Name of God I will blesse thy Name saieth hee IT is not without great cause that he mentioneth here the NAME of God For clearing of this wee shall shew you shortly first what is meaned by his Name 2. How great a ground this is to us of praise and blessing For the first A name properlie is not the thing it self which is named but is without it signifying representing and manifesting it Now God who in himself is hid cannot be manifested to us but by his works and word whereby we attaine to the knowledge of him that knowledge of him or rather himself or his divine perfections as they are made known and discovered to us is called his Name When he doth the works of Almightie power wee call him Omnipotent When he doeth the works of Iustice wisdom goodnes c. wee call him just wise good c. And of all these is made up his dreadfull glorious and blessed Name which he hath amongst men So that the Name which God hath amongst us lyeth first inwrapped in his works and from thence by the knowledge and due esteeme of them is convoyed to our hearts whence againe it is published and proclaimed everiewhere To this purpose the Lord being to declare his Name to Moses Exod. 34. 6. The LORD The LORD GOD mercifull gracious long suffering and aboundant in goodnesse and truth Keeping mercie for thousands forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin c. Thus the Name of Christ Iesus in whom God was reconciling the world to himself is called Isai 9. 6. Wonderfull Counsellour the mighty God c. and Jerem. 23. 6. his name is called IEHOVA The Lord our Righteousnesse Let us now come to the second point and consider how great a ground of comfort and praise this Name is First it is so great a ground of comfort and consequently of praise that no grace is bestowed upon us nor promise of it made unto us but for this Names sake The Name of God is the originall root and spring out of which all flow and into which all are resolved It is of his goodnesse mercie which is his Name that he promiseth any thing to us and it is of his trueth and power which also belong unto his Name that these promises are accomplished Hence DAVID Psal 25. IT For thy Names sake O Lord pardon mine iniquity for it is great Secondly As wee can have no good but for and through his Name so in it and by it all goodnesse is to be had There is in it infinite sufficiencie of comfort against all our distresses wants and temptations if wee know it beleeve in it and call upon it Are thou perplexed with thy sinnes look upon the Name of God Exod. 34. This is a part of it The Lord God mercifull Hee is the Lord God and therefore able to forgive Hee is Mercifull therfore willing But it may be thou will say thy sinnes have made thee most unworthy of any favour Looke againe upon his Name Hee is Gracious and aboundant in goodnes saieth it Thy sinnes do not so abound but his grace goodnesse superabound If thou say thou hast continued long in sin and often relapsed Look to his Name there is comfort in it against this also Hee is long-suffering and slow to wrath In a word whatsoever be the heinousnesse of thy sinnes whatsoever the circumstances yet there is comfort in his Name and a ground of the hope of pardon for his Name beareth That he keepeth mercy beside him as it were in treasure forgiving iniquity transgression and sin Needest thou refreshment as well as pardon Look to his Name as it is elswhere descrived Hee is the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort Who comforteth us in all our tribulations Would thou have peace The God of peace is his name also Would thou have grace to heale thy corruptions Hee is the God of all grace Would thou have wisdome to direct thee Hee is the Father of Lights All this belongeth to his Name In likemanner if wee look to the Name of Christ in whom and for whose sake all good is bestowed upon us by God wee shall find all manner of comforts His Name is The Prince of peace and according to it able to give us tranquillity in all out troubles His Name is the mighty God accordingly He is able to save us to the uttermost though there be nothing but troubls without and terrours within Would thou have his Image renewed in thee Hee is the Everlasting Father A Father to beget his Likenesse in us and Everlasting to preserve it in us To give us wisdome he is the Counsellour and he is Wonderfull to work in us and for us beyond all that we can ask or think even to wonderment and admiration And if our sinnes disquiet us Hee is IEHOVA our Righteousnesse The righteousnesse that is in him is ours aswel ours to save us trusting in him as his to glorifie him Thus we see what matter of unspeakable comfort we have in the name of God as he is God as he is the father of our Lord Iesus Christ and in him our Father When all other comforts faile us yet in this Name comfort is to be found IT falleth out somtimes with the godly that they are not sensible of that former comfort of the assurance of Gods favour They cannot bee perswaded of it neither of the truth and sinceritie of the graces of God in them they find not that delyte which before they had in prayer or in other meanes yet when all failleth we find the Name of the Lord to be a strong Tower Proverb 18. 10. and the Righteous flee to it and are saved Yee know the use of a Tower is that when all other fortifications are taken and forsaken when the wals are scaled and houses left men flee to it as to the last refuge so when wee are beleggered with troubles without and terrours within when wee are forced to quite all other holds grounds of comfort yet have we Gods Name to flee unto as to a strong Tower Whatsoever be our distresse we may say to him O Lord there is mercy power with thee that is thy Name In Iesus there is Righteousnesse even our righteousnesse that is his Name And thou hast commanded us to call on thy Name in the time of our trouble To this Altar I flee I take hold on the hornes of it if I perish here will I perish So yee see the Name of God is a most soveraigne ground of comfort Whence DAVID saieth to God Psal 9. 10. They that know thy Name will put their trust in thee And the Apostle Rom. 10. 13. out of the PROPHET Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall the saved Great reason therfore have we to praise blesse it and that for ever and ever This much of the object of DAVIDS praise wee come now to the praise
very well Phenicia where Tyrus and Sidon here mentioned were was possessed by the postoritie of Canaan as we may see in the 10. of Gen. Where Moses telleth us that the sonnes of Canaan inhabited both Iudea and this part also and the eldest sonne of Canaan was Sidon who gave the name to that ancient famous town expressed here So then these whom the greeks called Phenicians from the aboundance of Palme trees that grew in their countrie were called by the Isralites Cananites Hence in the 5. of Joshua those that were called in the hebrew kings of Canaan are now called by the seaventy INTERPRETER 9. kings of Phenicia S. MARK addeth that she was a Syrophenician not only because that Countrey was a part of Syria but also because it was particularly termed Syrophenicia in respect it was next adjacent to the chief part of Syria Thus yee see She was not only an heathen woman but also a Cananite That is one of the worst of the Heathens who for their grievous and unnaturall sinnes were very abhominable This part of her Discription is set down not only to shew That the Spirit of God doeth breath where it pleaseth but also that the glory of the grace of God wrought in this Woman and manifested by her at this time might appeare the more When the Jews the Scribs and Pharisees who had the LAW and PROPHETS daylie in their hands did flye from our Saviour Who followed them and made him at this time to retyre from them for a while because of their unworthinesse yet this woman followeth him though in appearance flying from her and would by no meanes leave him till she obtained her suit Besids the benefite bestowed upon her was a presage as it were of that mercie which was to bee taken from the Jews and to be bestowed upon the Gentiles and by which the devill who so long and so grievously had vexed their soules drawing them to so many errours and sinnes was to be expelled from them Lastly She is descrived from her distresse misery Her daughter had an uncleane spirit saith S. MATTH and was vexed therby So it was affliction that drew her unto Christ and was the occasion of this singular manifestation of the grace that was in her IT would have seemed that none had been more miserable then she but yet experience taught that it was good for her that she was so afflicted Had it been otherwise with her it may be she would not have taken such notice of Christ as she did when she heard of him it may be would never have come to him So it was good for Manasses that he was bowed down with heavie bonds that hee could not lift up his head nor get any release that did drive him to God and made him seek God most humbly and earnestly who also heard him and was intreated of him It was good for the Prodigall son that he could not get so much as the huskes that the swine did eat This made him come to himself againe to returne to his father who received him graciouslie It was good for the Theefe whoÌ„ our Saviour converted that he was nailed to the Crosse if it had been otherwise iâ— is like enough he should not have been in Paradise as he is now So look not to the crosse and to the bitternesse of it but look to the fruit thereof Happy is that crosse although it were to beo vexed with a devill that sends a man to Christ to get salvation in him But let us now come to the behaviour of this Woman Here yee have first her addresse to Christ and the manner of it 2. The mighty temptations which her faith meet with and overcame First being sensible of the greatnesse of her own misery and understanding that Christ was come to these parts although as man he laboured to keep it as secret as could bee and having no doubt heard that he was called the Son of God and the Messiâ—s and that he had proved himself to be such an one by many miracles and that he lovingly received and powerfully delivered all that came unto him She I say having heard this cometh to him full of faith and confidence that she will be also relieved by him She goeth not to Inchanters or Socerers to drive out one devill by another as appearantly hath been the practise of these heathen parts where she lived but forsaking these impieties she goeth to Christ to seek help And mark I pray you how she cometh She goeth not as CHRYSOST observeth to Peter James or John or any of the Apostles that they might get her accesse but she goeth to himself immediatly and she cometh to him with a prayer full of faith fervencie humilitie most fit to stirre up pittie and compassion SHE cryed after him who seemed to hasten from her cryed farre lowder with her heart then with her mouth Have mercie upon me O LORD thou sonne of David for my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil O LORD saieth she see her faith she acknowledgeth by this style his Deietie and almighty Power Thou Sonne of David Here her faith acknowledgeth that he was the Messias and promised Saviour of the world for it is manifest by many places of the Gospell that the Messias was commonly so called be way of excellencie because he was to come of his seed and to sit in his throne This was the ground of her confidence It might have been said If he be the LORD how darest thou so importune him but her faith was ready to reply he is the Sonne of David also and the Saviour of the world For this end came he down from heaven hath humbled himself and hath assumed such flesh as I have that I might have accesse unto him that I might not be affraied to speak unto him Therefore sayeth she O LORD thou Sonne of David have mercie upon me for my daughter c. The reason of her cry is expressed in these words my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil This was a lamentable case and could not well be fully expressed by words We may easily conceive how much this distresse afflicted her What a dolefull spectacle was it for her to see her daughter daylie so tormented as they are whom the devil getteth power to vex We know that some naturall diseases breed so terrible convulsions such intollerable paines as hardly can we endure to look upon them that are in such a case The eyes are like to burst out of the head the mouth fometh the face is turned about sense is taken away c How much more miserable may we think the estate of this woman was who was vexed with a devil Fathers and mothers who have sense of naturall affection may conceive this better then I expresse it her lowd and importunate cries shew how sensible she was of it she might have said Alace O LORD my torment is intollerable What
shall I do whether shall I go I cannot leave my daughter she is so tormented I cannot stay with her The beholding of her sufferings is so grievous unto me she is not dead and yet a thousand times worse then dead O LORD therefore have mercy upon me This is her suit that he would have mercy upon her Marke the words I pray you she sayes not Pray to God for me but Lord have thou mercy and it shall be well Thou art the LORD I have not brought her to thee Thou sees that which is absent Thou knowest that which is hid I desire thee not to go to her nor yet to speak a word that she may be whole only have mercy and that will put away the devil and subdue all his power See here the wonderfull strength of her faith Secondly she saieth not have mercy upon my daughter but have mercy upon me She counteth the miserie of her daughter her own it touched her as if she had been in that same estate herself Secondly it seemeth she hath thought her daughter was so afflicted because of her sinnes which she desires to be removed by mercy that so her daughter might have health Lastly it is remarkable that the thing she requireth is the exercise of mercy Mercy is but one word but comprehendeth under it all Good that we stand in need of and with all includeth a confession of our own miserie as if she would have said O LORD it is not in confidence of any worthines or righteousnesse in me that I present my self unto thee I flie to thy mercy the haven and harberie of sinners My miserie is great but thy Mercy is greater The disease is grievous but nothing to thee the Great and mercifull Phisitian Hence we may learne what we should fix our eyes upon this day after we duly viewed the great miseries wherein we are plunged either by reason of our sinnes or by reason of their wofull effects Where to shall we look but to the Mercy of God in Christ and say with this woman have mercy upon me O LORD c. With the Publican be mercifull to me a sinner with DAVID Have mercy upon me O LORD according to thy Loving kindnesse and according to the multitude of thy compassions blot my transgressions out This Mercy is the refuge of sinners This is our maine comfort that our God is the God and Father of Mercies that his Mercies are over all his works and reach even unto the heavens Mercie is the name wherin God delighteth most The LORD The LORD Mercifull c. and wherein our strength against despaire lieth and as we said it comprehendeth all the good we have or would have If we say God is Light that importeth but one thing if we say God is our Strength that importeth but the strengthening of us but when I say that he is the God of my Mercy that imports all whatsoever we are whatsoever we have or desire in nature in grace in intention in conversation in faith in hope in love in deliverance from evill or injoying of good that is all of his Mercy and his Mercy can give it all Come therefore O man if thou have a penitent heart fix thine eyes this day upon this Mercy of God be not swallowed up with the greatnes either of thy sinnes or sorrowes Art thou polluted with uncleannesse filthinesse of thy flesh yet cast not away thy confidence remember what this Mercy of God did to that uncleane and sinfull woman who washed the feet of Christ with tears in the 7. of Luk. Hast thou been a murtherer theef or oppressor remember what the Mercy of Christ did to that Theefe who was crucified with him Many villanies it may be had he done yet when he with a penitent heart said LORD remember me when thou comest to thy kingdome this Mercy answered verily to day thou shalt be with me in paradise hast thou been a persecuter and blasphemer Remember what this Mercy did to S. PAUL it made him who was before a wolf to be a pastor it made him to be an Apostle who was before a persecuter and to be a prime builder of that Church which before he wasted But let us proceed and see how this fervent devote Prayer was accepted It is said by S. MATTHEVV that he answered her not a word What a strange thing was this this miserable woman prayes cryes againe againe for mercy yet the Saviour and lover of mankinde giveth no answer he that is the eternal Word is silent He that was the opened fountaine seemeth to be closed he that was the great and most kinde Physitian seemeth to deny all cure This was the first assault of this womans faith and it was not a small temptation She might have thought with herself alace I heard he received al that came unto him graciously but now I find by mine own experience that either this report is false or at least I am extreamly unhappy man cannot help me and God will not heare me What shall I do but such thoughts entered not into the devot heart of this woman For al this she continueth crying still as appeareth by the following words Hence we should learne that which our LORD often urgeth that we should pray and not faint There is in us naturally impatience wherby we weary soon when we are not heard If God hide his face for a while seeme to forget us we give over O say we we have prayed and it may be againe and againe and yet we had no answer returned us But consider although thou hast prayed yet it may be thou hast not cryed thou hast not been earnest nor fervent in seeking God Alace how often do our hearts wander when our lips move in prayer and we do not so much as remember that we are praying Secondly suppose thou hast cryed with fervency to God yet that is not enough thou must also persevere and not weary Thou must still ask seek knock God hath not promised to grant our desires upon the first or second or third petition This assurance is only given to them who continue without fainting Abraham was an hundreth years old before he obtained Isaac that was promised him No doubt the mother of Samuel hath poured out her heart oftē before God erre she conceived Simeon waited long for the consolation of Israel before he got Christ in his armes Luke 2. So Anna the prophetesse departed not from the temple but served God day and night with fasting praying erre she was blessed with the sight of our Saviour O LORD saieth DAVID Psal 22. I cry to thee in the day time and by night I am not silent So then perseverance in prayer is necessary for obtaining our suites Neither need we feare that this importunity will displease God It is not with God as it is with the great ones of this world If they vouchsafe not an answer to our
being ended the Physitians look to the part being to use their cure But there they found all to be whole and sound But ye will say to me whence cometh it then to passe that our prayers have so small effect I answer we pray not aright and therefore find not the wished fruite of our prayers We follow not this patron which is proposed unto us She cryed and prayed fervently being sensible of her great distres but our prayers have no life in them and that because we have not a due sense and feeling of our misery which is farre greater then hers But you will say to me there is none of us blessed be God vëxed with a devil how thē can we be in such or a worse estate then she was The answer is easie for first the devil vexed but the body of her daughter and amongst us many have their soules fully subjected to his power through grievous sinnes Sinne is a great devil sayeth CHRISOST writting upon this place at least it is an argument of his presence in a most wofull manner The bodies of good men and women may be vexed with Satan and that makes them to be but the objects of pittie but when sinne reigneth in the soul men are wicked and the objects of the wrath and Hatred of GOD. Now how much the devil prevaileth by sinne and holdeth men captive at his pleasure the great abominations of this land and citie do plainly testifie the Love and Fear of God is not in the hearts of men his Name is prophaned his Sabbaths are violated Superioures are disobeyed the hearts of men are full of hatred and malice every place is polluted with whooredome falshood oppression lies slanders abound What a strange power then hath Satan gotten over us if there be any sense in us how great reason have we to mourne and sigh for al our own sinnes and for all the sinnes and abominations done in the midst of this land Secondly we have great reason to fear that Satan and his instruments shall get power over our bodies and estates When I pray you is the devil more loosed in this kinde then in the time of warres If at any time his Throue is then set up for then the exercise of religion is banished or much hindred Justice hath no place the authoritie of lawes is contemned Men give themselves to uncleannes to drunkennes to the oppression of the weak poore The bodies of men are murthered their meanes are spoyled This is one of the most terrible Plagues of GOD whereto David preferred the pestilence Now this we justly fear and have we not reason then out of the deep sense of so great an evil to cry unto God mightily this woman cryed vehemently for one but among us many thousands are in danger Secondly Her prayer proceeded from a true and lively faith whereby her heart was purged from her former sinnes and now set wholly upon God But alace we continue still in our iniquities and what wonder then that our prayers are not heard Would we have God to do our will when we rebell against his most Holy Will Though ye multiply your prayers I will not hear saith the LORD when ye spread out your hands I will hide my face because your hands are full of blood And again Is this the fast that I have required for a man to hang down his head as a bulrush is not this the fast that I have required to loose the bands of wickednesse to undo the heavie buedens and to let the oppressed go free Isai 58. Hence it is that our manifold humiliations and prayers bring not forth the desired fruit Some will acknowledge their sinnes and promise to amend them but in the meane time bring forth no fruits worthie of amendement of life Some will not so much as acknowledge their own sinnes but stand still in the maintenance thereof Wee reade Jeremiah the 42. and 43. that IOHANAN and the remnant of the Jews that were with him after the destruction of Jerusalem desired IEREMIAH to pray to God for them and promised to obey the Word of the LORD whatsomever it was IEREMIAH did so brought him back this answer That if they would stay in the land of Judea it should be wel with them that they needed not fear the king of the Caldeans of whō they were affraied for the slaughter of Gedaliah for God would incline his Heart to favour them whereas if on the other part They would go down to Egypt as they intended They should perish by the famine by the sword and by the pestilonce IOHANAN and the rest of the proud men having heard this which was contrary to their humor replyed That this which he said was false and that the LORD had not spoken so but that BARUCH the sonne of NERIAH did set him upon them to perswade them to stay in the land that they might be delivered into the hand of the Caldeans Even so it fareth with many They promise indeed to obey the Word of the LORD but when the Word of the LORD is told them if it crosse their intentions and desires they say it is not the Word of the LORD and so continue in their evil courses No wonder then that GOD heare not their prayers not the prayers of others for them If we would be heard we must wash our hearts from wickednes and put away our vaine thoughts from us and as we said before most still continue knocking at the doore of Gods Mercy This if we do we may be sure God in end will give us a comfortable answer which the LORD grant and that for the Merits of Christ to whom c. A SERMON UPON the XVIII Chapter of S. MATTHEW Vers 18. Verily I say unto you whatsoever ye shall binde one earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven OUr blessed Saviour having declared in the words preceeding in what manner a sinner that is obstenate and disobedient to the voice of the Church is to be delt with Namly that he should be accounted as an heathen and as a publican He now in the words that I have read sheweth what is the efficacie power of the Sentenco of the Church even that it is no lesse then if it were pronounced in heaven and by GOD Himself A man rejected by the Church and ordained to be accounted as an heathen and a Publican might have thought within himself what albeit such or such men esteemes so of me if they misregard me account of me as of an heathen or publican I shall do the like to them and shall as much disesteeme them No saieth our Saviour it is not only their bare sentence and esteeme that is to be looked too That which they do rightly in this kinde is ratified confirmed and allowed by God in heaven And he that will despise them must despise GOD and Heaven
is not from the earth but from heaven and if he give life to them that are dead he may be justly called The bread of life 3. He addeth these words to comfort Beleevers and to terrifie unbeleevers For no greater comfort can be to them that receive him by a true and lively faith then the assured hope that they shall be raised up by him from death to a glorious and immortall life and on the other part it is matter of exceeding terror to the unbelieving and wicked that they shall not be partakers of this blessed resurrection but they shall be raised up to shame and confusion This point is urged diverse times hereafter by our LORD and therefore it may be we shall have occasion to speak of it more fully Only now consider that this is a point which we should at this time deeply meditate upon He who calleth us and offereth himself unto us is no lesse then he who hath power of life and death even of eternall life and of eternall death If wee answer him and embrace his Calling we may look to have confidence joy and glory at our death and resurrection but if we do otherwayes we can expect nothing but terrour sorrow and confusion Though we think little now of death and resurrection yet they wil come It is appointed for all men once to die and after death cometh judgement The soul will be called out of the body the body will be called out of the grave and both will be called before the Tribunall of GOD. If thou hearkned devotly and obediently to his Calling here Thou shalt lift up thine head then being confident that thy redemption draweth near When GOD sayeth to thy soul at death Come out thou shalt encourage it and say Go 〈◊〉 my soule fear nâ—t it is the Voice of my Beloved calling not to destroy but to save thee It is the voice of him who hath often called me before and whom I have answered by his Grace It is the Voice of him that I was longing for He said to me before Behold I come I have answered even so Amen LORD Iesus come But on the contrary if thou hast despised his gracious and mercifull Calling here thy terrour shall be unspeakable at death and at the resurrection He shall call when thy Lamp is not prepared and albeit thou would not be drawn by his Mercy his Justice shall draw thy soule out of thy body at death and thy body out of the grave at the resurrection although thou call then he will not heare but will say Depart from me I know thee not Long have I cast open the doore of my Mercy unto thee but thou would not enter and now it is shute O how terrible shall this Calling or rather Drawing of iustice be to the disobedient soule body Faine would they draw back into that very nothing out of which they were brought Therefore the wicked shall say then unto the hills and to the mountains fall upon us and cover us from the Face of him that sitteth upon the Throne and from the Face of the Lamb. Let us therefore while we have time thinke both upon his Mercy Justice These are the two armes of his Providence whereby he draweth to good and from evil MERCY is as it were his Right-Hand which is alluring and comfortable justice his Left-Hand which is terrifying and dreadfull Let us labour That his left hand may be vnder our head as the Spouse speaketh and that his right hand may embrace us that is let us thinke upon his gracious Promises that we may be allured to obey him and withall consider his dreadfull terrours that we may stand in awe to despise his invitations I will speake no more of this Now I proceed It is written in the prophets And they shall be all taught of GOD c. Here he confirmeth and cleareth what he said of the drawing of men to him by the Father He confirmeth it by the testimony of scripture It is written sayeth he in the prophets they shall be all taught of GOD. This testimony is expresly set down Isaiah 54. 13. Where the PROPHET speaking of the happy estate of the Church of the new Testament sayeth to her All thy children shall be taught of the LORD and great shall be their peace According to the sense it is also to be found else-where especially in the 31. 33. of Iâ—r where the LORD speaking of the Church of the new Testament sayeth After those dayes it shall come to passe that I will put my law in their hearts writ it in their inward parts and they shall be my people and I will be their GOD and they shall not teach every man his brother and every man his neighbour but they shall know me from the highest to the least sayeth the LORD For clearing of this yee are to understand that to be taught of God is nothing else but to have our minds enlightned by the knowledge of him and to have his love â—â—â—ed abroad in our hearts so that we obey him and that not out of the fear of punishment but out of the love of righteousnes Of this teaching the Prophet spake when he said Psal 94. 12. Blessed is the man whom thou chastisest and teachest out of thy law and when he said againe Teach me to do thy Will O GOD for it is good This our Saviour manifesteth in the next words wherein he explaineth what it is To be taught by GOD saying That such an one heareth and learneth of the Father and cometh to him that is he that is so taught understandeth and beleeveth that which the Father revealeth and embraceth it by sincere love and affection and so cometh to Christ by faith by hope by love and obedience Hence S. AUGUSTINE in his book of the Grace of Christ 12. and 13. chapters inferreth That this doctrine of the Father is nothing else but his heavenly Grace communicated to us whereby he maketh us not only to know what we should do but also to do what we know whereby he maketh us not only to beleeve that which should be loved but also to love that which we beleeve This is the doctrine of the Father whereby from on hye by his unspeakable Power inwardly he manifesteth his truth and communicateth to us the love of himself This also is manifest as S. AUGUSTINE observeth there from the 1. Thess 4. 9. where S. PAUL sayeth As for brotherly love yee have not need that I should write unto you for yee are taught of GOD to love one another So the Teaching of GOD maketh us not only to know what should be done but also to do that which we know And he that knowes and doeth not is not caught by God He is not taught according to grace but according to the law he is not taught according to the spirit but according to the letter Secondly Yee are to consider that our Saviour by urging
it self Hee is not content to say simply that he will praise God but useth sundry pregnant words to this purpose to signify the vehemencie and fervencie of his desire to honour God First he saieth I will extoll thee or exalt thee Wee cannot exalt God by making him higher for he is most high and we are low and base There can be no accession to his Hignesse and though there could yet cannot we contribute to it We are said to exalt him in that sense that we are said to magnifie glorifie and sanctifie him This we do by acknowledging proclaiming worshipping his Greatnesse Glory Holinesse So we exalt him when wee acknowledge his infinite Highnesse and Excellencie when we most highly esteeme of it most highly love it and most humbly submitt our selves unto it Thus I will extoll thee is as if hee had said I will most highly praise thee reverentlie worship thee magnificently proclaime and incomparably prefer thy Highnesse and Excellencie to all others Secondly he saieth He will blesse Him and his Name BLESSING is a wishing of good to another and the bestowing and conferring of it when it lyeth in our power IT comprehendeth two acts the one of the Will the other of the Vnderstanding By the first wee wish or will good by the other we conferre it and so it is a practicall kinde of speech This Blessing as it proceedeth from God is ever effectuall If he speak good to us it is done his word is able to do whatsoever he willeth As when a King hath the honours of a kingdom in his own hand If he say to one be thou a Duke to another be thou an Earl it is so by vertue of this his speech these honours are conferred But it is not so with our blessing especially of God His good is either inward or outward as for his inward good it is in himself in infinite perfection Hee laiketh nothing nor can wee contribute any thing in that kinde All that wee can do in respect of this good is to congratulate and expresse our joy at this that he possesseth in himself all good As for the outward good which belongeth to him namlie the knowledge the love the feare and worship of his Name unto that we may and ought to contribute by his grace Wee should not only wish that good but so much as lyeth in us should endeavour to procure it Thus when DAVID promiseth to blesse him and his Name he meaneth that he wished all to know to feare to love him and that hee would to the uttermost endeavour to effectuat what he wished Thirdly Hee promiseth to praise Him PRAISE is a proclaiming of the excellencie that is in any by reason of his actions and worthie deeds So God is often praised for his acts of mercie justice and power The excellencie that is in any by nature is rather honoured then praised saieth the Philosopher yet often men are praised for naturall excellencies as engyne beauty strength c. And God here and often elswhere in scripture is praised for his Naturall excellencies Infinite greatnes goodnes power mercie c. Lastly DAVID promiseth thus to exalt praise and blesse God and his Name Every day for ever and ever He will beginne it now but is never to end it So long as hee lived hee did praise him and now being dead doeth praise him on earth by this other songs of praise and in heaven doeth and shall for ever blesse him Beside this he promiseth to do it without intermission Every day saieth he which signifieth that nothing should befall no change no trouble that should divert him from this exercise Whence we may learne this profitable instruction that it is our duty in every estate whatsomever befall us to praise and blesse God No trouble or temptation should make the praise or blessing of him to depart from our mouth nothing should make our courage to quaile our patience to wearie our tranquillitie to cease or stay the lifting up of our hearts to blesse his holy Name For this should be done by us every day and at all times Psal 34. 1. Thou should blesse him in the day of thy sicknesse aswell as in the day of thy health in the day of thy want aswell as in the day of thy aboundance in the day of desolation aswel as in the day of consolation in the day of adversitie aswel as in the day of prosperitie What great matter is it saieth holy AUGUSTINE upon this place that thou blesses God in thy joyfull day when all things flow to thee according to thy heart What if a sorrowfull and melancholious day appeare will thou not blesse him then also If thou will not thou did not truly say Every day will I blesse thee How many and how grievous evils came upon Iob and that how suddenlie yet did hee not intermitt the praising of God in that his most sorrowfull day When all the evill tydings had come unto him hee worshiped and said The Lord hath given the Lord hath taken blessed be the Name of the Lord. Thus ought we all to do and the reasons are manifest For first If God be thy God then thy heart is upon him thou places in him thy soveraigne good which is to be found in him alone Now no crosse or trouble can bereave thee of him unlesse thou thy self forsake him Iob his hudge wealth was taken away and his children for whom he keeped it were taken away but God who gave the one and the other and was able to restore that and infinitly more could not be taken from him Thus the day of worldlie sorrow cannot take our God from us and so we have the ground and matter of our true and chief joy and consequently have reason still to blesse him 2. Whatsomever God doeth to his own he doeth it for the best He maketh all their sorrows and troubles to work for their good yea oftentimes promoveth their good by sicknesse want adversitie more then it should have been advanced by health aboundance prosperity LAZAR us sores poverty wer more profitable to him then all the wealth dainties of the Rich-man were to him Both found it to be so in end when the Rich-man was laid in flames of fire was faine to beg one drop of water which yet he could not have and when Lazarus was carried by the angels into the bosome of ABRAHAM Wee may not judge of these outward evils by our own sense but by the word wisdome goodnes and power of God which maketh them all to serve to our good Now if it be so we have reason in the midst of all our worldlie sorrowes to blesse and to praise the Name of our God Happy is he that can do so this is a most happy holy way by which a man may go through all the sorrows of this life to heaven rejoycing and exulting The Lord grant that we may so do
to the beholding of it but if we consider the occasion of this Song hee inviteth us to the beholding of it with a reference to the wofull and dolefull evils of Division when DAVID entered into his kingdom the kingdom of Israel was devided and there was a long and bloody warr betwixt Israel and Iud◠〈◊〉 end it pleased God to send a blessed Vnitie and Peace both In the Church State so that both DAVID the speaker they to whom he did speak had experience both of the good of unitie of the evill of Division wherby they had been brought almost to utter desolation Out of this experience he saieth Behold yee have tasted so long of the bitter fruits of Discord which hath made you that were brethren to hate persecute one another as cruell enemies behold now and see how inestâ—â—able is the benefit of Vnitie and how good and pleasant a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in it Let us now see what it is which he commendeth and how he commendeth it That which hee commendeth is the dwelling of brethren together in Vnitie which also importeh the reason why this should be done as we shall heare To dwell together in Vnitie is not to dwell in one place The Vnitie he speaketh of is the unitie of brotherlie Concord wherby as the latine word importeth the hearts of men are knit together according to that Act. 4. 32. And the multitude of them that beleeved were of one heart and of one soule This Concord maketh a man not onlie to do that which another willeth but also to will that which he willeth and therefore presupponeth the union of mindes and judgements especiallie in things of importance and is grounded upon the will of God revealed to us into a true and perfect Concord So it is not true concord or unitie of hearts when fear imposeth a necessitie of obeying or when hatred malice envy are clocked with outward shewes of love Feare commandeth not this Concord neither can subtiltie of wit work it Temporall gaine cannot buy it neither can paper and inke keep it but the God of Love and Vnitie who hath commanded it giveth confirmeth preserveth and keepeth it They that have this Concord dwell together in unitie although they be in diverse places and have many bodies yet they have as it were but one heart and one soule Who aâ— they that should have this unitie Brethren All men in some sort are brethren being descended of this same first parents and partakers of this same nature but DAVID meaneth those who were more straitly tyed together as partakers of the same kingdom and countrey members of the same Church Those are brethren and there ought to be no division betwixt brethren Let there be no strife I pray thee between thee and mee for wee are brethren said ABRAHAM to LOT Gen. 13. 8. Feare joy and sorrow should be common unto brethren and nothing more hatefull then that one brother should hate another rejoyce at his evill be grieved at his good or that he should cast him down and trample him under his feet So when he saieth brethren he not only sheweth who but also why wee should keep unitie amongst our selves even because wee are brethren Now wee have the thing commended The unitie and concord of brethren Let us see how he commendeth it How good and how pleasant is it saieth he It is not only good nor only pleasant but both good and pleasant Some things are good that are not pleasant as Travels repentance fasting Martyrdome and some things are pleasant that are not good as many sinfull actions but Concord and Peace are both good and pleasant Beside he saith not simplie that it is good pleasant but How good how pleasant to signifie the excellencie of goodnes and pleasure that is in it and therefore the seaventie Interpreters render it thus What is good and pleasant but that brethren dwell together in unitie First then It is good and so good that without it nothing is good and by it all necessar good is attained In naturall things everie thing is that which it is by union or unitie and by that same unitie is conserved in the being thereof and if it bee capable of further perfection is by that unitie strengthned till it attaine to that perfection which is due unto it Nay further the blessednes of God himself consisteth in unitie wherby he is present to himself and whereby he hath all his divine perfections most straitly and unseparablie united In like manner the Wel-being of all Societies civill or ecclesiasticall dependeth froÌ„ their unitie When the Christian Church was first planted it consisted of a small number but being of one heart and of one soul did soone spread it self throughout the whole world When Rome was first founded it was scarse two myles of compasse but by unitie warrlike vertue it came to pass that in the time of Aurelian the Emperour it had the compasse of fiftie myles and the dominion of the world almost By concord small things grow to an hight and so it is good profitable but by discord and division all things even the greatest things declyne from their pryme estate and are weakned diminished and in end perish If the members of the body should rise up one against another if the right hand should cutt off the left if the fingers should pull out the eyes if one member should draw the nourishment from another the body could not stand even so no house nor city nor kingdome nor church divided against it self can stand Secondly As the unitie of brethren is good so it is pleasant beautifull That which maketh this World to bee a beautifull frame is the unitie that is in it So long as the heaven the ayre the sea and the earth every thing therin agree and do their own duties for which they were appointed calmly without perturbation it hath an incomparable beautie But if things should become confused and disordered nothing should bee more deformed so is it in respect of humane societie Nothing more beautifull and desirable then the unitie peace thereof and nothing more uglie and horrible then divisions and tuptures therein Hence it is that there is no man but he desireth peace As all men desireth to rejoyce so al desire to have peace saieth holy Augustine even Martiall men that have the sword in the one hand fire in the other they are seeking peace such a peace as they imagine to be right as the same Father observeth in the 19. of the city of God and 12 chap. In a word we desire it in our houses in our wives in our children in our friends and in all things wee wish to have peace It appeareth by a sermon of S. August upon the CXLVII psal That when hee had uttered these words of the Text Hee maketh peace in thy borderit The people at the
in a most divine manner at length he descriveth In the first verse that I have read The Thankfulnesse of the Church is expressed Praise waiteth for thee c. In the second an excellent benefit is set down for which God should be praised and vowes should be performed to him Praise waiteth for thee c. Praise is the proclaming of the Excellencie of any especially manifested by worthe deeds This David saieth waiteth for God The word rendered to waits signifieth properly to be silent but for the similitude and agreement of silence expectâ—â—â—â— is rendered here to waiâ—e or expect And if we so expound the word the sense is That God doth so loaden his 〈…〉 and by 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 every morning furnish such matter of Praise Thà nksgiving that praise in the Church continually as it were waiteth on to honour him If wee render the word to be silent as it properly signifieth and which our Interpreters have put on the Margent the meaning is That the benefits of God bestowed upon Sion or his Church are so great and so many that even our Praise through astonishment becometh as it were silent notable to reach to the due commemoration and esteeme of Gods bountie and benefits And indeed so it is The benefits of God toward his people are such and so many daylie and hourly bestowed upon them in generall in particular known and unknown that no minde can sufficiently conceive nor tongue utter them In him wee live move and have out being Hee maketh his sun to shyne and his rain to fall upon us Hee hath endued us with reason and understanding When we were lost he did not forsake us but even when blinded with our own ignorance and wickednesse and so his enemies Hee redeemed our life from destruction and to this effect sent his own Son which the Church now clearly knoweth to bee born and suffer and by his most perfect sacrifice to purge all our sinnes and withall sendeth his Spirit in our heart to guide us through all difficulties till we attaine to the blessed sight and joy of his Countenance Thus he compasseth and crowneth us with loving kindnesse and tender mercies for which if wee had a thousand hearts and a thousand tongues could wee give him sufficiently praise and thanks No Praise it self is forced as it were to stand here astonished and silent And the saints say with DAVID O Lord What shall thy servants say What shall we render unto thee for all thy benefits towards us But where is this waiting of praise and the admiration of it In Sion DAVID had translated the Ark of God unto Sion There was Gods Sanctuary and there was he woâ—shipped and therefore Sion here signifieth the Church of God then and in all following ages This is added for great reasons First the PROPHET signifieth that Sion or Gods Church hath reason ought to praise God beyond all others whom hee hath not chosen to be his people for Gods chief benefits are poured down upon Sion It is the perfection of beauty and out of it God shyneth Psal 87. God loveth the gates of Sion more then all the habitations of Iudah It is the City of God and glorious things ar spoken of thee O City of God saieth DAVID in the same psalme Of Sion it shall be said such and such a man was born there The Lord Himself counteth and writeth that such a man was born there saieth DAVID in the place mentioned All the true Citizens of Sion are written in the book of God even in the book of life by his own finger and nothing is so great a matter of Thanksgiving and Praise as that Rejoyce not in this saieth our Saviour that the devils are subjectunto you but rather rejoyce in this that your names ar written in heaven So then in Sion justly should praise wait for God The Citizens of it are a chosen generation a royall Priesthood and holy nation a peculiar people to set forth the praises of him who hath called theÌ„ out of darknes unto his marvellous light 1. Pet. 2. 9. Secondly As Sion should so Sion only can praise God righly Praise is not seemly in the mouth of a sinner saieth the Wise-man Ecclesiast 15. IT standeth not so much in the words of the mouth as in the devotion of the heart He that would rightly praise must be affected with that which he praiseth truly believe it haue an inward taste feeling of it Except therfore he hath tasted seen how good the Lord is he cannot praise as he should on the other part God also looketh not so much to the mouth as to the heart of the praiser He respecteth not so much the tongue as the Conversation What availeth it to blesse God with thy mouth and blaspheme him with thy life this is an abomination and therefore it is truly said by holy August that a wicked man cannot praise God The discord of his life from his word marreth all the sweetnesse of his song of praise maketh it unpleasaÌ„t ungracious in the eares of God Thirdly As Sion should and onely can so also she will undoubtedly praise God and therefore rightly saieth the PROPHET that praise waiteth for God in her as if he would have said O Lord albeit all other men would hold their peace of thy praises yet Sion or thy church thy servants and saints will not Though other men haue not eyes to see nor minds to consider thy benefits but bury them in ignorance or oblivion yet thy own people will set forth thy praises and magnifie thy Name Hence we may clearly see how necessare is this duty of praise and thanksgiving Gods Worship standeth chiefly in this that we be not unthankefull unto him saieth holy August in his book of the spirit and latter chap. 11. when God first made the world he sequestred one day of every week as for his service so particularly for a thankfull remembrance of the benefit of Creation Under the law he appointed one day in the month to wit the first which was the feast of the new moone for a thankfull remembrance of the benefit of conservation of the world he ordained the feast of the passover for celebrating the benefit of bringing his people out of Egypt The feast of Pentecost for remembring the benefit of giving the Law The feast of Tabernacles for remembrance of protection in the wilderness and commanded that yearly the first fruits of the land should be offered to him be way of thanksgiving Thus under the law the duty of thanksgiving was most necessare and acceptable to God Under the gospel now I may say it is yet more necessar The proper sacrifice of ChristiaÌ„s is the sacrifice of praise thanksgiving every wher vehemently urged in the new Test Our blessed Lord did institute the blessed sacrameÌ„t of his body blood giving thanks and for this end that we may give thanks to God as for
and weaknes he saith not all spirits or all that are holy just wel-deserving wealthie or noble but all flesh shall come The poore have accesse aswell as the rich to poure out their heart before God the base aswell as the noble the unlearned aswell as the learned the sinfull Publican aswel as the Pharisee even the sinner I say if he have begun to compt his sin a miserie may come to God and bevaile his miserie and implore his mercie All these I say may come and shall be heard If any man come and is not heard it is because he cometh not as he ought nor seeketh aright Here first consider that latlie we came to God offered up our prayers to him as for other benefits so for a seasonable harvest We have found by experience that the Lord hath heard our prayers though having in them many defects and worthie to be cast back as dung in our faces We have found as the PROPHET speaketh in the end of this Psalme that he hath visited the earth and enriched it with the river of God blessed the springing of it hath crowned the year with his goodnes and hath made his paths to drop fatnes Let us no think that this was from chance or nature but let us with thankful hearts acknowledge it to be as indeed it is the visitation and blessing of God Let every heart and every mouth say Blessed be the Lord who-hath not put back our prayers but notwithstanding of our sinnes hath so visited blessed and enriched vs. Secondly if we would be still partakers of this great benefit let vs be carefull to continue our thankfulnes still There are many things that we stand in need of for which we must pray to him to purge away our iniquities as he saieth in the next verse To still the noise of the sea and tumults of the people to blesse the fruits that he hath given us that his wrath come nor upon us while it is betwixt our teeth Let us therefore that it may be well with us for ever resolve to performe not only this day but also all the dayes of our life our vows of obedience and to praise him with our life aswell as with our mouth As for the earthly blessings which he hath given us as on the one part we should esteem highly of them soon the other part Let us remember they are but the pleadges of better things abyding us in our countrey if his riches be so great toward us in our sojourning what may we expect when we shall sit down in his house at his table to be satisfied with the fatnesse of it If the river of God passing through the earth so refresh us here how shall we be delighted with that river of pleasures which maketh glad the citie of God The Lord grant that our hearts may be there and that we may walk in the way that leadeth into it and that for the merits of Christ To Whom c. FIRST SERMON UPON the Lamentations of JEREMIAH Chap. V. Verse 19. Thou O Lord remainest for ever Thy throne from generation to generation 20. Wherefore dost thou forget us for ever and forsake us so long-time 21. Turne us unto thee O Lord and we shall be turned renew our dayes as of old The holy PROPHET having made a pittifull complaint to God of the great desolation that had come upon Sion or the Church of God Ierusalem being taken and burnt the people of God being killed or lead in captivitie he in end shutteth up all and closeth with a fervent prayer Thou O Lord remainest for ever c. In this prayer two things are to be cōsidered First the ground of the PROPHETS petitions Thou O Lord remainest for ever thy thro◠from generation to generation Secondly the petitions themselves which are espetially two the first is set down by way of expostulation wherefore doest thou forget us forever and forsake us so long time which includeth this petition Lord forsake us not but restore thy favour to us againe and renew our dayes as of old The second is in the next words turne thou us unto thee O Lord and we shall be turned To returne againe to the first part which is the ground of the PROPHETS supplication and of his hope confidence to be heard it is set down in the first words we have in it three Prerogatives ascrived to God the first that he is UNCHANGEABLE Thou O Lord remainest Sayeth he secondly he ascriveth to him absolute Dominion imported by this that Hee is the Lord and hath a Throne Thirdly Eternity is ascrived both to him and his Kingdome Thou O Lord remainest for ever c. Let us consider these points shortly both in themselves and with a reference to the PROPHETS petitions Thou O Lord remainest c. Here the PROPHET to strengthen his hope the hope of the Church fixeth the eyes of his faith upon the Vnchangeablnes of God thou sayest he remainest The word in the originall signifieth to dwell to abide or sit still importeth when ascrived to God his constancie immntabilitie For clearing of this we are to consider that this is in God in a most excellent manner He is simple Vnchangeable both in his nature and in his decrees or purposes both which are meaned here In his nature at his perfections he is Vnchangeable If any chāge of this kynde could have place in him it should be either from imperfection to perfection or from perfection to imperfection but neither of these can be no new perfection can haue place in him because as we said before in him is the infinite fulnes of perfectiōn which is not capable of any increase o◠accession Neither can he change to any imperfection for none of his infinite perfections can be lossed They are one the same with his own nature and being Now his being is necessar for he hath it not from another and therefore as it ever was so it can never cease to be and consequently is Vnchangeable for Vnchangeablnes is nothing else but a necessitie of being that which he was before Thus it i◠most evident that God in his nature essentiall perfections is Unchangeable the acquiring of any new perfection being repugnant to the infinite fulnes of being that is in him and the losse of his perfection being contrate to the necessitie or infinit firmnes or stabilitie of his being or Nature Secondly as he is Vnchangeable in his naturall perfections so in his decrees and purposes toward us we often change our resolutions and purposes and the reason is we do not perfectly perceive and consider the good or the evil the conveniencie or inconveniencie of that which we are about therefore when thereafter we find our own errour we change and retraite the will and purpose which we had before This cannot have place in God who from all eternitie hade a most clear sight of all the good
and evil expediencie and inexpediencie that is in every thing and therefore not subject to any errour or change Hence I am chap. 1. 17. calleth him the Father of lights with whom is noâ— variablenesse neither shadow of turning Hence the Lord himself sayeth of himself Malach. 3. 6. I am the LORD I change not therefore yee sons of Iacob are not consumed Num. 23. 19. God is not as man that he should lie neither the son of man that he should repent hath he said and shall be not do it or hath he spoken and shall he not make it good To this same purpose David psal 102. speaking to God sayeth thou art the same and thy years shall have no end Thou art not now one and now another but alwayes one the same Thus we see his being is the same alwayes so are his decrees the counsell of his heart standeth and his thoughts throughout all generatioÌ„s Thus we see his unchangeablnes by reason whereof the PROPHET sayeth here Thou O Lord remainst Hence we may perceive that no change which we see in the creatures doeth any way affect God he made this world all things in it he changed them froÌ„ nothing to this being which they now have but without any change in himself When the shadow of thy face appeareth in a glasse there is no change in thy face from that which was before when thy foot leaveth an impression or mark in the way thy foot is nothing altered now what is the creature but as it were the shadow of the countenance of God A footstepe impression or smal resemblance of that perfection which is in him proceeding from him without any alteration of him at all so without any change he ruleth and governeth this world which he hath made albeit ther be innumerable changes or alterations in it yet he is touched with no new affections no new thought or counsel aryseth in his mynde Whatsoever counsell or purpose love or hatred lyking or disslyking is now in him was in him from all eternitie and what was in him is yet and shall be for all eternitie Once for al before the foundations of the world even froÌ„ everlasting he conceived and decreed what he would have done or permitted to be done in al succeding ages and by vertue of that his eternall decree all things come forth in their own times he remaining fixt and firme immutable in his most simple Unity and prime estate suppose that this world have its being and all the creatures especially men angels concurre to serve to worship to praise and enjoy him this addeth nothing to his inward joy or blesse or to any his inward perfections He had in himself without them the infinite fulnes of that he made them not to ripe any comfort or gaine by them but to communicate the super aboundace of his goodnes to make them partakers of his riches so far as they are capable On the other part Suppose the whole world al the creaturs therin should perish it would diminish nothing of the joy blesse of God For he hath infinite happines in himself which cannot be impaired as we haue shewn all the creatures ar in him in a most excellent manner in his wisdom in his power for in himself he beholds them and delights in them aswell as in themselves But it may be some man will say it seemeth that there may be some change in God since the scripture ascriveth repentance to him Gen. 6. 6. And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth And the PROPHET expostulateth with him for forgetfulnesse I Ans That the scripture ascriveth these and the like things unto God condiscending to the weaknes of our capacity not to signifie that there is any such thing in God properly but to signifie that such effects come from him as use to proceed from repenting and forgetfull men Repentance properly taken in men presupposeth an errour or fault for the which the Penitent is grieved So Wrath includeth the flame of an incensed minde Mercie importeth the misery of a condoling heart Jealousie some inward dispite and envy Thus it is that these things are ascrived unto men but in God it is far otherwayes His Wrath Aâ—g 1. book against the Adversary of the Law and Prophets chap. 20. is nothing else but the revenge of sinne His Mercy is a succurring goodnesse His Jealousie in his Providence whereby he will not suffer them to go free or unpunished who love that which he forbiddeth so his Repentance is nothing else but an unlooked for clearing of things that are in his power IT importeth no change in him but in the outward effects which he altereth without any change in his Will or purpose Hence in 1. Sam. 15. 29. It is said The strength of Israel will not lie nor repent for he is not a man that he should repent albeit it be said a little before in that same chapter That he had repented that he had set up Saul to be King So when he repenteth he changeth things but is not changed when he is angriâ— he revengeth but is not moved when hee sheweth mercie he helpeth but is not grieved and when he is Jealous he afflicteth but is not afflicted In like manner when hee is said to remember or forget The speech is borrowed from men His Remembrance importeth his Love his Care and Protection and his Forgetfulnesse signifying that he leaveth or seemeth to leave men exposed to dangers This much of his Vnchangeablnesse Secondly It is to be observed That the PROPHET ascriveth this Vnchangeablnesse to God as proper to him and competent to no other Thou O Lord remainest as if he would have said This is thy prerogative O Lord thou and none but Thou remainest All other things whatsomever are changeable This World we see is full of changes alterations and nothing more certain then the uncertaintie of it and therefore the Apostle 1. Cor. 7. 31. compareth it to a Shew upon a stage where suddenly all things are altered The fashion saith he of this world passeth away So it is with our selves our bodies our soules and the whole man Our bodies are exposed to a perpetuall change Now they are in health incontinent in sicknesse now in strength and againe in weaknes All flesh is grasse and the goodlinesse therof as the flower of the field Isai 40 6. so that Every man this way in his best estate is altogether vanitie When God with rebukes corrects us for iniquitie he makes our beauty whatsomever is desirable in us as Davids word importeth Psal 39. to melt away or to consume like a moth Our soules albeit of a more excellent nature being spirituall and heavenly ar in like manner tossed to and fro with changes now they know now they are ignorant now againe they forget now they are moved with one affection againe with the contrare somtimes with love
a Name of dignitie and authoritie which God hath over the creatures therefore as they were not eternall so this name agreeth not to him from eternitie S. August in his 12. book of the City God and 15. chap. in modestie refuseth to determine this question Vpon the one part he saieth that he dare not deny but God was LORD from all eternitie and one the other part he saieth it is hard to conceive this since Dominion importeth a respect to the creatures which begane in time But if we consider well we will find that the question is rather verball then reall For clearing whereof ye are to understand that there are two things imported by the Dominion of God The first which is the chief and principall is his power over all things that actually are or are possible The second is a reference unto the creatures subject unto God This belongeth unto God but in time but it is nothing else then an outward secondarie respect that which is inward and principall in the Dominion of God to wit his Power was from eternitie and therfore he is truly from eternitie LORD His Dominion is grounded on his Power which is one with his essence and that is eternall Neither is it the creatures that actually are who alone are subject to him Even the things that are not at under his Dominiō he calleth the things that are not as if they were They obey his commandement and commandement presupposeth Dominion by vertue whereof it hath power Thus the Dominion of God was from all eternitie Secondly It we look to following ages this Dominion and Kingdome endureth after them to all eternitie This is true both of Gods Kingdome generally and particularly considered That is the Kingdome of his Power as it is called by which he commandeth and ruleth all things It is certaine this Kingdome shall never end for God shal ever have supreame power over things that are or are possible His particular Kingdome is that whereby he reigneth in his church and this also shall have no end Hence the Angell speaking of our Saviour LUKE 1. saieth Hee shall reigne in the house of Jacob for ever and of his kingdome there shall be no end Wee must not think that this Kingdome of God and Christ shall end when this World endeth no it shall be most perfected and established when all other Rule Authority and Power shall be put down Here it is the kingdome of grace God ruling in the hearts of his servants by his Spirit grace hereafter it shall be the kingdome of Glory wherein the glory of Gods Wisdome Mercie and Power shall be manifested in the eternall salvation of his own and the glory of his Power and justice shall appeare in the eternall confusion of his enemies Now the Kingdome of God is but not peaceable now his enemies are overcome but not wholly rooted out and trampled under foot Sathan remaineth yet and goeth about like a roaring Lyon seeking whom hee may devoure Sinne and Death remain As yet there are many that rebell against the Law of God and despise his Commandements but all these enemies shall be hereafter rooted out Sathan with his angels shall be chained in hel and shall have no more leave to tempt Sin shall be banished also in the godly it shall not be Their flesh shall no more resist the spirit and the spirit God and the wicked shall have no more liberty to commit any new sin Death shall be rooted out by the resurrection so that we may then sing Death is swallowed up in victorie O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victorie Lastly wicked men the rebels of this great KING and disobedient to his Will shall be subjected to eternal pains against their will whereas the servants of God shall be advanced to the participation of his eternall glory Thus this his Kingdome shall be Eternal and not only so in respect of himself but also in respect of his servants Feare not little flock saith our Saviour it is your Father will to give you a kingdom To him that overcometh will I give saith he Rev. 3. to sit with me in my Throne even as I overcame and sit with my Father in his Throne Come yee blessed of my Father shall he say at the last day and receive the kingdome prepared for you c. This much of the Eternitie of the Kingdome of God I come now to the uses of the Doctrine First The consideration of this Eternitie of God his Kingdome should teach us to disesteeme the things of this World which are but fraile and momentanie suppose they endured never so long yet at last they have an end and when that end is come they are as though they had never been Put the case thou had all the riches and pleasures and honours and dominions of the World yet these should end and being ended leave thee nothing but a sad and sorrowfull remembrance of them and the more sad and bitter the more sweet and deare they were to thee when thou had them I will yet say more these things not only have an end but also end suddenly to us Their continuance is most uncertaine and short All our enjoying of them is grounded upon this mortall life and how fraile that is wee know by experience and S. Jam. teacheth us Chap. 4. Go to now saeth he yee that say to morrow wee will go to such a City and continue a year and buy and sell and get gain And yee know not what shall be to morrow for what is your life but a vapour that appeareth for a little whyle and then vanisheth away Now the life being ended all this World endeth to us That which our Saviour saieth of the soule I may say of the body also What profite is it to a man to gaine the whole World if he losse his bodily life More our health is more uncertaine then life and without it we can enjoy no worldly thing Take health from a man what availe all the treasures of the earth Set the most daintie dishes before him they are loathsome Bring his Wife children friends unto him their sight is often grievous Let him remember his former pleasures it breedeth nothing but bitternesse In a word What is the whole man but as it were an earthen vessel which God in whose hand is a rod of Iron is able to dash in pieces when he will Albeit an earthen vessel were never so pleasant painted perfumed adorned with flowers a crown set upon it yet if it be stricken with a rod of Iron it goeth in pieces so it fareth with these earthen vessels of our bodies Though we had the vigour and strength of youth the prudence of the aged the knowledge and eloquence of the learned the treasures of the rich if God but touch us with his rod it is enough to beat us to powder Why then should we set our hearts upon these things that
declared his Wrath against it by dreadfull judgements In this kinde we have a notable example in Eusebius his ecclesiastick Hist 6. book and 8. chapter There he reporteth that three wicked men had conspired against Narcissus Bishop of IERUSALEM in the time of the Emperour Severus who was a man of singular holinesse but somwhat severe These wicked persons fearing to bee censured by him accuse him of Vncleannesse to perswade men to beleeve them did use fearfull curses and impreeaâ—ions against themselves if they spake not the truth The first of them wished that he might be burnt The second wished that his body might rot be consumed The third wished that he might be blinde if it was not true which they spake Notwithstanding of all this the people were so perswaded of the holinesse of their Pastor that they beleeved them not And in the meane time ere it was long the judgement of God came upon these three The house of the first took fire and in it hee and his familie was burnt The second fell into a grievous disease which consumed his bodie away The third considering the vengance of God that had come upon his fellowes is brought to repentance confesseth publickly the whole matter shed tears so aboundantly then and afterwards that he lossed the sight of his eyes So the curse of every one of them fell upon themselves Thus we may perceive that the Apostle his cursing did much aggravate his sin Secondly the matter which he denied with oathes execrations was most great and important It was no lesse then his LORD and SAVIOVR even he to whom before he had said Lord whether shall we go from thee for thou hast the words of eternall life and we know and are sure that thou art the Christ the son of the living God Thirdly he who denied this was no mean person but a great and prime Apostle which aggravateth the offence it was Peter whose name Christ had changed and whom he had called Peter to signifie that the strength and firmnes of a rocke should be in him It was Peter who had been so familiar with his Lord had seen him worke so many miracles and had wrought miracles himself in his Name Peter who had been with him in mount Tabor had tasted there the heavenly joyes had heard this voice from heaven Thou art my well beloved son c. Peter to whom the Father had revealed this That Jesus was the son of the living God Math. 16. And to whom our Saviour said To thee will I give the keyes of the Kingdome of heaven and whatsoever thou shalt binde upon earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth shall be loosed in heaven Fourthly In this his denial appeareth great pusillanimitie weaknes and distrust of God for at the first assault of a hand-maid and doore-keeper he denyed That he knew Christ Behold saieth holy AUGUSTINE The most firme pillartrembls whollie at one small blast of the aire Where now saieth he is thy former confidence and bold promises where now are these words I am ready to follow thee both to prison and to death Is this to follow thy Lord to deny that thou knowest him Is this to lay down thy life for him to deny him at the voice of a damsell for preserving thy life how strangely is thy voice changed now and yet thou art not brought unto publick thou art not presented yet before kings or governours thou art not yet put to the rocke or torture It is not a scribe or pharisee or priest or souldier or executioner that demandeth of thee but a woman a servant and a doore-keeper Thus we see there was in him exceeding great weaknes and feare Lastly There was a kinde of obstinacie in his sinne for he denyed and swore againe and againe and the third time There was betwixt his second and third deniall about the space of an houre wherein the had time to recollect his confounded thoughts and to call to minde what he hade done that he might have repented or at least might have eschewed a new sinne but notwithstanding of this he continued still unmindefull of Christ and what he had done Thus we see his sinne in many respects was grievous which we have discovered not for the reproach of that great and holy Apostle God forbid but that we may learne these uses from it Which the spirit of God would have us to learne which is the third point propounded by us The first use that we should make of this fall of the great Apostle is we may perceive clearly in it humane weaknes infirmitie how great it is and how little it should be trusted unto This great Apostle was by nature fervent and veâ—ement and had received many excellent graces and priviledges from Christ as we said before yet when he trusteth to much in himself and is for triall and humiliation left to himself he falleth and that most foullie He that assured himself of victory before the fight trembleth now before the sound of the trumpet he that should not have denied Christ although the sword had been at his throat denieth him now at the voice of a damsell The like we may see in DAVID who was a man according to the heart of God and yet fell both in adulterie murther This should teach us all humilitie feare and watch fulnes and to trust in nothing but in God and his Graceâ— S. Peter himself learned these things by his fall When our Lord after his resurrection asked him whether he did love him more then others did he did not preferre himself to any but was content to expresse his own sinceritie saying LORD thou knowest that I love thee So in his 1. epist 1. chap. He saieth That we are kept by the power of GOD through faith unto salvation and in the 5. chap. of that epist he giveth this exhortarion to all Be sober be vigilant for your enemie the devil goeth about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devoure Let us in like manner learne to be humble and to feare and watch If the strong pillars and mighty cedares be so shaken and so soone what may become of us who have scarce grace rooted in our hearts in the day of our temptation What is man without the Grace of God saieth holy AUGUSTINE in his 124. Sermon of time But that which Peter was when he denied his LORD yea suppose thou had never so much grace yet thou hast this treasure in an earthen vessell thou art like to a rich ship full of precious wares that is tossed in the sea and in danger to be swallowed with the waves or to dash upon the rocks Be not therefore high minded but feare Let him that standeth take heed lest he fall Remember that S. PAUL hath said Worke out your saluation with feare and trembling And that he himself did beat his body down and kept it in
subjection Lest by any means when he bad preached unto others he himself should be a cast-away Our securitie is to feare alwayes our strength is to distrust our own strength and to put all our confidence in the Mercie of God and Merites of Christ Who hath prayed for us that our faith faile not Let us therefore say to God every one of us LORD thou hast been my help leave me not neither forsake me O GOD of my salvation Secondly we may perceive from this fall of Peter that one sinne especially if it be grievous draweth another after it and that without stay till Christ look againe upon the sinner Hence sinne is called by S. PAUL The sâ—ure of the devil Ye know when a bird is taken in a sâ—are she is still more and more fastened and entangled If thou give place but to a light lust at the first as Peter did to the servant-maid one to a hundereth but from that thou shalt fall into a greater sinne from that to worse againe as S. Peter from denying came to swearing and from swearing came to extreame cursing of himself This should teach us not to give any place to the devil but to resist him stedfastly and to pray with DAVID Order my steps in thy word and let no iniquitie have dominion over me Thirdly It is observed by holy AUGUSTINE in the place before citted that this fall of S. Peter was permitted by God to make him the more ready to compassionate others when they should fall He was by nature vehement as appeareth by many passages of the Gospell and particularly by cutting off the eare of Malchus He was to be a prime pastor ruller of the Church and to receive the keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven An innummerable multitude of people was to be committed unto him loaden with manifold iniquities Now if he had never fallen himself like enough it was that he would have been the lesse inclind to piâ—tie comiserate others Therefore saieth holy AUGUSTINE The secret of Gods providence was so disposed that he himself was permitted first to fall and that foullie that he might temper the severitie of the sentence against others by the remembrance and consideration of his own fall Thus God hath taught us also by his fall that it is most necessar in a pastor to have a tender heart ready to pitty compassionat others He will never act the part of a pastor faithfully that can do nothing else but rule with authoritie terrifie censure punish That is not the way to win men to God but to drive unstablished souls from God and to cast those that ar weak and distressed into despaire Fourthly It is to be observed that a man may deny Christ although by his mouth he say not that he knowes him not as S. Peter did We may professe that we know him with our mouths and yet by our works deny him as S. PAUL teacheth us Tit. 1. we deny him also wheÌ„ we deny our selves to be his disciples as we see in S. Peter here Now our Lord hath told us That he that will not take up his crosse and follow him cannot be his disciple and that hereby all men shall know that we are his disciples If we love one another And That we must abide it s his word and do the will of his Father If we would be his disciples So also S. PAUL saieth That they that are Christs hath crucified the flesh with the lusts thereof If therefore thou art not content to take up thy crosse with patiencâ— if thou love not thy brother abide not in Christs words art not carefull to do the will of his heavenly Father and to crucifie thy flesh with the lusts of it thou denies thy self to be his disciple consequently denies him In a word Christ is the trueth and therefore if thou believe him not thou deniest him Christ is the way If thou follow not him thou doest deny him Christ is the life therefore if thou be given to the dead works of sinne thou deniest him Thus alace many wayes often-times have we denied him and so have deserved that he should deny us before his Father and his Angels and have need to slie to the mercie of God whereof we may see a notable demonstration in Christ his dealing with S. Peter But there is mercie with God as yee will see most clearly in the next part of my text to which now I come S. Peter having fallen in the manner before declared immediatly whill he was yet speaking the Cock crew the second time and with all Jesus turning looked upon him where upon he remembred and called to minde the words of Jesus how he had said before the cock crow thou shalt deny me thrice and so went out and weeped bitterly Here is the historie of his rising or repentance Two things are to be considered in it First the cause of his repentance 2. the repentance it self for the first the cause of his repentance was Jesus turned and looked upon him Some thinke that the Look of Christ was only spirituall and that he did not look upon him with his bodily eyes But the Text showeth that he did this also for it is said That be turned and looked upon him Now to what purpose should his turning been mentioned if he had not looked upon him with the eyes of his body But say they S. Peter was without and could not be seen with the bodily eyes of Christ Yet this convinceth not but it may bee that he was brought to the court wherein Peter was or that being in an upper roome as the Gospell showeth he might from thence being turned about see him with the eyes of his body Neverthelesse it is certain that his spirituall look was that which pierced into the soul of S. Peter and cleansed and renewed his heart For clearing of this more fully ye are to consider that the spirituall look of God as it is descrived in scripture is somtimes in Justice somtimes in Mercie somtimes to Humble somtimes to Exalt somtimes to Reward somtimes to Punish In Iustice he looked upon the first world when all flesh had corrupted their wayes and the effect of his Look was an universall diludge of waters Thus he looked upon them that were building Baâ—el Gen. 10. and the effect of his look was the confounding of their languages and the scattering of them upon the earth He looked thus upon Sedom and Gomorrah Gen 18. I will go down saieth the Lord and see if it be according to the cry which is come up unto me and the effect was the destroying of them with fire brimstone from heaven Thus he looked upon Sâ—nnacherâ—b Isai 37. And the Angell of the LORD that same night smot a hundreth fourescore and five thousand of his armie He looked thus upon Corah Dathan and Abiram numb 16. and was displeased and in his fiâ—ie indignation he consumed
abide to look upon them let be to speak with them Alace it is a pitty to see the company of excommunicat persons so much haunted as it is by some among you This is to transgresse the expresse Cōmandement of God this is to disappoint the Gracious Intention of GOD which is that such Persons may be ashamed of their sinne yea this is to confirme and barden them into their sinne to make your selves partakers thereof I beseech you therefore to esteeme such as we cast out to be indeed cast out of the society of the faithfull and unworthy with whom good Christians should converse The LORD imprint these things in our hearts and that for the merits of Christ to whom c. THE FIRST SERMON Upon the XII Chapter of LUKE Vers 15. And he said unto them Take heed and beware of covetousnesse for a mans life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth Vers 16. And he spake a parable unto them saying The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully Vers 17. And he thought within himself saying what shall I do because I have no room where to bestow my fruits Vers 18. And he said This will I do I will pull down my barns and build greater and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods THere is no time of the year wherein ye are more distracted about worldly cares then at this time To the end therefore that you exceed not due measure I thought good to present to your meditation these Words of our Saviour wherein most powerfully he diswadeth frō covetousnesse First ye have his dehortation Take heed and beware of covetousnesse Secondly it is inforced by a pregnant reason for the life of man c. Thirdly this reason is confirmed and cleared by a most divine parable where in to the life is represented the folly wickednes punishment of avarice And he spake unto them a parable saying Let us return to the dehortation And he said unto them take heed c. Before we consider the words ye are to understand that this dehortation was occasioned by the discord of two brethren of whom one came to our Saviour as ye may reade in the preceeding words desiring him to move his brother to divide the inheritance with him It was covetousnesse which made the one to retain that part of the inheritance which was not his own and which made the other to have recourse to our Saviour not for the health of his soul as he should have done but for redresse in his temporall estate It made him more mindfull of his patrimony in earth then of that which is in heaven Hence our Saviour taketh occasion to exhort him and all these that were present and in them us all to take heed and beware of covetousnesse Take heed and beware of covetousnesse This is the duty which he recommendeth That which he wils us to beware of is covetousnesse Elsewher it is called The love of money but the word used here is more large signifying a desire and seeking after that which is more then is needfull and sufficient whether in money or houses or lands c. It is a vice in defect contrary to liberality whereby a man esteemeth loveth and delighteth in earthly riches more then he ought whence he exceeds just measure in retaining or acquiring of them Thus one is guilty of this sinne 1. when against the tenth commandement he coveteth that which is not his own or against the eight commandement violently or fraudulently takes it 2. when he setteth his heart upon that which is his own placeth his delight therein or which followeth therupon niggardly tetaineth it when by justice or love or mercy he is oblidged to cōmunicat it to others This is the vice from which here our Saviour diswadeth neither sayeth he simplie Be not covetous but Take heed and beware of it Take heed fore see or consider we cannot be aware except by sound and right judgement what is good and to be desired what is necessary and what not This he will have us to consider and weigh and with all that present effect of covetousnesse among these bretheren and the like wofull effects which avarice bringeth forth This is not enough we must also beware We must carefully watch and strongly guard our hearts that this enemie get no accesse By this our LORD insinuateth two things first that covetousnesse is insidious next that it is also a pernicious evil First We must beware of it because it is an insidious evil It subtily creeps into the heart of man To this purpose it bath often the maske the appearance of vertue somtimes it seemeth to be frugality somtims justice and pretendeth titles of just and right Thus easily it prevails with our earthly minds and therefore almost there is no vice so universall it entred into the society of the holy Apostles and overthrew Judas there amongst the primitive Christians it poysoned the heart of Ananias and Saphira the courts of kings the cottages of poor men are easily tempted by it as experience teacheth Secondly It is a most pernicious evil S. PAUL 1. Tim. 6. sayeth The love of money is the roote of all evil distrustfull anxiety lying fraude perjury thift oppression discord and murther spring from it There is nothing more wicked then a covetous may sayeth the wise-man Ecclesiast 10. 9. for such an one will set his soul to sayle Ther is no law of man no law of God or nature which it will not make men to trample under foot That same Apostle sayeth It is Idolatrie It maketh a man to yeeld that honour to his gold which he oweth to GOD. That he beleeveth that he trusteth to that he delighteth in to it he offereth sacrifice upō the altar of covetousnesse Cursed is that altar sayeth CHRISOST in his 18. homile upon the epist to the Ephes The sacrifices offered upon it are the bodies and souls of men if thou go to the altars of pagan Idols thou shalt find the blood of sheep and oxen but the altar of avarice smoaketh with the blood of men There the skin is plucked from the flesh and the flesh from the bones of the Poore There their flesh is eaten and their bones brocken and choped in pieces as for the Pot. MICAH 3. 3. On this alter a man often sacrificeth himself He killeth his soul with deadly wounds and often his bodie How many hath it made to drowne or hang or steb themselves no wonder therfore that the Apostle calleth it the serving of an Idol They that serve it may say to it For thy Sake we are killed all the day as holy AUGUSTINE marketh in his 100 sermon upon the saints Besids it is a vice almost incurable The older men grow it cleaveth the faster to them when they are nearest to the earth and grave they cover often most for it and cannot be satisfied till
their mouths be filled with the gravel of it Thus ye see that it is not without cause that our blessed Saviour so earnestly desires us to beware of so deadly a pest If a physitiā should say to thee beware of such an herb it is poyson if thou but taste it thou art dead thou would take heed to beware of it Our heavenly Physitian whose skill cannot be deceived hath recommended to us most earnestly to beware of this weede of avarice which of it own accord springeth up in our hearts David was a man according to the heart of GOD and yet he prayes earnestly Incline mine heart to love thy testimonies and not to covetousnesse Let us therfore fear and beware of it if we love the health life of our souls which that ye may the better do we will proceed consider our Saviours reason which is For mans life consisteth not in the abundance of these things that he possesseth The chief reason that moveth men inordinatly to desire and covet riches is they think that when they have gotten an abundance of them they shall have a happy a joyfull life This our Saviour plainly contradicts stricking at the very root of avarice that the cause being taken away this pernicious effect may cease As if he would say It is not as men think that when they have abundance they shall live and live happily it is not so Mans life consisteth not c. The life of man is neither the longer nor the more joyfull because of the plenty of these things First The life of man is not the longer for this yea often it falleth out that it is thereby shortened Abundance often draweth men to drunkennesse leachery which cutteth away innumerable in the midst of their dayes It draweth men often to other grievous sinnes for which God in his justice often depriveth them of life 2. It maketh not the life more JOYFUL The loue of money saieth S. PAUL is the roote of all evill which while some have followed after they have erred from the faith and haue pierced themselves through with many sorrowes They that would be rich saieth he fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtfull lusts which drown men into destruction and perdition As avarice bringeth forth the evil of many sinnes so the evill of many sorrowes God hath joyned these two together that the daughter may scourge the mother Hee hath so disposed that the covetous heart is the afflicter tormenter of it self Let the abundance of the covetous be what it will his covetousnes is a chaine whereby the Devill draggs him through the thornes of piercing cares through the snares of temptations through the down-fals of errour deadly sinne and remorse of conscience It maketh a man to losse the joyes of heaven and yet suffereth him not to enjoy the good of the earth so like Judas to be hanged as it were betwixt heaven and earth Achab Jezebel thought that Naboths vineyard would have made their life more happy but indeed it was the way to poison it It brought Achab violētlie to his graue and made the doggs to licke the blood of Jezebel Achan thought the Babylonish garment the two hundreth shekels of silver and the Wedge Iosh 7. would help to make a joyfull life but it made him to be stoned to death and all that he hade to be burnt with fire Ananias Saphrya thought that a keeping back of a part of their moneyes would have bettered their life but it brought them to a sudden and fearfull death The Two talents covered by Gehazi brought him to Leprosie instead of happinesse 2. King 5. Thus wee see that neither out life nor the joy of it dependeth from our meanes or plenty of them It is not by bread that man doth live but by every word that cometh out of the mouth of God It is the blessing of the Lord which both maketh rich addeth no sorrowes with it This shall appeare farre more cleare by the following Parable which out Saviour bringeth for this same purpose and therefore now wee come unto it And he spake unto them saying c. To confirme and clearc the former reason our Saviour bringeth a most divine Parable or Similitude because this may be more easily understood and firmely retained That which he teacheth by it is most necessary to all therefore he setteth it down most perfectly and after a manner most effectuall to perswade First yee have the outward and worldly estate of this Wretch 2. The disposition of his minde 3. Gods judgement upon him for his covetousnesse 4. Our Saviours application 1. His outward estate The field of a certaine Rich-man brought forth plentifully Behold here abundance of outward meanes The Field of this man brought him forth plenty of fruits according to his hearts desire Was hee the better or the more happy for this No but worse and more miserable as shall appeare by that which followeth It is demanded here by some of the Ancients considering this place Why God giveth abundance to such men whom he seeth will not use it aright and to whom it will be occasion of greater condemnation To this they answere first God does so out of his great goodnesse and bounty which is such That hee maketh his sun to shine upon the good and the bade and his raine to fall upon the just and the unjust And this his goodnesse doeth that he may draw them to repentance For he delighteth not in the death of a sinner but would have all to turne and live 2. He doeth this that his Justice may appeare the more clearly in their condemnation if they remaine obstinate in their impiety for in that They have despised all his long suffering and goodnesse which should have lead them to repentance appeareth that they are the cause of their own perdition and That they have treasured up wrath against themselves in the day of wrath and of the revelation of his righteous judgement 3. Wicked men have somtimes some good which God out of the immensitie of his equity will reward with temporall good things As he afflicteth often his own servants for some evils that are in them that being purged therefrom they may escape eternal punishment 4. That wee may know that these earthly things are not much to be esteemed or desired since God giveth them to his enemies to them that hate and blaspheme him Hade they the worth which many apprehend to be in them he would not do so He will not cast pearles before doggs and swine which he hath forbidden us Here by the way we may observe that we cannot judge of GODS Favour or want of it by the abundance or scarcity of these earthly things Many wicked abound in them and many of Gods deare servants are pinched yea often the wicked have greatest plenty this way It is well observed by Greg. That a physitian when he seeth the state
of his patient to be desperate he careth not what he take he suffereth him to have whatsoever his heart desireth but if he have good hope of a mans health he putteth him to a dyet and restraineth him from many things So God careth not to let the wicked whose amendement is desperate glute themselves with the things of this world but to his own saints and children he giveth no more or permitteth them to have no more nor he knoweth is convenient for their eternal health I come now to the disposition of this man his minde And he thought within himself c. I am richer now then before but never a white the better yea by abundance he became worse as shall appeare by his disposition manifested here This disposition of his heart our Saviour expresseth first by his consultation next by his resolution His consultation And he thought within himself saying what shall I do c. Where first observe the povertie of this wealthy wretch What shal I do I have not are the words of men that are in povertie distresse as S. BASIL writing upon these words marketh and yet such are the words of this wretch Thus you see his povertie increased with his riches Observe 2. his anxietie and SOLICITUDE For what shall I do is the expression of anxietie and care His abundance giveth him not quietnes tranquillity of minde but maketh him more anxious and perplexed Who would not pittie such a miserable man sayth S. BASIL Miserable was he in that which he had and more miserable in that which he expected The earth sayeth he hath not brought forth fruits unto thee but sorrow unxietie and cares to prick and sting thy heart like so many thornes Thirdly Observe his wickednes and folly That which he advised on was wher to find room for his cornes he had so much of old stuffe so great an increase had newly sprung up unto him that his barns wer not able to receive al. Being perplexed with this he consulteth what to do but he consulted not with love and mercy or spirituall prudence which would have soon resolved him wher to have bestowed his fruits more securely and profitably then he did Hade he consulted with love and mercy it would have told him there was many empty house and hungry bellie of the poore where he might have bestowed a part of that which was superfluous to him love would have taught him quickly to have resolved thus this I will do I will satisfie the hungrie soules of the poore I will open my barnes and supplie their wants as GOD hath dealt with me liberally so I will make a magnificent PROCLAIMATION Come unto me all yee that are poore and indigent and be partakers of that which GOD hath given bountifully unto me He hath opened unto me a fountaine and yee shall drinke of the streamt of it In like manner had he consulted with spirituall wisdome it would have bidden him if he had loved his riches lay them up in heaven or at least a part of them for they might have been preserved to eternitie It would have said unto him now thou wilt have a faire gaine thou may purchase things heavenly by things earthly and things that are permanent with these that are transitorie Lay up thy treasure according to the Commandement of the most High and it shall profite thee more then gold Shut up almes in thy store-houses and it shall deliver thee from all affliction and it shall fight for thee against all enemies more then a mighty shield spear Ecclesiast 29. But this covetous wretch used not these COUNSELERS He thought within himself sayeth our Saviour he consulted not with GOD with his law or servants but with his own corrupt heart He thought upon nothing but this life and thought all he had was but for himself and therefore forgetting both the law of nature and of GOD he resolveth most uncharitably and wickedly as followeth And he said this will I do I will pull down my barnes and build up greater and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods At last his anxious and perplexed minde resolveth on this to pull down his barnes because they were not capacious enough and to renew enlarge them so as that they might receive all his new fruits and all his old cornes which he calleth his goods for other goods yee know use not to be laid up in barnes This was his resolution concerning his goods which was seconded with a wicked resolution concerning himself set down in the next verse Here marke first his follie He assured himself of these his fruits which as yet were exposed to many dangers of raine and winde and hayle 2. marke his UNSATIAâ—LNES I will build up greater sayeth he and when that is done what if thy field bring forth as plentifully the next year sayeth S. BASIL That these barnes are not able to containe these thy fruits wilt thou cast down these againe and build greater againe what a follie is that for a man to weary himself with endlesse paines ever to be building up and ever to be casting down againe This is the nature of covetousnesse it can never be satisfied The more the covetous man hath the more still he desireth Thirdly marke his hard heartednesse he designed nothing for the poore but resolveth to hord up all for himself as appeareth by the following words No minde had he of the necessities of others no probable feare of want â—o himself or his family for he had old stuffe and a plentifull field and yet he would hord up all foolish therefore and wicked were these words I will pull my barnes c. If his intention had been right well might he had resolved sayeth S. BASIL to have pulled down his barnes Miserable man saith he pull them down with thine own hands for they are barnes of iniquity barnes that hath never done good to any Pull them down to the very ground Overthrow these houses of maÌ„mon bring forth to the Sun thy hote and mothy cornes give liberty to the goods which thy covetousnesse hath poysoned and fettered there But he had no such intention he would pull down to build greater Here first yee see what covetousnesse may be in retaining that which is our own aswell as in desiring or taking that which is not our own This man as holy AUGUSTINE observeth Was not thinking upon another mans field nor of removing his neighbours marches He was not thinking how to spoile the poore or circumveen the simple but thought and resolved to hord and treasure up his own goods and yet GOD condemneth and punisheth him at a covetous wretch There are many that think that they are well enough if they take not the goods of other men O say they this is my own I have it by inheritance or by my travailes and industrie I have laboured for it I have been in hazard both by sea and land
and be merry He thought upon nothing but upon this life and therefore he expecteth rest from bodily pleasures from eating drinking and solemne banquets wherein he thought to cheer himself and rejoyce for that is imported by the word used here There is an extremity of many rich-men who have abundance and yet have not grace to eat of it Ecclesiast 6. 2. This he thought to have eschewed but he falleth into another extremity of Epicurians What else would thou have said sayeth S. BASIL If thou shouldest had the soul of a swine whose soul serveth them but in flend of salt Two errours may be observed in these words 1. he thought his abundance of goods would give him abundance of bodily pleasure This was an errour pleasure often times accompanieth not that abundance it is marred often by sicknesse by many distempers of body minde They that have bur competency of means have often more joy in eating or druiking though their faire be course then they that swime in wealth They have a sauce better then that which the most exquisite cooks can devise namly hunger which seldome cometh to the table of the wealthy Hence craftsmen and the like have better health greater strength a sweeter relish of meat or drinks more quiet sleep and calmer minds then they that have greatest abundance To this purpose holy AUGUSTINE sayeth That health is the patrimony of poore men Secondly Put the case his pleasure in feasting had been as great as he imagined yet could it not give him and his soul the rest of happinesse That the like pleasures are but the good of the body and not of the soul Eating is but the solace of that misery which is in hunger and drinking of that misery which is in Thirst yet this pleasure is but a sauce as it wer wherby God hath appointed these actions necessary to conserve our life or kinde to be seasoned because otherwise we would have abhored them it is a good that is common to the beasts a good wherein if we be excessive it destroyeth the body effeminateth the minds overthroweth all vertue and draweth us headlong to all kinde of vice and leaveth behinde it a most bitter sting of remorse of conscience Hence it is manifest that such pleasures cannot give rest to the soul And yet would God there were not many christians who seek their rest and happines in these pleasures of their flesh All their travalls are for gaine their gaine is intended for this that they and theirs may eat drink and be merry these may have the name of christians but indeed Their bellie is their God their glorie is their shame and their end will be confusion This much of the inward disposition of this man The third maine point followeth which is GODS Judgement of him and Sentence against him But GOD said thou foole He spake but secretly and within himself yet his words were heard and examined in heaven and thence he getteth an answer wherein first God declareth him a foole Thou sayth S. BASIL shvorest nothing but the flesh are wholly given to thy belly and art a slave of thy base affections and therefore here a style worthy of thee which no man but GOD himself hath given thee THOV FOOLE Thus he is called by a kinde of mockrie derision which is no small part of the punishment of the wicked It breedeth them unspeakeable griefe to consider their own solly in contemning things heavenly for this earth and to see themselves so contemned by GOD. Hence The damned Wisdom 5. 3. brought to a sense of their folly shall grâ—an for anguish of their spirit and detaste their own folly Thou fool Many crimes might have been objected to this man He was impious and wicked for he acknowledged not that GOD had given him these goods He thanked not GOD for them not prayed to Him to give a blessing to them or to give himself grace to use them aright He was hard hearted and unmercifull for he intended not the relief of his poore bretheren He was unfaithfull for he thought to have keeped all to himself which was given to him also for the benefite of others he was base and an abject for he minded nothing but â—ating drinking and carnall pleasures yet God designed him by this name Thou foole Under this all his impieties may be comprehended and it directly crosseth that wherein he applauded himself most for he thought he had taken a wise course in providing so well for himself This he thought was wisdom but God whose Word must stand said in so doing he was a foole A fool because he thought that his life consisteth in his abundance A foole because he thought these things to have been the good of his soul a fool because he thought length of life a most certaine thing which was must uncertain A foole because he did not fot see and provide for these dangers which he might so easily fallen into but was securely ploting dreaming of felicity and in the mean time he was incontinent to bee hailed to judgement and tormant A foole because hee thought only of this temporall life and not of that which endureth for ever which he might have so easily provided for by giving aâ—mes of a part of his abundance and super fluety A foole because for the love of the things of this life he lost eternall life he lost his own soul which of all follies is the greatest For what can the whole world profite a man if he losse his own soul Let us marke this his folly that thence we may learne to be wise his folly principally consisted in this that he considered not his true finall end and therefore directed not his course aright to it True wifdome prudence therefore on the contrary fixeth the eye upon our last end and ordereth all things as is most convenient to obtaine it for the end is the rule of the means they must bee directed and squared according to it If you say what is this our last end I answer he who is our first beginning and author GOD. It is he that hath made us of his own bounty and according to his own Image and that for himself in an high degree He is the Center as it were and naturall plaine of our hearts as some Anoients speak As heavy bodies when moving down-ward can have no rest till they come to the Center even so our heart moved by the weight of affections findeth no repose till it obtaine GOD. O LORD Thou hast made us for thy self and our hearts are restles till they rest in thee It is not then to live after our own lusts for which we wer made It is not to seek after riches delights or honours that were to make our selves or the creature our last end whereas of God and for him are all things and in particular man is for this end that he may see GOD enjoy GOD and be
omnipotent as the Father is Infinite in Majesty Wisdom Goodnesse Power c. How can they I say but admire to see him demitt himself so farre for us and to us As man also he offereth himself to be seen by us spiritually Here we may see him and should look upon him as he suffered and was crucified for us Here thou may see his Head crowned with thornes which should have been and now is crowned with Glory His Face spitted on and busseteâ—â— which should have shined and doeth shine with the beams of heavenly Light His Hands and Feet pierced and in a word all wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities and now giving his Body that was broken and his Blood that was shed as the food of our souls unto eternall life O what a wonderfull and sweet sight is this what reverence and humility what love and thanksgiving should it raise up in us Dost thou see what thou receivest in these sacred mysteries and from whom and wilt thou who art but dust and ashes refuse to humble thy self in body and in soul or can thou consider his infinite Love to thee which made him to give himself for thee when thou was his enamie to exchange as it wer the Throne of his Glory with the ignominy of the crosse canst thou I say consider this and not be inflamed with love and breake out in thanksgiving Secondly He speaketh to us in these sacred mysteries most sweet and comfortable words which we should heare and answer unto He sayeth I am the bread of life c. that we may answer LORD evermore give us this bread He sayeth I am the water of life that we may answer LORD give us of this water that we thrist not againe He sayth This is my Body which is broken for you This is my Blood which was shed for you he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my Blood dwelleth in me and I in him that we may answer Whence is it that our LORD cometh to us O LORD we are unworthy that thou should enter under the rooffe of our unclean souls but let it be unto thy servants according to thy word Here he reacheth us as it were from his crosse all the precepts of divine vertue He sayeth Learne of me for I am meek and lowly in heart I humbled my self and became obedient to the death of the crosse when I was stricken I revenged not I gave my life for mine enemies I prayed for them in my greatest distres I cleaved most firmly unto God thus he speaketh unto us and we should devotly answer him But the time is spent and therefore I forbeare to proceed further The LORD imprint these things in our hearts that for the merits of Christ to whom c. A SERMON UPON the II. of the CORINTH chap. VII Vers 10. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvatiâ—â— not to be repented of but the sorrow of the world worketh death THe holy Apostle in the former words speaketh of the effect of his former Epistle unto the Corinthians wherein he had rebuked them for not censuring the incestuous person that was among them of whom ye may reade in the 5. chap. of that â—repist This his reprooffe of them had grieved them made them sorrowful but he tels them that if it could have been he wished not their sorrow If it might have stood with their wel-being he would have been glad that thy had not been sorrowfull at all Yet in the mean time he declareth that this their sorrow which his epistle had wrought in them was matter of joy unto him not for that they were grieved but because they had sorrowed in a Godly manner and that unto repentance unto the Glory of God and good of their own souls He confirmeth this particularly by the generall doctrinâ— of the fruit of Godly Sorrow in the place that I have read For Godly Sorrow sayeth he worketh repentance c. Here he commendeth Godly Sorrow of which nature that was which his epistle wrought in the Corinthians first The very name he giveth it containeth an argument of commendation for the Sorrow which he speaketh of is a Godly Sorrow or a Sorrow according to GOD. 2. He commendeth it from the fruit of it it is such a Sorrow as worketh repentance even a repentance that is never to be repented of because it is unto salvation 3. He commendeth it by opposing the contrary Sorrow namly the Sorrow of this world which worketh death That we may proceed the more clearly we shall beginne at this last point The Sorrow of this world sayeth he worketh death He opposeth as yee see two kinds of Sorrowes the one to the other the Sorrow which is according to God and the sorrow of this world The sorrow of the good Corinthians had this good in it that it was not a sorrow of this world which is no matter of joy for it worketh death All sorrow presupposeth love for no man sorroweth but for the losse or want of that which he loveth therefore where this worldly sorrow is there is also a love of this world Such is the sorrow that men have for the losse of worldly things wealth honours delights or friends If their heart and love be set upon these things they foolishly and without the feare of God rejoyce in them when they have them and being drunke with that transitory happines they seek for no more On the contraâ—y when they losse or want them their hearts are cast down and they are pressed down with Sorrow inordinatly Such a Sorrow the Apostle recommendeth not nay he dehorteth from it for it worketh death This Sorrow can do no good When a man hath lost his riches if he sorrow for that this sorrow will not restore his wealth to him againe If a man hath lost his honour the sorrow which hee hath for that will not recover it againe If hee hath lost his friends or children should he mourne never so much for them his sorrow will not bring them to life againe So this sorrow can do no good yea on the contrary it doth great harme it worketh death It maketh the way to bodily death especially when it is inordinate The heavines of the spirit dryeth up the bones saieth SOLOMON Proverb 17. 22. Sorrow hath killed many and there is no profite in it saieth the WISE-MAN Ecclestast Chap. 30. 23. And which is worst of all this sorrow leadeth to eternall death For God is offended with it it stirreth up a man to do many things wherat God is offended and maketh a man guilty of eternal death so this sorrow is no matter of joy but the sorrow that was in the Corinthians and which ought to be in us all was of another kinde It was a Godly sorrow or a sorrow according to God For better understanding of this Consider first That this sorrow which is according to God is such a sorrow as a man