and floods of this present world If then thou wilt stand up against Israel be sure to be an Isaac a childe of promise and an heir to the faith of Abraham if thou wilt be secure from the flesh be renewed in the spirit if thou wilt be fit to take up the crosse first crucifie thy self thy lusts and affections if thou wilt be prepared against persecution first raise one in thy own brest smother every idle thought silence every loud desire check and correct thy wanton sancy beat down every thing that stands in opposition to the truth Be thus dead unto thy self and then neither death nor life neither fear of death nor hope of life shall be ever able to separate thee from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus This is all the preparation that is required which every one that is born after the spirit doth make and there needs no more for he that is thus fitted to follow Christ in the regeneration against the Ismaelites of this world is well qualified and will not be afraid to meet him in the clouds and in the air when he shall come in terrour to judge both the quick and the dead Conclus And now to conclude what sayes the Scripture Cast out the bond-woman and her son for the son of the bond-woman shall not inherit with the son of the free-woman 'T is true Ismael was cast out into the wildernesse of Beersheba Gen. 21.14 and the Iew is cast out ejectus saith Tert. coeli et soli extorris cast out of Jerusalem scattered and dispersed over the face of the earth and made a proverb of obstinate impiety Tertul adv Judaeos c. 13. Apolog. 21. so that when we call a man a Jew putamus sufficere convitium we think we have railed loud enough But now how shall the Church cast out those of her own bowels of her house and family for such enemies she may have which hang upon her breasts called by the same word sealed with the same Sacraments and challenging a part in the same common salvation To cast out is an act of violence and the true Church evermore hath the suffering part but yet she may cast them out and that with violence but then it is with the same violence we take the kingdom of Heaven a violence upon our selves 1. By laying our selves prostrate by the vehemency of our devotion by our frequent prayers that God would either melt their hearts or shorten their hands either bring them into the right way or strike off their chariot wheels fot this kinde of spirit these malignant spirits cannot be cast out but by prayer and fasting which is energeticall and prevalent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Euseb a most invincible and irresistible Thing placing us under the wing of God far above all principalities and powers above all the flatteries and terrours of the world there with Steven pleading for Saul the persecutor till he become Paul the Apostle which is in effect to cast out the persecution it self Secondly by our patience and long suffering For patience worketh more miracles then power it giveth us those goods which our enemies take from us it makes dishonour glorious it dulleth the edge of the sword it cooleth the flames of fire it wearieth cruelty shames the Devil and like a wise Captain turns the Ordnance upon the face of the enemy Rom. 5.3 Patience is the proper effect of faith for if we beleeve him who hath told us our condition what will we not suffer for his sake and it is omnipotent Philip. 4.13 by the virtue of which Saint Paul professes he could do and suffer all things It may seem strange indeed that a mortal fraile man should be omnipotent and do all things yet it is most evidently true so true that we cannot denie it unlesse we denie the faith for if the eye of our faith were as clear as the reward is Glorious it would neither dazle at the smile and beauty of a flattering nor at the terrour of a black temptation but pleasure would be vanity and persecution a crown So that you see to sit still and do nothing to possesse our souls with patience and to suffer all things is to cast them out 3. By our innocency of life and sincerity of conversation and thus we shall not onely cast them out but persecute them as righteous Lot did the men of Sodom this is to keep our selves to mount Sion to that Jerusalem which is above to defend our priority our primogeniture our Inheritance this is to be born after the spirit Hom. 8.10 There is saith Austa Just persecutio there is a just and praiseworthy persecution for Isaac to be Heire was a persecution to Ismael for the Church to be built upon the foundation of the Apostles Christ being the head corner stone was a persecution to the Jews for no sooner had Paul mention'd his sending to the Gentiles but they fling off their cloathes and fling dust in the aire and cry Acts 22.23 Judaeorum Synagogae fontes persecutionum Tertul. Scorp c. 10. Away with such a fellow from the Earth and nothing more odious to a Jew to this Day then a Christian The holy and strict conversation of the just is a persecution to the wicked castigat qui dissentit hee that walkes not by our Rule Wisd 2.12 but draws out his Religion by another is as a Thorne in our eyes and a whip in our sides and doth not instruct but controll and punish us Doe they not speake it in plaine words Contrarius est he is contrary to our Doings it grieves and vexes us to look upon him He will not digge with us in the Mine for Wealth he will not wallow with us in Pleasure nor climbe with us to Honor he will not cast in his Lot with us to help to advance our purposes to their End And let us thus persecute them with our Silence with our Patience with our Innocency even persecute those Ismaelites no other way but this by being Isaacs The fourth and last Lastly Psal 55.22 we may cast them out by Casting our Burden on the Lord by putting our cause into his Hands who best can plead it by citing our Persecuters before his Tribunall who is the Righteous Judge If we thus cast it upon him we need no other Umpire no other Revenger If it be a loss he can restore it if an injury he can returne it if grief he can heale it if disgrace he can wipe it off and will certainly doe it if we so cast it upon him as to trust in him alone the full perswasion of Gods Power being that which awaketh him as one out of sleep puts him to cloth himself with his Majesty sets his power a working to bring mighty Things to passe and make himself Glorious by the delivery of his People Conclus To shut up all and Conclude Thus if we cast our burden upon him
we beleeve that he shall Judge the world and we read that the Father hath committed this Judgement to the Son John 5.22 take him as God or take him as man he is our Lord Cum Dominus dicitur unus agnoscitur for there is but one faith and but one Lord so that Christ may well say you call me Lord and Master 1. Cor. 6.20 Colos 2.15 and so I am a Lord as in many other respects so jure Redemptionis by the redemption having bought us with a price and so jure belli by way of Conquest by treading our enemies under our feet and taking us out of slavery and bondage And that we may not think that Christ laid down his power with his life or that he is gone from us never to come again we will a little consider the nature of his Dominion and behold him there from whence he must come to judge the quick and the dead and the Prophet David hath pointed out to him sitting at the right hand of God where we should ever behold him Psal 110.1 and fix our thoughts our eye of faith upon him in this our watch The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou at my right hand Psal 110. till I make thy enemies thy footstool which speech is Metaphorical and we cannot draw it to any other sense then that on which the intent of the speaker did levell it which reacht no further then this to shew that his own kingdom was nothing in comparison of Christs which was of another Non exparabolis materias comment mur sed exmaterijs parabolas interpretamur Tert. de puducir c. 8. and higher nature as Tertul. spake of parables we do not draw conclusions and Doctrines out of Metaphors but we expound the Metaphor by the Doctrine which is taught and the scope of the teacher nor must we admit of any interpretation which notwithstanding the Metaphor might yeeld which is not consonant and agreeable to the Doctrine and analogie of faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Philosopher we can neither bring a Metaphor into a definition nor can we build an argument upon it we may say of Metaphors as Christ spake of the voice from heaven they are used in Scripture for our sakes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist 5. Top. c 2. for likenesse and proportions sake and serve to present Intellectual objects to the eye and make that light which we have of things familiar to us a help and medium by which we may more clearly see those which are removed and stand at greater distance For he cannot be said to sit there at the right hand of God from the position and site of his body we cannot entertain so grosse an Imagination and Saint Stephen tells us Acts. 7. he saw him standing at the right hand of God but it may declare his victory his triumph and rest as it were from his labour secundum consuetudinem nostram illi consessus offertur qui victor adveniens Honoris gratia promeretur ut sedeat it is borrowed saith Saint Ambrose from our customary speech by which we offer him a place and seat for honours sake who hath done some notable and meritorious service and so Christ having spoiled the adversarie by his death having lead captivity captive and put the Prince of Darknesse in chaines at his return with these spoiles hears from his Father Sede ad dextram sit now down at my right hand Nor doth his right hand point out to any fixt or determined place where he sits For Christ himself tells the high Priest That they shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of God Mar◠14.12 and coming in the clouds of heaven which if it be litterally understood we must needs conceive him coming and sitting at the same time All agree it is a Metaphor and some interpret it of that supremacy he hath above the Creature for so he is described sitting at the right hand of God in Heavenly places Eph. 1.20,21 far above all principalities and powers and every name that is named not onely in this world but in the World to come Some have conceived that by this honour of sitting at the right hand of God not onely an equality with God is implyed but something more Equal to the Father as touching his God-head Ath. Cr. not that the Son hath any thing more then the Father for they are equall in all things but because in respect of the exercise and execution of his royal office he hath as it were this dignity to sit in his royal seat as Lord and Governour of his Church for the Father is said as I told you to commit all judgement to the Son Tertul de pudicit c. 9. But we may say with Tertul. malo in scripturis forte minus sapere quam contra we had rather understand lesse in Scripture then amisse rather be wary then venture too far and wade till we sink and that will prove the best interpretation of Scripture which we draw out of Scripture it self and then Saint Paul hath interpreted it to our hands for where as the Prophet David Tells us the Lord said unto my Lord sit thou at my right hand the Apostle speaks more expresly Oportet eum regnare 1 Cor. 15. he must reign till he hath put down all his enemies under his feet Heb. 8.1 and in the Epistle to the Hebrews we have such an high Priest that sits at the right hand of the throne of the majesty in the Heavens that is we have such an high Priest which is also a Lord and king of Majesty and power to command and govern us who hath absolute authority over things in Heaven and things in earth over all the souls and bodyes of men and may prescribe them Laws reward the obedient and punish offenders either in this world or the next or in both for though he were a Lord and King even in his cratch and on his crosse yet now his Dominion and kingly power was most manifest and he commands his Disciples to publish the Gospel of peace and those precepts of Christian conversation to all the World and speaks not as a Prophet but as a Prince in his own name enjoyns Repentance and amendment of life to all the Nations of the earth which were now all under his Dominion Thus saith Christ himself it is written and thus it behoved him to suffer and to rise again that Repentance and remission of sin Luk. 24.47 might be preached 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his name among all Nations and his Dominion is not subordinate but absolute he commands not as the Centurion in the Gospel who had divers under him yet himself was under authority but as Solomons King he is Rex Alkum a King against whom there is no rising up And now that it may appear that he is not for ever thus to sit at the right hand of God but there sits
form by which he thought all things have their existence is but a dream to this this is a true and reall an efficacious working pattern For as an Artificer hath not lost his art when he hath finished one piece no more did Christ his power when he had raised himself which as he is is everlasting and it worketh still to the end of the world perfectum est exemplar minùs perfecti that which he wrought upon himself is most exact and perfect a fit pattern of that which he means to work on us which will be like to his indeed but not so glorious And now ego vivo I live is as loud to raise our hope as the last trump will be to raise our bodies and how shall they be able to hear the sound of the trump who will not hear the voice of their Saviour ego vivo Christ life derives its vertue and influence on both on the Body with that power which is requisite to raise a body now putrified and incinerated and well near annihilated and on the Soul with such a power which is fitted to a soul which hath both understanding and will though drawn and carried away from their proper operations for which they were made we do not read of any precept to bind us or any counsel to perswade us to contribute any thing or put a hand to the resurrection of our bodies nor can there be for it will to be done whether we will or no but to awake from the pleasant sleep of sin to be renewed and raised in the inward man to die to sin and be alive to righteousness we have line upon line and precept upon precept and though this life of Christ work in us both the will and the deed yet a necessary and a law lies upon us and wo will be unto us if we work not out our salvation By his power we are raised in both but not working after the same manner there will be a change in both as the flesh at the second so the soul at this first resurrection must be reformata Angelificata must be spiritualized refined and angelified or rather Christificata if I may so speak Christified drawing in no breath but his having the same mind which was in Christ Jesus Whilst our bed is in the darkness whilst corruption is our Father and the worm our Mother and Sister we cannot be said to be risen and whilest all the alliance we have is with the world whilest it is both Father and Mother and Sister to us whilest we mind earthly things we are still in our graves nay in hell it selfe Death hath dominion over us for let us call the world what we please our Habitation our Delight our Kingdome where we would dwell for ever yet indeed it is but our Grave If we receive any influence from Christs life we shall rise fairly not with a Mouth which is a Sepulchre but with a Tongue which is our Glory not with a withered hand but with a hand stretched out to the needy not with a gadding Eye but an eye shut up by covenant not with an itching but with an obedient eare not with a heart of stone but with a heart after Gods own heart Our life saith the Apostle Colos 3.3 is hid with Christ in God and whilest we leave it there by a continuall meditation of his meritorious suffering by a serious and practicall application of his glorious Resurrection we hide it in the bosome of Majesty and no dart of Satan can reach it When we hide it in the mineralls of the earth in the love of the world he is the Prince of the world and is there to seize on it when we hide it in malicious and wanton thoughts they are his baits to catch it when we hide it in sloth and idlenesse we hide it in a grave which he digged for us we entomb our selves alive and as much as in us lies bury the Resurrection it self but when we hide it in Christ we hide it in him who carrieth healing and life in his wings when we do per Christum Deum colere worship God through Jesus Christ our Lord and put our life in his hands then the life of Christ is made manifest in our mortall flesh 2 Cor. 2.4 then we have put off the old man and in a manner put off our mortality we are candidati aeternitatis as Tertul. speaks candidates for eternity and stand for a place with Abraham and Isaac for we have the same God and he is not the God of the dead but of the living We see now what vertue and power there is in this vivo Vivo in aeternum I live for evermore in the life of Christ But we must rise yet higher even as high as eternity it self for as he lives so behold he lives for evermore a Priest for ever and a King for ever Heb. 7.16 being made not after the law of a carnall Commandement after that law which was given to men that one should succeed another but after the power of an endlesse life the Apostle calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a life that cannot be dissolved that cannot part from the body And thus as he lives for evermore so whatsoever issues from him is like himself everlasting the beams as lasting as the light his Word endureth for ever his Law is eternall his Intercession eternall his Punishments eternall and his Reward eternall Not a word which can fall to the ground like ours who fall after it and within a while breath out our souls as we do our words and speak no more Not lawes which are framed and set to the times and alter and change as they do and at last end with them but which shall stand fast for ever aeterae ab aeterno eternall as he is eternall he hath spoken this once and he will speak no more not an Intercession which may be silenced with power but imprinted in him and inseparable from him and so never ceasing an Intercession which omnipotency it self cannot withstand and his punishment not transitory which time may mitigate or take away but an everlasting worm not a Reward which may be snatched out of our hands but lasting as the Heavens nay as Christ himself and they who would contract and shrink it up in the one and so make a temporary perishing everlastingness which shall last as long as it lasts do stretch beyond their line which may reach the right hand as well as the left and put an end of the Reward as they would do to the Punishment for of the one as well as of the other it is said that it shall be everlasting all that flowes from him is like himself yesterday and to day and the same for ever And such an High Priest it became us to have who was to live for ever for what should we do with a mortall Saviour or what can a mortall Saviour do for us what could an arm of
Lact. l. 6 de ver cult c. 24. A thing indeed it is which may seem strange to flesh and blood and Lactantius tells us that Tully thought it impossible but a strange thing it may seem that the sigh of a broken heart should slumber a Tempest That our sorrow should bind the hands of Majesty that our Repentance should make God himself repent and our Turne Turne him from his wrath and a change in us alter his Decree and therefore to Iulian that cursed Apostate it appear'd in a worse shape not onely as strange but as ridiculous and where he bitterly derides Constantine for the profession of Christianity he makes up his scoffe with the contempt and derision of Repentance Julian Caesar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and whosoever is a corrupter or defiler of Women whosoever is a man-slayer whosoever is an uncleane Person may be secure 't is but dipping himself in a little water and he is forthwith clean yea though he wallow again and againe in the same mire pollute himself with the same monstrous sinnes let him but say he hath sinned and at the very word the sinne vanisheth let him but Smite his breast or strike his forehead and he shall presently without more adoe become as white as snow And 't is no marvaile to hear an Apostate blaspheme for his Apostacie it self was blasphemy no more then 't is to heare a Devill Curse both are fallen from their first estate and both hate that estate from whence they are fallen and they both howle together for that which they might have kept and would not upon Repentance there is Dictum Domini thus saith the Lord and this is enough to shame all the witt and confute all the Blasphemy of the world As I live saith the Lord I will not the death of a sinner but that he Turne and in this consists the Priviledge and power of our Turn this makes Repentance a Virtue and by this word this Institution and the Grace of God annexed to it A Turne shall free us from Death a Teare shall shake the powers of Heaven a repentant Sigh shall put the Angels into Passion and our Turning from our Sinne shall Turne God himself even Turne him from his fierce wrath and strike the Sword out of his hand Turne ye Turne ye then is Dictum Domini a voice from Heaven a command from God himself And it is the voice and dictate of his Wisdom an Attribute which he much delights in more then in any of the rest saith Naz. Orat. 1. for it directs his power for whatsoever he doth is done in wisedome in Order Number and Measure whatsoever he doth is best his raine falls not his Arrowes fly not but where they should to the marke which his Wisedome hath set up It accompanies his Justice and make his wayes equall in all the disproportion and dissimilitude which can shew it self to an eye of flesh It made all his Judgements and Statutes It breathed forth his Promises and Menaces and will make them good in Wisedome he made the Heavens and in Wisedome he kindled the fire of Hell nothing can be done in this world or the next which should not be done Againe it orders his Mercy for though he will have Mercy on whom he will have Mercy yet he will not let it fall but where he should not into any Vessell but that which is fit to receive it for his Wisedome is over all his works as well as his Mercy he would save us but he will not save us without Repentance he could force us to a Turne and yet I may truly say hee could not because he is wise he would not have us die and yet he will desTroy us if we will not Turne he doth nothing either good or evill to us which is not convenient for him and agreeable to his wisedome Nor can this bring us under the Imputation of too much boldnesse to say The Lord doth nothing but what is convenient for him for 't is not boldnesse to magnifie his wisedom They rather come too neer and are bold with Maiesty who fasten upon him those Counsells and determinations which are repugnant and opposite to his wisedome and goodnesse and which his soul hates as That hedid Decree to make some men miserable to that end that he might make his Mercy glorious in making them happy that he did of purpose wound them that he might heale them That he did threaten them with Death whose names he had written in the book of Life That he was willing man should sinne that he might forgive him That he doth exact that Repentance as our Duty which himselfe will worke in us by an irresistible force That he commands intreats beseeches others to Turne and Repent whom himselfe hath bound and fetter'd by an absolute Decree that they shall never Turne That he calls them to Repentance and Salvation whom he hath damn'd from al eternity and if any certainly such Beasts as these deserve to be struck through with a Dart. No 't is not boldness but Humility and Obedience to his will to say He doth nothing but what becommeth him what his wisedome doth justify and he hath abounded towards us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Saint tPaul Ephe. 1.8 in all Wiedome and Prudence His wisedome findes out the meanes of Salvation and his Prudence orders and disposeth them his wisedome shewes the way to life and his Prudence leads us through it to the end I Wisedome was from everlasting Proverb 8. and as she was in initio viarum in the beginning of Gods wayes so she was in initio Evangelii in the beginning of the Gospel which is called the wisedome of God unto salvation and she fitted and proportioned meanes to that end means which were most agreeable and connaturall to it It found out a way to conquer Death Heb. 2.14 and him that hath the power of Death the Devill with the weapons of Righteousness to digge up sinne by the very Roots that no work of the flesh might shoot forth out of the Heart any more to destroy it in its effects that though it be done yet it shall have no more force then if it were annihilated then if it had never been done and to destroy it in its causes that it may be never done againe Immutabile quod factum est Quint l. 7. to draw together Justice and Mercy which seemed to stand at distance and hinder the work and to make them meet and kisse each other in Christs Satisfaction and ours for our Turne is our satisfaction all that we can make which she hath joyned together Condigna est satisfatio mald facta corrigere est correcta non reiterare Ber. de Just. Dom. c. 1. Satisfactio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Antiochens conc can 2. never to be severed his Sufferings with our Repentance his Agony with our sorrow his Blood with our Teares his Flesh nailed to the Crosse with our lusts
Pharaohs heart was hardned 3. God hardned Pharaohs heart and now let us Judge whether it be safer to interpret Gods induration by Pharaohs or Pharaohs by Gods for if God did actually and immediately harden Pharaohs heart then Pharaoh was a meer patient nor was it in his power to let the people go and so God sent Moses to bid him do that which he could not and which he could not because God had hardned him but if Pharaoh did actually harden his own heart as 't is plain enough he did then Gods Induration can be no more then a just permission and suffering him to be hardned which in his wisdom and the course he ordinarily takes he would not and therefore could not hinder sufficit unus Huic operi one is enough for this work of induration and we need not take in God for to keep to the letter in the former hakes a main principle of truth that God is in no degree Author of sin but to keep to the letter in the latter cleeres all doubts prevents all objections and opens a wide and effectual door to let as in to a cleer sight of the meaning of the former For that man doth harden his owne heart is undeniably true But that God doth harden the heart is denied by most is spoken darkly and doubtfully by some nor is it possible that any Christian should speak it plainly or present it in this hideous monstrous shape but must be forced to stick and dresse it up with some far fetcht and impertinent limitation or distinction For lastly I cannot see how God can positively be said to do that which is done already to his hand For induration is the proper and natural effect of sin and to bring in God alone is to leave nothing for the devil or man to do but to make Satan of a Serpent a very flie indeed and the soul of man nothing else but a forge and shop to work those sins in which may burn and consume it everlastingly God and nature speak the same thing many times Aristot l. 7. Eth. c. 1. though the phrase be different that wihch the Philosopher calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a ferity and brutishnesse of nature that in Scripture is called hardnesse of heart for every man is shaped and formed and configured saith Basil to the actions of his life whither they be good or evil one sin draws on another and a second a third and at last we are carried 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of our own accord and as it were by the force of a natural inclination till we are brought to that extremity of sin which the Philosopher calls Ferity a shaking of all that is man about us and the holy Ghost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a reprobate minde And such a minde had Pharaoh 1 Rom. 2.8 who was more and more enraged by every sin which he had committed as the Wolf is most fierce and cruel when he hath drawn and tasted blood For it is impossible that any should accustome themselves to sin and not fall into this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this hardesse of heart and indisposition to all goodnesse and therefore we cannot conceive that God hath any hand in our death if we die and that dereliction Incrassation excaecation hardnesse of heart are not from God further then that he hath placed things in that order that when we accustome our selves to sin and contemn his grace blindnesse and hardnesse of heart will necessarily follow but have no relation to any will of his but that of permission and then this expostulation is real and serious Quare moriemini Why will ye die And now to conclude I have not been so particular as the point in Hand may seem to require nor could I be in this measure of Time but onely in Generall stood up in defence of the Goodness and Justice of God for shall not the Judge of all the Earth doe right shall he necessitate men to be evill and then bind them by a Law to be good shall he exhort beseech them to live when they are dead already shall his Absolute Dominion be set up so high from thence to ruine his Justice This indeed some have made their Helena but 't is an ugly and ill-favoured one for this they fight unto Death even for the Book of life till they have blotted out their names with the Blood of their Brethren This is Drest out unto them as savoury meat set for their palate who had rather be carried up to heaven in Elias fiery Charriot then to pace it thither with Trouble and paine That GOD hath absolutely Decreed the salvation of some particular men and passed sentence of Death upon others is as Musick to some eares like Davids Harpe to refresh them and drive away the Evill Spirit Et qui amant sibi somnia fingunt mens desires doe easily raise a belief and when they are told of such a Decree they dreame themselves to Heaven for if we observe it they still chuse the better part and place themselves with the sheep at the right Hand and when the Controverly of the Inheritance of Heaven is on foot to whom it belongs they do as the Romanes did who when two Cities contending about a piece of Ground made them their Judge to determine whose it was fairly gave sentence on their own behalf and took it to themselves because they read of Election elect themselves which is more indeed then any man can deny and more I am sure then themselves can prove And now Oh Death where is thy sting The sting of Death is sin but it cannot reach them and the strength of sinne is the Law but it cannot bind them for sinne it self shall Turne to the good of these Elect and Chosen Vessels and we have some reason to suspect that in the strength of this Doctrine and a groundless conceit that they are these particular men they walk on all the daies of their life in fraud and malice in Hypocrisy and disobedience in all that uncleannes and pollution of sinne which is enough to wipe out any name out of the Book of Life Hoc saxum defendit Manlius Sen. Controv. hic excidit For this they rowse up all their Forces this is their rock their fundamentall Doctrine their very Capitol and from this we may feare many thousands of soules have been Tumbled down into the pit of Destruction at this rock many such Elect Vessells have been cast away Again others miscarry as fatally on the other hand for when we speak of an absolute Decree upon particulars unto the vulgar sort who have not Cor in Corde as Austin speaks who have their Judgement not in their Heart but in their sense they soon conceive a fatall necessity and one there is that called it so Fatum Christianum the Christian mans Destiny they think themselves in chaines and shackles that they cannot Turne when they cannot be predestinate not to Turne but
Church which was shut up within the narrow confines of Judea now under the Gospel is as large as the world it self The Invitation is to all and all may come They may come who are yet without and they might have come who are bound hand and foot and cannot come The Gate was once open to them but now 't is shut Persa Gothus Judus Philosophantur saith Saint Hierom the Persian and the Goth and the Indian and Egyptian are subjects under this Lord Barbarisme it self bows before him and hath chang'd her Harsh notes into the sweet melody of the Cross There was dew onely upon the Fleece the people of the Jews but now that fleece is dry and there is dew upon all the earth The Gospel saith our Saviour must be Preached to all Nations and when the Holy Ghost descended to seale and confirme the Laws of this Lord Act. 2,6 there were present at this great sealing or Confirmation some saith the Text of all Nations under Heaven that did heare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wonderfull things of God every one in his owne language so that the Gospel might seem to have been Preached throughout the world before the Apostles did stirr a foot from Jerusalem But here we may observe that Christ who hath jus ad omnem terram hath not in strictnesse of speech jus in omni Terrâ The right and propriety is his for ever but he doth not take possession of it all at once but successively and by parts It is as easy for him to illuminate all the world at once as the least nook and corner of it but this Sonne of Righteousness spreads his beames gloriously Joh. 11.1 but is not seen of all because of the Interposition of mens sinnes who exclude themselves from the Beames thereof This true light came into the world but the world received him not but yet what our sensuality will not suffer him to doe at once he doth by degrees and passeth on and gaineth ground That so successively he may bee seen and known of all the world But suppose men shook off their Allegiance as too many the greatest part of the world the greatest part of Christendome doe suppose there were none found that will bow before him which will never be suppose they Crucify him againe yet is he still our King and our Lord the King and Lord of all the world such an universall falling a way and forsaking him would not take away from him his Dominion nor remove him from the right hand of God and strip him of his Power If all the world were Infidells yet he were a Lord still and his Power as large and irresistible as ever For his Royalty depends not on the Duty and fidelity of his subjects if it did his Dominion would be indeed but of a very narrow Compasse the sheep not so many as the Goates his flock but little Indeed he could have no right at all if it could be taken from him Neither deceit nor violence can take away a right no man can lose his right till he forfeit it which was impossible for this supreame Lord to doe All the Contradictions of all the men in the world cannot weaken his Title or contract his Power If all should forsake him if all should send this Message to him Nolumus hunc regnare Luk. 19.14 we will not have thee Reign over us yet in all this scorn and contempt in this open Rebellion and Contradiction of sinners he is still the Lord and as he favours those subjects who come in willingly whom he guides with his staffe so he hath a rod of Iron to bruise his Enemies and this Lord shall command and at his command his servants and Executioners shall take those his Enemies who would not have him reign over them and slay them before his face He will not use his Power to force and dragg them by violence to his service but if they refuse his help abuse the means which he offers them and turn his grace into wantonness then will he shew himself a King and his anger will be more terrible then the roaring of a Lion They shall feele him to be a Lord when 't will be too late to call him so when they shall weep and curse and gnash with their teeth and Howle under that Power which might have saved them for the same Power opens the gates of heaven and of Hell In his hand is a Cup saith the Psalmist Psal 75.8 and in his hand is a reward and when he comes to Judge he brings them both along with him the same Power brings Life and Death as Fabius did Peace or Warre to the Carthagenians in the lap of his Garment and which he will he powres out upon us and in both is still our Lord when faith failes and Charity waxeth cold and the world is set on wickedness when there be more Antichrists then Christians he is our Lord yesterday and to day and the same for ever Heb. 13.8 4 And in the last place as the Dominion of our Lord is the largest that ever was so is most lasting and shall never be destroyed and shall break to pieces and destroy all the Kingdomes of the Earth but it self shall stand fast for ever no violence shall shake it Dan. 2.44 no craft shall undermine it no Time wast it but Christ shall remaine our Lord for ever The Apostle indeed speaks of an end of delivering up his Kingdome and of Subjection 'T is true there shall be an end 1 Cor. 15.24 but 't is when hee hath delivered up his Kingdome and hee shall deliver up his Kingdome but not till he hath put down all Authority Finis hic defectio non est nec Traditio Amissio nec subjectio infirmitas saith Hilary This end is no fayling This delivery no losse this Subjection is no weakness nor Infirmity Regnum Regnans tradet He shall deliver up his Power and yet be still a Lord. Take Nazianzens Interpretation and then this subjection is nothing else but the fulfilling of his Fathers will Orat. 36. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he in his 36. Oration which he made against the Arrians Take others and by Christ is meant his Church which in Computation is but one Person vvith Christ and when His Church is perfected then doth he deliver up his Power and Dominion But let us but observe the manner of the ending of this Kingdome and the Fayling and Period of others and we shall gaine light enough to guide us in the midst of all these doubts and difficulties For other Kingdoms are undermined by craft and shaken by the madness of the People who shun the whip and are beaten with Scorpions cast off one yoak and put on a heavier as the young men in Livy complain'd either Kingdoms are chang'd and alter'd as it pleaseth those who are victorious whose right hand is their God but the Power of this Lord is then and
onely in this sense said to have an end when indeed it is in its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and perfection when there will be no enemy stirring to subdue no use of Laws when the Subjects are now made perfect when this Lord shall make his subjects Kings and Crowne them with Glory and Honor for ever Here 's no weaknesse no Infirmity no abjuration no resignation of the Crowne and Power but all things are at an end his enemies in Chaines and his subjects free free from the feare of Hell or Temptations of the Devill the World or the flesh and though there be an end yet he reignes still though he be subject yet he is as high as ever he was Though he hath delivered up his Kingdome yet he hath not lost it but remaines a Lord and King for Evermore And now you have seen this Lord that is to come you have seen him sitting at the right hand of God His right and Power of Government his Laws just and Holy and wise the virtue and Power the largeness and the duration of his Government a sight fit for those to look on who love and look for the comming of this Lord for they that long to meet him in the Clouds cannot but delight to behold him at the right Hand of God Look upon him then sitting in Majesty and Power and think you now saw him moving towards you and were now descending with a shout for his very sitting there should be to us as his comming it being but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the preparation to that great Day Look upon him and think not that he there sits Idle but beholds the Children of men those that wait for him and those that Think not of him and he will come down with a shout not fall as a Timber-logge for every Frogg every wanton sinner to leap upon and croake about but come as a Lord with a Reward in one hand and a Vengeance in the other Oh 't is farre better to fall down and worship him now then not to know him to be a Lord till that time that in his wrath he shall manifest his Power and fall upon us and break us in pieces Look then upon this Lord and look upon his Lawes and write them in your hearts for the Philosopher will tell us that the strength and perfection of Law consists not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the wise and discreet framing of them but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the right and due performance of them for obedience is the best seal and Ratification of a Law He is Lord from all eternity and cannot be divested of his royal office yet he counts his kingdom most compleat when we are subject and obedient unto him when he hath taken possession of our hearts where he may walk not as he did in Paradise terrible to Adam who had forfeited his allegiance but as in a garden of pleasures to delight himself with the sons of men Behold he commands threatens beseeches calls upon us again and again and the beseechings of Lords are commands preces armatae armed prayers backt with power and therefore next consider the vertue and power of his dominion and bow before him do what he commands with fear and trembling let this power walk along with thee in all thy wayes when thou art giving an almes let it strike the trumpet out of thy hand when thou fastest let it be in capite jejunii let it begin and end it when thou art strugling with a tentation let it drive thee on that thou faint not and fall back and do the work of the Lord negligently Jer. 48.10 when thou art adding vertue to vertue let it be before they eyes that thou mayest double thy diligence and make it up compleat in every circumstance and when thou thinkest of evil let it joyn with that thought that thou mayest hate the very appearance of it and chace it away why should dust ashes more awe thee then Omnipotency why should thy eye be stronger then thy faith not onely the frown but the look of thy Superior composeth and models thee puts thee into any fashion or form thou wilt go or run or sit down thou wilt venture thy body would that were all nay thou wilt venture thy soul do any thing be any thing what his beck doth but intimate but thy faith is fearlesse as bold as blind and will venture on on the point of the sword fears what man not what this Lord can do to him fears him more that sits on the bench than him that sits at the right hand of God If we did beleeve as we professe we could not but more lay it to our hearts even lay it so as to break them for who can stand up when he is angry let us next view the largenesse and compasse of his Dominion which takes in all that will come and reacheth those who refuse to come and is not contracted in its compasse if none should come and why shouldest thou turn a Saviour into a destroyer why should'st thou die in thy Physitians armes with thy cordials about thee why shouldest thou behold him as a Lord 'till he be angry he caleth all inviteth all that come why should Publicans and sinners enter and thy disobedience shut thee out Lastly consider the duration of his Dominion which shall not end but with the world nor end then when it doth end for the vertue of it shall reach to all eternity and then think that under this Lord thou must either be eternally happy or eternally miserable and let not a flattering but a fading world thy rebellious and traiterous flesh let not the father of lies a gilded temptation an apparition a vain shadow thrust thee on his left hand for both at his right and left there is power which works to all eternity The second his Advent or coming Venit he will come And now we have walkt about this Sion and told the towers thereof shewed you Christs territories and Dominion the nature of his laws the vertue and power the largenesse and compasse the duration of his kingdom we must in the next place consider his Advent his coming consider him as now coming for we cannot imagine as was said before that he sat there idle like Epicurus his God nec sibi facessens negotium nec alteri not regarding what is done below but like true Prometheus governing and disposing the state of times and actions of men M. Sen. Contr. Divinum numen etiam qua non apparet rebus humanis intervenit his power insinuates it self and even works there where it doth not appear Though he be in heaven yet he can work at this distance for he fills the heaven and the earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he beholdeth all things he heareth all things he speaks to thee and he speaks in thee he hears thee when thou speakest and he hears thee when thou speakest not in his book are
an eye of mercy There is an eye that looks right on Proverb 4.25 and there is a bountifull eye Prov. 22.9 and if you shut but one of them you are in darknesse he that hath an evil eye to strip his brother can never see to clothe him he whose feet are swift to shed blood will be but a cripple when he is called to the house of mourning and if his bowels be shut up his hand will be soon stretcht out to beat his fellow-servants Ps 147.1 It becometh the just to be thankfull In their mouth praise is comely it is a song 't is musick and it becometh the Just to be mercifull and liberall out of their heart mercy flows kindly streames forth like the River out of Eden to water the dry places of the earth there you shall find gold and good gold Bdellium and the Oynx stone all that is precious in the sight of God and man But the heart of an unjust man is as a rock on which you may strike and strike again but no water will flow out but instead thereof gall and worm-wood blood and fire and the vapour of smoke Ioel 2.30 Prov. 12.10 The tender mercies the bowels of the wicked are cruel their kisses are wounds their favours reproches their Indulgences Anathema's their bread is full of gravell and their water tainted with blood If their craft or power take all and their seeming mercy their hypocrisie put back a part that part is nothing or but trouble and vexation of spirit Thus do these two branches grow and flourish and bring forth fruit and thus do they wither and dye together And here we have a faire and a full vintage for indeed mercy is as the vine which yeeldeth wine to cheere the hearts of men hath nothing of the Bramble nothing of the fire nothing that can devour it yeeldeth much fruit but we cannot stand to gather all I might spread before you the rich mantle of mercy and display each particular beauty and glory of it but it will suffice to set it up as the object of our Love for as Misery is the object of our Mercy so is Mercy the object of our Love And we may observe it is not here to doe mercifully as before to doe justly and yet if we love not Justice we cannot doe it but in expresse termes the Lord requires that we love mercy that is that we put it on weare it as a robe of Glory delight in it make it as God doth make it his our chiefest attribute to exalt and superexaltate to make it triumph over Justice it self For Justice and Honesty gives every man his owne but Mercy opens those Treasuries which Justice might lock up and takes from us that which is legally ours makes others gatherers with us partakers of our basket and brings them under our own vine and fig-tree Et haec est victoria this is the victory and triumph of Mercy Let us then draw the lines by which we are to passe and we shall first shew you Mercy in the fruit it yeelds secondly in its root First in its proper act or motion casting bread upon the waters and raising the poore out of the dust Secondly in the forme which produceth this act or the principle of this motion which is the habit the affection the love of mercy for so we are commanded not onely to shew forth our mercy but to love it for what doth the Lord require but to love mercy c. We begin with the first and the proper act of mercy is to flow to spend it self and yet not be spent to relieve our brethren in misery and in all the degrees that lead to it necessities impotencies distresses dangers defects This is it which the Lord requires And howsoever flesh and blood may be ready to perswade us that we are left at large to our own wills and may do what we will with our own yet if we consult with the Oracle of God we shall find that these reciprocall offices of mercy which passe between man and man are a debt That we are bound as much to do good to others as not to injure them to supply their wants as not to rob them to reach forth a hand to help them as not to smite them with the fist of wickednesse and though my hundred measures of wheat be my own and I may demand them yet there is a voice from heaven and from the mercy-seat which bids me take the bill and sit down quickly and write fifty Do we shut up our bowels and our hands together Behold Habemus legem we have a Law and the first and greatest Law the Law of Charity to open them 'T is true what we gain by the sweat of our brows what Honesty and Industry or the Law hath sealed unto us is ours ex asse wholly and entirely ours nor can any Hand but that of Violence divide it from us but yet Habemus legem we have a Law another Law which doth not take from us the propriety of our Goods but yet binds us to dispense and distribute them In the same Court-roll of Heaven we are made both Proprietaries Stewards The Law of God as well as of Man is Evidence for us that our possessions are ours but it is Evidence against us if we use them not to that end for which God made them ours They are ours to have and to hold nor can any Law of man divorce them from us or question us For what Action can be drawn against want of mercy who was ever yet impleaded for not giving an Almes at his doore what bar can you bring the Miser to who ever was arraigned for doing no good but yet in the Law of God and in the Gospel of Christ which is a Law of Grace we find an action drawn de non vestiendis nudis for not clothing the Naked not feeding the Hungry not visiting the Sick I saith Nazianzen could peradventure be willing That Mercy and Bounty were not Necessary but arbitrary not under a Law but presented by way of Counsel and advice for the flesh is weak and would go to Heaven with as little cost and trouble as may be but then the mention of the Left hand and the right of the Goates of the torments they shall be thrown into not who have invaded other mens goods but who have not given theirs not who have beat down but who have not supported these Temples of the Holy Ghost this is that which strikes a terrour through me and makes me think and resolve That I am as much bound to do acts of mercy as I am not to do an injury as much bound to feed the poore man as I am not to oppresse and murder him To shew mercy to others is not an Evangelicall Counsel it is a Law And therefore as Homer tells us when he speaks of rivers or birds That men did not call them by their proper names for the Gods had
flesh a withering dying arm avail us shadow us to day and leave us to morrow raise us up now and within a while let us fall into the dust and at last fall down and perish with us Man is weak and dieth man given up the ghost and where is he where is I will not say Alexander or Caesar but where is Moses that led his people through the red sea where are his lawes where is David S. Peter speaks it freely that he was both dead and buried and that his Sepulchre was with them unto that day but the son of David is ascended into Heaven is our Priest for ever and lives for evermore And this title of eternity is wrought in his Girdle and Garment may be seen in his Head and Eyes of fire adorns his burning feet is engraven on his sword may be read in his countenance and platted in his crown and doth well become his power his wisdome his justice his goodnesse for that which is not eternall is next to nothing what power it that which sinks what wisdome is that which failes what riches are they that erish what mercy is that which is as the morning dew which soon falls and is as soon exhaled and dryed up again Vertue were nothing Religion were nothing Faith it self were nothing but in reference to eternity Heaven were nothing if it were not eternall Eternity is that which makes every thing something which makes every thing better than it is and addes lustre to light it self I live evermore gives life unto all things Eternity is a fathomlesse ocean and it carries with it powâ—r and wisdome and goodnesse and an efficacious activity a gracious and benevolent power a wise and provident goodness for if he live for evermore then is he independent if he be independent then is he most powerfull and if he be most powerfull then is he blessed and if be blessed then is good He is powerfull but good good but wise and these Goodnesse and Care and Wisdome and a diligent care for us meet in him who lives for evermore and works on us for our eternall salvation And first as he lives for evermore so he intercedes for us for evermore and he can no more leave to intercede for us than he can to be Christ for his Priesthood must faile before his Intercession because this power of helping us is everlastingly and inseparably inherent in him St. Paul joyns them together his sitting at the right hand of God and his interceding of us Rom. 8.34 so that to leave interceding were to leave the right hand of God where he looks down upon us is present with us and prepares a place for us his Wounds are still open his Merits are still vocall his Sufferings are still importunate his everlasting presenting of himself before his Father is an everlasting prayer Jesus at the right hand of the father more powerfull than the full vials the incense the prayers the grones the sighs the roarings of all the Saints that have been or shall be to the end of the world and if he sate not there if he interceded not they were but noise nay they were sins but his intercession sanctifies them and offers them up and by him they are powerfull and by this power the sighs the breathing the desires of mortall fading men ascend the highest heavens and draw down eternity And this is a part of his Priestly office which he began here on earth and continues for us makes it compleat holds it up to the end of the world Again this title of eternity is annexed to his Regality and is a flower of his Crown not set in any but his Thou art a King for ever cannot be said to any mortall Did he not live for evermore he could not threaten eternall death nor promise everlasting life for no mortall power can rage for ever but passeth as lands do from one Lord to another lyes heavy on them and at last sinks to the ground with them all nor can the hand that must wither and fall off reach forth a never-failing reward Infinitude cannot be the issue and product of that which is finite and bounded within a determined period And this might open a wide and effectuall door unto sin and but leave a sad and disconsolate entrance for Vertue and Piety which is so unsatisfying to flesh and blood that the perseverance in it requires no lesse a power than that which Eternity brings along with it to draw it on How bold and daring would men be before the Sun and the People what joy and delight would fill them did not the thought of a future and endless estate pierce sometimes through them and so make some vent to let it out when the evill that hangs over them is but a cloud which will soon vanish few men are so serious as to look about and seek for shelter Post mortem nihil est Ipsaque mors nihil there is nothing after death and death it self is nothing sets up a chair for the Atheist to sit at ease in from whence he looks down upon those who are such fools as to be vertuous and smiles to see them toil and sweat in such rugged and unpleasing wayes carried on with a fear on the one side and a hope on the other of that which will never be And indeed how weary and how soon weary would men be of doing good if there were not a lasting recompence if they were not half perswaded for a ful perswasion is but rare that there were something laid up in everlasting habitations Honour Repute and Advantage these may bring forth a Hypocrite these may bind on the phylacteries on a Pharisee but nothing can raise up a Saint but eternity nor can that which fleeteth and passeth away build us up in a holy faith and then there would be no such ship as Faith which might feare a wreck 2 Tim. 1.19 no such anchor as Hope our faith were vain our hope were also vain and we were left to be tossed up and down on the waves of uncertainty having no haven to thrust into but that which is as turbulent uncertain as the sea it self and with it ebbs and flowes and at last will ebb into nothing But vivo in aeternum I live for evermore derives an eternity to that which in it self is fading makes our actions which end in the doing of them and are gone and past eternall our words which are but wind eternall and our thoughts which perish with us eternall for we shall meet them again and feel the effect of them to all eternity It makes Hell eternall that we may flie from it and Heaven eternall that we may presse towards it and take it by violence Christs living for ever eternizeth his threatnings and makes them terrible his promises and makes them perswasive and eloquent eternizeth our faith and hope eternizeth all that is praise-worthy that they may be as a passe or letters commendatory to
ever but Christ living infuseth life into us that the bonds of Hell and of Death can no more hold us than they can him There is such a place as Hell but to the living members of Christ there is no such place for it is impossible it should hold them and you may as well place Lucifer at the right hand of God as a true Christian in Hell for how can light dewll in darknesse how can purity mix with stench how can beauty stay with horrour If Nature could forget her course and suffer contradictories to be drawn together and to be both true yet this is such a contradiction which unless Christ could die again which is impossible can never be reconciled Heaven and earth may passe away but Christ lives for evermore and the power and vertue of his life is as everlasting as everlastingnesse it self And againe There was a pale Horse Rev. 6.8 and his name that sate on him was death and he had power to kill with the sword with hunger and with the beasts of the Earth but now he doth not kill us he doth but stagger and sling us down to rise again and tread him under our feet and by the power of an everliving Saviour to be the Death of death it self Death was a king of terrors and the Feare of death made us slaves Heb. 2.15 brought us into servility and bondage all our life long made our pleasures lesse delightfull and our virtues more tedious then they are made us tremble and shrink from those Heroique undertakings for the truth of God but now they in whom Christ lives and moves and hath his Being as in his own dare look upon him in all his horror expeditum morti genus saith Tertull and are ready to meet him in his most dreadfull march with all his Army of Diseases racks and Tortures and as man before he sinned knew not what Death meant and Eve familiarly conversed with the Serpent so doe they with death and having that Image restored in them are secure and feare it not for what can this Tyrant take from them Their life that is hid with Christ in God It cannot cut them off from pleasure for their delight is in the Lord It cannot rob them of their treasure for that is laid up in heaven It can take nothing from them but what themselves have already crucified their Flesh It cannot cut off one hope one thought one purpose for all their thoughts purposes and hopes were leveld not on this but on another life And now Christ hath his keys in his hand Death is but a name it is nothing or if it be something it is such a thing that troubled S. Austin to define what it is we call it a punishment but indeed it is a benefit a favour even such a favour that Christ who is as Omnipotent as he is everlasting who can work all in all though he abolished the Law of Moses the law of Ceremonies yet would not abrogate this law by which we are bound over unto death because it is soprofitable and advantageous to us it was threatned it is now a promise or the way unto it for death it is that lets us in that which was promis'd it was an end of all it is now the beginning of all it was that which cut off life it is now that through which as through a gate we enter into it we may say it is the first point and moment of our After-eternity for t is so neer unto it that we can hardly sever them for we live or rather labour and fight and strive with the world and with life it self which is it self a temptation and whilst by the power of our everliving Christ we hold up and make good this glorious contention and fight and conquer and presse forward towards the mark either nature faileth or is prest down with violence and we dye that is our language but the spirit speaketh after another manner we sleep we are dissolved we fall in pieces our bodies from our soules and we from our miseries and Tempâ—…tions and this living everliving Christ gathers us together again breaths life and eternity unto us that we may live and reign with him for evermore And so I have viewed all the parts of the Text being the maine Articles of our faith 1. Christs death 2. his life 3. his eternall life and last of all his power of the keys his Dominion over hell and death we will but in a word fit the Ecce the behold in the Text to every part of it and set the seale to it Amen and so conclude And first we place the Ecce the behold on his death he suffer'd and dyed that he might learne to have compassion on thy miseries and on thy dust and rayse thee from both and wilt thou learne nothing from his compassion wilt thou not by him and by thy own sinnes and miseries which drew from him teares of Bloud learne to pitty thy self wilt thou still rejoyce in that iniquity which troubled his spirit which shed his bloud which he was willing should gush out of his heart so it might melt thine and work but this in thee to pitty thy self we talk of a first Conversion and a second and I know not what Cycles and Epicycles we have found out to salve our irregular motion in our wayes to blisse if we could once have compassion on our selves the work were done and when were you converted or how were you converted were no such hard questions to be answer'd for I may be sure I am converted if I be sure that I truly pitty my self shall Christ onely have compassion on thy soule But then again shall he shed his bloud for his Church that it may be one with him and at unity in it self and canst thou not drop a teare when thou seest this his body thus rent in pieces as it is at this day when thou seest the world the love of the world break in and make such havock in the Church oh 't is a sad contemplation will none but Christ weep over Jerusalem Secondly let us look upon him living and not take our eye from off him to fill and feed and delight it with the vanities of this world with that which hath neither life nor spirit with that which is so neer to nothing with that which is but an Idol Behold he liveth that which thou so dotest on hath no life nor can it prolong thy life a moment who would not cease from man whose breath is in his nostrills and then what madnesse is it to trust in that which hath no breath at all shall Christ present himself alive to us and for us and shall we lay hold of corruption rottennesse and when heaven opens it self to receive us run from it into a charnell-house and so into hell it self But then in the third place Behold he lives for evermore and let not us bound and imprison our thoughts
attributes he hath he is called the Spirit of Adoption Rom. 8.15 the Spirit of Faith 2 Cor. 4.13 the Spirit of Grace of Love of Joy of Zeale for where he worketh Grace is operative our Love is without dissimulation our Joy is like the joy of heaven as true though not so great our Faith a working faith and our Zeal a coale from the Altar kindled from his fire not mad and raging but according to knowledge he makes no shadowes but substances no pictures but realities no appearances but truths a Grace that makes us highly favoured a precious and holy Faith full and unspeakable Love ready to spend it self and zeal to consume us of a true existence being from the spirit of God who alone truly is but here the spirit of Truth yet the same spirit that planteth grace and faith in our hearts that begets our Faith cilates our Love works our Joy kindles our Zeal and adopts us in Regiam familiam into the Royall Family of the first-born in Heaven but now the spirit of Truth was more proper for to tell men perplext with doubts that were ever and anon and sometimes when they should not asking questions of such a Teacher was a seal to the promise a good assurance they should be well taught that no difficulty should be too hard no knowledge too high no mystery too dark and obscure for them but Omnis veritas all truth should be brought forth and unfolded to them and have the vayle taken from it and be laid open and naked to their understanding Let us then look up upon and worship this spirit of Truth as he thus presents and tenders himself unto us as he stands in opposition to two great enemies to Truth as 1. Dissimulation 2. Flattery and then as he is true in the lessons which he teacheth that we may pray for his Advent long for his coming and so receive him when he comes And first dissemble he doth not he cannot for dissimulation is a kind of cheat or jugling by which we cast a mist before mens eyes that they cannot see us it brings in the Divel in Samuel's mantle and an enemy in the smiles and smoothness of a friend it speakes the language of the Priest at Delphos playes in ambiguities promises life As to King 〈◊〉 who a 〈…〉 slew when death is neerest and bids us beware of a chariot when it means a sword No this spirit is an enemy to this because a spirit of truth and hates these in volucra dissimulationis this folding and involvednesse these clokes and coverts these crafty conveyances of our own desires to their end under the specious shew of intending good to others and they by whom he speaks are like him and speak the truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 3.12 in the simplicity and godly sincerity of the spirit not in craftinesse not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 handling the Word of God deceitfully 2 Cor. 4.2 Eph. 4.14 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not in the slight of men throwing a Die what cast you would have them noting their Doctrine to men and the times that is not to men and the times but to their own ends telling them of Heaven Wisdom 1.5 when their thoughts are in their purse This holy spirit of Truth flies all such deceit and removes himself far from the thoughts which are without understanding and will not acquit a dissembler of his words there is nothing of the Divels method nothing of the Die or hand no windings nor turnings in what he teacheth but verus vera dicit being a spirit of truth he speaks the truth and nothing but he truth and for our behoof and advantage that we may believe it and build upon it and by his discipline raise our selves up to that end for which he is pleased to come and be our teacher And as he cannot dissemble so in the next place flatter us he cannot the inseparable mark and character of the evill spirit qui arridet ut saeviat who smiles upon us that he may rage against us lifts us up that he may cast us down whose exaltations are foiles whose favours are deceits whose smiles and kisses are wounds for flattery is as a glasse for a fool to look upon and so become more fool than before it is the fools eccho by which he hears himself at the rebound and thinks the wiseman spoke unto him and it proceeds from the father of lies not from the spirit of truth who is the same yesterday and to day and for ever who reproves drunkennesse though in a Noah adultery though in a David want of faith though in a Peter and layes our sins in order before us his precepts are plain his law is in thunder his threatnings earnest and vehement he calls Adam from behind the bush strikes Ananias dead for his hypocrisie and for lying to the holy Spirit deprives him of his own Thy excuse to him is a libell thy pretence fouler than thy sin thy false worship of him is blasphemy and thy form of godlinesse open impiety and where he enters the heart Sin which is the greatest errour the grossest lye removes it self heaves and pants to go out knocks at our breast and runs down at our eyes and we hear it speak in sighs and grones unspeakable and what was our delight becomes our torment In a word he is a spirit of truth and neither dissembles to decieve us nor flatters that we may deceive our selves but verus vera dicit being truth it self tells us what we shall find to be most true to keep us from the dangerous by-paths of errour and misprision in which we may lose our selves and be lost for ever And this appears is visible in those lessons and precepts which he gives which are so harmonious so consonant so agreeing with themselves and so consonant and agreeable to that Image after which we were made to fit and beautifie it when it is defaced and repaire it when it is decayed that so it may become in some proportion measure like unto him that made it for this spirit doth not set up one precept against another nor one text against another doth not disanul his promises in his threats nor check his threats with his promises doth not forbid all Feare in confidence nor shake our confidence when he bids us feare doth not set up meeknesse to abate our zeale nor kindles zeale to consume our meeknesse doth not teach Christian liberty to shake off obedience to Government nor prescribes obedience to infringe and weaken our Christian liberty This spirit is a spirit of truth and never different from himself never contradicts himself but is equall in all his wayes the same in that truth which pleaseth thee and that which pincheth thee in that which thou consentest to and that which thou runnâ—st from in that which will rayse thy spirit and that which will wound thy spirit And the reason why men who
ex alto Deus rerum arbiter men see us who see but our face but God also is a spectator and He knoweth the Heart Take that zeal which consumes not our selves but others about us this fire is not from Heaven nor was it kindled by the Father of lights that hand which is so ready to take a Brother by the throat was never guided by the Author of our Religion who is our Father That tongue which is full of Bitterness and reviling was never toucht by a Cherubin but set on fire of Hell These are not Religions Coram Deo Patre before God and the Father but this Religion to do good and abstain from evil ex alto origine ducit acknowledgeth no author but the God of Heaven hath God and the Father to bear witness to it was foreshewed by the Prophets chundered out by the Apostles and Christ himself who was the Author and Finisher of our Faith and Religion And this may serve The Application first to make us in love with this Religion because it hath such a founder as God the Father who is wisdom it self and can neither be deceived nor deceive us Ye men and Brethren and whosoever among you feareth God to you is this word of salvation sent Acts 13.26 sent to you from Heaven from God and the Father in other things you are very curious and ever desire to receive them from the best hands what a present is a picture of Apelles making or a statue of Lysippus not the watch you wear but you would have it from the best Artificer and shall our curiosity spend it self on vanities and leave us careless and indifferent in the choice of that which must make our way to eternity of bliss shall we make darkness our pavilion round about us and please our selves in error when Heaven bows and opens it self to receive us and shall we worship our own imaginations and not hearken what God and the Father shall say what a shame is it when God from Heaven points with his finger to the rule Haec est this is it that we should frame a Religion to our selves that every mans fancy and humour or which is the height of impiety every mans sin should be his Lawgiver that when there can be but one there should be so many Religions Arbitrary Religions such as we are pleased to have because they smile upon us and flatter and bolster up our irregular desires a Hearing Religion and a Talking Religion and a Trading Religion a Religion that shall visit the Widow and Orphan but rather to devour then refresh them Behold and look no farther God the Father hath made a Religion which is pure and undefiled to our hands and therefore as Seneca counsels Polybius when thou wouldst forget all other things Cogita Caesarem entertain Caesar in thy thoughts so that we may forget all other sublimary worldly I may say Hellish Religions let us think of this Religion whose Author and Founder is God whose wisdom is infinite whose power uncontrolable whose authority unquestionable for talk what we will of authority the authority of man is like himself and can but binde the man and that the frailest and earthliest part of him only God is Rex mentium the King of our mindes and no authority in Heaven or in Earth can binde or loose a Soule but his who first breathed it into man Come then let us worship and fall down before God the Father the maker both of us and our Religion Again in the second place if Saint James be Canonical and Authentick if this be true Religion then it will make up an answer sufficient to stop the mouth of those of the Romish party who are very busie to demand at our hands a catalogue of Fundamentals and where our Church was before the dayes of Reformation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is in the Proverb These and such like they put up unto us as Archytas did his rattles into childrens hands to keep them from doing mischief that being busie and taken up with these we may have less leisure to pull down her Idols or discover her shame Do they aske what truths are Fundamental Faith supposed as it is here they are charity to our selves and others nihil ultra scire est omnia scire to know this is to know all we need to know for it is not sufficient to know that which is sufficient to make us happy but Tert. de praescript if nothing will satisfie them but a Catalogue of particulars Habent Mosen Prophetas they have Moses and the Prophets they have the Apostles and if they finde them not there in vain shall they seek for them at our hands they may if they please seek them there and then number them out as they do their Prayers by Beads and present them by Tale but if they will yet know what is Fundamental in our conceit and what not they may 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 draw them out with both hands for first let them observe what points they are in which we agree with their Church and if they be in Scripture let them set them down if they please as Fundamental in our account and on the other hand let them mark in what points we refuse Communion with them and they cannot but Think that we esteem those points for no Fundamentals And again do they who measure Religion rather by the pomp and state it carries with it then the power and majesty of the Author whose command alone made it Religion ask us where our Religion was in the dayes before there was a withdrawing from the Communion with that Church we may answer it was here in the Text for haec est this is it and if they further question us where it was professed we need give no other reply then this it was profest where it was profest if it were not protest in any place yet was it true Religion for the truth depends not on the profession of it nor is it less truth if none receive it but profest it was even amongst them in the midst of them round about them but wheresoever it were Haec erat this was it this was true Religion before God and the Father to visit the Fatherless and Widows in their Affliction and to keep our selves unspotted of the World To conclude then Conclus 3. Men and Brethren are these things so and is this only true Religion to doe good and abstain from evil what a busie noise then doth the world make for Religion when it offers it self and falls so low offers it self to the meanest understanding the narrowest capacity and throws it self into the embraces of any that will love it Littus Hyla Hyla Omne sonabat Religion is the talke of the whole world it is preach't on the house tops and it is cryed up in the streets we are loud for it and smother it in that noise we write for it and leave it dead
command deliver up his own Ordinance what deliver up his strength into Captivity and his Glorie into the enemies hands yes even here Dominus est it is the Lord. God did it because he suffered it to be done did it tanquam dormiens as one asleep withdrew himself when he awakes then he will lift up his hand and it shall fall upon the Philistine and bruise him to pieces then it shall be his power and irresistible Arm now it is but his connivence and permission What the rage of the Persecutor what the Philistine what the Devil doth God is said to do and in many places of Scripture it is called his will â— quia volens permittit because he willingly permits it for should he interpose his power it could never be done 2. Because he foretels and threatens it and binds it with an Oath as he doth here which he would never do if he meant to hinder it Lastly Though he will not the thing it self as murder and Sacriledge and the Profanation of his Ark yet notwithstanding some good will of God is accomplished by it For even in the most horrid Execution some good will of God may be accomplisht he delivers up Christ to be Crucified but his will was to save the World and he that was willing his Son should suffer yet hated the Jew and for that very fact made their house desolate he found them in the gall of bitternesse and left them so to do his will when they brake it the malice was their own and God suffered them to breath it forth but the issue and event was an Act of Gods will of his wisdom and power And thus he delivers up the Ark but it was to preserve it as Agesilaus abrogated the Laws of Lâ—curgus that he might establish them ut semper essent aliquanâ—o non fuerunt Valer. Max. l. 7. c. 2 saith the Historian they were laid aside awhile that they might remain and be in force for ever so God suffers his Ark to be lead into Captivity that it might conquer first Dagon and then the Israelite strike off his hypocrisy and work and fashion him to the will of God of whom the Ark was but a representation suffered it to be removed for a time that it might be restored again both to its place and dignity For we may observe in these Israelites what if we could be impartial we may soon discover in our selves in the use of those helps which God hath graciously afforded us They both honoured and dishonored the Ark gave it too high an esteem and yet undervalued it they called it their God and made it their Idol A strange contradiction yet so visible in the course and progresse of carnal worshippers that he that sees them in their race would think they ran two contrary wayes at once were very Religious and very profane at once did invade Heaven with violence and yet drive furiously to the lowest pit And first we have just reason to imagine that when the Ark was taken up upon the Levites shoulders and they sang let God arise which was the set and constant form they spake not by metaphor but as if indeed they had their God on their shoulders for in the fourth Chapter when Israel was smitten at the 2. ver let us bring say they the Ark of the Covenant at the third The Ark is brought out and now victory is certain for when it cometh amongst us it willsave us say they But as Epictetus once taught his Scholars that they should so behave themselves that they might be an Ornament to the Arts and not the Arts unto them so the integrity of the Jew should have been a defence to the Ark and not the Ark made use of to stand up for a prophane impenitent Israelite For what a wile and sophisme of Satan is this to perswade a polluted sinful soul that when he hath scornfully rejected the substance that piety which should make him strong in the Lord at the last in the time of Danger and the furious approach of the enemy a shadow should stand forth and fight for him that when he had broken the Law and Testimonies not regarded the Oracles forget all the Mercies of God and robd him of his glory that then I say the shell the Ark the Shittim wood should be as the great power of God to maintain his cause certainly if this be not a wile of the Devil I know no snare he hath that can catch us if this be not to deceive our selves I shall think there is no such thing as error in the World But again in the second place and on the contrary as they did Deificare Arcam as the father speaks even deifie the Ark attribute more unto it then God ever gave it or was willing it should have so they did also depretiare vilifie and set it at naught called it their strength their glory their God but imployed it in baser offices then ever the Heathen did their gods who called upon them to teach them to steal and deceive Not long since their Priests committed rapes at the door of the Tabernacle Pulcra laverna Da mihi fallere c. Hor. and now they expect the Ark should help those prophane miscreants who had so polluted it Oh the Ark the Ark the glory of God that is able to becalm and slumber a Tempest to binde the hands of the Almighty that he shall not strike to scatter an Army to make kings to fly to crown a sinful Nation with victory to bring back an adulterer Lanreate a Ravisher with the spoiles of a Philistine that shall be a buckler a protection to defend them who but now defiled it that shall be their God which they made their Abomination bring forth the Ark and then what are these uncircumcised Philistines God heard this saith the Psalmist Psal 78.59 and was wroth and greatly abhorred Israel and seeing that all the cry was for the Ark no thought for the statutes and Testemonies which lay shut up in the Ark and oblivion together seeing the signe of his presence had quite shut him out of whose presence it was a signe seeing it so much honored so much debased so sanctified and so polluted he delivers up the people and the Ark together into the Philistines hands that they might learn more from the Ark in the Temple of Dagon then they did when it stood in their own Tabernacle learn the right use of it now which they had so fouly abused when they enjoyed it in a word strikes off their embroydery that they might learn to be more glorious within I remember there is a constitution in the Imperial Law st seudatarius rem Feuae c. if he that holdeth in see farm useth contrary to the will and intent of the Lord redit a Dâ—menum it presently returns into the Lords power And we may observe that the great Emperour of Heaven and earth proceeds after the same
this Great Deep and will not cry out he that knows what he is and will be what he is knows he is miserable and desires not a change is neere to the condition of the Damned spirits who howle for the want of that light which they have lost and detest and Blaspheme that most which they cannot have who because they can never be Happy can never desire it But to this condition we cannot be brought till we are brought under the same punishment which neverthelesse is represented to us in this life in the sad thoughts of our Heart in the Horror of sinne and in a Troubled Conscience that so we may avoid it The Type we see now and to this end that we may never see the Thing it self and the sight of this if we remove not our eye at the call and enticement of the next approaching vanity which may please at first but in the end will place before us as foule an Object as that which we now look upon will worke in us a Desire to have that removed which is now as a Thorn in our eyes a desire to have Gods Hand taken off from us and that those sinnes too may be taken away which made his Hand so heavy a desire to be freed from the guilt and a desire to be freed from the Dominion of sinne a Desire that reacheth at Liberty and at Heaven it self Eruditi vivere est cogitare saith Tully Tusc q. l. 5. Meditation is the life of a Schollar for if the minde leave off to move and work and be in agitation the man indeed may live but the Philosopher is dead and vita Christiani sanctum Desiderium saith Hierom the life of a Christian is nothing else but a holy desire drawne out and spent in Prayers Deprecations Wishes Obtestations in Pantings and longings held up and continued by the heat and vigor and the endlesse unsatisfyednesse of desire which if it slack or fayl or end in an indifferency or Luke-warmness leaves nothing behind it but a lump a masse of Corruption for with it the life is gone the Christian is departed 5. Endeavour 5. But in the last place This is not enough nor will it draw us neere enough unto a Turne there is required as a true witnesse of this our convincement and sorrow of the Heartinesse of our confession and the Truth of our desire a serious endavour an eager contention with our selves an assiduous violence against those sinnes which have brought us so low to the dust of Death and the House of the Grave and endeavour to order our steps to walk contrary to our selves to make a Covenant with our eye to purge our eare to cut off our hand and to keep our Feet to forbeare every Act which carries with it but the appearance of evill to cut off every occasion which may prompt us to it an Endeavour to work in the Vineyard to exercise our selves in the workes of Piety to love the faire opportunities of doing good and lay hold on them to be ambitious and Inquisitive after all those Helps and advantages which may promote this endeavour and bring it with more ease and certainty unto the end And this is as the heaving and strugling of a man under a Burden as the striving in a Snare as the Throwes of a Woman in Travail who longs to be delivered this is as our knocking at the Gates of Heaven as our flight from the wrath to come Thus doe we strive and fight with all those defects which either nature began or custome hath confirmed in us thus do we by degrees work that happy change that we are not the same but other men Val. Max. l. 8. c. 7. as the Historian speaks of Demosthenes whose studiousnesse and Industry overcame the malignity of Nature and unloos'd his tongue alterum Demosthenem mater alterum industria enixa est The mother brought forth one Demosthenes and Industry another so by this our serious and unfeigned Endeavour eluctamur per obstantia we force our selves out of those obstacles and encumberances which detain'd us so long in evill waies we make our way through the Clouds and darknesse of this world and are compassed about with raies of light Nature made us men evill Custome made us like the Beasts that perish and grace and Repentance make us Christians and consecrates us to Eternity The Turne it selfe Or True Repentance All these are in our Turne in our Repentance but all these doe not compleat and perfect it For I am not Turn'd from my evill wayes till I walk in good I have not shaken off one Habit till I have gain'd the contrary I am not truely Turn'd from one point till I have recovered the other have not forsaken Babylon till I dwell in Jerusalem for Turne ye from your evill Wayes in the holy language is Turne unto me with all your heart worke out one Habit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist 2. Ethic. c. 1. with another let your Actions now controll and demolish those which you built up so fast that which set them up will pull them downe perseverance and assiduity in Action The liberall Hand casts away our Almes and our Covetousness together The often putting our knife to our throat destroyes our Intemperance The often disciplining our Flesh crucifies our Lusts our acts of mercy proscribe Cruelty our making our selves Eunuchs for the Kingdome of Heaven stones the Adulterer our walking in the light is our Turne from Darknesse our going about and doing good is our voluntary Exile and Flight out of the World and the Pollutions thereof Then wee are Spirituall when we walke after the Spirit and when wee thus walke wee are Turn'd I know Repentance in the Writings of Divines is drawne out and commended to us under more notions and considerations then one It is taken for those preparatory Acts which fitt and qualify us for the Kingdome and Gospel of Christ Repent for the Kingdome of Heaven is at hand Matth. 3.2 it is taken for that change in which we are sorry for our sinne and desire and purpose to leave it which serves to usher in Faith and Obedience but I take it in its most generall and largest acception for the leaving one state and Condition and a constant cleaving to the contrary for the getting our selves of every evill Habit and investing our selves with those which are good or to speak with our Prophet for Turning away from wickednesse Ezek. 18.27 and doing that which is Lawfull and right for casting away all our Transgressions and making us new Hearts and new Spirits I am sure this one Syllable Turne will take in and comprehend it all for what is all our preparation if when we come neere to Christ we stand back what are the beginnings of obedience if we revolt what is the bend or Turne of our Initiation if we Turn aside like a deceitfull Bow what 's out sorrow if it do but bow the head
and will not turn yet upon a bold and strange presumption that though we grieve his spirit though we resist and blaspheme his spirit yet after all these Scorns and contempts after all these injuries and contumelies he will yet look after us and sue unto us and offer himself and meet and receive us at any time we shall point out as most convenient to turn in It is most true God hath declared himself and as it were became his own Herald and proclaimed it to all the world Exod. 34.6,7 the Lord Merciful and Gracious and abundant in Goodnesse and Truth keeping Mercy for Thousands for he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most lovingly affected to man the chief and Prince of his creatures he longs after him he wooes him he waites on him His Glory and mans Salvation meet and kisse each other for it is his Glory to crown him Nor doth he at any time turn from us himself till we doat on the world and sensuality and divorce him from us till we have made our Heaven below chosen other gods which we make our selves and think him not worth the turning to He is alwayes a God at hand never goes from us till we sorce him away by violence How many murmurings and rebellions how many contradictions of sinners hath he stood out and yet looked towards them how hath he been prest as a Cart under sheaves Amos 2.13 and yet look't towards them how hath he been shaken off and defied and yet lookt towards them he receives David after his Adustery and murder after that complication of sins the least of which was of force enough to cast him out of Gods presence for ever he receives Peter after his denial and would have received Judas after his Treason he received Manasses when he could not live long and he received the Theef on the Crosse when he could live no longer All this is true His Mercy is infinite and his Mercy is everlasting and is the same yesterday and to day and for ever Ter. de pudicit c. 10. But as Tertullian sayes well non potest non irasci contumeliis misericordiae suae God must needs wax angry at the contumelies and reproaches which by our dalliance and delay we fling upon his mercy which is so ready to cover our sinnes For how can he suffer this Queen of his Attributes to be thus prostituted by our lusts to see men bring sinne into the world under the shadow of that Mercy which should take it away to see men advance the Kingdome of Darknesse and to fight under the devils banner with this inscription and motto lifted up the Lord is mercifull what hope of that Souldier that flings away his buckler or that condemned person that tears his pardon or that sick man that loves his disease and counts his Physick poyson and the Prophet here in my Text where he calls upon us with that earnestness Turn ye turn ye gives us a fair intimation that if we thus delay and delay and never begin a time may come when we shall not be able to turn It may seem indeed a harsh and hard saying a Doctrine not sutable with the lenity and gentlenesse of the Gospel which breaths nothing but mercy to conclude that such a time may come that any part of time that the last moment of our time may not make a now to turn in that whilest we breath our condition should be as desperate as if we were dead that whilst we are men our estate should be as irrevocable as that of the damned spirits with this difference onely that we are not yet in the place of torment which neverthelesse is prepared for us and will as certainly receive us as it doth now the Devil and his Angels It is harsh indeed but may be very profitable and advantageous for us so to think that such a time may be which may be our last for grace though not our last for life that we may live and yet be dead eternally a time Heb. 10.26 when there will remain no more sacrifice for sin I cannot say we should make it an article of our Creed and yet I know no danger in beleeving it and it may prove fatal to us to disbeleeve it or look upon it as such an errour which deserves to be placed in the Catalogue of Heresies And therefore though you subscribe not yet there is no reason you should Anathematize it because we may finde some parts of Scripture which look this way and so far seem to enforce it that we have rather reason to fear that there may be some truth in it since our wilful delayes are but as the degrees to it as the ready way to that gulph out of which it will be impossible to lift up our selves at least impossible in the Lawiers sense impossible as those things which may be but seldom come to passe It is a part of wisdome to fear the worst nor can we be too scrupulous in the businesse of our Salvation In the 15. of Genesis and the 16. v. God tells Abraham that he will judge the Amorites but he will stay to the fourth generation till their iniquity be full and when it is full then he will strike At 23. of Matt. Our Saviour thus bespeaks the Pharisees v. 23. Fill you up the measure of your forefathers which is not a command but a prediction that they should fill up the measure of their sin and then be ripe for punishment For when men have run out the full length of their line then it is Gods time to draw it in and give them a check to pull them on their backs there to be buried in ruine for ever When our Saviour beheld Jerusalem the Text tells us he wept over it wept over it as at its funeral as if he now saw the enemy cast a trench round about it as if he saw it Luk. 29.43 lie level with the ground Will you hear this Epicedium or his Funeral speech which he uttered with great passion and tears running down his cheeks Oh that thou hadst known the things that belong to thy peace in hac die tuâ even in this thy day A day then they had but when this day was shut in then follows nunc autem but now they are hid from thine eyes which ushers in that blacknesse of darknesse for ever Oh that thou hadst then was liberty of choice but Now thou art bound and fettered under a sad impossibility for ever And that we may be thus bound hand and foot before we be cast into utter darknesse Saint Paul doth more then intimate when he tells us of the Gentiles Rom. 1. That as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge to retain him as a merciful God retain his love and favour by the true worship of him he also gave them over 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to a reprobate minde he left them in that gall of bitternes in which they
is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one and the same God in all his commands not forbidding one sin and permitting another as his wayes are equal so must our turn be equal not from the right hand to the left not from superstition to prophanesse not from despising of prophesie to Sermonhypocrisy not from uncleannesse to faction not from Riot to Rebellion but a turn from all Extreams from all evil a collection and levelling the soul which before lookt divers wayes and turning her face upon the way of truth upon God alone If we turn as we should if we will answer this earnest and vehement call we must turn from all our evil wayes we use to say that there is as great a miracle wrought in our conversion as in the Creation of the world but this is not true in every respect for man though he be a sinner yet is something hath an understanding will affections to be wrought upon yet as it is one condition required in a true miracle that it be perfect so that there be not onely a change but such a change which is absolute and exact that it may seem to be as it were a new Creation that water which is changed into wine may be no more water but wine tht the blind man do truly see the lame man truly walk and the dead man truly live so is it in our turn and conversion there is a total and perfect change the Adulterer is made an Eunuch for the kingdom of Heaven the intemperate comes forth with a knife at his throat the revenger kisseth the hand that strikes him when we Turn sinne vanisheth the Old man is dead and in its place there stands up a new Creature In the 15. to Galatians Saint Paul speaking of the works of the flesh which are nothing but sins and having given us a catalogue reckoned up many of them by which we might know the rest at last concludes Of which I tell you before as I have told you often that they who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God where the Apostles meaning is not that they who do all these or most of these or many of these or more then one of these but they who die possest of any one of these shall have no place in the kingdom of God and of Christ for what profit is there to turn from one sin and not all when one sin is enough to make us breakers of the whole Law and so liable to eternal death It is a conclusion in the Schools that whosoever is in the state of any one mortal sin and turns not from it whatsoever he doth do he pray or give almes bow the knee before God or open his hand to his brother be it what it will in it self never so fair and commendable it is forth with blasted and defaced and is so far from deserving commendations that it hath no other wages due to it but death I cannot say this is true for so far as it is agreeable with reason so far it must needs be pleasing to the God of reason so far as it answers the rule so far is it accepted of him that made it nor can we think that Regulus Fabricius Cato and the rest who do convitium facere Christianis upbraid and shame many of us Christians were damned for their justice their integrity their honesty Hell is no receptacle for men so qualified were there nothing else to prepare and fit them for that place but yet most true it is that if we be indued and beautified with many vertues yet the habit of one sin is enough to deface them to draw that night and darknesse about them that they shall not be seen to put them to silence that they shall have no power to speak or plead for us in the day of trial though they be not sins not bright and shining sins for I cannot see how darknesse it self should shine yet they shall become utterly unprofitable they may peradventure lessen the number of the stripes but yet the unrepentant sinner shall be beaten For what ease can a myriad of vertues do him who is under Arrest nay what performance can acquit him who is condemned already Reason it self stands up against it and forbids it for what obedience is that which answers but in part which follows one precept and runs away from another and then what imperfect monsters should the kingdome of Heaven receive a liberall man but not chast a Temperate man but not honest a Zealous man but not Charitable a great Faster and a great Impostor a Beadsman and a Theese an Apostle a great Preacher and a Traytor such a Monsterous mishapen Christian cannot stand before him who is a pure uncompounded Essence the same in every Thing and Every Where One and the same even Unity it self For againe every man is not equally inclin'd to every sinne This man loves that which another loathes and he who made the Devil fly at the first Encounter may entertaine him at a second he that resisted him in lust may yeeld to him in Anger He who will none of his delicates may fayle at his Terrors and he that feared not the roaring of the Lyon may be ensnared by the flattery of the Serpent For the force of Temptations is many times quickned or Dull'd according to the Naturall Constitutions and severall complexions of men and other outward Circumstances by which they may work more coldly or more vehemently upon the will and Affections A man of a dull and Torpid disposition is seldom Ambitious a man of a quick and active Spirit seldome Idle the Cholerick man not obnoxious to those evills which melancholly doth hatch nor the Melancholick to those which Choler is apt to produce As hard a matter it may be for some men to commit some one sinne as it is for others to avoid it as hard a matter for the Foole in the Gospel to have scattered his Goods as it was for the other Foole the Prodigall to have kept them as hard a matter for some to let loose their Anger as it is for others to curbe and bridle it some by their very temper and Constitution with ease withstand lust but must struggle and take paines to keep down their Anger Some can stand upright in Poverty but are overthrown by wealth some can resist this Temptation by slighting it but must beat and macerate themselves must use a kind of violence before they can overcome another which is more sutable and more flatters their Constitution And this we may find by those darts which we cast at one another those uncharitable Censures we passe For how do the Covetous condemne and pity the Prodigal and how doth the Prodigal loath and scorne the Covetous How doth the Luke-warme Christian abominate the Schismaticque and the Schismaticque call every man so if he be not as mad as himself How doth this man bless himself and wonder that any should fall into such or
himself out of the snare of the Devill maternus ei non deest assectus she is still a Mother even to such Children her shops of spirituall comfort lie open there you may buy Wine and Milk Indulgences and Absolution but not without money or money-worth be you as sick as you will and as oft as you will There is Physick there are Cordialls to refresh and restore you I dare not promise so much in the House of Israel in the Church of Christ for I had rather make the Church a Schoole of Virtue then a Sanctuary for Offenders and wanton sinners We dare not give it that strength to carry up our Prayers to the Saints in heaven or to conveigh their Merits to us on Earth wee cannot work and temper it to that heat to draw up the blood of Martyrs or the works of supererogating Christians who have been such profitable servants that they did more in the service of God then they should into a common Treasury and then showre them downe in Pardons and Indulgences but yet though we cannot finde this power the re which is a Power to doe nothing yet we may find strength enough in the Church to keep us from the Moriemini to save us from Death Though I cannot suffer for my Brother yet I may beare for him Gal. 6.2 even portare onus fratris beare my brothers burden Though I cannot merit for him yet I may work for him though I cannot die for him I may pray for him Though there be no good in my Death nor profit in my Dust yet there may be in my memory of my good Counsel my Advice my Example which are verae sanctorum reliquiae Consult Cass c. de Relig. 5. saith Cassander the best and truest reliques of the Saints and though my Death cannot satisfy for him yet it may Catechize him and teach him how to die nay teach him how to overcome Death that he shall not die for ever and by this Communion it is that we work Miracles that in Turning the Covetous turning his bowels in him we recover a dry Hand and a narrow Heart in teaching the Ignorant we give sight to the blind in setling the inconstant wavering mind we cure the palsie for we can well allow of such Miracles as these in the Church but not of Lyes For as there is an Invisible union of the Saints with God so is there of Christians amongst themselves which union though the Eye of flesh cannot behold it yet it must appeare and shine and be resplendent in those duties and offices which doe attend this union which are as so many Hands by which we lift up one another to happiness As the Head infuseth life and vigor into the whole body so must the members also annoynt each other with this Oyle of Gladnesse Each member must be Active and Industrious to expresse that Virtue without which it cannot be one Let no man seek his owne but every man anothers Wealth saith the Apostle not seek his own 1 Cor. 10.24 what more naturall to man or who is neerer to him then he himself but yet he must not seek his owne but as it may bring advantage and promote the Good of others not presse forward to the mark but with his hand stretcht forth to carry on others along with him not goe to Heaven but saving some with feare and pulling others out of the fire Ep. Iud. 23. and gathering up as many as his Wisedome and care and zeal towards God and man can take up with him in the way And this is necessary even in humane Societies and those Politick Bodies which men build up to themselves for their Peace and security Turpis est pars quae toti suo non Convenit that is a most unnecessary superfluous part or Member for which the whole is not the better ut in sermone literae saith Austin as letters in a word or Sentence so men are Elementa Civitatis the principles and parts which make up the Syntaxis of a Republique and he that endeavours not the advancement of the whole is a Letter too much fitt to be expung'd and blotted out but in the Church whose maker and Builder is God it is required in the highest degree especially in those transactions which may enlarge the Circuit and glory of it here every man must be his own and under Christ his Brothers Saviour for as between these two Cities so between the happinesse of the one and the happinesse of the other there is no Comparison As therefore every Bishop in the former Ages called himself Episcopum Catholicae Ecclesiae a Bishop of the Catholick Church although he had Jurisdiction but over one Diocesse so the care and Piety of every particular Christian in respect of its diffusive Operation is as Catholick as the Church every soul he meets with is under his charge and he is the care of every soul in saving a soul from Death every man is a Priest and a Bishop although he may neither invade the Pulpit or ascend the Chaire I may be eyes unto him Numb 10.31 as it was said of Hobab I may take him from his Error and put him into the way of truth if he feare I may scatter it If he grieve I may wipe off his Teares If he presume I may teach him to feare and if he despaire I may lift him up to a lively Hope that neither feare nor grief neither Presumption nor despaire swallow him up thus may I raise a dead man from the grave a sinner from his sinne and by that example many may rise with him who are as dead as he and so by his friendly communication transfuse our selves into others and receive others into our selves and so runne hand in hand from the Chambers of Death And thus farr we dare extend the Communion of Saints place it in a House a Family a society of men called and gathered together by Christ raise it to the participation of the Priviledges and Charters granted by Christ calling us to the same faith leading us by the same rule filling us with the same Grace endowing us with severall Gifts that we may guard and secure each other and so settle it in thoe Offices and Duties which Christianity makes common and God hath registred in his Church which is the Pillar of Truth where all mens Joyes and Sorrows and Feares and Hopes should be one and the same And then to die surrounded with all these Helpes and Advantages of God above ready to Help us of men like unto our selves prest out as auxiliaries to succour and relieve us of Precepts to guide us of Promises to encourage us of Heaven even opening it self to recerve us then to die is to die as fools die to suffer their hands to be bound and their feet put in fetters and to open their Breast to the sword for to die alone is not so grievous not so imputable as to die in such Company
excludes all stoicall fate all necessity of sinning or dying there is nothing above us nothing before us nothing about us which can necessitate or binde us over to death so that if we die it is in our volo in our will we die for no other reason but that which is not reason quia volumus because we will die We have now brought you to the very Cell and Den of death where this monster was framed and fashioned where 't was first conceived brought forth and nurst up I have discovered to you the Original and beginnings of sin whose natural issue is death and shut it up in one word the will that which hath so troubled and amuzed men in all the ages of the Church to finde out That which some have sought in Heaven in the bosom of God as if his Providence had a hand in it and others have raked Hell and made the devil the Author of it who is but a perswader a soliciter to promote it that which others have tied to the chain of Destiny whose links are filed by the fancy alone and made up of air and so not strong enough to binde men much lesse the Gods themselves as 't is said what many have busied themselves in a painful and unnecessary search to finde out opening the windows of Heaven to finde it there running to and fro about the universe to finde it there and searching Hell it self to discover it we may discover in our own Breasts in our own heart the will the womb that conceives this Monster this Viper which eats through it and Destroyes the Mother in the Birth For that which is the beginning of Action is the beginning of sinne and that which is the beginning of sinne is the cause of Death In homine quicquid est sibi proficit Hilar. in Ps 118. saith Hilary there is nothing in man Nothing in the world which he may not make use of to avoid and prevent Death and In homine quic-quid est sibi nocet there is nothing in man nothing in the world which he may not make an occasion and Instrument of sinne That which hurts him may help him That which Circumspection and Diligence may make an Antidote neglect and Carelesness may Turn into Poyson 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Basil as goodness so sinne is the work of our will not of Necessity If they were wrought in us against our will there could be neither Good nor Evill I call Heaven and Earth to witnesse saith GOD by his Servant Moses I have set before you Life and Death Blessing and cursing Deut. 30.19 and what is it to set it before them but to put it to themselves to put it into their own Hands to put it to their choice Chuse then which you will The Devil may tempt the Law occasion sinne Rom. 7.11 the Flesh may be weake Temptations may shew themselves but not any of these not all of these can bring in a necessity of Dying For the Qeustion or Expostulation doth not run thus Why are you under a Law why are you weake or why are you Dead for Reasons may be given for all these and the Justice and Wisedome of God will stand up to defend them but the Question is Why Will ye die for which there can bee no other Reason given but our Will And here we must make a stand and take our rise from this one word this one syllable our Will for upon no larger foundation then this we either build our selves up into a Temple of the Lord or into that Tower of Babel and Confusion which God will Destroy We see here all is laid upon the Will But such is our Folly and madness so full of Contradictions is a wilfull sinner that though he call Death unto him both with words and works though he be found guilty and sentence of Death past upon him yet he cannot be wrought into such a perswasion Tert. Apol. c. 1. That he was ever willing to Die nolumus nostrum quia malum Agnoscimus we will not call sinne ours because we know it Evill and so are bold to exonerate and unload our selves upon God himself 'T is true there is light but we are blind and cannot see it There is Comfort sounds every where but we are deafe and cannot heare it There is supply at hand but we are bound and fetter'd and can make no use of it There is Balm in Gilead but we are lame and have no hand to apply it We complain of our naturall weakness of our want of Grace and Assistance when we might know the Danger we are in we plead Ignorance when we willingly yeeld our Members servants to sinne we have learnt to say we did not doe it plenâ voluntate with a full Consent and will and what God hath clothed with Death we cloath with the faire Glosse of a good Intention and meaning we complaine of our Bodies and of our Souls as if the Wisedome of God had fail'd in our Creation we would be made after another fashion that we might be good and yet when we might be good we will be evill And these Webbs a sick and unsanctify'd Fancy will soon spin out These are Receipts and Antidotes of our own Tempering devis'd and made use of against the Gnawings of Conscience These we study and are ready and expert in and when Conscience begins to open and chide these are at hand to quiet it and to put it to silence wee carry them about for ease and comfort but to as little purpose as the women in Chrysostoms time bound the coines of Alexander the Great or some part of Saint Johns Gospel to ease them of the Headach for by these Receits and spells we more envenom our souls and draw neerer to Death by Thinking to fly from it and are ten-fold more the Servants of Satan because we are willing to doe him service but not willing to weare his Livery and thus excusando exprobramus our Apologies defame us our false Comforts destroy us and wee condemn our selves with an Excuse To draw then the lines by which we are to passe we will take off the Moriemini the cause of our Death from these First from our Naturall weakness Secondly from the Deficiency of Grace for neither can our Naturall weakness Betray nor can there be such a want of Grace as to enfeeble nor hath Satan so much Power as to force the will and so there will be no Necessity of Dying either in respect of our Naturall weakness or in regard of Gods strengthning hand and withholding his Grace and then in the second place that neither Ignorance of our duty nor regret or reluctancie of Conscience nor any pretence or good Intention can make sin lesse sinfull or our Death lesse voluntary and so bring Death to their Doores who have sought it out who have called it to them who are Confederate with it and are worthy to bee partakers thereof And Why Will you
mother of all those mishapen births those Monsters which walk about the world we dresse and deck up and give it a fair and glorious name and call it Humility which is saith Hilary the hardest and greatest work of our faith to which it is so unlike that it is the greatest enemy it hath and every day weakens and disenables it that it doth not work by charity but leaves us Captives to the world and sin which but for this conceit it would easily vanquish and tread down under our feet We may call it Humility but it is Pride a stubborn Humilitas maximum Fidei opus Hil. in Ps. 130. and insolent standing out with God that made us upon this foul and unjust pretense that he made us so humilitas sophistica saith Pet. Blasensis the humility of Hypocrites which at once bowes and pusheth out the horn in which we disgrace and condemn our selves that we may do what we please and speak evil of our selves that we may be worse Oh wretched men that we are we groan it out and there is musick in the sound which we hear and delight in and carry along in our minde and so become wretched indeed even those miserable sinners which will ever be so And shall we call this Humility Ep. ad Colos 2.18 if it be it is as the Apostle speaks a voluntary humility but in a worse sense he is the humblest man that doth his duty for that Humility which is commended to us in Scripture lets us up to heaven this which is is so Epidemical sinks us into the lowest pit that Humility bowes us down with sorrow this binds our hands with sloth that looks upon our imperfections past this makes way for more to come that ventures and condemns it self condemns it self and ventures further this runs out of the field and dare not look upon the enemy nec mirum si vincantur qui jam victi sunt and it is no marvail they should fall and perish whom their own so low and groundlesse opinion hath already overthrown For first though I deny not a derived weaknesse and from Adam though I leave it not after Baptisme as subsistent by it self or bound to the Center of the earth with the Manichee nor washt to nothing in the Font with others yet 't is easie to deceive our selves and to think it more contagious then it is more operative more destructive then it would be if we would shake off this conceit and rowse our selves and stand up against it ignavia nostr fortis est and it may be it is our sloth and Cowardize that makes it strong for certainly there must be more force then this hath to make us so wicked as many times we are and there be more promoters of the kingdom of Darknesse in us then that which we brought with us into the world Lord what a noise hath Original sin made amongst the sons of Adam and what ill use hath been made of it When this Lion roares all the Beasts of the Forrest tremble and yet are beasts still we hear of it and are astonisht and become worse and worse and yet there are but few that exactly know what it is when we are Infants we do not know that we are so no more then the Tree doth that it grows much lesse can we discover what poyson we brought with us into the world which as it is the nature of some kinde of poyson though it have no visible operation for the present may some years after break forth from the head to the foot in swellings and sores full of corruption and not be fully purged out to our lives end Again in the opening and dawning of our reason we have scarse so much light as to see our selves by and we understand little more then the rod which we soon forget and boldly venture upon the same fault for which we felt it and should count it a virtue and our bounden duty to do it but for the smart it brings with it which yet can work in us little conscience of guilt And then in our riper age our blood runs in our veines with more heat and we are active and strong to act over them with some sense and feeling which we learnt but imperfectly in our nonage which our Nurse pratled into us which servants read to us with a licentious tongue and wanton behaviour and many times we repeat and expresse those rudiments and principles of thrift which those who are set over us do commonly first teach and we shew our selves as perfect in them as those old Gray-headed Atheists that taught them These we take up betimes Wantonnesse Revenge love of the world and being used unto them they are no burdens and if at any time they wring us we have learnt so much at Church as to cast them off upon Adam to ease our selves with the remembrance of our natural weakness though we know not what it is nor have learnt it half so perfectly as we have done those other lessons which have no evil in them as we think but that which is of ancient extraction derived from the first evil that was ever seen under the Sun But then in our old age which is a complication and collection of all sins as well as diseases how should a dim eye discover it in the midst of so many evil habits wreathed and platted one within another covetousnesse wrought in with luxury and with luxury cruelty each thwarting and yet friendly complying the one with the other can we now say that these sins were thus multiplied and raised to such a height by the power and continued force of that fatal Legacie which our first Parents left us or was this the best crown wherewith our mothers crowned us in the day of our conception can we labour and toyl can we affect and study sin can we make it our businesse our ambition to walk in our evil wayes and say that we were put in them from the beginning and forced forward by the violent hand that first put us in Indeed the old man the old sinner is glad to heare of another Old man although he never intend to Crucifie him nor well understands what it is no more then the vulgar do Anti-christ which in their fancy is a Beast and hath horns The multitude of years though Age be talkative yet many times know no more of this primitive and so much famed evil then they who were but of yesterday For even they who have been brought up in Nob in the City and University of Priests have not all agreed in their discovery of this evil but have presented it in so many shapes that it will be hard to chuse and say this is the right this this it is I am sure their opinions and more then the sins can be which Original sin doth necessarily bring into act The Ana-Baptists in the dayes of our forefathers called it Somnium Augustini Saint Austins dream
See Melanct. l. c. de perc some make it a sin and some a punishment onely some make it both some have made it to be nothing but the want and deprivation of Original righteousnesse or an habitual aversion and obliquity of the will others have made it the image of the devil There be that conceived the whole essence of man to be corrupted there be that make it an Accident and there have been that have made it a substance and there have not been wanting those who have made it nothing All agree in this that there is something in us which we must strive to subdue and keep under some call it our natural inclination which may be the matter of vertue as well as of vice others Original sin which to yeeld to is to die but to curb and restrain to fight against and to conquer is the great work and Busines of a Christian I speake not this to take away our Originall weaknesse but to take it away from Being an excuse For in the Second place our Naturall weakness is so farre from excusing our sinne or making it less voluntary That we are bound by our very profession to Crucify this Old Adam in us to mortify our Earthly Members and lusts non exerere quod Nati sumus not to be what indeed we are to be in the Body but out of the Body to Tame the wantonness of the Flesh for did we not for this give up our names unto Christ were we not Baptized in this Faith It is my Melancholy saith the Envious It is my Choler saith the Revenger It is my Blood saith the wanton it is my Appetite saith the Glutton and so every man runnes on in his own wayes because the winde that drives him comes from no other Treasury but himself no other corner but his corrupt heart fructu peccatorum utuntur ipsa subducunt they are content to reape the fruit and pleasure of sinne but withdraw the sin it self and remove it out of the way But this is not the right use of our natural weakness which may be left in us but as all agree to Humble not disarme us to shew we are men weak and impotent in our selves not to make us proud and Rebellious against our God but to set us upon our Guard and make us bestirre our selves and call up all our Forces and send our Prayers as Embassadours to Heaven for help and succour against this Inmate and Domestick Enemy The Envious should purge his Melancholy and rejoyce with them that rejoyce and weep with them that weep The Cholerick should bridle his Anger and make it set before the Sunne The wanton quench that fire in his Blood and make himself an Eunuch for the Kingdome of Heaven Julian Antiochens the Glutton 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wage warr with his Appetite and set a knife to his Throat If this care were Generall if we understood Christianity aright and did strive and struggle with our selves the best Contention in the world If we did doe an Act of Justice upon our selves performe that Judicatory part of the Gospel labour to bind this Old Man in Chaines and Crucify the flesh with the Lusts and Affections we should not complaine or rather speak so contentedly of Adams fall not bemoane our selves and yet be pleased well enough in it nor take that Doctrin with the left hand which is offered to us with the right or as he spake in the Historian sinistrâ Dextram amputare Cut off our right Hand with our left and by a sinister and unnecessary Conceit of our own weakness rob and deprive our selves of that strength which might have defended us from sinne and Death which now is voluntary because we cannot derive it from any other Fountaine then our owne Wills For last of all Be the Blemishes in the understanding and will which we are said to receive by Adams fall what they may be either by certain knowledge or conjecture yet we shall not die unless we will And if such we were all yet now we are washed now we are sanctified now we are Justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 6.11 and the Leper who is clensed complaines no more of his disease but returns to give Thanks The blind man who is cured doth not run into the Ditch and impute it to his former Blindness but rejoyceth that he can now see the Light and walketh by the light he sees and we cannnot without foul Ingratitude Deny but what we lost in Adam we recovered againe in Christ and that improved and exalted many degrees For not as the offence so is also the gift saith the Apostle For as by the offence of one many were made sinners that is Rom. 5.15 were under the wrath of God and so consider'd as if they had themselves committed that sinne so by the Obedience of One many shall be made righteous made so not onely by Imputation That we would have and nothing else have sinne removed and be sinners still but made so that is supplyed with all Helps and with all strength that is necessary and sufficient to forward and perfect those Duties of Piety which are required at the hands of a Justifyed person for do we not magnify the Gospel from the abundance of light and Grace which it affords Do we not count the last Adam stronger then the First Is not he able to cast down all the strong holds all the Towring Imaginations which flesh and blood though Tainted in the womb can set up against him and therefore if we be truly what we professe our selves Christians this weakness cannot hurt us and if it Hurt us it is because we are not Christians To conclude If in Adam we were all lost In Christ we are come home and brought neere to heaven post Jesum Christum when we have given up our Names unto Christ and professe our selves members of that Mysticall body whereof he is the head all our Complaints of weaknesse and disabilitie to move in our severall places is vaine and unprofitable and Injurious to the Gospel of Christ which is the Power of God unto Salvation and a grosse and angerous error it is when we run on and please our selves in our Evill wayes to complaine of our Hereditary Infirmities and the weaknesse and imperfection of nature For God may yet breath his Complaints and Expostulations against every son of Adam that will not Turne Though you are weak Though you have received a bruise by the fall of your first Parents yet in me is your strength and then Why will you die oh House of Israel We must now remove those other pretences of Flesh and Blood But in our next and last Part. THE TWELFTH SERMON PART VIII EZEKIEL 33.11 Turne ye Turne yee from your evill wayes For why will you die Oh House of Israel WEe are told and can tell our selves that Sin is a burden and he that lies under a Burden seeks Ease nor
earth and he is therefore absent and in a manner lies hid that this eye might finde him out For faith is a kinde of prospective or optick Instrument by which we see things afar off as if they were neer at hand things that are not yet as if they were turns venturus est into the present tense behold Christ not onely sitting at the right hand of God but as now already descending with a shout With this eye of faith I see new Heavens and a new earth a new face of every thing I see what a nothing that is which mortals sweat and fight for what a nothing the world is for I see it on fire I see righteousnesse peace and order constancy duration even whilst I walk in this shop of vanities this World of wickednesse this Chaos and confusion this seat of change I see honesty pittied scorn'd baffled honesty lifted up on high far above reproach or injury I see injustice powerful all conquering Triumphant injustice trembling before this Lord arraigned condemned flung down into the lowest pit there to be whipt with many stripes I see now the wisdom of men made foolishnesse and the foolishnesse of God wiser then men I see that restored which I saw lost I see the eye that was bored out in its prace again I see the plowed back with no furrow on it I see Herod in prison and John Baptist with his head on I see my goods restored before I lose them and I am in heaven before the blow is given in blisse when every eye doth pitty me and what is now left for the boasting Tyrant to do what can he take from me that is worth a thought what can he strip me of but that which I have laid down and left already behinde me will he have my goods the treasurie where they are kept is out of his reach will he take from me my good name T is written in the book of life or will he take my life my life he cannot For 't is hid with Christ in God This is sancta impudentia Fidei the holy boldnesse and confidence of faith to break through flesh and blood all difficulties whatsoever to draw down Heaven to earth and if the object be invisible to make it visible if it be at distance to make it present if the Lord say he will come to faith he is come already This operation faith will have if it be not dull'd and deaded by our sensuality for what faith is that which is not accompanied with these high apprehensions and resolutions equal to them what faith is that which leaves us weary of the truth and ashamed of our profession what faith is that which we are so ready at every frown to renounce shall I call that faith which cannot strike the Timbrel out of our hands nor the strumpet out of our armes That shews Christ coming to the Covetous yet leaves him digging in the earth to the ambitious and cannot stop him in his mount to the hypocrite and cannot strike off his mask to the Polititian and cannot make him wise unto Salvation that cannot make us displease our selves that cannot make us love our selves not awe an eye not binde a hand not silence a word not stifle a thought but leaves us with as little power and activity as they who have been dead long agoe although the venturus est the Doctrine of Christs second Advent sound as loud as the Trump shall do at the last day faith shall we call this or a weak and faint perswasion or a dream or an Echo from an hollow heart which when all the World proclaimes it venturus est he will come resounds it back again into the world a faith which can speak but not walk or work a faith which may dwell in the heart of an Hypocrite a murderer a Devil for all this he may beleeve or at least professe and yet be that liar that Antichrist which denies Jesus to be the Lord or that he ever came in the flesh or will come again to judge both the quick and the dead Secondly As it casts an Aspect upon our Faith so it doth upon hope which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the blood of our Faith saith Clemens Alexand. Paedag. 1. Tertul. advers Gnostic c. 6. without which it will grow faint and pale and languish oportet habere aliquem spei cumulum saith Tertul. and therefore this addition of Hope to Faith is necessary for if we had all Faith and had not hope this Faith would profit us nothing and faith without Hope may be in Hell as well as on the earth Beleeve who does not or at least say so but how many expect his coming how many are saved Heb. 10. the Apostle speaks of a fearfull looking for of Judgement indeed they who hope not for it who doe but talke of it and are unwilling to beleeve themselves may be said to look for it because they ought to doe it and his coming is as certain as if they did Truly and properly they cannot be said to expect it for how should that he in their expectation which is not so much as in their thought Hope will not raise it selfe upon every Faith nor is that Faith which the most of the world most depend on a fitt Basis for hope to build upon even he that despaires beleeves or else he could not despair for who will droop for fear of that veniet of that judgement which he is so willing to perswade himself will never come Foolish men that we are who hath bewitched us that we should glory in Faith an Hope and make them the subjects of our Songs and rejoycing when our Faith is but such a one as is Dead and our hope at last will make us ashamed when our Faith is the same which is in hell and our Hope will leave us with the Devil and his Angels a Faith worse then Infidelity and a hope more dangerous then despair a Faith when we doe not beleeve and a Hope when there is great reason wee should despaire and which will serve onely to adde to the number of our stripes yet this is the Faith this is the hope of the Hypocrite of the Formall Christian These are thy gods oh Israel 3. And therefore in the last place that we may joyne these two together Faith and Hope we must draw in that excellent gift of Charity which is Copulatrix virtus saith Cyprian the uniting coupling Virtue not onely of men but of these two Theologicall Virtues which will not meet together but in Love or if they do with so little truth and reality that they will rather disadvantage then help us for where Virtue is not the name is but an Accusation I told you before that hope doth Suppose Faith For we cannot hope for that which we doe not beleeve yet Faith such as it may be may shew it self and speak proud words when Charity is Thrust out of Doores and many there
with feare and reverence he will remember us and draw neerer to us in these outward elements then superstition can feigne him beyond the fiction of transubstantiation and abundantly satisfy us with the fatnesse of his house feed us though not with his flesh yet with himself and move in us that we may grow up in him In a word He will remember us in heaven more truly then we can remember him on earth and distill his grace and blessings on us be ever with us and fill our hearts with rejoycing which will be a faire pledg of that solid pure and everlasting joy in the Highest Heavens And Lord remember us thus now thou art in thy kingdome HONI â—…T QVI MAL Y PENSE THE NINETEENTH SERMON 1 THES 4.11 And that you study to be quiet and to doe your own businesse and to work with your own hands as we have commanded you THe summe of religion Christianity is to do the will of God and this is the will of God even our Sanctification at the 3. v. of this chapter This is the whole duty of man and we may say of it as the Father doth of the Lords prayer quantum substringitur verbis Tertull. de orat tantum diffunditur sensibus though it be contracted and comprized in a word yet it poures forth it self in a Sea of matter and sense For this holinesse unto which God hath called us is but one virtue but of a large extent and compasse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but one virtue but is divided into many and stands as Queen in the midst of the circle and crown of all the graces and claimes an interest in them all hath patience to wait on her compassion to reach out her hand longanimity to sustain and this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this placability of mind and contentation in our own portion and lot to uphold her and keep her in an equall poyse and temper ever like unto her self that we may be holy in our faith and holy in our conversation with men without which though our faith could remove mountains yet we were not holy Tot ramos porrigit tot venas diffundit so rich is the substance of holinesse so many branches doth she reach forth so many veines doth she spread into and indeed all those virtues which commend us to God are as the branches and veins and Holinesse the bloud and juice to make them live I doe not intend to compare them one with the other because all are necessary and the neglect of any one doth frustrate all the rest and the Wise-man hath forbid us to ask Why this is better then that for every one of them in his due time and place is necessary It hath been the great mistake and fault of those who professe Christianity to shrink up its veines and lop off its branches contenting themselves with a partiall holinesse some have placed it in a sigh or sad look and calld it repentance others in the tongue and hand and calld it zeale others in the heart in a good intention and called it piety others have made it verbum adbreviatum a short word indeed and called it faith few have been solicitous and carefull to preserve it in integritate totâ solidâ solid and entire but vaunt and boast themselves as great proficients in Holinesse and yet never study to be quiet have little peace with others yet are at peace with themselves are very religious and very profane are very religious and very turbulent have the tongues of Angels but no hand at all to do their own businesse and to work in their calling And therefore we may observe that the Apostle in every Epistle almost takes paines to give a full and exact enumeration of every duty of our lives that the man of God may be perfect to every good work teacheth us not onely those domesticke and immanent vertues if I may so call them which are advantageous to our selves alone as faith and hope and the like which justifie that person onely in whom they dwell but emanant publick and omiliticall vertues of common conversation which are for the edification and good of others as patience meeknesse liberality and love of quietnesse and peace my faith saves none but my self my hope cannot raise my brother from despaire yet my faith is holy Jude 20. saith Saint Jude and my hope is a branch and vein of holinesse and issues from it But my patience my meeknesse my bounty my love and study of quietnesse and peace sibi parciores foris totae sunt Ambros exercise their act and empty themselves on others these link and unite men together in the bond of love in which they are one and move together as one build up one anothers faith cherish one anothers hope pardon one anothers injuries beare one anothers burden and so in this bond in this mutuall reciprocall discharge of all the duties and offices of holinesse are carried together to the same place of rest So that to holinesse of life more is required then to believe or hope or poure forth our soules or rather our words before God t is true this is the will of God but we must go farther even to perfection and love the brethren and study to be quiet for this also is the will of God and our Sanctification What is a sigh if my murmuring drown it what is my devotion if my impatience disturb it what is my faith if my malice make me worse then an infidell what are my prayers if the spirit of unquietnesse scatter them will we indeed please God and walk as we ought we must then as S. Peter exhorts adde to our faith virtue to our virtue knowledge to knowledge patience to patience brotherly kindnesse and to brotherly kindnesse love 2 Pet. 1.5.6 v. or as Saint Paul here commands not onely abstain from fornication from those vices which the worst of men are ready to fling a stone at but those gallant and heroick vices which shew themselves openly before the Sun and the people who look favourably and friendly on them and cry them up for zeale and religion even from all animosity and turbulent behaviour we must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we must study to be quiet and be ambitious of it Thus our Apostle bespeaks the Thessalonians we beseech you brethren that you increase more and more and in the words of my text that you study to be quiet and do your own businesse and work with your own hands as we have commanded you In which words first a duty is proposed study to be quiet 2 ly the meanes promoting this duty are prescribed or causae producentes and conservantes the causes which bring it forward and hold it up laid down the first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to do our own businesse the 2. to work with our own hands the first shuts out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all pragmaticall curiosity and stretching beyond our line
be incendiaries Religion did not enrage them if there be a fire in the Church the Christian did not kindle it but the Ambitious man the mammonist the Beast that calls himself by that name for Religion cannot do that which she forbids cannot do that on earth which damnes to hell cannot forward that design which is against her cannot set up that which will pull her down in brief Religion Christian Religion cannot but settle us and make us quiet and peaceable cannot but be it self for that which unsettles us and makes us grievous to our selves and others is not Christian Religion For Religion is the greatest preserver of peace that ever was or that Wisdome it self could find out and hath laid a fouler blemish on discord and dissention then Philosophy ever did when she was most rigid and severe she commands us to pray for peace 1 Tim. 2.2 she enjoyns us to follow peace with all men Heb. 12.14 she enjoynes us to lose our right for our peace Mat. 5. motus aliena naturae pace nostrâ cohibere as Hilary speaks to place a peaceable disposition as a bank or bulwark against the violence of anothers rage by doing nothing to conquer him who is in armes to charme the hissing Adder with silence it levels the hills and raiseth the valleys and casts an aspect upon all conditions of men all qualities all affections whatsoever that they may be settled compact and at unity with themselves and others This was Christs first gifts when he was born and it was conveyed unto us in an Hallelujah Luk. 2. peace on earth and this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Basil calls it his last gift when he was to dye John 14.27 Peace I leave with you and so conclude this is it which Saint Paul here commends to us as a lesson to be learnt of us the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we must labour and study to be quiet There is nothing in the world which deserves true commendation but must be wrought out with study and difficulty nor is the love of peace and quietnesse obvia illaborata virtus an obvious and easie virtue which will grow up of it self Indeed good inclinations and dispositions may seeme to grow up in some men as the grasse and the flowers of the field and to be as naturally in them as the evill for man that is born to action brought with him into the world those practick principles which may direct him in his course there is saith Basil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one part of piety which we never learnt but brought with us as an impression made in us by the hand of Nature it self And these naturall and in-bred dispositions do not alwaies grow up as we do in stature but shew themselves and soone disappeare like the embryon or child in the womb they live and dye and never see the sunne they bud and blossome in us and beare this glory with them for a while but when they should ripen and be that fruit which we hope to see and look on with delight either through our neglect or the malignant aspect of ill example they are nipt and withered and lost and there grow up worse in their place so unlike to their first shew and those hopes which we conceived that we upbraid the end with the beginning the harvest with the spring and wonder how that which in its putting forth was a flowre should in its growth and culmination become a thistle how that which was a Lamb in the morning should be a fox or Lion before its evening how these good dispositions like a faire temple which is in raising should sink and fall and be buried in the rubbish But these dispositions and good inclinations we look upon as upon promises which may be kept or broke nor can we commend them farther then by our hopes which are sometimes answered but too oft deluded nor can we call them virtues because they are not voluntary That which is truly praise-worthy and must fit us for Eternity will not shoot forth of it selfe Deorum virtus naturâ excellit hominum autem industriâ Cicer. Top. nor grow and flourish in its full beauty till the soule and mind of Man be well cultivated be drest manur'd and water'd is a work of time and must be wrought out in us by us even against our selves against the reluctancies of the flesh against all solicitations and provocations which will beround us and compasse us in on every side for else we shall not be long quiet but uncertain and desultorious leap out of one humour into another like those whom we must study and deprehend and so meet and apply our selves unto them in every mode and disposition or else they will vent and break forth and trouble us whom we cannot make our friends unlesse we make our selves their parasites We are not what we should be till we labour and study to be so when we shake off our mist and shine then our light is glorious when we are flesh and make our selves spirituall then we are active when we quit our selves of that leaden weight of our corrupt nature as Nazianzen calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naz. or 31. and are carried up by our reason above all that may disquiet us or work us out of our selves to the molestation of others then we are quiet then we are a fit spectacle for God for Angels and men to look upon and delight in we read indeed of infused habits and the Schooles have furnished us with many such conclusions but have not given us those premises which may inforce them which they could not do because neither reason nor revelation will afford them but if they be infused as they are infused into us so they are not infused without us they are poured not like water into a Cisterne but into living vessels fitted and prepared for them for if they were infused without us I cannot see how they should be lost if wisdome were thus infused into us we could never erre if righteousnesse were thus infused the will would ever look upon that wisdome and never swerve nor decline from it if Sanctity were thus settled on the Affections they could never rebell The understanding could never erre for this wisdome would ever enlighten it the will could not be irregular for this righteousnesse would ever bridle it the affections could not distract us for they would ever be under command for as they were given without us so bringing with them an irresistible and uncontroublable force they would work without us and we might sit still upon our bottomes and fill our selves with vanity in expectation of such an infusion of such a dew which would fall into us whether we will or no and so virtue would be an Ancile as a buckler sent down from heaven which we never set a hand to and we shall be worse and worse upon this account that we shall better and look upon grace as
same sinners we were as wicked as ever Our Religion puts forth no thing but blossomes or if it knit and make some shew or hope of fruit it is but as we see it in some Trees it shoots forth at length and into a larger proportion and bigness then if it had had its natural concoction and ripened kindly and then it hath no tast or rellish but withers and rots and falls off And thus when we too much dote on Ceremomy we neglect the maine work and when we neglect the work we fly to Ceremony and formality and lay hold on the Altar we deale with our God Clem. Alexande 3. strom as Aristotle of Cyrene did with Lais who promised to bring her back again into her country if she would help him against his Adversaries whom he was to contend with and when that was done to make good his oath drew her picture as like her as art could make it and carried that and we fight against the devil as Darius did against Alexander with pomp and gayetry and gilded armor as his prey rather then his enemies and thus we walk in a vain shadow and trouble our selves in vain and in this Region of shews and shadows dreame of happinesse and are miserable of heaven and fall a contrary way as Julius Caesar dream'd that he soared up Suet. Vit. C. Caesar and was carryed above the clouds and took Jupiter by the right hand and the next day was slain in the Senate-house I will not accuse the foregoing Ages of the Church because as they were loud for the Ceremonious part of Gods worship so were they as sincere in it and did worship him in spirit and truth and were equally zealous in them both and though they raised the first to a great height yet never suffered it so to over-top the other as to put out its light but were what their outward expressions spake them as full of Piety as Ceremony and yet we see that high esteem which they had of the Sacraments of the Church led some of them upon those errors which they could not well quit themselves of but by falling into worse It is on all hands agreed that they are not absolutely necessary not so necessary as the mortifying and denying of our selves not so necessary as Actuall holinesse It is not absolutely necessary to be baptized for many have not passed that Jordan yet have been saved but it is necessary to have the Laver of Regeneration and to clense our selves from sin It is not absolutely necessary to eat the Bread and drink the Wine in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper for some crosse accident may intervene and put me by but it is necessary to feed on the Bread of Life as necessary as my meat to doe Gods will True Piety is absolutely necessary because none can hinder me from that but my selfe but it is not alwayes in every mans power to bring himselfe to the Font or approach the Lords Table All that can be said is That when they may be had they are absolutely necessary but they are therefore not absolutely necessary because they cannot alwaies be had and when they stretcht beyond this they stretcht beyond their line and lost themselves in an ungrounded and unwarranted admiration of these Ordinances which whilst we look upon them in their proper Orbe and Compasse can never have honour and esteem enough They put the Communion into the mouthes of Infants who had but now their Being and into the mouthes of the Dead who had indeed a BEing but not such a Being as to be fit Communicants and Saint Austin thought Baptisme of Infants so absolutely necessary that Not to be baptized was to be Damned and therefore was forced also to create a new Hell that was never before heard of and to find out mitem damnationem a more mild and easie damnation more fit as he thought for the tendernesse and innocency of Infants Now this was but an error in speculation the error of devout and pious men who in honour to the Author of the Sacraments made them more binding and necessAry then they were and we may learn thus much by this over-great esteem the first and best Christians and the most learned amongst them had of them that there is more certainly due then hath been given in these latter times by men who have learnt to despise all Learning and whose great devotion it is to quarrell and cry down all Devotion who can find no way to gain the reputation of Wisdome but by the fierce and loud impugning of that which hath been practiced and commended to succeeding Ages by the wisest in their Generation by men who first cry down the Determinations of the Church and then in a scornfull and profane pride and animosity deny there is any such Collection or Body as a Church at all But our Errors in Practice are more dangerous more spreading more universall For what is our esteem of the Sacraments more a great deale then theirs and yet lessE because 't is such which we should not give them even such which they whom they are so bold to Censure would have Anathematized We Think or Act as if we did that the Water of Baptisme doth clense us though we make our selves more Leopards fuller of spots then before That the Bread in the Eucharist will nourish us up to eternall life though we feed on husks in all the remainder of our dayes We baptize our children and promise and voew for them and then instill those thriving and worldly principles into them which null and cancell the vow we made at the Font hither we bring them to renounce the world and at home teach them to love it And for the Lords Supper what is commonly our preparation A Sermon a few houres of meditation a seeming farewell to our common affaires a faint heaving at the heart that will not be lifted up a sad and demure countenance at the time and the next day nay before the next day this mist is shaken off and we are ready to give Mammon a salute and a cheerfull countenance the world our service to drudge and toyle as that shall lead us to rayle as loud to revenge as maliciously to wanton it as sportfully to cheat as kindly as ever we did long before when we never so much as thought of a Sacrament And shall we now place all Religion nay any Religion in this or call that good that absolutely good and necessary for which we are the worse absolutely the worse every day Well may God ask the question Will he be pleased with this Well may he by one Prophet ask who hath required it and by another instruct us and shew us yet a more excellent way It was not the error of the Jew alone to forget true and inward sanctity and to trust upon outward worship and formality but sad experience hath taught us that the same error which misled the Jew under his weak and
so resembles that God which breathed it into us For as Lactantius said God is not hungry that you need set him meat nor thirsty that you should poure out drink unto him he is not in the dark that you need light up candles And what is beauty what is the wedg of gold to the soul The one is from the earth earthy the other is from the Lord of heaven The world is the Lords and the world is the soules and all that therein is and to behold the creature and in the world as in a book to study and find out the Creator to contemplate his majesty his goodnesse his wisdome and to discover that happinesse which is prepared for it to behold the heavens the works of Gods hand and purchase a place there to converse with Seraphim and Cherubim This is the proper act of the soul for which it was made this this alone was proportioned to it And herein consists the excellency and very essence of Religion and the Good which is here shewed us in exalting the soul in drawing it back from mixing with the creature and in bringing it into subjection under God the first and onely good in uniting it to its proper object in making that which was the breath of God breath nothing but God the soul being as the matter and this Good here that is piety and religion the form the soul being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for so Plato calls matter the receptacle of this Good as the matter is of the form and never right and of a persect being till it receive it this good being as the seed and the soul the ground Math. 13. the matrix and the womb and there is a kind of sympathy between this good this immortall seed and the heart and mind of man as there is between seed and the womb of the earth for the soul no sooner sees it unclouded unvailed not disguised and made terrible by the intervention of things not truely good but upon a full manifestation she is taken as the bridegroome in the Canticles with its eye and beauty Heaven is a faire sight even in their eyes who tend to destruction so that there is a kind of neernesse and alliance between this good and those notions and principles which God imprinted in us at the first And therefore even nature it self had a glimpse a weak imperfect sight of this good and saw a further mark to aime at then this world in this span of time could set up Tertull. 2. de Finib whence Tully calls man a mortall God and Seneca tells us That by that which is best in man we go before other creatures Sen. ep 76. In homine quid optimumâ—ratio hac antecedit animalia deos sequitur but follow to joyne with that which is truely good by which we may be carried along to the fountain of good even God himself For again as this good here that is piety and religion beare a sympathy and correspondence with the mind of man so hath the soul of man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a formative quality a power to shape and fashion it and by the sweet influence and kindly aspect of Gods quickening grace to bring forth something of the same nature some heavenly creature the new man which is made up in holinesse and righteousnesse in Justice and mercy and humility which are the good in the text the beauty of which may beget and raise up that violence in us which may break open the gates of heaven beget a congregation of Saints of just and honest men a numerous posterity to Abraham of hospitall and mercifull men and an army of martyrs which shall in all humility lay down their lives for his sake that gave them and forsake all to joyne and adhere to this Good And now in the second place as it is fitted and proportioned to the soul of man so is it to every soul of man to all sorts and conditions of men it is fitted to the Jew and to the Gentile to the bond and to the free to the rich and to the poore to the scribe and to the Idiot to the young and to the aged no man so much a Jew no man such a bored slave no man such a Lazar none so dull and slow of understanding no such Barzillai which may not receive it Freedom and slavery circumcision and uncircumcision riches and poverty quicknesse and slownesse of understanding in respect of this Good of Piety and Religion are all alike Religion is no peculiar but the most common the most communicative thing that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The Law the Prophets Naz. Orat. 26. the Oracles Grace Faith Hope and Charity these saith Nazianzen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Ib. are common to all as common as the Sunne are the goods and possessions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not of the mightiest or the wisest but of those who are willing to receive them Nor were there any thing more unjust then our Faith and Religion saith he if it were entail'd onely on some few if God whose Property whose Nature it is to doe Good should dispense that Good most sparingly which doth most please him if he should shut it up as he doth Gold and other Metals in the bowels of the earth and seale a patent but to some few to find and dig it out if it should be left as the things of this world are in the uncertain and inequal hand of Chance or looking alike on all should withdraw and hide it self from the most or be unatchievable not to be attained to by some when it is bound up as it were in the bosome of others No the most excellent things are most common and offered and presented to all nothing is so common as this good and when other things fly from us and as we follow after them remove themselves farther off and mock our endeavours this is alwaies neere us shines upon us invites and solicits us to take it for our guide which will lead us in a certain and unerring course through the false shews and deceitfulnesse of this world through blacknesse and darknesse to the end for which we were made This Good is every mans good that will as Aquinas is said to have replyed to his sister when she askt him how she might be saved si velis if you are willing you may every covetous person is not rich every ambitious man hath not the highest place every student is not a great clerk but piety opens the gate to every man that knocks and he that will enters in and takes possession of her Fastidiosior est scientia quà m virtus paucorum est ut literati sint omnium ut bonì That which is best is most accessable and when other things Petrarch l. 7. Re. Fam. op 17. knowledge and wealth and honor are coy and keep a distance and when we have them are desultorious and ready in the midst of
Maniches were not onely Nugatoria light and vain but Pugnatoria August de Morib Manich. opposite and destructive to themselves For nothing more destructive and contrary to a Law then to place it under an impossibility of being kept For the keeping of a Law is the virtue and force and End of a Law the End for which it is enacted 'T is true God hath now concluded all under sinne and the reason is given For all have sinned Rom. 3.23 but the Apostle there delivers it as an instance and matter of Fact not as a Conclusion drawn out of Necessary principles be doth not say All must sinne but All have sinned for both the Gentiles might have kept the Law of Nature and were punisht because they did not as it is plain in the first chapter and the Jews might have kept that Law which was given to them as far as God required it for so we see many of them did and God himself bore witnesse from heaven and hath registred the names of those in his book who did walk before him with a perfect heart as of Aza 2 Chron. 15. of David that he kept Gods Lawes 1 King 11. of Josias that he turned not aside neither to the right hand nor to the left These though they fell into many sinnes which yet notwithstanding they might have avoided for why might they not by the same assistance fly one sinne as well as another yet they kept the Law though not so exactly as God required yet so far as that God was pleased to accept it as a full payment In that hot Contention betwixt the Orthodox and the Pelagians when the Pelagians to build up perfection in this life brought in the Examples of the Saints of God who either had not broke the Law of God in the whole course of their life or if they did did return by Repentance and afterwards in a constant obedience did persevere unto the end they found opposition on all Hands not one being found who would give this Honour to the best of Saints but where they urge that this perfection is not impossible where they speake not de esse but de posse and conclude not that it is but that it may be so Si negaverimus esse posse homines libero arbitrio qui hoc voleaâ—o appetit Dâ—i viâ—tuti qui hoc adiuvando essicit derogabimus August de peccat meritis Remis l. 2. c. 6. not that any man hath done what God requires but that he may Saint Austin himself joynes hands with them Non est eis continuò incauta temeritate resistendum c. we must not be so rash as unwarily to oppose them who say Man may do what God requires for if we deny a possibility we at once derogate from mans will which may incline to it and the power and mercy of God who by the assistance of his Grace may bring it to passe so that the great difference between them may seeme to be but this The one thought it possible by the power of Nature the other by the assistance of Grace which is mighty in its operation and may raise us to this height if we hinder it not for every stream may rise as high as its spring Cum Dei adjutorio in nostra potestate consistit saith Saint Austin often August Hom. 2.6.12.16.27 c. It is in our power to do what he requires with the help of Grace God requires nothing above our strength and certainly we can do what by him we are enabled to do When Julian the Pelagian a young man of a ready and pleasant wit urged Saint Austin with his own Confession and that he did but dissemble when with so much art and Eloquence with such vehemency of spirit he perswaded men to the love of chastity if they could not August l. v. cont Iul. Pelag c. uit though they would preserve and keep themselves undefiled Saint Augustine makes this reply Respondeo me fateri sed non sicut vos I confesse they may preserve their virgin but not as you would have it by their own power but by the Help of Gods Grace which must make them willing and with his Help they may And what need there then any further Altercation why should men contend about that in which they cannot but agree why should they set themselves at such a distance when they both look the same way for there are but few and I am perswaded none that do so far Pelagianize as to deny the Grace of God And then when God bids us do this he that shall put up the question Whether it be possible to be done hath no more of Reason or Revelation to plead for him then the Pelagian had for with him the Law cannot be kept neither without the Help of Grace nor with it and so it must lose its name nor is it a Law for what Law is that which cannot be kept I know it was a Decree of a Councill at Carthage That every man ought to pray to God to forgive him his Trespasses That he ought to speak it not as out of Humility but Truly and I think there are scarce any that will not willingly subscribe to it and this Decree may be as unchangeable as those of the Medes and Persians But yet I do not see any Necessity of fixing this doctrine of the Impossibility of Doing what God requires on the Gates of the Temple or proclaiming it as by the sound of the Trumpet in the midst of the Great Congregation For this Petition is put up in especiall Relation to sinnes past for Ne peccemus is in order before si peccemus 1 John 2.1 we are first commanded not to sinne and then follows the supposition if we sinne so that these two sinne not and if you sinne make up this Conclusion we may or we may not sinne rather then this It is impossible to keep to Laws So then This petition may be said Humiliter humbly and veraciter truly in respect of sinnes past but it is neither Truth nor Humility to make God a Liar to call upon us to do that which he requires when he knows we cannot do it to make him a Tyrant in cripling us first and then sending us about his businesse In giving us flesh which the spirit cannot Conquer in letting loose that Lion upon us which we cannot resist in leaving us naked to those Temptations which we cannot subdue No verax Fidelis Deus God is faithfull and true and will not suffer us to be tempted above our strength 1 Cor. 10.13 will not let in an Enemy upon us which with his assistance which is ready if we refuse it not we cannot overcome And he is Gracious and mercifull if in the midst of so many Enemies we chance to slip and fall with Jonathan in these high places to reach out his hand and lift us up again but with this Proviso that we look better to our steps hereafter
more Depunge ubi sistam Injustice hath the same subsistence and measures with our Covetousnesse and Lust and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 knows neither bounds nor end So that those Lawes by which Humane Societies are managed and upheld are rather occasioned by that which is past then that which is to come and they that make them take their aim by their eye and some sensible inconvenience which is either visible in it self or in that which may cause it but cannot provide against that which is removed so far as that neither the eye nor thoaght neither wisdome nor suspicion can reach it but is to them as if it would never be in that darknesse and obscurity which it was before they were born And therefore the rule of those duties which we owe one to anothyer is of a larger extent then that of the Law Sâ—n. 2. ale Ira. c. 27. Angusta est innocentia ad legem probum esse saith the Philosopher that honesty is but of a narrow compasse which measures it self out by that rule and reacheth no further then to that point which the Laws of men have set up and makes that its Non ultra Fost verb. Pictas Piety constrains us to do many things where the Law leaves us free what Law did force that pious Daughter to suckle her old Father in prison and nourish him with the milk from her own breasts Spâ—ritanus or Antonine the Emperour to lead his aged Father-in-law and ease and support him with his hand Againe Humanity binds us where the Law is silent for where was it enacted Hunâ—…nitâ—…tis esâ—…quae lam nesâ—… velle that we should not open the letters no not of our enemies yet Julius Caesar burnt those which he found in their tents whom he had conquered and the Athenians and Pompey did the like Liberality hath no Law and yet it is a debt Beati divites quiet caeteris prodesse possunt achent Alcint de verb. Sigaifificat Fides juramentum aequiparam 7 thoc serva iâ—…hâ—t Ua illa Menoch cap. 367. No law enjoynes me to keep my promise and make good my faith and yet my promise binds me as firmly and should be as sacred as an oath All these are extra publicas tabulas and are not to be found in our statutebooks and he that confines his studies and endeavours to these he that hath no other compasse to steere by in the course of his life then that which he there finds written cannot take this honour to himself this Honorable title of a Just and Honest man For how many inventions and wiles have men found out to act iniquity as by a Law to drive the proprietary out of his possessions before the Sun and the people and then wipe their mouthes and proclaim it as Just to all the world How many Eat no other Bread but that which is kneaded by craft and oppression and sometimes with blood and yet count it as Manna sent down from Heaven How short is the hand of the Law to reach these Nay how doth the Law it self many times enable them to invade the Territories of others and to riot it at pleasure How is it made their musick by which they dance in other mens blood Justice Consensere jura pâ—ceatis c. Cypl ad Donat. or common Honesty is but one word but of a larger compasse then Ambition and Covetousnesse are willing to walk in In a word I tmay not be just and Honest and yet there may be no Law to punish it Cicer. 2. de Fimb 93. Lex Stagaritarum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aeâ—ian var. Hâ—st l. 3. c. 46. Clem. Alex. 2. strom 398. Dolus quidam in contractu est non indicare crronem Hermias a pud Damas in Plut. Bibl. or no man that dare reprehend it saith â—ully Take not up that which thou laidst not down count that which thou findest in the way but as a pledge to be returned upon demand said the Stagarites If thou sell a thing declare the fault of it If thou underbuy a thing upon the discovery pay the full price These no Humane Law but Justice and Honesty and the Law of nature requires To collect and draw out a catologue of all those irregularities in Behaviour which will not consist with Justice and Honesty as it is a thing not necessary to be done so is it impossible to do it for as day unto day teacheth the knowledge of that which is good so day unto day and hour unto hour teacheth the knowledge of that which is evil and it is not easie to open those Mysteries of iniquity The mind of man when it is corrupted is restlesse in finding out new and untroden paths which may lead to its desired end and is wheel'd about from one falshood to another begets a second lye to defend the first and draws in cheat upon cheat that it may have at least the shadow of Justice and Honesty to vaile and obscure it and so long he is an Honest man that is not a detected knave as he is counted a good Lawyer who can find out something in fraudem legis some hansome colour or fetch to delude the Law He that hath the sentence on his side is Just and he that is fallen from his cause is fallen from the truth and so honesty is bound up in the verdict of the Jury and twelve perjured men may make an oppressor honest when they please We will not therefore go in Hue and Cry after every theef nor follow the deceitfull person in those rounds in those windings and turnings which he makes and I can truly say non multùm incola fuit anima mea I have been but a stranger and sojourner in these tents of Mesech and have not so much conversed in these waies of thrift and arts of living as to read a lecture upon them and discover the Method and course of them It may so fall out and doth too often that they who are the best artists in these are the worst of men For the wisdome of this world is not like that in Aristotle which rests in it self and never seeks an other end but in this the theory and the practice goe hand in hand and advance one another nor do we make use of it onely to preserve and defend our selves but we let it out to disquiet and diminish others and they that tread these hidden and indirect wayes though they hide themselves from others yet seldome do they so far deceive themselves as not to know they walk deceitfully for they check and comfort themselves at once they know they do not justly and yet this thought sets them forward in their course even this poor and unworthy thought that It is good to be rich and so the light which they see is somewhat offensive but the love of gain is both a provocative and a cordiall We will therefore bring Justice to the line and Righteousnesse to
in the very nature and constitution of the Church and it is as impossible to be a part of the Church without it as it is to be a man without the use of reason nay we so far come short of being men as we are defective in humanity All Christians are the parts of the Church and all must sustaine one another and this is the just and full Interpretation of that of our Saviour Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self and then thou wilt pity him as thy self Tolle invidiam tuum est quod habet Take away envy and all that he hath is thine and take away hardnesse of heart and all that thou hast is his Take away malice and all his virtues are thine and take away pride and thy Glories are his Art thou a part of the Church thou hast a part in every port and every part hath a portion in thee We are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 compacted together by that which every joynt supplies Eph. 4.16 a similitude and resemblance taken from the curtaines in the Temple saith learned Grotius Exod. 26. whereof every one hath its measure but yet they are all coupled together one to another v. 3. and by their loops which lay hold one of another v. 5. and like those curtains not to be drawn but together not to rejoyce not to weep not to suffer but together The word Church is but as a second notion and it is made a terme of art and every man almost saith Luther abuseth it draws it forth after his own image takes it commonly in that sense which may favour him so far as to leave in him a perswasion that he is a true part of it and thus many enter the Church and are shut out of heaven We are told of a visible Church and the Church in some sense is visible but that the greatest part of this Church hath wanted bowells that some parts of it have been without sense or feeling besmered and defiled with the blood of their brethren is as visible as the Church We have heard of an infallible Church we have heard it and believe it not for how can she be infallible who is so ready to design all those to death and hell who deny it If it be a Church it is a Church with hornes to push at the nations or an army with banners and swords we have long talked of a Reformed Church and we make it our crown and rejoycing but it would concern us to look about us and take heed That we do not reforme so as to purge out all compassion also for cercainly to put off all bowells is not as some zelots have easily perswaded themselves to put on the new man Talk not of a visible Infallible or a Reformed Church God send us a Compassionate Church a title which will more fit and become her then those names which do not beautifie and adorne but accuse and condemn her when she hath no heart What visible Church is that which is seen in blood what infallible Church is that whose very bowels are cruell what reformed Church is that which hath purged out all compassion visible and yet not seen infallible and deceived reformed and yet in its filth Monstrum Horrendum Informe This is a mishapen monster not a Church The True Church is made up of bowells every part of it is tender and relenting not onely when it self is touch'd but when the others are moved as you see in a well-set instrument if you touch but one string the others will tremble and shake And this sence this fellow-feeling is the fountain from whence this silver streame of Mercy flows the spring and first mover of those outward acts which are seen in that bread of ours which floats upon the waters in the face and on the backs of the poore for not then when we see our brethren in affliction when we look upon them and passe by them but when we see them and have compassion on them we shall bind up their wounds and poure in wine and oyle and take care for them For till the heart be melted there will nothing flow We see almes given every day and we call them acts of piety but whether the hand of Mercy reach them forth or no we know not our motions all of them are not from a right spring vain glory may be liberall Intemperance may be liberall Pride may be a benefactor Ambition must not be a Niggard Covetousnesse it self sometimes yeelds and drops a penny and importunity is a wind which will set that wheel a going which had otherwise stood still We may read large catalogues of munificent men but many names which we read there may be but the names of men and not of the Mercifull compassion is the inward and true principle begetting in us the love of Mercy which compleats and perfects and crownes every act gives it its true forme and denomination gives a sweet smell and fragrant savour to Maryes oyntment for she that poured it forth loved much Luk. 7.47 I may say compassion is the love of the Mercy plus est diligere quà m facere saith Hilary It is a great deal more to love a good work then to do it to love virtue then to bring it into act to love mercy then to shew it it doth supply many times the place of the outward act but without it the act is nothing or something worse It hath a priviledge to bring that upon account which was never done to be entitled to that which we do not which we cannot do to make the weak man strong and the poore man liberall and the ignorant man a counsellor For he that loves mercy would and therefore doth more then he can do as David may be said to build the Temple though he laid not a stone of it for God tells him he did well That he had it in his heart and thus our love may build a Temple though we fall and dye before a stone be laid Now this love of mercy is not so soon wrought in the heart as we may imagine as every glimmering of light doth not make it day It is a work of labour and travell and of curious observance and watchfulnesse over our selves It will cost us many a combate and luctation with the world and the flesh many a falling out with our selves many a love must be digged up by the roots before we can plant this in our hearts for it will not grow up with luxury and wantonnesse with pride or self-love you never see these together in the same soyle The Apostle tells us we must put it on and ◠the garments which adorn the soul are not so soon put on as those which clothe the body we do not put on mercy as we do our mantle for when we do every puffe of wind every distaste blows it away but mercy must be so put on that it may even cleave to the soul and be a part of it
is a greater penalty and vexation than that which we undertook for its sake How many rise up early to be rich and before their day shuts up are beggers how many climb to the highest place and when they are neer it and ready to fit down fall back into a prison But in this we never faile the Spirit working with us and blessing the work of our hands making our busie and carefull thoughts as his chariot and then filling us with light such is the priviledge and prerogative of Industry such is the nature of Truth that it will be wrought out by it nor did ever any rise up early and in good earnest travell towards it but this spirit took him by the hand and brought him to his journeys end If thou seekest her as silver Prov. 2.4,5 if thou search for her as for had treasure which because it is hid we remove many things turn up much earth and labour hard that we may come to it then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God in which work our industry and the Spirits help are as it were joyned and linked together You will say perhaps that the Spirit is an omnipotent Agent and can fall suddenly upon us as he did upon the Apostles this day that he can lead us in the way of truth though we sit still though our feet be chained though we have no feet at all but the Proverb will answer you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If God will you may sail over the sea in a sieve but we must remember the Spirit leads us according to his own will nad counsel not ours that as he is an Omnipotent so he is a free Agent also and worketh and dispenceth all things according to the pleasure of his will and certainly he will not lead thee if thou wilt not follow he will not teach thee if thou wilt not learn nor can we think that the truth which must make us happy is of so easie purchase that it will be sown in any ground and as the Divels tares grow up in us Nobis dormientibus whilest we sleep The third is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 method or an orderly proceeding in the wayes of truth for as in all other Arts and Sciences so in our spirituall wisdome and in the school of Christ we may not hand over head huddle up matters as we please but must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 keep an order and set course in our studies and proceedings our Saviour Christ hath a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 6.33 seek first the kingdome of God and in that kingdome every thing in its order there is something first and something next to be observed and every thing is to be ranked in its proper place the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews tells us of principles of Doctrine which must be learned before we can be led forward to perfection Heb. 5.13,14 of milk and of strong meat of plainer Lessons before we reach at higher Mysteries nor can we hope to make a good Christian veluti ex luto statuam as soon as we can make a picture or a statue out of clay Most Christians are perfect too soon which is the reason that they are never perfect they are spirituall in the twinkling of an eye they know not how nor no man else they leap over all their alphabet and are at their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their end before they begin are at the top of the ladder before they have set a foot to the first step or rown they study heaven but not the way to it they study faith but not good works repentance without a change or restitution Religion without order they are as high as Gods closet in heaven when they should be busie at his foot-stool study predestination but not sanctity of life study assurance but not that piety which should work it study heaven and not grace and grace but not their duty and now no marvel if they meet not with that saving truth in this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this so great disorder and confusion no marvel when we have broke the rules and order not observed the method of the Spirit if the Spirit lead us not who is a Spirit that loveth order and in a right method and orderly course leads us into the truth The last is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exercitation and practice of the truths we learn which is so proper and necessary for a Christian that Christian Religion goes under that name and is called an exercise by Clem. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Strom. l. 4. Al. Nyssen Cyril of Ilierusalem and others and though they who lead a Monasticall life have laid claim to it as their own they were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet it may well belong to every one that is the Spirits Scholar who is as a Monk in the world shut up out of it even while he is in it exercising himself in those lessons which the Spirit teacheth and following as he leads which is to make the world it self his monastery A good Chritian is the true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epictet Arrian l. 3. c. 5. and by this daily exercise in the doctrines of the Spirit he doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Stoicks speak drive the truth home and make it enter into the soul and spirit for as Auaxagoras said well manus causa sapientiae 't is not the brain but the hand that causeth knowledge Talis quisque est qualibue delectater inter artisicem artificium mira cognatio est and worketh wisdome for true wisdome that which the Spirit teacheth consists not in being a good Critick or in rightly judging of the sense of the words or being a good Logician in drawing out a true and perfect definition of Faith and Charity or discoursing aptly and methodically of the Lessons of the Spirit or in being a good Oratour in setting out the beauty and lustre of Religion to the very eye No saith the son of Syrach He that hath no experience knoweth little Ecclus. 34.10 Ex mandato mandatum cernimus by practising the command we gain a kind of familiarity a more inward and certain knowledge of it If any man will do the will of God he shall know the Doctrine Joh. 7.17 in Divinity and indeed in all knowledge whose end is practice that of Aristotle is true Those things we learn to do we learn by doing them we learn devotion by prayer charity by giving of alms meeknesse by forgiving injuries humility and patience by suffering temperance by every day fighting against our lusts as we know meat by the taste so do we the things of God by practice and experience and at last discover heaven it self in piety and this is that which S. Paul calls knowledge according to godlinesse 1 Tim. 6.3 we taste and see how gracious the Lord is we do as it were see with our
eyes and with our hands handle the word of truth In a word we manifest the truth and make it visible in our actions and the Spirit is with us and ready in his office to lead us further even to the inner house and secret closet of truth displayes his beames of light as we press forward and mend our pace every day shining upon us with more brightnesse as we every day strive to increase teaching us not so much by words as by actions and practice by the practice of those vertues which are his lessons and our duties we learn that we may practice and by practice we become as David speaks Psal 119.99 wiser then our teachers to conclude day unto day teacheth knowledge and every act of piety is apt to promote and produce a second to beget more light which may yet lead into more which may at last strengthen establish us in the truth and so lead us from truth to truth to that happy estate which hath no shadow of falshood but like the Spirit of Truth endureth for evermore THE FIRST SERMON JAMES I. Vers ult Pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father is This to visite the fatherlesse and widdows in their affliction and to keep himselfe unspotted from the World NOthing more talkt of in the world then Religion nothing lesse understood nothing more neglected there being nothing more common with men then to be willing to mistake their way to withdraw themselves from that which is indeed Religion because it stands in opposition to some pleasing errour which they are not willing to shake off and by the help of an unsanctified complying fancy Multi fibi fidem ipsi potiut constitunut quam accipiunt dum quae velunt sapiunt nolunt sapepere quae vera sunt cum sapientiae haecveritas sit ea interdum sapere quae nolis Hilar. 8. de Trin. V. 22. to frame one of their own and call it by that name That which flatters their corrupt hearts That which is moulded and attempered to their bruitish desigus That which smiles upon them in all their purposes which favours them in their unwarrantable undertakings That which bids them Go on and prosper in the wayes which lead unto death That with them is True Religion In this Chapter and indeed in every Chapter of this Epistle our Apostle hath made this discovery to our hands Some there were as he observes that placed it in the ear did hear and not do and rested in that some did place it in a formall devotion did pray but pray amisse and therefore did not receive some that placed it in a shadow and appearance Verse 25. seemed to be very religious but could not bridle their tongue and were safe they thought under this shadow others there were that were partiall to themselves despisers of the poor that had faith and no works in the second Chapter and did boast of this others that had hell fire in their Tongue and carried about with them a world of iniquity which did set the wheel the whole course of Nature on fire in the third Chapter and last of all some he observed warring and fighting killing that they might take the prey and divide the spoil in the fourth Chapter And yet all religious Every one seeking out death in the errour of his life and yet every one seeming to presse forward towards the mark for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus To these as to men ready to dash upon the rock and shipwrack doth our Apostle cry out as from the shore to turn their compasse and steer their course the right way and seeing them as it were run severall wayes all to meet at last in the common gulph of eternall destruction He calls and calls aloud after them To the superstitious and the prophane To the disputer and the scribe to them that do but hear and to them that do but babble To them that do but professe and to them that do but beleeve the word is Be not deceived This is not it but Haec est This is pure Religion is vox à Tergo as the Prophet speaks Esay 30. a voice behinde them saying This is the way walk in it This is as a light held forth to shew them where they are to walk as a royal Standard set up to bring them to their colours This doth Infinitatem rei ejicere as the Civilians speak Take them from the Devils latitudes and expatiations from frequent and fruitlesse hearing from loud but heartless prayer from their beloved but dead faith from undisciplined and malitious zeal From noise and blood from fighting and warring which could not but defile them and make them fit to receive nothing but the spots of the world from the infinite mazes and by-paths of Errour and brings them into the way where they should be where they may move with joy and safety looking stedfastly towards the End Let us now hear the conclusion of the whole matter whatsoever Divines have taught whatsoever Councels have determined or the schoolmen defined whatsoever God spake in the old times whatsoever he spake in these last dayes That which hath filled so many volumes and brought upon us Fatigationem Carnis that weariness of the flesh Ecclesia 1 2.12 which Solomon complains of in reading that multitude of Books with which the world doth now swarm with That which we study for which we contend for which we fight for as if it were in Democritus his Well or rather as the Apostle speaks in Hell it self quite out of our reach or if there be any truth that is necessary or any other commandment it is briefly comprehended in this saying even in this of Saint James Pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this to visit c. I way call it the picture of Religion in little in a small compasse and yet presenting all the lines and dimensions the whole signature of Religion fit to be hung up in the Church of Christ and to be lookt upon by all that the people which are and shall be born may truly serve the Lord May it please you therefore a while to cast your eyes upon it and with me to view First The full proportion and severall lineaments of it as it were the essentiall parts which constitute and make it what it is and we may distinguish them as the Jew doth the Law by Do and Do not The first is Affirmative To do Good to visit the fatherlesse and widdows in their affliction The second not to do evil to keep our selves unspotted from the world And then secondly to look upon as it were the colours and beauty of it and to look upon it with delight as it consists First in its purity having no mixture Secondly in its undefilednesse having no pollution And then thirdly the Epigraph or title of it the Ratification or seal which is set to it to make it Authentick