discerning aright of Gods iudgements and the course of his government over all humane affaires Wherefore that man may see his error in this point God hath beene pleased by revelation from heaven to make knowne unto him the chiefe cause of such calamities as come upon States and Kingdomes professing true Religion For which purpose God raised up Prophets from time to time to put the Iewes in remenbrance of that which otherwise they would not have thought of viz. that for their abominable corruptions in Gods worship and other sinnes proceeding thence they were thus plagued These men cryed out loud enough to be heard saying as it is 2 King 17.13 Turne from your evill waies and keepe my commandements and my statutes But then as now the poore Prophets preached to little purpose they might talke till they were weary few men regarded what they said Wherefore God hath caused their Sermoâ—s and the Stories of their times to be recorded in everlasting monumenâ—s that all ages of the world may take notice of the true cause of Gods iudgements Wherein wee see that God le ts passe as scarce worth the naming all civill considerations and brings all the prosperity or adversity of Church or State unto this head viz. the Neglect or Regard had unto Religion and Iustice. The children of Israel did wickedly in the sight of the Lord they served Baal and the gods of the Nations they forsooke the Lord they walked not in his statutes these be the reasons for which matters goe ill with them as we may finde it at large expressed Iudg. 2. 2. King 17. 2. Chron. 36. Yea in this matter God gave unto them a generall rule whereby to rectifie their iudgement and ours in the like case in the 29. of Deut. Where Moses tells them that when their posterity or the stranger from a far land should see the plagues of the Iewes countrey and the diseases thereof where with the Lord should smite it they would aske after the reason of it and say Wherefore hath the Lord done thus unto his land what meaneth the heate of this great anger The answer followes Then men shall say because they have forsaken the Covenant of the Lord God of their fathers which hee made with them when hee brought them forth out of the land of Egypt For they went and served other gods and worshipped them gods whom they knew not and whom hee had not given unto them And the anger of the Lord was kindled against this land to bring upon it all the curses that are written in this booke vers 14 15 16 17. According to this observation wee may judge of the state of the Christian Church ruinated in the East by Saracens and Turkes over-run in the West by Goths Vandals and other Northren nations then when pure Religion was corrupted by Sects and Heresies by superstitious abuses brought into the worship of God especially into the Sacrament more and more polluted by abominable vanitiâ—s by pride and contention among the Bishops by neglâ—gence in the inferiour Clergie by turâ—ing Religion into regular hypocrisie each one serving God after the statutes of Ahab and decrees of the house of Omâ—i I meane after the rule of his new devised order but not according to that rule prescribed in the Word whereby alone all must walke that looke for peace upon themselves and the Israell of God When thus by superstition profanenesse impiety and all filthy corruptions in doctrine and manners the name of Christian became even to be a dishonour unto Christ God dealt with them as before he had done with the Iewish Church delivering them over into the hands of cruell enemies who vexed and spoyled them on every side But what shall wee say unto Churches reformed and purged from the leaven of such corruptions may we apply this rule unto them Yea wee must even in these daies of distresse and trouble wherein God dasheth the nations of the earth together breaking them one upon another like earthen vessels Now that the Kingdomes of the earth are shaken and the Church of God persecuted and afflicted with fire sword and desolation We that are yet but passengers going on in quiet by the way cannot but behold and bewaile her sorrow which sitteth upon the ground weeping sore in the night for these miseries that are come upon her Oh that our heads were full of water and our eyes a fountaine of teares that we also could weep day and night for the slaine of the daughter of Zion But now if wee stand still and wonder and enquire How doth the City sit solitary that was full of people how is shee become a widow shee that was great among the Nations a Princesse among the Provinces â—ow is shee become tributary Heare what answer her selfe will make The yoke of my transgressions is bound by his hand they are wreathed and come up upon my necke therefore it followes he hath made my strength to fall the Lord hath delivered mee into their hands from whom I am not able to rise up And againe The Lord is righteous for I have rebelled against his commandements Heare I pray you all people and behold my sorrow my virgins and my young men are gone into captivity And againe Behold O Lord for I am in distresse my bowels are troubled my heart is turned within me For I have grievously rebelled Yea this is it T is the sinnes of a Church that kinde a fire in her palaces Her sinnes that sharpen her enemies sword to the slaughter Her sinnes that destroy her strong Hold and make the rampart and the wall to lament and languish together Let us not here cry out upon men complaine upon Princes blame wee know not whom nor for what as if all had been well had they done or would they doe as wee have contrived it but lay we the blame where the fault is and say we That they be the sinnes of the Church that kept good things from her and brought evill upon her And be we still sighing in silence for t is the Lord hath done this even he hath done that which he had devised he hath covered the daughter of Zion with a cloud in his anger and cast downe from heaven to earth the beauty of Israel Indeede Reformation is a glorious name a Church reformed and restored unto purity of doctrine and discipline is a glorious society But it s one thing to have Gods pure worship established by Law another thing to have it settled in mens hearts and observed in their practice The doctrine of a Church may be pure the Sacraments rightly administred the government duely ordered and yet God may be highly dishonoured by that Church when that which is well adpointed is not yet well used This is haply the Corinthians case here in the Text they did not for ought we can prove pervert the Institution of the Sacrament adding or omitting any thing materiall to the essence thereof but yet
as it is vers 12. Worthy is the Lambe that was slaine to receive power and riches and wisdome and strength and honour and glory and blessing Yea for a full consort let us with every creature in heaven in earth under the earth and in the sea sing as it is in verse 13. Blessing honour glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the Throne and unto the Lambe for ever and ever And so much also of the third grace the last followes which is 4. Love unto Christ in a holy affection of the soule carrying us with full desire to the enioying of him making us to preferre our communion with him before all things that in this world may challenge our dearest respect All those motives that stir up to Thankfulnesse provoke also unto Love the smalnes of our desert the greatnesse of the benefit the gloriousnes of the person al are here in a singular degree and for them Christ deserves our Love in the highest degree that we can possibly shew it in Hence the Church in the Canticles can find no names so fit whereby to call her Spouse Christ Iesus as these Him whom her soule loveth her Beloved and her well beloved It s admirable what pleasures she takes in describing and talking of his rare excellencies here 's her full contentment and the height of her ioy and peace that shee is able to say My welbeloved is mine and I am his Certainely my Brethren were our hearts truly spirituall had our soules tasted how good the Lord Iesus hath beene unto us were our eyes opened to see him at the right hand of God clothed with all beauties of holinesse glory and majesty it could not be but that our sinnes our pleasures all the pompe of this world would be most vile and despicable in our esteeme and nothing but Christ would appeare worthy of our Love Delight and Admiration These are those heavenly graces of chiefe marke that receive life and strength from the death of Christ remembred in this Sacrament And the effect of them all is our obedience in life and conversation that wee should serve him faithfully that hath bought us at so deare a price This is the trial of the truth of all those forenamed graces when our faith works by Love our Repentance is approved by reformation our Thankfulnesse and Love shewne in keeping of his Commandements This is also the end of the death of Christ who hath redeemed us from our vain conversation wherein wee lived in the lusts of the flesh that henceforth wee should live unto him who hath delivered us from the feare of our enemies that wee should serve him in righteousnesse and holinesse all our dayes And thus you see what it is rightly to remember Christ crucified and to shew forth the Lords death in the use of this holy Sacrament even to remember him with beleeving with penitent with thankfull with loving with obedient harts Not to remember him in this sort is to forget hâ—m not to know the vertue of his death in this manner is to bee ignorant of Christ crucified An excellent knowledge but of all most difficult to be put in practice T is an easie thing to turn the story into a tragedy to make a Scenicall representation of the death of Christ as the Papists use to doe on good-Friday or to compile a curious declamation of this subject as Popish Postillers and Preachers doe in their Lenton Sermons I discommend not eloquence in so excellent a subject words cannot be better bestowed than here yet there is an error to be feared lest the tongue onely be imployed where the heart chiefly should bee busied and there is danger also lest such high discourses prove not unlike those of Tragedians made more to breed admiration of the Poet than attention and observation of the fact Thus much I may safely say that the meditation of the death of Christ requires not so much strength of wit and invention as the exercise of all holy and zealous affections of the soule to the increase of pietie and obedience There cannot bee a greater incongruitie than to discourse of so holy a subject with an unhallowed heart to amplifie the indignity of Christs passion and yet not bee moved at all to remorse of conscience for sinne to rayle on Iudas and the Iewes and yet sweare by Christ to descant upon his Bloud and Wounds in passionate discourse and yeâ— to teare these and trample upon that inexecrable blasphemies to talke of Christ and yet not to live as a Christian to relate to others the story of his crucifying by the Iewes and in the meane while by obstinate impiety and prophanenesse to crucifie him againe unto himselfe This is far from being a Preacher and a follower of Christ to such let mee speake in Salvians words a little altered Christum legunt impudici sunt Christum audiunt inebriantâ—r Christum sequuntur rapiunt haec ergo etiam nos qui Christiani dicimur facimus What might one of Mahomeds disciples here say Ecce quales sunt qui Christum câ—lunt see the servants of the crucified God see them luxurious profane intemperate blasphemers scorners of Religion it must needs be wil he then say they haue a bad master that are such evill seruants Si enim bona discerent boni essent and Sancta à Christianis fierent si Christus sancta docuisset Thus whilst some profâ—sse themselves Christians they are a reproach unto Christ a disgrace of the Gospell and shame of all Religion Wherefore I beseech you perswade your selves of this that you never know Christ crucified aright till your hearts can bleed in sorrow for sinne as his bled for satisfaction till your Faith embrace him your soules rejoyce in him your love bee fixed on him till his death have caused the death of sinne in you till then know that you are but ignorant in this great mysterie of Christs sufferings And now you are to goe unto the Sacrament take time and care to thinke of these things so may you goe with comfort and depart thence with profit unto your soules The Apostle after hee hath declared the true institution of the Sacrament and the right end to bee observed in the celebration of it namely The perpetuall commemoration of Christs death in the words before spoken of hee goes forward in the next place to shew the great danger that men run into by perverting this holy institution and abusing of it to wrong ends purposes They commit a great sinne which drawes upon them great judgements both temporall and eternall unlesse by diligent examination of themselves the sinne be prevented and the punishment removed This the Apostle doth from the 27. vers unto the 33. verse The resolution of which words is in briefe thus They containe 1. The sinne of unworthy receiving vers 27. 2. The meanes to avoide this sinne which is due examination of ones selfe before the Sacrament vers 28. 3.
of the Lord unworthily most shamefully abusing that to profanenes and impiety which God hath appointed for the exercise and increase of holinesse and true devotion Hitherto of the Sinne it selfe how and by whom it is committed In the next place wee must consider of the quality of it T is very hainous and they that commit it are guilty of the body and bloud of the Lord. A very hard censure of a fault that seemes not to bee very great What to profane the Sacrament shall it bee counted murder and bloud-guiltinesse an abetting and consenting to the damnable fact of Iudas and the Iewes in crucifying the Lord of Life A very horrible offence But here not much out of the way let us learne one observation that may be of use to rectifie our judgements in this and other the like matters T is this The quality of Sinne is not to be measured by ours but by Gods Iudgement of it As the heavens are above the Earth so are my waies higher than your waies and my thoughts above your thoughts saith God Esay 55.8 T is true in all things and it holds in this also about the nature of siâ—ne God seeth not as man seeth he iudgeth not as man iudgeth T is as naturall to man to extenuate sinne as it is to sinne to make a small fault of a great and no fault of a little one Our love to the pleasure of sinne blindes our iudgement in discerning of its filthy nature Whence issued that notorious depravation of the Law of God by those favourable and flattering interpretations thereof which the Pharisees of old brought in and those of Rome still maintaine yea naturally every one of us allow them in our harts Alas what great harme can there be in 't to be rashly angry when a man 's urgâ—d to it to call our brother foole to looke on a woman with some ill desire and no more to sweare by Ierusalem by the Temple the Altar by ones Head this Hand this Light or such other little oathes these be small matters veniall sinnes and why should we bee so nice as not to thinke that the Pharisees were in the righâ— leaving out such petty matters as not forbidden by the Law True most men would thinke so but our great and onely Doctor Christ Iesus whom wee ought to heare hath taught us another lesson not to iudge any thing a toy and trifle that breakes Gods Law and brings the soule in danger of hell fire See Matth 5. For a man whose calling requires it not to reprove his brother when hee sees him runne into an ill coâ—rse and by loving rebuke to reclaime him woâ—ld be interpreted by most for a courtesie rather than an unkindnesse Why should he meddle and put his friend into melancholy provoke him to anger and dislike of him with many pretences See now what God iudges of this kinde-heartednesse he caâ—ls it hatred of our brother in plaine tearmes Levit. 19.17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour and not suffer sinne upon him Saul had a faire excuse one would have thought the people must have a little content in the spoyle of the Amalekites and God must â—ave a sacrifice too if then something of the best bee spared from destruction will Samuel take it so hainously Yea that hee will and God also who by Samuel tells Saul that however he sleight the matter yet this his offence is Rebellion and that as bad as Witchcraft and that his transgrâ—ssion is Iniquity and Idolatry and that which will grieve Saul more than the losse of Gods favour he shall lose his Kingdome for it 1 Sam. 15. It s a small thing to eate an Apple true but t is a great matter to disobey God and if Adam transgresse though but in taking of an Apple he shall dye for it and all his posterity Nothing then is small whereupon depends the sanctity of Gods commandement and our obedience Now here you must remember that there 's a double reason why wee our selves are not equall judges of the nature and quality of sinne 1. Because we are the parties accused and impleaded as guilty of sin and therfore we cannot be equall arbitrators in our owne cause where love of sin and of our selves must needs make us partiall 2. Our judgement is not the rule of righteousnesse but only Gods will and Gods law Hee is Iudge and the only Lâ—â—-giver that must save or destroy acquit or condemne He is the person offended that only can without partiality interpret the quality of the offence Let this then bee a caution to make us looke about us and advise what we have to do when wee deale with sinne We know not what we goe about when we meddle with it it 's like entermedling with State businesses a small matter as a word misplaced a circumstance not observed throwes a man before hee is aware into a Premunire or Treason Power is in the hand of a King and t is hee must interpret how farre hee takes himselfe wronged by the attempt So in sinne when wee meddle with it wee meddle with God our chiefest Soveraigne Lord our allegiance to heaven is streight-waies called in question every offence in this case is Capitall and incurres the punishment of rebellion Wherefore it concernes us so to thinke of sinne as God speakes of it and in this point lesse than in any to leane unto our owne wisedome but to be rul'd by his All our Distinctions Extenuations Qualifications Rejections upon other good Intentions with a thousand such other shifts will vanish away into horror and utter confusion when God shall lay righteousnesse in the ballance and censure our sinnes according to his most impartiall and exact judgement Thus much I thought it not amisse to obserue by the way seeing the Apostle seemes to goe farre in censuring this sinne of unworthy communicating to be no lesse fault than guiltinesse of bloud that wee may not thinke the Spirit of God here speaks by an Hyperbole but that we may learne as here so in other things to bring ouâ— judgements to his and not to qualifie his by our Rhetoricall devices Wee must now proceede to enquire what the Apostle meanes when hee saith that such as eate and drinke unworthily are guilty of the body and bloud of the Lord. By the body and bloud of the Lord he meanes the Death of Christ Iesus whose body was crucified and his bloud shed by the Iewes But here the question is how such as profane the Sacrament are guilty of Christs death I answer Guiltinesse of a fault reacheth partly to the Actors partly to the Abettors of it such as give counsell and ayd to the doing or consent to it when t is done Those are the principall these the accessory and in all crimes that are capitall the same punishment is due unto both Now the Iewes were the principall actors and so in the first place guilty of
When those externall rites were kept without this spirituall use of them wee know how meanly and contemptibly God speakes of such a mechanicall worship Esa. 1. vers 11. seq He sets forth his displeasure against such services in all termes of dislike and disdaine telling the people That the multitude of their Sacrifices is to no purpose that Hee delights not in the bloud of bullocks and fat of fed beasts that hee requires no such things at their hands that such oblations are vaine and an abomination their solemne feasts and assemblies he cannot away with them that his soule hateth them that they are trouble to him and hee is weary to beare them And wherefore now all this disdaine of such Ceremoniall worship the reason is vers 15. Your hands â—re full of bloud Againe Chap. 66.3 hee sets it out to the full how acceptable such service is to him Hee that killeth an oxe is as if he slew a man hee that sacrificeth a lambe as if he cut off a dogges necke he that offereth an oblation as if hee offered swines bloud he that burneth incense as if he blessed an idoll Nothing can bee spoke with greater scorne and indignation the reason wherof followes in the next words Yea they have chosen their owne waies and their soule delighteth in their abominations So long as they follow this course God detests thhem and all their services Now in the times of the Gospell Christ having reformed the worship of God hath abolished those carnall ordinances and in roome thereof erected a worship of God in Spirit and Truth Wee are to performe a spirituall worship but yet withall some outward bodily observations are required of us now though very few and very easie To fast to bow their knee in prayer to pronounce or heare the Word the administration of the Sacraments in all their outward rites these are externall and bodily exercises which profit little where godlinesse is wanting The Kingdome of God saith the Apostle is not meates and drinkes but righteousnesse and peace and ioy in the holy Ghost These things are first acceptable to God and other things for them Outward Ceremoniousnesse is meere hypocrisie where grace and sanctity is not first mover to such observances T is a poore matter to forbeare a meale or twaine and yet take ones fill in sinne till he surfeit to goe softly looke sadly speake faintly and weepe a little too as it were in sorrow for sinne and carry in ones breast a heart unrent unbroken unsofâ—ned by true sense of sinne and worke of grace What profit is it to speake a Sermon or heare a Sermon when onely one mans tongue and the others eares are imployed for that houre when it comes not from the Preachers heart nor pierceth unto the hearers conscience neither the one nor the other intending to practice as they speake or heare To what purpose is it to â—ow the body to God and yet to make ones heart like an iron sinew that 's too stiffe and stout to bend in obedience to Gods Commandements If the tongue goe glibbe the eyes and hands lift up to heaven yet if the thoughts wander the heart and affection lie flat upon the earth will such a prayer be an acceptable Sacrifice What availâ—s it a man to have his face sprinkled with a little cold water but not to have his heart washed from an evill conscience and purged from the uncleannesse of sinnefull corruption to take on him in Baptisme the badge of Christianity yet in his conversation to live like an Infidell in all disobedience to the Lawes of Christ Will it advantage a man any whit that he goes foure or five times a yeere to the holy Sacrament if he be either ignorant of what hee goes about or prophanely carelesse of making good use of what hee knowes If hee remaine still irreligious and impenitent continuing in covetousnesse in swearing in lying in idlenesse in uniust practices to get gaine in common neglect of the exercises of Religion a secret despiser of grace and scoffer at true sincerity with other the like ungodly practices will it helpe or save him that at solemne times hee comes to the Lords Table there eates a bit of bread drinks a little wine heares a few prayers staies till all be done and so away the same man hee came thither No this helpes not but hurts exceedingly having brought upon himselfe the guilt of a fearefull transgression in profaning the holy Sacrament because hee discerneth the Lords Body God who looketh unto the heart and is well pleased in the sincerity thereof regards no Ceremony without obedience but hates such complementall hypocrisie as much as wee doe detest the like dissimulation in a man that vailes bonnet bowes hammes smiles in your face speaks faire and friendly but yet his heart is not with you But we passe from this point having touched upon it heretofore wee come unto the punishment here denounced against unworthy receivers of the Sacrament viz. Damnation He eateth and drinketh damnation to himselfe For these words wee are to enquire what is meant by Damnation in this place and what it is to eate and drinke it Damnation in this place signifies two things 1. That punishment of man in hell fire which wee call eternall damnation 2. Those evills which in this life are inflicted upon transgressors which we call afflictions and temporall iudgment Both these are included in this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here rendred Damnation That eternall iudgement in hell fire is hereby meant will be made apparant unto us 1. From the nature of the sinne of profanation of the Sacrament which were it but a small offence did yet deserve the wages of eternall death but being so hainous and horrible a crime as it is viz. Guiltinesse of the Death of Christ it must make him that commits it obnoxious to everlasting condemnation 2. From the quality of the persons that commit this sinâ—e who are partly the wicked that continually profane this Sacrament partly the godly that yet sometimes profane it too Such as bee ungodly unbeleeving persons they without doubt bring themselves in certaine danger not of temporall judgement alone but much more of eternall damnation for their perpetuall abuse of thâ—se sacred mysteries whereof they partake without faith repentance or any amendment of life at all As for the true beleevers they doe sometime come unworthily to this holy Table being now and then overtaken with security and seduced by manifold temptations though otherwise holy and godly men This their negligence deserves also the same punishment though God for Christs sake be pleased to turne from them his everlasting wrath making them only to feele a little part of his displeasure in some temporall afflictions wherewith hee chastiseth them for the amendment of their error Now what temporall judgements are signified by this word Damnation is manifest also by the Text in the verse following where the Apostle mentions sicknesses infirmities and temporall
comfort of the Sacrament in our soules If we dishonour God in despising his Word and Sacraments and Ministers t is equall that hee should poure contempt upon us and give up our names for a reproach upon earth They only can expect that God should have a tender regard of their lives and health and credit and other good things they enjoy who have themselves a dutifull respect of his glory and doe with all thankfulnesse and good conscience receive and use the favour and meanes of grace he bestowes on them 2. This shewes the cause why many times those that professe true Religion fare worse than others in regard of so many troubles and afflictions as betide them more than others The reason is because as the spirituall good things which God bestoweth on his Church are greater than any other favours which he imparts unto other men so is their abuse of them more highly displeasing unto God than others contempt of more inferiour favours But of this I have spoken largely upon the 29. verse therefore I doe but name it now To proceed Many among you are sicke c. Many The sinne of profaning the Sacrament was not a particular private sinne of some one or few among the Corinthians but it was a publike disorder and a common fault of the greatest part Now accordingly the punishment lights not upon a few here and there one but upon Many as there were many that had sinned But yet touching the community of these judgements upon the Corinthian Church it is to be noted that they were not such iudgements as came indifferently upon the City of Corinth For then they might have replyed that these sicknesses and death came not upon them for their profanation of the Sacrament seeing they lighted as well upon the rest of the Idolatrous Citizens Wherefore as the sinne was peculiar unto the Christians that were in Corinth so also were these punishments in some speciall extraordinary manner inflicted on them whereby it appeared that God singled them out in speciall for their foule profanation of his most holy worship The practicall conclusion hence is That Common sins have common punishments When the Vlcer is spread over the whole body a Plaister is ill applied but unto one part Where God comes to cure hee fits his medicine to the disease and were hee comes to kill his consuming wrath runnes so farre as doth the over-flowing of iniquity in that place wherewith hee hath to deale If hee bee to punish a whole world after hee hath provided for the safety of his Church all the rest perish to the last man If he be to destroy a Sodome wherein there is not one righteous they shall die every mothers sonne of them This may teach us a twofold lesson 1. That if wee will escape from common plagues wee learne to live free from common sinnes Let us not partake with others in their sinnes lest wee also share with them in their punishments Flee out of the middest of Babel and deliver every man his soule be not destroyed in her iniquity saith the Prophet Ieremy Chapt. 51.8 unto the Iewes residing at Babylon in Chaldea Go out of her my people that yee be not partakers of her sinnes and that yee receive not of her plagues saith the voice from heaven unto the godly abiding in the mysticall Romish Babylon Let us now follow this admonition and withdraw our selves from amongst all ungodly persons in the world not in place for then we must goe out of the world but in our love and practice of their wicked doings that in nothing wee have fellowship with the unfruitfull workes of darknesse How shall wee doe this yee will say The best way we can follow is this Learne to mourne for common sinnes and so thou shalt bee sure to live free from them Put on that holy affection which was in David Let thine eyes runne with rivers of waters because men forsake Gods Law Make not thy selfe sport with other mens â—innes but when thou lookest on them let thine eye breake thy heart with godly sorrow for the Irreligious contempt of Gods Word and Worship the pride the excesse the oppression the swearing the drunkennesse that fills every corner of the Land If there bee any sparke of true love to the Church and State wherein thou livest if any pity of the soules of thy brethren let it grieve thy soule to see men post madly unto destruction and weepe in secret to see the measure of iniquity rising up to the brimme to the hastening of destruction upon Church and State Bee a mourner in Zion and so escape the punishment of the sinners in Zion that when feare and confusion takes hold on them thou maist be marked out to safety and deliverance Other meanes to provide for thy welfare in common calamities there is none at all As for such as will continue to be as bad as the worst and yet hope by finenesse of wit and policy to speed as well as the best let such scornfull men and mockers of Gods counsell reade with attention that excellent place Esa. 28.14 seq Where they may see such their vaine confidence pulled downe to the dust in the example of others that have likewise trusted to it and bin confounded 2. Wee learne hence what to judge of any Christian Church when once corruptions grow common and overspreading all If God begin once to take in hand to punish such a Church will it be thinke you some light touch and easie afflictioâ— Nay Flagellum mundans an over-flowing scourge is then to be expected a scourge that shall go thorough every quarter of the Church to whip out from thence those that have polluted and defiled it by their abomination in every place These Corinthians were but a poor handfull of people newly drawn out of Gentilisme in one no very great City yet see how sharply the Lord deals with them for this one abuse of the Sacrament Many of those that in all were but a few are severely punished for it What then and how sore wil be the judgements of such Churches which have flourished 〈…〉 extent aboundance oâ— peace 〈◊〉 â—ight and liberty of the Gospell so long wherein yet the fruits of Obedience worthy of so unspeakable mercies aâ—e not to be found Iudgement is already begun at the house of God and wee cannot but with bleeding hearts bewaile the wofull desolations come upon some and the utter ruine threatned unto all forraine Churches Oh my beloved brethren let us pray dayly and fervently that the Lord would now say to his destroying Angell It is sufficient Hold now thy hand That he would make warres to cease unto the ends of the earth that hee would give peace to them his people who want it that he will continue peace to us his people that yet enjoy it That the cup of his furious indignation wherof so many nations of the earth have beene made to drinke may not passe over unto us but the dregges thereof if any remaine may rather bee powred out upon the nations that know him not nor call upon his Name but amongst us for ever may his Gospell flourish upon us bee his peace and protection unto the worlds end Amen O Lord for thy Son Christs sake I come to the last words Many weak sick many sleep Here is the punishment in the three degrees of it 1. Weaknesses viz. the first languishing of the body and inclination unto diseases 2. Sicknesses the next degree when diseases had fully seazed on the body 3. Death the last degree and complement of both the former Now of the two first degrees which were the lesser evills the Apostle saith that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Multi Many were afflicted with them but of the third the greater evill namely Death he alters the word and saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Satis multi not a few were dead though not so many as weake and sicke From this diversity in these punishments observe we in the last place That God in punishing man for sin orders his punishments differently according to the quality of the offence and party offending Some sinnes are of deeper dye than others and require more washing to 〈◊〉 them off Some are like unto humors seâ—led in the body which require stronger potions to purge them out others be as some infirmities newly fallen upon the body which are cured by medicines of weaker ingredients As when men have made a bargaine men will haue earnest or so to confirme it so is the Sacrament to confirme the Covenant FINIS a 1 Cor. 11.21 â—2 b 1 Cor. 11.25 c Maldon in Iohn 6. d Aug de merit peccat l 1. c. 24 passiâ— alibi Tert. l. 4. adver Marcion Amb. l 3 Sacr. c â— followed by some in Bohemia Chry. praelect Chron. Russia O dorbard de Relig. Rus. e Exod. 4.8 f Hieron Paulino g Latens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. De Gub. l. 4. Ioâ— 7.17 * 1 Sam. 30.12 * See the book of Canons Sal. de Gub. l. 4. 5. Matth. 1â— 9. Mat. 23.29 c Prov. 29.27 De Gub. l. 8. Heb. 9.10 Ioh 4. * Zanch observat in con fess suam de Relig. Christiana in cap. 16. appor 10. * Ioh 3.17.18.19 2. Thes 2.12 1. Tim. 3.12 * Hos. 5.13 7.11 They call to Egypt they goe to Ashur Lam. 1. ver 1. * Vers. 14. * Vers. 18. * Vers. 20. Men sharpliest punished for those sinnes they have committed with greatest pleasure and security Psal. 119.136 Ezek. 9.4.5.6