SEVERAL SERMONS OF ROBERT HARRIS once of HANWELL, Now Precedent of Trinity College in Oxon, and Doctor of DIVINITY. BEING A supplement to his works formerly Printed in Folio; intended for their supply, who have the other already. CONTAINING I A brief Treatise of the threefold state of man never before extant. TWO A Sermon preached to the Honourable House of Commons. III A Sermon touching prayer and mercy; preached at the Spittle. IV Abner's Funeral, preached at the Funeral of Sir Thomas Lucy Knight. V Concio ad Clerum. Preached to the University of Oxford. Which were not in the former Edition in Folio. BY ROBERT HARRIS, D.D. Oxon. LONDON, Printed by James Flesher, for John Bartlet the elder, and Jonh Bartlet the younger, and are to be sold at the Gilded Cup, on the South side of Paul's near Austin's Gate in the new Buildings. 1654. TO Sir ANTHONY COPE Knight and Baroner. SIR, YOu are called to a place which I cannot but love, Hanwell, you are yet but young, and youth (God saith) is vanity, and vanity feeds upon itself, Eccles. 11.1 Job 11.12. being empty and impatient of Counsel; we were want to say of you in your Childhood, that you were a man, we now upon better grounds expect it from you; and do pray you seriously to mind yourself: First, wither you are called: Secondly, and by whom. 'Tis true, you are called to a great estate, but that is made up of such materials as do stand upon two lame feet: the first is Uncertainty; first outward things are uncertain; 1. to us, they have wings, 1 Time. 6.17. Prou. 23.5. and are now upon the wing, flying from house to house, and (as I may say to my cost) from nation to nation; on the other side, 2. we are uncertain to them, sometimes we play with them as children with birds and sand them flying by unthrifty and ungodly means, at other times death seizes us and sequesters them on the sudden. You need not go from home to learn this, my days are not many, yet in them, I have buried three of your Fathers, with their respective wives, besides branches, more then I can name; you are (within few years) the fourth heir of that ancient house; such is our life, and so uncertain the supports thereof. But admit a certainty, yet halt these outwards, on another lame leg, and that's Unsufficiency, they will not secure us from any evil, they will not procure us any good, at lest they will not given us any full satisfaction: we read of some who had more Kingdoms then you have Manors; who enlarged their desires like hell, and yet were as unsatisfied as bell itself: so true is Solomon (to saynothing of heathens) the eye is not satisfied with seeing, ●…cles. 5. ●…, etc. etc. and when all is done, all is but vanity, and the vanity of vanities: this (I confess) is not easily believed, till experience hath confuted us. I remember what your Father told me, upon his death bed, "I have often heard you (said he; speak) of creatures" vanity, but I could never believed it till I had tried, upon trial, be found me true. OH that Sir Anthony in his youth, would appeal to Sir Anthony in his age, "believed" it (said be to his heir, your Grandfather) all is vanity, mere vanity, so have I, so will you in time found it; but so much of that. In the next place, be pleased to consider, 2. who hath brought you hither; surely preferment comes not by chance, it is the Lord that sets up, Pf. 75.6, 7. and pulls down, now in mercy, now in wrath; the world may seem to run on wheels, but those wheels are full of eyes, Ezck. 1. and an eye of providence is most visible in these revolutions which relate to you. When I first knew Hanwell, I sounded Sir Anthony Cope there, and there I leave him again, whilst I leave the world, the wheel with eyes is come about, and ends where it began for my time; and truly it will be no smalk comfort to me dying, may I leave the same Sir Anthony in the same place; the Sir Anthony that I found there, was not only morally good, temperate, sober, continent, etc. but spiritually good, a man truly zealous for God in his day, worships, truths, a man who did much countenance all honest Preachers, and (which is not ordinary) his own most, a man terrible to the wicked, comfortable to the Godly, a lover of his Country, and with Uzziah a lover of husbandry in that his Town, who made it his study (as he would say) to employ the poor there, and to keep thence, such as would either burden or blemish the place; This was the Sir Anthony that I found there, and my prayer unto heaven is, that the same name and man, may still and still there live, and be ever like self, that his house may be fare from the curse, Nah. 1.14. and be filled with the presence of the God, who is both his own, and our blessedness; and here I must now end, having exceeded my purpose, I say but thus much more, and I have done. The longer I lived in those parts, the more need I found of laying principles well, these few are some of those many delivered in a shorter and plainer way, these thus preserved and enlarged, I tender to you as an expression of my true observance of that Honourable house, and honest Town, where I spent most of my strength, and which I commend to the word of grace to be further built up in the faith of Christ, in whom I would be whilst I am, Sir, Your ready servant and faithful remembrancer, Robert Harris. Trinity College Oxf. Octob. 13. 1653. A Table of the several Sermons, Texts of Scripture, and points of Doctrine, contained in the following work. A brief discourse of the threefold state of man Page 1. Eccles. 7.29. Lo this only have I found, that God hath made man upright: but they have sought out many inventions. Doct 1. MAn at first was a very excellent and desirable creature. p. 2. 2 Man is not what he was, he was not what he is, but now there is a vast distance between himself and himself, betwixt this and that estate. p. 13. 3 Man's sin is from man's self. p. 26. 4 Man's undoing, is from his non-dependence on God. p. 39 5 When a man is once lose from God, and left to himself, he becomes restless and endless in his ways. p. 49. Rom. 8.1. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ lesus, etc. p. 58. Doct Saints in Christ, are in a very happy estate and condition. p. 118. A Sermon preached to the Honourable house of Commons. p. Luk. 18.6, 7, 8. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust Judge saith, And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily; Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh shall he found faith on the earth? Doct 1. In point of prayer we must gather all Arguments of encouragement, and never yield till we have the day. page. 2. The Lord will certainly avenge his own. p. 3 God bears long with adversaries; with worst men. p. 4 God is swift in his help as well as sure. p. A Sermon touching prayer and mercy. p. 1. Act. 10.31. And he said, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thy Alms are had in remembrance before God. Doct 1. God is unspeakably good and gracious toward poor suppliants in point of prayer. p. 4. 2 God does observe and book every act and work of mercy, that is done by his Servants. p. 19 3 Not outward disadvantage can excuse us from God's service, or exempt us from his acceptance. p. 33. Abner's Funeral. p. 1. 2 Sam. 3.38, 39 And the King said unto his servants, Know you not that there is a Prince, and a great man fallen this day in Israel? 39 And I am this day weak though anointed King; And these men the sons of Zerviah be to hard for me. The Lord shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness. Doct 1. No greatness will keep from any death. p. 3. 2 When great men are taken from us, we must be affected with it. p. 18. 3 The highest estate may be overtopped. p. 30. Concio ad Clerum. Johan. 21. v. 17.18.— Pasce oves meas. Amen Amen dico tibi, cùm esses junior cingebas te, & ibas quò volebas; quum autem senueris, extendes manus tuas, & alius te cinget, & transferet quò noles. — Pasce oves meas. Docum. Omnium est ea eniti, quae communis salutis maximè intersint, Spartámque quam nacti sunt adornare. p. 8. A Table of such Scriptures, as are cleared in the ensuing work. Gen 1.26. LEt us make man in our image. page. 3.5. You shall be like God. p. Job. 9.16. Yet would I not believed, that he had harkened unto my voice. p. Job. 21.23, 24. One dieth in his full strength. p. Job. 35.10. Where is God my maker. p. Prou. 19.17. He that hath pity upon the poor, dareth to the Lord. Prou. 27.8. As a Bird that wandreth from her nest, so is a man that wandreth from his place. Eccles. 1. Cast thy bread upon the waters, for thou shalt found it after many days. p. Esa. 30.18. The Lord waits that he may be gracious. pag. 58.6.7. Is not this the fast that I have chosen, etc. p. Jer. 22.14. And cutteth him out windows. p. Dan. 9.20. While I was speaking and praying, etc. p. Job. 7.17. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine. p. 16.24. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name. p. Rom. 7.20. It is no more I that do it. but sin. p. 2 Tim. 4.2. Praedica sermonem, insta, tempestiuè, imtempestiuè. p. Jam. 4.9. Be afflicted. p. 1 Joh. 3.9. He that is born of God doth not commit sin. p. An Alphabetical Table of the chief matters contained in the foregoing WORK. A. Dauid free from Abner's blood. p. 2. Abner's Funeral. Not outward disadvantages hinder God's acceptance. p. 33. Of prayer and mercy Those that have all advantages should hasten to God's service. p. 34 God will certainly avenge his people. p. Academici cavendum ne indignos ad S. Ministerium promoveant. p. 18. ipsi seduli sint. p. 19 B. BEllarmine confuted. p. 58 C. A Sinful change in fallen man p. 13 The nature of this change. p. 15 Extent and causes of it. p. 16 Comfort amid our great folly. p. 37 Condemnation what it imports. p. 59 To be in Christ, what? p. 60 Saints in Christ, are in a happy estate. p. 61 Wherein this consists, p. ib. & seqq. Come to Christ motives, p. 65 Objections against it answered. p. 67 What we must do to come to Christ. p. 68 Keep close to Christ. p. 69 Get your children into Christ. p. 71 How this may be done. p. 72 'Slight noon that are in Christ. Comfort to those that are in Christ. How to know whither we be in Christ. Objections against it answered. p. Cornelius formerly believed in Christ. p. 3 Comfort for the persecuted Church. p. Take courage in prayer. p. What is won or lost by courage, or fainting in prayer. p. See Prayer. D. Man's undoing from his non-dependence on God. 5. Reas. p. 39 Three sorts of men not depending on God. p. 44 When a man depends on God. p. 47 Observe the difference of man's estates. p. 18 The steps of man's downfall, p. 41 The great evil of it. p. 43 Inquire the cause of God's delays both public and private. How to remedy it. p. Be not discouraged, because of delays. p. Objections answered p. Two doubts resolved. p. 1 Relig. old way. Doubts should sand us to God in prayer. ib. & p. 13 No greatness can keep from death. p. 3. See Greatness Abn. fun. Be patiented at the death of friends. p. 32 Desire not worldly greatnese. p. 8. Abn. Fun. Men apt to believed the Devil rather then God. p. E. OF Election. Observe the difference of man's Estates. p. 18. See first estate. F. BE humbled to consider, from whence we are fallen. p. 10 Why God did not put us past danger of falling. p. 12 Time of man's fall. p. 14 A sinful change in man fallen, p. 13 Be humbled for our fall into sin. p. 20. & seq. How to recover our fall. p. 24. The power of faith. Aright fast. We should have respect to the meanest in our family. p. 34. Relig. Fear not worldly greatness. p. 7. Abn. Fun. We must not basely fear death. p. 14. How that may be cured. p. 15 Be well grounded in the knowledge of our first estate p. 6. Principles to be known concerning it. p. 67. Answer to Socinian, and Popish cavils about it. ibid. To the cavils of carnal p. 9 Great men apt to be flattered. p. 11. Abn. Fun. G. RVles to be observed in giving. p. 32. Ad Relig. God not the Author of sin. p. 31, 32 How greatly God is provoked p We must not control or confine God. p. No greatness can keep from any death. p. 3. Moderate your affections to earthly greatness. p. 7. Fears, hopes, desires. p. 7 8 Great ones should make account of and prepare for death. p. 11 Abn. Fun. Great men subject to be flattered. ibid. When great men are taken away, we must be affected with it. p. 18. Reas. p. 19 Great men should study to be usefully great, how? p. 20 Joyfully entertain great men. p. 24. Feel the loss of them. p. 25 H. HAbitual corruption, the second part of the first sin. p. 22 Saints in Christ happy. p. 66 comparatively with other estates. 62. positively wherein the happiness of it consists. ibid. Reas. 65 To be happy come to Christ. p. ib. Make sure of heaven. p. 33 how that may be done. p. 34 The highest estate may be overtopped. p. 30. Abn. Fun. Be humbled to consider, whence we are fallen. p. 10. Humiliation wherein it consists. p. 23 Carry ourselves humbly. p 37 I BE humbled for our impatience p. Inventions diversely translated. p. 49 Inventions to be avoided. p. 55 A mercy to have Judges. p. Justify God in all his ways. p. 8 K. BE well grounded in the knowledge of our first estate. p. 6. Principles to be known concerning it. p. 6.7. L. VErbum legere non est praedicare. p. 20. Cler. God's long-suffering towards his adversaries. p. M. Magistrate's must concur with God the Avenger. p. Confided in God to bear them out. p. Man at first an excellent creature. p. 2 Man's several causes. p. 3 Man lose from God restless in his ways. p. 50 The matter whereof man was made derogates not from his excellency. p. 5 God's mercy to be admired, who is yet ready to receive us. p. 35 God's mercy to man, who departed from him. p. 4 God takes notice of works of merey. p. 19 Ad Relig. Be humbled for our back wardness to works of mercy. p. 22 Exhortations to mercy; motives. p. 24 How we may be able to do works of mercy. p. 26 How willing. p. 27. Objections answered. p. 29. rules to be observed therein. p. 32 Omnibus incumbit munera sua diligenter obire & quare, p. 8 O. QUinam Ovium nomine, veniunt. p. 6. Cler. P. PArables, their nature and parts. p. Quàm dissimilis Petro Papa Romanus. p. 13 Pastoris officium duplex, pascere & pati. p. 2. Cler. Pasce oves meas, non ad solum Petrum pertinet. p. 3 Nihil hoc ad Pontificem Romanum. p. 4 Munus pastoral duabus pertibus absolvitur, praedicatione & precatione. p. 17 Pascere per alium non sufficit. p. 14. Excitantur Pastores ad sedulitatem in officio faciendo. p. 20. Incitamenta. p. 23 Non tantùm verbo sed vita pascendum. p. 22 Nature of God's patience, grounds of it. p. Presume not on God's patience. p. given god the glory of his patience both evil men and good. p. It should led us to repentance. p. Be humbled that we have provoked a patiented God. p. God's patience gives hope of further grace. p. Be, patiented at the death of friends. p. 32. Abn. Fun. Pity our children. p. 53 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quid significat. p. 5 We must take courage in prayer, and never given over till we speed. Reas. p. Be humbled for discouragements in prayer. p. How provoking this is to God. p. Exhortation to perseverance in prayer. p. How needful to be pressed. p. Motives to it. p. Means to hold out in prayer. p. Power of joyntprayer. p. How to set faith on work in prayer. p. Objections against courage in prayer answered. p. Prayer how Gods, how men. p. 3. old Relig. God's graciousness in time and case of prayer. 4 Ad Relig. Reas. p. 6. Be humbled for our backwardness to pray. p. 9 Praise God for his graciousness in point of prayer. p. 10. Make use of it. p. 13. In distresses personal or public. ibid. & p. 14. Obstructions of the success of prayer. p. 15 Verbum legere no est praedicare. p. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 3 R. REpent, and let God be all again. p. 53 Man once lose from God restless in his ways. p. 49. Reas. p. 51. Bewail this restlessness, which discovers itself in all passages of life. p. 54. pity it in our children. p. 53. Be resolute in the cause of God. duplex residentia, loci & of officii. p. 15. Utraque Pastori necessaria. p. 16 What returns we should make to God. p. 36 Forbear private Revenge. p. Right such of God's people, as we have wronged. p. S. CHarge sin on our selves not others. p. 30 To remove sin, begin at our selves. p. 33. what unregenerate men are to do. ibid. What regenerate. ibid. Against Separation. p. 74 Not outward disadvantage can excuse from God's service. p. 33. use. Those that have all advantages should hasten to it. p. 34. dying speeches. p. 28. Abn. Fun. Be humbled chief for the first sin, and why. p. 20, 21 The second part of the first sin. p. 22 Man's sin from himself, p. 26 proved, and objections answered. p. 27, 28, 29 God not the Author of sin. p. 31, 32 Studiosis sedulò discendum. p. 10. Cler. Praesertim Theologiae. p. 12. Excitantur omnes ad sedulitatem. p. 16 Answer to Socinian cavils. p. 6.7. God swift in his help, as well as sure. p. How. p. Why. p. Objections answered. p. The cause of God's slowness in ourselves. T. OFficium studiosorum Theologiae. p. 10 Time of man's fall. p. 14 Tutores diligenter instituere debent Adolescentes curae suae commissos. p. 11 V MIsery of unmerciful men. p. 21 W. God's way plain and casie. p. 54 God's mercy to stop our wander. p. 55 Fellow God's Word, not our own inventions. p. 53 The vanity of worldly things. p. 31 Expect not great matters from the world. p. 31 A BRIEF DISCOURSE OF Man's first estate in the First and Second ADAM. SECTION I Excellency of Man's estate, as created. ECCLES. 7.29. Lo this only have I found, that God hath made man upright: but they have sought out many inventions. [God hath made man UPRIGHT] WE are now come (according to our Method) to the Threefold estate of Man I am not ignorant of those difficulties and disputes which occur in this Subject: Expect not from me in this place, an answer to all Objections, nor from any man satisfaction to each man's curiosity. Solomon himself could not satisfy himself in all particulars: Only in the main of man he is very positive, and leaves us here two main Principles, whereof the first respects man's innocent and primitive estate; The second, his lapsed and forlorn condition, together with the cause of both. His order is open and obvious; he had said before, That man is wholly corrupt; and now he delivers the original hereof; Negatively, it is not God; Positively, it is man We go on in our intended way of delivering Principles. And first, surveyed we man's first estate, and there look upon him as he stands in God's hand, and is of his making till he marred himself. Here we found his beginning very good by creation. An excellent, a lovely, plain, even, uniform piece, smooth without knots and flaws, strait without hook or crook; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So much Salomon's comprehensive word imports; The result of all is this: Man at first avery excellent and desitable creature. Man at first was a very excellent and desirable Creature. This the Point; and this is no more then Scripture reports of him. Where mention is made of his first estate, David brings him in with a crown upon his head, and that crown is a crown of glory and honour. Thou hast crowned him with glory and honour, Psal. 8.5. His place was little lower then Angels, but far above all other Creatures: As Job affirms, Job. 35. v. 11. God made him wiser then the beasts of the earth, then the fowls of heaven. Yea, the Prophet assures us that the worst piece of him, the very case and outside, was most curiously wrought and richly embroidered, Psal. 139.15. Moses goes yet higher, and carries us above creatures to God's blessed self, Let us make man, faith God, This Creature, in our image and after our likeness, Gen. 1.26. Thus in Generals we have him set forth to us. For Particulars, I shall not trouble you with any large discourse touching his excellencies, either of soul, or body, or estate: Neither can we in this our decayed condition reach them. We see, we feel what he is; but what he either was or shall be, we can rather guests then judge, as blind men do of colours; only this we are sure of, within there was nothing but what was desirable; without, nothing but what was amiable; about him, nothing but what was serviceable and comfortable: his understanding was as full of light as it was free from darkness; his judgement, sound; his conscience, clear; his will, conformable to God's will; his affections, regular; nothing on that side wanting to his present happiness. Or if we look without him, 1. His body had nothing of blemish or blushing, or distemper; but rather clothed with all requisite beauties and abilities, which might tender him lovely, and commend him to every eye. 2. For his estate, what it was before his fall we may guess by that which is since restored by Christ, whereof we have a touch in that 8th Psalm: to wit; God gave him a Sovereignty over all the creatures, and stamped such a majesty upon him, that they did all acknowledge him, and received their several names, as so many acknowledgements from him. As for his possessions, we need not stand to enlarge upon one Parcel of his Desmeans, which they call Paradise, sigh the whole, both of sea and land, and all the creatures in both, were then his possession, his Paradise. Thus the case stood with man at first, the creatures were as observant of him as he of his Creator. Moore then this I shall not speak in these particulars. This being a Theme so much treated of by Schoolmen and others, who writ of this first estate. Cleared in his several causes . The whole matter will be further cleared if welook upon man in his causes. If we consider the Efficient cause, or the Author of man, its God himself: Adam, saith Luke, was the son of God, thence he derives his Pedigree. Now from the excellency of the cause, it is not hard to infer the excellency of the effect, especially since efficients work by way of assimilation; Natural efficients. necessarily; voluntary causes, freely: both strive to accomplish their own works to their own ends and inclinations; now God (a voluntary agent) is all light, and works like himself, so that from him can come no darkness; he is all goodness, all perfection, and can do nothing but what is in its kind good and perfect: nay further, God is not simply to be considered in this work, but with relation to personality. The three glorious People concur in this external work: whence that expression Job 35.10. Es. 54.5. Lops 149.2. God my makers. This is the joint work of Father, Son and Holy Ghost, the issue of that power, wisdom, goodness which is common to them all, so that the glory of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost is in its measure put upon this noble creature. Consider the Formal cause of man created. I mean, the manner in which God made him; and that is, 1. In the perfection of wisdom and deepest counsel, as being the Masterpiece of his visible works: hence for our better understanding Moses brings in God consulting with himself, Let us, saith he, make Man 2. In perfection of skill and workmanship, as in that 139th Psalm, who hath made him a curious piece, and bestowed so much art and cost upon him, as that the Master of Physic, Galen, was enforced to frame a song of praise to that Deity that framed man's body. 3. In perfection of power: he created him, without the contribution of either matter or instrument, and so become the sole and whole cause of man The exemplary cause. And here we pass by that private opinion of Zanchy's and others, who conceive that Christ assumed man's nature for a pattern whereby Adam should be made. The text sufficeth us: God made man in his own image, according to his own likeness: which passage, having an influence into much which shall be hereafter said, must a little be opened. See then what is meant by those words; And the answer is, that image and likeness in this case, * speak one and the same thing; Conser Lops 58.4. cum Gen. 1.26. but in an high and strong way: Not as Bellarmine and others; who, for ends, make the one substantial, the other, not. In our Image, most like ourselves, that is, As neare as the matter will suffer; There can be no proportion between the infinite God, and finite man; some kind of resemblance in some degree there may be: In every Beast there are some footsteps (as they are termed) of a deity, but more in man: some in every man, but more in some now. At first, of all visible creatures man come nearest to God. But wherein? not only in regard of his nature; because he had an understanding, a reasonable will, a working immortal spirit in him, as Papists, and others speak; nor yet only in order to his estate, because he was made Lord over all creatures, as Socinians would have it; But also and specially in regard of his Graces and endowments seated in his soul: God made him wise, holy, just, upright, wherein the Apostle chief placeth God's Image; and that most justly, Eph. 4.24. That being the chief of God's image in the first Adam, which Christ, the second Adam, doth mostly repair and restore. When then it is said, that God made man like himself, the meaning is, he made him holy, righteous, spiritual, according to the sampler, God's blessed self. Consider the Final cause; God made man for most excellent ends and uses; he made him to be a King of creatures, to be neare to his most glorious Majesty, to be that great piece which should crown the rest of his works, and speak out all his perfections: he made him capable of an immortal estate of true holiness, and happiness; and designed him for a marriage with the heir, Christ, and for nearest alliance with himself: and in order to these ends, he put so much honour upon him at the first. Nor can any man strange at this, sigh it is the practice of all wise agents: Every skilful workman (you know) lays out most of his skill and cost upon that piece which he intends for highest use and credit, as every builder is more exact in setting out a chimney piece, then in making a gutter. Now if it be objected, Object. that man's make is but of base materials, as dust, etc. Its answered, that the matter contributes lest of all causes unto the excellency of the work. And as much might be said touching the meanness of it; The truth is: The poorness and meanness of the matter, doth oftentimes most advance and commend the skill of the workman. That God out of nothing should draw something, out of dead, blind, dumb Clay should draw light, life, and speech, and out of such deformity should extract such beauty, strength, and excellency: this commends the workman, but doth not at all disparage the work. Be the stuff what it will, God hath made a rich Arras of it; and the work is now honourable, through God's power, though the materials seem contemptible. So much for that objection. Other questions of like nature, we willingly pass over, and come to apply this. Use 1 Information concerning primitive estate . Let me call upon you all to be well grounded and Grammared in this truth, touching man's primitive estate. The not heeding hereof hath let in those inundations of errors, which now overspread the Christian World. You are not to look upon man as now he is, but as first he was, existing out of his causes. And here I shall commend unto you these principles. Man had a beginning. Though now he be Immortal à parte post, yet once he was not; This is clear by the word, and by his continued dependence. His founder and maker was one; and that was God. It was a wild and mad blasphemy to dream of Two beginners of the whole, as some did; or at lest of Man, as did others. This God made him in his own likeness, stamping upon him an Impression of Holiness, Against Socizus. and as Peter calls it, the divine nature. These Principles, (as others in other cases, have done) commend I unto you, nor would I have you once troubled with Socinus his cavils against the same; being such which scarce deserve an answer. First, saith he, Object. If man had born upon him God's Image, intrinsically, then man had been Immortal. Sol. So he had, Sol. if he had not killed himself, and cast away his life. And though for the present he had nothing of death in him, yet was he mutable, and so might contract death. Secondly, Object. again he objects, If man were like God in holiness, then was he free from sin. Sol. 1. Sol. From the Act of sin he was free in his first constitution, though not from the power of sinning, being a voluntary agent. Secondly, he was like God, but not a God, that is, equal to God, and equally uncapable of sin. Thirdly, Object. again he objects, If man's Image had consisted in holiness, then upon his fall, the whole Image of God had been lost. Sol. 1. So it was de jure, Sol. if God would have taken the forfeiture. Yet, secondly, the argument holds not, unless we did place the whole of God's Image only in holiness. There indeed we lay it chief, but not only. We say that God's Image is communicated to the whole compositum or Man We put a difference between the body of a man, and the body of a beast, whither living or dying: we yield that a dead man hath more of God in his body, then a dead beast. Thirdly, and in short, to cut of these disputes, we say two things; first that there be degrees of holiness in this Image of God; and next, that it is not necessary that man should partake with God in all his attributes, whereof some are incommunicable; much less that he should equalise God, though in some measure he be a representative of God. To the former I add this fourth principle. The distance is very great between man now, and man at the first, as Solomon here puts it: as man was changeable then, so now he is changed very much; though some ruins and remnants of that which they call the substantial Image abide upon him. This you must the rather be settled in, because Heretics labour tooth and nail, to confounded these different states. Thus Papists sweated to prove that man in his pure naturals is as good now as then: Against Papists. and the same then that he is now, differing no more, at lest for intrinsccals, then a man clothed, and unclothed differs from himself; or, then a horse bridled and unbridled. The case was this, God put a bridle of supervenient righteousness upon him to rein him in; other wise he had the same seeds and principles of corruption, conflict, concupiscence then, that he hath now. This they tell you, Object. and Socinus brings his prop to uphold their rotten building; If, saith he, there had not been a conflict betwixt reason and affection, how could man have sinned? Sol. He should have said, Sol. If man could not have wronged himself, silenced reason, yielded to appetite, how should he sin? But the matter is, man had power to be nought, (if we may call that power) though for the present he was actually good. But what strange men are these, who will fetch in God as an accessary to man's sin at lest; in truth, as aprincipall? For if God, who solely and wholly made man, so made him, as that he needed a patch, and an adventitious plaster so soon as ever he was made, doth it not reflect upon God's perfection? but if he were so made as that there was a propension against reason, and a rebellion in his members from the first; and if that Rebellion be bad, at lest not good; is not God the author of it? Call they this God's Image? Object. Or could God then see all that he made to be good? Bellarmine's answer in this case gives me no satisfaction at all, Bellar. God, saith he, intended the man: The corruption is but accidental, as when the Cutler makes a sword, he minds the sword, not the rust of it. For (to omit other differences) the Cutler undertakes not to make the matter, Sol. to wit, the Iron or Steel, but only to given that matter a form. And the rust doth follow the matter, not the form. The sword rusts not because a sword, but because Iron. But now God gives man both; indeed all; nothing else contributes; and the saying is true, that who gives matter and form, gives the necessary consequents of both. But wretched men care not how much they depress God, so they may exalt flesh. Let them go. And hold we this distance still: man is not so bad now, but once he was as good. Original righteousness was once as natural as sin is now, if not more. And this truth carries more in it, then as yet happily you are ware of. Learn hence that which Solomon here presseth, Use 2 Justify God in all his ways: against cavils of flesh and blood . namely, to justify God in all his ways as holy in all his works. It is a fearful thing to see what proud man renders to God for all his kindness. God made him a most glorious, happy, sufficient creature: his own folly hath perverted his ways, and now his heart frets, and his mouth chats against the Lord: I beseech you, understand your Original, and preserve yourselves from the Pestilent errors of this age, and know how to pled for God, and to emplead sin. For example. You shall hear men cry out of Bloody doctrine touching God's Decreeing men to fall; Object. nay, necessitating them to damnation, etc. Now here learn an answer of Solomon, Sol. God made man good, made him for happiness, put him into possession of it, gave him power to hold it, but he sought out many inventions, he, he sought out etc. it was an act of man's counsel and choice; hold we to this, though we cannot so well conceive the concurrence of causes now, as Adam did then, or as we shall hereafter at the day of the revelation of the righteous Judgement of God. Rom. 2.5. Again, you hear men say, that we make God the greatest tyrant living, one who gives impossible laws, requiring impossibilities under the penalty of damnation, unless we will yield that man can fulfil the law. Now to this Answer. Than was then: Now is now. Sol. When God transacted with man he required no more then man could do, now why must the rule be bended to man? or the debt drawn to his ability, especially sigh the bond stands but for evidence and man's good? God commits him, Gal. 3.23.24. shuts him up only to humble him, and to drive him to seek a surety of his own providing. Its replied, that this salves not the business, since, Object. in our doctrine, more is required of man lapsed, then of man in Innocency; for God requires that faith now, which he did not then, and exacts what he never gave, gathering wherehe never strawed. Thus they. Wretched men! Sol. Doth God require any thing in the Gospel but upon Gospel terms? that is, that he will work the thing required when sought unto. Again, what though Adam had not the exercise of faith in Christ, as neither of patience or some other graces, yet he had all in the root, seed, and power? The want was not in Adam, the subject: but the stay was the absence of occasion, and an object. He had power to do, and to believed any thing that then did or after should concern him, and his place, and condition; and no more is required of us now. I never seen an Elephant in my life, why? not for want of a principle in the subject; the same eye that can see an Horse, could an Elephant too, were it presented to my sight. I cannot be said not to see it, but it is not to be seen. Lastly, Object. you hear men thus reasoning. Why! I am as God made me, I am choleric, I confess it, but 'tis my nature: I am sleepy; Can I help it? etc. Answer. Sol. There are Defects which follow particular tempers, and natures, Purely-naturall; others which are sinful flowing from the principles of Poyso ned nature: sinful distempers, are yours, not Gods; you might once have prevented them, you must now have them healed. It is an aggravation to lay our faults upon our natures, yea hereby we accuse the Creator. Therefore in stead of excusing ourselves or accusing our maker (as Adam and Eve did) let us lay load on ourselves; and that's the next use. Where see for humbling, Use 3 Be humbled, that thou art fallen as thou art . whence we are fallen, what we were, what we are. Men love to talk of their Ancestors, there by to pride themselves, and can hardly descend in themselves, though tumbled down by God's hand. Let us, on the contrary, abase ourselves to our estate, and befool ourselves, as we see the Bankrupt doth, Once, quoth he, was I well, could I have kept me well; I had money, land, stock, friends and what not? but now I lie under poverty, scorn, and contempt. Ah unwise man I! In like manner let each of us say, Once I was light, now darkness; Once rich in grace, now empty; Once God's favourite, now an enemy; Once beautiful. now ugly, a very Ichabod, my glory is departed, Ah soolish man; how was I bewitched! Thus let us rate and chide ourselves into a low conceit of ourselves. Howbeit, all this signifies nothing, unless we see this our misery in the cause thereof. Therefore look upon sin as a thing most pernicious and destructive. It is sin, (say) that hath undone me, that hath ruined my estate; cast me into debt; 'tis sin that hath slain my Cattles, deprived me of my Crop; 'tis sin, ray sin in Adam that hath forfeited my honour, undermined my Authority over creatures. Time was when every beast, every bird, every fish, would have owned me, would have done me homage: Now my very servants trample upon me, my once subjects rise against me, as I have against God. Lions are ready to devour me, Bear's to worry me, horses to brain me, yea, every Caterpillar, worm, flea, makes a prey of me. 'Tis sin, that hath marred my body. Once I had a body perfect, active, sounded, glorious, the more naked the more shining: now in stead of those beauties behold a stench, sickness, shame and whatsoever else is blushfull. It is sin that hath spoiled my soul: at first I had neare Communion with God, close correspondency with his will and Image. The peace of God, the joys of God, the strength and life of God were upon me. Now hell is in my soul, darkness and confusion fills every room; I bear in stead of God's glorious Image, the ugly Image of the devil himself, and come as neare unto him as my nature is capable. O curse this accursed thing, Sin, which hath so undermined thee, and resolve against it for the future, as we do against lesser evils, we decline such meats as threaten partial misery. This rots my teeth, that hurts my eyes, this distempers my liver, that my stomach, therefore I must forbear. O fear that sin that destroys eye, and hand, and head, the whole body, the whole soul, the whole man. And now bethink thyself of a recovery as decayed men do; lie not whining under losses, as Jacob's sons in their wants, much less run to base, sharking courses, as broken chapmen do; But bustle and bestir thyself, bethink thyself, Is there no help? is it not possible to raise myself again? yes, there is hope and help, the Lord Christ, the second Adam comes with the Image of God upon him, as a restorer of the breach, he is come to recover what was lost, to pay what was owing, to repair our ruins, to recruit us again, he is able, he is willing to undertake us. Nay, the thing is done already, therefore I'll to him, as once the bankrupts to David, I will confess with the prodigal, I will beg for life, I will cast myself upon him, and close with him being offered as an husband, as the only way for decayed fortunes, so shall I be restored in blond and repaired in my estate. Thus resolve, thus do, and cease not doing till thou found his mark upon thee, his fruit and life in thee: so shalt thou found more life and happiness in him, then there was death and misery in the old Adam. Use 4 Bless God for the first estate: and that little which is jest to this day . Lastly, learn to be thankful for this first estate: close with all the Saints in that Song of theirs, Reu. 4. ult. Thou are worthy, OH Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, etc. It is not little that we own to God, for this poor estate which yet is left us; for these poor eyes, these lame limbs, these frail bodies, these sick souls, which we labour with every day; We are much bound to him, for the meanest fare, for the lest bit of coursest bread, the lest sip of thinnest drink, and must coufesse with Jacob that we are less then the lest of all his now f●…i●ed mercies; what thanks then can we tender for our first estate, which was every way full, free, glorious, whither we look upon soul or body, or place or state, or any thing appertaining thereto; nor is God's goodness and bounty the less, because we have foolishly squandered it away. That greatens our folly and wickedness, yet no way lessens God's largesse and kindness. Object. But why did not God put us past danger and loss, but left it in our hands to loose? Sol. An ungracious question: so the unthrift talks when he hath outed himself of his patrimony, Why did my Father trust me? why did he not entail his land? There is no reasoning with such froward children, neither content full, nor fasting. A gracious heart must and will be thankful, as for kindnesses intended, so much more bestowed, most of all for mercies restored in Christ, who hath mended that first estate. SECTION II Sinful estate of man, as fallen. ECCL. 7. ult. [But they have sought out many inventions.] HItherto we have seen that man was first good, and well stated; But doth he continued so? Not, he was made good, but mutably good, and so of himself, he fell from God and himself; and so we pass to man's next estate, where we found the case is much altered with him. He is not what he was, Doct 2 A sinful change in nun as now fallen. 1 Time of this change . he was not what he is: but now there is a vast distance between himself and himself, betwixt this and that state. This the Point, and this the word plainly proves, Rom. 3.10. etc. here are laid down two received truths. 1. There's no goodness in any. 2. They are altogether nought; But was it ever thus? Not, they have go out of the way, saith the Apostle, they have corrupted themselves, and that from their youth, Gen. 8.21. They err, and that from the womb, Psal. 58.3. Yea, from their conception, Psal. 51.5. This better appears, if we may compare estates past and present: 1. Man was good, Gen. 1. ult. now bad, Gen. 6.5. & 12. first he was strait as 'tis here, now perverse, Gen. 17.9. first he bore God's Image, now man's, Gen. 5.3. first he was glorious, now filthy, Job 15.16. abominably filthy. And at this we can the less marvel, since his beginning, he comes under different hands; At first he was only God's workmanship, and then there was nothing in him but what was God's, all was right as God is altogether pure: but since, he hath deserted God and betaken himself to those Inventions which himself hath hatched and Satan fomented, and hereby wrought two mischiefs at once. First, he hath made an hand of all his holiness. Secondly, he hath made way to all evil, sin, horror, shame, confusion, have seized upon all and rendered him most woeful, most hateful; we need not more words to prove a change in him. Their dreams of old who fancied him to be bad from the beginning, either in whole or part, are not worth confutation, we have learned that the devils themselves were once good, but they kept not their station. Time will be better spent in searching into the Particulars of this change, as into the time when it was, the nature of it, the subject and extent of it, the cause of it, etc. 1. Time of this change . And first for the time; we conclude all in two propositions. 1. The first act of man's will after his creation, was not the first sin and cause of this his change; we found Adam a while well employed, in receiving laws from his maker, in marking as it were, his cattles, in acting his calling, in accepting his Father's choice of a wife, and thus far he was right. Nor are arguments of some Thomists against this, so cogent, that they need to stay us. 2. Its most reasonable to think that he quickly fell, (though not so soon) from his happy estate, because Satan was very subtle to take him at the advantage, before he was well settled, and experienced; and secondly, very active, fired with rage and envy. Because he is said to be a murderer from the beginning; or very neare to it; which beginning must commence from man, not from himself. Add hereunto, that he had not so easily prevailed, if man had been long rooted, and so better enabled to have made stronger resistance; (for I make no doubt but Adam should have grown and emproved himself by experience, as some ways the second Adam did) but he took his time, whilst yet they were unexperienced, as is seen chief in Eve, who as yet knew not, as it seems, the nature of the Serpent: whereto we may add this, that she, the same Eve, had conceived her first born without sin, had any considerable time been 'twixt their creation and fall. But I will not be too peremptory in things more disputable and less important. For the second, 2. Nature of this change. 1. Negatively. the nature of this change. Thus we state it. First, the change was not in Essentials, for such cannot be separated from the thing, without its dissolution: but man was for substance, the same man before and after his change: Christ was essentially man, though far from sin. So shall we be in heaven. Therefore if this were the error of Illyricus, it were an error sufficiently gross. We read, that God made substances, he made no sins. Secondly, it was not in Supernaturals only, for naturals also are abated and eclipsed in him, neither was his Original righteousness altogether supernatural at that time; we may call that (properly enough) natural which is common to the whole species, to all mankind, and passeth along in a way of generation, though we cannot express how. But then the objection is, If righteousness be any way natural, Object. then that ceasing, man should also cease to be man Sol. The argument will not follow, Sol. because naturals do admit of degrees: sight is natural, speech natural, etc. yet a blind or dumb man, is yet a man; we may safely say, that righteousness was as natural, as sin is preternatural: and we mean no more but that Justice was then as natural, as now sin is. Sin is either natural or preternatural, (if you will so call it:) we speak of man in this case Morally not Physically considered, and heed not what Aristotle will call him, but what God saith of him. This for the negative. Now positively, 2. Positively. we say that this change is properly an alteration, consisting in Qualities and cetain respects. Whereas man held a double correspondency with God, one Relative, as he stood in subjection to him, and a dependence upon him, as his maker, master, father, etc. Another Representative, as he bore God's Image, which he could not properly bear in a relation of Inferiority: he is now much varied and changed, in both these. First, of a subject, he is become a rebel, of a son a traitor, of a friend an enemy, and stands now at defiance with God. Secondly, whereas he erst much favoured and resembled God, now he is most removed from him, and opposite to him, of light he is become darkness, as Paul expresseth it in the abstract: Semblably, we may say of wisdom he is become folly, of goodness, in a sense, sin itself, as the very Heathens use to express him. And here is the change, in a man's estate both personal and local. Subjection is turned into Rebellion, Conformity into Difformity, and so into Deformity, and consequently, his happiness into unhappiness itself. Thus for the second Question. Follows the third touching the Subject and Extent of this change: and this we dispatch in three words. First, 3. Extent of this change. all mankind is changed for the worse, and is warped aside. Secondly, all of man, every particular both power and part, is now degenerated; The whole frame of his heart is corrupted. Gen. 6. And lastly, all men, all alike, all involved, and suffer this unhappy change. The cause of this change. 4. The cause of it . First, we exclude not God from any act, though from all sin. Secondly, we excuse not Satan from the sin, though from some acts in it. Thirdly, we lay the blame where the fault is, upon man's self. To enlarge these a little. First, we exclude nor a divine concurrence; God's decree, permissive (as some speak) went upon it; and this, to say the lest, we must needs say, unless we will say that God stood Neutral in one of the highest works of providence, neither willing nor nilling it. Secondly, Satan did so far concur as to bring a guilt upon himself, by tempting man But the Word chargeth the sin upon man's self, they have sought out, so saith Solomon, so must we say. Though man would shifted it from himself, and divide it betwixt God and Satan. But 'tis found upon him, and there we must leave it. But how could this be (will some say) how could man so accomplish it, Object. admit of sin? Sol. Sol. The Text tells us, he sought out many inventions: and we must consider; First, that man was made out of Nothing, and therefore apt enough to return into his first principles, and more prove to privations, such as sin is, then to positive goods, when he is left to himself. Secondly, he is a compounded creature, and therefore in and of himself mutable. Thirdly, he is a finite creature, and borrows all from without, and of himself is subject to deficiencies, and so may sin. Fourthly, he is a creature so bounded that he cannot see and do, and consider all things at once, and so may fall into diversions and excogitancies. I, and Fiftly, he is a free creature, and therefore may act or suspend, use or not use, his abilities at pleasure. But, it were better happily, leaving these disputes, to look up to God and admire with Austin, that things should be against his will, and yet not altogether besides it; and to bethink ourselves how we may rise, rather then how we did fall. It sufficeth for the present, that we clear God as much as Papists or any others: at lest we desire to do it; and if they can teach us how to speak better, and more for the vindication of God's holiness, we shall thank them, mean while we mean as well as they, and speak as much for the vindication of God's holiness as any Bellarmine, or Arminius of them all; we say, that God is no moral cause of sin, and Physical cause he cannot be: sin having only a cause deficient, but noon efficient; we do not say that any precedent decree doth force the will or compel the man. Nor on the other side, do we say that the whole work of sin is only from man, nothing of it from Satan (as he reports, who usually is more modest): but this we do, Estius lib. 2. distinct. 21. Sect. 11. & distinct. 3. we set the saddle on the right horse, and say as Solomon guides us, Man hath sought out many inventions. Do you understand what I have said, or shall I speak it yet more plainly? we yield a concurrence of many agents in man's change, but with a wide difference, as to the manner of their working. First, for God; we must not conceive him to be only a spectator, in this high work of providence, we must acknowledge his disposing hand, his ordering hand, his decreeing hand, in leaving man to his own choice: but still without the lest shadow of sin. Secondly, for Satan; we must not excuse him whom God curseth, he was certainly a moral cause of man's sin, and did his utmost to persuade. Thirdly, for Man's self; we must speak Salomon's language, who lays not the fault upon the devil, as no reason he should: for a moral cause hath no influence, at lest no enforcing power upon the subject. Much less doth he lay it upon God, who always seriously dissuades from sin, Physically infuseth no ill, nor withholds requisite strength. 'Tis true, flesh and blood will cavil and found this bastard sin many fathers: but man is father and mother both, himself: so the Word speaks it, and Adam with all his skill could not shifted it of from himself, though never so willing. I say in this case, as one said in another; In one and the same thing many causes may concur, but not to the same end, nor in the same thing. Now this makes first for our information. Use 1 Ever observe this distinction of a good and bad estate . God, you see here, teacheth us a double estate; learn we both: God sets a bound and distinction: thus fare goes his work; here gins ours: Now we must keep asunder what he so distinctly severed, the rather because a confusion here is in itself most hurtful, and by many most industriously endeavoured: O how do wits sweated to trouble these waters! to this end, that we should not see our own faces, nor discern which is which. Hence those uncouth conclusions in both estates. In the first, There is no such thing as Original Righteousness, no such Image of God as we fancy, say the Socinians; Next, there is such a thing, say Papists, but it was not natural; it was to man but as clothes and trappingss to the body, as if man should not have been born in this spiritual armour, as some spoke of Giants for other armour; but come into the world as naked of Grace, as a horse doth of a Saddle, etc. till God from without do furnish him. And in the second estate, how infinitely do men fumble? First, Original sin thats, to many, a very dream; There is no such thing: Secondly, yes, say others, there is such a thing, but it is only imputed: Nay, saith a third, its more then imputed, but yet without the access of any positive malignity, 'tis a mere privation. Fourthly, that privation is rather penal then sinful; Fifthly, if sinful, yet not in all. Sixthly, if in all, yet is it the lest sin, deserving privation of joy and bliss only. Seventhly, in Saints it is go, and so go that we need not repent of it, nay, we aught not. In short, set aside some outward privileges and accoutrements, man is where he was, changed only in externals. Now what stronger proof of our declension? what a miserable thing is man become! who rather then he will be beholding to God for his first setting up, or to Christ for his supplied repairs and recruits; rather then he will acknowledge himself such a fool, such a beast to part with so fare an estate, cares not what he saith, or reports, as to God's work or his own in either estate. O madness! were it not fit for us to say with Solomon, God made man upright, but man hath undone himself? Surely this were fit: but then thinks proud flesh, what will become of free will? what of merit? what of fulfilling the Law? what of all fleshly boasting and excellency? were this granted, then must God be justified; then must man be abased. But rather then God shall go away with all the credit, and man with all the shame, he will mingle heaven and earth, light and darkness, and come to this, either he was never good, and that reflects upon God; or else is good still, and then might Christ have saved a labour; at lest, much of his blood, if the Friar be right, who saith, Fevardent. that one scar of Christ could have redeemed all. Good my brethrens, admit of light, of truths so fundamental; know a change, acknowledge what it is, whence it is: It is from light to darkness, from life to death, from wisdom to folly, from heaven to hell, from God to Satan. It is an universal apostasy, and it is from yourselves, you were Adam, as the Text here tells you, legally, naturally considered, you can blame noon but yourselves, and noon could change you, till your wills or minds did change. If as yet, you know not these things sufficiently, suffer the word of instruction, submit to Catechising, confer with your teachers, peruse the principles of your faith and religion, or, if already you do know these things, freely acknowledge them, justify wisdom and truth to the face of error, and to the teeth of pride. In the second place, Use 2 Be humbled mightily for this tall into sin . let us set upon that hard (but seasonable) work of humiliation. The poison of Adam's first pride, nay of Satan's, sticks yet in our souls; and the truth is, had man the devils capacities, he would be as proud as the devil himself; and the lest cause, and the more sin there is, the more proud still. Sin is a leaven that heaves and swells him, and when he is most sinful, then lest humble. And as it puts out his eyes, and hurts his understanding: so it corrupts his will. Of all things in this world, sinful man loves not to come down; he would still be in credit with himself, however the world goes. Four great causes for deep humiliation . This being our nature, we must set more resolutely against it; and know that no one work better becomes our condition then the work of humiliation; and therefore we must break through all impediments, and see what reason we have to pull down ourselves. First, we, (only under painful evils) we aught to stoop; but sin is The evil, even the evil of all evils; that which doth hurt every creature, and would, if it could, the Creator. Now this sin is found upon us, and should shame us as the thief, when taken in the manner. Secondly, these sins are many and mighty, we have done as wickedly as we could, Jer. 3. had we had more room for more sin, we would have bid it welcome; mean while we are as full as we can hold, there's not one spare room, Rom. 3. Thirdly, had we but once offended, one treason were unsufferable; one sin would make a breach into all order, beauty, peace, reason, religion; and the whole creation. One sin had let in a legion of devils, a deluge of all miseries: But now we have exceeded all bounds and dimensions; there's neither number nor measure of our wickedness. Fourthly, all this springs from ourselves; we spin all our poison out of our own bowels, Es. 59.4. We may pretend occasions, enticements, enforcements: but when all's done, all these excuses will prove but so many accusations and aggravations: and therefore let us look homeward, and strike the right vein, begin where our sin began, at and in ourselves, at the heart, at the spirit. Moore cause to be humbled for the first sin, then all that follow . This must be our course in all our act and fail; chief for the first sin; till a man comes to that, he is never truly humbled. Other sins are more private, partial, and seem more pardonable, as issuing out of weakness, or ignorance or (at the most) of a will surprised and captivated; O but the first sin which is known by the name of Original sin, was a strange sin, whither the Subject, or Object, or Ingredients, or Consequents be considered. First, for the Subject, it is the sin of mankind, Why? 1. never did all Subjects so conspire in a rebellion; secondly, of all the man, nothing is exempt. Secondly, for the Object, it is the breach of the whole Law, whither engraven or imposed, and of the whole Covenant, as Hosea expresseth it. Thirdly, for the Ingredients, its every sin virtually, and the death of every grace meritoriously. Fourthly, for the Consequences; it forfeits all goodness, life, creation; and is an inlet to all misery and confusion. We have read of some who in their vast luxuriousness have cast away whole Lordships, Cleopatra. Kingdoms at one throw, have drunk up thousands at one draught: Nero. but these were toys to Adam's fact. His bloodiness was horrid, who wished all Rome one head, that so he might dispatch it at one blow; But Adam passeth, who at one time and blow, beheaded all mankind, and slew at once all the souls and bodies that ever did, or ever shall descend of him. Object. But you'll say, Object. What's this to us? Sol. We are Adam. The sin in speech, Sol. is if a man may so speak, specifical. And 'tis but an idle question among some wanton Schoolmen. Who sinned most, Adam or Eve; and whither if Eve only had sinned, we had been guilty and obnoxious. The whole kind, (saith good Austin) is obnoxious, and in this account Adam is Eve, and Eve is Adam, and every man is both. I mean it thus: That they must not here be personally considered, but as parts and representatives of mankind. kind. God contracted with mankind, and mankind with God. Mankind made; mankind broke the Covenant. There's no precedency of sexes and persons in it, only in the manner and order of conveyance there is some. And so we fall upon the second thing in this sin, Habitual corruption, the second part of the first sin. viz. Habitual corruption, which follows upon this unhappy act, and this is a Gulf fathomless, the dimensions whereof noon can take but God, who is the just measure of himself, and of all things else. Men can take the altitude and latitude of vastest bodies; but the way of this sin, is like the Eagles in the air, the ships in the Sea, its height is above all heights; its depth, breadth, and length beyond all our comprehension. You shall be like God, saith Satan; there is the snare, there is the design. Like him? not in nature, but in state and condition; Absolute, Independent: his will a law, his judgement a rule: and this poison is in him still; every man hath a heart of a God in him, and is his own God, whilst he is in this estate, and at this pass he is, whilst he is but natural. But this was but a Gull. What is the event? man is like not God but Satan, he is all flesh, all brutish, nay, devilish, saith the Apostle, he is a devil in and to himself; a devil to his brother, with that villain in Bodin, he would kill both soul and body, and sand all the world to hell. He is a devil towards God, and hates him infinitely. The difference between the devil and him, lies only in degrees and capacities; else there is nothing in us, in a moral sense, but what the devil likes, nothing in the devil but what we do or would like, if God did not bound us, and tie us up. Men have laboured, and that to good purpose, to set forth the particulars of this sin, but shall I tell you? man is so bred in it, and maimed by it, that he cannot well tell what to make of it, where it ends, what a man would be, or what he would think, say, or do, or wish, if he were left to himself: we found enough for our humbling upon record, I, and in the best Saints. A man would have been bound for David's good behaviour, but Jeremiah hath told us, that The heart of man is desperately wicked. It is not indeed beyond uncreated mercy, and infinite power and wisdom: but it is beyond all things else. Truths and virtues have their limits, may be defined, discerned, confined; whither an angel can say, how fare orginal sin may be extended in particulars, is more then I can tell. This I can tell, that we have cause to be humbled for this sin whilst we breathe. Quest. But wherein stands this work of humiliation? place "marg" Quest. Sol. Sol. I will tell you in few. First, in Conviction. Labour to be convinced, both by Law, and Gospel, of these things. First, that thy sin and corruption is unspeakable, (as elsewhere I have showed more largely) against all right and reason, all light and instruction; whereby at once thou hast made an hand of all grace, and hast given life to all sin. Secondly, that this was Thy own sin, as hereafter I must speak. Thou must own it, and acknowledge an hand in all sin, as to the seeds of them; and in all miseries, as to the desert of them. Secondly, to Conviction add Contrition: be ashamed of thy self, tremble, blush, mourn, and as James phraseth it, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. be miserable. We grieve, and afflict ourselves for other men's unkindnesses, and unreasonable behaviours: bleed under thy own sins and follies, and understand that noon have done thee so much wrong, prejudice and disgrace, as thou hast done thyself, whilst thou hast thus ungraciously risen against thy God. Thirdly, to Contrition add Confession. Clear God, clear his Law, clear all the Jury, that hath been empanelled against thee. Yea, clear both men and devils in comparison of thyself. Say, I am The devil to myself, my is the sin, and the shame. Fourthly, to all the rest add Submission. Accept of the chastisement of God, Leu. 26. Yield to his rebukes outwardly, to the lashes of conscience inwardly: tell conscience that he doth but his office; sit down by its checks, by the reproaches of enemies, by the reproofs of friends, and preachers, by all thy losses and crosses. Say, All is just, all is little. If the Lord throw me into hell its just, if he spare me 'tis grace: I will bear the wrath of the Lord, because I have sinned against him, Mic. 7.9. Since we have made a foolish bargain, Use 3 How we may undo this bad bargain . and changed for the worse, what shall we do next? is there no way to undo this bargain? That's the first question usually in such cases: and blessed be our God we may as yet go back. Object. Oh! Object. That I doubt is too goodto be true. I had rather then all the world it were to do again. Sol. That indeed is impossible, Sol. it is too late to call back yesterday; but not too late to improve our losses, and to salve all. Quest. Why, Quest. what must I do? Sol. I Make thyself sensible whence thou art fallen, Sol. and far as the man doth, who hath undone himself, and beggared his by foolish bargains: he looks upon his wife, and then sighs, looks upon his boy and shakes his head, looks upon his Girl, the water stands in his eyes; in short he is ready to tear himself forhis former folly. Do thou the same, do as the wife doth, who hath wilfully cast away herself, and lost her friends for an unthrift, that useth her like a beast, she could by't of her very fingers if that would untie the knot: mean while, she reputes with all the veins in her heart, so do thou. Thou hast undone thyself, thy wife, thy child: matched thyself to a devil, without thy Father's consent, who will use thee worse then a drudge, then a dog: mourn for this. Secondly, make to thy father as the child doth when he knows not what to do. Truth it is, thou hast unchilded thyself, but thou hast not unfathered him, he hath the Bowels of a father still, and may help thee, with honour enough. Our children may do an act, which we neither can or may reverse or repair, not so God's children: he may lawfully dissolve our covenants, which we have no authority to make without his consent: he may lawfully forbidden the banes, and sue out our divorce betwixt us and Satan, annul that contract. Object. But will he? Sol. I tell thee a father will do much in such a case, for a penitent child, especially when he finds fraud and malice both in the cheater. Therefore cry with David, Lord seek thy lest sheep; Lord dissolve my Covenants with death: mind him of a former covenant and precontract, as the Church doth; Lord, we are thine, other Lords have no portion in us, no right over us. Thirdly, and above all, Fly to Christ, and so to God through him. Saints and Angels are but of the Presence chamber. The great Favourite, the King's Son, who hath his heart and ear, he must speak for thee; I mean, Christ, whose errand it was to dissolve the works of Satan, and all contracts with him, to bring in a New Covenant, to save what was lost. It is his place and office, he is the Goel, the next kinsman, he is the second Adam, and come purposely to reduce us to our primitive Image, state and liberties: and he can do it, Rom. 5. there is more grace and life in him, Rom. 5.10. then there can be loss and sin in Adam: Hold that firmly: nay, hold three things, which I will speak in as few words, and so end this point. First, that noon other can help thee. Noon else can make that strait which is crooked, can speak or work life, but this quickening Spirit. Secondly, He can help thee; he is able to save to the uttermost those that come to him. Thirdly, He will help thee: he never yet put back any that come in truth to him; he will never undergo that reproach in Israel, This is the man whose shoe was plucked of: he will never loose such an opportunity of evidencing his grace and power: for here is a work fit only for a God; namely, to make the world to go backward; to undo that which was so long since done; to enforce Satan to throw in thy bonds; to translate thee from a state of death and bondage, to a state of life and advantage: rest upon him, who was made for this work, and will settle thee, (if thou wilt believed him, and be ruled by him) in a better state and tenure, then ever thou hadst in Adam; or couldst have, if an Angel were thy Father, or bound for thee. Christ alone is all-sufficient; there is not a second Adam besides him, neither needs there: John 8.36. If he the Son make thee free, thou are free indeed; If he the Son become thy surety. The first Adam, was not more able to destroy thee, then he is to restore and secure. There stay thyself. And there's an end of this point. SCTION III Man's sin was caused by himself. ECCLES. 7. ult. [But THEY have sought out, etc.] YOU hear how strangely man is altered. We proceed to the cause of this his change. Who is in fault? not God; he made man upright: But man himself. They have sought out, etc. The point is open. That man's sin is from man's self. Doct 3 Man's sin is from man's self . Man is the cause of his own naughtiness; the Author of his own sin and undoing, although not of every particular in it. Solomon is positive, and makes a just distribution: Man's sin is either from God, or from himself; not from the former, God: Therefore from the latter, himself; nay, himself is a free cause of his own change: it is an act of his own choice. Whose? Man's, and that at large: not this, or that man, but man, all men sought out sin, all sin, Cleared by his threefold estate. all inventions and ways of sinning. Sum up all, and the result will be, that all the sins of man issue from man's self. This will appear, if you consider him in his threefold estate. First, look upon him at First. God put no ill principle into him; no creature had any compulsive power over him; he had a true (though not Independent) Sovereignty over his own actions. He might have stood, but he chose otherwise. No man can speak it more plainly then Solomon doth; which shall save us the labour of further proof, though further testimony of God, and conscience might be added, attesting this truth. Secondly, look upon man in his sinful estate. And so sin flows from him as naturally as waters from a fountain, V Prou. 10.3. Gen. 8. Jer. 6. 7. as sparkles from a furnace, Job 5.7. * Mar. 7.21. From within, Judas 13. out of the heart of men proceed evil thoughts, Mark 7.2. Jer. 7. And these evil thoughts bedded there, beget adulteries, Job 5.7. fornication, murders, etc. what not? he is a sink, a very Sepulchre, an open Sepulchre, and what can you expect thence but stenches? Rom. 3.13. Rom. 3.13. Thirdly, Rom. 7.24. Col. 3.5. in his repaired estate; Man hath still a body of sin, Rom. 7. consisting of many rotten members, Col. 3. From within he sends forth evil, Jam. 1.14. and 4.1. so saith James more then once, cap. 1.14. cap. 4.1. So that as sin is In him, so still, you see, sin is resolved Into him; it issues from principles of his own; from his own darkened mind, defiled conscience, poisoned heart, and erroneous imagination. And as Divinity doth found him guilty, Reas 1 and a Felo de se; so doth Reason too. For every free Agent is Lord of his own actions, and did he not work freely, he were not a voluntary workman. As things be in nature, so in operation. Did not man work freely, there were no place for choice and option. Natural agents are determined to One, as a stone descends only: But Voluntary, such as man is, have a freedom of choice. Were not man master of his own actions he were not capable of a law. Reas 2 'Tis absurd to lay laws upon things which work by instinct; To restrain or command by law fire to heat, or not, is absurd. Nay, more; He would be uncapable of good or bad; as a stone is; and consequently uncapable of reward or punishment; nay, uncapable of Christ, and an Holy Ghost; which dwells not in stocks. In short: Deny this, and you must deny man to be capable of law, of deliberation, of sin, of punishment. A thousand such absurdities would follow, if man should not be the actor of moral things, yet objections are raised against all that is said. First against Salomon's distribution. Object. Datur tertium; videlicet, the Devil. Though the devil be a physical and working agent in his own sphere: Sol. yet to man he can be no immediate physical agent, but only moral: He works not immediately upon the understanding, nor so as God doth; but upon the passions of the body, and images of the fantasy: All that he can do is, to persuade, incite, suggest; He cannot, without man, have any Real influence, unless man concur, not only passively but actively too. True, he can bring poison, as a thief stolen goods, and leave it with you, if you will receive it: he cannot force you to take it: for noon hath any Sovereignty over man but God and himself. The devil may cowork immediately and physically by the mediations of our passions and distempers: but not so, as to excuse, or exempt us. Therefore Solomon distribution is sufficient. It is further objected against the threefold estate of man. Objections aised from man's first estate. Against the first thus. 1. It is inconceivable how man should sin of himself; Either God left him so, as that he was necessitated to the fall; and then God is involved, man cleared: Or else which way should sin come in? The devil could not compel him, you say; neither had he any evil matter in himself: he could not desire his own unhappiness, and undoing, nor his own error etc. God did not so leave him but that it was possible for him to stand: Sol. God gave him power and entrusted him with it, but God was not bound to act that power for him; That privilege we have now in the second Adam; where God works both the will and deed. Secondly, Satan though he could not compel, yet might he further man's sin and guilt by representing objects. Thirdly, for himself, though he had nothing actually ill in him, yet was he mutable, finite; and therefore must view things successively: he might suspend his actions, as we said before. The first sin imaginable is Independence upon God and cessation from goodness; which was then in his power. Object. But the Serpent beguiled them so, Object. that our first parents sinned ignorantly. Sol. He beguiled their expectations more then their judgement: Sol. there was error in their being beguiled, as in every sin: but that error was a consequent or sadjunct, not the cause of the sin; Alind est peccare ignoranter; & ex ignorantiâ. But the silencing answer must be, That Adam then seen his guilt, better then we can now. And the last day will clear it, Rom. 2.5. Rom. 2. Till then we must say as Solomon here, and stop the mouth of iniquity with this; God made man upright, but they have etc. For the second estate it is objected. Object. 2 Man is not now to be charged with sin, for first, he is hold to do Satan's will, From man's second estate. 2 Tim. 2. Sol. True, but willingly: he sings in that cage. Object. That dyscrasy now in him is penal, 2 Tim. 2.26. and he is passive in it. Sol. Sol. Not so only, it is not merely penal, Object. but vicious and voluntary: and he is active: sin is his food, his sleep, his life, Pro. 15. v. 14. & 4.16. as Solomon speaks. Object. Object. He cannot but sin, Rom. 8.7.2 Pet. 2.14. Rom. 8.7. and Peter speaks of such, who cannot but sin, 2 Pet. 2.14. Sol. This necessity comes not from any outward cause, Sol. but from an inward principle: 'tis voluntary, 'tis not imposed, but contracted. Against the third estate it is objected; Object. 3 That a sanctified man cannot sin, From man's third estate. 1 John 3.9. He that is born of God sinneth not. Sol. That is not simply said: Joh. 3.9. for the same Apostle assures us, cap. 1. v. 8. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, Sol. etc. There is both actual and habitual sin in all men: 1 Joh. 1.8. but the words are to be restrained to matter and manner of sinning; he cannot sin some sins: To death, in that degree. And he cannot sin with the whole man. There is a seed and a principle in him that resists, he cannot sin, that is, live in a trade of sin, as one enslaved to it. Object. Object. But Paul saith Rom. 7. Not I, Rom. 7.20. but sin etc. Sol. Paul speaks not de principio Quod but Quo: Sol. not of the Person but Principle. Secondly, it is not he, because the sin doth not Redundare in personam, engage that, God not imputing it: else he denies not sin to be in him, and sin to flow from that body of sin in him; only it is not his in regard of his affection, and God's interpretation. The point then stands good; Man is the Author of his own sin. Be informed, that is, Use 1 Charge thyself with sin, not others . get a judgement rightly sanctified, and informed touching this truth; man unsanctified, is all self: sin admits of no search or reflection: the proper effect of it, is either senselessness, hypocrisy, or impudence: The sinner yields not the fact, till found upon him, yea even then he will not yield himself (with Saul) to be in fault, 1. Sam. 15. he looks to earth, to hell, to heaven, and will charge all sooner then himself. First, for Earth; that is nearest hand. Chide men for defects, it is long of wife, minister, the word is hard, etc. Charge them with actual sin, it is long of others, they would anger a Saint, make stones fall out, flesh and blood cannot bear it; as times and men be, noon can do otherwise. Thus sin pleads: but what saith truth? Prou. 25.26. Prou. 25.26. The righteous before the wicked is a troubled spring: Though he be a spring, yet when trouble, Jam. 4.1. it is from his own mud: Whence are brawls, saith James, 1 Sam, 24.13. but from your own lusts? Surely wickedness proceeds 06 from the wicked: The Saints of old lived in as bad times, and had as bad neighbours; yet never broke out into our passions: Christ, Paul, others were as badly entertained; yet never swore, raged, etc. Again, for natural corruption. How do men shifted it of? It is long of Adam. What can they help it? Thus hypocrisy speaks: but what is the truth? Adam is every man: the whole species mankind was in that pair; and their act specifical: so Solomon here: They sought etc. How can this be? naturally they and we are one; legally we had one covenant, in the propagation there is a priority, in the contraction of corruption noon. So then: other men must not own our faults: they may tempt, help forward sin: but till we concur, we are but objects, not subjects. So say for Satan: As he is the great Accuser, so most accused. The devil owed me a shame, Object. and now he hath paid me. Ans. It is a sin to belie the devil; Sol. indeed he is stark nought in himself, and towards all: but his sin, temptations, suggestions, cannot hurt thee without thyself. Joh. 14. Unless thou be tinder, he cannot strike fire in thee: thy sin is not the less for his: therefore David though moved by Satan to number the people, takes it upon himself. Rebellion is thy witchcraft; in witchcraft there is a confederacy; in this contract, the witch is not excused in consenting; though Satan be subtle, and malicious in propounding: so here, the truth is, if there were neither man on earth, nor devil in hell, thou wouldst be poisonful and nought now: Therefore know thyself, Satan may hurt himself by tempting, thee he cannot, without thee. And if the devil must not own our faults, must God? here man's sin is truly devilish, when it flies upon God. I am as God made me, and I do my kind, it is my nature, I am ordained to it etc. OH blasphemy I can any evil come out of heaven? darkness from the Sun? death from life? God is neither moral, nor physical cause of the evil of sin: Not the former: he persuades, commands, allows noon: but contrarily diffwades, forbids, disclaims it. Not the latter, he infuseth noon: things work as they be: a good tree cannot bring forth bad fruit. Object. Blasphemy objects. God is a physical cause of sin, Object. as appears by his acts of Counsel: of Creation: and Providence. First, for acts of Counsel. God decrees all, and that's infallibly. Sol. What then? first, decrees do not necessitate: Sol. they have no violent operation; 1 King. 12.15.24. there is a decree upon things contingent, and most there. Secondly, Infallibility and Compulsion are two things: There is an infallible decree passeth upon all we do: yet we do a thousand things freely. Thirdly, decrees do not over-bear or exclude the will: but conclude it. If we see it not, let us say, I am blind, not God is bad. Ob. Yea, Object. but I am as God made me. Answ. Not saith our text, Sol. God made man upright, etc. Object. But he could have prevented sin. Object. Answ. But he was not bound to it. Sol. Was it suitable to our natures? A Prince can bind subjects hand and foot, and keep them from rising. Are these fit cords for reasonable creatures? the Question is not, whither God could have made man better, but whither he did make him bad: Solomon answereth, no. Ob. Yea, but God presents objects, Object. and occasions of sin; yea he hardens the heart, Exo. 9.14. and blinds the mind, gives up to lusts; and in our doctrine, smites sin with sin. Answ. True, Sol. and in Paul's doctrine too: we fear not to say, what God reports of himself. But how doth God all this? not by putting in badness, Subtrahendo, disponendo, at most, not evocando. but by withholding goodness undue, by leaving man to himself, who would be left. Darkness follows upon the Sun's absence; but 'tis from Sublunaries, not the Sun: God is so far from bearing all man's blame, that he hath no finger in it; Indeed omne malum est in bono; there is a mixture; and what good is, is God's: what bad, ours. And what ever malice may say touching our Atheism, making God worse then the Devil; I know that we mean as well in this as any, and speak as modestly, as any that quarrel us, touching this point. God then is no physical cause of sin: he must therefore be either a moral cause or noon: but that he is not. Ob. He commanded the prophet to be smitten: Object. Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. 1 King. 20. Gen. 22. Sol. Hence it appears that God cannot sin because the formale of sin ceaseth upon his command: Sol. The prophet owed him his blood; Isaac his life: if he call for what he gave, it is no injustice, in Arminius his School. Ob. But these things were against the law of nature. Object. Sol. Particular nature must yield to universal. Sol. It is not against nature to cut of an hand, when the whole requireth it. Secondly, God is above all law: therefore it is no fault in him to command. Thirdly, God's will, and supreme prerogative is above our nature, and the less law must yield to the greater. Suppose a Justice sends a warrant for me, and at the same instant the King sends a Pursuivant: It is no disobedience to the inferior magistrate, to prefer the superior, etc. Let God then be justified, and every man a liar. 'Tis an horrible sin to father bastards upon the innocent: 'tis the highest blasphemy to charge God with the lest sin: and therefore found out the right father. Next when we are once humbled for what is past, Use 2 let us now look forward, and see what is to be done; Surely if men will have sin prevented, and all well, they must begin where the disorder began, at Themselves: study themselves, and all is learned; keep themselves, and all is kept; conquer themselves, and all is won; blame themselves, and all is right. This concerns men in both estates: but till God convince men of sin, there is no dealing with unregenerate men: all that we can say to them, is this. First, that they will awake, suffer themselves to be startled by the Law and Gospel, out of their dreams; Instruction t●… unregenerate. and to have its perfect work upon them. Till when, they will not fall out with themselves, or own their own lusts. Secondly, that they will stand up from the dead, save themselves from a dead Generation; beginning with themselves, Eph. 5.4. as he said, Lord deliver me from that wicked man, myself. Thirdly, that they will suffer themselves to be brought bed and all, to Christ, to the pool of Bethesda, till God shall enliven the means, and heal the spring, and so given life: this is all I can stay to speak to these. But for others, Instruction to the Saints. we have more to say. Are things amiss with thee? Physician heal thyself, and see thou be a true Physician to thyself. Begin where he doth. The Physician runs to the cause of sickness. First, is it from an Inward cause? or Outward: in the nonaturalia? air? diet? etc. Next if Inward, is it Universal? or Local? Again: is it from the head, or liver, or whence? is it a Plethora? or quite contrary, an Atrophia? And when he hath found the grounds, then he works. First, Purgeth, and there gins with Catholics, before Topicals; then applies to the most affected parts; after strengthens nature, etc. so here. Sick we be: what is the cause? Outward? as place, times, men, Satan? these indeed may forward the disease: but the core and root is within: 〈◊〉. 7.21. from within, saith Christ, Mar. 7.21. True, Satan injects? Nay, saith Christ, from within; from man's heart and spirit, proceed evil thoughts etc. So then: have we any bad thoughts? have we unclean lusts? have we any rising revengeful, any in jurious, any malicious crafty projects? any envious, proud, foolish, idle, unsettled, nay, hellish, blasphemous thoughts? These, all these come; from whom? not from one man, but men. So then, there being such a plethora, and redundancy, and superfluity of naughtiness in the heart, here we must begin; purge the heart, wash the heart, the whole soul, (for poison is in every part) with Catholic medicines; go to the sap, ●…sal. 51. as Psal. 51. David observes his natural Corruption as well as particular distempers of murder, and uncleanness: This first done, then as any one part is more weakened, and affected, so accordingly applications must be made of Topicals. But first, the main frame and constitution must be amended before we meddle with Symptomaticals; this the first. For 'tis not the strength of Outwards that spoils us, but our own weakness: therefore the Saints begin here, Job indents with himself; Agur prays, that vanity and lies may be removed from him, not from the things: men bring the vanity to the creatures, Rom. 8.20. Rom. 8. and put lies upon them; They tell noon. The world hath no power, but from us: the corruption is in our lusts, 〈◊〉 Pet. 1.4. as the Apostle speaks, 2 Pet. 1.4. We make them tempting, and Satan strong; whose strength is from our darkness. Eph. 6.12. Col. 1. Outward infection, must close with inward corruption, before it can distemper us: Therefore purge well, and that done fortify grace, as Christ saith, Hold possession of your souls by patience, by grace. Thus David dealt with himself, and kept in his passions, and kept up his hope. Eph. 3.16 . Thus must we strengthen the inward man, Eph. 3. Victual well before a Fight, as the soldier doth: We have also our warface, and must get our weapons, and armour ready: The world hath strong allurements and stratagems; but they are laid in our lusts: strong discouragements, persecutions, and such like; but their strength is from our baseness. Why do you fear, (saith our Saviour) O ye of little faith? The fear is not from the greatness of the danger, but from the smallness of our faith. Were faith strengthened, it would overcome the world, and be victorious. Think the same of the Prince of the world, Satan himself. 'Tis true; he is mighty, but mighty through us: were we strong in Christ, we were stronger then that strong one. It cannot be denied, but that the skirmish is for the time sharp, nay, sometimes there is a long siege, and we beleaguered: then we must do as soldiers do; repair breaches, and secure all passages, and stand upon our guard, more then at other times. If within there be any combustible matter, away with it, out with it; if any false, or suspected party, out with him; and that done, victual, fortify, barracado, make ourselves as impregnable as we can: for that is most certain, which before was hinted, viz. It is our weakness, not the enemies strength and power, that spoils us. We might prosecute the comparison further, and call upon you to make sure the gates, and outworks, to keep sentinel: but the main of all is, Take in Christ the Captain of the Lord's Hosts; fight with his weapons, fight in his strength, swear fidelity to him, and engage him in the fight, and victory is ever on his side. To speak all in few; see whence all our misery come; namely, from ourselves. Had we been true, hell itself could not have scaled us; and there the cure must begin: Purge self, fear self, guard self, fortify self, gage self. For the truth is; we are though not all, yet the worst tempters and devils to ourselves. Engage we ourselves to Christ, and Christ to us, and there lies our safety; unless this be done, were we in Paradise with Adam, or in heaven with Satan, there were no more safety to us, then there was to them. See here the infinite mercy of heaven towards us; Use 3 God's mercy be admired. Jer. 3.1 . God in Christ is that husband that will receive a wilful wife, Jer. 3.1. That shepherd, who gathers the straying sheep; not only, when she is driven away, but runs away from him, Ezek. 34. Ezek. 34.11.1. Thatfather, who when his prodigal runs from him, runs to meet him with a pardon. Lo! we gave up God in the plain field, preferred his enemy, gave him more credit then God; we chose sin, death, misery; it was matter of choice; yea, our seeking; yea, we could not satisfy ourselves with variety of wander. And when we had done God all the dishonour we could, we shown not the lest sorrow: rather flew out more against him, and all his; taking no course to do him right. In short; we could do nothing, we would do nothing, for God's glory, and our own souls. Now what did God the while for us? he looked after us, he pitied us, he took our parts against the enemy, he censured all that had any hand in our hurt whither principal or accessary; and bought us again with dearest blood, and hath now given us a better estate, then ever we had, put us into a better Adam, set over us a better Guardian, given us better promises, better covenant, better security then before. O that we had hearts to see the height and depth of this love, the freeness and fullness of this gift I how shall we do to love God enough? to prize Christ enough? where be our capacities? our expressions? All that you can do is this. First, Given yourselves to God, sigh you have nothing better. And secondly, Do somewhat for his friends, for Christ's members, since you can reach not higher: do not say, when they need thy help, They may thank themselves; They threw themselves into wants, and could not tell when they were well; let them for me drink as they have brewed. Oh! Remember that thou hadst a better answer from God, follow his steps. Labour to humble them, and then show them that mercy, which thyself hast received. Thou undidst thyself, and wouldst not take thy father's counsel: yet God pitied thee. O: but these will never have done, they will be ever needy, ever craving, 'tis in vain to help, they cannot keep aught. Think the case thy own, prevent them as God hath thee: Given them by the week, lay it out thyself, be thou their purse-bearer, as Christ is thine. As for the rest, who see their folly, and are now willing to work, to submit, to amend; let the same bowels be in thee, which were in Christ, and so clear thy interest in him: And then, Lastly, here is a word of comfort. Be it that my own folly, sin, pride, unbelief, hath cast me into straits: Comfort in the midst of our great folly. yet in that case, God helps Fools, as David speaks, Psal. 107. and therefore I will to him with David, Psal. 107.17. and acknowledge my folly and brutishness, Psal. 3. ult. and given unto him the glory of his Goodness. Salvation is of him; We have destroyed ourselves, Hos 13.9 saith Hosea; but who saves? God in Christ; Death is ours, Hos 13.9. life is his: make him our All, and answer all with Him; my is shame, and confusion of face, but all righteousness belongs to him; Own thy own, and let God have his own; Thy own is sin and misery, own that: And yet here own but thy own; nothing is ours, but what is from us, OF accepted by us; Satan may lay his brats at our doors, but we need not open the doors for them; he may inject, and cast in sin: but if we reject it, 'tis his, not ours. Consent may make another's sin my, dissent may make my, noon of my. And let this stay us; There may be use, I confess, in some cases of distinguishing betwixt Inbred corruption, and foreign suggestions: but ordinarity it is sufficient to mark how sin is entertained, rather then whence it ariseth. Thou wilt say happily, that Satan makes a very through-fair of thy heart, and will not be hedged out; but be thou still repairing the mounds, and call in Christ, to be thy surety; and he that prevented thee with mercy at the first unsought to, unthought of on thy part, will keep thee to the last and crown his own graces, in his own time, with victory. Mean while never stick with Christ for any thing, to whom thou owest all, but sin and folly, which thou must call thy own only. Quantum mutatus ab ille ! Conclude with a Caveat for humble walking with God continually. Sigh the case is altered with us to our loss, let us bear ourselves accordingly: 'tis hard to fall, and to bring down the heart to the estate: a man of noble birth can hardly forget his beginnings, and sit lower, but he must, he must cut his coat according to his cloth, and conform: somust we. It is with us as with Samson: now (said he) I'll shake my self as in former times: but poor Samson is not now the man, his wings are clipped, his hair cut, his strength lost, till God rerepair him; 1 Sam. 2.3. he must be now a captive, a bondslave. O talk not presumptuously, as he said: leave that to others, to dream of their innate principles, of their semina and igniculi virtutis, of the rectitude of their reason, virginity and freedom of their will, of their native good, of their hearts and meanings, of I know not what power, more then a passive capacity of good: let us know the case is altered with us: not presume as some, who will not be old, but think to do now as they could in youth; Milo Croton. but rather, with the Heathens Samson, have a fear of ourselves and say, At high lacerti jam mortui sunt, and keep a straighter watch: say, I have not the understanding that once I had, Prou. 30. and therefore must beg eyesalve, and be content with teaching: I have not the memory that I had, and therefore must be content with line upon line: and my conscience is not as it was, and therefore I must not build only upon myself: my eyes be not as they were, I must set a guard; my strength as it was, I must not hazard myself to temptation. Once ('tis true) I could have go along with God, done all commanded, believed all propounded, performed duty without weariness, resisted temptation, etc. And therefore as an aged weakened body concludes, I must not go as I did, nor far as I did, nor look upon myself as a young man, but be more sober and watchful then heretofore; so here. I know now there dwells no good in me, neither can I do as I could have done: and therefore my rule and wisdom is; First, to humble and abase myself before God, and to bewail my losses. Secondly, to deny myself, and fear myself, in all. Thirdly, to make out for a repair: here is some difference, An old decayed body can have no hope of a recovery here, his hope is in the resurrection, but yet there's hope for us, this hope: First, go to our Father, and desire him to disannul our covenants with death. Secondly, to our Advocate to pled our cause, nay our Surety, nay our God, who was sent to repair us, to dissolve Satan's works, and by him we may be restored in blood, renewed in part now, at present have a surer title and tenure then in Adam, and hereafter a more glorious estate then Adams was, and shall found our unhappy fall to prove our highest preferment. SECTION IV. Man's undoing is from his non-dependence on God. ECCLES. 7. ult. But they have sought out many inventions. WE have seen the cause of man's fall, now more particularly, let us inquire into the steps thereof. How come man thus to ingulfe himself? First, he goes of from God; leaves his hold there, and betakes himself to himself. Secondly, being once of, he never comes on again, but rangeth infinitely. These two. Particulars comprise the whole story, and state of man fallen, from the first to the last, and conclude all the interpretations made of the words. He had sought before, and now what finds he? I was casting up my reckoning, saith Solomon, but I found the reckoning passed my skill. Numbers may be still multiplied, and there's no end of man's devices; he still, still busily and vigorously (as the word in that Conjugation imports) projects more. The Points might be many. We first pitch upon this. Man's undoing is from his non-dependence on God; Doct 4 Man's undoing it from his non-dependence on God. trace him, and you will found that his ruin first and last is from his Independence upon God. This first caused; secondly, continues; thirdly, consummates all his misery. Solomon implies all this. First, man of good is become bad, what's the cause? he gave up God, and fell to his own wits. Secondly, man is now desperately wicked; there is no sounding of him; what's the reason? he still continues and enlargeth his estrangement from God. Thirdly, man is now the vainest of vanities: the very source and seat both, of all vexations. The reason. He keeps of from God, and beats our himself, with his own inventions. So then view him either in the entrance of his unhappiness, or in the progress, or in the close of it. All is hence, that he goes out from God, and stands out to the last. His turning from God began his misery, his not returning to God perpetuates it. No wonder, if it be man's case now; it is the condition of all creatures, they all stand by a manutention. The strongest fall, if left to themselves; as we see not only in Adam, but in the Devils themselves. Nay, we found it in man now somewhat healed and regenerated. Though he hath an immortal principle in him, and a better guard about him, then ever he had, yet stands he not longer, then he holds dependence upon God: let him once step out from him, and stand High-lone; down he comes, and falls as soon into a Guzzel, as into another place. We see it, in blessed Abraham, David, Job; In all, at their best, and in their best. We might be infinite in proofs, but we wave them sigh the thing is clear to Reason: for, First, Reas 1 what is God whom man leaves, in this case? he is all goodness, all wisdom, strength, holiness, comfort, life; not only in himself, Psal. 43.4. but to the creature. The joy of our joy, Psal. 43.4. the life of our life, ⋆ Psal. 36.9. the strength of our strength; loose him, and all is lost: Take away the sun, and where is light? the fountain, and where is the stream? the root, and where's the tree? The head and heart, as it were, then what's any member? Obstruct his influence for a time, what's an Angel? What is man? he lives not in himself; the procreant cause of his being is also the conservant, his Esse & porrò esse is from God; his being, a mere dependency. Take him alone, and he hath no bottom of his own; but look how Christ human nature had its subsistence from the Godhead, by personal union: so hath man, by a spiritual union and dependence. Col. 1.17. Join him with all the creatures, Col. 1.17. and take in them to his succour, and they without God, are but so many nothings and cyphers; now put a thousand cyphers together, and add nothing to nothing, what's the product but nothing? They must all say, Strength is not in me, help in me. Unless God hear the heavens, the heavens hear not us; and there's the same reason of all the rest. Nay, thirdly, we say more. When man is once of from God, , power, justice, all perfection in God is not only removed from us, but is made against us; yea, all in ourselves is then against us; wit, memory, strength, or whatsoever may promise' most; yea, all in every creature is against us. Every thing becomes not only vanity, but vexation: not wind alone, but the East wind; a piercing, a wounding reed, as well as a broken reed. Add to this, that Satan by God's just hand for this Apostasy seizeth as it were upon all strays, and empty houses, as it is in the Parable. If he can but a while part Adam and Eve, he makes sad work, but much more, when he can sever God from man, because man would be of himself, and not lean upon God. First, see the steps of man's downfall: Use 1 Not e the step of man's downfall . he would needs be absolute the first day, a freeholder, and acknowledge no Supreme, at lest would mend his tenure, and be free from all wardship, and homage, and so quickly outed himself of all. See secondly, our strange folly, whom long experience hath not yet made wise. O how impatient are we still of any yoke! no bird so weary of his cage, no slave so weary of his bondage: not sooner bound Apprentices, but we must be made free, like the Prodigal, in the Parable, weary of his father, and must be presently at his own finding, till he had fooled himself out of all. We may see ourselves in Israel; they could not abide within God's mounds. They would not trust to an Uncertain Moses, or Unseen God: they would have one in sight, in hand; they would not go to God for every penny, and live from hand to mouth every meal, they would be at their own finding and carving, have wells of their own flesh of their own, bread of their own, they would not depend upon God's Provision, of a Judge or General: they would have a King of their own. Just so it is with us in all passages of reliance and dependence. Men will not rest in God's Authority and direction. They will superadde inventions of their own. They will have more words, then written words, Traditions, more Gospels then one, more Articles then twelve, more Precepts then ten, more Mediators; more Gods then one. They will not rest in God's truth and promises; take his securities and seals; but add more. They will not rest in God's Wisdom for time and particulars. They are all for the bird in hand, all for sense, nothing for faith. Thus they say in plain English, they will trust to themselves, not to God. So for the Providence, and point of protection. They dare not put themselves upon God: he is not strong enough, wise enough: they must shifted for themselves, as sometimes Abraham and David did. And in point of Provision and maintenance, they say as the child doth: Mother let me have all, be it meat, money, and what else you can name, in my own hand, and in my own keeping. Hence in Matter of fact, such schambling; men strain wits, conscience, all, to get all out of God's hands into their own. Faith then no faith, If wit, if flattery, if backbiting, if lying, if hell itself will do it, they will have it, and say it was a good providence too, Zac. 11.5. as Zac. 11.5. Hence in matter of faith, God would be alone in the throne, one God; we upon that account, refuse him, as the Senate did Christ, because he would be All or Noon: we must have (would you think it?) thousands of God's, as Israel; in every City, at lest one; God would be acknowledged the fountain of all grace, 1 Pet. 5.10. 1 Pet. 5.10. Men will divide. Nature shall do some what: Freewill somewhat Some hard, or voice, they will have in Election, Vocation, Justification, Sanctification, Salvation. They will be partners. As they can do nothing without God, so God little without them. God would have us own all to him, depend upon him for the first, second, third, fourth, every grace; yield him the author and finisher, the Alpha and Omega of all. We trust to our own provisions, habits, gifts, and would prevail by our own strength: In short; we would not be confined to his wisdom as only wise, to his care, his means, his hours, and times; but will shark, anticipate, and either contribute, or control his proceed, and call this our wisdom. This the practice; now consider, First, what a sin it is, thus to depose God: for deny Providence and deny All: and thus to deify ourselves. For to be independent, is to be God. This is to be like Antichrist, lawless; like Satan, a Belialist, that is, yoke-less. Consider next, what a folly it is: we commit two absurdities at once, we forsake the fountain, for a broken tisterne; we forsake the best comforts, and as Jonah saith, Jona. 2.8. our own mercies; we leave God's fire of direction, protection, and consolation, and walk by a worse light, our own sparks, Isa. 50. ult. Jet. 2.12. & 19 as Isaiah speaks, and so at last lie down in sorrow. 'Tis a thing, both base, Jer. 2.12. and bitter, v. 19 a certain forerunner of all misery and confusion. Alas! if we will be thus alone, we must bear our own sorrows, care our own cares, lie under our own burdens, as Rebels must, when they withdraw allegiance, and cease to be under protection. Whilst we go along with God we live upon him, and lie under his protection: but if we will be alone, God leaves us to ourselves, or sends us to our Idols, as Judges 10.13, 14. Jud. 10.13, 14 Think not this a small matter to go a whoring thus from God: 'twill cost a Saint dear, God will break his carnal confidences, Jer. 2. ult. Jer. 2. ult. he will make our Gods, our own rods; punish us and our Gods together, as once he did in Egypt; see this and be wise. Repent we of this our sacrilege, Use 2 Repent, and let God be all again . restore God to his Crown, given him the entire glory of his absolute power, wisdom, truth, all. Let him alone be wise, independent, and himself. All the struggling betwixt God and man, ever was about this point; namely, which should rule, and which obey; which direct, and which submit. Now do him and thyself right, given all to him, leave nothing to thyself, but obedience, which is the portion of Inferiors. Applied to three sorts of men . This is applicable to three sorts of men. To those who went of with Adam, Sort. but are not yet come on again. Let these understand themselves: they stand guilty of an horrible treason till they return: they are outlawed and left naked of protection, of direction, of life, of safety, of all; where they left God, they left all their happiness, and their way is back again. Their rvine come by deserting God, and 'tis continued whilst a distance continues. Their work therefore is to return; First, for God's sake, who is their Lord and rightful King, and whom they have infinitely offended. Were it but a brother that had aught against them, they should make to him, ●…uk. 15. much more to God, as Luke 15. Father I have sinned against heaven etc. Secondly, for their own sakes; whilst they run from God, they run from their own mercies and comforts, into a miserable maze; there's no end of erring, the heart is restless. They are sure of nothing, but fear upon fear, till they come home to him. Being thus in hucksters hands, they still be cheated and vexed, and at the last, as they have lived without God, so they will die without God, which is the height of misery; for to be without him, is to be worse then nothing. Ob. Oh! Object. but we have God in his Ordinances, Word, Sacraments, etc. Sol. 'Tis true, Sol. God offers him there: but we have him not till we accept him. I, Object. but we do that, we put all our trust in God, and expect all from him. So we say, Sol. but if we do wholly depend, what means then so many inventions? what the use of ill means? what such adoring of Creatures? so high thoughts when they smile, so base, when they frown? so much fear when man, so little when God is offended? 'Tis certain; a natural man is his own God; he depends upon himself, his own wit, grace, friends, means, not upon God at all: and the Saints themselves depend but little; did they wholly rest upon God, they would be glad to please, they would not sleep, till reconciled, as Josiphs' brethrens; They would be even and settled in their way. That indeed is Repentance, namely, the change of your dependence, when you abhor all that is your own, and put all upon God, do all to him, from him, and his principles: Here then is the first work, To given up creatures; say: My bow, my horse, my money, nay, my prayers shall not save me. Salvation is of the Lord, not from the creatures; these you may use as servants, but not as Lords; among them you may trust some men, with a moral trust, but it must not amount to a Divine, for fear of that curse, Jer. 17. Jer. 17. Iron heats not but from an heat put to it, the pen speaks no comfort, unless some hand guide it, some head prompt it: so think of all creatures; they cannot so much as think of us, unless God mind them, much less pity, and help us, unless God given pity and help. He is the God of all comfort; 2 Cor. 1.2. there we must have it, or no where; unite to him, and close with him, and then thou art restored. Oh! but I doubt he will not receive me. Object. That's answered, in the Parable, Luke 15. Sol. Oh! but I have stood out long, after Covenants, Object. Sacraments etc. That's answered, Jer. 3.1, 2. etc. Jer. 3.1, 2. Object not more: suspend thy comfort not longer by adjourning repentance; thou makest thy return here by the harder; every step out of the way must be unstepped again. To such who are go out from God the second time, 2 Sort. at lest in part, these revolts prove most dangerous and least pardonable. Thou hast been once, as it were, burnt in the hand already; fear the second time: thou hast tried both estates, now tell me, which is the better? the snow of Lebanon; or dirty ditches? the waters of Siloah; or trouble some seas? Tell me whither all the world's enjoyments be worth one hours' communion with heaven: and when thou hast made use of thy own experience, lay down creatures; above all, lay down thy self: For there is nothing in us that can help us; in truth, nothing but what will hurt us, without God. We cannot so much as receive and enjoy comfort, so much as apprehended it, unless God given an apprehension; therefore deny self, and mortify self. Say, I took myself for a God, but I am a devil: I thought myself wife, but I am a fool; I conceived myself safe when I had a little grace in my own keeping; but I found that I can keep nothing; therefore henceforward I will despair of myself, know no man after the flesh, have no confidence in flesh, but bid adieu to all fleshly hopes: and then plant thyself upon God, there is no other bound or bottom; Jam. 1.17. Every gift, faith James 1.17. Every giving of that gift; The use, continuacce, apprehension, is all of him, he is that principle which communicates all. See nothing but emptiness out of him, and fullness in him: therefore close with him by knowledge, by faith, by love: do nothing without him, trust not thyself in the lest: take notice what a treacherous nature thou hast, Hos. 11.7. how bend to backsliding, Hos. 11.7. How far thou art sunk into it, and go from thyself; how sweet God was once, and the creature now; how humble thou once wast, how disdain full now; how once troubled upon the lest estrangement, and how now thou canst live without God, for a long time. And again take notice of thy speed: what thy then happiness was, what thy now deadness. And so conclude with the Church, Hos. 2. ult. Hos. 2. I will return to my husband again, for then was it best with me. Oh! Object. but I am ashamed and afraid. Answer; Sol. be neither ashamed or afraid of doing justice, of glorifying God. 1 Sam. 12. Jer. 4. Think what Samuel said to revolting Israel, 1 Sam. 12. Think what God faith to backsliding Judah, Jer. 4. Think of Christ's errand, who come to recover strays, and to save what was lost. Think of the Prodigals entertainment, of our for giving seventy times seven times in a day. Think of God's practice with other backsliders, and believed the prophets, whose work it is to bring thee back to God, as the exprestion is 2 Chron. 24. And which is also the main of our repentance; and that is usually expressed by our returning to God, and it stands much what in the change of principles and dependence, as before was noted: Therefore here sit down, make God thy All, and depend upon him for first, second, third, every grace. So much to the second sort, 3 Sort. now to the third; and they are such as stand in terms of dependency, but too loosely. I have two words to say to these. First, let them hold that dependency they have arrived at, as their life. Let not with put them of from depending upon God's directions; nor pride, from submitting to his Sovereignty; nor unbelief, from closing with his promises; nor any change of times, from their constant adherence. 'Tis, I confess, a very hard thing to hold close to God, in extremities; when the affliction and the trial is great, then to clasp about God is difficult, as David and Abraham witness: and no whit easier in much peace and prosperity, as we see in the same David, Hezekiah and others. In great divisions, it is a hard thing not to trample and to warp aside, as we see in Peter Gal. 2. We are cast upon Trying times, times of Antichrists rage: and then depending graces, as Faith, Patience, and the like, are most seasonable. Reu. 14.12. Reu. 14.12 . Our care therefore must be to put of all self conceits, and hopes, and dependencies. We have in this case, but too much wit, strength, confidence of our own. But all our own must down: for so much as there is of our own in us, so much there is of misery and deceit. Therefore be nothing in thyself, nothing in any creature, nothing in any Ordinance abstracted from Christ: hung the whole soul upon him; be no wiser then Christ, not holier, not stronger: then Christ. Make an entire resignation, and let thy dependence be absolute and universal for all grace, all counsel, all comfort. There is no other bottom or subsistence. But when doth a man Depend upon God? Quest. or what is it to Depend upon Christ? First, Sol. to rest upon his word through out in the precepts and promises. Secondly, to draw and derive all our strength from him. Thirdly, to expect all in his way; and that is, in a subordination to his means, and in a community with his Church: for so he conveys himself to each member. Cut the branch from the tree, or the member from the body, there's no life, no growth, Ephes. 4. Fourthly, in all the means, use them, but trust him: take up the care of duty, leave to him the care of success. Secondly, let them strain towards a further communion; for the best of our hearts hung too lose from God as yet; We are apt, with David, to look to the right hand, and to the left, and to be catching at every sprig We look upon the world, as if it were as full of God's, as the Roman Senate was said to be of Kings. We deisie every creature. Nay, the truth is, every man would be his own God, his own Christ, his own holy Ghost, and rather trust himself, then look out to God. This wickedness must be resisted, ●3. Psal. ult. and this must be our study, To remove the creature further from us, and to say still with David, Its good for me to draw neare to God; and conclude, that if it be best, to come nearer to him, its best also to keep out selves with him, to do nothing without him: nay, if it were possible, not to breathe without him, as Ignatius some where. Lastly, Use 3 see for thankfulness God's unspeakable mercy to us, and that in many respects. First, in that he would not loose us when we were lose from him, as men use to do; Let him go, say they, when a man will not trust them. If he would have put himself upon me, I would have stuck to him, and provided for him, but sigh he will be of himself, let him shist for himself. Thus men; but not so, God: though we would part with him, he will not loose us; but seeks us out, and takes us of, from our own bottoms: and this, (were it but only thus much) it were a great mercy, though it cost us some trouble. When a bone is out of place, it is a favour to set it, though it cannot be done without pain. Though God stop our way with thorns, yet if there by he brings us home to himself, the mercy is great. And therefore look upon this as such, when God, as a father, takes home his bankrupts, takes all out of our hands, more then the duty of dependence, and will trust us neither with soul, nor body, nor estate, nor any thing else. This is one mercy. But secondly, there is more in it then so. God provides a new bottom; creates, as it were, a new Tenure. Commits us to Christ, and Christ commends us back again to the Father, and both to the Holy Ghost sealing us; and all make it their joint work to secure soul, body, estate, all, here and here after. This is glorious mercy, here's a blessed change, a secure estate. God engageth for thyself, for thy seed, to all eternity: Interest thyself in him, and there's an end of all thy cares, fears, doubts, perplextiys, Psal. 94.18, 19 SECTION V. Man lose from God is restless in his ways. ECCLES. 7. ult. But they have sought out [MANY INVENTIONS.] WE come now to the last point. They have sought out many, etc. [inventions] say we: and the inventions are not few, which are discovered in the rendering of the words, * Ratiocinia, saith Jun. Quastiones insinitas, saith the Vulg. cogitationes vanas. Vatab. computationes. Pagn. Cogitationes. Montan. Cogitationes. magnatum, saith Lodo. de Dicu. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Symmac. Cogitationes alienas à recto. saith Merc. etc. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Our own translation, being full enough, and suitable to the scope, we shall rest in that, and for the matter, take notice of man's progress in evil, when once he is of from God; he works himself out of all, he hath his devices, he hath many of them; he seeks, and seeks again, and yet again even unto infiniteness. Whence we observe, ⋆ Doct 5 Man once lose from God, restless in his ways . That when a a man is once lose from God, and left to himself, he becomes restless and endless in his own ways. It fares with him, as with the Sea man, or way faring man; when once he hath lost his rule and directions, and is out of his own knowledge, he is, as it were, in a mist or maze, walks the round, now backward, now forward, now on this hand, now on that, still in motion, and that swift; but all to no purpose. It will not offend you, I hope, if I compare him to the Poor Spaniel, which hath lost his Master: he cries, and stands, he runs and stops, he smells and searcheth, now on this, now on that side the way; but knows not where he is, nor when to make end. Its much-what so with man, Trace him from the first to the last, so soon as ever he went of from God, he began to rove into a world of devices: and Herein worse then the spaniel, which runs to found his master, but man runs from him, as we see Adam hides himself, palliates and transfers his fault, patcheth up a poor covering and is as busy, to no purpose, as his then parts and time would given. Pass from him to Cain his son; so soon as he went our from God, he become a Rover, and both himself, and his children fell to inventions, some whereof God hath turned to man's good. After that, Ambition come in, and then Oppression, Srotius, de Jure belli & pacis. And all along, as the world was peopled, so shops and forges were increased. In the end man's self was multiplied within himself, V Varro in Aug. de civit. dej. in one you had a thousand. God's were multiplied, for one there were thousands. Religions and worships were multiplied, for one Temple, they built many, as Hosea notes; for one Jehovah, Idols innumerable in every City, in every furrow, in every house, river, wood, place, Gods without number. And for practicals, it were infinite to particularise; Men were as wicked, as they could tell how to be, as God complains of his once people, Jer. 2. Jer. 2. Come down to the time of Christ's Incarnation; how many religions were then in the world? how many inventions in the Church, brought in by Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, and I know not whom? since that, how many among Jewish Rabbins? how many among Heathenish Gentiles? still, still still, as men declined from the truths of God, they added of their own; see it in the books of Scripture, in the Sacraments, in several confessions and models of religion, in worships, in Liturgies; How did they, who would be thought the chiefest Churchmen, beaten their brains about new ceremonies and forms? one Pope adds this, another that, and every one something, till the Church was surcharged. What should we speak of Heresies, and uncouth opinions? how have the Catalogues swelled in our hands? Epiphanius mentions some, Austin more, and after him, more and more in every Age. Nay, the Apostle in his time, speaks of endless strifes and disputes, of many spirits, of different doctrines, which since have swarmed beyond all account. There is invention upon invention: inventions new to confirm the old: new Additions, and new Editions, and what not? Now the Reasons of these endless Mazes and pursuits, are many. God is the Boundary of all things; in him, Reas 1 and not where else, the soul finds rest. There's light enough in him to fill the understanding: Goodness enough to satisfy the soul: Authority sufficient to command the conscience and the whole man And, secondly, man hath no consistence of his own: that which is said of fluid things, That they cannot bond themselves, is true of Man Again, he is too unruly to be held in by any but God; no mounds but God's mounds will hold them in. Add to this, that he is now made up of Ignorances, errors, lusts; and though truths and virtues have their bounds, yet these have noon. Again, he is restless, as the needle jogged aside, till he faceth God: he finds all imperfect, that he deals in; and so must piece and patch up things as he can. He is made up of Busy principles, and the more busy because now distempered, and as it were feverish, and hence he runs like a Clock out of order; he is unwearyed in his own way and inventions, and is still adding, as in Mic. 6. Wherewithal shall we come before God? will rivers? will thousands serve the turn? Yet further, he is unsatisfied in all that he can do, like the swift dromedary, still traversing her ways, fer. 2.23. hurried up and down with guilt Cain-like, in the Land of Nod. Besides all this, when he is empty of God, Satan seizeth on him; acts him beyond himself; fills him with a spirit of fury, of giddiness, and all hellish lusts, fears, objections, scruples, and such like trash, which multiply like so much vermin. For Information; Use 1 Admire and bewail this restlessness . To what a pass man is now brought? he is blind, yet busy like the Frantic; then wisest, when he is worst of all: he must now be no less then a God: he is able to make a God of his own, a worship of his own, a conscience of his own, a Bible of his own; weary of nothing but of dependence and confinement. Never was bird wearier of a Cage then he of God's mounds; then most impatient, when he is not left to himself. See it in all the passages of his life. First, 1. In civil affairs. In civil affairs; he must have no superior: A servant in one year grows weary of that yoke; Mary he must, he must be of himself, else no bargain. The little apprentice before he hath worn out half his time, must buy his time, set up of himself: and thus it is, for the most part, with all inferiors; they are weary of all Government, like Israel of old; God himself could not please them; they must have another King. Secondly, 1. In spiritual. in the spiritual regiment; where shall you found a man almost that will submit to any spiritual government? What should I speak of men's carriage towards their Pastors in that relation? they will not yield to God himself. For the purpose. God would stand Alone, and be sole Commander, Saviour: Man would share with him. God would be the Only Lawgiver: Men would put in somewhat into his Laws. God would be Only worshipped: Men will not sit down by this; but they will have some hand in all his dispensations. We see this every day both in Doctrinals and Practicals. In the first; How do men sweated to divide with God? If he bring Grace, they'll bring William If he offer a match with his Son, they'll bring some portion. Wither tend all the points of Popery, Arminians, Socinians, Anabaptiss, but to this, To take us of (in part at lest) from a dependency? So in practicals, whither work or wages be considered, God would have us live by faith, that emptying grace; we are all for sense. He would have us be beholding to Christ for all; we will warm ourselves with our own sparks. He would have us stand to his allowance and maintenance, we will shark, and shifted for ourselves, and fear that God will be to seek, if we did not help him out with our supplies. All this while, see what becomes of our wit, and how ill we provide for ourselves. First, we forsake the fountain, and our own mercies. Secondly, we embrace lyng vanities. Thirdly, we throw ourselves into a world of perplexities: and lastly, pull upon ourselves that curse of curses, to be left to our own counsels and inventions. Use 2 Double instruction. Of Instruction. Is man thus endless in his wander, when he is once left to himself? Than first, pity your children. They go astray from the womb, To Parents for their children. and the longer they go in their own ways, the more work, and misery do they created to themselves. You may think perhaps that wedlock will tame them, time and experience will teach them: but that's your error. The longer they live, the more inventive they will be, and full of crotchets. Stop them betimes, and be as merciful to their souls, as you be to their bodies. If a limb be crooked, you will seek to straighten it, whilst it is tender. If a bone be broken, you will not say, Time will work it out: Yoole rather say; Alas! the child will be a cripple all his days, if he be not timely looked to: Think the same for their souls; They are quite disjointed, and their faces look the wrong way, do your best to set them right: at lest bring them to God's bonesetters, who may restore them. Gal. 6. 1. Secondly, yourselves; and the greatest mercy you can show to yourselves is, To go from yourselves to God again. To Parents for themselves . If a man will be ruled by his own reason, by his own conscience, or rather fancy, he shall never have done; he will work himself out of his own Gears, run himself quite of his own legs. Therefore say with David, I hate all vain inventions. Psal. 119.113 They are all vain, and I have chosen thy statutes, OH Lord. The way is plain, simple, even, if we would follow it, as God chalks it out; To us, (saith the Apostle, Jud. 3. in matters of faith) there is but One God, one Lord, one Master, one Lawgiver, one faith, Once given to the Saints, once for all delivered in clearest Scriptures: Here stick, upon these plain principles, and decline inferences too fare fetched in point of practice, the directions are very clear. I writ unto you, saith John, that you sin not; we must plant that resolution in our hearts against all purposed sins; next, if we do sin besides purpose, make up the breach quickly. We have, saith he, an advocate with the Father. Go to him, follow his counsel, in recruiting ourselves: given glory to God in a way of Confession; given right to man in a way of Satisfaction; and then for the future, If ye know, saith he, that God is righteous, then know too, that every one that doth righteousness, and noon other, is born of him, 1 John 2. ult. Here's a plain way; now make no bouts, nor strain wit to found evasions. In matters of Doctrine; strive not to bring opinions to our lusts; and make the Word speak what sin would have it: make not Scriptures servants to our interests. So in matters of life and conversation; hold to the rule, Sin not, faith John. Spare inventions, True: Object. sin not, unless necessity dispenseth; but God will have mercy, not sacrifice; I must not starve myself and my children. Sin not, true: if it be simply and intrinsically evil; but this that I do, is not sin in me, sin in this case. So in the case of repentance; nothing more plain. Repent, say the Prophets; Repent, saith Christ; Repent, say the Apostles. I acknowledge it, but what is it to repent? a man may be too legal and slavish. I'll to Christ, and what needs more? Say, I have offended my neighbour. If Christ forgive me, he must forgive me. Not, Sol. saith Christ, you must, to your offended brother too, else approach not my Altar. Mat. 5.23, 24 Here stay, hear Christ, not wit; that will have twenty Pleas, It was no wrong, It was but just, It is not against charity, Who can tell whither he be a Brother or no? or, whither indiscretion this be the best way, all circumstances considered? So again: We must be righteous as he is righteous; We must do as we would be done by; that's the Royal Law: yield to this rule, which very Heathens have yielded to; and cast not a mist before thy own eyes; make not thyself believed, that thou wouldst be so used thyself, only because thou wouldst have a licence to abuse another. It were infinite to prosecute all particulars. Believe it; there will be no end of wander, of fears, doubts, thoughts, till we come in to God. If a man will believed himself and given way to his own guides and principles, he will never be quiet: therefore given a flat denial to them all; by name, First, to self-reasonings. A man would run himself quite out of breath and become mad with reason, if he will exalt reason above God. Secondly, to unmortified lusts. They will hurry a man into all precipices. Thirdly, to a scrupulous conscience, which knows to end or mean, till it hath wrought out itself, and wearied the soul, as it befell a poor soul, whose name I conceal, who first made conscience (and that justly) of blessing food before received, and then yielding to some scruples come to this. If I must bless God for every meal, why not then for every second course or dish coming to the Table: and if so; why not then for every bit eaten, and every drop let down: and if I must do so in case of meats and drinks, why not in all other things whatsoever? and thus that poor soul made life itself a burden. Fourthly, to man's example or authority, especially when it is countenanced with seeming sanctity. If a man make man his guide and his rule, where shall he stay? or which man shall he follow? Rather follow true Guides: that is to say, Given up thyself to Christ with true light, 1 Pet. 2.25. next, make use of thy present light, whither of nature, or of Grace: and next, shut not out any light offered, but receive all thankfully and humbly. Yet further: hold to the sure Rule of Scriptures, and there, first to the Fundamentals, to plain places, to the literal sense, where no incongruity will follow upon it: and for principles; make neither more nor fewer then the Word makes; only be true to such: and for inferences and deductions, though they cannot be simply ejected, yet take heed they be not too fare fetched, Use 3 Bless God who gives a stop to our wander . or too much strained. Lastly, if the case be so with us, that the further we departed from God the worse we be, and the more we divide like a river, when further from the fountain, or like hail shot, the further it goeth, the more it scattereth: Than bless we God for calling us in, and giving a stop to these our wander. Herein he seals up a world of love; for first, when would we ever come in again of ourselves? verily, as a rebel once go out, is so fare from returning, unless pardon and grace fetch him in, as that he runs further and further, strengthens himself in his wickedness, studies arguments to palliate his sin, and to maintain his cause against his Sovereign: so it is here; when would Adam, either father or son, have returned, unless God had laid hand on him? when would the lost groat or the lost sheep have found themselves, if God had not first found them? men may talk of works preparatory, of, I know not what, congruities, improvements of naturals, and such like wonders; but till God put forth his creating power, and hold forth his Golden Sceptre, a wolf will as soon turn sheep; a Blackmore, fare; a devil, a Saint; as sinful Adam a convert. And therefore for this mercy, bless God. Yet this is not all. What a mercy is this that God takes us of from our minting and coining new, that is, false money every day? our forge is ever going, and going the wrong way. We do not study to found out new truths, new duties for practice, nor new faults, hypocrisies, backslide, errors, for humiliation; but new opinions, forms, questions, ways tending to strife and contention, to profaneness, and looseness, so that Africa itself did not more abound with monsters, then we naturally do. Now herein God's goodness is to be admired, that whilst we are hatching one unhappy brood or other, he is contriving our return and safety, and in his time takes us of by degrees from these principles of ours, wit, fancy, deluded conscience, lust, sense, and the like; which are sufficient to trouble ourselves and all the world. And in the third place, What a mercy is this that he meets with this our wildness and mounds us in? how many banks, and rails hath he set about us? Magistrates, and heirs of restraint, (as they are termed) in the State. Pastors and Teachers in the Church. Parents and Masters in the family. Brethrens and helpers in a community. And above all, settled us upon two never failing foundations; Doctrinal, the Word truly translated, and sound expounded to us; and Personal, the Lord Christ, who is made our Guardian, our Guide, our Prophet, our surety; who is so faithful, that he will never fail us; so full, that in him our souls shall found ease and rest, and be secured from starting, if we will put ourselves under his yoke, Mat. 11. And now we are fallen upon the next estate of man, viz. his Restauration in the second Adam: and of this we shall say more, if God shall please to given health and opportunity. In the mean, we shall (if God enable) speak something in the general, leaving the particulars touching Christ's person, natures, offices to some other time, as we shall see cause and found leisure. An end of this Text in Eccles. 7. ult. SECTION VI Saints by Christare in a very happy estate. ROME VIII. I There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, etc.— WE have looked upon man in a double estate: we have seen what he was in God's hand, what in his own. Now we are to inquire what he is in Christ's: These words will given us a general hint thereof. Where Three things must be done, (if we do well.) First, the order; Secondly, the meaning; Thirdly, the use of the words must be found out. For the first, they come in by way of Inference, that's confessed. But whence they are inferred, is the question. Bellarmine, Order of the words. I remember, knits them to the 7th Chapter, especially to those words. [Not I, but sin, etc.] And his conceit is this. There the Apostle had proved lust, i e. residencies and dregss of Original sin, to be no sin, and here he concludes, Therefore there is no matter of condemnation in Saints. But this cannot stand. For, first, the conclusion is too wide for the premises, if they were true; since other sins may damn, though Original sin did not. Secondly, the Premises and ground are not true. Paul doth not say, That concupiscence and the relics of original corruption are no sins; he saith the contrary, over and over in that Chapter, in so much as Arminius cannot believed, that what he saith, can agreed with a sanctified estate. As for that verse, [not I, etc.] the Apostle doth not dispute, whither there be sin or not in him, that he yields, but from what principle that sin comes; from a principle of flesh, not of grace. Let's set by this then. Ames knits these words to the fifth Chapter. Others to the seventh. Others, best of all, as I conceive, to the whole discourse foregoing. The Apostle having proved our Justification by grace, or faith, or Christ, which upon the matter come all to one, and taken of some objections, and absurdities in the 6th and 7th Chapters, which might at first sight seem thence to flow, be now like a good Artist sums up and infers the main conclusion; as if he had said. Now then since 'tis cleared that Christ is a root as well as Adam, and as full of life as he was of death, and puts forth this life effectually to free us from all manner of deaths, it hence follows, Therefore there is no condemnation to them that be in Christ. This the order and coherence. Now for the words; what's meant, in the first place, Meaning of the words. by Condemnation? Here we divide again. The Popish sense is this, There is no matter condemnable, nothing worthy condemnation in Saints. This sense we cannot receive, for then it will follow that there is nothing worthy absolution and pardon in them: Than were they free from all sin, for sin, as sin, is deadly, c. 6, at lest free from all mortal sin, which the state and story of David, Solomon, Peter, and thousands more do sufficiently confute. This therefore must not be it, What then? The word imports a condemnatory sentence, as Mark 10.33. and elsewhere. There is noon such abides the Saints, the law is discharged, and disarmed of its condemning power, as to Saints, they are removed from under it; the law borrows its condemning strength from sin, and that's taken of as to the guilt and power of it; as the Apostle after speaks. It is Christ, saith he, that justifies, who shall condemn? so then the believing Saints are passed from death, they come not into condemnation. Some objections are made by the Jesuits against this interpretation. But 'tis not worth while to devil long upon them. First, Object. This were to make the Apostle to speak absurdly. There is no condemnation, no hell to living Saints; who knows not this? whilst I see them upon earth, I am sure they are not actually condemned in hell. Answer, Sol. the Saints, (notwithstanding this Jeer,) found it, work enough to believed that they are not under the condemnatory sentence of the Law: and he might, if he had pleased, see a wide difference betwixt Sentence and Execution. I but, Object. If Saints have sin, they must needs have guilt, and that merits damnation. It doth so; Sol. therefore are they freed in Christ, and of grace not of merit. I, Object. but sin, and guilt, and punishment cannot be severed. True, Sol. not for merit, yet they may in the execution; and if they be inseparable, why do they in their doctrine of human satisfaction sever them? I, Object. but shall we impute falsehood to God? will he say there is no sin in Saints, when there is? God doth not say there is no sin in them, Sol. no desert of death, that's their saying, God only faith, that for Christ's sake there is no execution or actual condemnation of them. Why but then, Object. what's the ground and reason that no condemnation passeth upon such, and of what extent and latitude is this proposition? reacheth it to all under the Gospel, since the covenant of Grace? To all in Christ, Sol. to all as are in him, as once they were in Adam; that is to say, to all that are branches of him, and members of that body whereof Christ is head, and a principle of life: For to be in Christ, (to touch that by the way) is not only to be united to Christ by knowledge, so that we be in the faith, and Christian Religion: but that we be incorporated into him, by faith and the spirit, united to him in love and life, so that we have our subsistence and dwelling in him, 1. John 3. ult. He that is thus in Christ is passed from death to life, he comes not under a sentence condemnatory, Joh 3.18. and 5.24. he shall sit on the bench in the day of Judgement, not stand at the bar, there to be arraigned; but why all this, because they walk after the spirit? So indeed our Countryman Stapleton would have it, but that's against the whole discourse of the Apostle in the foregoing Chapters, and that were to confounded Law, and Gospel. The Text doth not say, there is no condemnation, because they walk after the spirit; he meddles not now in the conclusion with the causes of Justification, those he handles elsewhere, some before, some after, but now he is upon the subjects, and persons justified, and tells us in this place, not why they are justified, but who they be, and how qualified; or if you will, the cause or ground of their freedom is upon this account, because they are one with Christ: the evidence and proof of this because they live under a new guide or Law, walking not after the flesh, but the spirit. And thus for the words. Now the result hence is this. Saints in Christ are in a very happy estate and condition. Doct That's our Point, Our renewed estate is as good in Christ, Saints by Christ, are in a very happy estate. as it was bad in Adam. It is not for nothing, that Saint Paul makes this his highest ambition to be all in Christ, and nothing out of him, Phil. 3.9, 10. or this to be the highest honour and commendation to be styled Saints in Christ, Phil. 1.1. Brethrens in Christ, Col. 1. Churches in Christ, in his first and second Epistle to the Thessalonians. This the highest dignity, the best seniority; They were, faith Paul, before me in Christ, Rom. 16.7. and 11. Our Saviour himself makes this the main of his Ministry. First, to call men to him; then, to persuade an abidance in him: and to this very end hath established an everlasting Ministry, that thereby men might be called into the fellowship of Christ, 1 Cor. 1.9. Nay, and into the Glory of Christ, and his most glorious privileges, 2 Thess. 2.14. Now that our condition is not more desperate out of Christ, then blessed in him, will further appear, if we consider this estate, either singly, or in way of comparison. To begin with the latter. 1. In comparison of others. First, Adam's estate in innocency was (as we have heard) a very rich and glorious estate; he was heir of all the world, held all of God immediately, he was in the actual possession of all required Graces, and had in himself a power of perpetu-ating his estate in Fee simple upon himself and his for ever: a fare estate, but short of ours now. Adam had not the heir himself as we have, had not so neare an union with God as we by Christ; he had a good Landlord, but not a Father by marriage; nor had he that security and warrantise, against all pretenders and claimers that we have: he held God by the hand, but God holds us. To say nothing of another life in heaven, which whither Adam heard of, is more then we can tell. Secondly, the holy Angels in heaven, are doubtless in a very good condition, their estate is free, glorious, sure, yet ours in Christ our head, exceeds theirs. They are servants, we are members; they are the friends of the bridegroom, we the bride; they have their personal glory and life, but we the same for substance with Christ's; Joh. 57 They are neare to Christ in place and employment, but not so neare as we, who are flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bone. Thirdly, the Saints now in heaven, are in a blessed state, and for time, have gotten the start of us, yet for the substance of the matter, we have as good, as sure an estate as themselves; the difference lies in this, they are seized of it in person and in part, Eph. 2.6. we in our proxy and head Christ, there we also sit, Eph. 2. neither shall they be perfected, till we come to them; now then to close this comparative consideration, if our estate in many things exceeds Adams, in some things the Angels, if for the main, we hold pace with the souls now in bliss, having the same both heir and inheritance, our estate is certainly good; Adams was good, the Angels better, the Saints best, and the Saints is ours for the substance of it. 2. In a single consideration . Secondly, This futther appears if we surveyed the thing in itself, and look upon it in the causes of it. Secondly, in the subjects, or possessors of it. Thirdly, in the privileges, and benefits of it. For the causes of it . For the first, it is an estate of God's own making. We are, saith the Apostle, of God in Christ, I Cor. 1.30. and for us is Christ, of God, made wisdom, righteousness, redemption, all. It pleased God out of the richeses of Grace to take counsel with himself alone, how to make man, as happy, as man needed to be. And whereas before, though he had a vast estate, yet was he wider then his estate, and thereupon step'd over his bounds; he was pleased to resolve upon an estate larger then man, even his own estate, Glory, Joy so fare as communicable, and enters him upon that, even upon his Master's Joy, as it is in the Gospel; and Glory, as it is, 2 Thess. 2. 2 Thess, 2. 14. And whereas man was not at first himself, but as they were once used to speak of such as were under Covert without head, God resolves now upon a head and Guardian, Christ, and the conclusion is, Christ should pay all and have all. Hereupon the Father gives the Son, the Son gives himself to purchase an estate, and to instate us in it. Now consider what price the Father set upon that his Son, the Son of his love, and thence infers the greatness of the estate; for what loving Father will part, with the life shall I say? nay, with one limb of his child for a whole world? why, Saints in Christ have such an estate as God was content to redeem with the blood of his Son; a precious purchase, and therefore a precious state. Consider also Christ and his worth. He looks upon the estate, when it was to be purchased; and when the matter was propounded to him, and surveyed by him, he was willing to cell himself to his skin, to his soul to compass it: now certainly, that state must be very glorious that hath God for its founder, God for its purchaser, God for its price. For the subjects and heirs of this estate, to speak them all in one, it is Christ mystical. First, Christ, For the possessors of it. the heir apparent of all, the King's eldest, the King's only son. Secondly, Christians, that is, the Church in one body, the King's only Daughter, upon whom this state is settled, by way of Jointure shall I say? or rather, Dowry: now when the King of Kings shall drive a match between his only son, who is heir of all, and his only daughter by adoption, (as the son by nature) as once he did between Adam and Eve, and settle both worlds upon them, as he did the first upon Adam, how can it be but that the estate will be very rich, and every way full? And that will appear yet further to you, if you consider the last things, viz. The privileges and properties thereof. First, it is a spiritual estate, it lies not here in the dirt, For the privileges. as Adam's first estate did, it lies in light, Acts 26. it is undefiled, as Peter speaks. And upon that account the more excellent, because it is so spiritual; for, of things, spirituals in their natures, Acts 26.23.1 Pet. 1.4. are best, as most nearly approaching the best of all. It is a free estate, a created tenure whereto noon can pretend, free from all encumbrances, all forfeitures, decays, impositions, endowed with all immunities: here is freedom from the Law, in its rigour, curse, irritation, sting; though it remain in its directive, and detective, and corrective use, yet its destructive power is taken away; there is no condemnation, saith the Text. Freedom from wrath, Satan, sting of conscience; in a word, from all bondage. We were indeed formerly in a state of vassalage, but the Son makes us free, Joh. 8.36. John 8. Thirdly, it is a full estate; in Christ we are complete, Col. 2. Col. 2.10 . Yea, with the Son God gives us all, Rom. 8. all things are ours, Rom. 8.32. all persons ours, because Christ is ours, and Christ is God's, 2 Cor. 3. ult. It is a firm estate. All is everlasting, unchangeable, unmovable, unfading: all heirs, Joint heirs, with Christ. If the state stand good to him, it will to us: We shall speed as he and the Father speed, Joh. 17. Now the Son abides for ever, and the Daughter abides for ever, the estate dies to neither, and neither to other. We are heirs as of the things promised, so of the promises themselves, Gal. 3. ult. estate, and writings are all made over to us: by Christ we have right to all; in and with Christ, we are in the possession of all, in his right, and in our name, livery and seisin are given and taken. Thus you see the state. Now if you ask me a reason, Reas why God hath settled such an estate upon us, us beggars, us bankrupts, us traitors? I can given you noon other then what the Apostle hath given me, 2 Thess. 1. the motive is, mere grace in God through Christ; 2 Thess. 1.12. the end, that Christ may be glorified in us his body, and the fullness of him, who is the fullness of all, Eph. 1. ult. Luke 12.32 and to be admired by us to all eternity. Or, if you will have it in Christ's own words; It is the Father's pleasure to given this estate, which is sometimes called an Inheritance, sometimes a Kingdom, a glorious kingdom, an heavenly kingdom; God's kingdom; Christ's kingdom; The Saints kingdom. We will say no more at present, though much more might be said touching the excellency of this estate in the immunities and prerogatives thereof. We come to Application. For those who never yet closed with Christ these must be exhorted, as they love themselves, to come to him. Use 1 To be happy, come to Christ . For Motives. Consider, First, the necessity of so doing. Not only in regard of his precept, Come to me, all ye that are heavy laden, etc. but in order to themselves; for, not Christ, no inheritance, Gal. 4.28. Without Christ no life. They die in their sins: he that hath, saith John, the Son, he hath life only, he that hath not the Son, hath no life, 1 Joh. 5.12. He is the Ark, without which there is nothing but death; he is the City of refuge; you die, if you fly not thither. Adam leaves you under sin, sin calls for Justice, and Justice will pursue you to the Gates of that City. Other remedy there is noon, the second Adam was only able to remove the hurtfulness of the first. There must be Adam for Adam, as there was serpent for serpent in the wilderness, covenant for covenant, grace for grace. I know some men talk of another passage discovered, and opened to heaven: But as Paul said in another case, though there be Gods many, and Lords many, yet to us there is but one: to us in the word; to us in this Hemisphere of the Gospel there is but one way made known, one Lord, one Jesus, one living way; and in this sense also living as well as in other, that it never dyeth or changeth. What secret ways the Lord is pleased to betake himself unto, we are not to inquire into; our rule of faith is not God's prerogative, but his will revealed in the word. Let us submit to this rule, and suffer ourselves to be convinced by the Gospel, that there is nothing but sin, and guilt, and death, and slavery, and hell, out of Christ, but he alone is our life, our way, our truth. If we come to him, he casts out no man; if we come not, we cast away ourselves. Consider the possibility of recovering ourselves, and our estate, if we come to him. Herein man in his lost estate is beyond Devils. Christ hath made him capable of Salvation. He come on pur pose to recover him lost, to redeem him sold, and forfeited; and by the Gospel to bring again to light, what was banished and buried, to wit, life and immortality. That's his business, and hereunto he is all sufficient, perfectly able, Heb. 7.25. as the Apostle saith, to save to the world's end, all that come to him. There is no stay on his part, if any thing hinder, Object. it is from us. O, Sol. but we cannot come to him. When didst thou try? what means hast thou used? what prayers? or what pains hast thou been at? It is not want of Can, but want of Will, at lest it is a wilful impotency, as Christ lays the charge, You will not come to me, that you might have life, Joh. 5.40. You will not saith he, there's the misery; you will not come that you may have life, I offer life to your dead souls, you will not receive it. I, Object. but I have not the power of willing. Come to him that thou mayst receive this power, Sol. he is a quickening spirit to souls, as well as bodies; and if thou unite to him, he will as easily raise thy soul out of the grave of sin, Joh. 5.25. as he did the dead body, by the touch of the Prophets bones. But how can I come to him? Quest. Come to his ordinances, Answ. attended his mouth, yield to convictions of the word, and in private propose good questions. This the woman of Samaria did, and this mayst thou too. And if thou wilt suffer thyself to be drawn thus by these cords of love, Christ will in no wise cast thee of. For all that the Father giveth me, shall come to me, saith Christ, Joh. 6.37. And for my part, I come to do my Father's will, v. 38. And my Fathers will is this, that I should loose noon, v. 39 but given life to all that so come, v. 40. Consider the certainty of speeding if we do come; the estate is already purchased and settled, writings sealed, Es. 55.1. and proclamation made to all; Ho! Reu. 22.17. every one that thirsteth come and drink freely. It was Christ's very errand to bring us in again; he still employs his messengers, and invites us saying, Come, all things are prepared. He offers marriage with us upon easy terms; your foreskins will be dowry enough, as Saul said to his Son in law; therefore come and make no more doubts; I say to thee, as they said to the blind man, Be of good comfort, arise, he calleth thee. Cast away thy rags as he did, and speed as he did, who immediately received sight, Mark. 10.49. etc. O, but I fear he will not accept me. Object. It is no small thing to be such a King's Son in law. Well, try as David did in his case, Sol. do as Abigail did with David himself, David woos her, she is sensible of her distance, and acknowledgeth her unworthiness, but yet she followed the call, accepted the motion, and it proved a match. I, but there is one thing sticks with me, Object. had I like interest in Christ, as I had in Adam, I could promise' to myself as much good from this Adam, as I have received hurt from the other. But now there lie shrewd blocks in my way, first, this doctrine of particular election doth much discourage me. And why so, I pray? Is it not more comfortable to hear, Sol. that some shall certainly be saved, then that it is uncertain, whither any at all shall be saved? for thus runs the doctrine, touching general redemption, and general (if you will speak contradiction) election, viz. Notwithstanding Christ's death and price paid, salvation is suspended upon man's choice, and it is uncertain what choice he will make. Object. Object. Yea, but if we descend to particulars there is no particular word given out to me. Sol. Sol. Neither is there any particular bar or caveat put in against thee, be thou Jew or Gentle, Bond or Free, Traitor or Felon, all is one in this case. There is no exception lies against thy nation, thy condition, thy person in particular. And as to that particular of Election, thou mayst have far better assurance, that thou art elected, then that thou art not. What's to be done then? Quest First, Answ. 1 be sure of this, that there is nothing but sin and death, nothing at all of life, or righteousness out of Christ. Noon in thy good meanings, noon in thy good nature, noon in the means and ordinances of Christ abstracted from his Spirit, therefore lay down all thy own, all natural righteousness, all legal, all personal, with all unrighteousness; so fare make use of the Law as to fire thee out of thyself, and all self-confidences, and that done look up to Christ, In the second place, and close with his person, for so it must be in this marriage. Encouragement to match with Christ . There must be person to person, not person only to the estate; and for thy further encouragement, take notice what the Gospel offers. First, for the person saving, It is the Lord our righteousness. The great redeemer, the mighty deliverer, who comes Authorised out of Zion to turn away ungodliness from Jacob, Rom. 11.26. Secondly, for the parties delivered, (for we say no more as yet of the deliverer) Jesus Christ his Message is to the poor, to the broken hearted, to the captives, to the blind, to the bruised, to the most lost men, and to the greatest of sinners, Luk. 4.18. So that if thou be lost enough, poor enough bad enough deep enough in hell, the Saviour is sent to thee. Thirdly, for the means, where Christ offers himself, he comes clothed in an or dinance, in a promise, every promise is full of Christ, whole Christ, who is tendered to us in each Article, and Seal of the Covenant, and is indeed beforehand with us in Baptism, which at lest is as much as Judah's Ring and Staff, though no arguments of Thamar's goodness, yet evidences good against Judah. Fourthly, for the Terms, they are very free and gracious. First, let fall all other hopes, and cry with some Martyrs, J. Lambert. Noon but Christ, no husband but Christ, no portion but Christ, noon other Lawgiver, Prophet, King, but Christ alone. Secondly, receive as sole, so whole Christ, to all intents, and purposes of Salvation. Make him thy ruling Christ, as well as thy redeeming Christ; he becomes author of Salvation to them that obey him, Heb. 5.9. Given up thyself wholly to be ruled by him, take him for better and for worse, and the bargain is made. The estate passeth with the person, our broken estate falls to Christ, he stands engaged to all our debts, and his full estate becomes ours, all his privileges are made over to us, as were Adam's encumbrances. Now then sigh you are all for good estates, good tenors, clear titles, labour to be thus instated in Christ's estate, and say as she, Given me children or else I die, so Lord given me Christ or else I die: and as Abraham once, What doth all this avail me, if I have no heir of my own? so think thou, what will all the richeses, and titles, and accommodations in the world avail me, if I have never a Christ? and this the first use. For such as are already come home to Christ; Use 2 Believers should keep close to Christ . Keep you well whilst you are well, we smart yet for our first fall, though through grace there is some remedy provided against that; but take heed of a second, if we fall from the second Adam, there's no more sacrifice, nor sacrificer, no new word of Salvation, no new Christ; God hath said, and done all that he means to do in order to Salvation by his Son, Heb. 1.1. Hereupon it is, that our Saviour in the Gospel, and his Apostles in their Doctrines and Epistles, drive mainly at perseverance in the faith once given, and call thick upon us, for persisting therein, for standing fast, for standing out, for overcoming and continuing to the end, in this blessed estate of grace, wherein now we stand; and labour nothing more then to take us of, from all other Christ's, Gospels, Doctrines, ways, estates; it is the main drift of all or most of the Epistles. For well did they see that a continuance was as necessary as an entrance; they well knew our unsteadiness and fickleness, and how liquorish our nature is after novelties; nor were they ignorant of Satan's wiles, of perilous times to come, and therefore have they given us so frequent, and so loud warnings. Now beloved seeing you know these things beforehand, beware that you be not drawn away from your own steadfastness, 2 Pet. ult. Rather grow in grace, and in the knowledge of Christ, and herein be so much the more serious, by how much the more busy the tempter and his agents be. Let me tell you, all the Doctrines of later Editions drive mostly at this, to wrist you from this estate in Christ, and to created and establish another title and tenure. Hence those new ways of happiness without Christ. Hence the revival of our cracked title in Adam, hence the denial of Christ's purchase, hence the addition of joint purchasers with him, hence the adding of more strings to our bow, and the superadding of our righteousness to Christ's ad corroborandum, yea and the depositing of all the evidences and assurances with ourselves. Look to your standing and be true to your colours, Christ hath bought you to himself, and hath listed you into his service, betray not his right, who will never, never, never, as he saith Heb. 13. desert you, if you flinch not from him: you know in whom you have believed, continued in the faith of Jesus, as you have been taught the truth in him. Abide in the communion of Christ, in the grace of Christ, in the power of Christ, found all your hopes, joys, life, safety, and subsistence in him alone, fetch all your strength and life from him, nothing from any other, hold all of him, fly to no other title, ascribe all to him, and, in a word, own to him, and to him only, all wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, redemption, salvation: whole Christ, or no Christ. Use 3 Get children into this good eslate . Having secured our own estate in Christ, let's cast (in the next place) for our friends, especially children. Worldly men, who see no higher then the earth, will travel with their children, whilst they labour under an evil estate worldward. If a child be in depth or in prison, they will put under some rags, to pull out their Jeremy where he sticks. This is no more then they will do, nay, then we should all do, for an enemy; nay, for an enemies beast, Exod. 23.5. Exod. 23.5 . Therefore as Saul bestirred himself for his countrymen, Moses for his, nay, David for his sheep, when invaded; so must we much more for children thus ingulphed, and the rather, because we have been instrumental in their misery. In the Law, the slave was to have his liberty for his eye spoilt: We have put out the eyes of children, and must endeavour in way of recompense their liberty; and as in case of Justice, there was heretofore allotted eye for eye, tooth for tooth, etc. So now in mercy and justice both, we must labour to restore to our undone children eye for eye, hand for hand, soul and body, for body and soul. But how can this be done? however it speed, this must be our endeavour, and rest we must not, till we have done our utmost to repair their estates. This is the common and constant care of all Parents, to see their children settled somewhere in some estate, and the quieter, and fuller it is, the more the heart of Parents is satisfied: now 'tis certain, that there is no comfortable, no secure estate, till they come to be stated in Christ. But they are so already, Object. Christians they are so soon as Baptised. Sol. Sacramentally they are so, Sol. and that should encourage us the more, because God is so fare beforehand with us and them: but we must not rest here; Outward Baptism, is no more then was outward Circumcision, which was no thing without the new creature; when Christ is form in thy children, when thou seest in them, the eye of Christ, the mouth, and heart of Christ, Christ's Image drawn quite over them, then are they safe and thou happy; till then thy fears and cares, (if thou hast either, for their souls) are endless, and all thy pains and cost, And how this may be done. are lost upon them, if they be lost. But still the question is, what can I do to bring in children: I cannot given grace? Quest. Sol. Do? Sol. do what is incumbent upon thee to do. First, bring them to Christ in the Ordinance of Baptism, there mourn for that cursed condition, which thou hast brought upon them: pray that God would baptise them with water and the Holy Ghost. Next, as they grow up, so teach them the use of Baptism, and the nature of that Covenant, whereof that is a seal. At all times set them good copies and examples, and let instruction and correction be duly applied; If thou place them abroad, have a care of settling them in good families, and under a good Ministry. This gives thee best hopes of Religions continuing in the family; And though possibly there may be an Esau among them, yet ordinarily some either in the first or next generation, prove good: however, this is the best service thou canst do to God, the best thanks thou canst return to Christ, the best work thou cast perform to the Church and Ministry, the greatest mercy thou canst show to thy posterity, the wisest way thou canst take for thyself: so shalt thou engage their hearts more to thee, Mal: ult. so thou shalt more comfortably die, when thou seest them thus placed with, and matched to, Christ. A poor man may possibly prefer his child by a good match, noon like to this of marrying them to Christ. Sigh then a way not only of recovery but of preferment is found out, be not wanting to God, to Christ, to the Public, to yourselves here to your posterity hereafter; if they may be happy, leave them not miserable; if they may be found in Christ, leave them not in Satan, in hell. If this state in Christ be so happy, Use 4 Double instruction . when we are thus united to him by vocation, and hold communion with him through justification and sanctification, and receive perpetual influence and supportance from him, then infer hence two things. Beware how we slight so great a privilege in others; Is any a Saint and member in Christ? acknowledge Christ in him, 'Slight not so great a privilege in others. receive him though in some things differing from us, and in many things inferior to us: have not the glorious faith of Christ in respect of persons. If Christ be not ashamed to call them Brethrens, Heb. 2. If God be not ashamed to call them children, Heb. 11.16. why should we be coy of their acquaintance? Think the same of every faithful Preacher. If Christ own him as his Ambassador, and gives him the title of the Glory of Christ, why should we slight any such, because of some differences or infirmities? I go further, If any Church or society of Christians be in Christ, why should not we look upon them as Paul did? Grace and peace, saith he, be unto the Churches at Thessalonica and elsewhere, which are in God the Father and in Christ the Saviour. Doubtless the Church of Thessalonica, and at Corinth had their blemishes, errors in some doctrinals, fail not a few in practicals, yet because they were Churches in Christ, the Apostle owns and honours them. The Churches of Galatia were much declined, yet Paul and the Brethrens with him, look upon them as Churches of Christ. The seven Churches of Asia wanted no faults, and those of no ordinary alloy, yet are they Golden Candlesticks in Christ's eye, and such as he conversed withal. And if so, why should we separate from them; or bring up an ill report of any of them? You will say happily that you meddle not with particular persons, Quest. you conceive hopefully of many that live among us: but the thing questioned is, about the state and constitution of our Churches, if that be Antichristian, what communion then with Christ? Brethrens, if there be any among you, Sol. who are indeed tender, and fearful in this case, I beseech you with all the mercy, mildness, and earnestness that I can, to lay aside all prejudice, and seriously to consider these things. First, what a grievous thing it is to misname, or misvalue any estate in Christ. Secondly, whither you dare say, that noon of our Churches, or of like community be in Christ. Study I beseech you, what states a Saint or Church in Christ, and what nullifies or forfeits that state. Try whither you cannot found some footsteps of Christ, some Seals of his Ministry among us, and if so, why may not that house and habitation please us that pleaseth him? why may not we devil, where Christ is pleased to devil? Object not, thousands of fail; the question is, whither we have a true being in Christ, and if he be among us as head, and root, why should not his be acknowledged members, and branches? But how can we partake with such, Quest. but we shall be partakers of their sins? How did Christ? Sol. he was daily in the Temple, and at Temple Services, amid the Pharisees, and other Doctors, yet no way partaker of their errors and abuses: he inwardly distasted them, and outwardly discountenanced them; do thou the like, and then thy presence (being only Local, not Moral) doth not fetch thee within a guilt. Object. Quest. O but we have no power to censure and whip out offenders as Christ did. Sol. Consider first, Sol. whither any such power be due to us. Secondly, whither we may take it up of ourselves. Thirdly, whither the abuses are such, and so malignant, as that they will warrant a forsaking of the assemblies. So long as Christ is there, what fear of being member of that body, which hath Christ for its head? But the abuses are of so high a nature, Quest. as that there is no tolerating of them. Answ. Sol. That's an high charge: be sure of thy grounds, before thou layest such an aspersion upon a society which bears the face of Church: in judging rashly thou mayst possibly sin against the generation of the righteous, therefore consult, and consider, and then given sentence; for clear it is, that as we must not partake in sin, nor join ourselves to Harlots, so neither must we be more strict, and severe then Christ himself: therefore drive things to an issue, this or that Church so called, either is, or is not in Christ. If not in Christ, we have nothing to say for it, out of Christ, there is nothing but death and darkness; If in Christ, 'tis true it may be, there may be just cause of mourning, great need of reforming, but when we have done all that lies within our power and calling to do, whither then there be ground for a divorce and desertion, think thou of that: and think advisedly, jest thou condemn where Christ saith, there is no condemnation. Secondly, let not this consolation seem small to us, that we are taken into such an estate. Say, Comfort to them that are in Christ. though poor as to the world, say, a scorn of men, a slave to men, be thy estate as bad as Malice can make it, or Fancy conceive it, yet if thou be in Christ, thou art in a blessed condition. Time will not now given, to spread before thee the particulars of this estate; how unworthy thou wast of it, how freely, and yet how dearly it cost thy Redeemer, what an infinite gulf and distance there is betwixt thy former, and this renewed estate; work these things upon thy own heart in private: say, once I was a slave, now free; once Satan's, now God's; once an enemy, now a child; once a limb of Adam, worthy to be hanged up as a traitors quarters, now a piece of Christ; once cursed, now under blessing; once for hell, now an heir of heaven; once a damned creature, now there is no condemnation; once death was terrible, the grave dreadful, but now in Christ, I am more then a Conqueror. To be under Christ, is a great privilege, he is the Tabernacle of many cover to shelter us, and our hiding place; but to be in him, to be made one spirit with him, is to be as high, and as safe as; we can be, And how this may be known. and therefore enjoy that privilege. I, but how shall I know, that I am in Christ? Quest. The Word tells thee, He that is in Christ is a new creature, Sol. 1. old things are passed, 2 Cor. 5.17. Rom. 7. ad princip. the old man crucified, 2 Cor. 5. the old husband buried, Rom. 7. old lusts mortified, the old world dead to us and we to it, Gal. 2. and 5. Chapters, and we redeemed from our old conversation, 1 Pet. 1.18. Our old guides and leaders cashiered, 1 Pet. 4.2. Eph. 2.2.— Secondly, All things are become new, a new mind, a new understanding, a new heart, a new nature throughout, a new creation to all good works, Eph. 2.10. The Holy Ghost forms whole Christ in us, the mind of Christ, the heart of Christ, the tongue of Christ, whole Christ we are under a new guide, the Spirit of God, (here Rom. 8.2.) gives Laws, we are led by the Spirit, Gal. 5.25. and walk in that Spirit, Gal. 5. 'Tis true, the flesh sometimes transports, and commits a rape upon us, but the Spirit is the guide and guardian of choice.— Thirdly, a new aim, and end in all, as Christ did, not please himself, Rom. 15.3. but sought the public good, so is it with his members in their measure. Briefly, all is made new, new hopes, new joys, new fears, new delights, new desires, all new, all eyeing Christ. He that is in Christ, is a fruitful branch, Joh. 15. Christ hath no useless member, Joh. 15.5. every one doth its office, bears fruit, its own fruit, in its own season, and bears all to Christ; found thyself thus renewed, thus pruned and made fruitful to an increase of fruitfulness, then we can tell thee that to thee there is no condemnation, no bondage, no curse, no hurt, no hell: nay, we can say more then so, then all persons are thine, all things thine, all times thine, all estates thine, because Christ is thine, 1 Cor. 3.22. Object. Object. But I have many objections against all this. Sol. Sol. Like enough so; the Apostle foresaw that, and hath prevented thee in this, and the foregoing Chapters: for instance; I am a child, sayest thou, of Adams. Sol. Thou art so by nature, but by the grace of Adoption in Christ thou art a child of God. Object. Object. But I am a captive to sin. Sol. Sol. A captive of sin rather then to it: sin surpriseth thee, but sore against thy will: Thou criest for help, O wretched man! who will rescue me? Oh! but I have a world of sin. Object. I, but there is no condemnation; that sin, saith Paul, Sol. is not thine, though in thee. Oh! but I am compassed with mighty temptations, Object. afflictions and the like. Yea, but all shall work for thy good in the close, Sol. and thou shalt found it so. Oh! but I can do nothing well, not so much as pray, Object. or beg for myself. I, but the Spirit of Christ, helps our infirmities, Sol. and utters itself, when we cannot utter ourselves. Oh! Object. but I tremble at the accusations of Satan and conscience; at the thoughts of those terrible things to come, Death, Judgement, etc. 'Tis God, saith the Apostle, that justifieth, Sol. and who then shall condemn? it is Christ that appears for us, who dares appear against us? it is Christ that hath killed death, buried the grave, cowed Satan, overcome all, and who then shall stand up against us? But how shall I be able to hold out, Object. when the assailants are so fierce, the defendant so weak, when there are such variety of changes to pass through? The Apostle hath said all, neither life, nor death, Sol. nor Angels, nor devils, nor persons, nor things present, or to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any creature one or other shall be ever able to separate us from God's love, which is in our Christ and Lord. FINIS. A SERMON PREACHED TO THE HONOURABLE HOUSE OF COMMONS Assembled in PARLIAMENT; At a Public Fast, May 25. 1642. BY ROBERT HARRIS late Pastor of Hanwell, Doctor of DIVINITY, and Precedent of Trinity College in Oxon. Published by Order of that House. PSAL. 10 14, Thou hast seen: for thou beholdest mischief, and spite to requited it with thy hand. The poor leaveth himself to thee. Thou art the help of the fatherless. 17. Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: Thou wilt prepare thy heart: thou wilt 'cause thy ear to hear, etc. LONDON, Printed for John Bartlet, dwelling at the Sign of the gilt Cup near St. Austin's Gate, 1653. TO THE HONOURABLE HOUSE OF COMMONS, Now assembled in PARLIAMENT. I Now tender what you are pleased to own: sooner I could not, because wanting time & health, I had only broken notes. I am now come as near myself, as my notes will help me. It was my resolution from the first, to hold me to the work in hand, the work of the day, the work of my calling; accordingly I made, and pursued my choice, waving all disputes Sacred, or Civil. Things ever move best in their own Sphere: And OH that all things might ever run in their right channel! My work was to Mourn, to Preach; not to Parliament-it: and I never brought a sadder heart to a business. Nay, The divisions of Reuben still stick, and have jest those impressions, which will not of. Judg. 5.15 . I bleed still in the breaches of Dying Ireland, and in our Home-Jealousies. Alas! That Brethrens who promise' and purpose so well, work and sweated so hard, should so hardly understand each other. There is, I fear, a Divine displeasure in it. Where Unity is, Psal. 133.3. the blessing is. The spirit of jealousy & division is a Messenger of wrath. Judg. 9 etc. And then most, when All complain of it, and No one will own it. For this My soul shall weep in secret; and in Rebaccahs' case, I will take up her complaint; Why is it thus! As for you Noble gentlemen, What can I say now? It is wisdom (you know) to know ones own Compass, and you are far above me. Your Place is high, your Task great; and yet your strength not infinite. By Place, Psal. 82. you are God's: and yet Men; you must Fall (and may fail) like others. Queid est Ecclesia? Viri & mulieris. Ohey in Eph. 5. God's own Synod (the Church) is made up of men: and men be Men, in the Greatest Counsels. Compare them to the Highest God, their greatest agitations, are but as the busy sweat of so many Aunts in a Molehill. Your work is also great. As your Place, so your Work is Gods. Your business lies about Laws, and Orders. Order is a Sacred thing, Law, the work of a God. Not man can see, or say All in his Law; Sin will evade; witness our good Laws touching the Lord's day, Swearing, and Drinking. Now (for sooth) you must tell us what Profaneness is, what Swearing you mean, and when a man is Drunken. Nay, when a Law is with some difficulty conceived and with more brought forth, it is not an easy thing to teach it to Speak plainly: nor are men so happy in their expressions as was S. Paul, who wrote, 2. Cor. 1. nor more, nor less then we Read. I speak not this in a Discouraging way. Et nescit reme are lo Crand. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 etc. Eurip. Noble Spirits know not what that means. Only they know from the Poet, That it makes a man less then nothing. Laws therefore must be; else all goes to loss. Leave men to themselves, each man's lust will be a Law; each man's Opinion, a Bible. My speech only tends to this, to provoke you and myself to prayer and dependence. He that will undertake the work of God, with the wit and strength of a man, will but shame the work, and break himself. My hope is, That you will begin and end with God: that you will do all in his strength, and do his best work first. Man's Consciences are miserably perpelxed between Command and Command. Our Congregations are as much divided, between Teacher, and Teacher. The conclusion in time will be, 1 Cor. 1 12. We are of Christ, We will believe noon of them all. Let me assure you, The case betwixt Pastor and Flock will be very sad, if there be not a timely settlement. But things of this nature I had rather speak in Private, then in Press, or Pulpit; And there rather to God, then to Man I therefore rhene in and betake myself with aged Jerome to my Tuguriolum, and there bless God, that I dare sleep, and can say, that aught is my own, and there deplore my barren ministry for almost twice twenty years, and implore the blessing of heaven upon my Dear Sovereign, & his Great Council. Now the Great Counsellor given you a right understanding, Easie 9.2 Tim. 2. in all things: And the God of Peace himself (he alone can do it) given you peace, 2 These 3.16. in all things, by all means. So will pray From my poor Study june 13.164. The unworthiest of those that serve you in the faith ROBERT HARRIS. A SERMON PREACHED TO THE Honourable House of COMMONS Assembled in PARLIAMENT, At a Public FAST, May 25.1642. LUKE 18.6, 7, 8. 6. And the Lord said; Hear what the unjust Judge saith. 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 found faith on the earth? WE are in a Parable. A Parable delivers some excellent truth under a comparison. That truth is now Prefixed, now Affixed; It is here prefixed, and it is this. In prayer we must not faint, nor flag. This the point. And this is pressed from the success, and that is argued ab Impari, thus. If constant and faithful prayer carry it with the worst, much more with the best: If with a bad man, then with our gracious God. This is the Sum. The parts of the Parable are ordinary. 1. A Proposition. 2. A Reddition. In both we have 1. People represented, 2. The success mentioned. In the first part, the persons on the one side are, 1. Praying; a poor, shiftless, friendless widow, who had no advocate but misery and importunity. 2. Prayed to; a sour, sullen, froward piece, a man without sense of Piety, or Humanity, one who presents as ill as may be, whither Place or Person be considered. Yet see, this woman prevails with this man In the second part you have, for one woman, many men; for one stranger, many children: for occasional petitions, uncessant svit: and for a bad Judge, a good Father, who can not more deny his own, then himself. If then she, a woman so weak, overcame a man so harsh: what may not children so many, do with a Father so good? 1. You have the Parable. Our work lies in the Reddition, where 1. Our blessed Saviour prefaces and premises, (Hear what the unrighteous Judge saith) Hear it to your comfort; He speaks some comfort, and (in him) God speaks more. 2. He assumes, and that most strongly, as the question shows; Shall not God avenge, etc. as if he had said, It is out of question, he william 3. He concludes God will hear, will certainly hear, nay, will seasonably hear, with a non obstante; notwithstanding he is seemingly slow in his answers, and we certainly weak in our faith and dependence. I will say not more, as yet, to the words. Something I have to say to you, from them; and I hold it my happiness, that I, who have no breath to spare, shall speaked to those who will conceive faster, and see farther, then I can speak. For my Errands; the first and main results from the whole, and this it is; In point of Praver, Doctr. 1 we must gather all arguments of encouragement, and never yield, till we have the day. Prayer is a mastery, Doct 1 Col 4.12. Rom. 15 30. and that mastery is a wrestling, and wrestle we must, whiles we can stand. When we are once drawn forth upon this service, where we pitch, there we must make good our ground, without flight, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Militaria verba, ut vult Eust at aliique. or fainting; as one word in the first verse here, and another in the last verse, Heb. 10. is conceived to imply. This the Lesson our Master is now teaching, and he charges it upon us as a duty in the first verse. And for farther proof and encouragement, I present you only with three Arguments. 1. The first is drawn from God; where he gives we may, we must take all encouragements: Here God gives all, as 1. He offers himself to us as a Father; Psal. 66.2. Can. 2.14. Psal. 141.2. Ephes. 3.20. as a Father hearing Prayer, as a Father begging Prayer, as a Father loving Prayer, as a Father able to exceed all prayers, needs, thoughts. 2. He binds himself as much by promise, as us by precept. Those promises of his are full, are free; Rom. 10.12. Deut 4.7. Luke 11.10. He is rich to all that call upon him: Every one that seeketh, findeth, and such like: And those promises are made to Christ, founded on Christ, sealed in blood, backed with an Oath. 3. He commands us to beg, and that without wavering; Jam. 1.6. Hob. 4 16. & 10.22. Ephes. 5.12. Luke 11. nay with all boldness, with all confidence of boldness, and fullness of assurance. 4. He arms us with Parables, experiments, and all arguments of comfort; Indeed such Topics, as that it is impossible for God to recede, if we stand our ground: And thus from God. 2. Next to God, I present you with a cloud of Petitioners, who have stirred up themselves to take hold of God, and it hath taken well. 1. I begin with Moses. If a man would have been discouraged, Exod. 32.10. Moses had been the man. 1. The people were stark nought, and passing froward. 2. God seems to take him of, and to given him a discharge, Let me alone, saith he. 3. He seems to take of all objections, I will make of thee (saith he) in stead of them, a great people. 4. He suspends his answer, day after day, as if he were unwilling to condescend. Yet Moses stands to it: God cannot get him go; away he will not without his errand, his errand he hath. To him I add Jacob our Father, Hos. 12.4. Gen. 32.24. who concludes Us, as Hosea saith; In him God spoke with, us. This Jacob knows not what discouragement means: God seemed to given him his answer, in Esau's expedition against him; but he will not take it: God was willing to put him of; but he will not admit of any Putiffs: he seems to take his leave: but Jacob, by his leave, will not part so: he seems angry, and willing to shake him of; but Jacob holds his hold: nay, he seems to crush him, to maim him, Cynegirus in justin. to begin Esau's quarrel against him; but he, like him in story, when he was maimed on one hand, holds the Ship with the other, and when he was handless, held with his teeth, whilst breath held: So our Champion: Froun God, smite he, wound he; Jacob is at a point. A Blessing he come for, and a Blessing he will have. I will not let thee go, (saith he) unless thou bless me. His limbs, his life might go: but there is no going for Christ without a pawn, without a blessing. This is the man: Now what is his speed? The Lord admires him, and honours him to all generations? What is thy name; (saith he) q.d. I never met with such a fellow. Titles of honour are not worthy of thee: Thou shalt be called, not Jacob, a shepherd with men: but Jacob, a Prince with God. Nay not Jacob, a wrestler with man: but Israel, a prevailer with God. To these men, I add one Woman, March. 15. who, like another Gorgonia, Nazianz. threatens heaven, and is (as her brother said of her) modestly impudent, and invincible. Nothing can discourage her: Not her Sex, not her Nation, not her Misery, not her Delays, but she gathers strength by her wounds, and comfort out of discouragements. Will Christ given no answer? Good, thinks she: this is no denial yet. Gives he a discouraging answer? That's well, saith she: I have obtained words, expect deeds too: he that opens his mouth, will open his hand also. Calls he her dog? all the better. Dogs some way belong to the family, some interest and right they have to some crumbs, to some scraps; and something she makes of it. You hear the Conclusion. OH Woman! Great is thy faith: Be it unto there, as thou wilt. I never met with such a Woman: have it she will, and have it she shall, and that instantly, (this very hour;) and that fully, she's her own carver. And this is our second Argument. A third this parable furnishes me withal: Courage in prayer draws on importunity. Both carry it with man; much more with God: Mark the Widow: She stood in no relation to the Judge; She had no promise from him; his place and person promised little: There was little honesty in him, and as little hope, either from or for her: yet she scraes him up, and makes him weary of denials. What! a Woman in these circumstances Mascutine! and We Womanish! Consider, I beseech you, how much is won, or lost, by holding up, or letting fall our spirits in prayer. Are we Confident? Than consider, that prayer is the strength of the Creature, (for it engages God's strength) and confidence is the strength of our prayer, and of ourselves: It doubles our strength; It contributes to the Public: It sets God on his throne, nay, us in a sort: for so (with Jacob) we reign with God: That made Jacob, Israel. Other ways and things might make him Jacob: but Prayer denominates him Israel. By this, he, and we, reign over heaven, and earth, and carry the world in our hand; As the Boy at Athens sometimes said (I bring it only for illustration) He could command all Athens. His reason: He could do any thing with his Mother; his Mother with his Father; Plut. his Father with that State: So here, Faith can do any thing with Prayer; Prayer with Christ; Christ with his Father; his Father with All. But now, on the other side, Faint-heartedness in prayer 1. Hurts us. 2. Robs the Public. 3. Wrongs God. 1. For God. It is a true Maxim, True defects in the Creature come from falsely. conceited defects in the Creator. Thence our faith fails, because we have so low, so narrow, and so poor conceits of Almighty God, whose glory is so much eclipsed, as we bate any thing of his Al-sufficiencie, and prayers Omnipotency. 2. For ourselves. Heb. 12 13. Discouragement robs us of our strength: A discouraged man is but half a man. He lies open, to every temptation, is soon beaten down, and from halting soon turns aside. Either he prays not at all, or not constantly: at best, his prayers are fearful, soon receive a check, and take their answer. And as it makes God but half a God, and Man's self but half a Man, so 3. For others, Qui timidè regat, doset negave. Son: Deut. 20.8. It is not only wanting to the Public: but it hath an ill influence upon all. The truth is (if I may speak it all at once) It teaches God to Deny: our fellow-soldiers to Fly: (as the fearful did in Israel) andour selves only to Object and to make difficulties, and in the end to Die for fear of Dying, Nabal-like. 1. Before I Exhort, I cannot bat blush at this baseness of spirit, in myself, in our nature. You are as willing as I to take shame to yourselves this day, and to sit before God (as Ezra did) confounded. Tell me, (I beseech you) for the furthering of our humiliation, Tell me, Is not Cowardice blushfull? Will not men rather Die, then hear Cowards? and what is that but fear and Boldness misplaced? And what is this but our Temper? who are Daring, where we should Fear; and there only Fear, where we should be Valiant. I instance in the present work. We have God's Pass, and Patent for Prayer, and dare not pled it: and yet elsewhere presume without Licence. For I demand, Have not we as good warrant to pray, as to curse? to bless, as to blaspheme? yet here we fear not, we doubt not: there we do nothing else. I bring the case nearer to our purpose. What think you? Have not we as good warrant to beg of G●d, as Rogues and Vagrants of us? They are strangers; They have no promise from us; noon the lest invitation: Nay, they trouble us, they charge us, they are in a disobedience, there is Law against them Ask, and us Giving: yet say, do, what you please, they will not of. Sand to them; they will sooner make your Child or Servant their spokesman, then make away. Threaten them with Stocks, on Officer, or what you please, it is all one. And shall these put forth in such a tempest, in a contrary wind, when all makes against them? and we sit still, when wind, and tide, and all is for us? when we have Law on our sides, and Gospel on our sides, and all the world on out sides? For Prayer ingrosses all the World, Heaven, Earth, All. I put it yet a little farther. Have not we as many encouragements from Heaven as from Earth? Is not God as rich as Man? as able, as willing, as Free? yet see our practice. We have suits; these to God, those to Men. What's our deportment? With men it is our work to strengthen the heart; our labour to gather encouragements. Is it a man we Never troubled? That is made an argument of encouragement, I never troubled him yet, and for Once he'll never deny me. Have we tried, him Often? That is an argument of encouragement, Such an one is my Old friend, my tried friend; he Never failed me, and therefore I'll to him. Is he a Kinsman? That encourages; For shame he will not deny his Own flesh and bone. Is he a Stranger? why then he'll take it well, that I conceive better of him, then of my own kindred. Is he, Poor? He'll the better feel me, and the sooner pity me. Is he Rich? He may the better spare it .Thus with men, we have still somewhat to say for the support of hope, though they be poor, hard, strangers, men no way engaged by Covenant, or the like. But now when we deal with God (How can we speaked of it without blushing!) we can do little else then Fear, Object, Despair. "Sure be doth not love me; He will do nothing for me; well" may I go, and try; but it will be to no purpose. I shall get no pardon, "not power, no comfort, no acceptation! OH cursed Unbelief! Can we conceive hope without promises? Noon with them? Can we found Pleas for Men? Noon for God? Can Poverty help us, and not Wealth? Weakness, and not Strength? Will cruelty pity us and not mercy? not Grace? Be abashed thus to set Earth above Heaven; men above God. Yet I have not done. I cannot without horror and trembling. Put the case as the case is; What think you? Have we not reason to believe the God of Truth rather then the Father of Lies. Let the Devil promise' safety, secrecy any profit or content in a sinful way; we rest in his word we make no doubt of the faccesse: All the threats and curses in the book of God cannot dismay us. On the other side: Suppose God promises, and the Devil in the mean time threaten us: which is believed? All the Promises, Sacraments, Oaths, Performances of God cannot establish us. There is nothing but Presuming, when Satan promises; nothing but Objecting, when God promises. OH blasphephemous Unbeliese! How doth this sin debase God belly God as the word saith, provoke Ged beyond all provocations! How angry was his Majesty with Israel, for this sin? How angry with Moses? How angry with Zachary? for this one particular, and in a lower degree. OH, how low must we cast ourselves before our God this day, for this capital sin! which is so much the worse, by how much the more Spiritual it is, and Ani. Evangelical. Seems it a small thing to us, to make God worse then man? but we must make him worse then the worst in Hell? What! Tertul. Shall our unbelieving hearts not only impute Lying to him, but put Perjury upon him also? Hath not he sworn, that We shall not seek him in vain? And shall we begin and concludein unbelief? is it not enough before prayer to say He will not hear; but after prayer to saywhen he has heard, Has not heard? as Job's words sounded, to some men's sense. Job 9.16. But here let us sit down in our confusion a while; And then let us advance, and think it long before we have wiped of this disgrace, and approved our valour. 2. And here, what shall I entreat; but the perusal of the Text? You hear the Lesson, We must hold, out in Prayer. You hear The Teacher, the only Master upon earth. I look upon you, as upon S. Luke's Theophilus, as men grounded in the truth; and therefore willingly decline the Common Place of prayer, and wave old errors happily buried, with the unhappy disputes of this age. Aug. haeres. 57 & epist. 121. etc. How, and in what form the widow petitioned I dispute not. Written or not written, a petition, is a petition, still. The thing I am to press, is a resolute perseverance in prayer. And this will need some pressing. For, 1. We have a dull, base, feeble spirit, ready to receive all impressions of discouragement. 2. Next, from without we shall not want discouragements, if we will listen to them. First, our own guilty and unworthy hearts (as before I intimated) will cast a thousand perils. Secondly, Vid. Erz. & Nehem. profane spirits will entertain us, as the enemies did the Church, with a thousand, scorns. Thirdly, Friends (carnal and spiritual) will tell us, that it is all in vein, too late, and impossible to prevail. Fourthly, Satan will roar upon us. Thou pray, OH Hypocrite! Thy person is unwelcome, thy prayers abominable, thy heart, mouth, and hands loathsome; the pure eyes of the most holy God cannot but loathe thee, his glorious Majesty will confounded thee. Lastly, The Lord himself will sometimes seem an adversary: he will hid himself, when thou seekest him: run from thee as fast as thou runnest after him: now he will chide, now frown, now delay, now seem to reject thee, and to scorn thy services: in a word, quite to shake thee of, as Naomi seemed to beaten of Ruth, when yet he desires thy company, as she Ruth's. In this case thou must not show thyself a dastard, but gather spirit from the opposition. Next the, Times call upon us. The Children are come to the birth, jer. 30.7. and there is no strength to bring forth. It is the time of Incohs trouble, and therefore we must not, with jacobs' children, Gen 42. sit as men amazed, but make out, as the old man advised them; the rather because there are so few, that either will, or dare, or can lift up one faithful prayer. In the third place consider the thing itself, I mean Prayer. It is our life, our strength. All the world is a dead body, till God act it: and all (within and without us) lies dead till we act God by prayer: all the comfort in the creature sleeps, till we extract it with this Limbeok: all our graces, Dormit sides, dormit Christ us etc. Aug. in Psal. 25. nay all the perfections of God, till weawaken him and them. You sinde it, we seel it: you have tried what Wit can do, what Eloquence, what Policy, what Resolution and Endeavour; yet we stick. Now try another way; Set Heaven on work; till that move, the earth stirs not. Set God on work; till he act, nothing is done: and when you have won him, you have won all. Whilst there is but creature to creature; wit to wit; created strength to strength created, the war is doubtful, the issue unoertaine: But, when by prayer the great God is made, and so there is the Creator to the creature, and strength to weakness; then the victory is in sight. My meaning is not to take yoa of, from other means; only this I say, that a good Engineer is not the worst Soldier; nor a good prayer the worst Parliament-man. Faith can do more then wit: Numa apud Plut. This brings men into the Field; but that God; and he only secures the heart. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, said the Heathen, in his greatest extremity; and there is our best Anchor-hold. Go on in this your strength, and your spiritual enemies shall melt before you, as once the Canaanites before Israel, and the Gaul, before the Germane face. What more shall I say to you, in a way of persuasion? Nec vultum, nec oculorum aciem ferre, etc. Shall I mind you of Chrysostom's argument? It is your honour, your happiness, that yoa may thus devil in God's presence, and express yoar desires. Do but think what it is to deal with great Personages, Chrys. de orando Deum l 1. in way of petition. 01 I There is time spent in going to them: Than more in waiting on them: After sundry days waiting, we may haply receive that proud Prelates answer, We are not yet at lecsure: When we have access, Hildebr. to Henry 4. we must be brief, we may offend: The answer is doubtful; sometimes instead of Bread, men either given, or speak Stones; however, no man can given all to all Petitioners. But now when we deal with the high God, we need not travel far, every place is a Sanctuary; nor need we abridge ourselves, come when we will, in the day, in the night: speak whilst we will, so long as we speak his language, he will hear us at large, yea he will help us out, & make English of that which to our seeming wants sense. And should not this encourage us? Were they blessed that stood continually before Solomon? And is it not our happiness that we may have God's ear, God's heart, hand, face, help, all? Chrys. lib. 2. de Orat. Or, shall I tell you, that Prayer is to us, what the wait 01 to the Fish, the only Element of safety, and our utmost refuge? Truly the Lord hath reserved divers things to this ordinance of prayer; some devils will not out, some temptations will not of, some obstructions will not be removed, some difficulties will not be conquered, some mercies will not be obtained, bat by prayer. What other key will unlock the clouds in this drought? or turn about the hearts of men, in this distraction, bat only prayer? And who knows but that therefore God hath futured other hopes, and frustrated other means, to the intent that he might honour this ordinance? For Motives I will say not more. Only given leave to tell you in few, how you shall hold up the heart, from fainting in the work: The way is this. 1. Come well appointed into the field. Assure the main point: That your persons are accepted, and that you are God's own, as it is in the Parable; for, till this be resolved, that God is yours, and you his, all particular doubts will resolve themselves into this. "It is true (will you heart say) God is good to his: But am I" his? His promises are gracious; but do they belong to me? And therefore lay that as a foundation, I am thine; Psal. 119 94. and then it will follow, as David infers, therefore save me. 2. Assure your Prayers, that they be acceptable. 1. For the Root; They must be issues of Grace; not of wit or nature. 2. For the Rule; They must 1. For matter; bear the stamp of God, his precept or promise. 2. For Order; they must be tendered in the hand of a Mediator, the Lord Christ, and 3. For end; The object of prayer God's self must be the end thereof. And the more we secure both Person, and Prayer, the more courage we shall have to stand it out. 3. Come well appointed: both for 1. Weapons, and 2. Company. For company; The more the better; whereas in other fights and fields sometimes multitude mars all. There is a special promise upon joint prayers, Mat. 18. And could we second one another, as Bathsheba and her friends did, in her address to the King, I Kin. 1. I should not doubt of as good an issue of our Petitions as she found of hers. OH that we could meet! if not always in the same place, at the same time, yet in the same requests. If one widow can do so much alone; what might not an army of Children do, Text. if they would close? 2. As for weapons; The Lords own are most approved, and will be only available. He is a mighty Prince, who will be served only with his own. Look how it was in the Law: All must be God's own: The Priest his, the Sacrifice his, the Altar his, the Place his, All his; to the very knife, and meanest tools: so is it still. The Person praying must be his own, the Praver his, the Mediator his, the Petitions his, the Reasons his, All his. And when you press him with his own, and say (as she to Judah) Whose are these? he cannot deny himself. Being thus armed, Gen. 38. and entered the lists, play themen, and be victorious. There is but one thing more to be done. Set Faith on work, and that will be your victory. If you ask me, How? The answer is, Pitch faith upon God. Consider 1. What he is. Why, he is a God, saith christ. That is all that can be said. Not an Idol, that hath a dead ear, and a dry hand: Not a man, that hath but little, and can do little, and will do less: But he is 1. A God, that is, Power itself, Wisdom, Mercy, Goodness itself. View him well: for all in God makes forencouragement, when once we are his. 2. He is not a God simply, but a God in covenant; and that Covenant is made with christ; and by virtue of the same covenant Christ and we are both heard. 3. By virtue of this Covenant he is a Father; and what will not a Father do, an heavenly Father for so many children, when all pray, and all in each child prays? for we make to him, as the child to the breast; all speaks, and works at once, hands, feet, mouth, all, there and here. 2. What his promises be. How free, how fit, how attempered to our exigencies, and needs. 1. They are made to the lowest degree of grace, Math. 5. 2. They are made to grace mingled with many wants and corruptions, to bruised Reeds. 3. What he is in his deeds. Esa. 65.24. Dan 9 1. He gives us two Mediators; His Some, his Spirit. 2. He gives more then is asked, never less. 3. He gives cheerfully. Before we end, he gins. 4. He gives to many for our sakes; maintains a world of men and creatures for our use. And so long as we see one of them alive, we cannot justly doubt of his faithfulness to us. 4. Lastly, consider what he is in his Parables. Here he shows us what Prayer can do with a Judge. Luke 11. He tells us what Prayer can do with a Neighbour, what with a Father; and infers encouragement from all. Is be a Judge? A Judge may be overcome with importunity. Is be a friend? A Friend may be raised out of his bed with entreaties. Is be a Father? And are we Fathers, and do not we feel the force of that argument? If ye that are but sorry Fathers, will given good things to a child: will not your heavenly Father much more? Now having by an eye of Faith thus looked upon God, in his Perfections, Relations, Promises, Performances, Parables: Gather upon God, and hold him to it, as Jacob did. Didst not thou command me? Saidst thou not thus unto me? etc. Press him with his Precept, whith his Promise, which his Hand, with his Seal, with his Oath, till we do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as some Greek Fathers do boldly speak: that is (If I may speak it reverently enough after them) Put the Lord out of countenance; Put him (as you would say) to the blush, unless we be Masters of our requests. OH, Object. But is not this too great an impudence? There is a lawful impudence, Answ. as there is an hurtful bashfulness: witness our Saviour his phrase, Luke 11.8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. OH, but God is a great God. Object. Yea, But he will pity, and hear like a man, Answ. and in that respect compares himself to man, in these Parables. OH, But he is a Glorious Majesty. Object. Yea, But he is a Father. Answ. And a King's son may go as freely to his Father, as a Beggars. OH, But is it too late. Object. Come in the Night, if the Day be lost. Answ. At midnight the neighbour heard his neighbour, Luke 11. OH, But my prayers be simple. Object. And here is a simple suitor in the Parable. Art thou a Child? Answ. A Father accepts of small, broken and imperfect speeches from a child. OH, Object. But I apprehended God as a Judge. The woman had to do with a Judge in the Text. Answ. Thou hast a Madiator, and he is a Son, a Son that never sinned, never displeased. Pled him, and make supplication to thy Judge, as Job did. OH, Object. But? Not more OH Butts. Answ. Silence unbelief. Turn faith lose. Our work should be to strengthen, not to weaken our hearts: to greaten our Faith, not oar Fears. And there is no temptation so strong, but faith will conquer it: no affection so great, but faith will suppling it: no prison so straight, but faith will open it: no objection so forked, but faith will dissolve it: no danger so eminent, but faith will outface it. Help this and Help all: Awaken this, and Awaken all. Remember the Story of another Widow, 2 King. 4. She had little: She needed much. Borrow (saith the Prophet) of all thy neighbours: But shut the doors upon thee. It was time to shut the doors, when many greater vessels must be supplied from one little one. I say the like to you. Shut the Doors: Shut out sense, shut out all discouragements, which would put faith out of countenance: And if God fill not every vessel, Psal. 81.10. challenge him upon that his word, Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it. And take this with you, The Cruse never ceased running, till there was no more room. As elsewhere God never ceased bating, till Abraham left begging. I have spoken to the Point. Now the Lord enlarge you in private. I am sensible of your occasions. I am unwilling to abridge my Worthy Brother. And therefore I will say as much as I can at Once, to the particular following, and contract myself. The Judge in the Prothesis we pass. The comparison E Medio imitates a mercy in Having Judges. Ci●. pro. Milone . I add only the Orators qualification, Movo audeant quae sentiunt. The Assumption comes on with great strength, and holds out this to us. The Lord will certainly avenge his own. Doct 2 For the Terms this may suffice. His own by Election, as it is added. Election is either to Glory, or Office. We exclude neither: we prefer the former, God hath a Peculiar (not a Puccian) choice. The Number, whither Materially, or Formally considered, is to him Certain. The People known. And them he'll Avenge. (Avenge,) that is, 1. Vindicate them, and 2. Retaliate their enemies. For proof thus. 1. God's title is, The Avenger. Psal. 94.1. So the vulgar and the 70. often in the Psalms read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Protecter, etc. As elsewhere, The Protector, The Second, or Champion of his people. 2. 'Tis his Place, as Judge. Gen. 15.14. 3. 'Tis his Preregative, as Supreme. A Regality invested in the Deity, Vengeance is my. Unless God issue out a Commission, and given power, noon must revenge. 4. 'Tis his Glory. He's known by it. Psal. 9.16. He shines in it, and is lifted up into the throne. Psal. 94.1. Here all his Perfections, Wisdom, Power. Justice, Truth, are Concentrate. That's from God's self. Next, From his People. God is most concerned in all their sufferings. 1. The Cause is his: and he's struck at in it. The thing parsued in a Saint, is, not sin, nor the Man's self: but God in his Truth and Graces. Hereupon the Church entitles him to her quarrels, Psal. 74.22. 2. Next, The People be his, his Children. And the Father seeles what the Child suffers: and wither else should Children fly, but to their Father? Nay, in a sort, by Acceptation, and Interpretation, they are God himself. He, that toucheth them, toucheth him in his tenderest part. Zach. 2.8. 3. From their Enemies. They have no aim in their hand. They strike at All, with Haman. Yea they triumph over God himself, when they trample upon his: as a King is said to be conquered, when his subjects be subdued. Hence in Scripture, A V●el. learned M●de in 1 Tim. 4 1. Nation and their God stand and fall together. 2 King. 28.33. Jer. 48.7. and 50.2. This point (applied) is 1. Of Private concernment, and 2. Of Public use. In Private, it hath a Threefold prospect. 1. It looks backward, and bids us reflect upon ourselves. And in case we have been wrongful to the Name, Person, State of any of God's, set all to Rights this day. 'Tis the work of this day. 'Tis The Fast, Is. 51. There God shows What is, What is not a Fast to him. To hung the head for some hours, that's not The Fast. The Fast is, To lose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke. Is it not? etc. v. 6.7. Lets come home therefore to our business. Is any servant defeated? Any Tenani by us oppressed? Any Creditor defrauded? Any poor Christian any way wronged? Let my counsel be accepted.— Break of your sins by righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor, etc. Dan. 4. Pay for the cure; Make satisfaction for the wrong; Compound with the Plaintiffs; Let them stay the svit, become Mediators for you. This is God's way, in the Case of Abraham with Abimelech, Gen. 20. of Job with his Friends, Job ult. Given (saith God) the man his wife, he is a Prophet, my Prophet: He will pray for thee: so thou shalt live: else thou art a dead man. And for Job; He is my Servant (saith God) you have done him wrong: Right him again: And Let him sacrifice: Him will I accept: you without him I accept not. You see the Course; If you tread it, your fast takes, your prayers pass: If not, The Judge is on the Bench; He will have Eye for Eye: Tooth for Tooth. My meaning is, He will return you your own Coin; and the more silent the Patient is, the more shrill the Wrong will be, as in the case of Moses, Numb. 12.2. whilst he is dumb, God speaks; whilst he is deafed, God hears and stirs. And surely Fast we must from all unjustice, or Fast from nothing. Better eat bread, then drink blood, and devour man's flesh. I refer you, in this haste, to Job 31.21. to Exod. 23. v. 23.24. & 27. I must away. 2. This respects the time present. Will God avenge? Hold ye your hands. Let wickedness proceed from the wicked. Let not your hand be upon him. Yea hold your Tongues, your Hearts, I Sam 24.13. and be not so impotent as to return wrath for wrath: much less to band jests and girds. 'Tis for children to spit at one another. Be ye so Manlike, so Kinglike, as to do Best, Regium est, etc. when ye hear Worst: so Christlike, as to overcome all evil with all goodness. And in case you be at any time either played upon, with David, or trod upon with that Great Prince, say, Non tibi, sed christo: say, Barbarossa, Non tibi, sed Petro. V 10. Vrsin. 'Tis before the Lord. And, if no law will relieve you, know that you shall do yourselves no disservice, in making God your chancellor. 3. For the future; This must fix us on our duty, what ever the case be. The matter is not what the Work, but what our Warrant is. 'Tis certain, we shall meet with opposition in the pursuance and performance of our Callings; Especially You that are more public persons, and have more earnest contestation with open delinquents. Lug but one swine, and there will be a great outcry. But here's the Point; Are ye Gods in the cause? Is the work his? The design his? your weapons his? your method his? Have you to show a warrant and commission from him? Fear no colours: Though every brick were a Devil; go on with Luther. Your Names, Lives, Posterity, are in his hands. He speaks to you, as Absalon to his, Fe are not; have not I commanded you? 2 Sam. 13.28. And when you can justify your proceed to him, reply upon your own fears, in Nehemiah's words; Should such a man as I flee? I! who pretend to God I! a Public person! Should I fly with a whole corporation, nay county on my back! Hath my Country entrusted me, given me herself? Et Turnum fugientem baec terra videbit! Fare be this from Noble spirits. Assure the Cause, Calling, Conscience: and that done, Fix your visible eye upon the invisible God, as Moses and Micaiah did before you: and all the Glory and Majesty in the World will seem no more to you, then it did to them; or then a poor Candle is to the brightest Sun. So the first Use. The second is more Public, and it is Double. You of Public rank must. 1. Concur with God the Avenger. 2. Confided in him. For the first. The Lord hath taken you into Commission with himself; put his Name, his Power upon you. What it is I cannot determine, nor do I meddle with your privileges. What ever 'tis, 'tis God's; 'tis of him and for him, and must be managed accordingly. It shall be your safety to frequent your commission. Tis Derived, 'Tis Limited, yea and 'Tis Public too; and must be managed with a Public spirit. Private revenge is not within your Commission. That leaves a stain upon a man some ways innocent; witness jehu: And puts an innocency upon the greatest offender; witness Abner. Here then all selfish affections, and private respects must be 1. strained out, and justice justice, as Moses speaks, that is, Pure justice without mud, must run down. Deut. 16.20. And 2. restrained in all others. And be assured that you have done, and shall do yourselves greatest right, in Disadopting, and Disavowing all illegal, tumultuary, selfe-revenging, and libellous ways. God's cause needs not man's lie, man's froth, spleen malice. And it shall be your happiness to put a wide distance between justum and justè between the courage of the Son, and the disorder of the Soldier, with that Old General. Manlius. Plus est in im●erio quam in victoria. Florus l. 1. c. 14. Your revenge must be public then, yea all public in it. Person, Cause, Rule, End, All; and then it will be a Sanctuary to the innocent, a Sacrifice to the Lord. What jehoshapbat once said to his judges, I say to you, Let the fear of God fall upon you. Take heed; The judgement is God's, not man's. 2 Chron. 19 Nothing of man must be seen, heard, felt in this. All must be Gods. God must be read in your Laws, heard in your Threats, felt and seen in your Executions: And then things come upon the Conscience with power, when only God is represented. Up then, You visible Gods, and remember that God avenges by you. 1. In Civil causes, Say, what God would say; do, what he would do: you are his mouth, his hand. Avenge the Widow, Relieve the Oppressed. And if your leisure will not admit of johs search: yet do you admit of Jethro's counsel. Dismiss them timely, when you cannot presently dispatch, job 29 16. Exod. 18. jest you tyre them, and waste yourselves. 2. In matters of higher Alloy: Avenge God, as he shall avenge you. Make laws to fence his laws. Pled his right. Vindicate his truths, his name, his day. And that done, in a conformity to God, then in the next place, 2. Confided in him. Believe your Saviour. God will certainly avenge his own; his own servants, his own delegates, and substitutes. 1. He will vindicate their name, their cause, their truth. He will be jealous over them, when they are truly zealous for him. Rest in this. 2. Nay further know, God will avenge, not Members only, but Whole Churches, and Societies, that are his: His own, all his own, whither Private, or Public, he will defend. And, if it shall please him to make us yet more his own, and to draw us nearer to himself in a Closer Covenant, so that we be his jesurum, he will be to us, as once to jaceb, The shield of our defence, the sword of our excellency: He will bear us in his everlasting arms, as it is Deut. 33. more at large. Yea he will look upon all the Blasphemies, Insolences, Outranges, and Conspiracies against this our Church, and State, and at once retaliate our Adversaries, and justify our cause. The Conclusion is that of the Kings, Deal courageously: the Lord shall be with the good. When the Cause is good, and the Heart good, and Warrant good; God will be with you, in his Counsel to Direct, in his Power to Protect, in his Goodness. to Avenge. So saith The Amen, and faithful witness. 3. Nay yet farther, As this must comfort us for our own particular, in this our Little Moat: So for the public, and the Church in general. The cause of Religion is, you know, God's cause. The cry of Blood belongs to his Recognizance. Psal. 9 He makes inquisition for blood. The blood of his cries loud, and hath cried long against That man of Sin, and Man of blood. Under the Fifth Seal the blood of the Than Saints cried apace, How long! etc. That cry opened a Sixt Seal; and then the Bloody Dragon cried as fast, OH ye bills, and Mountains cover us! etc. Since that, there's an Inundation of blood, that cries from all Coasts, and cries more then ever. Even thy blood OH Germany, and thine, OH France, and thine, OH Ireland. God hath said, that He that kills shall be killed, and that blood shall answer blood, Revel. 13.10. The time draws on, and Cry on ye bleeding churches: Cry on ye Prophets, and Apostles, in your Sackcloth, in your blood. And thou, OH England, with thy Cranmers, Ridlies', Bradfords, Cry on, and given the Lord no rest, OH ye his Saints, whose blood is shed, till he That's holy and true avenge your Blood. And You, Florus lib. 2. c. 15. OH NOBLES, and much honoured GENTLEMEN: do ye set your hands to this Carthage, that busles most; and this Bloody-beast, which bites worst in her last conflict. And, when ye have done all, Stand by the Glassy Sea, with your harps ready, till the Lord shall be pleased to empty the Fifth Vial upon the throne of the Beast, and cast the great mil stone into that Sea of blood, Amen. Even so come LORD JESUS; Take to thyself thy great power, & let the bloodsheds of the Great Whore come in remembrance before thee. Amen. Follows the Third, which delivers the manner how God delivers his. 1. He's long ere he gins; 2. He goes throughstitch, when he sets in. For words; I am loathe to entertain time with Criticism's; we have a greater work in hand. If we follow Chrysostom's sense with the Vulgars', and her Sworr. men, and read the words Question-wise, Will he suffer long? we shall 1. Impute to S. Luke worse language then he speaks, who of the Evangelists is most Attic: And 2. So Homer uses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Vulcan's speech to juno. I had a etc & alibi passins . Cross the main scope, which drives at perseverance upon delays. If we follow his follower Theophylact, and modern writers, and tender 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, sampling it with the Hebrew, we have our warrant. Yet [here's a difficulty. For, How sorts this Slowness, with that [speedily] following? But this is no hard knor. 1. God may seem to us, but is not in himself Slow. For to be Slow. is to be too late; and God is never so. 2. Again, he bears at first, yet smites home at last. I take no pride in varying from advised translations, and therefore pitch there. God gives proof of his patience, before he proceeds to execution. He suffers long, before the Creature suffers. This is generally true. But I must draw down the point to the present instance. He suffers long (With Them) With Whom? With Adversaries, as the woman phrased it; or With them, whom vengeance abides; as the Hebrews often couch the Object in the Action. Our Point then must run thus. God bears long with his adversaries; with worst men. He dispenseth not his favours equal to all: yet to all some. All taste of his goodness, but with a difference: Though he bear not Ever, yet he bears Long with his enemies. His Everlasting name is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 opposed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prou. 14.29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say the LXX. speaks it roundly, Rom. 9 He suffers with much Long suffering the vessels of wrath. The truth of this we found in People, Cities Kingdoms, and those noon of the best. But we touch only upon these particulars. 1. Look upon the People in their distance, 1. The provokers are his own creatures, who live upon him. 2. The provoked, the Highest Majesty. This were enough to tempt created patience, as he said; Shall this dead dog rail upon my Lord the King! 2 Sam. 16. 9●… What! A Dog upon a King! This requires infinite patience. 2. Look upon their Actions, in their difference. And there it is hard to say whither be greater, patience or provocation. 1. The wicked hate His, for His sake, with a Satanical hatred, (as David's words is, Psal. 38.20.) and would destroy Soul and Body all at once, as that Villain in Bodin attempted upon another. 2. They cannot be satisfied with One Mordecai's flesh: They wish all but One head, that they might dispatch all at one stroke. 3. No time is long enough, no help great enough. Mr. Bolton's Sermon on 1 Cor. 1.26 . They call in help; they beg and borrow Curses and Blasphemies, to their last breath, as I read of one. 4. They never relent, but writ all to their merits, and wish they could do more: Thus they provoke. Now what is God's Patience? Though his soul abhor sin infinitely; Though he cannot go out of hearing, and shus his eyes, as we may, but must see and hear all; Though his name, Law and Children be more to him then all the world; Though heaven and earth sweat under these provocations, and God's own (struck down at his foot) cry for help: Rome! 2. there's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yet God Bears and Bears long; Nay doth them positive good; Treats with them; Fees them to be quiet, and his own to be patiented; and when he must needs smite, gives them space, takes time himself, is Long in bending his how, and drawing forth his weapons. And after all this, if then an Ahab will suba it, he is ready to reprieve. But this is a Fathomlesse-depth. Were I in another place, I should hold it needful to say something, by way of explication. But here its sufficient to mind you, That God's patience is no way passive: Nay his Longest suffering is his Greatest Acting, or enjoying of himself, in all Serenity and Perfection, and is only grounded upon his most perfect nature. 1. God is Power itself; and therefore can bear long. 2. God is Wisdom itself; and therefore forbearant. 3. Goodness itself; and therefore so long-suffering. And the longer he suffers the more he exerciseth and evidenceth these his perfections. That is the main ground of the point; where to you may add, if you please, these ensuing Particulars. 1. The Wicked, Cod's adversaries are some way his own; and that Ownenesse works Patience. The Lord is a piece of a Father to them also. For he is A Common-Father, by office to all; A Speciall-Father, by Adoption to Saints; A Singular-Father, by Nature to Christ. A Prince, besides his particular relation to his Children, is Pater-Patriae, Pater familias, and is good to all; though with a difference: So here. 2. Though Christ hath purchased a peculiar people to himself, to the purpose of salvation: yet others taste of this his goodness. The world, you know, was lost in merit, and ipso facto forfeited, with all its comforts, and appurtenances. The Lord Christ hath restored it, and doth keep it standing; and in the Interim, the worst enjoy it in common with the best, and so far, far the better for Christ. 3. God in his most wise dispensation, sees use of patience towards such: So, he works out his own praise, and design upon his Church. In short, At present there may be some use of them; and so he reprieves them, as we do some notorious Felon: and hereafter there may be some fruit come from them, and the Ill Mother is a while sorborne for her Fruit, and Venture sake. This is all I can stay to speak to the point. Now were I myself, I would commend this to two sorts. 1. The worst must take heed of Two Extremities. 1. Not to Vye with Children, and bear themselves too high upon God's love, because he bears himself so patiently, and graciously towards them. Not, there is difference: Isaac is the Son of the Promise, though all the Abramites have something. Gen. 25.5, 6. Only Jehoram the firstborne must have the Crown, and Kingdom: Smaller matters must content the rest. All Joseph's brethrens taste of his bounties; but noon to Benjamin. 2 Chron 21.3 . As in the things there is a wide difference: (not now to be enlarged) so specially in the Issue, and event: the wickeds happiness will take end, his lease will run out, Eccl. 8.13. That end when it comes, comes Swifith, as Ezekiel in his 7. chap. tells them upon another occasion.— The End (saith he) is Come, is Come, is Come; and so some ten or twelve times minds them of this. And when that Time is come, the Lord sets on, How Long, and How Often he hath forborn. Psal. 95. — Forty years long I have horn with this generation. And— These ten times have they provoked me. Numb. 14.22 2. Not to charge God to be an hard Master: But to given him the glory, not only of his Justice, but of his Patience, and Goodness: For even in his Executions he is still beneath their demerit, beyond their desert; and that one day they will know, though now they will not acknowledge it. But the main is to the Saints. 2. If the worst must say, God is patiented; must not the Saint? If Sodom, If Bab. l, If India, must acknowledge his Long-suffering: must not England? must not This? must not every Town and City? OH surveyed your lives, compare God's patience with our frowardness; God's forbearence with your stubbornness. Call to mind your follies, passions, infirmities, presumptions. What answers you have returned upon reproof; how many calls you have slighted; how many means you have scorned. In few; how many, how great, how lasting your provocations have been. And, If Cain, and Judas must yield God patiented: Do you say, Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? He reretaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighieth in mercy, Mica. 7.18. And, if the Devils themselves think it worthy a svit, that their torment may be deferred; must not we think it thankworthy, that wear thus long forborn? OH, let every Town ye look upon, every Church ye come into, every field you walk in, every Creature you see living, draw from you thanks.— Let the house of Aaron say, His mercy endureth for ever; Else had we no Church.— Let the house of Israel say, His mercy endureth for ever; Else had we no State,— Let every man breathing say, His mercy endureth for ever; Else our Atheisms, Oaths, Curses, Idols, Murders, Whoredoms, and other Abominations had long since sunk us, and swallowed us up. But what are Words, if but Words? Let the Meditation of this point be improved unto Humiliation, Repentance, Consolation. 1. For the first. Is God so forbearant? 1. What are we, that we should be so hasty? What? Is he wounded in his Name, in his Law, and in his Sons? And must not we be touched in our Dog? Who are we, that we cannot bear (As God, (shall I say?) nay with God himself! He must smite, when we would have him; elsewe question, sometimes his Truth, most times his care. Nay farther. Is God so forbearant? What have we done? Or what did we mean to provoke so Patiented a Father? How great is the provocation of his sons and daughters! It is not, It is not (believed it) a Small thing that will Anger this Father. It is not a little Cloud, that will hid this Sun. In his anger therefore read our sins, and in his expressions his wrath. His Face, his Words, his Actions speak him angry. And patience will not be angry for Triftes. What? David hid himself from his Absalon? doth not so great a wrath argue greatest provocation? And is not Our Father, think you, Angry, when he sends a Spirit of division among us? when he Dashes Child against Child? makes a Rod, of a Sword? draws Blood, and baths his Sword therein? Turns his Children a begging, and out's them of all? Is not here wrath? And is it not time now, to fall before him, with Miriam, whilst he thus spits in our face? To Run with Aaron, when the fire is begun? To cry with David, Num. 12. Num. 16 46.1 Chion. 21. when the Sword is drawn? OH Lord, spore Jerusalem, spare our Cities, our people: And to lament after our Father; as the Child doth after his lost Mother. My Father, my Father is lost, What shall I do! 2. In the next place, Let us quicken our repentance: Kindness will melt a Soul; Should it not a Son? The proper issue of patience and kindness should be to repentance: of long patience speedy repentance. You are Noble; I report myself to your Judgements. What think you? Are not a thousand of Oaths, and millions of Lies (to omit other provocations) enough? Is not forty years' provocations? nay sixty? nay eighty sufficient? Hath not God waited long, and long enough? Is it fit think you, to make him wait longer? Is there any hope that aught else will work, if patience work not? Or is there any thing left after patience abused? Will not Nineveh rise up in Judgement against us, and say, We had but forty day's patience afforded us: And shall these abuse Twice forty years? Will not the damned in Hell arise and say, We were born withal, some but thirty, some but twenty years, and they have abused a far longer patience? Nay, will not the Devils themselves come in and say, We had not the patience of one hour afforded us; and shall these ever be spared ?I beseech you by all the mercies of God; by an age of patience; by A world of blessings; by that your Candour, and Ingennity; and by all the Endearments, that ever past betwixt Christ and your sonles; pity yourselves; pity your Country; pity your posterity; and be content to be happy. Fall down in private before the Lord, and say, OH Lord, I am ashamed of my Unmannerliness. Thou hast long knocked, and I have made thee stand out of doors. I can stand out not longer. It is infinite patience, if as yet I may live. OH turn me, and I will now turn. I Come, I Come with all the strength I have: OH draw me! Melt me! receive me! 3. Lastly, Let this given us an hopeful expectation of further grace. True it is, Our sins are hideous. God was never more put to it by a Nation. Notwithstanding, could we put ourselves into a posture for mercy, There were yet hope in Israel. For I demand, Is God patiented toward Enemies? toward Rebels? when there's no fasting, not praying, not reforming thought upon? And will he Not meet us in the way of his judgements? Vid. Mic. 6.3. Hos. 6.4. & 11.8. What? is he so long-suffering toward sinful Ephraim? so loathe to think of a divorce? How shall I given thee up Ephraim! How shall I entreat thee! And so ready to receive Ephraim, upon submission? Is Ephraim my dear son? etc. Jer. 31.20. And will he not be gracious to this Our Ephraim, in case we come in? What! will he pled for Israel, for Nineveh against his Prophets? and of a Judge become an Advocate? As we see in the case of Elijah, and Jonah. Why Elijah (saith he) Thou art not alone: There be Thousand with thee, and for me: Why Jonah, dost thou well to be so hasty? wouldst thou have meslay the Child upon the Mother? so young, so many? Will God, I say, thus pled for a people, when his Prophets cry against them? And will he not be entreated for us, when of all Ranks some, and the Prophets chiefly importune him? Bear up, Brethrens, and know with whom ye have to do. You deal with a Father, The Father, and The God of patience. 'Tis true, Esa. 54.7. He can be angry. That's his justice: That's his goodness to you: But he cannot be long angry with his own. 'Tis but for a Moment. It redounds not to the Person. 'Tis not Penal but Medicinal. Sink not under it. Only prise patience, and abuse it not. Hold this Patient God among you, as Moses did. Chain him up with your prayers and tears, and say, If we have found grace in thy sight, Go not from us: Abide with us. And then know, There is patience enough in God for a Thousand England's. And, if we do miscarry, it is not from want of Goodness in God, but from want of Grace in us, who have a price in our hands and dee not know it. But I must away. The last thing follows. God is swift in his help as well as sure. When his be once read for help, help is at hand. So Nahum pleads, cap 1.2, 3. God suffers, and God is swift. I am in haste, and cannot open the words. S. Peter saith the same, 2 Pet. 3.9. where two things are spoken. 1. What God is in our conceit; Slack. 2. What God is indeed; Seasonable, when we are fitted. But is not God slow? Object. It is not slowness, Answ. or slackness: For that is to Omit an opportunity. He is ever opportune, and frames his pace, as there is cause. When we be ripe, he is ready, he is speedy. Speedy, 1. In opposition to the Judge here, who is too late; and to men's opinions, who being too short, think God too long. Speedy, 2. In reference to our fitness, and fitness of time. He is neither too early, nor too late; but observes the very height, strength, joint, article of time. We know not how to express Moses his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of time. But at present we are upon his speedy help. Ex. 12 41. & alibi in Gen. For this; do observe how he represents himself. 1. In his gectures, and postures. He's said, when he is upon his people's deliverance, to stand up, or rise, to run, Vid Hab. 3. & passim apud Prophetas. In the Canticles, he comes leaping, etc. Es. 31.5. slying, etc. to fly. 2. In his Expressins. He that comes, will come, and will make haste, with ut tarriance, Heb. 10.37. 3. In his Performances Ever at, or before his day, never one hour too late. The Reason whereof is manifold. 1. If we respect God's self. 1. He cannot mistake time: For he is Wisdom it self, and the just measure of time. That is Esay's reason, He is a God of Judgement. 2. He cannot fail of his aim, and end; Esa. 30. For he is power itself. There is nothing in his way; He is in Heaven (saith David) and doth whatsoever he william Others must work what, and when they can: God works when it pleaseth him, and can do a great deal in a little space. He can 'cause to conceive, and to bring forth the same day, Esa. 66.8. 3. He is goodness itself. Goodness is his nature: and nature delights in its own operations: it is its life. The Sun runs rather then stand still; delights more inshining, then in being overshadowed. 4. He is Truth, and it is his Word, He will be found in due time; and his time is the Due time, with respect to our Fitness. Read Psal. 46.1, 5. 2. Add in the second place, God's Relation. He is a Father. Relations, you know, are very active. Saul would rise early to help his subjects. 1 Sam. 11. Father's be rather too hasty, then too slow. They are ready before their Sons. The child indeed thinks himself fit for Horsemanship, for the University, Marriage, or the like; and conceives his father too slow. But the truth is, The Father stays upon his Child, and is ready before he is ready; Especially in cases of danger. A Father runs without legs, when the Child is hazarded: Nor is there any Beast, which will not fly upon death, when his young is endangered. Now the Lord hath not put this inclination into Creatures, and deprived himself thereof, the while; His be His, and He will be There's, if it be not long of them. Let the prodigal creep, and the Father will run. Luke 15. 3. His Children will mind him of the time how it passes. Their Cry is still, How long, Make haste. Their Remembrancers join with them. Esa. 62. and Christ with them. Zach. 1. How long, OH Lord of Hosts, wilt thou not have mercy upon Jerusalem? etc. 12. These, All these sue God upon his Band, and press the fitness of the time. Dan 9.2. Psal. 102.13. To make an end. If mere self-love will force this Judge out of his pace: will not love of Justice, Mercy, Truth? Love of Christians, of Christ, of Gods-self quicken him? Doth not he know how soon their spirits will faint? how soon they will step forth of the way? and after halting, turn aside, upon two long delays? Yea, Object. but we see God's people long deferred. It seems long, Answ. because we are short. A short walk is a long journey to feeble knees. Times are above our reach: the knots, and periods of them are in the hands of the God of Judgement. When help is seasonable his finger's itch, as the Mother's breast aches, when it is time the child had suck. There is no more now to be done, Uses. but to make this point useful to us, and then I have done. 1. Blush we at our boldness, who take upon us 1. To Control. 2. To confine the All wise God. 1. For the first, Who are we, that we should sit upon our Maker? and say, in effect, Her? God is out. Here he mistakes his time? What is this but to Charge God foolishly, as Job did not? What is this, but to set the Sun by our dial? This Caesar terms sauciness in his Soldiers. This our Saviour disliked in his dearest friends. Ich 2 4. & 7 6 & 11 39.40 . This the Physician blames in his Patient: Parents in their Children: you in Us, if so be that we, (at so great a distance, who know so little of your obstructions) shall charge you, here with too much haste, there with too much slowness. 2. As great a sauciness it is To confine the Almighty, Now he must help or never, this way, or no way. By this Parliament, or by no Parliament. Stop, for shame. And if you will wisely inquire into a reason of God's proceed, reflect upon yourselves, and charge the slowness upon your own souls. It is a truth, God will be ever himself; and hath many ends in One Worke. But, in passages betwixt him and us, the fault is ours, not his, if we be not seasonably helped. Thence that in Isaiah 30 18. God waits, that he may have mercy. God's Heart, God's hands are full of mercy: he waits, being A God of Judgement. (i) one that dispenses mercy in Judgement. Thence his plea Isaiah 58.1. etc. The people wondered they heard not from God. Why (say they) have we fasted? etc. And God wonders, that he hears not from them. And more fully (Isa. 59.1.) he resolves the Case. God's hand is not shortened: His ear is not deafened. He is able, he is willing to do them help. Where is the hindrance then? He tells them, Your sins keep good things from you. Thence also it is, That God so expostulates with Joshua. cap. 7.10. Up, (saith he) Why lieft thou thus, and criest to me? As if it were long of me that the war succeeds not. Go, deal with thy people. There is an accursed thing in Israel. Thus God points us to our duty, and we must Act accordingly. Judges 20. when the wars of the Chureh miscarried, the Church inquires of God, with Prayers, and Tears, and Fast. In the like case we must do the same thing: We are here upon God's work Things stick. Comfort comes on slowly. Let us Cast Lots with Joshua; and found out The Achan. Let every man lay his hand upon his heart, and say, Can God certainly help? Will he speedily hear? What is then the reason of this delay? This is a fit question for public, for private, for All People. In Public. Your affections (Honoured & Beloved) we question not. Sure your endeavours are good, your labours great. Yet must we say with the Prophet, The harvest is past, Summer is ended, and we are not yet saved. Jer. 8.20. Where is the Let? Let's put it to the Lot. 1. Lot upon yourselves, and let each Parliament-man say. Am I ready? Am I fit for mercy? for honour? I pretend to hamiliation. I represent such a people, such a place (in their sins) this day. Do I humble myself? Do I gauge my heart, pray, weep, mournalone? I pretend Reformation. Am I myself reform? Do not I, who say others must not swear, swear myself? Do not I given Liberty myself, where I make Laws for others? If so, God will never accept of a good motion from a bod mouth: as that State in story would not. 2. Lot upon your families. I come hither to reform others: But what are my own Children? my Own Servants? What should Philip do abroad, till he hath composed disorders at home? 3. Lot upon your Company, and Associates. Say, Is there never an Esau among us? Never an Achan in our Tent? Never a Jonah in our Ship who troubles all? 4. Lot upon your Courses. Ask: Whose work am I upon? God's? or my Own? Ask farther. (If the work be God's, and the Public) in what Order do I proceed; Uzziah may disturb the whole business, for want of Order. Ask farther: In what Manner do I go on? If I presume upon the goodness of the Cause, or greatness of my strength, I may be crossed, as Israel was in that 20. of Judges. You are now before the Lord. Weep with Israel upon these delays, and strike the right Vein: Say, The Lord is not flow to help: but we are slow to search, slow to reform, slow to put ourselves in a hopeful way of mercy. This is a fit Question for us also in Private. We (my Brethrens) run out upon God, He forgets, He will not be entreated. We fly upon men, They make no Haste, They Spin out Time, with long orations. Were We in place, Ireland should not be thus deserted; Execution thus fatured. But who is in fault? What disorder! What disorder! saith Nabuchadnezzar, when the Disorder was from him: So we. What delays! What delays! No help comes! OH, but what saith God? Up joshua. Israel hath sinned. There is an Accursed thing among you. There is cursed Pride, Unbelief, Covetousness, Coldness, Neutrality, in the Camp: What can be done, till this be removed? There are Unblessed Divisions, preposterous courses. We Wrangle our own work, and are much wanting to the public, in our prayers, and amendments. And this is that, that scoat's the business in public. Nay, shall I tell you? There is that, that hinders all in public and in private: and in short it is this. We be not this day Humbled for Our Own, and Our-other-mens' sins; we be not broken; we be not ripe for mercy. And can we think that God will lay Cordials upon Full and Foul stomaches? That he will skarf our bones, before they be set? And lap up our sores, before they be searched? OH it is in vain, (as I hope my Brother will anon tell you, now my strength is spent.) It is in vain, I say, for us to dream of Comfort, till we are better emptied and broken. Let us, I beseech you, when we have done in Public, goto it in private, and labour to see The Plague in our own heart. We speak much of A malignant party. But shall I tell you? Our sins be the Malignant Party: Yours, and those whom we represent this day. These tie the hands of God, and man These stop the ears of God, and the King against us. Clear the Lord, and shame yourselves, saying, I have mistake myself all this while. I have accused God. I accused men. I have now accuse myself my backwardness 'to turn to God is it that fore-slows my comfort. This done, 3. Be we next entreated to Coast upon a Cure, You are tired with working, We with waiting. Come we briefly to the Point. Es. 21.12. If you will inquire, inquire ye; Return, Come. The Prophet speaks as if he were in haste: and two things are presently expected. 1. We must be humbled. That's once. Pride stands in God's way. And, if we will make David's prayer, we must make his plea. We are poor and needy: make no tarriance. Psal. 40. ult And this work of self-humbling is a greater work, then I can quickly deliver. But I presum you have been already pressed or will be anon, to this work. 2. We must be Reform. Sin hangs in our light. That pats back things that are coming on. Let Aaron and Moses be never so willing. Let Israel be never so neare the Promised land: Sin (coming between) will turn them round, and put them back. That hinders good from coming on. Let jehoshaphat be never so forward in a Reformation, The High places will not drown, if the People's hearts be not prepared, 2 Chr. 20.33. I have cut yond out your Work. Now upon it. 1 Look Backward, and say with David, OH Lord pardon my sin: Psal 25. it is very great. Pardon my house, It is I and my house, that have sinned. Pardon my people, the Town and County, from whom I come, for whom I appear this day, As Luke 4 23. to cure his Country is to cure himself. and which is my Secondself. Weep over them as David over jerusalem. Yea over the many many sins, that swarm in this Land; and there stand betwixt wrath and the People: and then 2. Look forward, with respect to all your relations. As Men, Resolve with Naaman; I will worship noon but the God of Israel. As Masters, with joshua; I and my house will serve the Lord. As Public People, with David; Betimes I will cut of the evil doers. At lest pled with joshua 22.20. Did not Achan thus, and God was angry with all Israel? For the Lord's sake, Form yourselves into a happy body and order; and having so done, Do but what you can to put us all into a Posture of mercy and safety. Let me tell you, that the public pulse beats very ill. Though many particulars given much encouragement: yet the generality is bad enough. I will not meddle with any thing this day. I leave your businesses to another day and place. Given me leave to say thus much; 1. In point of Religion; Credenda. If we speak of faith: How many be there, who have (as that Father said) Fidem menstruam? I may add, Neutram, Hilary. Oculus in utran partem fluat judicari non potest, probably Sun. Caes de Bello Gall. l. 1. Alcibiades. Nullam? 2. If we speak of particulars: Most men move like the river Arar: backward or forward, who can tell? 3. In point of subjection, in this jubilee, & Interval, (as the Vulgar reckon it) no Magistrate, no Minister, no Officer, no Age is respected. It is with us in the Country, as it was in his Army, All are Leaders, noon Soldiers; All Teachers, noon Scholars. 4. And for Laws. Whilst you make New, we break the Old: and whilst you are in the Mount, we are Dancing about a Maypole, or Calf. I may not devil longer. Given me leave to deliver my own & the Common svit of the honest minded, to you: and I will deliver it to you in his words, Mark 9.22. Masler, if thou canst do any thing (saith he) have compassion on us, end help us. My Lords, & Masters, If you can do any thing, Help us with your power (we will Help you with our prayers.) Help us what you can (and what you can by Law, Chrys. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 etc. hinc & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apud Veteres. that you Can.) Help us to honest Ministers: help them to Bread, & Books too. Help them against the Mighty, that they be not forced to Feast at that Dreadful table, as it was once called, they know not whom themselves. O! If we could be once form into a good people by a happy concurrence of Our Sovereign, & both your Houses, we could not be long in dust and ashes. The Lord would soon (as he saith) subdue our unemies under us, Lops 81.14. Mal. 4.2. and come flying with healing under his wings. Only, if welook for speedy help, we must speed our Repentance, and Reformation; and so meet him, who hath promised to meet us. Now let the Patience of God move you, the distresses of our Brethrens (who have nothing left, Praeter agri solum, if so much) move you. Let the sad distractions & Icalousies at home move you. And, sigh God is ready, why should we defer? Yet we live: Yet he offers himself as a Father to us. Here he is this day: OH let us not loose this day: but to day, whilst it is to day, before the other half of it be spent, Come in, accept of mercy. And, for your encouragement, let me conclude with a word of Comfort. What? Doth God wait, to do us a kindness? Means he good to us at last, though (for ends) he for bears a while? Be not discouraged upon these delays (if they be delays.) Say with the Church, Micah 7. I will bear the wrach of the Lord, I will wait, etc. OH, Object. But what hope's left? There is hope, There is hope. Were there not: yet order it, Answ. that there may be hope, Lam. 3. And then Harken what God will speak; Psal. 85.8. for his heart and mouth will speak peace to his Broken, people. Provided ever that you leave him to his own both Times, and Means. OH, Object. But is not the time past? Why then hath he called us hither? Answ. Pat it into the hearts of his Majesty, and this Representative Kingdom, to appoint this meeting? Would be have accepted an offering at our hands, and sent us a word of encouragement, if he had parposed our destruction? OH, But (for the means; Object.) things are worse and worse. No matter, Answ. if we be better and better. OH, But we are very weak! low! poor! Object. I wish we were worse, in our own sense; we are, I fear, too, good, Answ. too strong, too many. God is sometimes troubled with too much help, Object. but never with too little. We are sometimes too soon; Answ. but he is never too late. OH, but we are put of still, from day to day. You are deceived. We are not put of: we put of God. It sticks there. Nay, God is already Come, we are helped, and do live; and should live more, If we could live apace to him; and live his life, the life of faith. Now is Faith's turn and time. Now let The lust live by his faith. Now with Daniel, let us Cast up times and meet the Sunrising; at lest before the day shut in. Grow to his earnestness: OH Lord hear; OH Lord forgive; OH Lord defer not. And then expect some flying messenger, or other, with a message of comfort. Only remember how it stands betwixt mother & child. While the child doth but whimper in the cradle, the mother stirs not: But, when he takes up a note, and cries every whit of him; hands, feet, face, all cry: then the mother flings by all; then she flies and outruns, herself. I come, I come, I come my child. I can say not more. My drift in all, is, To beaten you of (not from the Use of God's means, but) from Trusting in them. We have too long Idolised Parliaments, creatures, and created abilities. And the Lord hath purposely blocked us up, because our eyes should be only to him. And in him Alone you have encouragement enough. He hath helped already: He waits still: He is more then a judge; He is a Father: He can help, He will help. His word is for us, precept, promise, parable: His servants are for us: His Son is for us; He is One-of-us, which is beyond all encouragements yet mentioned: He is termed, in the words following, The Son of man, Cum patre dator, inter nos petitu. Aug. a man of Prayer, a man of Grace, the high Favourite, a man amids us, who gives with the Father, who prays with the Suitor. And shall we yet faint! What I cannot now do in public, do ye sipply in private. Christ is fresh, his Blood fresh. Put your petitions into his hand, and this day beg your Lives, your Land, your King, with your Omnipotent Prayers. August . If you cannot Speak, Weep. Fletu agitur, non, affain. Tears pray. If you cannot Weep, Sigh. God hears Sighs. If you cannot Sigh, Breath. God feels Breath. Lam 3.56. At lest, let your Actions pray, your Presence pray, your Submission pray, your Afflictions pray. God hears Afflictions. Gen. 16.11. He hears our stretched out hands. Do not we so? Do not we given to many a one, that faith nothing but only holds out a hand to receive? OH think as ill as you will of yourselves: but think well of God. Pray as you can Pray: and he is a Father, who will make English of broken prayers. Pray, I say. I say again Pray. And who knows but prayer will lengthen our day, as once it did joshuahs'? I can now say but little in public. The Lord enlarge us, (you, and me) in private, and my learned Brother in public. Had God vouchsafed me more leisure, health, enlargements, I had dealt better with and for you, but at present, this is all that I can do; I shall be short in prayer, and will not abridge my successor. FINIS. TRUE RELIGION IN THE OLD WAY OF Piety and Charity. DELIVERED In a SERMON to the Lord Major and Court of Aldermen of this City of London, at their Anniversary Meeting on Monday (commonly called Easter-monday) at the Spittle, 1645. By ROBERT HARRIS B D. Pastor of Hanwell, Oxon. and a Member of the Assembly of Divines. JAM. 1.26, 27. If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his Tongue,— this man's Religion is vein. Pure Religion— is this, to visit the Fatherless and widows in their afflistion, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. LONDON, Printed for John Bartlet, and are to be sold at his Shop in Paul's Churchyard, at the Sign of the Gilded Cup under Saint Austin's Gate, 1645. To the Reader. UPon the survey of this Epistle to the Right Honourable Thomas Atkins, the now Lord Major, etc. I conceived it not amiss to add something more by way of caution; which howsoever it needed not to those that know me, yet being now cast upon strange men, and strange times, I cannot speak too plainly; be pleased then to know, that the men of whom I speak, are not such as are truly (that is, universally, charitably and peaceably) conscionable, nor such as I therefore distaste, because they be of a different opinion in some things from myself: Not, the Lord keep me from quarrelling men, because their light is more or less then my, if that be all their crime, and from judging their conscience; whilst there's no more in it but conscience, reaching after further information, these be not the men I mean, but men of another spirit, who condemn the things they do not understand, and go upon principles, and in ways that will mar all if they be not timely looked to: What their courses and tenants be, I am loathe to make too public, & therefore rather intimated then expressed them before, & now do much rather desire their burial then their life; to that end, I said something to the honourable Governors and godly Citizens of this place; and do further implore and beseech all others who desire the peace of the Church, the prosperity of the City, the advancement of Christ's Kingdom, to bring some Buckets towards the quenching of these wild and unnatural fires among us; yea and above the rest, I humbly pray those of my Brethrens to lend herein their hand & help, who are more (as they conceive) indulgent towards them, at lest (as others think) most prevailing with them. This is all, and this I hope is enough, being added to that which already hath passed the Press. Robert Harris. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE LORD MAJOR and Court of Aldermen, with other Citizens of the renowned City of LONDON. THE Account that Imake of my self and service is this: For my self, the reason of my slowness in this work grew not from any undervaluing of your so honourable invitation, but from my own distemper of body, which at the same time forced me to deprecate a greater service to a greater Assembly, and to lay aside this till it was too late to put it of. 2. For the Works self, 1. in my choice, I had respect to custom and entreaty, and in the pursuance of that choice I looked upon the season and Auditory: You have now by your motion (that is) command, Jubet qui ïogat, etc. Obligant qui impetrans, etc. made it public, and it being your own, it is in your power to make it good: That is a good Sermon which doth good, as that's good soil which mends the ground: that good food or Physic that helps the body: Some worth you have put upon it in your calling for it, and sending it ready written to my band; if now you please to translate it into Practice, the work is done. And surely there lies before you the fairest of opportunities; never was there a sitter seeds-time for Prayer and Alms; in the one the poorest may concur, in the other they cannot; that's your happiness that you can given, and will be more yours if you do the thing. It was some comfort to me to hear (so soon after my service) of a design for the poor, that news was to me what Jonah's Gourd was to him; and my prayer is, that this may be more lasting then that: The poor are exceeding many, and their wants exceeding great, and it is not the lest of our griefs, that many of us in the Ministry can do not more; we meet them hourly, and part but sadly; they sighing because they cannot receive, and we because we cannot given; and given we cannot till we receive better answers then we do from more then enough: We know you not, we cannot, we will not, we may not support such a— I am not (I confess) well read in your Charter, I know not your bounds; this I know, that this famous City hath been heretofore much honoured and blessed both by and for their Ministers; this I know, that Magistrates by calling are Heirs of restraint, Judg. 18.9. Nch. 13.17. Rev 1.20.41. Prou. 29.18. Jumad lieum, & Shindler. Pentag. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (sc. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, & quae sequamu. apud Soph. and that sinne uncontrolled and unpunished by them, will be set upon their heads, and beaten upon their backs; Yea, and this I have read, that where vision (preaching) fails, the people are naked, or (say some) idle and useless; that where men grow high in sin and scorn, the City is ensnared or fired, Pro. 29.8. that where any City is divided, it cannot stand, Mat. 12.25. This I am sure of; and therefore my humble svit unto you is, that as you tender your selves, your safety, your City, your Posterity, your Religion, your Christ, your All, do your utmost to restrain all destructive ways of sin, error, faction, etc. and to establish a settled Government, and sincere Religion among you: Oh! let it not be free for any men at pleasure to proclaim their Jubilees, to assert, to preach, to print, what seems good to themselves; & under colour of Christian liberty & free grace, or I know not what new light, to cry down Magistracy, Ministry, Repentance, Obedience, say I? nay Scripture itself, Christ himself in his Nature and Offices. My Lord, and worthy Senators, I'll trouble you not longer, the rest you shall read in silence; I commend your People, your Employments, your honourable City, and all your public Concernments to the grace of our Lord Jesus, beseeching him to raise up still among you Magistrates of Jethro's mark, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Imports all men of might for wisdom, wealth, courage, men of truth (whither for Theory or Practice) but no men for self either ends or turns: So prays Your humble Suppliant and obliged! Servant in our common Lord, Robert Harris. A SERMON TOUCHING PRAYER and MERCY. ACTS 10. 31. And he said, Cornelius, thy Prayer is heard, and thy Alms are in remembrance before God. WE have in this Chapter two great doubts resolved: the one a Soldiers, the other a Preachers; both consult God, and he resolves both. The Soldier was one Cornelius, and his scruple was about our blessed Saviour, not touching his offices or his nature, (he knew that there was no other name under heaven whereby he could be saved) but the doubt was touching his person, whither this particular man, which the Apostles cried up, and the Pharisees cried down, whither he were that Christ, that Saviour, yea or not: This was the doubt, and this doubt sends him unto God in a way of prayer, and God sends him unto Peter the Apostle for information: Peter (the second person) is not without his scruple also; his doubt was, with what warrant he might go to the Gentiles (such Cornelius was) & preach Christ unto them; he also receives satisfaction from the same gracious hand, & now these parties met together, for their further confirmation peruse and read their Commission. First, Cornelius gins (at Peter's motion) and shows upon what warrant he sent for Peter, & gives a very good account of himself, and does very punctually relate the business, not by way of ostentation, to boast of himself, but by way of satisfaction to given content unto Peter; he gives him to know how that he had certain intelligence from heaven about this whole business of sending for him: for 1. he did use noon but God's means to be directed, that is, Fasting and Prayer; and then next, he received a direct answer from God, and there could not possibly be any place for mistake in the same; he well remembers how long ago it was that he received his instruction, (four days since) says he, not longer. 2. Than he remembers where he was (in his house.) 3. he remembers what he was then doing, he was then (praying.) 4. he remembers what time of the day it was (the ninth hour of the day.) 5. he remembers the Messenger that was sent, he come in the shape of a man, though he were an Angel, and (in bright shining apparel) 6. he remembers the message what it was, and what the direction: 1. he calls him by name, and next he wishes him to go to such a place (Joppa) there to inquire for one called (Simon) this Simon lay at another (Simon's house) that Simon was (a Tanner) he lived by the (Seaside;) all these circumstances were delivered to Cornelius; so that as certainly as Peter was Peter, and he Cornelius, so sure it is that there could be no collusion or mistake in this business, and thereupon he concludes, that Peter had a warrant to come, and he a warrant to sand, and therefore now nothing hindered, but that they might fall on to their work; this is Cornelius his account of himself; we will stay at this time in this account of his, and in this verse which we have propounded to you, where we have these particulars observable. First, a double Act reported, he prayed, he gave Alms. And then secondly, this double Act is set forth from a double Argument. 1. From the cause of this, Cornelius. 2. From the consequence of these, his Prayer was heard, his Alms were observed, both were accepted and (recorded) by God: these be the parts of the Text. As for the simple terms, we shall not trouble you with many words, they are plain enough, we will not stand here to discourse of the several acceptations of the first word, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, it is taken sometimes for the service, and sometimes for the place where the service was performed; Sane. in Act. Apost. Grot. in Evange. aliosque passim. vise Turneb. l. 1. adversa●…. c. 19 especially in Ecclesiastical Authors, and in after times: we understand what is meant by Prayer in this place; this Prayer, it is called Cornelius his Prayer, (thy prayer) says the Text. It is true, that all good things, and especially prayer is causally Gods, and it is objectively Gods; it gins from him, it ends in him; but it is subjectively and interpretatively Cornelius'es too; it is true, it is God that gives us the grace of prayer, as the grace of faith, of repentance, of every good thing; but then the acting and the exercising of this, that by interpretation and acceptation is ours, whiles we do act the same; so that God is not said to believed, or to repent, or to pray, but man by God's assistance, as Austen well: De great. & lib: arb. c. 16. & alibi passim, etc. This is all we will say for the first word, the rest we will speak of in order as we shall come to them, if need shall so require: in the mean time we address ourselves to some instructions which the words offer to us; we will not trouble you with the wild conceits of some men, who talk of certain preparations to grace before grace itself [a] Contra Aug. de praedest. council. Arausicanum, aliosque. instancing Cornelius: nor yet of others, who do speak of heathens and infidels, their acceptance with God, and their salvation by God, though, they have no knowledge at all [b] Id quod per somnium viderunt è veteribus, è scholasticis, è remonstrantibus, familistis, aliisque sectariis non it ae pauci. of Christ: it is sufficient for us to know, that Cornelius was acquainted with Christ, and that Cornelius did expect salvation only by Christ; the only doubt that he sticks at was this; whither this individual person, this man now in question, that was lately crucified, now was raised up, whither this were that Christ, that Messiah that he had believed in before: These things thus premised, we will now proceed. And here it is not my meaning to enter into those vast common places of Prayer, and of Almsdeeds; we have had occasion even in this City to speak, divers years since, in another place to these heads; we are now to speak another way, and to consider these things as they lie here in the Relation made by Cornelius, and as they carry with them God's answer to the one, God's respect to the other. 1. We will begin with his Prayer, next we will speak of his Alms, rather of the success of both; and then in the third place, we will say somewh at of his person, when we have spoken of his actions, if time and strength will given. 1. We beseech you to take notice of the unspeakable goodness & gractousnesse of God towards poor suppliants in point of prayer, Dost. I for that is the thing we must grow to; and for this, consider the grounds in the Text, consider the person now in question, Cornelius, a poor man, was in a very great strength, feign he would please God, feign he would save his soul; neither of these could be done without a Christ, and Christ must now be believed in, in a higher and closer way then before; it is not enough for him to believed, Christum, or in Christ, but he must believed that this is the very Christ, that this is the man and noon else. Now here sticks the doubt; the Doctors were mightily divided about this point; the Pharisees and those happily that had been means of his conversion from heathenism to Judaisme, they were altogether against Christ, and looked upon him, and reported him as a seducer. On the other side, a few unlearned men they stood for him, and they preached that there was no other way to salvation but in and through this crucified person; in this case, what should poor Cornelius do more then what he did? namely, to betake himself to God in way of prayer, and to desire direction from him in this his doubt; and thus he does, and you see with what success he does it, how graciously the Lord does condescend and answer him. 1. The Lord does hear him, nay, he does hear him effectually, for that is the force of the word here used in the compound in our Text, Heb. 5.7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. God did hear him to purpose, I say, heard him graciously; and not only so, 2. but he does sand him word that he heard him, and sent him word too 3. by an Angel, and gives him 4. to understand, how that his prayer and all his services are accepted of God. Oh! what a comfort was this to a poor distressed soul, to have so punctual, so direct an answer sent him from heaven unto his prayer, and unto his scruples! but thus deals God with his Childeen, never more kind unto his, then when they come unto him begging; then when men begin to be shy and strange, and to stand of, and to hold of at a distance, tken is God most free, most open, most gracious unto his people; this we see in this Cornelous here; go (says God) when he had prayed; go, says God unto an Angel, commend me to Cornelius, tell him from me, that he is more in my books then he is ware of; I take notice of his name, I take notice of his prayer, I take notice of every Alms deed that he does bestow upon my people, I observe all these things, yea, I record them, and they ever live and stand good before me: what could be said more to the encouragement of a poor suppliant ?thus God deals with Cornelius: And thus, you know, he dealt with Daniel; the case is much what alike, in the 9 of Dan. 20. and so forward; you shall read Daniel's success upon his prayer, he prayed for the people of God; and how speeds he? very well: Observe the circumstances in the Text, the time when God does answer him, even whilst he was praying, says the Text; nay (says the holy Ghost there) even at the beginning, at the first setting out of his petition, the answer, the grant was sealed, and his petition accepted, God did yield unto the same at the very entrance; he could not sooner begin to speak, but God resolves of a word of comfort and grace to him. Consider another circumstance, and that is, the Messenger that God sends to him, he dispatches an Angel Gabriel, that erst had been with him (it seems) upon other occasions, he comes to him with a Message, and he tells him that he is accepted of God; the greeting is this; OH Daniel, greatly beloved; OH Daniel the great favourite of heaven, understand that the great God takes notice of thee, and he writes thy petitions, and hath sent me to return his answer unto thy svite; and the answer is very full and very satisfying; he grants him what he did desire, he tells him of more then Daniel did put into his petition; so gracious is God unto his people when they sue unto him in this way of prayer: What should I instance Abraham now? what should I speak of Jacob, of David, of Hannah, of Jonah, of other particulars in this case? I'll conclude with one, Paul, and I'll but touch upon it: in the Chapter before my Text at the 11. verse, you shall read bow God deals with this same Paul; Paul (alias Saul) was sometime very rough and boisterous, breathed out nothing but blood and threats; then God deals with him in a rougher way: but now Paul is on his knees, and mark what follows, presently the Lord dispatches one Ananias unto him; Ananias (says he) go to Paul, thou shalt found him in such a place, thou shalt have him there at his prayers, go to him, tell him from me, that he is a choice, a precious Vessel in my eyes, and in my esteem, let him understand so much from me; Ananias, he gins to startle; O Lord! (says he) this man hath been a persecutor, and he come hither for to do mischief, I am afraid to come at him: tush (says God) be not so shy of him now; be not so shy, deliver to him from me a message, and a word of grace and comfort; and why? for (says God) he prays, he prays (says God) that is the reason of it; now Paul is a praying Paul; the case is altered; it is a time of his praying, and therefore it is a time of my pitying, and of my mercy; now he prays, I accept of him, do thou accept of him; and so Ananias does, for he goes to him, and presently salutes him; Brother Saul (says he;) when he is God's child, he is his Brother strength, all quarrels are laid down assoon as ever Saul falls to praying; he prays (says God,) that is suflicient. Yond see how graciously God deals with his when they fall a praying once. Now if you would know a reason of this, why God shows himself so gracious to us in the time and case of prayer; the reason is not from any worth of our persons, Reas 1 or of our prayers, in themselves considered for alas! what are they in the sight of God? or what need hath he of any service from us at all? you know in the law the burning and broiling of so many beasts, especially with hides and all (as sometime it fell out) was a thing that yielded no savour of rest at all in itself: what could come from this, but a filthy smoke, a filchy srench? but then there was added thereto wine & oil, and incense of God's appointment, and so it was God's Ordinance, and then there was a savour of rest in it: Think the same for our prayers too, as they come from us, and are only ours; there's nothing in them of worth or acceptance: But when God's Spirit is in it, when God's incense, God's perfume is put to it, with his blessing upon his own way and Ordinance, then they come to be accepted, not (I say) simply, because they are ours, but because they are Gods; 2 Affirmation. God goes upon his own motives, he graces and respects our prayers; but why? because he loves prayers as his own; and the party praying as his own; and because he delights in mercy prayed for, and for other reasons that we shall given you by and by. First of all, God, he does love prayer, Pro. 15.8. They prayer of the righteous is his delight; it is God's music, it is recreation; it is called incense, in this respect it is pleasing and acceptable unto God, prayer is his delight, because that it is his own appointment and Ordinance, and that Ordinance that sets God in the Throne (if I may so speak) I mean that represents him as God unto his people; for we never given unto God the glory of himself until such time as we fall a praying; but prayer gives away all from the creature, it carries all to God; and so sets up God, and therefore God is pleased with prayer, and delights in the same. And then again, God loves the party praying (we speak of God's children that do pray) I say, he loves the party praying too; and when the person is accepted, then you know any thing, passes very well; let that Damsel, in Mark. 6.22. please Herod, though in a toy, you know what Herod says to her strait, ask what thou wilt (says he) it shall be given unto thee; let Esther please Ahasuerus, and then she need not woo him, he will woo her; speak (says he) OH Queen Esther, what is thy petition, and what is thy request? and it shall be granted unto thee. God delights in the persons of his children, he loves them dearly; and because they are so precious in his eyes, their prayers and their entreaties are very welcome to him, John 16.25. Thirdly, God is a God that delights in merey, as the Scripture tells us; he delights in meroy, says Jeremy; and, Jer. 9.24. Mieah 7.18. says Micah, morcy pleases him: God is very well pleased when he hath an opportunity to show his bounty, and to exercise his mercy, and his graciousness towards his people (and when he finds them on their knees, then they are in a capacity of mercy:) God is pleased with this, even to scatter mercy, and to snew himself a bountiful God, he delights herein, therefore does even heap mercy upon his people when they are capable of the same: Hitherto, says Christ in the 16. of John 24. hitherto you have asked nothing in my name, ask and you shall receive. Nothing, that is, nothing to speak of, as if he would say, nothing that I value at any thing, I do not satisfy myself in that which I have done for you hitherto, you have hitherto asked nothing to speak of, ask more, I am ready to given you more; so large are his bowels and his favours towards his people; God stands disposed to his when they come ask, as Naaman sometimes did, 2 King. 5. toward Gehezi; Gehezi comes to ask one talon, and one svit of raiment for each Levite (that he suggests and sues for;) but what says Naaman to him? nay, take two; one is too little, take two, and the Text tells us that he did press him, and heaps them upon him: So deals God with his people when they come to him for mercy and for kindness; nay (says God) take more, or at lest, I would you were capable of more, I could as willingly given it, as you are willing to receive it, if the stay were not on your own part: God loves mercy, and therefore is ready to entertain the prayers of his children when they come for mercy. As there are these reasons taken from God's gracious and blessed nature, so others may be added from other occasions. Fourthly, from the engagements that lie upon God, in regard of his free and gracious promises; promises very free and very large, both for the matter that we shall ask; ask whatsoever you will, John 14.13. Psal. 81.10. ask in my name (says Christ) you shall receive it: as also for the measure, open thy mouth wide (says God) and I will fill it: as also for the time when God will do it, before you speak I will hear, and while you are speaking I will answer, in the 65. of Isatab. I forbear to name other places, because they are familiarly known to you, so that God having engaged himself by promise to do great things, Isa. 30.19. and (as he says in the Prophet) to be very gracious unto his people in point of prayer, therefore certainly he will be as good as his word. And last of all, (which is the main reason of all in truth) the reason is from Christ, and from that Covenant and transaction that passes between: breast and his Father: Christ, he presents our prayers, nay, we present Christ unto his Father; God looks upon a Christian as a piece and a member of Christ, he looks upon his prayer, as the fruit of Christ's inrercession and Priestdome; our prayers (being Saints) are indicted by Christ's Spirit, and are presented by Christ's hand unto his Father; they are perfumed with his intercession, and with his incense, Revel. 3.4. and therefore it is certain they be very pleasing to God: God for Christ's sake will deny noon that come in the name and in the Spirit of the Lord Christ; nay, God hath left the whole dispensation of this business unto the Lord Christ, and hath referred all to him, even to do what he will with the Saints in the Church, as sometimes Ahasuerus did with Esther, left it to her what she would have done for her people and against her enemies; and as sometimes Pharach said to Joseph, Joseph (says he) thy brethrens are come into Egypt unto thee, bid them welcome, take the Land at thy command, place them where thou thinkest good; so unto the same effect does God say unto the Lord Christ, here be friends of thine, members of thine, that are bone of thy bone, flesh of thy flesh, they come to me for some relief and succour in thy name, here they be, receive them, take them, do for them what thou seest good, I will ratifle it, I will make it good ;this is the main reason: And these are the reasons which I shall given you of the point, why the Lord is so gracious unto his poor servants, when they come a begging and a suing unto him. Now given me leave in a few words to bring home this point, and to apply it, and then we will pass to another. First of all, this must instruct us in regard of time past, Use 1 For time 1. past. must be matter of humbling and of blushing unto us, that we have not answered the Lord, and returned according to the kindness that we have received, we do not given unto God they glory of his goodness and of his graciousness in answering prayer, but come many times with a great deal of fear, appear before him with many doubts, and return from him with a great deal of sadness and heaviness: Oh! how does this offend and displease God? The Emperor was sorry that any man should come to offer a Petition to him, Flavint. Titus, etc. as if he were to offer meat to an Elephant (as he said) with a trembling hand: Another, he was sorry to see any man go sadly out of his presence; and can the Lord do otherwise,, but take it unkindly (as it were) at his people's hands, who are so dear unto him, when as they are so jealous, so doubtful, so fearful how they shall be accepted, and speed, when they come in point of prayer to him? Well, that is a thing we are to blame ourselves for first. And then in the second place, 2. Present. this teaches us for the present to take notice of God's goodness this way, and to bless and praise him for this his free grace, in hearing poor sinners, and poor Petitions put up unto him from time to time: This David took notice of, he would love the Lord, because God heard his prayer in one Psalm: Psal. 116.1. Psal. 6.9. In another he blesses God, Blessed be God (says he) that thou hast not rejected my prayer, nor turned thy mercy from me, Psal. 66.3. Blessed be God, why? that God did not scorn his prayer, that God did not fling it away from him with indignation; thus David: And truly, if we did truly understand the infinite distance that is between God and us, and those many, many flaws and defects that be in our prayers and services; did we understand these things aright (his Excellency, and our own less then nothingness) certainly we could not but stand in admiration at his goodness) certainly we could not but stand in admiration at his goodness this way: Let me express myself unto you in a comparison, thus: Suppose that we must always in all our suits apply ourselves unto the King, and go to him with our Petitions, what a business would this be? Consider of it I beseech you, 1. What a long journey we must take; and then, how long we must wait: and then, how uncertain we should be of any success or gracious answer at all: Weigh these things with yourselves, and then reflect upon God's goodness, and admire him for the same: I enlarge it a little further: A man hath a svit unto an earthly King or Prince, and what must he do? First of all he must take a long journey to the King's Court; and then when he is there, he must found out some Courtiers, some friends to speak for him, and to make way for him, that he may have access; when that is done, he must wait the King's leisure, early and late he must be ready to wait, and so stay his leisure, and his pleasure: When this is done, that he hath got access once, and is brought into the King's presence, how then? he is not permitted to speak his heart unto the King, and to say at large what his grief and his affliction is; nay, he must not speak at all, only deliver his Petition, and that he must have ready drawn, and fairly drawn, there must be no blur in it, very brief it must be, and very succinct, he must not speak any thing in the world that is impertinent, or that would be displeasing, but carry it so, as that he may given full content: And when all this is done, and his Petition is received, he hath not presently an answer, but he must wait and wait again, he must follow the Court into this place, and that place; and when answer does come, it may be it is but half an answer and a grant, perhaps the answer is noon other but a bore denial, at lest a man cannot build upon it, because he hath no promise beforehand that he shall be accepted, and that his petition shall be granted: Thus it is when we deal with an earthly Prince, when we come but upon one Petition: But now put the case that this Petition be granted, what is it? it is but for some partial or some particular thing; 'tis not a grant that will make me happy, and that will do my soul any good at all, I shall need more things; and what if I need again, must I to the Court again? must I wait again? must I run the same round I ran before? O how troublesome, how costly, how tedious would this be unto me? And if this be so (my brethrens) as you know it is, then I beseech you do but consider how infinitely we stand bound to Almighty God for his goodness and his graciousness towards us this way: Alas! we need him every hour, and when we need him we may go to him when we will, he is always at lessure; come in the night and welcome, come in the day and welcome; and when we come, he is ready to receive us: his doors (as the doors of the Tribanes once in Rome) are never shut, they always stand open for petitioners that shall come unto him; and thou mayest there speak thy mind, and speak they heart; all thy fears, all thy griefs, all thy wants thou mayest tell him at large, how the case stands with thee, and speak it in thy own language, in such English and such terms as thou art able for to utter and to speak; and if thy Petition be not right, he will correct it and make it good for thee, he will altar it, he will mend it for thy advantage, and for thy benefit; and if it be too short, he will supply it, and bid thee put in more; and when he hath laded thee with mercy from his presence, as sometimes Boaz did Ruth, then he will given in charge that thou shouldest come again to morrow, and that thou shouldst not be too long from him; he lays it as a charge upon thee, that thou shouldst not be a stranger to him, but that thou shouldst make use from time to time of his kindness, and the oftener the better welcome still: This, this is the graciousness of our God unto his poor people; we need not go fare, but step into our closerts, there unbowell ourselves, and unbosom our souls, and acquaint him with our sorrows and griefs, and he is ready to hear us, and willing to pass by infirmities, and to accept of our weak (very weak) prayers, when they are put up in truth and in humility: O consider of this, and let the meditation of this now stir you up unto thankfulness to God; his grace, his goodness is so great: this way, as that I am swallowed up in the meditation of it, and I have not words to express what his tenderness and his graciousness is unto us in every one petition that we put up unto him; you do not know what a friend you have of God, and how many, many favours and kindnesses he shows you in any one Petition that he hearkens unto, and grants to you at any time. In the last place, this looks forward too, 3. Future. and it teaches us a third thing, and then we have done with the first part: The thing is this: Sigh God is so gracious towards his people in point of prayer, therefore we should be invited now, and encouraged to make use of this his kindness, and to go to him upon this errand of prayer, as need shall require: Let us, I beseech you, think as meanly of ourselves, and of our services as you will; but let us always have high thoughts of God, and when we come to him in his own way, then promise' great things to ourselves: And know, that he is able and ready to do abundantly above that we can speak or think (as the Apostle tells us;) thus we should go to God, Ephes. 3. and of his goodness herein we have a great deal of experience; if we will not believed the promises that are very gracious, yet let us believed our own experience this way to trust in him: hath not God been gracious to us in particular, hath not God been gracious to us in common, for the public, when we have sought unto him in this way of prayer? If so, then let us conclude, that God is a constant God, his power as great as loves prayer as well as ever he did; he loves Christ as well as ever he did, who is our Mediator; and he loves the persons of the Elect as much as ever he did; he delights in mercy as much as ever; therefore let this encourage us to go to God in all our afflictions and distresses, whither they are personal, or whither they are public. 1. For our personal defects, and our personal distresses, let us go to God as Cornelius, here does; Cornelius, he is in a strength, and it was in a point of great concernment, he must resolve one way or other, of or on; either be for this Christ, or against him; Cornelius knew not which way to resolve, he prays therefore, he desires God that he would enlighten him, that he would direct him: Oh! let us do the like in these distressed times, when there be such divisions and distractions in the Church of God, and among the people of God, that a poor simple body knows not what is right, and what is truth, and what is not; knows not which side to adhere unto: Some call him this way, and some call him that way; and another says this is right, and you must go this way if ever you will be saved; and another speaks quite to the contrary: What now should a poor man do? Do as Cornelius did, go unto God alone, pray, fast, importune him, desire him that he will teach thee, that he will resolve thee, desire him that he would sand some Peter to thee, some Preacher, some Divine or other, that may settle thee and confirm thee in the way that thou shouldst go: Thus if we do, God will be the same to us that he was unto Cornelius, God heard him, and God will hear us too, though he do not sand an Angel from Heaven as he did to him, yet he will sand some Peter, he will sand some direction whereby we shall receive some satisfaction, at lest for those things that are simply necessary and fundamental; he will discover so much unto us, as shall be accepted, and as shall guide us unto his Heavens: This is his promise, Psal. 25. he will guide the meek in his way, and he will teach sinners the way, and he will show unto them his salvation; and in John 7.17. says our Saviour, He that will do the will of God, he shall know the doctrine whither it be of God or no: If a man in humility of spirit, and in sincerity and truth of heart will go to God for direction, as Cornelius did, resolving with him, I and my are here before God, and whatsoever God shall speak unto us in his ministry, we are ready to do it, and to follow it: If any man will do thus, it is certain that God will given him a resolution and a settlement, and such a settlement as shall be acceptable (as we said before) and shall given satisfaction to his soul. What I speak of this particular (because the very case leads me to it, in my Text) that'we may say of all other things too: Carry all thy fears to God, and all thy sorrows to God, and all thy scruples to God, acquaint him with thy case, and beg help and strength from him, he is able, he is ready to hear. Yea but will he hear (me?) Yea thee, he will hear thee. Oh! but my prayers are weak, and poor: He is a gracious God, he passes by infirmities, do what thou art able to do, and he is as ready to help thee as Cornelius. 2. What we say for private men, that we may say much more now, in the public Case, when it comes to public prayer, and to matter of a public concernment, here we should be encouraged to go to God: Is God so ready to hear prayer? does he so graciously answer and accept of poor and weak prayer? Than, I beseech you, why should not we go to God in respect of the Kingdom, in respect of the Church, and in respect of the present condition that we lie under now? Oh! let us all set a praying; pray home the King, pray down Antichrist, pray up the Lord Christ into his Throne, pray against the sins of the Land, that they may be removed, and all those obstructions that do hinder the success of our prayers from day to day; for certainly there are very strange and great obstructions that lie in the way, otherwise it were not possible for our gracious God that is so ready to hear the Petitions of one poor man, to stand out so long against the suits and petitions of all the people in a whole Nation; the obstructions are great, pray all these out of the way. Of these I will instance one or two. I will leave the rest in regard of my haste. One main thing which probably hinders our successes in prayer is the blood that lies upon the Land, Obstructions in prayer, and its success. that is a heavy thing, that lies heavy upon the heart of the Landlord 'Tis said, 2 King. 24.4. that God would not pardon the blood that Manasses shed in Jerusalem; he filled Jerusalem and the Land from corner to corner with innocent blood; God (says the Text there) would not pardon this sin: Nay, this sin lived some successions, after that Manasses was dead. Oh! this sin, this sin threatens this Land of ours! this blood that lies upon the Land, the blood that was shed heretofore in the days of Queen Mary, that innocent blood that hath been shed since by this unhappy difference that is among us: Oh! the Sea of blood that runs through this Land; who must be responsal, who must be answerable for this? this is a great sin that obstructs our prayers much. It behoves us, Beloved, to do as God ordered them in Deut. 21.8. when there was innocent blood shed, and the murderer could not be found out, then the neighbouring Towns they must go forth, they must slay a Beast, offer a Sacrifice, wash their hands, pray to God; O Lord! be merciful unto the Land, and unto our Cities, lay not to our charge this blood: So must we do in this case; O Lord, be merciful unto this poor Land almost drowned in blood, do not charge upon us this blood, lay not to our charge this innocent blood, but accept of a Sacrifice, and an atonement: That is one thing we must pray against, as a main obstruction. And another is this, non-execution of Justice; let David in 2 Sam. 21. let David (I say) wait, and stay, and pray from year to year for the removal of the stroke that was then upon the Land, until such time as execution be done upon the bloody house of Saul, there will be no cessation of that stroke and of the famine that was then upon them; but assoon as ever that was done, and justice executed, presently the face of the State was changed, and the Lord shown himself a reconciled God: Oh! let us pray here again, that God would stir up many a Phinehas in this age, and that he would given the spirit of Phinehas to those that be in authority, Psal. 106.30 that they may do execution, and so the plague may cease: Now it is said of Phinehas, he did an execution, so the plague ceased: Let us pray, that there may be found in this City, and in other parts of the Kingdom, such a man as Jeremy describes, chap. 5.1. A man that does judgement, a man that seeks for truth (he is a man) a public man that stands in the gap: pray, that we may have such to stand in the breach. And then thirdly; there is a third obstruction, and that is the fearful indisposition to peace that is among us, and an aptness to quarrel and fall out within ourselves; I speak not only of that outward war that is abroad, but I speak of another business within ourselves; if God would put up his sword, it is a question whither we would put up ours, yea or not: I am afraid of a sacred war, if the civil war were once ended and determined; many spirits are so imbittered one against another, men are so enchanted with their own conceits and opinions, that they will put all into a combustion, rather than they will lay down any one conceit, or any one quarrel or contention that they have engaged themselves in; this is a fearful thing; how can we look that God should put an end to our wars, when we are so willing to be at war one with another, brother against brother, and friend against friend, without any difference almost? But last of all, there is another, and that sums up all; and that is our unworthy carriage towards God in the midst of so many means and mercies: He hath given us his Word, we slight that; he hath made a Covenant with us, and we have renewed the Seal thereof, many of us (I doubt not) of late: this Covenant we falsify, we profane and abuse; the Lord hath executed some judgements among us, and what use do we make of them? where is the man (almost) that is one whit reform, or much the better for all these miseries and calamities that have come upon the State, and upon the Land? this, this is the sin, the provoking sin, that we are too-to incorrigible this way, and tooto backward to improve those means and those judgements which are among us: For this God might justly have a controversy with the Land; Oh! let us pray, let us pray, that we may be of one mind, and of one judgement, that so there may be peace in our Land, peace in our Churches, peace in our worships, that we do not fight against ourselves in our prayers: And let us pray in the next place, that we may make better use of the Word, and of the ministry thereof; that we may make better use of former corrections, and former judgements then we have done, that so the Lord at length may look upon us, and when we are humbled and do accept of his punishment, may then remember the Land, our distressed Land, our reeling Land, our dying Land, that God in mercy may then think upon it, and heal it: Thus we should labour, even to pray unto God for the public, that all hindrances may be removed, and all furtherances expedited, whereby our happiness may be recovered and resettled: And why should we not set upon this work now? what reason have we to be dismayed? Object. Happily some will suggest, we see our prayers do not take, and that we do not succeed as we would; nay, the Lord frowns upon us, Sol. and hides his face from us. Yea, but hung upon him still, pray still, follow him still; do as Cornelius did, think of a Reformation; lay not all upon praying, and all upon fasting, but do more, as he does; Cornelius prays, but he fears God too; Cornelius prays, but he reforms his Family too, (he had Servants, yea, Soldiers too, that feared God in his Family;) Cornelius prays, but he hath respect to all God's Commandments, to both Tables as well as unto one: Cornelius prays, but he is faithful in the particular place and calling wherein God had set him; he was a good Soldier, he was a faithful Officer and Centurion in the place that he did sustain; and when as we are thus universally good, suitable unto ourselves, that we are good Christians, and that we are good Masters, and that we are good Commanders, and that we are good Soldiers, (good and faithful in the particular places wherein God hath set us) then our prayers will pass, and then God will be so gracious to us, as he was unto Cornelius: And so we leave that point with you. The next thing Cornelius does, is a work of mercy; he gives Alms; he was not only a just man, but he was a merciful man, & was merciful throughout; he had a merciful hand, and he had a merciful heart: The word here used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, with words of that form & termination, as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and the like, is very comprehensive; it implies and concludes both, affectum & effectum, so that he does exercise mercy with a very merciful and a gracious heart and affection: The thing here directly spoken of is the first-fruits of his mercy, the effects thereof, as the plural does show us; and these are said for to be before God; they are before God, as they are acted by Cornelius; he did them in sincerity; and they are before God, as they are recorded by God too, God sets them upon record, would keep them in memory, they are remembered of God, as the Text here tells us. I shall not need to tell you how that memory is too low a thing for to be properly ascribed unto God, he is one that sees and knows all things at once, sub uno codemque intuitu, so that he hath no use of memory at all, but the Lord is pleased to apply himself to our capacity, and to condescend to us; and the plain meaning is this, that God does observe and book (there is a condescension in that expression too;) God observes, and God does book (I say) every act, Doct and every work of mercy that is done by his Servants, and by his People; God takes notice of them all, and notes them, in their circumstances, and with the particularities of the same; he observeth 1. who it is that does a work of mercy, Cornelius: he observeth 2. what's the thing that he does, he does (many Acts) of mercy, and that mercy properly, which hath respect unto man's present life and livelihood, that is the mercy here spoken of: 3. He takes notice how much mercy a man shows; he gave much Alms, as 'tis said in this Chapter; and Dorc as made many Coats for many poor persons: Acts 9 God takes notice of 4. the Time when a man shows mercy; Obadiah in a hard time, he hide a hundred Prophets, and shown them mercy then, 1 King. 18.5. God takes 5. notice how a man does mercy, with what heart, and with what enlargement of affection, as he does those Macedoniaus, 2 Cor. 8. that they in their extreme poverty, did show mercy to their power, and beyond their power: 6. Yea, God takes notice of the lest degree of mercy that is showed by his Servants to any of his people, even to a little cake of bread, as he does in the Book of Kings in the Widow; 1 Kin. 17.30. Matth. 10.42. and to one cup of cold water, as he does in the Gospel; verily, if a man given but a cup of water; (water) that is a cheap thing; cold water, no matter either of cost or pains; says he, if he gives such a cup of water to the lest of my, it shall not be forgotten, it shall be rewarded: So that God, you see, takes particular notice, writes down, Grot. ad locum. books down every act and work of mercy that is done by his people. I could be large in proving of this now, but I shall not need to say more to such an understand●ng auditory; I must hasten, in regard of the time and my own strength. What may be the grounds and reasons of this, Reas 1 that God does thus book and writ down every work of mercy? Negatiuè . The is not from the worth (as we said before, of prayer:) So here, not from the worth of our works, and of those Alms that we are able to given; as the Farmers of merit in another world and in another Church use for to speak, who are very high in their expressions this way, touching their Mercy, their Alms, their good Deeds, for which they expect a great deal of thanks, and respect from God, but without reason; for certainly (as one hath well observed) it is very true that many of those things which they called works of mercy, Carow. on the Rhèm. Test. were indeed the works of penance, and were but mulcts, fines & amercements, laid upon them by their Confessors for faults that they had committed; and certain it is, that many of those that they did so brag and boast of, are more ours a great deal then theirs: However the Doners were tainted and sunburnt with some particulars of Popery; yet in the main, many of them were more ours, then theirs: So that they have no reason to brag that way. In truth, what is a man's mercy to God? our goodness reacheth not to him; what can we given him, but what is his own already, and what he hath given us first? So that that cannot be the reason why God respects our mercy, for any worth or dignity that is in our Alms: But the reason is this; God is pleased in Christ to look upon our persons, and then next to accept of our services for Christ's sake; Reasons. 2. Affirmat. and so in particular of our Alms: God is pleased to respect them, because they are expressions of Christ's Spirit, and the first-fruits of his own Spirit, and because they are Seals of our obedience, and of our thankfulness unto him; and because that they are means of refreshing the bowels of his poor Servants. For these causes, and under these names and notions it is, that God takes notice of our Alms and Works of mercy, and daignes to regard and writ them: Writ them, how? not to help his own memory (that needs not) but to help our Faith, and to help our Love, that we should be encouraged in this way to do works of mercy. I have spoken as briefly as I can unto the point, and yet, I think, sufficient for so plain a point as this is. All the business here lies in the Application and the Use of this. And the Uses (Honoured and Beloved) are these. Use 1 If this be so, that God takes particular notice, and writes down every work of mercy that is done; then this speaks but sad news unto divers sorts of people. The first are such men as are mere strangers unto mercy, and the first-fruits thereof; they were never guilty of such a thing as Mercy and Almsdeeds: If you compare the Books (God's and theirs) together, you shall found the Books much what alike unto some Almanacs, that are full of letters, both read and black & bloody on one side, but on the other side there is fair paper, a waste empty blank, that is all that is to be found there: Even so it is with many a man's books, if he be a true recorder of his works of mercy: On the one side, you shall found, Item, so much spent upon Pride, and so much spent upon Lust, and so much spent upon Revenge, and so much spent at Dies, and so much spent in Plays, and so much spent upon sin and Wickedness; this side is full of what hath been laid out touching themselves, and for themselves in pursusuance of their lusts: But now when it comes to a work of mercy, what have you done for God? what for Christ? what for the members of Christ? what for the advancement of Religion? or any pious work or service? what shall you found there? Even a blank, mere cyphers, nothing else. O miserable men! how will these fare when they shall be called to an account for their Stewardship? when they have laid out all for themselves, and upon themselves and their lusts, and laid out nothing at all for God, and for the love of God. This is one sort. But then there is another sort worse then these, and they are such as are not only strangers unto mercy, but are Opposites, Enemies, (as it were) to mercy; at lost they walk in a quite opposite way unto the way of mercy: These, why these do not feed the poor, but they flay them; they do not clothe them, but they strip them; they make not any provision for them, but cast how utterly to ruin and to undo them: In stead of healing them they wound them; in stead of relieving them, they oppress them, and in stead of being to them any ease and comfort, they lay upon them heavy burdens, heavy pressures: This is a black crying sin, and will prove so at the last day; what? if they in Matth. 25. (as Austin well infers thence) if they shall be shut out of Heaven, and seat from the presence of God with a curse, who have not fed the hungry, nor clothed the naked, nor visited the imprisoned? etc. O then: where shall they appear? and what shall become of them that are so fare from this, that they have done what they could to ssuck out the very blood of the poor members of Jesus Christ! This is a second sort. Nay, in the third place, let this be a matter of humbling to the best of us, for certainly we are all short in this business, and have cause even to blush and hung down our heads, betwixt man and man when it comes to a contribution, and we see other men underwrite, it may be, so many crowns, or so many pounds, we are ashamed to appear in the same Roll, and to have our names listed where farthings and halfpennies are set upon our heads; much more should we blush when we bring ourselves into the presence of God, and there consider that God sees all we do, all that others have done; he writes down every man's name, every man's work, every man's Alms, and they are booked, and this book will be read and produced at the last day: This, this should put us to the blush, especially when we consider two things yet found upon us: That is, our backwardness unto works of mercy; and our barrenness in works of mercy. First, for our backwardness; how heavily do we come of (for the most part) in works of this kind? Mercy is by our Saviour preferred before kindness: Luke 14.13. Says he, when thou makest a Feast, bid the poor, etc. do not bid the rich; a man may bid his rich friends in a way of kindness, but (says Christ) prefer the other before that, mercy before kindness, mercy is better then kindness. But now (my Brethrens) is it so with us? do we set mercy above kindness? in way of kindness and neighbourhood, you know what men will do; a friend desires you to go a journey with him, you will go; you will say, what though it cost me five pound? what if it be ten pound? what a matter is that betwixt friend and friend, neighbour and neighbour? When you meet together (sometimes) in a Tavern, or at an Inn upon some occasions in way of kindness, to drink or feast together, then happy is that man that can be rid of his money first; I'll pay says one; I'll pay says the other; you shall not pay a penny says the third, I'll bear all, etc. and now happy is the man that can be rid of his money quickly; it grows sometimes very near to a quarrel, because we cannot be suffered to spend our money: Thus in works of kindness. But now come to a work of Mercy, how is it then? is the money then upon the Table? is every man ready to throw down then, and to led the way unto other men in this case? Nay then, alas! I am in debt; then, my purse is not about me; or else, when it comes to the opening of the purse, every finger is a thumb, and it is such a while before any thing will be got out, that it is very tedious and irksome to a man to behold it: Than the question is not, who shall be first? but, who shall be last? I'll see what my betters do first, there are such and such, they are a great deal richer and better then myself, I will see what they do; happy is the man here that can be hindmost: Oh! my Brethrens, is not this a thing, think you, that should humble us, that should shame us? that we in way of courtesy to man should be thus free, but when it comes to works of mercy for God, we should be so bound up, that we cannot cheerfully, almost, part with any thing? this is one of the things we fault in ourselves, this same backwardness to works of this kind. But secondly, there is another thing, and that is barrenness in works of mercy: If a man will but compare what is expended on self, and on the public; what a vast difference will there appear upon the very first view? If a man read his books, he shall found, Item so much bestowed upon Apparel, and so much bestowed upon a Feast, and so much for myself, my self credit, and my self delight and content, my self I know not what, so much for self; there it amounts to scores, to hundreds, it may be, to thousands: But then come on the other side; how much for God's House? how much for God's worship? how much for charitable and for merciful uses? and then there come twopences and threepences, and poor short reckon, not worthy to be accounted and summed up almost: Is it not thus (I beseech you) with many of us? be we not thus barren in works of mercy? and should not this shame us now? I hope, my Brethrens, I hope, that there are noon of you but will bear me company in this work, even this night before you sleep, betwixt God and yourselves to confess this your sin, your niggardise towards God, your pinching when it comes to a work of mercy and charity; whereas you can be profuse and prodigal when it is to serve yourselves, and your own ends. But this is not all; Use 2 we must not only be sorry for our failing this way, but we must labour to reforms and amend this now, to put on to this great work of charity and mercy that is underhand: I beseech you, consider, that we are bound to it as well as Cornelius; Motives. and that we are as able many of us to do it, as that poor Captain was: Consider, how that we have as fare promises as ever he had, and that we have as fare opportunities: Opportunities, said I? Nay, never more opportunities then in this day in which we live; I need not tell you; you cannot be strangers to the miseries of the Land, and of this City; I am but a stranger here myself, yet notwithstanding, I see and know so much, that if you would be pleased, you (I mean) of the richer sort, to descend and to go into the houses of many poor men (hundreds in some several Parishes) and there see how they far, and how they lodge, I am persuaded, you would be sorry, that your horse, that your dog should feed and lie not better then some of them do: And if you would yet go farther, and look upon many men that labour, and labour diligently, early up, and late down, that take excessive pains for to get their bread, you should found that they be not able to afford so much money as would buy a little fresh water to make their children drink; yea, that they are so called upon by Wife and Children within, that they cannot endure the house almost; bread says one, drink, says the other; Father, where shall's have victuals, o! I am ready to sink, I am ready to faint :It is the case of many modest men, labouring men, that toil and take a great deal of pains, and are not able to maintain themselves and their Families with their labours, you would found it so upon search made. Shall I add a third Instance? there are come to the City (certainly it is the honour of this City, and God will bless the City for it, and you will all speed the better for your receiving of them;) there are come to the City, I say, a company of poor people that are driven out of the Country; they lived, some of them, in good fashion in their Country, able to relieve many poor (some of them able men that did bear office in the place where they lived;) men that stand so disposed, that they had rather half starve, then they would be burdensome to you; such there are about this Town: Touching these I may say, that unless God be merciful to them, and the times do mend and settle, and some course be taken, many of them will be more then half starved. You, my Brethrens, you here sit warm, you here live in plenty, live in abundance, but my heart bleeds and dies within me, to think of the misery and desolation that I have in part seen in some parts of the Country: I must tell you, that if so be the Lord be not pleased to found out some way of relief for many poor people in the Country, they will be utterly starved and undone; they cannot expect many more Harvests and crops of Corn: Well may they come up hither and eat up your plenty, but they will not be able to bring in any supplies to you, as formerly they have done: Oh! consider, and say not now, men groan without a cause, and there is not such need as men will pretend: Not, certainly, certainly there is great need; for many men, they have lived as long, and shifted as long as they know how to live in an honest way; the Lord pity them, and given you hearts to tender them to your power. Well, but things so standing, what shall I persuade you to? two things, my Brethrens. The first is this; that you would labour to make yourselves able to do somewhat: And then secondly, that you will travel with yourselves, that you may be willing to do for those that be necessitous, in misery and want. For the first; 1. Now able to do works of mercy. some man will say, Alas, how can we help it now? how (can) we help it? trade fails us; our burdens, they are heavy, and payments, they are multiplied upon us more and more; it is not with us as it hath been, we are not able to do what we are willing to do. Well, I hear your answer, I believed it to be true in some part: But now I beseech you, good my brethrens, let us cast about a little, and see whither we may not be in some measure enabled to do for those that be in greater want then our selves. 1. Use your hands, you that are able to labour, labour and take pains, Ephes. 4.28. as Paul would have you, Ephes. 4. that so you may have somewhat to spare for those that are not able to labour or to take pains. 2. And use your heads too, set your wits a-work this way, cast about and contrive as well as you can how the necessities of people may be supplied in some measure: Cast about, I say; is there no way to prevent these idle vagrants, and these persons that eat up the bread of the honest poor? Is there no way for to pull down more of these Playhouses, I mean, Tippling-houses, Alehouses, and the like; and to set up Working-houses that people may have labour, and that they may be set upon somewhat? is there no way for us to cast and contrive how people may be kept alive? I beseech you that are men of wisdom and understanding, that you will employ your thoughts this way. 3, And then next; do something by way of abatement, abate something, and abridge yourselves a little, that you may be helpful to others: Abate something from your backs, and something from your bellies, and something from your delights and recreations; be content a little to deny yourselves, (to deny yourselves a little, I say) for the supply of others. I tell you, I am verily persuaded that there would be enough saved and spared from needless drinking, I mean, from Wine, and Tobacco, and Strong-waters, and the like; and from trim, & laces and dresses, and such like things as are more then necessary; enough spared, I say, to supply the necessities of many men that do now stand in great need of very necessaries: Oh! let your Bread be a little browner, let your Tables be a little shorter, let your Coats be a little plainer, a little course; a little condescend to the wants of your poor brethrens, and impart something unto them that are distressed and naked. You will say happily, Object. that you must maintain not only Nature, but you must maintain the honour, the port, and the credit of your places too. I answer, it is true, you must, Answ. (I'll not press you now with that which some Casuists say touching this point in case of extremity, and of mere necessity, how fare forth a man must deny himself that way; we will not stand upon that now) we will yield you that; and there will be a competency, I hope, without any such extremity: We do not press you that you should any way deny your selves any thing that is fit for nature, that is fit for your places, and for your relations: only I propound and offer this, whither when these are answered and satisfied competently, whither then there will not be some overplus? and if so, then I press the point: Will you not deny yourselves in a superfluity? abate a little for Christ? a little finishness, and a little excess and superfluity? What? not abate a little from a dog, from a bird, from a beast? Will you not do thus much for Christ? Christ bated of Heaven (as it were) for the time, he was content to lay aside his glorious Robes in our misery, and in our beggary: Oh! let Christ be so much beholding to you, that you lay something out of the overplus for him and for his sake: And when you do what you are able to do, it is accepted; as the Apostle saith, It is accepted according to that that a man hath, and not according to what which he hath not, 2 Cor. 8.12. Thus you must labour to be able to do works of mercy. But then there is a second thing; and that is, 2. How willing to do them. when you are able, you must be willing and ready to do it too; you must be willing to it, I say; and here God bears us down with a world of Arguments. 1. If we look to God, he is our friend, nay our Father; you know, for a friend you will do somewhat; if a friend come to you, and say, here is such a poor friend and Kinsman of my in want, for my sake do somewhat, I'll do as much for a friend of yours; will you not do it? and will you do it for a friend? and will you not do it for a God? Consider Christ; Christ comes in his flesh to you, when poor Christians come to you; he presents a pale face, a thin cheek, he presents a bore arm or leg (it may be) to you; will you not do somewhat for to support Christ, and to clothe Christ in his members, & in his servants? shall the bones of Christ stare and stand out? shall the naked flesh and skin of Christ pine away for want of secure? 3. Add to this: Christians themselves that come unto you; alas! they are your flesh, as the Prophet says, Isa. 58. they are your own flesh: What? shall the head do nothing for the foot? and shall the hand and the eyes do nothing for the legs? what? not for its own flesh, and for those that be of the same body? 4. But lastly, consider yourselves, and have respect to yourselves (if you regard noon of the former,) and provide for yourselves, labour to place your wealth safely, to secure it first, and then to improve it next. For the securing of it, put it into a sure hand; you know, men in these doubtful and dangerous times cast about where they may safely place their Treasure and their Goods; some sand it to a Garrison, and some (happily) pass it over the Seas into another Country. But tell me now, I beseech you, is there any place so safe as Heaven, where no thief comes, where no plunderer comes, where no rust comes? is there any place like that? or can you put it into a better and safer hand then into the hand of God himself? labour to lay it where you may be sure to have it forthcoming, put it into God's hand. Nay, improve your estates this way: you are willing to do that, I hope, sow, that you may reap, so the Apostle calls works of mercy: 2 Cor. 9 It is a sowing; it good husbandry for a man to sow, it pays him for his pains to sow; what you given in works of mercy, you shall reap for the same a greater Crop, and a greater harvest. Nay, what says Solomon? Prou. 19.17. he that gives to the poor, lends to the Lord, and the Lord will repay him again. I beseech you, mark that place: You given to a man, but God takes it not as a gift, he takes it as a debt; 'tis your gift, 'tis God's debt; and he becomes the debtor and the surety for the poor man; you given to man, but you lend it to God, and God is at lest debtor to himself and his own truth. Yea, but when shall I have it again? says he there, God will (certainly) repay it, God will (fully and abundantly) repay it, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Piel. no man shall loose by God. My Brethrens, take God's word once, take him for your surety, and lend to him; he hath pawned his Honour and his Credit upon it, that you shall be repaid, first or last. Labour to improve your estates this way; yea, labour to settle something upon Posterity, put it into God's hand: We will put (sometimes) a Portion into a friends hand for a child; trust God with it, he never dies, he never breaks, he ever lives; make him your Executor, God will then provide for yours: The righteous, he gives, and he distributes, and his seed enjoys the blessing: Oh! lay up your estates with God, lend unto God, lend it upon this Public Faith, as it were, upon God's Faith, and God will not fail you, he will certainly repay you again. Thus you should labour to be willing unto this good work of mercy: Many reasons more we might press you withal: I'll only mind you of that of our blessed Saviour, in Acts 20. where it is said (it was a Proverb of his) that it is a more blessed thing for to given, then it is to receive: Do not you think so? do not you think your case better to be able to relieve others, rather then to be relieved by others? is it not in your eyes better and happier for you to have somewhat to given, then that you should be beholding to other men? sigh it is a more blessed thing to given then to receive, be you more forward to given then modest men will be to receive gifts: Given cheerfully, blesle God that you have ability to given, and bless God that you have opportunity to given, and a heart to given, and an affection to given, and make God a sharer in your wealth, and in your plenty, and yourselves sharers in this blessedness, bless yourselves, bless your houses, bless your estates. Yea but, Object. will some man say, a man may given indeed, given away all, if he will, that he hath; and then what shall become of himself and his? The holy Ghost answers this; Answ. I refer you at your leisure to one Scripture, Eccles. 11. opened, see in Part. Tirin. ad locum. in Eceles. 11.1. and so forward; where the Wise man doth prevent all the Cavils and Objections that flesh and blood is ready for to make against this work of mercy. 1. Whereas a man would say, it is but cast away all that is given, it is lost and drowned (as it were) I shall never see it again. Not, says Solomon, though it may seem to be a throwing down the stream; yet (says he) cast thy bread upon the waters, and thou shalt found it many days after; first or last it will return, it is go but a voyage, it will come back with a great return, thou shalt found it again many days after: And whereas a man would say, Object. alas! there is no end of giving; there be so many poor that now want, that a man may exhausted himself sooner then repair and satisfy them: Solomon answers him; Answ. given (says he) to seven, and given a portion also to eight; though they be many, proportion it accordingly; given to this man a little, and to that a little, that every body may have something of a little. Object. Yea, but l know not what times may come, Answ. and what I myself may be put to: Solomon answers him, Given (says he) for thou knowest not what evil may be upon the earth, therefore given while thou hast somewhat to given, because thou knowest not how long thou shalt have it; therefore given, because thou knowest not what thyself mayest come unto: Thou mayest need mercy, therefore sow mercy, Object. that in time of need thou mayest reap. Yea, but, will some man say; it is true, I should pity people, and so I do with all my heart, I pity them with my soul, but I am not able to help them, and to relieve them; I hope, the heart wlil be accepted: Solomon answers, If the Clouds be full of water they will drop down rain, Answ. that is certain; if there be abundance of rain there, the Cloud will not keep it all to itself, it will impart it to the thirsty and hungry ground: So must we do: thou hast mercy and charity in thy heart, and it pities thy heart to see men in this misery: Oh! remember, if there be water in the Clouds some of it will drop down; if there be mercy in thy heart, there will be some in thy hand too. Yea, but will some men say yet further; Object. if I were well seated & accommodated, then I could spare somewhat; but alas! I live in a corner, I live out of the way, I have no great trading, and it is not with me as it is with many others, I cannot given: Answ. Solomon answers you; whither the Tree (says he) stands south, or whither it stands north; in a more fruitful, or in a more barren place, yet it is the Lord's Tree still, cadit Domino, it falls to him, and it bears fruit to him, and so it will be with us too: If we be good Trees, let us live in the north or in the south, in a better place, or in a worse habitation, if so be we be good, somewhat will be coming, and we will yield some fruit; so Solomon tells us. Yea, this is true, Object. if so be a man did know how it would be accepted; I could found in my heart (indeed) to given, but I know not how it will be taken; poor men are captious, and they will not take a little; and rich men will take exceptions; some will say, I do it out of pride and ambition, and raise me (it may be) higher in the Subsidic book, because I am so forward and free of my purse, so that I know not what to do: Solomon answers you; Answ. he that observes the wind and the rain shall never blow, never sow; if a man will be still objecting, he shall never go on with any work or service whatsoever. Yea, Object. but I know not the parties to whom I given; there are many hypocrites and dissemblers, that pretend a great deal of want when there is no such matter: if I did know the men, it were another matter: Solomon answers; Answ. Neither dost thou know how the child grows in the womb of her that is with child, but for all that thou must not starve the child; we must labour to do that which is fit for us to do, to follow our light, and our best wisdom and discretion, and when we have so done, leave the rest to God, Object. whose providence works (as it were) under the ground for us, as for the child. Yea, but I found in experience that I have been cheated and abused by fellows heretofore, and that puts me of now, Answ. and discourages me: Solomon answers thee; in the morning sow thy seed (says he) and in the night let not thy hand slack; thou knowest not which shall prospero, this or that; or whither both shall be alike; therefore cast not perils, but venture it (as it were) venture it sometimes, when thou hast nothing to the contrary, thou knowest not but it may succeed very well; howsoever, what thou dost in uprightness, and with thy best discretion, that God will accept, and that God will take in good part: Thus Solomon, you see, does wipe of those Objections that flesh, and blood, and unbelief is apt to make. I could (if it were needful now) add more which are answered sufficiently by many, specially by two of the Fathers, which professedly writ upon this Argument; the one is Cyprian, and the other is Bafil, and I must refer Scholars unto them: I should now add some rules for your better working, Rules in giving. as touching the ground and order of your giving; you must 1. given your selves to God, as Paul saith; 2. for matter, 2 Cor. 8.5. given your own, whence Alms termed often righteousness by the Hebrews and the 70.3. for time, do it quickly whilst you live, See their Mazkir, remembrance of souls, etc. and men live, and not (as later Jews do) given for the dead, But of these and other rules I have spoken elsewhere, and you may read every where: and therefore I here conclude this Point. And now we have done with the two Acts of Cornelius; we hear what he was in point of Prayer, we hear what he was in point of Alms too: I perceive the time hath deceived me, and therefore I will but touch upon the third point: I crave your patience so long. We have spoken of the things selves; here is yet something that would be said of the Person, that is, Cornelius; he was a Gentle, and (as it should seem) noon of the best of the Gentiles neither, an Italian, his Name, his Band, and Host speak that way somewhat. This Cornelius was also a Soldier, and among Soldiers an Officer; and yet notwithstanding, you see, that he was a praying man, a very godly, a very devout, a very merciful man The thing that hence we had thought to have observed, is this: That there is no outward disadvantages that can excuse us from God's service, or exempt us from God's acceptance; Doct woe will put in both: He served God, and he is accepted of God, notwithstanding his Country and his disadvantages; so that let a man's Country be what it will, let his calling be what it will, let his condition be what it will, if he serves God, God will accept of him, and of his services. We note this the rather, because that Peter gives us the note in the 34. verse of this Chapter; I perceive indeed (says he) that God is no respecter of persons, but in every Nation he that fears God, and works righteousness, is accepted of God, let him be what he will: but I dare not stand to prosecute this point. All that we will now say for the Application of it, Use. is thus much: First, it takes of that lazy excuse that is made by many men; they would serve God, and they would pray, and they would do much, that they would, but they are not accommodated accordingly: there be lets and hindrances in the way; the Time serves not, and the Place serves not, and their Calling serves not; thus many exceptions they have against the service and the worship of God. All these may be answered with one Cornelius, besides others, if time would have given leave. We see that Noah and some others, in the worst times, could found time to serve God: We see that some in Nere's house, and so in the worst places, have found place for to serve God: We see that some of those callings that seem to be farthest from Heaven and God, some of those Callings have served God: Gajus, it seems, was an Inn-keeper, yet a faithful man; Cornelius a Soldier and a Commander, and yet a godly and a religious man: So that there is no place, no time no calling that can exempt us this way. But then secondly, we had thought to have said something of those that pretend they would serve God, but they fear it would not be accepted: and why not accepted? Oh! their persons are so mean and poor, and their services are so weak and so contemptible, and their sins so great and so enormous, that sure God will not accept of them. It is answered, God is no respecter of persons, in every Nation he is ready to hear every poor soul that seeks unto him, and calls upon him. We should (in the nexe place) have called upon you all, to do what you can in your families, sigh that there is no man excluded from God's acceptance, or God's service; therefore have respect to your servants, even to the very, Kichin-boy; have respect to all that are within your compass, and within yourselves, do what you can to reclaim them from sin, to bring them up in the knowledge and information of God: What knowest thou (says the Apostle) believing man, but thou mayst convert thy unbelieving wife? So say I to you, what know you but that God may have pity upon thy poor slave, thy poor apprentice, as well as upon thyself? Yea, what know you, but if you make a good choice, and take a good course, and carry a good hand over them, but that Soldiers and those that lie in Garrisons, and repair to your Ports, may be godly men, religious men, as Cornelius was? And for yourselves, let me call upon every man this day, to hasten to God's service: You have all the advantages that may be; you live in a Land of uprightness, in a Goshen of light; you are under a Constellation (as it were) of ablest Magistrates, and of ablest Minssters; who shall serve God, if you will not, that have all these helps, and these advantages? Therefore, art thou called to repentance? Never say, I cannot, I have no leisure, and the like; thou mayst have leisure and grace, God is able to break the hardest heart, he is able to melt the frozenest heart, and to subdue the sturdiest spirit; and therefore say not, thou canst not: Are you called to duty and service? Say not, I would pray, and I would hear, and I would do many duties to God, but I cannot, I have not leisure, I have no time, my place will not bear it, my occasions will not suffer it: Thou mightst if thou hadst a heart; other men in the same circumstances, in as great difficulties, have served God, and waited upon him: Daniel was a man full of State-business, yet he finds his time for praying every day to God more then once or twice: Here is a Soldier in the Text, he can fear God, he can look after his Family, and he can restrain his Soldiers from pilsering, and plundering, and drinking, and swearing, he can do it by God's blessing upon his endeavours; and if he, why not others too? therefore do not make any such lazy plea: Much less say, O, it will not be accepted! it will be accepted: Given but what thou canst given, God will accept it; pray but as thou canst pray, God will accept it; repent as thou art able to repent, and call in God's help and assistance, God will accept it: What shall I say more to you? I am cut of, I am afraid to be too-to tedious to you: And therefore I conclude abruptly; only I have propounded unto you one Example and Pattern of mercy, presented unto you many Objects of mercy, and of compassion; now let me present unto you some more, and these are known well to yourselves: Here is a true report, etc. Here, according to the custom, a Catalogue was read of sundry Benefactors to the several Hospitals, and such like Houses for charitable uses; and that done, the conclusion was as follows: Thus you see (Beloved) here is work enough for your charity to be employed about; here are many Objects of mercy, many Arguments of mercy; here are Objects of all sorts: Old men and Babes, Widows and Orphans, many poor persons that want stocks to set them on work, that would feign be employed if they knew how: Here are also divers others that cry to you, that call upon you for mercy, and for relief: The Arguments you have heard; Arguments from God; Arguments from Christ; Arguments from yourselves; Arguments from the times; Arguments from your Brethrens; Let me say all at once, God requires it, God calls for it, God commands it: God commanded once the Clouds, and they gave bread; God once commanded the Rocks, and they gave water; God once commanded a Raven for to carry meat to a Prophet, and the Raven did it: Oh! for Christ's sake, let us not show ourselves more ravenous then the Raven, more rocky then Rocks themselves; and thus we leave our errand with you; another Theme I confess would better have liked me, and perhaps more reached you; but I have answered your desure in my choice, and, I confess, the Subject is not unseasonable; the Lord go with it. FINIS. June 10.1645. Imprimatur JOSEPH CARYL. Abner's Funeral, OR, A SERMON Preached at the Funeral Of that Learned and Noble Knight, SIR THOMAS LUCY. By ROBERT HARRIS, B. D. and Pastor of the Church at HANWELL, OXON. Graves are for me. JOB 171. Qui pronobis mortem semel vicit, semper vincit in nobis. Cyprian. Epist. Secundum Pamelium. 9 LONDON, Printed for john Bartlet, and are to be sold at the sign of the Gilded Cup by Saint Austin's Gate, 1641. TO THE HONOURABLE AND VIRTUOUS, The Lady LUCY OF CHARLCOT, Grace and Peace. Madam, STrange not my slowness. I never penned and printed more unchearefully, more sadly. Sorrow moves slowly. And what is this your Ladyship hath now won from me! alas! I cannot print your Lord alive again: nor did I intent any portraiture of him. What I spoke was meant to the Living. The Dead needed not my attestation. Indeed I loved Him more (as another once said) than to say much of Him. All that I can wish, is, that all, who pretend to Him, and his Religion, would express him in these particulars. 1 That they would See with their Own Eyes, and satisfy themselves in their Own Grounds. 2 That they would be True to their Own Principles; that so a man might know where to have them, and see, that they did Believe themselves. 3 Cic. de sinbus lib. 2. Epicurei mihi videntur melius sacore, quan dicere. 3 That they would Say less and Do more, and so difference themselves from other men, as once some Philosophers did. 4. That they would given leave to Dissent, where Assent cannot be without Dissembling. It is confessed, Madam, That Sir Thomas and I were not always of one mind. Dissent we did, in some things: But this I shall ever honour in Him, That He was Himself, and his Friends too. Neither prostituting his own, nor ravishing another man's judgement; Herein we concurred, and for this I honoured him, and he was pleased to own me. He was as Avistotle says of the magnanimous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The world conceives my loss to be exceeding great. And it is a truth. For I have lost the Freest Reprover that ever I met withal. But why should wereckon our friends Gains to our Losses! I have done, Madam, with him. And now let us (I beseech you) get of from ourselves. At lest, Let's improve our sorrows to spiritual purposes. Mourn for this Kil-friend, Sin. Mourn for the loss of our time, and our not enhancing opportunities and societies. And henceforward set our faces Homeward, Heaven-ward. Study Heaven; Secure Heaven; Trade and devil in Heaven. There look ourselves; thence expect our Saviour. Mean while consider, Noble Lady, your great trust. A Great Estate, A great Family. You have many Servants to order; Children to educate; Neighbours to relieve. Here seal up your Thankfulness to God; your Faithfulness to your Dearest Husband. And the God of Heaven help you. Thus at last I return you your own. What to call these Funeral Dispatches, I wots not. Yours (such as it is) it is, you will own it withal its imperfections, and stand betwixt blame and me. I could not come home to your Desires fully. Some things I forgot in the Delivery; and some I then abridged for haste, and now make short breathed enough. But I am come as near to my meaning, and my own Copy, as I can. The Lord go with it, and ever be with you, and all yours. So will Pray Your Ladyship's constant servant in the Faith, ROBERT HARRIS. Abner's Funeral, OR, A SERMON Preached at the Funeral of that Learned and Noble Knight, Sir THOMAS LUCY. 2 SAM. 3.38, 39 38. And the King said unto his servants, know you not, that there is a Prince, and a great man fallen this day in Israel? 39 And I am this day weak, though anointed King, and these men the sons of Zerviah be too hard for me: the LORD shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness. Tis an hard thing to Funer all it well. Moses prayed GOD'S help in the case, and GOD (in part) helps us here by David. Psal. 90.12 . He had the art of mourning. His heart was exercised, his hand in. Erst he mourned for King Saul, Prince jonathan, 2 Sam. 1.17. and other his Allies; Now for General Abner. This Abner fell very unseasonably, for Himself, for David, for all Israel. The King is sensible of it, solemnizes his Funeral, becomes the chief Mourner, and makes his Panegyricke. And, having passed through his other parts, is now upon his Peroration, where his Masterpiece is, To wash his hands of Abner's blood; and his plea (stripped out of its Rhetoric) is this. He that is truly sorry for the dead, and would (if he could) revenge his death, cannot reasonably be charged with the murder. But this (saith David) is my case. I am sorry for Abner's death; I am sorry for myself, that I cannot revenge his death. And therefore no way chargeable with it. The Conclusion is open; The first Proposition evident; The Assumption is made good by his practice. 1 He did not only mourn, but justify it from reason. A man, A great man, A leading man was Slain, Slain in Israel. This was known, (if men would own their own knowledge) and therefore they could not strange at his practice, in Forbearing Meat, Vers. 35.3. in Feeding upon Tears. 2 And for the Second; Whereas it might be said, Object. Many like the Treason, though they cry out of the Traitor; and contrive the slaughter, though they weep over the slain: If David's heart went not with the murder, why is not his hand upon the Murderer? David's Answer is, Sol. He was willing (but not able) to do Abner right, his estate being yet unsettled, and the concurrents (The sons of Zerviah) potent in Court, and. Camp: and therefore execution is perforce futured. So then, David here reconciles things (seemingly) incompatible, and gives an account of himself. I Why he did mourn. II Why he did no more. Mourn he could, Moore he could not: and that's the very Truth. Let us now surveyed David's practice, and trace his steps. First, you see him refusing comfort, and inviting sorrow. Next you found him so imbroild, that he knows not well which way to turn him. 1 In the first we will take notice of his grief, and 2 Of his ground; whence he infers it. A man (saith he) is slain: A Considerable man of place and worth is slain, and that in Israel. This is the ground of his sorrow; and these his terms and expressions are no way inconsistent. The man may be great, a Great Prince, of great authority, and yet Die: For, Greatness will not keep from Death: Nay let's given this Proposition its full extent. No Greatness will keep from any Death. Doct 1 No Greatness, noon. 1 Not of Strength. There be that Die (saith job Chap. 21.23, 24.) in the strength of their perfection, or in their most perfect strength, when there is not the lest decay in Nature. 2. Not of Birth. The high (saith job, nay the Princes, job 34 19) fall, and that like others, Psal. 82.7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as well as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal. 49. 3 Not of Parts, Ver. 10. As dies the fool so the wise. 4 Not of Place, Ver. 12. 5 Not of Means and Friends, Ver 7: 6 In One, Psal. 89.48. Not Earthly Greatness will deliver. Not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (let his Strength lie where it will the word is large) shall deliver himself from the Grave. Death he must See, that is, Feel, as all senses be a kind of Feeling. II No Greatness will free from any Death. Not not from any. 1 Not from a Bloody Death. Witness great Saneherib. 2. King. 19 ult. 2 Not from a Base Death. Witness Queen jezabel. 2. King's 9 ult. 3 Not from an Unnatural Death. Witness that great Statist, and Precedent of Counsellors, Achitophel, 2 Sam. 17.23. 4 Not from the most Contemptible Death. Witness King Herod, at his highest. Act. 12.23. But why do I insist, where every Schoolboy can enlarge upon the same Theme? One Abner is an instance of all, being every way great; Great in Strength, able to led the bravest Army then in being: Great in Spirit, who would not given his Head for washing, not take his advantage of Asahel the Assailant: Great in Place, Captain of the Guard, and that to Three Princes in succession: To warlike Saul: To Prince Isbosheth: and now consigned by valiant David: Great in Power and Authority, able to contest with his Master, and able to sway all Israel at his pleasure. This mighty Abner lies Dead before you, and falls from Greatest Greatness, into the Lowest Pit suddenly. Shall I given you one Reason for all? Greatness will not keep from any one Cause: Reas therefore not from any one Kind of Death. 1 The Causes of Death, (if we speaked of Death at large) are, 1 Moral, or Legal. Sin and Gild. 2 Natural, or Physical. Dyscrasy, Disproportion, etc. Earthly Greatness can free from noon of these, (as experience hath taught us.) Indeed if this Greatness could take of Adam's Gild, free from all Sin, deliver from all Distemper, Moral or Natural: Than might it given a Supersedeas from Death. But the first is not possible: Therefore the second is no way feasable. 2 If we speaked of this Death, Violent Death; (so to call it) this, you know, grows from Innate Impotency, and Deficiency, and Foreign, either Suspension of Influence, Aids and Supplies: jertul. Vide de Anima. cap. 52.53. etc. or forcible Impressions, and Incursions made beyond all power of Resistance: Now here Greatness, is also at a stand: Great men be as tender, as passive as others; Depend as much as others, and Stand by a Manutention; Lie as open, as others, to Invasions and Assaults. Nay Greatness is sometimes Unwieldy of itself, Et mole suâ ruit: Sometimes it sets a man more in the Eye of Envy, and face of Danger; and in stead of sheltering him, makes him a fairer mark. At all times 'tis Finite, and may be matched. There is an Higher than the Highest, that will make but Mortar of those under foot, as 'tis, Easie 41.25. At lest, Easie 41.25. what's wanting in Power, may be made up in Number, which is all one. Many Shoals of small Fish may encounter the greatest Whale. Many Swarms of Flies and Frogs may invade King Pharaoh, and his Kingdom. Cave multos, si singulos non times: Maximinus. said one to that great Tyrant. Leo fortis est & occiditur. Elephas grandis est, & occiditur, etc. The stoutest Lion, the greatest Elephant, the fiercest Tiger may be violently slain: a Sword will pierce, a Gun will shoot, Fire will burn, Water will drown, nay a Raisin-stone, a Fly, an hair will choke the greatest Monarch living. We have said enough to so ordinary a point. Vide instances in some Popes and Princes . Only we are to make our use of it, before I dismiss it; and that I shall (instantly) do, if first I shall be bold to tell you what you are to trust to. You see how it fares with Funeral Sermons. They are (mostly) made but matters of form, and men come to them as to great Feasts. The first Course, wherein GOD is most concerned, is lightly passed over: The second, wherein Man is represented, is most expected, and stood upon. For the preventing of this, I pray you understand, That you are not to expect any Second course at all: But such provision as I could make, in this my indisposedness, you shall have served in altogether. This said, I have now a double address. Uses. 1 The first to, us little ones. 2 The other, to you of greater mark and place. First, Use 1 we of lower rank must learn to reine in our strong affections to an earthly greatness: For why should we be so liquorish after that, which is of so little avail? Moderate therefore (as all, so chief) these affections. 1 Great Fears. 2 Great Hopes. 3 Great Desires after great things here. For Fears, It is the Prophets Inference, Psal. 48.5. Why should I fear, when I am threatened; and another enriched? Nay, 'tis God's own use. Easie 51.12, and 7.8. verses. Who art thou, that fearest a dying man, fading grasie, a little Wormesmeate, Mothes-meat? OH, but, he is a great man, Object. and may do me a shrewd turn. Fear him, as Great, with a Fear of Reverence, Answ. as a larger Picture of Almighty GOD, whose is Greatness, and all great things. As great Cedars are Cedars of God, &c, great Cities, Mountains, etc. are Gods. But fear him not with a Fear of Basinesse (fear him not so, as out of Cowardice to decline station, balk duty, swallow sin, dissemble truth) Why? He is a dying man, saith GOD, and his greatness will be devoured of Moths. So basely to fear a dying man gins in weakness, and ends in a snare, Prou. 29.25. Therefore qualify those Fears. 2 For Hopes, Hear Easie, Chap. 2. last. Cease from Man, whose breath is in his nostrils: Easie 2, ult. wherein is he to be valued? O! he is a Great, a promising man: Yea, But is not his breath in his nostrils, ready to be let out? If so, Cease from hoping in, or trusting on him. Psal. 146. Hear David, Trust not in the Son of man What if he be a Prince? Trust not in Princes. Psal. 146.3. O, but they have noble thoughts. Yea, but those dye with, or before them. Why should I be infinite? Ver. 4. Is he a Man, Man at his best, Every man, (every whit of him) is not only vein, Psal. 36.5. & 62.9. but vanity. Nor so only, He is upon the Balance and Trial, lighter than vanity itself. Therefore cast not thy Anchor of Hope there. Hope (if thou see cause) with an Human Hope of Charity and possibility: Beware of any higher Hope of Cerrainty, of Infallibility. No doubt but many Captains, their Hopes risen and fell with rising and falling Abner. 3 But the third Affection, Desire, is that I most insift upon. Great Desires to earthly things, discover little Judgement. These are, 1 Founded in Weakness. 2 Fed with Wind. 3 End in Smoke. For the first. Their Rise is weakness, as experience (after Reason) shows. Foundation . Who so longing as the languishing person? Who so climbing as the veriest child? So ambitious as the basest Bramble? What so aspiring as Wind and emptiness? So ravening as the emptiest stomach? A massy man, of true worth indeed, brings worth to things, borrows noon from them. For the Second. Food. What is the food and fuel of these desires? Truly Wind. We may say of all these Sublunaries, what Solomon saith of one particular; They are not. Prou. 23.5 . And shall our desires and eyes fly upon Nothing. They are Nothing in reality, and virtue. What they be, they be (as Tertullian somewhere) in Fantasy. Absolute greatness (out of GOD) is not. There's no such thing among Creatures. The most is, Arist. (as the Philosopher notes) but a Comparative Greatness. Thus we call somethings great, compared to 1. Little things: As Ten shillings is a great deal of money to a Farthing token, and yet what's ten shillings? 2. To little persons and Capacities. So to a low apprehension a little thing is great. Thus to a Child, every Puddle is a Poole; every Poole a Sea: every Reed a Spear; every Hollow Stick a Gun: Not because these are great, but because he is little; as Rome was once formidable, because the neighbours were contemptible. Florus . But lay the comparison right, and bring these poor things to the Standard, and what are they? Alas! compared to the Great GOD they are less than Littleness. Isa. 40.15, 17. All persons and things cast in the Balance bear not proportion with one drop of the Bucket, bear not the weight of one dust in the Balance. What's one dust to the whole Balance? What's that to the Earth? What's one drop to the full Bucket? And what's the Bucket to the Well? The Well to the Sea? And what are all these laid in one to the Mighty GOD? Nothing, and less than nothing, saith that high Prophet. Nay what is all here below to those vast bodies above? Ver. 17. And then what is such an Island as this compared to some other Kingdoms and Continents? What? But a little Moat, and Swans-nest? So true is that, which out Masters have taught us of old: Nothing is simply great, but in reference to what is less. 3. But let them be as big as phantafie can make them: End. Prou. 23.5. they have (as Solomon adds) Wings, but no hands under those wings. Wings to fly from us: no Hands to do aught for us. Load us they can with great fears, cares, envies, jealousies, distractions: but help us they cannot in the day of sicknesle; much less in the hour of death. Ask the greatest, what Death, what Hell, shall I say? Nay, what sorrow, what sickness, what ache, what pain, can these, All these great nothings either prevent, or remove, or assuage? Ah Smoke! mere Smoke! which carry with them some trouble, but little or no warmth or comfort. All which being (confessedly) so, let me say to you what our LORD said to his Disciples: Are these the things you look upon? Mat. 24.2 . And what GOD said to Baruch, Seekest thou great things for thyself? seek them not. ●… 45 ult. Enjoy them you may, if cast upon you: But earnestly seek them not: Leave these to that poor fellow in Seneca, who was all for this Poor Greatness, S●…. in. Suasoria. 2. Sencio. who in all haste must be a Grandee, and thereupon looked big, spoke big, and bombasted himself out with big clothes, and so become a great Foole. Leave these to those dark men, who never come where greatness grew, whose highest ambition was to hear (Great) Alexander the great; Mahomet the great: Pompey the Great; the great Cham; the Grand, Signior; the great Mogor; the King of Kings; the Cali Fillus; the Mundi-Dominus, etc. Let us, who have as many Eyes as the Chinois boast of, learn of Christian men, Vid. Bot. relati. l. 5; of the Chinois. Salvia. de previd. l. 5. ad calcem. what greatness is. If thou wilt be Great, saith Salvian, be great in virtue, outstrip men that way. If thou wilt outshine others, get goodness, get Wisdom, saith Solomon. If thou wilt get above all, be most useful, and serviceable, saith our Saviour. This the way. The greatest greatness, is goodness: for that sets us nearest to the greatest GOD, and good. Eccl. 8.1. Zep. 2.3 . Therefore let go those things which will never satisfy, never set us above a Pagan: and seek high, great things indeed. Seek righteousness, seek meekness, seek faith; nay, greaten these, abound in these, and other graces: Psal. 46.15. then shall ye be Princes in all the Earth: you shall reign with GOD, and, jacob-like, Prince. it with him. This greatness Spiritual is feisable: this will set you above all these Molehills below, Hos. 11.12. & 12.3. and will at last free you (though not from the stroke and sense of sickness and death: yet) from the sting, venom, curse, bondage, and hurt of all. Here stop: here sit we down. My second address is to you great One's. Use 2 My humble svite to you is this, That you will be true to yourselves; and know, that in despite of all greatness, Reade Ezekiel 32. where 5. or 6. instances are given. ver. 17.18. ad finem usque. you must die. The truth is, greatness flatters men, and men flatter it. If great One's will not deal truly with themselves, they must not expect it from others. Herein Povertie hath an advantage above Greatness, that it meets with plain dealing; so doth not this. We dare tell a poor man, that he is not like to last, and bid him Set his house in order: But what servant, what friend, (nay almost I had said) what Physician, what Esaiah will say so to an Hezekiah? We dare call a poor man's sin, Sin, and tell him, that his ignorance is dangerous, his pride damnable, his formalities fopperies; and bid him sit sure. But for the rich and mighty, Cajetan we say in the words of the Cardinal in another case— Si vult decipi, Decipiatur. If a poor Cur run away with ftolne goods, we pursue him, and rate him, till he resign: but who dares take the Bear by the tooth? the Lion by the Beard, and say Restore? Sigh then few, or noon will be faithful to you, be ye good to yourselves: And, if you will hold a distance from your teachers, and not (with some great ones) admit of other Monitors, be your own, Memento Mori, Philip. etc. and tell yourselves, that you also are Mortal: else we shall Immortalize you, as some would Alexander. Call yourselves Sinners; Vid. Hist of Lewes the 11. else we, (with that Chartrous Monk in story) Saint all who will fee and suppling us. Consult your own bodies, and senses, and see a decay there. Or, if you will abroad, improve this double instance. See here a Noble Pair, and establish yourselves in this truth, by the testimony of two mouths, two bodies; both not long before their ends valiant, both vigorous, both presenting as well, and promising as much as we can, and now both lie Dead before you. Nay, seeing Examples known and at hand work best, and the Eye (of senses) most affects the heart; See here under view a Man accomplished, and made up of all the Contributions of Art and Nature; Pythagoras. a Man, in whom concurred all those things, which the Philosopher could think to beg of his God: to wit, Beauty, D. navec. Richeses, firm Constitution of body and mind: Such a Brain, such an Heart, as the most learned Physician never seen. And thence infer: that, There is no Redemption from the Grave. For certainly, if greatness of wit, of learning, of spirit, of richeses, of friends, of allies: if greatnesle of care in servants, of attendance in Yoke-fellow, of skill in Physicians, of affection in all, could have kept of Death; we had not been thus overcast, and clouded this day. Mors sceptraligonibus aequat. aquo pode pulsat. etc. & que sequmtui pasoim . But no outward greatness will do it; Death knows no measures, no distances, no degrees, no differences, but sweeps away all, and either finds, or makes them Matches. To you then; OH ye sons of the mighty, is my message. Set your houses in order: for you must die. You are left behinded to make ready: O prepare for death, for any death, nay for sudden death: for why may not you fall in your strength, in your Journey, aswell as Abner? Say then, Are ye ready, now ready? is your Will made? your Pardon sealed? could you die this hour? in this place? If so, happy ye, in case you Stay for death, not death for you. But if as yet you be not Shot-free, and Death-proofe, what do ye mean? why do ye defer? What? Do ye think that death fears greatness? or will be answered with Compliments? Or do ye think that greatness of spirit, of means, of cheerfulness, of Titles can bear you out? Or that it is all one to die in a Bravado, and in cold blood? Or that death is the same in the hand of a man, and of GOD? Or that a: Lord have mercy, or two, an hour or two before you are all dead, will serve the turn? Not, not, its a work of works to Diego that is, Actively and Cheerfully to resign life. The best, who have been about it, all their life, found all provisions little enough. And therefore do not think to slight and to outlook that King of Fears, that top-gallant: but fear before hand, that you need not fear at any hand. And yet let me advertise you of another extremity, and that is base-feare: for that will bar up the doors against all thought of death, Vitellius trepidus, dein'temulentus, Tac. and set you, either on Drinking with him in the story; or on some other Diversion, thereby to drown, or to forget your fears. There is (as elsewhere I have discoursed) 1 A Spiritual Fear of death. There is, 2 A natural. Neither of which may be dissuaded. The Fear, I given warning of, is, 3 A Base, Cold, Carnal Fear, which will make a man creep into an Augre-hole, swallow any sin, admit of any slavery; which will kill one daily, because he must once die, Heb. 2. and keep him a perpetual slave, and prisoner. This the fear I would not have you Cowed by: and this fear you may competently overcome, if you will set right the 1 Judgement, 2 Conscience. 3 Heart; The Inward man: Things, (upon another occasion) lately spoken to, not here to be rehearsed. At present, this is all. Mistake not Death, 1 It is not, in itself, the greatest of evils. As there be better things than this poor life; GOD'S favour, GOD'S image, the Life of CHRIST, Eternity, etc. Vid. Animadversions of Bish. of Sanum on God's Love to Mankind . So are there worse things than this death; Hell is worse, Sin is worse, GOD'S Curse is worse, Corruption worse; Moral, Sinful Evils worse than this, which is painful, and evil only to Nature. And reason we have to grieve more for being in a possibility, and proximity of sinning, than of dying. 2 This Death is not so simply, and intrinsically evil, as that no good can be made of it. Nay, this may be improved, and death may be the death of all our deaths; of deadly diseases, corruptions, temptations, of all. Thus simply considered it is not so formidable, as that we must fling away our weapons, desert our station, and fly, Excessum dix. Tert. contra Valent. & Cypria. Ep. 3. Luk. 2. 29., Phil. 1 23. job 14. 14 joh. 11. 11. & Passim. Aliud demutatio, aliud perditio. Tert. de resur. c. 55. Plin. Nat bist. lib. 7 & 55. Hic rogo: non furor est ne moriare mori. Mart. lib. 2. Epigram. (as once Israel) at the voice of this Goliath. But now Death to a Christian becomes another thing. It hath lost its name: and hears a Departure, a Dissolution, a Change, a Sleep, etc. and we should take up GOD'S language. It hath lost its Nature and Relation: tis not to such an one Penal, but Medicinal: destructive, but (fetching its denomination from its term) perfective. Look upon it under a new Notion; and then you will not be of poor Pliny's mind, That It doubles one's pain, and death, to Forethink the issues of it. Not, it doubles your strength, and makes your courage redoubted: therefore view it, and spare not: but view it thus. 1 Look upon it, not as destructive, tending to ruin: but as a mean and way to life. Look beyond it; See what stands behinded it; A Crown of Glory, of Life, of Bliss. And this end will sweeten and smooth the way: it will dare amicabilitatem mediis. 2 Look upon it, as a Rod in God's hand. This (as other strokes) is moderated by him, and he can make a Rod a Staff, Psal. 23. yea turn Moses serpent into a Rod, and work with that Rod Wonders. Death is a cup in our Father's hand, as well as sickness, and works wonders. 3 Look upon Death in CHRIST. He hath conquered it in his Person, and will in his Members. See how unable death was to separate him from the Godhead, and shall be us from GOD, Rom. 8.38. Rom. 8.38 . See how he hath intercepted and cut of Death's succours. Whereas death borrowed its Sting from sin, and Strength from the Law and Curse: 1 Cor. 15.56. CHRIST hath disarmed them all of all their destroying, kill power; and called us, with S. Paul, to set our foot upon their necks, and to sing: OH Death! OH Sin! OH Curse! OH Hell! where's your power? etc. Yea see him, having killed Death, and buried the Grave, fetching Honey and sweet out of the strong, turning Death into a Living Friend, 1 Cor. 3 ult. and most useful servant, 1 Cor. 3. ult. subdued to us Death, and so made it Ours. OH view death in the face of CHRIST, make him your Second in this Duel; and then you are freed from the fear, and so from the bondage of death: then you are Menindeed, Freemen. A Man is not himself, but a Slave, till he can either Live, or Die (as this noble Gentleman and I were want to discourse.) The only he is free, when (with S. Paul) he can abound and want, be sick and well; can live, or die. Nay then you shall be brave accomplished men indeed; some of God's Rabbins, as Daniel calls them. Vid. cap. 9.27. ut & Job 32.9 A man is not to be held a man, because he dares meet a man, and can look any man in the face. (A great matter to look a Worm in the face!) But then you shall be men; when you can look any pain in the face, any fit in the face, any danger, any death in the face: when you can look Judgement, and the unpartial Judge in the face. This is to be a Man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 16.13. Thus Man-it. And, sigh your greatness cannot keep you from Dying, let your Goodness keep you from sinking, perishing, and losing by Death. Thus for David's ground of sorrow, as that must be Rational, and stand upon ground. Now follows his inference and practice. A man great and considerable falls: Therefore David falls upon mourning, and pleads for it. 1 A man is slain: and upon grounds of humanity David would mourn. 2 Next, a public man, now upon a public service and errand, is slain: and upon reasons of State, David would appear a Mourner. 3 A man so useful was slain in Israel; and in point of Religion, David is to lament, and seems to Wonder at his Servants Wondering at his practice. Know ye not (saith he, etc.) q. d. If you own your own eyes and knowledge, you cannot but know, that I have reason to be sensible of this stroke. Hence our second Inference. When great men are taken from us, Doct 2 we must be affected with it. When Abner's fall (men great of place, and use both) we must have a sense of it, and observe it for use. Zach 4.7. Dan. 4.10. Ezck. 31 8.14 . When Mountains are shaken, and Ceders shattered. When pillars are Pulled down, and Stars of greatest magnitude hid their heads, we must resent this with David, and improve it unto sorrow. Shall I need to prove these ordinary and confessed truths? Solomon tells us, that A wise man lays any man's death to heart. Eccl 7.2 . And Isaiah chides us, if we let an useful man (though private) pass out 01 of the world, Easie 57.1. without observation. What would he say in case we should bury a man of public use and spirit, without an Ah his glory! what in this case hath been done, it is needless to report. I will not led the simplest out of his own knowledge. Who knows not what lamentations were taken up for Patriarch jacob, Gen. 50.10. 2 Chro. 32 33 2 Chro. 35.24 25. great Hezekiah, good josiah? who hath not heard of Elisha's Epitaph, The Horsemen, 2 King. 13.14. and Chariots of Israel: and that from a man not of best note? And jest you should impute all this to the greatness only of men's place, without respect had to men's use and worth, the Holy Ghost is pleased to set a mark upon the Coffin of persons less public, and more obscure when they were use full. Thus Nurse Deborah a profitable member, leaves a mark upon the place of her burial, The Oak of Weeping, more famous than the Oak of Reformation, in our Story: Gen. 35.8. Thus merciful Dorcas (rather Tabytha) was covered with tears, as she covered others with clothes, Act. 9.39. Nor was this solemn mourning only for men and persons eminent for piety: but for others, who in Moral and Political considerations were, in their way, useful. Thus holy David weeps over Captain Abner, of whose piety we hear not much: All that his friend and Countryman saith of him; is, That he was a Prudent man, josephus. well qualified for natural parts. Thus he much bewails the death of Abner's master King Saul, and lets not to tell the State, 2 Sam. 1.17. that their loss in him is great; not because his forwardness in Religion was much: only he was a good Husband for the Public, Vers. 24. and a brave Commander; not less active and valiant, than he was comely and proper. Ratio res Dei. Tert. But Reason is God's, as well as Scripture: Reasons. Reas 1 we bind up the Point with Three Reasons. 1 If we look upon such men, as they are members of a Body-Politique, the loss is great. If the Body cannot say of the Foot (nay of one Toe of the foot, nay of one joint or nail of the toe) I have no need of thee: 1 Cor. 12.27. much less can it say so of a more noble part. There is a loss, a maim in the lest, and the body is sensible of it: much more when an eye, or hand, or arm is taken of: And Great Personages are Eyes, Hands, Dan. 11.15.22.31. nay Arms. 2 If we consider such as Heads over charges, Reas 2 who knows not what an influence they have upon Inferiors? and what a dependence there is upon them? They? Why they are as Pins, whereon many Vessels hung, Isaiah 22. As great Okes, which yield life to many Sprigs; shade and shelter to more. One such a Sun is more than a Thousand Candles: with one so pregnant and big-bellied, hundreds live and die. 3 If we view them as they relate to GOD, Reas 3 and are subjects wrought upon by him, The stroke is the greater: Because it is a Messenger of some Wrath. When GOD thus Beheads a Family, or Town, or Country, there's a great breach made with such a blow: when he, who should stand in the gap, is taken away, jer. 5.1. 'Tis farther an ill presagement, as Isaiah foretells, cap. 3. The Pilot lost, the whole Ship is hazarded: The Captain (as the Seventy here read it) may be more than all his Company, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. and weigh down Thousand, as David's Soldiers once said. 2 Sam. 18.3 In short, In one head is Virtually contained the whole body. judg. 9.53 . Wound Abimeleck there, and where's Abimeleck? I apply now in some haste, and must divide myself again betwixt Great, Uses. and Small. And first, Use 1 let me begin with you of the Higher Rank and Mark. And my svite to you is, That you will answer your places, and be Usefully Great, which only Greatens you. The Great GOD doth not measure men by Inches, Men of Measures in Mose. as sometimes men do: Nor by an outward Greatness: Heregards not the arms, or legs of a man: He respects the Rich no more than the poor: Psal. 147.10. Job 34.19. The thing he looks to, is Virtue, Serviceableness, that is the thing. Gen. 1.16 . The Moon is a Great Light because of Great Use. A Iew at Berea is more eminent, and Honourable than another elsewhere, Act. 17.11. because more Conscientious. There is, (you know) a Greatness in Bulk, and in worth. A Lark may be more than a Kite, though not in bulk, yet in worth. Molis & virtutis . There is (they say) a Greatness Belluine, & Genuine. in that a beast may and doth exceed us: In this we exceed our selves, and others; and in this only. No man is the better simply for his Greatness, unless it be attended with goodness. So much we may learn from wiser times: For, since men understand themselves, they let fall those Swelling and empty Titles of Greatness; few rejoiced in that name, unless great worth and achievements put it upon them; As it fared with Constantine, and some few others. They were gladly heard, Wise, Learned, Pious, Philosopher, Philopater, and the like. And, when men would honour them with attributions of worth, they styled them Nedibims 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Optimates, and other like, sounding their true worth, Bountiful Benefactors etc. and carrying meat in the mouth. Yea so much we may learn from Highest (that is Divine) Language. Wisdom itself, when it pleaseth to bestow honours upon men, calls them Fathers, Foster-fathers, Saviour's; and the like. Which some also, 1 King. 5.13. Exod. 20. Easie 49 23. Act. 7.35 H●b 4.8. Selcu●hus Soter. without the pale of the Church, either affected or enjoyed. As Antiochus Soter: Antigonus in Suidas. etc. So then, in true judgement, the stile and thing, hat truly honours and ennobles a man is Goodness, therein a man most nearly toucheth the Best and Highest Good, Psal. 119.68. our Ever-blessed GOD, whose highest title is that in the Psalm. He is good, and doth good. I cannot enlarge. I will lay before you one only instance, of Father and Son in the same family, who run their several ways with different success. The Father was josiah;, He was all for Goodness. Good he was, and did Good to God's house, and people. The Son was Shallum; (whither so termed in scorn, and reference to another Shallum, I have not to say) He was all for an earthly Greatness. Before he was well warm in his Father's Throne, he had great thoughts, and would not take it as his Father did: He would build a stately Palace, much enlarge himself, and (as it seemeth by one affix in the Text, jer. 22.14.) would take in a piece of God's house too. Thus they steared their course. My Windows the Hebrew . Now what was the issue? 1 In Life, the one prospered: the other went backward. Did not thy father prospero? (saith GOD) to the Son. jer. 22.15. 2 In Death, the one had a most honourable interment. All Israel mourned for him, mourned much, mourned long: the other (like the unhappy son of another good father) lived undesired, Lam. 4.20. died unlamented, and was buried with the burial of an Ass, 2 Chro. 21.20 jer. 22.18, 19 no man weeping over him. Given me leave to use my ancient freedom. In these read yourselves, and your own Lot. If you (with Shallum, and his Brethrens) make noon other use of your Greatness, but to Roh GOD, Pride yourselves, and oppress the poor; your Greatness shall be your Shame, as 'twas Shebna's, and shall end in Baseness and Contempt. Well may men bless, and flatter you, whiles hore you magnify and adore yourselves: But when you are Dead, they'll trample upon your faces, and curse you as fast. At your Grave noon shall mourn: See some Emporous, Herod. etc. unless Feed, or Forced (as once it befell others) rather they will rejoice at your fall (as once at another's in Esa. 14. and your names shall be written in the dust, and buried in oblivion: Or if they remain, they shall Lie as Carrion above ground, and become a Curse. Prou. 10.7. Easie 25.25. On the other side, If you shall improve your Greatness to God's glory, and to the Countries good; to the Church's growth, and meas comfort; you shall not need with Absalon, Otho, julian, or any other Publicola, to Hunt for applause: Honour will hunt out you, and you shall not avoid it. While you live you shall live in the hearts and desires of men, they will pray for yours, and praise GOD for you: And when you die you shall not need a Trumpet or Herald to sounded your worth: Every man will be a Trumpet; every man will make an Oration; All Israel will mourn, in heart, and not in face, and form. O, Choose rather to be buried with Prayers and Thanks, than with Curses and Complaints: Set your Servants, Tenants, Neighbours on weeping, rather than on laughing, at your Graves. So live, that there may be Use of you, whilst you live, and Miss of you, when you are dead. That is; Be humble, modest, godly, sober in yourselves. Be helpful, comfortable, profitable unto others. When you are go, there's no more remaining of you, but your Goodness. The question will not be, How Rich, How Great, How Gallant you were. The questions will be, What did he? Who was the better for him? If noon, What made he in the World? An unprofitable man, whilst living, is dead: A useful member, when dead, yet lives. Live, Live, Live quickly, Live much, Live long. So you are welcome to the world: else, you are but Hissed and Kicked of this Stage of the World, Phocas by Heraclius. as another was. Nay many (as job. 27.23 & V. 15.) who were buried before half dead. 2 For us of a Lower form, Use 2 (nay lets take in all.) This I say. Either we yet have, or have not Leading men among us. 1 If as yet we see some Stars, in this great darkness; lets joyfully entertain them, as Wisemen did once another, Mat. 2. Do but think what an Army is, without a Captain; a Ship, without a Pilot; and Head, without a Body; what a misery it is, to live without order; to be where men Talk all at once, and noon can lay his hand upon other, or command silence. Truly such a Parity bordersneer upon an Anarchy, and confusion: and we much forget ourselves, if we neglect this mercy of having Useful men. When Israel had a Solomon, they divided their time, Psal. 72.15. between Praying, and Praising GOD for him. Tis a misery never to see the Face, but the Back only of mercies. 'Tis a frowardness to see nothing but faults in men, whilst we have them: and then nothing but whine, when we loose them. Take heed that you do not Brawl Moses out of the world; and then Scratch him out of his Grave again, unless GOD hid him from you. Crosses sting deeply, when Mercies Pass lightly, See what you have, before you cease to have it. Have we lost any Abner from among us? David prompts us our lesson. We must feel our less. And here, What would become of me, should I let out myself, and pursue my thoughts! How many brave Scholars, Soldiers, Statesmen have we seen laid in the Dust! Nay, what Mighty Stars have within our memory, been hidden from us! What should I be meddling with Crowns? Three mighty Princes and men in their several ways . Or speak what a blow England, France, Swedeland; etc. have received upon their very Head, in this our age. These be Subjects of a Fairer Pen, and higher discourse. I have my hands and heart full with our present Instance. Our friend Lazarus sleeps, and we cannot wake him. In this one Bottom we have all our interests, and suffer a wreck. A Noble Lady hath lost, not an Husband (as she saith) but a Father. Many Children have lost, not a Father, but a Counsellor. An houseful of Servants have lost, not a Master but a Physician; who made, (as I am informed) their sickness his, and his physic and cost theirs. Townes-full of Tenants have lost a land. Lord, that could both protect and direct them in their own way. The whole Neighbourhood have lost a Light. The County a Leader. The Country a Patriot; To whom he was not wanting, till he was wanting to himself, in his former vigour and health. What would David say in such a case? Truly, as he said, a Sam. 7. Weep ye daughters of jerusalem, for king Saul, etc. And what can I say less, than Weep ye poor, within doors; ye poor, without: ye poor old people, whom he kept alive, by studying how to fit you with work: Ye poor, in the bordering Towns, to whom he sent, with David, A Piece of flesh with Bread, a Sam. 6.19. every year: Yea, Mourn, ye Gates, who were kept warm, with weekly provisions for the neighbouring poor. Yea Mourn, all Allies, and Aliens; Rich and Poor; Old and Young. For a Public loss, let there be a Public lamentation. Speak I these things after the manner of men? To Deify the Dead; To Gratify the Living? Not, I speaked of A Man, jam. 5. A Man (with Great Elijah) subject to like passions with us: A Man, who cast himself lower than you, or I dare cast him. For in Faint Paul's words he said, That he was of sinners the chief: Of such a Man I speaked, and will say no more of him, than what hath a fare Prospect to your Profit. We must do him * Hine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, et justa defuncterum. Right; and it is one of the Rights, and Deuce of the dead, To be Lamented at their Funerals. We own it, 1 To Him, 2 To Religion, Vid. Goul. in Cyprian. Ep. 3 3 To Humanity, And we should not, 4 Please GOD, If we should let such members pass, without some sad remembrance. And yet there is more in it, than you are all ware of. The Time of Abner's death was almost as much as the thing itself. Israel's Abner was now Rightly set, (his Grounds I wave, but) over he was come to David's side: The Sinews of that disjointed State were now knitting: The sparks of that unhappy war now quenching. Abner had a Great Design in hand, and things were likely to receive a fare end. In the midst of all Abner Dies, The Business is scoated: Pendent opera interrupta: Hence these tears in part. It was the case of this our English Abner. He had Noble designs, and thoughts in his head. But Alas! How soon do our thoughts fall with us! Psalm 146. Only the thoughts, and Counsels of the only wise-GOD stand good for ever. He had another Design upon this Our Abner: And, to fit him thereunto, he set him to the Best School, that ever he was in; where the Two Schoolmasters of Luther, and Calvin (Temptations and Afflictions) taught him more in one year, than all his Books, wherein he was so much versed, could do, in an age. Now Speculation was translated into Experience. And now I wish, that all of his Rank (and of my too) had heard him Decrying the Vanity of all Creatures, and Abasing sinful flesh before the Great GOD. You can easily conceive how Full Expressions would be from his own Mouth, and how well it would become him, to Stain the pride of man But that is not all: Would, you had heard his judgement of Practical Divinity, and unaffected Preaching. His censure of man's slighting the ways of Wisdom, and Sanctification. And lastly, (To say nothing of what was said under seal) I wish that all we (Divines) had but heard his vehement expressions of the base; base, and more than slavish flatteries of some of us Churchmen, toward the living and dead. But why do I flatter myself with a conceit of Hearing and Having him, whilst I speak his words! He is go from us, and hath left us no more of Himself than a Sad Representation: And it must grieve both you and me, to have Such a Man, at Such a Time, taken from us; and to see so much reading, observation, knowledge, wisdom, (I could say, if yet I could speaked it, so much ingenuity, nobleness, plainheartednesse to his Friend, when upon Try all he could Trust him: But I only say, before I get of this sad discourse) So much worth, and Sufficiency, qualifying him for the Service of any State, or Prince, so Suddenly snatched from us. But OH Sin! Sin! Sin! These be the bitter first-fruits of our Cursed Sins. But stay Brethrens, Quiet your selves, and hear King David a little further. Died Abner (saith he) like a fool? Not, not like a fool, nor yet so happily (All out) as this Abner of ours. Abner (for aught appears) died Intestate; haply Childless; certainly he died very suddenly, and had not much time left him to resign himself to GOD by prayer. And being dead, He borrows his Bed in another man's Ground. Not so this Noble Gentleman. 1 He made his Will: and that in his health, and who so reads it will easily believe it, and I am not sorry that I minded him thereof: (though ignorant therein) for that is the Work of our greatest Strength. 2 He dies not All at once: but hath left behind a Fair, a Numerous Of spring, 3 He dies not unexpectedly, nor was his Tonguetyed. He abounded with petitions, and ejaculations of his own, (to say nothing of what was lent him by others,) whileft I was with him, and more afterwards, as his dissolution drew nearer, as I am told. 4 And (being fallen asleep) He is gathered to his Fathers in peace. Here he lies in his own Bed: Here he lives in his Posteritie. Charlcot is Charlcot still, not Hebren The greatest service we can do him (having mourned over him, and made this Funeral an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of all fail) Is to honour him in his Living pictures, (as once they did their good Rulers at Rome, in their Dead Statues.) Be not you, who loved the Tree, wanting to his Fruit. Visit them; Advice them; Be faithful to them; Pray at lest for them, for each of them; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 especially for the First Born of his family: what Hector (shall I say?) in Homer, did for his Son? 1 King. 1.47 . Nay, what David's servants did for their Young Master. That his worth and honour may surmount his Fathers. Amen, said Father David. Amen, said his Truest servants to that prayer then. Amen, say I to the like now. And so we have done with Abner. But all this while what becomes of the King? Abner is now quiet. But the King bemoanes himself. Hear him. I am weak: The sons of Zerviah are too strong for me. And why, the sons of Zerviah? Why not of Asar? (if that were (as josephus tells us) their father's name.) jojeph. Antiq. lib. 7. cap. 1. Was it, because he was dead? Or was the Mother more Masculine and Active? Or was it, because the honour come in by the Mother, as nearest allied to the now King? However The Sons of Zerviah they were; and some of them yet lived; and these were too big for David (as things stood) to buckle withal: and hence the complaint. But what! was not David a King? What! Did he Rule in Israel, and yet complain? Was he Anointed, and yet overmatched? Why then see how it fares with us, whilst here The highest estate may be overtopped. Doct 3 The best estate (here) is a maimed, and imperfect estate. The Best man, David. The Greatest man, King David hath here his Hands, and Heart, full. We must draw in. Note but the Particulars in the Text. 1 All is imperfect. Somewhat still wanting in the fullest estate. Abraham had Richeses: but then he wants an Heir, and after that a Wife. Isaac hath Health: but then he wants Sight. Asa honour: but he wants Health. Uzziah Richeses: but he wants Liberty. In One; David hath a Grown; but he wants an Arme. 2 All somewhat galling and vexing. When we are at the Highest, somewhat is too Hard for us. David, Ahab, Zedekiah, Darius, All kings: 1 Kings 11. jer. 38 5. Dan. 6. and yet all met with their Match, and were held to Hard meat. One son or other was too hard for them, as well as Zerviahs' sons were for David. 3 And in a word, All unsatisfying; and not fully to our mind. King David cannot have his will in all things. Somewhat goes against the Hair. Nay the World's Minions (Ahab and Haman) make their moan. 1 King. 21.6. Esth. 5 13. But why do I tyre you! I'll quickly say all. 1 These earthly things are Lame and unsufficient, Reas 1 partial goods, which will not fill all chinks. 2 We are Needy, and shiftless both. Reas 2 We want all things, and are patched up with these poor Shreds. 3 We mingle all with Sin; Reas 3 and then GOD mingles all with Gall. 4 Briefly; We are here from Home, Reas 4 and out of Place: And what Quiet, and Comfort, when there's such a Dis-location? I apply in three words. Uses. 1 Be not Surety for the world; Neither promise', nor expect great matters thence, at First: (as men who have the world in Reversion usually do) Jest at Last you cry, OH Solon, Solon! or OH Seldius! as others have done before you. Croesus' in Herodot. & Carol. 5. There is (saith David) An end of all (Created) perfection: and we either have, or quickly may see over it. Psal. 119.96 . Indeed the most of us have already seen the best of this world: And we do but Dream, if we Dream of better Days. Meliora tempora nolite sperare. Aug. in Psal. 96. Do not hope for that; (saith Austin) look not for better times, for better success, than others have sounded. Greater we cannot be than King David: he wore a Crown: but he found (as another said) Cares under it. Wiser we cannot be, than that Magazine of knowledge Solomon: yet all his Wit could not keep sorrow from his heart Great Rodulphus Rufus. His experience told him, that All was vanity; yea utmost vanity. And worse than so, Vexation, and that of Spirit too. And believe it; He that will build his hopes upon these Sands, well may he Die before his time, as Abner did: But withal he will Die a fool, as Abner did not. jeremy hath said it, and men shall found it. jer. 17.11. 2 Have patience, in case your Friends be preferred hence to Heaven. Use 2 Suppose them Kings here. Alas! King's have their Cares also: All things be not to their mind: They cannot save whom they would, as David found in Absolom: Nor can they Execute whom they would, as David felt in joab. Nay suppose them aswell as Earth can make them. What is Earth to Heaven! Gold to Glory! The whole Creation to the Creator! Earth! Why it will break. One's Head, to compass it, One's Back, to keep it, One's heart to loose it. Tis a misery to Need any of the Earth's Crutches, and 'tis a Cumber to have them: But if once they get above us, and be our Masters; they undo us: and the more we expect from them, the less we shall enjoy them. Than, of Lean Comforts, they become heavy Crosses. Our Great Conqueror could not conquer his delights, His Horse: he is hurt thereby. And, if I be not deceived, This Worthy Gentleman, Polyd. Virgil. and brave Horseman met with his disease, in the same delight; and so both died Laesis Intestinis, as I conceive. 3 Shake hands with this world, Use 3 and assure Heaven. 1 There's a Full estate. Nothing is wanting there; Nothing that Reason and Grace can desire. Heres a world of wants. The Soul, that wants Faith, Knowledge, all; as Peter implies. The Body, 2 Pet. 1.5. that wants, first meat, and then cloth, and then fire, and then sleep, and then physic, and ever one slabber or other. Yea every sense wants, every member wants, every joint must be eftsoons supplied. 2 There (in Heaven) is a Free Estate. No sin there, no sorrow, no temptation, no tempter. Here all is mingled and compounded. Our best comforts are Bitter-sweets: our nearest friends sometimes our greatest Griefs; as David found his Cousins here: His Father, his Brethrens; his greatest Familiars, his Sons, his Wife elsewhere. Here nothing is fully to our minds: we do not please or satisfy ourselves. We must Perforce bear, what we bear Sadly. In Heaven All goes Right. Every one will please us, and we shall offend noon. There all are of a mind, all as one in Christ, all one Christ, and Christ all in all. 3 There is a Firm estate. A City that hath foundations; Heb. 11. a dwelling that is indeed a Mansion, a Crown unfading, a Kingdom unshaken. Here all things totter and tumble ‖: MoVoa etc. joh. 14.2. heres nothing but Drooping, Dropping, Dying Erewhile, David mourning for Saul, now for Abner, anon for his own, and thus tis here. But in heaven there's no Sunset, no Night, no Death. We shall never see Grave, but Ever be with the Lord, and with our faithful brethrens. Oh! Assure this Blessed estate, that is thus Full, Free, Firm. Till you be sure of that you are sure of nothing. But how may this be done? I will speaked it, but too briefly. 1 Clear your title, that comes in by the Heir, the LORD CHRIST. You must claim by and under him. 2 Cor. 3.18. Phil. 2.5. 2 Pet. 1.4. Gal. 5 28. 2 Cor. 5.17 . Make it good, that he is yours, you his. That is, Produce his Image, his Mind, his Nature, his Affections. Prove your selves crucified to the World, and It to you. Prove that Old things are past, that all in you from top to toe is New. And the very Title to this estate Entitles you to a present blessing. 2 Get present possession. That all your Counselors will advice you unto. Now every Saving-grace is as Turf and Twig: Eph. 1.14. 2 Cor. 5.5, 6 is as the first first-fruits in Israel: is an earnest of the purchase, and Inheritance, and gives you entrance, (Livery and Seisin) 2 Peter 1.11. These (if well settled) will make you Die safely, and put you beyond all Danger. To these Two, if you will be persuaded to add Two things more: you will Die gladly, and be free, not only from the Hurt, but from the slavish fear of death, and they are these. 1 Conformity with heaven. 2 Conversation in it. 1 Conform to it; and from that likeness will grow Love. Whereas in our sinful estate, the holiness of GOD, and that company is a terror, and torment to us. Heaven would be an Hell to a sinful man But fiery things Ascend as willingly, and naturally, as earthly things descend. And think the same of heavenly Spirits and affections. 2 Converse in heaven. Lodge your thoughts, and hearts there. Look into that every day. Spend each day some thoughts upon GOD, upon Christ, upon heaven; make that your home. Look upon it as your place, your Centre; and then you will make to it, whatever it cost you. A Stone will through an Element of fire, a Sea of water, to come to its Centre. So will ye, if your dwelling be above. I have said how you must be qualified. If now you come to learn and mind these things, and keep the Soul in warmth, and upon the wing, you shall be able to bear up, in the approaches of death, and to think of Christ's coming without sin, with comfort. Nay, you will love his appearance, 2 Tim. 4.8. 1 These 1.10. Phil. 3.20. & 1.23. Heb. 9.28, 2 Pet. 3.12. wait for it, look for it, long for it, hasten to it, and hasten him, in the words of the whole Church, and of this her Son, Come, Lord JESUS, come quickly. So She to the last. Reu. 22.17. Reu. 22.17. So the Spirit. So this Noble Knight, who most (as I am told) in his last words breathed out this: Come Lord JEsUs, Come, Come quickly. OH my Lord, quickly, Amen. Even so Come, Lord JEsUs; Come apace, come once for all, to make an end of all Sins, Sorrows, Funerals, by ending the Last enemy, death, and by casting death and hell, and grave, and all that opposes life and glory, into the Fire. Amen. Even so come Lord JEsUs, Amen. FINIS. CONCIO AD CLERUM. 1 Oxoniae jamdudum habita, 2 Dein posthabita, & repudiata, 3 Nune demùm in lucem edita. Authore ROBERTO HARRIS Hanwellensi. JEREM. 23.15. A Prophetis Jerusalem prodẏt contaminatio in univer same terram. Ambitio & superbia valdè suaviter dormit in sina Sacerdotum. CYP. de jejun. & tentat. 2. TIM. 4.5. cum 17. At tu vigila in omnibus, perfer iniurias, opus perage Evangelistae, ministerẏ tui plenam fiàem facito. Vel (ut alẏ) ministerium tuum aà plenum probatum redàito. LONDINI, Excudebat G.M. pro Johanne Bartlet, ad insigne poculi Aurati in Caemiterio D. Pauli, M. DC. XLI. ORNATISSIMO DOMINO DOCTORI 01 WILKINSON 10 AULAE MAGDALANENSIS PRINCIPALI DIGNISSIMO, Hanc qualem qualem lucubratiunculam observantiae & amoris ergô ROBERTUS HARRIS EJUSDEM AULAE OLIM ALUMNUS DAT, DICAT, CONSECRATQUE. Totius Concionis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thema ipsum 1. Proponitur. §. 1. 2. Exponitur, & tractarur, § 2 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 § 3, 4, 5. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 idque. 1. Generatimubi omnium academicorum officium. 1 Astruitur cum 1. Testimonio. § 6. 2. Ratione, §. 7. 2. Applicatur ad omnes five. 1. Discant. §. 8. 2. Doceant. §. 9 2. Speciatim, Theologorum (sive sint tantùm candidati, §. 10. sive (quos vocant) Designati) §. 11. Officium 1. Arguitur 2. Applicatur; est autem ista applicatio, Partim 1. E '. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ubi Pontificiorum & aliorum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de 1. Praedicatione 2. Personali, & Ventilantur. 3. Vicaria, §. 12. Ventilantur. 2. Residentia 1. Loci, §. 13. Ventilantur. 2. Officij, §. 14. Ventilantur. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad 1 Summos, qui doctoratus titulo gaudent, §. 15. 2. Omnes, qui animarum curam susceperunt, §. 16. Qui omnes ad Pascendi partes revocantur omnes, cum 1. Verbo, ubi obiter de 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 legere 2. Vitâ, & exemplo . Sect. 17. Ubi Exhortationem excipit & concludit Precatiuncula. CONCIO AD CLERUM. Johannis vicesimo primo, ad finem versus decimi septimi, & deinceps, ita scriptum legitur. Vers. 17.— Pasce oves meas. Vers. 18. Amen, Amen, dico tibi, quūm esses junior cingebas te & ibas quo volebas: quum autem senueris, extendes manus tuas, & alius te cinget, & transferet quō noles. — Pasce oves meas §. 1. QUae accepistis verba (Patres, Fratres dilectissimi) proximum Petri responsum excipiunt. Tertium rogatus Petrus suum in Christum studium, animumque, Ter interloquitur, & nihil non amoris spirat, spondetque: Tertio (causâ indè arreptâ) suadet ci Christus in pascendis ovibus assiduitatem. Suadet autem argumento vario: Primum à Personâ Petri, alterum verò Christi, Tertium demùm populi petitum legimus. Petrus Christo plurimùm & semper debuit, & saepè prae se tulerat: Petro Christus quicquid erat humani remiserat, postliminiò restitutum ad Ecclesiae gubernacula collocaverat: Oves denique suas omnes & singulas in summis habuit Christus delicijs: Ergò Petro, siqua sui, si Christi, si Ecclesiae ratio fuerit, summum incumbit Pascendi onus & negotium. §. 2. Nec pascendi modò, sed & Patiendi. Pastoris enim munus ist is ferè partibus absumitur; id quod Christus Petrum imprimis voluit admonitum, cùm à Pascendi opere, ad Patiendi onus, sine ullis inducijs, revocat. Fuit, ubi Petrus & sibi vixit, & ad arbitrium suum: Ibat paucis his diebus, redibat, libero fruebatur Coelo: Ast communen tune temporis colebat vitam. Piscator quidem, sed non hominum. Alios jam mores, alium animum provectior ista aetas dignitásque postular. Ad Clavum enim sedet, non Naviculae sed Ecclesiae, magni istius (ut loquitur Basilius) navigij. Cúmque ab omnise removisset negotio, Christo studeat; ejusque unius vestigia premat oportet, & sequatur, — Per mare, per terras .Et sequirur quidem licèt passibus minus aequis firmisquè sequirur tamen; & (ut crevit animus) sanguinem suum omnen in ejus unius gratiam profundere non detrectat. Sed id aliàs. Nune quod instat. Quae omnia dicta sunt, eò redeunt, ut Petrus quisque & Pastor Christum Pastorem summum referat, & ad ejus similem, contendat vitam, qui patiendo Pavir, qui Pascendo passus est. Quae, enim dico Pastoris munus partésque attingunt proximè, istic loci praecipit Salvator, & praedicit, & ea quidem duabus absolvuntur voculis: Pasce: Patere: Istud quid à mundo Petrus; Illud quid à Petro Christus expectaret, loquitur. Ac de Praecepto primùm. Deinceps erit Praedictio, si unum illud prius efflagitavero, ut in hac tantâ difficultate, me infantissimum, summásque angustias passum, studio, vultúque vestro sublevetis. §. 3. Atque in primo Tria sunt, de quibus omnibus litem nobis intendunt Pontificij. 1. Subjectum [Petrus] 2. Objectum [Oves] 3. Officium [Pasce.] Bellarminus rem omnem Tribus (ut rem non persequar infinitam) complexus est Propositionibus. De Romá. Pontif. l. 1. c 14. & inde . Primâ, Soli Petro à Christo dictum est, Pasce oves me as. Secundâ, Summa Potestas hisce verbis Petro tribuitur. Tertiâ, Per Oves intelligitur Ecclesia universa. Verbo perstringam omnia, nè longiùs ad istas ineptias abeam. 1. Soli Petro ista dixit Christus. Quid tum postea? Ergò Petri inanis larva (Pontifex Romanus) in summo rerum fastigio collocabitur: Quàm nullo modo istud sequitur? Soli Jehoschuae dixit Dominus; Te non deseram. Ergò de solo dixit? Contra quam sentit Apostolus ad Heb. Heb. 13.5. ult. Soli dixit, sed non de solo. Etenim (ut alia multa non Argumenter) si de solo Petro intelligantur verba; vel ejus Personam, vel ejus Officium spectant. Non primum: Quia ita excluduntur omnes. Romanus etiam, De Rom. Pont. l. 4. c. 23. nisi quis Vulcanus in unum ambos conflet & compingat. Si Officium; vel Pastoratus, vel Apostolatus. Non Apostolatus; quià eo nomine omnes exaequat (post Christum) Bellarminus. Si Pastoratus dixerit (& certè dixit) In istos se induit laqueos, quorum ex nullo se unquam expediet. Erit enim Petrus sub isto sensu, vel Ordinarius, vel extraordinarius pastor. Extraordinarium si dixerit, nihil sibi, nihil suis consentaneè dixerit, nihil non lethale Capiti Pontificio. Sîn Ordinarium; ergò extraordinarium ordinario, Coelum terris, Sol um bris cedit: ergò capite diminutus (non auctus) est Petrus: ergò suas, habet certas & definitas oves, contra quàm statuerat de Pontif. lib. 1. cap. 16. 1. Cor. 12.28. Eph. 4.11 . Ergò erit aliquod in Ecclesiâ munus Apostolico majus; Contra Paulum contra Bellarminum, lib. 4. cap. 23. Sed detur (ut alia obliviscar, & authoritatibus non certem) Christum hoc ipso in loco, & ad solum Petrum, & de Petro solo verba habuisse, nihil est quod isti (quam damus) interpretationi vel tantillum incommodet, cùm idem siuè honos, siuè onus, adijs in locis (Math. 16. Johan. 18. & 20.) alijs accedat Apostolis: accedit autem (ut infinitam vim Patrum taceam) Bellarmino teste, qui instar multorum esse poterit, si sibi constabit. Si enim omnia, quae hoc capite in Petrum congessit Christus ornamenta, ex aequo omnibus distribuit, versâ paginâ, capite superiore,— Sicut me misit Pater, etc. Non erit novi (nescio cujus) honoris accessio, sed veteris potiùs restitutio & confirmatio. De Pont. Rom. Distribuit autem si in mentis potestate fuerit Bellarminus. lib. 4. cap. 23. Sed vincat Antecedens; Quo tandem argumento illud sequetur? Ergo Papa rerum potietur Christianarum: Ergò Johanne Apostolo, qui Petro supererat, erit antiquior, sive Clemens, sive Cletus, five Linus, seu quis alius. Quàm lubrica sunthîc omnia! Quàm omni modo nutant! Si excutere vacaret. Primùm fueritne Petrus Episcopus singularis? Secundùm, fueritne Romae Episcopus? Tertiùm, habueritne Haeredem? Quartùm, sitne Papa iste Haeres, & ex asse Haeres, qui tàm non Petrum, quàm nec Christum cognatione attingit? Scitè Ambrose, Non habent hoereditatem Petri, Lib. 1. de paen. c. 6. qui fidem Petri non habent. Et suavissimè, ut plurima, Nazianzenus, Orat. in Athanas. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Certè non tantam apud veritatem. ejusque alumnos inibat ille gratiam, ut tanta & tàm multa precario referat: Maximècum exsuccessione nullo necessario argumento astruatur Ecclesia, ut in suis Ecclesiae notis pa àm facit. Fuit prima Propositio, sequitur secunda. §. 4. Tò Pascere Summam Potestatem denotat. Dixit, sed quo veteri exemplo? quo firmo argumento? Ad litem Grammaticalem resredijt. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 altùm crepat. Bellarminus (silebitur enim de futili isto inter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 discrimine, Vide Colloq, Rayn. add Har. quod mentis potiùs vitio quam animi (quomodo mihi persuadeo) posuit non nemo, silebitur de istâ rasi gregis Helenâ vulgatâ editione; cujus mendae vobis non sunt praestandae, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (inquit ille) est summâ authoritate regere. Esto. Ergò aut in vi solâ verbi res non vertitur, aut quivis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 summo suo jure omnia aget, eritque Papaubique, ita, ut nusquam sit. Sed non sunt omnia subtiliùs rimanda. Ista igitur, ne tempus diutiùs fallam. Pono. Primum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apud Authores idoneos jus subalternum juxtà ac summum significar, quos apud Dux, Pastorque omnium postremus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 audit. Secundum in Sacrâ Paginâ, ministerium aequè ac dignitatem loquitur, Luc. 2. Eph. 4.1. Pet. 5. Ubi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 committit: Se ad Presbyterorum numerum aggregat: Christum verò omnium pastorum principem statuit Apostolus. Tertium, hoc in loco, rem negotiosam magis quàm gratiosam, vult 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: id quod oculis & manibus tenetur, non tenui aliquâ conjecturâ. Quò enìm aliò spectant Christi verba? quorsùm adeo obnixè a Petro contenderet, ut regeret, regnaret, Principatum (nescio quem) susciperet. Cujus sempèr satis erant studiosi Discipuli? Quid? Nùm eò effrenatam dominandi libidinem non ità retuderit Christus, ut Semèl, Iterùm, Tertiùm jam acueret? Quid? Quod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 idem quod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sonat? Imo potius Pastorun more, ovium curamagere, quàm simpliciter regere, a●t Jansenius in Lops 2. ut habet Montanus Insulsè igitur Bellarminus, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est quodam more regere: ergò omnis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est omni modo rex: ergò Petrus est Monarcha Ecclesiae, Imperator (Vicatius tamèn Imperator (ut aliàs habet) Apostolorum. Turpiùs verò & in suos, & in Sanctam committit linguam, dum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 confundit. Pessimè verò omnium in Barclaium, dum ad Triaista 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Tria adjecerit argumenta; quibus recensendis, (id est refellendis) immorari non licet brevitatem sectantem. §. 5. Sequitur Tertia.— Oves dicuntur universè, aut Determinantur pro modo enunciationis. Apostoli paverunt omnes (Sermone communitèr quà potuerunt, & Scripto Vniversè) Ministri definitè, Omnes instrumentalitèr, Solus Christus efficaciter. Ita Nostri. Adeò succinctè, enucleatèque ut nihil suprà. Ast non arrident ista Pontificijs, qui nihil sapiunt praeter mundi strepitum. Ovium enìm nomine illis (siquid ego intelligo) veniunt & Oves, & omne genus Pastores, Reges, Imperatores omnes, & Angeli, & Lupi, & Diaboli. Istos enim omnes Petri subjiciunt ferulae, quae hoc pascendi Diplomate ei conceditur. Et neminem (credo) praeterit, quid in istos omnes potestatis, aùt sibi asseruerit Petrus Redivivus, aùt ei affinxerint non parum multi ad rem Romanam facti: Verùm enim verò, habuerit Petrus in Oves nonnihil Authoritatis, in Pastores (Apostolos dico, nedùm Angelos) non habuit. Habuerit Ordinis Primatum, certè non jurisdictionis, nèc Creandi, nèc Exauctorandi, nèc Excommunicandi, nèc aliud hujuscemodi quippiam; teste non semèl Paulo.— Nullâ in re inferior fui Summis Apostolis; teste Bellarmino. Etenìm, si habuit; 2. Cor. 12.11. Vid. Chry. Theophy. Occumen. adlocum. Ergò vel ut Apostolus, uèl ut Apostolo major. Neutro, inquit Bellarminus, modo. (cum summa sint omnia in Apostolo) ergò (inquam ego) Nullo. Miras hic cudunt Allegorias, & Monstra distinctionum:— Petrus consideratur, Vèl per se, Vel per alium: Vel ut Apostolus, uèl ut Pastor: Vèl ut Ordinarius, uèl ut Extraordinarius: Vel ut Cephas, uèl ut Petrus. Bellarminus veò in omnem se versat partem, tandemque (per summum nefas) ipsum fontem turbat & incestar, homo omnis memoriae audacissimus. Sed nolo plura; praesertìm ubi omnis potestas Pontificia ejuratur. Vereor enìm ne ista nimiùm multa videantur, & vestro tanto silentio indigna. Quid vos imprimìs doctos voluit Petrus Succenturiatus accêpistis.— Oves Pascere, est, Honoribus inhiare: Imperatores in ordinem cogere: Reges solio, sedibusque avitis exturbare: Omnia denique miscere, & pro libidine agere. E quibus omnibus, cùm tanquàm è scrupulosis Cotibus enavigavit oratio, sequar jam, (vobis fretus) morem meum, eòque propero, quò me vestra tacita expectatio jamdiù vocat. §. 6. Pasce Oves, etc.] Verba quidèm ad Petrum sunt facta: at cùm quid commune habeant, arque propriam magnam quidem partem tam sunt nostri, quàm ipsius Petri: Omnium enim est, aeqùe ac Petri, ea eniti, quae Commun is salutis maximè intersint, Spartamque, quam nacti sumus, adornare. Habet enìm unusquisquè ferè nostrûm suas partes, suas curas, quibus par est ut invigilet: Nec minùs universis, quàm, uni Petro, dicit Christus.— Amatis me! Pascite oves meas; illud agite, satagite, quod ex officio vobis incumbit maximè. Sumus enìm, quamdiù in vivis sumus, tanquàm Pueri in ludo, aùt in Navi Nautae, aùt in corpore membra. Sumus, ut Domi servi. Belliuè milites: Certos nempèhabemus fines, Circumscriptos Cancellos, Designata munera, & officia; & ad ea omnia tenemur ad unum omnes, quae cum loci & officij nostri ratione sunt conjunctissima. Hìnc Christus Petro,— Pasce, Pasce. Pastores; in istud unum Pascendi opus omnes intende nervos, viresque. Hìnc ad Romanos Paulus. Cap. 12. ver. 6, 7.— Corpus, unum, Membra multa, multa officia. Prophetiam habemus? in Prophetando; Ministerium? in ministrando; Doctrinam? in docendo seduli versemur. Hinc ad Judaeos Petrus.— ut quisque accêpit donum, ità alius in alium subministrate: Si quis loquitur, loquatur; & quae sequuntur. 1. Petr. 4.10. Hìnc Paulus se in Exemplum dat, tùm Thessalonicensibus.— Non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nos gessimus, tanqùam milites inexercitati; tum Corinthijs,— Non gloriamur ultra mensuram, & Canonem nostram. Certè suos (quos attendebat) habuerunt Apostoli terminos; suos, (proùt visum fuit Spirirui Sancto;) Canonas. Paulus inter Gentes imprimis versabatur, ut inter judaeos Petrus: (adeoquè (ut hoc obiter dicam) Aut magis Petro fuit Paulus Romanus, Apostolorum precipuae erant partes in verbi praedicatione. 1. Cor. 1.17. aut minùs Paulo fuit Petrus Canonicus.) Hìnc & Paulus & reliqui, (quibus in vitio fuit. Et nihil, & Aliud agers) in verbi praedicatione potiùs quàm in, uèl mensarum, (Actor. 6.) uèl Baptismi ministratione, suis utebantur horis. Hìnc demùm lege cavit Petrus, ne quis sit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: & Praecepto Minas, Minis Poenas cumlavit JEHOVA, ut in VZ. Zah, & Uzziah est videre. Tanti scilicèt apud Deum est assiduitas, ut nemo uèl Socordiam, uèl ad multas res Alienas aggressionem (ut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reddit Gellius) multam ferat. Lib. 11. c. 16. §. 7. Nec immeritò. Quae enim supplicia ijs satis digna dixeris, qui nullo, vel Dei, vel Rei, siuè Publicae, siuè suae, studio ducuntur? Quae tamèn omnia Ignavis, aliarumque Curiosis usu veniunt. Illisenìm, jux à ac istis, in nullam rationem venit Christi (ut indè exordiar) gloria, Christi voluntas, qui isto examine suos spectandos censuit, si eauna meditentur, quae ab officiy sui ratione quam proximè absunt. Quid? 2, Cicer. Quod vitae societatem (ut loquitur ille) deserunt, qui nihil studij & facultatum in eam conferunt, accêdit, quod nec sibi commodùm prospiciunt,— vir enim, qui errat à loco suo, est ut avicula, quae errat à nido suo, Pro. 27. omni scilicèt (quà corporis, quà animae) miserijs opportunus. Vice autem versâ, qui nec sui negligens, nec aliorum satagens, sua omnia ad officiy normam exigit, non solùm sui in Christum Jesum amoris certa dabit, & luculenta indicia, & Rem Christianam augebit; verùm & suis vel maximè inserviet commodis. Etenìm ad alias plurimas utilitates adjungitur, quod istâ ratione, via tum ad corpor is sanitatem, tùm ad animi salutem munietur. Loci enim, (uti nostis) est conservare; ad istam qui convolarit aram, in tutissimum se recipit portum, ubi tutus delitescat, tanquàm in nido avis; Deut. 22.6, 7. Cui protrudenti, publicoque laboranti lege cavebatur. Deindè corpus vegetum, aut nullo, aut non admodùm dubio tentatur morbo. labour autèm id est quod corpus firmat: Celsus. ignavia hebetat. Illa (quod dixit ille) maturam senectutem, iste longam adolescentiam reddit. Denique (ut alia vel periculis praesidia, vel honoribus adjumenta non memorem) cùm necesse habeat, qui aut nihil, aut nihil Suum, agit, ut malè agat, nemini (non Petro uni) erit integrum, vel in suâ oscitantèr, vel in alienâ petulantèr messe versari. §. 8. Quibus ita constitutis, Vos Primùm appello, juvenes, (date enim illud pudori meo, ut Ventres istos taceam, quibus una cura est Gulae & abdominis; una vita alienis se immiscere.) Christum amatis vos! Munera vestra, ad quae officio aut privato, aut certè communi, tenemini, sedulò obite. Mutuum enim est Relatorum iter, (quod de Scholae rivulis delibastis) mutuum officium. Qui pastoribus docendi, is idem discendi partes vobis imposuit. Habetis vos, quos audiatis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 literatissimos, quos consulatis viros imprimis nobiles, atque (ut reliquos taceam) Bibliothecas instructissimas; imo vivas habetis, & ambulatorias, (ut de Augusto olìm Eunapi us) in quorum consuetudinem vosmet immergatis. Nolite ististàm divinis bonis ad licentiam & impietatem abuti: Nolite committere, ut humaniores istae literae contemptae jaceane. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vah! quàm putidum, quam non dignum liberali ingenio! Excutite potiùs vobis omnem socordiam. Ponite ante oculos Pythagoras, Tuscul. q. l 4. Democritos istos, qui ultimas lustrârunt terras, còque, ubi quicquid esset quod disci posset, veniendum judicàrunt. Ponite Platones, qui vel vitae dispendio, Homeri alicujus famillaritatem redimerent. Ponite Salvatoris vestri immensam benignitatem, qui non de privatis tantum Pastoribus vobis prospexit, verum & Public is. Ad hunc saltèm (quoties commune sacrum peragitur) frequentes adeste locum; adeste animis. Amate, Audite nò illum, & illun: sed illumunum (qui unus pascit in omnibus) Christum . Indignum enìm est, ut Rhetorculus quisque magno stipatus comitatu incêdat, & unus Christi Legatus publico nomine loqueretur, aut nullos, aut non ita multos habiturus auditores. Longè verò indignissimum est, quòd tam nullo in Pietatem flagret juventus studio, ut mera hìc plerunque sit solitudo, ad istam numerosam frequentiam, quae in omnium ore, per forum & scenam, volitar. Ita igitur adeste, ita audite, ita vosmet in Pastorum discplinam tradite, ut illi vobis ovibus saluti, vos illis Pastoribus honori aliquandò esse possitis. § 9 Ad vos deindè (Fratres) festinat oratio, Quibus Parentes filios suos (Chara certè Pignora) efformandos tradiderunt. Christum amatis! Pascite oves vestras, vestros (quando corum suscepistis curam & tutelam) pupillos puerosque; Aristotelem recognoscit vestrum. Polit. l. 8. cap. 1. Commune (inquit ille) Bonum reipublicae Adolescentes: Commune quidem vel bonum, vel malum, prout aut ad disciplinam, aut ad licentiam à vobis instituuntur. In Bivio enim etiamnùm sunt, cum Hercule isto, vitaeque instituendae ratio penes vos est. Vin'Puros? Puros.— Sedulos? Sedulos. Frugi? Frugi, modo tuo non defueris officio dicto audientes habes.— Et dubitant homines serere, & impendere curam! Ad severitatem à naturâ vos facti estis: non ad ludum, non ad jocum. Ingenijs excolendis vacatis; eò omnes conferte facultates & cogitationes, ut quos petulantes accêpistis, cordatos cum Xenocrate remittatis. Cumque illud sit pubescentis aetatis ingenium (sicut post Salomonem, Aristoteles vester) ut voluptatibus veneneus nimis indulgeat, All Theodret. l. 2. c. 12. societatem colat, maximamque partem in excessu peccet: Vestrum erit istis juventutis malis, primo quoque tempore obviare, amicitiarum, otiorum delectum habere, Ganeones, Popinas (addit & Aristoteles, cum Augustino) spectacula ab ijs removere, adeòque animum pijs imbuere praeceptis, ut libidinum non modò ramos amputetis, sed fibras etiam radicitùs extirpetis. permagna sunt, quae vestrae fidei commissa sunt. Veftrum implorat fidem Patria, Parentes, Academia, Ecclesia: fidem (per Christum Jesum) liberate, & ne patiamini, ut illud vobis in os, per summum dedecus, dicatur— En quibus liberos committ as! §. 10. Verùm ad eos venio (ad quos ijsta, non communi modo, sed omni ratione spectant) Theologiae Candidatos; quos omnes in Duplici genere constitutos esse intelligo. Sunt enim qui sacros nondùm attigêrunt ordines: In istam tamen collimant metam, & propendent, eoque omnem intendunt animum. Redeat illis in memoriam quid sit negotij causam publicam sustinere, Omnium simultates suscipere, emnique pericùlo caput objicere: atque in eorum animis penitùs insideat illud Pauli,— Siquis Episcopatum appetat, praeclarum opus desiderat. 1. Tim. 3.1. Opus (ut habet Chrysostomus) ipsis Angelis formidandum. Opus, cui nemo homo ferendo par est: Ad quod quisquè quantò sanctior, tantò tardior, (ut de Patribus legimus) accêdit. Illud igitur & sibi & Ecclesiae (ne in praedâ & sanguine omni in posterùm tempore versentur) consultissimum ducant, si aut nulli, aut instructissimi huc appulerint. §. 11. Sunt & alij, qui cum Petro in suam fidem, & tutelam oves Christi recepêrunt. Apud hos gravissima debet esse Christi voluntas, & non uno loco authoritas. Deut. 33. Sacerdotum munus duabus absolvitur partibus— Praedicatione, Precatione. Ita enim Moses— Docent legem tuam Israëlem: Apponunt suffitum ad faciem tuam. Mosen excipiunt Prophetae, Prophetas Apostoli: Dumque hi in istos, isti verò in illum commentantur: Illud unum quod uni Petro islìc loci Christus, uno ore clamant,— Pascite, Pascite. Ita enim Esaias, Ita Ezechieles, & quis non Prophetarum! Ita Petrus; Ita Paulus passim in suis ad Clerum Concionibus. §. 12. Quo magis stupenda est Petri Personati importunitas, qui nec Pascit, nec Patitur: nec aliquid haber Petri simile: In rem tamèn suam omnia torquet.— Episcopi (inquit Bellarminus dum praefatur ad librum de Clericis) veniunt in Partem Sollicitudinis, non in Plenitudinem Potestatis: Contra (credo) Pontifici vulgò venit. Vid. Col. Rayn. cap. 7. divis. 6. Lib. de cler. c. 13. In Plenitudinem Potestatis venit ille, in partem Sollicitudinis non venit. Hujus tamèn sive ignorantiae, sive oscitantiae, pro suâ singulari modestia, lenocinatur Cardinalis.— Pascit (inquit ille) Papa (mitto enim quam otiandi copiam (Episcopo tacito) aliàs facit Presbyteris) licèt Praedicando non pascit: Neq, enim una est Pascendi ratio. Atque illud quidem utrumque faciles damus: Ita Occum. Et Pontificum vix Centessimum quemque dari, qui populo verbum faciat: Et Dari varios Pascendi modos. Pascitur (inquiunt Scholae) Vitâ exemplari, Subsidio corporali, Doctrinâ Salutari, Disciplinâ Regulari. Pascitur (quod videt Bernàrdus) Cibo, Exemplo, Verbo. Pascitur Mente, Opere, Ore. Sed quid indè? Nondum Elapsus est Crimine Sanctus Pater, qui nec Mente, nec Opere, nec Ore, nec Doctrinâ, nec Disciplinâ, nec ullâ utili operâ pascit. Ast quibus in rebus ipsi interesse non possumus, Pro Rosc. Amer. in his (dixit Orator) operae nostrae vicaria fides amicorum supponitur: alias in suum substituit locum nutrices, ut Meretricem (juxta illud Damasi) facile scias Purpuratam. Per alium Pascit. (inquit Bellarminus.) Quin igitur Christum per Alium amet. Qui enim Ama dixit, & Pasce dixit, eodem quidem spiritu, & sententiâ. Accêdit quod Pastoris nomen (si Antiquitatem non mentiantur Jesuitae) Actionem personalem significat, sicut nomen Medici. Aug. Hier. apud Mald. in summu la q. 10. ●et 36. Itaque sicut nemo potest per alium curare: Ità nemo potest suas oves per alium pascere. Caetera mitto apud Maldonatum: Nec non illud de Debitis (quae vocantur.) personalibus. §. 13. Rem penitùs cernentibus duplex occurrit Residentia, Loci & Officij; utramque mirum, quam nullo Papae, quam omni Patres prosequebantur studio. Atque ut a primâ exaudiar. Quàm affixi & pertinaces adhaerebant isti Palinuri ad gubernacula sua, loquuntur Tria.— Primùm, Consilia vetera. Quibus sanctiebatur, Nequis uno (ad summum) mense ampliùs à suis peregrè foret. Secundam, Epistolae, quibus suae ad tempus absentiae infamiam deprecabantur. Tertium, Sententiae eorum, vel in Pestis, & persecutionis negotio, ubi vix & ne vix quidem, nisi gregi aliundè prospectum fuit Rem tractat Auguslinus) absentiae parùm indulsêrunt. Fuerint isti (ut nostrates taceam) duriores. In cautiorem certè partem peccabant. At (Quae sunt hujus aevi deliciae) sunt non ita pauci è Papae Satellitio aequo longè remissiores. Non jam queror inauditas illas ab ultimâ mundi origine nundinationes in foro Romano, tum Animarum (ut loquitur johannes) tum beneficiorum, ut queruntur Germani, Centum gravam. non silvam istam in unum Cardinalem congestam benesiciorum: non insignem illam supra omnem fidem conductitiorum inscitiam; quibus omnibus Nobilitatur gens ista Romana, prae omnibus ahjs. Ea sola queror, quae humano more ab illis peccantur. Ur ur enim intercidant nonnunquam peregrinandi causae, & eae sanè gravissimae: Absit tamen, ut quisquam hominum sibi in suo adblandiatur otio, dum animi tantùm causà (nequid dicam duriùs) liberè vagatur, & vix triduùm in loco suo consistit. Ovibus enim, cum publico carent, opus est in quotidianâ vitâ pastore, cujus non omne munus publicis Ecclesiae adibus continetur. Habet ille (ad Summi Pastoris instar) quos visat Aegrotos, quos erigat fractos, praefractos quos increpet, quosque, restitantes portet: atque ita universo incumbendum est gregi, ut de singulis etiam confulatur. Ezek. 34. Quod non aliud suadent & Apostolorum Praecepta— Exemplar esto etc. Et veterum Exempla; et Pastorum, Ducum, Medicorum, Speculatorum, Parentum, Nutricum nomina. Sed Loci Residentiam satis esto vel verbo attigisse; atque Papicolas ad suos remisisse, Innocentium, Damasumque, magnos Residentiae vindices: Cajet anum in Thom. 22. q. 185. Artic. 5. Caranzam in suo de necessariâ Residentiâ personali tractatu; & Concilium ipsum Tridentinum. §. 14. Sequitur Officij Residentia. Est autem ea Duplex. Publica, Privata; Utraque pernecessaria, & Praecepti & Medij ratione; five Pastoris, five Ovium salus attendatur. Quod Praeceptum, ubi non occurrit loci! Mirus necesse sit in sacrâ Paginâ hospes, quem lateat istud per omnium ora pervagatum, Pasce. Videatur Moses de officio maximè Aaronico verba faciens. Videatur Ezechieles, dum & gregis satagentes incitat & negligentes increpat.— Non observastis (inquit JEHOVAH, Cap. 44.8.) observationem meam, sed substituistis observatores vobis. Nec praecipit modò, sed sub dirissimis supplicijs leges in Sacerdotes tulit: ut semper pro suorum salute excubarent.— Fili hominis, te constitui Speculatorem, (& quae sequuntur apud Prophetas gravissimè.) Quasi scilicet se in ruinam praecipites darent, gregemque perditum iren●, & intereuntes & interimentes (ut loquitur Bernardus) qui posthabitâ ovium ratione, ita agerent, ut, nullum quaestum sibi turpem esse arbitrarentur. Neque id injuriâ: si enim tota de salute periclitetur navis, vix in vado fuerit, qui ad Clavum sederit. Quod si detur, Pastorem ipsum extra omnem aleam pofitum esse, Pastorne ille dicendus erit, quem nulla tangit ovilis cura? Pastorne ille, qui ingruente tempestate, grassante lupo, palante ove, se in fugam, otiumque dederit? Pastorne ille, qui nec loci longinquitate, nec gregis desiderio commovetur? Pastorne ille, qui pro nihilo res sanctas omnes prae praedâ ducit? Eugè Papa Pater! Pastoris non est oves deglubere.— Pastorem, Tityre, Pingues pascere oportet Oves: Si vel istarum saluti, vel Christi voluntati consultum voluerit. Quorsùm enim istud toties repetitum, Pasce, si oves nihil (feriante pastore) detrimenti caperent, discriminis subirent? Quorsùm istud tàm importunum, Amas me, si perinde Christi amicitiam tueantur, qui pasti sunt ovibus, (ut loquitur quidam) atque qui oves pascunt? 1. Cor. 16.22 . Certè Christi non amantem Anathemate ferit Apostolus. Non amat autem (Gregorio dicam? Imo) Christo Judice qui non pascit, modò Pastoris nomen induerit. Hinc Paulus— Vae mihi, si non Evangelizavero. Hinc Ezechieles— Vae Pastoribus, qui pascunt, sed non gregem. Hinc Bernardus— Quid ego infoelix? Ber. in Ser. de advent. Dom. 3. Vid. Roffens. art. 33 quò me vertam, si tantum thesaurum, si preciosum depositum istud, quod sibi Christus sanguine proprio preciosius judicavit, contigerit negligentiùs custodire! Et Sexcenta alia, ad quae minima trepidarent Romanistae, si cordibus collum non obduxissent. Hinc insomnes illae noctes, improbissimi Patrum labores. Hinc ingentes illi sermones singulis Dominicis ad populum facti. Hinc Canones isti. Can. Apo. Can. 58. Vasens. Con. — Presbiter, qui negligentiùs circa populum agit, nec in pietate eos erudit, à Communione Segregator. Si in socerdiâ ca perseveraverit, Deponitor. Hinc demùm moris etat, ut sanctorum Patrum Homilioe à Diaconis recitentur, Vid. Dom. Asoto de Iust. & jur. l. 10. q. 3. art. 1, 2. Charon. Zam ubi supra. Ferum in Mat. 16. aliosque. cum Presbyter, quod valetudine minus foelici uteretur, per seipsum (ut loquitur Concilium) non potuerit praedicare. Hinc denique (cum longum sit ad omnia iter) Pontificij ipsi, Circeis Meretricis poculis non prersus dementati, nullo non clamore & minis suorum in omni vitâ negligentias insequebantur. Sed eat Filius iste Perditionis, Rex Abaddon, cum ferali suâ locustarum turbâ: populos catervatim secum ducat ad gehennam, multis plagis aliquandò vapulaturus; licèt impraesentiarum à nemine judicandus; uti habet Distinctio ista Gratiana. Distin 40. §. 15. Ad vos Academici, venio, atque in vobis terminabitur Oratio. Quandoquidem quae dicta sunt, adeò aperta sunt, Solisque (ut Tertullianus) radijs exarata, ut ad tantam lucem nemo caecutire posset: Non dabitis mihi, (spero) temeritati, si duo verba, non ampliùs, addidero, de caeterò quieturus. Atque duo sunt, quae exorandi vos estis (Gravissimi Patres,) per vestrum in Jesum Christum amorem, in Ecclesiam Zelum; per Nivem istam capitis, & Canitiem venerandam. Primùm, ut vos, qui omnium optimè nostis, quid sit oneris, Ecclesiae tantas, & tam varias res, voce, sermone, consilio, ingenio sustinere; illis qui solo pretio apud Patronos idonei sunt, aditum ad Sacerdotium, quantum in vobis est, intercludatis. Splendor vester facit, ut peccare sine summo Ecclesiae periculo non possitis. Illud igitur, quod ad famam vestram, salutomque communem pertinet, prospicite: Alienis peccatis nolite vos communicare: Exuite potiùs ad tempus Humanitatem vestram: Vestram in literis commendatitijs fidem potiorem hebere, quàm hominum voluntatem. Durescite (quod dixit iste Faber) Durescite. Utinam omnes hìc Durescant, quum Ovis Lupo, Apud O. l. ū; ll g. misellouè animalculo est committenda. Vnique Honorio illud vertatur vitio, Quod literis vel non anteà Lectis (ut accêpimus) subscriberet. Alterum, ut vos, qui non modò Custodias, sed laterum oppositus Christo Polliciti estis, Opus ejus pro virili vestrâ urgeatis, & quantò authoritate, tantò & assiduitate alios omnes superatis. Nolite à me commoneri (Patres) Quàm vobis non dignum fuerit, extremum vitae actum negligere: Quam vestrâ nitatur Ecclesia & fide, & praesidio; Divinitùs docti, omni studio, fide, authoritate pugnate: Et Veritatis Propugnatores & erroris Expugnatores, Laborantem Ecclesiam recreate: Tetrum spirantes halitum, alijsque virus propinantes eliminate. Proximè jam abest, cum ab omni miseriâ liberandi sitis, & Rude Donandi. Quem incepistis cursum, si fieri potest, expedite: Iter accelerate; Coronam (quae vos propediem manet) avidi arripite: Instate, increpate, vigilate, Juellus. (quod que in votis habuit Ille Summus) Inter Concionandum animam exbalate. O verè sapientem illum, qui animas lucratus fuerit! Prou. 11. Ter Beatos vos, quos ita facientes Dominus offenderit. §. 16. Supersunt (Fratres mei) qui animarum curam unâ susceperunt. Liceat vos (Charissimi Symmystae) vel Domini affari verbis.— Christum Amatis vos! Pascite Oves, Vestras dicam? Imo & Christi, & vestras. A vestro pendent ore: A vobis optima quaeque sibi pollicentur: Vestrae Oves sunt, agni vestri, vestri Filioli. Vos quod bono & Pastore & Parente dignum est, facite: Hoc est, omni modo Pascite. Veniat vobis in mentem Paulinum illud ad Timotheum. 2. Tim. 4.2. etc. — Praedica Sermonem: Jnsta tempestiuè, intempestiuè, argue, objurga, exhortare, cum omni lenitate & doctrinâ. Quam ponderosa sunt omnia?— (Praedica.) neque è scriptis modò Recita. (Frigidum enim est istorum commentum, quibus, ut ita omnem sibi fucum, in suo turpifsimo otio indulgeant) verbum legere perinde est, atque Praedicare. Quod si; Quid Vociferandi Prophetis unquam causae fuerit, aut in Mutos Canes invehendi? Ecquis enim, vel in Ecclesiae rebus afflictissimis, fuit Sacerdos, qui ad Loquendum mutus? Ad Legendum nullus fuit. Act. 15. Annòn Passim Synagogarum Mosen lectitabant? Lectitabant, dubio procul. Sed non explicabant. Hinc Muti audiunt Canes, stipites, Fungi. Et quid aliud (istorum conscientias Convenio) vult illud Pauli 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quid ista ibi loci Fulmina? Quid illa inter verbi Lectionem, & Praedicationem apud Paulum distinctio? Quid denique causae suberat, cur Patres vel suam ita causarentur ignorantiam, vel publicum adeò reformidarent judicium, vel tantos exantlarent labores, si inter Hoc & Illud non ita multum interfuisset? Sed in re minùs obscurâ quid pluribus? Est quidem Lectio quoddam praedicandi Genus: Sed non omne, sed non Summum, quod Pastori incumbit, Hinc Pauli— Praedica. Et (Sermonem) quidem Praedica: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Divinum illum Sermonem, Animae Pabulum, Dei Potentiam, Sanum illum & salutarem Sermonem quovis gladio ancipiti penetrantiorem: Illum, Illum Sermonem Praedicate: Ad Illius normam omnia exigite. Ludicra autem ista, quae in fumos abeunt, arvumque Domini tanquam Salis sementis emaciant mittire, ne claudicet auditorum cognitio, ut Augustinus. Illudque vobis vertatur vitio, quod olim Arrianis.— Reliquerunt Apostolum; Sequuntur Aristotelem. Hinc Pauli— Praedica Sermonem Dei & Dei quidem tanquam Dei (ut loquitur Petrus) cum omni studio, Zelo, Pietate, Puritate: Vid. Amb. in Lops 118. Sect. 22. Non ut populi gratiam aucupemur, sed ut plurimos pietatis cultores contrahamus:— Ovium Pastum potiùs, quàm hominum Fastum (ut scitè Bernardus) attendentes. Hinc Paulus— Jnsta tempestiuè, intempestiuè. Volentibus Tempestiuè Nolentibus Intempestiuè, dic importunus (inquit Augustinus) Tu vis errare, De Pastor. cap. 7. Tu vis perire, Ego nolo. Neque enim par est, ut in istis frigidè versemur, Semelvè quotannis, cum summo Pontifice in Sanctuarium ingrediamur, ne non sine sanguine ingrediamur. In specula semper (quoad ejus fieri potest) commorandum est, ne hostis ad quamlibet opportunitatem paratus gregem ex insidijs adoriatur. Quòd si cum istis res nobis fuerit, quibus nihil mediocre objici poterit; istorum scelera gloriae nostrae segetem reputemus: quóque est eorum iniquitas armatior & testatior, eò alacriori animo, zeloque ardentiori vim ejus omnem impetumque retardemus. Et ut nihil fructus indè imprasentiarum ceperimus, sed quod pijs saluti, illud ijs irritationi verterit; maneamus tamèn nos in instituto: Arguamus, exhortemur; (ut suadit Paulus) Chrysostomi haùd immemores, Chrys. H●de Laz. 1. Si Decimus quisque, Si Vnus persuas us fuerit, ad consolationem abundè sufficit. Imò etiamsì nullus fuerit; manent tamen sempèraquarum venae, scaturiant fontes, fluant nihil seciùs amnes. Quod nostrum est agamus gnavitèr: Et Aethiopem qui lavat, Operam quidèm perdit: Mercedem autèm non perdit. Veniet aliquandò tempus, Illucescet ille dies, ubì fructum apud Dominum reopsitum laboris nostri uberrimum feremus. Istius diei nobis in memoriam veniat, atque ità in omnem parati simus fortunam, ut nòn modò dolour is stimulos, sed & fortunae fulmina (ut habet ille) perferamus. §. 17. Cùmque innocentiae leges sibi indicat, qui ab altero vitae rationem reposeit, meliusque sit (Si Antiquitati fides adhibeatur) tacere, quàm non Docere vitâ & operibus: Et verbo, & Vitâ pascamus omnes: exempla (nostra maximè) non ibi consistunt (ut prudentèr ille) ubi caeperunt. Occidunt malè vivendo Pastores mali, (inquit Augustinus) quorum omnis vita ità in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 consistit, Nazianz. ut ubi semèl a recto erratum est, in praeceps ruatur. Ità igitùr omnes vitae nostrae rationes instituamus, ut nihil non ab omni accusatione remotum, nihil non ex gravissimi viri disciplinâ unquàm moliamur. Summa sit illud Pauli (ne sim verbosior in istis.)— Esto (inquit ille) Exemplar fidelibus, in Sermone, & in Conversatione, & in Charitate, & in Fide, & in Puritate. Sedulus esto in Lectione, & in Oratione, & in Doctrinâ: Hoc est. Et Verbo, & Exemplo Pasce. Ità suo Timotheo Paulus: Ità Petro Christus: Ità Ego Vobis. Magna res agitur: Dei Honos; Ecclesiae Salus; Aeternae vitae uèl Accessio, uèl jactura. Quid possetis in Salute gregis potiùs, quàm in exitio, ostendite. Contemplamini animo, quod non potestis oculis, Ultrices illas Flammas, Horrendailla Judicia, ad quae desudant Coeli, & contremiscit Terra, quae omnia istos manent, qui nihil uèl de suâ, uèl de communi salute cogitant. Cogitate quò tandèm miseriae perventurus sit ille, qui multa vi sanguinis foedatus, se in Dei conspectum sit aliquandò daturus. Miserum illum! Ubi enitetur! Quò confugiet! Quid illo futurum erit! Quod non ille malum leve (quandò serò erit) prae Judicis irâ, habebit! Qoem Mutum, exanimatum, & uìx uívum relictura sit Christi vox tremenda— Redde rationem Villicationis tuae: Supplicij magnitudo a tanto vos scelere summoveat; moveat vestra in Deum Pietas, in Greges Charitas: moveat ipsius rei aequitas, & necessitas. Subeat vobis subindè in mentem Singularis Christi Amor, qui omnia vestri causâ voluit. Nihil habuit ille vestrâ vestrumque salute antiquiùs, nihil priùs. Nihil ille laboris, sudoris, supplicij recusavit, quo vestram vestrumque salutem promoveret. Eundem quaeso induite animum: ijsdem insistire vestigijs: eosque omni colite curâ, quos suo dignatus est ille sanguine. Dominum vestrum non potestis, (Fratres,) vel studio vincere, uèl amore antevertere. Gregem Amatis? Amavit, ille. Sudatis? sudavit ille. Animam ponitis? Posuit ille. Nullam habuit ille sui rationem, prae vestri studio. Illum si amare pigebat, salt èm redamare non pigeat. Nimìs durus animus, Vid Aug. de Catechis. eudib. nec non in Lops 8. qui dilectionem si nolebat impendere, nolit & rependere. Venit ille (quod idem aliàs habet Augustinus) Pati; Venit ille Mori; Venit ille sputis liniri; Venit ille spinis Coronari; venit opprobria audire; venit ligno configi. Omnia ille pro vobis: vos nihil pro illo; Sed pro vobis: Cogitate qui sitis; quo loco; quid responsuri aliquandò sitis Gregibus vestris, si nihil illis, praeter ultimam calamitatem, reliaquatis. Quid judici vestro, qui fidos vos duxit, & in ministerio constituit; quid animabus vestris, quas tantae negligentiae conscientia olim fodicabit. Et per vestram ipsorum salutem; per omnes & in Christum, & in Oves, Religiones & amicitias: Si quid vobis salus curae sit, si pax, si fides, si gloria; Gregi laboranti consulite. Duces estis; Christo contra Satanam, ejusque Primogenitum Anti-Christum militate, Nutrices estis: Lac potum date, quaeque sunt ad quotidianum demensum minutatim promite. Angelorum denique induistis vobis nomen: induite & naturam. Ne sit (quod dixit non nemo) Ex. 23.4, 5. — Nomen inane, Crimen immane. Audite oves vestras. Etiam Phocae praebent mammas; Etiam Osori debetur eibus; Etiam osoris jumento misericordia: Et nos solae Oves Rationales, quae Domino tanto stitimus sanguine, dignae sumus habitae, quae fame pereamus! Veluriam habet Dionysius. Volumniā Plutarch. Audite Matrem vestram, Christi sponsam, ad vestra genua provolutam, omnique splendore exutam, tanquamillam Coriolani: (sive Veturiam, sive Volumniam)— En inter Belluas quaedam beneficiorum reciprocatio: Et ego unailla mater, quae nihil apud meos vel Precio, vel Prece, vel Authoritate possim. Eóne ego Primogenitos meos Concêpi, conceptos fovi, fotos peperi, partos enutrivi, enutritos instruxi, & instructos fratribus praefeci, ut mutuis ictibus aliquando occumberent? Audite Patrem vestrum— Ego vobis, vestrisque filijs de victu & vestitu prospexi, corvisque priùs pascendi partes mandavi, quàm quae ad victum unquam desiderarentur: Et vos filios meos (Summae mihi curae cordique) non Pascetis? 1. Reg. 1. Lops 46 . Audite Dominum vestrum— En ego vobis (aliquando Lupis) sanguinem non potui non impendere meum: Vos verò ovibus meis vestrisque debitam curam denegabitis? Quid praestolamur (Fratres?) Clamant Greges nostri— Si Amatis, Pascite. Clamat Sponsa Christi,— Si Amatis, Pascite. Clamat Aeternus Deus, Christusque noster— Si amatis Fratres vestros, si nomen meum, si animas vestras, Pascite. Nolite tantae & Gregis, & Matris, & Patris, & Salvatoris voluntari deesse: Sed omni fide, officio, misericordiâ adducti, ita Pascite, ita vivite (Academici) Ita agite, ut nullo vel malo vel modo contaminetur gaudium vestrum. Sed eò foelicitatis olim aspiretis, laboribus perfuncti, quae nullis communibus temporibus sit interpellanda. Atque haec de Praecepto. Quae in alteram partem meditata & dicenda habui non ita pauca, perpetuo potiùs involvam silentio, quàm vobis molestiam ulteriùs creavero. Faxit Deus, ut ità cum Petro Pascamus Patiamurque ut ita in nostra omnes incumbamus officia, ut cum Coelo terras aliquando commutemus, & tanquam stellae fulgeamus, per Christum Jesum Dominum nostrum; Cui cum Patre benignissimo, Spiritu sanctissimo, Deo beatissimo sit omnis Honor, & Gloria in Secula. Amen. FINIS. Errata. Page 2. lin. 30 lege duo. p. 5. l. 18. nobis, in mar. l 7 cum. P. 6. l. 19 sectanti. p 8. l. 2 proprium l. 17. Pastor es. l. 28. nostrum. l. 29. attendebant. p. 9 l. 12. inultam. p. 12. l. 11. venereis. l. 19 vestram. p. 14. l. 9 pascat. p. 19 l. 7. habete. l. 10. super●is. p 22. l. 3. suadet. l. 11.1 epositum. in Epist. lege. ORNATISSIMO VIRO.