conquered because they do not resist. And indeed drowsiness were not a sin, were it not a mixed action, wherein our willing eelding to our affections which we should repress, makes us to be guilty, and this Christ meaneth when he delivereth his check with an interrogation, Can you not? as if he should say, you cannot well excuse your drowsiness. Behold then an example of humane frailty, and we must all behold ourselves herein; what Christ said to them, he may well say to us, not one but is more or less touched with presumption, and hath infirmities whereof he need to be remembered: the best voweth more than he performeth, and in the presence of Christ discovereth his weakness, let the time be never so short appointed for our devotion, our ears grow quickly heavy when they should hear God in his Word, and our eyes drowsy when we should behold him in our Prayers. And what wonder if we watch so little out of the Church, if we sleep so much in it? We must therefore every man take unto himself this reproof which Christ directeth unto the Apostles, even the best must take it unto themselves, seeing Christ directs it unto the best of his Apostles. As we must take the reproof, so must we the advice also, which is the second main point of my Text; I come now to it. The advice is suitable to the reproof: for they were reproved for too much confidence, and too little care, and they are advised to be more careful, Watch; and less confident, Pray. But in joining of this point to the other, we must first observe, that though the Apostles gave good cause, yet Christ did not presently reject them; for unto his reproof he adds advice, giving them to understand that he touched at their fault, because he would have them take better heed. Wherehence we may learn how to deal with others; we must neither soothe them when they do ill, and we must try whether they may be brought for to do well. Let us now come to the parts of the advice; they are two, first Aperit oculos, then Ministrat alas, he rouseth them out of their sleep and furnisheth them with help against their danger: First, he doth rouse them. The Syriac speaketh fully, Euigilate, and indeed they were asleep, therefore they were to be awakened before they could watch, to shake off their drowsiness before they could take heed. As in natural actions, the impediment must be removed before the creature can move according to his form; so in moral, we must be freed from the opposite of Virtue, before we can have or use the habit thereof. But because Watching is principally intended, therefore the precept runneth upon that. Watching then is compounded of two things, of waking and heeding; waking is solutio sensuum, the keeping open of the passage, whereby sense may be informed of his proper object. Heeding is the judgement we pass upon the object, considering what it doth prognosticate unto us, whether good or evil; and our senses stand sentinel, to give a timely alarm when there is any approach of danger. But as our senses are of two sorts, inward and outward, so is the watching also; here is not only a watch set in the outward man, but in the inward man also. And good reason, for there are many dangers which sense cannot apprehend, as it is evident in this our present case; judas came now to betray Christ, and had many followers which were men; but Satan before had entered into judas (saith St. john) and when he came, Now cometh the Prince of this world (saith Christ) and in St. Luke he telleth St. Peter, Cap. 22.32. that Satan had desired to winnow not only him, but all the Apostles even as wheat. Seeing then the object is bodily and ghostly, the watch that we keep must be answerable thereto; as the thief is that will rob our house, as the enemies are that will besiege our city, so must our care be, lest scaping one we fall into the hands of another, as usually we do: our eyes are busy enough to apprehend and decline our bodily danger, but few intent their ghostly, yea they receive most wounds ghostly, when they are most safe bodily; we watch as men, but not as Christian men, but it is the Christian man's watch that is required in this place. Enough of watching. But watching is not enough to procure our safety, no though the whole man watch both body and soul; what we see may dismay, if we see no more than may be discerned by the body, how much more if we see what may be discerned by the soul? such a sight will make us but like Elizeus his man, who when he saw the Army of the Aramites, cried, Alas Master what shall we do? to remedy his fear his Master fell to his prayers, and upon Elizeus his prayers his servant's eyes were opened, and he saw the Army of God ready to assist them. And indeed to the eyes of our care, that is, our Watching, we must add the wings of our hope, that is, our Praying; our eyes must still be fixed upon the Lord, who can pluck our feet out of the snares, Psal. 25. When we join these eyes and wings together, we shall experience that in the Proverbes true, Prou. 19 In vain is the net spread before the eyes of every thing that hath a wing. If Christ had said only Watch, he might (saith Prosper) seem to have favoured freewill, but when he adds Pray, he showeth in whom our strength is placed, even in God, the keeper of Israel, which neither slumbereth nor sleepeth, Psal. 121. To pray then, is to acknowledge, that we must needs be swallowed up of danger corporal and spiritual, except the Lord support and defend us; we may not think our own vigilancy sufficient, but have recourse to him: for except the Lord keep the City, the watchman waketh but in vain, Psal. 127.1. our own vigilancy is commendable, if we make of it a right use, and the use is, to make us run to God. And indeed no men seek less unto God, than they that lost think themselves in danger; dreaming that they are secure they beg no help, what wonder if then they become a prey? let us begin then with Watching, and thence proceed to Praying. This Method is most behooveful, because we must fit our prayers to our need; we must not pray at random, but as our wants are, so must our prayers be: we discern our wants by watching, which by praying we supply; so did King David, so must we, we read it in his Psalms, and they must be our patterns; cold is the devotion that is not quickened by vigilancy, and fruitless is the vigilancy that is not relieved by prayer. If every one of us would reflect our eyes upon ourselves, we shall find that we seldom look about us before we pray, and therefore our prayers are so dull; or if we fail not in that care, we place our refuge in others rather than God, whereupon it cometh to pass that our success is accordingly. In a word, Praying and Watching both must be used, but Praying is the casting off of our eyes from ourselves, that we be not proud of our own care whereby we descry our enemies: Yea it teacheth us to cast our eyes off from our enemies also upon God, that we be not dejected with their power; so that though we begin below, considering our enemies and ourselves, yet must we end above, entreating God's hand to intermeddle with both. You have heard Christ's advice. He is not contented only to give it, but he sets down also reasons that must persuade us to entertain it, Watch we must, lest we enter into temptation. And indeed where there is danger, there care is needful, specially if the danger be our own; Christ's saying, Lest ye enter into temptation, giveth them to understand whose danger it is, willing them, that though they were not moved with his case, yet they should not neglect themselves. But what is Temptation? it is a trial made of us, how firmly we will stand to Christ, how manfully we will abide by his truth. Now as the Tempter is, such is his Temptation; sometimes God tempts us, and sometimes the Devil. God tempteth us only by calling upon us to do our duty, though he is pleased sometimes to that duty with difficulties, to see if we love any thing in comparison of him; that temptation is not here meant. The Devil he tempteth, endeavouring to withdraw us from doing our duties, and persuading us not to hazard our lives or our liuings by standing fast in the fear of God. This is the Temptation that here is meant, and this is Temptatio ad malum culpae per malum poenae, solicitation unto sin by the terrors of troubles; judas came and Satan in him, Satan aimed at Malum culpae, at the Apostles revolt from Christ; and to work his will, he used judas his malice to persecute them that took Christ's part. Now then when Christ bids them watch, lest they should enter into temptation, he biddeth them have an eye as well to Satan as to judas; for now both were tempters, and they might now enter into the temptation of both: who would sleep if he lay near a corporal Lion or Serpent? shall we sleep that lie so near the spiritual? But the Father's Greek and Latin observe precisely the phrase of entering into temptation; it is not our care that can put off temptations, the Devil is a Hunter, and will always be following his chase, he is a Fowler, and will always be setting his begins, he will never neglect his care. Our care must be not to put ourselves into the Lion's mouth, not to throw ourselves into his snares; Daemoniacum est (saith Theophylact) it is a devilish thing to be so desperate: we may not so much as desire to be tempted. In this very story that we have in hand our Saviour Christ prayeth more than once, Father, if it be possible let this Cup pass, giving a secret check unto the Apostles pride, who so rashly offered themselves unto death, which Christ so earnestly did deprecate. And how foolish is it for us to affect it? as if the Devil and the World were not studious enough to overcharge us with it. And indeed they may easily overcharge us as appeareth in the next reason, the reason of our prayer, The spirit is wil●ing, but the flesh is weak. I will not trouble you with the diverse sense that is put upon these words, the best and the most agree that these two words note the two parts of a regenerate man, the spirit noting the New, and the flesh the Old man; and so this passage agreeth with the like, Rom. 7. the phrases themselves do give us to understand, that our willingness to serve God is not from Nature, but from Grace, and our backwardness is not from Grace, but from Nature. If these two parts do not concur, the spirit & the flesh, the flesh may pluck back as much as the spirit putteth forward; yea and though they do concur, yet the spirit is too quick for the flesh, and will venture farther than flesh dares to follow. Tertullians' rule is true, that these words import, Quid eui subijci debeat, whether of the parts should have the command; but all goeth not as it should, because one part is enabled to will, but the other is not enabled to obey: therefore St. Hierome saith well, Quantum de ardore mentis confidimus, tantum de fragilitate carnis metuamus, we must not suppose we can do all we would, but we must pray that the spirit that is well disposed may also be strong to subdue the flesh; as by watching the flesh is disenabled to sin, so by praying is the spirit enabled to rule. But more distinctly. First touching the willingness of the spirit, there is great difference between the habit of grace and the use thereof; though we be well qualified with the habit, yet except God excite and assist we make little use thereof. Now the willingness of the spirit here meant, is the ability of a regenerate man without the assistance of God; and we must pray for the latter, because without it the former will avail but little. As for the weakness of the flesh, it must be understood with a restraint ad bonum; for to resist it is strong enough, strong enough to resist the spirit, but weak to resist temptation. And why? the Tempter offereth to the flesh (if it yield) that which the flesh naturally desireth; and if it yield not, he threatneth what the flesh naturally abhors; corporal comfort is that whereafter the body doth long by nature, as by nature it doth joath the loss thereof. The Tempter therefore hath an easy conquest upon the flesh, except God's hand go with it, in vain is it countermanded by the spirit; many woeful examples have the Primitive Churches of this frailty of our nature, and every day is too fertile in spectacles hereof: if the Tempter set upon the flesh, he will easily carry us away, though not without some contradiction of the spirit. And here we see the fountain of all our sins of infirmity, the root of them is this odds between the flesh and the spirit, and this is the whetstone of Prayer; the best men if they be buffeted with the messenger of Satan (as Saint Paul was) their best remedy is that which Saint Paul used, Prayer unto God, whose Grace only can be sufficient for us, 2. Cor. 12. ●. and whose strength is made perfect in our weakness. If this lesson be necessary for those that have some inward alacrity, how much more for them that are altogether drowsy? if the best must pray in conscience of their infirmity, how fervent in prayer should they be, that feel not in themselves that forwardness of grace? how earnestly should they pray, O God make speed to save us, O Lord make haste to help us? I conclude all. This whole Text is a lesson of modesty, and calleth upon us to work out our salvation in fear and trembling, seeing it is God that worketh in us both to will and to do; not that we should waver in our faith, but that we should not presume upon our own strength; remembering that it is an easy matter to vow much while we are on the shore, whereof we will be little mindful when we be overtaken at sea: Many fair flowers shoot forth when the Sun shineth, which come to nought if they be nipped with a Frost; we may not presume that we will be more constant than the Apostles, let their weakness teach us to be humble, lest if we promise more than we perform, Christ tax our pride, and upbraid our weakness; the Tempter will ever set on us, therefore let us never cease to Watch. But the more we find out our danger by Watching, the more let us fly to God in Praying, that the same God which hath given us a willing spirit, may also give us obedient flesh, that both may hold out in the day of Temptation; so shall they both rejoice in the living God, rejoice here while they stick fast unto Christ notwithstanding the Cross, and rejoice hereafter when both coming out of all tribulation shall from Christ receive an immarcescible Crown. THE SECOND SERMON. On Good-Friday. MARK 14.35.36. And he went forward a little and fell on the ground, and prayed, that if it were possible the hour might pass from him. And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee, take away this Cup from me, nevertheless not that I will, but what thou wilt. IN the history of Christ's Cross (which we commemorate this day) there are two remarkable parts: first, a feeling representation thereof which Christ made unto himself: and secondly, a constant perpession thereof when it was imposed by others. The first may be called Propassio, and the second Passio; there went a Cross before the Cross, a fore-Crosse before the after-Crosse, a rational before the sensitive: Christ wrought a smart in himself, before he was stricken by others. This feeling representation, this forehand Cross, this self-affliction is the argument of those words that now I have read unto you. The whole Tract is conceived in form of a prayer, and indeed it is an Offertory prayer; Christ by prayer sets the stamp of a sacrifice upon his death, and turneth his suffering into an offering. In this Prayer we are to observe the circumstances that attend it, and the substance of it. The circumstances are two; when and where. when, he prayed timely, he prayed before he suffered, he armed himself before he came unto the conflict. But where? in a private place; that he might more freely pour forth his soul to God, he withdrew himself from all company of men. In the substance of the Prayer we must see, first to Whom it is directed, and secondly, What is expressed in it. It is directed unto the Father, and there is reason it should be so directed; by him was the Cross ordained, therefore a prayer against the Cross must be directed unto him. But as he to whom Christ directed his prayer is his Father: so in directing of it he doth express the behaviour of a Child. The behaviour of a child is Reverence; Reverence is a virtue compounded ex timore & amore, of fear and love; it is either an awful love, or a loving awe: Christ expresseth both these affections in his prayer; Fear in his humiliation, for he did prostrate himself before his Father; Love in his compellation, for the words are childlike, or childelikely affectionate wherein he speaketh to his Father. But more distinctly, you may observe in them two excellent points of Rhetoric, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a sweet insinuation in My Father; they are melting words, and stealingly are able to alter the constancy of a resolute Father; and an importunate fervency in Abba, Pater, or (as the Syriac) Father, Father, these are forcing words, the redoubling showeth that he meant to make his way by spiritual force, and break into the ears and heart of his Father by an acceptable violence. So doth he direct his prayer. But what doth he express in it? surely veleitatem naturae, & voluntatem gratiae; a wish of nature, and will of grace. The wish of nature is against the Cross, but the will of grace is for it. More distinctly. The Cross is noted by two words, hac Hora, hic Calix, this Hour, this Cup, which words import the same things, only the Hour expresseth the time, and understandeth the Cross; the Cup expresseth the Cross, and understandeth the time: both contain the determinate Passion of Christ. And against this determinate suffering is the wish of Nature bend, it appeareth in those words, transeat, aufer; the Cup hasteneth to me, Let it pass by: or if that be not to be hoped, because I have undertaken as a surety, yet aufer, interpose between it and me, and suffer it not to stay upon me. This is the wish of Nature. But it is a modest wish, therefore it cometh in with a Si, If it be possible. Things are possible either to God's Power, or to his Will; to his Power all things are possible that are not contrary to his Nature: but by his Will many things are impossible, which otherwise may be done by his Power. So that Possible and Impossible must be understood in respect of Gods will, and therefore doth St. Luke in stead of If it be possible, put in If thou wilt; so that Christ doth not desire to speed if there be any impediment from Gods will. This appeareth more plainly in the will of Grace, expressed in the last words, Not what I will, but what thou wilt; wherein you must mark a distinction of Wills, and a submission of the one to the other. There is a will of God, and a will of Christ; by God's Will is meant his Decree, and by Christ's Will is meant his Desire; these agree not, and therefore there must be an yielding: And as it is meet Christ doth here submit his Desire unto the Will of God, Not my will, but thine be done. Finally, compare the wish of Nature, and the will of Grace, and mark that the wish is conditional, but the will absolute; we may not press our desires without this restraint, If God will: but we must surrender ourselves wholly unto God's will, without any limitation from our own will. And so have you such particulars as I apprehend in this Text, I will now (God willing) unfold them more particularly; I pray God I may do it effectually also, that we may so hear as to learn, learn to follow those steps which Christ hath trod out before us. Let us come then to them, and begin at the Circumstances, whereof the first is when Christ prayed; that circumstance is rather gathered out of the contexture of the Chapter, than expressed in the Text, yet may it not be omitted. We must observe that Christ prayed before he suffered; and why? it was the accomplishment of a Ceremony and a Prophecy. A Ceremony; for the Leviticall Sacrifices were first consecrated by prayer, before they were burnt upon the Altar; and Christ coming to be the truth of Sacrifices, did first devote himself unto God, before he was nailed unto the Cross. As he did herein accomplish a Ceremony: so did he a Prophecy also; Oblatus est quia ipse voluit (saith Esay) he died not of constraint but willingly; and this Prayer doth testify, that his bloody suffering was a freewill offering. Neither indeed could his death have been meritorious for us, if it had not willingly been undertaken by him. But the words that Christ speaketh as they are a Prayer, so is that Prayer a feeling representation of the Cross; whereupon this circumstance will yield us another lesson, and that is of religious policy, Christ put himself into an agony, before he was racked upon the Cross, and suffered from himself, before he suffered from others. Why so? such a preparation did forearm him against his Passion, and he undauntedly took down the draught after he had soured his mouth with this foretaste of the Cup; neither do we find after this, he being taken by the jews, crucified by the Gentiles, that (till immediately before he gave up the ghost) he shown any signs of a perplexed man. What wonder if we be leether when calamities overtake us, and faint in the day of affliction? In prosperity we think not of adversity, neither do we by mortification enable ourselves to be more patiented of mortality. He that resteth his bones daily upon a downbed, and pampereth his flesh delicately every day, he that never pincheth his body with fasting, nor afflicteth his soul with spiritual sorrow, how should he bear hunger, thirst, nakedness, tortures, anguish, etc. when God leaveth him to the will of his Enemies? Evils feelingly premeditated do less molest; wherefore after the example of Christ we must still be ready to meet them, and then if they come, we shall be less distressed with them. You have heard when Christ prayed, you must now hear where. As he prayed timely, so he prayed privately in a retired place of the Garden of Gethsemane, the place was a Garden, that Garden was Gethsemane, and in Gethsemane he chose out a retired place; every one of these hath something remarkable in it. The place was a Garden; There be many things wherein we may parallel the first and second Adam; amongst other things this may go for one; the first fell in a Garden, and it is in a Garden that the second beginneth to suffer; in a Garden did Adam lose God's image, and incur God's displeasure, and in a Garden Christ did sorrow for the loss, and tremble at the danger. The Place was not only a Garden, but also the Garden of Gethsemane; and Gethsemane was a Garden at the foot of Mount Olivet, set (as it seemeth by the name) with Olive trees; yea and therein was Torcular an Olive press, wherewith the oil was strained out of the olives; for these reasons was it called Gethsemane, and that is by interpretation Vallis pinguium, a Valley of fat things. Behold an excellent Emblem of our Saviour Christ, who is the true Olive spoken of by Zacharie, cap. 4. by St. Paul, Rom. 11. and he hath his name from Oil. Yea, and what was his Cross, but the Olive press of Gethsemane, that so strained him the true Olive, that his name became Oleum effusum? Cant. 1. and the drops of Oil that streamed from Christ have anaeled many millions of men made Christians. john 18. Christ took delight to walk in this Garden, intimating thereby that it was his delight so to be pressed with the Cross. But there is a third thing which we must mark in this place, in Gethsemane he withdrew himself from his Disciples, when he gave himself to Prayer; that he might more freely pour forth his soul unto God, he retired himself from all company of men: And indeed retiredness is most fit for passionate and affectionate Prayers. Many things may beseem us in private, which in public are not fit; the tears of the eyes, the sobs of our tongues, the beating of our breasts, the interruptions of our affections, the prostration of our persons, the vilifying of ourselves, expostulations with God, and such like, many of these modesty will stifle in company, or they may be abused to vain glory; but privacy taketh away all hope of the one, as it giveth us scope to be free in the other. Therefore Christ here by example teacheth that, whereof in St. Matthew, cap. 6. v. 5. he giveth a rule, To pray in private, to pray in our closet. And many holy men have not only practised, Aug. Bern, Anselm. Heb. 10. but recorded also their soliloquies and private conferences that have passed between God and their souls. But this is not to be abused to the prejudice of the Communion of Saints, or public Prayers, they must be observed: St. Paul blameth them that neglected the Assemblies; these private Devotions must be added over and above the public; Christ that used these, did not forbear the other, no more must we. The last thing that I will note upon this Circumstnace is, that Christus separatus est in oratione, qui separatus est in passione, Christ associated none with him in this offertory Prayer more than he did in his propitiatory Sacrifice, or Suffering upon the Cross: he bids the Disciples pray for themselves, he never bids them pray for him; the glory of the Redemption is so wholly his, that he suffered none to have the least share therein with him. And so have I unfolded the Circumstances unto you, let us now come to the Substance of the Prayer. Wherein we must first see to whom it is directed. And we find that the person is the Father; and indeed he ordained the Cross, and therefore there is reason that a prayer concerning the Cross should be made unto him. jews and Gentiles, wicked men and Angels had a hand in it, but it was but a secondary hand, the primary was Gods, they did no more than was determined by him. And God that determined it, determined it as a Father, out of the heart of a Father did he ordain it, and he did manage it with a Father's hand. Had God been as bowellesse as Adam was graceless, the fall of man had been as desperate as was the fall of Angels; but God forgot not to be a Father, when Adam forgot to be a Child; therefore out of his Fatherly affection did he provide this recovery of his lost child, he provided that his only begotten Son should dye, that his adopted sons might live. Neither did he only ordain it out of a Father's heart, but managed it also with a Father's hand; he included nothing in the ransom of the adopted Sons that tended not to the glory of the only begotten Son; neither was Christ ever so handled by God, as that God did not show himself a Father unto Christ. We have our afflictions, and happily we acknowledge they come from God; but that is not enough, the Heathen did so much: as many as acknowledge divine providence, acknowledge that from it cometh light and darkness, peace and war, prosperity and adversity. But our Afflictions have this proper name of the Cross, and when we inquire after the Author of them, we must behold God in the person of a Father, with this title must we sweeten his sour providence. Are we left to the will of our enemies? yet he that holdeth the bridle is a Father, and they can do no more than he will permit; yea to him belong the issues of death, and he will suffer no child to be tempted above his strength. Doth God chastise us himself? as what child is there whom the Father chastiseth not? and by chastisement shows that he taketh him not for a bastard, but for a son? then paululum supplieij satis est patri, his mercy will rejoice over his judgement; 1 Sam. 7. Heb. 12. he covenanted so with David in the Old Testament, and in the New Testament he warranteth as much by S. Paul. Wherefore whensoever we pray against the Cross, let us not forget to pray unto God as our Father. As we must put upon God the person of a Father when we pray to him, so must we not come to him but with the behaviour of a Child; Certainly Christ did not. The behaviour of a Child is Reverence, and Reverence is a virtue compounded ex timore & amore, of awe and love; Christ expressed both these affections, his Awe in an humiliation, and in a compellation his Love, His Humiliation was the prostrating of his body, He fell upon the earth, saith my Text; St. Luke, He fell upon his knees; St. Matthew, He fell upon his face; all agree that he was humble, very humble, Humilitatem mentis habitu carnis ostendit, the posture of his body made sensible the lowliness of his soul. The distance between the Creator and the Creature is so great, that it may well beseem the most glorious Angel in Heaven to fall down low before his footstool: certainly the 24. Reu. 5. Elders cast down not only their Crowns, but themselves also before his throne where they attend. And if the distance of a Creature from his Creator call for such behaviour, what behaviour must a sinner use when he appeareth before his judge? what humiliation of Body must true contrition of heart express? must we not show that we are unworthy to look to Heaven? most worthy to be reputed no better than vileness? The Son of God in the form of Man had but sin imputed, and yet we see here how thereupon he is humbled, and how then should we vilify ourselves in whom sin is inherent? We always own lowliness, but we should strive to intent it most when we have most need to deprecate God's wrath; the greater need we have of mercy, the more show should we make of our humility. How doth this check the stiffness of our knees, the loftiness of our looks, the inflexibleness of our bodies? if we be richer, if we be greater than others, we think we may be, more familiar shall I say? nay more unmannerly before God; we think we should have less sense of our sin, because we have in worldly things outstripped our neighbours. And yet if you observe, you shall find that none are more ambitious after caps and knees, and more moody if they be disregarded, than they that regard God least, and are least respective of his Majesty. What shall I say then to you? imitemur Ducem nostrum, let us think Christ's practice worth the imitation; let not servants stick at that which is done by the Son; let us not be ashamed to do for ourselves that which Christ hath done not only before us, but for us also; when we pray let us pray most humbly. The second part of Reverence is Love, and that appeareth in the compellation, My Father, Abba, Father. But I told you, that we were therein distinctly to observe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in my Father: so St. Matthew delivereth Christ's words; and they are a sweet insinuation, they serve stealingly to melt the affection of a Father. As a Father pitieth his child (saith the Psalmist, Psal. 103. seven so doth the Lord pity them that fear him; Esay goeth farther, cap. 59 Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea she may forget, yet will not I forget thee: Our Saviour Christ enlargeth this comparison, If you being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give good gifts to them that ask him? Mat. 7. So then where there is a Father, there are bowels on earth commonly, in heaven undoubtedly. Lib. 1. de Abraham● cap. 8. What then St. Ambrose spoke of the like words uttered by Isaac to his father Abraham, when Abraham went about to sacrifice Isaac (a lively type of this intercourse between God and Christ in the matter of the Cross) may I well apply to this compellation of God, Pulsatur pietatis vocabulis, these be words that will try his bowels whether they be tender or no; he giveth a good reason, Nomina vita solent operari gratiam, non ministerium necis, what stronger motive to obtain grace, than for a child by mentioning the word Father, to put him in mind that he was the author of his life? for can he be so hard hearted as to further the abolishing thereof by death? St. Chrysostome weighing the very same words as they were uttered by Isaac, pronounceth of them, Sufficiebat hoc verbum ad lancinanda iusti viscera, Abraham could not digest the words, but he must offer violence unto his own bowels. How powerful then must Christ's words be with God, if nature required that Abraham should be so moved with them, when they were spoken by Isaac? Certainly, if My Father prevail not, I know not what compellation will work in the bowels of God. And yet here you must observe, that as Isaac's My Father removed not Abraham from his faithful obedience, no more did Christ's My Father alter God's determinate course for the redemption of man; his Love unto us made him seem to be bowellesse towards his own Son; at so much the higher rate therefore are we to value our Redemption. As there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the compellation, so there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also; besides the sweet insinuation Christ expresseth a fervent importunity, Abba, Pater, as the Greek, as the Syriac, Father, Father. The Greek expresseth the language of the jew, and the language of the Gentile, to signify that God by Christ's Cross, was to become the Father as well of the Gentile as of the jew. But the Syriac doubleth the same word; while Christ was in his Agony (saith St. Luke) he prayed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, more earnestly. Cap. 22. St. Paul, Hebr. 5. tells us, that Christ offered up prayers and supplications, with strong crying and tears, unto him that was able to save him from death. And the passion Psalms how full of this zeal are they, Psal. 22. & 69. etc. and how do they (as it were) force a way by God's ears unto his heart? Certainly God doth not love cold prayers, that biddeth us ask, seek, knock; in the Parable of the unjust judge Christ teacheth us this duty, and the Canaanitish woman is a good example of such acceptable importunity: but beyond all, this practice of our Saviour Christ, for what can be added unto his compellation? surely nothing, and yet it is little that so much religious Rhetoric doth work. And what do we learn herehence? even this, that though in praying we do our best, yet we must not look to speed always, neither must it grieve us, seeing Christ was contented to take a repulse; God will have us entreat him with the best of our devotion, but the success thereof he will have us leave to his disposition; wherein I commend no more unto you than I find done by Christ, as now you are to hear in the following part of my Text. Having showed you sufficiently to whom Christ directeth his prayer, I will now show unto you what he expresseth therein; he expresseth the wish of Nature, and the will of Grace. The wish of Nature is against the Cross, the Cross is expressed by two words, haec Hora, and hic Calix, this Hour, this Cup; the Hour noteth the time prefixed for Christ's suffering, as that which Christ was to suffer is understood by the Cup, yet so that the Cup includeth the Hour, and the Hour the Cup. But to handle them distinctly; Haec hora is an Ellipticall phrase, you may supply it out of the third of the Revelation, where it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Hour of temptation. And indeed the Cross put Christ to it, it tried him to the uttermost: therefore well may it be called Haec hora, more than an ordinary hour, for it was a most woeful time. But this word hath two additions elsewhere; for sometimes we read Hora mea, my Hour, Luke 22.53. sometimes Hora vestra, your Hour, john 12.27. It was a time wherein Christ was to be a patiented, in that respect doth he call it His hour; and the wicked were to be agents, in that respect he calleth it their hour: each of them were to act their parts, and for that they had this time assigned them. But we must ascend above them both even unto God, who as he is Governor of the world, keepeth times and seasons in his own power; so that nothing is either suffered or done but in the time which he hath prefixed. And if it be true of all times, then specially of most remarkable times, such as was the time of Christ's Passion, which being fixed neither himself did prevent, neither could it be prevented by others; Christ doth more than once allege for a reason why the malice and craft of his enemies took not place, but that maugre all their endeavours he went on in his Ministry, Hora mea nondum venit, the hour of the Cross was not yet come. Put Hour and Cross together, and then this word will yield another note, which is, that though the time of the Cross be bitter, yet it is but short; the story of the Gospel shows that it was quickly passed over, within the space of a day was all the bitterness thereof overcome. And as the Cross of Christ, so that of Christians is not lasting: St. Paul calleth them momentany afflictions, 2. Cor. 5. King David telleth us, that heaviness may endure for a night, but joy will come in the morning, Psal. 30. and that the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous, Psal. 125. But enough of the Time, we shall insist longer upon the Cup, and therein behold the nature of the Cross. Here then are two words, Calix and Iste, a Cup, and this Cup. Touching the Cup, I will not trouble you with the diverse conjectures concerning the original of this phrase, I will deliver that which is fairly grounded on the Scripture. Esay 63.8. Revel. 19 Psal. 75.8. Observe then that God's wrath is compared to a winepress, and the effects of that wrath unto the wine strained out; in the Psalm it is called red wine, elsewhere deadly wine, wine that is able to make men drunk, sick, mad, not corporally but mentally: it surchargeth their wits, and bereaveth them of all heart that drink it. This wine of God's wrath is meant by the Cup. But it noteth withal, that as calamities come from God, so he apportions to every man his part, he giveth him to drink as much as he thinketh fit. Of this Cup you may read in the 25. of jeremy, where the Prophet is willed to send it from Nation to Nation; and the contents of each of their Cups, or rather draughts out of the Cup, are foretold by that Prophet, and by others, in whom we read their several desolations. But we have not now to do with the Cup in general, but with this Cup, the Cup whereof Christ was to drink, which was indeed an extraordinary Cup: you will confess it, if I do but touch at the quantity and quality of the liquor. Touching the Quantity, the Fathers observe two kinds of ingredients, the Principal and the Accessary. The Principal are Malum Culpae, and Malum Poenae, Sin and Woe; the Sin of Adam, a rank root, from whence have sprung many branches, all full laden with evil fruit, and that of diverse kinds, of diverse growths. These Sins with their plenty and variety take up a great room in the Cup. And what Sin doth not fill, Woe may; for Woe is the inseparable companion of Sin: God is offended with it, and if God be offended, then must the Sinner look to be afflicted; the affliction due unto us is in one word called Death; death temporal, death eternal, the severing of the soul from the body, of both from God; and if from God, than no less from bliss than from grace. To say nothing of the Harbingers of corporal death that set forward our mortality, and the companions of spiritual death that aggravate our misery. All these ingredients being put into the Cup, if yet any thing be wanting, the Accessories added unto these Principals will make full measure: I will mention only two, the treason of judas, and the unnaturalness of the jews. Of judas there is a passionate complaint in one of the Psalms, where he is typed out in Achitophel, Had it been anenemy that had done me this wrong I could have borne it, but it was thou mysamiliar friend, with whom I did eat, of whom I took counsel. It is a miserable thing to be betrayed, but most miserable to be betrayed by a friend, a Lord by his Servant, a Master by his Disciple, Christ by an Apostle. Put this then into the Cup. And besides this the unnaturalness of the jews; Rom. 14. they were Christ's kindred according to the flesh, and Christ did vouchsafe to be the Minister of the Circumcision, he preached his Sermons to them, and amongst them did he work his Miracles; he termed all the world but dogs in comparison of them, and to seek them whom he compareth to lost sheep, he was contonted to come down from Heaven. And see how they reward his kindness, nothing will satisfy them but his blood, and that spilt in the most painful, in the most shameful fashion. And as if that were not enough, they make a blasphemous and desperate prayer, that the guilt of it might cleave to them and theirs; certainly this addeth not a little to the Cup. By this time (I think) we have measured out a very large draught, neither is it possible to conceive a larger. But as the draught is great in regard of the quantity, so in regard of the quality it was very bitter: we must then observe that this wine of God's wrath is either merum, or dilutum, shear, or allayed. Others that in this world have had their cups have had them more or less allayed; never was any man's Cross without some comfort; if he were afflicted in soul he had some ease in body; if his honour failed, yet his wealth abode; or if both failed, yet he found some friend to pity him, at lest he had some refreshing of meat or sleep, some way or other was his torture mitigated; never did any man in this world drink of this red wine unmixed but our Saviour Christ; comfort from without he had none, for all forsook him, and he had as little in himself, his body was tortured from top to toe by the jews, and his soul was exagitated by the fiends of Hell; As for his Godhead, though the Hypostatical union was not dissolved, yet was the comfortable influence thereof into the manhood suspended for a time. By all this put together, we may conclude that it was Vinum merum, there was no allay of that bitterness that was put into the Cup, though it were poured in in great abundance. Add hereunto that Christ was not ignorant, nor insensible of this great and bitter Cup; not to know what we are to do, not to have sense to feel what we do, is such stupidity as may not be moved with such a Cup: but if the eye of the understanding be clear to behold it, and the heart be tender to feel it, then will it move with a witness. Now none ever matched our Saviour Christ, in sapientia & charitate, in a piercing judgement, and a feeling nature, and therefore the deeper impression did the apprehension of this Cup make in him: I have a Baptism (saith he, Luke 12.) wherewith I must be baptised, & quomodo coarctor? and how am I grieved until it be passed? But the Evangelists do open his sense thereof more distinctly, they show how it affected his head; upon the foretaste he began 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to be amazed; how it affected his heart, he began 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to droop, to faint; how it affected all his soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, it was all overcast with a heaviness to death; finally how it affected his body, it made it sweat great drops of blood. Put these together, and you have a fair commentary upon that one word wherewith S. Luke doth express Christ's sense, calling it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Agony, or a sharp conflict. And indeed we must confess, that there was much extraordinary in Christ's Cross, and that it was such a draught as none could take but he. And by this we must observe in the Cup and Christ's sense thereof, first that God would have copiosam redemptionem, not only in regard of the person suffering which was both God and Man, and therefore could to a little suffering add an infinite worth; but also in regard of the sufferings themselves, which God would have to be as great as the person of Christ was capable of. And he would not have it seem strange unto us if we be put to a fiery trial, seeing God was pleased so fare to exercise the patience of his own dear Son; after his example we must be contented to take not only Calicem, but Calicem hune, to drink not only of a Cup, but of a very bitter Cup also; as many in the primitive Church, and later ages have done. Secondly in the liveliness of Christ's sense we are taught quanti steterit salus nostra, with how great heaviness and horror Christ undertook and went through the redemption of our souls; the more he felt of that, the more are we indebted to his love, and should detest our sin; yea we must learn of Christ's sorrow to sorrow our selves for ourselves, and by his heaviness how to be heavy when we have offended God. But enough of the Cross. Let us come now to the wish of Nature. It is expressed in two words, transeat, aufer, let it pass, take it away. The words import that the Cup was making towards him; and indeed the word hour, showeth that this was the time of taking it: now death the reward of sin, temporal death fast clasped with eternal, came to require due satisfaction to be made to God. Christ doth not deny that this is just, therefore let it go on, but yet transeat, let it go besides me, let not me be the party on whom it seizeth. But how can that be, seeing Christ stood out as the surety of mankind? the execution must come out upon him that hath undertaken the debt; if then God let his judgements ire go forth, certainly they will not transire pass by the person of Christ; for they are right arming Thunderbolts, as the Wiseman calleth them. Therefore Christ addeth a second word aufer; though of themselves they would seize on me, yet be thou pleased to take them from me; let thy hand stay them which will not stay themselves. But to leave the words, and come to the things that are observable in the Wish. It is an inborn principle of nature for every living thing to desire his preservation and abhor destruction; but this principle should be more living in the Sons of men who know that God made not death, Wisd. 1. and that it is the wages of sin; Rom. 5. Ambros & Theophylact. in bunc locum. because it is unnatural, because it is penal it may be feared, it must be deprecated; we put off nature, if our nature be not so affected. Especially if it be Calix iste, such a Cup as Christ's, an extraordinary Cup, we may not only deprecate it, but ingeminate our deprecation, as Christ three times prayed the same words: and St. Paul did the like against the buffet of Satan. But we must mark, that though all things were foreseen by Christ and resolved upon, yet it pleased God that he should permit every power of his soul to do and suffer what was natural unto it, Chrysostome. and thereby declare unto the world that he was a true Man. Sermone 1. de Sancto Andrea. Yea St. Ambrose and St. Bernard observe, that it was much more glorious for Christ to do so, than to have done the contrary: that not only the passion of his body, but the affection of his heart also might make for us: that whom his death quickened, them his trembling might confirm, his heaviness glad, his drooping cheer, and his disquiet set at rest. Theophylact observeth, that Christ's Wish is a good warning to us that we do not cast ourselves into temptation. 〈◊〉. de passione Christi. St. Cyprian giveth the reason, Quis non timeat, si timet ille quem omnia timent? he prefaceth his words with a passionate Meditation; and they are foolishly hardy that presume of more than is expressed in the Wish of Christ. And the Wish is not only Admonitory, but consolatory also. It is no small comfort that it is lawful for us to express our Wishes though they be contrary to God's will, yea his known will, for so was Christ's. The more rigid is their Divinity that are so zealous for Grace that they abolish Nature, and will have a Christian man forget to be a man. But though this Wish may be common to Christ and us, yet is there as great difference between it as it riseth in us, and as it rose in him. It rose in him never but according to the prescript of reason, his reason was never prevented by his affection; sicut quando voluit factus est homo, as he was not incarnate but when he was willing: so only when he was willing did his affections stir within him; Nihil coactum in Christo, Damascen lib. 3 Orthod. sid. cap. 20. the objects could not work his affections, but when he saw it fit; therefore shall you read in the Gospel, that Christ troubled himself when he groaned in spirit, john 11. But as for our affections, they out-step our discretion, and we are transported with them before we are advised, which maketh us retract them with our after wits. Secondly, Christ's affections, when they stirred, never passed those bounds which were set them by reason; but ours will not so be bridled: seldom are we moved, but we either over reach or come short of that which we ought to do. Therefore our affections and Christ's are fitly resembled to two Vials of clean water, whereof the one hath a muddy residence, the other hath no residence at all: stir the water that is in the Vial without residence, and though you trouble it, yet you shall not see any foulness in it; but no sooner is that Vial that had the residence stirred, but the mud mingleth with the water: even so our affections are tainted with concupiscence; from which, conception by the Holy Ghost did free our Saviour Christ. You have heard the Wish of Nature, and heard how it is bend against the Cross. But there is one point which may not be omitted, Christ's modesty in expressing this: for it is but a conditional Wish; Christ limiteth it with If, If it possible let this Cup pass. Things are possible either only to God's Power, or also to his Will. All things are possible to God's Power, that are not contrary to his Nature; for he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and all things are his host, they subsist in him, and therefore have their strength from his influence. Add hereunto, that in this very case God could absolutely forgive all sins and abolish Hell, being an absolute Lord. But God's Power is moderated by his Will, and when the Will hath set down a resolution, than the contrary is impossible, not simply, but because God cannot vary his judgement. So that here cometh in a second distinction of Possible and Impossible, in regard of Gods Will. Now Christ doth not put in the condition in regard of God's absolute Power, but in regard of his limited; therefore in St. Luke he saith, If thou wilt: as if he did not desire it if Gods Will were against it, if his Will made it impossible to his Power. So then Christ doubteth not God's Power, but acknowledgeth that it is governed by his Will. This Maxim if it were well heeded, would determine many differences between us and the Church of Rome, who talk much of Possible by God's Power, when we speak only of Possible according to Gods Will, in the argument of Transubstantiation. But I will not fall into a Controversy. Out of all that you have heard putting the condition to the desire, you may gather, that the Voice of Nature is but Veleitas, a Wish, though a reasonable Wish; for Oratio est rationalis actio, Christ could not conceive his Wish in a prayer, and not guide his prayer by reason; the fore-taste of the Cross did not so fare overwhelm him, as that he knew not well what was uttered by him. Though later Divines, as well Popish as our own, so amplify Christ's agony, that they seem to conceive otherwise; yet seeing they do absolutely free Christ from sin, they may not in charity be thought to detract any thing from the reasonable advisedness of Christ in speaking these words; Christ was free in uttering the lawful Voice of Nature, but lower he did not go. Yea when he came thither, he soared higher, and in the Will of Grace, surmounted the Wish of Nature. God is pleased that Christian men should be men, but being men he will have them Christians also; he doth not deny us the Wishes of men, but he will have us also have the Will of Angels. The Schools distinguish between the superior and inferior reason, not but that reason is one and the same; but the objects are not the same whereabouts reason is conversant: there are some that are called Rationes humanae, such motives as are presented by the nature of man; some are called Rationes divinae, such motives as are offered unto us from God. Reason may be an Advocate for both, so that in favour of the lesser, it do not prejudice the greater; and in this discretion consists the Will of Grace. But more particularly: We must observe here a distinction of Wills, and a submission of the inferior to the superior. First, for the distinction. The Will of God is his Decree, the Will of man is his Desire. God's Decree I must open a little farther; as for man's Desire I need not open it, you have heard enough in the Wish of Nature. God's Decree than is in the Acts called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Cap. 2.23. a determinate Will; he doth nothing in time, which before time he hath not determined, especially in this great work of man's Redemption: he decreed how sin should be expiated, and himself pacified, how the Powers of darkness should be conquered, and man restored, how Mercy and justice should meet together; all this cometh under the name of Gods Will. See then how he doth the Cross with this sweet word, thy Will, not so much attentive to his own pain, as to God's good pleasure. The Wills being thus discerned, we must now see how Christ doth submit his Will unto his Fathers, Not my Will, but thine be done. Wherein you must first observe, that Christ doth not desire death propter se, sed propter aliud, not for itself, as if there were any thing desirable in it, but only to obey his Fathers Will. Secondly, that to obey it, he doth deny himself; his own life is not dear unto him, so he may do his Fathers Will. john 18. Shall I not drink the Cup (saith he to S. Peter) which my Father hath given me? and elsewhere, john 12. Father, save me from this hour, yet therefore did I come; I came to do not mine own Will, but his that sent me, joh. 6. And indeed to have a Will subject to none, is the property of God; men must imitate the Planets that go not their own motions, otherwise than they are permitted per primum mobile: so should all the motions of our soul conform themselves to the good pleasure of God. Christ in the Lord's Prayer teacheth this by Rule, but here he teacheth it by Example. We should be guided by the Rule, and our neglect is inexcusable, if we do not follow it; but our contempt is intolerable, if we be not moved by the Example: Si Filius obedivit ut faceret voluntatem Patris, quantò magis seruus? De orat. Dominic. (saith St. Cyprian) it is intolerable insolency for a servant to be self-willed, when a child doth bend to the will of his father; for man to be headstrong when Christ is so pliable. Intolerable insolency did I say? nay gross folly; Tert. de Orat. cap. 4. for Velure eo nobis bene optamus cum dicimus fiat Voluntas tua, quòd nihil sit melius Voluntate divinâ, We cannot wish better unto ourselves, than to submit ourselves unto God's Will; for that there is no hurt that can be expected from his Will, no not when he doth correct us, or lay the Cross upon us: for Christ's Cross on earth brought him to the throne of Heaven, and our afflictions are not worthy of the Glory that shall be revealed upon us. But from our own will we can expect no good, it can reach no farther than our understanding, which is but blind, and oftentimes it is overthwart when that seethe right. And therefore as it is happy for the children of men, that being of weak judgements, and of weaker affections, have parents to whose direction and correction they are obedient, for their own good: even so should the children of God think themselves happy, that they have a Father in Heaven that ordereth them better than they can order themselves, to whom if they submit themselves they are sure they shall not miscarry. But durus est hic sermo, it is hard to work this lesson into flesh and blood, into the voluptuous, into the covetous, into the ambitious, into the profane, it is hard to make any wicked man to take this bridle; Christ had so reverend a respect unto the sacred Will of God, that he endured the sharpest of pains to fulfil God's commands: but so insolent, so foolish are the most of men, that they will have their own wills, satisfy their own lusts, and rather than fail thereof, they will break God's bonds, and cast his cords from them. And what Cup can be bitter enough to purge such peccant humours? The last note that I gave upon the Text, is the comparison between the Wish and the Will, whereof I told you the one was conditional, the other absolute, the one is but as it were a deliberation, the other a resolution. And indeed that difference we must hold when our Wishes and Gods Decrees are different, never to present our desires but with a condition; but to take heed of capitulating with God: for that were to give Law unto the Lawgiver, which should not be attempted, and will not be endured. But it is time to end: Tract. 104. Christ (saith S. Austin) being in the form of a servant, might have conceived this prayer in silence; but It a se voluit Patri exhibere peccatorem, ut meminisset se nostrum esse doctorem, he would so perform his devotion, as might make best for our instruction. And Saint Chrysostome noteth herein an extraordinary instruction, Sublimem admirabilis Philosophiae virtutem docet, etiam Natur â abhorrente & renuente Deum sequendum, It is an high strain of Christian virtue that is taught us in this pattern of Christ, so fare to be masters of our natural Affections, that will they, nile they, we will do what God doth bid us. St. Cyprian telleth is that we are not only taught by Christ What to do, but How; namely, to imitate Christ's offertory Prayer, prostrating ourselves humbly, invocating our Father reverently, and not presenting our desires otherwise than conditionally; if we take this course we shall conclude with an absolute submission unto the Will of God. Certainly St. Bernard thought so; for he meditateth thus upon my Text, Noniam despero, Domine, Lord, I am not out of heart now, be my case never so bad; Let my tribulation be irksome unto me, and let me have a comardly heart by nature, let me be forward, when I petition with Transeat, Let this Cup pass, take i● from me: I have learned of thee to betake myself, not to a carnal, but an heavenly comfort, Not my Will but thy Will be done, will hold in all murmuring, and hearten all fainting of my soul. These words than are exemplary words, they inform us what Christ did, to direct us what we must do; Christ's example is without exception, because he was without sin, and is of good use for us, because we may fall into the like case. The like (I say) but not the same; we may fall, though not into a Propitiatory, yet into a Probatory suffering. It is sacrilege to affect the one, the other is common to the whole Church. When we fall into it, if we take Christ for our pattern, we shall find him our patron also; we shall find that his draught hath left little bitterness in ours, and that which is left is much allayed. When Christ made this Prayer, an Angel from heaven comforted him, and if we conceive the like prayers, the Spirit of Christ will not fail to be a comforter to us. Only let us ex non volito make volitum, give the upper hand to Grace above Nature, and we shall find much joy in affliction, which will be unto us the pledge of a greater joy, which after our affliction we shall enjoy in the Kingdom of Heaven. THis Grace he give unto us, that in this practice hath gone before us; that as his, so by his, our patiented obedience may open us a way unto a blessed Inheritance. IHS' A SERMON PREACHED AT St. PETER'S IN OXFORD Upon EASTER DAY. 1 COR. 15.20. Christ is risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept. ANd these words are a part of that first Hymn wherewith we solemnize this Feast, yea they contain a good and full Commentary upon this day's employment. For this day is spent in historia & Prophetia, we therein renew Christ's, and foretaste our own Resurrection; that in the Service, and this in the Sacrament. These two Resurrections are inseparable, therefore St. Paul, willing to assure us of the later, doth first establish the Doctrine of the former; and he doth it by Witnesses, and by Reasons. By Witnesses, because a matter of fact; and by Reasons, because this fact is an Article of Faith. For Articles of Faith are not only credenda, but also credibilia, though before they are revealed, we cannot divine at them, yet being revealed, we may argue fairly for them; many times out of Nature, but out of Scripture always. The Reasons here yielded by the Apostle are of two sorts; the first collects the Absurdities that press all Gaine-sayers; the second those Conueniences that must be acknowledged by true Believers. This Scripture stands in the midst of these Reasons, and is compounded of the conclusion of the former, and foundation of the later. The refutation of the Absurdities warrants this truth, Christ is risen from the dead; and the proof of the Conueniences relies upon this ground, Christ is become the first fruits of them that slept. The Resurrection then from the dead, is the main point of this Text; and the Text doth occasion us to consider, 1. what it is, then, how applied. What it is we cannot be ignorant, if we know the terms wherein it is expressed; these two terms, Dead, and Resurrection. But when we have found them, we must discreetly apply them: for they have different subjects, Christ, and those that slept; they belong to both, but unto those by him, for, He is their first fruits. These be the contents of this Scripture, and of these shall I, by God's assistance, and your Christian audience, now speak, briefly, and in their order. And first of the terms, Death, and Resurrection. These terms are opposite, therefore by the one we must be led to know the other, and because death is first in nature, I begin at that. All death (if it be antecedent to the Resurre&ion) is either in sin, or for sin: Death in sin is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Orat. 7, as Nyssen defines it, an inability to do good, because we have lost communion with God. But communion with God simply we cannot lose, and be; for without him nothing can subsist. It is then communion in that which is his supreme perfection, in wisdom, and in holiness; the soul that is destitute of these, that soul is dead, for it can neither taste, nor see how good the Lord is, whom notwithstanding so to know is everlasting life, and if it be so senseless, it must needs be liveless; It is dead in sin. But as there is death in sin, so is there also for sin, and this is double, either only the dissolution of soul and body, or else a penal condition that followeth thereupon. Touching the dissolution we must mark, that as we exceed a proportion stinted unto us in the use of the Creatures, so they disproportion the harmony of our bodies that are guilty of this abuse, and God doth in the end separate us from them, because we for them, separated ourselves from God. And this death we call the giving up of the Ghost. But after these parts are dissolved, there should seize on either of them a penal condition; On the body, for the grave is not only Sheol, but also Shacath; it doth not only covetously swallow, but digest it also, verè 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, therein death gnaweth upon this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, this rotten mouldering house, this earthly Tabernacle of ours. The Reason of it is, because sin is inherent, and this leprous house cannot be purged, except it be dissolved, dust it is, and to dust it must return again. This is the penal condition of our body. And as corruption seizeth on our body, so should torments on the soul; there is a worm to bite it, a fire to scorch it, utter darkness to distress it; finally, fiends that execute God's vengeance on it, being exiled from the joys of Heaven, whereunto it was created, and adjudged to the pains of hell which it hath deserved. This is the penal condition of the soul. Of these two penal conditions consists the second death for sin. By that which you have heard concerning death, you may easily guess what is Resurrection, it is nothing but a recovery from death, for this is an infallible principle, What riseth that died. Resurrection then is as manifold as Death: to the double death, the Scripture opposeth a double resurrection. The first Resurrection is from death in sin, and it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Nyssen. when Grace quickens the soul, and the soul is transformed form into the Image of God, the Image of being, and doing good, which the Scripture calls the Life of God, and the partakers thereof new men. The second Resurrection is from death for sin, whether it be the dissolution, or the penal condition. Whatsoever the Heathen thought, it is plain, that after the dissolution there is an habitude in the soul towards the body, and a natural desire again to inhabit it; yea it doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as it were travail with that appetite, & appetitus non est frustra, Rom. 8. such a desire is an evidence of God's purpose: The soul shall again be reunited to the body. But to be free from the Dissolution, is not the uttermost of man's desire; he desires also to be free from the Penal condition, Non est vivere, sed valere vita, better these parts never meet, than not meet to their mutual comfort: and therefore the last branch of the Resurrection, is the endless union of body and soul, in beatitudine plenâ, & securâ, in qua nihil concupiscet, nihil metuet, so throughly, so unchangeably blessed, that they shall have their hearts desire, and be free from all fear of evil. I insist no longer hereon, because this point must be resumed again. Let us come on then, and apply what hath been said to the different subjects. And here first we must take for our guide a received rule, Talia sunt praedicata, qualia permittuntur esse à subiectis suis. Death and Resurrection must be limited differently, according to their different subjects. And the first subject is Christ. Death in sin would not agree with Him, it will not stand with the grace of his holy unction, much less of his personal union, he was the Holy one of God, Luke 1. yea the Holy of Holies, Dan. 9 Add hereunto that a sinner implies a contradiction to a Mediator, neither can they both consist in one; for such a high Priest it behoved us to have that was holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, Hebr. 7. therefore could he not dye that death. As he could not dye the death in sin, no more could he undergo all the death for sin, he could not undergo either part of the penal condition. Not that of the Grave, his body saw no corruption; and why? though it had sin imputed, yet had it none inherent, and it is only sin inherent that subjects us to that part of death. And if his body were free from corruption, much more was his soul from torment, it left the body to take possession of Heaven purchased, and Hell conquered upon the Cross; therein his meritorious power after conflict, broke the knot wherewith the dissolution of body and soul came fast clasped with the penal condition: and this he proclaimed in his last speech, john 19 Consummatumest, the passion is now at a full end. There remains then no part of death for Christ to suffer, but only the dissolution, the separation of his soul and body, and to that he yielded himself as an Offerer, that could not be enforced as a Sufferer: When he had triumphed over principalities and powers, the fiends of Hell, and shown his murdering crucifiers by the supernatural Earthquake and Eclipse, how he could rescue himself from death, he laid down his life in testimony of his love to us, and presented that sacrifice of a sweet smell to God, which only was able to redeem us. This being the limitation of his death, the limitation of his Resurrection must needs be answerable, it must be restrained to the reunion of his body and soul, 〈◊〉 Serm. 1. de Resurrect. and it is no more in effect, than Quod potestate divisit, potestate copulavit, with what power he laid down his life, with the same he took it again. Though the soul were severed from the body, yet was the Godhead from neither, the hypostatical union persisted still, his body continued vitae sacrarium; Ambros. Rom. 1. he declared himself mightily to be the Son of God, by the Resurrection from the dead. But farther to open the Resurrection of Christ. These words seem to be a bare assertion; and indeed a bare assertion uttered by them that are witnesses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, were enough to warrant an Article of Faith. But the words imply a manifold proof, and the proof lies in the word CHRIST. Acts 10. For Christ signifieth Anointed, anointed (as the Scripture speaks) with the Holy Ghost, and with power. This unction is with grace, and that either gratis data, or gratum faciens, of Edification or Adoption. The grace of Edification designed Christ to a threefold office, to be a Prophet, a Priest, and a King, and every one of these implies a proof of his Resurrection. His Prophecy; for his Resurrection was a principal argument of that, whether you look upon the types prefiguring, or the words foretelling it, he was to make both good, or else his Prophecy were liable to exception. As the Prophecy, so the Priesthood enforceth the Resurrection: How could it appear that the obligation was canceled, the Law fulfilled, God pacified, sin purged, if he had not risen from the dead? What had become of his merit? Finally, how could his Kingdom subsist without this Resurrection? when could he have received the keys of Death and of Hell? made all knees bow to him in heaven, earth, and under the earth, been invested with absolute power, if he had not risen from the dead. He had never been honoured as a King. The grace then of Edification argues his Resurrection. And so doth the grace of Adoption also; yea that former proves only the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, but this the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thereof, that resolves strongly that it must be so, but this why it must so be; for the Resurrection is not debitum carnis, but sanctitatis, it cannot be challenged by flesh, but by holy flesh, God will not suffer his Holy one to see corruption, Psal. 16. The Prince of this world came and had nothing in Christ, john 14. therefore it was impossible that he should be detained of the sorrows of death; Holiness and Happiness are inseparable, as in God, so in Christ, the latter may 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, be for a time suspended, but because of the former, they could not be long severed. But the name of Christ doth not only note the Truth, but the Condition also of his Resurrection; for it must be such a Resurrection as doth answer his double unction. First that of Edification; for it must answer the Prophecies, Bruise the Serpent's head, Gen. 3. be the death of death, Osea 13. yea by death overcome him that had the power of death, which is the Devil, Hebr. 2. It did so, for he led captivity captive, Ephes. 4. It must answer the Priesthood, there must need no more sacrifice for sin; with that which he hath offered, he must enter Heaven, and find eternal redemption: He did so; for he sits at the right hand of God for ever to make intercession for us. Finally, it must answer his Kingdom, and he must reign as Lord of lords, he must have the Key of David, shut and no man open, open and no man shut. He doth so, in that state he walketh in the midst of the golden Candlesticks, Reuel. 1. & cap. 19 These be things wherein his Resurrection is answerable to his first unction. But it must also be answerable to his second. Though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet we must now know him so no more, all mortality and misery did end at his Resurrection: For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Euseb. de laud. Constant. was not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, rursum & sursum; he not only rose again, but rose to an heavenly life, he brought to light life and immortality, Hilar. in Psal, 41. Id quod fuit in id quod non fuit surrexit, nec amisit originem, sed profecit in honorem, the same body arose, but not in the same state, he retained his nature, but added glory to it; The Lord shown him the path of life, Psal. 16. in whose presence there is fullness of joy, and at whose right hand there are pleasures for evermore. Therefore when he did eat and drink after he rose, and retain the prints of the nails wherewith he was crucified, all this was but dispensatio, as the Fathers well observe, it served only to settle the Apostles faith, as also did the concealing of his glory when he appeared unto them. But to conclude this point, Non magnum est credere quia Christus mortuus est (saith St. Austin) It is not hard to believe that Christ died, the Gentiles and jews, plotters and actors of his death, do boastingly report it: Sed fides Christianorum est resurrectio Christi, Christians go beyond them when they believe that Christ is risen, and risen so. The Priests bribed the Soldiers to deny it; Euseb. the Heathen abolished the Sepulchre that gave testimony of it; the Devil raised up, even in the Apostles days, Heretics to oppose it: but maugre all, this truth stands, Christ is risen from the dead. And thus much of the first subject. I come now to the second: That is noted by Dormientes, those that slept, which is equivalent to Mortui, and as manifold; in sin, for sin, as it is understood spiritually of the soul and body. I need not put you in mind that the tense is no limitation of the subject; for in general arguments the Holy Ghost indifferently useth all tenses, because all times are as one in God, he giveth us to understand so much in his word. But to come to the matter. Mark a sudden change; while he spoke of Christ, he useth the word Dead, no sooner hath he taught that Christ is risen, but he changeth the Dead into Sleepers. Surely then, Christ's Resurrection made a powerful alteration, it turned death into sleep; In Marc. lib. 〈◊〉 cap. 5. and therefore Mos Christianus obtinet (saith Bede) It is usual in the Christian Dialect, in acknowledgement that we believe the Resurrection, to call the dead, Sleepers; hence are the places of sepulture called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Dorters. But are Dormientes all, or some? Surely, the word will reach all mankind, and the Scripture applies it indifferently unto all: take one place for many, Dan. 12. Many of those that sleep in the dust shall awake, which words compared to the like john 5. appear to be a description of the general Resurrection. The death then of all is but a sleep. But we must not mistake, this favours not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, it cast not the soul, but the body, into a sleep, and makes the receptacle thereof, not of the soul, to be but a temporary habitation. The Sadducees of all ages think otherwise, because they would have it so; you may read their dreams in the Book of the Preacher, and of Wisdom, together with the refutation of them; I will say no more to them, but what this word warrants me; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is none, though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there be, their souls and bodies are to continue by God's ordinance immortally mortal, and God will unite them again, neither part shall cease to be, because neither part shall cease to suffer. The body shall not; As the suggestions and actions of sin were ministered and acted by it, so the vengeance of sin shall be endured therein. And for the soul, it is disquieted even with the sleep of the body, while that rots, the soul forecasts what racks, what tortures are prepared for it, and this hath it for an accessory to its own pain. Sleep then in this sense belongs to the wicked. But in my Text by those that slept are meant the faithful. It is of them only that this Chapter entreats, 1 Thes. 4. of those that sleep in Christ; their death is compared unto a quiet, a sweet sleep, because whereas in this life they are subject to the Cross imposed, or voluntary mortification, in death they rest from their labours and sleep without any terrors of evil; so that this word doth encourage them to dye, for who would be troubled when he is called to lay his wearied bones at rest? But as the word hath that encouragement, so hath it a better also, and which doth comfort more. For notwithstanding the rest expected, yet the parting of soul and body is irksome; the rather because we see that this sweet companion our body, must undergo so different a condition from the soul; The soul goeth to Abraham's bosom there to be feasted with the food of Angels, but the body must turn to dust, and become the food of worms. And who can endure this? surely he that remembers that it is but for a moment, the body doth but sleep, it shall awake again, and awake to be of the same condition with the soul: for so much we are taught in the next word, which is Primitiae, first fruits, aequivalent to the Resurrection, a phrase well befitting the season. To understand it, we must observe that in the Law there were two kinds of first fruits; One general, consisting of the first of all the Holy Lands increase, Levit. 23. Verse 10. & 17. and those might be offered at any time of the year; another special, that was restrained to certain seasons, Easter, and Whitsuntide. The first season was Easter day, for the Passover was slain upon Good friday, the day whereon Christ died; the next was to be a holy Convocation, wherein Christ continued in the Grave; and the day following was the sheaff of first Fruits to be presented to the Lord, and that was the first day of the weak, the very day wherein Christ rose from the dead. So that this word Primitiae, is vere significant, and shows how the Truth did answer the Type; Christ's Resurrection was meant by that first fruits. Having found the original of the phrase, let us now rip it up, and inquire into the meaning of it, and then we shall find that it intimates two things, Christ's Prerogative, and our Communion. First of Christ's prerogative. Though the Resurrection belong to Christ, and them that slept, yet first to Christ: first dignitate & causatione, some add tempore also: but I leave it to be disputed by the learned; that may pass inter piè credibilia, but these two are articles of faith: for doubtless Christ had it in a greater measure, and the measure that we have, we have it from him. First of the digintie. Vnumquodque recipitur ad modum recipientis; as was Christ's capacity, so was his participation, his capacity was infinitely beyond ours, his participation must be answerable. The capacity may be conceived by his Unction, and his Union: Our Mystical union comes fare short of his Hypostatical; and the unction of him the Head, fare exceeds the drops that distil therefrom into every one of us that is but a Member; when he rose his glory was without all comparison. The best of men is but a Star, of what magnitude soever he be, but Christ is as the Sun, at the presence whereof the glory of all stars vanisheth. Therefore is he Reshith Biccure, the first fruit of first fruits, as the Law speaks, either word notes an eminency; the first alluding to his title, The Head; the other to his title of First borne; how much more eminent than is he when both are joined together. This is his first Prerogative intimated by his being The first fruits. But as he is Primus dignitate, so is he causatione also; Scrm. 10. the Pas●h. for he caused his own, and is the cause of our Resurrection. His own; St. Bernard so differenceth him from others, Reliqui suscitantur, solus Christus resurrexit, Well may others be raised, Christ only rose, he only by himself could conquer death. Therefore though the word be passive, yet must it be understood actively; Christ was so raised that he raised himself, and that not only merito, but efficacia also; as the Godhead graced the manhood to merit it, so was the manhood enabled by the Godhead to achieve it. But Christ rose, though in se, yet pro alijs, in his own person for our good, that are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, his purchase by death. 1 Pet. 2.9. This is meant in the Law of First fruits, when God telleth the Israelites they shall be presented to make you accepted, and therefore as he was the cause of his own, so is he the cause of ours also; Primum in unoquoquegenere est causa reliquorum, God hath given eternal life, but this life is in the Son, He that hath the Son, hath this life, and he that hath not the Son, hath not this life, joh. 1.5. for he only is the quickening Spirit, and hath the keys of death and hell. But Causa is either aequivoca, or univoca, Christ is Causa Resurrectionis in both senses, he is Causa aequivoca even to the wicked; for he is judge, and therefore shall summon all in the Grave, his Angels shall gather as well tares as wheat, and the goats as well as the sheep shall he call before him. Yea he shall not only cause their rising, but their incorruptibility also; for it is by his Almighty power that they shall be supported to endure their torment. This causation only is not here meant, but causatio univoca also; for he is Primitiae faciens primitias, what himself hath, he makes others to enjoy, and therefore Theophylact observes well, Primitiae ad sequentes respectum habent, these first fruits have respect to others; as if one of many should begin to do that wherein he is afterward to be followed by others. And this appears in our Communion, Communion in name, and in the condition answerable to the name. In name: For as Christ, so we are called Primitiae: so speaks jeremy, cap. 2. v. 3, Israel was holiness to the Lord, and the first fruits of his increase: and S. james, cap. 1. v. 18. Of his own will begot he us, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his Creatures: and Revel. 14. These are redeemed from among men, being the first fruits of God and the Lamb. He is not so then the first fruits, as if we were left to profane uses: for though in comparison of us Christ is the First fruits, yet in comparison of the world, we also are so esteemed; Levit. 23. and therefore there is a second First fruits mentioned in the Law, which was offered at Whitsuntide, and represented the Church to whom the Law was given, and upon whom was poured the Holy Ghost. But as we communicate in name, 1 Cor. 15. so do we also in the condition answerable to the name; for, Christus est Typus Christianorum, As we have borne the image of the earthly Adam, so shall we of the heavenly also. To open this Point a little farther: Christus is Typus victoriae, & vitae; There be two things wherein the first fruits do warrant us communion with him, Victory, and Life; Victory over all over enemies, they shall all be subdued, no more tentations, no more foils, no more reproaches, evea when we shall fall asleep we may lay ourselves down in peace and take our rest, for Christ which only can, will make us dwell in safety. As securely as himself rested in the grave, so shall our flesh rest in hope: there is the first taste of our victory. But when we awake, we shall drink our fill of it; and shall with the Saints in the Revelation, yea in this Chapter, insult and say, O death where is thy sting? O grave where is thy victory? Thanks be unto God which hath given us victory through jesus Christ our Lord. But he is Typus, not only victoriae, but vitae also, and that of grace, and glory. Fulgent. p. 714. Of grace in Baptism, and of glory at the last day; so the Fathers distinguish, Resurrectio carnis Christi gratiam nobis & corporalis & spiritualis resurrectionis attribuit, it raiseth out of both sleeps, the spiritual and corporal, and they do it by the direction of St. Paul, for he makes him a Type of both, but in a different fashion. Of the first, he is Typus analogicus; of the second, exemplaris: We are buried with Christ in Baptism, that as Christ died and rose again from the dead, so should we walk in newness of life, Rom. 6.3. Christ then in his Resurrection doth first preach unto us rising from sin. And indeed if the name Christus, did imply the cause of his Resurrection, the name of Christians must imply the cause of ours: no hope of an answerable resurrection, if we have not a part in the unction; for the first resurrection doth fit us for the second. If we have (saith St. Paul. Phil. 3) our conversation in heaven, we may look for our Saviour which shall change our vile bodies, and make them like unto his glorious body. This all should think upon that little intent the first, and yet look for the second Resurrection, whereas a spiritual body can be the Tabernacle of none but a spiritual soul; and we must feel the answer of a good conscience to Godward, before we can be begotten to a lively hope by the Resurrection of jesus Christ; Nyssen de opif. hom. c. 22. yea we must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, foretaste glory by the use of grace. And if a man have the Spirit of grace, Theophylact comforts him well, Ne angaris animo quod mort all corpore cinctus sis, etc. be not disheartened when thou lookest upon thy house of clay, the Spirit of life that is in jesus freeth us from the Law as of sin, so of death; for if the spirit of him that raised jesus from the dead dwell in thy mortal body, he that raised jesus from the dead will also quicken thy mortal body, by the spirit that dwelleth in thee, Rom 8. There is one thing more noted by the first fruits; Levit. 1. they were put on the Altar but not burnt; to note, that they were ready for God without fire. The Cross of Christ hath made an end of all affliction, there remains nothing for us but acceptation, that we be presented unto God in his Temple, and received into those heavenly Tabernacles. These be the things that the First fruits do teach, and whereof we may not doubt; for therefore the Fathers tell us, that Christ's resurrection is not only Auspex, and Examplar, but also fidei iussor, Theodoret. yea chirographum nostrae resurrectionis, they make a fair demonstration of it, Primitiae habent cognationem cum universo eo cuius sunt Primitiae, the first fruits, and that whose first fruits they are, must needs be of the same kind. The cognation than is between Christ's manhood, and ours; in that he opened unto us the new and living way, Heb. 9 Non est dubit andum de consortio gloriae, sicut non est dubit andum de consortio naturae. And therefore the Fathers in the Primitive Church testified their faith by standing upright this day and many following days while they prayed; not only to remember themselves whither their desires should tend, but also to testify that this day is quodammodo imagoventuri saeculi, a representation of our blessed rising from the dead. It is true that as the Easter first fruits were presented before those at Whitsuntide, so God hath put a distance between Christ's resurrection & ours, we must stay our time; yet the first fruits wils us to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to be as sure as if we were already risen. The last note that I will give upon Primitiae, is, that they are Primitia dormientium, the first fruits of them that slept; the same flesh awakes which slept, that first slept in sin, and then for sin. And is not this a wonderful mercy? This flesh, if you look to the baseness of it, how much more if to the sinfulness, may seem unworthy of so great glory, but God doth vouchsafe it, and leaves us to stand and wonder at it. He that could have created new bodies, chooseth rather to repair our old; that this our unworthiness might the more commend his goodness, he will make these quondam justful eyes, itching ears, bloody hands etc. fit to do him service in the kingdom of Heaven. But it is time to conclude. I will shut up all with a few admonitions that spring from the Text. There is in every man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a natural querulousnesse against death. This Text will silence it, for the remembrance of the Resurrection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, (as Athanasius speaks) furnisheth us with a shield to quench that fiery dart, it will make us resolve that death is better than life, because the passage to a better life. For the Resurrection is Pascha, Transitus; death is not meta, but via, not our journey's end, but the passage thereunto: but it is to them that are Christians, that are according to the inner man Temples of the holy Ghost; for where grace is, Leo de Pasch. Serm. 13. there is the passage unto glory; Quare appareant nun● quoque in Civitate sancta, i.e. in Ecclesia Dei futurae Resurrectionis indicia, & quod gerendum est in corporibus fiat in cordibus; Let our renewed hearts be unto us a pledge that our bodies shall be renewed. But grace must be Paschall, transitus sine reditu, we must so rise from sin that we return not like dogs to our vomit, 1 Pet. 2. and like swine to our wallowing in the mire. Serm 10. de Pasch. St. Bernard complained of many in his days, Qui sacram Domini Resurrectionem Paschae privabant nomine, to whom it was not Transitus, but Reditus, that though they kept the Feast for a day, and did partake the Sacrament also, yet after all this turned as good fellows as ever they were before. I would it were not so with us also: That it is so with the vulgar people, the Taverns can witness, that are never better furnished than about this time, I would they did not witness the like again ●vs also, whose breeding should remember us of a better course, and teach us that Easter must be transitus sine reditu, as in Christ, so in Christians. Whereupon it followeth, that this meditation must make every day to be unto us an Easter day, and if it be to our souls, it will hearten us to hope well of our bodies also; so that every one of us may boldly say with St. Bernard, Declam de bonis deser. Requiesee in spe caro misera, My flesh, frail flesh, be still, and rest in hope, he that came for thy soul, will come also for thee, and he that reform that, will not forget thee for ever. O Lord that art the life and resurrection, illighten all our darkness that we sleep not in death of sin, or for sin; let us all awake unto righteousness, and sin no more: so shall we in thy light see light, and by the life of grace, be brought unto the life of glory. Which God grant for his Son Christ jesus sake, to whom with the Holy Ghost, all honour, glory, might, and majesty be ascribed both now and ever. Amen. Awake thou that sleepest, stand up from the dead, and jesus Christ shall give thee light. A SERMON PREACHED IN THE CATHEDRAL Church of Wells on EASTER DAY. MATTH. 26. Vers. 26, 27, 28. And as they were eating, jesus took bread, and blessed it, and broke it, and gave it to the Disciples, and said; Take, eat, this is my Body. And he took the Cup, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it. For this is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. Supply out of LUKE 22.19. This do in remembrance of me. And out of St. Paul, 1. COR. 11.25. As often as you do it, you show forth the Lords death till his coming again. OUR Saviour Christ being ready to dye, and by his death to redeem his Church, the whole Church that began in Adam, and was to continue until the end of the World, immediately before honoured a Sacrament of either Testament; the Passeover that was an annexe of the Old, and the Eucharist that was to be the annexe of the New Testament. Of the Passeover St. Matthew speaketh in the words that go before, of the Eucharist in these that I have read unto you. The Argument then of my Text is the Eucharist, the original thereof. And of that (fitting the present * The receiving of the Communion. occasion) my purpose is to give you a very plain, and a very short Exposition. We may resolve then the Original of the Eucharist into the Author, and the Institution. The Author is here called jesus. Touching the Institution, we are to see, 1. When, and 2. How he did institute it. When; while they were eating. How; partly by practice, and partly by precept. In the practice we are taught What Elements were chosen, and What was done with them. The Elements were two, Bread and Wine: Christ chose these, He took Bread, he took the Cup. In opening what was done with them, the Evangelist informs us of two works; first, jesus his work, and secondly, the work of his Disciples. And either of their works is double; jesus work is first to consecrate, and then to distribute the Elements. In the Consecration we must see, first, How Christ did it, and secondly, Why. How; he did it by blessing and thanksgiving: blessing of the Creature, thanksgiving to the Creator. Why; that the Elements might be, the bread the Body, and the wine the Blood of Christ: so saith jesus after Consecration of the bread, this is my Body; and of the wine, this is my Blood. My is a markable word; for it improves the Body and the Blood in that they are his, which is jesus. Secondly, about this Body, the Text instructeth us in two other things; first, How it must be considered, then Whereunto it was ordained. Though they be the body and blood of jesus Christ that is glorified in Heaven, yet must they be considered as he was crucified on earth; the body as it was broken upon the Cross, and there given for the Church; the blood as it was shed and let out of his body on the Cross. The body and blood so considered, were ordained to establish a New Covenant; therefore are they in the Text called the blood of the New Testament: this was the first end. A second is to assure the Church of remission of sins; the whole Church: for the blood is shed for many, and the good that the many were to have thereby, is the remission of their sins. Besides this first Act of thus consecrating the Elements, Christ performs another Act, he distributeth that which he consecrateth. In the distribution we have two things; first, he divideth the Elements, he broke the bread; and the like is to be conceived by Analogy touching the wine; for though not actually, yet virtually he did divide that, in that he would have every one drink but a part of the whole. Having thus divided, he delivereth the parcels of the bread and the wine to be drunk by parts: In this sense (saith the Text) he gave the bread, he gave the cup, he gave both, and both consecrated. Besides this work of jesus, we have here a work of his Disciples; of the Disciples, for none might do the work but they, and all of them must do it. That which they must do, is, they must take that which Christ gives, and what they take they must eat and drink as it was consecrated; Eat this which is my body, drink this which is my blood, etc. And they must eat and drink it to the same end for which it was consecrated: the doing of this is not arbitrary, it is enjoined by the commandment of Christ, Take, Eat. I have showed you jesus his Practice, which was the first mannerof instituting the Eucharist. There is a second, and that is by Precept, that precept is here but employed; for the act being Sacramental, must continue so long as the Doctrine doth whereunto the Sacrament is annexed: the Sacrament of the New Testament until Christ's coming again; for so long must the Gospel continue. But the precept that is here only employed, is in Saint Luke expressed, and repeated by St. Paul with some exposition added to it. The precept is, Do this in remembrance of me, which words require the Church's imitation and commemoration. Imitation; Do this, the Pastors, the People, both must perform their work, they must do. Secondly, that which they must do is this, they must strictly observe the pattern that is given in this place. Besides their imitation, here is enjoined them a commemoration, what they do they must do in remembrance of Christ. St. Paul openeth the phrase, They must set forth the Lords death. Finally, whereas Christ did it now once, and he would have them do it again, we may see a difference between Baptism and the Eucharist; this may be reiterated, though the other may not. And so have I laid before you as many particulars as I think observable in this Text, which I will now unfold briefly, and in their order: First, then of the Author. He is here called jesus, Saint Paul calleth him the Lord jesus. Though Sacraments be Ceremonies, yet are they Ceremonies of efficacy. Were they only of significancy, the Church might have some power to ordain them; but being of efficacy, their ordination belongeth only to God: because the efficacy floweth from his Spirit, and of his Spirit none can dispose but himself. As only God is the Author of Sacraments, so did he institute them by the second Person, by him that is the Saviour of the world doth he institute the Sacraments of saving grace: the Sacraments are his most lively picture, therefore he was fittest for to draw them. He was fittest, as Iesu● for to draw them, and as the Lord to enjoin the observation of them; therein especially stands his Kingdom in his Church, to prescribe the means unto eternal Life. But how doth he do it? you shall learn that in the Institution; I therein observed the time, and the manner. The time; while they were eating (saith St. Matthew) after Supper (saith St. Luke) Saint Paul, the same night that he was betrayed. St. Paul and St. Luke are easily reconciled; for the Passeover was solemnised at the same time, and St. Luke meaneth when they had done with that, so far as concerned the Paschal Lamb, but were not yet risen; for that there was another Ceremony to be performed, as the jewish rituals observe: and that Ceremony was this, The Master of the Family after the Passeover was eaten, distributed with solemn words concerning the deliverance out of the Egyptian captivity, bread and wine; before that was done, Christ instituted the Sacrament, and so it might be while they were eating, though it were after Supper. Where out of St. Paul's addition that it was the night wherein Christ was betrayed, we may observe, that for the terror of the Cross, which he foresaw, Christ did not omit to do any thing which concerned his office, and was to be for the comfort of his Church. Secondly observe, that they were not at a profane but a sacred Banquet, which hindered not but they might be meet guests for Christ's holy Supper; while they received one Sacrament they were not unfit for another. And this teacheth us the reason, why though Christ gave the Sacrament to the Apostles while they were feasting, the Church commands us to take it fasting. For their feast was sacred, the Church forbids that which is profane; so doth St. Paul, 1. Cor. 11. yea the jews were to sanctify themselves before the receiving of the Passeover. How may we then come unprepared to ours? that the meat of our souls may the better be received, we must not be prepossessed with the food of our bodies. Where by the way, you may learn how to answer the cavil against our Liturgy, which saith, that the Devil entered into judas after his unworthy receiving of the Sacrament. For put the case he were not at the Eucharist, which notwithstanding will not easily be proved, because the best Harmonists are against the conceit, and so are the Father's Greek and Latin. But put the case he were not there, yet was he at the Passover; that is plain in the Evangelists, and the Passeover was a Sacrament, and so in effect the matter is all one. Secondly, observe on these words, While they were eating, that before the Sacrament of the Old was abolished (for it was not abolished but by the death of Christ) Christ instituted the Sacrament of the New, that because we have always so much need of grace, we might never be without the means thereof. So did he substitute Baptism to Circumcision, the Ministry of the Gospel to the Priesthood of the Law, the Lords Day to the jewish Sabbath. Seeing then Christ hath been so careful of us, we must not be wanting to ourselves; if we want grace, the blame must not be laid on him, but on us. Thirdly, Christ abolished the Ceremonial Law, but not all Ceremonies. We consist of a body and a soul, and God doth convey grace unto the soul by the body, which cannot be done without Ceremony. But ours are fewer in number than were the jews, Austin. though they are not inferior in power: yea they are much more commodious, though they be less burdenous. Our charge being easier, and our comfort greater, our sin is less excusable, and our neglect more challengeable, if we do not practise such easy means, to compass so great a benefit. Enough of the Time. I come now to the Manner of the Institution; where we must first see what Elements were chosen: and here we find bread and wine. Of this choice the reason is inquired. Some think it occasional; because the Father of the Family did after the Passeover distribute bread and wine: Some think Christ took an occasion from that ceremony to institute this, & by this Truth to accomplish that Type. Others think the reason to be Prophetical; Cap. 1. Malachy foretold, that from the rising of the Sun, unto the going down of the same, God's Name should be great amongst the Gentiles, and in every place incense should be offered to his Name, and a pure Offering; the word is Mincah, and so doth import an accessary to the ancient Sacrifice, that was made commonly of fine flower and wine; this accessary might in some cases be a principal, as appears in the Law. Some rise higher unto the days of Melchisedech, and because he offered bread and wine, and Christ was a Priest after the order of Melchisedech; therefore he made use of his Sacrifice, and perpetuated it to this heavenly use. Now the bread and wine which Melchisedech brought out when he met Abraham, are by many of the Father's thought to be a Sacrifice. I might add a fourth Original, that is, Manna, and the water out of the Rock, wherewith God sustained the Israelites in the wilderness, St. Paul calleth them spiritual meat and drink, 1. Cor. 10. But to leave these points which are subject to dispute, I will come to that which is more clear; and that is, Bread and Wine are the choicest of food, bread strengtheneth man's heart, and it is the sustenance of all other sustenances, the Psalmist giveth Wheat as it were kidneys of fat, not only alluding to the form of the grain, but also to the effect thereof; and God by the Prophet, when he threatneth a famine, expresseth it by breaking the staff of bread, as if without it all food were heartless. As for wine, the Psalm teacheth us, that it was made to cheer up man's heart. The Parable of the Trees telleth us it cheereth both God and man, judges 9 In the Problem, Esdras 3. What is strongest? wine is brought in as one. Ecclesiasticus hath made almost a whole Chapter of it, and holdeth that there is no life without it; be we lovesick or sorrow-sicke, Cant. 2. Prou. 31 Solomon will tell us, that wine is the remedy. As bread and wine are the choicest of foods, so do they comprehend entire food; for humidum and siccum are all that are required unto food: the bread, which is dry, as the foundation of nourishment; and the wine, which is moist, as a necessary requisite unto the concoction of the bread, that it may be chylus: for except moisture incorporate itself into it, and help the stomach to digest it, it will hardly be prepared for the Liver, and being prepared, for want of liquidnesse, it can hardly be dispersed through the body. So that neither of these parts can be wanting in our sustenance corporal, if either be, the sustenance will be imperfect. Finally, the Elements of bread and wine serve to set bounds unto our meditations upon sacred things. For though the heavenly part be the life of the earthly, yet would we lose ourselves in sounding that great depth, if our thoughts were not guided and stinted by the earthly. Therefore hath God vouchsafed this gracious help both in the Sacrifices and the Sacraments; by the Elements he hath confined our meditations, that being more distinct, they might be more profitable. This being observed concerning the Elements what they are, we must next observe, that they are chosen, Christ took the bread, and he took the cup, the taking of them into his sacred hands, was a real choice of them. And indeed, he only that can institute Sacraments, can appoint the Elements, and he doth both upon the same grounds which I touched before. Only here I note, that we must keep ourselves to his choice, and we may not presume to alter the Elements. Some are bold, and think, that as in the Apothecary's shop they have Succedanea, one Simple to supply the want of another: so in case of necessity, in stead of the Elements taken by Christ, the Church may use Analoga, such things as are to the people in stead of bread & wine. But that may well be doubted, except it be better warranted than by humane conjecture. It is true that God made Manna Sacramental, and so did he the water of the Rock; but man may not presume to do what God did. And seeing Sacraments have necessitatem not Medij, but Praecepti, as it is a very foul fault to contemn the Elements chosen, when they may be had: so when they may not be had, it were better to want the Sacrament, than to use Elements of our own choice. God can supply to our faith rem Sacramenti sine Sacramento in a case of necessity, who happily will not be so gracious, if we be so presumptuous to prescribe. If in case of necessity we may not be so bold, much less may we be as the old Heretics were that corrupted the elements, substituting water when they might have wine, which therefore were called Aquarij, against whom Saint Cyprian writeth. I mean not those that put water into the wine, which in the East Countries was used first to allay the heat of the wine, & afterwards the Fathers conceited a mystery therein, of joining the people unto Christ; (which Ceremony the Church of Rome doth pertinaciously defend, and of a thing indifferent, which may be used as it is found expedient for every Church, they make it necessary upon their command to be used by all Churches;) but I mean those that used only water. As some corrupted the element of wine, so some that of the bread, and that with so much lewdness, as is fit neither for Christian eyes nor ears to read or hear. Whether the bread should be leavened or unleavened is a dispute. The Advocates of the Church of Rome hold it a thing indifferent, & though themselves use unleavened, yet do they not condemn the Churches that use leavened; and of the Reformed Churches, some use one, some the other. Though I may not omit to tell you, that the bread used by Christ in the Sacrament, though it were occasionally unleavened, because of the Law, which commanded such bread to be eaten with the Passeover; yet was it made of dough, and not of batter, and so was that which properly is called bread, and is used with our meat, and not Wafers, which have not that use. 1. Cor. 10.16. Therefore the Apostles give it the name of bread, yea of a Loaf; and from the Apostles days, during the Primitive Church, the Fathers observed that course of using Loaves of bread. One thing more I must observe concerning the elements, and that is, that neither of them must be embeazeled from the people, that neither of them must be wanting; for Christ took both. Neither may they be confounded the one with the other, as some put the bread into the wine, Christ took them both apart. Having sufficiently showed you what elements were chosen, I now come to show you what was done with them. And here we find two works: first, jesus his work, and secondly the work of his Disciples; both double. I begin with jesus works, whereof the former is, He consecrateth the Elements. And his consecration was performed by two acts: first, Blessing, than Thanksgiving: blessing of the Creatures, and thanksgiving to the Creator. Blessing is threefold, as the persons that bless may be of three sorts: first, only God, than the blessing is real; so he blest his creatures, Gen. 1. and promised to bless Israel, Deut. 28. Secondly, only man, so the blessing is but verbal; thus Isaac blessed jacob, and jacob the twelve Patriarches, Gen. 27.49. so Kings, Pastors, Fathers, bless their subjects, their people, their children, speaking the words, but reserving the deeds for God. Thirdly, jointly God and Man, so the blessing is both verbal and real; such was the blessing of Christ, he spoke the words as man, and made his words effectual as God, when he multiplied the Loaves and the Fishes, and when he instituted the Sacraments. Christ not only blessed the creature, but he gave thankes also to the Creator. Christ had power enough of himself being God, but he did ordinarily ascribe the power unto his Father while he did work the Redemption of man: so was he pleased by his humility to make amends for our pride, and to supply our forgetfulness by his thankfulness; he acknowledgeth him the fountain of all good, and giveth him the glory of all his wonderful works: teaching us that the children of God only by adoption should be humble, as he is our pattern which is the son of God by generation. The Psalmist goeth farther, and concludeth us, if we be unthankful, to be worse than beasts, seeing the eyes of all things look unto him which giveth them their meat in due season, Psal. 145.15. Wherefore, whether we eat or drink corporally, 1 Cor. 10.31. how much more if we eat or drink spiritually? we must follow the Apostles rule, and do all to the glory of God; we must question with ourselves as did King David, Psal. 116.12. What shall I render unto the Lord? and we must with him answer for ourselves, I will take the cup of salvation and praise the name of the Lord: unto this end is this Sacrament called the Eucharist. Thus Christ conscerateth the Elements. But why? what good came to the elements by consecration? surely much good; for they are made the body and the blood of Christ: so saith jesus, This is my body, this is my blood. The interpretation of these words is much controverted, and it is much disputed, What change of the Elements the words of Christ did make; for that Christ changed the bread when he consecrated it, we make no doubt. Whereas then there are three things in bread and wine, 1. the name, 2. the use, and 3. the substance; we confess a change in the two first, but deny it in the third. First, we confess a change in the name directed by St. Austin's rule; Ad Bonisa●. ep. 23. Because of a similitude, Sacraments commonly bear the names of the things themselves, the Sacrament of Christ's body is after a sort the body of Christ, and the Sacrament of Christ blood is after a sort the blood of Christ. Of St. Aducrsus judaeos. Augustine's opinion in our case was Tertullian, Christ (saith he) calleth bread his body. And Cyprian, the signifying elements, and the thing signified, De ●nctione Chrismatis. are caded by the same name. Our Saviour (saith Theodoret) changed the names, and called the sign by the name of his body. Ambrose, Chrysostome, Ambros. de Sacraments. l. 5. c. 4. Chrysost. ad 〈◊〉 sarios ●●●nachos. and others might be alleged to this purpose. Secondly, we acknowledge a change in the use of the Elements; for there must be some ground for which the signs may bear the names of the things themselves, and that is, The virtue, the power, the operation of the flesh and blood of Christ, being mystically united to the signs, do in a wonderful sort manifest these things by the signs through the operation of the Holy Ghost. This we learn of St. Cyprian, De ●nctione Chrismatis. to the Element once sanctified not now their own nature giveth the effect, but the divine virtue worketh in them more mightily, the truth is present with the sign, and the spirit with the Sacrament: De Sacramentis l. 4. c. 4. so that the worthiness of the grace appeareth by the efficiency of the thing. Ambrose also, If there be so great strength in the word of the Lord jesus, that all things began to be when they were not, how much more shall it be of force that the mystical Elements should be the same they were before, and yet be changed into another thing? Theodoret. The signs which are seen Christ hath honoured with the names of his body and blood, not changing the nature, but adding grace unto nature. Thus fare we go in acknowledging a change of the Elements by consecration, farther we go not; we acknowledge no change in the substance of the nature of the Elements, De Sacramentis, l. 4. c. 3. and herein we are guided by the Fathers also. Ambrose. Thou cam'st to the Altar and sawest the Sacraments thereon, and wondredst at the very ereature, De Coena Domini. and yet it is a solemn and a known creature. Cyprian. After consecration the Element is delivered from the name of bread, and reputed worthy to be called the body of the Lord, notwithstanding the nature of the bread still remains. Ad Coesarios Monacbos. Chrysostome. The substantial bread and cup sanctified with a solemn blessing is profitable for the life and safeguard of the whole man. To prove this the Father's use to parallel the Sacrament and the Person of Christ, De ieiunio 7. mensis. in their disputes against Eutyches. Gelasius. As the bread and wine after consecration are changed and altered into the body and blood of Christ: Dialogo secundo. so is the humane nature of Christ changed into his divine. Theodoret hath the same parallel, and so hath St. Austin, as he is cited, the Consecratione, distinctione secunda, Hoc est quod dico. Now a general Council, not only particular Fathers, have resolved that both natures continue in Christ's person unaltered; so do their properties; so do their actions; only this honour the divine doth to the humane nature, that as it hath associated it into one person, so doth it manifest her properties by it, and perform her actions: Even so is it in the Sacrament, the heavenly, the earthly thing are both united to make one Sacrament, but each keepeth unaltered its own nature, properties, and actions; only the heavenly doth work by the earthly, and doth not ordinarily without it manifest its operation. If in the person of Christ there was no alteration of the divine nature, though the Scripture say the word was made flesh; much less may we dream of any alteration in the earthly part of the Sacrament, though it be said, the bread is the body, and the wine is the blood of Christ. Out of this distinction of changing of the Elements, you may perceive that Christ's consecration was effectual, though not effectual to Transubstantiation. For in a sacramental argument, both substances must remain, and by reason of the mystical union Disparats may be affirmed, the one of the other without absurdity. Whether the sacramental union do require moreover a Consubstantiation may also here be disputed; for some urge it out of these words. But their answer is briefly this, The earthly and the heavenly thing may be conjoined really, though not locally. And as they may be conjoined, so they may be received, seeing the proper Exhibiter of the heavenly is the Holy Spirit, and the Receiver is our faith. Our faith may ascend to Christ in heaven, and the Spirit being infinite may unite us unto Christ though we be as low as the earth. Whereas then the words may have their truth without any recourse to a miracle, or contradicting any other Article of faith, or forcing strange senses upon other passages of Scripture; we content ourselves with this mystical relative union, and forbear all other unnecessary speculations. Although we must needs confess, that the words make more for Consubstantiation than they make for Transubstantiation. We confess then that in the Sacrament there is the body and blood of Christ, and that three manner of ways; though we admit neither of the two false ways Transubstantiation and Consubstantiation. First in regard of the sign; for it was not chosen for itself, but with reference to Christ. Secondly, in regard of the resemblance; it doth most fitly set forth the efficacy that is in Christ, the strengthening, the cheering efficacy; you heard before out of the 104th. Psalm, that those properties are in bread and wine. Strength is either increased or recovered, and cheerfulness followeth either upon the recovered, or increased strength; we are Babes, and must grow in Christ; we are Soldiers and lose blood in his quarrel; we must find that which is wanting to both in him. The conscience of sin doth deject us, and the want of grace slack that zeal that should be in us; repair of cheerfulness in both cases is to be sought in Christ. Thus much we are taught by the resemblance. A third reason why we hold the Sacrament to be the body and blood of Christ is, because the heavenly thing is conveyed unto us by the earthly; the bread which we break is it not the communion of the body of Christ? and the cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the the blood of Christ? In a word, the sacramental union made by consecration serveth to make the sacrament fit for our participation; 'twas so, it is so, in every Sacrament of th● old, of the new Testament. The addition of My to the body and blood must not be neglected, for it doth infinitely improve them, when it tells us whose they are. For there is not an eminency in the person that doth not reflect upon this body and blood, be it eminency of dignity, or of efficacy. The person is jesus; than it is the body and blood of the Saviour of the world; He is Christ, than it is the body and blood of the Anointed of the Lord, of the Prophet, of the Priest, of the King of the Church; he is the Son of God, the only begotten, the dear beloved Son; how heavenly, how precious must that body and blood be which are his? For our better valuation and greater consolation, we may carry My through all the attributes of this sacred person. But let us go on. The Elements of bread and wine were consecrated that they might be the body and blood of Christ. But how are this body and blood to be considered? Surely not as Christ is glorified, but as he was crucified: for it is that body that was given (as St. Paul speaketh) was broken; and the blood is that blood which was shed. And so doth it best answer the sacrifices of the old Law, and the Sacrament of the Passeover. And no marvel; for the glory of Christ can little comfort us, except the cross of Christ do first prove that he hath merited it for us. Christ's merit is the pillar of Christian faith, whereunto his birth is but an antecedent, that he might be able to merit, and his glory a consequent, witnessing that he did merit. We must therefore in the Sacrament have an especial eye to this. And this will not only secure our souls, but settle our judgements against the Sophistry of the Church of Rome, who not distinguishing between Christ crucified and glorified, or rather not building their conclusions answerable to this undeniable Principle, The Sacraments represent Christ crucified, not glorified, are driven to coin so many new Articles, 1 of real presence corporal, 2 of a metaphysical Transubstantiation, 3 of an ill applied concomitancy. All which easily vanish, if we consider Christ's purpose to represent himself in the Sacrament, not as he now is at the right hand of God, but as he was upon the Cross. Not but it is the same body and blood which is in glory, but it must not be so considered, as it is in glory. Which will necessarily enforce us to acknowledge, that theynion between the thing earthly and heavenly can be no more than sacramental, and that respective also to what was done on earth, not what is in heaven, Was, I say, done formaliter on the Cross, but is effectiuè working in Heaven. For that body which Christ sacrificed for us, he presents in Heaven to propitiate God towards us: not continuing the Act of sacrificing, for that was activa Passio, or passiva Actio, many others concurred thereunto besides himself; as it is clear in the Evangelists: but perpetuating the effect of the sacrifice: the Act was but once done, and that only upon the Cross, but the efficacy thereof continueth for ever, though Christ sit at the right hand of God in Heaven, as St. Paul proveth at large in the Epistle to the Hebrews. And this cutteth up the very roots from whence springeth the Mass, and all Attendants thereupon. The last thing which I noted in the consecration is, Whereunto the Elements consecrated, and by consecration made the body and blood of Christ, the body as it was broken, the blood as it was shed, do serve, and What is intended by them. Here are two excellent ends; we must behold therein, first the establishment of a new Covenant between God and us. We need a new one that have broken the old, by our mutability before the fall, and since the fall through our great imbecility; so that finding ourselves unfit for Hoc fac & vives, we must rest upon justus fide suâ vivet. It is our comfort, that we which cannot stand of ourselves, may subsist in Christ; and though the Law be too hard for us without the Gospel, yet by the Gospel we have a double good: first it giveth strength to perform the Law; and secondly, because that will not reach home, it assureth us that our judge is our father, and contracts with us in no other person. Of this Covenant God speaketh in jeremy, cap. 31. and St. Paul openeth it in the Epistle to the Hebrews. Mark that the Covenant is annexed to the blood; and so it was in the Type, the Atonement was ascribed thereunto, because the burning of the Sacrifice did rather signify a dedication of the person to God: but the shedding of the blood did note the death, and it was Christ's death, in virtue whereof God was pleased to be attoned, and to enter into a new Covenant. The second end is the remission of sins; the Sacrament is not only unto us a pledge of a new Covenant, and warrants, Believe, and thou shalt be saved: But lest looking back we should be afflicted with the conscience of our sin, the Sacrament assureth us, that all shall be pardoned that is not, that hath not been performed according to the Law. We come then to the Lords Table not only for meat, but also for medicine; not only for gold, but also for eye-salue: this water of the Sanctuary runneth into us as into mare mortuum, it maketh us no less whole than fruitful; this is the true pool of Bethesda, no sooner hath the Angel descended into it, but whosoever entereth it may be cured by it. And so have I opened the first Act of jesus, he consecrated the elements. The second Act followeth. What he consecrated, that he distributeth. In this Act there are two things; the first is the dividing of the elements, the second is the bestowing of them. The breaking may represent either the usage of Christ's body when it was sacrificing, as in the old typical Sacrifices; the like also must be conceived of the pouring out of the wine: or else it may fit the Sacrifice for distribution; as is used in a Sacrament. Christ hath the fullness of grace, but we have every one but his proportion according to our capacity. Even as from the Sun every man receives a beam of the same kind, though not the same beam; or from a Tree every man gathereth an apple, though not the same apple; or out of a River every man drinketh a draught of the same water, but not the same draught of water: even so all do partake of the same Christ, but not in the same measure, and no man whole Christ. Whole, I mean totum Christi, though every man doth receive him whole, that is, totum Christum; every man hath Christ alike intensiuè, though extensiuè we have him not all alike. And yet extensiuè every man hath his full measure. As it was in Manna, He that gathered more had not too much, and he that gathered less had enough. The breaking then of the bread doth not only represent Christ's passion; but also his proportioning of himself fit for our participation: For so it followeth, breaking was for giving. It is a question, Whether Christ himself did communicate in the Eucharist; it may well be presumed that he did. It is evident that he did in his own person sanctify and honour both Sacraments of the Old Testament, Circumcision and the Passeover. And touching Baptism, the first Sacrament of the New Testament, there can be no question; why should there then be any question of this? If any object the silence of the Holy Ghost in the words of Institution, that may receive an answer, that it was not necessarily to be expressed, because it might well be supplied out of the correspondency of this Sacrament to that of the Passeover. But the next words to my Text seem to me to put it out of all doubt: I will not henceforth drink any more of this fruit of the Vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's Kingdom. Although St. Luke seem to place those words between the Passeover and the Eucharist, which St. Matthew and St. Mark place after the words of the Institution. But to let that point pass; Though Christ did partake, yet it was not for any need that he had of it, but for that by his own participation he would give virtue unto this; as he hath done to other Sacraments. He needed not to dye for himself, he died for us; therefore as he gave himself for us, so did he give himself to us: for us, on the Cross, to us, in the Sacrament. Here appeareth the truth of the Apostles saying; He that was rich became poor, that we by his poverty might be made rich, 2. Cor. 8.9. He that knew no sin, was made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. And let this suffice for Christ's work. Let us come now to the Disciples work. And here first we must observe, that they that must meddle with these elements, must be Disciples, that is, professed Christians. For as none might eat of the Paschall Lamb, but they that were circumcised, no more might any receive the Eucharist that was not baptised. The reason is plain: No man can be nourished except he live, and live to God no man can, but he that is incorporated into Christ, and incorporated he is by Baptism. But every one that is baptised is not fit to receive the Eucharist, he must be of age to examine himself (as St. Paul adviseth) and to discern the Lords body. It is true, that about St. Augustine's time they did put the Eucharist into children's mouths, before they could understand what it meant: And this was done upon the mistake of those words of St. john, Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man, Cap. 6. and drink his blood, you have no life in you. But that error was long since deprehended, and the custom discontinued, and none receive but those which are come to years of discretion, and moreover, are able to give an account of their faith: Yea, by the laudable orders of our Church, none should receive until they are confirmed; and great pity it is, that so laudable a custom is not observed. Were it, many aged ones would not live, yea and dye too so ignorant of that which they receive, as now they do to the dishonour of our Church, and discomfort of their souls. Pastors, Parents, Masters, Churchwardens, yea and Godfathers and Godmothers also, should make more conscience of their duties, their oaths, their vows, wherein they stand bound to God, his Church, and their Charge, and take more care to remedy this than for aught I see they do. It is a question, Whether under the name of Disciples more are understood than the twelve Apostles? Some think yea: but not one of the Evangelists doth favour their conceit. It should seem by them, that only the twelve Apostles did now represent the whole Church. And happily they only were present, because Christ was pleased to teach them the form, and give them the charge of administering the Sacrament. Surely, that is more likely, although if we do conceit that other were present, there is no Heresy in it. But I leave the persons, and come to their work. Their work is double, as was the work of jesus. The first is, they must take, Take what Christ gave; for he therefore gave it, that they should take it. And indeed it were a great contempt to be present, and not to take part. Certainly the Primitive Church thought so, whose Counsels require scuere censures to be inflicted upon idle gazers on. And there is great reason for it; for they abase themselves, and excommunicate themselves: at least range themselves in the order of Penitents, or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, who were not thought meet or worthy, for their simpleness or their wickedness, to be guests at the Lords Table. Yea and what a wretchedness is it for them, that know what need they have of the New Covenant, to be careless of confirming their assurance thereof? and for them that are loaden with sins and iniquities, not to unburden their consciences of the guilt, and purge them from the corruption, by taking the pledge of remission of sins, and means which should further the amendment of their lives? He deserves to perish for want of grace, that hath it offered, and doth refuse it. Besides this work of taking, the Disciples had another work, and that is eating and drinking; what they take, that they must eat and drink also. These are corporal acts, but they must be understood according to the food. And seeing the food consisteth of an earthly and a heavenly part, we must eat and drink both. And God hath provided us wherewith we may do it; for we ourselves consist of an earthly and an heavenly part: We must bring both parts unto this feast, and there use them both; our bodies must take, eat, and drink the elements; our souls must take, eat, and drink the body and blood of Christ. Yea our bodies must in these acts only attend our souls; for the Feast is not Ventris but Mentis, neither is our corporal feeding used otherwise than to help forward our spiritual. Secondly, our eating and drinking must not only feed upon Christ's body and blood, but upon them, as the one was broken, and the other was shed, as they were the propitiatory Sacrifice. And then thirdly we must draw out of them, and digest in our souls the two comfortable ends of the Sacrament, that is, first, our assurance that we are in the new Covenant; secondly, that our sins are pardoned. If we do not take all these things in our eating and drinking, we do not take all that which is set before us, and offered unto us. And here we must mark a difference between our corporal and spiritual food. Non ego mutabor in te, sed tu mutaberis in me (as St. Austin bringeth Christ speaking). When we eat corporally, our food is turned into us; but when we eat spiritually, we must be turned into our food: we must be transformed into Christ. First, into his Grace, we must be lively Images of his heavenly Virtues, of his Patience, of his Obedience, of his Humility, of his Charity, of whatsoever other Virtue shined in his mortal life. And then we shall be sure to be transformed into his Glory, and by virtue of this food, he will change these our vile bodies, and make them conformable unto his glorious body. And indeed this conformity do the Fathers make a principal effect of this our spiritual food. Whom doth this feeding concern? I told you the Disciples; here are two other words that may not be neglected, and they are all and many: all that are Disciples and of age, and those all are many; for Christ's blood was shed for many. Of the Pool of Bethesda it was said, that it could cure but one at a time, and that one which first went into the water after the Angel had stirred it: but Christ's Sacraments are like unto his garments; Matth. 14. of them we read in the Gospel, that as many as touched them were made whole, Matth. 14. and of these it is true, that as many as faithfully partake them, shall as truly be made whole spiritually, as the other were corporally. As many. The Sacraments are sufficiently sovereign for all, not so efficiently, and yet efficiently for many: For although in comparison of unbelievers, believers are but few, yet considered in themselves, believers are many, Reuel. 7. both jews and Gentiles. I will not trouble you with a dispute, Whether in this place (as in some other) the word many is put for all; I will rather observe unto you, that this same feeding is not a thing arbitrary, but enjoined the Disciples, neither may they hope to have any part in the new Covenant or Remission of sins, except they perform this commandment. And the commandment is not more than needs; for whereas we need no incitement for to take our corporal food, yet were we not incited, we would pine away for want of our spiritual; therefore is God in the Prophet fain to call upon us, Esay 55. Ho all ye that thirst come to the waters, etc. and Wisdom in the Proverbes is fain to send her Maids, and say, Come eat of my bread, and drink of my wine, Prou. 9 so likewise doth the King at the Marriage Feast, Matth. 22. and so is Christ fain to importune the Church of Laodicea, Revel. 3. But remember that it is an affirmative commandment; and so doth tie semper, though not ad semper. I will dwell no longer upon the practice, let us come now briefly and see the precept. The precept is not here expressed but employed; for seeing here is the Institution of a Sacrament, it is the Institution of that that must be as lasting, as the Doctrine whereunto it is annexed. For a Sacrament is an annexe unto Doctrine, even as a seal is set unto a Pardon. The Sacraments of the Old Testament were so annexed unto the ceremonial Law; so are the Sacraments of the New Testament unto the Gospel. As he that taketh the Charter of Pardon without the King's seal, when he may have it, loseth the benefit of his Pardon: so he will have but little benefit of the Gospel, that is a contemner of the Sacraments; they must both go together until the world's end, or as S. Paul speaketh, until the Lords coming again, 1. Cor. 11. This Institution of Christ, is like that of the Creation, not to be stinted by this present act, but extended to every of the like; as it doth in the other Sacrament of Baptism; yea and of Ordination and Absolution. The first of every of them was seminal, and to bring out others according to its kind. Whereupon it followeth, that the words of Christ in his practice, are used by the Pastors not only as historical, but also as operative. And this is the ground of our faith and security in the effect of these and other sacred Rites. But touching this Sacrament, the precept is clear in St. Luke, Do this in remembrance of me. Wherein there are two markable things which the precept doth require. I will touch them in a word; the first is Imitation, Do this; the other is Commemoration, in remembrance of me. Do this, that calleth for the work of the Pastor in imitation of jesus, and the work of the people in imitation of the Disciples: both must be doing in this Sacrament, and except they be both doing it is no Communion. Private Masses are a direct perverting of Christ's Institution, where the Priest only is doing, but the People do nothing, at least they do not what they should, there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, whereas the precept doth not only require that we do, but that we do this; the Priest must precisely do that which jesus did, he must take the same Elements, the same in nature, the same in number, and when he hath taken them, he must use them as Christ did, consecrate them with blessing and thanksgiving, to the end, and for the uses before specified, according to that of St. Paul, Quod accepi à Domino, tradidi vobis, 1. Cor. 11. And what he hath consecrated, that must he distribute, and withhold no part: not the Cup, as the Church of Rome doth; Christ gave that, and for many hundred years the Church imitated him so doing; and now they reserve it only to the Priest that doth execute, or do the honour to Monarches to give them the Cup. And that may worse be withheld from the people than the body. For the new Covenant, and the Remission of sins, is in the Text annexed unto the blood, as if Christ would have them especially remember it in that. Concomitancy is an idle shift; for seeing a Sacrament is the participation of the sacrifice, they confess that they cannot make up the sacrifice without consecrating both bread and wine; how do they not then defraud the people of a part of the sacrifice, if they give them the bread and not the wine? or (which is most absurd) the Priest receiveth Christ's body as it was crucified, because he receiveth in both kinds; and the people as it was glorified, because the concomitancy maketh them receive both in one kind. Add hereunto that they must mock the people with vnconsecrated wine, or bear them in hand that it is arbitrary in the Church, whether they shall or shall not have it. Their other reasons are ridiculous: certainly, they agree not with the precept, Do this. No more doth whatsoever they do beside, as their Reservation, their Circumgestation, their Application of the Host unto many uses, whereunto God never ordained it. But the most notorious corruption of these words is, that they are made a part of the Priest's Ordination; as if they did give him power to sacrifice both for quick and dead: For from these words do they derive that part of the Priesthood; yea upon these words they build the Mass also, as if Hoc facite were as much as sacrifice, and immolate Christ unbloodily. But I will not stand to refute them. As the Pastor's work is enjoined in Hoc facite, so is the People's also; they must do as the Disciples did, take that which was distributed amongst them, eat that which was consecrated for them; and they must feed thereon with their bodies and with their souls. Not only with their bodies, as carnal Christians do; nor with their souls, as the Papists teach their people to communicate mentally with the Priest (as if a man were ever fit to communicate mentally, when he is not fit to communicate corporally) but we must communicate with both, otherwise we are not complete guests of this entire Feast. And though of the two, better the body be wanting than the soul, because the grace that possesseth the soul will redound to the body; but the food of the body cannot benefit the soul: yet seeing the body and blood of Christ is the fountain of life spiritual to our souls, immortal to our bodies, our best course is to eat and drink with both, that we may live, and live in both blessedly for ever. As the People must do this, so they must take heed, that beside this they do not either superstitiously adore the Elements, or Atheistically profane them in swearing, either by the heavenly or the earthly part of the Sacrament. The last Note that I will give, is the Commemoration that is enjoined by the precept, Do this in remembrance, St. Paul expounds the word thus, Show forth the Lords death. And indeed the Sacrament is a lively representation of the crucifying of Christ; and but a Commemoration: For the Popish Mass is refuted in this very word, and St. Paul's phrase, which show, that Christ is not crucified again, but the manner of his crucifying Sacramentally represented to us; and so the Fathers took it. But as the Pastor must commemorate the sacrificing in his work, so must the People the sacrifice in taking and feeding thereupon as upon the viaticum peregrinantium, & militantum. Finally, that which remembreth us, must be often frequented by us: so must this Sacrament. Wherein it differs from Baptism, which cannot be reiterated; this may, yea it must. The first Christians thought so, who at first received it every day; they may make us blush whose devotion is now so cold. But I end. That death which Christ endured for us, and doth offer to us, we must remember in such signs, and apply to ourselves by such means as he hath appointed, if we mean to be benefited thereby. MOst merciful Saviour, that by thy powerful word hast consecrated these holy Mysteries of thy most precious Body and Blood, broken and shed, to be the undoubted pledges of thy Gospel, and ever-running Conduits of thy Grace, curing the deadly wounds of all our sins, and satisfying as many as thirst and hunger after righteousness; grant that we never neglect to receive, and when we receive, may ever be prepared, prepared both in body and soul so here by faith worthily to feed on thee, as thou representest thyself veiled in thy Church Militant, that we may hereafter fully enjoy thee, as thou presentest thyself unueiled in the Church Triumphant. And in acknowledgement of this present grace, and that future glory, let every one of us become a sanctified Eucharist, that with soul and body we may now and ever sing, Glory be to thee O Lord, O Lord our strength and our Redeemer. Amen. IHS THREE SERMONS PREACHED IN THE CATHEDRAL Church of Wells at the Feast of WHITSUNTIDE. EPHES. 4. verse 7, 8. But unto every one of us is given grace, according to the measure of the gift of Christ Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up &c. to the 17. verse. THe Apostle in former Chapters hath opened the mysteries of the Gospel, but at this he begins to deduce certain rules of life which spring therefrom; and he doth specially recommend unto the Ephesians three Christian Virtues, Unity, Piety, and Constancy: he would have them all agree in God's truth, and express that truth in their lives, and not waver in their lives for fear of the Cross. But more particularly touching Unity, he tells them wherein it consists, and wherefore it must be entertained. Wherein it consists we learn in the verses that go before; but wherefore it must be entertained we are taught in these that now I have read unto you. The Reasons are partly the means whereby, and partly the end for which we receive the gifts of God. The means are two; one Principal, which is Christ; the other Instrumental, which are his Ministers. And the End is twofold, first, our Consummation in grace, & secondly, our Preservation from error. These be the particulars which take up so much of this Chapter as reacheth from the seventh to the seventeenth verse. At this time (suitably to the time) I shall entreat only of the first of our means, of Christ the principal means whereby we obtain the blessings of God. And here we are to see first, What Christ doth, then What right he had to do it. What Christ doth is set down three ways, but all yield but one sense: first He giveth grace, secondly He giveth gifts, and thirdly He fills all things, that is, by him we have Gods blessings. But we may resolve them into two points; the Gift, and the Giver; the gift is grace, and that grace hath power to fill, and this is nothing but a description of the Holy Ghost which descended this day, for he is the filling grace of God. Of this gift the Giver is Christ, it is here called expressly his gift: and he gives it discreetly, because according to a measure, and yet universally, not one of the Church which doth not partake it, to every one of us is given grace. This Christ doth, and he doth no more than he may; his right to do it is gathered out of his Ascension, which St. Paul describes to be a deserved Triumph. The parts of a Triumph (as they know which are read in stories) were these two: first, the person of the Conqueror was carried in state, and secondly, the monuments of his conquest did attend his Chariot, and were disposed at his pleasure. Lo here our Saviour Christ his person is lifted up on high, and it doth not ascend single, but leads captivity captive, and divideth the spoil, He gave gifts to men, such an Ascension was a Triumph indeed. And as it was a Triumph, so was it a deserved one; for Christ descended before he ascended, yea he ascended not so high, but he descended as low; for he that ascended above all heavens, descended before to the lower parts of the earth; the same person did both, and so became the Ascension the reward of his descension. And so have you the Contents of the first branch of my Text, whereof I shall now (God willing) unfold so many as the time will permit. I begin at the Gift. And the gift is called grace, and grace is a free gift, it is such a gift as can neither be deserved before hand, nor be required after it is received. Between men there pass three sorts of gifts: The first is Salarium, when a man giveth that which another hath earned; of which the rule is, The labourer is worthy of his hire: such a gift grace is not, for though God impose works upon us, yet are they not, as they ought, done by any of us: Adam failed, much more do we, we can claim no salary. The second kind of gift is Honorarium, it is such a gift as testifieth the inferiors reverend regard of his superiors eminency: such a gift grace is not, for if the Angels light be darkness in comparison of God, and their perfection is imperfection (as job teacheth) how vile and base is man, who is but dust and worm's meat? there is nothing which God should honour in him. The third gift is called Eleemosynarium, the alms which the rich gives to the poor; this comes nearest to the nature of grace, and yet it comes fare short of it. For the rich are bound to relieve the poor, partly by God's Law, and partly out of a consideration reflecting upon themselves, that be they never so rich they may become poor, and stand in need of the same relief which they afford to others. But God is bound to none, neither can he possibly need the help of any; therefore his gift, and only his is properly grace, and comes within St. Austin's definition that tells us, that Non est gratia ullo modo si non sit omni modogratuita, no gift deserves the name of grace, except it be absolutely free, and such are Gods gifts. The more are we indebted if we receive them, and the less proud should we be: for whereof should he be proud whose tenure is altogether pura & perpetua Eleemosyna, mere Alms, and the most free Charity of God? Nay, the very word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Love of God, for the Gift proceeding from love, doth put us in mind, that our eyes should not be fixed so much on that which we have, as on him that gave it, and we must not take so much content in our own state, as in his favour. But it is moreover to be noted, that grace in the Scripture is contradistinct to nature, and the works thereof are different from those of the creation and preservation of the world. It is true, that all the works of God wherein he doth communicate of his goodness unto the world, spring freely from his favour; for he might have chosen whether he would at all have made the world, or bestowed such excellent endowments upon any man: but yet the Holy Ghost is pleased to understand this word of those blessings which belong to the second Covenant, the Covenant of the Gospel; it is an Evangelicall word, and signifieth only those gifts wherein the Evangelicall Covenant doth consist, and whereby it is furthered. They are of two sorts; in the Schools the one is called gratia gratum faciens, the other gratia gratis data: not but that both are gratis datae, freely given; for in that respect the members of the Distinction are coincident, but because they are not reciprocal; all grace that is freely given is not that grace which doth recommend us unto God. This is the peculiar of the grace of adoption, the grace of aedification reacheth not so fare. But that which we must principally note, is the heeding of the Pelagians Heresy, who confounded nature with grace, and grace with nature; who as they did too shallowly think of the Fall, so they did derogate much from the favour which God vouchsafed in restoring of man. But we must learn as to neglect no gift of God, so to set a right estimate upon the gifts of the Gospel; these gifts are by an excellency called Grace. And thus much of the nature of Grace, we come now to the property thereof, which is to fill. Some refer this word unto the person of Christ, as if that did fill all places; and indeed it lived on earth, descended into hell, and so did enter into heaven; it was successively in every of these places. Others strain it too fare, that would have the Manhood to communicate with the Deity in ubiquity, and to be at the same time in every place. But as we grant Attributa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that supernatural endowments in the highest degree were conferred upon the Manhood of Christ: so may we not admit any Attributa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therein, we may acknowledge no Attributes that destroy the nature of his Manhood; the truth of his Manhood is the greatest comfort of a Christian, whether we respect what he hath done for us, or the blessed conformity that we shall have to him. It is true that these words of filling do concern Christ's Manhood, or rather his person as he was no less man than God; for it speaketh of some thing that Christ did after his Resurrection; there is no doubt but he filled all things with his Godhead before which is ever infinite: but the Manhood making one person hath diverse prerogatives by virtue of the Hypostatical union. First, it is every where present, though not with, yet to his Godhead, and Christus is totus ubique, though totum Christi is not ubique; the whole person fills heaven and earth, though the manhood be finite. Secondly, both the natures are associate in their Actions, the Manhood is privy unto, and consents with the Godhead in all the works of Christ, yea, and the merit of Christ whereunto the Manhood concurred doth moderate all the Actions of the Mediator. Thus fare we may safely speak of an ubiquity of Christ: but the proper sense of this place is not of the person, but the work; it is true that he that fills is Christ, but that wherewith he fills is his grace. And grace is the only thing that fills. And it fills two manner of ways, first, sistendo appetitum; for whereas all other things which we desire grow quickly loathsome and tedious unto us, and we are fain to shift because we find we have not lighted upon that which should give us content, as we may gather out of the Preachers censure, Vanity of vanities, and all is but vanity, when we come to grace there we rest: St. Austin gives the reason of it, Fecisti nos Domine propter te, & irrequietum est cor nostrum donec requiescat in te; and K. David expresseth it most passionately, Psal. 73. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee; my flesh and my heart faileth, but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. And no wonder; for nothing can give constant content but that which is verum and summum bonum, that which is good indeed, and is our sovereign good: these are found only in God, none find them but they that partake of him. Secondly, the same grace that doth sistere appetitum, doth also explere; as it doth give us content in that we desire no other thing, so of that only we may have our fill. Other things are not only worse than that we principally desire, but they are less; and we therefore do loath them, not because they are not good at all, for they are the creatures of God, and they are made for our use, but because they bear not proportion unto our desire; when we have them we find a great want of something else besides them: let a man have all the riches in the world, all the honour, yea all the wisdom, they will not satisfy him; yea let every power have his distinct object, yet they will not satisfy him: There is a common object that they all desire, and which only can fill them, the desire of them all, and that is Grace, Grace is the fullness of God, (as the Apostle calls it, Ephes. 3.19.) and the Prophecies of grace do promise fullness, jeremy 21. God will not only prepare a table for us, but our cup shall overflow, Psal. 23. here we hunger and thirst for a time, but if grace be our portion, we shall be satisfied, and we shall be admitted to the tree of life, and drink our fill of the rivers of God's pleasure. But I told you that this which you have heard is nothing else but a Periphrasis of the Spirit; for the filling grace is nothing else but the Holy Ghost: This day (as we read, Acts 2.) when he came he filled, and filled not only with the Type, but also with the Truth. That you may understand this you must observe, that as Christ our Passeover was sacrificed just at the time of the legal Passeover, and as he became the first fruits of them that stepped, rising that very day that the first fruits were offered: even so the Spirit was given upon the very same day when God with his own mouth pronounced the Law in the hearing of the People, the mystery whereof was this, that man can never have the benefit of the Law, but by the grace of the Spirit justifying him by faith, and making him a new man. But by the Spirit we must understand not only the grace, but the person also, or else it will never fill: For as the corn that is sown is but a small grain, but being watered with the dew of Heaven, and comforted with the Sun, it comes to a full ear; even so grace when it begins in man it is very scant, there must be some body to foster and cherish it that it may come to perfection, and that is the Spirit. And herein appears a difference between Adam created, and Adam restored. Adam created was furnished with grace, and being so furnished was left to himself, whereupon he quickly became an unthrift, and brought to nought that portion which he received of his heavenly Father; but being restored he is better provided for, he hath the person of the Spirit bestowed upon him as a living root: so that although he have his Winters and his Autumn, he doth not always spring, nor is always loaden with good fruit, yet he hath life in the root which will shoot forth again, and he that seems to be dead, will revive, and like corn that stocks better when it is nipped with frost, will afterward bear the more fruit. You have heard the Gift what it is, now hear of the Giver; and the Giver is Christ. Christ is the Giver of the Spirit duplici iure, originis & meriti; in that the Spirit doth proceed from him, so he is said to bestow him, because ordo ad extra is answerable unto ordo ad intra: He hath also a right by merit, he deserved in doing the work of a Redeemer to have the bestowing of the Spirit; in this later sense must we understand it in this place, and of this sense in the next part of the text. And here we must consider the difference between the Hebrew of the old Testament and the Greek of the new; Accepit dona, saith the Psalmist; Dedit dona, saith the Apostle: They are easily reconciled if you mark Christ's second power of giving the Holy Ghost; for, Accepit quae daret, accepit ex merito, quae daret ex arbitrio; therefore St. Austin saith well, Vtroque verbo altero Prophetico & Apostolico altero plenissimus sensus redditur? The Apostles are the best Commentators upon the Prophets, and when we parallel texts that are found in both, we must not oppose the one to the other, but expound the one by the other; which we may safely do, because in utroque est divini sermonis auctoritas, as the same Father speaketh. Seeing then Christ receiveth what he gives, receives of his Father what he gives to us; these words must be understood of Christ incarnate: as God he could not receive, because he had all things; wherefore if he receive, it must be as he became man; so indeed he was Christus anointed, and his name was as an ointment poured out, Cant. 1. the precious ointment poured on his head ran down unto the very skirts of his clothing, he was made the Son of righteousness and became the father of lights, precious promises are given unto us by him, and of his fullness we all receive grace for grace. Finally, we must mark, that though he received as he was Incarnate, yet he gives as he is God; for though Accipere be meriti humani, yet Dare is potestatis divinae; though in neither giving nor taking we must sever the person, yet must we in either observe which nature is principally respected. As Christ is the giver of the Spirit, so doth he give him discreetly and universally; discreetly, for he gives 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, he keeps a measure in his giving. There is this difference between the Head and the Body of the Church, the Head hath the Spirit without all measure, but the members of the Body have it in measure; neither doth this argue any impotency in Christ the Giver, but his wisdom. It is true, that as it is in Christ's power to give or not to give, so he may give as much or as little as he will; for he may do what he will with his own: but he doth not only follow his Will, but the counsel of his Will, as this Apostle teacheth us; Occumenius. and the counsel of his Will or his Wisdom, doth respect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in the endowment of the Church. As in our body natural, God hath joined beauty and commodity in framing the limbs, so that every one hath that proportion as is most comely and useful: so the Church, though una, yet is varia; though it be but one body, yet hath it diverse members, and though the one body be quickened with the same spirit, yet in every member the spirit doth his gifts, and the Church thereby is the more beautified and benefited; so that no man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, sufficient of himself, but he is thereby urged to desire the Communion of Saints, wherein stands our mutual comeliness and comfort. Seeing then Christ gives as he thinks meet, every man is bound to thank him for that which he hath, and envy must not make him murmur for that which he hath not. It is absurd for a man to dislike with the dispensation of Christ, it is as if the members of the body should grudge that they have not the endowments each of the other; wherein if God should satisfy them, the deformity and discommodity which would follow, would quickly make them weary of their desires. Though Christ be thus discreet in giving, yet is he kindly bountiful also; for he gives to every one. St. Ambrose hath a good rule, In donis officiorum diuer sitas est, non Naturae, all drink of the same spirit, though they drink not the same draught: As in our natural body there is no member that life's not by the soul, no more is there in the mystical Body any member that life's not by the Spirit; Christ will have every one have some token of his love, and will have every one stand the Church in some stead. The Church (I say) for the particle All is limited by Vs. There are gifts that are bestowed upon all the world, as we acknowledge in our daily grace, The eyes of all things look up unto thee, O Lord, and thou givest them their meat in due season, thou openest thy hand, and fillest with thy blessing every living thing, Psal. 145. but the graces here meant are the peculiar of the Church, you heard it in the Gospel this day, The spirit is such a thing as the world cannot receive, but the Church seethe and knows him, and he shall abide with her for ever; for it is only the Church that can say, The Let is fallen to her in a fair ground, she hath a goodly heritage. But the gifts, that as upon this day descended on the Apostles; were visible gifts, and they had corporal effects, speaking in diverse languages, casting out devils, curing of diseases, treading upon serpents, etc. these gifts we have not, how then have we the spirit that descended this day? Gregory the Great answereth well; Thou hast it, though it appear in another sort: Thou canst not speak diverse tongues, but of what Nation soever thou art, thou canst speak the language of Canaan, and it is as great a miracle that all Nations understand the same heavenly language, as that the same person should speak all languages: Thou canst not cast out Devils out of men's bodies, but out of their souls thou mayst, and cure the diseases of their soul, though thou canst not the diseases of their body; yea & bruise thou mayst the old Serpent's head, though thou canst not safely tread upon a Snake. In a word, thou mayst do many things invisibly and spiritually, which are not inferior to those things which the Apostles did visibly and corporally, and doubt not but if thou bear the fruit of the Spirit, the Spirit of Christ doth rest upon thee. And if we do solemnize the memory of Saints, how much more should we solemnize the memory of the Sanctifier? we are all bound to keep this day holy to the Lord, because this day the Lord gave that gift which doth concern us all. Wherefore let us all say, BLessed be the Lord God, even the God of our salvation, he daily loadeth us with his gifts, even the spiritual gifts of Grace: He that gives them, fill us with them, that as we are called to be, so we may be indeed comely and profitable members of the mystical Body of Christ, and live for ever conformable to our Head. Amen. THE SECOND SERMON. On Trinity Sunday, at an Ordination of Ministers. EPHES. 4.11. He gave some to be Apostles, some Prophets, and some Evangelists, and some Pastors and Teachers. THE passage of Scripture contained from the 7. to the 17. Verse, doth inform us of the reasons which persuade Christians to agree in God's truth. These reasons are two, drawn the one from the means whereby, the other from the end for which the Church receives the spiritual gifts of God: The means is Christ. And touching Christ, St. Paul teacheth us in this passage what he doth, and what right he hath to do it. That which he doth is expressed three ways, but all yield but one sense: 1. He gives grace, 2. He bestows gifts, 3. He fills all things; that is, his gift is a filling grace. Grace is a free gift; a gift, Donum, non salarium, not an hire of our labour, but an argument of God's favour. And this gift is free, it is grounded upon no obligation; all gifts of men are in part due, as the reciprocal between equals: for love challengeth love, or those that are not reciprocal between unequals, be they Honoraria or Eleemosynaria, whereof the inferior oweth the former to his superior, in acknowledgement of his eminency; and the superior owes the latter unto his inferior, out of a fellow-feeling which he must have of his wants: but God's gifts can neither be deserved nor requited, neither doth he find aught worthy his regard in us, neither doth any danger of his move him to commiserate us: His gift then is absolutely free. But this is common to the gifts as well of Creation as of Redemption; but the Scripture restrains the word Grace unto the gifts of Redemption, which are not only non debita, but indebita, whereof God owes us no one, but he owes us the contrary, that is, plagues: and therefore he doth give not only non dignis, to those that are without all merit of good, but also indignis, to those that are full of the merits of sin. The word than is plainly Evangelicall, and signifieth such blessings as accompany the New Testament, those blessings are most properly termed Grace. This grace hath a power to fill which no other thing hath, and it fills sistendo and explendo desiderium, it fixeth our wand'ring desires, so that we desire no other object, and this is able to satisfy to the full, and satisfy the whole man. Now this filling grace is nothing else but the Holy Ghost. But by the Holy Ghost we must understand not only his gifts, but also his person, both are bestowed on us, the gifts to qualify us, and the person to continue and increase these qualities in us. And herein stands a great difference between Adam created, and Adam redeemed; Adam had rich gifts, but he had not the promise of the Spirit to perpetuate his gifts; but we have in Christ. And indeed Christ is the Giver; St. Paul saith so, but the Psalmist makes him a Receiver: they are easily reconciled; for he received that which he gave: Therefore Christ here is understood as he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, God and Man; he received as Man, that which he gave as he was God. And he gave this discreetly, according to a measure; not his power, but his wisdom moderated his gift, and his wisdom had an eye to the comeliness and commodity of his mystical Body the Church. And although he gave discreetly, he gave universally, to every one is his grace given; every member hath a mark of his favour, and hath some gift wherewith he may stead the Church. And thus fare we came the last Sabbath in opening what Christ doth, we must now go on, and see another point herein contained in this 11. Verse; Christ gives grace, but he gives it not without means: for he gives Ministers. And of these Ministers this Verse doth show us the different degrees, and the common original; the different degrees, for some are Apostles, some Prophets, some Evangelists, etc. the common original, for Christ gives them all. Of these points (God willing) briefly, and in their order. First then, Christ that is our means useth means himself, & gives grace before he gives grace. To understand this, we must observe a distinction of grace: There is grace of Adoption, and grace of Edification; the first makes Christians, the second maketh Ministers, Christ gives the latter, that by it he may give the former. The Ministers Calling then stands in grace of Edification, that is, in ability to bring others to the state of Christians; Christ could do it of himself, he that at first made man after his Image, could repair that Image again in man. And that he can do it, he showeth plainly in those whom he first calls, and maketh means to call others; of these we have patterns, Adam, Abraham, the Apostles. So that though causa salutis be coniuncta, yet it is arbitraria, the use of means in our salvation is not necessary but voluntary: no Minister may dream that Christ doth use him, because he needs him, he must rather acknowledge how much he is bound to Christ, that he vouchsafeth to use him, though he hath no need of him. He doth honour him with the name of a Coadjutor and fellow-labourer, in the whole course of man's conversion; Ministers beget us to Christ, they nourish us in Christ, they bind and lose our souls, they open and shut Heaven, and in a word, they save. All these things Christ doth by them, and the people must acknowledge causam coniunctam, the co-operation of the Minister with Christ: St. Paul doth excellently express it by the resemblance of an Epistle written, whereunto he compares the Corinthians, 2. Cor. 3. and makes the author thereof the Spirit and himself: He useth another similitude of Husbandry, 1. Cor. 3. whereunto concurreth God and himself; The foolishness of Preaching, and the demonstration of the Spirit go together, and Faith is wrought by God's Word, but as it is heard from men. The people than may not sever these, they may not look for inspirations from heaven without preaching on earth, nor think that preaching on earth will prevail without inspiration from heaven. But causae coniunctae are either coordinatae or subordinatae, they are both of equal power, or one hath sovereignty over the other; Christ concurres with man, and man with Christ: But fare be it from us, to think that their power is equal in this business; no, Dominium est Christi, Ministerium hominis, Christ is Lord, man is but the servant: and therefore whatsoever man doth, he must do according to his instructions, he may not presume to do more or less, Balaam could tell Balaac so, and St. Paul delivers nothing but what be received of the Lord. We may not make new Articles of Faith, nor institute new Sacraments, we may not publish any other Covenant between God and man, than our Master is pleased to enter into, nor set to any other seals than his. The Angels behold God's face always, to direct their service, and Christ did not his own, but his Father's will when he was on earth; and shall man arrogate more unto himself? No, he must still remember his subordination, and venture no farther than he hath commission. I have not yet opened enough the inequality between Christ and us in this work; for indeed a Minister is not only a subordinate cause, but also no better than an instrument: the efficacy of all that he doth, proceedeth from him that useth it. Other Sovereign's give their charge, and leave their servants to use their own faculties in dispatch of their business, and the work is no greater than their faculties can compass: the Ambassadors and Commissioners of Princes bear witness to this truth; according to their weakness or wisdom doth their errant speed: But it is not so in that work wherein Christ and the Minister concurres; it is true, that the Minister must use the uttermost of his endeavour, and husband his talon to the best advantage, but his planting, his watering, his watching, his building is of little force, except the work be set forward with a stronger hand, except Christ give increase; there is an inward influence which is solely Christ's, and produceth the Heavenly light and life. In regard of this, Ministers are but Imagines (as Saint Ambrose speaketh, in Psal. 38.) they do but outwardly delineate, and represent in the Word and Sacraments, what Christ doth powerfully work by his Spirit. So that the Minister seethe how fare he is employed, and how short he comes in this work of equality with Christ. And seeing Christ will have our ministry usher (as it were) his efficacy, and will have the people to reverence our words, if they mean to be partaker of his works, Chrysostome speaketh not amiss, when he saith that we do in potestate seruire, so serve our Master, that we have authority over the Church, and so we need not be ashamed, nor may be contemned whose service is so honourable. And thus much in general of the calling of the Ministry; I come now to speak of their degrees. And here we must mark, that they have all a degree above others, but yet they differ in degrees between themselves; grace of Adoption is common to all the Church, not so grace of Edification, the Apostle implies it in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, restraining the later grace to some few. And indeed if all should have it, the gift would be contemptible; for who cares for that which every one hath? and the distribution would be unreasonable; for how shall one member further another when all have the same gift? But in calling some and not the rest God doth provide that his gift is mag is augustum, more reverend, and the body of his Church is mag is ordinatum, better proportioned; all than do not partake this Calling. It was a mutinous speech of Corah, Dathan, and Abyram, when they said to Moses & Aaron, You take too much upon you seeing all the Congregation is holy. It is true that all are holy in that they are Christians, yea, in that they are Christians they are anointed Priests; so the Scripture calls them, 1 Pet. 2. Reu. 1. and they have spiritual sacrifices which they must offer: but it is one thing to offer Sacrifice, another thing to offer public sacrifice; it is one thing to offer for themselves, another thing to represent the whole Church unto God; this public function is peculiar to some, the other is common unto all. The like must we think of the other part of the Ministry; every one may read God's word unto himself and to his family, and may instruct himself and them therein; but in God's house, and in the presence of the whole Congregation to dispense the Mysteries, or to take upon him any where to set to God's seal of the Sacrament, is so peculiar to the Stewards of his house, that others may not presume to meddle therewith. But yet this is the honour that God hath done unto all men, that they are de genere Sacerdotali, every one is capable of holy Orders; every man, I say, (for St. Paul upon good reason hath excluded women) if he be fit, he may be called to serve in the Sanctuary of God, and administer in sacred things. And this is no small honour though the world think otherwise, who think not that so to minister to God was a prerogative of the first borne; the Patriarches made it their chief employment; our Saviour Christ did not disdain it, and they are basely proud that think themselves too good for it. But enough of the first difference, the difference between the Minister and his flock, and the degree they have above it. As the Clergy do all differ from the Laity, and have a degree above them; so do they differ between themselves, and have each degrees above others: it is clear by the division that St. Paul makes in my text, some Apostles, some Prophets, some Evangelists, etc. It is true, that the Gospel is but one that is committed to them all, and all agree in this, that they are but Ministers: but the same ability is not given unto all to publish the Gospel, neither are they all trusted with alike ample charge. And yet this distinction is not such as that diverse of these degrees may not meet in one person; though the gifts differ formally, et may they meet in the same subject. A vegetable soul differs from a sensitive, & a sensitive from a reasonable, and yet notwithstanding they all three meet in the soul of a man: even so though it be one thing to be a Pastor, another thing to be a Doctor, etc. yet may one man sustain all these persons: you will perceive it when I open the particulars. Of these degrees than some be extraordinary, some be ordinary; the three first are extraordinary, and served for the first plantation of Christian Religion. Of those three the Apostles had plenitudinem Ministerij, the fullness of Ministerial power; for their calling comprehended all the other degrees. And why? they were to lay the foundations of the Church; so the Apostle teacheth us in this Epistle, and St. john calls the twelve Apostles the twelve foundations of the heavenly Jerusalem, Revel. 21. they had infallibility of knowledge, because they were to set down the Canon of the Scripture; their Diocese was all the world, they might plant Churches every where; their flock were not only all Nations, but all Pastors; they had power not only to ordain them, but also to enable them; never was the like Ministerial power given unto mere men. As for the other two the Prophet and the Evangelist, they had each of them a piece of the Apostles power. The Prophet of the new Testament was he that was so well seen in the Prophets of the old, that he could discern the new Testament in the old, and show how the one is confirmed by the other. This was his proper gift, though he had some other accessary; which was, to foretell future things, to advice in perplexed cases answerable unto Vrim and Thummim, and to discover the secrets of men's thoughts, which were occasional works of the Spirit of Prophecy; but the ordinary was that which I first specified. The Evangelist delivered the new Testament only, and in doing that was assistant to the Apostles, following their directions, and supplying their place whithersoever they were sent. This was their principal work, whereunto some of them had an accessary, which was, to record the sum of the Gospel indicted unto them by the Apostles; so did Luke and Mark. Besides these there were other gifts extraordinary, as of speaking with strange tongues, curing of diseases, working of miracles, but they served rather for to raise attention than to confer the grace of adoption, and therefore they are not here specified; these here specified are those which serve properly for that principal end, and therefore they are only specified. The other two degrees are ordinary, Pastors and Teachers. Some of the Fathers make these different, some take them to be but one degree. They that make them different hold the Doctor or Teacher to be that person whose care is only to deliver truth, and the ground thereof whereby it is confirmed, & maintained against opposite errors: such as were the Catechists, or Lecturers in Cathedral Churches in the primitive times; of whom we read often mention in the Ecclesiastical story, and the Chancellors of Churches were founded for this use. But now it is apparent in the Universities, where therebe special Professors appointed to train up youth in the knowledge of the truth: and this is the principal use of those Nurseries of learning; a blessed use. The Pastor is he that resides upon his Cure, and takes care of the people to instruct them in the knowledge and fear of God, and recall them when they go astray, and comfort them in perplexities of conscience. As it is true that there must be Nurseries of learning, and the testimony there of doth much recommend the Pastor to the people: so we must know, that none may be a Pastor which is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, able to teach, though many be able to teach which are not Pastors. Therefore many of the Fathers understand one degree by these two names; and the observation is, that the names put the Minister in mind of his duty, he must feed by teaching: Man life's not by bread only (saith Moses, Deut. 8.3.) but by every word that goeth out of the mouth of God; God's word is the bread of life, and it is that wherewith Pastors are trusted. Neither may any man in the Church take upon him the name of Pastor, be he never so holy, except God hath furnished him with some part of this provision: how should he be a guide that is blind? how should he be a steward that is not stocked? But more particularly. If a Pastor's knowledge must be food, it is not enough if that which he preacheth be true, he must preach nothing but that which is profitable; the Pulpit is neither for curious, nor idle questions: St. Paul hath censured both, and it were to be wished, that all Pastors of our Church were so discreet as they did not need such a censure. Secondly, whereas of food some is wholesome and some is unwholesome, it is not enough for the Pastor to bring food, he must look that it be wholesome food; errors and heresies must be heeded, and he must deliver nothing for which he hath not good warrant, he must feed the Israel of God with no Manna which comes not down from heaven, and they must drink of no water but that which flows from the spiritual rock, which rock is Christ. Young Students take up much Divinity upon trust: but whom do they trust? promiscuous Authors both modern and ancient; they should be advised in making their choice, and whomsoever they read try before they trust, try it at the touchstone of God's word, and weigh what is said in the scales of the Sanctuary, which while they do not, they mistake themselves, and mislead others. Thirdly, it is not enough that the food be wholesome, but it must be convenient; for there be babes in Christ, as well as strong men: so that the Pastor must have milk and strong meat, and it is absurd to feed either men with milk, or babes with strong meat; each must be provided for according to the power of his digestion. And here appears much indiscretion in those that fit not their matter to their auditors, being more careful either of their own praise, or ease of their pains, than of their good to whom they speak. In a word, a Pastor must neither starve, nor bane, nor neglect reasonably to satisfy his flock; and blessed is the servant whom his master when he comes shall find so doing; yea, and blessed are the people, for God hath given unto them Pastors according to his own heart, jer. 3. if they so feed with knowledge and understanding. But it is not enough that the Pastors deal so, the people also must carry themselves answerably unto him; they must not only hear Doctorem, but Pastorem, they must not only be the wiser, but the better for that he saith: the knowledge which they do treasure up in their head, must as good food be digested also in their heart; and as good food if it nourish, showeth itself in the vigour of our body; so good Lessons, if they do work as they ought, will show themselves in our life and conversation. Finally, as the degrees are partly extraordinary, and partly ordinary; so must the ordinary keepe correspondency with the extraordinary; Ministers now are not Apostles, yet they must be Apostolic; they are not Prophets, but they must be Prophetical; they are not Evangelists, but they must be Evangelicall, that is, they must imitate them in doctrine and discipline. And indeed what is a Doctor but a Prophet? for both search out the true sense of the Scripture; the one did it by revelation, the other must do it by meditation. And what is a Pastor but an Evangelist? for both feed the flock of Christ, though both be not enabled thereunto by the same means. And if the Evangelist and the Prophet do share in the Apostolic function, than the Pastor and the Teacher coming so near them, must needs have good cognation with the Apostles, in the substance of their calling, though not in the amplitude, in that which they do, though not in the ability to do it. And as the extraordinary differ in degree, even so do the ordinary also, and so have they ever done in the Church; the Bishops have succeeded the Apostles, though in a smaller model, yet in this, that all orders are included in the sphere of their calling; and as Evangelists and Prophets do share in the Apostolic function, so Presbyters and Deacons have some parts of that higher calling which is in a Bishop; and they strive to be wiser than the Holy Ghost, that call for an equality, the mother of confusion; as if the same reasons did not still hold, which moved the Apostles to subordinate Pastors. All may no more now be trusted with government, than they might heretofore, and schism is a weed that will spring in all ages: yea, the latter times are the worse, and therefore they more need the remedy. So that though the ground were only humane, which cannot be proved, the change of Ecclesiastical policy will be very dangerous; and others have made so ill trial of equality, that we shall do well for to continue the inequality, especially considering the Original, Ipse dedit: Nazianzent inferreth Ne contradicas, observe and reverence the distinction, considering the Author, and the Author is Christ. Leaving to speak further of the degrees, I will now then come to speak of the original. Ipse dedit; two words which yield two notes, the person that gives, He; and the title of his Ordinance, 1 Cor. 12. Acts 20. it is a Gift. He, the person is Christ. It is true that the ordination of Ministers is ascribed sometimes to the first Person, sometimes to the second, and sometimes to the third. And indeed, seeing the ordination is by the gift of the Spirit, all that can give the Spirit may be reputed the original of holy Orders: this being a work ad extra, of those we must pronounce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every of the persons hath a hand in them. Eccumenius In all such works we must acknowledge the Trinity in Unity, Unity in the action, representing the unity of the essence of God, and a Trinity in the efficients, representing a trinity of the persons in God. And indeed this mystery of Trinity in Unity, the memorial whereof we solemnize this day, cannot better be studied than in the effects that give us a glimpse of it; and of all effects none more comfortable than those of our Redemption, and the means whereby we are made partakers thereof, wherein every person is pleased to show his love to man. But yet, as in other works, so in this, they keep an order, and that order the Greek Fathers call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Latin Father's dispensationem; though with consent and concurrency of the other two persons, some one shows himself principally in the work. In this work, the second Person; He as head of the Church, Master of the Assemblies, and chief shepherd, and high steward of God's house, appoints all under officers; He sent the Apostles, and by the Apostles others. And this his sending is called here a Gift: and well it may be so called; for God might have left us in the dregges of our corrupt nature, or after we are called, suffer us to relapse; but he is pleased to appoint means of our new birth, and to recover us when we fall; which we may well call a Gift. Secondly, it is such a gift as men desire. In the fift of Deuteronemie it appears that when the Israclites had once heard God, they desired to hear him no more, they desired a Moses, and God was pleased to yield to their desire, and hath ever since fed them by men. Thirdly, this dedit is not restrained only to the Apostles time; for they had semen in speciem, the Church hath still the same commandment and the same promise, and must propagate these functions; and what we do Christ doth by us. Fourthly, no man must take it before it's given; no man must take this office before he is called, seeing it is a power, no man must usurp it without his leave to whom God hath given all power, especially seeing the sinews of it are the assisting Spirit, of whose presence no man may presume without imposition of hands; for he breathes where he will, not where we will; Christ though he be gone from the Church, doth not destitute his Church, if the Church will follow his Ordinance. Finally, holy Orders are a Gift, therefore not to be bought; Simony is opposite to the nature of them; Precio res nulla Deiconstat. Tertul. apolog. This general Rule is specially true of holy Orders, and therefore (I think) the Schools call grace of Edification gratis datam; I am sure these things must be freely received & given. I conclude; when we look upon holy Orders we must observe two duties that are required, Reverence, which is called for by the Author, and Obedience by the use. ANd God grant that we may both Pastor and People so be affected to these means, and so be wrought by them, as that God may have his glory, and we may reap our good. Amen. THE THIRD SERMON. EPHES. 4. Vers. 8, 9, 10. Wherefore he saith, when he ascended up on high, healed captivity captive, and gave gifts to men. Now that he ascended, what is it, but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended, is the same also that ascended up, fare above all Heavens, that he might fill all things. THE Church is but one, and therefore the members thereof should live at one; two special reasons moving hereunto, the Apostle in the second part of this Chapter allegeth: the first of which is drawn from the means whereby, the second from the end wherefore the Church is endued with manifold graces. Of the means I have begun heretofore to speak, and told you that the means is Christ, and touching Christ, the Text doth teach what he did, and what right he had to do it: Of these two points I have handled the former, at several times I have showed you what Christ did; it followeth that I now go on, and show what right he had to do it. And the Apostle will show us, that Christ did no more than he might, he gathereth it from Christ's ascension, for that ascension was a deserved Triumph. In a triumph (as they which are read in stories do know) there were two observable things, the person of the Conqueror was carried in state, and the monuments of the Conquest did attend his chariot, and were disposable at his pleasure: behold these things in the Ascension of Christ; first, Exaltation of his person, He ascended on high, fare above all Heavens: secondly, the Attendants upon his exalted person, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men, such was his Triumph. And this Triumph was deserved; for he was not exalted before he was humbled, that he ascended, what was it, but that he first descended? yea he ascended not so high, but he first descended as low; as he ascended fare above all Heavens, so he descended into the lower parts of the Earth: The same person is the subject of both, He that ascended, is the very same that descended. These are the particulars, whereof I shall (God willing) now speak briefly and in their order: and first of the Exaltation of his person. And the Exaltation was the ascending thereof on high; Ille triumphato Capitolia ad alta Corintho Victor agit currus. On high (saith St. Hierome) that is, to an high place and state. First, to a place; Localis Homo, etc. saith Fulgentius ad Thrasimundum, Christ being man, wheresoever he is, he is in a place; and St. Austin, Tolle spatia corporibus non erunt, Christ could not have a body, and that body not contained in a place: whatsoever devices the Ubiquitaries have to colour their conceits of the illocality of Christ's body, by that rule of St. Austin, and St. Augustine's rule is grounded upon the nature of bodies, they cannot avoid a contradiction. Into a place then Christ ascended, and it is behooveful for us so to think; for as Christ's Ascension was, so shall ours be: Christ speaketh it expressly, Where I am, john 17. 1. Cor. 5. there (saith Christ in his prayer) I will that all that believe in me be also; and St. Paul doth distinguish between our presence and absence from the Lord, which could not be if Christ's body were every where. Where the place is whereinto Christ ascended, we may gather out of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which doth often signify Heaven: God on high, is as much as God in Heaven; but St. Paul here puts it out of all doubt, when he saith he ascended fare above all Heavens: meaning the visible Heavens; and so pointing at the place which he elsewhere calleth the third Heaven, 2. Cor. 12. which is a place appointed to be the receptacle of Saints. What manner of place it is, we need not curiously inquire, we should rather strive to come to the place; of this we may be assured, that being the place which God hath assigned wherein he will have Angels and men enjoy blessedness, it must needs be a blessed place: it is resembled to Paradise, wherein grow the trees, and run the waters of everlasting life; it was shadowed by the holy Land, flowing with milk and honey, it was represented to St. john in that glorious heavenly Jerusalem that came down from Heaven; it is called God's House, God's Sanctuary, the City of God, and the Kingdom of Heaven, the pleasures thereof we find touched in the 16. and in the 36. Psalms. This must be observed concerning the place, because it is the first step of felicity; this earth is the valley of tears, and they that live here are in condition answerable to the place, mortal in a mortal place, and Christ having put off his mortality, was no longer to abide in a place of mortality. But enough of the place. Christ ascended not only in place, but in state also; in a blessed place he had a blessed state, and his state is reduced to two branches, Glory and Power: for he sat down on the right hand of God, and the right hand of God singifieth both; first glory. They that come near in place to the person of a King, come near also in glory and dignity unto him. St. Paul saith he was received up into glory. David, Psal. 8. he was crowned with glory and worship: The Author to the Hebrews, he is set down at the right hand of Majesty, fare above all powers and principalities, having a Name given him above all names. And this is opposed to the form of a servant, which Christ took in the days of his flesh; while he was in the world, he emptied himself of glory, and made himself of no reputation, becoming as the scorn of men, and out-cast of the people, not a house to hide his head, but after the Resurrection he appears in another habit. In the first of the Revelation, and other passages of that Book, john saw him as the King of Glory, and the Fathers interpret those words in the Psalm, Be opened O ye gates, and be ye lifted up ye ever lasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in, of the Ascension of Christ, and entering into his glory; for than did he lift up himself above the Heavens, and his glory above all the Earth. As his state was full of glory, so was it also of power; for all power was then given unto him both in heaven and earth, and all knees bowed unto him, all things were put under his feet, and he became King of kings, and Lord of lords; Heb. 4. yea he hears up all things with the word of his power, it usharper than any two-edged sword. The Psalmist compares it to sharp arrows, Psal. 45. he hath an tron sceptre in his hand, wherewith he breaks the wicked as a Potter's vessel, finally, he reigns in the midst of his enemies. And this power is opposed to that weakness wherein he appeared in the days of his flesh; the condition of that time is amply set down, Esay 53. wherein you shall see nothing but passion and subjection; and the Gospel confirms that Prophecy, wherein you shall find, that from the day of his birth, until the moment that he gave up the ghost, Christ endured as if he were the subject of every wicked man's blasphemous tongue, or bloody hands: but the case is now altered; for his enemies are now the patients, and he the agent, they are subject unto him, and he can, as he will, bridle and crush them; for his Kingdom is over all. This is the sum of the Exaltation of Christ's person, and our nature in his person; for he made us sit with himself in heavenly places: that will appear better in the second part of the Triumph. Wherein I noted two particulars; the first was, that the monuments of the Conquest did attend the chariot of the Conqueror, Incedunt vinctae longo ordine gentes, Quam vartae linguis habitu tam vestis & armis; to this allude these words, He led captivity captive: and indeed, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 notes that which is taken by force, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; Christ was the Lion of the tribe of judah, and Esay cap. 63. he is described as a glorious Conqueror; Shah the prey be taken from the mighty? or the captivity of the just be delivered? Thus saith the Lord, the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered, Esay 49. Christ the stronger man, entered the strong man's house, he bond him, he rifled him. But St. Austin on these words observes a distinction of captives and captivity; In Psal. 67. Austin on these words observes a distinction of captives and captivity; there is involunt aria captivit as and voluntaria, whereof the former is misera, the later faelix: the fiends of Hell were taken captives, Christ triumphed over them, and made a show openly of them; and the children of God were taken captives; Col. 2. 1. Pet. 2. 2. Cor. 10. for they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a purchased people: And St. Paul tells us, that the weapons of his spiritual warfare are mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds, casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. The children of God are delivered from captivity, but to continue captives still; for they must take upon them Christ's yoke, and they must account themselves not their own but his; The very same doth St. Paul mean, Rom. 6. when he saith, that of servants of sin we are made servants to righteousness; for servus and captivus are Synonoma's. But between these captives there is this difference, that the first are unwillingly captives, and in their captivity are miserable; for they are reserved in chains of darkness for the judgement of the great day, and they take little content in this thraldom: But as for the children of God, they are glad that they have so changed their Master, and well they may be; for they are made happy by the change, for their service is perfect liberty, and what can our heart more desire? In this difference captivity being understood of both sorts, it is true that they attend Christ's chariot; the wicked vincti, as Prisoners, the godly coronati, as being Conquerors; for what Christ did, he did for them, and there is a sense thereof in every one of them. But how is this true, that either the one or the other are so captives? seeing this our Apostle in this very Epistle doth tell us, Cap. 6. that we strive not with flesh and blood, but with powers and principalities, and spiritual wickedness in heavenly places. We must therefore observe, that Christ hath taken away from Satan two things, ius in nos, and dominium in nobis. His right unto us hath Christ taken away absolutely in his own person; for Christ hath the keys of death and hell, and Satan cannot stir, but when, and as fare as Christ gives him leave. As for dominium in nobis, Christ hath taken that away, by putting his spirit into us, and thereby mortifying the old man; but yet so, that we still consist as well of the old as of the new, the flesh rebels against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh: Thus Christ is pleased to exercise us, that we may imitate his Triumph, and by experience of our trampling upon Satan, be undoubtedly assured, that Christ hath bruised his head. St. Paul was buffeted by a messenger of Satan, he prayed, and Christ answered him, My grace is sufficient for thee, my strength is made perfect in weakness: If we would but resist the Devil, he would fly from us, if we would resist, I say, steadfast in faith; for the shield of faith is able to quench all fiery darts of the Devil. The Martyrs tried it, who neither were circumvented by the Serpent, nor dismayed by the Lion, but overcame by the blood of the Lamb, in that they loved not their lives unto death; and therefore with Crowns, with Palms, and Harps they sing the triumphant song of Moses. And we must all be resolved, that as joshua, when he had overcome the Kings of Canaan, brought them, and made the Heads of Israel to set their feet upon their necks: even so jesus, that hath spoilt the powers of darkness, will have his members with like confidence to insult upon them. Yea it is a part of that just and glorious revenge of Adam's cowardice: in his great strength he yielded himself a prey to Satan, when he had full power to withstand him; to blot out that shame, he will have the sons of Adam, that are much weaker, to encounter and trample on that mighty Hunter, and serpentine Lyon. And we much neglect the honour that Christ would do us, and the manifestation of that power which he is pleased to vouchsafe us, if so be we have no testimony from our own conscience, that we have in our own persons experience of this Triumph. Tertullian hath a good rule, that oftentimes men are foiled, not because he that set on them was the stronger, but they did not know or use their own strength that did resist. It is the case of most men; I need no other proof than their enormous falls: the reason why they become Satan's prey, is their cowardice or their negligence, either they do not at all resist, or they pray not for assistance unto God; if they did, they might confidently say with Saint Paul, I can do all through him that strengtheneth me, Philip. 4.16. and that is Christ. But howsoever, we fail in doing what we should, this is sure, that this conflict is no disproof of the Triumph, seeing the intent of it is to be a perpetual evidence, or rather an evident perpetuation thereof. And so have you the first attendant upon the Triumphant Chariot. The second is the disposing of the spoils, He gave gifts, and he that rifled the strong man, distributed whatsoever he found in his House. Touching the nature of the gifts, I need not speak now, former words of my Text occasioned me to open them; here only you must mark originem and mensuram donorum; though they were given often before, yet though dispensation depended upon Christ's Ascension. Cap. 7. In Saint john we read, that the Spirit was not given because Christ was not yet glorified: And Acts 2. Saint Peter tells the jews, that Christ being exalted poured forth the Spirit; yea Christ himself, Acts 1. when he was ready to ascend, biddeth his Disciples stay at jerusalem, until they were endued with power from above. And no wonder that it depends upon his Ascension, seeing it is an effect of his Kingdom, and his Kingdom began properly at his Ascension. And as this is true of the Original, so is it also of the Measure of the gifts; though he gave them before, yet he never gave them in that measure, whether you respect the number of persons that partake them, or the degree of the gifts which were bestowed on them. Saint Peter, 2. Pet. 1. compares the gifts of the Prophets unto a candle, the Gospel unto the day light; a great odds between the lights, and as great odds is there between the Spheres of their activity; for it is no great room that a candle can illighten, be it never so great a candle; and the Prophets went not out of the Holy Land ordinarily, and that was but a corner of the world; but the Sun goeth out from one end of Heaven, and the circuit thereof is unto the end of it, and there is nothing hid from the heat of it, Psalm 19 even so the Sun of Righteousness shed his beams over all the world, and Christ, after his ascension, made his Church Catholic; even we that are assembled here, are beholding for this our sacred assembly unto the Ascension of Christ, from thence it is that this light is come to us. And as often as in our Creed we remember his ascension, let us thankfully remember that we own this our spiritual condition unto it. And let this suffice for the opening of Christ's Triumph. My Text doth not only tell us of a Triumph, but tells us also that that Triumph was deserved; Christ by virtue of his Hypostatical Union was able to do all that is specified in the Triumph, to ascend in place and state, to lead captivity captive, and to give gifts. But he would not attain it only by power, he would receive it by merit, and why? he stood out for man, and therefore would observe the Articles of that Covenant which God did enter into with him: and the Covenant was, Hoc fac & vives. Though Adam being created holy, was immediately fit for Heaven, yet God would not have him come unto Heaven, but by use of his Holiness in obedience to God: even so Christ would fulfil all righteousness, and undergo the Cross in satisfaction for our sin, before he would enter into Glory. And we must not deceive ourselves, and dream of any other course; for though we cannot equal Christ's Cross, yet by mortification and tribulation we must resemble it; though we cannot fulfil the Law, yet must we do our uttermost endeavour. And this course must be unto us, though not causa, a merit, as it was to Christ, yet via regnandi, the means unto the Kingdom of Heaven, without which no man shall ever have access unto the blessed presence of God. But more distinctly: We must mark that the Descension went before the Ascension, and that the degree of the Ascension bears correspondency to the degree of the Descension. First, the Descension goeth before the Ascension, and it must needs do so in Christ, you will acknowledge it, if you know what the Descension is: The Descension is the incarnation and the passion of Christ, in respect of these the Son of God is said to descend. And indeed, he fell below himself, when he submitted himself to them, by so much as a man is below God, and so to be used being a man, is little answerable to the Majesty of a God. Had he not thus descended, he could never have ascended; for whither should he ascend that was in the form of God? and so as coaequal, as coaeternall, what state, what place could he be advanced unto, that as God was highest in both? But his pleasure to descend, made it possible for him to ascend, it was possible for him to ascend, in regard of that wherein he did descend, he might glorify his manhood in which he was pleased to be humbled. Secondly, as the Descension must needs go before the Ascension, so doth the Ascension keep good correspondency with the Descension; Christ ascended high fare above all Heavens, and he descended low into the lowest part of the earth, not only to the earth, the lowest part of the world, but even to the lowest part of the earth: for we say in our Creed, He descended into Hell, he took his rising from the lowest place, to ascend into the highest. And herein doth Christ read a good Lecture to us; he teacheth us that Humility is the way to glory, and the more we are humbled, the more we shall be exalted. Adam and Angels were both ambitious, both did desire to climb; but they mistook their rising, and so in climbing took grievous falls. If we would climb without a fall, we must learn to climb of Christ; so shall we be sure to tread the steps of jacobs' Ladder, which from earth will reach as high as heaven. I may not omit to observe, that the Apostle speaks significantly, when he saith, that He that ascended, is the same also that descended; Non ascendit alius licet aliter. Nestorius' was condemned for an Heretic, who distracted Christ's two natures, and made of them two persons: but as it is God's truth, so it is our great comfort, that the person is but one, and these are the works of one and the self same person, they both concern the same person in the nature which he took from us; He that was humbled, is the same person that was exalted. And so will God deal with us, crown no other person than him that doth conflict, and in the depth of our Humiliation every one of us may say with job, Chapt. 19 Though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh I shall see God. Non alius. Sed aliter, though the same person of Christ ascended which descended, yet he ascended otherwise than he descended: for he descended Metaphysically, ascended Physically, he descended not by changing of place, but of state; the Godhead that is infinite, could change no place, but it could exinnanite itself, and become of a worse condition than it was. But in the Ascension the person changed place, the manhood removed from earth to heaven; he that in his Incarnation being only God became man, in his Ascension went into heaven God and man; he that to make way to his passion, suspended the influence of his Godhead into his Manhood, did in his Ascension permit the one to endow the other, so far as a Creature was capable of the influence of his Creator. And we shall ascend though not other men, yet otherwise than we descend; we descended morally, but we shall ascend physically: in our descending we put on other affections than before we had, we exchange our natural pride for Christian humility; but in our Ascension we shall change our place, remove out of this wilderness into Canaan, from earth to Heaven, and the same God that is pleased here for a time to make us sow in tears, will then yield us a plentiful harvest which we shall reap in joy; we shall then see the fullness of his love towards us, which too usually we misdeem by reason of the Cross, which hardly can we conceive, that it can stand with his good will towards us: Castigo te, non quod odio habeam, sed quod amem, is a proposition more true than evident, the combination is so strange, that it is no wonder if we be hard of belief; but God will then clear it, and we shall confess we had no reason to discredit it. One Note more, and so an end. Before you heard of Grace, now you see that grace is a spoil, a spoil taken from that enemy that tyrannised over us, and this is no small improvement of grace. Before you heard, that grace did fill us, but now you see that we were captives, and the condition of captives is to endure hunger, nakedness, all kind of misery, and how welcome is that grace that fills such empty persons? Before you heard, that this grace was a gift, but here you find that Christ paid dear for it; the more it cost him, the more precious should it be in our eyes. What shall I say then to you? but wish you to couple this third Sermon with the first, that you may be more feeling of the love of God in Christ. O Lord, that wouldst descend before thou didst ascend, grant that we may make our way through Humility to Glory, give us grace to consummate thy Triumph, by manfully resisting and conquering of Satan; Let us not fear to tread on him whom thou hast disarmed, yea, every us we beseech thee with the spoils which thou hast taken from him, and make us ever willing and devout captives of thine: Let it never grieve us to serve thee, who hast so mercifully saved us; Let us now ascend in heart whither we hope to ascend in place, and so prepare us on earth by a holy conversation, that we may partake with Christ of a happy condition in the kingdom of Heaven. Amen. IHS' A SERMON PREACHED IN WESTMINSTER BEfore his Ma.tie the Lords, and others of the upper House of Parliament at the opening of the Fast. julie 2. 1625. 1 KINGS cap. 8. vers. 37, 38, 39, 40. If there be in the Land famine, if there be pestilence, blasting, mildew, locust, if there be Caterpillars, if the enemy besiege them in the Lund of their Cities. Whatsoever plague, whatsoever sickness there be. What prayer and supplication soever be made, by any man, or by all thy people Israel, which shall know every man the plague of his own heart, and spread forth his hands towards this House. Then hear thou in Heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and do, and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest. For thou, even thou only knowest the hearts of all the children of men. That they may fear thee all the days that they live in the Land which thou gavest to our Fathers. THese words are a Clause of that Prayer wherewith King Solomon did dedicate the Temple, and express that use thereof which cometh very near our present case. Our case is twofold; we suffer from God's wrath, we are suppliants to God's mercy. And lo two like cases are presented in these words; the case of Sufferers, verse 37. and in the three next verses the case of Suppliants. But more distinctly to rip up the Text: We will consider therein, first, the manner of the delivery, and secondly the matter that is delivered. The Manner, it is a Prayer; the words are conceived in that form. In the Matter we shall see 1. Whom these words concern, and 2. Wherein they do concern them. Those whom they concern are the inhabitants of Canaan, the children of Israel, the People of God: this you may gather out of the 37. and 38. Verses. And they concern them in two main Points; for they show, first, that they may underlye the heavy hand of God, secondly, that they must then have recourse unto the Throne of Grace. The heavy hand of God is here set down; first definitely, it may afflict Israel, either only in their persons, by famine and pestilence; or only in their possessions, by blasting and mildew, distempers of the Air, whose corruption breedeth also vermin to work the same mischief, Locusts and Caterpillars; or jointly in their persons and possessions by the sword, when the Enemy doth besiege them in the Land of their Cities. Definitely thus is the heavy hand of God expressed. It is expressed also indefinitely; lest Israel should think that these be all the instruments of God's wrath, Solomon addeth a more liberal phrase, Whatsoever plague, whatsoever sickness there may be, it may be in the Land; God hath many more ways to afflict Israel than are expressed. This is Israel's first case; a bad one. It hath another, and a better. When Israel doth underlye the heavy hand of God, then must Israel have recourse unto the Throne of grace. And here we will observe; first, that God which sendeth calamities provideth his Church of a remedy. Secondly, though the calamities be many, yet the remedy is but one; the only remedy of all calamities is penitent devotion, my text calleth it Prayer and Supplication. Touching this devotion we shall learn here, the Performance and the Acceptance of it. Unto the Performance two Acts concur; one inward, Penitents must know every one the plague of his own heart; the other outward, the Penitents devotion must be attended with convenient Ceremonies; here are two specified, the one of the hands, they must be stretched out, the other of the eye, that must look towards the Temple of Solomon. Thus must the devotion be performed. And it must be performed by every Israelite in particular, any man that will be penitent must perform it so, and all Israel must perform it so, if they will be penitent; the text is plain for both. The penitent Devotion that is thus performed, God will accept; and touching his acceptance, we are here taught, Wherein it consisteth, and whereat it aimeth. It consisteth in two things; God will give Access to penitent Prayers, Then hear thou in Heaven the place of thy dwelling. Secondly, he will give redress unto the sufferings of the Penitent; a redress to the cause of them, that is, he will forgive sin; a redress to the effect of sin, that is, Woe; He will do what they desire, and give ease to their pain. But mark; God dispenseth his double grace discreetly; He will give to men, but according to their ways: & those ways not outward, but inward, He will give according to their ways whose heart he knoweth; and this heart, though unknown to all others, cannot be hid from him; He he only knoweth the hearts of all the children of men. As God dispenseth discreetly, so universally; He dispenseth unicuique, to every man of either sort according to his ways. Well, God doth accept penitent denotion. But Whereat doth he aim in this Acceptance? Surely at the Amendment of Israel; He doth it that Israel may fear him, and be constant in this Amendment, fear all the days that they live. And the place where they live putteth a double Obligation upon them: first, it is Ha' Aretz, Ha' Adama, a very eminent Land: secondly, their Tenure is frank Almoine; He whom they must fear gave it to their Fathers. You see (beloved) that the particulars which I have pointed out are many; and they are pertinent; yet fear not that I will be over long; I remember the mortality of your hearing & my speaking; it shall therefore suffice that I moderately touch at them; only God vouchsafe by them to touch us all to the quick. Let us then begin with the Manner of the delivery. My text is conceived in the form of a Prayer; but in the next Chapter this Prayer is made a Promise: So that I shall not mistake if I turn the words into several Assertions: and you shall lose nothing; for in the Close I will return them into a Petition again. This is all I will say of the Manner of delivery. In the Matter delivered we must first see Whom these words concern; and the Text telleth us that they are the inhabitants of Canaan, the children of Israel, the people of God; if I say no more, this were enough to notify them, but it is expedient for my purpose that I moreover dignify them; they were the peculiar of God, Exod. 19 his jewel of Men, a royal Priesthood, an holy Nation, Rom. cap. 2. & cap 9 trusted with God's Oracles; Depositaries of his Covenant; they possessed the Ark, and Christ according to the flesh, was the offspring of that Nation; jer. cap. 3. & cap. 12. Ephes. 2. you may find more of their Honours in the New Testament, and in the Old; but these may suffice to show how near they came, and how dear they were to God. And yet may this people underlye the heavy hand of God; Israel may be made as Egypt, a Theatre of Plagues; the Paradise of God may become like Sodom and Gomorrah, a monument of vengeance; the Holy Ghost foretold it, and the event hath justified it. The Church hath no privilege from God's judgements, God spareth sin in none, He will visit it with scourges wheresoever he findeth it. Yea so fare is the Church from being privileged, that it is, though a strange one, yet a prerogative of the Church, to drink first of the cup of God's wrath. judgement (saith St. Peter, cap. 4. v. 17.) must begin at God's house. God in the stripes of his children letteth the world see what it must expect. And indeed the persuasion would not be forcible, if the argument ran thus; God striketh his enemies, therefore he will strike his friends; who would be moved with it? But if it run thus, He striketh his friends, therefore he will not spare his enemies, the Conclusion is unavoidable. What then is our Lesson? Be not high minded but fear, Rom. 11. and, Let him that standeth take heed lest he fad, 1 Cor. 10. For he that falleth into sin, will fall under wrath: the Israelites are to us Types of moral correspondencies, what befell them may befall us. And it is happy that it may; for nulla poena, maxim a poena, a man is never in worse case than when he is most at ease; such ease temporal is the harbinger of eternal pain; neither do men much intent their salvation, who are not quickened thereunto by some temporal affliction. A stray sheep will never return into the way except it be forced by the shepherd's staff, and God neglecteth them as bastards, Heb. 12.8. who never feel that rod wherewith he useth to correct his children. You see then that the Prerogative of the Church which I fore-specified is not only an undoubted Truth, but whatsoever flesh and blood may think to the contrary, it is a great blessing, it is a blessing that the Church may underlye the heavy hand of God; it was Israel's blessing, and it is ours, that we may underlye Gods heavy hand. May; nay do. It cannot be doubted that we may, seeing it is evident that we do; the next point in the text will confirm that, wherein we shall see the heavy hand of God which we underlye. It is set forth, first definitely, then indefinitely, both clauses make up an abridgement of the 28. of Deuteronomie, a Chapter which was read but even now unto you, a Chapter which he that will be penitent cannot read too often, and if he read it feelingly, it will make him penitent indeed: I am sure the holy Ghost thought so, that doth borrow into the other Canonical books many passages hence to work this pious affection. But you will say, what is this to Christians? it was spoken of the Israelites: Yes, it concerns Christians much, for in the new Testament our Saviour Christ in his Sermon Matthew chap. 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. speaking of the end of the world, saith, there shall be famine, and pestilence, and war, the very plagues mentioned in my Text. St. john in the Revelation, cap. 6. commenting upon that Sermon of Christ, doth tell us of the like plagues which should follow in the world after his time; they have been in other ages before us, and they are even now in ours, yea they are come upon us. Come and see the black horse, he is gone forth, whose Rider hath balances in his hand, and proclaimeth a measure of wheat for a penny, and a measure of barley for a penny, and use wine and oil thriftily, Revel. 6.5. the words denounce a famine, in phrases respective, and agreeable to that Country, which I will not now stand to expound: only thus much let me tell you, that the unseasonable weather which hath continued long with us, may make us fear that God this year will break the staff of our bread, send us cleanness of teeth, and pinch us by the belly. And this plague is not a little aggravated by the Circumstance of time. Naz. Orat. 26. It is a pitiful thing when we have seen a fair spring, and the fruits of the earth in a good forwardness, when harvest cometh, Deplerata colonis Votaiacens, longique perit labor irritus anni. to have a great deal of grass and little hay; a great deal of straw, and but a little corn; and surely if God send not better weather, the Husbandman's hopes and pains will prove but vain and fruitless. If any man desire to know the fearful evil of this first plague, famine, let him read in the 28. of Deuteronomie, the holy Ghost hath there so described it, that his heart must needs bleed that readeth it. 2 King. 6. Surely a King of Israel, a wicked King, could not but be moved when he did but hear that there was a proof thereof in Samaria; and how passionately doth the Prophet jeremy lament the like proof in jerusalem? Lam. 4. Let us in our humiliation pray God that we be never driven to experience the like. You may call this plague the plague of Luxury. You have heard the first plague, a grievous plague, but not the only plague; for we may say in the Prophet's words, Esay 9 yet for all that his wrath is not turned back, but God's hand is stretched out still. And that because of another yet, which we find in the Prophet Amos, cap. 4. Yet for all that have ye not turned unto me, saith the Lord. If the first plague do not rouse men, God hath a second to send: the first is a plague of poor men; he that hath money in his purse will say, if there be no victuals in England, I have wherewithal to fetch them from beyond Sea, I will not starve; God hath a plague in store for such, which their purses cannot keep from them. I would therefore have them come and see the pale Horse and his Rider, his name that sat thereon was Death. By death St. john meaneth Pestilence, he speaketh in the Dialect of the Septuagint, who render the Hebrew Deber, by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, both in Moses, Deut. 28. and in my text; the reason is, because the Pestilence is indeed a mortal disease. The Hebrew Deber signifieth a word, a word gone out of God's mouth against all sorts of men. In the book of Wisdom, cap. 18. we read that when the first borne of Egypt were destroyed, they were destroyed by the Almighty word of God that leapt down from heaven as a mighty man of War: Certainly it imports that wrath is gone out from God, and by God's commandment the punishing Angel hath the sword put into his hand. You may call this Plague the Plague of pride and disdain. For how can God better answer it in his judgement, than by bringing men to such a case, that not only their bodies are filled with a loathsome disease, but also that their nearest and dearest friends stand aloof from their sore, Psal. 38. and they cannot in reason desire that they should come near them? in so desperate a danger they are in a most disconsolate condition. I might out of Histories describe the misery of this disease; out of our own Chronicles I might show you, Regno Edw. 2. & Edw. 3. how desolate it hath made many places in this Land. But to what end should I spend time? whereas it is not so long since the last great Plague, but that the most of this Auditory may well remember the evil of it; and I doubt not but every one of us will fear it, though he be not admonished. Only let me advice you to correct one wicked phrase which is too frequent in men's mouths; whether in jest, or in earnest, thus they use to curse others with whom they deal, A Plague, or The Plague of God be on him or on his: And God hath heard us, though not to satisfy our wicked desire, yet to punishout wicked tongues. I will say no more of this second Plague, the second of those plagues whereby God afflicteth only our persons. But God's judgements are not confined to our Persons; Yet for all this his wrath is not turned back, but his hand is stretched out still. And why? because yet for all this plague we return not unto the Lord; therefore God hath another Plague in store whereby he doth afflict our possessions, Blasting and Mildew, distempers of the Air, proceeding sometimes from too much drought the cause of Blasting, sometimes too much moisture the cause of Mildew; at leastwise the words in the original do point out an excess in these two qualities. God promised to Noah that there should be winter and summer, seed time and harvest, Gen. 8. but this promise must be understood of God's general providence over the world; and no doubt but in many parts of the world the parts of the year have that seasonable temper. But God hath not tied himself to every particular place, as if he may not for sins make (as he threatneth in the Law) their heaven brass, and their earth iron: so that neither the heaven shall drop down his usual fatness, nor the earth show forth her usual fruitfulness; if we disorder our lives, God will disorder the Seasons of the year; and we should reflect our eyes from the great heaven and earth, upon the heaven and earth of this our little world, see the correspondency of the one to the other, and rectify this, if we desire that the other should be rectified. From the distemper of the Air proceed the vermin here specified, second afflictors of our Possessions, Locusts and Caterpillars, which have their names, the one from being a great devourer, the other from coming in great swarms, so great, that sometimes they have darkened the Sun, as Stories report; both lay all waste wheresoever they come; the Scripture maketh them Godshost, joel 1. and surely when they set upon a Nation the greatest armies of the mightiest Potentates are more easily rectified than they can be. We are not, God be thanked, so much troubled with those Creatures as hotter Countries are, and yet we are not free from them altogether, they have sometimes done much mischief in this Land. There is a kind of Metaphorical Locusts and Caterpillars, Locusts that came out of the bottomless pit, I mean Popish Priests and jesuits; and Caterpillars of the Common weal, Projectors and Inventors of new tricks how to exhaust the purses of the subjects, covering private ends with public pretences. But I will not now trouble youwith them. Only let me tell them, that in well governed States they were wont to be called Pests Reipublicae, Plagues of the Common wealth. But to go on; Neither doth this Plague exhaust all God's wrath, it is not turned back, but his hand is stretched out still. And that because that yet for all this we do not return to God. Come therefore and behold the red Horse, and him that sitteth thereon, to whom power is given to take peace from the earth, that men may kill one another, and to him a great sword was given. And indeed this was the plague of the sword, which is a manisold plague, Plaga complicatissima. it seizeth not only upon our persons, nor only upon our goods, but upon both; it spareth neither a man's own person, nor his family, nor his goods, it containeth in it famine, and pestilence; especially if it be a besieging sword, such as is specified in my text. The rich may provide against famine, great men may shift their dwelling to escape the pestilence; who can fly from the sword which beareth down Kings and Kingdoms, Princes and Principalities? Let us go no farther than a Royal Branch of this Kingdom, who hath long been a pitiful instance of this plague of the sword; we now labour for the recovery thereof, and let it be none of the least importunities of our Humiliation, to solicit God that we may happily effect it. To point out the miseries of war, were too tedious a work for this time, I refer you to the Prophecy of joel, cap. 2. where you may see the image of it, especially to jeremies' Lamentations, which are able to make even a stony heart lament it; bitterly lament the impiety, the impurity, the iniquity that follows the sword. We read indeed in the Gospel of a Centurion that built a Synagogue for the jews, Luke 7. but how many Centurions do we read of that have spoilt and ruined thousands of Churches? We read of a Centurion which gave much alms, Acts 10. but how many Centurions are there that make all prey that cometh to hand, and grow rich and mighty by the destruction of whole Countries? Happily you read of one Scipio that tendered the honour of Matrons and Virgins; but what more common with Soldiers, the greatest Commanders amongst them, than to ravish Wives and Daughters? Soldiers (for the most part) fear neither God nor man. We may then well conclude, that the sword is a fearful plague. Behold now in these definite strokes of God, how Gods judgements answer our sins; we starve our souls through neglect of grace, and God pineth our bodies with want of food. We disperse the vernome of our wickedness, and infect others out of the malignancy of our nature, which is maliciously ambitious to spread itself; and God he sendeth a venom into our bodies that is most contagious, and poisoneth all that come near us: the pestilence of the body is herein very like to the pestilence of the soul, they are both alike malignant unto others. We fight against God by our sins, as if we would dethrone him, and usurp his Kingdom; we attempt it foolishly and in vain, but God sendeth those against us, that shall not only assault, but subdue, triumph over us, and trample us under their feet. Finally, we undervalue and disregard God, and he maketh the basest of his Creatures to confound us, and lay our State waste. Secondly, consider how the wrath of God cometh on by degrees; God is compared to a consuming fire: now you know, that in fire there is first smoke, a flame, and coal; the first onset of God's wrath is but like unto smoke; if that do not move us, we shall feel the flame; and if we be not the better for the flame, Nazianz. Orat. 26. than the coal shall burn us. This gradation of judgement is excellently set forth by Moses, Levit. 26. where chaining a following to a foregoing judgement, he bringeth God in speaking thus, If ye will not for all this hearken unto me, but walk contrary unto me, then will I walk contrary to you also in fury, and I, even I, will chastise you seven times for your sins. I have sufficiently opened unto you the heavy hand of God, as it is definitely set forth by Solomon. Lest we should think, that God hath no more instruments of vengeance than these commonly known ones, which are in the Scripture by an excellency called the Plagues of God, Ezech. 14. Solomon addeth an indefinite clause, Whatsoever plague, whatsoever sickness, importing that God hath many more in store. And indeed, Deut. 2●. Moses in the Chapter read unto you this day, specifieth many more; yet hath he not specified all that God can send; and of late there hath hardly past a year, wherein we have not heard of some new disease. But there is one plague which I may not omit; I have called you to see three Horses, the black, the pale, the red, and the Riders thereon; there is in the same Chapter of the Revelations a fourth Horse mentioned, a White Horse, and he that sat thereon had a bow in his hand, a crown on his head, and he went forth conquering. It is commonly conceived that this is the Gospel of Christ prevailing in the world; we miss that White horse now; as it did in the first Age go on planting: so it did in this last hundred years go on restoring of the Gospel. But now for many years together this Conqueror doth not appear, and the Orthodox Church is much straightened. And we should count it a greater plague that this Horse is missing, than that the others are so visible in the world, considering that spiritual plagues are much more heavy than corporal; and we should in our humiliation join our cries with those souls under the Altar, that were slain for the Word of God, and the Testimony which they held, saying, How long, O Lord holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell in the earth? Revel. 6.10. The Use of all this first part of my Text that is the case of Sufferers, is this, That we know not God to halves: God describeth himself to be Just as well as Merciful, Exod. 34. and the son of Syrach tells us, Ecclus. 5. that God is as mighty to punish, as to save; therefore we must not look upon only God's Mercy, but upon his justice also, which is so palpable in the plagues. And yet must we not so plod upon God's justice, as not to carry our eye from thence to his Mercy; for as in the first case expressed in my Text, we have seen the Church suffering from God's wrath: so now in her second case we must behold her as a Suppliant, having recourse unto the Throne of grace. And here first we must observe, That though God for sin be pleased to humble his Church, yet doth he afford her a means of relief, whereby she may come out of her greatest distress. And why? God is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, not a Destroyer, but a Saviour of his Church; he doth not punish her but to recover her, as anon you shall hear more at large. But though the Church be subject to no more calamities than she hath remedy for, yet of her manifold distresses the remedy is but one; Penitent Devotion is the only remedy of all distresses. And this Devotion is here called by two names, Prayer and Supplication. The words in the Original are fitted to the argument; the first is Tephillah, which is such a prayer as a prisoner maketh to him before whom he is arraigned: you may interpret it by those words in job, cap. 9 I will make supplication to my judge. And indeed, a Penitent must so come to God, as if he came to the Bar, he must suppose himself to be an indicted person. And being such, the second word will teach him what his plea must be, even a Psalm of Mercy; for so Techinnah signifieth: he must come unto God with Have mercy upon me, O God, after thy great mercy, Psal. 51. and he must pray with Daniel, cap. 9 O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces. In the Primitive Church they had stationary days; Tertullian saith their name is borrowed from warfare, and Christians upon that day putting on the whole armour of God, did stand upon their guards against powers and principalities, Serm. 36. and spiritual wickednesses in heavenly places. St. Ambrose more plainly saith, stationes vocantur jeiunia, quòd flentes & ieiunantes in ijs inimicos repellamus. These were the weekly fasting days, Wednesdays and Fridays, whereon Christians repaired to the Church, and therein quasifactâmanu, like an Army with spiritual weapons of fasting and praying, weeping and lamenting of their sins, they put to flight all their ghostly enemies, and removed all the heavy pressures of the Church. We keep the days, but have lost the trueuse of them: It is much to be wished that they were restored again, and that thereon we did, as our Forefathers were wont, ply God in these sinful and woeful times especially with Tephillah, and Techinnah, the Prayers of guilty ones, and Supplications for the mercy of God. But more fully to rip up this Devotion, so fare as we are led by my Text; observe that it consisteth of two acts, one inward, and another outward. The inward is a lively sense of the Penitents evil case, and an expression of his devotion out of that sense, Every one of them must know the plagues of his own heart. Where first observe, that the plagues inflicted are corporal, but the sense required is spiritual. And why? the original of sin is in the soul, whereunto the body concurres but as a pliable instrument; therefore God would have the body serve by his smart to awaken the soul, make it apprehensive of God's displeasure, and tremble at his judgements. The word which we do render plague, doth signify a wound; now in the heart there may be a wound of sin, or a wound for sin. The wound of sin, 1. Pet. 2. is that which sin giveth to the soul: St. Peter tells us, that our sinful lusts fight against the soul, and in fight give the soul many a stab; the son of Syrach expresseth this excellently, All iniquity is as a two-edged sword, the wounds whereof cannot be healed, Ecclus. 21. And what mean we else, when we say that sin is mortal, but that it giveth mortal wounds? Besides this wound of sin, there is a wound for sin; you know that when a man in fight hath received a wound, the Chirurgeon must come with his instrument and search that wound, scour it, and put the wounded man to a second pain: even so when we have wounded our souls with sin, we must wound them a second time for fin, if we mean to be devoutly penitent; we must be pricked at the heart, we must rend our hearts, we must break our stony hearts, we must melt our hearts, we must pour forth our souls, our spirit must be wounded within us, and our heart must be desolate. This is that which God commanded the jews, Levit. 16.31. when he bid them afflict their souls in the day of their solemn Fast: This is that godly sorrow, which St. Paul, 2. Cor. 7.10. speaketh of, sorrow not to be repent of; Animae amaritudo est anima poenitentiae, this vexing of our souls is the very soul of repentance. As a penitent man hath these two wounds, so he must know them: but we come very short of this; all this mortal life of ours is nothing else but a mass of plagues, full of temptations, john 7. and traveleth with vanity of vanities, and vexation of spirit, Psal. 38. all the sons of Adam do daily suffer from the wrath of God in some thing or other, and every one of us may say, as Augustus the Emperor sometimes said, that he sitteth inter lachrymas & suspiria, between sigh and tears. Certainly, as the Christian world now standeth, we are encompassed with lamentable spectacles both abroad and at home. But many men are so hardened, that they feel not their own disease, much less others; yea so fare they are from feeling the ordinary plagues of man, that they do not feel the extraordinary ones wherewith God doth rouse sinful men. Wherefore we must hold it for one of the gifts of grace, wherewith God doth endue his children, that they recover again the sense of godly sorrow. And we may well conclude, that he that is senseless is graceless, and they which have no sense bear the heaviest plague. The word doth carry with it not only knowledge but acknowledgement: Knowledge without acknowledgement is of little regard with God, & avails us but little; he knoweth his wounds as a penitent, that by searching findeth what evil he hath done, and though to his own confusion, yet layeth it open before the tender eyes of God, and so qui addit scientiae addit dolori, Eccles. 1. the penitents knowledge is the fountain of his sorrow. Saint Austin wittily wresteth those words of the Preacher to this purpose. Mark moreover the word his own: for men are most willing to know and make known other men's wounds, but ut nemo in sese tentat descendere nemo? Men love not to be known to themselves, yet many a man hath inward plagues, which none knows but God and himself. But it is an absurd thing to pass over our own wounds, and inquire into other men's. It is much to be wished therefore, that we would translate this scrutiny, and spend it upon ourselves, take pity upon our own selves, Nazianz, Orat. 26. and let the sense of our own ill deservings, open a passage to the relieving bowels of our most merciful Father, who relieveth none but those which know the evil which they have done and suffer. Esay 26. When we come according to the Ordinance of the Church, to make confession either at the entrance to common Prayer or the Eucharist, every man should have premeditated his own sins, and acknowledge them unto God in the secret of his heart, and crave pardon for them. But though a man must have this passion in regard of his own case; yet must he not be without compassion toward the ill case of others. If it be but a private man's case, we must be compassionate towards him, because he is a member of the same body: We know the Parable of the man that went from jerusalem to jerico, and fell amongst Thiefs, who stripped him and wounded him; the Priest and the Levite are taxed for want of compassion towards him, as the Samaritane is commended for having it. And if we must show compassion towards private men's cases, how much more towards the public? It is a grievous complaint that God maketh against the great men of Israel, Amos 6. who stretch themselves upon ivory beds, eat the Lambs of the flock, etc. but were not grieved for the affliction of joseph; if the whole feel the distresses of every part of our body, should any part be so senseless, as not to suffer for the whole? especially seeing if the whole perish, every part perisheth; whereas the whole may subsist, though this or that part do perish and fall away. The miserable estate of Christendom, especially the Orthodox Church, and our own general calamities, importune me to recommend this compassion unto you, and beseech you to include it in this day's Humiliation; and to let the one be as long lived as the other; to let neither of them decay, much less dye, till God return to his Church and this State, in his wont mercy, and with his wont blessing. You have heard the first inward act of a Penitent. There is another act here specified, which is outward: Penitent Devotion must be accompanied with convenient ceremonies; here are two mentioned, one of the hands; they must be stretched out: this is a natural ceremony; for mark a child when he hath offended his parents, as he falleth upon his knees, so he lifteth up his hands; so doth a servant to his master, a subject to his Sovereign, and the conquered to the Conqueror, and it importeth as much as Do victas in tua vincla manus, Sir, I am at your mercy. The word Supplicium hath its name hence, because it humbleth the weaker under the hand of the stronger, the inferior to the superior, and maketh him supplicare, submit unto him. From hence it is translated unto Prayer, and made a ceremony thereof, both in the Old Testament, let the lifting up of my hands be as an evening Sacrifice, Psal. 141. and in the New Testament, I will that men pray in all places lifting up pure hands, 1. Tim. 2. This is the first meaning of this ceremony, when it is applied to penitency. As God stretcheth out his hand to strike: so the Penitent stretcheth out his hand for mercy. Though I am not ignorant, that it may also signify the correspondency of the inward to the outward man, that as the heart lifteth itself up to God: so must the body also by the hands. This is excellently set forth in the Psalm, I stretch forth my hands to thee, my heart thirsteth for thee as a thirsty Land, Psal. 143. and in this sense Moses in the war against Amalecke, Solomon in this Dedicatory, and others may be thought in their prayers to have stretched forth their hands unto God. The former sense doth not exclude this. The second ceremony is of the Eye, & that is mystical; the Eye must look towards the Temple of Solomon, that is the place where God put his Name, and where the cloud representing God resided between the Cherubins upon the Mercy seat. This brings it home to that which before I told you was to be done by the Suppliant, who hath recourse to the Throne of Grace; and as Tephillah, the prayer made unto the judge, did require a ceremony of submissive stretching out of the hand: so Techinnah, the prayer of Mercy, requires a cast of our eye upon the Mercy seat: the ceremonies fit well the Devotion. The riches of God's nature are infinite, but we use to single out such of God's Attributes as are most fit for our Devotion to behold, not excluding the rest, but desiring that the rest may not hinder, but further rather that Attribute upon which we lay hold. Salomons Temple is long since ruined, there is now no typical Mercy seat whereunto we should look, according to the example of Daniel and others. But the truth abideth for ever; God that was in Christ reconciling the world, doth accept our prayers if we offer them though jesus Christ; where Christ then is, thither must we bend our eyes, even to the right hand of God, whereat he sitteth to make intercession for us. Out of both ceremonies jointly, gather, that the place whither we direct our Devotion, showeth from whom the plagues come, and that is, from God, and he sendeth them for sin; the confession thereof is plain in the acts of the Devotion: the plagues come not by chance, neither are they sent without a cause. The Heathen did acknowledge the Author, and therefore pacified God with their solemn Supplications; Christians knew him, and propitiated him much better, as appears by the ancient Litanies. To say nothing of the Law and the Prophets, which are plentiful in teaching that all plagues come from God. As God sendeth them, so he sendeth plagues for sins; being offended with our crying sins, he poureth upon the world grievous plagues; Maledicta terra propter te, the first Curse was for man's sin: The Law runs in the same tenor, and so do King David's penitentials; God commands wicked servants to be beaten, Deut. 28. I will conclude thi● point with two short admonitions, one out of the Prophet, Hear the rod, and who sends it, Micah 6. the other is out of the Psalm, As the eye of a servant looketh to the hand of his master, and the eye of a maiden to the hand of her mistress: even so our eyes look unto the Lord our God, until he have mercy upon us, Psal. 123. Other ceremonies were used by Penitents in the Old Testament, and in the New especially, who were wont to humble themselves usque ad invidiam coeli, as ancient Writers do Hyperbolise, but with no ill meaning; they did so fare afflict themselves for sin, that the very Saints in Heaven might envy their deep Humiliation. But tantae seneritati non sumus pares, those patterns are too austere for these dissolute times: only let me observe this unto you, that Repentance must be an Holocaust, all our inward our outward senses should concur to testify our godly sorrow for sin, we should suffer not one of them to take rest themselves, or give rest to God. By this you may perceive, that Penitential Devotion is an excellent Virtue, but not so common as the world thinketh. The last thing that I noted upon this Devotion, is, that it must be performed by every one in particular, and by the whole Congregation in general: for the same remedy serveth both; the public must take the same course which every private man doth, and every private man must take the same course that the public doth. The reason is, because the Church is corpus Homogeneum, and therefore eadem est ratio partis & totius; in the performance of those religious duties, no man must think himself too good to humble himself, neither must any man think himself unworthy to appear before the Throne of grace. In our private occasions we must come by ourselves, and we must join with the public when the public wounds call us thereunto: as now we do, and we have comfortable Precedents for that which we do, in the Prophet joel and jonas. Behold how good and joyful a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in unity, can never be more comfortably sung than at these religious meetings, when, as one man, with one voice and heart, we present our devotions before God, I doubt not but as hopefully as humbly. It is true that God in Ezechiel, cap. 14. threatneth that if Noah, Daniel, and job were in jerusalem, as I live (saith the Lord God) they shall deliver neither son nor daughter, they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness, when I send but a pestilence into the land; how much more when I send my four plagues? The like is threatened in jeremy, cap. 15. But we must observe, that then God was risen from the Mercy Seat, and in punishment of their many contempts had given the jews over to their own hearts Iust. But God be thanked this Assembly showeth that we have not so far forsaken God, neither hath God who hath put these things into the mind of the King and State so forsaken us, but we may hope for Acceptance. Which is the next part of my text. What Israel performeth, that will God accept; for he is as merciful as just. Blessed are they that mourn (saith Christ) for they shall be comforted, Matth. 5. for Christ came to heal those that were broken in heart, Luke 4. You ask (saith St. james, cap. 4.) and have not; he addeth a reason, because ye ask amiss; but if you ask aright, than Christ's rule is true, Ask and ye shall have, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you, Mat. 7. He that shall confess to God's name, and turn from his sins shall find Acceptance with God; for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the tears of repentance are not only not displeasing, but pleasing to God as incense. But God's acceptance consisteth of two Acts; the first is, God will give access unto their Prayers, Hear in heaven his dwelling place: The prayers were to be made towards the Ark, but God heareth in Heaven. And what is the cause of this change why God should not hear there whither we direct our prayers? Surely we must ascend from the Type to the Truth, that is but a manduction to this. It was a main error of the jews to divorce them, and have in most esteem the least part, rest in the Type, passing over the Truth. Heaven is the place of God's habitation, only because the place of his manifestation: The Septuagint render the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a place fitted for God, to distinguish it from the Church below, which is but a place a fitting. The Chaldee rendereth it domum Maiestatis, a majestical house: And surely the place of God's dwelling is locus amplus et angustus, a large & a stately Palace, adorned with holiness & glory. And when we think upon God, we must not conceive of his state by things below, but by things above: the earth is but as a point unto the visible heavens, much more in comparison of the Heaven of Heavens, and they though they are the goodliest place created, yet are they not a worthy habitation for the infinite majesty of God, only he vouchsafeth there most to manifest himself. The Church that is resembled to heaven, and called Gods dwelling place, must be remembered hereby, that God must not dwell therein or in any member thereof angustè or sordidè. We must enlarge our hearts to receive God, and purify them that they may somewhat beseem the Residentiary therein, which is God. Finally, it is no small favour that God doth vouchsafe to hear, that being in heaven he doth vouchsafe to hear us that are on earth: for sometimes he hideth himself as it were with a Cloud, Lam. 3. so that our prayers cannot have access unto him: and our sins separate between him and us, and he is as if he heard not; not that the ear of jealousy heareth not all things, but he is not pleased to give a gracious signification that he doth hear. But the spiritual clamour of the contrite, expressed from the secret closet of the inward man, hath the power of a loud voice and piercing, which can enter the heavens, and approach acceptably unto God. God will not only hear, and give access to the Prayers of the penitent, but redress their sufferings also. Quando non geniculationibus nostris & jeiunationibus etiam siccitates sunt depulsae? saith Tertullian; what calamity was there ever which we have not diverted by our penitent devotion? The Prayer of a righteous man availeth much, if it be fervent, james 5. But God doth redress the sufferings of Israel orderly: first he redresseth the cause, which is sin, and then the effect, which is woe; He will forgive, and then He will do and give; neither may a sinner look for peace, except he first speed of mercy. First then God forgives: Exod. 3●. it is one of his properties so to do, to forgive iniquities and transgressions. And without all doubt, God ceasing from anger which is contrary to his nature, will embrace mercy, which is agreeable to his nature, if we repent; neither would he ever have given Christ to death for us, if he had desired our death. But our God is merciful, and hath appointed us Ministers to be sponsores misericordiae, to give assurance of his mercy to penitent sinners; and our message what is it but the Gospel? that is, glad tidings of the Reconciliation of God and man. Neither doth he only redress the cause, but the effect also, that is, the Woe: for Woe is the effect of sin, and where God remitteth the guilt of sin, he will also remove the punishment thereof, either wholly, or he will at least, irae merum clementia diluere, by clemency much allay the severity of his wrath; where condonare goeth before, there donare followeth after, giving doth accompany forgiving. In the text there are two words, God will do and give: which are not put in vain; for the first signifieth that God will do that which we request, that is, as the Psalm speaketh, Psalm 145. He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him, he also will hear their cry and will save them. In our extremities we call only for ease of our pain, and God will do that. But that is not the uttermost of his favour, he will also give us many good things; he will (as the Prophets speak) delight to do us good, and as if he did repent of his vengeance, he will multiply his blessings, and redeem as it were the time of our affliction with an extraordinary measure of peace and prosperity. Such promises and such performances we read in the Scripture, and our hope may entertain them as belonging to ourselves, if we be devoutly penitent. Yet must you observe, as it followeth in the text, that God doth dispense this double grace, grace of forgiving, and grace of giving discreetly, according to men's ways. As all men are not alike devout, so God entreats them not all alike; He rewardeth every man according to his works, as the Scripture speaks, Rom. 2.6. Faber est quisque fortunae suae, Men shall find God, as God findeth them; surely Gods providence proceedeth so, if you look upon the second causes; touching the first, and St. Paul's maxim, 1 Cor. 4.7. Quis te discernit? a point that much troubleth the world at this day, it is no time now to dispute; the plainest and shortest resoluion is that of the Prophet, Hosea 13.9. Perditio tua ex te Israel, exme salus. They that perish must blame themselves, but they that are saved must give the glory thereof unto God. But the ways, according to which God dealeth with men, are either inward or outward; God dealeth with men according to their inward ways, for God seethe not as man seethe, neither judgeth according to the outward appearance, but according to the inward disposition. The reason is twofold, 1. because vera bonitas & malitia sunt tantùm in cord, true goodness and maliciousness are only in the heart; in the outward actions they are not farther than they are derived from thence, according to the rule in the Schools, Our actions are so fare virtuous and vicious, as the will hath a hand in them. A second reason is this, The knowledge of the heart is the strongest proof that can be produced in judgement; and because God's judgement is the most infallible, the evidence produced therein is the most undeniable; his evidence is such, and none but his, for He, and He only knoweth the hearts of the children of men, as Solomon addeth. He is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the searcher of the heart and reines, he is more privy to our secret thoughts than we ourselves are; and as St. john saith, 1 john 3.20. greater than our heart. Therefore God in judgement non facta numerat, sed corda, when he cometh to reckoning, look how many good hearts he findeth, so many good men, and so many ill men as he findeth ill hearts. Men in their judgements cannot proceed so exactly for want of this knowledge of the heart; they are fain to rest upon weaker proofs, which though they satisfy in humane cognizance, yet may they possibly be false, and the person arraigned may be mis-deemed and mis-doomed. Two things follow out of this Doctrine, the doctrine that God only knoweth the hearts. The one is, that God often taketh not off his heavy hand, notwithstanding we humble ourselves, because we do not turn to the Lord with all our heart. The second is, that God taketh away many a man in the Act of his Repentance, lest he should relapse, and malice change his heart. We must therefore not be out of heart if God should take away any of us even in the midst of this good work. As God dealeth discreetly in dispensing of his grace, so that supposed, He dealeth universally, He dispenseth the grace with every man according to his ways; as every man is sensible of his own ill case or not sensible, so God applieth, or applieth not a remedy thereunto, no penitent man but may speed of the grace, no impenitent man may look for it; for God will deal with every man according to his ways. You have heard what Gods Acceptance is; It remaineth that you now hear whereat it aimeth, it aimeth at the amendment of Israel, God vouch safeth Israel grace, that Israel may fear him. Psal. 130. And so saith the Penitential Psalm, With thee, Lord, there is mercy that thou mayst be feared: Gods judgements are not only penal but medicinal, therefore are they called Corrections, because they set us strait that went awry; Eruditions, because they civilize us that were grown wild; Castigations, because they make us spiritually chaste that went awhooring. And what is Repentance but renascentia animae, a renewing of our mind, by putting off the old man, crucifying the flesh, becoming new men? Tertullian saith right, Penitentia sine emendatione vitae vana, quia caret fruclu suo cui eam Deus sevit, In vain is that Repentance which is not followed by a better life, because it beareth not that fruit for which God planted it, that is the salvation of men, or it bringeth not forth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby, Heb. 12. Mercy is showed propter spem, for hope of amendment; so Parents spare their children, Masters their servants, Princes their subjects, and we may not expect that God will spare us upon any other condition; therefore when we underly Gods heavy hand, we must say with Ephraim bemoaning himself, Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke; turn thou me, and I shall be turned, thou art the Lord my God, surely after that I was turned, I repent etc. jer. 31. God spares us not that we should continue in sin, but that we should return and fear him, fear him walking in his ways, as it is in the parallel chapter, 2 Chro, 6. and becoming more wary, that we provoke not his wrath. Out of all this you may gather that the fear is not servile but filial; we must fear not so much to smart from God, as to offend him, it must be fear that doth not only hold the hand, but change the heart; it must be that fear that is the beginning of wisdom, of which the Psalmist, a good understanding have all they which do thereafter; it is a well doing fear. And such a fear do I commend unto you at this time of humiliation; give me leave to show you how you must practise it. The first plague which before you heard of was Famine, God, if he remove that, doth it that we might show our fear of him by repressing Luxury. Now Luxury is repressed two manner of ways, 1. by the voluntary sobriety of every man; and it were to be wished that every man would be a Law unto himself, and out of his own detestation of sensuality enjoin himself the diet of mortification, that he would bring his own body under, and by his endeavour thereof testify his unfeigned sorrow for former excesses. But this is not to be expected that sobriety will be so forward if men be left to their free will; therefore a compulsory course must work us unto that, from which we are by nature too averse. The rather, if long peace, and plenty of God's blessings make the way easy to our sinful Lusts. Sumptuarie Laws therefore, if ever, are in these lose days most requisite, they are most requisite to set bounds unto our back and belly which are even mad with vanity; whole books might be written of our many metamorphoses, both of diet and apparel: and not to flatter you, we are the most infamous moral changelings that are in the world; prodigal, yea prodigious are the expenses that our Nation is at to make itself the byword of other Nations. Add hereunto that many good and great Families are so exhausted with this vanity, that in these times of public supplies, they that by their rank should, are least able to help the State. Wherefore lest the Common weal be not able to support itself by reason that the private weal is vainly profused, and that the poor may have some comfort of that which is saved from riot; let the State put a remedy to this politic consumption, lest the whole perish by the waste of every part. Mistake me not, I know that there are Requisita personae, as well as naturae; Reason and Religion as it rangeth men into sundry degrees, so doth it proportion their expenses, and the greater men are, the more costly may their apparel be, and their fare the more dainty. But two things great men must do; the one is, they must learn from moral Philosophy to distinguish Majesty and magnificency, from Luxury and Vanity; the one is ordered by discretion; but they are brainsick that entertain the other. Secondly, we must remember that there is a time for every thing, a time to fast, and a time to feast, a time to weep, and a time to laugh; we must take heed therefore of Dives example, who fared deliciously every day, and every day wore fine linen and purple: you know what became of him; if we fear his end, let us not imitate his life. Our second Plague was Pestilence; if God spare us, and stay that infectious disease, we must take care to stay the contagion of sin; crying sins spread fare, and every day poison many; they are grown so rise, that they are grown past shame, and Gods ten Commandments are become ridiculous; we are thought but weak men, when we remember the sons of Belial of their obedience to them. Whether Laws be wanting advice you, it is certain that if there be any, they are as if they were not, when justice sleepeth both in City & in Country, and enormous sinners pass commonly uncontrolled; Magistrates would be awakened and quickened to stop this moral Pestilence, that so by God's mercy the corporal Pestilence may be stayed also. The next Plague was the Sword: If God spare us from the slaughter thereof, he doth it that we should testify our fear of him in fight his battles against sin, the world, and hell; he doth not remove the sword from our throats that we should fly at his; fly at him we do in vain, but it will betray the malignity of our will, when we open our mouths against heaven, and become 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Rebels against God, send him this message, We will not have this man reign over us, but we will do what seemeth good to every man in his own eyes. That God may turn our swords into plowshares, and our spears into mattocks, let us turn our members that have been Instruments of unrighteousness unto sin, into members that became instruments of righteousness unto God, Rom. 6. I told you that there is a Plague that lighteth upon our Goods or Possessions; if God remove that plague, he doth it that we should testify our fear of him in that fashion as Daniel taught Nabuchodonozer; Dan. 4. in his words will I speak unto you, Let my counsel be acceptable unto you, and break off your sins by righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor, if it may be a continuing of your tranquillity: Let our charity, who are yet free, extended to those poor ones upon whom God hath laid his hand, beg mercy for us, and hold off Gods heavy hand from our Goods; for there is nothing that can sooner prevail to make the earth bring forth her increase, and God, even our own God to give us his blessing; and if we make friends of our wicked Mammon, this may be our comfort, if we should fail in these perilous times, they wilreceive us into everlasting Tabernacles. Luke 16. The last Plague which I specified was the great diminution of the Orthodox Church: And what think you is the best way to repair the decays thereof? No doubt but politic unions of States is a very good means, and warlike preparations the useful instruments of those unions; if they be timely, if they be competent, they are fit means to bring them to reason perforce, with whom civil Treaties, and brotherly Entreaties cannot prevail. But the best means is to make much of God's truth while we have it, and to make a saving use for our eternal comfort, which God knoweth hitherto we have not done as much as we should, and we do every day less and less: And what wonder, if that be weary of us, seeing we grow weary of it? Neither is it enough for us to make much of it for our own good, but also we should propagate it to others. And here let me tell you, that there lieth a great guilt upon Christian States, & this amongst the rest, that they have not been careful to bring them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to the knowledge of Christ, and participation of the Gospel. Much travelling to the Indies, East and West, but wherefore? some go to possess themselves of the Lands of the Infidels, but most by commerce, if by commerce, to grow richer by their goods. But where is the Prince or State that pitieth their souls, and without any worldly respect endeavours the gaining of them unto God? some show we make, but it is but a poor one; for it is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, an accessory to our worldly desire, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is not, it is not our primary intention; whereas Christ's method is, Mat. 6.33. first seek ye the kingdom of God, and then all other things shall be added unto you; you shall far the better for it in your worldly estate. If the Apostles and Apostolic men had affected our salvation no more, we might have continued till this day such as sometimes we were, barbarous subjects of the Prince of darkness. Those of the Church of Rome boast of their better zeal for the Kingdom of Christ, but their own Histories show that Ambition and Covetousness have been the most predominant Affections that have swayed their endeavours, and they have with detestable cruelty made their way to those worldly ends, & in stead of saving souls have destroyed millions of persons. We should take another course for their conversion, yea the same that was taken for ours; and if we do, it is to be hoped God will continue us his people, and add daily to his Church such as shall be saved. For Popish Recusants let me speak a word; their case is mixed, consisting partly in ignorance of the truth, and partly in the seed of disloyalty. We have made many good Laws, if not to root out, at least to keep down so much of their corruption as is dangerous to the State; it were to be wished that greater care were taken for informing their consciences; and indeed there should our Laws begin with them, under a reasonable pain to urge them to conference; for why should we doubt but that God would bless the honest endeavours of the Ministers of the truth, who permits the Seducers to steal away so many hearts from God and the King? Of this we may be sure, that either God will work that which we wish, the recovery of those which are seduced; or at least their obstinacy will be without all excuse, and the punishment thereof by sharp Laws will be no more than is just in the sight both of God and man. The neglect of this care of infidels and recusants is no small cause of that great distress which at this day is fallen upon the reformed Churches, and God thereby calleth upon us to amend these defects. Let us use our punishment well, and let God's chastisement provoke us to a better life; though it seem grievous to underlie Gods heavy hand, yet it is much more grievous to be never a whit the better for the plagues, for it is a second refusing of grace; the same God that doth at first recommend unto us piety, by sweetening it with temporal blessings; when that course speedeth not, tryeth whether we will bethink ourselves if we smart for our untowardliness: and certainly his case is desperate who is the worse for his stripes, as you may read in God's complaint passionately expressed by Esay, Cap. 1. Cap. 5. Cap. 4. by Amos; and jeremy hath illustrated it by an excellent simile of reprobate silver, which is melted in vain, because the dross cannot be separated from it. Amend than we must. That is not enough, we must be constant in our amendment, we must fear God all the days of our life; that is true Repentance, when a man so turneth to God that he doth not return again like a dog to his vomit, or a sow to wallow in the mire; Relapses are dangerous, (as Saint Peter teacheth, 2 Pet. 2.21. and our Saviour Christ tells the recovered lame man in the Gospel, john 5. Behold thou art made whole, go thy way, sinne no more, lest a worse thing happen unto thee. I will hearken (saith the Psalmist, Psal. 85.) what the Lord will say unto me, for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his Saints that they return not again unto their folly. We should all remember Lot's wife, who for looking back was turned into a pillar of salt, Animae in vitia relabentis accusatricem, a visible indictment of relapsing souls. Most men are to God-ward like Planets, sometimes in conjunction with him, sometimes in a more or less aspect, too often in plain opposition: but let us take heed we be not in the number of those wand'ring stars, of whom St. jude speaketh, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever. To begin well, and not to go on, is as if a man should put a sovereign plaster to a dangerous wound, and after a while tear it off again; think you that man would be the better for his salve, or the worse rather? you heard before our sins are wounds, and although repentance be a sovereign salve, yet proveth it not such unto us except it be lasting. There is a good reason given by St. Bernard, Cecidimus in lutum & lapides, our sias are like unto falls into the mire wherein there are stones; the mud doth soil us, and the stones bruise us, we may soon wash away the mire, but we cannot so soon recover our bruise: even so the guilt of our sin is sooner remitted than the corruption can be purged. Therefore Repentance taketh time to restore our spiritual health, and doth not compass it but with much fasting, watching, praying, almesdeeds etc. and is watchful over us that second wounds make not the first more dangerous; in a word, being delivered from our enemies, and the hands of all that hate us, we endeavour to serve God in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life. Here are added two motives unto this constant amendment, taken from the place wherein they live. It is true that wheresoever they lived they were to fear God all the days of their life, because God is every where a knower of the the heart, & a rewarder of men according to their works. But the place of their abode put no small obligation upon them; first, because it was an eminent place; eminent corporally, a good Land, a Land flowing with milk and honey; eminent mystically, for it was the seat of the Church, and a type of heaven; and who should be fruitful in good works rather than they that dwell in a fruitful Land? and holiness beseemeth God's house for ever. But to sin in the Land of Immanuel, in the Land of uprightness, is no small improvement of sin; and he that is barren of good works in a fruitful Land shall have the earth that brings forth her increase rise up in judgement against him. Our Country hath both these prerogatives, and therefore it preacheth unto us that which Canaan preached to Israel, Amendment of life, and constancy therein. The second Motive which the place doth yield, is, the tenure thereof, God (saith Solomon) gave it to our fathers, they held in frank Almoigne, and God telleth us in the Psalm, that he gave it them to this end, that they might keep his statutes, and observe his Laws. And should not men be dutiful unto God, when God is so liberal unto men? We may think haply that this doth not concern us, because we came otherwise by our Lands. If we think so, we plod too much upon the second causes; but we must know, that whether we come by them by purchase, or by gift, we are beholding unto God's blessings for the money wherewith we purchase, and for their good will which bestow it on us; and the same God that could have hindered us of both, can strip us of both at his pleasure. But to shut up the matter of my Text. You see the end of God's plagues, and of his mercy; They do solicit us to return in time; This doth call upon us not to be weary of well-doing. Wherefore let us entertain God's chastisements prudently, let us not contemn them, because they are fearful, and the contempt of this temporal will but procure us eternal wrath; at least in this life God may rise from smaller unto greater plagues: Nor let us despair, because God is merciful, yea he hath showed a great deal of mercy, in that multi corriguntur in paucis, in presenting before us some few men's harms, he bids us all beware; and what should our prayer be but Domine ne in supplicijs nostrie alios erudiamus, Let not us by thy heavy hand be made examples to others, cum liceat nobis aliorum cruciatibus emendari, whereas if we have grace, other men's corrections may be our instructions. To you of this assembly let me say boldly, That the greater we are in place and power, the greater share should we have in this work of Repentance, by our example we should teach the people compunction for sin, correction of life, the two most prevailing folliciters of God's mercy, and preservers of a State; God forbidden that it should be with us as it was with Israel, jer. 5. Amos 6. that God should find the great men more sons of Belial than the meaner sort, it would be a shrewd prognostication of very evil days to come. This day promiseth better things. I pray God the continuance be answerable, and that we repent not that we have resolved to repent; but that every day sin may more and more dye in us, and grace live more and more: if we do so, we may be sure, that though for a time we sow in tears, yet in due time we shall reap in joy. Nothing remaineth now that I have for your greater edifications opened and applied the pious assertions that are contained in my text, but that we should return it again into that form wherein King Solomon conceived it, and make it our common petition unto God. LOrd there is great fear of a famine, the pestilence hath entered already far upon us, by the enemies of thy truth and our peace we are forced to prepare for war; we knowing every man the plague of his own heart, cast ourselves down before thy Throne of Mercy, deprecating thy wrath, and supplicating for grace; beseeching thee to take off thy heavy hand from us, and fight for us against our enemies, because without thee vain is all the strength of man: Hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, forgive, do, and give to every man of us according to his ways, Thou which only knowest the hearts of all men, that we may fear thee all the days which we live in this good Land which thou hast given to our fathers, And be vouch safed after this life to attend thy Throne with thy blessed Saints in the Kingdom of Heaven. Amen. יהוה TWO SERMONS PREACHED in WELLS at the Ordination of MINISTERS. THE FIRST SERMON. MATTH. 28. Vers. 18, 19, 20. All power is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth. Go ye therefore and teach all Nations, baptising them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: And lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. THese words contain one of the last solemn acts which our Saviour Christ performed immediately before he ascended into Heaven, and that was, his sending of his Apostles to convert the world. In this act our Saviour Christ doth inform them, first of his own right to send, All power is given me both in Heaven and in Earth; then of the errant whereupon they were to be sent, Go ye therefore and teach all Nations, baptising them, etc. But more distinctly. About Christ's right our first enquiry must be, of what sort the power here mentioned is, and we shall find that it is heavenly, and my Text will teach us that this heavenly power of Christ is lawful, because given unto him; and full, because in itself unlimited: it is All power, and extendeth to every place, it worketh both in Heaven and Earth. Upon this power of Christ is grounded the Apostles Embassage; that must you gather out of the Illative, Therefore. In the Apostles embassage or errant, we will consider their common charge and comfort. In the charge we shall see 1. What they must do, they must Go, Ite: 2. To whom they are sent, and whereabout. They are sent fare and wide, Go ye to all Nations. That which they must do is to win them unto Christ, teach them, or as the Original hath it, make them Disciples. If they prevail with any, if any entertain the Gospel, than they are to consecrate their persons unto God, Baptise them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; and to work their obedience wholly conformable to every one of those precepts which themselves had received from Christ, Teach them to do all things whatsoever I have commanded you. This is their common charge. Their common comfort standeth in the powerful and perpetual assistance of Christ: Assistance, He is with them, and this presence is powerful; for he that is present, is Ego, I that have all power both in Heaven and Earth; and it is perpetual, He is with them always unto the world's end: Always without intermission; unto the world's end, therefore not only with their own persons, but also with their successors. Upon this common comfort they must all fix their eyes, Ecce, Behold it, and their faithful prayer must hopefully expect it; so much is meant by the close of all, Amen. These be the particulars which offer themselves in this Text to our consideration, I will (God willing) speak of so many of them as the time will permit. Consider you what I say; and the Lord give you a right understanding in them all. I begin with Christ's right. We are first to inquire of what sort it is. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the word used by the Evangelist doth signify an Eminency; now that may be either in Ability, or in Authority: in men these are often times severed; some have abilities that have no authority, some have authority that have no ability; some have good gifts that are in no place of government, and some are in place of government, that have no suitable gifts. But in God and Christ it is not so, both concur in them, and in them both are equal; the Authority to the Ability, and the Ability to the Authority. And it should be so in those that serve them; it is pity but that those which have good gifts, should be set in good places, but it is a shame for them that are set in good places, to be without good gifts. Wherefore let this be your sacred ambition, who are now to receive holy Orders, never to let your preferment out-steppe your endowments; labour to be as able to serve, as you are willing to be employed. Something we have said of Christ's power; but not that which is principally intended here. To make you see that, I must remember you of a Logic Rule, Talia sunt praedicata, qualia permittuntur esse à subiectis suis, when any attribute or title is given to a person, it must be conceived in such extent as the person is capable of. Now in Christ there are two capacities; for he is God, and he is also Man. If we look upon him as he is only God, so he hath an infinite and an eternal power; he is as Almighty a Governor as Maker of all things. This is potestas innata, not data: But becoming Man he had another capacity, and power proportioned thereunto; a power fitting to a Mediator, a Mediator that should recover man fallen, and reconcile him unto God, gather a Church, and establish a Kingdom of Heaven. Of this power our Saviour Christ speaketh, when he confesseth unto Pilate that he is a King, but adds, My King doom is not of this world, john 18. and St. Paul, the Kingdom of Heaven is not meat and drink, it standeth not in any earthly thing; but in Righteousness, and Peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost, Rom. 14.17. The Sceptre of this Kingdom is the Gospel, the seat of it is the Conscience of man, it is as Christ speaketh in St. Luke, chapped. 17. Regnum Dei intra nos, a Kingdom of God within us, a spiritual Kingdom managed with a spiritual power. Such is the power of Christ the Mediator. But this power doth not in Christ's person exclude the other power of a Creator, nor the Derivative therefrom, the power of Sceptres and Crowns which are all subject thereunto; they are by Christ's Ordinance, and he that is Mediator hath power over them, and doth dispose of them as is best for his Church. But he doth not do this as a Mediator: Kingdoms are founded upon another ground, a ground that went before the Fall, upon Paternal Authority, though in time it hath received many variations, yet did not the Mediator intermeddle with those humane policies, he erected no power over those powers, but left them to the former Providence of God, neither would he have them any way prejudiced or impeached by the entertainment of the Gospel. This Christ testified in his time, the Apostles in theirs, the Primitive Church for many hundred years, as our Writers have clearly proved against the Usurpation of the Bishop of Rome, who claimeth by some of his Advocates directly, by other some indirectly a power, at least over all Christian Sceptres and Crowns: But this is to confound that which God hath distinguished, the power which the Church deriveth from a Mediator, which is a spiritual power, with the power which Kings derive from the Creator and Founder of humane policy. Observe then in few words, how Princes and Pastors are superior and subject in several respects one to the other. In Foro Poli, in cases of Conscience, and things that belong to ghostly counsel and comfort, those things that belong to the salvation of the soul, the Prince must be ruled by the Pastor, so long as he is a faithful Minister of Christ. But in Foro Soli, in the jurisdiction that is annexed to the sword, the Pastor must submit to the Prince, and obey his command. This you may learn out of the Titles which are given them: For as Princes are Children of the Church, and Pastors reputed their ghostly Fathers: so Pastors are Children of the Kingdom; Ezechias calleth the Levites his Sons, 2. Chron. 24. and the Prophet calleth Princes nursing Fathers and nursing Mothers of the Church, Esay 49. Constantine the Emperor distinguished well in his speech to the Prelates, Vos estis Episcopi ad intra, ego ad extra, you are Bishops serving for the administration of sacred things, and managing of the Keys; but I also am a Bishop of the Church to see it well governed, countenanced, and protected: While they serve God, Princes are as it were Sheep of the Fold, but they are Shepherds also, and must see God well served. This I observe the rather, because that you seeing the fountain of your Calling, may keep yourselves within the Boundery thereof; and not with either Papists or schismatics encroach upon the Prince's Sword, deny unto him his jurisdiction Ecclesiastical, or usurp upon his Temporal; two diseases which reign much in this age, which a man may more wonder at, that readeth the New Testament, wherein the jews dream of their Messiah worldly Kingdom is so plainly discovered, and the ambition of the sons of Zebeaee, james and john, who would sit one on Christ's right hand, and the other on Christ's left hand in his Kingdom, is checked so discreetly, and that general rule given, Matth. 20. the Kings of the Nations bear rule, & they that are great men exercise authority, but it shall not be so with you, you shall receive a spiritual, but no temporal jurisdiction; you shall have power not of the Sword, but of the Keys, not over men's bodies, but their souls, in them must I reign, & you must erect my Kingdom there. And thus much of the kind of Christ's power. This power of Christ is lawful, because given to him, given by his Father as elsewhere we learn. And here we must first observe, that if data, john 3. Daniel 7. Esay 49. Psal. 2.48.13. Rom. 14. than it is not rapta, that which is given is not usurped; the Prince of this world hath power even in the consciences of the children of disobedience, and their souls are captived to his pleasure: God hath permitted this, but he hath made him no grant of this power; only he is contented to leave men to his will, by reason of their sin; though the Devil be so arrogant upon this permission, that he told Christ himself, The Kingdoms of the earth and the glory thereof are mine, and theirs to whom I will give them, Luke 4.6. notwithstanding he is but an Usurper. Neither is Antichrist any better, who sitteth in the Temple of God, and carrieth himself as God, 2. Thos. 2. taking upon him that power over the consciences of the people, which Christ never gave him; the particulars are many, you may meet with them in the Casuists, and in the Controversy Writers, I will not trouble you with them. Our Saviour Christ's power is just: For it was given unto him. But when? First, in his Incarnation; for no sooner did he become man, but he was anointed with the Holy Ghost and with Power: therefore the Angels that brought the news of his Birth to the Shepherds, said, that to them was borne a Saviour, which was the Lord Christ. No sooner did the Son of God become man, but he was invested with this power, the eternal purpose of God and Prophecies of him began to be fulfilled; the Godhead communicated to the manhood this power, not changing the manhood into God, but honouring it with an Association in his works; the manhood is of counsel with the Godhead in his government, and Christ from the time of his Conception wrought as God and man, who before wrought only as God: Of this gift speaketh the Psalmist, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee; ask of me, and I will give thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance, etc. Psal. 2. and in Daniel, chapped 7. one like the son of man is brought unto the Ancient of days, and to him was given a kingdom, etc. But though this gift were bestowed at Christ's Conception, yet was the execution thereof for the most part suspended until his Resurrection; some glympses he gave of it, and shown his glory in his Miracles; but for the most part he appeared in the form of a servant, and his Humiliation was requisite, that he might go through with his Passion; his power though it were not idle before, yet was the carriage of it veiled, and therefore acknowledged but by a few. But after his Resurrection, God gave him this power manifestly, and the world was made to see it clearly; for Christ did then not only his person with Majesty, but shown himself wonderful in the government of his people: Therefore the time of the gift is by the Holy Ghost limited to the Resurrection, and declared to be a reward of his Passion; so saith the Psalm, Thou hast made him a little lower than the Angels, that thou mightst crown him with glory and honour, Psal. 8. St. Paul applieth it unto Christ, Heb. 2. Rom. 14, and tells elsewhere, that Christ died and rose again, that he might be Lord both of quick and dead. The same he teacheth the Ephesians and the Colossians, Cap. 1. Cap. 2. but especially the Philippians, Christ being in the form of God, took upon him the form of a servant, and did exinanite himself, and became subject to death, even the death of the Cross; therefore God exalted him, and gave him a Name above all Names, etc. This gift or manner of giving is properly meant in this place, the gift of power in reward of Christ's merit; for by this merit did he enter into his Glory, and into his Kingdom. And from this must Ministers derive their power, which Christ hath right to confer upon them, not only by the gift of his Conception, but also by the reward of his Passion. As Christ's power is lawful, so is it full also; for he hath all power, a plenary power. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth note sometimes a passive power, sometimes an active; a passive power, as in those words of the Gospel, to them that received Christ he gave 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, power to be the sons of God; john 1.12. active, when Christ sent his Disciples he gave them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, power over unclean spirits, Matth. 10.1. that is, to cast them out. According to this double acception of the word, is the fullness of Christ's power diversely expounded. Some say it is full passively; before Christ's Resurrection Christ was obeyed but per nolentes, by those that served him against their will, and so he was served but to halves; but afterward he gathered Populum spontaneum, an ingenuous willing people, Psal. 110. a people that should serve him readily, not with a mixed will, halting between two, or between willing and nilling, but with all their heart, and cheerfully, not like luke warm Laodiceans; for the Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it, Matth. 11. This is the Interpretation of some; true in itself, though not so proper to my Text. Therefore we must understand it of an active power, that power which by allusion out of the Prophet's words is specified in the Revelation, Cap. 3. He hath the Key of David that shutteth, and no man openeth, openeth and no man shutteth; he hath both Keys of the Church, Clavem Scientiae, and Clavem Potestatis, the Key of Doctrine, and the Key of Discipline; he giveth all men their Talents, and calleth them to an account for the use of them: It is he that separateth the Sheep from the Goats, and from his mouth proceedeth as well Go ye cursed, as Come ye blessed. But if you will have it to the full, it is comprehended in those three offices whereunto Christ was anointed; he was anointed to be a Prophet, a Priest, and a King, all by an Excellency, all Heavenly; and what power is there belonging unto spiritual government, which is not reduced unto these three? And they were all three in him without exception, without restriction, and so he had all power, or, as I told you, a power unlimited in itself. And yet mark the phrase; it is omnis Potestas, not Omnipotentia: though in Christ as he is God, there is Omnipotency, yet that power which he hath as Mediator is of a middle size; it is greater than any Creature hath, Angel or Man, but yet not so great as is the infinite Power of God, that extends ad omnia possibilia, to all that possible may be: But the power which God hath given to the Mediator, is proportioned not to scientiae simplicis intelligentiae, but visionis, it extends as fare as the Decree which God made before all times, of all that shall be done in due time; especially concerning the Church, it hath an hand in managing all that Providence, and managing it in an heavenly manner. As the power is unlimited in itself, so it extends to all places; He hath all power in Heaven and in Earth. Heaven and Earth are the extreme parts of the world, and in the Creed are usually put for the whole; but in the Argument we have in hand, we must restrain it to the Church, which consisteth of two parts, one Triumphant in Heaven, the other Militant on Earth: Christ hath power in both; for both make up his body, and he hath reconciled both unto God. In Earth he giveth men Grace, in Heaven he giveth them Glory, here he commandeth our service, there he giveth us our reward; in Earth he bindeth and looseth by his Ministers, and what soever they bind or lose here, himself doth ratify in Heaven; he reigneth in Heaven in glory, and by his Spirit he ruleth on Earth: therefore the Angels and Saints adore him in Heaven, no less than the faithful do here on Earth; both are recapitulated in him, as the Apostle speaketh; he is that jacobs' Ladder, one end whereof reacheth to Heaven, and the other to the Earth, upon him continually do the Angels ascend and descend unto these two places. Finally, the Angels at his Birth congratulate both places, Glory be to God on high, that is in Heaven, in earth peace, good will towards men, Luke 2. and the Apostle saith, it is the fullness of Him that filleth all in all. And thus much of Christ's right or power to send. Come we to the Errand he sends them on. This is grounded upon that power of Christ whereof you have heard; the Illative Therefore importeth as much. And indeed, a Kingly power hath good right to send Ambassadors, and the Dignity of the Ambassador is answerable to the King from whom he cometh; he that looketh upon the persons of Ministers only, will not much esteem either them or their words, but add whose Ministers they are, and that requireth reverence to be yielded to their persons, and obedience to their doctrine. Especially, if we consider, that all those to whom they come are at his mercy from whom they come; for he hath power over them all; and such power he must have that sends: so it is not a message sent by a King to a neighbour King, but by a King to his Vassals; the more are they to be respected, and their words heeded. But let us come to their Charge. Ite, Go ye. They were not to abide still at jerusalem, after they were endued with power from above, they were presently to be walking; their names, Apostles, Angels, Ambassadors, all sound a walking life. But in the word take notice of two things: First, the Apostles do not go before they are sent; it is the mark of a false Apostle to be so forward. Hebr. 5. No man should take unto himself this honour except he be called by those to whom Christ hath given authority. It is an anabaptistical dream, that every man may thrust himself into this work, as he findeth himself moved by the Spirit; and it is an impious attempt of some vagrant Scholars, that make up a poor living by exercising this Function, whereunto they were never ordered: how fare are both these from that modesty which was in Moses, in jeremy, and others? who were so fare from going before they were called, that they held back when God would send them, and pleaded their insufficiency; so did Chrysostome, Nazianzene, other Lights of the Church. And indeed, Quis ad haec idoneus? He is over well conceited of himself whosoever he be, that doth not think it to be an over-weighty burden, a burden that will crush the strongest shoulders, if he bear it as he should. Notwithstanding, when God cometh to Quid statis hic otiosi? Why stand you idle as many as are fit to work? we must yield our pains, and do as well as we can, though we cannot do so well as we should; it is no less a fault to be too backward, than to be too forward: and yet there are many such, whether because they think the calling unworthy their gifts, and below their birth, or because they will not undergo the pains and danger that doth accompany the same; men that will never be Labourers, except they be thrust into the Harvest, thrust not by the Lord of the Harvest, but by their own necessities or advantages. A second Note in this word Ite is, that whereas the world should come unto God out of a sense of their own want, God is fain to send to them; this word justifieth that saying of God in the Prophet, I am found of them that sought me not, I am made manifest to them that enquired not after me, Esay 65. Never would Adam have returned to God, if God had not sought him out, and the sons of Adam would perish in their sins, did not he seek them likewise. The Marriage Feast would have no guests, if the King did not only invite them, but send his servants also to call, yea compel them: Therefore this Ite should remember us to magnify the goodness of God, which is so indulgent to us careless men. But let us come to the particulars of the Charge, and first see to Whom they are sent, They have a great journey to go; for they must go to all Nations. In the first Mission the Apostles were restrained to the lost sheep of Israel, and forbidden to go into the way of the Gentiles, or into a City of the Samaritans; that Commission is here recalled, and the partition Wall is broken down, and their Circuit is enlarged, they are taught that in jesus Christ there is neither jew nor Gentile, Grecian nor Barbarian, bond nor free, male nor female, all are one in him (as St. Paul saith) and St. Peter warned by a Vision breaks out into this confession, I perceive of a truth, that there is no respect of persons with God, but in every Nation he that feareth God, and worketh righteousness, is accepted of him; the Prophets foretold it should be so; ●●ay 2. & 49. Psal. 2. & 71. and now the Apostles hear from Christ, that they must make good those Prophecies, their sound must go out into all the world, they must be the Light of the world, or rather carry the Sun of Righteousness round about the world; and they must be the Salt of the earth, that must season all mankind, which Christ sanctified in his person: Rom. 10. compared with Psulmo 19 and though by others he were called the Son of David, yet the name which he commonly giveth himself is the Son of man. And here see a difference between the Typical and the true Redemption; the Typical extended to one Nation, and Moses Law went no farther; the true reacheth all mankind, and the Gospel must be carried as fare. But here we must take heed of a mistake: the Nations are oftentimes opposed to the jews; so we find it in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles: But it is not so here; for the Apostles are willed to preach unto all Nations, beginning at jerusalem; and so saith St. Paul, To you ought the Gospel first to be preached; but because you make yourselves unworthy of it, lo we turn to the Gentiles. And here also we must not mistake; for from the contempt of the jew, occasion was taken of preaching sooner to the Gentiles, not simply of preaching to them; had the jews entertained the Gospel, the Apostles would have spent more time with them, and they spent the less time with them, because they did not entertain it. The truth than is, that all Nations comprehend both jews and Gentiles; and in the Prophets, the reunion of juda and Israel so often mentioned, meaneth no other than the knitting of the jews and the Gentiles into one Church, and making one Flock of these two kind of Sheep: The Olive Tree will bear both branches, Rom. 11. the Seal of God is to be set upon both, Reuel. 6. and both make up one peculiar purchased people of Christ, one Household, one Kingdom, Ephes. 2. all are Christ's by the merit of his Passion, and therefore the Apostles must go to all; even to all that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, Luke 1. and none are in any better case, as St. Paul proveth to the Romans, they were dead in their sins, and destitute of the glory of God. All need the Gospel, and therefore it must be preached unto all: And that it might be preached, the Apostles were endued with all Languages. The world is much troubled now about Universal Grace, the Resolution in short may be this, that (forbearing to be overbusy with God's Predestination, who is not pleased to acquaint us with his Counsel in his distinguishing persons, in a Minister's Commission Grace is Universal; we should labour the conversion of all and every one: neither should any man except himself, but labour to be in the number of that all to whom God sendeth. One Note more before I leave this point. This large circuit was one of the Prerogatives of the Apostles; they were not restrained to any Diocese or Province, as Bishops now are: but as the Spirit led them, and they saw cause, they might every one plant and water the Church every where. It is true, that for conveniency and expedition of their message, they divided themselves into several Quarters, but without excluding each the other; in this sense was Peter the Apostle of the jews, Paul of the Gentiles; yet did Peter preach to the Gentiles, and Paul to the jews. The power of Orders in their successors is not limited in itself actually; all that are ordered are enabled to exercise their Function in any part of the world, and they may be sent to convert any Nation; and it is but for the more orderly government and edification of the Church, that the exercise of every man's Orders is restrained to a certain charge; and without leave, or a case of great necessity, those that break these Canons offend grievously: and there be not a few that offend that way. I hope that you which are now to be ordered will not prove such. Having competently been told Wither the Apostles are sent, it followeth that ye now hear Whereabout. They must teach; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, saith the Text, make Disciples. And indeed, it is not a bare Historical narration that they must make of the Gospel, they must seek by moral instruction to win the people unto Christ; so teach, that their hearers may become the followers of Christ. And here observe first the wonderful goodness of God. The jews and the Gentiles conspired both to crucify Christ, they put him to a shameful and a painful death, would not you fear least, and look that he should send messengers against both with fire and sword to take vengeance on them, and work their utter desolation? But see, our sweet jesus came not to destroy but to save, Luke 9 he forgetteth and forgiveth not only Peter's denial, and the rest of the Apostles forsaking him, but also the impious blasphemers of his holy Name, and barbarous murderers of his sacred Person; he is ready to receive them unto Grace, and admit them to be his Disciples. A goodness so wonderful, that all the world may stand amazed at it. Secondly, all the world was rend into Sects; the jews into Pharisees, Sadducees, Herodians, etc. the Gentiles they were distracted, not only in their Philosophy, but in their Divinity also, and had as manifold devotion, as they had opinions: the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, showeth that the time was now come that they should all grow into one, and in point of Religion speak one and the self same thing, and serve one and the self same God, All Nations should remember themselves, and be turned to the Lord, Psal. 22. the Prophets foretold it; Esay 44. One shall say, I am the Lords, and another shall call himself by the Name of jacob, and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord, and surname himself by the Name of Israel; so speak the jews: but not the jews only; for in Zachary, chapped 8. the Prophecy is delivered thus, The Inhabitants of one City shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the Lord, and to seek the Lord of Hosts, I will go also: Ten men shall take hold out of all Languages of the Nations, even 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. And that they go up to be Disciples, it is plainly affirmed by Esay, chapped. 2. Many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord, to the House of the God of jacob, and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths. In Micah you shall read the very same: All comes to that which our Saviour Christ speaketh, Be ye not called Rahbi; for one is your Master, even Christ, Matth. 23. And the weapons of the Apostles warfare were mighty through God, to bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ, 2. Cor. 10. But those weapons were not carnal but spiritual. It is for Mahumetans to make their Muselmans' (as they call them) that is, right Believers (if he believe aright that believes in the Koran, a sink of all senseless and sensual dreams) by the sword. But such a manner of making Scholars is fit for the matter they shall learn. And I would too many Christians were not too near followers of them in this barbarous course; who pretend the reclaiming of Heretics (so they call the Orthodox) but indeed would propagate their own Heresies, and what they cannot do by the Word, that they endeavour by the Sword. Of this we may be sure, that the Apostles never made Disciples that way; neither would Christ have Scholars come to him by constraint: Teaching is the Heavenly means of Conversion; those that are Gods Scholars are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taught of God, and his Law is Thora, a Doctrine; Christ went about teaching, Matth. 10. and it was by teaching that the holy Ghost led the Apostles into all Truth, john 14. & 26. And indeed, this is the most noble kind of winning men, to win their understanding and win their will; win his reasonable faculties, than you win a man. Not so if you force his body; that may make him yield against his conscience, but at best he will be but an Hypocrite, and you have gotten but the worse part of him; not a man, but his Vizard, which can never prove good, either to the conqueror, or the conquered. Well then; seeing Teaching is Gods method of converting, you see whereof you must take care; the Word of God must dwell richly in you, especially, you must arm yourselves with the sword of the Spirit, Colos. 4. Ephes 6. 2. Tim. 4. Tit. 2. which is the Word of God, that you may be able to instruct the ignorant, and refute those that are contrary minded. And this care doth St. Paul commend earnestly to Timothy and Titus. And you know, that it was a very bitter reproof which Christ used unto Nicodemus, Art thou a Master in Israel, and knowest not these things? jer. 3. If you will be Pastors according to Gods own hrart, you must feed his people with knowledge and understanding. And let this suffice concerning the manner of bringing men to Christ; In the next place we are to see what must be done to them that entertained the Gospel. First, they must consecrate them unto God, Baptizate, Baptise them. This is not the first Institution of Baptism; for not only john the Baptist, but the Apostles also baptised, as it is in St. john, chap. 4. And howsoever there is a question, Whether the Baptism of john the Baptist, and of Christ's Apostles be the same? (for Christ baptised none in his person) and of the same efficacy: yet there is no question but that the Baptism is the same, and of the same efficacy which the Apostles administered both before and after Christ's Passion. So that Christ in this place extended the Baptism unto the Gentiles, but doth not of new institute it. To baptise is properly to dip into the water; in that fashion were they wont to baptise, except in case of infirmity, wherein the Church allowed springling in stead of dipping: But nicety hath almost worn out the old form, at least in many places; And yet the old form doth most lively represent that which St. Paul maketh the life of Baptism, that is, our conformity to Christ: Know you not (saith he, Rom. 6.) that so many of us as were baptised into jesus Christ, were baptised into his death? therefore we are buried with him by Baptism into death, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead to the glory of the Father, so we should walk in newness of life. And indeed, to baptise is not only to dip into the water, The word dibaphum which signifieth Scarlet, as it were twice dipped and died, retaine● the steps of that signification. which is immergere, but it is tingere also, to dip as it were into a dye-fatte; so that a person dipped in, cometh out of another hue than he went into the water, though not physically, yet morally. Go to (saith Gregory Nyssen) thou that art baptised, thou art become another man, it doth not appear in the lineaments of thy body, it must appear in the lineaments of thy manners; thou must be dead unto the sin whereunto thou didst live, and live unto God, unto whom thou wert dead, thou must have put off the Old, and put on the new Man; Mortification and Vivification, Remission of sins, Adoption to be God's sons, justification and Sanctification are the Blessings that we reap by being put into that Bath of Regeneration: Which is also the very gate of salvation, and maketh us capable of all other sacred Rites of the Church, which they call Sacramenta, or Sacramentalia, Sacraments, or things that have cognation therewith. And indeed it is called Sacramentum initiationis, the Sacrament of initiation, or our Admission into the Church. All Religions have some ceremonious Form whereby they admit Professors into their society; Austin count. Crescon. Gramaticum. l. 3. c. 25. the jews had Circumcision, the Gentiles had several kinds of Purifying, though herein the Gentiles were but the Apes of the jews; the same God that annexed Circumcision to the old Testament, was pleased that Baptism should be annexed to the new, and by that toadmit all the world into one body of the Catholic Church. But let us come to the Form. They were to baptise in the name of the Father, Son, and the holy Ghost. And here we meet with the first and greatest fundamental Principle in Religion, which is, Unity in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; In Nomine, in the Name noteth the Unity of the Godhead against Arius; for were there more Gods than one, the holy Ghost would say, in Nominibus, and not in Nomine. Secondly, in the phrase in Nomine, Note, that where no one Name is specified, all the Names of God are comprehended; for all note but one and the self same nature, the riches whereof we cannot comprehend but under diverse names; which help our weak understanding, but do not divide it. The mention of the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost, refutes Sabellius, and shows, that though the Nature of God is but One, yet in that One there are three Persons, whereof no one is the other, neither is one ever called by the name of the other, when they are considered in relation one to the other; but in relation to us, they communicate in the Name Father, and Spirit is their common attribute, because God is a Spirit. Saint Basil hath a short, but a good note, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; We must observe the Form of Baptism which is delivered in the Gospel, and we must believe in them into whom we were baptised, and we must glorify as many as we believe in, the Father, the Son, and the holy Ghost. And indeed without the true knowledge, and acknowledgement of the Trinity, we cannot reap the comfortable fruit of our Baptism; for we own it unto all three persons, though to none but to them three. St. Jerome saith right, una divinitas, una largitio, the Deity in all three is One, and therefore all three bestow the same gift upon us; we have the same Author of our Regeneration, as we had of our Creation; all three persons concurred to work it, and all three to put us in possession of it. Which that we may the better perceive, Lib. 6. cent. Donatist. learn of St. Austin, that this Form of Baptism doth contain the whole Creed; for the Creed is is divided into three parts, every part doth express one of the three persons, and the benefit which the Church reapeth from that person; for so in the Catechism we teach children to sum up the Creed: when we ask them what they learn therein, they answer us, they learn three things; first, to believe in God the Father that made them and all the world; secondly, to believe in God the Son, that redeemed them and all mankind; thirdly, to believe in God the holy Ghost, that sanctifieth them, and all the Elect of God: Mark then St. Augustine's conclusion, Symbolum igitur profitetur quis, eo ipso quod baptizatur, the receiving of Baptism is a Profession of the Christian Faith. And this is a principal reason, why the Sacrament of Baptism was (as St. Austin telleth us) called Sacramentum fidei, the Sacrament of Faith. A little more distinctly now to open this Form, you must take notice of these useful Observations. First, to baptise in the Name of the Father, Son, and the holy Ghost, doth signify to do it by their warrant and commission; for as God only is the fountain of grace, so none can appoint the means of conveying grace, but only God. This checketh the presumption of the Bishop of Rome, in multiplying Sacraments; and we must be warned to do nothing in God's service without his warrant. Secondly, to baptise in Nomine, is to baptise in the person of the Trinity; a Minister is a public person, whatsoever he doth in the Church, he doth it in another's Name; the parts of his Ministry being two, to administer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to present the people's devotion to God, or to minister 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to bring God's message to the People, he should offer no other Prayers to God, but such as the Church appointeth, because he speaketh in her Name; and so when he bringeth any thing from God, he must remember, that he doth represent his person to the Church. This must warn us to come with holiness to perform sacred Acts, because we sustain the person of God; the Levites washed their hands and their feet, and we must wash ourselves in the blood of Christ. Thirdly, to baptise in nomine, is to ascribe the efficacy of Baptism to the Trinity; the Minister must remember himself to be only an instrument, as St. Peter confesseth when he wrought the Miracle upon the lame man, Acts 3. We baptise with water, but the gifts of the holy Ghost come from God. Wherefore let us give the glory of whatsoever success we have in our Ministry to the principal agent, that is God. Fourthly, in Nomine Trinitatis, is to baptise unto their service, and to dedicate unto them the original, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 notes as much. And therefore the Ministration of Baptism is accompanied with an Abrenunciation; those that are baptised; by themselves (if they be of age) or if children by their sureties, renounce the Devil and all his works, the pomps and vanities of the wicked world, and all the sinful lusts of the flesh; then they devote themselves unto God to believe the Articles of the Creed, and to live according to the ten Commandments. To this end we should baptise, and we must put the people in mind of this morality, and let not their thoughts dwell upon the ceremony, as if when that were passed, all were done. Finally, invocatur nomen Trinitatis super nos, from the time that we are baptised, we must acknowledge that the Lord is our God, He hath made us, not we ourselves, we are his people, and the sheep of his Pasture; or as the Apostle speaketh, We are not our own, because we are bought with a price; wherefore we must glorify God with our bodies, and with our souls, for they are his. We that are Ministers then, as we do not baptise in our own name, so must we not denominate Disciples from ourselves, as the Corinthians; some held of Paul, some of Apollo, some of Cephas, we must teach them all to hold of the same Lord, of him into whose Name they are baptised. As the Baptizer, so the Baptised should make use of every of these observations; they must 1. beediscreet in not admitting more Sacraments than God sendeth; 2. reverence the Minister in regard of his person whom he sustains; 3. give the glory of the grace which they receive unto God; 4. appropriate their service unto him; and 5. let him be their only Lord. One scruple there is about this Form; for in the Acts, cap. 8. v. 16. it should seem that some were baptised only into Christ; and some have thought that the Apostles at pleasure did vary the Form: But the constant practice of the Church in all parts of the world retaining this Form, permits us not so to construe the words in the Acts: The meaning seemeth rather to be this; That those persons confessing their Faith in the Redemption wrought by Christ, were baptised after the usual Form. Some difference there is also between the East and West Church; for in the West Church the Minister speaketh thus to him that is baptised, Ego baptizo te; in the East Church thus, Baptizetur iste; but the difference is confessed on both sides not to be material, therefore I pass it over. You see here none of those many Ceremonies which the Church hath multiplied, whereof many are very ancient, and might be continued, if they had not been corrupted; by the Church of Rome especially. Themselves hold them not to be of the essence, but of the solemnity of Baptism, they cannot, they do not deny but that we keep the essence entire: of those things which belong to the solemnity our Church hath retained so much as is thought fit for edification, the rest it hath cut off, not without cause, and out of that liberty which every Church hath in such things. One thing I may not omit to remember you of that are to be ordered; That these solemn words, In the Name of the Father, Son, and holy Ghost, are used in your Ordination, and therefore what instructions I have given unto you upon the Form of Baptism, you may make use of every one of them, when you meditate upon your Ordination. And I wish you so to do. Now lay together teach and baptise, and then you see the Method of your Ministry; you must first catechise and bring your hearers to believe, and then dedicate them unto God; because without faith it is impossible to please God, Heb. 11. so St. john baptised; so baptised the Apostles; and the rule is, Non potest corpus Baptisma recipere sacramentale, nisi Anima accipiat fidei veritatem; Hieron. and Baptism saveth no man, but Faith is that which maketh a man partaker of grace; and this Faith doth not rest upon the Water, but upon the Word; Accedat Verbum ad Elementum, & fit Sacramentum, non quia dicitur, sed quia creditur. But as Faith hath Necessitatem medij, so Baptism hath Necessitatem praecepti; we may by no means neglect Baptism if it may be had, and the contempt hazardeth salvation, Except a man be borne again of water and the holy Ghost, be cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, john 3. But Faith in no case may be wanting. Mistake not; Tertullian, and Nicetus upon Nazianzen, orat. de Baptismo, misconstrued these words, and thought that Children, except it were in extreme danger of death, should not be baptised, because they could not be taught. The Anabaptists out of this place, and Mark 16. prove, that no child must be baptised until he cometh to the years of discretion. But they grossly mistake; for Christ is here and in St. Mark to be understood de adultis, none without the Church were to be received in, except they were first catechised, and could profess their Faith. The Ancients writ much de Catechumenis worth our reading and imitating in the same case; and of those adulti, or Persons come to the years of discretion, must you understand all those rules in the Scripture, which require those acts of the reasonable soul, Faith, Hope, and Charity, before admission into the Church; of whom ye may require one, you may require all, and of whom you may not require all, you may require never a one. But Christ doth not here prescribe who shall be baptised, but How. At lest Christ doth not forbid them to be baptised which are not taught, but commands them that are taught to be baptised: Children of the faithful must be baptised upon another ground; they are not increduli, they have no actual unbelief, neither can they Ponere obicem, resist the grace of the Spirit, or make themselves uncapable thereof. Secondly, they are foederati, they are in God's Covenant by means of their Parents, whom when God received into the Church, he received them with this Promise, Ero Deus tuus, & seminis t●ui. So then there is an obligation that lieth upon children, by a native allegiance unto God; the Vow that their Sureties make for them is not arbitrary but necessary, and he is bound to make it good; aswell as a child under age is bound when he cometh to age to satisfy his Tutor for whatsoever he reasonably doth expend upon his health, food, apparel, and whatsoever else the child did owe himself by the Law of Nature, and of Reason. See then; is the child on his part so bound unto God in his infancy, and is not God bound unto the child by his Promise, even in the same infancy, to give him the grace of his Covenant? and the Minister in his Name to seal unto the child the assurance thereof by the Sacrament? Surely he is, otherwise the stipulation is not mutual. And take away this, what is the prerogative of a Christians child beyond the child of a Turk or Infidel? To think there is none is impious, and besides this, they can name none. As than Kings give unto their natural subjects even so soon as ever they are borne, the benefit due unto subjects, though they expect their personal Homage, till they come to years of discretion: so doth God deal with the newborn subjects of the Kingdom of heaven. And as it were very hard for a King to put a child borne under his allegiance out of the protection of his law, till he is of years to do his own Homage, and take his Oath: so standeth it not with the goodness of God to withhold the benefit of the Sacrament, from him whom he hath taken to be his child, till he can with his own voice profess that he doth vow himself to be such. Nay, as in the Primitive Church, many together with holy Orders received the qualities fit to discharge the calling, though others were qualified before they were ordered: even so in Baptism, some receive the grace of Faith, Hope, and Charity by the Sacrament as infants, though those which are come to years of discretion must be in some sort seasoned with them before they are baptised. But the time biddeth me end, and reserve what I have farther to say upon this Text till some other time. Wherefore LEt us pray God, that the Pastors may so teach, and the People so learn, that both doing their duty in the Kingdom of Grace, may receive their reward in the Kingdom of Glory, from him that hath all power both in Heaven and Earth. This he grant into whose Name we are baptised, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; To this one God in three Persons, be rendered all honour and glory now and for ever. Amen. THE SECOND SERMON. MATTH. 28. Vers. 20. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: And lo, I am with you always unto the end of the world. Amen. THis Text, with the former Verse, doth contain Christ's right to send, and his sending of his Apostles; He had good right to send, because he is Sovereign Lord of all the World. He sendeth them with a common charge and comfort. Their charge is, to go through the whole world, & to endeavour to convert all both jews and Gentiles unto Christ. If in doing their errand they speed with any, they are first to consecrate them unto God by Baptism, and then to conform their lives unto the Gospel. This is the sum of the common charge. Their common comfort standeth in the powerful and perpetual presence of Christ; Christ promiseth to be with them, He will be with them, that hath all power both in heaven and earth. And he will never forsake them, he will be with them always, or with their successors, He will be with them until the world's end. Upon this comfort they must six their eyes, Lo, or Behold; and their hopeful prayer must desire this, Amen. These be the particulars whereinto heretofore speaking unto you upon a like occasion, I broke this and the former Verses; I then handled Christ's right to send: I have opened unto you the large Diocese over which the Apostles were set, you have seen how they must endeavour their conversion, and last of all, I opened unto you the manner of consecrating believers unto Christ; farther I could not go at that time, except I would trespass too much upon your patience: I purpose now (God willing) to go on, and go through with the particulars which remain untouched. Of the Charge then there remains one point to be handled, and that is, the conforming the lives of believers unto the Gospel of Christ. The Apostles are willed to teach believers, to keep all things whatsoever Christ had commanded his Apostles. In which words I will observe unto you these two things; first, whereunto the service of a Minister is resembled, to the office of a Schoolmaster; the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alludes thereunto: and they must proceed in this manner, they must praeire verbo & exemplo, by word and by deed; Christ's word, for they must teach them to do all whatsoever Christ hath commanded: but the deeds must be their own; for Christ hath laid his commandments immediately upon the Apostles, to do all things which I have commanded you. But let us open these points a little more fully; first, the resemblance of a Minister to a Schoolmaster. The resemblance is very fit: The first name that ever was given unto Christians, was the name of Disciples, that is, Scholars; we find the name in the former Verse employed in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, make Disciples: Now if the believers are Disciples, than the Pastors are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Masters of those Scholars; they are appointed to instruct them: and so the most renowned of the Fathers, are in the writings of the Fathers, oftentimes termed. But that which I will observe unto you that are to be ordered, is, from Schoolmasters to learn a point of discretion; they range their Scholars into Forms, and though themselves be never so learned, yet they read unto their several Forms no deeper points than they are capable of: if they should do otherwise, well might they show their learning, they would show no discretion, neither would the Scholars be the better for that which they should teach them. And you must remember that it concerns you so to distinguish your Auditors, feed some with milk, some with strong meat; you must catechise the youth, plainly, 1. Cor. 3.2. Hebr. 5.12. briefly; the elder, that are riper in years and judgement, must be built on with more learning, and more full instruction. This is that our Saviour meaneth, when he saith, that the Steward of the Lords House who is faithful and wise, will give to every one of the Family his portion, Luke 12.42. and that in due season: In due season; not only speaking Verbum Dei in die suo, opening such passages of Scripture, as are suitable to several Times and Feasts (a thing which discreet Ministers should look unto, and think that the Church hath therefore disposed the passages of Scripture in the Liturgy agreeable to Times, that the Minister should therehence learn what Arguments he should choose for his Texts.) But this is not all that is meant by giving the believers each one his portion in due season; it is meant also, that they must so breed all that are committed to their care, that the old shall not need to come back again to learn their rudiments, wherein they should have been throughly instructed when they were young. If this were done, so many discontents would not grow between pastor and people, while they contend which of the Flock should be, or should not be catechised; neither should Ministers have cause to complain of the gross ignorance which they find in many that are well stricken in years. But this comes to pass, for that the wholesome Ordinance of the Church is neglected, which requires, that you should call upon children to perform in their own persons that vow which was made for them by their Sureties, and not suffer them to partake the Communion, and other sacred Rites, till they can do it so well, that you may upon your knowledge present them to the Bishop, and the Bishop upon try all confirm them, and admit them to the other privileges of Christianity; But as foolish Schoolmasters, that ignorant people may think their Scholars are very forward, read Greek to them when they scarce understand any Latin: so do many unadvised Ministers teach the people great mysteries of Religion, who understand not the elements thereof, and their catechizings are more profound than their preachings should be. I wish you would, I hope you will take heed of this error, and show yourselves more skilful Schoolmasters in breeding your Disciples. There is another error, and it is some kin to this, and that is, to teach them that are present the duty of some that are absent, teach the people what is the Pastor's duty, and the Pastor what is the people's duty; in a Country Parish to speak of their faults that are in authority, and at an Assembly of judges, of justices, to discourse at large of those things which concern the duty of a Country man, etc. I will not deny, but that the Moralities are so intermixed in Scripture, that occasion may be given to intermingle Instructions concerning different Auditories; but discretion requires that we should then pass by, or at least lightly pass over what concerns others, and insist upon that which is fitting to the present Auditory; otherwise we shall but feed a corrupt humour which is natural to us all, and that is a desire to hear other men's duties, especially their faults, and in the mean time to be careless of our own duties, and to be puffed up with the conceit, that ourselves are the better, because we hear others are so bad: thus many are brought to sigh for other men's sins, who might better spend their grief about their own. It were well if it were no worse, it breeds an ill conceit of others, which proceeds to uncharitable and undutiful both words and deeds; the world hath had too much proof of it, it is a seed of sedition, your precise Preachers have sown too much of it. But surely, this is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to imitate discreet Schoolmasters in teaching of the people. But Pastors must not only be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, they must teach the people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to keep that which is taught them, or observe it in their lives and conversation. A discreet Schoolmaster doth not only teach his Scholar's Grammar Rules, whereby, for example, true Latin may be made; but he teacheth them also to make Latin according to those Rules, neither doth he think his pains bestowed to any purpose, before his Scholars can do that. Even so a discreet Minister must teach his people, not only to know, but to do their duty, to turn their Science into Conscience, so to learn Christ, as to become Christians, Christians in that sense which St. Paul speaketh of to the Galathians, Cap. 5. My little children, with whom I am in travel again till jesus Christ be form in you; which you may farther interpret by his words in the first of that Epistle, I live (saith St. Paul) yet no more I, but jesus Christ liveth in me. To the Corinthians likewise thus he writes; ●. Cor. 3.2. that they are his Epistle written by the Spirit of God, in the tables of their hearts by his ministry, so legible, as that it might be seen and read of all. And elsewhere he saith, that to learn Christ is to put off the Old man and put on the New. And certainly, james 1. Psal. 19 he is a very truant in the School of Christ, whose life doth not express his learning, that is not aswell a doer as a hearer of the word. It is a gross conceit, that true believing without godly living will advantage a Christian; and yet it was an ancient conceit: St. Austin was occasioned by it to write his Books de fide & operibus; yea before him the Apostles in every Epistle forget not to correct that error. And indeed Baptism, which is Sacramentum fidei, the obsignation of our faith, doth it not represent unto us our dying unto sin, Rom. 6. and rising unto righteousness? and if we do not make this use of it, non prodest, sed obest, they that are not the better by it, shall far the worse for their Baptism: for the indelible character which we receive in it will testify against us in the day of judgement, that we have not only transgressed Gods commandments, but also broken our vow of obedience; which will add to our guilt, and increase our pain; for the servant that knoweth his Master's will and doth it not, shall be beaten with more stripes. Luke. 12.47. and you know in the Gospel, that of the two sons, he was the worse that told his father he would go work in the Vineyard, and did not. But keeping doth signify not only observing of that which we learn, but the increasing thereof also, we must not think that the first step is the highest, but we must grow in grace, and from virtue to virtue; there is a perfect age in Christ, whereunto we must all contend to come. We must keep that which is taught us, as the earth keepeth seed corn; the earth keepeth the seed to multiply it into one or more ears, loaden with many grains: the unprofitable servant kept his talon, he was punished because he did not use it to increase; and surely we must not look to be approved of Christ, if we are not the better, the longer we live. Of this truth, if we were well resolved, we would profit more than usually we do by the pains of the Minister. I have dwelled long enough upon the resemblance of your calling; let us now see how we must proceed. We must praeire Proecepto & Exemplo, we must lead the people by a good Rule. A Schoolmaster that will make good Scholars chooseth good or classical Authors, which he readeth unto them; and Christ the chief Master of the great School of the Church, leaveth not Ministers, which are but under-masters, to read what they will unto their Scholars, but tieth them to Quae ego praecepi, that which himself hath given in charge. Whereupon St. Paul, 1 Cor. 11. useth those words, Quae accepi à Domino, tradidi vobis, what I have received of the Lord, that have I delivered unto you. The Apostles (as I told you on the former Verse) were Ambassadors of Christ, and so are all that succeed them in the Ministry; now you know that Ambassadors deliver not their own mind, but the mind of their Master, the words that they speak are his words: even so the Ministers of Christ must deliver Christ's message unto his Church, it is to his will, not their own, Mat. 23. james 4. that they must require the people's obedience; the only Lawgiver is Christ, and he the only Master. This I would have you take notice of, because one of the crafty insinuations, wherewith Popish seducers work upon simple people, is this; You are baptised into the faith professed in the Church of Rome, at least as many of you as lived in Queen Mary's days, in Henry the Eights days, and before; and if in your own persons you were not, yet your Ancestors were, and if they or you were, you have vowed obedience then to the Bishop of Rome, you ought then in conscience to be reconciled unto him. Thus plead the Seminary Fugitives in their Apologies. But though they have stained baptism with many superstitions, yet have they not therein, or in the form thereof set out by Authority of the Council of Trent, so fare countenanced their forgery, as to bind Christian people in their Baptism to any, but to Christ; They that are baptised (saith the Apostle) put on Christ, and in Baptism are adopted to be children of God, to obey the voice of their Father, to hear the command of Christ their Saviour. True; saith the Papist, we require no more. But the Pope is Christ's Vicar, and God's Deputy; from him we must receive God's pleasure. We will, provided he always show us his Evidence; if upon trial it appear not to be counterfeit, we will submit to it: but this the Papists have not done, neither indeed can they, and therefore what without good record they obtrude to the Church, Christian people may refuse without breaking their vow they made in Baptism. The Baptizer and the baptised are the one to deliver, the other to receive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, whatsoever Christ giveth in charge to the Church; Christ requires them both, not to take from, nor to add to that which he commanded. We must not take from it ought. He that will obey of Christ his charge some part, and omit some other, doth not follow Christ's will, but his own; for he taketh what he will, not what Christ will have him take: but he must know, that tota obedientia is copulativa, as the Schools speak, all the Commandments of God are knit together with a conjunction copulative; consider them asunder you may, you may not sever them. The Philosophers held that the cardinal Virtues are so knit together, that he that hath one must needs have all, and he that hath not all hath never a one. This is more true of the theological Virtues, Faith, Hope, and Charity; he that hath Faith, must have Hope, and Faith and Hope will not be without Charity. So that no one branch necessary to salvation can be kept, at least be kept salubriter, but in communion with the rest: St. james therefore telleth us, cap. 2.10. He that is guilty of one, is guilty of all, because he that commandeth one, commandeth all. The Law runneth in general terms, Deut. 27.26. Cursed is he that abideth not in every point of the Law to do it. Christ will have us resign ourselves wholly to his pleasure: the Pastor must not conceal aught from the people; Christ delivered to his Disciples whatsoever he had heard of his father requisite for their salvation; and St. Paul opened to the Ephesians all the counsel of God, Acts 20. faithful Pastors must imitate these good patterns, neither for fear nor favour must they spare to deliver any part of the truth of God's Word; that were to humour men, or rather to foster corrupt humours in them to their destruction. And People must not be like unto those that have queasy stomaches, who must choose their meat, else will not feed on that which is set before them; they must use their stomaches to all spiritual sustenance, and learn to digest whatsoever God speaketh to them by his Ministers, not doubting but that though many things relish not pleasantly to flesh and blood, yet the things are wholesome which Christ commendeth unto them. This All is exclusive, they that must keep all that which Christ commandeth, must do that only, they must add as little to, as they must take from it: Do all (saith God unto Moses, Exod. 25.) according to the pattern shown in the Mount; the Prophets, the Apostles kept themselves strictly to their charge. And you know that it is dangerous for an Ambassador to patch any device of his own to his Master's instructions. What Balaam answered unto the Messengers of Balaac, may well beseem every faithful Pastor, If Balaac will give me his house full of gold, Numb. 22.18. I cannot go from that word which I receive from the Lord, to do more or less. What this same All is, it would be too much to open distinctly at this time. St. Mark, cap. 16. calleth it in one word the Gospel: and indeed that is properly Christ's charge. St. Luke, cap. 24. resolveth it into the doctrine of Remission of sins, and of Repentance. We may reduce it unto that which is represented in Baptism, which is a conformity to Christ dying, and rising from the dead: In a word, all Christ's commandments are either affirmative or negative; In regard of the affirmative we must imitate David, a man after Gods own heart, Acts 13. who did facere omnes voluntates Dei, do all that which God would have him do; And touching the negative, we must imitate the same David, who saith of himself, that All wicked ways he did utterly abhor, Psal. 119. If thus we live, we shall do as we pray, God's will in earth as it is done in heaven. But who can do so? it is more than is possible for this frail life; wherefore we may understand All two manner of ways; secundum parts, and secundum gradus. According to the parts of our duty, we must omit no part, but must exercise ourselves in every thing which Christ requires: As for the degrees, though we must strive to attain the highest, yet if we reach not so fare we must not despair: Austin. Quisquis non potest implere quod iubet Christus, amet eum qui implevit, & in illo implet; that which was impossible for the Law by reason of the weakness of our flesh, Rom. 8. God sending his son in the similitude of our flesh, for sin condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us, Cap. 19 which walk not according to the flesh, but according to the spirit. Hitherto you have seen how the Minister must praeire praecepto, lead the people by good Instruction; now see in a word how he must lead them by good Example. The commandments that Christ gave, he gave to the Apostles, meaning that they should make use of them themselves, as well as persuade the people to it: St. Paul understood it so, who saith of himself, 1 Cor. 9 I beat down my body, and bring it under, lest when I preach unto others myself become a Reprobate, and biddeth Timothy be an example to his flock; we must not be like Scribes and Pharisees, Mat. 23. that bound heavy burdens and laid them upon the people's shoulders, whereat they would not lift with one of their fingers. It is too foul a reproach for a Minister so by his living to contradict his preaching, as to deserve to be replied unto in that Proverb, Medice, cura teipsum, and so destroy more than he can build. This dishonour I wish you to avoid. And so at length I have done with the Charge, come we now to the Comfort. That I told you standeth in the powerful and perpetual presence and assistance of Christ; Christ's presence is noted by Ego vobiscum, I am with you, which doth show us the truth of Christ's name Immanuel, God with us; Mat. 1. Esay 8. the Holy Land was called Terra Immanuel, the Land of God is with us, and because that was but a Type, look into the place where God put his name. Ezekiel in the vision of the new Jerusalem telleth us, that the name of that City is jehova shamma, Cap. 48. Dominus ibi, the Lord is there: both in the new Testament and in the old, that saying of Wisdom in the Proverbs, cap. 8. is received, My delight is to be with the sons of men. But how can Christ which is ascended into heaven, be with them upon earth? the name of Christ containeth the Manhood as well as the Godhead; now the Manhood is finite, & therefore cannot be both in Heaven & Earth. True; the Manhood cannot, but the Man may. No man (saith Christ, john 3.) ascendeth unto heaven, but he that descended from heaven, the son of man which is in heaven; this Christ spoke when he was upon the earth. If the son of man could be in heaven while Christ was on the earth, surely the son of man may be on the earth while Christ is in heaven. We must understand it of the Person which is but one, though two Natures subsist therein; and both natures concur in the production of the several works of the Mediator, in a manner which we cannot conceive. But we must take heed of the Lutherans racking of this conceit, who would make the Humanity of Christ to have a double existence; one finite, which they call Physical, the other infinite, which they call hyperphysical; which distinction is such as I think themselves do not understand, I am sure they do not express it so that it may be conceived: no more do Papists, that to bear out Transubstantiation have coined the like. But to leave them; Christ that is man is present every where; though not in his Manhood, yet in his Godhead. If this be too obscure take a plainer manner, his Presence by his Holy Spirit; Misit Vicarium spiritum sanctum (as Tertullian speaketh) If I go not away (saith Christ) the Comforter will not come; john 14. but if I go, I will send him to you from my Father; and where the Spirit is, there is Christ; St. john teacheth us so, By this we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit that he hath given unto us. 1 Epist. 3. But it is not a bare presence that we have to do withal, I told you it is a powerful presence; the word Ego, I, must be understood with an Emphasis; I that have all power given me both in heaven and earth, that have overcome the world in my own person, and in my own person cast out the Prince of this world, that have all judgement given unto me from the Father, whom all the Angels do worship. And indeed the Presence of such a person was behooveful, whether you respect those to whom they were sent, or that which they were to do; the Apostles, though they carried heavenly treasures, it was but in earthen vessels, themselves were but plain men, of no great parts nor parentage in outward show, likely not only to be scorned, but also to be persecuted when they had delivered their message; the Dragon and all his Angels were like fiercely to oppose them; ea, Christ told them, that he sent them as sheep amongst wolves. And how unlikely might they think themselves to prevail with all sorts of men, and persuade them to forsake their Idolatry, and turn to God, to believe in Christ crucified, take up their cross and follow him? The undergoing of such a danger, the compassing of such a design, require a powerful Presence, without which the Apostles would never have ventared to undertake their charge. When God bid Moses go to Pharaoh and command him to let Israel go out of Captivity; how doth he excase himself? dis-inable himself? what ado hath God with him? nothing could put him in heart but Ero tecum, I will be with thee; Exod. 3.12. that so emboldened him, that being but a single and a silly man, at least the company that he took with him were of no great regard, yet they ventured into Pharaohs Court, into his presence, and without fear of him, or his greatness, delivered their message plainly and roundly, and renewed it more than once: so resolute did God's presence make them. Whereas afterward, when God threatened to withdraw his presence, by reason of the untowardlines of the Israelites carriage, Moses speaketh plainly to God, If thou wilt not go with us, send us not hence; and yet then he had 600000. men with him and more; notwithstanding all that aid, he had no heart to enter upon Canaan till God promised again that he would go with him; as also his being with josua made josua valiant, and of a good courage. To pass over the like promise made to Gedeon and others, not so pertinent to our purpose, though showing how available God's presence is: Cap. ●. Cap. 3. jeremy and Ezekiel that were Prophets had an employment in nature much like unto this of the Apostles; and we find, that both of them startled at their message, and held back, till God drew them on with a promise of being with them. But of all promises that is most markable which is made to Zorobabel, Zachary 4. Who art thou, O great Mountain? before Zorobabel thou shalt become a plain; he shall bring forth the head stone thereof with shoutings, crying grace, grace, unto it. This is the work that Zorohabel shall do; but what is the means? not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord. Mat. 10. In this sense our Saviour Christ when he sendeth the Apostles he biddeth them not to take care what they should speak, for that not they, but the spirit of their Father should speak in them; and Christ promised to give them such a mouth and wisdom, Luke 81. as all their Adversaries should not be able to gainsay, nor resist, By this you may perceive that it is not a general presence that is promised, which is common to the good and the bad, but a special, and that a gracious Presence; a Presence which he to whom it is vouchsafed may well joy in, and be comforted by: for what good shall he want, what evil need he fear, with whom Christ is so present? But you may resolve Christ's presence with his Apostles into the Protection of their persons, and Cooperation in their work. Prosp. ib. 2. de wocat. Gent. The protection of their persons; Non ut nihil patiantur, sed ut non superentur; Christ did not protect them so, as that they should not suffer the Cross, but that they should conquer by it, as himself had done; their Martyrdom was their conquest, and they most advanced the Gospel when they sealed it with their blood. As for Christ's Cooperation, it is plain, that the conversion of the world was Mutatio dextrae Altissimi; that in such a moment of time the Gentiles in all known parts of the world should be so brought to entertain the Gospel, was a work of no weaker power than that of the Almighty; it was his work Qui facit mirabilia magna solus, that only doth great Wonders. But what is this to us that are Ministers now? we are not Apostles. True; but we are the Successors of the Apostles, and Christ promiseth not only a powerful but a perpetual Presence, he promiseth to be with them always unto the world's end. I might tell you that the Apostles live in their writings, to which all succeeding Pastors are tied, and the miracles which they wrought are to Posterity the warrant that their work was Christ's, and so Christ in us is with them. But more distinctly. If he had said unto them only always, we might have understood it as of a personal Promise, a Promise proper unto them, but when he addeth, to the world's end, others are comprehended also, even the succession of Pastors; we also must comfort ourselves with the promise of God's protexion; we shall never want crosses in the world, but we must hope that God will make perfect his strength in our weakness. And we must comfort ourselves with the Cooperation of Christ, and acknowledge, that wheresoever Paul planteth and Apollo watereth, it is God that giveth the increase; it is not we, but the Grace of God with us, that doth produce these supernatural effects in the people, their Regeneration, their Absolution, their ghostly Consolation, etc. Under Vobiscum, With you, you must comprehend not only Pastors, but People also, for Where two or three are gathered together in my name (saith Christ) I am in the midst of them; and in the Revelation, Christ appeareth walking in the midst of the golden Candlesticks. In regard of protection, Zach 12. he promiseth to be a wall of fire unto his people; and in regard of cooperation, he promiseth that they shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taught of God, and they have an Unction that teacheth them all things. Finally, the phrase I am is not to be neglected in this perpetuity; for it doth not only suit well with Christ who is always the same, and changeth not; but it noteth also the constancy of his operation, whether he defend or work by the Pastors, and in the People. Oh would to God we did all acknowledge this presence of Christ in his Church; it would make us carry ourselves more holily, and more readily do our duty; and in so doing continued always the same. Before I leave this point of Perpetuity, I must refute a Calumny of the Church of Rome, and correct their Arrogancy. First, to meet with their Calumny. They charge us that contrary to this text, we hold the Church hath failed, and may fail; but certainly they can name no Author of ours that ever delivered such an opinion; we believe and confess that Christ hath built his Church upon a Rock, Matth. 16. and that the gates of bell shall never prevatle against it; that there shall not want Christian Pastors and People in the Church, Ephes. 9 until Christ shall come to judgement. But this we say; that there is no branch of the Church Militant which is not subject to corruption in opinion, and in conversation; yea, many degenerate so fare herein, that they may be lopped off from God's Vine, and cease to be a Church: we have many woeful examples hereof in Africa, in Asia, in Europe, long since swallowed up by Mahumetans; yet the body of the Church hath continued still, though it have lost many of its branches. God was never pleased to suffer corruption so fare to prevail, but that he provided a new Plant to shoot out before he forsook that which degenerated. You see how the Church was continued till the flood in Noah, who succeeded the patriarchs that descended from Seth; & after the flood God preserved a Sem at the least, until the Church was settled in Abraham, in whose posterity he did continue it until Christ came in the flesh; neither did he utterly forsake the jews till the Church was rooted in the Gentiles; & amongst the Gentiles he hath continued it notwithstanding Tyrants, Heretics, etc. but not without the spiritual husbandry; cutting off those branches which were past recovery. This is true will the Romanist confess of all particular Churches; the Church of Rome is more, that is the very trunk of the Tree, it is more than a branch; the other Churches may fail, she cannot fail, she, and she only, hath a privilege from erring, from falling from the truth derived from St. Peter. But I told you when I broke up the Text, that the charge and comfort were common to all the Apostles. St. Crprians Rule is true, the Apostles were sent, Pari consertio potestatis & honoris. Cypr. de simplicit. clericorum. And that their successors are all equal herein is clear, because both charge and comfort are common to them all until the world's end. Were there no other Text in the Bible, this is plain enough to refute the vanity of their privilege. Doth not Christ here speak to all the Apostles, yea and their Successors too, as themselves confess, and promise to be with them to the world's end? and yet we see that many Apostolical Churches have long since failed. They might, saith a Romanist, but we cannot; read St. Paul to the Romans, and read there, that St. Paul doth not only repute them but a Branch of the Church grafted in the old stock, Rom. 11. but biddeth them Not to be high minded, but fear; for they are not so grafted in, but they may be broken off again, no less than the jews, if they give God the same cause. Nay, St. Paul goeth farther, and insinuateth to the Thessalonians, 2. Thes. 2. that the Romans will fall away, & their Bishop be the man of sin, who shall sit in the Temple, and undermine the Orthodox Faith. But I will trouble you no farther with this point, only observe two errors of the Romanists. One, that they appropriate to themselves the common Promises made unto the whole Church; the second, that they understand them absolutely, whereas they are meant conditionally. This difference they would have us observe between the promises made to the old Testament and the new. In the old Testament they say, that God promised indeed a perpetual Residence, but it was, if the jews performed their obedience: And they say true in it; the Promised of Gods being with the King, with the Priest, with the Nation, all were made upon such a condition; Take for example the story of josua; in the first chapter God promised he would not leave him nor forsake him; yet we see that not many Chapters afterwards he did forsake him, offended with achan's sacrilege. But observe, that this condition is not always expressed in the Promise; it is understood then when it is not expressed. It is no better with the new Testament; the forecited Chapter of the Romans confirms this truth, and the event hath proved it true. For though touching the Elect it is true that God will preserve them, and it is true absolutely, that God will ever have a Church wherein those Elect shall be; yet no man, nor congregation must understand the Promises of God made unto them, but with condition of their performance of that which God requires: If they do, they do but vainly flatter themselves, and woeful experience will make them spectacles to the world of this vain presumption. To conclude this point; The Apostles had a Charge and a Comfort; the comfort was to encourage them to perform their charge, and the one must not go without the other; and as the Apostles, so we must entertain them. St. Chrysostome biddeth us take notice that Christ mentioneth the End of the world, that he may thereby hearten his Disciples, and preserve them, preserve them from being besotted with any worldly hopes; seeing they are transitory, and must have an end, they have nothing in them for obtaining whereof they should forgo their calling: And as for the Cross which they are to suffer, they should not be troubled with that, that also must have an End: wherefore, doing their duty, Christ would have them mind that Proverb, Non si male nunc, & olim sic erit, this world shall not last ever: yea, this world's coming to an end bringeth us to a world that shall have no end; Persecuters and Vnbeleevers shall find another world, wherein, stripped of all their earthly comforts, they shall have misery without end: and the faithful servants of Christ, they also shall come to another world, where they shall enjoy the reward of their pains, a blessed life for evermore; So that the End is not only an End of consumption, but of consummation also, both to good and bad, Whereupon followeth another Note, that the word donec until, doth not mean that after the end of the world Christ will be no longer with us; that sense of the world, condemned by St. Hierome writing against Heluidius in the case of the Mother of Christ's Virginity, must also receive the same sense here. Christ shall be with the Church then, but in another manner than now, not modo mediatorio, as mediating to God for us, for then God shall be all in all; but he shall be with us as he is with the Angels that are confirmed in grace, the enjoying of his blessed presence shall be no small part of our eternal happiness. I have opened unto you the Charge and the Comfort that are expressed in my Text: Two points remain to be touched very briefly. The first is contained in the word Lo, which telleth us whereon we must place the eyes of our mind. We are apt to busy them about disheartening objects, and plod upon the difficulty of our charge, and our own disability, and thereupon to shrink back, and be unwilling to be employed in such services of God; we can, with the cowardly Israelites, object the sons of Anak in comparison of whom we are but grasshoppers, the high walls which we can never scale, and so give over our journey, our warfare. But God taketh off our eyes from these bugbears that so affright us, and biddeth us look upon him, Ego vobiscum, I am with you. If God be with us, who can be against us? Rom 8.3. he can cowardice all the hearts of our enemies, and can curb all their fierceness, and can crush all their might: nay, he can turn a Laban or an Esau that deadly hate us, at least into seeming friends, so fare as to salute, to entreat us kindly, even then when we expect they will do us mischief: He can do more, turn even Saul into a Paul, make him a convert when he is hot in persecution: Finally, he can make his, Sampson-like, conquer more dying by the hands of the enemy, than when he lived to encounter them. Whensoever God putteth us upon any hot service, Ecce, look upon this, let this be in our eye, it will suffer no fear to dismay us. For seeing it is not our strength that must withstand them, but God's power sustaining us, and there is no proportion between the power of a Creator, and all the Creatures, what is there that should trouble us? Therefore let us keep our eyes on him, and we shall be vndauntedly patiented of any disgrace or danger that we must pass in performing our charge. Again; though we be naturally proud, and think ourselves worthy of high preferment, and sufficient for great employment; yet when we are called to these supernatural Acts, we are fare from being ambitious, yea we are plain incredulous that ever such things can be done by us, or that we are fit to be used in doing them; we can then plead our imperfections, the imperfections of our head, the imperfections of our heart; it is strange then to see how vile we will be in our own eyes, and be glad that any one should have the honour of this service rather than ourselves: we see this truth in Moses, jeremy, and others. But this is a mis-placing of our eyes, Christ taketh them off from this contemplation, and placeth them upon himself, Behold, I am with you; it is my spirit, my wisdom, my grace that produceth these heavenly effects, I do you the honour to make you my Instruments, but I will be the principal Agent, regard not your weakness but my power, and doubt not but that I will do by you whatsoever I shall give you in charge. Let this be your encouragement, Christ would never send us to baptise with water, but he meaneth to baptise with the holy Ghost; he will never send us to dispense bread and wine, but he will be present to give unto believers his body and blood; if he send us to bind and lose on earth, himself will bind and lose in heaven; finally, the foolishness of Preaching which he uttereth by our mouths, himself doth accompany with a demonstration of his Spirit; Ecce, Behold this, Behold how I am with you, how I cooperate with you. The last particular which I observed is contained in the last word Amen, and this must second Ecce, Behold. So soon as ever our eyes are upon the right object, and we see what shelter, what succour we have, who doth support us, who doth work by us, we must fall to our Amen, we must undoubtedly believe the truth of Christ's promise, and hearty desire the accomplishment thereof; the word Amen implieth both, and we must say Amen both ways: Christ doth promise I am with you, I will not leave you, nor forsake you, whensoever, or whithersoever you go in my service; we must answer Amen, Lord I am assured it will be so. I am sure it will be so also when thou sayest, Lo I am with you, by you to give light to them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death, and guide their feet into the way of Peace. And seeing what thou Lord sayest shall be, what is my desire but that it should be? Da Domine quod iubes, & inbe quod vis, Lord be thou with me, and I care not what charge thou dost impose upon me; thou biddest me go into all the world, Amen, so be it, I will go; thou promisest to be with me wheresoever I go, Amen, so be it. Thus should Ecce, Behold, set awork Amen, and Amen, So be it, should ever attend this Ecce, Behold. I have done with my Text, and with the particulars which I pointed out therein; lay those particulars together, and see how many things there are to be observed by you that are to enter into Holy Orders. Here you may see that the Original of your calling is from Christ; that Christ calleth you to be his Ambassadors; the errand whereupon you are sent is the gathering of God's children into his Church; He trusteth you with the seals of his Covenant, his Sacraments; He maketh your mouths his Oracles unto the people; his presence maketh your persons secure and sacred; whether he be pleased that you be Patients or Agents, his presence shall make you conquerors under the Cross, and converters of sinful men. And this he will do by you, and those that shall be honoured with the like calling, until the number of the Elect are fulfilled, and we all meet comfortably, after our service is happily ended, to reign with him for ever in his Kingdom of Glory. He that giveth you this Charge, grant you this Comfort, and make you so behold it, that you may say Amen unto it. Amen. Amen. IHS A SERMON PREACHED AT A VISITATION At . ZACHARY 11. vers. 7. And I took unto me two staffs, the one I called Beauty, and the other I called Bands, and I fed the flock. THis Chapter contains the last and worst destruction of the jews, the manner and the cause is contained herein. The Manner is most woeful, for it is Libellus Repudij. God will have no more to do with them, and they were to be Lognammi, no longer the peculiar people of God; no degree of person was to be exempted from this plague, neither were they ever to recover their state again. Of so woeful a manner the cause was most just, Curati noluerunt curari, God gave the jews over, Pastors and People, to a total, to a final desolation, because in their day, the last of their days, they would not know, they did not regard those things that belonged unto their peace. What those things were, for the most, for the best part, we are taught in these words that now I have read unto you. The whole text is a Parable, wherein a ghostly shepherd is resembled to a bodily, and the care of the one is represented in the others care. This is the sum of the whole text. But more distinctly. In moralising the Parable we are to make two inquiries; first, Who it is that speaketh these words; secondly, What that is which he meaneth by this speech. By laying together the parts of this Chapter, you shall find that he that speaketh is our Saviour Christ, it is he that saith, I took to myself two slaves, etc. As it is he that speaketh, so that which he speaketh concerneth himself, the contents of his words are his own exemplary pastoral care. In opening this care the text will teach us 1. how he did furnish himself suitably to his calling; 2. how he did employ his furniture to the good of his charge. His furniture was Authority and Ability; Authority, noted by the staffs; for Padum insigne Pastoris, a Shepherd is designed by his crook, and the crook is an emblem of Authority. Authority is not enough, he hath Ability also; his Ability is noted by the property of the staffs. The properties are two, and so the ability groweth to be twofold; the first is noted by Beauty, by which is meant Veritas Euangelica, a Shepherd's skill in the covenant of Grace; the second is noted by Bands, whereby is noted Charitas Christiana, the Shepherd's care of the Church's peace. With these doth the Shepherd furnish himself, so he saith, I took unto myself; I took, he received this furniture from his Father, so I gather out of the fourth verse, and what he took, therewith he qualified himself, it fitted him for the charge which his Father imposed on him. As the Shepherd was full furnished, so was he well employed, he employed his furniture for the good of his charge. His charge is noted by the Flock; a short, but a fair description of the Church is intimated in this word; for a Flock is Congregatio Ouium, an assembly of Sheep; every member of the Church is resembled to a Sheep, and as Sheep, so are these members sociable. Of such a society Christ took care, he fed them, he wrought the properties of his Statues into them, he instructed every Sheep in truth, and united them all in peace. This was Christ's pastoral care, a care which we must hold exemplary, & if exemplary, than other Pastors must exemplify it; it beseems us to be conformed to the chief Shepherd of our souls. I have laid before you the Contents of this Scripture, I will now begin to enlarge them, and fit them to this occasion. Qui pascit pastorem; the Master Shepheard that feeds the under Shepherds, so feed me, that I may herein be the better able to feed you, and both of us may prove dutiful observers and followers of his Pastoral care. The first inquiry that must be made is, Who he is that speaketh these words; he is not expressed, therefore the Interpreters differ. Of those that speak probably, some will have him to be Zacharie our Prophet, some our Saviour Christ; they are easily reconciled. It is an undoubted rule; that there are aswell real as verbal Prophecies, and not only persons but things also were Typical in the Old Testament; the Prophets did often times act their persons whose stories they related: certainly Zacharie in this Chapter doth personate both good and had Shepherds, the bad in the end of the Chapter, and the good in this seventh verse. And this good Shepherd is our Saviour Christ; St. Matthew puts it out of all doubt; for in him we read that certain words in this Chapter were fulfilled when judas sold Christ unto the high Priests; now he that was sold was he that spoke these words, that is plain by the contexture, therefore he that speaketh these words must needs be our Saviour Christ. Neither is it strange that he should be resembled to a Shepherd; the Prophets, the Apostles do so compare him, and lest they should seem to do it with disparagement, Christ is pleased in the tenth of St. john to warrant their doing by doing the same himself. But that which I work hereout is, that this Shepherd is Non seruus sed filius, he is no servant, but the son of God, there is eminency in his Person; and indeed seldom is he remembered without some addition importing his worth, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Shepherd of special note, the good Shepherd, the great Shepherd, the chief Shepherd of our souls, are his honourable titles. The higher his person, the more regard is due unto him; St. Paul argueth so, Heb. 2. Contempt cost the jews dear, and it is to be wished that other men's harms make us beware. Secondly, if the son stoop to this calling, what servant (without intolerable pride) may think himself too good for it? No man can undervalue it, but withal he must needs disgrace his blessed Saviour. I note this the rather, because it checks the Gentry, the Nobility, that think so well of their birth, that they think scorn to be of our Coat. In the beginning of the world for many hundred years, the Kingdom and the Priesthood did concur in the same person, when they were severed they were divided between two brothers Moses and Aaron; yea at this day Christian Kings have somewhat of the Clergy conferred on them at their Coronation, and they disdain not to be reputed mixed persons. I will not remember those Senators and Officers of State that in the Primitive Church became Clergy men, nor the Princes that in the Church of Rome at this day undergo our calling, though according to the fashion of that corrupt Church with more policy than piety. Only this I will say, that seeing our calling in the state of grace is to be Kings and Priests, he is unworthy as a private person to have this honour that scorns it in a public one, which hath an addition not a diminution, and maketh them Fathers which were before but Sons; the enlarging of the Prerogative should vindicate it from contempt, especially seeing therein we have communion with Christ. And let this suffice for the first Enquiry. The second Enquiry must be into the meaning of the words. I told you they mean nothing but the pastoral care of Christ. In the delivery whereof the first thing that I observed in the text was the Shepherd's furniture, and thereof the first part appeared to be his Authority, for it is his Authority that is noted by the Staffs. The Original of this phrase is partly historical, and partly mystical, the history is briefly this. The first patriarchs (as it appears in Genesis) were for the most part Shepherds, and yet to them being such, God did commit both ecclesiastical and civil power. In an honourable remembrance hereof, when the Church of domestical became national, the title continued still, the Priest, the Prince, both were called Shepherds, and each is said to have his Shepherd's staff, Moses no less than Aaron, and Aaron no less than Moses; though in time the Prince's Staff was changed into a Sceptre, and the Priests into a Crocier, yet are both monuments of the old Shepherd's staffs. This is the Original of the phrase which we find in the Rituals. But I may not conceal from you a later birth of the Crocier; we read it in that part of the Civil Law which is intuitled Consuetudines feudorum, there you shall find that after the translation of the Roman Empire unto the Germans, the form of investiture of any person with Office or Land was per traditionem baculi, the party doing his homage was invested by receiving of a Staff. As our original is from those Nations, so are their customs retained amongst us; when the great Officers of the Court, of the Crown, are created, they have a staff delivered them, and Copie-holders' in Court Barons are admitted by the delivery of a Wand: Bishops holding large Temporalities did homage for them, and were invested with them for many years per traditionem haculi & annuli, by receiving a Staff and a Ring from their Sovereign from whom they held their Temporalities. About this manner of Inuestiture the Popes never left wrangling with the Emperors, and with other Kings, until by Peter's keys, and Paul's sword, excommunicating them and uncrowning them, he wrested it from their hands, and exempted the Clergies person from the Oath of Allegiance, farther than it was subordinate unto him, and made himself Master of all such Inuestitures, to the prejudice of all Christian Kings and States. But we must learn to distinguish the old Symbolical Staff from this Historical, and not confound the power spiritual which a Pastor hath from Christ, with the temporal which he deriveth from Princes; the confusion hath shed much Christian blood, and we must take notice of this, that we never be engaged in the like unjust quarrel. But enough of the History. There is a mystical meaning which the holy Ghost aimeth at in mentioning the Staff, and that is the Analogy between the care that is taken for irrational sheep, and that which must be taken for the rational; God that trusteth Princes and Pastors with the government of his people, will have them to set before their eyes a jacob feeding Laban's sheep, or a faithful Shepherd's care, and thereof doth he put them in mind in this phrase. But I forget my principal Note; I told you that the Staff is the Hieroglyphic of power, and indeed power is here meant, Virga potentiae, as it is called in the tenth Psalm, it is a Rod of power; the titles that are given unto Pastors they all sound superiority; Episcopus, Oeconomus, Bishop, Steward, Leader, Architect, Ghostly father. This cannot be denied unto the Pastor, of whom this Text speaketh, who (as you have heard) is not Seruus but Dominus, is Lord of the house, and therefore rules 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, with sovereignty and with power. Touching the Servants there may be some question, because to them is committed only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, they are only Ministers. But their Ministry must not be mistaken; for it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, they do administer indeed, but it is the power of Christ that they administer, so saith Christ himself, As my father sent me, so send I you. A Steward is a servant in a house, but such a servant as under the master commands the whole family; we are Stewards, the Keys are committed unto us, we are to rule, not to be ruled by the people. But this Power brancheth itself into two parts; for there is baculus directionis, and baculus correctionis, the Pastor's power is first to teach the people their duty, they must receive his words as the words of God, and Gods words are commanding words, and they are binding Laws; it is not left unto the people's choice whether they will or will not obey them, they proceed from the staff of direction, that directs in foro Poli not Soli, the consciences of Christian people. As the Power is of direction, so is it of correction also; not civil. 'tis true that the Bishop of Rome hath patched such a power to his pastoral Staff, but we can claim none such from Christ; our Censures are spiritual, we bind or lose men's souls, we remit or retain their sin●es, open or shut the Kingdom of Heaven unto them. But though the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but spiritual; yet are they mighty (through God) to the pulling down of strong holds, 2 Cor. 10. and to revenge all disobedience. justly therefore is this branch of Power to be awed that is contained in the Staff, the staff that is the emblem of the power of Correction. I will observe no more upon the first part of the furniture, the Pastor's Authority that is noted by the Staffs. I come on to his Abilities, which are gathered out of the properties of the same Staffs, whereof one is the Staff of Beauty, the other of Bands. I might tire out both myself and you if I would scan the several conjectures of the learned commenting on these words; some by them distinguishing the Sheep, either into the Families of Noah and Abraham, or into the Nations of jews and Gentiles; some distinguishing the Shepherds into good and bad; some the furniture of the good Shepherds which they will have; some to be the Law of Nature, and the written Law; some restrain it only to the written word, and find in these words the sweetness of the Gospel, and the severity of the Law. The grounds and mistakes of these several opinions I list not to discuss, the truest Commentary is that which we find in this Chapter. At the tenth verse than we read that when the Shepherd broke his staff of beauty he disanuld with that fact his Covenant that he had made with all people; And what was that but the Covenant of Grace▪ At the fourteenth verse where he breaketh the staff of bands, he adds, that by that fact he did dissolve the brotherhood between Israel and juda; And what is that but the band of Charity? Whereupon it fairly follows, that these words do note the properties of the Shepherd; the properties of the Evangelicall Shepherd, who must be well seen in the Gospel, and keep Christians at one; Verity and Charity are meant, the one by the beauty, the other by the bands of the Staffs. And indeed these are the two grounds of a blessed Church; Veritate nihil pulchrius, nihil fortius Vnitate, there is nothing that allures more than the Gospel, or that holds faster than Charity; the loss of either of these will much distress a Church. For it will thereupon be either deformed, or distracted; deformed with heresy, if it want the truth, and distracted with Schism, if it want charity; it will become Tohu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bohu, without shape, and void, return to its former Chaos. Christ the great Shepherd was Melchisedech, King of Righteousness, and King of Salem also, that is, King of Peace; he not only beautified his Church with Righteousness, but fortified it with Charity also. And whatsoever Pastor under him doth not herein resemble him, he is too like the Idol shepherd mentioned at the end of this Chapter, and hath either his arm dried up, or his right eye darkened, he wants a staff of beauty or of bands, and so will be the cause through defect of his Abilities, that the Church be either despised by Schism, or with Heresy disfigured. But let vs●ake these Abilities asunder, and look into them severally. First into the staff of beauty. The word in the Original signifieth Pulchritudinem & Suavitatem, Fairness and Sweetness, whereof the later is a consequent upon the former; for the fairest persons, if they degenerate not, are most commonly the sweetest natures. Certainly it was so in our Saviour Christ, who was the fairest of the Sons of men, and grace was poured in his lips; and so the Gospel that cometh from him beareth both the characters of his nature, fairness, and sweetness. Touching fairness Cyrillus Alexandrinus on this text giveth this Note, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the doctrine of the Gospel is eminently beautiful; but he adds well, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, we must not mistake, it is no corporal but a spiritual beauty, for the King's Daughter is all glorious within. But the corporal may teach us what to observe in the spiritual: Corporal beauty consists of figura and forma, proportion and complexion; every member of a body must have his just lineaments, and his proper die, and then the body is beautiful. Something answerable hereunto there is in spiritual beauty, in the beauty of the Gospel; it teacheth how all men should be ranged in their orders, and rest contented with their measure of gifts; it teacheth the true reference between parents and children, masters and servants, magistrates and subjects, pastors and people; yea between pastors, it noteth the inequality, which it maketh good by the Analogy which is between our natural body and the Church. As it doth thus teach proportion, so doth it complexion also; the blood of Doctrine, as Tertullian calls it, is defaecated, cleansed from all earthly dreggs and dross, it endureth no earthly and grovelling affections, no melancholy or dismal cogitations. As no humour more than melancholy doth deform the beauty of complexion, no more is any thing more opposite to the truth of the Gospel, than sour and hellish desires and thoughts. But unto beauty it is not enough that the blood be purged from melancholy, the colour will not be vividus & floridus, fresh and cheerful, if the blood be either dilutus or sublimatus nimis, too watery through phlegm, or too fiery through choler, the one maketh a fallow complexion, the other too high coloured. And verily the Gospel doth not humour men, nor feed their raw and undigested vanities whereunto our addle heads, and evil hearts, while we affect commerce with this world, are prone. As it doth not humour the carnal wantonness of men, no more doth it make them Enthusiasts, nor carry their thoughts into the closet of God's secrets, there to read what he hath not revealed in his word, it teacheth them not to seek the things that are too hard for them, nor to search rashly things that are too mighty for them; it clippeth the wings of such soaring spirits with the admonition of the Apostle, Rom. 12. Let no man presume to understand above that which is meet, but that he understand unto sobriety. The Gospel that worketh such spiritual proportion and complexion is justly termed a staff of beauty. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (saith an old Philosop) no painter or carver can limb or grave any picture or statue that in any sort can represent the exquisite beauty that is in truth. He spoke it of philosophical, it is much more true of theological truth. The Son of Syrach compares Simon the son of Onias the high Priest ministering in the Sanctuary, unto the Morning star in the midst of a cloud, ●cclus. 50. unto the Moon when it is at full, to the Sun shining upon the Temple of the most high, to the Rainbow bright in the fair clouds, to the fairest flowers, the goodliest trees, the richest jewels; he concludes, Wisd. 8. when he put on the garment of honour he was clothed with all beauty; so likewise (saith the wise man) in the long garment was all the ornament, or (as some read) all the world, as if all the beauty of the World were concluded therein: Yet all this was but a transitory Type; Types come short of their Truths, and things temporal of those things which are eternal: If those were so beautiful, how beautiful are these? learn the inequality from St. Paul, If the administration of condemnation were glorious, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory, for even that which was glorified was not glorified in this point, that is, as touching the exceeding glory; for if that which should be abolished were glorious much more shall that which remaineth be glorious, 2 Cor. 3. This is excellently represented in the image of the Church, which we have ●euel. 12. with the Moon, that is, all mutable and transitory things under her feet, herself was clothed with the Sun, and had upon her head a crown with twelves stars. I will not trouble you with the portraiture of the Church: which is made, Cant. 4. where every limb of her is set forth in its proper beauty. That which I will only note is, that this beauty came by the Gospel; Cap. 60. so Esay foretold, Arise O Jerusalem, be bright, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee; and the Apostle confirms it, when out of another place of the same Prophet he congratulateth the time of Christ's coming, Cap. 62. and the publishing of the Gospel by his Ministers with those words, Rom. 10. How beautiful are the feet of them which bring glad tidings of peace? surely that was the time wherein Christ came to make his Church sine macula & ruga, without spot or wrinkle, to make heavenly Jerusalem, the perfection of beauty, as it is called in the Psalm, and described in the end of the Revelation. I do not now wonder at David's exclamation, O how amiable are thy dwellings? etc. Psalm 84. and his, One thing have I desired etc. Psalm 27. for he cannot but be ravished with love that hath a sight of this heavenly beauty. The word doth not only signify beauty, but sweetness also; and indeed Christ was wholly delectable (as we read in the Canticles) his fruit was sweet unto his Spouses mouth; the Gospel is sweeter than honey, and the honey comb: the Prophet Esay compares it to a banquet of sweet wines, of meat full of marrow; the Gospel, to a marriage feast; his spirit is the spirit of Adoption, and of Liberty, his burden is light, his yoke is easy: St. Paul, Gal. 4. doth amplify this by the opposition of Mount Zion to Mount Sinai; In a word, Christ hath his name from oil, even sweet oil, to signify the softness and pleasantness of his nature; Zacharie foretold he should come meek unto his Church; himself bids his Disciples Matth. 11. Learn of him, because he is meek; and St. Paul exhorts the Christians by the meekness of our Saviour jesus Christ. St. Bernard found much sweetness in the name of jesus also, when he conceived that it was mel in over, melos in aure, iubilum in cord, honey in the mouth, music in the ear, and the very joy of our hearts; so that Christ's first staff was a staff not only of fairness, but of sweetness also. And this is for our imitation that are Pastors. At the delivering of the Crocier we find in the rituals, that the Ordainer speaketh these words to the ordained, Accipe baculum Pastoralis officij, ut sis in corrigendis vitijs piè severus; our staff enableth us to strike at sin, but we must never strike but with tender compassion towards the sinner; in curing of spiritual sores we must imitate good chirurgeons, have Lions hearts, but Lady's hands. This is that we must learn from the staff of beauty. I come now to the other staff, the staff of bands, or the second Ability that must be in a good Pastor. As he must be well skilled in the Covenant of grace, and furnished throughout with Evangelicall truth, which is the sweet beauty of the Church; so must he also be provided of Charity, and tender Christian peace, taking care that the parts fall not asunder the one from the other; Greg. Nyssen. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, when men are come so fare as God's truth, there is nothing they should prise so much as Christian peace. And this peace depends much upon the Shepherd's staff; Philo judaeus. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, it depends much upon the Pastor's government whether the people shall live at peace or no, it depends upon his exemplary and doctrinal charity. For Charity is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (as Nazianzene speaketh) it is loving, nay it is the mutual love of men; St. Paul speaketh more closely to our purpose, when he saith it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Col. 3. the band of perfection, or the knot of those that are initiated in truth. And well may it be called a Band; first, quia adhibet impedimenta. There are two impediments which stay the dissolving of Societies; the one is, if a man do no wrong, the other is, if he be not overfeeling of wrong done unto him. Now Charity hath both these properties, it is innocent and patiented, it doth no evil, and it is long-suffering, it covers a multitude of sins, and taketh heed that it giveth no offence; you shall find these properties in the thirteenth of the first to the Corinth's. As it is accompanied with these impediments, so is the nature of it to work Society; for Charity is virtus uniens; as the soul knits together the heterogeneous parts, even so doth Charity different persons, and maketh them all as one, by it is wrought the communion of Saints. But the staff is not of a band but of bands, which implies that the Charity is manifold. And indeed so it is; there is the love of God and the love of our Neighbour, each is a band: St. Chrysostome compareth one to the body, the other to the soul; the body without the soul, and the soul without the body cannot make a man; no more can the love of God without the love of our neighbour, nor the love of our neighbour without the love of God make up a full Charity; if the love of our neighbour be wanting, we want the body of Charity, and we want the soul, if there be wanting the love of God: put both together, and then the Charity becomes vincula, bands. Some observe a threefold love in Charity, Amorem honestum, iucundum, utilem. It is true that these three are reckoned in Philosophy for distinct, and may go asunder, as the vegetable, sensitive, and reasonable souls do; yet as none hath a reasonable soul but he that hath all three: so doth Charity contain all three kinds of Love; 1. honest love, because of virtue, without which there is no charity; 2. pleasant love, because of familiarity, for Charity is sociable; 3. profitable love, for none of them that are in Charity thinketh any thing of that which he possesseth to be his own, but they have all thing common, Acts 4. common quoad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, though not quoad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, for their mutual use, though without prejudice to their distinct propriety. This is the second reason why Charity is called bands. A third reason is, because as Chrysostome wittily observes, by Charity, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, he that is but one becometh many; look how many friends a man hath, so manifold is he, he hath so many bodies, so many souls, so many pair of eyes to watch for him, so many pair of ears to hear for him, so many tongues to speak for him, so many feet to go for him; finally, so many pair of hands to fight, or to work for him; so may Charity make a thousand to be but as one, and one to be a thousand times himself; worthily therefore is Charity called bands, and reckoned the property of one of Christ's staffs. And indeed Christ came especially to recommend this unto the world; it is the new Commandment that he gave unto his Church, that we should love one another, and tells his john 13. that by loving one another all men shall know that they are his Disciples; for the spouse of Christ is as an Army with banners, Cant. 6. and jerusalem is as a City that is compacted in itself, Psal. 122. she is una in uno, one Church under one head Christ; so much these compounds import, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Ephes. 2.3. etc. they note all the effects of the staff of bands. Let this suffice concerning the second Ability. Having thus unfolded the meaning of the Staffs, I must now show you, how Christ furnished himself with them, for so he saith, I took unto myself. Which words look back unto the fourth verse, where the Father layeth the Commandment upon him, saying, Pasce oves, feed the sheep appointed to the slaughter; here he professeth his obedience to his Father; signavit Pater, the Father designed him, and he came into the world to do his will that sent him, john 6. St. Paul giveth the rule, No man taketh the honour of Priesthood but he that was called of God as was Aaron, therefore Christ took not unto himself this honour to be made the High Priest, but he that said unto him, Thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee, Heb. 5. gave it to him. And if Christ did not take this honour before it was given, much less may any other without a lawful calling intrude into this sacred calling, and intermeddle with these holy staffs. Secondly, Christ took unto himself; though this phrase may be here (as it is elsewhere) Pleonasticall; yet is it not amiss to observe that Christ did qualify himself with the Staffs before he did exercise himself in his calling. Many venture to be heads before they are worthy to be hands or feet, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (as Nazianzene speaketh) purify others being impure themselves; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, such men may rather go for stage-players than grave teachers of the people: for a grave teacher must first have the staffs before he use them; secondly, he must work the effect of the staffs into himself, before he endeavour to work others by them. But many (saith Nazianzene) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, wrangle like Artisans, to make their party good, rather than like grave Divines keep the people at one. Thirdly as a Pastor must have both the staffs, so must he take them in their order, the staff of beauty before the staff of bands; for the holy Ghost goeth before the Catholic Church, 1 Tim. 3. and communion of Saints, yea the Church is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; so that he is not in the Church that is not for the Truth; there can be, there may be no unity where there is not verity. There can be none; the History of Heretics in Epiphanius and Irenaeus testify as much; there may be none, for what communion hath light with darkness? the enmity between the seed of the woman, and the seed of the serpent is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a sacred war, neither may the Church entertain any peace with those that have war with their Saviour Christ. You have seen how Christ did furnish himself suitably to his calling; it remains that I show you now in few words how he did employ his furniture to the good of his charge. His Charge is called by the name of a flock, which I told you is, though a figurative, yet an implicit definition of a Church. For a flock is a congregation of sheep, and every member of the Church is a sheep; so they are often called, and all true members are so indeed. But we must remember a distinction of St. Augustine's, Lib. 4. the Baptism 9 cap. 5. multae oves foris, multi lupi intus, there be many wolves in sheep's clothing, and many sheep in wolves skins; both in time will appear in their proper hue, and a sheep shall be only he that is a true member. I will not enter upon the manifold analogy that is between a member of the Church, and a sheep; I will keep myself to the words that go immediately before my Text, wherein they are called grex occisionis & pauperes terrae, they are appointed to bear the cross, that is their portion in this world; and the world thinks it cannot be better occupied than in slaughtering of them. Neither are they thus used only by their enemies, but by their own shepherds also; God complaineth hereof in this chapter, as also in jeremy 23. Ezekiel 34. the stories of the Maccabees and josephus confirm this truth; to say nothing of the Ecclesiastical story of the New Testament. As they are appointed to the cross because sheep, so are they pauperes terrae, poor, not so much corporally, though that of●en follows the cross, but poor in spirit, lowly in their own eyes, humble out of the conscience of their own unworthiness, tractable under ●he hand of their shepherd, and pliable to his staff; such are sheep that pelong to the fold. Of such sheep the Church is a flock. Solitariness is a note of saluage●esse in beasts; for those that are tamed heard and flock together. It is no less true of rational than irrational sheep; true sheep do fold together, and if any stray, his complaint will show his propension to the fold; and if any do stray and not complain, it is to be doubted whether he have the true nature of a sheep. Which they should observe, that can be contented to live and dye either excommunicating themselves, or being excommunicated by the Church; a shrewd argument that they are no sheep. But I must go on. As this was his Charge, so Christ bestows his furniture upon it; He fed he flock. I cannot better expound the phrase than to say, he wrought the properties of the staffs into the sheep. Of jacob a good shepherd, it is observed, that when he would have speckled sheep, he piled certain wannes, and laid them in the watering troughes, and when the sheep ●ame to drink, and were in heat before the rods they brought forth young ●f party colours. And no doubt but Christ's sheep, if they be spiritually warine, when they come to drink of the water of life in God's Church, they would be altered by the Shepherd's staffs: Certainly St. Paul saith as much of the efficacy of the Gospel, We all with open face behold, as in a mirror, the glory of the Lord, and are changed into the same image from glory unto glory even by the spirit of the Lord. There is a special reason why Christ is said to feed the flock; because he made himself food for it: His flesh is meat indeed, and his blood is drink indeed, john 6. and with what he fed, with the same must we feed; we must desire to know nothing amongst our people, but Christ and him crucified. But as we must so feed, so must we do it discreetly and constantly; the sheep are not all of one growth, some must have milk, and some strong meat. Secondly, we must remember that grace is like meat, it must be supplied, otherwise the sheep will starve; certainly never come to their full growth. Last of all, neither must the Pastor administer, nor the people expect any better pattern than that of this great Shepherd; we can have no better furniture than the staff of beauty and bands; and the people can learn no better Lessons than Truth and Peace. WHerefore let us all prey God, that we that are Pastors in our several places, may execute the judgement of Truth and Peace in the gates of our Jerusalem, and the People that hear us may profit in the knowledge, and in the love of God. So shall not these Staffs be wanting to us, and we shall be conformed unto them, and both Pastors and people shall truly and comfortably sing the three and twentieth Psalm, The Lord is my Shepherd, therefore do I want nothing, he maketh us to rest in green Pastures, and leads us by the still Waters, he restores our souls, and leads us in the path of Righteousness for his Names sake. To whom, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, be rendered 〈◊〉 honour and glory etc. Amen. A SERMON PREACHED AT A VISITATION At . 1 COR. 15. vers. 10. By the grace of God I am what I am; and his grace which was bestowed upon me, was not in vain: But I laboured more abundantly than they all; yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. SAint Paul testifying to the Corinthians the Resurrection of Christ, and ranging himself amongst the select witnesses thereof, doth at verse the ninth meet with an exception that might be taken to his former life, and remove all prejudice to his testimony that might grow herehence. For as he doth ingenuously confess, that he was most unworthy of his sacred calling; so doth he also thankfully acknowledge a wonderful alteration that God had made of him. And this alteration is the argument of those words that now I have read unto you. Touching this Alteration the text will teach us whence it sprang, and wherein it stood. It sprang from a Cause powerful and merciful; powerful from God; merciful, for the prevailing Attribute was Grace; from this gracious power, or powerful grace, the Alteration sprang. But wherein stood it? in St. Paul's Endowment and in his Employment; in both we shall find something common to the whole Church, and something proper to the Clergy. The Clause that expresseth the Endowment is short and dark, I am that I am; you must resolve and clear it thus, I am a member of Christ, that is an endowment common to the whole Church; I am also a Minister of the Church, that is proper to the Clergy. But what I am, I am by grace; by the grace of Adoption I am a member of Christ; and I am a Minister of the Church by the grace of edification. Such was St. Paul's Endowment. Touching his employment the text teacheth us two things: first, that he did not neglect God's gifts; as he was not empty, so he was not idle, Gods grace bestowed on him was not in vain: not the grace of Adoption; he was not careless of a holy life, of the common Endowment: not the grace of Edification, the proper Endowment, he was no unprofitable servant, neither stood he in the market place idle when he should labour in his Lord's Vineyard. Secondly unto his use of these gifts there concurred more workers than one; He tells us Who they were, and What was either of their pre-eminence. They were two; Himself, I laboured; and God's grace, that laboured also with him. Either of these workers had their pre-eminence; St. Paul had, He laboured more than all; and that in either grace, He strove to exceed all in holiness of Life, and in the painfulness of his Ministry. As St. Paul had a pre-eminence in working, so had grace also, it had a pre-eminence above St. Paul's pre-eminence; yea St. Paul doth confess, that he doth owe all his pre-eminence in working to the preheminent working of God's grace, I laboured more than all; yet not I, but God's grace that was in me. When we have thus considered the particular branches, we shall point at two good observations that arise out of the whole body of the text, they are St. Paul's Sincerity, and his Modesty. Sincerity, in giving God his due glory; he ascribeth unto God the original, the gifts, the use of whatsoever was good in him, or was done well by him. And there can be no greater Modesty used by a man in speaking of himself, than St. Paul expressed here in his extenuating and correcting speeches; He was a member of Christ, a Minister of the Church, he mentioneth neither, he contenteth himself with this commendations, I am that I am. And for his use of God's gifts he attributeth no more unto himself, than that which was next unto nothing, God's grace bestowed on me was not in vain; so he extenuateth his worth. And because he was to say something more of himself to stop the mouths of his maligners, I laboured more than all, he presently correcteth himself as if he had overreached, he drowns all the conceit of his own eminency in the contemplation of the much greater pre-eminence of the grace of God. I have opened the contents of this Scripture, (which God willing) I shall now farther unfold, and have an eye in unfolding of them unto this present occasion. And because they will concern both Pastors and People, I shall desire both to follow me with their religious attention. First then we are to see whence the Alteration of St. Paul did spring. I might in a generality tell you it sprang from Heaven; so we find in the Acts of the Apostles, De great. & 〈◊〉. arbitr. cap. 5. and St. Austin hath observed it. And indeed it is no fruit that springeth from the earth; the earth may make men of better become worse, by reason of man's mutability, and the kingdom of darkness; but if of worse men become better, the cause thereof must be sought in heaven. Especially, if as St. Paul, of wolves they become sheep, of blasphemers believers, of persecuters preachers of the Faith. But I told you, this heavenly cause is powerful and merciful; powerful, God is the Cause. And the cause cannot be less than God; for the Alteration is a Creation, so it is called by St. Paul, 2 Cor. 5. Every one that is in Christ is a new Creature. Now Creation, as we read in the entrance of our Creed, is a work of an Almighty power. And indeed it must be so; for it produceth things either ex non ente simpliciter, out of nothing at all; or else ex ente non disposito, out of that which in nature hath no possibility to become that which it is made: yea St. Paul meaning to shadow our new Creation by the old, chooseth the branch wherein the subject was so fare from being disposed, that it was directly opposite to that which it was made; God which commanded light to shine out of darkness, is he which hath shined into our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God in the face of jesus Christ, 2 Cor. 4. St. Paul, Rom. 11. useth another similitude of graffing a branch of the wild Olive into the true, but contrary to nature: For nature adviseth to set sweet graffs into sour stocks; and though it be natural for the stock to be vehiculum alimenti, to convey the nourishment to the graft, yet naturally virtus temperamenti, the quality of the juice is from the graft, not from the stock. But in our supernatural graffing it is fare otherwise; the branch of a wild Olive is made partaker not only of the root, but of the fatness also of the true Olive. Being then a work so contrary to nature, it must needs be a work of the God of nature. And indeed we learn in St. john, cap. 1. that the Sons of God are borne not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God; He of his own will begetteth us by the word of truth, that we should be the first fruits of his Creatures, james 1. As the Cause is most powerful, so is it also most merciful; for the Attribute that prevaileth with God in this work is grace. All good gifts before the fall vouchsafed Angels and men proceeded from his goodness: but after the fall his favours are ascribed to his mercy, which mercy the Scripture usually understandeth in the name of grace; for mercy is nothing else but saving grace. Now grace then importeth free love; Tit. 2. for it excludeth all merit: for, Quis prior dedit? Who ever prevented God in well doing, that God should make him amends? Grace giveth not merenti, to one that deserveth, rather it giveth immerenti, to an unworthy person; to man polluted with his own blood, grace saith, Thou shalt line, Ezek. 16. Yea, dat contraria merenti, grace is indulgent even before a man is penitent; God setteth forth his love in that when we were enemies Christ died for us, Rom. 5. And such was the grace that altered St. Paul (as St. Austin observes) ut tam magna & efficacissima vocatione converteretur Paulus gratia Dei erat sola, quia eius merita erant magna sed mala; St. Paul doth very justly ascribe the change that was made in him to this powerful and this merciful Cause. And seeing we are all by nature children of wrath, we must all ascribe our Regeneration to the same Cause, Tit. 3. It is worse deceit than that of Alchemy, for a creature to assume unto himself the transforming of a sinner; God only can change as earthly metals, so earthly men; of vessels of dishonour make vessels of honour, of vessels of wood make vessels of gold, and of vessels of wrath make vessels of mercy; Who is found of them that seek him not, and manifested to them that inquire not after him, Esay 65. This destroys the error of the Pelagians: And let them that are received into grace, remember to whom they are indebted for it, it will make us modest, and not to insult upon others that have less. Having found the original of the Alteration, we are now to see wherein the Alteration standeth. I told you the first thing wherein it standeth is St. Paul's Endowment; the phrase that expresseth it is, I am that I am: where first I may not omit the phrase, lest it be mistaken, I will show you the true meaning of it. For I am that I am, is the style of God, and containeth (as the jews well observe) the force of his incommunicable name, his name jehova; which giveth us to understand that all his Attributes are his nature, that all in God is God, which cannot be affirmed of any creature; for all are compounded, and consist of many things besides that which is their nature, yea whereof they may be stripped, and yet their nature remain; such as are in man the many qualities both in body and mind. How then doth St. Paul usurp a style that is peculiar unto God? mark the addition wherewith he doth qualify the phrase. The addition is by grace; this differenceth the words, as they are applied unto St. Paul, from them, as they are applied unto God. God saith absolutely of himself, I am that I am, he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, he hath his being of himself: St. Paul also saith of himself, I am that I am, but he addeth, by the grace of God; so that to the grace of God he oweth his being, and it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves, we are his people and the sheep of his pasture. But man hath many beings; for he is a little world; he hath abodie made of the elements like the stones upon which you tread; he hath a vegetable being, like the graft and plants that grow in the field; he hath sense and motion like beasts; he hath understanding and a conscience, as all men have in the world. But none of these beings are properly here meant; there is a being that goeth beyond all these, the being of home theologicus, the being of a man as Divinity considereth him; and Divinity considers him as he is a part of the Church. But I told you that the clause is short and dark, I must therefore resolve it, and clear it, that you may the better understand it. St. Paul then had a double being in the Church; the being of a member, and the being of a minister; and he had both these beings by the grace of God. The first was common to him with the whole Church; I will speak of that first. Arbour Scientiae spoliavit Adamum arbore Vitae; no sooner did Adam taste of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but presently he lost all his being to Godward, or the life of God, his being holy, and his being happy. Now Grace doth properly repair this being, without which it were better not to be than to be: In which respect by an excellency this communion with God is termed our Being. Wisdom (saith Solomon, Proverbs 8.) causeth them that love her to inherit flesh, that is Substance. Circumcision (saith St. Paul, Gal. 5.) is nothing, nor uncircumcision, but a new Creature: and the Preacher, Eccles. 11. Fear God, and keep his commandments, this is a whole man. When God then quickeneth us that are dead in sins and trespasses, he calleth those things which are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as things that then begin to have a being. This is the cause why the three theological Virtues wherein consists the true being of a Christian, have given unto them in the Scripture, expressly or by implication the name of substance. First, Faith. We are made partakers of Christ (saith Saint Paul, Heb. 3.) if we hold fast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the beginning of our substance, that is, our Faith in Christ; for he infers it upon this exhortation, Take heed, Brethren, lest there be at any time in any of you an evil heart of infidelity to departed away from the living God. Secondly, Charity. If I have no charity I am nothing, 1 Cor. 13. if without charity there be no substance in man, than charity is his substance. Thirdly, Hope. St. Paul describes that by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in that phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; 2 Cor. 8. for Hope is a joyful expectation of Gods performing what he hath promised; so that substance of rejoicing and joyful Hope are all one. Cyril Bishop of Alexandria opening those words of the Apostle, Lib 4. Comment. in Esay. ora●. 2. My little children of whom I am in travel again till jesus Christ be form in you, saith, Formatur in nobis Christus Spiritu sancto divinam quandam formam per Sanctificationem & justitiam indente; Sic enim in omnibus nostris elucet Character substantiae Dei; which is all one in effect with that of St. Peter, 1 Pet. 1. By grace we are made partakers of the divine nature. Aben Ezra a Rabbi of the jews hath a witty conceit of the Hebrew names that signify man and woman, Ish and Ishah; they have in them, saith he, some letters that are part of the name of God (jehovah) which if you take away there will remain no other letters than those that make up the word which signifieth fire; the moral of the conceit is, that their subsistence is in God, and they will both come to ruin, if they be severed from him. St. Paul, Phil. 3. (with whom we have now to do) speaketh more plainly; though he had many worldly things to stand upon, and which might seem to make him some body, yet he professeth, that he accounted them all dung and loss● in comparison of the excellent knowledge of jesus Christ our Lord. I would we did all learn of him whence to take, and how to make the estimate of our being; we would not so overvalue our nothing, and undervalue that which only can make us something, as commonly we do. Our true being standeth in our union with God, and communion in his grace; if any man without these think himself to be any thing, he is indeed nothing, but deceiveth himself in his vain imagination; be he worldly noble, or rich, wise or mighty, if he measure his being by these things, he deceiveth himself in his vain imagination. And let this suffice touching the part of St. Paul's Endowment, which is common to him with all the Church, of his grace of Adoption. He had another Endowment which is proper to the Clergy, the being of a Minister; And this was the gift of grace, the grace of Edification; and is, though not solely, yet principally intended in this place. That it is a grace St. Paul observes, Rom. 1. Ephes. 3. He received grace and Apostleship; he doth not usurp, he was neither 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Yea in that he was an Apostle St. Austin calleth it abundantiorem gratiam, an extraordinary grace; a special trust was reposed in him, a weighty embassage was committed to him, he was made steward of God's house, a disposer of the secrets of the Kingdom of God, an Oecumaenicall both Steward and Disposer; Et ad haec quis idoneus? No man that is not qualified by grace, and by grace not only called, but enabled thereunto, as St. Paul was, that was not only an Apostle, but had also Apostolical gifts. But I said I would have an eye to this present occasion; wherefore I will enlarge this point as fitteth the present Auditory. The grace of a Minister is either inherent or assistant, the first giveth Ability, the second Authority; by grace inherent he understandeth the Scripture; by grace assistant he hath power to retain and remit sin. Of these two graces both are requisite to the being (as it were) of a Pastor; there should be a sufficiency in him unto whom authority is given, and hands should not be imposed on them which have not a competency of gifts. And yet it falleth out too often, that through the ambition of ignorant men, and over-facilitie of those that have power to lay on hands, many weak, yea wicked ones, are honoured with that sacred calling, whereunto themselves are no mean dishonour; who in regard of the grace of inherence cannot say with St. Paul, by the grace of God I am that I am; inward grace in this kind they have plainly none. I would they would redeem this shame, and not live to be scandals of our Church. But the sin of such doth not impeach their power; they are true, though they are not fit Ministers. Which must be considered by those which factiously refuse, or scrupulously forbear to be Sheep under such Shepherds, or to communicate with them in sacred things; although he come short in regard of grace inherent, yet God is not wanting to him in regard of grace assistant, whether he dispense the Sacraments according to God's ordinance, or present according to the ordinance of the Church the people's devotion unto God. And let this suffice touching St. Paul's Endowment; I come now to his Employment. And here I told you, first, that St. Paul did not neglect God's gifts, Gods grace bestowed upon him was not in vain. Vain is either empty or idle; empty is that which hath a show but no substance; idle is that whose efficacy is not answerable to its ability. The grace that St. Paul had was neither way vain; for he had God's spirit indeed, not in show only, and his deeds did bear witness that God's spirit was in him. In this place the Apostle meaneth not so much emptiness as idleness; for though whatsoever is empty must needs be idle, yet whatsoever is idle is not empty; otherwise there could be no sin of negligence, whereof notwithstanding there is too much in the world. Negligence of both kind of graces; of the grace of Adoption which is common to all the Church: for how many be there whose understanding God illightneth with the knowledge of the truth, that never make use of it in ordering of their lives, but live as if they knew neither Creed nor ten Commandments? how many good motions doth God kindle in the hearts of many a man, who (notwithstanding) liveth frozen (as it were) in the dregs of his own impure lusts, and those good motions set him not a whit forwarder towards heaven? Nay, as water that hath been warmed is apt to be bound faster with the frost: so after-lusts are the more violent by reason of former good motions. But this is a foul neglect of God's good gifts. Wherefore let me remember you all in the Apostles words to follow his good example, not to receive the grace of God in vain: St. Paul did not, the more grace he had, the better he lived, and so must we; if there be light in us it must shine forth from us, and they must feel the heat of our inward zeal, that converse with us outwardly in the world. In a word; we must all walk in that spirit by which we live: they that boast of God's gifts let them show the effects of them; for I have chosen you (saith Christ) that you may go and bear fruit. God's grace that makes us other men, must make us also profitable men. As none of the Church must neglect the grace of Adoption: so must not the Ministers neglect their grace of Edification; they must not hide their talon, consult with flesh and blood, be disobedient to the heavenly visions; they must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stir up the grace of God, blow off the ashes that would overcast it, sound the trumpet, and give timely Alarms, be instant in season and out of season; being salt, we must ever be seasoners of the world; being light, we must ever be dispelling the darkness of men; being Architects, we must ever be building of God's house; being Husbandmen, we must ever be labouring in God's field; finally, being Shepherds, we must ever be attending on Christ's flock: so was St. Paul, so must we. Otherwise God's grace is bestowed on us in vain; our conscience cannot yield us this good testimony which St. Paul giveth here unto himself, it will rather challenge us of our neglect, and the grievousness of our neglect will be answerable to the gifts which we receive from God. And God knows there is too much of this neglect of our calling in many; at whose hands God will require the blood of many perishing souls. But I will dwell no longer upon this first branch of St. Paul's employment. St. Paul did not neglect the gifts of God, but unto his use of them there concurred more workers than one; he doth specify them, and the preeminency of either of them. The workers are two; St. Paul, and God's grace. And here I must put you in mind, that though in our first conversion we are only passive, yet being converted we become active also; God only maketh us new men, but being new, he will have us make use of our new understanding, and our new will, and our new affections, he will have us use them all. And it were gross for us to neglect ourselves when God hath given us abilities which we may employ, yea honoured us so fare, as to enable us to work out our salvation, and walk the ways that lead unto eternal life; neither doth he ever deserve to come there, that will not set forward that way. And yet many such wretches have you, that leave themselves to be carried to heaven by God, while they give themselves over-securely to fulfil their own wicked lusts, that hope well of God, but themselves do no good at all. And as there be such careless Christians, so are there careless Ministers also, who presuming upon dabitur in illa hora, do all things extempore, preach, pray, and what not? as if premeditation and study did not concern them, but the spirit of God would always supply them, and give them an extraordinary ability. But this is gross presumption, and dangerous also, even the high way unto Enthusiasm, Anabaptisme, and all those mischievous Sects, the banes not of Learning only, but of Religion also. St. Paul is one worker, but there is another also, which is, God's grace; God doth not endow us, and then leave us to our free will, if he did so, our endowing grace would quickly perish or do nothing; therefore he gives a second grace, to the operant he adds a cooperant. That must work also. The reason is evident whether you cast your eyes upon the common works of piety, or else upon the special works of the Ministry. See it first in the special works of Piety. If our understanding, and our heart be left in their pure naturals, the one will never perceive, the other will never savour the things that are of God; therefore must the one be lightened, the other must be purged by grace; otherwise they will never comprehend their object, they will never be able to do any supernatural work: How much less will they be able to do it, their naturals being corrupted, as by sin they are? But before in the endowment we found a man endued with grace, and here we find mention made of grace again; wherefore we must observe, that God vouchsafeth a man a double grace, an habitual, and an actual; a grace that giveth him ability, and a grace that setteth his ability on work. Touching habitual grace that is true which St. Basil hath, De Spiritu sancte. c. 26. it is semper presence, but not semper operans, it may be in us, and yet be idle; he expresseth it by a similitude of the eye sight, wherewith a man may see oftener than he doth see. De Natura & gratia. c. 26. St. Austin useth that simile more fully to our purpose, ut oculus corporis etiam plenissimè sanus, nisi candore lucis adiutus, non potest cernere, etc. as the sharpest eyesight can discern nothing except it have the help of outward light; no more can a man perfectly justified, live well, except he be helped from above with the light of the eternal justice. Neither is this cooperation of grace a transeunt, but a permanent Act; so the same Father teacheth. Sicut Aer praesente lumine non factus est lucidus, sed fit, quia si factus esset non fieret, sed etiam absente lumine lucidus maneret; sic home Deo sibi praesente illuminatur, absent autem continuo tenebratur; Gods grace in man is like the light of the Air, the one steeds our bodily eye so long as it is maintained by a perpetual influence of the Sun, and the other steeds our souls so long as it is excited and helped by the holy spirit, and grace will be as unfruitful without this help of the Spirit, as the light of the air will be fading if you intercept the influence of the Sun. So that a man's soul must be like unto the Land of Canaan, upon which the eyes of the Lord were from the beginning of the year to the ending, to give it the former and the later rain, Deut. 11. our sufficiency and our efficiency must be both from God. Neither is this second grace needful only for the work of Piety, but for the works of the Ministry also; the Lamps that burn in the Temple must continually be fed with oil; St. Paul though he calleth us Labourers, yet he calleth us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, there is another Labourer with us. And indeed, as Moses told God, If thou wilt not go with us, send us not hence; so uncomfortable were the work of the Ministry, were it not for Christ's promise, Lo I am with you until the world's end; if he did not hold the stars in his hand, they would quickly become wand'ring, quickly become falling stars. Besides ourselves therefore we must acknowledge another Worker. Having found the two workers, we must now see what was either of their preeminency. First, the preeminency of St. Paul, He laboured more than all; the word all must be understood not collectively but distributively. He was not so arrogant as to equal himself to the whole either Church or Ministry, but to any one he might well equal himself; he might well affirm that not any one did equal him in labour. But it is a question whom he meaneth by All, whether only false Apostles, or also true. There is no doubt but he went beyond all the false Apostles, if he went beyond the true. And he went beyond the true; it is evident, if you consider the circuit of his travel, which is described Rom. 15. and in the Acts; especially, if you add that he planted Churches wheresoever he came, and enlarged the Kingdom of Christ, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as himself speaketh. Add hereunto his many Epistles sent to so many remote places and persons, so profoundly opening the mysteries of salvation, and resolving the hardest knots thereof. But above all things take notice of the two Supporters of his pains, with which no man ever bore himself out more resolutely, they are the proverbial, Sustine & Abstine. How did he despise all profit, all pleasure, that would take no salary for his pains, but laboured with his own hands that he might make the Gospel of Christ free? that when he might lead about a Wife, a Sister, as Cephas, and the other Apostles did, made himself an Eunuch for the Kingdom of heaven. You see what his Abstine was, or despising of profit and pleasure. As for his Sustine, enduring of afflictions, that was no less remarkable; read but the eleventh of the second to the Corinth's, there we find them collected to our hands; and what kind of Affliction is there, which we do not find there? if you read it you will say he was a manifold Martyr. I cannot dwell longer upon this point; only this I observe, though no man can suffer or abstain more than he should, or labour beyond his duty (supererrogations of any of those kinds are Popish dreams, as they expound them) yet may one man go fare beyond another, and some there are which are Miracula hominum, they may rather be admired than imitated; And such was St. Paul. Neither was he such a Pastor only, but such a Christian also; and indeed his Sustine and Abstine must be referred to his grace of Adoption, though they did attend his grace of Edification. But if that will not suffice, see how he did buffet his body and keep it under, lest while he preached to others, himself should become a reprobate, 1 Cor. 9 when he was buffeted with the messenger of Satan, 2 Cor. 12. he never left importuning Christ with his prayers, till Christ answered him, My grace is sufficient for thee, my strength is made perfect in weakness: his constant care was to keep an inoffensive conscience towards God and men, Acts 26. But above all places, read and exemplify those two memorable descriptions of a true religious heart, striving against sin, Rom. 7. and making towards heaven, Phil. 3. you cannot better see his Piety, and learn to bring your own to a commendable height, than by profitably reading of those places. You shall learn thus much also, that factus Christianus, is much more pious than is natus; he that out of a forlorn state is by the mercy of God brought to the state of grace, when he is come to the years of discretion, doth abound much more in the fruits of righteousness, than he that is borne in the state of grace: and so will every true converted sinner abound more than he that never took a grievous fall. But I must hasten to the preeminency of Grace; a preeminency beyond St. Paul's preeminency, even by the testimony of St. Paul himself, Not I, but the grace of God that is with me, he correcteth himself as if he had presumed too fare. Where mark, that though a man work with grace, not only per effectum, but also per consensum, not only to the producing of the effect, but also understanding and willing it (for he is instrumentum rationale, and God doth not deal with men as with blocks and bruit beasts) yet is a man but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, an Instrument, the principal Agent is the grace of God. And although there be two workers, yet must they not be reputed coordinate but subordinate, neither doth man work otherwise than as he is moved by grace; and the children of God are led by his spirit. Whereby you may gather how wicked a doubt that is which now doth perplex the Church, Whether (forsooth) our will determines God's grace, or God's grace determines our will, in the point of justification; Certainly St. Paul thought the point out of question, when he used this corrective, Not I, but the grace of God that is with me; mecum, or quae in me. The grace of God doth not cooperate with our free will except it be first regenerated by grace. Therefore the defence of free will is idly gathered hence, seeing Papists mean it in actu primo, and St. Paul speaks here de actusecundo. He is most unthankful then, and so unworthy of grace, that doth not give the pre-eminence to the grace of Adoption cooperant in all his works of piety. And so to the cooperant grace of Edification must we give the glory of all the works of our Ministry; Paul planteth, and Apollo watereth, it is God that giveth the increase; we have heavenly treasures, but we convey them in earthen vessels; the foolishness of preaching is ours, the demonstration of the Spirit is from Heaven; Non vos estis qu● loquimini, sed Spiritus Patris, Matth. 10. we speak the words, God openeth the heart; we wash with water, Christ with the Holy Ghost; we give the bread and wine, Christ his body and blood; Ros coelestis sacit messem terrestrem, we may not think better of ourselves than of Ministers, the power of whose work dependeth on the Spirit of our Master; we are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, but Christi, a second grace is the cause why our first is not frustrate: so was it before the fall, much more is it so now. I have done with the particulars of my text; two things I gathered out or the whole body of it, which I will note in a word. The first is St. Paul's sincerity, who giveth the glory unto God of the original of the gifts, and of the use of the gifts wherewith he was endowed; condemning all sacrilege of this kind. What God told Zorobabel re-edifying the Temple of the earthly Jerusalem, the same is fulfilled in the restauration of our heavenly, neither by army, nor strength, but by my Spirit (saith the Lord of Hosts) men shall bring forth all the stones thereof with shouting, crying grace, grace, Zach. 4. Therefore let us say, Not unto us O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give the praise; for of thee, and through thee, and for thee, are all things; all things that belong to the being of thy Church, the being both of Pastor and People; Let him that glories, glory in the Lord. As St. Paul dealeth sincerely in regard of God's glory, so doth he also modestly in regard of himself; as he extolleth God, so doth he abase himself; witness the extenuation of his endowment, of his employment, and the correction of that speech wherein he might seem to value himself at too high a rate. I cannot stand to amplify this virtue of his, though the pride of our nature deserves to have it amplified, that it may be admonished thereby; I will only commend unto your meditation King David's Psalm, Lord I am not high minded, I have no proud looks etc. and Christ's exhortation to us to become as little children; he that exalteth himself shall be humbled, and that humbleth himself shall be exalted. Let us not therefore be ashamed to cast down ourselves, that the Lord may lift us up; and seeing our help standeth in the Name of the Lord, and without Christ we can do nothing; for quis te discrevit? and what hast thou that thou hast not received? because it is he that worketh in us both to will and to do, let us continually pray, Lord make speed to save us, Lord make haste to help us, save and help both Pastor and People, that both may truly say with St. Paul, By the grace of God I am that I am, and every one may have this sweet repose of conscience, God's grace was not bestowed on me in vain. Finally, the Apostle ascribing before his sins to himself, and his virtue to God, doth teach, that we are sufficient to our own ruin, not so to our rising, according to that of Hosea, Destructio tua ex te, etc. Therefore the Minister must with meekness teach the contrary minded, 2 Timothy 2. I have set before you an exact pattern of a good Pastor and Christian, we should all endeavour to conform thereto; but this is rather to be wished than hoped, because of the frailty of our nature. Wherefore a timely survey of the Church is requisite; to make such a survey is the reason of this meeting. The world hath many Saules, blasphemers, oppressors, wicked livers, but you use to present All as Paul's, you say All is well, when every man may see that much is amiss. Remember that this is judicium ante iudicium, a medicinal judgement before a mortal, the judgement of man to prevent the judgement of God, Do not by cruel indulgence exempt any from the just censure of the Church, to expose yourselves and them, to the intolerable vengeance of God. Rather let us all join, of Saules to make Paul's; that so we may repair the decays of the Church, and hear a comfortable doom when we all come before the Tribunal seat of Christ. THe Lord give us all this effectual grace, the undoubted pledge of eternal glory. He that hath begun in you a good work, perfect it till the day of the Lord. Amen. IHS' A SERMON PREACHED IN TRINITY CHURCH IN WINCHESTER AT An ASSIZES. 1610. EZRA 7. vers. 26. And whosoever will not do the law of the Lord thy God, and the King's law, let him have judgement without delay, whether it be to death, or banishment, or confiscation of goods, or imprisonment. THese words that I have read unto you, are the close of a Commission, granted by Artashasht King of Persia, at that time also King of the holy Land, unto Ezra a religious Priest, and learned Scribe of the jews. This Commission consisteth of many branches; the last commands the creating of judges in the Territory of jewrie: concerning whom it is expressed How they ought to be qualified, and Whereunto they are authorised. Their quality is set down vers. 25. their authority is the argument of my Text; a great authority, because it is of the Sword, the King gives this power that bids them give judgement. But that their power may be as good, as it is great, they must use it against malefactors; so saith the King, against them that will not do the law: and against them they must use it so, that, first, they frustrate not the end of the law. A judgement unseasonable, is unprofitable, they must therefore give judgement without delay. Secondly, they must not sway the indifferency of the law; to have respect of persons in judgement is not good, they must then give judgement against whomsoever, whomsoever will not do the law. But there are laws divine and humane; the judges must proceed against the violaters of both, against them that will not do God's law, against them that will not do the King's law; but with two cautions: they must take heed that the God be the God of Ezra, the true God, they must no: maintain false religion; and they must not forbear to give judgement against them that violate the king's laws, though he be a king of Persis; a false religion doth not hinder him from being a lawful Sovereign, the judge must not foster seeds of rebellion. They that violate the laws of that God, of this king, the judge must draw his sword against them. But how fare may he draw it? and how deep must he strike with it? Surely so fare as the Magistrate is God's instrument for the people's weal, so fare may he be his instrument for their woe. His providence reacheth to their lives, liuings, and liberty, so fare may his vengeance reach also; thus fare he may draw his sword. But he must give no deeper wound therewith to offenders, than offenders give to the law; the degrees of punishment must answer the degrees of offences, some must dye, some be fined, some restrained, every one as he deserves. You see the substance of this Scripture, & withal conceive that thereon we must consider of these two points; The power, & the use of the sword, & the use twofold, lawful, & full: I speak to them that have understanding, therefore need I touch these particulars but briefly; but that I touch them not unprofitably, I beseech you in the fear of God to judge what I say. And first some may demand, why being to speak in the name of God unto judges sent from a Christian king, I remember unto them the instruction of a king indeed, but a heathen king, such an author as may much lessen your regard of the matter. It may, but not except it be mistaken. For besides that it is correspondent to the like in Moses, and the Prophets, Ezra acknowledgeth in the next verse that this Commission was indicted by divine inspiration, God put it into the heart of the King. And were it not so, yet it is of no small moment, to hear reason concord with religion. The use of this power is the more observable, when it is enjoined by the pen, not only of God, but also of man; yea the less likely a Heathen King is to write it, the more faulty a Christian judge, if he set light by it. Hear then what is your power, it is to give judgement. But judgement is either of Discretion, or jurisdiction, the first is common to all, the second belongs but to a few, all may discern right from wrong, but all may not right them that suffer, or correct them that do wrong. He that takes the sword ungiven, shall perish with the sword, as Christ told Peter, Mat. 26. and told it him when he was too busy with his sword; it is not given to every man. And it is well that it is not given; our affections do with such a false light delude our judgements, that where there are scarce moats, we see great beams in other men's eyes; but beams in our own are so insensible, Matth. 7. as if they were not so much as moats. And as we apprehend, so would we proceed; Our strength would be the law of unrighteousness, Wisd. 2. and as Tacitus well notes, Malice the more unjust it is, the more violent: How many cain's would there start up in the world, that would kill their own brother Abel, only because his deeds were good, and theirs evil? And if some would not be so unnatural, yet would they be so unreasonable, as Simeon & Leni, of whom their own father pronounced, Cursed be their wrath, for it was fierce; and their rage for it was cruel, Genesis 48. we are so partial and impotent when we have the law in our own hands, and may satisfy our own lusts, that we will proceed without cause, or at least above measure. God knowing this unbridledness of our nature, hath laid this charge upon all private men, Avenge not yourselves, but give place towrath; for vengeance is mine, and I will repay, saith the Lord, Rom. 13. Whatsoever therefore they pretend of the laws of honour that apologise for Duels, in a civil, in a Christian common weal, they should be reputed no better, and it were good if they did far no better, than murderers; they would not be so common, if they were branded with their true name, and had their just reward. Private men may not revenge. But who may? It is only his right that is the Lawgiver, or theirs that hold from him, to recompense every man according to his deeds, God's law is, Deut. 19 that when two strive together they shall stand before the Lord, even before the judges, where the judges are, there the Lord is, Psal. 82.1. God standeth in the assembly of Gods, he judgeth among Gods, the Apostle therefore calleth them the Ministers of God, Rom. 13. So that a judge doth not only represent the person of a King, but is in part with him the Deputy of God. When the burden was too heavy for Moses, God assisted him with the Seventie, but mark how he inaugurated them, He took of the Spirit of Moses, and conferred it on the Seventie, intimating his immediate presence, and concurrence with them. Wherefore what Shecaniah spoke to Ezra, cap. 10. when he lamented the disordered lives of the jews, that must I say unto you, Arise, for the matter belongeth unto you, be of good comfort, yea and courage too (for this age moves more than tears) and do it, Give judgement; God and the King are your warrant, you may take the sword. But your power must be put in practice, you must use it against Malefactors; Peccare & peccantes non cohibere iuxta putato (saith Agapetus to the Emperor) the proper sin of the Magistrate, is, not to repress sinners, and sinners are they that do not the Law. judgement hath two works, as the law hath two parts. The parts of the Law are Proeceptum & Sanctio, the works of judgement are, Conviction and Execution. The King follows this method in his commission, he will not have any executed, before he be convicted. St. Basil in an Epistle to Eustathius Bishop of Sebastia, doth excellently describe the manner of the judges proceeding in his days, Quirerum potiuntur in hoc mundo quando facinorosum aliquem sunt vindicaturi cortinas obducunt etc. The judges in temporal causes, when they are to sentence a malefactor, retire themselves, desire to hear what the wisest of their assistants can say in defence of the arraigned, they pause long, sometimes beholding the prisoner, sometimes reflecting their eyes upon themselves, as communicating with him in the same nature, and feelingly bemoan his case whose life they must cut off, not moved thereunto by any passion of their own, but performing that service which is undeniably imposed upon them by the Law. The Law then must speak before the judge, and not the judge before the Law; for iudicium legis is iudicium solius rationis, but iudicium hominis est iudicium rationis & libidinis, no man murmurs if his doom be evidently the voice of the Law, though it be a very grievous doom, but let it be never so light if it be only the voice of a man he is very patiented that doth not murmur at it. The King therefore doth wisely subject his people to the Law, and wills the judges to use that for their rule, and try therewith who deserves the stroke of the sword: and all judges must subscribe to Ireneus his note, Indumentum iustitiae leges habet Magistratus; if a Magistrate would be reputed just, he must refer every man's case to be ordered by the unaffectioned Law. Secondly, mark that a malefactor is described, not by doing against the Law, but by not doing of the Law; the reason whereof is, The first intention of the Law is the working of the common good. It should be in the world of men, as it is in the world of other creatures, every thing furthereth the felicity of the whole, he is not worthy to be a member of a State, by whom the State is no whit the better. The Romans well understood it, when they instituted their Censors to inquire into every man's course, and to note them with infamy, that could not give an account of some good use of their life. It is pitiful to consider how many there are in this Land, whose glory is their shame (as the Apostle speaketh) the Chronicle of whose life was long since summed up by the Poet, Nos numerus sumus & fruges consumere nati, etc. no better than cyphers, if you respect the common good they do; but if you look unto the common evil, they are the vipers of the State. Surely they do not the Law, which they should; but which they should not, they do against the Law; they are daily seen, and who doth not know them? I mean riotous swaggerers, and masterless vagabonds; but (by whose default I know not) few are challenged, fewer punished, and so they swarm because they feel not the sword, and yet they are the proper object of the sword. For whereas St. Paul, Rom. 13. expresseth two uses of the sword, one the laud of them that do well, the other the terror of them that do evil, this commission remembers only the later; the reason whereof is given by Ireneus, Quoniam absistens à Deo homo in tantum efferavit, imposuit ei Deus humanum timorem, ut moderentur ad invicem in manifesto positum gladium timentes. Had there been no fall, there should have been a power indeed in man over man, but it should have been only directive; it is now coercive also, we need now, not only correction for doing ill, but coaction also to do well; and this is the principal employment of the sword; whereunto accords that of St. Paul, Lex non est posita iusto, if all men were good, every man would be a law unto himself, but there are few that can guide themselves, too many that will not be guided by others; Aristotle. and those the Philosopher calleth fools, of whom you know Solomon saith, Arod must be for the back of fools. The Magistrate must use the sword against them. And he must use it without delay. Sero medicina paratur, cum mala per longas convaluere moras, is no less true in the politic than in the natural body, whether we consider the corrigiblenesse of the delinquents, or the preservation of the State; both should be intended by judgement, but both grow desperate through delay. In the heart of every man there are principles of honesty, which when first lust casts into a slumber, the Magistrate may awaken to check sin, by holding him in that was running riot; but if the Magistrate wink, Consuetudo peccati obducit callum conscientiae, by impunity men will grow senseless, and shameless; the Preacher confirms it, Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, Eccles. 8. therefore the heart of the children of men is fully set in them to do evil, Secondly, sin is like a contagious disease, it will spread like a leprosy, especially where the law of leprosy is not in force, and where the wicked are not forced by the stroke of the sword, to cry unto the sound that approach them, I am unclean, I am unclean, Levit. 14. And so in time connivency breeds vitia adulta & praevalida (as Tacitus calleth them) and a State becomes like Rome (of which Livy speaketh) Neque vitia, neque remedia ferre possumus: though the sins be so strong that they vujoint the whole State, yet the patiented grows so tender, that it will sooner dye, than endure the setting of the joints again. How near we are to our Climacterical year, I leave it to the Statesman to consider; only this I will remember you, that a judge which is a Father in his Country, must be a loving Father, and of such a one Solomon speaketh, Pro. 13. He that loveth his son correcteth him betime. Or if a loving Father be too mean a precedent, imitate a good King, King David, Betimes (saith he, Psal. 101) will I rise to root out the wicked. Or if you will go higher, learn of God, who speaks thus unto Cain, Genesis 4. If thou dost ill, in foribus peccatum, that is, (as the Son of Syrack speaketh, Ecclus. 35.) The Lord will not be slack, the Almighty will not tarry long, till he hath smitten in sunder the loins of the unmerciful, and avenged himself of the heathen. This I press the rather, because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Nazianzene speaks) It is a very dangerous thing to be over prodigal of mercy, for it is nothing else but an occasion of cruelty, when rank sins will not be cured without letting of great quantity of blood; a little severity in time would prevent a great deal of cruelty, I will not say, but somewhat that will resemble it, which the iniquity of the times doth hasten to wrest from you, or, which is worse, to bring upon the State. You see the admonition that ariseth from this place, is, that your feet be not nimium lanei, lest your hands prove nimium ferreae, you must strike soon, that you may not strike too often, or too deep. But it is not enough that you proceed timely, except you proceed unpartially; you must proceed against whomsoever. God's Law is, Deut. 1. Levit. 19 I●● magnum & paruum iudicabis, Thou shalt not regard the poor because he is poor, nor the rich because he is rich; there is no respect of persons in God, neither should there be in his Lieutenants: A judge's sentence must be like a true looking glass, it must represent every man's case, as the glass doth his countenance, neither embellishing, nor deforming it. And no marvel, for seeing they are Physicians of the State, and sins are the diseases of it, what skils it whether a gangrene begin at the head or the heel, seeing both ways it will kill, if the part that is diseased be not cut off? Except this be the difference, that the head being nearer the heart, a gangrene in the head will kill sooner, than that which is in the heel: even so will the sins of great ones overthrew a State, sooner than those of the little ones. But yet I know not how we are more provident for our natural body, than we are for the politic, curing in that first the principal parts, and in this the less principal, if we cure them. The vanity of which course Sigismond the Emperor well observed in the general Council, when upon the motion that it was fit to reform the whole Church, one said, Then let us begin at the Minorites, nay rather (saith the Emperor) at the Maiorites; for if the great ones be good, the mean ones cannot easily be ill: but be the mean ones never so good, the great will be nothing the better. john 7. I end this point with the saying of Christ, Nolite iudicare secundum faciem, sed iustum iudicium judicate: and I wish you the zeal of Phyneas, Numb. 25. that spared not Zimri, or Cosbi, though the one were a Prince's son of Simeon, and the other a Prince's daughter of Madian; so may it be imputed to you for righteousness, and to your seed after you. And thus leaving the conditions to be observed in the use of your power; I come to the limitations of the power itself. The limitations are two; first, of the laws. There are divine and humane laws, the Magistrate must proceed against the violaters of both; against them that will not do the law of God, against them that will not do the law of the King: Prou. 24. he must be Custos utriusque Tabulae, & look to the observing of salomon's Fear God & the King; or Christ's, a greater than salomon's, Give unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, Matth. 24. and unto God the things that are Gods; he must conjoin both, and acknowledge Dominum, & Dominum, my Lord God, and my Lord the King. But with this difference, that, the one is an absolute Lord, the other but subordinate; the one commands as in his own right, the other but in the right of God. Secondly, as are the Lords, so are their laws; Gods must have the first place, the Kings but the second: And no marvel, seeing Gods laws are primitive, the Kings but derivative; nay, the substance of every law is from God, it is but the determination of some circumstance that is left unto the power of the King. In laws merely moral, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, etc. the King hath power only in regard of the Sanction, not that God hath left it in his choice, whether these sins shall or shall not be punished; but to his discretion he hath left it how, and how fare the good of the State requires to have them punished. In things merely indifferent, (because many things are lawful in regard of that liberty which we have from God, which are not expedient, in that society whereof we are parts with other men) the King's laws may impose precepts, and that under pains; but still providing that the law of nature, yea and of grace too, may stand with them, and be not impaired by them; nay, nature and grace must in a Christian Commonweal give the first light unto them. Add hereunto, that God's laws bind the conscience immediately, as having power in themselves to make things good or evil; but the King's laws bind but mediately, as the King hath authority from God, and is in the promulging of his laws the Minister of God. So that although you must look to both, yet must not your care be of both alike, for both are not of like worth; there must be an eminency in the care of God's laws, above the care of the Kings. Yea, there is a necessity too, for as Nazianzene speaks of jovinian the Emperor, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, It was Princely wisdom in him to protect the truth, because the truth could best support him; Kings laws are never so readily obeyed, as where the people are religiously disposed, and Magistrates which neglect the care of God's laws, do but teach the people how to vilify theirs. But you must be sure that the God be the God of Ezra, the true God, this is the first caution; so were these judges, and so must you be; you must not maintain false religion, or persecute the true; unto the service of this true God you may lawfully compel, St. Augustine observes it in the Parable of the Marriage Feast. And that it is profitable, you may perceive also in the same Parable; for of many that were compelled, we find but one that came without his wedding garment, the rest had their part in the Feast. God himself in Osea saith, Cap. 2. That he will hedge the jews way with thorns, so that they should not break through to follow their spiritual fornication, but withal prick themselves; and mark what follows, the jews bethought themselves thereupon, and said, I will return to my first husband; (and that was God) for it was then better with me, than it is now. Nazianzene, a man of a meek spirit, as appeareth in his writings, had obtained some patience to be used toward the Apollinarists, but when he saw how ill it succeeded, he wrote back to the Precedent of the Country, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, My intercession was unseasonable, for these wicked men will not make so good use of your indulgence, as to be ashamed and reclaimed. Wherefore as St. jude observes, you must save some with fear, and pluck them out of the fire wherein they would burn themselves; you must compel them to learn and obey the law of the God of Ezra, the true God: whereupon followeth also the next point, which is, they will the more easily be brought to do the King's law. Of observing laws in general, I need say no more than I have, but the iniquity of the times wills me to remember you, that laws must be obeyed, though they be the laws of the King of Persia; this is the second caution. The Proctors of Rome, though they dare not flatly deny it, yet so sophystically handle it, that what with subiecting the sceptre of Kings to the command of Popes, and exempting of such persons and cases, as seem good unto him, they undermine what they would seem to yield, and the most they grant is no more, nor no longer than their Holy Father doth, that's too much, or hereafter will allow them. If he will abrogate all, they must acknowledge none; no laws of a King of Persia, a King that is not of their religion. Others have learnedly and sufficiently shaken their grounds, and my Text is an argument of no small force, to resolve the consciences of such as doubt, whether a different religion doth evacuate the power of a lawful Sovereign. It doth not, though it be a false religion, how much more when it is the true, and the King, our King, commands only for the God of Ezra, the true God, and enioynes no other worship of him, than according to his own laws, the undoubted register whereof is the sacred Word of God? Wherefore you must be as the earth mentioned in the Revelation, cap. 12. and swallow all those waters that the dragon casts forth to drown the woman; you must crush these seeds of rebellion, which aim at nothing but the overthrow of true Religion. And how must you crush it? even by punishment. And so I come to the second work of judgement, from the precept to the sanction, which contains the second limitation of the power. Wherein I observe, first, how fare the Magistrate may draw his sword; Look how fare his providence doth reach, so fare may his vengeance reach also. The reward of sin is death, eternal death; to violate God's Laws or the Kings, is no less than sin, it should therefore be revenged with eternal death. But behold here unspeakable mercy; God would have us judged here by men, that we be not condemned hereafter by him. This is the proper end of the keys, and the sword, of the power that is in the Prince, and the Pastor. The occasion draweth me to speak of the Sword; yet let me give you this Item touching the Keys, that malefactors must remember, that for every of their offences challengable by the Law of man, they own a repentance unto God, and the greater their offence the deeper should be their repentance. Which I the rather note, because there are too many of them that scarce give glory unto God, when they suffer by the Law; and if they escape, make no conscience at all of their sin, as if how soever they speed at the judgement seat of men, they were not to take heed that they be not cast at the bar of God; which the first Council of Nice well corrected, when imitating God's law without prejudice to the civil sword, it appointed sundry year's penance according to the grievousness of sin. Sed pristino rigori non sumus pares; the Liturgy of our Church saith, that it were to be wished, but the iniquity of the times, that it is not to be hoped. Secondly, seeing your power should touch men with a loss temporal, to keep them from a loss eternal, you see what wrong you do them when you suffer them to spend their days in looseness, and in a moment (as job speaketh) though from their beds, they go quick down into hell; how much better were it for them, if with one hand, or one eye, they might go into heaven, than having both to be cast into hell? O then let the righteous rebuke them, yea smite them, rather than that your precious balms should break their heads, yea slay their souls; spare nothing that is temporal, so you may preserve them from the pain which is eternal. You see how fare you may draw the sword. But when you strike your strokes must be proportionable to their sins; but the proportion must not be Arithmetical, but Geometrical, they must be secundum merita, but not aequalia meritis, you may punish intra, but not ultra medum; so doth God, who notwithstanding doth punish in number, weight, and measure, Semper aliquid detrahit de poenae atrocitate, as Nazianzene speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, he doth temper mercy with judgement; In the hand of the Lord there is a cup, the wine thereof is red, and it is full mixed, whereof though his children offending drink, yet only the incorrigible wicked drink the dregs thereof. And the same Father writing to the Emperor's Deputy, reckoning up his virtues, demands this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; what shall I say of your clemency? 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, here you decline something; but he adds, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, I cannot much blame you, you have God for your pattern, who in Hosea speaks thus of himself, How shall I give thee up O Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee O Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Seboim? my heart is turned within me, my repentings are rolled together, I will not execute the fierceness of my wrath etc. You must wisely then temper judgement and mercy, but so that mercy do not hinder judgement, and yet that of the two, mercy rejoice against judgement. And thus have you heard what a judge may, and must do; he may take the sword, and must use it against malefactors, but with the conditions of the use, and limitations of the power specified in my text. The conditions are two, he must use it timely, and indifferently; the limitations also two, he must extend it to all transgressions of both Tables, and intent it according to their transgressions. And the end of all must be, by a temporal punishment to save the wicked from eternal pain, or if that will not be, that the blood of all cursing Shimei's, and factious joabs', and irreligious Abiathars also, may be upon their head, and the head of their seed; but upon David, our David, upon his house, and upon his throne, upon this whole Church and Common weal, may be peace for ever from the Lord. MOst mighty, most merciful Lord, who to preserve sincere piety, and secure peace in the Church and Common weal, hast put the sword into the hands of mortal men, and for the use thereof hast advanced them above their Brethren: we humbly beseech thee, so to sanctify them with thy grace, whom thou hast armed with thy power, that with a watchful and single eye they may observe, and repress with a severe, yet a tender hand, all unsound Believers, and inordinate livers, that Church and Common weal may bless them as happy Supporters of this Christian State, and themselves may with comfort make their last account to the unpartial Iudge of quick and dead, and now and ever both of us may give glory unto thee that art our most mighty and most merciful Lord. Amen. Blessed are they that keep judgement, and do righteousness evermore, Psalm 106. יהוה A SERMON PREACHED IN OXFORD AT AN ASSIZES. 1613. PSAL. 75. Vers. 2, 3. When I shall receive the Congregation, I will judge uprightly The earth and all the inhabitants are dissolved, I bear up the Pillars of it. Selah. THis Psalm was penned, if not by, surely in the name of some worthy judge; the people bless God for the comfort they received by him, and he promiseth to redress the disorders of the people: put both their speeches together, and you have a good Commentary upon the title of this Psalm. The title is Ne perdas, or rather Non perdes, the Hebrew Al-tasheth will bear both, and it imports, That a good judge yields the best hope that a disordered State may recover, although it be fare gone. Who this judge is all are not agreed; some guess at him by one part of the Psalm, some by another, and according to their different apprehension, give the Psalm, some a mystical, some an historical interpretation; both may stand true, as elsewhere so here. But being to fit this present occasion, my purpose is to pass by the mystical, and insist only upon that sense which is historical. According to the history, the person that speaks seemeth to be the king of Israel; and that king, as it is most likely, is king David. He speaks here first of his own Tribunal, the Tribunal of a king; but because that was set at naught by many insolent ones, he calleth them to an higher Tribunal, the Tribunal of God, and telleth them, that it is God which from time to time appoints those that shall judge here on earth, till by Christ he call that great Assizes, and fit judge of all the world. This is the effect of the whole Psalm; my Text contains so much thereof, as concerns the Tribunal of the king, the Dignity, the Necessity, the Utility thereof. To unfold it, I beseech you to mark therein The person, and His work: the person is the king, whose work is to judge; I will judge. But of the judgement we are farther taught, When it shall be executed, and How. The time is at an Assizes, When I shall receive the Congregation. The manner is, according to the law to try the uprightness of men's lives, I will judge uprightly; and that of men's uprightness, the word Mesharim reacheth so fare. As if this were not enough, here is a several reason added to each of these branches, a reason of calling an Assizes. It is no more than needeth, there is much amiss in the people; The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved. And a reason there is, why the king must judge uprightly, and of uprightness; because if any go awry, if any swerve, he must set and keep them straight, so saith the king, I bear up the pillars of it. These be the points that are to be considered on this Text, and that they are to be considered seriously, you may gather by the last word Selah, the character of a remarkable sentence; it signifieth an extraordinary elevation of the speakers voice, which calleth for a more than ordinary attention of the hearers ear. Consider then I beseech you in the fear of God, the particulars that I shall deliver thereon, and God grant you a fruitful understanding of them all. The first is the Person, and this person is the King; to judge is his work. At jerusalem are Thrones set for judgement, saith another Psalm, and those thrones belong to the house of David; therefore in the Scripture is the king's throne called not only the throne of Glory, but of judgement also: yea therefore of Glory, because of judgement, the Glory is given to countenance the judgement. So that the plaintiffs speech was, though not very courtly, yet very true, which he uttered to a king denying him justice, Si non vis iudicare, noli regnare, implying that it is the proper work of a king to be a judge: And indeed, God commits the power of judgement immediately to the king, and to that end setteth him upon his own Throne. But you know what jethro observed to Moses, Exod 18. and what Moses himself in his complaint to God confessed to be true, A king in his own person cannot bear all this burden, if he attempt it, he vainly tireth out both himself and his people; wherefore it is God's pleasure that so much as he cannot do by himself, he shall do by his officers. Whereupon ariseth a good distinction of a king's person; It is either natural, or politic; and under the politic are contained the judges. This is clear by Gods own fact; for when he called the 70. to be assistants unto Moses, and to that end did qualify them, he saith not, that he will take of his own spirit, though that which he took was the spirit of God, but God is pleased to call that the spirit of Moses, which he took and gave to the 70. Numb. 11. giving us to understand, that they were always to be reputed a part of Moses. Yea, and they communicate also in the same divine title; for I have said, ye are Gods, contains not the peculiar title of a king, it extends to every judge, as Moses teacheth in the Law, if it be not plain enough in that 82. Psalm. So then when a king sendeth judges, he sendeth his own ears to hear the complaints of his people, his own eyes to look into their causes, and his own mouth to pronounce according to that which is heard and seen. The person then in my Text, though at first sight it seem to be only the king, yet now appears to be moreover the judge, and by I, it is most plain, (Honourable and Beloved) that you are understood. The Use of this point for the people, is made by St. Peter, 1. Pet. 2. We must be subject to every ordinance of man, for the Lords sake, whether it be unto the King as supreme, or to Governors sent from him, such as are the judges; the improvement of their persons must make them reverend in our eyes. But there is a Use also, which (Honourable and Beloved) must be made by you; you may not mistake your ears, your eyes, your mouth: you have of two sorts, private and public; the private you may use about your domestical affairs, but to the Bench you may bring none but the public; you must hear there with none but the king's ears, and you know that a king is Abimelec, my Father the king, and being Father of his Country, doth hear like a Father, that is, most tenderly; you must see with none but the king's eyes, and you know that My Lord the King is as ●n Angel of God, discerning good and evil, 2. Sam. 14. you must speak with none but the king's mouth, and the wisest of kings hath observed, that There is a divine sentence in the mouth of the king, P●ou 16. his lips shall not transgress in judgement. Nay, whereas even the king's ears, and eyes, and mouth, are not his own, as he is a king, but Gods, you must look for your quality yet higher, even to that which is observed in God; God's ear, as the Wise man hath well abridged that which the Scripture sets down but in many words, is an ear of jealousy, Wisd. 1. and jealousy is the best whetstone of feeling attention; The eye of the Lord, as Habakuk speaketh, chap. 1. is a pure eye, it can behold no iniquity. Finally, of the mouth of God, wisdom itself hath observed, All his words are truth, and wickedness is an abomination to his lips, Prou. 8. I conclude this point with the words of the Apostle, wrested I confess to our purpose, yet the wrist is not much amiss; You are not your own, you sustain another's person, wherefore glorify, shall I say the king? if I said no more, it were enough to move you; but I must say more, glorify God, with your ears, with your eyes, with your mouth; glorify the king, glorify God, they are the kings, yea they are Gods. But wherefore are you trusted with them? the work will show; the king's work, and yours under the king is to judge. And to judge, what is it but to Measure? the Original Shaphat hath that for his first signification, as appears in Mishpot, which signifieth a rule; and the Holy Ghost, author of that mother-tongue, doth significantly express, that the principal work of a judge is to measure, yea, this very word Measure, which is by use English, is by birth Hebrew, the plain Hebrew Mesurah, whose original is from Sur, which is, Principem esse, as if to measure were the proper work of a Prince; and the Imperial definition of justice, justitia est constans & perpetua volunt as ius suum cuique tribusndi, what is it, but a real definition of this measure? which Solon the renowned Lawgiver of Athens aimed at also, in the witty analogy by him observed between coin and laws, making both measures, but the one in the hands of private men, the other of the Magistrate. A Prince then, and so a judge is a measurer; and what wonder? seeing he is the lieutenant of God, even in that respect wherein God himself is termed a Measurer. The Heathen Philosopher could say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, whose words you may expound by those of the Wiseman, wisd. 16. God doth all things in number, weight, and measure. Nay God himself hath witnessed it under his own hand, the hand that wrote Baltassars' doom upon the wall, Mene, Mene, tekel, Thou art numbered, thou art weighed; and how often in the Prophets do we read of the line, and the plummet, in the narration of the works of God's providence? God then is a Measurer, and under God the King, and under the King the judge, their judgement is a measuring. And the work is most behooveful; for every man is partial in his own case, out of self love apt to stretch or shrink a case, as it shall make for or against him, and out of malice moved either without cause, or above measure; so that it would go ill with a state were there not a measure, whereby to try how fare men overlash or come short in those quarrels that artise. There was no King in Israel, and every man did that which was right in his own eyes, but that right was in the eye of the Law plain wrong, it was idolatry, adultery, robbery, murder, as it appears in the book of judges. God therefore dealeth mercifully with us, that commands there should be a public Standard; as in the market, that we be not deceived in our provisions, so on the Tribunal, that we be not wronged in our eases. It is the express letter of the Law, Deut. 25. If a controversy arise between man and man, they shall both come to the judge; he is to measure their case. The use of this point for you (Honourable and Beloved) is, that the saying which Plato caused to be engraven at the entry of his School, is worthy to be set on the front of your Tribunals, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, it is pity any should sit upon that seat that hath not (I say not skill; the providence of the King is not so careless in the choice of your persons) but, a care to discharge that wherewith he is put in trust, and to be indeed the measure of all cases; a party not interested in either side, but carrying himself indifferently between them both. That is your use. And ours is, we must not be sons of Belial; We may not usurp the sword to right ourselves; we may not displace the indifferency of the Law, to give sovereignty to our intemperate affections. I conclude this sentence with the words of the Apostle, Brethren avenge not yourselves, but give place unto wrath; for vengeance is mine and I will repay, saith the Lord. He will repay one day by himself, but until then, he will have his payment made by judges, upon which warrant, the King spoke these words, I will judge. But When? At the Assizes; when I shall receive the Congregation. Some read when I shall take a set time; both Translations are ancient, the later as ancient as the Septuagint and Caldee Paraphrase, you may read it in them; the former as ancient as Aquila and Symachus, St. Basil reports it out of them, the later Translators incline some to the one side, and some to the other; if you join them both together, you have no more than the full sense of the word; for Mogned is not only an Assembly, but an assembly made at a solemn time. But to leave the words, and come to the matter. Men have houses of their own, and domestical employments according to their means, but the instinct of nature, and their manifold wants incline them to be sociable, and to entertain commerce with others; hence sprang Societies: But society cannot be maintained without a rule of fellowship which commands to give every man his due, and bends private endeavours towards the common good. To frame this rule Kings call one kind of Assembly, which is a Parliament; and to see whether this rule be observed, they call another, which is the Assizes. An Assizes is nothing but an assembling of the People, to inquire whether every man so temper the love of himself, as not to wrong his neighbour; whether he take no other course to thrive than such as may further the Common wealth. And indeed in vain were Parliaments, were it not for Assizes, you may see it in your private families; to what end should a man give instructions to his household, if he never meant to take account of their conformity thereto? But all this is no more than a civil ground, it derives an Assizes, only from the light of reason; my text goeth farther, it maketh it also a sacred Assembly, Mogned signifieth such a one: And indeed how can it be less? doth not God stand in this Congregation? and are not they that sit upon the Bench called Gods? Psalm 82. The Lawyers that plead at the Bar are even in the entrance of the civil Law called Sacerdotes iustitiae, they have a kind of Priesthood: the jurors, and all persons of necessary service, are bound juramento Dei, with the Lords oath; so the Scripture calleth it, the work, as Solomon speaketh, Proverbs 21. more than a sacrifice; finally, the place is Mogned a Synagogue, a holy place. I observe this the rather, because I would raise the estimation of that place to a higher rate than it commonly passeth at with the vulgar people. The judge when he passeth from the Church to the Bench, doth but pass from one sacred assembly to another, only with this difference, that sitting but as a sheep in this fold, in the other he sitteth as a shepherd. Wherefore the judge when he sitteth there must remember the saying of Natianzene, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Thou art the Image of God, and they with whom thou dealest bear his image also; if any stains have blemished that image, purge them, but never forget so to deal with the people as those that bear God's image. The Lawyers must remember that the judge's Bench is God's Altar, and being Priests thereat they may not sacrifice with either polluted tongues or hands. The jurors that have bound themselves to God, must deal as in his sight, they must take heed of that wherewith they are too usually charged, that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; private men, the common weal, are not so much abused, they are not abused so cunningly by any thing, as by their oaths; The words are significant, give me leave to open them. Sins are compared to debts, he that breaketh a Law becometh a debtor thereby; the judge cometh to inquire after those debts, that satisfaction may be made for private, for public wrongs, the jurors are trusted with the relation and taxation of these debts, they are to bring in, who is in debt, and how far, and their oaths are credited herein; but their oath is become a sophister, and cunningly private wrongs, at the one bar, and public, at the other, receive an acquittance; and yet the debtor makes no payment, or surely no such payment as in equity he should. If their oath were juramentum diaboli, their sophistry were tolerable, but I beseech them in the fear of God to consider that sincerity is the attribute of the oath of God, and let them take heed, lest obliging themselves to God, and doing service to the Devil, they descend not into hell, when they hope to ascend to heaven. Finally, whereas the ground whereupon the Assembly standeth is holy ground; let every man put off his shoes, put off his corrupt affections; so shall the work be an acceptable, a profitable sacrifice, which may yield a sweet savour unto God, and a savour of rest unto our whole Land; it shall so be, and it shall do so, if the judge having called this assembly, judge according to the rule, if he judge uprightly. I come then from the time to the manner. Some take the word Mesharim for a Noun, some for an Adverb, wherupon arise two interpretations, one respecting the person of the judge, the other that whereupon the judge worketh. If you respect the person of the judge, than the words are, I will judge uprightly, that is, according to the Law. Before you heard of a public standard, whereat men's causes must be tried; the judge is not fabricator, but adhibitor mensurae; jupiter ipse duas aequato examine lances Sustinet; the King himself, much more the judge, is put in trust with it, not to make it, but to use it; and as St. Augustine speaks, Non iudicat de legibus, sed secundum leges, he must not confound a Parliament with an Assizes. That is the first thing that must be noted. A second thing is, that the word signifieth straight, or right lines, which is the proper attribute of a Law; and you know that recta linea est brenissima inter eosdem terminos, and if men's causes be judged according to Law, the handling of them must not take the next way about, the proceeding must be, as even, so speedy. And yet, which we must note in the third place, the straightness of the Law is not a mathematical, but a moral straightness; It is not inflexible, but it is so fare to be bend, as the mind of the Law giver did intent. A judge must not insist upon the words of a Law, but put on the mind of a Lawmaker, and a Lawmaker doth follow medium, not arithmeticum, but ge●metricum, not rei, but rationis. The circumstances of quid, quantum, cui, quando, Heb. 7. do the proceeding, and yet the rule is still even. Provided always that the King and the judge be as Melchisedeck, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, so righteous a King and judge, that he hath no consanguinity nor affinity, but only the common weal; If a judge follow such a rule, he than judgeth uprightly. But I told you though Mesharim may beeused Aduerbially, yet is it a Noun; and so the Ancients did take it in this place, as appears by their translating it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, recta, and I think it is most natural here, to refer it to that whereupon the judge worketh; He calleth an Assembly to see what uprightness there is in men's carriage. God, as the Preacher speaketh, made man strait, the word is iashar, that is, set him in a strait way; the holy Ghost doth much delight to resemble Laws by ways, and that resemblance is implied in this word, but man being set so strait sought out many inventions etc. The Rule is as true in policy, as in divinity. S. john Baptist the harbinger of Christ according to the prophesy of Esay, crying unto the people to prepare Christ's way, and to make his path strait, doth reduce all the obliquity thereof unto four heads, saying, that every hill must be brought low. You shall find some men through pride, to swell like hills, like mountains, lifting themselves above their rank, and usurping more power than belongs unto them; such are the violent oppressors of the poor. And I add unto them those that are mountainous also, the supporters of the man of sin dwelling upon the seven hills, who usurped spiritual power of old, but of late is grown more eager for a temporal; he hath many Proctors for both in this Land, and they should all be brought low. Besides these Mountains you shall find Valleys, men that by base qualities fall below their rank, the rank of men, such as are Epicures; yea unto the rank of devils, such as are professed Atheists; this Land swarmeth with too many of them, they are not ashamed, so graceless are they, yea so senseless, that they do not tremble to name themselves the damned Crew; such valleys would be filled up; if it might be, by discipline they should be reclaimed; if not, by the sword they should be cut off, lest they prove bottomless gulfs, and swallow up the whole Land: it is to be feared, if th●y be long tolerated, God will pursue with vengeance the whole Land for their blaphemies. Besides these, you shall find some serpentine ways, S. john calleth them crooked ways, the ways of subtle foxes, that wilily circumvent young ones, and simple ones, and strip them of their goods, of their lands; they would be set strait, and that craft which prevails elsewhere, should not serve when they are pierced into by the direct eye of a judge. Finally, you shall find ruff ways, the ways of scandalous persons, that are exemplarily ill, and make many weak ones to fall; they must be made smooth: if their hearts cannot be altered, yet their deeds must be bridled, that they cause not others to offend; such are the corrupters of youth by gaming, by drinking, & other lose living. In a word, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; you must apply your measure to them, and spare no obliquity that is in any of them; then shall the way of all the people be via librata, as Esay speaks of the way of righteous men, it shall be strait, or level. There is one thing more which I may not omit. This word is never read but plural; & the reason thereof may be manifold, the worst is worth your marking. If you look upon the persons on whom a judge works they are good or bad; he must withhold justice from neither of them, and justice requires that one have proemium, the other poenam, each receive according as he deserves; and judgement is not full except both parties have their due; so saith the Law, The judge shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked; You may not violate this Combination. There is another Combination in the Rule by which you judge, and that is of commutatine and distributive justice; you have two Bars, one for nisiprius, and the other for criminal Causes; my text requires that the measure be even at both Bars. Add hereunto that you are Custodes utriusque Tabulae, and must have a care as well that God be served as the Common Weal, keeping yourself to the discreet limitation which Constantine the Emperor set unto himself, leaving Episcopatum ad intra unto us; (I mean the defining of sacred things) and taking unto yourselves no more but Episcopatum ad extra, the compulsive commanding of those that are refractory, unto the good Ordinances appointed by the public authority of the Church, that so the slanders of the Romanists may be refuted, and yet that duty that you own to God's Church be discharged. You must take care of this second Combination. There is a third also that looks to your own persons; here must be a Combination of your head, and your heart; you must judge not only rectum, but rectè that the sentence be upright depends upon you skill, but it is your heart that maketh it a virtuous sensentence: And surely the Holy Ghost meaneth something, when in the sixteenth of Deuteronomie it is said, Thoushalt follow justice, justice, he meaneth the justice of the head and the heart. Yea seeing you are not only Magistrates, but Christian Magistrates, there must be in your sentence not only Equity, but Piety; your Religion must raise your moral virtues unto an heavenly pitch, and what you do, you must do in Faith, and to the Glory of God. This is the last Combination, and for you the best; the former two do rather benefit others. I conclude this Point with a wish, that you would imitate job, who when he came to the Tribunal, reports of himself that he put on righteousness, and it covered him, judgement, and it was a robe, and a crown unto him, job 29. And I pray God, that righteousness may go before you, and set your steps in the way. And thus much of the manner of dealing. It followeth now that we come unto the Reasons; which are two: The first is the reason of assembling the people, or calling an Assizes: there is great reason for that, for there is much amiss, The earth and all the inhabitants are dissolved. Were we immutable, though we should need directive, yet of corrective justice we should have no need. A Parliament were enough to set us in a good way, it would be superfluous to examine our ways at an Assizes; but our condition was mutable in Paradise, it is much more so now; It appears in that we may be dissolved, or, as the word in the original is, melted. But there are two kind of melt, according as the parts of the body melted are of two sorts, homogeneous, or heterogeneous: If homogeneous, as gold and silver, then though they melt, yet do they not lose their holdfast; cast gold into the fire, melt it will, but so, that in running the parts do hold fast together: But if the parts be heterogeneous, than not only the whole melteth, but the parts fall asunder, and are loosed the one from the other. The melting whereto we are subject is of the later sort, and therefore the Interpreter, intending the meaning rather than the signification of the word translates it are dissolved; that is, so melted, as that one part hangs not to another. But let us look a little farther into this kind of melting. As in our body natural, so in the body politic, melting groweth from some outward heat which extracteth the inward, and so disinableth the parts which were strengthened thereby to hold together. There is a fire of charity and justice, by which the society of men is fostered and cherished, so long as they hold, we hold together, and when they fail, we fall asunder; now they fail not except they be extracted, extracted by a fire, and that is the fire of Hell: the Devil that could not endure that blessed society that we enjoyed in Paradise with God, with Angels, each with the other, but loosed all the bands, and set us at odds; cannot endure so much as the continuance of civil societies, but he is still at his forge, and is blowing of his coals, and we are too apt to come near his fire; the fire of concupiscence which is a melting fire. Saint Austin fitly on this place moveth the question, and answers it himself, Si defluxit terra, unde defluxit nisi à peccatis? he addeth, cupiditate superiorum roboratur, & quasi liquescit cupiditate inferiorum; if we will find out the true cause of melting, we must find it in sin. And sin what is it but the inclination of our heart unto these base and earthly things, which should be carried towards heaven and heavenly things? while our thoughts do so stoop, we approach that fire of which Saint james speaks, that it setteth the tongue on fire; and we may well say, that the whole frame of nature is set on fire thereby, so set on fire, that it is melted, so melted, that it is dissolved. There is a threefold band, 1. between GOD and Man; 2. between superiors and inferiors; 3. between those that are equals. In those that come near this fire they are melted all; there continueth no communion between God and us, for want of pity; no communion between superiors and inferiors, neither respects the other as it ought; nor any commerce between equals, each doth endeavour to devour the other. But to open this a little plainer; From our body natural we must learn what an evil this melting is in the body politic. In the body natural if a joint be dissolved we find a double evil, the part groweth weak in itself, and troublessome to the neighbour parts, as you may see in an arm out of joint, it is weak itself, and a burden unto the next part whereupon it resteth, being not able to sustain itself; the same falleth out in the policique melting. Men through disorder grow weak themselves, and they are troublesome to others; weak they are, though their lusts be strong; because that strength is not of the man, who should be a reasonable creature, but it is of a beast, of the sensual part of a man. He that rideth a fierce horse, let the horse keep what pace he will, so long as the rider commands him by the bridle, we say, he rides strongly; but if the horse get the bit in his mouth and run away, the faster his pace the weaker the rider, because he cannot check him: Our affections are as that fierce horse, and our reason should be as a strong bridle; stir they never so much, if reason command, we are strong; but if reason have no power, and they run lose, then certainly the more violent they are, the weaker are we. We speak significantly when we say, that a man transported by his passions is an impotent man; and we therein imitate the phrase of GOD himself, who by the Prophet reprooving judah for her unsatiable spiritual fornication; saith, How weak is thy heart? Drunkards, and murderers, adulterers, and all kind of dissolute livers, think themselves very strong, because they have their full forth in sin; but let them not deceive themselves, they are melted, they are dissolved; this is but a weakness, they have lost that strength not only wherewith God created them unto virtue, but even that strength wherewith humane policy doth strengthen them unto civil society: they are unprofitable therefore. But that is not all the evil. A member out of joint is not only unserviceable itself, but also painful to the other parts: And whosoever groweth disordered, as he weakeneth himself, so is he mischievous to others; adulterers to other men's wives, murderers to their persons, robbers to their goods, slanderers to their good name; it is the condition of all sins, they disorder policies. That which I observe unto judges herein is, that they should not only take notice of the facts, upon which they sit judges, but to stir up in themselves the zeal of justice, should diligently consider these two things which cleave unto every such fact, the weakness and the annoyance of the malefactor; he is not what he should be, serviceable to the State; and what he should not be he is, mischievous unto others. So much is employed, when he is said to be dissolved. But let us see of whom this melting or dissolving is affirmed. The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved. Some take these words according to the figure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and resolve them thus, All the inhabitants of the earth are dissolved; as if the melting and dissolving did concern only the persons, yea and point out also such persons as are apt to be dissolved, namely, those that have their thoughts and affections grovelling upon the earth. We have a distinction in Saint Paul of the two adam's, The first was of earth, earthly, the second was the Lord from Heaven; as is the earthly, so are they that are earthly, and as is the heavenly, so are they that are heavenly, 1. Corinth. 15. they are so in this, that the earthly is easily dissolved, but the heavenly is not: if we did set our affections on things above, and not on things below; if we had our conversation in Heaven, and would be, though in the world, yet not of it, we need not fear melting, we should not be dissolved; but while we grow more like the old Adam than the new, while we set our affections on things below, and savour only the things of earth, no wonder if we melt, if we be dissolved. The Admonition for us all, is to keep us to the example of CHRIST, yea to let CHRIST live in us; let our hearts be possessed with the love of Heaven and Heavenly things, so shall we not prove melting or disordered members of the State. But the words may be taken as they lie in my Text, and the dissolving may be applied no less to the earth, than to the inhabitants thereof; both may be dissolved, both may melt. But then we must observe a distinction. There is a penal, and there is a sinful melting; the earth is subject to a penal, but the sinful is that whereunto men only are subject, and being subject thereunto, cause the earth to be subject to the other. A fruitful land may become barren, and a healthy Country become contagious, yea a Country that is like the Garden of GOD, as Sodom was, may become a salt, a dead Sea, as Sodom is, which is the penal melting or dissolving thereof: But this befalleth not, except the people sin; and the cry of their sin come up unto God; Maledicta terra propter te, hath a constant truth, there is never any penal melting, where a sinful melting hath not gone before. The Use that I would make hereof is, That when we see plagues, we should thereby be put in mind of sins; the Magistrate should bestir himself thereabout especially, he should inquire after crying sins. GOD taught this lesson to joshua, when the Israelites fled before the men of Ai: joshua rend his clothes, and fell to his prayers, and so did others with him; a good work you would think in such a case to deprecate the wrath of GOD; but GOD telleth joshua that he should intent another work, Up, saith he, what makest thou here? Israel hath sinned, therefore they cannot stand before their enemies, Go thou and correct that sin; and that sin was but the sin of one, how much more must he do it, if as in the Text, All the inhabitants be dissolved? The more sinners, the more speed must the Magistrate make, and there can be no more than All. But All may be understood either of singula generunt, or genera singulorum; it cannot be understood of singula generum, God never suffered sin so fare to prevail, but he ever had a Church in the world, and some true children; the world could not continue if it were so bad as to have none. Though the times when David came to the Crown were very bad, yet not so bad; there lived Nathan, and Gad, and Sadoc, and many thousands to no doubt were there in the days of Saul, as in the days of Ahab, which lived in the fear of God, and as orderly members of the State: but denominatio sequitur maiorem partem; the greater part was the worse part; and therefore the complaint is bend against the whole. A complaint which may well fit our days, wherein, though GOD hath preserved many as living members of CHRIST, and profitable inhabitants of this Land, yet can it not be denied, that all sorts of sins do reign in all sorts of persons: We may renew Esayes complaint, Chapt. 1. From the sole of the foot unto the head there is nothing whole therein. And Chapt. 3. The people are oppressed one of another, every man by his neighbour; the children presume against the ancient, the vile against the Honourable; what State is there that is not dissolved? Honourable and Beloved, I will not wrong your wisdoms so fare as to particularise, only this I observe, that when you give your charge, you do nothing but relate the lives of the people; they yield instances of all those sins which you so profitably dissuade, and I would the grand-jury, that have their ears open to hear your charge, would have their eyes open also to behold the people's lives, and make a conscience to present what, if they wink not, they cannot choose but see; and if they present, there remains nothing but that you, Honourable and Beloved, do your part as carefully as they perform theirs faithfully. And your part is set down in the next point of the text, in these words of King David, I bear up the Pillars thereof. This is the second reason, the reason why you must judge uprightly; because when things are amiss, the redress of them lieth in you, you bear up the pillars thereof. The Pillars of a State are good Laws, and good men; good Laws are the Pillars that bear up men, and men being so borne up by good Laws, do bear up the whole state of the Land. The reason why this title is given unto Laws, is either historical or moral; The historical is the ancient custom of engraving Laws in brass, and fastening of them to pillars in public places, as we use now the King's Proclamations; it were not hard out of diverse Authors to confirm this custom. I will allege but two, and they are two feeling authorities; the one to be heeded by a judge, which is the saying of a Poet, Fixit Leges pretio atque refixit; the other is also the saying of a Poet, but it looks unto the common people, Hae (he meaneth Laws) miserae ad parietem sunt fixae clavis ferreiss, ubi malos mores affigi nimio fuerat aequius. Saint Paul seemeth to allude to this custom, when he calleth the Church The pillar and ground of truth, 1 Tim. 3. But to leave the historical reason; there is a moral reason of it also. Our wits and our wills do both stay themselves upon the Laws; while we read Philosopher's writings de aeque & bono, what is meet to be done, and what is not meet, our judgements do waver through unresolued discourse, so soon as a Law hath defined, men cease to dispute, we captivated our judgement to the wisdom of the State, and hold their resolution not to be excepted against. As a Law fixeth our judgement, so doth it settle our will also; though good be lovely, yet the love of good is but weak in us, and were there not a Law that threatens the transgressors, how little we love good it would too soon appear? When our affections would melt with sin, they are held together, and held unto their duty by the bridle of the law; the law stays, the law holds, and therefore Saint Basil doth well understand by these Pillars 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, those Laws which with power and authority settle every man in his orderly course of life. Lycinius the Emperor spoke barbarously, when (as Eusebius reports) he said, that juris cognitio was virus & pestis Reipublicae, and the jews, who (as Ambrose observes) said, that Leges were Crimina, spoke but as jews, that is, as a rebellious people; And the Anabaptists that hold Laws to be contrary to Christian liberty, do but by their doctrine give us to understand, the qualities of their lives; which is Epicuricall licentiousness. But Christians must give Laws their right, and repute them as they are, the Pillars of the, State. They are immediately the Pillars of the inhabitants, and the inhabitants being qualified by them become Pillars of the State. Therefore good men are a second kind of Pillars; and indeed so they are called; St. Paul gives that name to Peter, james, and john, Galathians 2. Nazianzene saith of Athanasius, that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and of Attalus, Nicephorus saith, that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Neither is this true only of the Worthies of the Church, but of the Common weal also; joseph is called not only Pastor, but Petra Israelis; as much is to be understood of Eliakim the son of Helchia, of whom God saith in Esay, cap. 22. I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place, and he shall be for a glorious throne to his father's house, and they shall hang upon him all the glory of his father's house, etc. the meaning is, they shall all rest upon him. And indeed there is no good man upon whom the Land doth not rest; for as the world was made for them, so they bear it up, and when GOD remooues them, the world groweth so much the weaker: yea the wicked themselves do grow the weaker; for that they do enjoy their states they are beholding to the good; they think, when they break Laws, and persecute good men, themselves far the better, and their posterity is the greater; but fools they are, and therein prove their own foes; for they overturn the Pillars whereupon both themselves and the whole State do lean. There is that care in unreasonable Creatures of the preservation of the whole, that every part will hazard itself to prevent the common ruin; only men, forgetting that themselves must perish when the Common weal goeth to wrack, to satisfy their own lusts continually push at, and would overturn both kind of Pillars, and Sampson-like though not with so good a mind as Samson, nor in so good a cause, (for themselves are more like Philistines) endeavour the ruin both of others and themselves. What is the remedy? surely the remedy lieth in you, in you that are the Pillars of the Pillars; In vos domus omnis inclinata recumbit. Good Laws and good men are like unto a Vine that beareth grapes yielding pleasant liquor to cheer both GOD and men: But a Vine must have a prop, or else it will fall to the ground, and there all the grapes will rot. Of the Laws we do quickly perceive that same of the Poet true, Mores trahunt leges in potestatem sui; every man would be a Law unto himself, a Law of unrighteousness; and as for good men, the better they are, the worse they should far, they should not be thought worthy to breathe; but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, it never appears how powerful a law is, till a law is in the hands of a good judge; then all stand in awe of it, and good men, if they have a sunctuarie to betake themselves unto, (and a good judge is such a sanctuary) dare boldly profess and practise goodness: wherefore what in Aeschilus' is said of Atlas' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that may be affirmed of good judges, on whose shoulders the Pillars of the Church and Common weal do rest, They bear them up, So we translate; but the word is more significant, it is borrowed from architecture, and hath reference to Mesharim that is gone before, a term of the same art also, and imports that a judge so soon as ever he hath applied his rule, and finds a Pillar to incline, he falleth to setting of it strait; no less than a good surgeon, must a good judge iustissimas facere luxationum compositiones, never leave moving of the bone, till he hath set it in his just place; no more must a judge leave reforming of a person, till he is come into good order. No doubt but it will fall out, that as in setting of a joint the patient will be impatient; so austere reformation will be impugned with much murmuring; for exitium suum mali pronâ cupiditate desiderant; yet must you have a Lion's heart, which is commended in a good Surgeon or Physician, and as julius Firmicus spoke to Magistrates, so do I unto you, Subuenite miseris libertate pereuntibus, melius est ut liberetis invitos, quàm ut volentibus concedatis exitium; and you shall find the saying of Solomon true in the end, that he that reproves a man shall find more thankes at the last, than he that flattereth him with his lips; and they will say with Saint Bernard, Homil. 55. in Cantic. Bonum indicium quod me illi districto divinoque subducit. We have good cause saith Saint Austin to thank GOD that himself doth not strike so soon as we sin, but expects our repentance, and thereunto calleth us by many means; and no small one is the tribunal of the judge; he hath the rectifying of all crooked Pillars, to set them strait, yea and keep them strait also; the awe wherein they must stand of you, must make every man careful to keep his place, and if you fail, we have just cause to fear, Ne collapsa ruant subductis tecta Columnis. For if the light be darkness, how great is that darkness? and if the salt be unsavoury, wherewith shall it be seasoned? and what will become of the Common weal, if our eyes see that which salomon's did under the Sun, The place of judgement, that wickedness was there, and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there? It is much evil that the State shall far so ill, but it is an evil that must be feared by you; for a judge is guilty of whatsoever he might and did not reform, and your account will be the heavier, the more you suffer to scape unpunished. Wherefore seeing GOD hath done you this honour to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (for I told you that you are a part of the politic person of the King, yea as CHRIST is lapis angularis, the corner stone of the Church, so you are also of the Common weal) falsify not your names, fail not the Pillars, bear out and up both Laws and good men, deliver him that suffereth wrong from the hand of the Oppressor; and be not faint hearted when you sit in judgement; be as a Father unto the fatherless, and in stead of a Husband unto their Mother, so shall you be the sons of the most high, and he shall love you more than your mother doth, Eccles. 4. The last point is that which calleth for your attention to every of these former points, Selah; I told you it is the character of a remarkable sentence. There be divers conjectures at the meaning of this word, but the likeliest is that which judgeth of it by the matter whereunto the Holy Ghost commonly doth apply it. Some take it intensively, as if it did note a superlative degree; some protensively, as if it did note a perpetuity of time; I will join both: surely this sentence is such, as you cannot think upon it either too much or too long, yea, every branch of it deserves a constant deep meditation. Your person doth, for it represents the King, yea GOD himself; and deserves not that a Selah? your office, you are the common measure of all men's causes, and overrule all men's partiality; deferues not that a Selah? your assemblies are sacred, many ways sacred; how can you look on them without a Selah? and that which you inquire after in them, what is it but uprightness? how conformable they are in their lives unto the Laws; surely that deserves a Selah: but when you find how much men have gone astray, and swerved from that even rule, that will raise your Selah to a higher pitch: Finally the benefit expected from you to set right what is awry, doth deserve the highest Selah; there is not an ordinary point in the text, therefore must you entertain it with more than an ordinary regard. I must end. The sum of all is; judges are sacred persons, trusted with the allowed standard of the Common weal, to call the people to it, and by it to examine their lives, that finding how fare they have declined, they may set and keep all upright. O Lord that hast vouchsafed this honour unto men, and art pleased that such trust should be reposed in them; give them grace to tender their honour, in being careful of their charge: Bless this sacred Assembly that all triacts therein may pass now teach us? Surely, first, discreetly to distinguish times, then to solemnize extraordinary times religiously. These two points are amplified throughout the whole Psalm, but we have a good taste of them in those words that now I have read unto you. Here we shall learn first to distinguish times; All times are not alike, there are nights aswell as there are days, the time here remembered is a day, a remarkable day, it hath the two marks of a Festival set upon it. To the making of a Festival, two things must concur; Operatio divina, & Recognitio humana; there must be some extraordinary work of God done thereon, and man must make a special acknowledgement thereof. Both these are evident in my text; First, God's Work, Deus fecit, God made the time a Day; Secondly, Man's Acknowledgement, Haec est dies, the Church doth Calendar it for a high day. As we must learn thus discreetly to distinguish times, so we must also learn to solemnize them Religiously; In performance whereof the text will teach us What we must do, and How. That which we must do is reduced to two Heads; we must take full comfort in such a Day, we must rejoice and be glad in it; Rejoice with our bodies; Be glad in our souls, both body and soul must express a comfortable sense. Neither must we only take comfort in it, but pray also for the happy continuance of it: for the continuance, Save Lord; we may be deprived of it: for the happy continuance of it, Prosper Lord; it may be in vain bestowed on us. These be the things that must be done; But How? that is, When? and by whom? When? Now; at the very same time that We have joyed in the Day, must We also be praying for the continuance thereof. And whom doth the Psalmist mean by We? Look unto the beginning of the Psalm, and you shall find the parties thus specified, Israel, the House of Aaron, all that fear the Lord; the Commonweal, the Church, the Clergy, the Laity, all whom the Day concerns must take notice thereof, and express this duty thereon. You see the sum of this Scripture, which I will now (God willing) enlarge farther, and apply unto our present occasion. But before I enter upon the particulars I may not forget to let you understand that this Psalm hath a double sense, an Historical, and a Mystical; the Historical concerns King David and the Kingdom of Israel; the Mystical toucheth Christ and his Church. The Mystical hath warrant from the Gospel, wherein Christ doth apply some branches, of this Psalm unto himself: the the Historical is clear in the Books of Samuel, which entreat of the advancement of King David. If we follow the Mystical than the Day here remembered is Easter day, or the Day of Christ's Resurrection, and that was a Day indeed; the Sun of Righteousness, than shone forth in great strength, and brought life and immortality to life. But if we follow the Historical sense than was the Day here remembered the Day of K. David's succession unto Saul; a very Festival Day to Israel, though not so high a Feast as is our Easter day. The Father's Commentaries run most upon the first sense, our occasion is better fitted with the latter, wherefore (without prejudice to the former) we will insist thereon; leaving the Mystical we will insist only upon the Historical sense of these words. The first point therein is, the discreet distinguishing of Times. All times are not alike, there are nights and there are days, the time here specified is a Day. Saint Basils' Rule must guide us in understanding this word; he tells us that when the Holy Ghost speaketh of a Day in this and many other places we must not plod upon the course of the Sun, but look unto the occurrents of the time; the occurrents are of two sorts, prosperous or adverse; the former is usually called Day, and the later Night. We have not then to do with a Natural, but a Metaphorical Day. But Metaphors have their reasonable grounds, and because they are Implicitae Similitudines, close couched resemblances, we must unwrap them, that we may see the resonablenesse that is in the use of them; If we do this in our present Metaphor, the reason will be apparent, why a prosperous state is termed a Day. For a Day is caused by the Sun rising, who by his beams sendeth to the earth Light and Heat; Light by which all things are discerned, and may be distinguished, and Heat by which they are quickened and cherished: Even so in a prosperous State there is something that answereth to the Sun, and that is a good King; and well may the King be termed a Sun in the Commonweal, as the Sun is termed a King in the midst of the Planets. A good King then like the Sun over-spreads the Commonweal with Light and Heat: Light; all things do appear in their right hue; flattery or tyranny doth not blanche or bear out falsehood as truth, and good as evil; every one beareth his proper name, and is reputed no better than he is; which is no small Blessing of a State, if we take notice of that which is occurrent in every History, That the best men have been branded as the vilest, and the vilest have been commended for Worthies; so fare hath darkness overcast the judgement of the World: seek no farther than the story of Christ, and his Apostles, the Scribes and the Pharisees. As a good King doth remedy this perverseness of judgement by a truer light: so doth he by a vegetable heat put heart into those that deserve well, and further their well fare; it is no small blessing; you may gather it out of the 72. Psalm, where the cheerful face (as it were) of the State doth speak the comfortable influence of a good King: you may amplify this point by that difference, which in the 104. Psalm you find between a day and a night. The night is a time wherein the savage beasts do range abroad, men retire and appear not; but in the day men go freely abroad to their labour, and the savage beasts retire: even so in the time of an ill governed Commonweal, all sorts of beastly men, as filthy as Swine, as greedy as Wolves, as cruel as Tigers, as deceitful as the Crocodile, these and such like riot and control, and without shame satisfy their lust, and then it is dangerous to be just, to be merciful. But the countenance of a good King chaseth such vermin away, and none unlike unto him, find Grace with him, or appear before him; the 101. Psalm hath no other argument but this very point; and Solomon hath expressed it in several Proverbs. This blessing of Light and Heat, of distinguishing and cherishing the good from, and above the bad, springs from a good King, if he be only a Head of the Commonweal; many Heathen Kingdoms enjoyed such Days; under their Augustus, Traian's, Adrians', and the like; But if the King be also a member of the Church, a King of Israel, as King David was, then doth he yield unto his State another Day, unto the Civil he adds a Spiritual Day; for as Constantine said well, A good King is, Episcopus ad extra Ecclesiam, as the Pastors are ad intra; though he may not administer sacred things, yet must he command them to be administered; to be administered sincerely that no Errors or Heresies dim the heavenly Light, and to be entertained reverently, that the people may feel the sweet inflaence of Grace; Epistola ad Bonifacium, he maketh Laws for the promulgation of the saving truth of God, as Saint Austin teacheth, and by wholesome Discipline brings the people to be aswell religious, as loyal; no less dutiful children of God, then obedient subjects to their Prince. By this that you have heard, we may learn how to reckon days; we must not put into our moral Calendar all times for Days, we must look whether the Sun be up, not the Sun which runneth in the corporal Firmament, but the Sun of the Politic or Ecclesiastical State; we must see how much Light, how much Heat is derived into either of them, how much the King doth advance our temporal, our eternal prosperity; so we must measure days. And if we do, we shall find how much the world doth oftentimes mistake, and we shall find them children of the night which think themselves children of the day, we shall find that they are covered with gross darkness when they think they do partake of the Light; This is the case of the Turkish Monarchy, if we look to a civil day, and Kingdoms that are enthrawled to Antichrist, if we look to the spiritual day, the time of neither of these Governments may properly be called a Day. But when we look upon a fair Sunshine day, and see how welcome it is to the earth, we must be put in mind thereby of God's blessing vouchsafed us, and learn to illustrate our Metaphorical by such a natural day. Certainly, the time wherein we now live is a very clear Day; the Civil State hath long enjoyed abundance of Peace, and the Gospel hath free passage in the Church, every man sits quietly under his own Vine, and boldly do we assemble in this place to hear God's Word; these be plain evidences of a Day; a double Day; such a Day as few Nations have enjoyed; for either the Sword rageth amongst them, or the light of the Gospel hath not shined unto them. It is then worth the marking that our time is a Day. But there is something more which I may not omit; This Day began such a Day, as our Chronicles for many generations do not report the like; When we read the story of joshua who commanded the Sun to stand still, and stretched forth one day to the length of two, we all wonder; and well we may; for it was a great wonder to see two days come together, and never a night between; But had not we as great a wonder? have we not had so long a Day? hath not our Metaphorical matched that Natural? Yea, it hath gone so fare beyond it as the Metaphorical exceeds the Natural; read our Chronicles, and you shall find how seldom we have had two such Days together as Queen Elizabeth hath made with King james immediately succeeding; both double Days, Days of Church, and Days of Commonwealth. Look beyond; Queen Mary's time was at least a spiritual Night; King Edward's time a short though a Spiritual and a Civil Day also; King Henry the Eighth his time was neither Night nor Day, Henry the Seventh his time was a spiritual Night but a Civil Day; Richard the thirds time was a Night both Spiritual and Civil; if you go yet more upward you shall not find it much better, only by comparing, this you shall find, how short their times come of ours, to whom God hath vouchsafed this double Day; we may fitly call it duplex Festum, such a Day must needs be a Festival Day; a double Day, a double Feast. And indeed it hath set upon it the marks of a Festival; thereunto I told you must concur two things, First, Operatio divina, Secondly, Recognitio humana; Gods work and Man's acknowledgement; God's work must go before; Deus fecit is the first character of an Holiday. Why doth one day excel another, saith the son of Syracke, Chap. 33 Seeing the light of the days of the year cometh from the Sun? the knowledge of the Lord hath parted them asunder, and he hath by them disposed the solemn times and Feasts, some of them hath he chosen and sanctified, and some of them hath he put amongst the days to number. But this is not all that is to be observed in Gods making of the Day, the Lord doth not only appoint such a time, but do something thereon for which it deferues such a title. Observe then, that a time of adversity is called the day of the Lord, but yet God is not said to make it a Day but rather he maketh that day a night, one and the self same time is called in the Scripture both day and night. In the fift of Amos, Mich 3. Ze●●. ●● we read; Is not the day of the Lord darkness, it is darkness, and there is no light in it; Micah and Zephanie accord therewith. A strange composition there is, when the same time is called both Day and Night; A Day it is called only in regard of the evidence; all shall see plainly what it is, and therefore it is called, the Revelation of the just judgement of God. God's judgements are always just; but they do not always appear so to all, but God hath appointed a time wherein he will so clear it, that the wicked themselves shall not be able to deny it; in regard of this evidence that time is called a Day. But if you look to the substance of things that do befall them in that Day, then sure it is not a day, but a night; they are dismal and dreapfull things either corporal or spiritual; and in these two points standeth the substance of a metaphorical Night. A second reason why God is said to make the time a Day is, because he is the sole cause thereof; It is true that God createth darkness and woe, but he doth it not but as he is provoked by man; man doth sin, if God send plagues; but of light and prosperity, God is causa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also; the occasion and the cause of blessedness are both of God; moved only by his own goodness doth he do good unto men; especially the good of this double Day, such as was the Day of Israel. For if you look upon the people, they were most sinful, if upon the enemies of King David, they were most malicious and violent; so that had not God's goodness and his power, the one past by the sin, the other repressed the malice of King David's Adversaries, the Day could never have dawned, King David had never sat upon that Throne: Well may God then be termed the Author of the work which had so little probability of being, if you look upon all other things excepting God. In a word, the very phrase teacheth this lesson; That when we see alterations in the World, we must no more doubt of the Author of the Metaphorical, than we do of the Natural Day; God is the Author of both, and of both with like facility, He lighteth our candle, and maketh our darkness to be light; Psal. 18. Though we may not neglect second causes, yet must we ascend as high as the first. It was Heathenish Idolatry when the Gentiles saw the benefits that came from the Sun in lightning and warming the earth to make the Sun a God, and give the price of the Creator unto his creature; whereas they should have argued from it unto him, and conceived the eminency of his goodness from whom such good things did proceed. And we shall not be fare from Idolatry, if the comfort of peace and Religion affecting us, our hearts ascend no higher than the immediate cause thereof which is our King, and we do not give glory unto God, which out of his love to us hath set him upon the Throne, if we do not discern that The Lord hath made our Day. What our sins were that might have hindered it, I need not tell you, the Pestilence that did attend the dawning of the Day was an intimation from God, how unworthy we were; but his pleasure was, that we should fall into his hands, not into the hands of our enemies. For as we were unworthy, so they were enraged, witness their treason that immediately was discovered, manifold plots of treason but all defeated by the providence of God. Wherefore we must say not only that we have a Day, but also that the Day which we have was made by the Lord; and conclude, Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name be praise. Deus fecit is not enough to the making of a Festival, the Church must come in with, Haec est dies; when God goeth before in working something in the Time, the Church must not be behind in giving the due estimate to the time; we must not esteem all days alike, when God doth not work alike upon all. But nothing is required of us to the making of a Festival, but only acknowledgement of God's Work; take a view of all the Festivals of the jews, you shall find, that they did no more, no more than commemorate that on such a day God did do such a work. And the Christian Church hath trod the very same steps, and hath not thought it fit to suffer any of the remarkable works of God to pass unregarded, whether they concern the whole Church or any particular State; they have stamped upon the time of those works, Haec est Dies, This is not a day to be forgotten, and therefore have enjoined the Anniversarie Commemoration thereof. Yea, and every private Family and person that hath received any extraordinary blessing from God, may make unto himself such an Aniversarie, and refresh the memory of that time wherein God hath done him some great good. And let this suffice for the discreet distinction of times; Let us now see how religiously we must solemnize them. Though to the making of the Day no more be required of us then this acknowledgement, Haec est Dies, This is the Day, yet to the using of it more is required; here we must consider What must be done, and How. That which must be done I reduced to two Heads; First, we must take full comfort in the Day; and secondly, pray for the happy continuance thereof. In expressing the comfort the Psalmist useth two words which are fitted to the two principal parts of man, his body and his soul, so the use of them in the Original Language teacheth, and Venerable bede doth so distinguish them, Exultemus corpore, laetemur animo, let the body, as it were, dance for joy, and the soul rejoice. Both partake of the Day, the body principally of the Civil Day, and of the Spiritual Day, the Soul is the principal partaker; yet so, as that each in either doth congratulate the other: if the Day be Civil, the soul congratulates the body, the body which is exultant for his day; if the day be spiritual, than the body congratulateth the soul, the soul that is gladded at the heart for her Day. So then the body cannot exult but the Soul will be glad, neither can the soul be glad, but the body will exult, there is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the word Nos let Us Exulte, let Us rejoice noteth, that what is proper to either part redounds to the whole person. And the Holy Ghost in coupling of both these words doth put us in mind, that neither part must be wanting in performing of this work, because either part doth share in the Day; and so you shall find that King David doth oftentimes rouse his soul, and rouse his body also to perform this Eucharistical Sacrifice, he remembreth Carnem & Cor, his flesh and his spirit, his glory, that is his tongue, and all that is within him. And no marvel; for he would recommend himself as well to God as to men; and we must think that our works of Piety are imperfect if either part be wanting. But as when the Moon and the Sun do meet above the Horizon, and each doth contribute his light to the making of a Day, the light of the Moon is not sensible in comparison of the light of, the Sun so should the impression which is made by worldly things which are as changeable as the Moon, be dim or darkened as it were by the impression made by spiritual things, which are more constant than the Sun. And the joy of our bodies must so be tempered as may not hinder the predominant gladness of our soul; all the world must see that though we prise both the Days the civil and the spiritual, yet the rate which we set upon the spiritual doth infinitely exceed that which we set upon the Civil. If this lesson were well learned, the world should not have so many woeful experiments of those who being put to their choice whether they will lose, had rather enjoy the civil day with the loss of the spiritual, then by sticking to the spiritual hazard the civil; but we must choose rather to be glad in soul, then exult in body, if we cannot do both together. But whether we do express our comfort by one; only by the body, or also by the soul, we must keep both parts unto their proper Object, that is to the Day; though we express our affections by meats, drinks, triumphs, and other solemnities, yet may we not while we signify our joy by them, exulte, or joy in them: And yet behold the most part of men little think on the Day, their thoughts and senses are taken up for the most part with the Accessories, eating, drinking, etc. they do these things more freely, and are more frolic than ordinary; the state of the Commonweal or of the Church cometh little into their thoughts, it is not much remembered at their Feasts, To remedy this the Church hath appointed that we should begin this solemnity in the Church, there first hear in how good case we are, and break forth there into spiritual praises and thanksgivings, and make a religious acknowledgement of our blessed Day. Of our blessed Day, but not forgetting the Author thereof, God that hath made us such a Day; No, he must be the principal Object of our rejoicing; If we exclude him, or give him not the first place, we shall not be fare from the sin of the Angels and Adam who fell: They were contented to rejoice in their Day, but not in him that made it, and so when pride made them unthankful, justice bereft them of that wherein they joyed; And we may forfeit our Day, if we make them patterns of our joy; King David is a better example, who in all his Psalms of thanksgiving doth more remember by whom then how happy he was. The last thing which I observe on this point is, that joy must give with the day. The Philosopher can tell us, that pleasure is an adjunct of felicity; upon this principle is Saint james his rule built, If any man be merry let him sing; the neglect of this taking comfort hath a heanie doom in Moses, Deut. 28. Because thou didst not serve the Lord thy God with joyfulness and a good heart for the abundance of all things, therefore thou shalt serve thine enemies in hunger, thirst, and nakedness, etc. It was not then without cause that Nehemias did reprove the jews for weeping when the time remembered them of feasting; and indeed, what a senseless thing is it when God taketh pleasure in the prosperity of his servants, when Angels do congratulate our happiness, and the rest of the world doth either admire or envy it, for us to be senseless, and give no token of our thankful remembrance of it? And if such neglect deserve blame, what blame deserveth the murmuring, libelling, slandering malcontent, that maketh a Night of our Day, and confoundeth the bright Sunshine with an ominous Eclipse? Such spirits, as they are unworthy of the Day, so it were good they were made more sensible of it by experience of the opposite Night. Out of all this that you have heard touching our comfort, we may learn, that Saint Chrysostom's rule is true, Non est parua Virtus gaudere de bonis, there is more required unto full comfort then every one either heeds or performeth; if we will take comfort as we ought, we must not omit any one of those branches which I have expressed. But enough of the comfort, I come now to the Prayer. As we must take full comfort in the Day, so must we pray for the happy continuance thereof; first of the continuance Save Lord. The words are Hoshingnana, which in the Gospel is rendered Hosanna; solemn words used by the jews at the Feast of Tabernacles. When they were in their passage to Canaan they had no other Houses but Booths, or Tabernacles; God was pleased to figure the Church Militant in the form of a Camp; when they came into the Holy Land, and possessed Cities, God would not have them think they cease to be Militant, and therefore commanded them once a year to dwell in Tents, and thereby remember, that they must be always ready to betake themselves again to such movable Houses; and that they wanted not enemies that would put them to it. But mark in what place the Tabernacles were to be pitched; even at Jerusalem, which signifieth The Vision of peace, there were they to have a spectacle of war. Neither were the Tents only pitched at Jerusalem, but also round about the Temple, to let them understand what that was which was maligned; not only their Civil, but also their spiritual Day; for both they were to pray Hoshignana, Save Lord; let not their wicked imaginations prosper, that have evil will either at Jerusalem or at Zion. The point implied herein is, that both our Days are changeable; the Civil Day, though it be as glorious as the Day of salomon's reign, yet may it have a rent as great as salomon's Kingdom had when he lost ten Tribes of twelve; yea, when all twelve were carried away in captivity. Neither may the Civil Day only be changed, but the spiritual also, the Temple may be burnt aswell as the City; the Priest destroyed aswell as the City; the Priest destroyed aswell as the Prince; the mists of Idolatry yea and Infidelity may overcast the Church; It is plain in the story of the jews, who at first were Idolaters, and now are become plain Infidels. Neither hath the New Testament any exemption from this change, the Eastern and Western Churches show that all are subject to the same condition; Therefore whilst we stand we must take heed of a fall, and the best heed is to pray Save Lord. As we must pray for the continuance; so must we pray that that continuance may be happy. We see that though the Sun be above the Horizon, and so apt to make a Day, yet many so gges and mists rising from the earth overcast the Sky, and intercept the comfortable influence of the light: even so though God vouchsafe never so good a Prince, a Prince under whom we enjoy abundance of peace, and the free passage of the Gospel, such may be our gracelessness that we shall be the better for neither of them: not for the peace; that will not make our times a Day, if we abuse it in riot and luxury, extortion and imurie, diseases that the malignity of our nature hath made almost inseparable companions of civil peace and prosperity. As our untowardliness may hinder the Civil Day, so may it the Spiritual also; if we loathe the heavenly food as many profane persons do, or as many overcurious take an occasion from it to rend the seamelesse Coat of Christ, and fall to Sects and Schisms, and how many Churches that might have been happy, have been by these means most unhappy? We have not wanted Gauls of this kind which have fretted our Spiritual Day; as our Civil is much dimmed by the voluptuousness of our times. You see then there is good reason of the second branch of the Prayer, Prosper Lord; let not thy blessings, O Lord, be received in vain, let either sort his blessed effect, Religion in the Church, and peace in the Commonweal. I have showed what you must do in solemnising of a Festival, there remain two things which I will touch in a word; the first is, When this must be done; then by whom; both these contain the manner How we must do this duty; these things must be done jointly, and they must be done universally. jointly, that is noted in the word Now; Save Now, send Now Prosperity; we must fall to our prayers, even when we are singing praises. Chap. 11. It is very true which the son of Syracke observeth. In the day of prosperity there is a forgetfulness of affliction, and in the day of affliction there is no remembrance of prosperitte; this is the usual course of men; Psal. 118. but he giveth a good admonition, when thou hast enough remember the time of hunger, and when thou art rich think upon poverne and need; let us not forget our prayers, when we are at our praises, When the Church is Triumphant there shall be then only joy, and praise shall be our only work, but while the Church is Militant, Dolour & Voluptas invicem cedunt, there is a vicissitude of fair and foul weather, prosperity and adversity; therefore as we must praise God for the one; so must we pray against the other; at the same time we must do both. But who are they that must do it? the text hath no more but We, but if you look unto the beginning of the Psalm you shall find a Commentary upon that word, you shall find that this must be done universally; Israel must do it, The House of Aaron must do it, all must do it that fear the Lord; if all be the better for the Day, the duty of solemnising the Day belongeth unto all, to the Ecclesiastical to the Civil State; both must acknowledge what they receive, both must acknowledge the Day whereon they did receive it. The Day wherein the blessed Sun did arise unto us all; the fruits of whose Reign are this great calm from storms of war, and plentiful publication of Gods saving truth, we must all acknowledge both these blessings. As we must all acknowledge them, so must we all take full comfort in them; we must not defraud the Day of our joy, seeing the day brings comfort unto us; it brings comfort to our body, and comfort to our souls, therefore our bodies and souls must rejoice in it. In it; but not forgetting him that made it, that is God; As for the Day we are most beholding to him, so in him must we joy most. But our comfort must not make us forget our danger, danger from without, danger from within, danger from our own untowardliness, danger from the maliciousness of our enemies; this double danger must make us seek to him that made our Day, that he would make it a perpetual Day, that he would hinder whatsoever impediment we may justly fear from our enemies, and not suffer us to be an impediment of our own bliss. I shut up all with the very words of my text. Our times are such, as that we have good cause to use the first words, This is the Day which the Lord hath made; and if we must say this, this must draw from us that which followeth the religious solemnising of the day; we must exhort each the other, and be persuaded by our mutual exhortation to vow the expressing of our comfort, We will rejoice and be glad in it, and deprecate whatsoever imminent danger, with Save Now we beseech thee, O Lord; O Lord we beseech thee send us now Prosperity. AMEN. A SERMON PREACHED AT SAINT MARIES IN OXFORD ON THE fift of November, 1614 LUKE. 9 VERS. 53, 54, 55, 56. 53. But they would not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to jerusalem. 54. And when his Disciples james and john saw it, they said: Lord wilt thou that we command that fire come down from Heaven and consume them: even as Elias did. 55. But jesus turned about and rebuked them, and said; ye know not of what spirit you are. 56. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. Then they went to another Town. Father's and Brethren, Reverend and Beloved in the Lord; We solemnize this Day in a religious acknowledgement of the King and his Kingdoms, our Church and Commonweals unspeakable deliverance from an unmatchable Treason. In furtherance of this common Piety, to refresh our memory, and quicken our devotion, I have chosen this story, which contains an unpartial censure of an inordinate Zeal; inordinate Zeal in two Apostles, who are therefore unpartially censured by our Saviour Christ. And this story have I the rather chosen at this time to speak of in this place, because here is the hope of Church and Common Weal, the Seed aswell of the Gentry, as of the Clergy. And it is for such that the Factors of Rome do trade, to make Advocates of the one, and of the other Actors of their holy Fathers most barbarous Designs. Wherefore it is very behooveful, that they above others, be not only enured to detest, but informed also upon what ground they should detest, such savage, such hellish counsels and attempts. Now better informed they cannot be then if they be furnished with sound rules of a good conscience, which they may oppose to all deceitful Romish once, wherewith the unlearned are ensnared, and they perverted that are unstable. The Romanists boast of their manifold studies of Divinity, and indeed they have manifold, I would they were as good as they are many; But their Cases of Conscience are that upon which they principally rely, and wherewith their Kingdom is most supported; And no marvel, for they are even for the Layman's study, and their Power of the Keys is chief managed by these Cases. It is most true, that all parts of their Divinity are full fraught with sophistry, but when we come to this part, over and above, what impiety, what iniquity, what impurity do we find? Others occasionally may under take other points, I wish they would, provided always that they do it sound, discreetly, considering what a precious, what a tender thing, a good Conscience is; It is not every man's skill aright to handle it. But I have now to do with a point of Iniquity, with an unlawful revenge of persons afflicted for Religion. We have here a Revenge proposed by such afflicted persons, and we have Christ's doom passed thereupon, that such revenge is unlawful; See it in the Text. First, the Affliction; The Samaritans would not receive Christ; And this Affliction was for Religion; Christ was not received, because his face was as if he would go to jerusalem. It was great inhumanity not to entertain a stranger, but the reason improves it as high as Impiety, if we therefore far the worse at the hands of men, because we are well disposed to serve God. Being so fare urged, Zeal cannot hold; surely james and john could not, as was their name, so were they: Sons of Thunder were they called, and the Exhalations they breathe are very hot. And yet mark, though they are bold to propose, yet are they not so bold as to resolve; They propose their Desire, their Reason. Their desire is Fire, a cruel weapon, and they would not have it spare a jot, it must consume their enemies; make a final, and a fearful spectacle of these Samaritans. A sharp desire. And yet they stick not at it; and why? it is not singular, they have, though not a Rule, yet an Example for it; Elias did so, that is the reason; He dealt so with the old Samaritans' when they wronged him; and shall these new Samaritans' escape better, that thus wrong Christ? This they propose. But they do not resolve, as if they were conscious to themselves that they may err, they submit their desire to God and to Christ. They desire Fire, consuming Fire, but it is from Heaven, they would have no other than God would send; Nay, they would not have that except Christ be pleased, Master wilt thou? if thou say, Nay, we have done; Behold Nature and Grace, and how Grace doth stop the fury of Nature. Grace doth somewhat, but the Fountain of Grace doth it much more; They put the Question to Christ, and Christ giveth them an answer, a cooling answer; for he reproves their Zeal, and disproves their Reason; and he doth both in Word and Deed. He reproves in Deed; for He turned about, his gesture was angry; not only in Deed, but also in Word, and his Word commented upon his Deed, he checked them. But to reprove and show no cause, is to hold the Hands, but not to rectify the Heart; Christ doth not so, he will not only have them forbear, but also to be persuaded that they ought so to do. Therefore he confuteth their Reason. Their Reason was Elias his Example, Christ telleth them that Example is misapplied; you know not of what spirit ye are; Every man's temper must be according to his Calling, you are called to be my Apostles, therefore must you take your temper from me; and my temper is answerable to the ends of my Incarnation; well might Elias answer his Name, it signifieth the Power of God, and he shown God's Power in taking vengeance; he came to destroy men's lives; but jesus must answer his own Name, and his Name signifieth The Salvation of the Lord; therefore is he become the Son of Man, that he may Save the lives of men. So Christ refuteth their Reason in Words. But not only in Words, He doth it in Deeds also, he that gave them a good Rule, giveth them a good Example; He went unto another Town▪ yea, partly, the Rule, and partly the Example put these hot Disciples into a better mood, for not Christ only, but they also left that, and went into another Town. You see the contents of this Scripture, and withal that they may be reduced unto two Heads; The Revenge and the Censure; Of the Revenge there are two parts, The Prevocation of the Samaritans, and the Passion of the Apostles. And in the Censure Christ first reproves, and then disproves, not only in Words, but also in Deeds. The particulars are many, therefore you may not expect that I speak much of any one; so much may suffice as will serve this present Occasion, thereon to ground a sound Case of Conscience, and thereby to stir up due thankes for our wonderful Deliverance. To this end will I resume the points, and touch at them briefly, and in their order. And first at the Affliction. The Samaritans would not receive him. The persons that afflicted were, Samaritans, and the Samaritans were ancient enemies of the jews; from the days of Rehoboam whose Kingdom was rend into two, that of Israel, whose Metropolis was Samaria, and the other of Inda, these Kingdoms were at odds, and in the Israelites did the first quarrel begin against the jews. After the Israelites were carried away captives by the Kings of Assyria, and a Colony mixed of many Nations succeeded in their room, the quarrel was inherited together with the Country. It appears immediately upon the jews return from the Babylonian captivity; for then the jews would not admit the Samaritans to build the Temple with them, because they held them for Gentiles; and the Samaritans in revenge did their worst to interrupt the building of the Temple, and although to partake of the jews prosperity they were contented to be reputed of their kindred; yet in time of their adversity they disclaimed them, and were Suitors unto the Kings of Syria and Egypt, that they might go for Gentiles; though indeed they were neither jews nor Gentiles, but Mongrels, mixed no less in Religion then in Nation, taking somewhat of the Gentile, and somewhat of the jew, as appears in the Samaritanismus described by Epiphanius, as impious a Chaos as is the Turks Alcoran. These were the men that offered the indignity unto Christ. Being so bad men they make the indignity the worse, though of itself it is bad enough. Let us see what it is. It is a sin compounded of Inhumanity and Impiety, there is inhumanity in the fact; but the reason doth improve it unto Impiety. The fact was they would not receive Christ, great inhumanity not to receive strangers, especially for Samaritans', who as (Epiphanius reports) received the five Books of Moses, wherein Hospitality is taught both by Rule, and by Example. The example of Abraham and Lot are remarkable in Genesis, who were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as Saint Paul willeth Christians to be, Rom. 12. given to Hospitality. Origen first, and out of him Chrysostome, observe the significancy of the phrase, which importeth, that we should be so hospitable, as not to stay till strangers seek to us, but prevent them by our invitation. And indeed so did Abraham, and so did Lot. Neither had they only these Examples, but the Law also, Levit. 19 Thou shalt not wrong a stranger, but love him as thyself. Eumaenes in Homer presseth the reason of it. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, all strangers are of God's Family, the whole World is his House, under whom every man holdeth but a small Territory, and although in regard of our own Tenure, they that have another are strangers unto us; yet are we all Tenants of the same Landlord, yea of the Household of the same great Master, and therefore no man should esteem another a stranger. Surely our Saviour Christ shows, Matth. 25. that this reason which Nature itself taught the Heathen, is true also in Divinity, in that, Come ye blessed, for when I was a stranger ye lodged me; and Solomon to the same purpose, He that giveth to the poor dareth to the Lord. In jambic. But if this Reason go too high, Nazianzene hath another more plain to reason; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, No man can deny harbour to others that thinketh upon this that himself is a stranger, he hath his ground from God's Law, who therefore bids the Israelites be good to strangers because themselves were strangers in Egypt. Chap. 31. It was no small comfort unto job, that he could say, The stranger did not lodge in the street, but I opened my house to him that went by the way. ●il, 5. de Heres. I end this point with Saint Austin's exhortation; Disce Christiane sine discretione exhibere hospitalitatem, ne fortè cui domum clauseris, cui humanitatem negaveris, ipse sit Deus; Certainly, he against whom the Samaritans shut their gates, was Christ; They were so fare from inviting him, that they would not be entreated by him; If they had been but as dainty as the Egyptians who held it an abomination to eat with the Hebrews, it had been too much, but not to receive them under their roofe, was plainly against the Law of Nations. It was so, But haply they had some reason for their fact; They allege one; And see, Quomodo cum ratione insaniunt; Christ's face was as if he would go to jerusalem; The fact was bad, this reason maketh it worse. Some do think that the Samaritans did always deny entertainment to the jews, but it is most certain that they did it when they went to the Feasts. To understand it we must know, That although God chief respect the substance of his worship, yet in the Old Testament the jews were tied to a circumstance of place also, God commanding that they should there sacrifice, where he put his Name, and that was finally, the Temple of Jerusalem. After the return from the Babylonian Captivity, when the Law was urged of divorcing such wives as were jews, neither by nature, nor by becoming Proselytes, joseph. Ant. l 11. c. 7. & l. 12.6.1. Manasses a brother of the High Priest was put to his choice whether he would be excluded from the function of his Priesthood, or forsake his wife; He consulted Sanballat, a Prince of Samaria, whose daughter he had married, and by his advice became an Apostata. In recompense whereof, first by the leave of Darius, and afterward by the approbation of Alexander the Great, Sanballat built a Temple upon the top of Mount Garisim, the highest Hill of Samaria, Ioseph. l 23. c. 15. in emulation of the Temple upon Mount Zion, which stood until the days of johannes Hircanus, infamous for robbing of King David's Sepulchre, who, together with Samaria, raised that Temple; and although Herod new built Samaria, yet did he not the Temple; Notwithstanding the Samaritans esteemed the place in the days of Christ, no less then if the Temple had been standing. Of this Temple Manasses was made High Priest, over all the Sect of the Samaritans. This being the original of their Temple, erected contrary to the Law; yet did they in time affect it for the reputation of Antiquity, styling themselves Pertinentes ad montem benedictum (as Postellus observes) and therein they allude to the Story, Lib. 12. the lingu●. Deut. 27. where we read that the Benediction was pronounced upon Mount Garisim. You have a touch at their humour, john 4. where the woman of Samaria telleth Christ; Our Fathers worshipped in this Mountain; But most ample to this purpose is that famous contention between the Samaritans and the jews that dwelled in Egypt, heard and determined by the King of that Country; you may read it in josephus; And although than their forged Antiquity was discovered, and condemned, (as the same josephus reports) yet ceased they not to stand to it, and be bitter to all that denied it. I might trouble you with relation of the bloody war between them and the Galileans about a passage through their Country unto jerusalem; joseph. l. 20 c. 5. But it will suffice to observe that the Samaritans quarrel against the jews (for Theophylacts conceit why Christ was not entertained at Jerusalem is clean opposite to the truth) was the loco cultus, Videtur appropinquasse festum Scenophagiae. which was a necessary Question then, though not now; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (as Chrysostome observes.) But being then a necessary Question it was fit, that Christ should deliver his judgement, and he doth it openly; His face was as if he went to Jerusalem. There is a figure in the phrase, in that the Face is said to go; but there is significancy in the figure, because it noteth Christ's plain dealing, and constancy therein; which is also intimated in the former words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; Simulation is a real lie, as a lie is a verbal dissimulation; both sins alike hated by Christ, and Christians, Saint Paul's rule With the heart man believeth unto instification, Apol. 2. and with the tongue he confesseth unto salvation, was observed by our Saviour; And justin Martyr observes in the Primitive Church that they were so fare from impugning their adversaries, that they did not endeavour so much as to deceive them, but apertè confitentes mortem adibant. The same doth Tertullian obseruewriting ad Scapulam. But the old Heretics were of another mind, I might instance in sundry, of whom read Danaeus Comment upon Saint Austin de Haeresibus; I will only mention the Priscillianists of whom Saint Austin; Habent etiam in dogmatibus, jura, periura, secretum prodere noli, Trust rather God with thy soul, than men with either thy body or goods. And how like unto them are the jesuitical Equivocators, that with a nice distinction of Veritas juramenti and jurantis have learned themselves and others infamous Hypocrisy, and having separated the Serpent from the Dove show whom they resemble Christ or the Devil? I will say no more to them, than what Jerome said sometimes to johannes Hierosolymitanus; Ad ●ammachium. Nolo verborum ambiguitates, nolo m●hi dici quod aliter intelligi possit, retectâ facie gloriam Domini intueamur: If we will not have Christ deny us before his Father, Rom. 10. we must not deny him before men; for Cord creditur ad institiam; we must learn of Christ constantly to confess the truth; yea though thereby we incur danger, as Christ did. For as Christ's Confession was open: so you see it was not well taken, the Samaritans had no personal quarrel against him, the Nationall was enough, he approved not their Place of worship, and they would therefore have none of his company. Men that are of diverse Nations hardly sort, more hardly if they be of diverse Religions, the degree of hatred ariseth to the height of that for which they hate, and higher matter there cannot be then Religion, therefore the Devil intendeth that Quarrel specially, because it is the root of all Enmity; He knoweth, if that take place, there is nothing whereat malice will stick, it will set the Father against the Son, and the Son against the Father; where there is unity in Religion, Religion is some stay to malice, but there is nothing to stay it, if Religion set men at odds; for their inhumanity they suppose they have a fair excuse, Orat. 12. & Orat. 14. p. 199. if they can make God a party to the Quarrel. Nazianzene hath handled this point excellently, showing that men being ashamed of their villainy fly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. And what cloak have ambitious, covetous, malicious massacres at this day, Ambros. l 10. Epist. 82. but the specious name of the Catholic Choose? I urge this point no further, but remember you that this quarrel between the jews and the Samaritans was the cause of that War, wherein the Romans did utterly destroy them both. And how much of Christiandoome became a prey many hundred years since unto the Sarizens, and of late years to their heirs the Turks, he hath read little that doth not know: God grant that the continuance of this malice bring not that which remainueth into the same bondage, which the Kingdoms already lost, do miserably endure. But enough of the Samaritans Provocation. I come now to the Persons of the Apostles, and those were james and john. I will not dispute whether they were the persons that were sent to prepare for Christ, the Scripture is silent; I will not define it. Let it pass for a probability, because some of the Ancients have thought it likely. But that which I rather observe is, These two Disciples above the rest had a strong conceit of Christ's earthly Kingdom, which made them carnally both ambitious and zealous: Of their ambition we read elsewhere, where One of them desired to sit on Christ's right hand, and the other on his left; here they show themselves zealous: But their indignation is carnal, and so is the weapon where with they do express it. My Observation is; One gross conceit breeds another: It did so in them: It doth so in the Church of Rome, who dreaming of a temporal power which Christ hath given unto his Church, is forward to execute temporal pains upon whomsoever is not conformable unto her will. But I leave the Persons, and come to their Passion. Wherein notwithstanding mark that though they are bold to propose; yet to resolve they are not bold. They are bold to propose their Desire, their Reason. Their desire is Fire, a sharp weapon, (especially seeing Saint Paul for dissension in Religion prescribeth other) which they would not have to spare, they would have it Consume their Enemies. Rom 16. Fire is their Weapon: Quid mirum filios tonitrus fulgurare? (saith Saint Ambrose) It may be the very place put them in mind of the Element, because it was in the Region of Samaria that God executed a fearful vengeance by Fire. 2. Kings 1. Or haply because this Element is in the Scripture made the ordinary attendment upon God's judgement, therefore they especially affect that weapon johannes Magnus reporteth that Carolus an ancient King of the Goths, amongst his great Laws, ordained this for one: That if any man were thrice convicted to have denied entertainment to strangers, his house should be set on fire, Vi aedibus proprijs iuste privaretur, qui earum usum inhumaniter negavisset. Surely whereas there are four Elements; the Earth, the Water, the Air, the Fire, every one of the three first are hospital; the Earth entertains beasts and men, the Water fishes, the Air birds; only the Fire is inhospitall, and therefore though they might have wished for an earthquake to founder the Village, or a flood to drown it, or a venomous Air to poison the Inhabitants of it; as that King thought: so did these Apostles think that the other 3 Elements were too compassionate, and only this unmerciful Element ●i● to take vengeance on these merciless men. Sure they would have no mercy shown them, for they would not only have fire, out Consuming fire. Li 2 〈◊〉 Seneca. observes well: Non ut in beneficijs bonestum est meritameritis compe●sare, ita in iniurijs: illic vinci turpe, hic vincere inhumanum; and the rule of the Law is; Favores ampliandt, restringendaodia; and God is the Pattern hereof: whose mercy doth indeed permit him to do us good Vltra condignum, but his justice never strikes us but Citra condignum. 〈…〉 81. 〈…〉. 40. 〈◊〉 131. God is more admirable in sparing then punishing, because Cedit iure suo in the one, Exigit in the other: read Hosea 1.6. Wisd. 12. It is our riches to exact our debts, but Gods to forgive his. What bowels then had these Apostles that would so repay wrong with revenge? a jesse wrong with so sharp a revenge; for it was but a common discourtesy which for many years the Samaritans bade used towards all the jews, and that out of no other malice then such as proceeded from a rooted ignorance, they were then rather to be pitied for their ignorance, than thus to be hated for their malice. But I see now the truth of King David's answer to the Prophet Gad when he was offered his choice of three plagues, Famine, 〈…〉 Pessilence, or the Sword: I am in a wonderful strait; Let us fall now into the hand of the Lord, for his mercies are great, and let not me fall into the hands of men, for men are bowels even james and john, which ask fire, show themselves to be worse than fire: for (as Chrysostome observeth) Fire can stay itself, if God command, though it be the nature of fire to burn, as appeareth in the case of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; but men though it be contrary to their nature, (as appears in that it is painful) to be furious and rage, cannot hold, though God lay his commandment upon them. The voluntary Agent whose property it should be Statuere actiont suae modum, becomes a natural, Et agit ad extremum potentiae suae. Unto whom I say no more but this: Wouldst thou O man that God should so deal with thee, and send fire, such a fire, so soon as thou deniest entertainment unto him? Thou wouldst not; see then how every man desireth mercy for himself, the tenderest mercy, but for his enemy justice, the extremest justice; and because it is so, Seneca's rule is good, Irascenti tibi nihil volo licere, quia dum irasceris omnia putas licere. In a word; the Apostles offend twice; first, in that being Pastors they desire a corporal revenge: Secondly, in that being Christians they desire so sharp a revenge. Nazianzene thinks they wished for the fire of Sodom. Sharp it is, but it is not singular; though they have no Rule, yet they have an Example for it; Elias did so. In this Chapter is report made of the Transsiguration of Christ, wherein appeared Moses and Elias; ● Moses the meekest of men, Elias a severe man; they saw them both, but see whom they remember; they might have remembered Moses, and so have entreated Christ not to take just displeasure at so bad usage, if he had been feeling of his own wrongs; but while he is calm, they storm, and they colour their passion by Elias his example: So prone is our nature to imitation, and in imitation to pitch upon the worst. The knowledge of Rules is too painful, few will study them, and know good and evil by them; men take a shorter course, and think that well done wherein they are like unto others: So liveth the most part of the world, and careth not much for any farther enquiry into their actions. But when they fall upon examples according to which they square themselves, their lives commonly are exemplifications of the worst. It is the observation of a very lewd Writer, but herein he hath delivered a remarkable truth: When men read the lives of good men they read them with content, and cannot without detestation read the lives of those that are bad; yet when they are but to express whom they willbe like, they forget their own upright judgement, and yield themselves to their inordinate Passions. Certainly these Apostles, not so much out of judgement, as out of rage, chose rather to be li●e Elias then Moses; and wherein are they better than the Samaritans? For the Samaritans ran upon the same ground that they did; they called for fire because Elias did, and the Samaritans had the same argument, They would not receive Christ, because their Fathers had not used to to do it: Certainly in the 4. of john, the woman of Samaria allegeth: Our Fathers worshipped in this Mount; in defence of Mount Garisim, against Zion: But this is but apish imitation on all hands, and not the true use that is to be made of Stories. You have heard their Desire, and the Reason thereof which they are bold to utter unto Christ. But they that are so bold to propose, are not bold to resolve: It was but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, it was not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that was in them; you may gather it by the voice of Grace, wherewith they correct the voice of Nature. There are but two means whereby men may accomplish an action; Potentia and Potestas; Ability and Authority; they deny themselves both. First Ability: They will have fire, but it is from Heaven, they will have none but such as God can send, and such works of wonder, they acknowledge to be his works, and though they be performed at the word of man; yet he worketh by his own finger, and therefore it is not to be doubted, but if he do it, it shallbe well done; and if it be not well, he will not do it. Neither do they only deny that they have Ability, but Authority also, which they refer to Christ; Master wilt thou? As the ability is Gods; so they know that God worketh not but Mediante Christo, and therefore have they recourse unto him: Though they confess whether their own heart carried them, yet they doubted of the goodness thereof, as they had cause, for immediately before they were chid because they forbidden one to work miracles, that did not follow Christ: that they did out of zeal, as they did this; they saw they erred there, they thought they might err here also; wherefore they come in with Lord wilt thou? justa voluntas hominis, quae ea tantum vult quae Deus vult eam velle; iniusta vero quae vult illud quod Deus non vult eam velle: And Saint Bernard; Quid odit, Serm de Resur. aut punit Deus praeter propriam voluntatem? cesset voluntas propria, et Infernus non erit. We may not take in hand corporal, no nor spiritual weapons without this preface: Lord wilt thou? and we must pray; Psal. 143. Teach me O Lord, to do thy will for thou art my God. The two means whereby the Apostles qualify their speech, will teach us to qualify ours. They put the Question to Christ, and Christ shapeth them an Answer; and his answer consisteth of a Reproof of their zeal, and Disproof of their reason; and he doth both in Words and Deeds. First, in Deeds. He turned about: His Observation will not hold, that saith this phrase is never taken but in bonam partem, it signifieth sometimes the evidence of Christ's displeasure, Christ, as he was truly man: so was he herein like unto him, that those Objects that wrought upon his soul, gave some signification in his body of sorrow, when he wept, of exultation when he rejoiced, and of displeasure when he was wrath; but his passions were free from Concupiscence, wherewith ours are defiled: our Passions are like water that hath a muddy residence, which when it is stirred every part groweth fowl with mud: but Christ's like clean water in a pure vessel, which is never the fouler for the motion. This being observed, Christ's turning to them might well be such as gave notice that he was offended with them. Neither did he reprove them in Gesture only, but in Words also, his words commented on his gesture, and they were words of reproof; verè diligit Christus suos, sed severe; as well as he loveth them, he spareth not to let them know their faults; he is fare from King David's indulgence, of whom it is observed that he never said to his son Adoniah; Why dost thou so? But Christ, as when there is cause, he comforts: so when there is cause he checks also. Neither must we look that the light of his countenance should always shine upon us, except there be in us constant obedience. But Reproof without Disproof is to hold the hand without mending the heart; Christ intends the good of his whom he reproves, and therefore disproves that which misled them, that when they see their error they may not only forbear, but also be willing so to do when they see there is good reason why they should. Christ then disproves their Reason; their Reason was, Elias did so; therefore why not we? Christ telleth them the Example is ill applied; You know not of what spirit you are. And indeed Examples are tickle proofs, and conclude nothing except both agree in the same common Rule or Principle. Now that they never examined, Christ therefore telleth them, They know not of what spirit they are. The spirit doth often signify not only the Person of God and Devil, but also the motions that in us are wrought by either of them; so the first meaning of Christ's words may be; You do not observe who stirreth you to this work, you think it is God, but it is the Devil. Or if you will take the word Spirit only for an holy Spirit, than Christ's meaning is; You do not consider that every one's temper must be suitable to his Calling; Elias had one Calling, you have another; Elias was to go before Christ, and turn the hearts of Fathers to their children, that when Christ came he might not smite the earth with cursing, and he went before in the person of john Baptist, who was a sour man. But they, as if Christ were to be Elias, would have him to break forth in fiery wrath. Which is the more in them, because when Christ sent them abroad, he willed that if any City refuse to entertain them, they should only shake off the dust of their feet, and leave the rest of their punishment unto God's judgement, who will in time handle them worse than the Apostles wished, for it shall be easier for Sodom and Gomorra, Matth. 5. which perished by fire, then for that City. And could they forget Christ's Sermon which he made on the Mount, wherein he willed them to love their enemies, to pray for them, etc. The reason whereof is because they know not how soon of wolves they may become sheep; The Samaritans (whom they would have consumed with fire) were the first strangers that received the Gospel; they were the first in the days of Christ's flesh, as appeareth in the story. john 4. And after Christ's Ascension they were the first likewise, as appears in the Acts. Chap. ●. It is for God who only knoweth who will convert, and who not, to give such dooms as Elias did, and till his pleasure is known, our vocation that are Christians, especially if we be Christian Pastors, is to incline rather to mercy then to judgement, and because these Adostles did not so, Christ challengeth their zeal of ignorance, Nescitis cuius spiritus. Though the Passion came immediately from the heart, and so was zelus amarus, which Saint james condemns; yet Christ blameth their understanding, because it did not guide their heart aright, wherein he implies, that they are ill advised, and that they would not have done it, i● they had better considered of it; by which it appears that Estis is taken for Esse debetis; you are is put for you ought to be, for they were not what they should be. That will appear better in Christ's more distinct Reproof; The Son of man is not come to destroy but to save men's lives; which words may have a threefold sense. The first is to distinguish jesus from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; each answereth his name; The one destroyeth, the other saveth; The Apostles must not turn the Saviour into a destroyer, that is to parallel Christ and the the Devil. And this sense is employed in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which are Coniugates with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. A second sense there is wherein this phrase distinguisheth between Christ's first and second Coming, and showeth that though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Christ shall come for to destroy when he cometh to judgement, yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, he was not already come but to save; Therefore they were not to confound these two Commings, and to do Acts of the later at his first Coming, when he cometh not only to give himself for men, but expects their repentance also. The last sense is an opposition of Christ to Elias; each is to answer his Name; Elias his name signifieth The power of God; and indeed all the time of his Ministry, what was it but a manifestation of God's wrathful power in executing vengeance upon sinners; his words, his deeds run all that way; But Christ's Name was jesus, and jesus is a Saviour; God hath not sent his Son to condemn, but to save the world; and it is a true saying, That he came into the world to save sinners; Therefore as King David answered the sons of Zervia when they would have had him slay Shimei, 2. Sam. 19 because he cursed the Lords Anointed: What have I to do with you ye sons of Zervia that ye should this day be unto me as Satan? Shall there any man die this day in Israel? So doth Christ cool his Apostles, and show that their desire must be correspondent to the end of his Incarnation. Yea, the very phrase Filius Hominis imports a tenderness in Christ; Chap. 2. Saint Paul observes it in the Hebrews, He became man that he might be a merciful High Priest. And this sweetness of his nature, and mildness of his spirit was signified both by the title of a Lamb, which was given him at his death, and the shape of a Dove, which lighted on him at his Baptism. And indeed what likelihood that he would burn a Town of the Samaritans for not receiving him, that prayed for Jerusalem even when the jews were ready to crucify him? yea, Father forgive them was his revenge, when they scoffed him hanging on the Cross. Christ that came to save all sorts of people, was pleased to suffer wrong of them all, that so none should think they deserved better than other. There were then but three sorts of people in the world; two extremes, jews and Gentiles, and one composed of them both Samaritans; The jews and Gentiles evil entreated him at Jerusalem, the Samaritans upon his way thither; Christ was bitter to none of them, but let them all have proof of the meekness of his spirit; though his Disciples were not so. Peter was busy with his sword at Jerusalem, and james and john are desirous to have fire at Samaria. But as at Jerusalem he shown Peter: so here at Samaria he showeth james and john the error of their zeal, and learneth them this lesson, which Nazianzene hath in his tetrastics; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Most sweet is this assertion of Christ, and it is the chiefest comfort of our souls, for if thou Lord mark what is done amiss, O Lord, who shall abide it? Surely, if our Master were as apt to smite as his servants; Chrysost. de Anathemate. our Lord, as his Ambassadors; if Christ's Anathemaes were as quick as men's, what would become of the world? what combustions? what destruction should we see? But, God bethanked, it is not so. And we shall do well to learn of him, especially Pastors must learn to be like the great shepherd of our souls. Christ doth not only disprove in Words, but in Deeds also; They went unto another Village; He taught his Disciples before so to do; If they persecute you in one City fly to another; The Precept wrought not, In Tetrast. he giveth them a Pattern; Facile est verbis philosophari, doce me vitae tuae exemplo, for as Nazianzene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. And indeed, whereas Christ was not ignorant before he sent how the Samaritans would use him; yet was he pleased to have a repulse that he might teach his Disciples how to bear it; for Christ's life, no less than his doctrine was a Gospel, and he instructed no less by his Deeds, than he did by his Words; and he taught no lesson more than he did Patience. But I have stood long enough in opening the meaning of this text; Let me come now to the principal use which I intent to make of it, which is twofold; The first is to ground thereon a good resolution of conscience. The second to stir us up unto thankfulness for our wonderful delive rance. For the Case of Conscience we must observe, That generous minds undertake not detestable facts, except their Conscience first be poisoned. Secondly, that the Devil is not contented that we sin in Passion, for so in cold blood we might retract and take a better course; he desireth therefore that we may be wicked habitually; so he shall be sure to have us his at all times, and that we will never stick at the most hellish attempts. For if the conscience be once so seasoned that it will take evil for good, and good for evil, the Angel of darkness rule therein transformed into an Angel of light, this false light will so possess our understanding that the most hellish darkness of our affections shall never be discerned by us; yea the worse we are, the better we shall please ourselves; for every man resteth secure in the testimony of his own conscience, and he questioneth no farther than to resolve that. The Gunpowder Traitors before they were deliverered of that Monster, had scruples whether it were lawful. They consult their Ghostly Fathers, for it is a common rule; Histiaeus vestem consuit, quam induit Aristagoras (as the Persian in Herodotus speaketh of the Samianes revolt) no treachery without a Priest's head, who worketh notwithstanding by other men's hands) they are put out of all doubt that such attempts are so fare from being sinful, that they are meritorious. If any man doubt that this is their doctrine, let him read either Bellarmine or Suarez, or, which is more authentical, Bulla Coenae Domini, and he shall see in what state they hold all that come within the compass of their Censure. To try the uprightness of this Censure, I have chosen this Story, wherein you shall have Christ himself sit judge, and guiding our Conscience in conceiving of this case aright. In the Revenge you may see the Traitor's Passion, but with remarkable difference; But in the Censure the Sophistry of their Ghostly Fathers, which resolve them of the lawfulness of such revenge. And although the story may seem less pertinent, because herein they which afflict are good, and they evil that are afflicted; yet indeed the argument holds more strongly; for if it be not lawful for the good in this case to persecute the bad; much less it is lawful for the bad to persecute the good; If james and john that were Pillars of the Church no less than Saint Peter, are disliked for desiring such vengeance against the Samaritans, that were otherwise execrable people, much less may Samaritans' desire it against james and john. Let us then suppose that these Traitors were as Catholic as Christ and his Apostles, and we as Heretical as the Samaritans, you see Christ's carriage in this case; Whereby you may apprehend his judgement of this Treason; He would not allow a Prayer for fire; would he then allow the consumption itself? He would not allow Fire from Heaven, and would he allow fire from Hell? He would not allow, Oculum charitatis perturbatum, passionate Revenge, or revenge in hot blood; and would he allow Oculum charitatis extinctum, advised hatred, and revenge in cold blood? He would not allow it in james and john whom he dear loved, and would he allow it in jesuits, in Rebels, persons hateful to God and men? He would not allow it against Samaritans, and would he allow it against Professors of his Truth? It cannot be doubted, he would not allow it. And now I must briefly let you see that Papists are most like unto Samaritans, though they would fasten that infamy upon us. Two things I observed in the Samaritans: First, that their Temple was but of a later Edition, much younger than that of jerusalem, and built without any lawful warrant, and yet notwithstanding they did countenance it with the Names of greatest Antiquity; and what do Papists offer to the Church but new devices many hundred years younger than the Truth? and yet would they out face the World, that they have their Original from Christ, and the Apostles; Their Pedigree is as true as was the Samaritans. As for our Church, this is our comfort, that though we are not matches for Christ and his Apostles; yet we profess ourselves their followers, and for the truth thereof refetre ourselves unto their writings, by which only we desire to be tried. And yet these Samaritans deadly hate us that are Orthodox, but blame our Doctrine; as they that have weak eyes or deaf ears accuse the Sunshine of darkness, Na●●●●. or Music of untunablenes; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. And if they could be contented to call for Fire from Heaven, we are contented to endure it; God we desire may be judge between us, and if in dislike of our Doctrine, he will send a fire, we refuse it not, though it consume us. But they dare not trust God, they will trust themselves, and not expecting help from above, they will seek it from beneath. And yet it is markable that whereas they boast of Miracles, and the Wonders of their Saints that make the blind to see, the deaf to hear, the lame to go, and dead to revive (as their Legends tell us) yet of all their Saints not one ever would work a Miracle to destroy us Heretics; here they leave their Idolaters to do what they can forge and perform by their hellish heads and hearts, whereof we have had many woeful experiments, Nazian. Orat. 3. the Gunpowder Traitors, as julian, comparable to Aetna. But let them take heed; the same God that hath here reproved james and john, will not spare for to censure them; he hath done it in our eyes, by bringing to light (and that strangely) what they thought hidden only in the depth of their own hearts, and hath turned their mischief upon their own pates. And that the rather because their Guides abuse his name, and calling themselves jesuites are plainly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. They are a snare on Mizpah, etc. Hosea 5. and Build Zion with blood. Micha. 6. and would have made Westminster a Mare mortuum. I cannot tell ●o whom to parallel them except to the Zeloti remembered by josephus, who gave themselves that Name, even as the jesuites have given themselves theirs; and both upon the like pretence of maintaining their Country, their Liberty, Learning, Discipline, and what not that was good? whereas notwithstanding the same Author observes that never were there worse Miscreants in a City, and that did more contrary to that which they professed; He observes also their end, that by God's just judgement they were brought to as great extremity, and tortured with as manifold misery, as may befall wicked men. I will not prognosticate, only I wish them grace that tread their steps to take heed of their Ends, which is rather to be wished them to be hoped for, so little remorse appeared in them upon the detection of so foul a fact. King David when he had rashly vowed the utter destruction of Nabal and his family, and that in a case to this, For denying entertainment: when he was pacified by Abigail, and his Passion overpast, thus recalled himself; Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, that hath sent thee unto me, & blessed be thou that hast stayed me from shedding innocent blood, and revenging myself with mine own hands. And these Apostles when Christ she wed his dislike werequiet, & went unto another Town, sparkles of grace which show that the eye of their Charity was not extinct, though it were troubled; and that though they were moved beyond measure, yet they could come unto themselves again. And indeed it is a Rule that the longer a good man pauseth upon his sin, the greater it seems unto him, because the mist of Concupiscence that blinded his eyes is more and more dispelled, and the more he seethe, the more he sorroweth, for his sorrow for sin is proportionable to his sight thereof. But in the wicked it is clean contrary, an unexpected calamity overtaking them in their sin, may haply open their eyes, and they may have a glimmering sight thereof, and make Pharaoh's or Simon Magus his confession, Confess the sin; but no sooner is the calamity overblown, but their Lethargy casts them into a dead sleep again. Some of these Traitors were so dead in their sin, that they awakened not at all, and of those that did, the sense was quickly gone. Certainly their Advocates that now Apologise for them, extenuating the sin of the Actors, and excusing by the seal of Confession, the Aduisers, show how little grace there is in that Sect, how unlikely they are unto King David, and unto james and john. Howsoever they did; let us be of the old Patriarch jacobs' mind, and say of them, as he said of his sons Simeon and Levi, they were Brethren in iniquity; My glory enter not into their secret, and my honour be thou not united to their Assembly: Let us not avenge ourselves, but give place unto wrath, knowing that vengeance belongeth unto God, and he will repay: But if we have bitter zeal, let us not boast, We lie against the truth, as Saint james speaketh. Hoc nomine ijs à quibus iniurias accepimus sublimiores simus, ostendamus quid illos daemones doceant, quid Christus nos erudiat. In a word; Nazian●●● Let every man be slow to wrath, seeing the wrath of man doth not accomplish the righteousness of God. And thus much of the Case of Conscience. A second use that we should all make of this Story thus applied is to be stirred up hereby unto hearty thankfulness for our Deliverance. If we did congratulate our first restitution to the Gospel by Queen Elizabeth, how must we also, our continuation thereof, and preservation therein in the days of King james; that he hath not suffered the Destroyer to have his will against us, he hath saved our souls, and saved our bodies; the Destroyer aimed at the ruin of both. Their first intent was to make us drink of their golden cup of poison, to make us fall down and worship their Idol: But not speeding of that, because it pleased God to continue our Sovereign a constant Defender of the Truth, they attemped a second ruin, the ruin of our bodies. But jesus hath Saved us from both; he hath saved us from being corrupted with their Heresies, he hath saved us from being Destroyed by their malice. So that we may say; Blessed be the Lord which hath not giviug us as a prey unto their teeth. We can never more feelingly receive the Eucharist then upon this occasion; there is present our jesus, he inviteth us to partake of him; And we that have Seen, let us also taste how good the Lord is, and praise him because we find that all are so blest that put their trust in him I end. The sum of all is. The Church is subject to the Cross and Christians must look to suffer, and must not be ashamed to suffer for Christ; But in suffering they must remember not to recompense evil for evil; but to overcome evil with good; So did Christ: so must Christians, both in Word and Deed. O Lord, that by thy Words and by thy Deeds hast taught us to spend the heat of our zeal in the constant profession of thy Truth, not in the bloody persecution of our foes, give us grace to possess our souls in patience and let the blood of our deadliest enemies be precious in our sight; So shall we bear the character not of the Destroyer, but of the Deliverer; and having happily escaped all plots of our destruction; in thy House with songs of praise, bless thee, O jesus, the only constant Author, no less of our temporal then of our eternal Salvation. A SERMON PREACHED AT St ANDREW'S IN WELLES ONE DOING PENANCE FOR JNCEST. PSALM 50. VERSE 21. These things hast thou done, and I kept silence: thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes. THE Argument of this Psalm is an heavenly Assizes, whereof we have here the Appearance, and the Indictment: the appearance made at it, and the indictment read in it. The Appearance is great, whether we respect the judge, or the judged; the judge GOD, the judged the Church of the jews: both are set forth, GOD in Majesty, whether you respect his own Person, or Attendants; the Church with her prerogatives, as she is consecrated to GOD, and hath covenanted with him: And the conclusion is, that this Church notwithstanding, yea the rather for her prerogatives, shall be arraigned before that judge. But what is her Arraignment? Surely the transgression of the Law, so much of the Law as containeth GOD'S service; for this she shall be arraigned, and receive judgement also as we are taught in my Text. In my Text than we are to observe two things: First, how fare the jews are guilty. Secondly, how GOD proceedeth against them. How fare they are guilty, appears in the first words, These things, etc. which are relative, and repeat the enormous sins that are distinctly specified in the words that go before. For these sins GOD, proceeds against them, after much Patience, which the jews abused, unto such Vengeance as against which they shall have nothing to except. GOD'S Patience is gathered out of his silence, I held my tongue: the jews abuse hereof, GOD testifieth to their face, thou thoughtest that I am altogether such a one as thou art. This abuse is insufferable, therefore GOD threatneth Vengeance, I will reprove thee: such Vengeance as against which they shall not be able to except, I will set thy sins in order before thine eyes. You have heard the substance of these words which I must now enlarge, and apply as this present occasion doth require. The first point than is the Indictment, which showeth how fare the jews were guilty, it is expressed in the first words, These things hast thou done, whereof every one is remarkable. These things are relative words, and repeat the Challenge that is made unto the jews in sundry former verses, the sum whereof is, That they were guilty of transgressing the Law. The Law so fare as we have to do with it, is partly Ceremonial, and partly Moral: within these two is concluded the service of GOD. The Ceremonial cherisheth the Moral, and the Moral quickeneth the Ceremonial; yea, the Ceremonial is a sensible description of the Moral, and the Moral is a discreet limitation of the Ceremonial: when they go together they work both a sincere, and a sober service of GOD; sober in regard of the Ceremony, sincere in regard of the Morality. But we must mark that the Ceremonial and the Moral Law differ as the Soul and Body of man; the body is of small use if it be severed from the Soul, so is the Ceremonial Law if it be severed from the Moral. Secondly, the body is inferior to the Soul, even so is the Ceremonial Law inferior to the Moral, so that if it be a fault to neglect the Ceremonial, it is a much greater to break the Moral Law. Lo than the Indictment stands upon two Branches, a Separation, and a Transgression; a Separation of the Ceremonial Law from the Moral, and which is worse, a manifold Transgression of the Moral: with these two sins GOD chargeth the jews. Both are great sins: The Separation is; for GOD in his service commanded that our Souls should concur with our bodies, that our Affections should speak unto him as well as our tongue, that we should bow before him the knees of our hearts no less than the knees of our bodies, when we lift up our hands unto GOD, we should lift up our Souls also, and our eyes should not behold Heaven, but our faith should pierce unto the Throne of GOD. Finally, there is no Ceremonial Law which should not attend some Moral, as the shadow doth the body, or the body should the soul; the Son of SYRACH hath made a whole Chapter that teacheth this Lesson. But the jews put a sunder, what GOD had conjoined; Cap. 35 they shown much zeal for the Ceremonial, but were careless of the Moral Law; expressed much submission of their bodies, but little devotion of their Souls, and drew near with their lips, but their hearts were fare from God. Of this GOD complaineth ESAY 1. and doth passionately vary terms to express his dislike thereof, they solemnised their Feasts, and offered Sacrifices, and assembled themselves in his House; Esay 1 But what saith GOD? To what purpose is the multitude of your Sacrifices? Who required your presence to tread in my Courts? I hate your solemn Feasts. The cause of all is, Your hands are full of blood. In the last of ESAY, GOD is much sharper, He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; Cap. 66. he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog's neck; he that offereth an oblation, is as if he offered swine's blood; he that burneth Incense, as if he blessed an Idol. Mark the Reason, They have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighted in their own abominations. You see then that in serving GOD we may offend him grievously, if we sever those things which he hath coupled, for our service then will be plain hypocrisy, and hypocrisy is, by a Proverb noted to be, double iniquity. And justly is it so noted; for therein we do first Interpretatiuè deny that GOD is the Searcher of the heart, in that we do not approve our heart to him. Secondly, we do expressly prefer the Devil before GOD, in that we give the better part (I mean our Soul) to the Devil, and reserve only the worse part, that is our bodies, for GOD. This should all that present themselves in GOD'S House seriously think on; especially you that make show of a solemn Penitent, but such a show as betrayeth that there is no broken heart within you, nor contrite spirit, seeing there appeareth so little evidence thereof in the outward man. Be you assured, that so repenting for sin, you do but add unto your sin, you are a transgressor of the Law in regard of your Separation of the Ceremonial from the Moral Law. But there is an other transgression of the Law, which is the direct and immediate violation of the Moral part thereof: This is the greater sin, and doth more apparently deserve such a name: for the former though it be a sin, yet it is a cloaked sin, it maketh some fair show in the eyes of men, how ugly soever it is in the eyes of GOD; but this walketh unmasked, and appeareth as it is. Secondly, the former is Malum quia prohibitum, evil upon no other ground, but because by a positive Law it is forbidden, it is only extrinsically evil; the other is prohibitum quia malum, by no means to be done though there were no positive Law that did forbid it; the evil thereof is intrinsical; for it is the violation of the Image of GOD, according to which man was made, and according to which he should live. In the particular Case that concerns this Penitent, GOD that gave a rational faculty unto the soul of man, whereby he should order the sensitive, in the use thereof, would have a man show himself to be better than a beast: And how doth a man differ from a beast, that hath unbridled lusts? and neglect not only sacred wedlock, but the degrees of Affinity and Consanguinity within which GOD and Nature require that his lusts be stinted? This should you that are the Penitent seriously think on, and measure the grievousness of your sin by this, these things, as well the transgression of the Moral, as the separation thereof from the Ceremonial. But the grievousness of sin is argued not only from what is done, but also from the doing of the same. Aliud est peccare, aliud peccatum facere (saith St AUGUSTINE) It is one thing to sin, another thing to be given over to sin; and his distinction is not idle, for it is grounded not only upon St JOHN'S phrase, 1 john 3. but also upon St JAMES his gradation, Men are first enticed by their lusts, Cap. 1. than lust conceiveth, and brings forth sin, and sin being perfected brings forth death; and this perfecting of sin is properly the doing of sin: All men sin, but they that have grace take heed of doing sin; fear and shame are both shaken off by those that go so fare, they endeavour not so much as to hide their sins. Of these jews our Psalm saith, They sat, they spoke, they ran, they wrought evil, they consented one with another, and were professors of a wicked life. And little better is the case of this Penitent, who for many years hath openly in the eyes of the world (notwithstanding the clamour of many that justly did detest it) lived in abominable Incest, which doth much aggravate his sin. There is a third Aggravation in my Text taken from the Person that doth commit the sin, Thou hast done these things: And the circumstance of the Person doth much improve the foulness of a fault. No man should sinne against GOD, but they that are most bound, should forbear most. Now the jews had a double Obligation, one by Nature, the other by the Covenant: They were GOD'S Creatures, and GOD vouchsafed to contract with them. Not to perform the duty which we own, especially when we have solemnly vowed it, maketh us guilty in a high degree. And every one within the Church if he do sin is so fare guilty, his Vow in Baptism, will press him no less than the Condition of his Nature. And this must you that are the Penitent ponder in your Soul, that you may answerably hereunto feel the burden of your sin. I do not amplify these things without Cause; they must be the rather marked, because the deeper the jew was in guilt, the greater was GOD'S Patience. Notwithstanding their double offence, their Separation and Transgression; their double Obligation of Nature and Vow; their double sinning in that they did not only act, but profess sin, yet did GOD hold his peace, he proceeded not against them but with great Patience. GOD'S Patience is noted by his Silence; the word signifieth to be deaf, and dumb, and putteth us in mind of a double voice, a voice of sin, and a voice of judgement. That sins have a Voice you may read Gen. 4. where ABEL'S blood doth cry: and in the Story of Sodom, Gen. 18. the voice of whose sin came up to Heaven: In HABAKKUK the stones and timber of the King of Babylon's house built with blood do cry: Finally, james 5. in St JAMES the wages of the hireling kept from him do cry and come into the ears of the Lord of Hosts. Cap. 6. And as sins so judgements have a Voice: MICAH hath a notable place; The voice of the Lord cryeth unto the City, the Man of Wisdom will see thy name; hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it: And the Lord is said to make his judgement to be heard from Heaven. When then GOD saith, I was deaf and dumb, he meaneth, that though the cry of the sin were loud, yet he did not hear it, he was deaf; neither did they hear from him, though there was just cause, he was dumb: In these two points stands the Patience of GOD. Wherehence we learn, that when we are free from plagues, we must not conclude, that we are without sins, crying sins: The cause of our peace is often times not our own innocence, but GOD'S patience; it is not because our sins hold their tongues, but GOD'S judgements hold theirs; notwithstanding our guilt he is silent. And here appeareth a great difference between God and Men; Men are as soon moved as they are provoked, few can hold their hands, scarce any their tongues, so sensible are we of wrongs, and so revengeful according to our power: Not so GOD; it is one of the characters of his Nature to be long suffering, even when he is grievously offended he can hold his Tongue not only his Hands. Behold an evidence hereof in this Penitent, whose incestuous life GOD hath forborn so many years; though he might have rewarded him according to his deserts, when he first fell into this foul offence, yet hath GOD lent him many years, and expected his repentance. But what use do men make of GOD'S patience? Surely the jews did but verify the old saying, veterem ferendo iniuriam invit as novam, the more GOD forbears, the worse we wax: GOD holds his peace, that we might speak; is deaf, that we might hear; Rom. c. 2. but enormous sinners make use of neither, they abuse the patience, and long suffering of God: and like JESABEL, though GOD give space to repent, they repent not. Reuel. 2 21. We should hear our sins, that GOD might not hear them; we should hear them speaking to the ear of our Consciences, whereinto if they did enter, they would not ascend higher, into the ears of GOD. And seeing GOD is dumb that we might speak; we should speak to GOD by repentance, and then GOD would not speak unto us by vengeance; according to that of the Apostle, 1 Cor. 11.31. If we did judge ourselves, we should not be judged of the Lord. But what doth the jew? He grossly abuseth this patience of GOD; in stead of so hearing, and speaking, he thinketh that God is like unto himself. Behold the world turned upside down. GOD made man after his own Image, and see, man would fain square GOD after his Image; whereas the creature should resemble the Creator, the Creator is drawn to resemble the creature. An absurd conceit is it in reason, how much more in Religion? When 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is turned into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Pattern into the Exemplification: but yet might it be excused, if so be man were understood as he was made of GOD; for we use in Divinity out of the observation which we make in the nature of man, to draw descriptions of the nature of GOD, because whatsoever is in the effect, is, but much more emminently in the efficient: so we talk of the Truth, the Righteousness, and Holiness of GOD, guessing at them by those sparks of virtue which appear in man. But the conceit of these men is not so good, for thus must the words be knit, Thou thoughtest that I was like unto thee which hast done these things; and such a thee, is a sinful thee: so that GOD is not only resembled unto man, but unto a sinful man; outrageous blasphemy! It was a great sin which ADAM committed when he affected to be like unto GOD, though it were in an holy attribute, the attribute of his Knowledge: How fearful a sin than is it, not only to debase GOD to be like unto men? but also to be like unto him in a hellish Attribute, the Attribute of sin. There are three steps of Atheism; Psal. 94.7. It gins with Tush God doth not see, and is there understanding in the Highest? It goeth on to Tush God doth not care; Scilicet, is superis labor est, ea cura quietos solicitat? The Lord will do neither good nor evil (as the Prophet speaketh.) It cometh at length to We account the proud blessed, Malach. 3.15. and they that tempt God are exalted. Of these Atheists, the first turn God into an Idol, giving him eyes that see not, and ears that hear not. The second make him an idle or careless God, as if he did only look on, and leave every man to shift for himself. The last do plainly turn God into the Devil, for their blasphemy is not only privative, denying GOD to be what indeed he is, but also positive, fastening upon GOD what is clean opposite to his Nature so that it is not without cause, that our vulgar English hath, Thou thoughtest wickedly, for it is a most wicked thought. We must then take heed how we entertain sin, seeing we shall grow worse and worse by degrees. There are inborn principles of honesty, and piety, which are sensibly felt when we first fall to sin, the further we go, the less are they felt, and when we grow senseless of them, then fall we to apologise for sin, and there can be no stronger apology, then to make GOD our consort: for it is a principle stamped in our nature, That God is the sovereign good; whatsoever then is either from him, or in him, must needs be good: so that if a wicked man can make GOD either the Author, or Pattern of his sin, he need no sayrer colour, nor stronger argument wherewith to resolve either himself or others that bitter is sweet, darkness light, death life, and good evil. And the Devil knoweth that we will sinne securely when we are resolved that by sin we do GOD good service: he that reads the stories of the Heathen gods shall find that one of the greatest provocations that the world hath had unto sin, hath been the worship of such gods as their own Poets describe theirs to be, stained with all kind of sins. The Fathers that wrote against them, JUSTIN MARTYR, CLEMENS ALEXANDRINUS, EUSEBIUS, LACTANTINS, ARNOBIUS, and Saint AUSTIN insist much upon this point when they defend Christian Religion against the Gentile. And who can tell whether GOD in this place doth not tax such Gentilism in the jew? And intimate that their Idolatry was a cause of their impurity; for it is plain in the Prophets, that they worshipped Idols of all Nations: You may read enough in the life of SOLOMON to justify this point. But this was not the sin only of the Old Testament, it quickly entered upon the New; no sooner had the Apostles planted the Christian Faith, but impure Heretics poisoned the Religion at the root, and by wicked notions of God and Goodness seduced many simple ones unto all dissoluteness of life, as we read in IRENIE, and EPIPHANIUS. Yea no sooner was the Gospel restored in these latter days, but Anabaptists and Libertines trod the very same steps, and turned Heaven into Hell, and God into the Devil. As for ourselves, Beloved, our Positions are sound and good, but our Conversation should be answerable, otherwise the Apostle will tell us, That we deny God, even when we profess him; deny him in deeds, when we profess him in word: yea, whereas GOD'S Image is not Verbal, but Real, if we will go for GOD'S Children, and do the works of the Devil, how fare are we from this sin of the jews? You that are the Penitent should especially lay this to your heart, for this brings your sin unto his height; and if you think how profane it is to bear our Incest with Perjury, you may have grace to acknowledge your guilt; guilt of supposing GOD to be like unto yourself, for such doing can hardly go without such thinking, especially, if a man continue long therein. When a sinner is come to this pass, GOD can hold no longer, he ceaseth his patience, which the jews abuse, and proceedeth to vengeance against which they cannot except. He that toucheth GOD in his Wisdom (as doth the first kind of Atheist) toucheth him near; but GOD bears it. He that toucheth him in his Providence (as doth the second kind of Atheist) toucheth him nearer; yet can GOD endure that also. But he that toucheth him in his Holiness (as doth the third kind of Atheist) toucheth him nearest; his wrath for such a touch must needs break out. As the Will is the supremest faculty of the reasonable Soul; so Holiness, the perfection of the Will, is the chiefest of virtues, therefore man should be, certainly GOD is, most tender of it; if any impeach that, he will certainly reprove them. Reprofe is either verbal, or real; GOD reproves verbally, or in word by his Ministers; of that we hear as often as we hear from them the doom of sin, for it is Praeiudicium ante iudicium, they tell us what we are, and how we shall fair, and GOD will make good their words, when he entereth into judgement. But when we are not the better for the Verbal, then GOD cometh to the real, Ps. 29. and then we shall find that Dei dicere is facere, The voice of the Lord is a glorious voice, mighty in operation, it breaketh the Cedars of Libanus, Hebr. 4. and divideth between the sinews and the marrow, it not only rips a man up to the very heart root but is able to crush him all to pieces: King DAVID describeth the effects of it, Psal. 39 When thou o Lord with rebukes dost chasten man for sin, thou as a moth makest his beauty to consume: This he uttereth more at large in the 90 Psalm: yea, read all the Psalms that are Penitential, and you shall find upon the rebuke of GOD, what a comfortless Soul, what a healthless Body King DAVID had. And if the Children of GOD, feel such effects at GOD'S rebuke, which notwithstanding have ever some sparks of comfort; how doth it crush, nay grind forlorn wicked ones? If the voice of Zion, the rod of a man, the correction of a father be so terrible, that DAVID cryeth out, O Lord rebuke me not in thine anger, ●s. 6. neither chasten me in thy heavy displeasure; how dreadful is the voice of Sina? the iron rod? the destructive wrath of GOD? to whom shall wretched man fly? what shelter shall he take? there is no umpire to qualify the doom, nor any defender to bear off the stroke, certainly it is a fearful thing so to fall into the hands of the living God. You that are the Penitent are yet but under the verbal, you are not come to the real reproof; happy shall you be if you make so good use of this, as to prevent that: But be sure that the neglect of correction, doth undoubtedly prognosticate destruction to a sinner, such destruction as shall not only be just, but also take away whatsoever exception, for God will set man's sins before his eyes. The Hebrew hath nothing, but, I will order or marshal before thy face; the Septuagint supply out of the first clause (These things hast thou done) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy sins; St HIEROME out of the second clause (thou thoughtest me like unto thyself) supplies, Thyself, Proponam tibi te, I will set Thee before thyself: they are easily reconciled, for the person is understood in regard of his sin, so that Thee, and thine iniquity is all one. In professed wicked men, there is not the distinction that is in the Regenerate of Ego, Rom ●. & Peccatum, the Old and the New man; such a one is not a double, but a single man. But to come to the point; the word ordering, or marshalling doth give us to understand, that we delight in doing of sin, but not in beholding of it; behold we can the seeming profit and pleasure that doth accompany it, but the breach of the Law, or wound of our Soul we endure not to behold; because there is pleasure in the act, and remorse in the remembrance thereof: But what we cast behind us, GOD will set before us. The word marshalling importeth two things: First, that the sins are many, but confused; so that we do not discern either the great number, or the unequal measure of them; whereupon it followeth, that we cannot judge either how grievous, or how ugly they are; but GOD will so dispose them, that we shall take notice of every one, and every one according to his pitch. Good things well digested are the better discerned, and yield the more content; and evil things displayed, will the more undeniably convict us of folly, and more uncomfortably distress us with our want of grace: These two, conviction and confusion do necessarily accompany the marshalling of our sins: and if one sin of murder wrought so upon CAIN, one sin of treason upon JUDAS, that the one could not rest, the other hanged himself; in what case think we shall the wicked be, when GOD shall set all their sins before them. It is good then for men to unburden themselves as near as they can of all sin, seeing there is so much evil in the sight of any one sin; and we cannot avoid the fight of any, especially, if it be such as this Penitents sin, an enormous sin, and a crying sin. See it therefore now, and let repentant tears wash out the characters thereof, least remaining of record, you be forced to see it when there will be no means of blotting it out. A second thing that this word imports, is, That the sins which we entertain for friends, shall suddenly turn to be our foes, they shall appear as an Army furnished with the instruments of Death: So we learn of St PETER, Brethren, I beseech you, 1 Pet. 2 11. as strangers and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lusts, which fight against the soul. We think that by them we sight against GOD, but GOD is impenetrable, the arrows that we shoot rebound back, and wound ourselves. And no marvel; for sin is the sting of death, and we cannot commit sin, but we receine that sting; and when GOD shall come against us, as I●HV against IEZE●EL, and call, who is on my side? who? Our own sins, 2 King. 9 as her Eunuches shall stand out, and at his command, cast us down to be trampled under feet, and to be made meat for Dogs, to be insulted upon by the Fiends of Hell, and to be gnawn on by Death. But where shall this martialling be? Surely in our own bosom, in our own conscience; that shall then be a true, and a clear glass, representing our sins, and representing them armed against us. And this shall add much to our misery; it shall not be then with us, as it is in this world; here we behold our natural face in a glass, james 1. and by and by go away, and forget what manner of person we were: but this glass shall still be before us, and our eye shall still be on it. And why? It is nothing but the worm that never dyeth, we can no more be rid of it, than we can be rid of our soul: the Conscience is an essential power of the Soul, and this worm by an irrevocable decree is made a perpetual companion of a guilty Conscience; the wicked shall carry it with them from the judgement-seat, and shall keep it with them so long as they shall burn in the flames of Hell. This is a powerful Motive, and should work in you that are guilty, a care to disarm so powerful an Enemy; to pluck out the sting before the wound be uncurable; so many sins as remain unrepented of, are as so many treacherous Soldiers, howsoever they do now speak friendly to you, yet when they are lest feared they will give deadly strokes; you shall fear them, when you shall have no remedy against them. What I say to you, I say unto all; nay GOD himself saith it in the close of this Psalm, Hear this all ye that forget God, jews and Gentiles, whatsoever you be, if you be adulterers, drunkards, usurers, blasphemers, any way wicked livers, Consider this (saith GOD) lest I suddenly take you away, and there be none to help you, for if we be guilty of such sins, and encourage ourselves in them by base conceits of GOD, GOD will not fail to reprove us, and marshal such wickedness before us, to convict us thereof, and confound us therewith. God give us all timely repentance, that we may prevent so fearful a vengeance. Amen. Πάντοτε δόξα Θηῶ. A SERMON PREACHED AT St ANDREW'S IN WELLS, A WOMAN DOING PENANCE FOR INCEST. GALATH. 6. VERSE 1. Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, you which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. WE are all compounded of the Old and New man, and every one feels the solicitations of both. These solicitations exercise both our head and our heart; our head to discern between them, our heart to make a good choice upon a right judgement. And that we make such a choice, it should appear in our works they should argue the death of concupiscence, and the life of grace, in that we bear fruit not to the Flesh, but to the Spirit. Now the fruit of the Spirit is either piety, or charity, it testifieth that ourselves are careful to be good; and being good we are not unrespective of others. Not of them that are good, for it keeps us from being ambitiously insolent; not of them that are bad, for it makes us compassionately merciful. The exercise of this last branch of charity, the opening of our tender bowels towards such as offend, is the Argument of these words which I have now read unto you. Here we have Offenders described, and Compassion enjoined: Offenders not of all sorts, but such as ought to be the subject of Compassion, Offenders that are overtaken in a fault, we are enjoined to show Compassion to these, to restore them in the spirit of meekness. And touching this Compassion we are moreover taught, First, who must show it; and secondly, what must move them thereunto. They that must show it are here called Brethren, and spiritual, each name importeth a reference they have unto the Offender; the first, a reference of their persons, they are their Allies, and therefore may not shut their bowels against them; the second, of their gifts, the better they are, the more good they must do: such are the persons that must show compassion. And they must be moved thereunto out of an apprehension of the common danger, danger is common to all, Thou mayst likewise be tempted, and no man must be unobseruant hereof, he must consider his own self. So have you the contents of this Text, which I mean now farther to enlarge as this spectacle doth occasion, and shall be most behooveful for us all. I begin first at the description that is here made of an Offender, where you shall see, first, his fault, and then the cause thereof. The fault is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fall, a fall taken by stumbling. The fall is not corporal but moral, yet by a corporal you may understand a moral fall; for he that falleth in regard of the sight of his body cometh lower, and withal ordinarily taketh a bruise: even so is it in a moral fall; GOD by Creation made a man dominum, & socium. If you look to this visible world, he made him dominum, as it appeareth, Genes. 1. where Sovereignty is given over the Beasts, Birds, Fishes, and every other Creature made for the use of man. But if you look to the invisible world, than was he to be Socius, a comfort with the Angels in the blessed state of Heaven. Yea in this Microcosm, the Fabric of the nature of man, which is as it were an Epitome of these two other worlds, the better part had the guidance of, and commanded over the worse, the Soul ruled the Body. But so soon as man sinned, he came down, domintoes became servus, and these base creatures began to tyrannize over us, who were ordained their Lords: hence goods, meats, drinks and other corruptible things are become Idols, and we fall down, and worship them: and what will not a man do transported by the vanity of this world? As for the society we had with Angels, the blessed Angels of Heaven; we have lost that, and are become the Serpent's brood, not only Beasts, but also Devils. Finally, Earth hath gotten the upper hand of Heaven, the Body of the Soul, and we serve every one his several Lusts; so that though we consist of a Soul and a Body, yet the Scripture calleth us carnal, as if so be we had no Spirits. In our worldly state every man laboureth to range himself with the best, and we account them base that being of noble blood affect not the company of their equals: but in our spiritual state we are not sensible hereof, we are not ambitious, but base; every one stoops below himself, and love's to grovel rather than stand upright, we love coming down. But this coming down is not all the evil of our fall, it is accompanied with a bruise, our nature by it doth not only become more base, but more feeble also: for every sin giveth a wound, it impaireth grace in every power, our understanding groweth more dim, our will more impotent, and our affections less capable of control. Sins are like rebels, that not only revolt, but also keep castle against their Sovereign, whence they are not easily removed: every man's experience yields proof hereof, and warrants this truth, that sin doth not only disgrace, but also disable a sinner. But sins are not all equal, and therefore produce not all equal effects: the Stoics paradox is long since condemned, and whether we look to that wherein we sin, our duty to GOD or our Neighbour; or that wherewith we sinne, I mean the degrees of our wills that concur in our acts, we shall find great odds, and confess that one sin is greater than another, and that all falls are not alike, whether we look to the disgrace of the person, or the weakening of our nature. Not to go from my Text, or rather from this present occasion, Incontinency hath diverse degrees, Fornication, Adultery, Incest: all communicate in Incontinency, but so, that Adultery is worse than Fornication, and Incest worse than Adultery. Fornication violateth the good order that should be between single persons, through unruly Lusts; Adultery addeth thereunto a confusion of Families, and taketh away the distinction of Heirs, and Inheritance; but Incest moreover abolisheth the reverence which is ingraued by nature, to forbid that persons whom nature hath made so near should one uncover the others shame, as speaketh the Law; and not only that, but adds, that for such incontinency, the Land did spew out the Canaanites. Levit. 18. So that when you come to consider your fall, you must consider not only the nature, but also the degree of it: and your repentance must be answerable unto your fall: look how fare you have debased yourself, so fare must you be humbled; and be afflicted with sorrow as deeply as you have wounded yourself with sin. Thus much you are taught in that your sin is a fall. But it must farther be learned whence these falls come, and we find in the Text the occasions and causes of them. The occasions are employed in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which signifieth a stumbling at some thing that lieth in our way: we are apt to fall by nature, because we are mutable; but we do not commonly fall, except some occasion be given. And the world is full of occasions. The Devil hath every where his stumbling blocks he knoweth whether our corrupt nature bendeth, and worketh accordingly; he hath a wedge of gold for covetous ACHAN, a crown for ambitious AESOLON, a DINA for SHECHEM: finally, he knoweth what will work our affections, and our dispositions: with that he plyeth, and with that he wooeth our consent to sin: and these things the Scripture calls stumbling blocks, and are the occasions of false. We all walk in the midst of them, and are to take good heed unto them, but yet so, that we do not conceive otherwise of them, than they are: strong motives they are, but they are but motives, persuade they may, compel they cannot, therefore they are not enough to give a fall, except the true cause be added to the occasion, and we may not so dwell on the occasion, as not to look forward to the true cause, we may otherwise blame others, while we should be blaming of ourselves, and we are too apt to excuse ourselves, by making others guilty of our faults. But we must pass on from the occasion to the cause, and the cause will tell us who doth most deserve the blame. The cause appeareth in these words, If a man be overtaken: whereon St HIEROME giveth a good note, Praeventio dici non potest, cum quid praemeditatò fit, so that this phrase importeth a difference of sinners, whereof some fall through malice, some through frailty. Through malice they fall, in whom the principles of conscience are corrupt; who wittingly and willingly commit sin with greediness: neither before the fact feeling any reluctancy, neither after the fact conceiving any sorrow: Esay 5. these account evil good, and good evil; light darkness, and darkness light; sweet sour, and sour sweet: these are not within the compass of my Text, for they are not overtaken. This phrase reacheth only those which sinne Dum aut latet veritas, aut compellit infirmitas, as BEDE speaketh, either they are sophistically circumvented, or unawares transported, and so take a fall. We should weigh the validity of the persuasions, and bethink ourselves what we do before we set ourselves a doing; we should inquire what GOD'S Law doth forbid or allow, before we give or withhold our assent. But our affections usually outstep our discretion, and bring either false or rash intelligence, whereupon we yield, and slip very often dum latet veritas, for want of making diligentenquirie: but more often dum vincit infirmitas, while we are too indulgent to our affections. And indeed, howsoever in errors of Faith, and mistakes of truth, those that are without the Church, or being within are not Orthodox, Rom. 1. become vain in their ratiocination (as the Apostle speeketh) and their ignorance is apparently the child of negligence. Yet in the default of manners, and breach of the moral Law, we have little colour of ignorance, all the blame lieth upon the impotency of our affections; the thief, the drunkard, the liar, the blasphemer, all must yield that they knew what they should do, but obeyed their corrupt lusts in doing the contrary. And no other plea hath this incestuous person: though her tongue should be silent, yet her tears do speak that this is her plea: for the sacrifice of her broken and contrite heart, sacrificed for that which she hath done, testifieth that she knoweth well that she hath done amiss, but did it being overtaken: for sorrow after a fact, is the judgement that the penitent passeth upon his own fact, in weeping for it, she doth condemn it. Our lesson is, that we must be watchful over occasions, lest by them we become causes of our own fall: and if we sin, GOD grant us grace to sorrow, lest otherwise as we displease, so we despise GOD: Such despisers are not to be accounted in the number of those that are overtaken, and so they can be no fit object for compassion, which is the next point of the Text. Touching which compassion, we are here taught that it is a restoring of a Penitent in the spirit of meekness. Meekness is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: Arl. Eth. lib. 4. cap. 5. and a meek man is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: the Apostle doth not forbid Anger, but commendeth indulgence; there is a rod and a spirit of meekness: that for the impenitent, but for the penitent this. And certainly without meekness there is little good to be done with Penitents, for generosus est hominis animus, magis ducitur, quàm trahitur, especially in reformation of the inward man, where not so much coaction as persuasion prevaileth: therefore if any thing will win the wayward, it is meekness; so thought St AMBROSH, Tolle hominem a contentione, & audacia, et habebis eum subiectum; by meekness the prince of this world is soon overthrown: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, he is likely to recover a patiented soon, that handleth him gentlest. Now if it be so in reclaiming of a sinner, that meekness is so requisite; how requisite is it in dealing with a penitent sinner? If St BERNARD'S practice be commendable in judging of sin, either to excuse the fact, or say the temptation was very strong: how tenderly must we respect the humiliation of a sinner? And take heed of a pharisaical pride which satiateth its own uncharitableness under pretext of censure, and proceedeth contrary to GOD'S rule, ultra rather then citra condignum, with the most, when it should be with the least. St PAUL did remember, and so should we all, that we are the servants of that GOD which desireth not the death of a sinner: Members of that SAVIOUR which will not break a bruised reed, nor quench smoking flax: Finally, Temples of that Holy Ghost which is termed in my Text the Spirit of Meekness And indeed, this virtue is a graft not of nature but of grace, and it argueth the Spirit dwelleth in us, when such fruit springeth from us. Yea, our whole soul must become meekness, and this virtue must take up every power thereof. For such phrases are emphatical, and note not only the original, but the extent of a virtue: it doth argue that the whole inward man should be seasoned with it, and concur to the acting of it. But the Spirit of Meekness must not be severed from restoring, for compassion should not cherish sin, but rectify a sinner; otherwise it is curdelis misericordia, it is, as if you should take a man that with a fall hath broken a joint, and lay him down upon a soft bed, but not take care to set his joints, this were to leave him in perpetual torture, or at least a maimed creature: the righteous must smite, but their stripes must be a precious balm; the Church must censure, but it must be for correction, not destruction: a sinner must be restored to that from which he is fallen. It is an error long since condemned in the Nonatians who thought that the Church had no power to restore believing Penitents, to restore them to that state wherein they were before their fall: the very words used in my Text refuteth them, which coming from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying complete and perfect, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 coming from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nuper, showeth that it signifieth a perfect restitution unto that which the person was before. The fall did disgrace and disable, so the restoring must recover, inwardly and outwardly; inwardly in the peace of conscience, and new strength to resist sin; outwardly in the Communion of Saints, and the participation of sacred things, and charitable society in the course of life: In regard of all these, the person must be as if he had never fallen. Finally, this restoring in the Spirit of Meekness, must be without respect of persons, and without exception of faults; so saith the Text, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if he be a man that hath fallen. Happily we can be contented to show meekness to our kindred, our friends; not to strangers with whom we have no such acquaintance. But we must exclude none that may be overtaken, and any may be overtaken that is a man. Saint AUSTIN and other of the Father's work upon the name man, and show that implieth frailty, according to the Proverb, Gen. 6.9. Humanum est errare; and indeed the Scripture is clear for it, the frame of the imaginations of the heart of man is evil, and that from his youth continually. As we may exclude no person, so must we except against no sin; If a man be overtaken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in any kind of sin, our bowels must not be straighter than Christ's merits; what his blood hath cleansed, the Church may not hold unpardonable: therefore over great austerie was well condemned in the Council of Nice, which left power in the Bishops upon just cause to mitigate the penance, which was enjoined by Canons with great severity to the terror of the wicked. You have heard what compassion must be showed, the Text moreover teacheth, who must show it, and upon what ground. Touching the party that must show it, St HIEROME hath a good rule on this Text, Homo potest se in voraginem perditionis conijcere, non potest sine auxilio se eripere, we may cause our own ruin of ourselves, but unto our restitution we need the helps of others; of others, amongst whom we must acknowledge an Agent, and the Instruments; the chief Agent is GOD, he only blotteth out all our offences (as himself speaketh in ESAY) and it is, He that healeth all our infirmities; Ps. 103. yet he is pleased to use means or instruments, and they are of two sorts, medium impetrationis, and medium operationis; that, is the Church offended; this, is the Minister. In public scandals GOD over and above the tears and sighs of the penitent, will have the whole Church to mediate, and deprecate his wrath: and he will have the Minister spondere veniam, to promise pardon, and absolve in his name: so that this Text implieth a power which GOD hath given both the Pastor and People, enabling each in his order to forgive sins, according as we are taught, Math. 18. But mark here the words whereby these persons are described, lest they be proud, and suppose their compassion to be arbitrary, which they may show or withhold at their pleasure: they are taught the contrary by their names, which testify that it is necessary for them to show compassion. The first name is Brethren; Esay 58.7. this name implieth an argument of compassion, for a man may not turn away his eyes from his own flesh; this is true if he were but a natural man: but the spiritual cognation is greater, and therefore bindeth more strongly, by how much we own more regard to our supernatural, then to our natural Father. Add hereunto, that their is no show, no pretence of uncharitableness in our supernatural cognation: Natural brethren malign each the other, either because the affection of Parents is unequal, or because they shall not have equal part in the Inheritance; but GOD embraceth all his children with the same love, and they are all called to be heirs of the same Kingdom, therefore they should all have alike tender bowels one towards another. As the name of Brethren calleth for compassion, so doth the name of spiritual also: by spiritual is meant he that is strong in Faith, and hath not yielded to temptation; he that is led by the Spirit, and hath not fulfilled the lusts of his Flesh; the more he is so spiritual, the more compassionate he must be, Greg. Mag● Vera iustitia compassionem habet, falsa indignationem. It is a shrewd argument that our righteousness is pharisaical and not Christian, if we rather insult, then show pity: who more spiritual than GOD? then Christ? then the Angels? The best of men cannot match the meanest of them in the holiness of Spirit, and yet the Angels rejoice at the conversion of a sinner; Luke 19.7. and how doth Christ the good Shepherd take comfort in the recovery of the lost Sheep? And as for GOD, you read his disposition in that countenance and cheer, wherewith the Father received his prodigal child. Where there is less kindness, there is less of the Spirit; as in the Devil who calumniateth, amplifieth sins, aggravateth judgements; and we are too like him if our bowels be cruelty. You see who must show compassion, and read their duties in their names. But if their names will not work enough, the ground that the Text addeth enforcing this duty, doth more strongly press them, and the ground is, considering thyself lest thou also be tempted. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, our eyes happily are watchful, but are more fixed upon others then upon ourselves; we take delight to pry fare into other men's faults, and a pleasing thing it is to flesh and blood, to be learned in such arguments. But it is but a property of Vultures, and Ravens that quickly sent carrion and haste unto it: the Holy Ghost here taketh off our eyes from other objects, and fastens them upon ourselves: we are the book which ourselves should most study, we should know none so well as ourselves. But when we are brought so fare as to study ourselves, we study like the Pharisee, read nothing in ourselves but our own perfections; if GOD hath given us any gifts, we need no spectacles to read it, the characters are always of the largest size; yea we oftentimes read more than is written, and give thankes to GOD for that which he hath not bestowed, or not bestowed in that measure which we suppose we have. Because of our over great docility to study this argument, the Scripture passeth by it, and reads us another lesson, the lesson of our infirmities; look we must upon ourselves, yea and to ourselves also, but that which we must behold and heed is, lest thou also be tempted: Consider, Quia homo es habens naturam mutabilem, saith THEODORET, No man in this world is so spiritual, but he is also carnal. St HIEROME with this Text censured the Heretics of old, and we may censure some that live at this day, who think that a righteous man is such a tree as can bear no bad fruit; but posse peccare is the portion of every mortal man, and he that standeth may fall, for we all walk in the midst of snares; Aut sumus, aut fuimus, aut possumus esse quod haec est: even he that hath overcome temptation, knows how hard a thing it is to be tempted. And if it be hard, then should not we be hard hearted towards them whom it foileth. Which observation is not unnecessary; because our nature is as prone to rigour; as it is to sin; we are to have an eye to both: and indeed nothing will make us sooner avoid the temptation unto rigour, than the acknowledgement that our selves are prone to sin: it is St AUSTINS rule, Nil sic ad misericordiam inclinat, ac proprij periculi cogitatio; he that knows he may need mercy, hath a good inducement to show mercy. Wherefore as to the comfort of the Penitent I may promise her that her tears are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, though she sow in tears, Basil. she shall reap enjoy: so let me advice you to forgive, and it shall be forgiven unto you. He that is merciful doth good to his own soul, saith SOLOMON. Prou. 11. Ecel. 8. Eph. 4. Colos. 3. Wherefore despise ye not a man returning from his sin: be courteous one towards another, and tender hearted, forgiving freely, as God for Christ sake forgiveth you. St PAUL doth teach us this lesson in this Text: the Text is documentum, & exemplum, the matter of it informeth us, yea, the phrase is a good pattern unto us: in delivering an argument of mercy, he useth not a word that doth not savour of mercy. Homo, noting the proneness of our nature to sin; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the occasions of sin, praeoccupatus, the surprisal: all in favour of the Penitent. And what meaneth the name of Brother, Spiritual, the Spirit of Meekness, Consider thyself, Thou mayst be tempted? Are they not as water cast upon the fire of our zeal to temper it if it grow too hot? Then look we on the words, all call upon us, that as we are eye witnesses, and ear witnesses of this Penitents confession, contrition; so we should let GOD and the Angels see how full we are of compassion: Compassion that must move us all to pray to GOD for her, that God by the power of the keys may lose her from those bands wherewith her sin, her crying sin hath tied her. God hear us, and work by us, and in us, that she may be fully restored, and her fall may make us all to beware. Amen. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall find mercy. A SERMON PREACHED IN THE CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF WELLS, AT WHAT TIME A MAN DID PENANCE FOR INCEST WITH HIS WIFE'S DAUGHTER. 1 CORINTH. 5. VERSE 1, etc. 1 It is reported commonly, that there is fornication amongst you, and such fornication, as is not so much as named amongst the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife. 2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed, might be taken away from amongst you. 3 For I verily as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, against him that hath so done this deed. 4 In the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 5 To deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. THE present occasion led me to this Text, and this Text that I have read unto you well fitteth the present occasion; for we have to do with a sin, and a censure; even such a sin, and such a censure as is contained in this Text. The sin is first expressed, than it is amplified. It is expressed, first, in regard of the kind, it is fornication; secondly, in regard of the degree, that fornication is Incest; yea it is Incest of the worst sort, that a man should have his father's wife. The Incest being so bad, it is not only expressed, but also amplyfied, in respect, first of the heinousness, it was such as was not so much as named amongst the Gentiles; secondly, in respect of the notoriousness, the fame thereof spread fare and near, it is commonly reported. Now sins call for censures, great sins for severe censures: they do, but the Corinthians were deaf, they heard not, they were not moved with the cry of this sin, though it were very loud; they sin in not reforming sin: St PAUL therefore telleth them whence their sin sprang, and wherein it stood. It sprang from too much self-conceit, they were puffed up; and too little fellow-feeling, for they sorrowed not: from these roots sprang their senseless carelessness, they put not away from them the man that had done the sin. But St PAUL had a more quick ear, and a more tender heart; as a lawful superior he supplieth their negligence, and censureth the incestuous person whom they spared, as it appears in the rest of the Text: wherein we see what the censure was, and whereunto it serveth. The censure was Excommunication, but it is set out in very high terms, for it is called a delivery unto Satan, the words imply more than they express. Excommunication consists of two parts, a privative, and a positive; an excommunicate person is excluded from the Communion of Saints, and subjected to the Prince of Darkness, the latter part is here expressed, but the former is presupposed, and is therefore omitted because it was mentioned before in the Corinthians fault: this is the censure which St PAUL inflicted. And the inflicting of it is performed by two acts; the first is St PAUL'S, he doth judicially pronounce it in his own person. But here is some thing markable in his person, which is said to be absent, and present: wheresoever he was, as an Apostle he was never out of his Diocese; neither was any of his Diocese any where out of his reach: for though he was absent in his body, yet was he with them in his spirit. Upon these prerogatives of his person, though he were as fare off, as Ephesus is from Corinth, yet did he give sentence against the incestuous Corinthian, so saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, I have already judged. What he pronounceth judicially, that doth he require the Corinthians to denounce solemnly: this act is employed, when as St PAUL would have the man excommunicated at Corinth: he would have it there denounced that himself had excommunicated him. And he would have it denounced solemnly: First, In regard of the place, for he would have it done in the face of the Church: the Corinthians being gathered together and his spirit with them. Secondly, He would have it done solemnly in regard of the proceeding, for he would have it done with the authority, and by the efficacy of our Lord jesus Christ; with his authority, in his Name; by his efficacy, by his Power. So that although St PAUL have a hand in this censure, and the Corinthians also, yet would he have neither of them reputed other than Delegates from, and Instruments of Christ, he giveth the warrant, and he maketh good the censure. Lay all these parts of the doom together, and you will find that it is tremendum iudicium, a very dreadful sentence; for how dreadful a thing is it for a man to be cast out of the Church? To have him that hateth him made Lord over him, I mean Satan? To have this done by an Apostle? In the assembly of the whole Church? Authorized by Christ, and by Christ enabled to inflict this censure? Certainly this must needs be a most dreadful judgement, you would think him that is under it to be a most forlorn wretch. But yet despair not of him, the last clause of my Text will tell you that the sentence is not mortal, but medicinal. Now you know that a medicine hath two properties, first it doth pain, than it doth ease, and if you will believe the Proverb, Nulla medicinat'am est salutaris quàm quae facit dolorem, the more it doth pain, the more it will ease. Certainly it fareth so with a ghostly medicine, it doth pain, it serveth for the destruction of the flesh; but it will ease, thereby the spirit shall be saved. And this salvation you shall then feel when it is most behooveful, in the day of the Lord jesus Christ. We believe that he shall come to judge both the quick and the dead, and thrice happy may an enormous sinner think himself, if he can have boldness then to stand before the Son of Man. And herein standeth his hope, that this judgement will preserve him from that; this lesser from that greater; this temporal from that eternal: if an enormous sinner make that use of it which Christ intendeth. So that these last words must be marked as a mitigation of that sharpness which was in the sentence, and a consolation of the true Penitent. And so have you the brief of my Text. That we may all be forewarned, and this Penitent recovered, let us in the fear of GOD listen to that which shall now be farther, but briefly, observed and applied out of this both sin and censure. I begin with the sin, the kind of it is fornication; Fornication though it be often used to note the unlawful conjunction of single persons, which otherwise may lawfully marry; yet doth the word import properly the general nature of all incontinency, or unlawful conjunction: the sinfulness whereof that I may the better set before you, I must first acquaint you with certain undeniable principles. The first is, That though it be common to man and beast to couple male and female in their several kinds for procreation, yet because the body of a man is inhabited by a reasonable soul, even these sensual acts should be reasonable by participation: reason should have such power over the body, that a man should not come unto this conjunction out of a disorderly lust, but a regular covenant: not adventuring upon it, but admitted thereunto by Marriage: he must testify that he is a man, and not a beast. The second principle is, The same reason of state that preseribeth propriety in all other things, doth require it especially in the choice of mates, in those which are to come together so near, as to become one flesh; for propriety is the whetstone of love and care, neither of which would be so great as they should be, except they were grounded in wedlock, in which is a mutual appropriating of the wedded bodies each to the other: whence it is that their love is so intense, and their care so provident of, and for each other, and their children. The third principle is, Wedlock is not only such a covenant as springeth from reason and policy, but also it is pactum Dei, it is founded in Religion: man and woman were at first matched by GOD himself, and he matched them as his children bearing his Image; finally, Mal. 2.15. he matched them that they might bring forth an holy seed, such as might be of his Church, and as the Parents, consorts with Angels: so much did Religion add unto Wedlock before the fall. But after the fall, Christian Religion added much more: whence ariseth a fourth principle, by Regeneration even our bodies are made members of Christ, and so become Temples of the Holy Ghost, and therefore there is great reason we should keep these vessels of ours in honour, and in their conjunction have a due regard of this their heavenly condition. In these evident principles we may behold how fare GOD hath improved our bodies, which otherwise were made but of dust, and for sin deserved to become dust again; but we must our flesh and blood with the fore-specified advancements of it, and by them measure the sinfulness of fornication. And then you shall find, first, that it debaseth the bodies of men, and rangeth them with beasts: for wherein is his body better than a beasts, whose sensual acts are not guided by reason? Secondly, It abolisheth the greatest civil propriety that is in a state: for wedlock layeth the foundation of a state, and giveth the first beginning to society, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, etc. Thirdly, it robbeth the fruit of our bodies, as much as lieth in us, of the best birthright, which is to be the holy off spring of holy Parents, which is the pledge of GOD'S covenant, and the children's hope that they have a right thereto: neither are we excused from this guilt, though GOD in mercy do otherwise provide better for our children. Finally, It renteth us from the body of Christ, and dispossesseth us of the Holy Ghost, if not defacto, at lest merito: it is more of GOD'S mercy then our desert, if it prove not so: seeing Christ abhors all impurity, and the Holy Ghost will not abide the desiling of his Sanctuary. Rom. 1.24. Well therefore may fornication be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a dishonouring lust, than which no other heapeth so many indignities upon our bodies, and by consequence upon us. In regard hereof it is that St PAUL saith, All other sins are without our bodies, but he that commits fornication sinneth against his own body: Fornication strippeth it of all the forenamed prerogatives directly, which no other sin doth, neither is their any carnal sin more opposite to Reason, Policy, Religion. This must you the Penitent mark, and from this take the first measure of your sin. But my Text doth not only speak of fornication in general, but of a degree thereof, and that degree is Incest. Though no conjunction is lawful without marriage, yet may not all persons be joined together in marriage: Levit. 18. GOD hath set down certain degrees both of Consanguinity, and Affinity, between which there may be no matches: MOSES giveth the reason, because there is a reverence due unto these persons, and we pass the bounds of religious modesty if we match with them. And indeed, had not GOD imprinted this reverence, the necessary cohabitation of Parents and Children, Brethren and Sisters would yield too much opportunity, and be too strong an incentive unto this unlawful conjunction: especially if you add thereunto the authority which Parents have naturally over their Children. De Civit. Dei lib. 15. cap. 16. Saint AUSTIN yields another reason, Habita est rectissima ratio charitatis, we naturally love our kin. But GOD would have charity spread farther, which would be kept within very narrow bounds, if we were not by this restraint put to make matches with more remote persons, and forbidden to multiply the ground of love in one & the self same. But amongst all these degrees which GOD hath forbidden, they are principal which are in the right line, the prohibition of them is the most ancient, the most strict, the most universal: First, the most ancient, for it began immediately upon the Creation of the woman, for having made a woman to join with the man, GOD gave this rule, Therefore shall a man forsake father and mother, and be joined unto his wife. Gen. 2. It is true, that we commonly understand that Text of the near conjunction of man and wife, and that sense will well agree with it: but the Caldy paraphrase addeth to our purpose, that a man must forsake his fathers and his mother's bed: St AUSTIN and others have so understood it, as if it did forbid matches in the right line; and I think the word therefore doth import as much; for therefore did GOD create a woman to join her to the man, because he would not have them couple which are procreated one from another. Secondly, It is the most strict prohibition; for though GOD forbidden as well the collateral degrees, as those that are in the right line; yet hath he dispensed with the collateral in two cases, one of necessity, when there were none but ADAM'S children, brothers and sisters must needs match, and then did GOD dispense with the first collateral degree of consanguinity. The second case is a mystery, if a brother died without issue, the next of kin was to raise up seed unto the deceased brother; and this was a dispensation in the first degree of Affinity. Such dispensations in collateral degrees GOD hath granted, but dispensations with persons in the right line, he never granted any, therefore I called it the most strict prohibition. Thirdly, It is the most universal prohibition; for that of collateral degrees in GOD'S Law, reacheth but unto the second, the Civil Law goeth a degree farther than GOD'S Law, the Canon Law now reacheth to the fourth degree, it hath forbidden to the seventh: and further no Law that is extant ever went in forbidding collateral degrees. But in forbidding those in the right line, Divine and Humane, Civil and Canon Laws forbidden them without any stint: no degree be it never so remote can make the conjunction of such persons lawful; therefore they say truly that if ADAM did revive again, he could join with none of mankind, except EVE revived again; no more could EVE except ADAM revived. Whatsoever you have heard of Consanguinity, is true also of Affinity: because by wedlock man and wife become one flesh and so their parents, their children, their brethren, their sisters, are as near to the one as to the other: Affinity maketh them as near as if they were of one blood. Take one rule more which cometh near this Penitents case, by analogy it is all one for a son to take his father's wife (as the Corinthian did) and for a father to take his wife's daughter (which you the Penitent did,) both couples are alike near kin, and so in true judgement your case is as his was: neither skilleth it, that you took her not to wife, but abused her body only; for if you abuse her body whom you may not take to wife, your fact is nothing the less Incest: your marrying would have argued a resolution to continue the Incest. You have committed complicatissimum peccatum, a very manifold sin, there is in it Fornication, you knew her body without marriage: Adultery, you knew her your wife being living: Incest, you knew such a person as you could not match with by any dispensation from man, neither from GOD was there ever any granted. Wonder not then that the Apostle doth not only express, but amplify also this sin. The first amplification is in regard of the heinousness of it, it was not so much as named amongst the Gentiles. Mistake not the words, it is not meant that the Gentiles never were infected with this sin; in the entrance, and close of the 18 of Levit. it appeareth that the Egyptians from whom Israel then came, and the Canaanites whose Country they were to possess, were foully stained therewith, and thereupon did GOD take an occasion to lay the prohibition thereof upon the Israelits, Leu. 20.23. that they might not follow the corruption of those Gentiles. But Saint PAUL meaneth that even such as were but only Gentiles, have out of the light of reason, detested, and forbidden it; which appeareth in their Morals, Laws, and Histories: the iniquity thereof being evident, not only out of the Law of MOSES, but of nature also, otherwise the Canaanites could not in equity have been punished for being guilty of it. And no marvel if the Heathen detested it, when the very beasts do abhor it. Lib. 9 cap. 47 ARISTOTLE in his History of living Creatures hath written of a Camel, and a Horse which were brought to their dams: but no sooner did they discern them by falling off of the , which had been cast upon them to conceal them, but that the Camel was presently so enraged, that he killed his keeper: and the Horse left not running until he had broken his neck. The phrase of the Apostle is remarkable, that which was not so much as named amongst the Gentiles, was done by a Christian: whereas the rule of piety is, that those sins should not be so much as named amongst Christians, which are done by the Gentiles: Christians should not walk as other Gentiles do, because they know GOD, and are brought so near to GOD, as to be heirs, by hope, of the Kingdom of GOD: finally, they have as many ties laid upon the lusts of their flesh, as they have prerogatives vouchsafed to their bodies: whereas the Gentiles they know not GOD, theyare aliens from his covenant, yea they worship the Devil which is an impure Spirit, and therefore no such wonder if they be given over to filthy lusts: but Omne animi vitium tanto conspectius in se Crimen habet, quante maior, qui peccat, habetur. It is verily a pitiful case when sin groweth to that height in the children of GOD, Ezech. 16. as that juda justifieth Israel, and both justify Sodom: when Christians become worse than Heathens in their lives, and conversations. You that are the Penitent take this to heart, and measure the burden of your conscience thereby. The second amplification of the sin is, from the notoriousness thereof, it is commonly reported: the sin is so public, that it cannot be coloured, that it needeth no proof, all the world taketh notice of it. This is a fair ground of a censure: secret sins the Church doth not judge, it leaveth them to GOD, & to men's consciences: but notorious sins must not escape unpunished, they are ripe for judgement when their infamy draweth them to light. Cap. 20. Sins in general are called Works of darkness, but especially the sins of Incontinency: IO● observed it; and the more foul the Incontinency, the more closely useth it to be carried, and the more it feareth to be discovered. So that for a work of darkness to be notorious, argueth the impudency of the sinner: Esay 3. it was that for which GOD challenged Israel, They declare their sin like Sodom, they hide it not: shame and fear are both cast off, when sin hath an Harlot's forehead. Because you the Penitent have committed a grievous sin, and the cry thereof is come into the ears not of GOD only, but also of his Church, it was meet you should be made a penitential spectacle; meet that your sin should be not only expressed, but amplified also; and that in regard of the heinousness, and notoriousness thereof; otherwise we should deserve the blame which St PAUL layeth upon the Corinthians that did neglect to censure the Incestuous person in their Church. Of their neglect in censuring such an offendor, let us see first the cause, and then their fault; the cause was first too much selfe-conceipt, they were puffed up. Instatio is presumptae, either innocertiae, or scientiae; men are puffed up with a presumption either of their own holiness as the Pharisee, I thank God I am not like unto other men, etc. or of their gifts of edification, as here the Corinthians, which you perceive by former Chapters. The first kind of presumption maketh men too forward unto separation; overweening of holiness will bid men stand farther off, I am more holy than thou; but overweening of other gifts is ambitious of followers, it will bear with all faults, so it may be admired. Certainly this puffing up breeds much confusion in the Church, our own times testify. But because that point is not to this Penitents case, I pass it over, only giving this note by the way, that none are more proud than they which know themselves least; they boast when they have cause to blush: yea, and GOD doth often permit grievous falls in them, or amongst them, to take down such vain men's pride. This first cause which I called selfe-conceipt bred another cause, which I called too little fellow feeling, they sorrowed not. Seldom shall you have a proud man compassionate, he is so taken up with the contemplation of his own worth, that he doth not heed other men's cases: no wonder therefore if he mourn not. But it beseems Christian piety to bewail other men's falls, First, because of our reference to them, they are members of the same body with us, and how should one member not feel the wound which is given to another? The mystical body of Christ ought not to be worse disposed, then is the natural body of man. Secondly, because of our danger from them; for at least their guilt toucheth us: a murderous hand maketh the whole man go for a murderer: and one wicked member of the Church, maketh all the Church go for guilty, until it have cleared itself, as we learn by the expiation of the unknown murder. Thirdly, there is a scandal that their sin bringeth upon all of their profession: GOD'S Name is blasphemed by it. And lastly, Iosu. 7. vengeance by the sin of one man cometh upon a whole Church: one ACHAN troubleth all Israel. jer. 9 These considerations should draw tears from every man's eyes, it should make us wish with JEREMY, that our heads were full of waters, and our eyes a fountain of tears. Ps. 11 9 Our eyes with david's, should gush out with rivers, because men keep not Gods Laws. Neither should private men only so lament, but the whole Church also: you have a pattern in the story of NABOTH: 1 King. 21. it was pretended that NABOTH blasphemed GOD, and the King, and thereupon the whole City proclaimed a Fast: the like we read Esdras 9 and 10 of a public lamentation for the sin of some of the people. These reasons and examples must work in us, and force us to weep for the grievous sin of a brother. We must weep: yet here we must not stop: not wèeping was the cause of the fault, but it was not the fault of the Corinthians: their fault was, as St PAUL telleth them, that they did not put away the incestuous person. Christians as they must be sorrowful to see grievous offenders, so must they be zealous for their chastisement, if they have sufficient power, and fair proof; otherwise they make the sin their own. But if so be the proof be not full, Ambr. or they have no lawful authority to chastife, than it is sufficient for them to mourn. I shall fall upon this point again when I come to the censure, therefore I will say no more of it here. Only I must put you that are the Penitent in mind, that if others must be so sorrowful for you, then must you be sorrowful for yourself: and you must be as careful to rid yourself of sin, as we must be to rid the Church of a sinner. But let us come at length to the Censure. St PAUL (as I told you) had a more quick ear, and a more feeling heart then the Corinthians had: he proveth it true, which elsewhere he affirmeth of himself, Who is weak; and I am not weak? Who is offended, and I burn not? ● Cor. 11. Yea he seems to disprove the common Proverb, Segnius irritant ammos dimissa per aures, quam quae sunt oculis commissa fidelibus: for what the Corinthians neglected having it in their eye, with that he was much disquieted, though he had notice of it only by his ear: and therefore doth he censure it, as appears in the last part of the Text, where you shall see, what the censure was, and whereunto it served. The censure is Excommunication; but it is expressed in very high, and fearful terms, it is called a delivery unto Satan. The words imply one thing, and express another; for Excommunication consisteth of two parts, a privative, and a positive: the privative is that which separateth from the Communion of Saints, and separation presupposeth a former Communion. The Article of our Creed teacheth us that there is a Communion of Saints: there is an inward and an outward communion: inward, by Faith, Hope, and Charity; outward, in the participation of sacred things, in the visible assembly. From the inward none is separated but by himself, falling from his Faith, Hope, and Charity; and so depriving himself of the bond of Union which is the Spirit of GOD. From the outward none should be separated except he first doth separate himself from the inward: and doth also manifest that separation to the scandal of others, and dishonour of Religion: The man that goeth so fare in separating himself by sin, the CHURCH must separate him by censure: jude 2 Thes. 3. 1 Cor. 5. We must hate the garment spotted with the Flesh. We must not keep company, we must not eat with those that are inordinate, we must not let the world think that Christianity doth allow of such sins. The Adversaries are apt enough to traduce us without a cause, how much more if there be a cause? The impurities of old Heretics were laid to the Christians in general; and now the Anabaptists, and Familists are made our stains: there may be some colour of casting such shame upon us if we endure such persons: therefore we must put them away from amongst us, they must undergo the privative part of Excommunication. Besides this privative part which is employed in the censure, because mentioned before, there is a positive part which is here expressed, it is the delivery unto Satan. The phrase hath in it some thing proper to an Apostle, and some thing common to all Bishops. It was proper to the Apostles, so to deliner unto Satan as that he should have power over the incestuous persons body to torment him: and such power the Apostles not only had, but executed, as appears in the stories of ELYMAS, ANANIAS, and SAPHIRA: They could strike men with death, they could possess them with, as well as dispossess them off foul Spirits: And of this power do many of the Fathers understand these words, and the like which we read, 1 Tim. 1. But besides this power, there is another common to all Bishops with the Apostles, which is to expose the Souls of those which are obstinate sinners, to the malice of the Prince of Darkness, by suspending them from the preservative against it, which is the visible Communion of Saints; for the invisible will not hold long, if the visible be justly withheld, because extra Ecclesiam non est salus: Satan reigneth and rageth in them, and on them that are excluded from the Communion of Saints. A word here to you the penitent; consider with yourself how bitter banishment it is to him that dwelleth in a goodly Country, hath a good house, fair possessions, and those well stocked and stored; yet he must part with all these: And hereby guess you at the evil of the privative part of Excommunication; for a Christian within the CHURCH is in the Kingdom of Heaven, he is of the Household of GOD, he is Owner of those green pastures, and waters of comfort which are mentioned, Psal. 23. he is provided plentifully of all ghostly food, and raiment: If the loss of those corporal things be grievous, how grievous must the loss of these spiritual be? And touching the positive part of the Excommunication, suppose that he that were banished were also put into the hands of a Tyrant, and he that hated him should be made Lord over him, should have power to use him as a Slave, and afflict him with tortures, you would think his case much more miserable; and yet is it not so miserable as his, which is delivered over to Satan, used by him only to serve filthy lusts, and daily to breed new matter for the vexation of his own Soul: yet this was to be the case of this incestuous Corinthian; And you deserve that it should have been your case, both of you being such impure persons, to whom should you be committed, but to the unclean Spirit? I go on. This censure which you have heard of, was inflicted by St PAUL, and the Acts of inflicting it are two, first, it is pronounced by himself judicially; and then he requireth that it be solemnly denounced by the Corinthians. First, touching his own judicial pronouncing, here is something remarkable in his person, for he was absent, and present; absent in body, present in Spirit. There is a moral rule contained in these words, and a miracle. The moral is this: distance of place doth not extinguish the relation that is between persons, though a King and his Subjects, a Master and his Servant, a Husband and his Wife, a Father and his Child be fare a sunder, yet may they give order one to another concerning their affairs; so may a Pastor to his CHURCH. Especially an Apostle might, who wheresoever he were, was never out of his Diocese, for his Diocese reached over all the world, and so St PAUL being at Ephesus in Asia, was in regard of his relation at Corinth also, which is in Europe; thus was he present even when he was absent. These words contain also a miracle, Papae quanta est virtus doni? (saith St CHRYSOSTOME) What a strange gift of the Spirit was this? which maketh men that are a sunder to be together, and informeth men of those things which are done a fare off? so that none of his Diocese could any where be out of his reach. Such an assistance of the Spirit had ELIZEUS, 2 King. 5. & 8 who being in Israel could tell what was done in the King of Syria's bedchamber, and being in his own chamber, saw GEHEZI take bribes of NAAMAN when he was fare out of his sight. Such a gift had St PAUL, and thereby could be present where he was absent, as he speaketh here: and he tells the Colossians, Cap. 2. that when he was absent, yet he did he hold their order, and steadfastness of their faith in Christ; as his knowledge, so also his power reached to any distance for the punishing of offenders. This being observed concerning his person, we are now to see his work; he doth pronounce judicially, I have judged already. Where we must first observe that when jurisdictions are subordinate, if the inferior be careless, the superior must take cognizance of the disorder, and supply the others negligence, otherwise Churches, and Commonweals will come to confusion: this is the course that St PAUL taketh in his place. Secondly, the word judging doth import that he did not deal passionately, or rashly, but advisedly, and as beseemed a judge, he tried the cause by the Law of GOD, and doomed not, what he found not forbidden therein. And indeed, Apud Deum non sacerdotis sententia, sed reorum vita quaeritur, there must be some general Law which men are bound to obey, and men's lives must be tried by that Law, and as they are found, so they must be censured otherwise GOD doth not regard, he doth not approve the censure. Last of all mark that St PAUL doth not only say, I have judged, but I have judged already; he doth not put off his judgement until he cometh to Corinth, but proceeds without delay: you shall find the reason in the Preacher, cap. 8. Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil: a timely chastisement of one, is a sovereign preservative of many. You have heard how judicially St PAUL pronounced the sentence, the next thing that you must hear, is, that he requires the Corinthians to denounce it solemnly: he will that they have a hand in it, partly to redeem their negligence, and partly to express their detestation of sin: in both respects it was behooveful that they should denounce what he had decreed, denounce it by the mouths of their Pastors: as what is decreed by us in the Consistory, is published by the Minister of the Parish where the sinner dwelleth whom our Decrees concern. But to denounce is not enough, they must denounce it solemnly. First in regard of the place, it must be done in the face of the CHURCH, You being gathered together, and my spirit with you; that is, in the presence of the chief Pastor, and all his Flock at Corinth: Notorietas facti must have notorietatem iuris; Deut. 29. a public sin must have a public doom, that others may behold and beware. But this is done, tantum conscia Ecclesia, the Congregation is but witness to the doom, not judge of the fact: the power of the Keys is given to the CHURCH quoad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, not quoad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that it may have the benefit of them, not the managing: the managing is committed only to the Pastor, as appears, Math. 16. and joh. 20. As the denouncing must be solemn in place, so must it be in proceeding also; for they must proceed cum potestate, & potenti â, with the Authority, and Efficacy of our Lord JESUS CHRIST. St PAUL doth pronounce, the Corinthians do denounce; neither of them must arrogate more to himself then is committed to him; in regard of Authority they are but Delegates, in regard of Efficacy they are but Instruments of CHRIST: he is the Author, and Actor of the Censure, so that the proceeding must not be in man's name, or with man's power, but in the Name of our Lord jesus Christ, and with the Power of our Lord jesus Christ. This maketh the proceeding to be solemn in deed: CHRIST is present at it, his Commission is our warrant, and his cooperation maketh good our censure. Whose soever sins ye remit, Iohn ●●. they are remitted unto them, and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained. Whatsoever ye bind on Earth, it shall be bound in Heaven. So that we must do all ad nutum summi Pastoris, as we are directed and authorized by the chief Pastor. And you that are the Penitent must hear, and fear the sentence, as if it came from CHRIST's own mouth, and were to be performed by CHRIST's own hand. Put all the parts of the censure together; and you will confess that it is horrendum iudicium, for you must set before your eyes, Heaven and Hell, the blessed state of those that are in the one, the woeful state of those that are in the other: then behold a man taken out of the bliss of the one, and thrown into the woe of the other, by an Apostle, and in the presence of all the Saints; nay by CHRIST himself, by his voice, by his hands: you must suppose that all this is done. Contra Aduer. sarium legis. Lib. 1. cap. 17. St AUSTIN when he considered it, thought it was gravius quam gladio feriri, etc. much more grievous then to be beheaded, burned, stoned, etc. Many evidences there are of GOD'S severity against impure lusts, Deut. 23. as namely, he would not that a bastard should come into the Congregation of Israel, until the tenth Generation; but against Incest he is more severe, Deut. 271 for he would not only have a general curse pronounced against it, whereunto he commanded all the people to say, Amen: but touching the Moabites and Ammonites, the first spawn of Incest that we find in the Scripture, though they were the posterity of LOT, whom GOD loved for AERAHAM's sake: Deut 23. yet doth he command that they shall not enter into the Congregation of Israel for ever: Israel is forbidden to seek their peace at any time. REUBEN is a second example, mark what his own Father JACOB said of him when he blest the Patriarches, Reuben thou art my first borne, my might, Gen. 49. the beginning of my strength, the excellency of digni●●●, and the excellency of power; these were the preeminences of his birthright, but he forfeited them all for Incest, as appears in the very next words of his Father, Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel, because thou wentest up to thy Father's bed: then defiledst thou it. He went up into my couch. A third example is ABSALON, he abused his Father's Concubines, therefore he came to an infamous end; he was hanged by the hair of his own head, he died childless, and so his name did rot. Leu. 8. The Land of Canaan spewed out the old Inhabitants for Incest, and GOD threatneth the destruction of Israel for that a man and his son would go in to one maid. Amos 2. By GOD'S Law no less than death was the punishment of Incest. Leu. 10. The Laws of the Land are more merciful unto you the Penitent, that suffer you to breathe, and leave you to the censure of the CHURCH. But if you mind what you have heard touching that censure, and drink in St AUSTINS conceit thereof, you shall find cause enough to fear: and freedom from death may seem unto you worse than death. But yet your case is not desperate: for there yet remains one point in the Text, which may yield a mitigation to your fears, and a consolation to your Soul. The censure is not mortal, but medicinal, as appears in the end whereunto the censure serves. Now a medicine, you know, doth first pain, than it doth ease; yea, it doth therefore pain, that it may ease: so doth this ghostly censure, it serves for the destruction of the flesh, there is the pain; but there followeth ease upon it, the spirit sha● be saved. First of the pain. As the flesh signifieth sometimes the substance, sometimes the corruption of the outward man: so may the destruction signify either the mortality, or the mortification thereof: mortality, if the censure proceed from the power which is proper to an Apostle: but if it signify the power which is common to Bishops with the Apostles, it noteth mortification, it signifieth the crucifying of the flesh with the lusts thereof, the putting off the old man, and the dying unto sin. And indeed this we intent by our Ecclesiastical censures, We intent that you should root out the sin for which you do penance, and so destroy your flesh. This is painful to flesh and blood, but ut valeas multa dolenda feres, you must brook the pain, that you may enjoy the ease that followeth thereupon, the spirit shall be saved. The spirit noteth the soul, or the grace thereof, the saving of the soul, is the preserving of grace therein: if the soul lose grace, it looseth itself in regard of all well-being: and it were much better for it not to be at all, then to be without grace; so that the salvation of our spirit is no small part of our happiness. Which must the rather be esteemed, because if our spirit far well, it will make even the flesh that is destroyed in regard of the corruption to be fare better in regard of the substance: for it shall be purged from dead works to serve the living GOD. But when shall we reap this eas● out of pain? In the day of our Lord jesus Christ. Though a peniten even in this life shall find some case in his Conscience, yet the full benefit of Ecclesiastical censure is reserved to the day of the Lord: because all this life we must be mortifying our flesh, especially, enormous sinners must be so employed; the greatest of their ease in this world must have a mixture of pain, but in the day of the Lord they shall have ease without all delay. But what day of the Lord is meant here? Every man's particular day of death? or the general doom's day? An account must be made at both; and if we use the Ecclesiastical censure well, we shall find that this judgement prevents that; this temporal the eternal. For as CHRIST at his first coming, came not to destroy, but to save; so his Ministers that dispense the Gospel, use their power not to destruction, but to edification. But I think the day of the Lord signifieth properly the last day: CHRIST will publicly manifest before the CHURCH triumphant the effect of the Keys which he hath committed to his Ministers to be exercised publicly in the CHURCH militant: he will then reveal how all stand bound in Heaven which were never loosed on Earth: and all whom the CHURCH hath loosed in Earth, shall then appear to be loosed in Heaven. I end. The success which St PAUL had when he inflicted this sentence was, that the Corinthians became very sensible of their fault, and the Incestuous person of his; St PAUL himself doth witness this, 2 Cor. 7. where he amplifieth both their godly sorrows, and his congratulating indulgence towards them both. Oh that like success might bless my pains, that I may give as good a testimony to this Congregation for their hatred of sin, as St PAUL gave to the Corinthians: and to this Penitent the like mitigation of his Censure, as St PAUL to that Incestuous person. So may this penitential sheet of his be turned into a white robe of righteousness, his tears into joy: and all we that are humbled for him in the Church militant, be with him exalted in the Church triumphant. Amen. A SERMON PREACHED IN THE CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF WELLS, AT WHAT TIME TWO DID PENANCE FOR INCEST A MAN AND HIS WIFE'S DAUGHTER. LEVIT. 20. VERSE 14. Likewise if a man taketh a wife, and her mother, this is wickedness: they shall burn him and them with fire, and there shall be no wickedness amongst you. NO sooner do you hear this Text, but I am ure you understand this spectacle, you understand what sinners these persons are, what doom this Law doth pass upon them. And indeed, their sin, and God's doom are the main parts of my Text. But more distinctly. In the sin we must note, first, the fact, than the heinousness thereof. The fact is, unnatural adultery; Adultery, because one man taketh more women than one; that is plain adultery. And this adultery is unnatural, because there is the nearest reference between the women, the one a Mother, the other her Daughter: to take two such women is very unnatural; it is no less than Incest, Incest in the highest degree. Such is the fact. And verily such a fact is most heinous; it is wickedness. Wickedness is a common name to all sin, but it must here be understood in a special sense, for abominable, for intolerable wickedness. Now such as the sin is, such is the doom; the sin is heinous, and the doom is grievous. But in the doom take notice of two things: First, it is impartially severe; impartially doth GOD deal, he spareth neither man nor woman, neither him nor them. And he dealeth severely with them both, they shall burn him and them with fire; and you know fire is a painful tormenter, and an utter destroyer of that which it tormenteth. Great severity: and yet no greater than was necessary to keep the State from being guilty, that there be no wickedness amongst you. No wickedness: not absolutely none, that is impossible in this world; but no tantum nefas, (as the Vulgar expresseth the sense well) no heinous wickedness must be amongst you; amongst you, that is, suffered by you, which will make the State guilty, and provoke GOD'S wrath against it. You have the brief of my Text, which I purpose (GOD willing) to enlarge: GOD grant that what I shall say thereon, may make these Penitents truly sorrowful for their fault, and us that behold them, careful not to be overtaken with the like fall. Come we then to the particulars. But before I distinctly unfold them, I must in few words clear the phrases, wherein the fact is expressed. Observe then first, that to take a woman in this Law, is to uncover her nakedness (as MOSES expresseth himself, vers. 17. Cap. 18) or (as we commonly speak) to have carnal knowledge of her. Secondly, Isha in the Hebrew tongue signifieth as well a woman, as a wife: and therefore some translate it, if a man take a woman, some, if a man take a wise; It is not material which way you render it, because it is an undoubted truth, that whom a man may not marry with, he may not know carnally out of marriage; if he do, it is incest, no less Incest if he make her his strumpet, then if he took her to be his wife. Thirdly, It is all one for the daughter to be the wife, and the mother the strumpet, or for the mother to be the wife, and the daughter the strumpet, the Incest will ever be of the same degree, because the persons are both ways of the same nearness. I note these two last points the rather, because these Penitents may happily think they are not within the compass of my Text; whereas, if it be understood, as the truth is, and I have showed you, my Text speaketh directly of them, and the fact here mentioned is their fact. The fact is but one, but there are two sins in it, whereof the first is Adultery: it is adultery for one man to take more women than one. As GOD made but one EVE of one ADAM; so in marriage he coupled but one EVE to ADAM: and he coupled them so near, that they two should be one flesh, that is, that the man should not have power over his body, but the woman; nor the woman should have power over her body, but the man; and the observance of this is the keeping of Pactum jehovae, the Covenant of the Lord, which had accompanying it magnum benesicium, and magnum mysterium; a great blessing, for their seed was semen sanctum, a holy seed, and GOD promised to be the GOD of those children which were borne of such parents. The great mystery was, that living in such wedlock, they were a perpetual monument unto themselves, of the heavenly marriage of CHRIST and his CHURCH. Mark now, especially you that are Penitents, what the sin of Adultery is; First, It maketh them two again whom GOD made but one; for a man cannot be one with two women, because whose he is, he must be hers entirely; and he cannot be entirely more than one women: so that his first sin is, that he divideth that which is indivisible: I mean conjugal affection. Secondly, He bestoweth that which is none of his own: for his body in this respect is his wives, she only hath right unto it, and to this use of it. Thirdly, In breaking GOD'S Covenant of wedlock, he defraudeth his children of the covenant of grace. For, observe it in the story of ABRAHAM, he had children by two wives, SARA his first and his lawful wife, AGAR his second and unlawful wife; but what saith the Scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her child, Gala●. 4.30. for the child of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the child of the free woman. Besides the great mystery, you may there-hence gather this moral, that although GOD may out of his mercy receive that child whom the parents as much as lieth in them cast away; yet GOD'S covenant is made with the parent for no children but those that are begotten in lawful wedlock. Finally, Adulterers defraud themselves of that blessed memorial of CHRIST's eternal conjunction with his CHURCH, the contemplation whereof should be our greatest solace, seeing we have a blessed interest therein. There were evil enough in the fact, if it were only Adultery, seeing Adultery hath so manifold evil in it: but there is a greater sin, which is Incest; for the women are of very near reference, the one is a mother, the other is her daughter; nearer kin they cannot be; and being so near, it is unnatural that they should be known of the same man: he that knoweth them both, committeth Incest in the highest degree. But I will somewhat more open unto you the nature of Incest. Know then that GOD purposed by wedlock, not only to multiply mankind, but also to preserve charity. Natural charity is founded in Consanguinity; but consanguinity the farther it spreadeth, the more doth charity grow cold. To repair, and as it were quicken it, GOD instituted Affinity, which doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make domestics of strangers, and naturalising those that are foreigners to our stock. And indeed it is much like graffing: for as in that art, the Sien is taken from a sweet Cherie or Apple tree, and entered into another grown wild; for example, a Crabtree, or wild Cherie-tree; and art doth work as nature in making them one: so is it in Affinity, it maketh persons as near as nature itself doth; and charity out of this reunion should grow as strong as if the persons were of one blood; even as beams of the Sun, which growing weaker the farther they go, by reflection into themselves recover their former strength: so doth the charity of consanguinity when it is waning, wax again by the help of Affinity. Where by the way note, That whereas we call persons fathers-in-Law, mothers-in-Law, and so brothers and sisters, we must not understand it of mere positive Law, but it is a secundary Law of nature, unalterable, saving only by GOD; and this Law of GOD is grounded upon it, and affinity doth in some sort equal consanguinity, as grafted branches do those that are natural. But because, where consanguinity is a good ground of charity, there needeth no repair; neither will GOD have any: therefore hath he forbidden marriage within certain degrees, some collateral; more in the right line; and they that match within these degrees, are said to commit Incest. Add hereunto, that GOD would have a distinction kept between persons, he would not have the same person a Father and a Son, an Husband and a Brother, etc. in regard of the same persons; such perverseness in matches can never be approved of reason, much less of GOD. See then your fault, you that are the incestuous persons: you have first gone against GOD'S Ordinance, which provided for the propagating of charity, and your sin is injurious to the society of mankind; and, if it might prevail, Families must needs continue strangers each to the other, and they must confine their wealth and their love every one to their own House. Secondly, In confounding Consanguinity and Affinity, you have made a perverse confusion of a Father, and an Husband, and of a Daughter; you have made a Wife, at least a Strumpet. And this is your second sin: and of this and the former consisteth your sinful fact, and heinous sin. It is wickedness. Wickedness is a word common to all sins, but it must be here understood in a special sense, as the word sinner is often in the Scripture; in the Old Testament, the Amalekites those sinners; 1 Sam. 15.18. in the New Testament, the Gentiles are also called sinners; as also Publicans & Harlots: not so much because they had sin in them, as for that their sins were enormous. All Incontinency is wicked, but Incest is wicked 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the highest degree. But to open the word here used by the Holy Ghost a little more fully. The word is Zimmah, which signifieth any act of our mind, or thought of our heart; but because the thoughts of the imaginations of our hearts are commonly evil, therefore an evil thought, or purpose is often intimated unto us thereby. Thirdly, Because he that is a slave to his affections, can hardly be master of his actions; for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth will speak; therefore it signifieth a revealed thought, a thought revealed in our actions. Finally, the word being put without any limitation, doth signify an execrable, an intolerable wicked both thought, and act: and so it is here to be understood. But mark, that though the sin be an act, yet it is denominated from the thought; And why? The principal part thereof, lieth in the purpose of the heart, not in the outward performance by our body, which may also be observed in the story of the Deluge, all flesh had then corrupted his way, but GOD pointeth at the fountain of this corruption, in these words, Gou. 6. every imagination of the thoughts of man's heart were evil, Act. 8. and that continually. SIMON MAGUS offered money to the Apostles that he might by them be enabled to give the Holy Ghost to whom soever he laid his hands upon; but mark what St PETER saith to him; Pray that the thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee, for I perceive thou art in the gall of bitterness, and the bond of iniquity. Men that do that which is right in their own eyes, are commonly drawn thereunto by following the counsel of their own heart: we must therefore listen to the advice of SOLOMON, Pr●u. 4.23. Keep thy heart with all diligence: for out of it are the issues of life and death. A second note that this word doth yield, is, that we must be so fare from acting, that we must not so much as purpose sin, not suffer ourselves so fare to be baited by our own lusts, Athanas. as to conceive sin in the inward man, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, sin in the privy closet of our soul. Excellently NAZIANZENE to this purpose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, let no man set up Idols of wickedness in his soul, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor carry about him pictures of wickedness in his heart, for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the inward lust is the greatest part of fornication and incest, and therefore doth the Holy Ghost so often forbidden the lust of concupiscence. In a word, laudantur homines & vituperantur, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as men are inwardly disposed, so are they morally reputed, good or bad: and herein doth morality differ from policy. But I have not yet touched at the heinousness of this sin. Incest then must be reputed in the number of the most enormous sins, a sin that hath his original from the impure Spirit, which is antiquus adulter, the ancientest Adulterer, not only spiritual but corporal also, and taketh delight no less in the corruption of our bodies, then of our souls; you may see it in the confessions of sundry Witches, who report the manner of their festivity at their impious meetings, and read it in the description of their Mysteries, wherein they do initiate their followers. TERTULLIAN in his Apology, and other Fathers, make mention of it. And how many impure Heretics did he raise in the Primitive CHURCH? This, and the 18 Chapter doth tell us that the Egyptians from whom the Israelites came, and the Canaanites into whose Country they were to go, were Nations overgrown with this heinous sin; but mark what it addeth, God did detest them for it, and the Land did spew them out. And no marvel: ●ozomene. for it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man that is given over to this degree of lust, hath lost all sovereignty of reason, and is become a very beast, yea worse than a beast; for beasts abhor this conjunction, as heretofore upon a like occasion I shown you out of ARISTOTLE. And therefore although these extravagant lusts did reign in the Heathen, who learned them of their impure gods, yet was not the light of reason so fare exstinguished in all of them, Ouid. but that many acknowledged the heinousness of them, the Poet did; Dira canam, procul hinc natae, procul este parents, said one of them, Labernele 8. De Legibus. when he was to speak of a Daughters lying with her own Father: The Philosophers did; PLATO saith that by an inward unwritten Law, the sacred Law of Conscience, men do abhor these unnatural mixtures of mankind. The Civil Law calleth it a funestation of a man's self, and indeed, the persons are dead in sins and trespasses that make such a conjunction. And how can that be but abominable in GOD'S judgement, which the blind reason of unregenerate man hath acknowledged to be so abominable? I will conclude this point with two aggravations of the sin, which arise from the persons of these offenders: The man is a Father, and a father should be a good example to his children, and by his authority should hold them in, when they would run riot; if he do not, he offends grievously: How grievously then doth that father offend, which giveth an ill example to his child? Allureth her to such detestable sin? Yea, doth act the sin with her? If Incest be of itself heinous, your fatherhood maketh it much more heinous. And as for you that are the daughter, no small access is made unto your sin by being the daughter of your mother; for sins are improved by their persons that act them. If it had been an enemy that had done me this wrong, I could have borne it (saith DAVID) but it was thou my familiar friend, etc. Whosoever had wronged your mother's bed it had been a wickedness, but to be thus wronged by her own daughter, wherein it is hard to say, whether she have more cause to lament in regard of her own, or of your person, it cannot but add much to your sin. These things should you that are the Penitents take to heart, and add them to the measure of your sin, for of heinous, they make it much more heinous. I pass at length from the sin to the doom, giving you by the way this note, That GOD addeth dooms to sins, grievous dooms to heinous sins, that we may be held in by the fear of the one, when we would not forbear upon the fight of the other; for such is our weakness, that though a sin be represented unto us as most ugly, most odious, yet sensuality doth so prevail, that we are carried away with the pleasure, without any regard of the filthiness thereof: if any thing stay or stagger us herein, it must be pain, which often maketh us to bethink ourselves, and take heed when we are even ready to rush into sin. But touching the doom here in my Text, we must first take notice that there is no respect of persons with God, both must be punished, the man and the woman, and punished alike. You would think that the case of the one were more favourable than the other, the Temptedst more favourable than the Temptors: The daughter may plead the power which her father had over her, whom she durst not resist, and thereby seem to deserve favour. But this is no Plea at GOD'S Bar; for children must remember, that they have an heavenly, as well as an earthly Father, and that they may not offend the one to pleasure the other. A second thing observable in the Doom, is, that both the women are subjected to the same punishment, which may seem very rigorous: For what hath the lawful wife deserved? Therefore some understand the words by a Synecdoche, and by the women understand either of them that shall be found guilty, whether it be the mother that defileth the daughter's bed, or the daughter that defileth the mother's bed. But it may be that both may well deserve death: If the mother be the wife, and consent that her daughter should go in to her father, or if the daughter be the wife, and consent that her mother should go in to her husband; such consent, yea if it be but connivency, and patience, it is abominable wickedness. How fare the mother was privy to this daughter's sin, I know not, but if she were in any sort, she deserveth to be punished no less than her child: and the child with the father are to be punished most severely, they are to be burnt with fire. And here consider first, how well the doom is fitted to the sin; the doom is fire, and so is the sin also. If I have been deceived by a woman (saith JOB) this were a fire that would burn to destruction: Cap. 31. Prou. 6. And SOLOMON speaking of adultery, moveth this question, Can a man take fire in his bosom and not be burnt? He that is a fornicator in the body of his flesh (saith the son of SYRACH) will not cease till he have kindled a fire. Cap. 23. 1 Cor. 7.9. Finally, St PAUL giveth this rule, It is better to marry then to burn, burn in the lust of Incontinency. Seeing then this lust is a fire, GOD doth punish a sire with a sire, a sinful with a painful fire. But the jewish Rabbins, or Antiquaries do observe that the jews had two kinds of burning of malefactors; one was by opening their mouths, and pouring in molten Lead; this was called Combustio animae saluo corpore, it took away the life of the party, and yet left no mark of the fire in the outward lineaments of his body: The other, was by laying of fuel round about the body, which set on fire, did presently consume it into ashes, and is the burning meant here in my Text, for it saith they should be burnt with fire. And indeed this kind of burning of Incontinent persons is very ancient. Gen. 3●. Before the giving of MOSES Law, JUDAH would have practised it upon his daughter in Law TAMAR: The Prophet MICAH alludeth hereunto in his first Chapter, and EZEKIEL in his 16. St JOHN in his Revelations speaking of the Whore of Babylon, Cap. 17. & 18. prophesieth that she shall perish by fire: So that fire seemeth to have been the punishment of Whores, not only if she were the Priest's daughter, but whosoever she were; the allusion else would not be so frequent. And yet we read that adulterers were to be stoned to death; whether after stoning, they were also burnt, is worth the inquiry, for sometimes they were both practised upon the same malefactors, as it is clear in the story of ACHAN. In the former degree of Incontinency specified before my Text, the Holy Ghost is silent, and doth not specify any particular kind of punishment, by means whereof Interpreters doubt what punishment was to be inflicted: Some conceive that stoning, mentioned in the beginning of the Chapter must be extended to all that follow; the jews they limit it thus, where the Law saith, they shall dye the death and their blood shall be upon them, there stoning is meant, but if it be only they shall dye the death, than the party was to be strangled. But I will not trouble you with these Antiquities: only this I will observe unto you, that the specifying of a particular punishment here, and not in the former degree of Incontinency, may well import some extraordinary heinousness in this sin; especially if you consider the sharpness thereof, they shall be burnt with fire. Vivi comburentur (saith the Vulgar) they shall be burnt alive; now you know that fire is a bitter tormenter, and an utter consumer, it afflicteth extremely while the party liveth, and it utterly abolisheth the being of the body, together with the life; both which prove the punishment to be very sharp, very severe, it giveth no rest while we are, and abolisheth us as if we never had been. But this was a politic Law of MOSES: what is that to us? We have no such Law, and that Law doth not bind our State: True, it doth not; and happy is it for you that are the Penitents that it doth not; you should not be here to do penance if you had such doom as GOD'S Law requireth; you are therefore bound to thank GOD for the clemency of the State, and make good use of this time of grace; remembering that though you scape the corporal fire, there is another fire which you have cause to fear, which St JUDAS telleth us was figured out in the perpetual burning of Sodom and Gomorrha, the fire of Hell; and assure yourselves, that if the Land of Canaan spewed out those impure persons, Heaven will receive no such; and if they that transgressed MOSES Law perished civilly without all mercy, most woeful shall their destruction be that are reserved for that fire which shall devour the adversaries; the fire of Hell. You shall do well therefore to quench that fire before you come at it, and there are three waters with which you must quench it: The first is the water of your tears, you must imitate King DAVID, who all the night long washed his bed, & watered his couch with his tears; there he sinned, and there he bathed himself: so must you. But man's tears are too weak a water to wash away either the guilt or stain of sin, which are the fuel of that fire, you must therefore moreover use two other waters, the water of CHRIST'S blood to wash away the guilt, and the water of his Spirit, to purge out the corruption of your sin. If you make good use of these three waters, that fire will never seize on you: otherwise assure yourselves, that though we spare you, GOD will not spare you, he will one day punish you most severely. And it were good, that our Law did not spare so much as it doth, considering the growth and overspreading of impurity: It were to be wished that our temporal Sword did strike as deep as the Sword of MOSES did; it may when it pleaseth the State, and it shall not do it without example of other countries'. Or if that may not be obtained, at least it were to be wished that the old Canons of the CHURCH were revived, and ghostly discipline exercised more severely: for certainly the scandal is great which such sins bring upon the CHURCH: and they that slander us without a cause, when they have just cause, how will they open their mouths against us? Our care then should be to stop their mouths, but principally we should provide that there be no wickedness amongst us, which is the end of the doom, and the last point of my Text. I will touch it briefly. The judgement was severe, but it was necessary. Necessary for the State, which is, to preserve itself free from guilt, there must no wickedness be amongst you. No wickedness: that is impossible in this world, for vivitur non cum perfectis hominibus, they that have most of the Spirit, have somewhat of the Flesh, and the Field of GOD till harvest, will have Tares as well as good Ears, and the good ears will have chaff as well as good grain, and the good grain will have bran as well as flower. We may not look then for any State wherein there is no wickedness. The Law therefore requireth only that there be Nullum scelus, no heinous wickeduesse, no tantum scelus (as the Vulgar speaketh) enormous transgressions, there must be no crying sins; the State must have a vigilant eye upon such sins, and execute vengeance upon notorious sinners, they must not be amongst us. But they will; the Serpent will be in Paradise, yea Lucifer was in Heaven, the Ark had a CHAM, and amongst CHRIST'S Disciples there was a JUDAS: Be then they will amongst us. But the meaning of the Law is, they must not be endured by us, they must not scape unpunished; if they do, they will prove contagious: such sins are like fretting Gangreenes, they are like unto Leaven, they infect all about them; and if they do not infect, they will make guilty; and for sparing such a one, GOD will not spare a whole State. And there is good reason: for Qui non vetat, cum potest iubet; GOD taketh them for abettors, that will not when they may reform inordinate livers. Therefore the State must put away from amongst them such inordinate livers. 1 Cor. 5. Jerusalem below must, as near as may be, be like unto Jerusalem above; Apoc. 22. of that above, St JOHN saith, Extracanes & impudici, no unclean person cometh thither, neither must any be endured here: so soon as they appear, they must be made expiatory Sacrifices, and their death must free the State from guilt. But I draw to an end. A word to you that are the Malefactors. Origen. Ad paenitentiae remedium confugite, qui praeventi estis tam gravi peccato, Seeing you have been overtaken with so foul a fault, neglect not the remedy which GOD hath left you, hearty and unfeigned repentance for your sin; the rather because you have to do with a most merciful judge, who doth not only moderate the punishment, but commute it also; commute the punishment which you should suffer in Hell, with a punishment which the CHURCH inflicteth here on Earth. Consider the quality, consider the quantity of these different punishments, and you will confess, that it is a most merciful commutation. Cast then your eyes back, and consider what you have done, how heinous your offence hath been; and cast your eyes forwards likewise, and consider what you have deserved, how great a danger you have incurred by enjoying a short and beastly pleasure: Think upon both these often, and think upon them seriously; so shall you yield GOD the greater glory for the mercy which he vouchsafeth you, and he shall work the greater comfort in your souls, by assuring you of the remission of that sin wherewith you have so greatly provoked him. And to us all, this I say; Eligamus priùs affectus castigare, quàm propter ipsos castigemur, Let us pluck out our eyes, cut off our hands, rather than, by retaining them, to be cast into Hell-fire: Let this spectacle remember us often to set before us the shame of the world, and the horror of a guilty conscience, which befall enormous sinners in this life. And if that will not hold in our corrupt nature; let us set before us the neverdying Worm, the everburning Fire. Or rather, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Let us begin here our life in chastity, Nazian. that we may one day be in the number of those Virgins that follow the Lamb whether soever he goeth. Reuel. 14. And let Magistrates and Ministers both be jealous over the State with a godly jealousy; that as by the Ministry of the Word and Sacraments it is espoused to one Husband; 2 Cor. 11. so it may be presented as a chaste Virgin unto CHRIST, when those heavenly Nuptials shall be solemnised, wherein standeth our everlasting happiness. This God grant, for Jesus Christ's sake, by the operation of the Holy Spirit. To which one God in three Persons be rendered all honour and glory now and for ever, Amen. Marriage is honourable amongst all men, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge. A SERMON PREACHED IN THE CATHE DRAL CHURCH OF WELLS, AT WHAT TIME FOUR PERSONS DID PENANCE FOR INCEST. COMMITTED BY ONE MAN WITH HIS WIFE'S DAUGHTER, BY THE OTHER MAN WITH HIS WIFE'S SISTER. DEUT. 27. VERSE 22, 23. 22 Cursed is he that lieth with his sister, the daughter of his father, or the daughter of his mother: and all the people shall say, Amen. 23 Cursed is he that lieth with his mother-in-law: and all the people shall say, Amen. WHEN GOD had delivered the Children of Israel out of Egypt, he was pleased to enter into a Covenant with them at Mount Sinai; the manner of it is set down, Exod. 24. But the Israelites quickly broke with GOD, and GOD entered into judgement with them, he made them for the space of forty years to wander in the Wilderness, and in that space he so consumed them, that of 600000 men remained alive only JOSVA and CALEB. After so long displeasure, GOD returned again in mercy to them, he vouchsafed to have his Covenant renewed again; the form of the renewing he prescribeth in this 27 of Deut. A most solemn form; for therein were to concur three remarkable acts. First, The Law was to be fairly written upon great plastered Stones, that the people beforehand might see whereunto they were to bind themselves, for GOD would have them enter into his Covenant advisedly. Secondly, there was an Altar to be erected, and thereon they were to offer whole burnt offerings and sacrifices of thanksgiving, which were to be real acknowledgements that they did wholly devote themselves to GOD, and give thankes, for that GOD of his goodness would again renew his Covenant: GOD would have them enter into his Covenant religiously. Thirdly, GOD commanded that the twelve Tribes should sort themselves into two divisions, six should stand upon the descent of Mount Gerezzim, and six upon the descent of Mount Ebal, both divisions with their faces towards the mid Valley, where the Ark of GOD, the Type of his visible residence amongst the Israelites was borne up by the Priests. In this Theatre (as it were) did GOD require that the Israelites should hear the Articles of Agreement between GOD, and them, both blessings, and cursings, and profess their conformity thereunto. GOD would have them profess themselves party to his Covenant openly, in the sight both of GOD and Men. In this third act, you shall find a rehearfall of sins, first in particular, than in general, and a doom pronounced against the committers of those sins, both by Priest, and People. Of the particular sins, my Text specifieth two, and specifieth withal the doom that belongeth to either of them. The sins are unlawful matches; one collateral, a brothers lying with his sister; and because a woman may be sister more ways than one, here is an exegesis, the word is expounded, whether she be daughter of the man's father, or daughter of his mother. The second unlawful match is in the right line, a man's lying with his mother-in law. Of these matches, you have these penitent spectacles here presented before you. The Text goeth on, and tells these Penitents, and whosoever else shall presume to be like unto them, what is their doom, it is set down in one word, but that is a sharp one, they are cursed. But farther observe concerning this doom, who doth pronounce it, and who doth approve it. They that pronounce it are the Levites, so we read verse 14, and they are willed to pronounce it with an audible voice, so audible that all Israel may hear. They that approve it, are the people, they are required to say, Amen, in token that they all assent to that which they hear, all the people must say, Amen. You have the brief of my Text, I purpose (GOD willing) now to enlarge it, I pray GOD I may so do it, as that we that stand may take heed lest we fall, and these that are fallen may learn to rise again. I begin with the sin, wherein we are first to make you see that the Text doth fit this occasion: For neither of the matches therein specified seemeth to agree with theirs that are under the present Censure. Not the collateral, for my Text speaketh of a sister by consanguinity, and these Penitents were brother and sister only by affinity: not that in the right line, for my Text speaketh of a man's lying with his mother in-Law, or his wife's mother, but this man here, is censured for lying with his wife's daughter. And so you may think that neither of these couples come within the compass of my Text, and therefore are neither of them guilty of the sin, neither need fear the doom. To take away this doubt, you must take notice of two rules in Divinity. The first is, that affinity makes persons as near in the Law, as consanguinity doth. The reason whereof is plain: Affinity is grounded upon marriage, and by marriage two become one flesh, and consequently their kinted whether ascendent, or descendent, or collateral, become alike near on each side to the other: Your wife's father, and mother, brethren and sisters, sons and daughters, are unto you by her, as near as if they were of your own blood. This being true, you perceive that it was no less unlawful for this man to couple with his wife's sister, then with his own sister, the daughter of his father, or the daughter of his mother. The other rule is, That more than is expressed in GOD'S Law is to be understood, when by analogy it may fairly be deduced therefrom. GOD himself is our direction to take notice of such analogy; for if you compare this Chapter with the 18 of Levit. you shall find that this very instance of a man lying with his mother-in-law, which is mentioned here, is omitted there: whereupon you may well conclude, that some particulars which GOD forbids are not named in the Letter, though they are within the meaning of the Law: and that the meaning is as wide as analogy will suffer. I will show you in a word, what this analogy is, it is, that persons which are not forbidden expressly, and in the letter of the Law, are there forbidden implicitly, and in the meaning of the Law, where others in the same distance of Consanguinity or Affinity are expressly forbidden. As for example; the Law forbids expressly a nephew to marry with his aunt, it saith nothing of an uncles marrying with his niece: yet these being as near in degree as the other, we may of them reasonably conclude, that they also are forbidden in the meaning of the Law: the exception of the Romanists is frivolous. To our purpose; by the letter of my Text, a man may not marry with his mother-in-law, which may be either his wife's mother, or his father's wife: if not with his mother-in-law, which is his father's wife, then in the meaning of the Text, he may not marry with his wife's daughter, because these women are equally distant from him, the one in the first degree of the right line ascending, the other in the first degree of the right line descending: for his father's wife is accounted as near to him as his own father, and his wife's daughter as near as his own daughter by the first rule. Secondly, if according to the letter, a man may not marry with his mother-in-law, that is his wife's mother, than likewise may he not marry with his wife's daughter according to the meaning of the Text: for these women also are equally distant from him, his wife's mother being from his wife (and consequently by the first rule from him) in the first degree of the right line ascending, his wife's daughter in the first degree of the right line descending. Thus have I brought the second couple also within my Text by the foresaid rules. You may see that this couple is also within the very letter of the Law, Levit. 18.17. What I have said concerning the unlawful conjunctions of these couples, holds true as well out of marriage, as in it: yea if they may not marry, much less may they loosely join together. Having found that both these couples are the subject of my Text, it followeth that I now show you that they are guilty of sin. To make this clear, observe that quadam sunt mala quia prohibita, some things are morally evil, because GOD hath forbidden them: so was the eating of the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil, there was no ill in the Tree, for all that GOD made was good, very good; only GOD was pleased to exercise man's obedience in forbearing therefrom. Were there nothing else in these matches, but that GOD hath forbidden them, it were a sin for any one to venture upon them, because we own absolute obedience to GOD'S commands; and if he require we must forbear from those which otherwise are good things. You that are the Penitents must acknowledge this for the first degree of your sin, that you have failed in your absolute obedience to GOD'S commands. But your sin is yet greater, for there are some things prohibita quia mala, therefore forbidden because they are moral evils, either absolutely, or at least in reference to some good, for the compassing whereof they are commanded. Look upon your ten Commandments, therein I will give you an instance of either. GOD saith, Thou shalt have no other Gods but me; it is absolutely evil to go against this Commandment, therefore it admits no dispensation, it can never be done without an heinous offence. Likewise GOD saith, Honour thy father and thy mother; now if this Commandment be broken, an evil is committed, which frustrates the end whereat GOD aimed in this Commandment: sc. by subordination of persons to preserve good order in all societies. And this Commandment is dispensable when the breach of it serveth to a higher end; so LEVI said to his father and to his mother, I have not seen him, neither did he acknowledge his brethren, Deut 33. nor knew his own children: for they have observed thy word, and kept thy Covenant. To apply this distinction; of unlawful matches, those in the right line seem to partake of that kind of evil which is absolutely so; the prohibitions concerning them are indispensable. Though BEILARMINE seemeth to doubt of the extent of the Axiom, prohibetur ininfinitum coniunctio inter ascendentes, & descendentes, and the Rabbins go not so fare as we do: yet certainly, there is no instance to be given, that ever GOD did dispense with matches in this kind. We have many monuments of his detestation of them, which upon like occasion I have remembered unto you. Whence appeareth the heinousness of your sin that hath lain with your daughter, which is much improved by your wicked attempts to marry with her. Wherein you have heaped upon it three foul sins. First Bribery, by which you have unlawfully procured sureties to engage themselves in deep sums that there was no lawful impediment of your match. The second sin is Perjury, to gain a Licence, you deceived the Court with a false Oath. The third is Blasphemy, for whereas it is GOD that joineth persons in marriage, you would have had the Minister that representeth GOD to have joined you together flat against GOD'S command: there is not the least of these accessories which doth not highly improve your principal sin, and make you to be most sinful. A less burden than this you must not feel upon your Conscience. And your daughter must take upon herself so much guilt, as is common to you both. As for you that have lain together, brother and sister, your sin cometh within the compass of that evil prohibited, which though it be not absolutely such, yet is it evil in reference to that end which God would compass by the prohibition: and that is twofold. First, God would have men show themselves reasonable, in that they can set bounds unto their natural lusts; which appears in nothing more than in this point of conjunction, wherein lust is most hardly held in, and therefore is the holding of it in, a special argument of the sovereignty of reason. The holding it in (at least) within those moderate bounds which God hath set to it. A second end of the prohibition, is the enlarging of our charity, which is not done so kindly, nor can be done so universally as by matches; witness the practice of all the world. Therefore hath God forbidden the conjunction of those that are already by Consanguinity or Affinity made near, that while we are driven to seek farther, our charity might spread itself. And although your match is not so evil but that God hath by dispensation allowed it in some persons (because the thing is not absolutely evil, but evil in opposition to the end which he purposeth in his Commandment; which being sufficiently provided for, God is not farther tied by his own Counsel) yet is it very evil, for that you have let lose the raines to your own lusts, contrary to God's restraint, and have straitened the bounds of charity, contrary to God's extent, which are two soul offences. For in the first you derogate from the sovereignty of reason, and show yourselves therein brutish, and not to have any command of your lust. In the second you are enemies to humane society, in that you care so little for the advancement of that by which it doth principally subsist, I mean Charity. And these faults are the more grievous in that you are Christians, for it is a grievous thing for him to be less, that should be more than a man; and for his charity to be narrower than is required by reason, which should be as wide as true Religion doth prescribe. Lay this burden upon your consciences, and let the sense of these evils yield you the true weight of your guilt, and sin. It is disputed by those that favour licentiousness, and make merchandise of good manners, Whether the prohibitions in Leviticus be a part of MOSES judicials, and so determined with the policy of the jews: or part of his Morals, that aught to bind all Nations, and that in all Ages. They cannot deny but the prohibition of some degrees is juris naturalis, and therefore forcible to bind others besides the jews. But that the prohibition of some other is not so, they think; First, because God hath dispensed with the Collateral degrees, which he could not do, if they were juris naturalis. The ignorance of the distinction which before I gave you of evil absolutely, and evil in reference unto God's end maketh them so think. For God may dispense with the latter evil, with the former he cannot, except he will deny himself. Another argument of their conceit they draw from examples of the Patriarches, that have made such matches, and have not been reproved. But vivendum est non exemplis, sed legibus, their examples show the permissive, not the preceptive will of God, but we must live by the preceptive, not by the permissive; otherwise we shall make the Patriarches patrons of all kind of sins. Wherefore in this point I resolve, non est distinguendum ubi Lex non distinguit: all must be conceived as juris naturalis, where the Law exempts none. And that all are so, I prove by this reason taken out of the 18 of Levit. God saith there, that the sins for which the Land spewed out the Canaanites, amongst others were these, unlawful matches: to the Canaanites these matches had been no sins, if they be sins only by the judicial Law of MOSES: for the Canaanites were not tied to that Law, and therefore did not sin in transgressing it: it was some other Law that made them guilty; and what could that be but the Law of Nature? Add hereunto, that in the Civil Law you shall find the same sins forbidden, even before the Roman State was Christian. Forbidden therefore out of the light of natural reason, which is the Law of Nature. It is no impeachment to this truth that in the 20 Chapter of Levit. these sins have a civil sanction annexed to the Law which forbiddeth them: for Theft is in the 20 of Exodus forbidden by the moral Law, and in the 21 Chapter is punished by a politic Law: so in the 20 of Leutie. these matches are punished by a politic Law which in the 18 are forbidden by a Moral. Let therefore the CHURCH of Rome to multiply her gainful dispensations; let carnal persons to excuse their unruly lusts, pretend that many of these prohibited matches, are restrained only by MOSES his judicial Law, and are free for Christians: yet all the authorities and seeming reasons wherewith they labour to maintain this their conceit, will not be able to countervail the reasons alleged. Except they can show a dispensation from God, whosoever so join together, cannot excuse themselves from sin: if not from sin, than not from the doom thereof, which in my Text is a Curse, Cursed be he that lieth with etc. Cursed be he that lieth, here I must show you God's method. First, he doth only forbid these sins, Levit. 18. then because he knew that few are so well disposed as to abstain from that which is forbidden them, therefore in the 20 of Leviticus he armeth the Magistrate with the Sword against them; he will have all those that presume against this Commandment to be punished with temporal death: certainly those that offend as two of these Penitents, that have matched in the right line have done. As for the other two, the phrase that is varied maketh some to cavil, though it be but a cavil that they stand upon. ●ut though they were not to dye by the Sword, yet the Rabbins confess they were to be whipped; and certainly the current of the Chapter showeth that some temporal punishment was inflicted: we cannot not think less of those phrases, they shall be cut off in the sight of their people: and cut off from amongst their people; they shall bear their iniquity; they shall dye childless. But because many by their greatness, or by their close carriage may scape the Magistrate's Sword, though they commit these sins, therefore in this Chapter there is a worse doom pronounced against them, from him whom they can neither illude, nor escape, that is from God; and his doom is expressed in this word, Cursed. A curse is the reward of sin: now sin is punished by God either in this world, or in the world to come. In this world, we find in the next Chapter how many ways God doth use to curse man: curse him in his person, curse him in his posterity, in his cattles, in his corn, abroad, at home, etc. And indeed, there is nothing whereunto a man can put his hand wherein God may not, yea often doth not lay a curse upon a sinner; yea and maketh many of them proverbial curses, as he threatneth the jews, and others in the Scriptures. Were there no more evil to be expected then this, you that are the Penitents should think your case bad in that your Conscience can prognosticate you no good success all the days of your life, no not in your worldly affairs, so long as you stand charged with this guilt. But there is a fare greater curse, and that is to be endured in the world to come, Math. 25. when CHRIST shall say; Go ye cursed into everlasting fire, prowded for the Devil, and his Angels. And indeed, the Devil is the first person upon whom God pronounced a curse: and his ease is the sampler of the curse which is eternal. Elsewhere the Scripture expresseth it thus: take the unprofitable servant, bind him hand and foot, cast him into utter darkness. Otherwhere we are told that men shall be infected with a worm that never dyeth, Mark ●. Esay 66. and afflicted with fire that never goeth out: Finally, they shall be an abhorring to all flesh. And we see in the Revelations how Angels and Saints congratulate the torments inflicted upon them by God's justice. I say nothing all this while of their loss of the light, liberty, comfort, company of Angels, and Saints, and which is beyond all, of the blessed sight of God. When you hear● this you that are the Penitents, you may conceive what terrible words are these which DAVID speaketh, Ps. 11 ●. Ps. 37. Cursed are all those which err from thy Commandments: they that are cursed of God, shall be rooted out. But lest you mistake, you must conceive that this word doth signify meritum, and iudicium, the merit of sin, and the pain which shall befall an irrepentant sinner. God's first intention is in this word, only to lay before our eyes what he may in justice inflict upon us, if he should enter into judgement with us, so soon as we provoke him; that so he may strike a terror into our Consciences, and timely humble us, that we may seek a remedy, even that remedy which he hath provided for us. And what is that? By Faith to lay hold upon CHRIST, who to keep off the curse from us, Gal 3. was pleased himself to become a curse? You that are the Penitents shall do well to make your benefit of this day of grace, and so tremble at the consideration of that which you have deserved, as to shelter yourselves under the comfortable wings of your blessed Saviour, before the stroke of GOD'S vengeance light upon you. For as the word cursed doth import the merit of a sinner: so doth it also his judgement, if he continue irrepentant. If repentance prevent not, GOD will reward every man according as he deserves, Rom. ●. anguish, tribulation, and wrath shall be upon every one that doth ill, which CHRIST setteth forth in a lively emblem when he cursed the Fig. tree in the Gospel. Remember also that GOD'S curse is an unresistable curse, you may learn that of BALAAM, Num. 22. he assured BALAK that none can alter it when it is gone out of GOD'S mouth; and be you sure it is as unchangeable, as it is intolerable. There is much cursing in the world, there be many whose mouths are full of cursing and bitternrsse. Ps. 10. job 2. Some are so impious as to curse GOD himself, as JOES' wife would have had her husband have done, and as that wicked one did, Levit. 24. and others mentioned, Revel. 16. Some are so monstrous, as to curse though not GOD, yet men, Cap. 3. even with the same tongue wherewith they bless GOD; St JAMES wisheth them to consider how much wo●se they are then senseless Creatures, because out of the same Fountain there cometh not sweet water and bitter also. But of these curses we must hold these two rules to be true: the one is solomon's, a causeless curse shall not come; Prou. 26. yea GOD will bless them whom the unjust doth curse. The second rule is, that they that delight in cursing shall have enough of it: Ps. 10 9 He that clotheth himself with cursing as with a garment, at shall run like water into his flesh, and like oil into his benes; he shall be thoroughly drenched with it. But we must not conceive so when a man is cursed of GOD; for as his curse cometh not without a cause, so it will undoubtedly sort its effect. And though our cursing of him showeth but our uneffectuall malice, yet his cursing of us will make us see his effectual justice. Finally, for these two causes are maledictions added to the transgressions of the Law. First, that we might acknowledge that it belongeth to GOD'S justice to see sin punished. Secondly, that when we feel any calamities, we may know from whom they come, and why. Having showed you what the curse is that belongeth to your sin, you must now see by whom it must be pronounced; and at the 14 verse we find that it was to be pronounced by the Levites. And indeed, the act being not Politic but Ecclesiastical as you may gather out of that which I have observed before, the person must be suitable. But whereas the name of Levite comprehends the Priest also, we must understand here the Priest, and not the ordinary Levite: For unto the Priest belonged the office of blessing and cursing in the Name of the Lord, it is not for every one to intermeddle with that work. It is true, Ecclesiastical that if the oppressed curse the oppressor in the bitterness of his Soul, his prayer shall be heard of him that made him. Math. ●. But yet men's patience should be such as to bless them of whom they are cursed, and to do good to them of whom they receive hurt. To curse, GOD rather permits than commands them, as he doth parents; except they be led by the Spirit of Prophecy, as NOAH, and others: for Prophets had this power by an extraordinary vocation. But the Priest only hath it ordinarily by the power of his Orders, as by the terms of blessing cursing, planting, building, rooting up, destroying, it is expressed in the Old Testament: and it is expressed in the New by those of opening and shutting Heaven, binding and losing men's Souls, remitting and retaining men's Sins; in a word it is that which we call the Power of the Keys. So that the Minister doth no more than he hath good warrant for, when he doth exercise this jurisdiction, and the people should fear it, because he doth it in the Name of the Lord, no less assured that GOD will confirm it, than he is assured that GOD doth command him to do it. Although we do not deny but our first intention should be to bless, Numb. 6. and our power is given us for edification, and our desire is to be unto you the savour of life unto life: Yet when the people's sins call for it, importuning us, than we must come to the curse, use our weapons of destruction, and be unto the people the savour of death unto death. For, seeing we are not only slow unto obedience, and need the spurs of GOD'S alluring blessings, but also refractory and inordinate we need the strong bridle of GOD'S curses, to hold us in, when the World, the Devil, and the Flesh carry us headlong unto perdition. Were it not so that men are headstrong to their own peril, we should not need to deliver unto them the terrors of the Law, but only the glad tidings of the Gospel; but sin forceth us to subordinate the curse to the blessing, that by the terrors of the curse we may remove from you the impediments of the blessing. And happy shall you be if you make such a use of it. As the Priest is commanded to pronounce the curse: so is he commanded to pronounce it with a loud voice; he must not be afraid to utter it, and his voice must be so loud, as that all Israel may hear the must not suffer any to be ignorant of it: that which concerns all, must be made known unto all; and the greater things are, the more earnestly they must be pressed. We cannot do you greater wrong, then conceal from you that which concerns you so near, and if we do not work powerfully into your Consciences the terror of this curse, we should bring a curse upon ourselves, Ser. 48.10. for cursed is he that doth the work of the Lord negligently. But I hasten to the last point: that will tell us who is to approve this curse that is pronounced by the Priest; and there we find that they are the people: All the people shall say, Amen. Amen to the Curse. If it were the blessing, no doubt but all would say, Amen; but all must say Amen to the Curse also. GOD will have us set our seal as well to his justice, as to his Mercy, and confess that we subscribe to both. We, that is, Prince, Priest, and People, all must show their love unto that which is good, and detestation of that which is ill. It is true that six of the Tribes stood upon Mount Gerizzim to bless, and six upon Mount Ebal to curse. Whereupon it is wittily observed by the Ancients, that the six Tribes that blessed were the children of JACOBS' wives, and represent those that ingenuously serut God, out of love to his goodness: the other six Tribes that stood upon Mount Ebal to curse, were the children of his bondwomen (all saving REUBEN that had lost his birthright, and ZABULON the youngest of his wife's children) and these represent those that serve GOD in a servile manner, and only for fear of the Curse. And verily the members of the visible CHURCH differ so, and shall far accordingly; diversis diversa retributio, all are not alike, neither shall they sare alike: CHRIST shall say to some, Come ye blessed; and to others, go ye cursed. Though this be true, yet I doubt not but all the twelve Tribes said Amen as well to the curse, as to the blessing; for both concerned them all, as it appears in the next Chapter. But that which I choose to observe unto you, is a remarkable obligation unto obedience. We read that when the Israelites were returned from the Babylonian captivity, Nehem. 10. and fell to inordinateness in their marriages, that NEHEMIAH did not only make them put away their wives, but also to come to the oath and curse that they would not relapse any more into the same sin. In the story of ASA, we read the very like practice, 2 Cron. 15. when that King had reform Idolatry, he by oath made the people bind themselves to GOD, not to return unto it again. Strange obligations a man would think, but they take their example from GOD himself: here we find the original pattern of such obligations. Yea, you shall find that GOD not only in general layeth such ties upon men to hold them in from sin; but also in a personal inquiry of the suspected Adulteress, after the Priest had said unto her these words, If thou be guilty, Num. ●. this water of jealousy that causeth the curse shall go into thy bowels to make thy belly to swell, and thy thigh to rot, the woman was to answer, Amen, Amen. Now if God in a personal trial thought it sit to make the woman lay a curse upon her own Soul, if she were guilty, what wonder if to prevent sin, he would have his people enter into this general curse. God knoweth that there are such remainders of good principles in our Conscience, if we be but natural men (how much more if we be Christians?) that we can discern sin, and the heinousness thereof, and also the desert, or punishment due unto it. Yea, as it appears by DAVID'S answer to NATHAN, 2 Sam. 12. in another man's case we are very likely to be forward in our judgement. GOD therefore taketh us when we are most likely to speak as we think: that so he might leave no place unto tergiversation when he enters into judgement with us for our sins; neither might woe complain of his severity, if he punish us as we deserve, seeing with our own mouths we have pronounced, without all exception of ourselves or others, this judgement on our sin. But as I told you that maledictus doth signify either meritum what we deserve; or iudicium, that which is inflicted: so must Amen be understood as an acknowledgement of the truth of our desert, and a wish of that which is to be inflicted. The acknowledgement we must make absolutely, but the wish we must make conditionally, if we do not repent; and if we do not repent, Amen is an undoubted prophecy that we shall be cursed indeed. I will conclude: GOD would have this imprecation made when the people were come into the Holy Land; to signify, First, that as he had made good his word unto them in bringing them to the good Land which he promised: so they were to make good their word unto him, and live as they professed. Secondly, by the malediction pronounced in the Holy Land, they were to conceive, that neither their place, nor their calling, did free them from the curse, if they lived otherwise then they ought. And by this formal malediction, they were to conceive not only in general how hateful sin is unto GOD; but also that these sins here specified are in the number of the most heinous. Which you that are the Penitents must take special notice of: for though your sins are unequally heinous, and therefore deserve not an equal curse; yet are they both very heinous, and the curse is very grievous that either of them deserves. I pray God that by that which we have heard, we may all be persuaded to keep our vessels in honour, and not in the lusts of concupiscence, as do the Gentiles which know not God: And for you that are the Penitents, I pray that you may duly consider what judgements you now feel, and may farther fear, for your sins; that you may have grace to make use of the Church's censures, and be humbled as you ought by them; that so timely preventing, by religiously trembling at the Judgements of God, that hang over you, and may make a fearful desolation of you: you may return to God in Grace, and he may return to you in Mercy; he may be reconciled unto you, and you may have peace with him for ever. To this Prayer made for ourselves, made for these Penitents, let us all Penitents, and Spectators; let all the people say, Amen. A SERMON PREACHED IN THE CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF WELLS, ONE DOING PENANCE FOR HAVING TWO WIVES. MALACHI 2. VERSE 15. And did not he make one? Yet had he abundance of Spirit: And wherefore one? Because he sought a godly seed: therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth. MAN being in honour continued not, but became as the beasts that perish; so we read in the Psalm, and experience teacheth, that whatsoever good he hath since meddled with he hath made it as changeable as himself: yea, he hath ever changed it, as he did himself, from better into worse; of good he hath made it stark naught. But this beastlike disposition of his hath transsormed into itself no virtue so much as that of chastity. Read Levit. 18. see there how brutish it is become, there is nothing there forbidden which was not practised by men, and if practised, we may conclude that man hath degenerated into a very beast. Well: in such a case, in so base a disposition, what is the remedy? What is the best way to bring man to himself again? That he may recover that honour whereof he hath deprived himself? Surely there is no better way then to set before him his original, and to persuade his conformity thereunto. For as in the Articles of Faith it is safest to believe what was first delivered: so in the rules of our manners, it is best to observe what was first commanded. The reason is plain: GOD gave the first beginning both to our faith, and to our manners; and from our most wise, and most holy GOD, nothing could proceed that was not most righteous, and most true. Out of this Principle doth MALACHI work the reparation of a breach which the jews had made upon the seventh Commandment. The breach was Polygamy, or multiplying of wives, whereof the reparation is a reducing of them to the first institution of marriage; and this is done in those words that now I have read unto you. Herein we have, first a Text of the Law, And did he not make one? Then a Sermon of the Prophet made thereon; yet had he the residue of Spirit: And wherefore one? Because, etc. But more distinctly. In the Text of the Law we will consider; First the matter that is contained in it; then the manner how the Prophet doth urge it. The matter sets before us a Work and a Workmaster. The work is the making of one; the Workmaster was he: both clauses are dark, because the words are short. To clear them, we must supply out of Genesis, and there we find that this one was one Adam, and the he that made him was the Lord God; GOD made one; out of one male, he made one female by creation; and by conjunction he made that female to be one again with that male, out of which he took her. This is the matter. The manner of the Prophets arguing the Text is powerful, that which in Genesis is a plain narration, is here turned into a question; and in such questions the Holy Ghost doth report himself unto the Consciences of those that hear, whether to their knowledge he speak not truth. So must you understand those words, did he not make one? Having proposed his Text, the Prophet maketh a short, but a full Sermon hereupon: for it consists of a doctrine, and an exhortation. The doctrine openeth the reason of GOD'S work, and the Prophet argues in effect thus; GOD made but one, was it because he could make no more? or because he would make no more? Certainly not because he could not, for he had abundance of Spirit: than it was because he would not. And indeed all GOD'S works add extra, as the Schools call them, the works of Creation, Providence, Redemption, are all arbitrary, they come from his Will: but such a Will as is not blind, it is guided by his Wisdom; and his Will prescribes nothing whereof his Wisdom cannot yield a reason; and sometimes he is pleased to show that reason to us, who otherwise are bound to rest satisfied with the signification of his holy Will: Therefore the Prophet goeth on in his arguing, wherefore one? What is the reason of this Will of GOD? And he answereth by the direction of GOD'S Spirit, that it was expedient it should be so; two ways expedient. First, Expedient in Nature, God sought for seed, he would have men multiply and increase, which could not be except he had made one; and if he had made more than one, it could not well have been. Secondly, It was expedient in Grace also: for, though GOD would have men multiply, yet would he not have them multiply otherwise then beseemed the children of GOD, he sought a holy seed. For these ends was GOD pleased thus to order his works; and upon this doctrine of the ends doth the Prophet ground an exhortation; it consists of two parts, because in the case of marriage we own a double respect; one to ourselves, another to our mate. The respect we own to ourselves is, that we must watch over our better part, take heed to our Spirit. The respect we own to our mate is, we must not violate the faith plighted to her; let no man deal treacherously with his wife; especially, if she be the wife of his youth, that is, he married her when he was young; the longer they have been married together, the more backward should they be from dealing falsely one with the other. You see the particulars of the Text, and of the Sermon; that we may better understand them, and their fitness for this occasion, I will open them a little more fully; I pray GOD I may do it profitably also. Come we then to the Text of the Law, to the matter contained therein. I will not trouble you with the diverse translations, and variety of interpretations suitable thereunto, leave that to the Schools: our CHURCH hath made a choice, and that choice agrees well with the Original: we will rest contented with that, and according to it frame our observations. I told you, that the words set before us, a Work, and a Workemaster, yet neither doth plainly appear, they are only pointed at here, but expressed Gen 1. whence I supplied the name of ADAM, and the name of GOD, whereof the first is the Work, and the second the Workmaster; so that then the words will sound thus, God made one Adam. Let us take these parts asunder. The name of ADAM is not to be understood vulgarly, but as the Holy Ghost useth it, and so it comprehends both sexes: so we read Gen. 1. GOD created ADAM, male and female made he them; in the 5 of Genesis more plainly, God made man male and female, and called them Adam: so that the name ADAM being but one, is commonly two, the male and the female. As they are one in name, so are they in nature also, we read Gen. 2. that GOD made the female out of the rib of the male; for he would have her to be like him, De Paradiso. Cap. 10. and he confessed her to be bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh. Nec illud otiose (saith St AMBROSH) it is worth our marking, that GOD did not make the woman of the same Earth whereof he made man; but he made EVE of the rib of ADAM, to give us to understand, that there is but one body in them both, and that one body the only Fountain of all mankind. Plat. Do Conuivio. Leo. Heb. The Platonists Androgunos' is but a corruption of this truth. As man was by creation made two, but of like substance, and so continued still one both in name and nature: so by a second work they were made yet more one, that is, by marriage, Gen. 2. for that maketh two one flesh; two (I say) the Septuagint add that word unto MOSES his Text, and CHRIST approves it in the Gospel, Math. 19● 1 Cor. 6. Eph. 5. St PAUL therein followeth CHRIST, and the words of marriage are, the man shall cleave to his wife, therefore doth the Apostle call the wife 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the husband 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 1 Cor. 7. Less than one there could not be, and be a natural propagation, and more than one there should not be, and that propagation be orderly. But this oneness is principal or accessory; the principal is oneness of conjugal power, and conjugal affection: Conjugal power; for though in other things the man is superior to the woman, the husband to his wife, Rom. 7.1. because (as the Apostle teacheth) she is of him, and for him, and therefore is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; 1 Cor. 7. yet in conjugal power they are equal. Man hath no power over his body, no more hath the woman over hers, each is in the others power; and that in solidum, they have coequal command each over the other. So likewise their conjugal affections should be coequal, they should embrace each the other with entire and undivided love, no reservation of that kind may be endured by the bond of wedlock on either side, the man's, or the woman's. It is true that Licentiousness hath distinguished where the Law hath not distinguished, and liberty hath been granted to men to share their bodies, and their affections amongst many women, but women are denied that liberty, and have ever been required to confine their affections to one man, and communicate their bodies to no more than one: which distinction of licentiousness hath specious grounds, First they say the ends of marriage are less prejudiced, if the liberty be granted unto men, then if it should be granted unto women: Are they prejudiced? Then prejudiced: But nothing should be granted that doth prejudice those ends. Away then with that Apology for Lust. There is another taken from the example of the Patriarches; and indeed so the jews understand this Text, as if it were an allegation of the Fathers to prove Polygamy, and read it thus, An non unus fecit? Did not our father Abraham take many wives? And yet he had abundance of Spirit, i. abundance of the spirit and grace of GOD, he know what he did, and he did nothing amiss; Why should not we imitate him? But supposing that reading, to this objection in the next words the Prophet shapes an answer, he sought an holy seed, that is (as the Fathers say) non fecit propter libidinem, sed propter orbitatem, he did it not to satisfy his lust, but that he might have an heir according to GOD'S Promise. And if you look upon the story of the Patriarches ABRAHAM, and JACOB, you shall find that though they had more wives than one; yet never had they them out of lust, no nor out of their own choice: ABRAHAM took HAGAR, but he was importuned to do it by his wife SARA; yea and SARA too would have the child reputed hers, as borne upon her knees: JACOB chose but one wife, and that was RACHEL, LEAH was put upon him by deceit, and the two Maids by the opportunity of his wives. The after times were worse, and of all, the Kings of Israel were most licentious, they took too much after the Heathen Kings; but their fact can be no good precedent, because expressly forbidden by a special Law, Deut. 17. Some excuse them by a dispensation, as likewise the Patriarches; but being urged to show it, they are sane to supply the silence of the Bible with a conceit that the first that swerved from the Law had his warrant by inspiration; and that others took their allowance from his example. But the excuse is dangerous, and ungrounded, we may not make so bold with GOD'S Law; rather may we think, that the best of the Patriarches were but men, and that they were carried away with the error of their times, and that GOD in mercy bore with that, as with other their imperfections, but we may not venture to say his justice did allow it. A dispensation is an allowance of justice notwithstanding the Law; but a permission is a forbearance of mercy which doth not proceed against sin according to the rigour of the Law, either to check or to correct it. We may grant the Patriarches the benefit of such a merciful permission, but a legal dispensation we cannot grant them without better proof. As for GOD'S giving of SAULS' wives into DAVID'S bosom, 2 Sam. 12.8. we are to understand NATHAN of those whom SAUL never knew; otherwise they will justify Incest in the right line, which DAVID so abhorred, that he would never keep company with those Concubines which ABSALON had abused: much less would he admit into his bosom any woman which his father-in-law had known. Unto this principal oneness, we must add the accessory, of honour and concord. Oneness of honour; for Vxor fulget radijs mariti, ut luna solis, when a man marryeth a woman with his body, he doth worship her, and endow her with all his worldly goods, that is, she becomes as noble, and as rich, as he is, reserving always the supremacy unto man, I mean reverence to his person which is the fountain of her honour, and obedience to his command in dispencing the goods, which she holdeth from him in chief. Oneness of concord is a like affection and disposition in prosperity and adversity, which can never stand with Polygamy, the mother of jealousy, and jealousy is the mother of discord, as you may gather out of the story of SARA and HAGAR, RACHEL and LEAH, and the wives of ELCANAH SAMVELS father; the best men's Families have not avoided it. All this while that I have spoken of the oneness in marriage, you must not mistake, as some have done; for there are two kinds of Polygamy, Simultanea, and Successiva, the having of more wives successively, or at one time. Some have overracked chastity, as some have shrunk it: Hist. Fab. lib. 1 The Montanists (as appears by TERTULLIAN in his Book de 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) and the Novatians (as we learn out of THEODORET) held, that, if a man buried one wife, he might not marry an other. And the CHURCH of Rome cannot excuse itself from this error, in that it forbiddeth the blessing of second marriages in the CHURCH; and suffereth not any that hath had a second wife to enter into holy orders, or that hath married a widow, which is interpreted Polygamy. But this kind of Polygamy was never forbidden by any Law; it is not only allowed, Rom. 7. but commanded also, 1 Tim. 5.14. Canin. 8. Amb. de vid●●● The Council of Nice hath made a Canon in defence of it, and the Fathers justify it. It is then only Polygamia simultanea, the having of many wives together that is condemned by my Text, by the Old Testament, Austin de bono viduit. c. 11. Cap. a. Cap. 19 by the New, and by the Fathers, as they have occasion to speak either of the institution of marriage delivered in Genesis, or the interpretation of our Saviour CHRIST in St MATHEW, which Polygamy had its original from LAMECH one of CAIN'S posterity. And this must you the Penitent observe, as that which giveth the first light unto you of your sin; you have offended against the oneness of marriage. As you have offended against the oneness the Work, so have you against the Workemaster; he is the second part that I pointed out in the Text of the Law: for he is the cause of this oneness. In wedlock there are three persons to be observed, first, the Male, secondly, the Female, and thirdly, GOD that joineth them together: look upon the story in Genesis, there you shall find that ADAM non arripuit Euam, sed expectavit Deum adducentem, he did not carve for himself, Math. 19 but stayed for GOD'S consent, and therefore our Saviour CHRIST saith, Prou. 2.17. that GOD conjoined in marriage, and SOLOMON saith, that it is pactum Dei, the covenant of God: so that the lawful conjunction of man and wife is not only God's ordinance, but God's act also; he doth it by himself, or his Minister, the very Heathen thought so that had a several God precedent not only of the substantial parts, but also of every circumstance of their marriage. I will not trouble you with enumeration of them. Observe then the interueniencie of God in wedlock, which doth improve it, though not to the state of a Romish Sacrament, yet to the condition of a sacred thing; and so we should esteem it. And the act of God in joining ADAM and EVE must be accounted a real Law; the sampler, whereunto all other wedlocks were to conform themselves as exemplysications; our Saviour CHRIST teacheth us so to understand it, Math. 1●. and our Prophet doth here work upon it as being such. But why do I call to witness these sacred Authors? The light of Reason taught it the Philosopher; Aristotle giveth it for a Law in his Politics, and in his Economics; the Roman Emperor a Deijs qui infamiae notantur. Leg●. in his Digests, b De intest. nupti●s & ad Legem Iust. de Adulterijs. in the Code, thought it reasonable to put it into their Laws: c Gratiam causa 24. quest. 3. & de divortijs. the Canonists make it their ground against marriage after divorce; and our Law hath provided for it. Seeing so many Laws attend Gods legal fact, it cannot be denied but that Polygamy is a sin against this Worke-master; it cannot be denied but that Polygamy is a sin against the Lawgiver, as well as against his Law. Whence you the Penitent may make a farther discovery of your sin, you have offended against the oneness in marriage, not only that which God hath commanded, but also that oneness which God himself by his own act hath made. And if this anabaptistical liberty of having many wives so offend (for Anabaptists in this dotage of the world, and their abettors, have been the Authors, and practisers of these masterless lusts) how odious is the community of wives, and the Familists work of darkness? Surely, 1 Cor. 6. though he that is joined to a Harlot (as the Apostle speaketh) be one flesh, yet that oneness is not of Gods making; for he maketh none one but according to the Law before specified. And let this suffice for the matter of the Text; I come now to the manner. The manner is powerful: for MALACHI delivereth it in form of a question, which layeth the matter close to the conscience; Did he not make one? is as much as can you deny it? Doth not the Law expressly say it? This is an undeniable truth: so that he worketh upon a known principle; and giveth us to understand, that principles of faith and good manners should be familiarly known; the catechistical points should be every body's study, and they should be ready with us upon all occasions to resolve our Consciences, they are the best guide of our judgements when we come to try the conclusions, that learned men deduce from them; yea, & if we hold them, we need not be perplexed in conscience, if we have not skill enough to judge of the controversies that do arise concerning those conclusions. It is true that CHRIST biddeth us search the Scripture, john 5. Col. 8. Hebr. 5. and St PAUL willeth us to let the Word of God dwell richly in us, and those that are of full age should, by reason of use, have their senses exercised to discern good and evil. But if our breeding have not been so good, nor our capacity so great, we must be sure to hold the foundation; the Principles of Religion must not be strange unto us; if we take not so much pains as to be well skilled in them, our state to God-ward is but comfortless. This I would have them take notice of, who neither themselves know their Catechism, nor take care that their children and servants (according to the Law) be bred up therein; the Prophet's Sermon could little have profited these jews, had they not been acquainted with his sixth, and because the common people know not much of their Catechism, they profit little by our Sermons: for the truth hereof I report me to your own consciences, as the Prophet here doth for the undoubtednesse of his Text. I have done with the Text of the Law, I come now to the Sermon of the Prophet. I told you it is short but full; for it hath the two parts of a Sermon whereof the first is doctrine, and here is a indicious one. To make it plain, you must conceive that the Prophet argues upon his Text thus; God made but one, was it because he could make no more? or because he would not? It was not because he could not, for he had abundance of spirit, or (as some read) Excellency; join them together and the sense will be full, anoundance of excellent Spirit. The words may point out either God's power, or his store; and signify, that neither his power was enfeebled by the creation of one, nor his store exhausted. And indeed touching his power, how should that be enfeebled which is infinite? Sine numero, sine mensura (as St BERNARD speaketh) it is not restrained with any bounds; it is true that his Will doth not always extend as fare as his power; but his power never cometh short of his Will; Ps. 135.6. Luke 1.37. for he doth whatsoever he will both in Heaven and in earth, neither is any thing impossible unto him. Neither is the abundance of his excellent store any whit less, consider but the infinite number of Angels which he made before he made man, DANIEL saith that thousand thousands ministered unto him, Dan. 7. Ps. 68 and ten thousand times ten thousands stood before him; Or look to that which was done after he made that one, look how many millions of men there have been since he created that one, Hebr. 12. so many Spirits hath he created, for he is the Father of our Spirits, Eccl. 12. and when we die, the Preacher saith, they return to God that gave them us. Observe; that whereas man consisteth of a body and a soul, there could be no question but God had stuff enough to make more bodies, all the doubt was of the soul; therefore the Prophet toucheth at that, and not at the other, and gives us to understand, that it was as easy to God's power to breathe more Spirits of life, as of the dust of the earth, or rib of man to make more bodies. Observe secondly, that the addition of Excellency is joined with Spirit, to show the dignity of the Soul of man. Beasts have souls no less than men, but theirs compared to ours, are very base, our soul comes from Heaven, theirs from the Earth; we must not undervalue this precious gift of God, nor let any unruly lusts tell the world that the Soul that dwelleth in us is not much better conditioned then that of a Beast. You that are the Penitent take notice of this, take notice how your fact hath debased your Soul. It is clear then that God did not make but one because he could make no more, whereupon it will follow, that the reason why he made but one, was, because he would not: And indeed, all Gods outward works are arbitrary, they depend upon his Will; neither could any thing have forced them against his Will, whether they be works of the Creation, of the Providence, or of the Redemption, whatsoever outward work he doth, cometh freely from him. Having found out this general cause, a man would think the Prophet might have rested here: for who should ask an account of God's Will which prescribes to all things? and whereon our Faith may securely rest, because it is a most holy ground, it is the rule of righteousness, a man may boldly, securely submit to it; without disputes obey it, in the greatest Articles of our Faith, as the Mystery of the Trinity, of the Incarnation, we rest upon his bare word, and we should do ill, if we did inquire beyond it; such busy curiosity in the highest strains of Religion bred the old Heresies, and is the Mother of many controversies that now disquiet the CHURCH. But yet this we must hold, that in all outward works GOD'S Will is guided by his Wisdom, Eph. 1. and he doth all things according to the counsel of his Will, as the Apostle speaketh. And although sometimes he is pleased to try our Faith, by his absolute commands; yet oftentimes, especially in moralities, he vouchsafeth to condescend to our infirmity, and cherish our obedience by yielding a reason of his doings, and so settles our disputing wits; as he doth in this place, by the Prophet, whose resolution of the doubt is very full; for he not only refutes Error, but declares the Truth, wherein he goeth so fare, as to set down not only the general, but the particular cause also of GOD'S making one, and so maketh our understanding happy: for felix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas, farther our understanding cannot go, and when it cometh so fare (if ever) it will be quiet, and obey readily. Let us come then unto the reason which GOD is pleased to yield; it is in effect this. It was expedient it should be so in regard both of Nature and Grace. In regard of Nature, quaesivit semen, GOD would have mankind propagated: In regard of Grace, quaesivit semen sanctum, he would have mankind propagated as beseemed his children: for these ends was God pleased so to order his Work, to make one, and but one. But let us take these branches asunder. First, He sought seed; and is that hindered by many wives? A man would think it is farthered rather; (for the more wives a man hath, the more children may he have.) A man would think so; but it is not so: for God hath proportioned the strength of one man to the use of one woman; and if he so confine his lust, he shall have more strength of body, and length of life to propagate his seed, such seed as may be fit for propagation. But the man that is given to many women doth sooner decay the state of his body, & becomes barren before his time, or begetteth children that are naturally Eunuches, for the children of lustful persons do seldom prove fruitful. As for women that communicate their bodies to many men, their case is much more such; look into the Stews, and you shall see that those common Harlots are as barren of children, as they are excessive in lust; neither are they more fruitful that carry their sin more closely. Add hereunto, Cap. 15. that saying of the son of SYRACH, Bastard plants take no roots; if two become one, and that one be not of Gods making, they cannot look for God's blessing; the more of such ones, the more unhappy ones. Therefore that God's blessing, which in the Creation he gave to man, saying, Multiply and increase, might be poured out upon man in full measure, he made but one. As he said a seed: so he said a holy seed, he would have men multiply but so as beseems the children of God, as was most expedient for the state of Grace. And here the phrase is to be observed, that which we render holy seed, is in the Original, the seed of God: it may allude to diverse stories. First, To that of the Creation, Gen. 1. God made man after his Image, after the Image of God made he them, both male, and female; Cap. 3. therefore St LUKE fetcheth ADAM'S pedigree from GOD, GOD elevated the nature of man whom he made answerable to the Covenant whereinto he entered, and man became not only a sociable Creature, but also a member of the CHURCH: and GOD would have them multiply as such, bring forth children after his Image, answerable to the honour which in the Creation he hath done them. A second allusion of this phrase may be to the story of the Separation, which after the Fall, was made between the Seed of the Woman, and the Seed of the Serpent, the seed of ENOS, and of CAIN. The seed of ENOS that continued in the Covenant, Gen. 6. and had the seed of God (as St JOHN speaketh) abiding in them, were called the sons of God; and they were to continue on a posterity like unto themselves, partakers of the same Grace, heirs of the same Promises; the CHURCH was to be perpetuated in their seed. But as ADAM took a fall, and then brought out children after his own Image, not GOD'S: so these sons of GOD coupled themselves with the daughters of men, and of them were borne Giants, such Mongrels, such Monsters as lost the seed of GOD, and therefore were swept away with the Flood. GOD revived his seed a third time by NOAR in SEM, and of SEMS' posterity, chose ABRAHAM, Exod. 19 whose posterity he made a Kingdom of Priests, a holy Nation, and forbade them to profaine the holy offspring of the Lord in mingling themselves with the cursed offspring of CHAM, to continue their prerogative. The story of EZRA and NEHEMIAH show how the jews transgressed this Commandment, and how much those good men were offended therewith, and pressed the reformation thereof; our Prophet, that lived about those times may allude thereunto. But whatsoever did occasion the phrase, the issue of Polygamy must needs be an unholy, a bastard, a cursed seed. GOD in his Covenant promiseth to be our GOD, and the GOD of our Seed, but it is of our seed lawfully begotten, Deut. 23. therefore in the Law he commandeth, that a bastard shall not come into the Congregation of Israel unto the third generation. Cap. 3. The Book of Wisdom amplifieth this point; the children of Adulterers shall not come to perfection, and the seed of the unrighteous bed shall be rooted out: the like you may read Eccl. 23. but because those Books are Apocryphal, Cap. 31. ● here what JOB saith of Adultery; It is a sin to be condemned, it will devour unto destruction, and it would root out all my posterity. And no wonder that GOD dealeth so with Bastards; for which of us if he have Land entailed, entails it otherwise then upon heirs lawfully begotten? If we think Bastards unworthy to inherit our Lands here on Earth, shall GOD think them worthy to be heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven? I will not condemn all Bastards to Hell, I know JEPHTA found favour with GOD, and so no doubt have many others, but that cometh to pass by GOD'S extraordinary mercy; ordinary Promise we have none that they shall do well. Yea observe, and you shall find that they seldom keep a mean: if good, very good; and if they be bad, they are very bad: and parents of such children have reason rather to fear the worst, then hope the best: for though GOD at after-hand doth often pardon sins, yet beforehand he gives no encouragement to sinners. You that are the Penitent take this to heart, your second match being plain Adultery, the children borne in such wedlock must needs be bastards, and being Bastards, they are not the holy seed, yea they are a seed that is cursed, so cursed for your fault, that, as much as in you lieth, you strip them of all blessings on Earth, and in Heaven, they are favoured by the Law neither of God, nor men. And so great wrong done to them should go to your very heart; you have sinned against your children not only against your own body. And let this suffice concerning the doctrine that is in the Prophet's Sermon; I come now to the exhortation which he deduceth therefrom. The exhortation is double, according to the double respect which we owe. The first is to ourselves, keep yourselves in your Spirit, or, take heed to your Spirit. We must take care of our whole man, the outward and inward: for touching the outward the Apostles rule is, 1 Thes. 4.4. 1 Cor. 3. 1 Cor. 6. We must keep our vessels in honour; we may not defile the Temples of God; We may not take the Members of Christ, and make them the Members of an Harlot; we must be chaste, propter carnem Christi (as IGNATIUS speaketh) because we are bone of Christ's bone, and flesh of his flesh. But as we must take care of our bodies, so must we much more take care of our souls; for it is in vain to keep the body chaste, and to retain an adulterous heart; for an adulterous heart, though it be peccatum sine teste, it hath no man to witness it; yet is it peccatum, Athanasius. God will doom it for sin: Yea, if a man stop not lust in his heart, Math. 15. he will not be master of it in his body, for ex abundantia cordis, out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh, out of that cometh Adulteries and Fornications. But qui adinngit Spiritui adimit carni, the better the Soul is, the better will the body be; therefore is temperance properly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a keeping of a man in his right wits, because so long as a man hath his wits about him, he is master of his lusts; but no sooner hath Dalilah brought that Samson asleep, but the Philistims will be upon him, and deprive him of his strength, he will be overtaken with this lustful Epilepsy, and profane the Temple of the Lord. But to open this point a little farther, we must observe that as we have sensual and reasonable faculties; so it was God's pleasure that those actions which are Elicitae, or come naturally from the sensual faculties, should also be imperatae, ordered and limited by the rational: therefore is the rational faculty called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the guide and governor of our life; and he deserves not the name of a man, whose sense is not subject unto reason. But the Spirit doth not only note the reasonable soul, but in an argument concerning the CHURCH, it meaneth that Soul as it is regenerated by Grace; and then, it putteth us in mind, that the care of our Souls must be more than reasonable, it must be spiritual; and not only the best wit of man which is corrupt (as appears in the unchaste chastity of the Heathen) but the sanctifying Grace of God must set bounds to our lusts, which will suffer them to pass no farther than they are allowed by Gods Law. A man is an excellent creature, if he be but a man, if he keep his reasonable Spirit; how much more excellent would a Christian man be, if he could continue a Christian, and preserve in himself the Spirit of Grace? I may not omit the word keep, it willeth us to set a watch, because we are apt to run riot; whether the Spirit signify Reason, or Grace, we must watch. If reason; we must watch, that we admit not into our imaginations nor suffer our wits to discourse upon lustful fancies; we live in the midst of temptations, and none are more insinuating than those that are pleasurable; we must take heed therefore that our reason be not bewitched by them; they will cunningly euchant us, and transform us into beasts before we are ware: wherefore we must keep a watch over our Reason; and not only over Reason, but over Grace also, that we grieve not the Holy Spirit, that we quench him not, that we do not despite him: Ephes. 4.30. ● Thes. 5.19. for the Holy Spirit of discipline will not abide in a Soul that is disposed unto sin; Adspicis ut veniant ad candida tect a columbae, the dovelike spirit delighteth to dwell in dovelike persons, himself being chaste, in those that are chaste. Wherefore we must keep our spirits, that for our unchastity the Spirit of God forsake us not. You have the first branch of the exhortation, the second followeth. This biddeth us be careful of that respect which we own unto our mate; Let no man deal treacherously with his wife. A wife a little before my Text is called a man's companion, and the wife of his covenant; Now you know that fraud in fellowship is abominable, especially if that fellowship be established by covenant, as wedsocke is; and no fellowship upon straighter covenants than wedlock: for therein there is a double covenant, pactum hominis, and pactum Dei, the persons contracting do plight their faith each to other, that is pactum hominis: Then God he cometh in as a party to knit the knot, and will have this mutual stipulation made in his sight, and in his name; so that both stand bound to God, not only to themselves, never to lose this knot till death them departed. He than that deals treacherously with his wife, by taking another while she life's, is guilty, not only of sin against her, but also against GOD: and he should be so guilty, though he were divorced; divorce may go so fare as to part their company for a time, but it dissolves not the bond of Matrimony, no though both sides be willing to have it dissolved; they may renounce their own right, they cannot renounce Gods; without his consent, the Obligation which he layeth upon them cannot be canceled: he that marrieth a second wife, even after divorce, deals treacherously: for marriage implies, individuam vitae consuetudinem, so straight a tye, that whom God hath conjoyved, Math. 19 1 Cor. 7. no man can put asunder: and divorce was granted only for the hardness of the jews hearts: therefore they that are divorced must be reconciled again, or remain unmarried to any other. And if it be Adultery upon divorce to marry again, how much more is it Adultery to marry without a divorce? And this is your case which are the Penitent. I know you had a fair pretence, your wife was lewd, she ran from you, she was seven years absent, you heard she was dead; fair pretences, and they do you this good, that they keep off from you the stroke of severer justice. But though they diminish your fault, they do not altogether excuse it, the death of your wife was not hastily to be believed, you should have legally proved it, before you ventured upon a second match. And as for her forsaking you, it was a foul fault; but you ought not to have recompensed evil with evil, and become an Adulterer, because she was an Adulteress; if you will partake of her sin, you must partake of her punishment, at least in part; The full punishment of Adultery is very great, temporal, eternal; in this life MOSES Law did cut off Adulterers by death, Leu. 20. and if the Adulterer be a Polygamist, our Law also (excepting in some cases) inflicteth death upon him: 1 Cor. 5. The Apostles Canon doth excommunicate him. Neither is an Adulterer only punishable in this world, his case is much worse in the world to come; for the Apostle threatens it with eternal death, except they repent, 1 Cor. 6. Hebr. 13. God himself will judge Adulterers; and they shall never enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Make you then good use of this your Ecclesiastical penance, that so you may prevent GOD'S eternal vengeance. There is one clause more in this second branch of the Exhortation whereat I will touch, and so end. The person against whom the jowe offended, is here called the wife of his youth; he married her in his younger years, and now in his elder set his affection upon some other. It is thought that the jews returning from Captivity, brought with them their wives, poor in state, worn and withered in their bodies with carking and caring: and that thereupon to relieve their wants, and satisfy their lusts with richer and fairer women, they fell to these second matches. And indeed poverty and deformity are shrewd temptations to worldly and carnal men; but this phrase teacheth that the woman whom a man loveth in youth, he must love her in age; the longer they have been wedded, the more must be their love; and it is a greater fault to play false with an old wife, then with a young bride. Men must ever keep in mind the promise they made at their marriage, I take thee to my wedded wife, to have and to hold, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, till death us do part. But I end; and SOLOMON shall make my conclusion; Prou. 2. Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well; Let the fountains be dispersed abroad, and rivers of waters in the streets; Let them be only thine own, and not strangers with thee; Let the fountain be blessed, and rejoice with the wife of thy youth; Let her be as the loving Hind, and pleasant Roe; Let her breasts satisfy thee at all times, and be thou ravished always with her love. And why wilt thou my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger? For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and he pondereth all his doings. Let us all walk in the Spirit, and not in the Flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof. So shall God bless us, and our posterity here on Earth, and after this life, we shall be reckoned in the number of those Virgins, which follow the Lamb wheresoever he goeth. Amen. A SERMON PREACHED AT St CUTBERTS' IN WELLES WHEN CERTAIN PERSONS DID PENANCE FOR BEING AT CONVENTICLES WHERE A WOMAN PREACHED. 1 TIMOTH. 2. VERSE 11, etc. 11 Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. 12 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. 13 For Adam was first form, then Eue. 14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. THIS Epistle is a Book of Ecclesiastical Canons; therein St PAUL doth instruct TIMOTHY Bishop of Ephesus, how he should guide his censures in regard as well of the discipline, as the doctrine of the CHURCH. Amongst others, in this Chapter we have two Canons which serve to correct the mis-bevauiour of Christian women. Their mis-behaviour was twofold, They did glory in the monument of their shame; and they advanced themselves above the condition of their sex. The monument of shame is Apparel, for there was no need thereof while we were clothed with Innocence, but when the conscience of our sin made us loathsome in our eyes, than did we betake ourselves unto this covert; to hide our vile selves from our counfounded senses we put on . Upon this ground St PAUL tells women (I may add men also (for we live in an age wherein it is hard to say, whether in men grow more womanish, or women more mannish) but here St PAUL tells women, that if they will be gay and fine indeed, they must attire themselves according to that fashion whereinto God at first put them, not according to that which sin hath forced upon them; they must adorn themselves, not with the burnished, and embellished elements, or rather excrements of this lower world, but with the graces and virtues that come from Heaven; so shall they have a conversation well suited with their profession, and make themselves lovely in the eyes as well of God, as men. This is the sum of the first Canon, the Canon that corrects women's glorying in the monument of shame, which is their Apparel. To this St PAUL adds a second which corrects their advancing themselves above their sex, and it is contained in those words which now I have read unto you. The better to understand this Canon, we must resolve it into a Rule, and the Reason which the Apostle gives for the same. In the rule we shall see what it is, and who prescribes it. The rule is a precept, which first doth range, and then doth qualify women answerable to their rank. In the School of CHRIST there are Masters and Scholars; women are placed amongst Scholars, they must learn; yea so are they placed amongst Scholars, that they may never hope to be Masters; for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, they can have no licence to teach; The ground whereof is a general maxim, they may not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, usurp upon men; if absolutely women may not be superior to men, then may they not be in Ecclesiastical things; for teaching imports a superiority. Women being thus ranged, must be qualified answerable to their rank, being Scholars, they must have the qualities of Scholars; those are two, filence, and obedience; silence, they must use their ears, and not their tongues about sacred things, they must be more forward to hear then to speak, they must learn with silence; And unto their silence they must add obedience, they must not give but take instructions, and put in practice what they are taught, they must learn with all subjection. This is the Rule. But who prescribes it? So harsh a rule had need of a very good Author, women will otherwise be hard of belief: And surely this hath a good one; it is St PAUL, his style in the Preface of this Epistle shows his warrant, he is an Apostle of JESUS CHRIST; he delivers it not in his own name, but in his Masters, as his Steward; so much is intimated in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, whence comes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which signifieth a Steward, so that we cannot disbelieve him, but we question CHRIST'S truth. The authority of this Rule then descends from Heaven; and if it do, the bare promulgating of it requires that we credit it. But as God doth all things not only according to his Will, but the Counsel of his Will: even so his words are Decrees not only of his Will, but also of his Counsel; they have a reason, and for strengthening of our Faith, the Holy Ghost though he be not bound, yet is he often pleased to express the same; He doth it in this place. And the reason of this rule is taken first from the Creation, then from the Fall. From the Creation thus doth the Apostle argue, woman must be subject unto man, for Adam was first framed and then Eve, the precedency in being gives a prerogative of commanding. But this was a real ordinance, and woman (it should seem) took no notice of it, for EVE began quickly to be a teacher of ADAM. She did so; but with very ill success, for she was seduced, she discovered the weakness of her judgement, and that not in a matter of speculation, but of practice, for she was in the transgression; she broke GOD'S bonds, and cast his cords from her; by her and not by ADAM, or rather by her taking upon her to teach ADAM came sin into the world. Hereupon the Apostle concludes, that because woman hath given so woeful a proof of her untowardlynesse in teaching of man, she must forbear for ever to meddle with that function, and man must maintain that authority which GOD hath given him over a woman. These are the contents of this second Canon, whereof suitable unto this occasion I will now speak briefly, and in their order. I begin with the Rule. I told you it is a Precept wherein we must see first how women are ranged. The name of man and woman, which in the Original are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, have a double signification, they are understood ratione either Sexus, or Coniugij, they note in general male and female, or in special such of either sex as are joined in wedlock. The Apostle in this place makes use of the general signification, but so that his doctrine may be applied also to the special; for if in general women be so subjected unto men, wedlock makes no alteration in this case, but doth much more subject a wife unto her husband, and in their measure must all the particulars of this text hold in the Economics, though here they be handled as they are to be understood in the ecclesiastics. To come then nearer my Text. The CHURCH is a society, and therefore consists of different parts, there must be in it superiors and inferiors; This is taught us by the resemblance that is made between it and a Kingdom, wherein there is a Sovereign and Subjects; between it and a City, wherein there are Magistrates and Commons; between it and an Army with Banners, wherein there are Captains and Soldiers; between it and an House, wherein there is a Master and his Family; finally, between it and our natural Body, wherein there are directing and obeying parts. St PAUL handling this last resemblance, 1 Cor. 12. shows the ground of this subordination of persons, as in all societies so in the CHURCH, to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the comeliness and commodity of the Society. This being a general course which GOD hath set down in Societies it must be enquired, first, what be the different parts of a CHURCH, and then who are assigned to either part. The parts are expressed in my Text, and so also are the parties that are assigned to bear those parts. The parts are Teachers, and Learners, all members of the CHURCH come under this division, for they are either Pastors or people, ghostly Fathers or ghostly Children, Stewards or the Household of GOD; such as guide, or are guided unto Heaven. This being plain that there are but these two parts; The second enquiry is, What parties are assigned to bear them; And here we find that GOD imposeth the person of a Learner upon the woman, and of a Teacher upon the man. Though the knowledge, and the fear of GOD are common to men and women (for women also are in the Covenant, and must not be ignorant of the Articles thereof, especially seeing GOD hath vouchsafed them to be spiritual both Kings and Priests) yet the administration of sacred things is the peculiar of men. In the beginning of the world, GOD laid this Function upon the first borne that was male; after the deliverance out of the Egyptian captivity, GOD, in steed of the firstborn, chose the Tribe of Levy unto this service, to be performed only by the males thereof; after CHRIST was inaugurated to the Office of a Mediator, he chose twelve men to be his Apostles, and to them gave order for the continuance of the Ministry in that Sex. It is true that GOD extraordinarily in both Testaments raised up Prophetesses, according to that of joel cap. 2. and while the Foundation of the CHURCH was laying, by women he informed men of his Truth; yea, by a silly woman gave entrance unto Christianity in a whole Kingdom; but the instances are rare, and they are works wherein GOD shown himself to have power to dispense with his own Ordinance, and dispose at his pleasure his own gifts; but they may not be drawn into example by us, to the prejudice of a well settled Ecclesiastical policy; the general ordinance must hold, except women that break it can show a dispensation. Ordinary Women-Prophets and Priests sprang up amongst the Heathen with the corruption of Religion, who as they had female Gods, so had those Gods for their attendants suitable persons of their own Sex; yea, sometimes their He-Gods had She-Priests, in the Poet's tales you shall find enough of such trash. The Heretics received it from the Infidels corrupting holy orders, as they did GOD'S sacred Truth, and had their Prophetesses accompanying them; yea, the Petuzians ordained Episcopas and Presbyter as, feminine both Bishops and Priests. Licinius (as Eusebius reports) by a tyrannous Law forbade women to assemble in the CHURCH with men, and commanded them to have their several Congregations, & to make themselves Teachers of their own Sex, but his Edict is censured for ridiculous, and whether within the CHURCH, or without the CHURCH, the calling of women to this sacred function hath been deemed a profanation of holy orders, The Council of Carthage hath a short, but a full Canon to this purpose, Caum. 98. Quamuis docta, quamuis sancta, admit a woman be never so learned, never so holy, yet non presumat, she may not presume to meddle with a sacred function; It is not to be hoped that any woman will ever be of so unspotted a life as was the Virgin Marie, nor so well acquainted with the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, yet shall you not find in all the life of CHRIST, or after his death during the time which she lived with the Apostles, that she intermeddled with any part of pastoral function. Whereupon St Bernard was bold to put off an imposture of a Priest that made the Virgin's Image to speak unto him when he entered into a CHURCH to perform his devotion, with this witty answer, Your Ladyship hath forgotten that St PAUL forbids women to speak in the Church. But if women be allowed to be only Hearers in the service of Religion, it may be thought they have little to do; whereas indeed it is fare otherwise, for not only St PAUL in this Epistle sets them out other work, but Solomon also, Prou. 21. hath read an exemplary Lecture of good houswiferie unto them; in which chapter also they may find some liberty that they have to teach, for there Bathsh●ba is brought in teaching and instructing her son Solomon; and it may be gathered out of the second Epistle to Timothy, that Timothy was bred up in Religion by his mother Eunice, and grandmother Lois, it being out of all question that women are so fare allowed to teach, as to instruct them which under their husbands are committed to their charge. But the Apostles interdict forbids them within doors in the presence of their husbands, and likewise abroad in the company of others (especially if they be men) to attempt any such thing. If they do it abroad, they usurp upon the Pastor's function, as within doors upon their husbands; for though the place where they meet be not properly a CHURCH, yet by reason of the use whereunto they put it, their meeting becomes a Conventicle; and such acts of a woman, are in the eye of the Law derogatory to the authority of the Pastors, as in the eye of Reason to the authority of man, upon whom it is not lawful for a woman to usurp; as followeth in my Text. And indeed the general Inhibition that forbids a woman to usurp authority over a man, is the ground of this particular, they must not be teachers but hearers, for teaching carrieth with it a kind of authority. But more distinctly to rip up this general rule which forbids women to usurp authority upon men, the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports two things, authority, and exemplaritie; words that are authentical are words of command, and such as inferiors must exemplify; and the privilege of speaking such words belongs unto man. For whereas all authority is included in three heads, Rex, Propheta, & Sacerdos, all three are settled in man; man hath a kingly power in his House to give order unto all businesses which concern the same; and he is appointed a Prophet to his Family to inform them of the knowledge of GOD; I know him (saith GOD of ABRAHAM, Gen. 18.) that he will command his children, and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, etc. In the Law parents are commanded every one to teach his children, and St PAUL, 1 Cor. 14. requires women if they will learn any thing, to ask their husbands at home; which, as it taxeth the ignorance of such men as are not able to teach, so (that they may be able) it whets their industry to be more careful to learn. Finally, a man is Sacerdos, the sacrifice of prayer and thanksgiving must be offered by him for his whole Family, job 1. this did job practice day by day, he sent for, and fanctified his children, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all. This which is true in a private Family, is much more true in a Commonweal, which is but a multitude of Families, and the authority in public must be in persons of that sex to which it belongeth in private. If women intermeddle, they do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 usurp upon the authority that is proper to man, and then what follows? The Philosopher will tell you that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the rule of women is the bane of a Family: no less than tyranny is the bane of a Common wealth; the reason is plain, they have more of the heart than the head, and their affections out-step their discretion: yea, whereas in the head there is wit and wisdom; women are commonly more witty than wise, for wisdom requires the pondering of circumstances, but the forwardness of their affections will not suffer women to pause so long; whereupon it follows that their resolutions are rash and wilful, which cannot prognosticate any good events. Cornelius Agrippa hath tried the best of his wits to advance them in abilities above men, but he doth so collude in handling the Argument, that women may well fear a judgement will be given against them, if they come to the Bar furnished with no better evidence. Happily some woman may be as wise as Abigail, and some men as silly as Natal, yet then neither doth man lose his prerogative, nor woman acquire a title above him; she may deal with him per viam consilij, but not imperij, counsel she may, command him she may not: In a word, women are not to give directions to men, nor men to take their patterns from them, the contrary rather must prevail both in private and public, especially in ecclesiastical functions men are to give women their directions, and women are to take their patterns from men, for so much the distinction that sorts them into Learners and Teachers doth import. And so have you heard how this precept doth range women, who must hence learn with what place they are to content themselves in the School of CHRIST. As the Precept doth range them, so doth it qualify them; Learners they are, and they must have the qualities of Learners, which are these two, silence and obedience. First, women must learn in silence. There is a double silence, one of the tongue, and another of the wit; St CHRYSOSTOME observes that in his day's women came to CHURCH as they go a gossopping, met there to talk and prattle together, unto whom he giveth this Item, that they must not there so much as confer of heavenly things, much less may they tattle about worldly affairs, they must spare their tongues, and use their ears, be swift to hear, and slow to speak. I suppose many women labour of the same imperfection now adays, who shall do well to take notice of this memento of St Chrysostome, and make better use of their Teacher's pains than they are wont to do. But there is a silence of the wit, as well as of the tongue: as women must hear with attention, so must they also hear with sobriety of judgement; they must not have busy heads, and move curious and needless questions: seldom will the tongue be quiet, if the wit be so working; the truth whereof is most apparent in this age of ours, than which none ever bred more idle disputes, tending to quarrelling rather then edification, the end of Learning. The Minister is GOD'S Steward, and is to give every one his portion of meat in due season: In our Houses we will hardly endure that enerie one of our Family should prescribe unto himself his own diet, and not be contented with what is provided by such as we put in trust to serve them; but we are bolder with GOD'S Stewards than we will suffer our Family to be with ours; and none are more sick of this disease then women, they want the first quality of a Learner, to wit, silence, when they come to hear they should come furnished with that, but not with that only, they must be furnished also with another quality, which is, obedience, Women must learn with all subjection. Women were wont in St PAUL'S days to wear in the CHURCH the symbol of subjection, which was a Veil, who himself approves of the expediency hereof, and saith, that it was to be done propter Angelos, 1 Cor 11 to note their subjection to the Pastors, who were representatively unto them as CHRIST, whose Spouse women must show themselves to be. And indeed, married women are called Nupt●e, of wearing a Veil, Cat. 24. and of Rebecca you read in Genesis that so soon as she came within sight of Isaac, she covered herself with a Veil, and so presented herself in token of subjection unto him. St PAUL, Ephes. 5. parallels the subjection of the wife to her husband, with the subjection of the CHURCH to CHRIST; so that they must submit themselves not only to learn, but to obey, and be ruled by them whom GOD hath made their Teachers: for wheresoever GOD placeth one under another, his purpose is by the one to order the other. But you must mark that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, with all subjection, which may be understood either of the things wherein, or the parts wherewith they do obey. Touching the things; you heard before that a man is Rex, Propheta, & Sacerdos, in all these three functions women must be ordered by men, and men must give directions unto women. And as in all these things they must be subject; so must their subjection be as well in affection, as in action; it must partake not only of the outward, but of the inward man; they must be subject as reasonable, not as unreasonable Creatures. But we must not mistake: The subjection of the wife to the husband, and of women to their Pastors, is not serua, but libera, it is not slavish, but ingenuous. When GOD made the woman for man, he made her as another-himselfe, Gen. 2. & man is so to esteem of her; she must be similis, though not aequalis honoris, she must partake in the same kind of honour, though not in the same degree that man doth: And as Turtullian saith of a King, that he is solo Deo minor, hath in his Kingdom none above him but only GOD, so is a woman in a Family, solo marito minor, she should command all in the House but her husband. This the Romans intimated when at the first bringing of their wives into their Houses, they greeted them with these words, Vbi ego dominus tu domina, and Vbi ego herus tu hera. We mean as much by these words whereat many stumble in the solemnisation of Matrimony, with my body I thee worship, which import nothing else but that the husband doth communicate to his wife whatsoever degree he hath either in the CHURCH or Commonweal. And indeed, for a husband to esteem his wife at a lower rate is barbarous inhumanity: she is and must be accounted one with himself, and as his Consort. And as in wedlock the husband must so temper his superiority over his wife; so must Pastors claim no other superiority over them then CHRIST doth over his CHURCH. Implicit faith, and blind obedience of the Romanists, are no parts of the subjection; women must be Learners, but they are not bound to receive more than Pastors are authorized to deliver unto them in the Name of CHRIST; farther to subject them, is to tyrannize over them, as popish Priests do over their followers. You have heard of what rank women are, and how fare they are subjected unto men: But here we must take heed of two Rocks, whereof one is an error, the other is a slander. The error is the opinion that doth out of this Text impugn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the government of women; to which purpose there was a Tract published by some distempered humour in Queen Mary's days, which had also the concurrency of French Divines, who to countenance the Salic Law do gladly entertain such an opinion: But both should know, that general rules have their exceptions, and those set down by GOD himself: Besides, the general rule, Honour thy father and thy mother, which shows that even mothers also have their place in government. MOSES hath given us a particular resolution of this case, Dent. 27. from the mouth of GOD himself, which is, that where heirs males fail in a line, the females may succeed in an Inheritance. And if in the Inheritance, then in all things belonging thereunto, though it be a Royal Sovereignty: And the French that are so stiff for the Salic Law, hold, that in Signiories which depend on the Crown of France only in regard of homage, and are otherwise free, pass unto the heir's females by succession; otherwise how came Britanny to be incorporated into the Crown of France, and Burgundy into the House of Austria? It is true, that in Elective States men are absurd that make choice of a woman; but in States that are inherited, Municipal Law's she was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in the transgression; she passed the bounds which GOD set her, and broke a Law which was ordained to be a rule of her life. join she was deceived, with she was in the transgression, and then you shall see how the Serpent instils sin into man; we are not constrained, but alured to do ill, we swallow evil that is branched with the show of good; so did Eve; and so do all. But how doth the Apostle deny that Adam was guilty as well as Eve? We must observe that he doth not deny that Adam was in the transgression, for than he should contradict himself, who saith elsewhere, that by man came sin into the world; yea, he should contradict Adam's own confession, Rom. 5. who acknowledged to GOD that his wife gave him, and he had eaten of the forbidden fruit. Some therefore answer, that not Adam but Eve was first in the transgression, posterior in factura, prior in culpa (saith St HIEROME) and because she was so forward, not he, but she was to bear the blame. Some clear the place by understanding the words comparatively, as if Eve's sin were so much greater than Adam's, that adam's deserved not the name of sin in comparison of hers; she was deceived by the Serpent, he by his Wife; by how much more unreasonable it is for a woman to be guided by a Serpent, then for a man to be guided by his wife; by so much was her sin more soul than his. But neither of these two answers fits the argument: It lieth rather in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Eve was deceived, and not Adam, she made trial of her wisdom in reasoning with the Serpent, Adam did not; she deceived Adam, Adam did not deceive her; consider her passively, consider her actively, she shows herself unfit to be a teacher, wherefore she must be contented to be a scholar; Semel docuit (saith St Chrysostome) & omnia perturbavit, she taught once, and disordered all the world, let her never be allowed to teach again: And indeed GOD so dooms her, Gen. 3. Thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. If this subordination be not kept, the course of nature will be depraved (saith St HIEROMI) and faults will be multiplied in the world. But we may not mistake, and think that sin was the first cause of woman's subjection, and that she was made inferior, quia abus● est parilitate, because she abused that coequality which she had with man; which was the opinion of some ancient and modern Divines; that conce it is refuted by the first Reason. But as man before the Fall was to husband the ground, which after the Fall was imposed upon him to be done with the sweat of his brows: so women were to obey before, but after the Fall their obedience was made more harsh and unpleasant; yea, and a verbal ordination is added to the real. But I will conclude, with reference of all this unto our present occasion; Adam and Eve live still; their weakness life's in their posterity; if you doubt it, behold here spectacles of it; I mistake, Eve is away, but here are many of Adam's children; Eve shown the frailty of the whole nature of her sex, and if her daughter were here, I would let her see how like she is to such a mother, but because she is not, I will direct the rest of my speech unto these sons of Adam. Those that are blind seek such guides as can see, and they will be sure they have better sight than themselves before they will commit themselves unto them: we choose the best Lawyers for our Cases, the best Physicians for our Bodies, but to supply the defect of our Souls, to guide our judgement and our conscience in Religion, we trust we know not whom: certainly you have, and shown yourselves unworthy to be men, that could be so weak as to become Scholars to a woman; I cannot tell how better to resemble your humour, then to the distemperate appetite of girls that have the Green-sickness, their Parents provide for them wholesome food, and they get into a corner and eat chalk, and coals, and such like trash: so you that may in the CHURCH have grave and sound instructions for the comfort of your Soul, in Conventicles feed upon the raw, and undigested meditations of an ignorant usurping Prophetess. You may happily think that your fault is but small, but it is no small fault to violate the orders set down by GOD, for women to lift themselves above their rank, or men to fall below theirs; it is less lawful to do so, then for men to wear women's apparel, or women to wear men's; Put you on their Veil, and be you their glory, and let them put it off, and be the glory of GOD, contrary to St PAUL'S rule; or if you be loath to make such an exchange, henceforward let every man keep his rank, and be forrie that you have broken it; yea, be sorry that you have raised a scandal against your Sovereign, and your Pastors. Conventicles make show that you have not freedom of Religion, and thereby you derogate from the honour of his most Christian government; and you have wronged your Pastor by your Conventicle, casting an imputation upon him that he cannot, or he will not instruct you as he ought. These things are included in your fault, and you are to be sensible of these things, confess them, and ask GOD and his CHURCH forgiveness for them, And God grant that you and we all may remember that it is our greatest honour to observe God's Order, and that no woman presume to be an Eve, no man abase himself to be an Adam, to imitate either of them in that wherein they inverted their rank; but that every one may abide in that whereunto he is called of God. Amen. A SERMON PREACHED AT St ANDREWS IN WELLES WHEN ONE DID PENANCE FOR BLASPHEMY. LEVIT. 24. VERSE 15, 16. 15 And thou shalt speak unto the children of Jsrael, saying, Whosoever curseth his God shall bear his sum. 16 And he that blasphemeth the Name of the LORD, he shall surely be put to death, and all the Congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the stranger, as he that is borne in the Land, when he blasphemeth the Name of the LORD shall be put to death. Commonweals are governed by two kind of Laws, fundamental, and occasional. Fundamental I call those, by which the Commonweal was first framed. Occasional, such as are from time to time added upon emergent occasions; you may resemble them by our Common, and our Statute Laws. If men did live as they ought, according to the former, I mean the fundamental Laws, there would be no great need of the Laws, which I called occasional. But because they do not, Ex malis moribus bonae leges; the enormous behaviour of some one hath occasioned many a wholesome Law, to hold in others that would fall into the like sin. And GOD by MOSES gives an excellent pattern to all good Governors of making such occasional Laws, in cases Ecclesiastical, Civil, and Criminal; Ecclesiastical, Numb 9 Civil, Numb. 27.36. Criminal, Numb. 15. and in this Chapter. We have now to do with a criminal case, the case of Blasphemy; concerning which we find reported in this Chapter an heinous fact severely punished by GOD'S Commandment, and an excellent provisional Law grounded thereupon to prevent the like sin. The fact, with the punishment thereof, you may read in the verses that go immediately before; the Law is set down in these that now I have read unto you. Wherein we will consider two things, first what this Law containeth; secondly, to whom it was given. It contains the two main parts of a Law; for it opens the sin, and provides a punishment. In opening the sin it showeth us against whom, and how it is committed. The person against whom is GOD. But the name of GOD is taken either for one that though he be not, yet is reputed to be such; or for him which is GOD indeed, which is the true GOD. Both are here mentioned, the reputed GOD, in these words, his God; the true, in those other, the Name of the Lord. The sin against either of these persons is committed by mentioning and vilifying them, those two things must be understood in either of these words, curse, and blaspheme. If this sin be committed, here is a punishment provided for it, the Text will teach us, what it is, and upon whom it must be inflicted. What it is, we learn here first in general, he must bear his sin; by sin, is meant punishment; the offender must bear it, the Governor must put it upon him, lest the State suffer for him. In special, the punishment is here set down, that it must be Ecclesiastical, and Civil; Ecclesiastical, for he must be cast out of the Tents, which was a kind of Excommunication. Civil, it must be ultimum, and ignominiosissimum; it must be no less than death, he shall dye, and that death must be most ignominious: two ways ignominious; first, for that he was stoned to death, which is mors eminùs illata, they that executed him stood a farre off, as if they did abhor him. Secondly, he was to have no eye to pity him, for every one was to be his Executioner, All the Congregation shall stone him. This is the punishment. And this punishment must be inflicted upon all without any indulgence, no person must be excepted, quicunque, whosoever doth blaspheme must suffer. And because amongst the Israelites there were natives and aliens, both are given to understand, as well he that is borne in the Land, as the stranger, that the Law concerns them, if they presume to blaspheme they must suffer, yea and suffer so; they must surely dye, certainly be stoned, they must look for no commutation, no mitigation of their punishment. This is the Law. And this Law was given to the children of Israel: so saith the entrance into my Text; Thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel; Israel was GOD'S peculiar people, and it beseemed them to be the more zealous for his glory. I have broken up the Text; that this Penitent may be made sensible of his grievous sin, and we may be warned to take heed of the like man, reaped where he did not sow, gathered where he did not scatter. These are affirmative blasphemies. And unto these you may refer false Prophets, false Apostles, Heretics, yea and Schismatics too, which come unsent, speak unwarranted, make GOD the Author of their own devices; these are all more or less affirmative blasphemers: yea, and they also that without warrant curse in the Name of GOD, or by GOD any other person or thing. Besides these there are negative, and they are those which either wholly deny, or much lessen the perfections of GOD. Ps. 94. Some put out the eye of his Wisdom, they say, Tush the Lord doth not see, and is there any understanding in the Highest? Some bridle his Power, 2 Kings ●●. What God is he that can deliver out of my hand? saith the proud Sennacherib. God is the God only of the Hills, say the King of Syria's Captains. Epicures strip him of his Providence, Scilicet is superis labor est, ca cura quietos Sollicitat? God will do neither good nor evil. These and such like, Chryfoct. we may call negative Blasphemers: and the rule is, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, they that would be bad would have nothing good in GOD. Unto these you may refer them that give to the creature that which is proper to the Creator; that implies a denial, for if they be common to others, they are not only his; it is blasphemy to aver it. And such Blasphemers are all that make and worship false Gods, yea and Christ's also. Finally, by reason of Reference unto GOD, sacred Persons and Things are exposed to both kinds of blasphemy, the affirmative, and the negative. Wherefore the Dragon is said to blaspheme, not only the Name of GOD, but also his Tabernacle (that is his CHURCH) and the Inhabitants of Heaven. Well, whether the blasphemy be affirmative, or negative, by this time I think you conceive that it is a fearful thing: and if you do not, certainly you will, if you take notice of these three points, which issue all of them out of that which you have heard. First, Whereas sin may be committed either only against the Law, or also against the Lawgiver, this is committed immediately against the Lawgiver; and you know that though he make bold which breaketh the Law of the Prince, yet his presumption is most intolerable that layeth hands upon his Person. And what think you then of him that dares set himself against him that is King of Kings, and Lord of Lords? Secondly, A man's tongue was made to glorify GOD, therefore DAVID calls it his glory, and the best member that he hath. And how intolerable is it for a man to abuse that to GOD'S dishonour, which was given him to set forth his praise? Not his tongue only, but any part of his body, for a man may blaspheme by writing, by painting, by carving, sundry other ways, whereas man, whole man, and only man of all creatures in this visible world, was made to understand GOD'S Word, and his Works, that as he had the benefit of them, so he might give him the glory of them both. Thirdly, the mischief that man doth himself by this spiritual folly. Cap. 27. He that casts a stone up (saith the son of Sirach) it will fall down upon his own head. Cap 35 Our sins, our righteousness, neither help nor hurt GOD (as speaketh Elihu in job) if we reverence GOD, the comfort is not his but ours, as the discomfort is not his but ours, if we dishonour him. Do we blaspheme affirmatively? GOD will vindicate his own glory, Ps. 50. and make us see how much better he is then we dream of him. Look upon the forecited places; the wicked think that God is like unto them. Mal. 3. What saith GOD there? I will reprove thee and set thy sin before thee. So likewise in Malachy, they thought that GOD favoured men the more, the worse they lived; but GOD tells them, that in the day when he made up his jewels, they should return and see the difference between them that fear God, Math. 25. and them that feared him not. And the unthrifty servant was refuted before his face; for his Master gave to the thrifty servants each what he had gained upon his Master's goods. But as GOD doth thus refute affirmative blasphemies, so may you perceive in the very same places that the Blasphemer doth defraud himself of that which GOD proves to be his perfection, and leaves him to be more vile than he thinketh GOD to be. So likewise, what gaineth the negative Blasphemer, but this, that he putteth himself out of the protection of those Attributes, whereof he would, but cannot, rob GOD. GOD will ever have an understanding eye, though not to watch over him, but to inquire into him; he will have a hand of power, not to relieve, but to plague him; and he will never cease to be provident, but the Blasphemer shall never be the better for it. What shall we say then to these things? Surely considering our duty, considering our danger, we must think better upon, and take more care to fulfil that Petition of the Lords Prayer, Hallowed be thy Name. That we may perform our duty, that we may avoid the danger, let us all, and you especially that are the Penitent, daily join with the Angels, 〈…〉 and bear a part in their Hymn, singing, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts, Heaven and Earth are full of thy glory. For shall not mortal man adore that Name which is so reverenced by Cherubins and Seraphins? It is his honour to be admitted to it, and a horrible contempt if he do it not, yea, do the contrary. The kind of blasphemy is not here expressed, neither do I think it sit to inquire into it seeing the Holy Ghost is silent, such sins are better concealed then revealed, therefore do not I publish this Blasphemers sin. And I wish you not to be inquisitive after it. Our concupiscence is like tinder, it will quickly take fire, especially the catching fire of Hell. St Paul hath a good rule; Such things should not so much as be named amongst Christians. Yea blasphemy was so detested of old, that whereas it had a name, yet they did express it by an Antiphrasis, and used the word blessing in stead of cursing. I would our taste of words were as good as theirs was. I have done with the proper blasphemy, Tract. 27. in joh. I come now to speak a word of the occasional. Here take St Augustine's rule, Rarò inveniuntur qui blasphemant lingua, multi qui vita; few have gone so fare as this Penitent, who hath properly and directly blasphemed GOD. But there are more than a good many that have obliquely and occasionally blasphemed, yea and do daily, even all those whose conversation is not answerable to their profession. For they without the CHURCH who hear us profess that we are the children of GOD, and have for our guide the Word of GOD; when then they see us do that which common reason doth condemn as wicked, they conclude, Like children, like ●ather, like lives, like Laws; they open their mouths against GOD, and against his holy Word. Wherefore we must by well-doing, stop the mouths of gainsayers, and let our light so shine before men, that they may see our good works, and glorify our Pather which is in Heaven; or else we shall go for occasional Blasphemers, as did David, and also did the jews. 2 Sam. 12. Rom. 2. And let this suffice for the sin. I come now to the punishment. And here we must see first, What it is, and then, On whom it is inflicted. The punishment is set down here first in general, he shall bear his sin. By sin is meant punishment: the Holy Ghost by so speaking intimates the knot that in justice should be between them; none should be punished but for sin, and no sin should be unpunished. Which is also true when this word signisieth a Sacrifice, for the original of a Sacrifice was sin, and sin in the Old Testament was not expiated but by a Sacrifice. As you must observe these two things in the word sin, so are there two like things, a ceremonial and a moral, in those words, he shall bear his sin; for thereby in this place, the Holy Ghost signifieth, that a Blasphemer may not redeem himself from punishment by any ceremonial Sacrifice, the Law hath provided no Sacrifice for so crying a sin; whereas petty sinners might be ransomed by Sacrifice, a Blasphemer may not so unburden himself, he must bear his own sin: Num. 15. for Blasphemy is one of those sins which are committed with a high hand. As the phrase doth debar the Blasphemer of this ceremonial relief, so doth it put him over to the Civil Magistrate; and yields a good moral Note, which is, that we must unburden the State upon the malefactor, for sin committed by one that is a member of the Commonweal, by reason of the Communion that is between the parts of the politic Body, maketh all the Body guilty, Novel. Consti●. 77. if it be heinous; which justinian the Emperor observed well in his Preface to the Law which he made against this sin: for this sin (saith he) doth God send Famine, Pestilence, the Sword upon a Commonweal; neither can it put off the guilt, and prevent the punishment but by laying them upon the malefactor, making him to bear his own sin, lest they also bear a part of it. A good remembrance for Magistrates to quicken their justice in such cases, and teach them that they cannot be merciful to a Blasphemer except they will be cruel to their Country. But I shall touch at this point again before I end, and therefore I will go on. The Punishment is not only set down in general, but in special also; the special punishment is twofold. First, It is Ecclesiastical, for the malefactor must be carried out of the Tents: so GOD commanded a little before my Text, and in the end of this Chapter it was so practised. And when in the Holy Land they dwelled in Cities in stead of Tents, which they used in the Wilderness, they observed the same course: for they cast Blasphemers out of the City, as appears in the story of Naboth, 1 King. 21. and of St Stephen, Act. 7. who were calumniated for Blasphemers. 1 Tim: 1.20. Now this was a kind of Excommunication, and so vile persons were cast out, De Malady. c. Statuimus. to note that they were unworthy, not only to live, but even to dye also amongst the people of GOD, lest the place of their habitation should be polluted by them. The same GOD that would not endure, that persons, though but ceremonially polluted, should abide in the Camp, could much less endure the flagitious amongst his people; Num. 5. his Tents are holy, and only for holy persons. And we that believe in our Creed that the CHURCH is holy, should remove from amongst us all profane, all blaspheming persons. Whereby you the Penitent must understand what you deserve at the hands of the CHURCH. And let this suffice for the spiritual punishment. I come now to the Temporal. And that I told you, is ultimum, and ignominiosissimum supplicium. Vltimum, for it is no less than death, the party must be put to death; GOD held him unworthy to breathe, whose impious mouth breathed out such hellish contumelies against GOD. By GOD'S Law several sins have several punishments, and the punishments are proportioned to the sins; we may argue strongly, when GOD is the Lawgiver, that if the punishment be great, undoubtedly the sin is heinous; GOD doth often punish citra, but never ultra condignum. Blasphemy therefore is indeed a deadly sin, that must be so accounted by GOD'S judgements not only in foro poli, in case of conscience; but also in foro soli, at the Tribunal of a mortal judge, whose eye cannot discern, as doth the eye of GOD: surely that must needs be very foul, which must be so foul in his eye. Even in this also may you the Penitent take the scantling of your sin. The punishment is not only ultimum, but ignominiosissimum, most ignominious, and that whether you look upon the Execution, or the Executioners. The Execution, for the malefactor was to be stoned to death, and that was mors, not cominus but eminus illata, the Executioners stood aloof, as if they did abhor to touch the person with their hands, and therefore pursued him with stones. Add hereunto the circumstances wherewith they were to do it, no sooner did they hear the Blasphemy, but they rend their , stopped their ears, gnashed with their teeth, threw dust in the air, cried out with their voices, and ran against the malefactor with a kind of fury, yea and they afflicted their souls with fasting also; these circumstances shall you find in the execution of St Stephen and Naboth, misaplyed indeed, but yet I suppose they set forth the right manner of proceeding, because we find some of them in the story of Hezekiah, jer. 36. when he heard the blasphemy of Rabsache; and the Princes of judah are taxed for that they neither sorrowed, nor rend their when jehoiakim the King burned the Prophecy of jeremy. In the story of Naboth it appears, that if the Father were stoned for blasphemy, all his children also died with him. But that seemeth to be a strain beyond the Law: because by the politic Law of the jews the child was not to dye for the sin of his father; and yet in the story of Achan you have a precedent of a larger extent, for his sacrilege was punished not only in his own person, but also in his whole Family; all the living were stoned to death, and their dead bodies, with all their goods were afterward consumed by fire. A fearful judgement, and yet was his sin less than Blasphemy, for Blasphemy is the highest degree of Sacrilege. There is no proportion between earthly things consecrated to GOD, and the Nature, the Attributes, the Works of GOD; of how much sorer punishment than is he worthy that robbeth GOD of the latter, than he that robs him of the former? Hear this, and tremble, you that stand here guilty of that great Sacrilege. Surely if the Execution do not make you tremble at the ignominy that is due unto you, the Executioners may. Let us come then to them. And who are they? We have here set down their number, all the Congregation, Prince and people, none must think himself too good, when the case so nearly concerns GOD; not only the most, but even the best also must stoop to that, which is otherwise thought to be base (as it is but an ignoble profession to be an Executioner) when GOD'S glory must be vindicated, and the wrong done thereunto must be revenged: all must show that they are sensible of GOD'S dishonour. GOD'S (did I say?) yea their own, which is enwrapped in GOD'S; for all are wronged by a Blasphemer, because GOD which is reproached, is honoured by them all: And can any man be patiented to hear him so blasphemed whom himself doth honour? Add hereunto that this multitude of Executioners was to strike the greater horror and confusion into the Blasphemer; for when he saw himself convicted of all, judged of all; how could he but give glory unto GOD? and confess that his sin was most heinous of a truth? Finally, the number was to be a bridle unto all; GOD would have every one really obliged never to dare to commit the same sin, for which he had so publicly punished another, and that with his own hand. Out of all that hath been said concerning the number of the Executioners, we learn this good lesson, That though it be a pious thing for a man to forgive his own disgraces, and reproaches, yet it is impious to forgive GOD'S. GOD is well pleased with the former, because he can make us amends for our patience, and is able to bless when others curse us; but patience in GOD'S wrongs can have no excuse; for what amends can be made him? or what Superior is there that can countervail that wrong? Though this be an undoubted truth; see notwithstanding the perverse disposition of the world, how sensible are we of our own wrongs? how eagerly do we endeavour to right ourselves and our reputation by Law? yea and against Law? pretending the Laws of honour, we pursue, even but seeming, yea and oftentimes feigned disgraces, with duels, unto death; to the utter ruin of those which have disgraced us: But of GOD'S honour we are most senseless, let Varlets and miscreants (for they deserve no better name that have such foul mouths) profane the sacred Name of GOD, hellishly rend in pieces, as a vile thing, the precious ransom of the CHURCH, the sacred person and parts of our Saviour CHRIST, how many be there that laugh at them, but as mad fellows? and where is he that thinketh that the revenge of this doth concern him? Certainly fare off is our Congregation from joining altogether to stone him. But lest you should think that this was a tumultuary proceeding, I must supply, out of former words, the order which was observed therein. For the witnesses that heard the Blasphemy were to be Leaders in this proceeding, they were first to impose their hands upon him, and set their hands against him. This ceremony, though practised in other judgements, as appears in the 13 and 17 Chapters of Deuteronomie, yet seemeth to have its original here, and imports two things, first the truth of their testimony, so that if the man died innocently, not the whole Congregation which followed, but they which led the Congregation were to be guilty of his death. Secondly, The imposing of hands upon the Malefactor was the making of him, as it were, a politic Sacrifice, for mundi expiatio est malorum occisio, as the Priest, so the Prince hath his Sacrifice to offer; as the CHURCH so the Common weal: the execution of Malefactors is a propitiating of GOD. And GOD in the Commonweal of Israel in cases wherein he refused the Ceremonial, was well pleased to have this Sacrifice, and to admit it as expiatory of the Commonweal. I told you of the thing before, but of the devoting of the person to pacify GOD I could not speak till I came to this place. You the Penitent may hereby see how zealously the State should be bend against you, and how much it concerns us to see justice done upon you. Having thus sufficiently opened the punishment, I come now to show you upon whom it must be executed, Quicunque, upon him whosoever he be that curseth or blasphemeth; here must be no respect of persons, high or low, rich or poor, be he what he may be, he is liable to punishment, if he curse his God. Though it be a false-one, yet if it be his, the Law saith plainly, he shall bear his sin. The words may be understood either as a relation, or as a commandment. As a relation, what other Nations do; how zealous they are for the honour of their Gods. In the Story of the wonders which GOD wrought in delivering the children of Israel out of Egypt, we find that when Pharaoh would have the Israelites sacrifice to their GOD in the Land of Egypt, Exod. 8. Lo (said Moses) shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, and will they not stone us? How did Nabuchadnezzar cause the Furnace to be heated to consume those that would not worship his golden Image? What a do kept Demetrius the Siluer-Smith when St Paul was thought to blaspheme Diana? Protagoras was banished; Socrates was put to death for disgracing the gods of Athens. The Mahometans lay on many stripes upon them that disgrace their Alearon. I will omit the solemn Bellum sacrum of the Grecians. Thus the words may be conceived by way of relation: and then see how GOD argues; Do the Heathen punish those who dishonour, or curse those that are only gods in their erroneous reputation? Much more than ought he to be punished that blasphemes the true GOD. Thus doth GOD oftentimes shame his own people for their Impieties, by setting before their face the Piety that is in Infidels: Hath a Nation changed their Gods, which yet are no Gods? jer. 2. But my people hath changed their glory for that which doth not profit. And again, Mal. 3. Will a man rob God? Yet ye have rob me. So that the punishment cannot be denied to be just by true Religion, which is held most just by the glimmering light of Reason. But the words may have in them more than a bare Relation, they may contain a commandment also; a commandment that whosoever curseth God, though it be but his God, that is, a false God, shall be punished, for, conscientia erronea ligat, so long as any man in his conscience is persuaded that he is the true God, he must worship him as if he were such. It is true that when he cometh to the knowledge of his error, Esay 8. Esay 2. he may then curse his false gods; he may cast them to the Bats, and to the Moles: But so long as his understanding is clouded with error, his Reverence must follow the Rule of his Conscience. It is good Divinity that is delivered in the Book of Wisdom touching Idolatrous perjured persons, They shall be justly punished: Cap. 14. both because they thought not well of God, giving heed unto Idols, and also unjustly swore in deceit, despising holiness: ●or it is not the power of them by whom they swear, but it is the just vengeance of sinners, that punisheth always the offence of the . And no marvel; for were it a true GOD, they would use him so; their ignorance is not antecedent, but concomitant; and such ignorance doth not excuse the quantity, much less doth it excuse the quality of sin. But to leave his God and come to the Name of the Lord. Here Quicunque must be repeated again, we may less admit exception of persons amongst them that blaspheme the Name of the Lord, then amongst them that curse their God. But here we meet with a markable distribution of quicunque, whosoever; Whether (saith the Text) he be a Stranger, or borne in the Land. Though morally all men are bound, and may be persuaded by Ministers and others to acknowledge and worship the true GOD: yet politicly Infidels cannot be compelled. And why? It is a work that needeth the assistance of supernatural grace, which is not annexed unto the Sword. Notwithstanding, the Civil Sword may take vengeance upon all, even Strangers, Infidels that openly blaspheme the Name of the Lord; though they may be tolerated in their false, yet may they not open their mouths against the true Religion, Quicunque, whatsoever Stranger doth so, he must be stoned. And if a Stranger, much more he that is borne in the Land; for he is tied to honour GOD by a double obligation, a native, a votive, as a man, as a member of the Church. Now the more obligations, the more guilt; the more guilt, the more just the punishment: therefore Quicunque, whosoever borne in the Land blasphemeth the Name of the Lord, he must be stoned to death. I must carry Quicunque a little farther; the root of Blasphemy may be without us, or within us: Without us, the Devil who may suggest it; and than it is no sin of ours (though a sin) except we consent unto it, and delight in it. Within us it may be threefold: First, Ignorance; Secondly, Infirmity; Thirdly, Malice: There is great odds between these to GOD-ward. St Paul blasphemed, but he did it ignorantly; he did not believe that JESUS was the CHRIST. St Peter blasphemed, but he did it of infirmie; he did it being overtaken with fear of death. The Pharisees they also blasphemed, but they did it out of malice; they did it against their own conscience. Now of these three Roots, the two first leave place for repentance; St Peter and St Paul are ensamples thereof: Math. 12. Not so the third; it is the sin against the Holy Ghost, not to be forgiven in this world, nor in that which is to come. But howsoever there is this odds to GOD-ward, yet in regard of the Magistrates sword there is no difference, Quicunque; be the root ignorance, be it infirmity, be it malice, he must be stoned to death, his body must be made an expiatory Anathema or Sacrifice by the State, whose Soul notwithstanding upon repentance may be saved in the day of the Lord. And verily the Blasphemer upon whom this Law was made, blasphemed but in his rage (as appears) yet he died for it. Wonder not at GOD'S severity, he measureth no more to himself, than he doth to Parents, Exod. 21 to Magistrates. He that curseth his father, and his mother, the parents of his flesh, must be used so; and shall not he be used so much more that curseth the Father of his Spirit? He that speaketh evil of the Ruler of the people must be used so; and shall not he that speaketh evil of the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords? The comparison maketh Quicunque in GOD'S case to be most just. To which root we shall refer your Blasphemy that are the penitent; I know not; in charity we hope the best; we hope that it cometh from a mixture of gross ignorance, and unruly passions; for these do raise evil thoughts, and murmurings. That it doth so, let it appear in your repentance. St Paul in conscience of his Fall by ignorance, gave himself no better a title, when he had occasion to mention it, than Maximus peccatorum, the most grievous of sinners, even when he lead a most holy life; he could not forget his fall in the height of GOD'S grace. And of St Peter the Ecclesiastical Story reports, that at the crowing of the Cock (the Remembrancer of his Fall) every night during his life, he did wash his bed, and water his couch with his penitent tears. GOD make you so mindful, and so sorrowful; otherwise you will betray that your Blasphemy sprang from malice; and then be sure, that the same GOD that commanded such severity to be executed here on earth, will himself execute much greater upon all those which through irrepentance go to Hell. Yea haply, he may even in this world make you a Spectacle of a forlorn wretch to the terror of others; as he did Sennacherib, Hercdot. ●●b. 8. upon whose Statue there is this Inscription, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Let every one that looketh upon me, learn to be godly. Such a Spectacle, I say, may he make you, if by often recounting and bewailing of this crying sin, you do not quench the fire of his wrath, and prevent his judgements: For God will not hold him guiltless that taketh his Name in vain. The last point is, that it must be done without all indulgence, Moriendo morietur, he shall surely dye, surely be stoned. We may not with Eve turn surely into ne fortè, lest the Devil work upon us, and we provoke GOD as Saul did in agag's case, and Ahab in Benadads'. You have heard the Law; A word of those to whom it was given, and so I end. In the entrance of my Text you find, that it was given to the Israelites, the Israelites were the people of GOD, and surely it concerns them, if any, to be most zealous of his glory, who is their Glory. But did it concern them only? Then it is dissolved, because their Commonweal is at an end. Take therefore a Rule, That if a Law which in the institution thereof was Nationall to the jews, in the equity of it be Ecumenical, every Christian nation is bound to give it a Reviuor, though they may the punishment, as they find it expedient for their State. And indeed, this hath received such a reviuor in most Christian States. justinian the Emperor of Constantinop●e made it capital. The wise Goths inflicted an hundred stripes for it, and in disgrace shaved the delinquents head and beard, and imprisoned him during life. Frederick the Emperor cut out the tongue of all that offended in this kind. St Lewis of France caused their tongue to be bored with a hot Iron, wishing that his own tongue might be so used, if ever he did blaspheme. Philip of Vuloys caused their lips to be slit. And touching our own State, I have nothing to say in excuse thereof, for that it hath all this while left this sin only to Ecclesiastical censure, and hath not provided some corporal punishment for it, but that of Solon, who being demanded why he made no Law against Parricide, answered, that he thought none in his Commonweal would ever be so impious to commit it. So I think our State thought there would never rise such lewd persons amongst us; But seeing there do, it is high time we had some sharp occasional Statute to repress them. If holy job were so careful to sacrifice for, and sanctify his sons, ne fortè, lest peradventure they had sinned; with what zeal should we be stirred up, when we see the fact is most apparent? I conclude. Let all Blasphemy be put out of all our mouths, yea, and hearts also; and let us pray GOD to set a watch before our lips, and keep the door of our mouths; that his grace may rule in our hearts, that he may be our fear, and his praise may be our talk: that praising him here on Earth, we may be admitted into the number of his Saints, which with heart and voice praise him for evermore in Heaven. A penitent Prayer for a Blasphemer. MOST Sacred, and most dread, Almighty, Everlasting God, to whom the Angels continually do cry, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts, the glory of whose admirable and comfortable wisdom reacheth from one end of the world to another, mightily, and sweetly ordereth all things. I the unworthiest of men, the most grievous of sinners, humbly, sorrowfully prostrating my dejected, disconsolate, both soul and body before thy holy eyes, pray that the sighs and groans of a broken and contrite heart may not be excluded from thine offended ears. Lord I have been deep in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity: Satan hath filled my heart therewith, and out of the abundance thereof my tongue hath sent forth many flashes, even of the fire of Hell: as a brood of the Serpent I have set my mouth against Heaven, I have blasphemed the holy, the reverend Name of my God, and vilified his unchangeable, unchallengable Providence. Hadst thou dealt with me as I deserved, fire and brimstone from Heaven should have consumed me, or the Earth should have gaped, and swallowed me down quick into the pit of Hell. I deserved to be made a spectacle of thy just vengeance, that graceless wretches seeing my judgement, might fear my offence. I confess this, o Lord, I confess it unfeignedly, penitently; but woe is me if I have no more to confess, but these my evil deserts. Thy long-suffering towards me putteth me in better hope; yea, this medicinal confusion whereunto thou now puttest me, puts me in good hope that thou hast not forgotten to be merciful unto me, neither haste thou shut up thy tender mercy in displeasure. Lord I do not despise this goodness of thine that leads me to repentance, that works in me remorse of conscience. And from that penitent Blasphemer that proved a most worthy Apostle, from his mouth do I take unto myself that saying worthy of all men to be received, That jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, even such sinners, of whom I am chief. Now than I beseech thee, let the power of my Lord be great, according as thou hast spoken: The Lord is slow to anger, and of great mercy, and forgiveth iniquity and sin. Be merciful I beseech thee to the impiety of thy servant, according to thy great mercy: let the ungodliness of my heart, of my mouth, be blotted out of thy remembrance, let it not bring upon me the vengeance I deserve, but create in me a new heart, and touch my tongue with a coal from thine Altar, that I which am unworthy by reason of my scandalous crying sin, to meditate on, or make mention of thy glorious Majesty, thy divine Wisdom; may have a heart always enditing good things: and my blasphemous tongue may be turned into an instrument of thy glory. So shall my soul be filled, as it were, with marrow and fatness, when I shall praise thee with joyful lips; and I shall sing forth thy wondrous mercy all the days of my life. Hear me, o Father of mercy, for give me, amend me, and establish in me this holy purpose of my repentant heart, to thy glory, and the comfort of enormous sinners, for Jesus Christ's sake, by the powerful operation of thy Holy Spirit. Amen. A SERMON PREACHED AT St ANDREWS IN WELLES, A SCHISMATIQVE DOING PENANCE WHO HAD FOR MANY YEARS ESTRANGED HIMSELF FROM THE COMMUNION OF OUR CHURCH. 1 CORINT 3.18. 18 Let no man deceive himself: if any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. A Particular visible Church is built upon two foundations, Union, and Communion; a loving union of the faithful, and an holy communion in sacred things: Both these must be preserved, or else that Church will come to naught. Now there were amongst the Corinthians that did undermine these foundations; some rend the union, and the communion was corrupted by othersome. St Paul wrote this Epistle to amend them both. And mark what a distinct course he taketh. He first settleth the union before he offereth to purge the communion. And there is good reason why; for though the loving union of the faithful be unprofitable, if it be without a holy communion in sacred things, yet is a holy communion in sacred things impossible, if you take away the loving union of the faithful. Therefore lest St Paul should lose his labour in redressing of the communion, he first taketh care of repairing the union. The first thing then that in the Church of Corinth he reforms, is Schism; and he spends well-nigh four Chapters in reforming thereof, in throughly searching into the disease, and applying thereto a sovereign remedy. The words that now I have read unto you belong to the remedy, and you shall find them to be a principal branch thereof. Let us come more closely to them. Of medicinal remedies, some are preservative, some are restorative. The preservative are for the sound; the restorative are for the sick. You shall find them both in my Text, and you shall find that they are Catholica remedia, such remedies as do, or may concern us all. The preservative remedy is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, providence, or the prevention of Schism; you have it in these words, Let no man deceive himself. The restorative is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, repentance, or the recovering of a schismatic, it followeth in these words, If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him be a fool that he may be wise. But more distinctly. In the preservative we are to behold our natural weakness, and therefore to learn spiritual carefulness; St Paul supposeth that we are prone to deceive ourselves, and therefore adviseth that no man should do himself that wrong, Let no man deceive himself. In the restorative we must behold first the distemper of a schismatic, and then the cure fitting to such a distemper. The distemper is a carnal self-conceit; a self-conceit, for the man thinks himself wise; but the selfe-conceipt is but carnal, as appears by the limitation, or extenuation rather that is added to his wisdom, he is only wise in this world. Such is his distemper, Whereof the first cure is an exalting humility. The first branch is humility, He must become a fool; but he need not be disheartened, there followeth an exaltation thereupon, He becomes a fool that he may be wise. These are the remedies. And they are (as I told you) Catholica remedia, such remedies as do or may concern us all. The preservative doth, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Let no man deceive himself. The restorative may, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, If any. That which hath befallen this man, may be the case of the best of us all. These are the particulars which GOD-willing I shall now enlarge and apply unto this present occasion: I pray GOD we may so do it, as that we all, not this Penitent only, may be the better for it. The first remedy is the preservative; and therein the first thing that I pointed out, is our natural weakness. This St Paul supposeth; we may gather it out of that which he adviseth; for in vain were his advice, if there were not a truth in that which he supposeth; but fare be it from us to think that the Holy Ghost doth require any thing in vain; let it stand then for an undoubted truth, that we are prone by nature to deceive ourselves. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (from whence the Verb is derived which is used by the Apostle) signifieth a leaving of the right way, which putteth us in mind, that in this world we are but way-faring men. When we are admitted into the Church, we are set in the path which will lead us to our everlasting home: but when we are in it, we may go out of it. It appears too plainly in Adam and Eve; and it is not to be expected that the children should be better than the parents, especially seeing our restitution cometh short of that measure of grace which they had in their Creation. It being true that we may, the question is, How it comes to pass that we do go out of the way, and leave the strait path wherein we are set; the Scripture observes two means, the one without us, the other within us, that is the world, this is concupiscence: the world allures, concupiscence inclines. Add hereunto a third, that is, the devil; he blancheth the world that it may allure more strongly; and worketh concupiscence by persuasion, that it may yield more readily; and these between them consummate the deceit, whereby we are led out of the way. But between these we must observe a great difference; that which worketh the deceit from without, is but an occasion; that which worketh it from within, is the true cause thereof: the world, the devil, Suadere possunt, cogere non possunt, they may solicit powerfully, but they cannot enforce us unwillingly to go out of the way. Physical actions may be constrained, moral cannot; I may have mine eyes forcibly laid open to see, mine ears to hear, and so the rest of my body may be constrained to produce some work; but the powers of my reasonable soul can never be constrained; I cannot be constrained to judge otherwise then my understanding leads me, nor to choose that which my will refuseth: therefore our understanding, and our will, must be actors, principal actors in this deceit. And so St james telleth us, Cap. 1. 1 Iohn ●. that He that is tempted, is baited, and led aside by his own concupiscence. St john insinuates as much when he telleth us, that All that is in the world, is the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life: as if there were no deceit in the world, were it not, that we did fasten our concupiscence upon it. Rom. 7. Finally, St Paul telleth us in his own case, Peccatum decepit me, that which deceived me was mine own sin. And indeed, he that first instilled sin into us, gave us the seed of his own sin. The Devil's sin was selfe-deceipt; for when he fell there was nothing besides himself that might deceive him, and that cunning Huntsman is not contented to make us a prey, except he take us in the cords of our own sin, except we follow the counsels of our own hearts, and do that which is right in our own eyes, to disobey GOD, and leave the path of life. It were easy to illustrate this in all sorts of sins, but I will keep myself to this present occasion, to the sin of Schism. The Devil attempts two things against the truth of Religion: the first is Privation, the second Depravation; a declining unto the lefthand, or to the right: to the lefthand by making men Atheists, to the right-hand by making them Separatists; he would that all should be fools, and say in their hearts that there is no GOD, or that GOD is without Providence; that GOD knoweth not, or eareth not for the things of this world. And if he cannot so stifle Religion, he endeavoureth for to leaven it; whom he cannot draw to the left hand, he will endeavour to draw to the right, he will by corrupting of good principles, maketh them fall upon many conclusions, and use zeal for GOD, to estrange themselves from GOD. Woeful experience hath the Church had of such Paralogismes; in the jews, who upon this ground opposed CHRIST; in the Gentiles, that took this for a ground to quarrel with the jews; and the Separatists of this latter age, whereof we have had more than a good many in this Country, have stumbled at this stone; lest they should serve GOD amiss, they have refused to serve GOD at all. Nazianzen in his time though in another case, yet savouring of this sin, cried out, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Orat. 40. O unwary wariness, o imposture of the wickedone, that turneth Piety into Impiety; and overcometh reason by reason! Who can consider this and not acknowledge the weakness of our nature? This weakness may be resolved into our over-easie believing, and rash dis-beleeving; over-easie believing of seducing Impostors, that labour to instill their fancies into us; and rash dis-beleeving of those whom GOD hath lawfully placed to rule over us; both which a man shall easily observe in all Schismatics. But to acknowledge our natural weakness is not sufficient, the Apostle adviseth us to beware of it; and indeed, therefore is our natural weakness remembered, that it might stir us up unto spiritual carefulness, not to do that which we are prone to do, Let no man deceive himself. We must take heed of the occasions that from without offer to deceive us, of Wolves in Sheep's clothing, of an Angel of darkness, turning himself into an Angel of light; Try the spirits, at St john; yea, Try all things, as St Paul willeth us. 1 john 4 1 Thes. 5. ●1 In job we have a pretty resemblance of the ear to the taste; as the one doth try the meats which we are to take into our bodies, so should the other the words which we are to receive into our souls. But in vain shall we try them, if we do not try ourselves first; for we must try them by our judgement, by our will; Verum est index sui & obliqui. a perverse judgement cannot discern truth from falsehood, neither can an untoward will make a right choice when Good and Evil are presented unto it; he cannot choose but be deceived by others, that is first deceived in himself: wherefore seeing our judgement and our will must be the rule by which we must try others, our first care must be to set them strait, our understanding must be a good Logician, our will a good Moralist; if either be defective, we deceive ourselves, and we are very apt to be deceived by others. It is a miserable thing for a man to be deceived by others, Plat● in Cr●til●. but to be deceived by himself, is most miserable, cum Impostor ●e minimum quidem decedat, we shall ever carry about us the Deceiver in our bosoms, and he shall have that credit with us, as that we shall never so much as suspect his deceit: yea, Satan and the World shall ever have their Agent with us, and make us assacinates to destroy ourselves. Add hereunto, that this kind of deceit makes us uncapable of wholesome counsel; for if our ignorance be only privative, seldom do we obstinate ourselves against good instructions; but if our reasonable powers be depraved, and possessed with qualities opposite unto those which we should receive, there is much less hope of our amendment. Intus apparens excludit alienum, Nazianz. orat. 1. selfe-deceipt is most refractory, and most hardly will he be brought back into the way, that being deceived of himself, wittingly and willingly went out of the way, whereof this Penitent may be a lively example unto us. And let this suffice concerning the Preseruative. I come unto the Restorative remedy, wherein we are first to see the distemper of a schismatic; I told you it was a carnal selfe-conceipt. First, a selfe-conceipt, the Schismatique thinks himself wise. GOD that endowed us with the faculties of sense and reason, gave these faculties a double ability, a direct and a reflected. The direct is that whereby they receive their object; the reflect is that whereby they judge of that receipt. I will make it plain to you by an example, first of sense, and then of reason. Mine eye seethe a colour, for example Greene, having seen it, it passeth a judgement upon the sight, and knows that is green which it doth see; the like may be observed in hearing, smelling, tasting, and the rest of the senses. In like manner is it in our soul: The understanding apprehends some truth, and having apprehended it, it passeth a judgement upon it, and knoweth that that is truth which it hath apprehended. The like may be said of Good. But we must mark here a difference between sense and reason, as created, and as corrupted: as created, so non falluntur circa obiecta sua, whether they wrought directly or reflectively, they were able to work without error; not so as they are corrupted, for now they are subject to manifold errors. See it in our senses: If the eye by any chance or suffusion be stained, it will mistake in the apprehending of colours, and accordingly it will mistake in judging of his apprehension, for the reflected action is always answerable to the direct; so is it with the in relishing of meats, and judging of the relish. Neither is the condition of our reasonable faculties better than that of our sensitive. The understanding may misdeem, & the will choose amiss, and then the reflected actions how can they be sound? especially, in cases which concern ourselves, and where the question is of our own worth. Ignorance and self-love will so blear our eyes, that they will make up a false glass wherein we shall never see ourselves as indeed we are; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Men that make themselves judges of themselves, are sure to have a very favourable judgement, for that which every man desires, he is persuaded to be so, because he is by nature a friend unto himself, and you know the Proverb, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, if we dote upon a person, all his imperfections seem perfections in our eyes. You may observe it daily in Parent's affections towards their children, and husbands towards their wives; but it is not so true in any thing, as in Religion; for if a man once conceive himself to be devout, all his actions seem presently unto him to savour of devotion. And hereupon it cometh to pass, that rather than he will impair any part of his reputation, he will discredit even GOD'S truth itself, if it seem to lay any blame upon him. And so we see that many men resolve that their ignorance is wisdom, and though they know nothing, yet that they know all things. This being observed concerning the difference between our abilities as created and corrupted; you will easily acknowledge two good rules that Gregory Naz. hath; the first is, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, there is great distance between seeming and being; for seeing we are in the state of corruption, we cannot conclude, this seemeth so, therefore this is so, because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, it is an easy matter (as you heard in the first point) for a man to deceive himself, and think himself to be something when he is nothing, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, being puffed up with vain conceit, and vain glory. A second rule is, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, there is no greater enemy to being, De Trinit. 1.8. then seeming. Many pretending faith, saith St Hilary, are not subject unto faith; he gives a reason, they square a faith unto themselves, rather than receive it from the Church, sensu humanae inanitatis inflati: being puffed up with a conceit of humane vanity, they relish nothing but their own self-will, and to cleave to that, distaste the truth, Cum sapientiae haec veritas sit interdum sapere quae nolis, It is a true character of heavenly wisdom, to relish many things which thwart our natural will. These two rules will easily resolve us that selfe-conceipt is a distemper, and will make way for two good instructions to be entertained by us: The first is, that though we should labour to be wise, yet should we not be wise in our own eyes; and why? when we are at the best, we have not so much reason to glory that we are better than others, as we have to be sorry that we are not so good as we should be: certainly St Paul thought so; Phillip 3.13. that great Apostle made this wise profession, I forget those things that are behind, and make coward the mark for the price of the high calling of God in Christ jesus. The second is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, If a man have attained by GOD'S grace a good degree of wisdom, it is better in modesty to undervalue himself, then to overvalue himself audaciously; for the latter is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, an empty conceit, or a vain glory, a vice: but the former is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, meekness of wisdom, as St james calls it, a principal Christian virtue. They that are infected with vice, come under the censure of the Proverb, There is a generation pure in his own eyes, and yet is not cleansed from his filthiness: but the other are not so lowly in their own eyes, as glorious in the eyes both of GOD and men. And let this suffice touching the distemper, the selfe-conceipt of a Schismatique. The Text doth tell us that this selfe-conceipt is carnal; for it hath an addition which doth extenuate the worth of the selfe-conceipt, calling it wisdom in this world. The words are taken in a double sense, noting either the quality of the wisdom, or the place where this wisdom is. Chrysostome understands it of the quality, and so that wisdom is of no higher a degree, then that which springeth from the natural corruption of man; and indeed it was such wisdom wherewith the false Apostles did seek to steal away the affections of the Corinthians from the true; the particulars you may read in that part of this tract wherein St Paul doth rip up the disease of Schism. Othersome understand the place; and then the wisdom may be of a heavenly pitch, but the degree of it is not such as that a man may boast of it, for such a degree is not vouchsafed us in this world, in Heaven we may expect it: in the mean time we must acknowledge that we come short thereof, and therefore must not be wise in our own eyes. Venerable Bede conjoines both senses, saying, that they are persons, Qui hic sapientes esse volunt, & ex se, mira vanitate, a schismatic affects to have more understanding than other men by a special insight of his own into heavenly things, and that in this mortal life, which is subject to so many mistake. And if you join these two together, they will make up that attribute which I gave unto the selfe-conceipt, and prove it to be carnal; for that must needs savour of the flesh which doth intermingle humane fancies with divine truth, or vaunt of more perfection than GOD vouchsafeth on earth. And yet such a conceit have all Schismatics, the Serpent that is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, from his pretended knowledge, makes them affect to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men of more knowledge then ordinary. But all their knowledge is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, knowledge falsely so called, as appeareth in the effect thereof, for as the eating of the forbidden fruit did wor●e a deadly knowledge in Adam and Eve, even so doth this busy knowledge of Schismatics prove pernicious unto them. Wherefore it is good for you the Penitent to listen to the rule of the Apostle, Rom. 12. Be not wise in your own conceit. And thus much of the distemper, and the attribute thereof. I come now to the cure. And indeed the Holy Ghost doth therefore set down the distemper, that we might see the need of the cure, and seeing it, might be the more disirous of it. The cure is an exalting humility. First humility, He that is self conceited, and thinks himself wise, must humble himself, He must become a fool. A fool saith Primatius, Non natura, sed voluntate, let him not be a natural, but a voluntary fool. In Reg. Breu. A voluntary fool in two respects. First in his own eyes, then in the eyes of the world; St Basil observes the first, Si formidaverit iudicium domini, etc. if he stand in awe of that doom which GOD pronounceth by the Prophet, Woe be to you that are wise in your own eyes, Isay 5. And confess with the Psalmist, I was even as a beast before thee. Then saith St Basil a man becomes a fool, that is, he doth acknowledge his own folly; his folly in that he mistook seeming wisdom instead of the true, and did esteem his own judgement, better than the judgement of the Church which he was bound to obey. I did before show you that all Schimatiques are subject unto a double deceit, over-easie believing, and rash dis-beleeving; and what are these but branches of folly? Hasty belief, what is it but plain foolishness, and the greatest advantage of Impostors? For the Auditor's ignorance gives a large scope unto a Seducers craft if he be apt to follow, and to be persuaded before he is instructed; and that is the true method of Impostors, they gain an interest in our affections before they offer to inform our judgement; and a pliable will, maketh a flexible understanding, and nothing is so easily believed as that which such a man knoweth least; and when a man cometh to the sight of this imperfection, what can he do less than condemn it for simple folly? Neither may we judge better of our rash disbeleefe, when we in our mutinous and ambitious deliberation, not seeing the ground of our Governors' ordinances whether in Church or Commonwealth, presently brand them for Superstitious, Antichristian, Tyrannous; and think them the best men that disgrace them most; and ourselves never more religious than when we are most rebellious. It is no less than proud folly so to reduce the credibility of Laws to the measure of our capacity. Cap. 38 The son of Syrach hath made a great piece of a Chapter in checking this folly: The wisdom of a learned man cometh by opportunity of leisure, & he that hath little business shall become wise, etc. But of Husbandmen and craftsmen he adds this, They shall not be sought for in public Counsel, nor sit high in the Congregation: they shall not sit on the judge's seat, nor understand the sentence of judgement, etc. When a man comes to see this imperfection, the imperfection of Husbandmen and craftsmen taking upon them to judge Scriptures and Synods, what can it be less in his eyes then unexcusable folly? Neither only must we think so, but profess it to be so, for therein properly standeth his becoming a fool, when he doth not refuse publicationem sui, as Tertullian calleth it, a public recognition of his imperfection, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, making an open show thereof, and insulting thereupon as if he were not able to disgrace it enough. Such a religious fool doth King David show himself in his Penitentia●s, St Paul in his Epistles, St Ausline in his Confessions: It was not strange nor rare in the Primitive Church, for public offenders to become such public fooles. You that are the Penitent having so good examples may well digest your humiliation, and this religious folly needs not be grievous unto you. Another sense there is of these words, which is, that as we must be contented to be fools in our own eyes, in that we mistook seeming wisdom for true: so when we do embrace truth instead of seeming wisdom, we must be contented to go for fools in the eyes of the world; for as that which is high in the eyes of the world, is base in the eyes of GOD: so that which is high in the eyes of GOD, is base in the eyes of the world. The patience, the obedience, the charity, the humility of a penitent Christian, they are no better then plain folly in the judgement of worldly men; they hold them senseless that may live at ease, and with Moses will think the reproach of CHRIST, better than the treasures of Egypt; they think him senseless that with Abraham will forsake his Country, sacrifice his Son; they think him senseless that with St Stephen will not only forgive, but pray for them that treacherously and tyrannously do spill invocent blood; finally, they hold them senseless who when they might cunningly excuse, or boldly outface, they will with King David, and St Paul penitently and humbly acknowledge their sins; the believing, the practising of the Gospel passeth with the world for no better than folly. A man therefore that will submit himself thereto must be contented to bear the reproach of CHRIST, and go for a fool. Another point that we must mark, is, that as bladders are emptied of wind before they can be filled with good liquor: so must a man empty himself of his windy wisdom before he is capable of solid. Or as a Scholar that hath been mis-taught must unlearn before he learn, and his soul must be made tanquam abrasa Tabula, a pair of writing Tables, clearly spunged from ungrounded knowledge, before grounded can be imprinted in it: even so we must endeavour for to purge out all our leavened wisdom, before we can be informed with that which is sincere, and not seeming, but sound. Lastly, 1 Cor. 13.10 seeming wisdom it that which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as St Paul speaketh, it is not lasting, will we, nill we, it shall be done away; seeing we cannot keep it, it is good that we rid ourselves of it, and willingly part with that which we cannot keep, but dangerously. The rather, because the ridding of that is but the making way for that which is much better, and we do become such fools only that we may be wise. GOD will not have us rest in folly, but pass by that unto true wisdom, he will not have us deprive ourselves of humane prudence, which is of itself a good gift of GOD, but subordinate it unto divine: GOD can well endure that wisdom that springs from reason so reason go right, and keep her rank: but that which offends GOD, is, Si vel secum, vel cum Deo pugnet, if it be not consonant with itself, or be disobedient unto him; This is indeed folly which we must put off, to the end that we may become wise, both men, and Christians. Look then how we are willed to hunger and thirst, to mortify, to crucify, so are we willed to become fools; we are willed to dye, that we may live; to hunger and thirst, that we may be satisfied; to crucify and mortify, that we may quicken, and crown also our animal life by exchange of it for a spiritual: and so do we put off humane wisdom, that we may put on divine. GOD love's not folly per se, but propter sapientiam, neither may we hold that there is any Religion without wisdom, as there is no wisdom without Religion. It is Lactantius his note Institut. lib. 1. cap. 3. Let the Church of Rome nuzzle her followers in ignorance, and advice them to become fools that they may so keep them; the orthodox Church takes a better course, and only maketh the sense of their folly to set an edge upon their appetite of true wisdom; neither do we require more credit than we show good warrant for in GOD'S Word, such warrant as no reasonable man can justly except against. But what is this wisdom? I might answer in a word, It is nothing else but the true rules of Religion, delivered as GOD hath commanded his Church, which rules are fit for us to teach you that are the people, and for you to observe when they are delivered by us. But I will reduce all unto two heads; specified by our Saviour, Luke 9 Salt and Peace. Salt notes a direction that must season your heads: Peace a temper that you must have in your hearts: you must know that as the Church is a body, so it consists of different members, and each member hath his particular vocation, every man must walk as he is called of GOD; and you show that you have Salt if you keep yourselves in your own rank, and busy not yourselves with those things that belong not to your calling. It had been to be wished that this Penitent had done so, and not busied himself about the forms of Liturgies, Holy-Orders, the Power of the Keys, and such like, the power whereof GOD hath commended to others; it is well enough for you if you can be brought to understand your Catechism, and frame your life according to it; and this is as much Salt as GOD requires in you, and it is well if following your honest vocation you can attain so much. A second branch of wisdom, is Peace, and Peace doth note a charitable bearing one with another, considering the manifold infirmities whereunto we are all subject; we must not be over hasty in condemning Wheat for Tares, or refuse to grow in GOD'S field because Tares grow there also; a point of wisdom which you the Penitent shall do well to carry with you, seeing an offence taken at seeming or true Tares was one of the grounds of your Schism. Finally, Unto true wisdom it belongs to avoid two extremes, whereunto this age is subject, fiery and frosty tempers, whereof Nazianzene, Orat. 26. treats at large. We must not be wise above that which is meet, is the Apostles rule, Rom. 12. And it was a good rule of a Heathen-man, Plus sapit vulgus si tantum quantum satis est sapit; A man that is not called to be a Governor is the wiser, the more sober he is in his wisdom. As you must not be over fiery, no more must you be frosty, this leaneth towards Atheism, as the other doth towards Schism: it is no less a fault sapere minus, then plus quam oportet, stupidity is as as curiosity. I may not forget that some join these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, In this world, with Let him be a fool, and observe that in this life we must make this exchange, it will be too late to do it hereafter; which must put you in mind that are the Penitent, to give GOD thankes that hath so timely called you to the knowledge of the truth, which (your age considered) might have fallen out otherwise, if justice done upon the outward man had not awakened the inward; and GOD knows how uncomfortable your end had been, if you had persisted in your wilfulness unto the end; Extra ecclesiam non est salus, he presumes too much of GOD'S mercy, that dareth to dye excommunicate by the just censure of the Church. But I come to the last point, which I will touch in a word: You have heard the remedies, I told you they are Catholica remedia, such as do, or may concern us all. The preservative doth; for Omnis homo mendax, every man is a liar, we are all cast in the same mould, and the Serpent hath infused some of his serpentine quality into us all, and therefore every man hath reason to stand upon his guard, to watch over himself, and take heed lest himself betray not himself into the hands of his enemies. As the preservative is behooveful for us that going right we step not out of the way: so because no man makes such strait steps that he doth not often decline, we may not neglect the restorative: Selfe-conceipt is a distemper that easily creeps into them whose nature cannot be free from self-love. It was a wise observation of Socrates, that if in a great assembly a Proclamation should be made that all either Tailors, or Shoemakers, or Masons should stand forth, none but those that were of such particular Trades would sort themselves together: but if a man should call forth all that are wise and understanding, he should perceive that none would stay behind: He adds, Hoc imprimis in vita damnosum quod cum hominum pars maxima stulta sit sapere tamen videatur, the overweening that is to be found in all sorts of men breeds most of the mischief that troubleth the world. Therefore si quis, is not particula dubitantis, but supponentis, he doth not so much doubt whether all be sick of this disease, as supposing them all to be sick, it calleth upon them to use the remedy. And indeed if the disease be common, it is fit the cure be common also, that we timely humble ourselves by condemning our own folly, that GOD may exalt us, and give us true wisdom. I conclude, remembering unto you the Penitent a good saying of St Basil, Mores hominis superbi si verè sanati fuerint solent esse sui despicabiliores. You will (if you make a true use of this humiliation) profess with Agar, Prou. 30. Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man, I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the Holy. Hereafter deny yourself, and lean no more unto your own wisdom. And to us all I will remember a good saying of Philo; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Vainglory, or selfe-conceipt is the last coat that a man puts off by grace, I add, 'tis the first that he putteth on with his nature; the faster it cleaveth to us, the more should we endeavour to strip ourselves of it; and remembering that saying of the Apostle, He is not approved that commendeth himself, but he whom GOD commendeth, let us so renounce that which flesh and blood maketh us dote upon, that we ever be ready to entertain that which GOD prescribes: So shall we be sure, either at all not to deceive ourselves, or if we have been overtaken by carnal self-conceit, we shall not refuse to be fools that we may be wise. GOD vouchsafe us this preventing Providence, and recovering Repentance, as that we may not either stray at all, or if we stray, that we may return again, till we come to that place where there is no fear of straying, no need of returning: whither GOD our merciful Father bring us, through Jesus Christ our Saviour that is made the wisdom of GOD unto us, by the gracious influence of the Holy Spirit of Wisdom into us. To this one GOD in three persons be rendered all honour and glory, etc. Πάντοτε δόξα Θηῶ. SUNDRY SERMONS PREACHED AT COURT. By the right reverend Father in God ARTHUR LAKE, late Lord Bishop of and WELLES. PRUDENTIA printer's device of a hand emerging from the clouds, with a smake entwined about the wrist, holding a staff surmounted by a portcullis and sprays of foliage LONDON, Printed by T.C. and R.C. for N. Butter. 1629. A SERMON PREACHED AT FARNEHAM ON St JAMES HIS DAY, BEING THE DAY OF KING JAMES HIS CORONATION. JAMES 1. VERSE 12. 12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation, for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. THIS day directs us to this Epistle, and these words thereof are not unfit to refresh a solemn use, that to our great and common comfort hath been made of this day. The use was a Coronation, and a Coronation is a principal point in this Text; but the Coronation that was then beheld, is passed, that whereof we are now to hear, is to come; yet this mutual help they will yield the one to the other, that which is to come, may call to mind that which is past; and by that which is past, we may the better conceive that which is to come. Yea, by comparing them, we shall perceive that that which is to come, is much more desirable than that which is past. For although flesh and blood may affect that which is past per se, as if to be a Sovereign on earth upon any condition, were a sovereign good; yet a Christian doth not, he cannot as he ought digest those vexations which sour even a kingly state; but propter aliud, in hope to be a copartner of a greater, a quieter crown in Heaven. This hope doth St james cherish in these words, he animates great personages to be constant, notwithstanding all troubles, knowing that their patience is not in vain in the Lord. That he speaks to great personages appeareth in the tenth verse, Let the rich rejoice when he is brought low; where he teacheth two lessons: First, That great men may be brought low. Secondly, That yet they must rejoice. That great men may be brought low, is not strange to reason, therefore St james doth only represent that truth in a known, yet a lively resemblance of fading and withering herbs and flowers. But that notwithstanding they are brought low, they must rejoice, is an harder truth, reason whose principal it is, that nothing delights in its own destruction, will not yield it. Our Apostle therefore works an assent thereunto out of supernatural grounds, he sets down two fair ones in my Text, whereof the first openeth the nature, the second the end of patience. The nature of patience is briefly, but fully set down here ratione obiecti, & subiecti. The object is temptation, but because thereof there are diverse sorts, here is added a note of difference, it is such temptation as maketh tried men. The subject is Man, but not every man, it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a man of more than ordinary place and worth, and his worth is here distinctly set down in two points, wherein it principally doth consist, and the points are answerable to the two parts of the object: The first part of the object is Temptation, that layeth on load upon the outward man, in regard thereof he must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, he must hold out under his burden. The second part of the object is the trial, and that inquires into the inward man, in regard thereof he must hold out, out of that love which he beareth to GOD. When such an object meeteth with such a subject, there ariseth the virtue patience. You have heard the nature thereof, now hear the end. The end is suitable to the virtue, a happy end of so worthy a virtue; the end is blessedness; and what would not a man do to compass blessedness? But what is this blessedness? though all desire it, yet few are agreed about the nature of it, quot capita tot sensus, every man striveth for his own. To compose this difference, the Holy Ghost must interpose, and define; he doth it here, behold a full definition in two words, A crown of life; without life there is no blessedness, and no life is blessed without this crown. You see the end; one thing remains, the assurance that this is the end of patience; that we have here also in two verbs, The Lord hath promised it, and the patiented man shall receive it. The warrant is good that hath GOD'S word, and here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is he that warranteth it; but his warrant is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a promise, so that the crown must be claimed not by the Law, but by the Gospel. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, he that is the Lord may by virtue of his Law command patience, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, putteth us in mind how much we are beholding unto the Gospel, by which he vouchsafeth a recompense. Yea though he doth vouchsafe it, and besides his promise the patiented man hath no right unto it, he needs not distrust 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, it is as true as the Gospel, he in all be sure of it. You see the substance of this Scripture, and see that it brancheth itself into pataence, and a recompense, whereof the patiented man may not be proud, and yet he is most sure. Let us now run over these points orderly, I pray GOD we may do it profitably also. The first is the object of patience, and that is called temptation; here see how the phrase is changed; of the rich man it was said before that he was brought low, here it is said that he endureth temptation, that was a vulgar phrase, this is facred; that might be understood by reason, this only by faith; you will confess it if we do a little rip up the nature of it. GOD made man, though upright, yet mutable, the root of mutability was Freewill, by which man may incline to either side: Notwithstanding this mutability, man did owe unto GOD a constant and absolute obedience; whether he would perform it it was to appear; his Understanding and his Will were to be exercised the one with arguments, the other with occasions, which might discover the one the resolution, the other the election of man, what way he would take, the right-hand or the left, the way of life or death. These arguments and occasions so administered, are that which the Scripture calleth temptation, which though naturally they light upon the outward man, yet do they formally aim at the inward man. Examples you have in the two principal temptations registered in the Scripture, that of the first Adam, Gen. 3. and that of the second Adam, Math. 4. in both which you may behold the Serpent's engines, which were arguments and occasions which more or less are practised in all temptations, and learn us all this caveat, to have an eye to our understanding and our will, how they are wrought by, how they entertain these either arguments or occasions. But of temptations there are two sorts, as they proceed from two different Authors, which aim at different ends: The one Author is GOD, the other is the Devil, each useth a temptation, but the common distinctions used by the Father's show how unlike their ends are. For the one's temptation is probationis, the other is seductionis, we own a duty to GOD, GOD in tempting doth but discover our performance of it, the Devil he laboureth to pervert us, and corrupt whatsoever inclination to obedience there is in us. Examples are very frequent that open this distinction, I will instance but in one, GOD called upon Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac, the end of that commandment is revealed plainly by the Angel, showing that GOD would have the world to see that Abraham held nothing so dear unto him, which he would not yield readily unto GOD: The Devil he tempted unto the same work, as it appears in those that offered their children unto Molos, but he did it, to make men no less impious against GOD, then unnatural to their own children; so that look what difference there is between etherial and elemental heat, whereof the one is vegetive, the other destructive when it lighteth upon herbs and plants, the same is there between the explorative, and seductive temptation, when it lighteth upon the wits and wills of men: St Paul, Ephes. 4. calls the seductive by significant names, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, but the explorative is resembled to the Touchstone, to the pounding of Spices, the breaking of the box that contains sweet Ointments, the fire that tryeth Gold. But we have not now to do with seduction, but with probation, it appears in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which I told you was the note of difference whereby St james doth restrain this temptation, to that which maketh tried men. But of this there are two kinds, for GOD tryeth by prosperity, or adversity; when our worldly state is at best, we are even then put to the Touchstone, and GOD tryeth what manner of persons we are; the story of Solomon is a clear proof, but we have not to do with this temptation neither; Our temptation is that which bringeth a richman low, it is the temptation of adversity, St Peter calleth it a fiery trial, St Paul, Hebr. 12. brancheth it into two parts, shame, and the Cross, whereof the one disgraceth our person, the other strips us of our goods and life; these both befell CHRIST, and they are the portion of Christians: We have examples enough, Hebr. 11. but we will not fall upon the common place; only these things I will briefly note, First, that when we are in adversity, we must not think that GOD delights in affliction, but in probation, were it not to prove his children, he would not lay the Cross upon them. Secondly, this proof doth not presuppose his ignorance, but man's, GOD knew what would be in us before ever he made us, but we are not so well as we should be known to ourselves, much less to others: lest we or they should be deceived, GOD bringeth to light the secrets of our heart, and maketh us reveal them in our eyes, when they are solicited by Adultery, in our ears, when they are solicited by vainglory, in our hands, when they are solicited by bribery, finally, in every part of our body, yea, and of our soul too; he maketh us reveal to others or ourselves, what lurketh in the deceitful and intricate labyrinth of our hearts. Thirdly, GOD will not be deceived by painted sepulchres, neither will he receive counterfeits into Heaven, he doth therefore timely unmask them here on earth, and show whether every man appear in his own likeness, whether he be a Meteor, or a true Star, whether he be fruit of Sodom, or of Paradise, whether he be an Angel of light indeed, or only by a metamorphosis; this is implied in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Ecel. 27. and this is the end for which GOD tryeth; vasa figuli probat fornax, et homines iustos tentatio tribulationis, our temptation is nothing else but the bringing of us to the Touchstone; This is the note of difference which must be coupled with the temptation, that we may have the proper object of Christian patience. But the object is not enough without the subject, come we then to that, the subject is man. Blessed is the man, the word in English may reach all men, and indeed patience is a virtue that is required in all, and all sorts of men are in other passages of Scripture exhorted thereunto. Every man must be salted with this fire, and every sacrifice seasoned with this salt, Mark 9 St Ambrose hath a good Simile drawn out of this word Salt, which is, that salt is no more requisite to keep flesh from putrefaction, than tribulation is to keep man from sin, and a man must cease to be a member of CHRIST, that will not in a persecution be conformable unto him, seeing this is an undoubted rule, that thorns grow not more naturally from the ground, to make Adam eat his corporal bread in the sweat of his brows, than calamities spring from earthly men to make the children of GOD to eat their spiritual bread in the bitterness of their souls; Nullus sieri potest Abel quem Cain malitia non persequatur; St Paul hath a general rule, Gal. 4. speaking of Ishmael and Isaac, As he that was borne after the flesh persecuted him that was borne after the spirit, so is it now, yea, it will be so even till the world's end. But my purpose is not to extend St james his word beyond his meaning, as he hath limited the Text, so will I the Commentary; the word by which he notes the subject, is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which notes no common man, but one of more than ordinary place and worth, it is more than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; as in Hebrew Ish, is more than Adam, for Ish and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do often note a great or a noble personage; and that here the word is so to be taken, it is plain, for it is a relative, that calleth back to the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which is in the tenth verse. This man here is he which before was called the richman, rich not in a vulgar sense, but in the language of the Holy Ghost, who by Rich understandeth Noble. In the Old Testament it is so, and it is so in the New, The place Eccles. 10. is a known place, Curse not the King, no not in thy thought, and curse not the rich, no not in thy bedchamber, where Rich and King both signify persons in authority, for so is the place generally applied. In the New Testament St Matthew calleth joseph of Arimathea a richman, St Mark an honourable-man, as if rich and honourable were Synonyma's. But the ant thesis that St james maketh between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 puts it out of all question, for what is the opposite to a man of low degrees, but a man of high? Enough of the word. The point intimated by the word, is, that no member of the Church ariseth to so high a degree of worldly state, but CHRIST calleth upon them to take up his Cross and follow him; Kings themselves in Baptism are signed with the sign of the Cross, in token that they shall not be ashamed of CHRIST, crucified, but shall continue his faithful Soldiers unto their lines end; they eat the body, and drink the blood of CHRIST in token that they must communicate in his sufferings, yea Kings moreover (since the days of Constantine the Great) have borne the Cross on the top of their Crowns, to note, what else but that they will take their parts thereof. That which the Prophet Isay speaks of CHRIST, Imperium habet super humeros, Cap. 9 is a phrase borrowed from earthly Kings, who are called in the Hebrew tongue N●se, as if you would say Portatores, the erymologie of the word is set down by GOD himself, Numb. 11. where he designs those that shall help Moses to bear his burden, and jethro observes it in the 18 of Exodus. The proverbial speech which Elizaeus used of Elias, My Father, my Father, Currus & auriga Israel reacheth not only Prophets but Princes too, both sustain a double part in the society of men: they direct, and they bear, and one part of their burden is the Cross, even plaustra convitiorum, whole loads of reproaches and contumelies; what the King of Aram said to the Captains, fight not against small nor great, but only against the King of Israel, seems to be the charge which the Bishop of Rome gives to every petty Soldier in his host; They were wont in their writing to undertake a Luther, or a Caluin, a Beza, or a jewel, or some man of their rank; but now there is not the basest Pamphleter that hath not some venomous dart to shoot at the Lords Anointed, whom in better times of the CHURCH, the greatest patriarchs did not mention without that lowly respect which GOD hath made due unto sacred Majesty. But what is to be done, in the midst of these unbridled tongues and pens? Kings themselves must resolve, that they are uncti non tantum ad Regnum sed etiam ad luctam, men of their place, must be men of such worth, as here is described by St james, in such cases it belongs unto them, and to them principally, to endure the Cross out of the love of GOD. The first part of their worth is to endure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which word implies two things, not to sink in their courage, for they must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, nor shrink from their burden, for they must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; That they must not sink is the first, 1 Cor. 4. Tribulationem patimur (saith St Paul) sed non angustiamur, whereupon a Father, Quomodo angustiari potest qui dilatatur virtutibus? Virtue is like gold in the fire, which looseth nothing of its weight, but gains in lustre; yea as gold when it is melted in the fire, diffundit se in longum & latum, Beda in Ps. 65 it spreads farther, and extends longer; so (saith Bede) doth the virtue of a child of GOD when he is exercised by the Cross, more are the better for it, and himself is the better settled to continue in it, his understanding is more cleared for the acknowledgement of the truth, and his heart more strengthened for to stick to it, and this is properly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to continue the same, and not to be altered unto worse by reason of the Cross, but though we be nipped as corn with the frost of winter, to stock better, and to bear a goodlyer ear of corn. As we may not sink under the Cross, so we may not shrink from it; there be many that be like St Peter, who said unto CHRIST, Master though all men forsake thee, yet will not I forsake thee, I will lay down my life for thee; yet when they are put to it, they will, as he did, deny, and forswear their Master. The experiments that the Primitive Church had in this kind were no less innumerable, then lamentable, the names of Libellatici and Traditores are infamous to this day, whereof the one signed their renouncing of CHRIST with their own hand, and the other with their own hands gave up GOD'S Word to be burnt in the fire. Epist. ad Tert. Those words of Nazianzene, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, concern very many in all age. But we have better examples to follow in the Book of Daniel, of the Maccabees, in the 11 to the Hebr. wherein most memorable is that of Moses, who esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt, and had rather suffer affliction with his brethren, then to live as the son of Pharaohs daughter. But here are two cautions to be observed, the first is, as we must not shrink from the Cross, so must we not offer ourselves to it before we be called: Stand upon thy guard (saith St Chrysostome) and be ready to resist the assaulting enemy, but do not rashly make thyself enemies; Hoc enim non est militis, sed seditiosi; it is enough for the Soldier of CHRIST to march forth when the alarm is sounded by the trump of the Gospel; Lib. 10. Conf. c. and St Austin, Tolerare tentationes iubes nos Domine, non amare, nemo quod tolerat amat etsi tolerare amat, quamuis enim gaudeat se tolerare, tamen mavult non esse quod toleret; and we pray, lead us not into temptation. Those friarly speeches then, one of him that being released of his temptation, expressed his grief in these words, Bibliothech Patr. Domine nen sum ego dignus modica tribulatione? the other of him that being solicited to Adultery by his own lust, refused the prayers of him that offered to entreat GOD on his behalf, out of a conceit that his striving with that lust would turn to his greater glory, savour too much of Cloister superstition, it may be impurity also. The second caution is, that as we must not undergo the Cross before we are called, so being under it, we must not rest upon our own strength, we must put on that same complete Armour mentioned ●phes. 6. if we stand upon this ground with St Paul, Phil. 4.19. I can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me, we shall feel the truth of that which CHRIST spoke to St Paul, My grace is sufficient for thee, 2 Cor. 12.9. my strength is made perfect in weakness; Ep. lib. 2. Epist. 6. Deus non est sic (saith St Cyprian) ut s●●uos suos tantum spectet, sed & ipse luctatur in nobis, ipse congreditur, ipse in agone certaminis nostri & coronat, & coronatur: so that if any fail in temptation, the reason must needs be, not because he wanted strength (which is present to all them that seek it of GOD) but because he wanted heart to put forth his strength, according to that good rule in Tertullian, Aliquando in lucta vincit quis non quia fortior, sed quia cum timidiore congressus; the enemy prevails which could not prevail if we did quit ourselves like men; for questionless the greater strength is on the Christians side, he might if he were not a coward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, endure; the first part of the patiented man's worth. But it is not the best part; that looketh to the burden that is laid upon the outward man, but it is little regarded, except it be done out of the love of GOD that looketh to the trial that is made of the inward man; it is not enough for a man to endure (though he endure temptation) unto the end, he must inquire what is that that moves him to endure; he may be moved unto it by fear, and so be patiented, but that is patience perforce, he must not be held in thereby, the virtue that GOD calleth for is Love.. But the object of Love may be either GOD, or the Reward. The object of our love must primarily and principally be the love of GOD, for we must have an eye to our duty, which requires that we love GOD, though there were no reward belonging thereunto, and then secondarily we may have an eye to the reward whereby GOD is pleased to sweeten our duty. Yea rather we must expect the reward, and have our eye principally upon that which should be the first mover of our duty, the love of GOD. The reason why this virtue is required, is for the threefold property thereof, the extensive, intensive, and protensive, the Scripture observes all three: The extensive it reaches all branches of virtue, if we be moved by any other virtue, our obedience will be partial; many are temperate that are not just; many just, that are not valiant; many have one virtue, that want another; but he that hath love hath all; in regard whereof the Apostle saith, that love is the fulfilling of the Law, and St Paul, 1 Cor. 13. maketh love active in producing any virtue. As love is so extensive, so is it intensive also, for all virtue is contained in love gradu eminentiae, in the highest pitch, as the reasonable soul doth contain virtually and eminently the faculties of vegetation, and sense; so that he that is either just, temperate, or patiented out of charity, ascends as high as ever he can in any of those virtues; Last of all it is protensive, no virtue can hold out so long as Charity, Cant. 8. for love is as strong as death, the coals thereof are coals of fire which hath a most vehement flame, many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it, if a man would give all the substance of his house for love it would utterly be contemned. We see then that the sincerity, as of piety, so of patience consists in Love, whereby we must show that we suffer without all respect of our own either profit, bernard. or pleasure, Pulcherrimus coronae nexus, quando puritas vita & humilis pressurarum tolerantia, sibi coherent. This condemns the Donatists of old, and Papists of this day, who have callendred Martyrs whose impure lives, and treacherous purposes if we rip up, we shall find that although in their sufferings they did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet they did it not out of the love of GOD, but for satisfying of their own, of their great Masters hateful lusts. You have heard the subject and the object which must concur unto this virtue of Patience, to make it true Patience; I come now to the second main part, which is the Recompense, the recompense which is provided for Patience, a recompense suitable unto the patience, a happy end of so worthy a virtue. GOD is a most gracious Sovereign, though he might command the uttermost of our obedience active and passive, upon that allegiance which we own him, yet doth he sweeten his precepts with sanctions, & propose a reward to such as do but their bounden duty. And no marvel; for the Covenant between GOD and his Church stands in mutual stipulation of love, and here we have mutual experiments answerable to that stipulation; The experiment of man's love to GOD, you have heard in the Patience; now in the Recompense, you shall hear an experiment of GOD'S love to man, for the end of Patience is Blessedness; Blessed is the man, for he shall receive; he is said to be blessed in present, but his reward is reserved for the time to come; The Holy Ghost speaking of blessedness, must be construed according to the principles not of Philosophy, but of Divinity; Philosophy under that name comprehends only man's last end, but Divinity extends it moreover to the means; and that upon a threefold reason. The first is opposition to the Curse; Blessedness stood in the fruition of that sovereign good, which in the Creation was proposed unto man, and for the attaining whereof sufficient ability was given unto him; sin forfeited not only the end, but also the means, and man became a curse no less in regard of that which he possessed, then of that which he expected; so that not only to be excluded Heaven, but also to be uncapable of heavenly things, is the curse of sin, and a blessing is that which remedieth this curse, no less repairing our power to compass this end, then restoring our right and title thereunto. The second reason is the subordination of the means to the end, which is a just cause why the title of the end should be given to the means for GOD doth not appoint means, but with assurance of the end, therefore Mox futurum habetur pro facto, the Scripture affirms that to be already, which shall be before long. The third reason is a compassion which GOD takes upon man's weakness, the wit of man readily acknowledgeth, and the will ardently affecteth the end, but most men doubt of, and dislike the means, especially this means of patience. The means therefore, and especially this, are often urged and sweetened with this title blessed. Blessedness at the first ran in these terms, Hoc fac & vives, it required only an active, and no passive obedience, but since the Fall we hear no less of the passive, than the active, neither can we but by many afflictions enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, we must be baptised with CHRIST'S baptism, and drink of his cup, And if you mark the eight beatitudes; in the first Sermon of CHRIST, you see that they run almost all of them upon a passive obedience, and place blessedness in the Cross. A blessedness then there is in suffering, but few would affect it, did they not hope for a better after it, therefore St james addeth what hereafter they are to expect, and that is the crown of life. This I told you is a full definition of blessedness, a definition that better resolveth then those many but different that are found in Philosophy; Blessedness presupposeth life, and the life is not blessed without a Crown. But the life, and the crown may either be considered in diverse times, or knit together in one time; If they be considered at diverse times, then life belongs to this world, and the crown to that which is to come, so that the Apostle saith, that the crown to come, is for the life that is past, and a man that looks for the crown, must have a care of this life, Cap. 8.10. Cap. 3.11. For he shall be crowned that striveth lawfully; therefore CHRIST in the Revelations saith, Esto fidelis & tibi dabo coronam, and again, hold fast that none take thy crown, 2 Tim. 4. and St Paul, I have fought a good fight, I have kept the faith, from hence forth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, etc. Haec vita est negotiatio, they that here exercise their faith, and hope by charity, shall find a reward in Heaven. But if we join life, and the crown, and refer them both to the time that is to come; then doth the crown express the condition of the life in Heaven: For though the word life of itself used absolutely do signify a blessed life, as appears in many passages of Scripture, yet the crown doth more distinctly represent unto us the manner of that life, and it represents three things, the perpetuity, the plenty, the dignity thereof; The perpetuity, for as a Crown hath neither beginning, nor ending, so is it the lively Image of Eternity, and in this respect it is called an immarcescible and immortal crown, and a Kingdom that cannot be shaken. En Ps. 6. Talia sunt Dei dona (saith Chrysostome) valida & decore plena: at in hominibu● non ita est, sed qui est in gloria non est securus, qui autem securus, non est in gloria, in Deo utraque concurrunt. Secondly, the crown notes the plenty, because as the Crown compasseth on every side, so doth that which is plentiful satisfy on every part, and nothing is wanting in this life, therefore the Scripture in several places runneth over every part of our body, and power of our soul, and showeth how every one shall have his content, the eye in beholding GOD, the ear in hearing the music of Heaven, the tongue in praising, etc. The last is the dignity, and that is principally noted by a crown, as it appears by the use that is made thereof on King's heads. And indeed what is eternal life, but a Coronation day, the Scripture indescribing it remembreth all parts of a Coronation, the robes long white robes of righteousness which we shall put on then, the oil of gladness wherewith we shall be anointed then, the Sceptre which CHRIST shall put into our hands to bruise therewith all Nations, the Throne whereupon we shall sit with CHRIST, the Feast whereat we shall eat and drink with him; finally, in steed of a Bishop or Archbishop to perform these ceremonies, we shall have the great Bishop of our souls JESUS CHRIST, and he shall do it in the presence, not of earthly Peers, but of the heavenly both Saints and Angels. Ad hereunto that this Crown is significantly, called a crown of life, to distinguish it from the Crown of mortal Princes, which is but a dead crown, whereas this is a living. In a mortal King's Crown there is gold, and flowers, and precious stones, but all are dead, the gold, and flowers, and precious stones whereof our Crown consists are all living, for the Lord himself is the Crown; In that day shall the Lord of Hosts be for a Crown of glory, Esay 28. and a Diadem of beauty to the residue of his people, and the people shall be a Crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal Diadem in the hand of GOD. And no marvel, for the life to come is the marriage day wherein the Spouse shall receive her Crown upon her resurrection, as CHRIST received his Crown at his resurrection. St Paul is plain for it, Hebr. 2. This phrase then of the Crown of life is more than a military phrase, the Soldiers in triumph wore Insigne sine regno, but here Insigne ceniungitur cum regno; and the name of Crown is used rather than any other ornament, because ornamenta caetera membrorum sunt singulorum, capitis ornatus, totius corporis est dignitas. You have heard what is Patience, and what is the Recompense thereof; one thing remaineth, that the patiented man may know upon what ground he may expect this recompense, That is set down here by the Apostle in two Verbs, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, whereof each hath his Noun annexed unto it; to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is annexed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expressly; and between this noun and that verb there is a strong conjunction, for the Lord is so great a person as by the Law may command our patience, and yet so good a person is he that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, he hath promised a recompense. See then our title, it is from GOD, but grounded not upon the Law, but the Gospel. And indeed if you look into St Paul, we shall find that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, is a word proper to the Gospel, especially in the Epistle to the Galathians: so that we must not stand upon desert, but acknowledge GOD'S mercy, for as it is Psal. 103. Coronat te miserationthus. 2 Tim, 4.8. It is true that St Paul calleth it Coronam iustitiae, but there is justitia fidelitatis as well as aqualitatis. The ground of merit even in the Creation, was GOD'S Contract which he vouchsafed to make with his Vassal, notwithstanding the Obligation of his natural allegiance. This Contract consisted of mutual Covenants, which Covenants were proportionable to the Contractors; Man's Conenant was of works, but works proportionable to the abilities of man, that is mean and finite; GOD'S Covenant was of life, proportionable to the magnificency of GOD, so that there was apparently a proportion between the works and the Worker, the Rewarder and the reward; but between the work and the reward none at all. Hence it is that between Adam's obedience, and GOD'S recompense thereof, there could be no merit of condignity, which properly understood compares and equalleth the work and the reward, without any other respect; but merit of congruity there might have been, seeing GOD was pleased freely and graciously, to propose to the work so great a reward, and to bind himself by promise to perform his Covenant of life, if man did perform his covenant of obedience. And this congruity carrieth with it a justice, for GOD is no less just when he keeps his word, then when he equalleth a reward to a work. But his first word was Legal, the word wherewith we have to do is Evangelicall, a word published by the Prophets and Apostles, wherein there is mercy, not only in that GOD proposeth a reward to the work, but also for CHRIST'S sake bestoweth the reward, notwithstanding our defects in the work; for touching the work of our passive obedience, St Paul's rule is true, Non sunt condignae passiones, etc. Saint St Bernard openeth St Paul's meaning fairly and fully, lest any man should restrain it out of a vain conceit of any worth of his own, Non sunt condignae (saith he) vel ad praeteritam culpam quae remittitur; vel ad presentis consolationis gratiam quae immitticur; vel ad futuram gloriam quae promittitur; our momentaine afflictions which are but for a little time, do work an exceeding eternal weight of glory. Vsura sortem excedit; Away then with all pride, and let no Romanists presume of more than GOD'S free mercy, for all our title is concluded in The Lord hath promised. And what he promiseth shall be performed, that appears in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, there must be no distrust, no distrust, if the person be not mistaken to whom the promise is made, that is, to the patiented man; he shall be sure of it. There is a question, An iustus possit excidere a gratia? but of this which is in my Text there is no question; Papists, Lutherans, Protestants, all are agreed that he that persevereth to the end shall be saved, shall be glorified; And I would to GOD the world did take more care to persevere, then to dispute of the certainty of persevering. Secondly, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the future tense intimates that Beatitudo hic parari potest, possideri non potest, we must stay our time, and in due time we shall not fail; Nazianz. trat. 9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; let us not be weary of well-doing, for in due time we shall reap if we faint not. The last point that I note, is that whereunto St james applies both the nature of patience, and also the description of the end thereof; it is to resolve rich-men humbled that they must rejoice; and I doubt not but by this time you will say they must rejoice; Let affliction be unsavoury, yet temptation relisheth well, for what generous nature doth not affect to have his virtue most conspicuous? especially that virtue which is the life of all virtue, I mean the love of God. There is then matter of joy included in the nature of the Cross. If in the Nature, much more in the End, for this end is blessedness; and this blessedness, is the Crown of life; look how many words, so many seeds, shall I say? nay clusters of joy. The Moralist teacheth that pleasure is inseparable from blessedness; and how sweet life is, ask but the Naturalist, whose axiom that is, Skin for skin, and all that a man hath he will give for his life. And as for a Crown, all Histories will teach us, that there hath been no kind of Festivitie amongst the Ancients, whereof one token was not the wearing of a Crown. But if we consider moreover that the blessedness here mentioned is entire, the life heavenly, the Crown eternal, than I am sure there will be no question made of the joy; the joy that attends the end of patience. Let julian seek to disgrace the Cross, and not endure it upon his Standard, he shall find it in the very entrails of beasts crowned to his confusion. Let all the enemies of the Church crown us here with thorns, as they did our Saviour CHRIST; yet let us be of good courage, as his, so ours shall be changed into a Crown of glory. Affliction is not destructive; nay that which is the path of death in the eyes of men, is unto the godly the path of life, The wicked think to do us hurt, as josephs' brethren did when they sold him, but as joseph answered, GOD meant it unto good, and so doth he work our good out of the malice of all our Foes; Sicut non minuitur patris dilectio quod Christus passus sit, ita neque nos minus diligimur, quod tentamur; If we su●●er with CHRIST, we shall reign with him, GOD will bring upon David a blessing for Shimei his curse, and all that suffer for CHRIST, shall one day have occasion to sing that part of the eighth Psalm (which belongs to you no less than to CHRIST) Lord what is man that thou art so mindful of him? Thou hast made him a little lower than the Angels by affliction, but hast crowned him with glory and honour. The conclusion of all is, Kings are not free from, nay, they are most subject unto the Cross, they must not be the worse for it, nay, their virtue must become the more resplendent by it, so shall they be twice happy, happy here on earth, in that they bear the Cross upon their Crowns, and happy in Heaven, where GOD shall set the Crown upon all their Crosses. GOD grant all states, according to their degrees, this Patience, that they may every one in Heaven receive his measure of the Recompense. Blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousness sake. A SERMON PREACHED AT WHITEHALL. JOHN 2.16. 16 Make not my Father's House an house of merchandise. THE whole Chapter is a portion of this day's Liturgy, and the latter part thereof containeth a preparation against Easter; for that Feast drew near, as we read at the 13 verse, and we read there also that CHRIST then went up to Jerusalem. First, He went up to be a good example unto others of obeying the Law: Secondly, to give a solemn beginning to that Function whereunto he was not long before inaugurated at his Baptism. When for these ends he came into the Temple, at the very entrance he perceived the profanation thereof, and therefore the first work that he undertook, was to reform that place. In this Reformation he manifested potentiam & potestatem, power and authority; power in his deed, and in his word authority, but a Miracle in both. His deed was a miracle. St Hierome commenting upon the like reported, Math. 21. affirmeth that it was the greatest Miracle that ever CHRIST wrought; If that, much more this, for CHRIST was now less known, and worse attended, therefore it was the more strange that being but one man, in show a mean man, he should not only set upon, but expel also out of the Temple, so great a multitude, and that of no mean ones: yet such was CHRIST'S deed; a very miraculous deed. As there was a miracle in this deed: so was there in his words, for they were commanding, and the command was no less effectual than peremptory, dixit & factum est, all obeyed without disputing. Measure these words, as you did the deed, by the outside of the person, they also prove a great Miracle. When CHRIST with such words and deeds had amazed the jews, and prepared their attention tanquam Dominus, carrying himself as a King; he than goeth on (saith St Cyril) tanquam Doctor, at my Text he puts on the person of a Prophet, he seconds his correction with instruction, and dissuades from that which provoked his displeasure. So then the opening and forbidding of the jews sin, are the two points whereinto we must resolve this Scripture. The jews did confound the Temple with a Market, that was their sin, and that was it which CHRIST could not endure. But more distinctly. The Temple is a place of GOD'S gracious presence: Of his presence, for it is his House: But that presence is gracious, for he is there as the Father of CHRIST; Sancta Sanctè, they must look to their feet that come into this House, and put off their shoes that tread upon that holy ground. The Market is an House of Merchandise, men assemble there for worldly commerce; Terrena sapiunt, dum terrena tractant, as are the things, so will their minds be; those earthly, therefore these. Seeing then these places be so different, and our carriage must suit the place; we cannot confound them without sin, and this sin CHRIST forbids, Make not my Father's House an house of merchandise. I have unfolded and digested the contents of this Scripture, we must now look into them more throughly, I pray GOD we may do it fruitfully also. To begin then with the Temple: It is here called God's House. But we may not grossly conceive of this phrase, or dream that he is included in a place. The properties of a place are to be definitive, and preservative, it limits, and sustains whatsoever thing is in it, whereupon the Schools make a question, whether it may agree to any Spirit at all? But it is out of all question, That to GOD the Father of Spirits it can no way agree; It could not before the Creation, for then there was nothing but GOD; neither can it since, for he impaired not his own, when he gave being to the Creatures. His Essence then continueth unlimited, higher than the Heavens, deeper than Hell, longer than the Earth, wider than the Sea (as Zophar the Naamathite speaketh in the 11 of job) GOD hath no bounds of himself, but himself. As his Essence continues unlimited, so doth it independent: his name is Shaddai, All-sufficient, therefore doth the Scripture add 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to his perfections, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Onely-wise, Onely-immortall, Onely-Lord, etc. and the Fathers compound his Attributes with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, mighty, of himself, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, true of himself, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, sufficient of himself; what GOD is, none is beside, neither is he beholding to any besides himself for whatsoever he is. Seeing then the condition of GOD'S nature doth exclude a place, how may he be said to be in a house? Philo judaeus answereth truly, though briefly, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, not for his own, but for his Creatures good: yea there is a necessity that wheresoever a Creature is, there the Creator must be also, for all things live, move, and have their being not only by him, but in him, Act. 17. as the Apostle speaketh. So that Vorstius his limitation of GOD'S Essence to Heaven doth imply a denial not only of the Redemption, for the Son of GOD could not be incarnate on earth, if that were true; but also of the Creation, for if GOD'S Essence be not present with every creature, than the creature subsisteth in itself, and look in what it subsisteth, from that it had his being, and so the Creature will prove a Creator, which is a plain contradiction. Let it then stand for a fundamental truth, That GOD'S Essence is everywhere, and we are ever not only under his eye, but also in his hand, therefore it is as impossible for us to subsist without him, as to hide ourselves from him. If we did meditate on such a presence, it would breed in us shame, and fear; shame to be guilty before such a witness, and fear to be obnoxious to such a judge. But more think on GOD, then make use of this general presence; and no wonder, seeing they neglect, a greater shall I say? certainly a better, I mean GOD'S gracious presence in the Temple; Let us now come to that, from a place, to this place, the place of GOD'S residence amongst his people. Though then GOD be everywhere, yet where the Church is, there is in a special sort his place, which in my Text is called his house. Now the Church is partly triumphant, and partly militant, therefore hath GOD an House in Heaven, Cap. 14 of which CHRIST speaketh in St john, and an House on earth which Solomon speaketh of in his dedicatory Prayer; 1 Kings 8. we have to do with this latter, yet may we not forget, that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, there is good correspondency between the House in Heaven, and the House on Earth, as Nazianzene gathereth out of the Epistle to the Hebrews, Cap. 8. and the Apostle out of Moses. Hereupon is grounded the frequent communion of names, Heaven is called a Sanctuary, and the Sanctuary is called Heaven, as if that were Caelestle solum, Earth in Heaven; and this terrestre Caelum, Heaven on Earth; which I note the rather, because this correspondency maketh much for the increase of that reverence which is due to the place. The place of GOD'S presence in the Temple, was full of gracious Majesty. Of Majesty, for it was called Hekal, which signifieth a Kingly Palace; And indeed GOD represented himself there as King, for he was present in the Cloud that conducted the Israelites out of Egypt, Exod. 23 and of the Angel that appeared therein, GOD said, Nomen meum est in eo; therefore where that rested GOD was said there to put his Name, and it rested between the Cherubins as upon a Throne of State; to say nothing of the Cherubs that were figured on the walls environing that Throne, serving to set forth the Majesty thereof. But this is much more clear in the Visions of Esay, Ezechiel, Daniel, and St john, all which put life into these dead Types, and set forth the living GOD attended with infinite numbers of holy living Spirits, whose awful behaviour preach humility to us vile sinful wretches, and teach how we should come into the presence of our glorious GOD: we should all be affected as jacob was in his vision, and break out into his words, How dreadful is this place? Gen. 28. But as the place is full of Majesty: so is that Majesty gracious, for there is not only the presence of GOD, but GOD is there as the Father of CHRIST; And indeed the Cloud rested upon the Mercy Seat, which covered the Ark of the Covenant, wherein were included the Two Tables, containing the Articles thereof; And this plainly testifieth the grace of GOD in CHRIST, for CHRIST is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Propitiatory, the Apostle calleth him so, and if GOD do not look into the Articles of the Covenant but through him, he is the Mediator between GOD and us, that is the saving grace of God. Add hereunto that as that Covenant is resolved into two parts, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, GOD'S stipulation, and our restipulation: so the principal parts of the Temple were Oraculum & Altar, the Oracle, and the Altar; at both which GOD shown himself to be the Father of CHRIST. The properties of a Father are vigilant providencie over, and tender indulgence toward his child, and what is the Oracle wherein GOD'S will from time to time was made known to the Church, but an evidence of his fatherly care of it? And what was ●he Altar whereat the people did daily present, and GOD accept their devotion, but a full proof how GOD'S bowels were compassionate towards them? So that both these parts speak nothing but grace, grace GOD'S grace in JESUS CHRIST. The other parts of the Temple were but accessories to these, and therefore must follow the condition of the principal, they signify grace, Ezek 43. and are also holy, Omnes fines Templi in circuitu Sanctum Sanctorum, the very out-skirts were reverend, and bore engraven jehova shamma, Cap. 48. The Lord is in this place, as appeareth in the story that goeth before my Text; for these Merchants whom CHRIST expelled, were at most but in Atrio populi, the second Court, nay it is most likely that they went no farther than Atrium gentium, the outmost Court of all, and yet CHRIST calleth that His Father's House; so did it please GOD to hollow those remoter parts, to put us in mind how much more the nearer to his presence were to be reverend in our eyes. But how could that or any part of the Temple be CHRIST'S Father's House, seeing (by the jews own confession) it wanted both the Ark and the Cloud, Types the one of the Father, the other of CHRIST? Surely though GOD after the Babylonian Captivity would not supply the jews any more with those Types, to set a sharper edge upon their longing after the truth, as he would no more suffer them to be a free Monarchy, that they might wish for the Son of David, their heavenly and eternal King; yet because the Oracles which were given from the Cloud, continued in the Scriptures, and their sacrifices were accepted in reference to the former Propitiatory, GOD still acknowledged the Temple for his House, and CHRIST doth so esteem it; and our Churches also upon the same ground, for that where two or three are gathered together in Christ's Name, he is amongst them, GOD speaketh to us in his Word, and we have leave to speak to him in our Prayers; our Churches (I say) upon this ground are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, places of state and grace, we may well call them Christ's Father's House; we may not undervalue them, nor any thing that belongs unto them; Church and Church-yard, both are holy, and we must use them holily. But hath GOD care of Churches, of Temples made with hands, built of timber and of stone, of gold and of silver? Or are not these things rather written for us, to raise our thoughts to higher things? These were but Types, they have a truth, they were Ecclesiasteria, places or sites of Churches, not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (as Isidor Peluciota doth well distinguish) That which is truly a Temple or a Church is Rationabilis domus (as Chrysostome speaketh) Christ is the Temple; as himself teacheth not fare from my Text. But CHRIST'S person is either natural, or mystical himself, or his Church also: himself is immediately, and the Church mediately the truth of this Type. We must first behold this truth in CHRIST, for he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Original Sampler, whereof we are but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, exemplifications, therefore though we must be answerable unto him, yet equal unto him we cannot be. CHRIST then is a living Temple, his name Christ importeth as much, Cap. 9 you may gather it out of the Prophet Daniel, when he was conceived by the Holy Ghost, than was the Holy of Holyes anointed. But St Paul to the Hebrews hath taught us, Cap. 9 that whereas there are two natures in CHRIST, the Godhead, and the Manhood, he is a Temple in regard of his Manhood, Cont. Eun●one. yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, (as Nyssene speaketh) both parts thereof concur to make this Temple. But more distinctly let us see the correspondency between this spiritual and the material Temple. The material Temple was a place of GOD'S presence, and is not the Manhood of CHRIST? Yes verily, for the Godhead dwelleth bodily therein, and they were personally joined together. The material Temple was furnished with the Oracle, and the Altar; The Manhood of CHRIST is destitute of neither. Not of the Oracle, for CHRIST was Sapientia & Verbum Dei, the Wisdom, and the Word of GOD, throughly acquainted with his secrets which he clearly revealed to his Church, and never had she so full, Hebr. 13. so exact an Oracle. Neither was he less an Altar than an Oracle, Habemus Altar, we have an Altar, saith St Paul speaking of CHRIST; yea, he was Vtrumque Altar, the Altar of Incense, for from his sacred breast ascended devout Prayers, more pleasing to GOD then the sweetest odours; and what Holocaust was ever so propitiatory as the Sacrifice of his Body which he offered unto GOD to expiate the sins of the world? Well might his enemies fasten his Body to the Cross as a place of execution, but he on himself offered himself a Sacrifice of Propitation. Neither could his oblation have been so acceptable, Hebr. 9 Math. 23. if by his eternal Spirit he had not offered himself to GOD, for the Altar must be greater than the gift, because the gift is sanctified by the Altar; Although we do not dislike the Father's giving of this honourable title in a qualified sense to the Cross, yet doth it most properly belong to CHRIST'S Person. You see then there was nothing remarkable in the material Temple, which was not in the Spiritual, I mean our Saviour CHRIST. As these things were in him: so by him they are all in us; De Inc. l. 3. c. ● as many as have Union with his person, have Communion in his grace, and by that Temples dwelling in us, we ourselves become Temples (as Cassian well collects.) We must then see how well herein we answer CHRIST; and we shall find that we answer him in all points. His whole manhood made up the Temple, and so doth ours, 2 Cor. 3. Know you not (saith the Apostle) that you are the Temple of God, speaking of our whole person. But lest question should be made of any part in the sixth Chapter, he distinctly expresseth both Body and Soul, He that is joined unto the Lord is one Spirit with him, that is clear for our soul. And lest we should undervalue our worse part, Know you not (saith he) that your bodies are the Temples of the Holy Ghost? So that no question can be made of either part of our person, both are living stones, 1 Pet. 2. and built up into a Spiritual House. And if we be Spiritual Houses, than God is in us of a truth, 2 Cor. 6. for so the Apostle collecteth, Ye are the Temples of the living God (saith GOD) and I will dwell in them, and walk in them. St Peter is not afraid to say, 2 Pet. 1. We are made partakers of the Divine nature, and the Fathers that we are deified. Although there be no personal union between us and GOD, as there is in CHRIST, yet such a mystical one there is, that Philo judaeus his words are very true, Deus est animae bonorum incola, malorum tantum accola, though GOD'S general influence be wanting to no Creature, yet his gracious inhabitant is the prerogative of the Church. And all they to whom GOD cometh so near, have presently erected in them an Oracle, and an Altar; the Spirit by the Word revealeth their eyes to see the marvellous things of GOD'S Law, they are all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, They have an unction that teacheth them all things, 1 john 2. 1 Cor. 2. yea they have the very mind of Christ; yea, the same Spirit that erecteth the Oracle, erects an Altar also, an Altar of Incense in their hearts, which sendeth forth Prayers, intelligibiliter suaveolentes, Spiritual, but acceptable unto GOD. (as Origen answereth Celsu● objecting to the Christians that they had no Altars.) And how can we want an Altar of sacrifice when our broken and contrite hearts offer up our bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to GOD, which is our reasonable service of him? This is enough to let you understand that we are (if we are Christians) Houses of God, answerable unto Christ; I would it were enough also to persuade us so to esteem ourselves as such grace requireth at our hands; for what an improvement is this to our persons? and what a remembrance should this be to every one to keep his Vessel in honour? but more of that anon. I must first speak a little of the description of the Market; it is in my Text called an House of Merchandise. GOD that made us Men, made us also sociable, and used our wants as a Whetstone to set an edge upon that propension; but we should live together as Merchants, ordered by commutative justice, whose Standard is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, it requireth that men barter upon even terms: otherwise one man will devour another, and the Common weal cannot continue: To prevent this mischief GOD hath appointed distributive justice, the virtue of the Magistrate, who dispencing praemium & poenam, Reward and Punishment, should set every man a thriving, but suffer no man to thrive to the prejudice of others. The evil of the days wherein we live do give me occasion to complain, not only that there is variety of corruption in Trades, dangerous, because some are over-thriving, but also of the decay of Trades no less dangerous, because there are so many thousands that have no means to thrive at all. Governors' give order for Houses of Correction, and no doubt but if they were better used, vagrants might be restrained thereby, but there must be moreover an increase of Trades that must employ the Common-people multiplying as they do in this blessed time of peace; while the Gentleman depopulates the Country, and the Usurer and Victualer are become the chief Tradesmen of Incorporations, what wonder if contrary to GOD'S Law and the Kings the whole Land be filled with miserable poor. There is no true, at least no full remedy for this evil, but they to whom the care of distributive justice is committed must revive and quicken the Commutative, and make our Land according unto that good opportunity which GOD hath given us, an House of Merchandise. This by the way upon occasion of the phrase, where out you may gather, that in the Market the world taketh up most of our thoughts, and our dealing there is for worldly things. Having sufficiently opened the description of the Temple, and the Market; The difference between them is evident to a mean conceit, he will easily apprehend that the one place is Heavenly, the other Earthly, the one for the Communion of Saints, the other for the Commonweal, in the one place we need be no more than Men, in the other we must show ourselves to be the Children of God. And is it not a great fault to confound these things which GOD hath so distinguished? Surely it is, and it was the jews fault, CHRIST doth open it, as he doth forbid it, for if we may believe the Rabbins, the Law was pronounced in the ears of Malefactors while stripes were laid upon their backs, and it is most likely that while CHRIST expelled the Merchants with his whip, he spoke these words unto them, Make not my Father's House an house of Merchandise. Let us come then to this Prohibition. The best places are subject to abuse, Heaven was, and so was Paradise, no wonder then if the Temple be; And seeing abuse can be excluded no where, we must be watchful everywhere; yea, the better a place is, the more doth the Devil solicit us to abuse it, because he will do GOD the more despite, and work man the more mischief; Therefore the better the place is, the more circumspect must we be; It is a soul fault to dishonour GOD any where, but specially in his own House. In estimating our own wrongs we aggravate them by this circumstance, Esay 26 jer. 11. and shall we neglect it when we ponder the sins we commit against GOD? Nay rather, the greatness of our contempt ariseth with the greatness of his Majesty which appeareth in that place, and the more gracious he showeth himself there, the more graceless are we if we yield him not a due regard. Now what doth that due regard require at our hands? Surely that we bring not so much as the world into the Temple, we may not do legitima in illegitimo loco (saith St Austin) we may not do lawful things in a place appointed for better uses; Caelum est, Caelum ingrederis, Nilus. the Temple is Heaven, as you are taught before, when thou interest the Temple thou must suppose thou art entering into the Kingdom of Heaven. Now in Heaven there is neither eating nor drinking, marrying nor giving in marriage, buying nor selling, therefore we must neither think of, nor meddle with these things while we enter into that place. 1 Cor. 11 Have you not Houses of your own (saith the Apostle) or do you despise the Church of God? If ever, there it must appear that though we be in, yet we are not of the world; for as GOD hath chosen a Day, wherein to represent the time: so hath he chosen a Place wherein to shadow the state that we shall have in Heaven; our animal life shall then cease, and we shall enjoy no other than that which is spiritual. And this is that which we should have a taste of at our coming into the Temple, yea to the very out-skirts thereof. To breed the greater respect of the inmost parts, the outmost are to be honoured, and I would that the Canons of the Church, and Statutes of this Land were observed touching Churchyards; if we did put off the world when we come thither, no doubt but we would be more free from it when we came within the Church. But the Church is less reverend in our eyes, because the Churchyard is grown so contemptible; for what more usual than therein to think of dealing in worldly things? CHRIST would not endure it (as you may perceive in my Text) I would we had some of CHRIST'S zeal; I fear, not only superstitious Papists, but jews, yea Turks too will rise up in judgement against us, and condemn us for this abuse; for bringing the World into the Temple. And if we may not bring in the World into the Temple, much less the Flesh and the Devil, wanton eyes, and malicious hearts, for what communion hath the Temple of God with Idols? and every lust is an Idol, yea, it is a very Devil. And yet Bedes complaint is true, Many come to Church which are so fare from having any mind to hear or pray, ut ea pro quibus orare debebant peccata augeant, that they run farther in arrearages while they should be by repentance and faith cancelling their Obligation; they not only dishonour that Temple wherein themselves are made Temples of GOD, but also add to those ruins of their spiritual House, for the repair whereof they should resort unto these places; Neither do they, silly wretches, discern the stratagem of the Devil, he diverts their attention from the Oracles of GOD, that they may not be put in mind of their duty, and casts their devotion into a slumber, that their drowsy prayers may not be able to pierce the Heavens, and then he knows that if he can so ruin the Oracle and Altar of GOD in man, the mastery will not be hard, let him suggest what he will, he shall be believed by them, them that have no better thoughts, yea, and obeyed too by them that neglect to call to GOD for grace. And indeed though he wish ill to the material Temple, yet his malice is most bend against the Spiritual, and he makes way to the abuse of the later by the abuse of the former, knowing that their reverence doth live and dye together, and he will easily make a House of Merchandise of us, if he can bring us to make a House of Merchandise of the Church. But though neither of the Temples must be abused, yet our greatest care must be of the Spiritual, for the Type is inferior to the Truth, yea, and if the Truth be abused, the contagion thereof will reach unto the Type (as we learn in Haggai) where the polluted Priests are said to pollute the hallowed things. But the Truth is either Christ or Christians, both Temples may be abused; The abuse of CHRIST, and turning that Temple into a House of Merchandise, is a peculiar sin of the Church of Rome, and well may we call the Pope's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Basil. Epist. 11 Merchants of CHRIST, witness this very year which Paulus Quintus hath made a year of jubilee, that is, of Merchandizing CHRIST; for howsoever the Bull have a specious Preface, deploring the iniquity of the times, and the vengeance of GOD upon the Christian world, and excites people's devotion to pacify GOD, and divert his wrath, yet seeing it giveth every man leave to choose his Confessor, and the Confessor power at his pleasure to commute penance, do you not perceive the Mystery of Iniquity? The artificial merchandizing of CHRIST'S merits under the covert of the Pope's Indulgence? no doubt but GOD will so be well pacified, and Christian souls filled with heavenly comfort, Or rather the Pope showeth himself to be that Whore of Babylon that makes merchandise of the souls of men. And indeed both in Hebrew and Greek a Whore and a Merchant meet in one name Zona, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to note that they use their merchandizing but to give an opportunity unto whoredom; So doth the Pope make sale of these things but to draw men to resort unto him, and commit spiritual fornication with him, fall down and worship their Lord God the Pope. But GOD be thanked we have better learned CHRIST, and are fare from turning that Temple into an House of Merchandise. I would we were as fare from abusing our own, but we merchandise too much therein. Merchandizing in the Story going before my Text is resolved into buying, selling, and taking money to use, for there were that sold, and there were that bought, and there was a Banker; And have we not all these in ourselves? The World offers her wares unto us, and our Flesh hath a good will to trade with the World, but oftentimes we want means, and the Devil is by as a Banker, and what wicked policies, and mischievous devices doth he furnish us with, that we may not part without a bargain? seldom are we tempted with that which we affect, that we have not too good opportunities to fulfil the lusts of the flesh, at least we show that there is no want in affection, even when we are excluded from the Act of Sin, and that is plain merchandizing in the sight of GOD, and abusing of his Temple that is dedicated to him; So the ambitious, the voluptuous, the covetous do turn their Temple into an House of Merchandise. And I would this were all, that we did only merchandise in the House, I would we did not merchandise the House itself, merchandise the material House; For how venal are sacred both places and things? The Simony that cannot be excused is grown to be a crying sin, all the Sophistry that covetousness and ambition have devised will never wash away the guilt thereof that cleaveth to the consciences, nor kill the Cankerworm that eateth into the estates of those profane Merchants; pereat pecunia tua tecum, St Peter doom upon Simon Magus, hath pronounced a curse against that sin. If we may not Merchandise the Type, much less the Truth; and yet how many sell themselves to work wickedness? Esay is branded for a profane person who sold his Birthright for a mess of pottage; and no wonder, for his Birthright was mystical, he therein sold his right to Heaven, and therefore he found no place for repentance though he sought it with tears; a fearful thing. And is our case less fearful if we sell ourselves? Our persons are mystical, they are Temples of the Holy Ghost; and are not we very profane if we merchandise them? do we not run a desperate course? and prostitute our sacred selves for things of nought? A Heathen-man could say, Sen●●●. Nihil cuiquam vilius serpso, a man setteth less by nothing then by himself, Nostri essemus si haec nostra non essent, we would own ourselves, if we did not desire to be owners of the world. How many sinful things be there in exchange for which if we should be demanded our Farm, or our House, we would haply answer Non tanti emam poenitere, I will not buy repentance at so dear a rate; yet for those very things we can be contented to give ourselves, and think, silly ones that we are, that we have that very cheap, which costs us too too dear, too too dear (I say) if we know the price of a Temple of GOD, and set ourselves at so high a rate as the honour GOD hath done us requireth at our hands; were we but reasonable men, we might not so undervalue ourselves as to think any worldly thing worth our either civil liberty, or our natural life, how much less than may we equal any of these, yea, all these things unto that Adoption of Sons, and consecration into Temples which are vouchsafed us of GOD? Well, if we do not (as we ought) prise GOD'S favour, GOD will (as we deserve) punish our contempt, he that destroys GOD'S Temple, him will GOD destroy; Prosaners of the natural Temple have had ill ends, and the profaners of the spiritual may not look for good; What CHRIST in regard of the natural Temple did visibly, In Math. c. 21. that (saith Origen) doth he every day invisibly concerning the Spiritual, and believe that if he shown such zeal for the material, he will show much more for the Spiritual, and if we regard not the judgement which he executed with a whip, he will one day set upon us with his two-edged Sword; and if he strooke such terror into the wicked in the days of his Humility, judge you what terror he will strike into them in the days of his Glory; and if we are ashamed of the disgrace of being cast out of the Temple, let us fear the vengeance of being cast into Hell. But I told you that this was a preparation for Easter, and it is for Easter that you are now to be prepared, and you see what your preparation must be, The material Temple must be rid of all profaneness, and so must the Spiritual too, purify the place, purify yourselves, so may you with comfort eat of CHRIST our Passeover which is sacrificed for us; and if all the doore-posts of either House be sprinkled with the blood of that Lamb, the punishing Angel will pass by us, and the Plagues of Egypt shall never seize upon us. Away then with these things, away with Sheep, and Oxen, the rich-man's worldly thought, away with Turtles, and with Doves, let not the world here possess the poor-man's heart; let both remember and show that Holiness beseeming GOD'S House for ever. When CHRIST spoke these words they were so powerful that all that heard them did readily obey them, I cannot hope for such a Miracle, Leu. 19 but I will pray, That we may all have grace so to keep God's Sabbaoths, Ps. 5. and reverence his Sanctuary, that coming into his House in the multitude of his mercies, and in his fear worshipping towards his holy Temple, we ourselves may more and more become Temples of Grace, have GOD dwell in us until we are translated unto him, have the Oracle of Faith, until we are admitted unto his blessed sight, and the Altar of Devotion, until we attain our everlasting union: This the Owner of the House grant us, through CHRIST, in whom we have this honour to be Houses by the operation of the Holy Ghost the Architect of these Houses. To which one GOD in three Persons we render all honour and glory now and for ever, Amen. Blessed are they that dwell in thy House, O Lord, they shall ever be praising thee. A SERMON PREACHED AT GREENWICH. PSALM 32. VERSE 5. 5 I said I will confess my transgressions against myself, and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah. THIS is one of the Psalms appointed for this day's Euening-prayer, and it fits well the season, For it is the second of those that are called Penitentials, and Repentance is, or aught to be, the most of our exercise this time of Lent. But when we go thereabout, it is our best way, considering our ignorance, and negligence, to endeavour the exemplification of some worthy Patterns, and a more worthy than king David we cannot have; For, Regis admirabilem virtutem poenitentia fecit splendidiorem, as Theodoret observes, that King was a manifold Worthy, but his worth did shine in nothing more conspicuously, then in the feeling acknowledgement of his own unworthiness; and his Doctrinal practice of that kind is the argument that is handled in this Psalm. Let us look then into it. The Title is a brief of the whole; for Maschil being interpreted, is, a lesson of happy wisdom; and no wisdom so happy as that which makes, or keeps our peace with GOD. But these things are done, the one by Repentance, the other by Obedience; these causes, with those effects, are the four parts, whereinto we may fairly break this Psalm. My Text is found in that part which teacheth Repentance, for thereof Confession is a principal branch, and the doctrine of Confession is redoubled in this verse, whereof I have chosen the latter clause. So then, we have now to do with Penitential Confession, and are out of this Scripture to learn, what it is, and how it speeds. What it is, we shall see in King David's Practice, and in his Success, how it speeds. But more distinctly. In the Practice we are to consider the matter confessed, and the manner of confessing. The matter is Sin, his own sin. Of this he had a sense, manifested by an evidence; The evidence is a Confession, a penitential confession, for it layeth the blame where it is deserved, he confesseth against himself, and seeks relief where it may be found, he confesseth unto the Lord. He confesseth do I say? I say too much, for he was come no farther than Dixi confitebor, he did but profess his resolution, the action was to come. Thus fare the Text doth open his Practice. In that which remains it reports his Success; He sped remarkably well. Well, He in humility gave glory unto GOD, and GOD did graciously relieve him. But mark here also the matter wherein, and the manner how. He relieved him in that which he confessed, in Sin, the iniquity of his sin; and this relief was a Release, it was the Forgiveness of that sin. But here observe and wonder at the goodness of GOD; King David's Practice was but a purpose, but his Success is a performance; so much is GOD'S mercy more forward than man's duty. And is not this a remarkable Success? Surely it is, and so much is signified by Selah; for Selah interpreted morally is a note of some great and some constant truth, and such is that which is contained in my Text. You see the particulars, whereof this holy Scripture doth occasion me to speak; that we may all be the better for that which shall be spoken, let us by GOD'S assistance, with Christian audience, listen again unto them as they shall now be unfolded briefly, and in their order. I begin at King David's Practice; wherein the first thing observed was the matter confessed; and that is Sinne. Peccatum confitetur, ut Publicanus, non iustitias, ut Pharisaeus; he appears before GOD in the humility of the Publican, not in the pride of the Pharisee; He had many Prerogatives, for he was a man after GOD'S own heart; the Father of faithful Kings; the sweet Singer of Israel; a lively Type of our Saviour CHRIST; but he fixed his eyes upon none of these, neither came any of these into his mind, he remembreth nothing but sin. And what doth this intimate, but that his guide was not nature but grace? For by nature we not only desire to hear from others, but also ourselves would be Heralds of our own virtues, yea and are contentedly deceived by setting and seeing them in a false light, to have others admire them, but specially ourselves to dote upon them. Every man naturally is a Laodicean, and thinks himself rich, and increased in goods, and in regard of his spiritual estate to want nothing. But what our Saviour CHRIST replied to that Church, is spoken to us all, Thou dost not know that thou art poor, wretched, blind, and naked; No man doth think on these things by nature, and therefore when any man doth, it is a sign of grace, as it was in K. David, that thought rather what he wanted, than what he had; rather how vile, then how good he was. And indeed where grace is, it fareth with our souls, as it doth with our bodies, If a man be sick, have he never so stately reabes, they cannot shelter; have he never so dainty fare, it cannot relish; have he never so soft a bed, yet cannot rest, his diseased body feels nothing but the afflicting peccant humour. Even so when the remorse of conscience works, all our gifts, be they never so great, they appear not, they cannot cover our nakedness, they cannot satisfy our haunger, and thirst, neither do they ease our torture; though we have them, yet for the time we have no use of them, we see, we hear, we feel nothing but sin; as experience teacheth them that have been assistants to souls distressed in this kind. But it is not only Sin, but P●shang, heinous and ennormous sin that is here remembered; King David is as ambitious to amply●ie his sin, as others are to amplysie their virtues, for this word signifies Revolt, and Rebellion, the highest improvements that can be of sin. You will acknowledge it, if you distinguish inter Legemet Legis latorem; every trespass is a violating of the Law; but to set at nought the Lawgiver, and set ourselves against him, what is it but High-treason? If men satisfy particular lusts, they commit but particular sins, as in Theft, Adultery, Murder, but Treason is vniuers●lis iniustitia, it includes all kind of ennormities. What then could King David say more against sin, then to make it the character of the son of Belial, that breaks GOD'S bonds, and casts his cords from him, & perversè imitatur Createrem suum ut sibi ipsi lex sit, usurps the Throne of GOD? Yea, because there is no neutrality in this case (for he that is not with GOD is against him) and averseness from GOD, is attended with adversenesse to him (for rebellion is that whereat the Devil aimeth in revolt) Sin doth muster us in the Army of the Dragon, and ranketh us with the malignant brood of the Serpent; so much doth King David signify by this word, and by so amplifying, teacheth us that we may no● mince sin, but as we consider the Law which we transgress, so must we also the Lawgiver to whom our sin doth reserre, and we shall find that commonly it is of a higher nature than we suppose, and is a plain spiritual Treason. Oh that all Adulterers, and Murderers would herein be David's Scholars, and then no doubt, but out of that detestation which they have of Treason, they would profitably conclude, how odious they deferue to be in the eyes of GOD, themselves deserve to be, for the sin which King David amplifieth, is his own, he makes bold in this case with none but himself. It is a strange perverseness of our conscience to be sharp sighted a fare off when we view others; but to be purblind at hand, when we look on ourselves: our perspectives multiply the motes that are in other men's eyes, and make them appear as great as beams; but the beams that are in our own eyes, they so diminish, that they scarce appear so big as moats: How do we detest that in others, which we suffer in our own breasts? And how many would we send to Hell, for that wherewith ourselves hope to climb to Heaven? Sic nemo in sese tentat descendere, nemo; self-love is persuaded that all is well at home. But every man is best known to himself, and therefore every man should study himself most, and if he do, though haply others be bad, yet will he find himself to be worse, and confess with St Paul, 1 Tim. 1●. 〈◊〉 Sam. 24. Peccatorum ego primus, and say as this King doth in another place, I have sinned, I have done wickedly, but what have these sheep done? No man's sin will appear greater than our own. And so much of the matter confessed. I come now to the manner of confessing. The word used by the Psalmist is borrowed out of the Law, Levit. 5. and Numb. 5. and so alludes to the Ceremonial Sacrifice, wherein the offerer was to lay his hand upon the Sacrifice, in acknowledgement of what he deserved, and wherewith he was to be relieved. The words of my Text contain the Moral of that Ceremony, which teacheth, that we must manifest a sense of our sin, and in that manifestation, must first lay the blame where it is deserved, and then seek only to him in whom we may find succour. Confess we must, that is the manifestation; but the confession must be made against ourselves, who only are blame-worthy, and we must present our confession unto the Lord, from whom only we may expect succour. But a little more fully to rip up these points. The Septuagint hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which showeth that in Confession there must be a concurrency both of soul and body, and both must arraign us at the Bar, for it is verbum forense. If it were only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the evidence of the tongue were enough, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports, that there is an inward sense of the outward evidence. And indeed St Cyprian telleth us concerning the inward sense, that confession is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conscientiae; St Austin, that it doth pondus animi proffer; St Ambrose, He that confesseth, ingemit cu●pae dolore, speaks with sighs and groans that cannot be expressed. And indeed this inward sense, must be the first step of Confession, and we must be resolved of that truth which is delivered by Nazianzene, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, it is a principal thing in Confession to be touched at the heart. But then ex abundantia cordis os loquitur, and therefore St Austin saith, that to confess is ex occulto et tenebroso procedere, alluding to Lazarus his coming out of the grave, and to show that indeed we detest sin, a true penitent will utter it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Nazianz. so did Manasses, so did the prodigal child, and so doth King David in this place. If any man be spare of speech in this kind, Tertullian will tell him, that dissimulatio est consilium contumaciae, it is to be doubted that he is not so out of charity, but he may be reconciled again to his sin; whereas Confessio error is is professio deserendi; and he that outwardly and inwardly doth confess, obligeth himself to forsake sin, both to GOD and man. Obligeth himself, I say, for the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is judicial, and the obligation is the stronger, by how much the stipulation is more solemn; and if the arraignment pass before GOD and men, there is no traversing of such an Indictment, the Indictment which ourselves put in, and ourselves do sign to be Billa vera. But as Confession signifieth a giving in of evidence, or rather the finding of the Bill of Indictment, so we must particularly see, against whom the Bill is found. King David finds it against himself, he layeth the blame where it was deserved, and confesseth against himself. It was condemned long since for an Heresy in unchaste Martion, to hold peccata non voluntate sed necessitate patrari, with that maxim he thought to excuse his incontinency. For the ground of this pretended necessity men have sought to opposite places, some to Heaven, and some to Hell; the opinion is ancient that fetcheth it from either; Adam was the Author of the first, he laid his sin to GOD, The woman that thou gavest me, gave me of the fruit, and I did eat. And no less ancient is that, that fetcheth it from Hell, Eve laid the blame upon the Devil, The Serpent (said she) beguiled me, and I did eat. These Masters have had many Scholars; I would they had not still; But to the first the son of Syrach spoke in his days, Say not the Lord hath caused me to err, for he hath no need of sinful men; he is a GOD of pure eyes, and cannot behold wickedness. And to the second St Austin, Non est hoc tollere sed geminare peccatum, the excuse is worse than the fault; for as strong as the Devil is, suadere potest, cogere non potest, he may very powerfully commend it unto us, but it is never entertained but by our good will. So that we may spare much unnecessary pains of climbing into Heaven, to know what GOD hath decreed; or descending into Hell, to inquire after the Devil's power; we must stay at home, and there sinned the right party, for man (as Soloman speaks) perverteth his own ways, and every man (saith St james) when he is tempted, is baited and led aside by his own lusts; so that the rhetorical translatio criminis, whether it be de compendio, or per circuitum (as St Austin speaks on this Text) must have no place in Confession, herein quo quis humilior, eo laudabilior, the less excuse, the more grace. And if men in Confession may not derive their blame to others, how much less may they vaunt of that which they do amiss? And yet how many are there which not only some out their own filthiness, but also glory in their shame? Isay 3. The show of whose countenance witnesseth against them, who discover their sin as Sodom did, Cap. 6. and desire not to hide it; of whom GOD complains in jeremy, Were they ashamed when they committed abomination? They were not ashamed, neither could they blush. Too too many there are that set themselves down in the seat of the scorner, and think that it is their highest commendation not only to have sinews of Iron in their neck, but plates of Brass on their forehead, to be not only incorrigible, but impudent also, whose sins that are indeed the works of darkness, are become so shameless as to walk abroad at noon day. Witness the blasphemies, the impurities, the violences that are so frequent objects of every man's eyes and ears. But this is not to confess against ourselves, for to confess against ourselves, is to be humbled, not to be exalted; it taketh down our pride, and doth not hearten our shamelesseness. This is the first branch of that evidence which we give in, and it was the first thing noted by imposing of hands upon the Sacrifice. But there was another meant also, which was the pointing out of the means and person by whom we are relieved, and that is GOD, in CHRIST, which is taught in the second part of the evidence, the confessing to the Lord. To confess to the Lord, is not to inform him of that which he doth not know, but rather (as St Austin speaks) Affectum nostrum patefacimus in te Domine confitendo tibi miserias nosiras; we add nothing to GOD'S knowledge, Chrys●, 5. but rather reveal our assection to GOD-ward. Confessio fraudis nostrae est laudis Dei, which the very word jadah in Hebrew notes, including in it both. But the affection that we reveal in our Confession is double; it is affectus timoris, and confidentiae, which look to the two Artributes of GOD that temper his providence in governing the world, I mean justice, and Mercy; for confessio peccatorum est testimonium conscientiae timentis Deum (as St Chrysostome) no man can do it, but he doth acknowledge, and tremble at the justice of GOD. Yet not the justice only doth affect him, but the Mercy also; for confessio poenitentis, ad laudem pertinet ignoscentis, because, as we tremble when we consider GOD is just, so considering that he is merciful, we hope in him also; Thus to sear, thus to hope, is to give glory unto GOD, and to give him glory, is to confess unto him. You expect haply, that importuned by the Romish Commentaries on this place, I should fall upon the controversy of Auricular confession, but I know that the Pulpit, especially in the time of Lent, is rather for Ghostly counsel, then for disputes, and therefore I forbear; only giving this note, that our Church doth not condemn it as simply evil, and therefore hath in the Liturgy restored it to its native purity. Only it were to be wished, that so fare as the Church allows it, we would practise it, for I am persuaded that many live and dye in enormous sins, that never made any use of it, nor received any comfort from the power of the Keys. The confessing to the Lord, doth not exclude confessing unto man, so the due limitation be observed. But enough of the Confession. There is one point more to be observed before we come to the Success, and that is, that this confession of King David was only in purpose, he was come no farther than dixi; a sense he had of his sin, but he was not yet come so fare as to utter it, though he was disposing himself thereunto. But dixit was not only verbum oris, but cordis also; promptitudinem & alacritatem hoc verbo notat (saith St Bernard) he was willing and ready to make his confession, he adds, Saul dixit peccavi, sed quia non dixit antequam diceret, cord, priusquam ore, as King David did, non audivit Deus transtulit pec●atum tuum, he heard not so good news from Samuel, as King David did from Nathan, The Lord hath put away thy sin. The lesson rising hence is, pij non trahuntur ad Tribunal Dei, sed sponte accedunt; knowing that there is no shelter against GOD, but only in GOD, we must prevent our summons, and resolve upon a voluntary appearance. Finally, putting the Purpose to the Confession, we see, that the children of GOD use not to continue in their sins, but so soon as they are roused, the principles of grace do work, and they humbly shreeve themselves too GOD. And so have you the first main point in this Text, which openeth unto us King David's Practice. I come now to the Success thereof, which is the forgiveness of the sin; Where we may first see the difference between Tribunals on Earth, and the Tribunal of Heaven. On Earth, Non est confessi causa tuenda rei, Confession is the cause of condemnation, it is not so at the Tribunal of GOD, there though it be not the cause, as Papists strain it, yet it is the means of absolution, Whereby you may perceive, that the word here used is a phrase of the Gospel, and not of the Law; For judgements of men, tread the steps of the Law of GOD, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, there is no relief for a poor sinner to be found in the Law, he that will have it, must seek i● in the Gospel. And yet the word here used is borrowed out of the Law, but it is the Ceremonial Law, and the Ceremonial Law is, if not wholly, yet for the most part Gospel. But more distinctly to handle this point; We must observe the Matter forgiven, and the Manner of forgiving. The matter forgiven, is the Iniquity of his sin. It is disputed what is meant here by ●●●quitie, whether culpa, or poena. Some understand poenam, and think that an allusion is made in this word unto the message of Nathan, wherein GOD doth remit the heaviest stroke of his wrath, but yet retains some part in punishing the child, and permitting Absalon to rebel and abuse king David's concubines; so Theodoret, Deus non condigna poena Dauideni punivit. Some understand culpam, and will have this phrase to be an amplification of that, as if Superbia defendens, or Taciturnitas celans, or Impietas contra Deum assurgens, or some such great guilt were meant by this phrase. But as I do not censure these opinions, which may well stand: So I think the phrase looks back unto that word which was in the Confession. The sin confessed was Peshang, and this is but an analysis of this word; for Gnaon Catai, what is it word for word, but the perverseness of my aberration? Catah is an aberration from the Scope or Mark whereat we aim; all men aim at felicity, but most men stray from it, because they are not led by that Law that guides unto it, the violating whereof is called Catah. But some do stray out of mere ignorance, and they only break the Law; some out of stubbornness, which will not submit themselves to the Lawgiver; these men's sin is called perverseness, which GOD is said here to forgive. So that David did not confess more against himself, than GOD includes in his pardon; well may. GOD exceed our desire, he never doth come short thereof, if it do concern our spiritual, our eternal good; as he doth exclude no sinner that doth confess, so doth he except against no sin, that is confessed. You have heard the Matter of the pardon, now hear the Manner. And the manner makes the Remission answerable to the Confession. The Confession had an inward sense, and an outward evidence, so hath the Remission; For, GOD spoke the word by Nathan to resolve king David's faith, but he also gave a taste of his truth by working ease in King David's heart. Both are included in the word, but specially the latter, for Nasa signifieth to unburden, as if the soul were burdened with sin. And indeed sin is a burden, a burden (as King David elsewhere speaks) too heavy for him to bear, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, heavier (saith Chrysostome) than any lead. And no wonder, For if every evil do make a heavy heart, much more spiritual evil cloggeth the Spirits, makes a man sink inwardly, and bow outwardly; you can have no better character of such a dejected soul, then that which we find in the penitential Psalms. It is very true, that many walk lightly, and skip frolickly, as if they bore no weight, though they be fraught with sin, but the answer is plain, Nihil ponderat in loco suo, while sin resides in that part, which commits the sin, it gives such content to the concupiscence that dwells therein, as being the desired object thereof, that it presseth not at all, neither is it ever burdenous till it be brought unto the conscience, which only hath an eye to discern it, a scale to weigh it, and a sense wherewith to judge of that weight; and when GOD inhibendo, withholding those vanities which hinder the conscience from weighing, and exhibendo, putting the whole measure of sin into the scales, doth rouse us, than the most careless, and the most senseless, shall be driven to acknowledge, that indeed it is a great burden. But the penitents comfort is this, that as he feels it, so he hath one by whom he may be eased of it; the putting on the hands upon the Sacrifice did ceremonially testify as much, but the moral thereof is in St john, Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world, Qui tollit, a plain translation of Nasa. But CHRIST speaks it more plainly, Mat. 11. Come to me all ye that labour, and are heavy loaden, and I will ease you. Where also we find, that it is the Lord only that forgiveth sins. They spoke truly in the Gospel that excluded all others, Lib. 5. cap. 1●. saying, Who can forgive linnes but God only? St Irenie gives the reason, Quomodo rectè remissa peccata, nisi ille ipse in quem peccavimus donet remissionem? He is the only I egislator (as St james speaks) and concludes, that he only hath power to condemn and absolve. Therefore doth GOD, Esay 43 and 44 claim this as his peculiar; it is the peculiar of his Word to acertaine our Faith, and of his Spirit to unburden our Souls, and instead of the heaviness that did oppress, to cheer us up with spiritual joy. Hitherto you have seen a good correspondency between the Co fession and the Remission: but now you must hear of a great difference, for David was come no farther than Dixi, he had a good purpose to confess, but of GOD, which is the searcher of the heart, he witnesseth, that he was come to Remisisti, granted the parden before it was asked; so doth St Austin paraphrase these words, Vox mea in ore nondum erat, sed auris Dei iam in cord erat. And what is this but a proof of that gracious promise which GOD himself hath made in the Prophet Esay, 〈◊〉. 6 5. O●at. ●. Orat. 15. before they call I will answer, and while they speak I will hear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, cried out Nazianzene when he con●dered this; But elsewhere he gives the reason of this celerity, ●ra est opus alienum, when GOD is angry he goes against his own nature, but eius proprium est misereri, it is as it were natural to him to do good unto men. You need no better proof than the parable of the prodigal child, man cannot be so forward to receive good, but GOD is much more forward to bestow it, and what greater encouragement to confess most humbly, then to observe that GOD deals with a confessing sinner most graciously? And indeed we ought to observe it, for, which was the last point to be handled on the Text, the success is remarkable. It is signed with Selah. Not to trouble you with the use of this word in Music. The learned make hereof a double moral use, for it is either a note of so ●e great thing, and then they render it by the superlative degree, or of some constant thing, and so the Caldee rendereth it, in aeternum. Both these moral uses sit our purpose, for the two main branches of my Text, are great, and constant truths. What is there in the Confession that is not great? Is it not a great thing to see a man, so to put off self-love, and pride, the properties of his corrupt nature, and not only acknowledge himself to be, but also to humble himself as being a sinful wretch? To use that rhetoric wherewith he was wont to shift off his blame, in amplifying of his own sin? In being so charitable as to e●cuse all, the more to accuse himself, and the more to set forth GOD'S glory, not to stick, even in the hearing of men, to be the publisher of his own misery? This is great, but due. But how much more great is it, to see GOD, the judge of man, so little to be moved with the heinousness of sin, as to send a Prophet to comfort an humble sinner, yea, to send his Spirit to ease the broken heart, to take off the load from his Rebels, and lay it upon his dear Son? And herein to prevent him, who might well think himself happy, if he speed after long attendance? Certainly these things are great, the more great, because not due. But as they are great, so they are constant also, for what king David did, must be done by all, and all in so doing may look for the same success Solomon hath a general rule, Pro●. 28. He that hides his sin shall not prosper, but he that confesseth them, and forsaheth them, shall find mercy. The Apostles confirm it, If we confess our sins, God is faithful to forgive, saith St john: and St Paul, If we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged of the Lord. But the more is the pity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there are many (as Tertullian speaks) which either defer, Nazianz. or abhor this work of Confession ut publicationem sui, as if they should be too well known thereby, either to GOD, or men; praesumo pudoris magis memores, quam salutis, more respective of a little false credit, then of eternal life; whereby you may perceive the truth of St Chrysostom's note, Inuertunt homines Dei ordinem, Diaboli instinctu, Deus enim pudorem dedit peccato, confessioni siduciam, but Diabolus peccato sid●●iam, confessioni pudorem; the world hath too many spectacles of this perverse dealing, to whom we may use the words of Tertullian, Ne tu verecunde bonus qui ad delinquendum exporrigis frontem, ad confitendum contrahis; Is it not forsooth a goodly modesty to be impudent in sin, and shamefast in the censure thereof. But to what end doth man avoid this shame? Surely to fall into a worse; for he that will not be ashamed voluntarily, shall against his will be put to shame; Certainly the shall at the last day, when GOD shall reveal all secrets in the sight of Angels and men. Yea, haply GOD will bring it to light in this world, for some men have their mask taken off here, and their nakedness discovered before they die, so that it is ill providence è malis maximum, when we must choo●e one of two evils, to reserve ourselves unto the worst; And whereas he which accuseth himself, need fear no accuser; to spare himself, that he may have many, and those that are much worse to accuse him. But if a man be senseless, that he will not provide what is best for himself; yet, let him not be so graceless, as to do wrong unto GOD, Peccator cum sis, Nazianz. accede ut glorifices Deum & occasionem praebeas, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ● Si dubitas accedere inhibuisti bonitatem, and we shall find, that GOD can worse brook the contempt of the Gospel, than the breach of the Law. Wherefore let us listen to the Son of Syrach, Cap. 4 and not be ashamed to confess our sin; let us sow in tears, that we may reap in joy, for blessed are they which now mourn for they shall be comforted. Let every one of us have that good testimony of our conscience, which job had, I have not hid my sin, Cap. 31 as Adam, conceiving iniquity in my bosom; and we shall be able with King David to pray, and pray with hope, Lord have mercy upon me, heal my soul, for I have sinned against thee. If we follow David's practice, and say as he did, we will confess our sins against ourselves, unto the Lord, we shall be able upon our own experience every man to boast of King David's success, and to say, Lord thou hast forgiven the iniquity of my sins. A SERMON PREACHED AT WHITEHALL. LUKE 22. VERSE 60, 61, 62. 60 And immediately while he yet spoke the cock crew. 61 And the Lord turned and looked upon Peter, and Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he said unto him, Before 〈◊〉 cock crow thou shalt deny me thrice. 62 And Peter went out and wept bitterly. THESE words were read this day in the Church, ●ent. and they are very agreeable to the Season; an Argument of Repentance to the days of Humiliation. Now Repentance is here delivered not in a Rule, but in an Example, but such an example as deserves our best regard, because the person is of principal note; no meaner a man then St Peter is here presented unto us in the form of a Penitent. Let us then look upon him. And if we do, we shall see him here down and up, taking a fall, and nysing again; And indeed, Repentance is nothing but a rising from a ●all; Therefore we may well resolve St Peter Case and my Text into his Fall, and into his Rising. His fall; Peter denied Christ; a sore fall, because from a high Rock, and that Rock was CHRIST. That Fall was sore; but it is made sorer, in that it was taken so soon, and so often; Soon, before the cock crew; not many hours after he was forewarned, and fore-armed. Often, before the cock crew, Peter denied CHRIST thrice, being over shoes, he would over ears, and the ●arther he went, the worse he was: So Peter came down, But he got up again, and the Text will teach us of his Rising, first, What were the Means; and secondly, What were their Effects. The means were two, one outward, another inward; The outward was a timely sign; The sign was the crowing of a cock; an ordinary thing, but here serving to an extraordinary use. And that sign was timely, immediately, even while he was speaking, did the cock crow, no sooner was Peter down, but he was put in mind of his Fall. Neither was he only put in mind by the outward means, but he was also by an inward made sensible thereof, even by the help of CHRIST, CHRIST turned and looked; the Works seem corporal, but indeed they are spiritual; for he that turned, he that looked, was the Lord, and he turned and looked as a Lord, both Works were spiritually operative; Witness the Effects. The Effects are as the Means were in number two; each Means produced his Effect. The Cock did crow, and what came of it? presently Peter remembered the words that the Lord saio unto him, he acknowledged CHRIST to be a true Prophet, and gave glory to his truth. This is the Effect of the outward means. The inward means wanted not his Effect also, CHRIST turned, he looked, and lo, Peter is presently changed. He was overbold, he now findeth his weakness, for he went out, he durst no longer abide by the Temptation. Peter was senseless, he now groweth tender hearted; for he wept bitterly; the floods of sorrow that overwhelmed his soul, gushed out in streams of tears that trickled down his eyes. There is one thing more in the Text which I may not omit, and that is the correspondency of the rising to the fall; Peter was quickly down, before the crowing of the cock; and he was as quickly up, even as soon as the cock did crow. Secondly, Peter had means to rise, the cock did crow, CHRIST turned, CHRIST looked, and Peter did use the means which he had, for he remembered, he went out, he wept. Finally, Peter endeavoured to make his Repentance as afflictive, as his Sin had been offensive, for as he denied shamefully, so did he weep bitterly. You have seen our Penitent, but not so throughly, but we may all desire to see him again; And verily, if with a reflecting eye we do deliberately review him, in him we may profitably behold ourselves, behold what we are, behold what we should be, are in his fall, should be in his rising: GOD give us all such single eyes. I resume the Fall. Peter denied CHRIST. Rom. 10 It is a rule of the Apostles, That with the heart a man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth he confesseth to salvation: whereby we learn that it is not enough for us to stand in good terms with GOD, except we also let the world know what good he hath done for our souls; we may forfeit the former, if we be not resolute in performing the latter; CHRIST doth assure it in the Gospel, saying, that if any deny him before men, he will deny them before his Father which is in Heaven. This ground must guide us in judging aright of St Peter's fall, by it you shall find that it was a sinful fact, which that you may the better see, I will distinctly observe the Fact, and the Sinne. The Fact was a denial; but it was negatio duplex, a double denial; First, Negatio notitiae, and secondly, Negatio consortij; by former verses we are directed so to understand it; First, he denied that he had any acquaintance with CHRIST, and secondly, he denied also that he had any dependency on him. This was his Fact. And this Fact was sinful; for it contained a plain contradiction to his Calling, and his Conscience. To his Calling; Peter was CHRIST'S Apostle; could he be one of CHRIST'S Apostles, and not know him? A chief Apostle, and have nothing to do with him? A flat contradiction to his Calling. Neither to his Calling only, but to his Conscience also; For was not Peter the man that Matthew Cap. 16 confessed, Thou art CHRIST, the Son of the living God, and was well rewarded for that confession? And had he not acquaintance with him? A flat contradiction to his Conscience. Was not Peter the man that Matthew cap. 19 said, Behold we have forsaken all and followed thee, and was warranted an exceeding gain for a trifling loss, and had he no dependency on him? So that the denial containeth two notable untruths wherewith St Peter is justly charged, and charging him therewith, we keep ourselves within the reasonable bounds which St Bernard hath set, Peccavit Petrus, De Gratia & libero Arbit. it is out of question that St Peter did sin in denying, but yet he did sin Non odiendo Christum sed se nimis amando, he bore no malicious mind against CHRIST, but was willing to sleep in a whole skin. And that he might so do, he suppressed the truth in his heart, and his tongue uttered these untruths; Wherefore his faith was still unfeigned, and his love undoubted, but Constantia turbata est, his constancy was shaken; Love of CHRIST, and fear of danger had so shrewd a conflict, that the fear of danger got the upperhand of the love of CHRIST; So that though he continued inwardly a good man, yet durst he not out of the good treasury of his heart bring forth his good things. These are reasonable bounds, but they are diversely transgressed; for some do rack, and some do shrink the sin; They rack it that in their Tracts De Apostasia Sanctorum put St Peter in for an instance, but put him in unjustly, because Apostasy is Christianity dead at the root, whereas in St Peter it was only withered in the branch. Others there are that shrink the sin; even among the Ancients some have adventured to excuse Peter from all fault, and, which is worse, they excuse him by a Mental reservation, or a secret evasion, Non novi hominem quem Deum esse scio, I do not know him as a mere man, so much his words uttered (as they think) import, whereunto he supplied in his mind, for he is more, even the Son of the living God. But certainly St Peter was no Aequivocator, and such Apologies can have no Apology; St Hierome doth censure them roundly, but truly, They that so excuse Peter, do necessarily accuse CHRIST, and make him a false Prophet, when he told the denial of Peter, yea, they accuse Peter himself, as if he wept bitterly when he had no just cause to do so. We may not lie for GOD, much less for the Saints, neither may we discredit GOD'S truth to salve their credit with officious lies; the Legends of Saints, and the Life's of Popes are too often guilty in this kind. Wherefore let it stand for an unchallengable truth, Cribratus est Petrus, Peter (as CHRIST foretell) was winnowed, and found, though not to be Chaff, yet not to be without it; He that walked on the Sea while it was calm, and when the storm arose began to sink, set forth valiantly with CHRIST, but when he was put to try his manhood, Petrus non erat Petrus, he could not endure the winds and the waves that beat upon him, the stone mouldered into sand. But enough of Saint Peter's denial; In him I told you we were to see ourselves; which that we may the better do, I will observe unto you three kinds of deniers; The first are those that profess themselves to be worse than they are; such were the Libellatici, that signed their denial with their own hand, the Traditores, that with their own hand, in token that they did deny, delivered up the Scriptures, and the Thurificantes, that redeemed their lives by sacrificing to Idols; with whom we may range many of our Travelers, who being sound in judgement, provide for their security by conforming themselves to such Religion as they find currant in the places where they come, A second kind of deniers are those which are worse than they profess themselves to be, of whom the Apostle speaketh, they have a show of godliness, but deny the power thereof; I will give you a taste of them; How many be there that hold the Articles of CHRIST'S Incarnation and Passion, whose faith, if you do measure by their lives, you cannot believe that they do believe? For did they hold CHRIST'S to be their Saviour, and his death the ransom of their sin, would they so much profane these sacred Mysteries, as with the mention of them to obligege themselves not only when they talk idly, but when they aver, or congratulate their ribaldry, and their villainy, than which impiety there is nothing more common? We hold that we have Communion with CHRIST, that we are Members of his Body, and Temples of his Spirit, but how many do indeed deny that which they would seem to hold? For did they not, could they endure to make the Members of CHRIST, the Members of an Harlot? And turn the Temple of his Spirit into a very Stew? Yet so do all impure and unchaste livers, though they thus fare profess that they know CHRIST, yet do they deny him in their works. If every man would go to shrift to his own Conscience, and make his Catechism the rule of his Confession, I doubt not but his heart would often smite him at his own Bar; by his own Verdict he would be found a manifold denier. There is a third kind of deniers that neither profess themselves good, neither have any goodness in them; this was wont to be a disease of vagrant and base persons, but now many descended of good parentage, and whose breeding hath been of the best sort, are grown sick thereof, they are called, yea, and they glory to be known by the fearful Names of Roaring Boys, and the Damned Crew: The Land groaneth under their Atheism, for the repressing whereof, an Inquisition were merciful justice, they suck out the heart blood of all Religion, and make Sacraments, and sacred things the familiar subject of their hellish rec●eations. Amongst other abuses, it were to be wished that the State would take this crying one into most serious consideration; For it is to be feared that our indulgence toward such incarnate Fiends doth provoke, and will pluck down GOD'S heavy vengeance upon the whole State. I told you that in St Peter we might behold ourselves, behold what we are, and I think, by this time you see that many of us are much worse than St Peter was; for of the three kind of deniers (whereof there are too many in the world) we find St Peter in the first, and the first, if they be compared, doth plainly appear to be the least; Therefore we may well acknowledge ourselves to be worse, though we cannot deny that he was bad. He was bad, it is plain in his Fall, which as I have showed you was a sore fall; Sore, if there were nothing more in it then the denial of CHRIST, but there was more; the Text doth aggravate the Fall two ways; First, in that it was taken so soon, Before the cock crew, that is, not many hours after he was forewarned, & fore-armed. forewarned, for CHRIST told him what would befall him, that his performance would come short of his promise; that he would be so fare from dying for CHRIST, that he would flatly deny him. Neither did he only so fore-warne him, but forearm him also, he gave him Viaticum militiae spiritualis, the Sacrament of his Body and Blood, which being the Monuments of CHRIST'S Passion, are the best hearthings against the Cross. Secondly, he had CHRIST'S consolatory speech, Be of good comfort, I have overcome the world. Lastly, he saw his exemplary patience, the Captain taught the Soldier how he should be resolute in this spiritual war. But notwithstanding all these, behold Peter denied CHRIST, and denied him very quickly, more quickly than he should have done if he had neither been forewarned, nor fore-armed. You have not heard all this first aggravation; For St Peter was not put upon the Rack, neither was he so much as questioned by a Magistrate, they were but Scrui, Ancillae, certain drudges or base persons that did question him, and these extnguisht all the vigour and courage that before appeared in him. This was quickly indeed, he fell very quickly, that upon so small a temptation, and having so good provision did deny CHRIST. What shall we say to it? Surely man is a mutable Creature; as he was made of Nothing, so would he turn to Nothing again; neither do we hast so fast to Nothing natural, as we do to Nothing moral; we sooner cease to be good, than we cease to be. This defection began in Adam, of whom the Psalmist, Man being in honour had no understanding, Non pernoctavit, he did not continue so much as a night, but became like the beasts that perish. Yea, he became Radix Apostatica (as Saint Austin calls him) a Root of that back-sliding which cleaveth to all his posterity. Take an example or two. We read, Gen. 4. of the separation of the children of GOD from the daughters of men; in the next story that followeth is their confusion. Cap. 20. In Exodus GOD forbids the making of Images, and presently after we find that the Israelites made the Golden-Calfe: Ps. 7●. David hath made a whole Psalm of this inconstancy of Israel. And we Islanders are too like Israel herein; for how quickly do we shift the fashion, of our , of our diet, of our manners, Cap. 6. and of our Religion also, All our goodness is but like a morning cloud (as Hosea speaketh) and as an early dew doth it pass away, in this we are all too like St Peter, that we quickly fail. St Peter did not only fall quickly, but he fell often also, Before the cock crew he denied thrice, this is the second aggravation of his Fall. Bis ad cundem, is a Proverb teaching that he deserveth little pity that stumbleth twice at the same stone, St Peter stumbled oftener, he added a third unto two former falls. And verily so it is; he that sinneth once, if he be left unto himself, will sinne again and again, yea, of himself he will never leave sinning. There are two reasons of it; the first is judicium Dei, a just judgement of GOD is it that he that once yieldeth to sin, should always bend towards that whereunto he yielded, and become prone to do what he hath done amiss. The second is Veneficium peccati, the●e is a kind of sorcery in sin, which causeth that he that hath once tasted it, will retain such a smack, that he will desire to taste it again; the proof is daily to be seen in those that are inordinate livers, in whom to day's sin doth but work a longing to sin again to morrow. Yea, not only to sin, but to sinne worse and worse; St Peter did not only deny CHRIST, but his second denial was worse than his first, and the third worse than his second. Sin is said to be the sting of death; Now you know that a sting doth enter by a sharp point, and maketh but a little hole at first, but the farther it goeth in, it cutteth the larger wounds: Even so sin, the oftener it is repeated, the more is a man corrupted. And no marvel; for the Principles of Conscience will grow more stupid, and he that sinneth a second time, will be more senseless of that which he doth, than he was at first; he that blushed at first, will by little and little grow impudent, and in steed of bewailing, will fall to defending of his salt. Yea, and as the Principles of Conscience grow more senseless, so doth Concupiscence grow more lawless, and he that at first had but a squeamish appetite, will by little and little learn to sin with greediness. Especially if he be in passion, as St Peter was, for that betrayeth all the succour which reason would offer, if man through hardness of heart be not grown unreasonable. There is one thing more which the Father's handling St Peter fall remember, and that is the Cause why so worthy a man as St Peter was, took so grievous a Fall; they observe in him first Confidence, and secondly Negligence; Confidence in himself; he thought himself to be a iollier man than indeed he was, and thought he could do much more than indded he was able to do: We cannot be bold of our strength in civil matters, whereunto is required only the general assistance of GOD, so St james tells us; Go to all ye that say to day and to morrow we will go to such a place, or such a place, and buy and sell, etc. whereas you should say, if GOD will, if we live, etc. Much less in moral, or spiritual things, which are not performed without a special grace. Captus amore de virtum suarum otentia non cogitavit. Aug. de Gl●●. Dei, l. 14. c. 19 But St Peter was so fare carried away with the zeal of his love, that he cast not up his accounts, neither did he inquire into his abilities, but thought he was able to do as much as he would; such presumption of his own strength was GOD pleased to check with the permission of his fall. And we do commonly stumble soon, when we grow overweening of our own selves, and mind more our perfection, than our imperfection. A second reason of his fall was St Peter's Negligence in seeking unto GOD, which commonly followeth upon Confidence in ourselves; CHRIST bid him with the rest watch and pray lest be entered into temptation, and withal gave him a reason, which was a secret reproof of his Confidence, the Spirit is willing, but the Flesh is weak; but St Peter did as little follow the counsel, as he did heed the reason, For he grew presently drowsy headed, and drowsy hearted, in steed of watching he fell a sleeping, and his devotion slumbered as well as his eyes; And what wonder if he took a fall, that for want of providence might so easily be surprised? The best way of standing out in temptation, is out of our distrust in ourselves, to commend ourselves to the help of GOD. I conclude this point with this religious Caution, haec nos protulimus non iustos culpando, etc. I would not have any man mistake, or think that I have amplified St Peter fall out of any purpose to dishonour the blessed memory of that glorious Light of the CHURCH; the Holy Ghost related it, & I have insisted on this Text for a better end, First, consideremus, that we might take notice of the frailty that cleaveth to our sinful nature, from which the best are not always, nor altogether exempted. Secondly, horreamus, that we may tremble wh●e we see how prevalent temptations are when GOD is pleased to leave a good man unto himself. These be the uses that we should make of such examples, and suppose that other men's cases may likewise be our own; we may fall, as they have done. As we may fall, so we should rise again; St Peter did, and he is therein proposed as an example unto us, you shall find it in the second part of my Text. I now come on unto it. There are two carnal Affections that are hinderers of our constancy in the Christian Faith, Love and Fear both of the World; but of these two the forwardest to fall, and feeblest to rise is Love; Fear renounceth not so fare, and it leaveth more hope of amendment; And why? The love of the world quencheth the Faith that is in the heart, but the fear of the world only stayeth us from confessing it with our mouths; so that the love maketh us sin willingly, but fear unwillingly; yea, love maketh us inwardly to prise the world above CHRIST, but fear maketh us only to deny CHRIST, that we may escape the malice of the world. Whereupon it cometh to pass that of the three kinds of deniers of CHRIST, which I described before, though all may recover, yet they that fall through the love of the world, recover more hardly, and they recover more easily that fall only out of the fear thereof. And such was S. Peter's casu; I pray GOD that ours never be worse; it will be likely that as he, so we also will not so fall, but that we will rise again. But let us behold his Rising, behold the means, and behold their effects. The means were two, whereof the first was outward, a timely sign; The sign was the crowing of a cock, an ordinary thing, but by our Saviour used to an extraordinary end. It is familiar with GOD so to deal; I will instance only in the Sacraments; Water a common Element, yet designed to be a Bath of Regeneration; Bread and wine, our daily food, yet consecrated to make us partakers of the Body and Blood of CHRIST; to show his power, GOD doth so honour the meanest of his Creatures, and for their use teacheth us to give them their due regards. But I must not forget that there is some Analogy to be observed in the Creature when it is called to serve the power of the Creator. CHRIST here maketh use of the crowing of a cock, but see how fitly it serveth his turn. The cock crowing is, as it were, the harbinger of the Sun, it giveth warning unto men that the Sun is repairing unto their Horizon, and ready to dispel the darkness of the night by shedding forth his beams upon the face of the Earth. Now CHRIST is the Sun of Righteousness, and whither he cometh, thither cometh light, spiritual light; he was coming to S. Peter after the midnight as it were of his fall; and of this he gave notice to S. Peter by the crowing of a cock. But what is this to us? I will not insist upon signs in general, by which GOD is pleased familiarly to put us in mind of our duty, or let us see the state wherein we stand; I will keep myself to the All gory which the Fathers make of this sign. They tell us that GOD hath granted to euerie member of his Church two crowing cocks by which he doth awaken him when he falleth into a spiritual sleep; and they are Concionator, and Conscientia, the Preacher outwardly, and the Conscience inwardly do or should serve for moral crowing cocks. Nathan was such a cock unto David. jonah unto Nineveh, S. Peter to the jews that crucified CHRIST, when they called them to repent, and return unto GOD. And Christian people ought also to esteem their Preachers such, they must esteem them as crowing cocks, whose vouce soundeth nothing but this, Eph. 4. Surge qui dormis, Awake thou that sleepest, stand up from the dead, and JESUS CHRIST shall give thee light; Rom. 13 they tell us that our night is past, and our day is come, therefore we must cast away all works of darkness, and put upon us the Armour of light. Besides this outward crowing cock, every man hath another that croweth within him, that is his Conscience, it is said to be a thousand witnesses, and the Son of Syrach doth tell us, that from it we shall learn more than from seven watchmen that are set on a Tower; And verily many a man would sleep unto death, were he not often roused by this Cock. Wherefore though CHRIST took extraordinary care of St Peter, we may not think that he doth neglect us, that hath provided that which outwardly and inwardly doth awaken and rouse us; he hath not left us destitute of crowing cocks. But I told you the Cock did not only crow, but crowed timely, it was a timely sign that CHRIST gave to St Peter, immediately even while he was speaking did the cock crow. Peter was denying him, forswearing him, cursing, and in the very heat of his sinning the Cock crew. We can have no greater proof, that the mercy of GOD is free, then when we see a man reclaimed, even then when he is most transported with his unruly affection. And GOD hath magnified his mercy thus more than once, it was St Paul's case also, he was breathing out threats, and enraged to make havoc of the Church, when a light from Heaven shone about him, and by a merciful violence brought him to bethink himself. And haply, if every one of us observe the course of his life, he may remember that some good Sermon working some religious inward motives, hath made him step back, while he was stepping rashly into the pitfall of the Devil. Assuredly when we are once going, there would be no staying, if we were not by so provident a hand, and by so gracious violence, seasonably held back. Wherefore we must acknowledge it as a special benefit of GOD'S mercy, that he than cometh in with his help when we are past hope. Theophylact goeth one step farther O bonitatem! Etiam cum ligaretur, etiam cum negaretur, non neglexit discipuli salutem; How wonderful is the goodness of CHRIST? When his enemies were binding him, he took care to lose St Peter out of the snare of the Devil; yea, while S. Peter was denying him, ashamed of his bands, CHRIST was not ashamed of S. Peter, but recovered him out of the jaws of the Lion, as one of his dear Sheep; A great improvement of CHRIST'S compassionate bowels, and encouragement unto all, that have they been never so enormous sinners, CHRIST will be to them, as he shown himself to S. Peter a most merciful Saviour. You have heard the outward Means, I hasten now unto the inward. The inward Means are CHRIST'S help, he turned and looked, that which he prayed for in this Chapter, that Peter's faith should not fail, he performed now. It is disputed, whether these Acts were corporal, and the judgement of Divines are different; but all agree that they were spiritual also, if it be granted that they were corporal. S. Austin argueth it from the Title that is here given unto CHRIST, which is, The Lord; CHRIST was now at the Bar, in the eye of flesh and blood a poor prisoner, yet doth the Holy Ghost honour him with the name Lord, and elsewhere calleth him that was crucified, The Lord of Glory, The Lord of Life; that present condition of his manhood did not derogate aught from the glory of his Godhead, that wrought answerable to its power, when CHRIST seemed to be altogether in the power of others; it wrought upon the soul and conscience of S. Peter, and did there press him being so fare gone with, Petre ubi es? bethink thyself, O Peter, what is become of thee, and what is done by thee. But let us take these Works a little a sunder, Christ turned unto Peter; then was CHRIST before turned from him; And indeed so he was; propter arrogantiam, saith S. Basil, by reason of his presumption who had vaunted that though all men were offended, yet would not he be offended. When children begin to go, they use to be so well conceited of the strength of their legs, that they need not any help of their Nurse; to let them see their folly, the Nurse will leave them to themselves, that so smarting by a fall, they may the better be brought to find what need they have of their Nurse. The best of us are but Babes in grace, yet do we think that we can stand of ourselves, yea and run the ways of GOD also; GOD doth refute us by our own experience, and by this Mistress of fools maketh us better known to ourselves. But though he leave us for a time, yet doth he not forsake us for ever, no more than a Nurse doth the weakling child; she maketh use of one fall to keep the child from many, and GOD doth make use of our sinning to make us see how prone we are to sin. And this is that which is meant by Christ's turning, his turning to us is nothing else but his renewing of grace in us, Ps. ●5. jer. 31. it is a quickening Conversion, such a turning as worketh repentance. As Christ turned, Leo de Passione Serm. 9 so he looked; that was spiritual, and so this, he not only looked on, but into S. Peter, and it was an operative look. Before I told you that the crowing of the Cock did foretell the approaching of the Sun; Now the look of the corporal Sun when it shineth upon the Earth, doth carry with it a quickening influence; it putteth life into the Earth, and all things are the better for the look thereof. The same must you conceive of the Sun of Righteousness, his look, gracious look, is such, as that it infuseth grace into the soul, and transformeth the person on whom he looketh. You will easily acknowledge this truth, if you look to the Effects. I come then to them. The Means were two, and so are the Effects that proceed from them; each Means produceth its Effect, for CHRIST doth not use his Means in vain. The cock did crow, and presently Petr remembered the words which JESUS spoke; Plato in Cr●t. this was the Effect of the first Means. Our memory is a good Storehouse, but no good Steward; it layeth up much, but of itself dispendeth nothing; it needeth some help to make use of her store; the speculative memory doth; but the practice much more. How many be there whose memories are richly stored with excellent rules of life, whereof in their life they make no use? their memory doth not offer them when they have occasion to be doing: as if they had never known Commandments or Creed, they live like Infidels, and like sons of Belial. Wherefore as the eye of the body needeth the light of the Sun to raise and convey the visible species unto it: Even so doth the eye of our understanding need the light of the Sun of Righteousness to stir up, and present unto it the Principles of Grace, whereof it hath need in the ordering of our life: without this actual grace our memory will never make use of her habitual. But there is a double use of memory, the one is Praeveniens peccatum, the other is Subueniens peccato; The best use of memory were to suggest good rules by which we might avoid sin, and do nothing which is displeasing unto GOD. But this memory doth often fail us, and it is too common a fault to set ourselves on work before ever we think whether the work be such as is fit for us to do; seldom doth our memory serve us to prevent sin; and wretched were our case, if we had not memoriam subvenientem, a memory that doth call us to an account, and after-thoughts to reueiw our actions; if the Cock did not crow after we are down, and we were not thereby put in mind of our fall. But, GOD be thanked, we have the benefit of this after-memorie; and it is the first step of our rising again. It was to St Peter, he did not mind CHRIST'S warning to keep him up, but he called it to mind when he was down; then did he remember that he had been forewarned, and gave glory unto CHRIST'S truth; he acknowledged that the event had proved him a true Prophet. You are bound to the Ministers, not only for their informing, but for their reforming pains also; not only for teaching you what you should do, but also for laying to your consciences what you do amiss; we often tell you of your frailty, and that you are by nature prone unto sin, but you hear us with a deaf care, even as deaf an ear, as St Peter heard CHRIST; I would CHRIST would say unto our memories Ephata, as he did to St Peter; and as he, so we (after we are down) would remember ourselves, and confess that we are not challenged in vain; that we ourselves are monuments of humane frailty; and they that tell us, when we are in the height of ourself conceit, that we will prove such, do not prophesy what our life doth not justify. If we be so ingenuous, such a Remembrance will set us forward to perform the acts that are required in repentance; which are the Effects of the second Means. The second Means are CHRIST turned and looked; and what followed thereupon? Surely Peter presently became another man; He had been very bold, but now he began to find his own weakness, Praesumens Petrus ignoravit se, negando didicit se cognoscere; while Peter thought well of himself, he was a very stranger to himself; but he grew better acquainted with himself after he had denied CHRIST; in witness whereof he went out; he would no longer conflict with that by which he had been foiled. Occasions of evil are shrewd stumbling blocks; he that will not fall must be afraid to come nigh them; In this case Basils' rule is true, Nihil formidolosius quam nihil formidare, none are in more fearful case, than they that are foolhardy; Et in securitate periclitatur fides, he wracks his faith, that is bold, when he may decline, to put it in danger; that will touch pitch, and think he cannot be defiled; carry fire in his bosom, and think he cannot be burnt; Peter came into the High Priests house, only out of the love of CHRIST, and yet he fell; And shall we be able to stand, that out of a love of the World, thrust ourselves into the temptations thereof? I would all that dote upon the baits of sin were as timorous, as St Peter was, and would not so rashly hazard themselves; men would not so often be overtaken with the vanities of this life, they would not so often relapse into sin. Peter went out, not only out of fear of that which might be done, but also out of hatred of that which he had done; he cannot be said truly to repent that continueth on his entermedling with that which caused his sin whereof he doth repent; Godly sorrow for what we do amiss, is joined with a perfect hatred of that which did seduce us; otherwise we should wash ourselves that we may be defiled again; and that we might surfeit again, ease our stomaches of that which did surcharge them; and so (as it is in the Proverb) return like Dogs to our vomit, and like washed Swine to our wallowing again in the mire. Peter did not so, he went out, in detestation of his sin, he abandoned the place that gave occasion thereof. Neither did he only go out, but he hastened out; so some interpret the word in St Mark. And indeed fear and hatred add wings unto our feet, and will turn our going into flying; and he that is slow paced, doth betray his goodwill towards sin; and that he doth neither hate or fear it as he ought. And verily such Snails are all unwilling Penitents, they think there is no reason why they should make speed, yea, why they should stirie at all; most are like unto Lot's sonnes-in-law, who when they were wished to be gone, because GOD would destroy Sodom, thought that Lot did mock them. And we are thought oftentimes to be but merrie-men when we tell you that GOD'S judgement hangs over you, and therefore it is high time for you to forsake your sins. They that are not so bad as Lot's sonnes-in-law, yet will be as unconstant as Lot's wife, who went out indeed, but yet looked back to Sodom: so do they give over their sins, but as those that are sorry for that they have parted company with them: You have an excellent proof hereof in the 18 Chapter of the Revelations, where the destruction of spiritual Babylon is related: The Kings that had committed fornication with her; the Merchants that had bought of her commodities; the Mariners that had made long voyages to her; all went out; but being out they looked on, not rejoicing, as the Saints there do, but lamenting, and mourning, and crying out, Alas, alas for that great City. Where sin is, there is Babel; For what is Babel, but confusion? And what doth more confound then sin? And yet do we no more willingly part from sin, than those persons did from Babel. There is one cause more of Saint Peter's going out, and that was, that he might have more liberty to perform the second Act of Repentance, and weep bitterly. Theophylact doth interpret the word in Saint Mark, Obuelavit se, he covered his head. And indeed so were malefactors used in the Eastern Countries; you read it in the story of Haman, and haply so much is meant in this Chapter, where our Saviour's face is said to have been covered. In the West-country they had also the like custom, as appears by that clause in the capital Sentence, Caput obnubito, veil his head; so that Saint Peter did judge himself by that Ceremony to be a son of death, and as a son of death did he bewail himself. Add hereunto, that solitariness doth argue sincerity in our Repentance; for Ille dolet verè, qui sine teste dolet; he cannot be thought to dissemble, that calleth no witnesses of his grief, but only GOD, and his holy Angels. Finally, He that is solitary will mourn not only more sincerely, but more freely also; he that is alone hath nothing to restrain him, but, if ever, he will then pour forth his soul before GOD, grovel in dust and ashes, bathe himself in his own tears, and with sighs and groans that cannot be expressed, often interrupt his penitential prayers; In a word, he will in the best fashion perform the last Act which here we read of in St Peter Repentance, he will weep bitterly. Percussit Petram & effluxerunt aquae; Peter heart in the heat of his denying seemed to be as hard as a rock, but when CHRIST with his Spirit touched Peter's heart, it melted into tears, as the rock did into waters when Moses struck it with the rod of GOD. But in this Act of weeping bitterly we must observe that the bitterness was in the soul, the tears came from the body. No doubt but Peter's heart was overwhelmed with sorrow while he was in the High Priests Palace; and you know that Strangulat inclusue dolour atque exaestuat intus, and it cannot be eased, except the heart be unburdened by tears. But we must take heed that we do not sever the soul from the body when we bewail our sins; yea, the heart must begin to the eyes, the bitterness of the heart, must go before the weeping of the eyes; otherwise we know that of tears the Poet hath long since noted, Hae simulare docentur; hae quoque habent arts; many shed Crocodile tears, and hypocritical, which cannot be reckoned amongst true Penitents. Often-times the body cannot weep, though we would never so fain; the reason may be in the temper thereof; but if there be a rational sorrow in the heart, GOD accepts the will instead of the act, and will impute tears unto us, though we never shed them. This act of weeping bitterly is no indifferent thing, but a provident rather; for weep and sorrow we must for sin, either here, or hereafter; Luke 1●. Math. 33. and that we may not weep hereafter, either in judgement when we shall be rejected, or in Hell when we shall be tormented, we must weep here, and let the bitterness of sorrow succeed in the place of the sweet fruit of sin. The last note therefore that I will give upon this Act is the Effect hereof; For there are comfortable and uncomfortable Tears; Esau did weep when he had sold his Birthright, but he found no place for repentance though he sought it with tears; but St Peter had a happier issue, Aust. Cons. l. 3. Filius tantarum lachrymarum perire not potuit, he that wept so bitterly, did not fail to speed of grace; his tears did wash away his sins. The Fathers compare them to a Baptism, not meaning that they restore our adoption again, but only that they release the suspension thereof; neither mean they to prejudice the work of faith which must go before; but to show what GOD moreover expects of us, and what he accepts in virtue of our faith. And verily, the CHURCH hath ever held that the less excuse we have for our sin after Baptism, the more humiliation is expected from us; and upon our humiliation, In Ps. ●1 if we be faithful, we may promise ourselves restitution into the favour of GOD. Thy sins (saith St Chrysostome) are written in a Book, and thy tears are as a sponge; weep, and thy sins will be blotted out, and there will no record Remain extant against thee. Were it not for this relief, the Novatians opinion would hold current, and there would be few that could have hope that after their fall they should rise again. The last point of this Text remains, which is the correspondency between the rising and the fall, which I told you consists in three points. First, Peter was soon down, and soon up; the same night that he was wounded, he was healed; and cured the same night that he fell sick: many perish through their procrastination, and their case becometh desperate before they enter into consideration thereof; no sooner did the cock crow, CHRIST turn and look, but Peter came to himself. But what do we do? What use do we make of the time given us to repent? How little doth adversity, prosperity, words, stripes prevail with us? We are so fare from repenting quickly, that we do not repent at leisure. And what is the reason? We do not make use of good means whilst GOD doth grant them us; The Cock did crow, and Peter did remember; CHRIST turned, and looked, Peter went out and wept bitterly; he did not receive the grace of GOD in vain. It were to be wished that we did herein resemble him, and not frustrate either the outward or the inward Means. Esay 47. But the Minister may complain, I have laboured in vain; I have spent my strength in vain; Yea GOD himself may complain, Rom. 10. All the day long have I stretched forth my hand unto an unbelieving and gain saying Nation. Or if we are not so graceless as to neglect the two former correspondencies; certainly it is a hard thing to find the man that is like to St Peter in the third, and proportioneth his Repentance to his Offence. Great faults should not be a little sorrowed for, but we should afflict our souls for sin, as much as we have solaced them therewith. Certainly St Peter did so. Yea Clemens Romanus observeth that St Peter every night about the crowing of the Cock did rise and pray with tears until the morning. If he did lament so uncessantly, in whom inward piety did not fail, but only the outward constancy was shaken; what should we do that sin so willingly, and with so high a hand? We should better observe, and observe more days of Humiliation than most of us do. Bitter tears, if ever, are now most seasonable; not only the compunction for our own sins, but compassion also towards the distracted Churches woeful calamity doth importune us for them. We make grievous lamentation for a friend, if his soul be departed from his body; but who is much troubled for himself when GOD by sin is driven from his soul? If but a neighbour's House, or some small Village be laid waist by casualty of fire, as many as hear of it, are moved with compassion, and readily afford some succour; But how many Towns, yea Countries, Members of the Orthodox Church are exhausted, and made desolate by famine, sickness, the attendants upon the bloodthirstiness of the Sword, and there are few Samaritans that have any Bowels? All like the Priest and the Levite pass by, yea, and pass over these troubles, as if they did nothing concern them; but only to administer Tabletalk, or fill up the waist of their idle times. I will only remember you of GOD'S censure of such stupidity; And I pray GOD it may make us all more sensible of our own, and of the Church's case. In the day of the jews calamity did the Lord God of Hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, to baldness, and to girding with Sackcloth, and behold joy and gladness; slaying Oxen, and kill Sheep; eating flesh, and drinking wine; Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall dye; So said those senseless wretches: But it was renealed in mine ears (saith the Prophet Esay) by the Lord of Hosts; Esay 22. surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you, till you die; saith the Lord God of Hosts. He said it to them; and in them to us; happy are we if other men's harms make us beware. But I conclude. This Text is an example, and an example is the easiest doctrine for apprehension, and most powerful in operation; so that if we do not learn it, there is something amiss in our head; and there is something amiss in our heart, if we be not the better for it. Wherefore let us all turn to him, and humbly beseech him, that we may be made mindful of our frailty, and set in a good course of our penitency, that we may be as apt to rise, as we are to fall, and judge ourselves as severely, as we gracelesly offend our God: So may God accept our tears, cleanse our souls, and make us all as he did repenting Peter, his faithful servants in this world, and glorious Saints in the world to come. A SERMON PREACHED AT GREENWICH. MATTHEW 3. VERSE 16, 17. 16 And jesus when he was baptised went up strait way out of the water, and lo the Heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a Dove, and lighting upon him. 17 And lo, a voice from Heaven, saying; This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. IN this day's Gospel our Saviour CHRIST taught Nicodemus, joh. 3. that Except a man be borne again, or from above, he cannot see, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, and St. john the Apostle teacheth how a man may know whether he be so borne again, or no. He that believeth that jesus is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Christ or Anointed of the Lord, is borne of God. Now a fairer proof of that Article, or a more sufficient warrant for our saith therein, the whole Bible doth not yield, then that which was delivered at the Baptism of CHRIST, and is contained in those words that now I have read unto you. For here you must, (my Text doth will you so) behold GOD the FATHER anointing jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power, as St. Peter speaketh Acts 10. And see with all how well the Text fitteth the time; for this is Trinity Sunday, and what is the Text but a report of the clear, the comfortable presence & concurrence of the blessed Trinity in Sacring jesus to be the Christ. Here is Pater in voce, Filius in carne, Spiritus Sanctus in columba; the Son in our nature receives the Unction, the Holy Ghost in the shape of a Dove becomes the Unction, and the Father in a voice from Heaven beareth witness to the grace that floweth from that Unction. In this great work every Person beareth his part. But more distinctly in this Sacring of jesus we may learn from my Text, First, What were the circumstances: Secondly, What was the substance of it. The circumstances were two; First, the Time; when jesus was baptised; Secondly, the Place, without the water, or upon the River's side, for jesus came strait way out of the water, and lo, etc. In the substance we shall see, first Quis, who it was that was Sacred, it was even the same Person that was baptised, the Son of GOD in the nature of man, it was jesus. Secondly, Quo modo, how this Sacring was performed, it was performed Signo visibili, & verbo audibili, with a visible sign, and an audible word. The Sign cometh first in the Text, we are told what it was, and what it meant; It was the shape of a Dove; and by it was meant the Spirit of God. But touching this Sign, we learn here moreover Vnde and Quo: Whence it came, where it pitched; whence; the Heavens were opened unto him, and the Spirit of God descended; where it pitched; the Spirit that descended lighted on jesus. You see what was the Visible sign. A visible sign of itself is but a dumb show, it may amaze, it cannot instruct, therefore it must be illustrated; and it is here illustrated, by an audible word, the word is called Vox de Caelo, a voice from Heaven, and it was fit it should be so; for from whence came the vision, from thence was the Revelation for to come; the vision was from Heaven, therefore the Revelation thereof also. But this is not all that we learn here concerning the word, go on and you shall find Cuius and de quo, who it is that uttereth it, and of whom. He that uttereth it is not expressed but fairly implied in Filius meus, my Son; jesus could not be the Son but of GOD the Father, therefore is it GOD the FATHER that speaketh the word. And the word that he speaketh concerneth jesus, it teacheth us first What he is to God the Father, and secondly, What he doth for us. He is near because the Son, and dear because his beloved Son; add to both the Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Son, that beloved Son, and then he will prove near and dear indeed. From him that is so great with God, we may not expect small matters, that which he doth, is answerable to that which he is; he doth that which never any other person could do, he propitiateth GOD'S wrath, and by him we find grace in the eyes of GOD; These blessings of JESUS are contained in the last words. In whom I am well pleased. There is one Point more. All this commendations that is given unto JESUS referreth to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, This, this person that is in the midst of you, that maketh so little show, and is so little regarded, is he whom I so esteem, and upon whom depends your sovereign good; I will not, you may not for his Humility defraud him of his Glory. You have seen a glimpse of the Sacring of Christ, though I should not, yet the Text would require you to entertain it with your best regard; for the visible sign, the audible word, both are prefaced with a particle of attention. Lo; lo the Heavens were opened, Lo a voice from Heaven; the word doth summon your eyes, your ears, to behold, to attend these holy Mysteries. And I pray GOD so to sanctify your eyes and your ears, that while I take a sunder this Text, and show it you more fully in the parts, the blessed Trinity may vouchsafe by them to instill into you some fructifying drops of our blessed Saviour's heavenly Unction. Amongst the particulars where-into I resolved the Text, the first was the circumstance of Time when CHRIST was baptised; CHRIST was baptised before he was Sacred, he was received into the new Covenant by Baptism, before he became a dispenser thereof. And the Church never thought it fit to swerve from so good a Pattern, and confer Holy Orders upon any that was not first incorporated into the Church: Yea, it hath always gone for a grounded truth, that it is Baptism that maketh a man capable of other Holy rites, and that being unbaptized he is uncapable of them. Secondly, the circumstance of Time, doth notify the kind of grace that was figured in the descension of the Dove, he descended not in, but after the Act of Baptism. Had he descended in the Act, it might have been thought that only Gratia gratum faciens, the grace of regeneration or sanctification, had been represented by the Dove, but descending after, some farther kind of grace is more over intimated. What that grace was let us briefly inquire. Some fetch hence the Original of Confirmation, and suppose that Christ the Head confirmed himself here, unto his Body the Church; So that as in the Church Baptizati recipiunt spiritum sanctum, they that are first baptised are after confirmed: so CHRIST would be confirmed after he was baptised. There is no doubt but the Right of confirmation is Apostolical, notwithstanding the frivolous exceptions that (by some) are taken to it, and it may pass inter pie credibilia that CHRIST did vouchsafe in his own person to sanctify that, as he did many other sacred rites of the Church. But yet it may not be denied, that over and above, here is meant another kind of grace, a grace that is not common to every member of the Church, as the grace of confirmation is, but peculiar unto a public Person, such as CHRIST was now called to be. And therefore I call it Sacring grace; such a kind of grace seemeth to be intimated by the circumstance of Time. The second circumstance is that of Place, the Place was where CHRIST stood after he came out of the water, that was the bank of jordan, which St. john calleth Bethabara, the very name doth contain a Monument: of the children of Israel's first passage there into the land of Canaan; and then the Place is not without a Mystery, the choice thereof giveth us to understand, that the History of josua was performed in jesus, that the waters of Baptism were become a passage from earth to Heaven, from the condition of Nature to the condition of Grace, and that even while we live in this veil of misery, we are thereby enroled among the Saints. Add hereunto that Bethabara was now a place of great concourse; Jerusalem, judaea, all the Regions about jordan, and all sorts of men resorted thither to be baptised of john; and it was meet that so great a work, as CHRIST'S Sacring, should be performed in a great assembly. Yea, all the remarkable manifestations of our Saviour, his Miracles, his Sermons, his Death, etc. are noted to have been public, they were not (as St. Paul observes to King Agrippa) done in a corner; the unbelieving jew, or other that doubts or disputes of their truth, is by the circumstance of Place convicted to do it out of affected ignorance. And let this suffice for the circumstance. I come to the substance of the Sacring, where first we must see who it is that was sacred. We find, that it was the same Person that was baptised, the Son of God clothed with the nature of man. Where note that jesus had two Abilities, an Active, a Passive, one to give, another to receive the Spirit; he that was able for to give, was contented 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, according to the divine dispensation, and humble condition whereunto for our sakes he submitted himself, to receive the Spirit. And indeed so it behoved him to fulfil all righteousness, whereof this was a Branch, to show that he was the Truth of former Types. Cap. 8. We read in Leviticus how solemnly Aaron was consecrated, and seeing CHRIST came to be what Aaron only did signify, the high Priest of God, it behoved that he also should have an Inauguration, but so much more excellent, by how much the Truth exceeds the Type, Luke 3. and the Lora the Servant. This correspondency is made the more probable, because St. Luke tells us, that when this was done: CHRIST was about thirty years old, and of that age was the Priest to be when he entered upon his charge; the Holy Ghost by that Law, Numb. 4.8. and by this example of CHRIST giving us to understand, That maturity of age is a necessary requisite in all that will undertake a sacred function. Mark withal the regular humility of our Saviour, though he were the Lord of Glory. H●b ●. No man (saith St Paul) taketh the honour of Priesthoed upon him, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron, therefore jesus glorified not himself, but was glorified by him that said unto him, Thou art a Priest for ever, after the order of Melchisedeck; he took not upon him the office of a Mediator, until he was thereto ordained; checking the sacrilegious pride of those which presume of their ability, and intrude themselves without Imposition of hands, into sacred Functions; they cannot be so able, they should not be less humble than was our Saviour CHRIST. St. Luke addeth, that CHRIST was praying when the Holy Ghost descended. As GOD doth promise: so we must desire his gifts; the greatest gifts with the most earnest desire; CHRIST would herein be exemplary unto us, to testify the humility that beseems our nature; and go before us in that which he commandeth; he prayeth for that which he looked for from GOD. After this holy pattern have all Christian Inaugurations, and Ordinations been accompanied with public, and devout Prayers. And if CHRIST did not receive the Holy Ghost from his Father but by praying, how can they but blush at their unmannerliness, that refuse upon their knees to receive the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of CHRIST? Finally, we learn of CHRIST praying, that after Baptism we must not be secure; for though all sins be forgiven us, yet is not concupiscence wholly extinguished, neither have we our full measure of grace; we ought therefore to fall to our prayers, and so prepare ourselves to receive the Holy Ghost which is our needful guide, and strength in our spiritual warfare. But because I shall resume this second Person again in the end of the Text, we will pass on, and see in the next place how he was consecrated. He was consecrated, first in signo visibili, with a visible sign, which was the likeness of a Dove: De Ago Christiano. The word likeness is not used (saith St. Augustine) ad excludenaam veritatem Columbae, to deny, that that which appeared was a true Dove but ad Ostendendum quod spiritus n●n apparuit in specie substantiae, to show that the Essence of the Spirit is a farre different thing from that wherein he did vouchsafe to manifest himself. It was then a true Dove, and the end for which it was used showeth there is reason we should think it to be so; It was to be signum analegicum, an apt sign to represent what was signified, and the shape without the substance of a Dove, could not so well signify the properties of the Holy Ghost, their correspondency is to the qualities that are observed in a living Dove. I am not ignorant that many think otherwise, and that the shape only was sufficient. Some advocates of Rome, make use of this shape without substance to confirm their Transubstantiation, and the subsistence of accidents without the subject Bread and Wine: But I leave them to feed upon their fancies, and will not contend about that which is no Article of Faith, only this I would have observed, john 1. that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Text doth not always note a resemblance, but some times a truth, and seeing the phrase will bear both opinions, as well that which holds that it was only the shape of a Dove, as that which defineth it was a true Dove, I choose rather the latter, as most agreeable to the intent of the Holy Ghost, and the difference that I put between the works of GOD, and the works of the Devil. As GOD is an Omnipotent Creator: so those things which he exhibits are real; but the Devil affecting to be thought what he is not, maketh show of that which he doth not, his works are spectra mere illusions. Though this were a true Dove, yet was it not assumed into one Person with the Holy Ghost, as the nature of man was at the Incarnation of CHRIST; St. Austin giveth the reason, Non venit spiritus sanctus liberare Columbas, he came not to redeem Doves, Ergo non est natus dé Columba, therefore was not incarnate by a Dove; but he came to signify the properties of CHRIST, therefore it was sufficient that by his Almighty power he created a Dove of nothing, and thereby gave notice of his presence and residence in our Saviour CHRIST; which Dove as it was made of nothing: so after the service was done, was dissolved into nothing again. Wherein, amongst other things, appears a difference between this Dove, and the imposture of Mahomet, and superstition of Rome, both practised by a Dove, whereof the later in a Roman Council proved but an Owl. S. Chrysostome giveth another note upon this Dove; In principijs spiritualium rerum, etc. when GOD first foundeth Religion, he useth sensible visions in commiseration of them which are not capable of incorporal natures, but his purpose is that when once such things have made faith unto his truth, we should continue our faith in his truth, though he do not daily confirm it unto us by such things. Which the Romanists should observe, who, after so many hundred years plantation of the Christian saith, will still have Miracles a mark of the true Church. Finally, we must observe that signs come not Propter se, but Propter aliud, there is some other thing intended besides that which is presented; so was it here, the Dove appeared, but the Spirit of God was meant thereby, the Spirit was the Sacred Oil wherewith our Saviour was anointed. The holy Spirit though in Person but one, yet is he infinite in the variety of operations, and so may have answerable variety of resemblances, out of which the Scripture maketh choice, upon several occasions, of such as come nearest unto the Argument in hand. And to this purpose must we refer signs, they serve not only for illustration but for limitation also, they confine our thoughts which otherwise would be confused, and fix them upon that which is presently intended. The grace then of the Holy Ghost here meant, is not indefinite, because represented in a special sign, the sign of a Dove, this sign draws our thoughts from plunging themselves into that infinite variety of grace that was in CHRIST, to contemplate that which beareth correspondency to a Dove. In which contemplation we must keep this rule, to behold, first, Qualis Christus fuerit, how CHRIST himself was qualified; then, Quales nos esse debeamus, how we as Christians must be conformable to him. But let us come to the special grace designed by the Dove. Some observe the neatness of that bird, Aspicis ut ventant ad candida tecta Columbae, Accipiat nullas sordida turris aves; and they will have the virtue here intimated to be Sanctity; and indeed such an high Priest it behoved us to have as was holy, harmless, separate from sinners, and higher than the Heavens; the Angel at his birth calls him that holy thing; Daniel the Holy of Holies, his person, his conversation both were most pure, he was in nothing soiled with the filth of sin. And what the Church must be we learn in our Creed, where it is called the holy Catholic Church, Holiness beseems God's House for ever, and from this 〈◊〉 have we the honour even on earth to be called Saints; a Christian should not be an uneleane person, neither should he delight in filthiness. Some look upon the sweet nature of the Dove, which is loving, and lovely; and indeed the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sounds that property, the Dove is so called quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exceeding in love. St. Austin observeth this property: Tract. 7. in 1. Epist. Ioh: De Columba demonstrata est charitas quae venit super Dominum quo nobis infunderetur; the Dove was the Emblem of charity that was in CHRIST, and from him streamed into us: And indeed greater charity could not be found in any, than was in our Saviour CHRIST, who gave his life for his friends, yea, for his Enemies, and he commends no virtue more than charity unto us; he prayeth that we may be like to him therein, and tells us that by this shall all men know we are his Disciples if we love one another; joh. 1●. joh. 13. the whole book of Canticles is nothing but a commentary upon this property, wherein the name of Dove is more than once remembered. But I will resolve this property of the Dove into two, which will make way unto some others. The Dove is without Guile, and without Gall, a simple and harmless bird; which figure two excellent properties of the Holy Ghost, Sincerity and Mercy, the one a virtue of the Head, the other of the Heart, and they are opposed unto the two main properties of the Devil, who is noted to be sly as a Serpent, and cruel as a Lyon. Our Saviour CHRIST is especially recommended unto us in the Scripture as being fare from these hellish qualities; That of the Head, there was no guile found in his mouth; joh. 14. joh. 18. Reuel. 1. and no marvel, for he was the Truth, he came into the world to bear witness of the truth; St. john calls him the faithful and the true witness; the more blasphemous are they that draw any act, or word of his to patronise or colour their impious Equivocations, and mental Reservations; we should conform ourselves unto CHRIST, be true nathaniel's, without simulation or dissimulation, Satien. cap. 1. Psal. 15. be as good as our word though it be our own hindrance. How fare then hath the World degenerated, when Christians to excuse their own fraud, will fasten fraud on CHRIST? Yet when I commend plain dealing, I do not condemn discretion, the good of the Serpent we may have, though not the evil; plain dealing may well stand with Prudence, and there is an innocent providence; only we must take heed that our tongues, and our wits be not made snares and pitfalls, but as CHRIST'S word was not yea and nay, but all the promises of God in him were yea, and Amen: so must our dealing not be fraudulent but sincere. As CHRIST was without Guile: so was he without Gall, so fare from taking offence when it was not given, that when it was given, he would not take it; witness the check which he gave unto his Disciples when they would have had fire from Heaven to destroy the churlish Samaritans, you know not (saith he) of what spirit you are; Luke 9 the Son of Man came not to destroy, Isay 42. but to save men's lives; He would not break a bruised reed, nor quench smoking flax, yea, so tender were his Bowels that in the midst of his tortures upon the Cross, Luke 23. he forgave, he prayed for his crucifying enemies. It is this sweetness of CHRIST'S nature, that, when the conscience of sin holds back, doth encourage us to come with boldness unto the throne of Grace; the Dove is not so free from Gall, as our Saviour is from revengeful malice. And what should a Christian be? hear our Saviour CHRIST, Discite a m● quia mitis sum, Matth. 12. Act. 8. Hebr. 13. we should imitate CHRIST in meekness, we should not be in the gall of bitterness, like Simon Magus, neither should any ro●te of bitterness spring up in us, Spiritus non generat accipitres sed columbas, if so be our nature be cruel, it is sign it was never new moulded by the Spirit of grace, Rom. 12, whose property it is not to be overcome of evil, but to overcome evil with good. But here also mark, that he who forbids Cruelty, doth not forbid Courage, we may partake the good of the Lion, but not the evil: It was and it is a gross conceit of Machevilisme, to think that these properties of the Dove, to be without Guile and without Gall, have been the bane of Christiandome, while the Enemies thereof have taken advantage of their simplicity to ensnare them, and of their pity to devour them: well may imprudent simplicity, and cowardly pity disadvantage, the prudent, the courageous can never disadvantage; nay, sincerity in the end overcometh infidelity, and pity triumphs over cruelty; none ever dealt more plainly than CHRIST, none was dealt withal more deceitful; none used more pity, none was used more cruelly. And what was the issue? he proved the wisdom of his Enemies plain folly, & their fury turned unto his greater glory. Neither have these properties proved worse in Christians, it were an easy matter to prove it out of the Martyrs' story, recorded both in the old and the New Testament. Yea, which maketh the opposite vices more odious, never was there any crafty wit that was not unto himself a snare, nor cruel heart, whose hands did not give himself the deadliest wounds; the Serpent, the roaring Lion that set upon CHRIST, what are they but monuments of the evil success of their hellish qualities? Wherefore, though the world please itself in wiliness and bloodiness, let it always be the care and comfort of a Christian, never to speak what he doth not mean, nor to do what he would not be done unto. I would it were so, but (GOD knoweth) it is fare other wise, even with those that bear the name of Christians, as if so be they were altogether ignorant that the Dove is included in the name of a Christian, none are more fraudulent, none are more cruel, as they are even amongst us that are Orthodox in opinion; It were too much if these things were only in practice, how intolerable is it when they are become Doctrinal, and the Devil hath so fare insinuated himself into men's heads and hearts, as that a generation should rise up, who should teach such cases of Conscience, as resolve men artificially to lie, and meritoriously to shed blood, making men put off not only Christianity, but even humanity also? The Christian world, especially, the Orthodox part thereof, is in a desperate Paroxysm by this means, if GOD be not pleased to put to his helping hand; certainly, if ever, the Devil and Satan (both names opposite to the Dove) are now let lose, the Serpent, if ever, hath now made way for for the Lion, the bands of humane society were never so cracked, if they be not quite dissolved; and yet is sociableness a special property of the Dove, but a property grown strange amongst Christians, who by their degenerating malice, have brought the Church to be a Dove indeed, that is a bird subject to oppression, (so the Hebrew word signifieth) to such oppression, that a man might well wish for the wings of a Dove to fly away into some Wilderness, where he might not see these unnatural Barbarismes; or if that may not be, at least a man hath just cause to wish for Gemitum Columbae, the mourning of a Dove, to bewail the miseries of GOD'S Church. And indeed the Spirit figured by the Dove, is he that worketh in the hearts of Christians sighs and groans that cannot be expressed: And I pray GOD he may work such sighs and groans in us, Psal. 68 that though the Church now lie amongst the pot shards and deformed, she may recover again the wings of a Dove covered with silver, and all her feathers be as yellow gold. Though these be profitable observations, which you have heard of the correspondency of the Holy Spirit to the Dove; yet may I not forget a note which goeth farther, and as (I suppose) is most natural to the Text, Columba docuit (saith St. Austin) Christum baptizaturum in Spiritu sancto, the Dove did signify that CHRIST would baptise with the Holy Ghost, and that he would communicate this power to none, he would transfer the ministry to men, but reserve the efficacy of Baptism to himself, both while he was on earth, and as he now reigneth in Heaven. For certainly the Sacring doth note this his possession and dispensation of the Holy Ghost, it is his Spirit, and he only giveth it, he sanctifieth the waters of Baptism unto their sacred use, and by his Spirit added unto them, doth regenerate those that are members of his Church. Having thus fare opened unto you the visible sign, what it was, and what it meant; I must now show you Under, whence this Dove came, and that we are taught in these words, the Heavens were opened unto him. Much dispute there is, how the Heavens were opened; many think it superfluous to have the Dove descend from an higher Stage than the Air, they hold it not likely the firmament should be divided to give way unto him; but they little think of GOD'S power, and the Majesty that beseemeth this Sacring. I make no doubt but that as GOD could: so he did make all creatures do service unto CHRIST; he that made the Sun to stand to honour josuah, and to honour Ezechias, made it go back many degrees; would he not make those glorious bodies part a sunder to give passaage to this Sacring Dove? I suppose he would; Especially, seeing all acknowledge that it was a Dove newly created by the Omnipotent power of GOD, and the Text saith, not that Heaven, but that the Heavens were opened unto him. Yet must we not transfer the motion of the Dove to the Spirit, who being every where changeth not his place. But GOD by that motion would give us to understand that the grace of the Holy Ghost cometh down from Heaven, according to that of St. james, every good and perfect gift cometh from above, even from the Father of light, with whom there is no variableness nor shadow of change, not so much as of place, himself unchangeable breatheth where he will. Besides, the phrase of opening the Heavens showeth us, that only by CHRIST, Paradise above is opened, and the commerce renewed between Heaven and earth, and as many as are baptised into CHRIST, are really freed from that curse which was Symbolically sigured by our shutting out of Paradise below, and the shutting up thereof, by placing the Cherubims at the entrance with a flaming branded sword. Last of all, the Text saith, that the Heavens were opened to Christ; but Chrysostome expounds it well, Illi, sed propter nos, to him, but for us; all the benefit that CHRIST reaped by his mediation and Inauguration, was but to be a wellhead from whence Grace should stream into us, he had the honour, we have the good. You have heard whence the Dove cometh, ●ib 3. Cap. 19 Cap. 11. Cap. 41. Ca●. 16. Numb. 11. now shall you hear where it pitched, it lighted upon jesus. Irenie observes well, this is the fulfilling of sundry Prophecies recorded in Isay, The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him; I will put my Spirit upon him, the Spirit of the Lord is upon me. But observe that it so came upon him, that it manifested itself by him; so is the phrase elsewhere declared in the story of Gedeon, Samson, Saul, and others, for after this Inauguration, never any man spoke as CHRIST spoke, and he did those works that never any man did. But we must not mistake; the Holy Ghost did not now descend upon jesus as if he had him not before, he that was conceived by the Holy Ghost could not be without him, no not for a moment, even as he was the Son of Man. Yea, and of Grace of Sanctification it is out of all question, that from the moment of his conception he never increased therein. Some question there is touching the Grace of Edification, which in the Schools is called Gratis data; Some hold that he had the fullness thereof also when he was conceived; Cap. ●. but the words of St. Luke makes it probable, that though the man hood of CHRIST were so near linked unto the wellhead of the Spirit, which is his Godhead, as by personal union, yet the Godhead did communicate the Grace of Edification unto the manhood by degrees, as it was fit for him to manifest it; and we may without impiety hold, that some accession of such kind of grace was made to the manhood at his Inauguration, though it did not then make him, but declare him to be the King, the Priest, the Prophet of his Church. But a little farther to enlarge this point; distinguish Signum, and Signatum; In regard of the Sign, the Holy Ghost came now upon jesus, that he might point him out to St. john Baptist; for had not the Dove pitched upon JESUS, the voice from Heaven might have been misapplied; but the sign put it out of all question who was meant. If you look to the thing signified, then doth St. Jerome give a most comfortable note; The Holy Ghost lighted upon jesus, that he might inure himself more familiarly than before to dwell with the sons of men, and make them new creatures; for (as St. Austin thinketh) CHRIST did now vouchsafe to prefigure his Church, wherein those that are baptised receive the Holy Ghost, and CHRIST received the Spirit above measure, that of his fullness we might all receive grace for grace, which S. john seemeth to confirm, when he saith, that he descended and stayed upon him; in the sign, until the word was spoken, but in the grace, until the world's end. Until the World's end shall CHRIST be those Olive trees in Zacharie, which feed the lights that burn in the house of GOD; for he was anointed, not only Prae, but Pro consortibus suis, not only above, but also for his Church. And although in the members of the Church grace may ebb and flow, yet in CHRIST is it always constant and at the full. Finally, note the improovement of CHRIST'S honour; it was great when the heavens opened, and the Angels ascended and descended upon him, but when the heavens opened, and the Holy Ghost descended upon him, than was his honour much more great. I have done with the Visible sign, and come now to the Audible Word. The sign had been but a dumb show without the Word; for those signs that are sacred, do not signify Natura sua, by their own nature, but Divino Instituto, by divine Institution; and who knows it but he that commands it, and by his Word informs us of his purpose? Therefore GOD never appoints any Visible sign, but he addeth an audible word; as appears in Sacrifices and Sacraments, which had precepts and promises annexed, showing their use and effects. This light added to those shadows, did guide men to see their reference and correspondency; the neglect whereof caused the carnal jew, and causeth the superstitious Papist to maim the mysteries of Religion, and feed upon beggarly rudiments, and empty ceremonies; If we will be truly and fully religious, we must join both, and let both work in their order, our thorough edification. But mark that the sign was from Heaven, and so is the word from Heaven also, and GOD is Author of both, of the Vision, and of the Revelation; no man may presume to be farther of GOD'S counsel than he is admitted, or to fasten commentaries upon his Texts without his instruction. I should tyre you and myself, if I should show you, how jews and Christians have lost themselves in such presumptuous contemplations. But I rather choose to impart unto you the correspondency of the Gospel to the Law. At the giving of the Law, there was Vox de coelo, a voice heard from Heaven; so is there also at the delivery of the Gospel; that did contain a brief of the Law, and this of the Gospel. But there was moreover this difference between the voices, the first was the voice of Sinai, the second the voice of Zion, De Baptismo Christ's. the first was a dreadful, but the second was a still voice. St. Cyprian concerning this second voice, moveth this question; Was there ever heard such a voice before? Whereunto the answer is ready, certainly never so sweet, so gracious a voice; you will confess it when I have showed you whose, and of whom the voice was. It was the voice of GOD the FATHER, Hoc non ego dico (saith St. In c. 3. Lucae. Ambrose) when thou hearest these words, This is my well-beloved Son, etc. know that it is not I who speak them to thee, neither hath any man spoken them, no nor GOD by an Angel or an Archangel, Sed ab ipso Patre vox caelo demissa significau●t, it is the FATHER himself, that by a voice doth notify this unto thee. The Father, I say, for suppose by the Ministry of an Angel the voice were framed, yet certainly it was uttered in the Person of the FATHER; Matth. 11. the Text doth plainly intimate it in the words, My Son. But our Saviour CHRIST doth elsewhere confirm it with an undeniable reason, No man knoweth the Son but the Father; and to St. Peter affirming, Thou art Christ the Son of the living God, Matth. 16. he replieth, Flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee, but my Father which is in Heaven. Many testimonies went before concerning CHRIST; of the Wisemen, of the Shepherds, of the Angels, but none ever came near this; if we receive the testimony of men, of creatures, the Testimony of GOD, of the Creator, is much greater. What shall I say then to these things? but only exhort you in the Apostles words, Heb. 12. See that you refuse not him that speaketh, for if they escaped not who refused him that spoke on earth, much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from Heaven, especially, when he uttereth so comfortable and gracious words as are those, Thou art my Son. Some difference there is between the Evangelists in relating the words; some making GOD to speak unto Christ, some to the Hearers concerning CHRIST; but the reconciliation is easy; for even when GOD bends his words to CHRIST, his meaning is not to inform CHRIST of that which he already knoweth, but to instruct us in that which it is fit for us to know, as CHRIST elsewhere, and in another case observes; This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes; so S. Austin doth well reconcile the Evangelists. john 12. But let us come to the contents of the voice. Decensensu Euang●●●●. I●b. 2. cap. 4. That which the FATHER speaketh is concerning his Son, he tells us What he is to Him, what he doth for us: first, what he is to Him; Filius, and Dilectus, his Son, D. Baptis. Christ ●. and his Beloved; Duo grata vocabula (saith St. Cyprian) two most contenting words, specially if you add the article to either of them, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this Son is more than an ordinary Son, and this Beloved, is more than ordinarily beloved. Tertullian de Trinit. Look upon the words a sunder, first the Son. Christ was the Son of God two ways considered, Principalitas nominis Filij est in Spiritu Domini qui descendit, the chief reason why Christ was called the Senne of God, is because he is God of God, Light of Light, begotten of his Father before all worlds; but Sequela Nominis istius est in filio Dei & hominis, the same title belongeth unto him even as he was incarnate, whereof the ground is the personal union; the manhood being assumed into one person with the Godhead. In regard of the first consideration is he called unigenitus, the only begotten of his Father, in regard of the second he is called Primogenitus, the first borne of many Brethren; both ways is CHRIST near unto GOD; but our comfort standeth in the latter, that Emanuel, God with us, or in our Nature is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Son of God, for that is fons & origo Adoptionis nostrae, it is that which layeth the soundation of being the sons of GOD. As CHRIST was near; so was he dear unto GOD. And indeed the words that note the nearness, contain the grounds of the deerenes●e also, and they were unigenitus the only begotten, and primogenitus, the first borne; unigenitus, ergo unicè dilectus, the only begotten, therefore only beloved; primegenitus, ergo praecipuè dilectus, the first begotten, therefore the especially beloved of GOD; for this is a principle, Every man loneth himself, the more of himself he findeth any where, the more he affecteth, if he be not degenerate. A father loveth his only son entirely, because he hath no more, and his eldest chiefly, because he is Principium & praecipuum roboris, the first, and chief of his strength. But this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or natural affection of men, is but a sparkle, and that much allayed, of that which is in GOD originally, and but derivatively in us. Therefore we may easily conceive that CHRIST that is so near in nature and grace, must needs be most dear unto GOD, that indeed he is Vir desidertorum, a man after Gods own Heart, and the true David, that is, beloved, as the Prophets call him. Add hereunto, that settled love where it is judicious, is more fervent. Now Christus is dilectus not recenti impulsu sed inolito & probato; it is as ancient as GOD, even coeternal, that CHRIST is the Son of GOD; only it is in time delated to the manhood, but the length of it is Eternity. See then how GOD expresseth his love to us, when he so describeth the person that he bestoweth upon us. And have we then any thing which we should think too good to render unto GOD? Abraham will teach us better, who spared not Vnicum and dilectum silium, his only beloved Son, when GOD called for him; and we see how his thank fullness prospered. Certainly we would prosper much better, if in this kindness we would strive to be answerable unto GOD. I. pray GOD we may, sure I am, we have good cause, if there were no other motive than is contained in filius, and Dilectus, if we do consider only what the second Person in Trinity is to the first: How much more if we consider what he doth for us? In him is the Father well pleased. We will resolve this Note into two; first, we will see in whom, and then how the FATHER is pleased. He is pleased in his beloved Son; This opens a Mystery, Thou shalt make a plate of pure gold, Exod. 28. (said GOD to Moses) and grave upon it like the engraving of a signet, Holiness to the Lord; and thou shalt put it upon a blue lace that it may be upon the Mitre, upon the forefront of the Mitre it shall be, and it shall be upon Aaron's forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things which the children of Israel shall hollow in all their hoary gifts, and it shall be always upon his forehead that they may be accepted before the Lord: Even so CHRIST, being to be consecrated now High Priest, hath the Holy Ghost descending upon him, that so the Church may be made acceptable in GOD'S beloved SON. Neither was he the Truth only of the High Priest, but of the Sacrifices also; St. Paul, Hebr. 10. applieth to this purpose that place in the Psalm, Psal. 40. Sacrifice and offering thou wouldst not, but a body hast then prepared me, in offerings and Sacrifices for sin thou hast no pleasure, than said I, lo I come; In the volume of thy Book it is written of me to have thy will O God: In this sense doth the Law use the word Ratza, when it is applied to Sacrifices, ●enit. 1. and saith, that they shall be accepted for the offerer, and make an atonement for him. Until CHRIST came there was no remedy against the curse of the Law, but Typical within the Church, and without fruitless; Colos. 1. but CHRIST incarnate brought a sovereign remedy, Ephes. 2. when he became the true Propitiatory, in him it pleased God that all fullness should dwell, and by him to reconcile all things both in Heaven and earth. De Censensu Ruangelact. lib. 2. cap. 4. St. Austin speaketh briefly but fully, In te complacui, is as much as Per te constitui gerere quod mihi placuit; In thee am I well pleased, not only taking delight in that which thou art, but also by thee accomplishing all the good that I mean to the sons of men. But what did CHRIST? Surely he did propitiate GOD'S wrath, and give man grace in GOD'S eyes; these two works are contained in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, they are the blessings that flow from GOD'S good will towards men: Reconciliation is composed of both, of GOD'S Indulgence and Beneficence; Indulgence is not enough without Beneficence; ● Sam. 14. Absalon shown this to joab when he was restored from his banishment, but not admitted into the King his father's presence. A good pattern to be imitated by men is GOD, who dealeth so in his reconciliation with men; whereas men use some times to forgive, but seldom to forget also; they think it too much to deserve well, and enough that they do not deserve ill. I would it were no more. But let us touch at these points a sunder; first, at the propitiating of GOD'S wrath. The latter Chronologers will have this Sacring of JESUS, to have been performed upon the day of Expiation, in September, which (if it be true) then the Holy Ghost doth fairly insinuate that CHRIST came as the Lamb of God to take away the sins of the world. How soever this is true, that he bore our sins in his body, and by his stripes we are made whole, that he canceled our obligation, and slew hatred, when he suffered ●pon the Cross, Neither did CHRIST only propitiate GOD'S wrath, but also gave man grace in GOD'S eyes; CHRIST teacheth it in three Parables; of the lost Sheep, the lost Groat, and the Prodigal Child. The Fathers observe the Allegory that St. Peter maketh in comparing Noah's Ark unto the Church, and observe moreover, that as the Dove brought the Olive branch into the Ark, in token that the deluge was ceased, and the world was become habitable again: Even so the Dove that lighted upon CHRIST, brought the glad tidings of the Gospel, it was the Emblem of the acceptable year, Luke 4. it testified that GOD was now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and that men had now communion with him again. But here are two rules that must be observed; first, that these words, in whom I am well pleased, must be understood exclusively; Act. 3. CHRIST is the only Mediator, neither is there any other Name under Heaven given by which we may be saved, but only the Name of JESUS; so that he which hath the Son, hath life; 1 john 3. and he which hath not the Son, hath not life, CHRIST will yield this glory to none other. Secondly, that GOD is immediately well pleased with CHRIST, but mediately with us; If we do not so understand the words, we have but little comfort in them; wherefore we must be assured, that we are made accepted in Gods beloved, that the Church is now called Hephzibah, My delight is in her, saith the LORD. By the Son, Esay 62.4. we have all access unto the Father, through the Holy Ghost. Finally, all this is to be understood of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hic, this Person which seemeth so mean, appears in the form of a Servant, yet he is Filius meus, my Son, my beloved, in whom I am well pleased, GOD is not ashamed of his SON humbling himself in our nature, neither doth he love him the less. And why? his obedience was voluntary, it was to do his FATHER'S will, it was to do us good; much less should we be ashamed for whose sake he became so humble, yea, God forbidden, that we should rejoice but in the Cross of Christ; if Hic, and Meus sort so well in GOD'S judgement, they must agree much more in ours. But to draw to an end; In this Text there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a true Epiphanie; And indeed the Church reads my Text, (but out of St. Luke) upon the Epiphanie day, on which the Tradition holds that he was Baptised, and this great manifestation of GOD was made unto the world, wherein all things are Augusta, & maiestati Christi congrua, very solemn, very heavenly; no where is the Mystery of the Trinity, which is the first foundation of true Religion, nor the comfortable actions thereof, which is the foundation of Christian Religion, so jointly, so undeniably revealed. The Mystery of the Trinity is incomprehensible, unutterable, Ego nescio, saith St. Hilary, I profess my ignorance of it, yet will I comfort myself, the Angels know it not, the world cannot comprehend it, the Apostles never revealed it, cesset ergo dolor querelarum, let not men murmurre or complain that this secret is hidden from them, let it suffice them to know that there is a Trinity in Unity, let them never inquire how it is; for they will inquire in vain. Naztanzene giveth the reason, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, While I would contemplate the Unity, my thoughts are da●led by the Trinity, and while I go about to distinguish the Trinity, I am presently cast upon the Unity, the one doth call my thoughts upon the other. And what wonder that a man should be so puzzled? For, Quo intellectu Deum capiat homo, 3. Austin. qui intellectum suum quo vult capere nondum capit? How should he be able to comprehend the Trinity, that comprehends not yet his reasonable Soul, the only help which he hath wherewith to comprehend it, and is indeed the best resemblance of it? That which I have said concerning the Trinity, is a good rule of sobriety to hold in curious wits, that will pry too fare into these divine Mysteries. And yet Epiphanius doth well check the incredulity of Sabellius, Non credis tres personas divinae Essentiae? dost thou not believe the Trinity in Unity? Comitare johanem ad jordanem, attend john Baptist to the river jordan, there thou shalt find them all three. And indeed, here the Trinity is brought in some sort within the compass of our conceit; for it is not set forth as it is In se, but ad Nos, not simply, as the foundation of true Religion, but as the foundation of Christian Religion, as every Person contributes towards our Salvation. When such an Object is presented, the word of attention is pressed seasonably and reasonably; it is pressed to the eye, and pressed to the ear, these reasonable senses are summoned with reverence, and confidence to behold, to attend these sacred Mysteries. To behold them as they are delivered in the History, for even the History itself being rare, is able to allure our reasonable senses. Did it nothing otherwise concern him, who would not willingly, yea greedily, hear the voice of GOD the FATHER? see the Holy Ghost in the shape of a Dove? and see the SON of GOD so humbling himself in the nature of man? How much more should we desire it, when there is not only Miraculum, but Mysterium in it, even one of the greatest Mysteries of godliness. The Heavens are opened, that is a Miracle, but they are opened for Us; the Holy Ghost descends in a Dove; but the Dove is but an Emblem of the holiness that must be in Us, that is the Mystery; the SON of GOD here appears to be the Son of Man, that is a Miracle, but he appears to Sanctify the waters for the regeneration of man, that is a Mystery; when the Miracles present these Mysteries, do they not deserve a Lo, deserve that the eye, the ear, both should be taken up, by which thou mayest be made partaker of them. O but thou wilt say, I would travel farther than jordan to see such a sight, might my eye see the Heavens opened, might my ear hear GOD speak from Heaven, might I be so happy as to come to such an Inauguration of my Saviour, my eye should not be satisfied with seeing, nor my ear with hearing. Hear what S. Ambrose answereth to such an objection, Eisden sacramentis res iam agitur quibus & tunc gesta est, nisi quod gratia pleniore; the life of that Mystery continueth still, though it be not clothed with the same Miracle; then was the Trinity seen with carnal eyes, whom now we contemplate with the eyes of Faith: Dominic● 6. post. Pentecost. Yea, St. Ambrose is bold to say that greater grace is offered unto us, then to them that were present, at the Baptism of CHRIST, for unto them (as being incredulous) GOD persuaded Faith by corporal signs, but in us that are the faithful he worketh grace spiritually. And it is greater grace so to behold GOD as the faithful do, then as do those that are unfaithful; so that the Lo doth no less concern us than it did them. Yea, it concerns us much more; our eyes should daily be lifted up Heaven, and behold how the grace of Sanctification descends from thence into us; and to behold how the benefit of Adoption is daily offered us, our ears should be opened unto Heaven. The Holy Ghost cometh to us, but who seethe him? GOD professeth that he accepteth us in his beloved SON, but who heareth him? No; be we never so often summoned, our eyes, our ears are slumbering, are wand'ring; and I presume not, though I wish I might, that what I have spoken will awaken and fix them. Wherefore let us turn both unto him that opened the eyes of the blind, and ears of the deaf, that he would unuaile both our eyes and our ears; that these Mysteries be not presented to us in vain, but that the Heavens be now so open to our Faith, that hereafter they may be opened to our persons; that the Dove would make us such Doves that we may fly with peace into the Ark of God; that he which is the Son and Beloved, would make us beloved sons of God; that having our sins purged, our persons accepted, we may have an endless Communion in Glory with the Holy Spirit that affordeth us this Communion in Grace. A SERMON PREACHED AT WHITEHALL. 1 JOHN 3. VERS. 20, 21. 20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence to wards God. AND verily this Scripture deserves well to be looked into at this time. For we are at length awakened out of our dead sleep in carnal security, GOD'S judgements have roused us, and we purpose, GOD willing, publicly, and penitently to deprecate GOD'S fierce wrath provoked by our crying inns. GOD grant we may do it acceptably, ●nd effectually. But that cannot be, except we first keep a Scrutiny, we throughly survey every man his own self; this is the truest Preface unto, and best preparation for a Penitential Fast. He that can unflatteringly present himself before the unpartial eyes of his own soul, and the most holy eyes of GOD; he whose heart is of that temper that it can receive those religious impressions which such a sight will work; he, and he only, hath made the first and the hardest step that must be trodden by a penitent man. My purpose is, and it is the scope of my Text, to guide our feet into that step, and advice us to grow more familiarly acquainted with that whereunto the most of men desire to be very strangers, I mean, our Consciences. Conscience in my Text is called by the name of heart, and our heart importeth as much as the Conscience of a Christian. Touching this, my Text doth teach us what is her work, it is to censure, or to sentence us; this you may gather out of the whole body of my Text. But in so dealing, she proceeds not alike with all. And why? She findeth not all alike. Some are, and they are censured as guilty persons; they have a Conscience that condemneth them. Othersome are not guilty, and they have a Conscience which condemneth not. The difference of the persons maketh a difference of her Worke. Upon this Difference St john groundeth an Inference. He argueth from our Heart unto GOD, and giveth us to understand, That as we deal when we reckon with ourselves, so will GOD deal when he calleth us to an Account. The work of GOD and our Heart are in this case alike. Alike they are, but yet they are unequal, and that in two respects, First, of Power, secondly, of Knowledge. I will a little supply the words, so you will perceive that St john speaketh as much in two comparative Maxims. Our heart is great, and indeed it can do much in this Little world of ours, and yet it is no match for GOD, God is greater than our Heart, he can do whatsoever he will, both in Heaven and earth. This is the first Maxim. Our Heart knoweth much of that which is in us, it is ever of our Privy Council; but yet that much cometh short of all, it is God only that knoweth all things, even those things that are hid in the obscurest darkness. This is the second Maxim. See now what S. john worketh out of these two Maxims. First, concerning persons that are guilty. If our evil Conscience that is less in power, and more shallow in knowledge, do notwithstanding condemn us; How shall not God condemn us, who is both Omnipotent and Omniscient. Secondly, concerning those that are guiltless. If a man upon due scrutiny can give himself a Quietus est; certainly, that man may come with boldness unto the Throne of Grace. S. john expresseth the Inference in these words; If our Heart condemn us not, then have we confidence towards God. But whom doth all this concern which we have spoken of Conscience? Surely, the members of the Church, they are meant by this name Beloved, they must know that the works, and fruits which proceed from these works, do concern them, neither have they any privilege. By this short model you may conceive the substance of my Text, and apprehend upon what I mean to insist. GOD so bless me in speaking, and you in hearing, that whensoever we are put upon the trial, God and our Heart may be comfortable to us, seeing we are assured by my Text that they will deal very plainly with us. The first particular was the name whereby Conscience is here called, and that is Heart. Under this name Heart, the Scripture comprehendeth three things; the Will, the Conscience, and the Affections; sometimes the Holy Ghost intendeth all three by the word, at other times some one, in this place it understandeth that one of them which is called Conscience. And there is reason why that is called by the name of Heart. The heart of man is his Moral Treasury, CHRIST teacheth it in St. Cap. 1●. Matthew; A good man out of the good treasury of his heart bringeth forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasury of his heart bringeth forth evil things; whatsoever our conversation is, be it good or bad, the root of it is there, and from thence (as Solomon speaketh) proceed life and death. Prow. 4. Now where the fountain is of our moral Actions, there GOD is pleased should be the seat of moral Directions, and Corrections too, that no motion of the heart should farther be yielded unto, then might stand with the forehand Counsel, or after-hand content of the Conscience. GOD would not have us seek fare for these things, either up to Heaven, or down to hell, or pass the Sea's, they are near us, in us, yea a very part, a principal part of us. And by whom will a man be ordered in these things, if not by himself? and to whom could GOD more mercifully commend him then to himself? This merciful care cutteth off those poor excuses, and vain Apologies which men might make, if GOD had not chosen so sit a Seat for Conscience. But we must farther observe, that the Conscience is furnished with two Powers, a Directory, and a judicatory; it hath in it moral Principles whereby to guide men, which is the Law written in our Heart, whereby we discern good and evil, the learned call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which is nothing else but practic rules of life, of which there are two sorts: As there is the Heart of a natural, and the Heart of a Christian man: so these rules are either Natural, or Supernatural. The Natural are those which are inborn and engraven in the hearts of all men, the relics of that Image which in the Creation we received from GOD; these inform the natural man, though weakly, of Piety, Equity, Sobriety; and concerning all these, the very Heathen have delivered many memorable sentences. But besides these a Christian hath other rules, his Heart is new written with the Spirit of GOD, Cap. 31. according to the promise made in jeremy, I will put my Laws into their inward parts, and in their Hearts will I write them; and we find the performance thereof in the New Testament preached by St. Peter, Act. 2. and St. Paul, Corinth. 3. and to the Hebr. cap. 8. Yea, every Christian man feeleth the truth of it in his own soul, he feeleth those Natural Principles rectified by Grace, and much higher superadded to them: so that the Christian man discerns much better than a natural man can, what is good and evil. This is the furniture of the Directory power. The Conscience hath beside this a judicatory power, and there is furniture for that also, which is nothing else but a skill how to try men's lives by those former rules, and doom them as it findeth them. And this skill is aswell in the Conscience of a natural man, as of a Christian man, though it be of much greater perfection in the latter, then in the former. But we must know that it is not the having, but the using of these rules is properly meant by our Conscience. For, as the Schools note well, Conscientia neque potentia naturalis, neque habitus; it is neither a native, nor an acquired ability, sed est Actus, Conscience is a Work; and indeed it is a work which my Text speaketh of; and whereas Conscience hath two works, the one going before our moral works, the other following after; though, for your better understanding, I will touch at the former, yet, keeping myself to my Text, I will insist upon the latter. These principles then whether Natural, or Supernatural, were bestowed upon us perpetually to assist and guide us in our ways. One of the Heathen well resembled Conscience to a Pedagogue, Epictetu●. for as the Pedagogue by the appointment of parents, is always at hand with a child to direct, and restrain him, who otherwise through impotency of affection would go astray: even so is our Conscience appointed over us to hold the raines, to guide and hold in our wild and headstrong nature. And surely, we are bound to acknowledge the mercifulness of GOD manifested herein, he hath graciously provided for the preventing of sin, who is pleased not only to give us a Law, but also to place in us a perpetual remembrance thereof unto us. And the reason why men sin, must needs be, either because they do not consult, or do contemn this guide: so that either their sins are wilful, if they contemn, or their ignorance is affected, if they neglect this preventing means afforded of GOD. But I have not now to do with the Consciences work of Direction, that work of hers that goeth before our work: but I have to do with the work of judicature, the work that followeth our works. GOD hath left it in some sort in our power whether we will, or will not make use of the former work of Conscience; and some by his grace use it, some for want of grace use it not; but GOD hath appointed Conscience a second work, which it is not in any man's power to put off, the work of judicature, wherein GOD doth let us see what it is to use, or not to use the former work. And here we must mark, that as the Law which is contained in the Directory work of Conscience hath two parts, a Precept, and a Sanction: so the judicatory work of Conscience doth two things, it playeth the jury to arraign us, and the judge to doom us. First, it testifieth whether we have, or have not observed the precepts of GOD. In that respect it is resembled to a registry, or an exact Record exhibited at an Assizes; if we do not take notice of the counsel which our Conscience giveth us before hand, we shall find that our Conscience taketh notice of all that is done by us, and will make a perfect presentment thereof, it will truly relate how fare we have, or have not suffered ourselves to be led by her advice, and we shall not be able to except against the Verdict of this Iury. As it maketh a true Presentment in regard of the Precept: so doth it pronounce a just Doom in regard of the Sanction, for it pronounceth what is our due, and therein we shall find it a judge, not only putting us in mind of life and death, but also sentencing us thereunto. And indeed, this is the last and the highest work of Conscience, and for this cause Nazianzene doth fitly term it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, an inward and upright Tribunal. But to open this judicatory work of Conscience a little more fully, we must observe that she dealeth not alike with all, because she findeth not all alike. The Physicians acknowledge Corpus neutrum, a body that is neither sick nor whole; but the Conscience doth not acknowledge any neutral man that is neither good nor bad, Non liquets, and special Verdicts are not known to the Conscience, it findeth every man, either guilty or not guilty. Secondly, it confoundeth not Tares with Wheat, nor Sheep with Goats in the Presentment, not in the Doom doth it confound the right hand with the jest, Hell and Heaven, Death and Life. It hath an accusing and excusing Voice, a condemning and an absolving Voice, these two sorts of Voices it hath and no more. Finally, we must expect no shift, no delay in the work of our Conscience, whether it play the jury or the judge. But let us take these works a little a sunder. And first see that which is against us: the Apostle useth a significant word which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a compound word which showeth, that Conscience doth first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 know throughly, before it doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, offer to condemn us, the very word importeth an orderly course of proceeding, it doth not go against us without a just ground, and so is free from the corruption which is in too many worldly judges, that resolve upon a man's execution before they have heard his cause. But our Conscience is privy to all our doings, an eyewitness of all that passeth from us, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it knoweth, and proceedeth upon certain knowledge. Yea it will present it so to the eyes of our soul, that it will not suffer us to be ignorant of that which it knoweth, it will make us Confitentes reos, we shall plead guilty against our own selves. And here see how GOD dealeth with us, he maketh our Hearts the Chronicles of our lives, a Chronicle indeed, for hereinto are entered both what we do, and when, and we can as hardly deny the Record, as we are unwilling to belie ourselves; and therefore we should take heed what we do, seeing the evidence thereof will remain with us. Neither is it an idle Evidence, but the presentment of a jury, our Conscience is, as it were, a whole jury empanelled to try us, whether Guilty, or not Guilty; it is always going upon us, and presenteth us as it findeth us. And who would not bemoan his case, that, will he, nile he, himself must be tried by himself, and that his sins are so palpable in his own eyes, that himself must bring in a Verdict against himself? This is woeful, be cause the Conscience that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, is also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, we will not spare to doom ourselves, if we find ourselves guilty, we will power confusion upon our own souls, and with confusion and horror, & breed that worm suddenly, which will bite us intolerably; we will bitter and sour our relish with the foretaste of Hell; Mala Conscientia tota est in desperatione, August in Psa. 31. we will make ourselves most forlorn creatures. In the Conscience which is guilty, there are stings dreadful which the patiented feeleth, but none other can be acquainted with, and it is a true rule, that Tribulationes tanto acerbiores, quanto sunt interiores, The Spirit of a man will sustain his infirmities, but a wounded spirit who can bear? especially the spirit which himself woundeth; but he is his own afflictor who is asllicted in Conscience. A man may flee from his enemy, but who can sly from himself? It is true that a Conscious man would every where thrust himself from himself; but he findeth by woeful experience, that he can never go from himself, no, though he would unnaturally bereave himself of corporal life, yet the tormenter abideth by him, and whether soever he draweth himself, he afflicteth himself evermore. Many men that seel themselves evilly Conscious, labour to put off the distress thereof by solacing themselves with the pleasures and vanities of this life; but their attempt is a poor and short palliation of a desperate disease. Wherefore let us take heed of an evil Conscience, that loadeth us with so much intolerable evil. Though a man grow so desperately wicked that he regardeth no body; yet he hath good reason to regard himself, he that feareth no bodies eye, should fear his own, and fear the power that he hath over himself, though he fear not the power of any other. Though we hide our sins from others, we cannot hide them from ourselves, neither will we spare ourselves, though all the world would spare us. He never wanteth an accusing jury, nor a condemning judge, that is infested with a guilt●● Conscience. As the Conscience dealeth uncomfortably with them that are guilty: so with them that are guiltless it dealeth very comfortably, it doth not condemn: so speaketh St. john. But in his phrase there is a Litote, Minus dicitur sed plus intelligitur, there is more meant than is expressed. And indeed it cannot be otherwise; for if the Conscience be a work; as it condemneth him whom it findeth guilty: so whom it findeth guiltless, him it absolveth, it doth iustilie. And here also, we must observe, that our Conscience, if it be good, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it knoweth all the good we do, it Records it, yea, and tendereth the Record, that we may solace ourselves with the contemplation of it. And indeed Conscientia recte factorum, to be Conscious to ourselves of well doing, is no small comfort: Especially when goodness is little regarded in the world; yea, is commonly persecuted by the world, it is no small matter to have in our souls, that which can sweeten all the crosses which are laid upon our bodies. Goodness hath pleasure inseparably linked unto it, as in GOD: so in godly men, and our Conscience will not suffer us to be defrauded of this heavenly pleasure, which keepeth a memorial of our bypast virtues, and sweetens our life with the relation thereof. It cometh not to absolve us per Saltum, but doth it upon as good a ground, and as fair evidence brought out for us, as the condemning Conscience worketh upon evidence brought against us. It is then the first benefit of an absolving Conscience that it keepeth and showeth soorth, when it may best steed us, the Record of our well-doing. Neither doth it only tender it as a Jury, but also, as a judge, sentenceth us according to it; As it keepeth in mind how well we have observed the Precepts of the Law: so doth it award unto us the Sanction thereof, all the Benedictions that GOD hath annexed unto it, corporal Benedictions, Benedictions spiritual, temporal Benedictions, and Benedictions eternal. Although well-doing be full of contentedness; yet the reward of welldoing maketh no small access unto it; a good Conscience is accompanied with both, it is accompanied with Bonum in re, and Bonum in spe, good in possession, and good in expectation. Wherefore, blessed is the man that can enter into his own heart, and find there so good Evidence, and so good a Sentence. But how may a man have such a good Conscience? St. Austin teacheth the method of it. Psal. 31. habeat quis bonam Conscientiam credat & operetur, he that will have a Conscience that shall give in good evidence for him, and pronounce a comfortable sentence on him, must Believe well, and Live well, Faith doth purify the Heart, and a good life beareth the fruit that aboundeth to our reckoning when we judge our own soul. But a man must not look to have this blessing of a good Conscience suddenly, Augst. in Psal. 66. Vade ad formicam piger, got to the Pismire thou sluggard, she gathereth grain in Summer, whereof she maketh use in Winter, Et formica Dei surgit quotidiè, currit ad Ecclesiam, etc. GOD'S Emmet (that is, a man that will have such a good Conscience) riseth early, hasteneth to the Church, hears often, prayeth often, meditateth often, and so doth acquire this absolving Conscience, Colligentem in aestate videre potes, commedentem in hieme videre non potes, the outward means which he useth are visible, but the inward comforts which when time serveth he reapeth, are invisible. Thus doth Saint Austin moralise that Simile of Solomon; and we must not look to have such not-condemning, or absolving Consciences, except we be such Pismires of GOD. But here are two Rocks to be heeded, at which many suffer Shipwreck, while they mistake the doctrine of a not-condemning, and a condemning Conscience. First, of a not-condemning. Some confound herewith a seared Con-and because they are senseless, they do not think themselves graceless: Custom in Sin, or the busy pursuit of their corrupt lusts, silenceth their Conscience that it speaketh not to them, or stops their ears that they hear it not. But this doth rather suspend the work, then altar the nature of their Conscience, it doth not make it a not-condemning Conscience of a condemning one. How many theives and murderers are very frolic, not only when they act their wickedness, but when they are in the Jail, when they are brought to the Bar, yea, when they are casting off the Gallows. But wise men that see them in this humour, censure it for unreasonable stupidity and desperateness, they hold it not to be comfortable security. No more is that which we see in sinners, who, while they drink in iniquity with greediness have stony hearts, and brazen foreheads. If in the days of grace we make unto ourselves the days of judgement, and sift ourselves unpartially according unto GOD'S word, before we be tried at GOD'S Bar, and find ourselves discharged with a not guilty, and an Euge Serve bone, well done servant faithful and true, enter into thy Master's joy; this is indeed a not-condemning Conscience. The second Rock is, that many confound a tender Conscience, with a guilty Conscience, and plod more upon the Heart of a man, than they do upon the Heart of a Christian man; they consider not the prerogative that the Elect have by being in CHRIST, into whom when they were engrafted, they were justified from all sin: So that though afterwards they may become damnable through their fall, yet damned they cannot be, because their repentance and saith cannot be in vain; neither must they measure the truth of their state by their sense. GOD is pleased often times to humble his children by suspending the sense of their state; but he doth not alter their state, because his gifts are without Repentance; and upon their tears, sighs, and prayers wherewith GOD is pleased to be importuned, he restoreth unto them the sense of their state again: their eyes are opened to see that their obligation is canceled, and the book crossed wherein all their debts were entered, and that the blood of Christ hath cleansed them from all sin. You have heard many things concerning Conscience, all which, though they be of good regard, yet they contain not all that which we must heed. For the work of Conscience is rather Praeiudicium, then judicium, it is but a real Prophecy informing us how GOD will hereafter deal with us. Therefore Saint john carrieth our thoughts from our Hearts unto God, and will have us expect from GOD what we find in our own Hearts. And indeed our Heart is nothing else but GOD'S Apostle, whose message is the judgement to come; St. Ieromes Trumpet that sounded still in his ears, Surgite mortui, & venite ad iudicium. Besides our inward, we have an outward judge, besides the present, there is a future judgement. And verily it is a wonder that any man should doubt of a future judgement that hath a Conscience, seeing the use of the Conscience is to forewarn us of it, the judgement in our bosom, must be unto us a Remembrancer of another judgement that is to come, and we must the rather be moved with the former, because of the reference it hath unto the latter. Reference; nay, Resemblance, which is more: for in the present judgement, we have a lively representation of the judgement to come; GOD will deal with us no otherwise then our Heart do●th, the jury at his Bar will exhibit no other presentment, neither shall we hear any other Sentence from that judge; the Book of GOD'S Providence, will agree with the Book of our Conscience and the Doom of our Conscience shall be ratified by GOD'S Doom. And this representative quality that is in our Conscience, must make us the more to regard the absolute quality thereof. For though it be much to feel the force of Conscience without this Reference; yet is it much more if the Reference be included in our feeling thereof, it will make us more careful to prepare ourselves for GOD, when we are remembered so to do by our own Heart. God then and our Heart agree in one work, their work is like. Like it is, but not equal, you may perceive it in St. john's Inference that he maketh according to the difference of the work of Conscience. One work of the Conscience is to condemn, thereupon St. john maketh an Inference, If our Heart condemn us, God is greater than our Heart and knoweth all things. Wherein appears a double inequality. The first is of Authority. Our Heart is great, it is King in this little world of ours, for it doth season all that cometh from us, our works are good or evil, so fare as our Conscience is a party to them; they are good, if she be good, and if she be evil, they are evil. The inclination of the Heart is the inclination of the whole man; so that no power of the soul, or part of the body will hold back, if our Heart or Conscience do set forward. Our Heart then is great, great within the Sphere of this little World. But God is greater than our Heart, who commandeth both ours, and the great World. GOD is said to be greater, not so much in regard of his Eminency above us, as his Sovereignty over us, in which sense the Psalm saith, that our God is a great God, and a great King above all Gods. And indeed, Power belongeth only unto him. Creatu●es are termed Powers, rather Propter Ministerium then Dominium, they can do nothing beyond the influence they have from GOD; But GOD'S power is absolute, and the Sentence he pronounceth unresistable, whereas he can check the sentence which our Heart pronounceth. But to fit this point of God's power, to that which we said before of the power of our Heart. GOD'S power doth season all the afflictions that come upon us, and the apprehension that they come from him, maketh them much more grievous than they would be in themselves: Secondly, if GOD be bend against us, no creature will stand for us. You see wherein standeth the first inequality between GOD, and our Heart. The second Inequality, standeth in omnisciency. It is true that our Heart knoweth much, 1 Corinth. 2. and (as the Apostle saith) No man knoweth the things in man but the Spirit of man. But that is as true which Solomon saith; Prou. 20. The spirit of man is as the candle of the Lord, searching the inward parts of man, it is but a Candle, and that is a dim light, a Candle of the Lord, and that is a Ministerial light. Two ways is our knowledge dim, through Ignorance and Self-love. Ignorance is the cause that we cannot know ourselves if we would; Self-love is the cause that we will not know ourselves so well as we can; therefore David prayed, and we must pray, Ab occultis munda me domine, O Lord cleanse me from my secret faults. As for GOD, his eyes are ten thousand times brighter than the Sun; Eccles. 23. David hath made a whole Psalm of GOD'S not only allseeing, Psal. 13●. but also foreseeing Eye. GOD himself answereth the question in jeremy concerning man's Heart, Who can search that intricate and wicked labyrinth? I the Lord. The LORD only is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the searcher of the Heart, and we are much better known to him, than we are to ourselves. This Inequality being observed, mark now the Apostles Inference, Is our Heart condemn us, God is greater than our Heart, and knoweth all things. If we regard the judge in our bosom, how much more must we regard the judge of Heaven and earth? if we stand in awe of the knowledge which we have of ourselves, how much more must we reverence the piercing eye of GOD? Nay, if Cain, and judas, and such other wretches were so distressed and perplexed, when they were but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, only condemned by themselves, and it is so fearful a thing for wickedness to be condemned by its own Testimony; Wisd. ●●. How will they be at their wits end when they shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, arraigned before CHRIST coming in the glory of his FATHER, and all his holy Angels with him? when the Books shall be opened, and the jury give evidence unto the judge according to those things that are written in those Books? The misery must needs be answerable, and it is fit that our fear be answerable to the misery. Certainly, it is the drift of the Apostle to work an Affection in us suitable to the object that he setteth before us. And we shall do well to make that use of it, use of the Inference which he maketh arguing from a condemning Conscience, unto a Condemning God, whom no judge can equal in Omnipotency, no jury in omnisciency. My Text intreateth not only of a Condemning, but also of an Absolving Conscience, and it maketh a comfortable Inference thereupon. And here we are first to observe the absolute comfort of a good Conscience, that from thence we may ascend unto the Comparative. The absolute is Boldness, boldness in judgement, for so you must understand it suitably to the Argument. The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 freedom of speech. A guilty man is tongue tied, as you may perceive in the Parable of the Marriage Feast, the man that wanted a wedding garment was no sooner asked, Friend, how camest thou in hither? but he was even speechless. The eloquentest man will become mute out of the guilt of his Conscience. It is no small comfort that a servant can utter his own defence in the presence of his Lord. The Syriac Paraphrase rendereth the word by Revelationem faciei a guilty man hangeth down his head, he hideth his face; so the Scripture describeth Cain. And indeed confusion is inseparable from guilt. The Philosopher can tell us that Blushing in children is nothing but the veil of Consciousness, and men that do not easily blush, supply that defect by hiding their face. But Innocence needeth no such covert, it shameth not to be seen; the cheerfulness of the countenance, doth speak unto the world the guiltlessness of the Conscience. St. ● Corinth. 1. Paul calleth this boldness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a Gloriation, because it is the only thing wherein a man may glory, yea, and joy too, for A good Conscience is a continual feast. Pre●. 25. Whatsoever man's state is in this world, he can never be defrauded of this glorious joy. He that hath a good Conscience hath more comfort under the Cross, than he that hath an ill Conscience can find in the midst of all his pleasures, for Conscientiam malam non sanat preconium laudantis, nec bonam vulnerat convitiantis opprobrium. This is the general comfort, and therefore it is found aswell in the judgement of the Heart, as of God. But from the absolute consideration hereof let us come to the Comparative. If we feel this boldness in the inward judgement, we shall feel it much more in the outward, if the imperfect verdict of our own Heart so cheer us; what cheer shall we conceive out of the perfect verdict of GOD? But the boldness that we have to God-ward, doth appear specially in three things. First, in Prayer, in that a good Heart bringeth us to GOD, Hebr. 10. in full assurance of Faith, and the answer of a good Conscience maketh intercession for us to God. 1 Pet. 3. Secondly, at the day of judgement, when a man of good Conscience will not fear the wicked, nor be troubled; he standeth confident like a Lion while the other fly. A good Conscience is that same Oil which the wise Virgins had to trim their Lamps when they met the Bridegroom, which made them stand with boldness before the Son of man. Thirdly, in Heaven, when they shall appear before the Throne of GOD, there to attend with Angels and Saints. Blessed are the pure in heart (saith CHRIST) for they shall see God. Argue then thus; If it be comfort to behold GOD by Faith, what comfort will it be to behold him by sight? If it be comfort to find a Quietus est when we call ourselves to an account, what comfort will it be to receive our discharge from GOD? if it be comfort to me to talk familiarly with my own Soul, what comfort will it be for me to talk familiarly with GOD? We must argue from the one to the other, as from a finite unto an infinite thing, and so conclude the greatness of the one, from the little taste that we have of the other. To draw towards an end. The scope of this Scripture is to teach us what use we must make of our Conscience. We should consult it before we set ourselves about any moral work; and assure ourselves that it is a more faithful Counsellor then are our lusts; they draw us whither themselves incline, and what themselves abhor from that they withdraw us; but the Conscience will deal most faithfully with us, it will dissuade us from nothing but that which is evil, and persuade us to nothing but that which is good. And happy were we if we would make it our guide. Natural men were less unhappy if they did so, for they would less offend GOD, and should be less punished. Christian men were much more happy; for their guide would teach them more to please GOD, that they might be more blest. But if this do not move us, let us fear the aggravating of sin; the more means, the more guilt; the more guilt, the more stripes. And what use will a man make of other means, that neglecteth this domestic, that sitteth so close to him as his own Heart? And yet see; I report me to every man's own Conscience, whether he be ruled less by aim, than he is by his own Heart? Our Conscience is furnished both with the Law and with the Gospel; and how could we so enormously violate either if we would hearken unto her, if we would suffer her to direct our actions? But this is rather to be wished then hoped for; all are not so provident as to let their Conscience prevent sin. Well; howsoever we neglect the first work of Conscience, we cannot avoid the second; if we will not take notice of it, it will take notice of Us; it taketh notice of all our doings, whether they be good or bad, & proveth a comfortable, or uncomfortable jury unto us. Neither is this all; Ourselves are trusted not only to give in the verdict, but also to take it, whether it be against us, or for us. And as our Conscience will not spare to doom us according to the Law, if we be guilty, ourselves shall pronounce what our sins deserve: So will it not fail to assure us of all the Blessings of the Gospel, if it find us innocent, and we shall rest assured of the truth of our own judgement: And why? GOD will second our Heart, his work will keep correspondency with ours, whether it condemn or absolve. Only for the greater terror of the wicked, and comfort of the godly, let us not forget the inequality; if we sink under our own judgement, we shall sink more under GOD'S; and if our own do yield boldness, GOD'S will yield much more. Wherefore red te tibi, forget not the preventing work of thy Conscience to be ruled by it, Bernard. Meditat. neglect not the enquiring work of thy Conscience, to prognosticate of thy future state according to it. Let every one of us endeavour with St. Paul to have an unoffensive Conscience toward God and men, that he may solace himself in that true peace thereof in this world, and have the consummation thereof with Eternal Bliss in the world to come. Amen. Πάντοτε δόξα Θηῶ. FINIS. A Meditation upon Psalm 19 VERSE 14. Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord my strength and my Redeemer. FAst and Pray; Lord I do fast, and I would pray; for to what end do I withhold sustenance from my body, if it be not the more to cheer up my Soul? my hungry my thirsty Soul? But the Bread, the Water of life, both which I find no where but in thy word, I partake not but by exercising myself therein. This I begin to do, and fain would I do it well; but in vain shall I attempt, except thou do bless; bless me then O Lord; bless either part of me, both are thine, and I would withhold neither part from thee. Not my body, I would set my tongue on work to speak of thee; not my Soul, I would exercise my heart in thinking on thee, I would join them in Devotion, whom thou hast joined in Creation. Yea Lord, as they have conspired to sin against thee: so do they now consort to do their duty to thee; my tongue is ready, my heart is ready, I would think, I would speak; think upon thee, speak to thee. But Lord what are my words? What are my thoughts? Thou knowest the thoughts of men that they are altogether vanity, and our words are but the blast of such thoughts; both are vile. It were well it were no worse, both are wicked, my heart a corrupt fountain, and my tongue an unclean stream; and shall I bring such a sacrifice to God? The halt, the lame, the blind, the sick, though otherwise the beasts be clean, yet are they sacrifices abominable to God; how much more if we offer those beasts which are unclean? And yet Lord, my sacrifice is no better, faltering words, wand'ring thoughts, are neither of them presentable to thee; how much less evil thoughts and idle words? Yet such are mine, the best of mine, they are such; I cannot deny it, but grieve at it I should, I do, that having nothing else to offer God, having nothing that is required of him, this that I have should be such as he cannot like. What remedy? None for me; if any, it is in thee O Lord that I must find it, and for it now do I seek unto thee. Thou only O Lord canst hollow my tongue, and hollow my heart, that my tongue may speak, and my heart think that which may be acceptable unto thee; yea that which may be thy delight. Do not I lavish? Were it not enough that God should bear with, that he should not punish the defects of my words, of my thoughts? May I presume that God shall accept of me? Nay delight in me? Forget I who the Lord is? Of what Majesty? Of what felicity? Can it stand with his Majesty to vouchsafe acceptance? With his felicity to take content in the words of a worm? in the thoughts of a wretch? And Lord, I am too proud that vilify myself so little, and magnify thee no more. But see whether the desire of thy servant doth carry him, how wishing to please, I consider not how hard it is for dust and ashes to please God, to do that wherein God should take content. But Lord here is my comfort, that I may set God to give content unto God, God is mine, and I cannot want access unto God, if God may approach himself. Let me be weak, yet God is strong; O Lord thou art my strength. Let me be a slave to sin, God is a Saviour, O Lord thou art my Saviour, thou hast redeemed me from all that woeful state whereunto Adam cast me, yea thou hast built me upon a Rock, strong and sure, that the gates of Hell might never prevail against me. These two things hast thou done for me O Lord, and what may not he presume of, for whom thou hast done these things? I fear not to come before thee, I presume my Devotion shall content thee; be thy eyes never such allseeing eyes, I will be bold to present my inward my outward man before thee; be thy eyes never so holy eyes, I will not fly with Adam to hide my nakedness from thee, for I am able to keep my ground; seeing I am supported by my Lord, I doubt not but to prove a true Israelite, and to prevail with God. For all my Woe, for all my sin, I will not shrink, nay I will approach, approach to thee, for thou art my Redeemer. The nearer I come to thee, the freer shall I be both from sin and woe. O blessed state of man who is so weak, so strong; so wretched, and so happy; weak in himself, strong in God; most happy in God, though in himself a sinful wretch. And now my Soul, thou wouldst be devout, thou mayst be what thou wouldst; sacrifice to God thy words, sacrifice to God thy thoughts, make thyself an Holocaust, doubt not but thou shalt be accepted, thou shalt content even the most glorious, the most holy eyes of God. Only presume not of thyself, presume on him; build thy words, build thy thoughts upon thy Rock, they shall not be shaken; free thy words free thy thoughts (thoughts and words enthrauled to sin) by thy Saviour and thy sacrifice shall be accepted. So let me build on thee, so let me be enlarged by thee, in soul in body, That the words of my mouth, and the meditations of my heart may be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord my strongth and my Redeemer. AMEN. A Meditation on Psalm 62. VERSE 9 Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are but a lie, to be laid in the balance they are altogether lighter than vanity. ALthough there is odds between man and man, as they act their parts upon the stage of this world, some being Noble and some Ignoble, some abounding and some wanting; some commanding and some obeying; yet were all made of the same mould, and into the same is every man resolved in his due time, herein between rich and poor there is no odds, except this be the odds, that the better are herein the worse, so much worse as a Lie is worse than vanity. Poor men what they are they appear, their state speaketh their vanity, they bear it engraven in every of their wants, for what are wants but the steps of vanity? Vanity whereunto man is subject by reason of his fall, even so fare subject, as that it ceaseth not encroaching on him, till having exhausted that little which he hath, it lodge him in the grave; In hunger and nakedness, in contempt and heaviness who doth not read vanity? But this is but the outside thereof, the inside is worse; the Lord knoweth the thoughts of men that they are vain, and men vanish in their own discourse, which hath much folly, little solidness, witness the looking glass thereof, the talk of most men, most vain talk. The understanding is not so vain, but the Heart is much more vain; how idle, nay how evil, are the desires thereof? So much as is manifest, is able to confound us: but how intolerable is that which is not manifest? Certainly that is most vain. But the upshot of Vanity standeth in the vanity of our Hope, our hope is felicity, at that we aim, and of nothing are we more disappointed then of that; for when we come to reap the fruit of our discourse, of our desire, we find ourselves deluded, and our end is wretched. And indeed, Vanity is not only a bare want, but an evil that accompanieth that want. If our veins be destitute of good humours, yet are they not empty, wind will take up the place of good blood, and where that is, it tortureth with ache, the cramp, and sundry diseases: even so vanity is not only a want of spiritual substance, but it is withal a painful wind, a disquieting emptiness. Such vanity followeth the nature of man; if any one be a Son of Adam he is subject to this vanity. And no marvel; for from Adam it was propagated, and it is as natural to his issue, as their nature is, that nature which they derived from him after he ceased to be a Son of God. For where God is, there substance is, and where God is not, there is no substance. This we grant, we think no better of the common sons of Adam. But the sons of Noble men are they no better? Are they also vanity? Their state promiseth better things than so, there appeareth in them few steps of vanity. If we look on their outside it may seem so, for they have food to satisfy their hunger, yea sauce to their food that they may eat with pleasure, their bodies are warm clad, not only so, but their garments speak their wealth, they are well guarded with attendants, countenanced with Alliance, and advanced to all degrees of honour; helps they have to prevent sickness before it come, and when it is come they have helps for to cure it. What do they want? And if they want not, how are they vain? Surely in this, that all this is but a Lie, it seemeth, it is no substance; had it not all his first original from nothing? And how can it then but return to nothing again? And what stay can that be which itself is fleeting? Be our garments never so rich they wear, but we wear faster that are covered-with them; they do but hide from our eyes the evidence that we do grow old, they keep us not from growing old, could we as often put on a new body, as we do a new garment, than garments might be some remedy against vanity; but we keep on still, and never shift our body, it is never the younger for our new coat. Gay clothing is but a Lie. And as for food, that is much more a Lie. As a man is not the better for his garment: so he is nothing the worse; but the delicate fare of great ones is so fare from being a preservative against death, that nothing speedeth it faster; excess in quantity, variety in quality of meats at rich m●ns ●ables, or rather in rich men's stomaches, what are they but the roots from whence springeth sickness? and the arms (as it were) wherewith death layeth hold upon them? Then is not meat a Lie? Friends it may be will steed us better; none less than great men's friends, in whom especially envy reigneth which is the forge of ruin; so that the greater friends are, the less commonly may they be trusted; Fidelity is not a virtue of the Court but of the Country; brand then such friends with a Lie, for their friendship is no better than a Lie. But if they fail us, our honour will support us; he that is in authority is his own Pillar, he may rest securely upon his own power; no man less; he is like a fair Castle above ground, well planted with Ordinance, and furnished with Munition, you would think it impregnable, but it is subject to a Mine, and often is over turned before he that giveth the blow can be perceived. Many have been brought to their end by their secret cunning, from whom they received greatest respect in the eyes of the world. If any dignity be privileged it is the Throne of Kings; but what are their Thrones but the stages of Treason? He is but a stranger in Chronicles, that doth not read that all kind of honour is Chronicled for a Lie. What remaineth? Only servants; and will they stand by us when others fail? Nothing less; of all men's theirs is a most mercenary fidelity, their service doth not outlive their wages; yea how often do they sell their Master's life in hope of better wages? Let them wear their Cognizance, their true Cognizance is a Lie. If clothes, if meat, if friends, if honour, if attendants, if every of these be but a Lie; what is all worldly greatness? Is it any more than a Lie? Nay, how great a Lie is that to the making up whereof concur so many Lies? So that the Great men, whose outside seemeth to lift them up above ordinary men, gain nothing by their advancement but this; that whereas ordinary men appear to be what they are, that is Vanity, Great men are so, but do not appear, and therefore their state hath another, but no better name, it is a Lie. The case of all then, high and low is bad, if it be no worse than this, that it is Vanity, that it is a Lie. For what do we abhor more in nature then vanity, which is the emptiness of nature? What in good manners more than a Lie, which is the counterfeit of good manners? We think nothing ought more to be endeavoured then sollidnesse in Being, and sincerity in Appearing, and abhor nothing more than the contrary to them both. So that to have our state not only paralleled with, but to become Vanity and a Lie, we may deem the greatest debasement that can be thereof. And yet it is not; the comparison doth us too much honour, we are not worthy to be matched with these; though these be of so small weight, yet they over-waigh us in the scales of God; if we both be weighed, our lightness will soon discover the inequality. And indeed no wonder; for vanity is nothing in comparison of sin, and a natural Lie in comparison of a moral. To be mortal taketh away much of that substance which we had in our Creation, but to be sinful taketh away much more; the Maxim, Quod efficit tale illud ipsum est magis tale, holdeth most true between sin and vanity; for man becometh subject unto vanity through sin, and who doth not know how much lower sin doth carry us, then doth vanity? Vanity lodgeth us in the earth, sin tumbleth us into hell; and that is lightest that carrieth us lowest the more solid every thing is, the nearer to God, and the farther from God it carrieth us, the lighter it must needs be. And behold a Paradox; Hear gravia tendunt sursum, and Levia deorsum; so that they that are light in the scales, are out of the scales very heavy, they sink down into Hell; and they that are in the scales heavy, are out of the scales very light, they so are as high as Heaven. But it may be thought if men of low degree be singled by themselves, or men of high degree by themselves, their weight is no greater; yet if they be joined each will help to augment the others weight, and what they cannot a part, they may do going together; at least counterpoise, if not overpoyse, Vanity and a Lie. No verily; for as a Cipher added to a Cipher maketh but a Cipher: so Vanity is no whit the heavier by the addition of a Lie, nor a Lie by the addition of Vanity. Put high men and low men, all sorts of men, yea all persons into God's balance, and you shall find that, if they have no other weight then that which is in men they cannot hold weight, no not with vanity itself, than which you would think nothing can have less weight; and indeed nothing hath but sin, wherein standeth the chief lightness of man. O Lord thou hast appointed a Day wherein thou wilt weigh all both things and persons, and try how much they have lost of that sollidnesse which thou hast bestowed upon them; I confess that I had lost much, yea all true sollidnesse. I brought none with me out of my mother's womb, but it hath pleased thee again to repair it in part, and promise it in whole. Grant that of whatsoever Degree I am, I may think no better of my nature then it is, and may value thy grace according to its worth; make me which am a son of Adam, a child of God, and so free me from vanity. And if thou be pleased to prosper me on earth; yet Lord prosper me much more towards Heaven, and free my greatness from a Lie. So shall I not be light in thy scales with that lightness that descends to Hell, but heavy with that sollidnesse that ascends to Heaven. Amen. A Meditation upon Hebr. 9 VERSE 27. It is appointed for all men once to die, and after death cometh judgement. O My Soul, what now thou art, thou canst not continue long, and what thou shalt be, it is good thou timely do consider. Thou now dwellest in a body made of clay, and daily mouldering into dust, thou canst have no surer prognostication that it will have an end, than thy continual experience that it is mortal. Were there nothing but Age that wrought upon it, it would whither, but when sickness, which speedeth sooner, and spends faster, conspires with Age to ruin thy habitation, how canst thou be unmindful of the fall thereof? How canst thou but every hour expect it? But there is a higher remembrancer, one of whom thou mayst less doubt in this case, then of either sickness or Age, and that is God, he hath decreed it, All must die; thou art one of that All, and of All, not one that can exempt himself from, or except against God's decree. Especially so just a decree, no less just than peremptory, no less peremptory than just. God peremptorily threatened death before thou sinnedst, and since thou hast sinned justice can do no less then give sentence against thee, the sentence of death. The Soul that sinneth must die; thou art a sinful soul, and therefore thou must taste of death. Thou must not look that those eyes of thine which have been the windows of lust, shall always gaze upon this besotting world; thou must not think that those ears of thine, by whose gates have entered so much vanity, shall still be enchanted with the flatteries of thy deceitful friends; thou must not think that this taste of thine, importunate solicitor of thy appetite, shall still serve to pamper thy body with delicacies. These things have had their time, and it is but a time that is allowed them; they were, and the more they do, the less shall they be able to do; dimness casts a veil upon thine eyes, and deafness locks up the doors of thy ears, and thy taste forgets to discern thy meats. And justly become they so enfeebled, that kept no measure in their strength; what they should have done, they delighted least to do, though by doing it they might have lasted long; and what they should not have done, in doing that they took their greatest solace, though in doing of it they wrought their own decay. Had not Eve beheld the forbidden fruit more willingly than God; hadshee not listened to the Serpent more attentively then to his word; had she not tasted the Tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil more sweetly than the tree of life; I had had immortal eyes, ears, and taste. But because she abused them, I must lose the use of them. But why do I derive my fault upon others? Why do I uncover my Parent's nakedness? Are my teeth set on edge only because they did eat sour Grapes? Myself did eat in them, and after them, myself have eaten like unto them; I do not so much resemble them in nature as concupiscence; what so ever they planted, I have watered; and watered that often, which they planted but once. And as if I feared that their ill husbandry would not prove fast enough, myself have been a toilsome Husbandman in cherishing the briers and thorns that have choked even all those few corns of good seed, which I derived from them. At least if their leprosy overspread my whole man, yet was it not so deep rooted, or so strongly settled, as by my ill diet it hath since been. What then may this house of my body, this garment that covereth my Soul, expect, but to be used as the leprous house, the leprous garment, which in a fretting leprosy were, the garment to be burnt, the house to be plucked down? And indeed, as impossible is it for the ivy that springs and over-spreads a wall, to be killed, without taking in sunder of all the stones, and separating them from the mortar which knitteth them together; as for the native sin wherein I was borne, branching itself over every part of my body, and power of my soul, to be purged, except I be dissolved; my Soul part from my body, and the parts of my body lose that knot wherewith each is linked to the other. I do not then complain of the Decree; it is just, it is necessary; my sin maketh it just, and that this sin be dispossessed, it becomes necessary; necessary for All and then for me. I would yield unto it, I would be contented with it, blessed Apostle, the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken were good, I would obey it, I would yield to death, though death be bitter, were there not a heavier thing that followeth death, more terrible than death itself. Let me feel God's hand, so I come not into God's presence, into the presence of the judge, to give an account for my life. Blessed Apostle, is it not enough that my Soul can no longer enjoy her body; no longer by her body enjoy those things wherein she hath placed her sovereign good, that she can no longer solace herself with her mate, take comfort in her offspring, eat the fruit of her labours, receive honour from others, bestow favours at pleasure, be an Oracle unto many, and to as many be a terror? Blessed Apostle, is it not enough that these things fail, and I must part with them? No, thou sayest no, when thou hast lodged my body in the the Grave, thou sufferest not my soul to rest, thou callest her to a strait account, thou tellest her of a judgement. How vainly have I been abused by heathenish proverbs that told me death ends all, and yet all is not at an end? When I come to death, I must come before my judge, I must answer the Law, the Law must try my life, how well I have observed it, how answerable my carriage hath been to it And Lord what a fearful thing is this? When thou, blessed Apostle, didst reason of these things, thou madest Foelix a great man a heathen man, to tremble, and a greater than Foelix, the King of Niniveh did tremble also when he heard jonas. And yet how little did they know thy Law? How much did their ignorance excuse their transgression thereof? And what then will become of me that know so much, and have so little to plead? Can I choose but tremble? O Lord while I live, I often hear of thy Law, and the account that must be given thereof, but I never had so much grace, as Foelix, or the King of Niniveh, no not when I read the story of Foelix, and the King of Niniveh. Neither of them only, but of good King josias also, whose heart did melt at the reading of thy Law, when he saw how unanswerable the lives of his people were thereto. And what wonder that josias heart did melt, when Moses himself did quake at the receiving of the Law? Surely these all felt the terror of the judgement, they knew what it was to come before their judge. And I, the more in my life I was senseless, the more sensible shall I be hereof in my death; unexpected evils afflict the more, especially if they be great, their impression must needs be deep. But be I affected never so woefully, I must appear, I must be tried, he that gave the Law, will inquire into the observance of his Law. While we live, many cover our faults, which, when we are dead, they will not stick to amplify; and he that living goeth for a Saint, after his death is traduced as a devil. A heavy judgement, yet how many undergo it? But this is their comfort, that of this judgement they have no sense, how their name fareth in this world, in death they know not. But against the other judgement there is no shelter, all the storms of it must light upon us, in our own persons we must answer for ourselves, and we are not so well known to ourselves as to him that sifteth us. Yet so much we know, that we shall traverse no Indictment we shall plead guilty to every Bill, our own conscience is a true counterpart unto God's Book, we shall be charged with nothing out of the one, which we shall not read distinctly in the other. To read it were enough for the uttermost confusion; for what man knoweth, and doth not abhor himself? Had we a true looking glass, wherein we might behold the manifold enormous sins of our life, never could any thing be more ugly, never would any thing be more abominable, never were we so much in love with ourselves, when we acted sin, as we shall detest ourselves, when we see the stains of sin. But detestation and confusion are but the first part of this judgement; the worm, the sting, bitter tortures, even before we are sentenced for Hell, make us to be woeful wretches. Add hereunto that which is the height of shame, the depth of pain: Were no body privy to our sins, but ourselves, the knowledge of them will confound us; but when they become known to others, if they be but men, sinners like ourselves, and therefore more likely to be temperate in their censure, the shame groweth double; but how manifold then will it be, when the Angels shall be witnesses to it, the holy Angels, whose purity will the more illustrate it? Nay God himself whose Image we should bear, and to whom how unlike we are, his presence will make most manifest? So that our shame will be out of measure shameful. Our pain will be no less painful: For here in this world the remorse of sin, even in those that have not a seared conscience, is many ways delayed; in sleep, by feasts, with company, many other outward helps, but especially the putting fare off the evil day, and the weak information that our distracted understanding giveth our Heart, and the hardness that doth benumb the senses thereof; all these more or less do mitigate our pain. But after death these lenitives are withdrawn from us, our eyes will be kept waking, our stomach fasting, our friends fare from us, our wits that were wise to do evil, and to do good had no understanding at all, shall then be wise only to know our evil, but good of ours it shall have none at all to know, and our heart was never so waxy, to be wrought pleasurably with sin, as it shall be feeling when it is affected with all kind of woe; This is our condition after death, and such is the judgement, where at we must appear, even the first judgement. Demie-Atheists though they would not hold an absolute immortality of their Soul, yet for a time, till the day of Resurrection, they dreamt their Souls should be as senseless as their bodies, but it was but the devil's Sophistry to comfort the wicked with a Souls sleep from the hour of death, until the general Assizes of the world; as he did with hope of a general pardon after some years of torment, which made Origen to think that at length the devils themselves should be released from pain. But (blessed Apostle) I believe thee, I will not flatter myself, I do not more certainly expect death, than I do look instantly thereupon to come before my judge; I know that there is a judgement before a judgement, a private before the public; I believe as truly that even now Dives burneth in Hell, as that Lazarus is in Abraham's bosom, and I do no more doubt that judas went to his own place, then that the good thief was that day with Christ in Paradise; no sooner doth the soul leave the body, but God doth dispose it to rest and pain. O ever living God, unpartial judge both of quick and dead, thy decree is passed upon my life, for my arraignment, I am here but a soiournour, and yet accountable for what so ever I do here. Let not this decree be unknown, pass unregarded of me, if health, if prosperity promise a longer term, a careless life, let me try their persuasion by thy infallible word. For there shall I learn that heaven and earth shall pass, the greater, how much more this little heaven and earth of mine? and that thy word only endureth for ever. Yea I see that all things come to an end, but thy Commandment is exceeding broad; and it is this Commandment that thou hast laid upon my body, and laid upon my Soul; a heavy Commandment that sounds nothing but that which is unsavoury to flesh and blood. Death unsavoury, but judgement much more; skin for skin and all that ever a man hath he will give for his life; but life itself who would not part with that he might be free from judgement? My soul and body are loath to part, but much more loath to appear before thee; it is grievous to forgo that which I love, but to feel that which I fear is much more grievous; if I die, I want what I would have, but if I come to judgement, than I must endure that which I abhor, death ends the pleasure which I take in life, but judgement reckoneth for the inordinatnesse thereof. And it is a double grief to be so stripped, to be so tried; but what shall I do? Thy word must stand, and seeing it must stand, let me not doubt, let me not neglect, let those two be ever before mine eyes, let me use this world as if I used it not, seeing the fashion thereof doth pass away, and I change faster than it. The little world hast thou proposed as a glass wherein we may behold what will become of the great world, both appear subject unto Vanity; thou hast subjected both, the frame of both must be dissolved, so deeply is sin rooted in either, that nothing can extirpate it but the dissolution of the whole. But the case of the greater world is better than that of the little, that is dissolved, but this must be arraigned also; arraigned for itself, arraigned for the great world also, If that have any evil it hath it from man, man infected it, and it is dissolved because of man; but man for himself, his own sin, maketh himself and others mortal also, good reason that he which hath baned the world, so ruined the frame of all God's creatures, should account for it unto the owner thereof. If a subject trespass against the King, or his Image, the Law doth challenge him, it calleth for an amends; and can the King of heaven and earth be wronged in his creatures, be wronged in his own Image, and not challenge the offender? No Lord, there is great reason, as for man to die, that hath made all things mortal, so for man to be judged that hath done it by sin, no reason that other things should suffer, and he scape, nay, great reason why the blame of all should be laid upon him. He deservedly must be exposed to shame, and blush for whatsoever himself hath deformed, and what he hath made to groan, he must sigh for it. The mask must be plucked off, where under in this life we hide ourselves, and our sense must be rectified, wherewith in this world we excuse ourselves, we that would not judge ourselves must be judged of the Lord. And his judgement shall be without respect of persons; This judge standeth at the door, his Assizes are proclaimed, no sooner are we quickened but we are informed of death and judgement, no sooner come we out four mother's womb, but we witness our knowledge thereof; every day of ourlife is a Citation day. But as it wanteth not a date: so it prefixeth not; a day, every one must dye once, but the time of his death no man knoweth; every man must be judged; no man knoweth how soon. This uncertainty maketh death and judgement more terrible. And it should make us more watchful; watchful for that which we are sure will come, but when it will come, we are unsure; when it cometh it is fearful, but it cometh suddenly. Did it concern my temporal state I would take great care; if the goodman of the house knew when the thief would come, he would surely watch, and not suffer his house to be surprised; And care we more for our goods, then for ourselves? For that which may be repaired, then for that which being passed hath no recovery? So senseless are we, so usually are we overtaken. Let it not be so with me, O Lord, let me ever meditate upon Death, and let me ever be provided for judgement. Before Sickness provide Physic, and Righteousness before judgement. A Meditation upon Philippians 1. VERSE 21. Christ is to me life, and death is to me advantage. I Have been at Mount Sinai, I have heard the thunder, I have seen the lightning, I have felt the shaking thereof, it hath put me in mind of my mortality, at it I have learned what it is to be arraigned before my judge. Were there no other Hill, I were in woeful case; woe is me, if I have no succour against death, which I cannot avoid; against judgement, which is so strict. But blessed be God, I have a succour; though God bring me to Sinai in my passage out of Egypt, yet is it not his pleasure that I should stay there; the Cloud is risen and goeth before me I will up, I will follow it; And see, it bringeth me to another Hill, it resteth me upon Mount Zion; I no sooner lift up mine eyes unto that Hill, but from thence cometh my salvation. And no marvel; that Hill is the Hill of the Lord, it is lifted up above all Hills, the Hill of Mercy is higher than the Hill of judgement, there the punishing Angel that with his sword drawn pursueth the sins of men is commanded for to sheathe it. It is Hie●usalem indeed, The Vision of Peace, there is the Altar, there is the Sacrifice, whereat God will be worshipped, wherewith he will be pacified. Yea, where Abraham shall have his Jsaac redeemed, and a Father greater than Abraham, will give a Son dearer than Isaac, that Isaac may live; and indeed to be an Isaac, that is a matter of true gladness unto Abraham. There David shall find a truer David; David out of love to his people would have yielded his life to end their plagues, but he findeth there a David that is more loving, and more beloved, and which indeed there doth what David was but willing to do, but was willing in vain; for no man can by any means redeem his brother, or give a ransom to God for him. No man, if he be no more than a man, can do it, it is a work of God, of David's Lord; he it is that is the Resurrection and the Life, it is his blood that speaketh better things than the blood of Abel Abel's blood called for vengeance, even the vengeance of eternal death; and so doth all sin, which shed the blood of a more righteous one then Abel, even the blood of Christ himself, it should call for vengeance unto God. But see how the voice thereof is changed, and how Christ excuseth sin before he sacrifice for sin; Father forgive them they know not what they do, even in the act of his Passion, he maketh this intercession; when he felt their wrongs, see how he excuseth them to his Father; that they may find mercy, he pleadeth for them that they do it ignorantly. How much more did he in his Oblation for sin speak for remission of sins, when in his Passion he was so indulgent unto sinners? This person do I find on this Hill, and I find him able and ready to calm all the storms that were raised in me at Mount Sinai. The storm of Death, the storm of judgement: for must I die? I fear it not, I am assured of life; Christ is to me life. Is death the gate that leadeth to judgement? I will enter it, it shall turn unto my gain; for the Tribunal of God is but the Theatre whereon I shall be crowned. Yea, Christ hath so altered both death and judgement, that well may I say Perijssem nisi perijssem, I had never tasted of such a life, had I not been subjected unto death. And how much of my glory should I have lost, if I should never have been brought unto God's Bar? O Iesu● how wonderful is thy virtue, what strange effects proceed from thee? The Alchemists boast much of their skill, that they can turn base metals into better, lead into silu●r, copper into gold; but this is their presumption whereupon they build▪ that these base metals are in their nature in the way to the better, and they do but perfect that which is imperfect, and which, by the course of nature of imperfect would have become perfect, if they had nover laboured it. But they never adventure to turn dross into silver, or dirt into gold. Thou dost more, much more, of so base a one as I am, (for who is more base than a sinner? who is indeed seruus seruorum, a slave of slaves, for sin is nothing but servitude, and the Master whom a sinner serveth, who is it but the Devil? then whom there is none more slavish, of so base a one thou makest a vessel of gold, even where there was no disposition to become such, thou hast given so excellent a nature, and makest death to become life. Thou hast quickened me, which was dead; I that was dead in sin am quickened by thee the fountain of grace; my understanding liveth, my will liveth, my affections live, they live their true life, they know God, they love God, they long after him, they discover the evil of sin, they hate it because it is evil, and what they hate, that they abhor. Are not these Evidences of life? I cannot be dead so long as I feel these things in me. I feel them in me; but I confess they spring not from me, they have a better Fountain, that is, Christ; He is this life of mine, it began in him; when he became one with me by his personal Union, than the Understanding, than the Will, the Affections of man which had been long dead began to live. As this began in part when Christ became one with me by personal union, so did it stream forth into me when I became one with him by Mystical Union; then the beams of his light cleared my darkness, the comfort of his Heat warmed my chilnes; then was I quickened by the influence of his life. I do not count that life which I lived before, though it go for such with men, and it seemed such to me. I thought as the world thinketh, that if my soul dwelled in my body, I was alive, but alas, if Christ be from my soul, my soul is dead; and how can a dead soul quicken my body, the body of a man, of such a man, as should be of the same society with Angels? Well may it make my body vegetable, and so range it with the Planets, and yet therein I shall come short of many of them. It may do more, my body by it may become sensible, and I may be of the condition of beasts; and yet therein how many of them will overmatch me? Happily, or unhappily rather, it may boast of more, it may boast that it maketh me reasonable; and indeed such faculties have I, but corrupt, in that I have a reasonable soul. But this advanceth me no higher than Devils, and herein the Devils incomparably surmount me. But that life, which is the chief life, the life which is proper to the children of God, I live not except I live by Christ; and if once I live that life, I live indeed. And hear a Paradox; I desire to die, this life maketh me most desirous of death, of any death, saving that which is opposite to this life, I would not die the death in sin, but the other death I will die most gladly. I would be dissolved, I would lay aside this Tabernacle of my body. Not that grace maketh me unnatural to my flesh; No; it maketh me love my flesh the more, the more, but the more truly. I would have my body do aswell as my soul, and therefore I mortify it, that it may be holy, as my soul is holy. Flesh and blood thinketh that fasting and watching and other castigation of the flesh is a hateful austerity of the soul, but well may the soul reply, Castigo non quod odio habeam sed quod amem, and though this chastisement seem not for the present to be joyous but grievous, yet afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. See a great gain in this death; by it I which served God at first only in the law of mind, come thereby to serve God also by the same law working in my members. Something I get by it, but not so much as I would, for my mortification leaveth too much life in my flesh, and the old man is too strong irrecoverably to die by my strokes. Therefore what I cannot do, should I not be glad when God is pleased to do it? pleased so to dissolve this body of sin, that it may cease from sinning, yea, be brought to that case, that it may be fit for a glorious Resurrection. And is not this a great Gain, the happiest seed time that promiseth the best Harvest that ever man can look for? When I die, I sow my body in corruption, but when I rise, I reap the same body again in incorruption; when I die I sow my body in weakness, when I rise I reap it again in power; when I die, I sow my body in dishonour, when I rise, I reap it again in honour; finally, when I die, I sow it a natural body, but when I rise I reap it a spiritual. And is not this gain? and this is the gain of death. Foolish were that Husbandman that would spare his seed, and lose his Harvest; but much more foolish were I, if I should be unwilling to die, that know death is the seed of such a Resurrection. You see what my body gaineth by death, my soul gaineth much more, the grace I have doth but set an edge upon the desire of that I shall have, and hope deferred is the languishing of the soul, but a desire accomplished is as a tree of life. If I delight to behold Christ in the Looking glass, to hear him in the Riddle of his Word; how shall I be ravished with him when I shall see him face to face; and hear him speak without Parables? O my soul when thou thinkest hereon canst thou do less than break forth into Saint Paul's words, I desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ which is much better for me? It is good I confess to be in the Kingdom of Grace, but much better to be in the Kingdom of Glory. Suffer me sweet jesus, to desire the best, I know the best should be the upshot of my desires. I hear King David say; O how plentiful is thy goodness which thou hast laid up for all them that fear thee, and that thou hast prepared for them that trust in thee before the sons of men. Lord I hunger, I thirst for these things, to be satisfied with the fatness of thy house, I would drink my fill out of the rivers of thy pleasures. And seeing my soul cannot come to these except it come to thee; for the good of my soul I desire for a time to be freed from my body, that my soul may attain that blessedness, by which my body also in her due time shall be more blessed. If my body gain, and my soul gain, when death putteth them so asunder, how great will the gain be when after death they shall both conjoin their gains together, and each shall communicate his good unto the other? When death approacheth me, it shall not be accounted either a thief or a murderer. Let wicked men who have their portion in this life, and beyond this life expect no other good, so account of death. And well they may; for it robbeth them of all that they account good and bereaves them of that which they account life. But death cannot deal so with me; for it hath no power over my goods, and over my life; I lose nothing but that which I am willing to leave. I will at all times leave the flesh pots of Egypt to be fed with Manna, and forsake the muddy waters of Nilus, to drink of that water that streamed from the Rock; it shall never grieve me to change the food of men, for Angel's food. And for this mortal life, why should it be precious unto me, that hindereth me from that which is immortal? No, let this life die, that death may be my entrance into that life; that life which is indeed life, the life of Saints, yea, the life of God. By death I gain this life, because by death I come to Christ, who by grace is my life here, and when I die will be my life of glory. The young man's Meditation upon Death, grounded upon Wisdom 4. VERSES 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. Though the righteous be prevented with death: yet shall he be in rest. For honourable age is not that which standeth in length of time, nor that is measured by number of years. But wisdom is the grey hair unto men, and an unspotted life is old age etc. He pleased God, and was beloved of him; so that living amongst sinners he was translated. Yea, speedily was he taken away lest that wickedness should alter his understanding, or deceit beguile his soul. WE would be immortal, we cannot be, all sinners are doomed to die; yet of a mortal life who doth not desire the longest term? who would have his Spring to prove his Autumn, and be gathered before he is ripe? It is unpleasing enough to nature that it must be dissolved, but then to be dissolved when soul and body begin each most comfortably to enjoy the other, must needs be most bitter. It is now my case; in the quickness of my sense must I taste of that potion; mine eyes must be closed, when they do but begin to judge of colours; and my ears do but begin to judge of sounds, and they must be shut up also; my hath but tasted, and set an edge upon my desire, and I must away, and leave these delicates to others, others must enjoy whatsoever worldly thing I have, and the worms must enjoy me, enjoy my body. And for my soul, scarce hath it been initiated with knowledge, after which it thirsteth naturally, scarce hath it given proof of her virtue, wherein it delighteth principally, but I am taken from this School, wherein I thought to prove wise, from this Theatre, whereon I hoped to be exemplary; but unlearned as I am, and unrenowned, I must yield, and my name must be buried with my Coarse. What shall I say to all this? and against this evil what is my comfort? Surely, I must calculate mine age a new, and judge better of God's intent herein. God's Calendar is not like man's, a thousand years to him are but as one day, and one day to him as a thousand years. Let a wicked man live a thousand years, because he is a wicked man, his thousand years are but a day, nay, the worst part of a day, that is the night, for the evening and the morning did make the first day. Let a good man live but a day, and because he is good, he hath lived a thousand years, for he is ready for God, and the longest time of our Pilgrimage, if it be Methusalems' age, it can but make us ready. I will then inquire not how many days I have spent, but how much I have profited, profited in the ways of God. And I have profited so fare, as to acknowledge, that of myself I am but an unprofitable servant; what I should I cannot do; but I do that which I should not; so that if I guess at my readiness by mine own worth, I am most unready. But I have another valuation, by my being in Christ; my faith is steadfast in him, my Hope hath cast an anchor in Heaven, I fear not God's judgement, against which my faith doth hearten me; I expect a Kingdom which my Hope doth promise me; And as for my love though the world doth woo me, and my flesh doth often yield to dally there with, yet hath it none, to whom it is devoted, with whom it is contented, in comparison of God. And what greater readiness can I desire? my Audit is made, my arrearage paid, I have a Quietus est; why do I fear to come to my trial? Nay, the bargain is made, Heaven is purchased for me, I have the Conveyance why do I stay from taking possession? Am I so senseless as to affect the worse, that am offered the better? shall I dote upon this house of clay? my youth maketh it seem better than clay, though indeed it is no better; a glazed pitcher, notwithstanding the lustre, is but a pitcher, and the verdure of youth is but a gloss set upon a lump of earth cunningly wrought by the hand of the Potter; age that weareth that gloss will discover this clay. And why should I murmur at God that is pleased to let me see quickly what in time I must needs see? That I am brickle. Neither am I only brickle, but the world is frail also, and all the things of this life, whatsoever they promise, they perform no perpetuity to me. Seeing than sooner or later the world must leave me, and I must leave the world, let me leave it rather sooner than later; the less acquaintance the less grief at the parting; and indeed the longer I live the more unwilling shall I be to dye. Now peradventure I leave behind me a father and a mother, and leave grief unto them for the loss of a child; but I cannot so feelingly grieve as they, when I depart from my parents, because love descendeth more than it ascendeth. If I live, I may marry, and marriage doubleth the bitterness of death, when they that of two became one, by death of one are made two again. And if God bless me with posterity, how much more unwilling shall I be to die? How hardly shall I endure to be rend from mine own bowels? I say nothing to the common infirmity of Age, which seemeth to have appropriated unto itself covetousness, and who knoweth not how hardly the love of money, and death consort together? But these are the weakest holdfasts that the world hath on me, there are much stronger, the hooks of sin, which, where they catch so fasten even upon the Will which is in itself most free, that it maketh men desire rather to be slaves unto Pharaoh, so they may feed on the flesh pots of Egypt, then to endure the difficult passage into Canaan, though, when they come there, they shall be Princes of a land which floweth with milk and honey. God then that knoweth what may alter me and of ready make me unready, dealeth more mercifully with me, he preventeh that evil that might stay me from him, and having prepared me, calleth me unto him. Lord all seasons are in thy hand, and thou hast appointed unto me this season; I bless thee for it, I submit myself to it; if I be ripe in thy judgement gather me, though in mine own judgement I am green. And thou which feast that although I now stand, yet I may fall, lest I fall, take me whilst I stand. It doth not grieve me, I am most willing to change earth for heaven, to have those windows of my senses all broken down, that my Soul may be at liberty; having no agent for the world to solicit me from God, I shall more freely, more fully give myself unto him; my understanding to know him, my heart to love him, and more shall I learn in one day's sight of God, then in many thousand years I could have gathered out of the Glass of the world, or Riddle of the Scripture. And how base spectators are men on earth in comparison of the Saints in heaven, who shall witness my service, and behold my glory? Do I love my Parents? I go to better, my best Father is in heaven, and my best Mother is Jerusalem above; the joy that I foretaste for seeing them, maketh me insensible of the heavy farewell I take of these. I am not moved with their wealth which they have stored up for me, and the land which they have purchased is as nothing in mine eyes, I shall have a more enduring substance, a lot is fallen unto me in a more pleasant place, I have a more goodly Heritage. And why? The Lord is the portion of mine Inheritance and of my cup, the Lord maintains my lot. Lord then teach me so to number my days, that I may measure them by righteousness, and let me so interpret this thy summons by death, as a warning to take shelter before a storm. Hasten me on by grace, that I be not long on my way to heaven, and in my way lest I decline, shorten more and more my passage, so shall I be as willing in this morning of my age, as I should be in the evening thereof, to change my state and come to thee, to pass from earth to heaven. (* ⁎ *) The old Man's Meditation. PSALM 91. VER. 16. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation. Every man, if a child of God, is a double man, and so leadeth a double life, and longeth for a double good, a corporal, a spiritual; that he may hold out long in regard of the life of nature, and withal be ponest of the life of grace. Thus doubly happy would every one be, but it is not the portion of every one. Many have shortened either the one life or the other; if they have lived unto God, their days in the world have been but few; and of those which have lived many days in the world, how few of them have they lived to God? O my Soul then, how blest art thou, whom God hath blessed both ways? Blessed thee in thy natural life, thou art grown till thou art ripe; blest thee in thy spiritual life, thy eyes have seen the salvation of God. The greatest blessing that God bestoweth upon earth, he hath bestowed on thee; thou hast experienced the truth of the Apostles speech, Piety hath the promise of this life, and of that which is to come. For this life; God hath bestowed upon thee length of days, thy time is not reckoned by nights but by days. And some men that live long, all their life long, never see the Sun, their time is night, it is an uncomfortable time. No sense hath his contenting object, they are all covered with darkness, yea, and if it be a waking night, instead of contenting, every sense is haunted with discontenting objects. Such nights do many live in this world, which have presented unto them many eye-soares, and at whose ears do enter many heartbreak sounds; whose perfumes are the damps of loath-some prisons, whose bed is little case, whose sustenance is the bread and water of affliction, whose robes are fetters and manacles; finally whose consorts are wretches no less forlorn than themselves. Such a night how many live, yea of what length are such nights of theirs? But Lord thou hast vouchsafed my life to be a Day, the Sun is up to me, and I have the pleasure of beholding the light, my eye wanteth not content, my ear hath her pleasures, and every sense is cherished according to his kind. I have not been pinched with famine, I have not been consumed with sickness, thiefs have not spoilt me, I have not been exposed to the tyranny of malice, my life hath been a day; yea many days; for my prosperity hath not been like the good day of an Aguish man, which hath been succeeded with painful fits, but every day hath been a day; the Sun hath not set, the clouds have not overcast the Sun; so that all my whole life seemeth to have been but one day. But there are Winter days and Summer days, short and long. It had been well if my life had only been a day, though that had been but a Winter's day, at least many Winter days. But to have my day, yea my days, and have them at length, how much better doth it make my state? In a Winter day, as the Sun stayeth not long: so it warmeth not much; but in a Summer day the longer it stayeth, the more it warmeth; then my length of days are attended with the warmth of days, and to have both length and warmth, what more can a man desire for this life? Yes, a man would have the stinting of them, he would not have them end until himself say enough. And so fare hath God's mercy gone with me, he hath satisfied me, I never had my appetite satisfied more to the full with the most delicate meats, than my heart is sariat with my days. It is enough Lord; now let me die. But I forget, thou hast done much for me in my natural life, how much more hast thou done for me in my spiritual? My spiritual life also hath been a Day, it hath been I say a day and no night. The Soul hath a night no less than the body, and much heavier is the night of the soul, then that of the body, the darkness is more uncomfortable, the terrors thereof are more intolerable. How uncomfortable is it for a man who naturally desireth to be happy, to be ignorant both where he must seek it, and how he must come at it, and so to wander all the days of his life in vanity? And did he walk only in Vanity, the discomfort were not small; for it is no small discomfort still to hope, and yet still to have his hope fail. But for a man to have vexation of spirit added unto vanity; whereas we abhor nothing more than misery, out of the guilt of conscience to be harrowed with the forerunners of eternal misery, how intolerable is this? How uncomfortable, how tedious is this spiritual night? Or rather how , how comfortable is that day which hath freed me from that night? I was in it, I was borne, borne in it, for Lord no man cometh out of his mother's womb, but he is borne in the night, and the day doth not dawn to him until he is newborn out of the Church's womb. Therefore do the ancients fidy call Baptism 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 illumination, because then, he that commanded light to shine out of darkness, doth shine unto us in the face of jesus Christ, and we are translated out of darkness into his marvelous light. It is my blessing that I am light in the Lord, made light, not light of myself, but enlightened by him. Lord if thou hadst not enlightened me, I could never have seen; thou that restoredst his sight that was borne blind corporally, hast wrought a greater miracle in restoring my sight that was borne blind spiritually. Let others boast in whole, or in part of the strength of nature, I do, I will confess that the eyes of my mind are a gift of grace, these eyes that see that which I see, and cannot but be blest in seeing it, in seeing God's salvation; a blessed sight that discovers that object. How glad was Abraham when he saw the Ram which was an exchange for Isaac his son? How glad was Hagar when she saw the fountain, wherewith she refreshed both herself and her babe? And were they glad at the sight of these things? How glad then should I be that see a Lamb, the Lamb of God that offereth himself to be a ransom for me? How glad should I be that see the Well, the well of living waters which only can quench my thirst? Isaac's danger was nothing to mine, well might his soul for a time be parted from his body, both were to go to a blessed rest; but my danger was that soul and body both must have burned everlastingly in hell. Hagars' thirst was nothing to my thirst; she traveled in the hot sands, and I in the midst of many tiring sins; no corporal pain can so spend our spirits, as the conflicts do of a troubled soul. How willingly then do I behold the Lamb? Behold the water? Even the Lamb and water, that are my jesus. Many salvations there are but no salvations of God but in him; there is no name under heaven given by which we may be saved but only the name of jesus, he is indeed a Divine Saviour, the highest degree of salvation is placed in him. Let others make their peace by other means, I will be ransommed only by this Lamb; let others quench their thirst in puddle streams, I will drink at this well, this salvation of God which God hath made me see. For Lord thou hast not dealt with me as thou didst with Moses, to whom thou show'dst from mount Nebo the land of Canaan, but suffered'st him not to enter in; what thou hast showed me, thou bestowest upon me, and he that hath eyes to behold thy salvation, by seeing doth enjoy the same. It is not so true in Nature as in Grace, Intellectus fit omnia; certainly this is everlasting life, even to know thee to be the only God, and whom thou hast sent our Saviour jesus Christ, for by beholding with open face this thy salvation, we are changed into the same Image from salvation to salvation by the spirit of Christ. O Lord that art pleased I should live, I bless thee, for that my time hath not been night but day, even Summer's days, long, and warm, cheerful and fruitful. But the day of my Soul hath been much better than the day of my body, seeing the Sun of righteousness hath also risen unto me, who hath so illighned me, that he hath discovered thy salvation to me. That salvation which freeth me from all I fear, and supplieth unto me all that I want; my eyes are upon both, yea myself is possessed of both. And what couldst thou have done for me Lord, which thou hast not done, that hast blest me so corporally, that hast blest me so spiritually? I have no more to expect in this life, and therefore I willingly surrender it to thee; this long-lived body, this spirituall-lived soul: Hoping that both shall turn their length into eternity, and their days shall be yet much more clear, and much more warm, where God is the Sun, and both light and heat are such as proceed from that Sun. A Meditation upon Psalm 39 VERSES 12, 13. 12. Hear my prayer O Lord, and give ear unto my erie, hold not thy peace at my tears: for I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner as all my fathers were. 13. O spare me that I may recover my strength before I go● hence, and be no more seen. O Lord, I am mortal, I see it, I feel it, but it is thou that hast cleared mine eyes, and quickened my sense, which otherwise are to dim and dull to read, or acknowledge what notwithstanding I bear engraven in capital letters, and the condition of my nature maketh palpable. Yea so are my senses taken up with other objects, and so little am I willing to know that, whereof (if I be not willingly blind) I cannot be ignorant, that except thou hadst roused me, and thy afflicting hand stung me, I should certainly have been both deaf and dumb; I should not have heard thee, neither shouldest thou have heard from me. But Lord, the bitter Potion that I have taken from thy hand hath wrought thus fare, as to make me confess that it is too hard to be digested by me; if thou do not delay it, I must needs perish by it. Yet Lord I know that it is not the end whereat thou aymest, thou meanest not to take me out, but wean me from the world. This use if I make of thy rod, thou wilt quickly give over to lay on stripes. I have made this use, I now do better know myself. I lived before as if I were not only in, but also of the world; I used not the things of this world, but enjoyed them rather. Now I find that I have here no abiding place, I am but a sojourner; a Tenement I have here, but no freehold; the goods that I have, I account them not mine otherwise then by loan, and therefore am as ready to leave them; as I have an uncertain title to them. And if I am but a sojourner in this place, I must needs be a stranger to the persons; little commerce with them, little affection towards them have I. And why should I have more seeing they will have little with me, and bear little towards me? I am crucified to the world, and the world is crucified to me? Weeds grow near the corn, and corn near the weeds, but yet the nearness is not without a strangeness; for neither do their roots suck the same juice in the ground, neither above ground do their stalks bear the same fruit: even so thy children, O Lord, that cohabit with the children of this world, neither inwardly nor outwardly live by, nor walk with the same spirit which the worldlings have. My root is in heaven, and my fruit heavenly. I am transplanted from the wild Olive into the true, and grow no more in the fields but in the Paradise of God. Neither is this my single condition, I have it common with my Fathers, I am their heir, and their inheritance is descended unto me; what they were not, I desire not to be. neither would I be more inward with the world than they desired to be. Happily flesh and blood may suppose that it hath a greater interest in things of this life, and nearer cognation with the men of this world; but it is a supposal of flesh and blood. I make it not the judge of my state, neither according to it do I esteem myself, I have better Parentage, and better can I prove my Pedigree▪ I acknowledge none for my fathers that had their portion in this life; from them I descended that used the world as if they used it not, and walked with thee; with those Pilgrims, I profess myself a Pilgrim, and my life but the life of a way-faring man that is on his way to the Holy land. Therefore as they, so I desire not to be surcharged with earthly things, neither to surfeit on the vanities of this life; I desire to live, but it is, that I may keep on my way, to have the things of this life, but no farther than they are necessary for my journey; I have enough, if I have enough to do this Measure unto me so much, and so temper my cross that I may not come short of this. I desire not to be immortal in a state of mortality, fare be that from the heart of thy servant; only let me not be disenabled to my journey, so long as I am fit to walk therein, and to walk towards thee. Forbear to sour my life and make bitter my days; I would serve thee cheerfully, I would serve thee courageously; deject me not, enfeeble me not, let not thy heavy hand overwhelm me with heaviness of heart, neither let thy punishing hand enfeeble my fainting spirits. It is not long I desire to live, neither is it continual ease that I affect. I know that the later is not safe, too much ease is the bane of piety, and more have gone to heaven from the Rack, then from their Downbed. And as for the former, it is against the Decree, thou hast made our days but a span long, and the time of our pilgrimage, is but a moment, scarce worthy the name of time. What then is my desire? That of this little thou shouldest afford me a little, a little breathing before I breathe out my last. Let me be a while, what before long I must cease to be, a vigorous Pilgrim; let me walk strongly, that before long shall not be able to walk at all; let me foretaste heaven on earth, and try me with the use of earth, how much I prefer heaven before it. If thou continually affright my conscience with the horror of sin; if thou daily for sin afflict my body; if thou put no end to the malice of men; and if thou cloud the state of thy servant with incessant disgrace; how shall I so forlorn a wretch, so distressed a caitiff, not be overwhelmed with despair and prove restive in my way? How shall I inwardly or outwardly mind my country, and rejoice in my hopes? These things I would do, but by reason of my pain I cannot do. What remaineth then but that I desire release, and thou deny not my desire? I make my suit, as one that desireth to speed, passionately, feelingly; ●pray, but my prayer is a Cry; and my cry is poured forth not only by my tongue, but also by mine eyes. Behold Lord a true Penitent, whose voice is not only verbal, but real; and canst thou stop thine ears against such words? can thy relieving hand forbear to succour when it is importuned by such deeds? thou that hast opened my mouth, vouchsafe to open thine own ears, and let the fountain of merciful comfort stream down upon him, from whose eyes thou hast drawn floods of Tears; speak comfortably to him, that speaketh penitently to thee; and deal graciously with him, that prostrateth himself humbly before thee. So shall I willingly be a sojourner in earth, that I may be a Citizen of heaven; a stranger to the world, that I may be a friend of God: the ease that thou givest me shall encourage me in thy service, and I will live so hear, as he that shall not live long. And because I shall, when death cometh, be no more a mortal, though never so worldly a happy man; I will endeavour that I may be, by thy grace, an immortal, an eternal blessed Saint. A Meditation upon Psalm 63. VERSE. 1, 2. 1. O God thou art my God, early will I seek thee, my Soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee, in a barren and wearisome land where no water is. 2. So have I appeared before thee in thy Sanctuary, that I might see thy power and glory, O Lord, I want, I seek relief, to whom shall I come but unto God? And with thee I dare be bold, thou art my God; there is store in God, and my want cannot be relieved but by his store. I am in a wilderness; for what is this world but a wilderness? Nay myself am a wilderness; what is a wilderness but a dry earth, which tireth those that pass through it? And what is the cause? It hath no water; no water to quench the traveilers thirst, no water to make fruitful the soil that it may bear food to sustain his hunger, no water which may enable the earth to become green, or be embellished with flowers, the sight whereof may ease the wearisomeness of the traveller that languisheth and fainteth through thirst and hunger. This is the state of a wilderness; and in such a wilderness am I, dry and weary, no moisture, no strength: and why? I have no fountain, I have spent that moisture which I received from thee. Thou madest me a green tree, but I am become dry, withered, no fruit, no leaves, no sap, as fare spent as was the prodigal Son; and all by sin. And yet sin doth not leave me, it turmoils me still, and my blood being spent, my spirits wasted, the blood and spirits of grace and goodness, now I faint, now I am weary. And gladly would I recover some strength; even as gladly as the prodigal child would have fed upon Husks, but he found none that gave him. And here in my wilderness I find no waters except they be the waters of Marah, so bitter they cannot be drunk; or of jericho, so bad that they will make the land barren; of such Waters I have springs enough. Every outward sense, and every inward; my understanding, my will, are fountains of such waters; fountains that stream forth and moisten my whole man, yea and turn the whole man into a dead Sea. This goodly as it were Garden of the Lord, which was set every where with trees of life, I mean my body and soul, inwardly and outwardly representing the Image of God, what are they now, but even as the dead Sea? And what are all the fruits thereof, but even as Sodom? I want not waters then, but sweet waters; the want of them maketh me a wilderness, fruitless and yet fruitful; fruitful in roots of bitterness, in thistles, in briers, the fruits of a cursed soil. But fruitless am I, in whom groweth neither the Lily nor the Rose, neither is my life innocent, nor my heart patiented; I am as indisposed to suffer for well-doing as to doing well. But as for these better plants, the Vine that cherisheth God and man, the Olive by which they are honoured both, and the sweet figtree that groweth in Paradise, they grow not in my soil, dry soil, that hath no sap of that kind. And yet a soil in husbanding whereof I tyre myself, and therefore well may I call it a wearisome soil; all the fruit it beareth is but vanity of vanities, and all my comfort is but vexation of spirit. Seeing this is my case, where lies my comfort? The comfort of my Soul, the comfort of my body, both are a wilderness. But neither would be so; the thirst of my Soul, the desire of my flesh, my dry, my tired soul and flesh speak their wants, and speak more audibly than can my words what I want, what I beg. The thirst is mine, but that I thirst it is thy gift, O Lord; the desire is mine, but that I do desire, O Lord, it cometh of grace; it is thy holy spirit that teacheth me this language which can be learned in no other school. And why Lord hast thou taught it me? Is it not because I should speak to thee? That my drought should speak, my weariness should cry? That both should ask of the Lord rain? For with thee is the well of living waters; it is thou that turnest a wilderness into a standing water, and dry ground into water springs. Unto thee then come I, O Lord, that only art able to relieve me, because thou art a God of power; and no less willing, then able, because thou art my powerful God. Even thou, O God, that art three in one, and one in three: O God the Father I come to thee, and in the bowels of a Father thou canst not reject me; thou art my God, I have no other God, than he that is my Father. O God the Son I come to thee; thou canst not refuse him whom thou hast made thy brother; thou art my God, I have no other God than he that is my Saviour. O holy Ghost I come to thee; wilt thou despise him whose comforter thou hast vouchsafed to be? thou art my God, I have none other God than he that is my Comforter. A threefold cord cannot be broken, and how should I fail that have this threefold stay? Let me be a wilderness, a dry, a wearisome wilderness, was it not this God that of the Chaos, unshapen and empty Chaos, made this solid, this beautiful fabric of the world? And cannot be transform my wilderness into a paradise? Yea; the waters of the Sanctuary no sooner entered the dead Sea, but they became living waters; all things presently lived in it, and the Tree of life grew plenteously all along the banks of it. Therein what dost thou show, Lord, but how powerful thy grace is, and what an alteration it can work in me? I acknowledge this, and, Lord let me feel that truth which I acknowledge; make haste to moisten him that early seeketh to thee. I should have sought unto thee in the morning of my age; and happy had I been if I had so timely sought unto thee, I had not so long continued in the wilderness: Yea the trees which now scarce blossom would then have been loaden with ripe fruit, the seed which is now scarce in the blade, would have shot an ear, and been white for harvest. But, Lord, I that neglected that morning, to testify my grief therefore take holdfast of another morning; as much as I can I redeem the time, the day hath dawned, I suffer not the Sun to shine in vain; so soon as I can see my way, I take my way to thee, I come early, I would speed betimes. See, Lord, my desire in my haste; and, Lord, let thy grace hasten like my desire; yea prevent my desire, who cannot desire so timely as I would. Only, O Lord, I take notice of my Day, and would not have it spent in vain: Turn my morning into high-noon, let the Sun of righteousness ascend unto his greatest height; but proportion my desire to thy light, and let me so begin betimes as that I persevere unto the end; let my later works be better than my first, let my motions be, not violent, which slacken as they go on, and are weakest in in the end; but let them be natural, yea supernatural motions, let them increase as they go on, and the nearer my race draweth to an end, the hotter let my zeal be towards God. Let me thirst the more, let me the more desire those waters that moisten my drought, and refresh my weariness; so let me appear before thee. But where art thou? In thy Sanctuary, thy holy place. How reverend is that place? And how unfit am I to be seen there? Is that a place for a wilderness? Paradise is a better object of the eyes of God, where God may see all that he hath made; and see it good, and bless it being so; but sin hath no place in Paradise, God's eyes cannot endure it; yea therefore were the Cherubins set with the flaming sword that sinners might not approach the place of God. How senseless then am I that being such as I am, dare approach the place of God being such as it is? True Lord, I am senseless indeed, if I come only as a dry, as a thirsty land; such an object is not for the holy eyes of God, it is not to approach his presence. But if the dry land be also thirsty, than thou callest, Ho all ye that thirst come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money buy and eat, yea come buy wine and milk without money and without price. If the barren land be weary, thou callest O Lord: Come unto me all that labour and are heavy loaden, I will ease you, I will give you rest. Seeing this thirst this desire is acceptable unto God, even where there wanteth the fatness and fruitfulness of good works, and God, whose Throne is heaven, and whose footstool is the earth will look to that man, even to him that is poor and of a contrite heart; though I want righteousness, yet because I hunger and thirst after it, I am not afraid to be seen in the Sanctuary of God, yea in the Sanctuary to look upon God. For I know what he will show unto me, even his Power and Glory; he will show them both to me, nay, he will show them both on me: His power, that shall work on me, and his glory, that shall crown me. He will make me as a water garden, and plant me with most generous plants, by his power; that so I may flourish and be comely in the eyes both of Angels and men. Yea God will show his power, and God will give me glory, that my eyes beholding them, my mouth may speak of them, speak of the works of God, and tell what he hath done for my body and for my soul. O Lord, other creatures partake thy Power, partake thy Glory, but all do not see it; we that are endued with reason, not only have them, but perceive them; and it is our happiness that we know what blessings we have. Lord let me never be so stupid, as not to behold thy Mercies; and when I do behold them, let me also feel how blessed I am whom thou vouchsafest to possess them; so shall I more and more confess that thou, O Lord, art my God, and being my God, I shall make haste to thee; my Soul shall make haste, and so shall my body also; my dry and weary body and soul shall go out of this world, wherein there are no springs of life, and thirsty and longing as they are, they shall approach thy Sanctuary, and there Lord, let them see, not only feel, thy Power, thy Glory, quenching my thirst, and satisfying my Desire. Amen. A Meditation upon Psalm 90. VERSES 11, 12. 11. Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear: so is thy wrath. 12. So teach us to number our days. that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. THE FIRST PART. Sin and wrath by nature should go hand in hand, and as deep as we plunge ourselves in to sin: so deep should we sink in wrath. We should, if justice measured unto us as we deserve; but mercy hath provided better for us, and God is pleased to proportion the smart of stripes to the fear which we have of them, the less fear, the more smart; and the less smart, the more we fear. Thou hast left it (O Lord) in the power of a sinner, how fare thou shalt take vengeance of his sin. Let the Law speak never so terribly; let sin offend never so grievously; let the curses be never so many; let the plagues be never so manifold; yea let thy countenance be overcast with never so thick a cloud; let the burning coals that are kindled by thy wrath be never so scorching; roar the waves of thy overflowing indignation never so hideously, and be the whirlwind of thy wrath never so tempestuous; fear, only fear, the fear of a penitent Soul that trembles at the voice of thy Law, that melteth at the sight of thy judgements, that accuseth itself, that condemeth itself, that is ready to join with God to do justice upon its sinful self; this fear (I say) that lest armeth itself against God, is best armed and prevails best by stooping most. And this is powerful weakness, a conquering captivity, a match over-matching that for which we can otherwise find no match. This power (O Lord) hast thou given to repentant fear, a blessed power; and yet there are few that use it, though all do stand in need of it. And why? Who arms himself against that whereof he hath no regard? Men sin, but little do they think that their sins offend God, and if they offend they shall be punished, because God is not only sensible of his wrongs, but also judge of our lives; as he hath prescribed the precepts of his Law, so hath he added sanctions thereunto; and as the precept showeth what we must do, so what he will do we learn out of the Sanction, if we fail to obey, thou (O Lord) will't not fail to strike, for there is Wrath with thee, and from thee will that wrath break out on us. And woe be to us if it break out; for thy wrath, O God, is a powerful wrath. And indeed how can it be otherwise, if it be thine, who art a God of power? Can we look into thee and not apprehend Almightiness in thee? But our eyes are too weak to pierce so fare, happily in that that comes from thee a natural man may behold what power there is in thee. Heaven and earth are the work of thy hands, nay they are the Host that attends thy Person; if they are mighty, thou much more; for what they have, thou gavest them, and in proof thereof thou takest from them at thy pleasure. As the Sun did shine first at thy command: so at thy command it hath lost his light; it was from thee the fire received his burning quality, and when thou forbaddest it, it could not burn; thou madest the waters flow, thou spakest but the word and they were solid like a wall? Thou fixedst the Globe of the earth, and it stood still: and when thou didst utter thy voice, it quaked, it trembled for very fear; when thou sendest forth thy spirit▪ thou renewest the face of the earth, and all things whither and return to nothing if thou withdraw thy spirit. How powerful then art thou, O Lord, at whose command is the power of every creature, and fighteth for thee against thine enemies? The Sun can scorch them, the fire consume them, the air poison them, the earth swallow them; and how many spectacles have we of such judgements? But what speak I of these greater soldiers of thine, and weapons of thy wrath? How many beasts in the fields? How many birds of the air? How many fishes in the Sea have undertaken God's cause against man, and executed remarkable judgements upon sinners? But I do not yet come home enough; he that readeth the plagues of Egypt, and considers what a destruction God wrought by frogs, and flies, and louse, the least whereof wrested a submission from Pharaoh and his Kingdom, and forced them to confess their unableness to resist can he choose but be amazed at the sight of God's power, when these creatures so fare in their own nature under the power of man, when he commands them to be his Executioners, so fare overmatch the stoutest of men? But what look I without us for the sinews of God's wrath? What sinews may we find every man within himself? If God be pleased to reward us according to our deservings, he shall need no other, we will do him this service ourselves. Our wits will not only fail us, but ensnare us; our hearts will be so fare from eschewing, that they will carry us headlong into all mischief; our eyes will see fearful visions; our ears be filled with dreadful sounds; our tongues will betray us; our feet miscarry us; our hands offer violence unto us, no power of our soul, no part of our body, wherewith we have conceived or acted sin, that will not lay on some deadly stroke upon us for sin. But of all the soldiers of God wherein we are most feelingly to behold the Power of his wrath, there is none comparable to our own Conscience, which layeth on so heavy a burden, and peirceth with so deadly a sting, that there is no man whom it cannot crush with its weight, and which will not run mad if he throughly feel the smart thereof. I will not draw a man down into hell, where into notwithstanding wrath will tumble sinful man; I might there show him utter darkness the privation of that light which shineth in heaven; unquenchable fire, in opposition to the Waters of life that stream in heaven; the weeping and wailing instead of the endless music that is above; the murmuring gnashing of teeth, instead of the triumphant songs of blessed Souls; finally the tormented and tormenting fiends, instead of the blessed Sain●s and Angels that are above. And what are all these but evidences of the power of God's wrath? And is the power so large, so palpable and yet unknown? Can it be such, and yet not discerned of man? If he climb into heaven, God manifesteth it there; and he finds it in earth, if his thoughts fall thither; neither can he descend into hell, but there he shall meet it; nay he must go from himself, or else God will force him to behold it. Why then doth thy servant Moses move this question, who knoweth it? Is it not because men do not heed it, and so though they should, yet take no notice of it? And indeed, Lord, if any be ignorant, his ignorance is inexcusable; and yet some such beasts rather than men are there, that are willing not to know what they are not willing to regard. Or if men be not so gross as thus to wink with their eyes, that they may stupefy their hearts; yet do their lusts dim their sight, and they see so imperfectly, that they they are but weakly affected with it. Hence comes it to pass that thy minatory words and works stay so few from falling into sin, and reclaim so few that are fallen there into they do not believe that thou wilt strike, until they feel thy strokes are on them. The Israelites would not, as Moses had good proof for forty year; and we are no better than they, though our trial hath been much onger than theirs; we have no useful knowledge of the wrathful power of God. This question may well be moved of us, even of us to whom God hath vouchsafed the same power over his wrath; our little fear argueth our little knowledge; and we may not think that we have any true knowledge which doth not end in fear; such a fear as can hold God's hand, or at least moderate his stroke is the only argument that we have profited in that school of the great and lesser world, wherein we have so full so plain a Lecture read unto us of the powerful wrath of God. A Meditation upon Psalm 90. VERSE. 12. So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. THE SECOND PART. THou dost manifest thy power, O Lord, and we are the monuments of it, our mortality is; therein are graved the capital Letters that describe thy powerful wrath. For what is mortality, but a real voice in our ears, or presenting rather unto our eyes the doom of sin? Thou madest us immortal, and immortality was a part of thy Image which art eternal; our time then had no term, it could not be defined by any kind of period. But sin hath abridged what had no bounds, it hath brought our life within a short compass; it is measured by days; and days are▪ a● the first, so the least part of Time which thou hast made. And these days are not infinite; in vain should a man desire to number that which cannot be numbered; jacob said his days were few, David that his were but a span long; Saint james that no man's life is more lasting than a bubble; a man would think a little Arithmetic would cast up so small an account; a man seems to need no better a master then a man; for what man is he that is ignorant of this principle, That man is mortal? and that it cannot be long before he return to dust. And yet Moses that was learned in all the sciences of the Egyptians (amongst which Arithmetic was one) desireth to learn this point of Arithmetic only of thee O Lord; & why? Is it because (as job speaketh) thou hast determined the number of his days? Would Moses have thee reveal to every man the moment of his end? Such speculations may well beseem an Egyptian, an Israelite they do not beseem. Thy children, O Lord, know that it is not for them so to know times and seasons which thou keepest in thine own power, and are a secret sealed up with thee; we should not pry into that counting house, nor curiously inquire into that sum. It is not then a Mathematical numbering of days that Moses would be schooled in, but a moral, he would have God not simply to teach him to number, but to number so; and so points out a special manner, a manner that may be useful for the children of God. And indeed our petitions must bear this mark of profitable desires, and we should not ask aught of thee, but that by which (if we speed) we may become the better; he that so studieth his mortality learns it as he should, and it is only thou, O Lord, that takest him out such a lesson. But what is the use, O Moses, that thou wouldst have man make of such a knowledge? Even to apply his heart unto wisdom; O happy knowledge by which a man becomes wise; for wisdom is the beauty of a reasonable soul, God conereated him therewith. But sin hath divorced the soul and wisdom; so that a sinful man is indeed no better than a fool; so the Scripture calleth him; and well may it call him so, seeing all his carriage is vain, and the upshot of his endeavours but vexation of spirit. But though sin have divorced wisdom and the Soul; yet are they not so severed, but they may be reunited; and nothing is more powerful in furthering this union, than this feeling meditation that we are mortal. For who would not shake hands with the world, that knows we must shortly appear before God? Yea who would not provide for that life which hath no end, that seethe that this hasteneth so fast unto an end? Finally, who would suffer the arrows of God's wrath that summon us unto judgement to pass unregarded, seeing the due regard thereof is able to turn a Tribunal into a Throne of grace? Surely affliction, if we discern the hand that infflicts it, is the best school of wisdom, yea of the best sort of wisdom, the wisdom of the heart; it turneth knowledge into practice, and maketh us more tender hearted than we are quick sighted; it doth not only discern that God is a consuming fire, but melts at the very sight of him; it doth not only know that God's word is a hammer, but feeleth the force thereof in a broken and contrite spirit; it conceive fears, so soon as it heareth threats, and is no sooner touched but it is reclaimed. And this is Wisdom, the true wisdom of a mortal man, whose best help against mortality stands in the awful regard of Gods offended favour. Seeing then (O Lord) this is the fruit of that desired knowledge, and he is best seen in the length of his days, that is most humbled with the sense of thy wrath; and he needs least to fear death, that doth (as he ought) most fear thee; vouchsafe to be his master that desireth to be thy scholar, and let grace teach what nature doth not discern, that I moulder into dust, because I corrupt myself with sin; so shall I be weary of my natural folly that negotiates for death, and affect true wisdom that is the Tree of life; with this I shall endeavour to furnish not only my head, but my heart also; and that which now is the seat of death, shall then become the receptacle of life; that life which begins in thy fear, which is the only inlet of everlasting joy. A Meditation upon Lament. 5. VERSE. 21. Turn thou us unto thee O Lord, and we shall be turned; renew our days as of old. We are mutable, and what wonder? Seeing we are creatures, we cannot know that we were made of nothing, but we must acknowledge that to nothing we may return again: and indeed thither we hasten if we be left unto ourselves. For mar ourselves we can, but we cannot mend ourselves, we can dedestroy what God hath built, but we cannot repair what we do destroy. Wretched power, that is only able to disinable us, and hath no strength but to enfeeble him whose strength it is. I read of Adam the first monument of this unhappy strength, but I may read it in myself; I (as all his sons) inherit as his nature, so this self ruining power. But when experience hath made me see how valiant I have been against myself, inflicting deadly wounds, precipitating my person, and misguiding my steps, I become disconsolate and helpless in myself; what then shall I do? To whom then shall I seek? To the fiends of hell that solicited me to sin? To the worldly vanities by which my lusts were baited? Well may they add to my fall, raise me again they cannot, they will not, such evil trees bear no such good fruit: and if they did, they would rather have me a companion in their sin, and in their woe, then seek to free me from, or ease me in either of them. But happily the good Angels, as they are more able, so they are more willing to pity, to relieve me: but they behold thy face, O Lord, and stir not but when thou sendest them, and they only to whom thou sendest can be the better for them; these heavenly spirits that attend thy Throne move not but at thy beck, and do no more than thou commandest. I see then that if I stray, it is thou that must fetch me home; it is thou, Lord, that must lift me up when I am slipped down to the gates of death, and my wounds will be incurable if thou be not pleased to heal me. Thou Lord hast made me know in what case I am, and only canst redress my woeful case, I seek to thee, and to thee only. To thy wisdom I commend my head, illighten it, show me thy way; thou that of nothing madest me something, vouchsafe to make me something that have brought myself to nothing. Yea worse than nothing, for sin is so, it doth not only abolish that good which thou hast given me, but it filleth me with evil that is opposite to good, yea to God. And how much better is it at all not to be, then to be a sinner? To be nothing, then to be a fiend of hell? Never to have seen the Sun then to be at enmity with God? This is the state where into I have cast myself, and thus fare have I estranged myself from thee. And how restless am I until I return to thee O Lord? Sin forfeits many things besides God, but let a man recover all, all besides will yield no content, except a man recover God. And why Lord? Thou art the sovereign good, and without thee nothing is good. If I do not partake the creature in reference to my Creator, well may I have it, I shall have no true comfort in it. Take then all from me and leave me God; though I have nothing yet shall I enjoy all things, for God is all in all. Wherefore though I am sick, I do not desire health, I desire God; and it is God that I desire when I am poor, I do not desire wealth; I am senseless of all other wants, I hunger and thirst only after God. Seeing then thou, Lord, only canst quiet, canst satisfy my Soul, if thou vouchsafe to turn me, turn me unto thee; let me not make a stand before I come so far, neither let me think myself recovered until I have recovered thee. Let others rest contented with the dross of the earth, or with the pomp of this world, my original is from heaven, and I can find no rest until my affections rest there. Therefore return me unto him, from whom sin hath estranged me, even to thyself, O God; I beg this of thee, because I can expect it from none but thee, and from thee I am sure I shall not expect it in vain. For be I never so fare gone, I cannot go out of thy reach, I can be no more out of the reach of thy Grace then of thy Power; as thou canst smite me, so canst thou heal me; and thou canst bring me home, as well as thou canst cast me out. Lord I make no doubt of the success, if thou vouchsafe thy will; for Lord, if thou wilt thou canst make me whole, only thy power is equal to thy will, and thou canst do whatsoever pleaseth thee. Be pleased then, good Lord, to put to thy helping hand that thy prodigal Child that by the first step of thy grace is come home to himself, by a second step may come home to thee. I desire no new blessing, no such blessing as thou hast not vouchsafed to the sons of Adam, yea to me. Thou madest Adam after thine own Image, and me in him, holy and happy didst thou make us: such sunshine days were our former days, clear and warm, without corruption, without mortality, though now we are both sinful, and woeful; all our days are such evil days. But thou, O Lord, that commandest at first light to shine out of darkness, and dost continually exchange the night for day, shine upon me; let the Sun of righteousness arise unto me; become my father, make me thy child, give me grace to serve thee, and vouchsafe thou to bless me; create a new heaven and a new earth in this little world of mine, wherein let righteousness dwell. Yea and happiness also; let them rest on my body, let them rest on my soul, let them rest on both all the days of this life, until thou be pleased to remove both hence, and consummate this thy favour in the life to come. Wherein my days shall be, though like, yet much better, than my days of old; by so much better as glorification shall exceed the creation. Thou seest. O Lord, the upshot of my desire. Now let my desire be a comfortable Prophecy of thy favour; disappoint me not of that for which thou hast made me long; so change me by grace here on earth, that I may be what I hope to be by glory in heaven; where all things are made so new that they never can wax o●d, AMEN. Meditation upon Ecclesiast. 41. VERSE. 1. O death how bitter is the remembrance of thee to a man that liveth at rest in his possessions, unto the man that hath nothing to vex him, and that hath prosperity in all things, and is yet able to receive meat? We have no abiding place on earth, none have, but of those that would have there are many. Many there are, O Lord, that, though they must die, cannot endure to mind death, nothing more unsavoury to some, then that their memory should be exercised with the memory thereof. And who are they? Surely they whom the earth most favoureth, are they that are best affected thereto, where their goods are, there they think it is good being. And how should any be willing to part from that wherein he findeth content, and whereupon he hath set his rest? He it is that is not only in, but of the world; not only useth but enjoyeth the same and from that which is our joy if we be severed, we cannot be severed without pain. Heaven is a blessed place, and blessed is the state which all are promised that shall come thither. But this truth we believe, we do not see it; surely the worldly happy man doth hardly credit it, because he hath no sense thereof. Sense that hath immediately to do with the world, as it is pleasured, so doth it judge thereof, it judgeth it the only place of happiness. If it may be so happy as to be fed to the full with that which it desires; if we have goods, and have the use of them; what saith flesh and blood should I wish for more? And indeed what fuller definition can an earthly mind make of a blessed life, then secure store, and a comfortable use of such goods, which are the goods of this natural life? Although in themselves they are fleeting vanities, yet sensual reason honoureth them with the glorious title of substance, it thinketh they are, and are what they seem, because it judgeth according as it wisheth, and what it would have them to be, it holds them to be such. And if man be so unhappily happy as to hold them without the opposition of envy or malice, and their wings are clipped from flying away, the more propriety we think we have in them, the more are we confirmed in our erroneous judgement of them. Nothing doth more root a man's heart in the world, than an over great calm wherein he sails and rides at Anchor in the world; worldly peace doth much help forward a worldly mind. Especially if we be lulled a sleep by both charms of this peace, Security and Plenty; if no body disturb us, no body impair what we have gathered, no casualty, no calamity cloud the Sun shine of our day, or sour the sweet of our welfare, how can we but think that so secure a l●fe must needs be a blessed life? But if our Spring be not only not blasted, but also bear all kind of fruit; all go well with us, and we have the world at will, blessed in the field, and blessed at home, blessed in our cattles, and blessed in our corn, blessed in all where to we put our hand, how can we but deem ourselves possessed of a blessed state? But having is not enough; though we hold all this securely, yet is it comfortable use that is the Soul of sensual blessedness, if this quicken that body, then is a man, a natural man than is as blessed as he would be. When his eyes can behold the glory of his wealth, his ears be tickled with the flattery of music, and the music of flattery, his nostrils breath in the fragrancy of his Paradises and perfumes of his precious ointments, while his can taste and distinguish the delicacies of Apicean Cookery finally while every sense is courted with his fawning object, and nature hath not given over to delight in such court, but holds herself more blessed in so partaking, then in having of such worldly goods; when such a state is befallen a man, then is he● come to the highest degree of that prosperity which the world can afford. And being in it, little sense hath he of aught besides it, for hardly will it give leisure to the Soul to think that there is any other welfare then that which is enjoyed by the dodie. And how should it think that this is brickle if it never feel it crazed? How should it loathe that which never gave it any discontent? Finally how should it be willing to bid that farewell, wherein all its welfare doth consist? How then should Dives clothed in purple and fine linen and faring deliciously every day, think of death, and not think with horror, that cometh to make so unwelcome a separation? a separation between such loving friends that take such mutual content each in the other, and whereof each seemeth with an inviolable league to have devoted itself unto the other. P●reant qui inter nos dissidium volunt, saith flesh and blood, evil betid them that will break this true love knot. And who can do this but death? And how should he be willing to hear of death, that knoweth that death will do this? Death will give the lie unto our goods, and prove they are not substance but a shadow; death will turn our calm into a storm, and toss the ship that lay still; our wealth which we have treasured it will bequeath to others, and it will lodge us in the grave long before we desire to be at our journey's end. A natural man knoweth this is so, but yet he taketh no delight to make this the subject of his thoughts, the feeling of this truth, when it falleth out, is bitter enough. Why should he taste the potion, thinketh he, before he is sick? And lengthen his misery, by making himself miserable before his time? The prognostication of such weather doth more afflict then the weather itself, and fear torments more than pain. More is he distressed that forefeeths, than he that feeleth misery; for fear and foresight are the tortures of the Soul, whereas death and the harbingers thereof fasten their afflictions only upon the body. And much more sensible is the soul, than the body can be. Seeing this is the evil of worldly weal, and the ease our corrupt nature taketh in it maketh us more to distaste the loins of heaven, mix I beseech thee O Lord my peace with war●●●, let me never be a secure Owner of my worldly goods. Yea Lord; let them appear as they are transitory and uncertain, that I may never repute them to be my goods. Let thiefs strip me, let crosses distress me, though I lose, yet I shall gain, and prosper best when I do not prosper. Death that must come shall never be unwelcome, nay the remembrance of it shall be my greatest comfort, it shall never find me but willing to leave what I never did enjoy, and happy shall I account that hour that shall take me out of the world, when it taketh the world from me because we never were at one, and therefore shall not fear to be at odds, the world is crucified to me, and I to the world. Death shall have no pains in parting our association, which shall find us before hand parted in affection; let death be bitter unto others, to me it shall be sweet, and I will prepare myself by timely thinking on it; so shall I never be uncomfortably surprised by it. FINIS.