the eye in the Head and the heart in the Body the noblest and worthiest of all the children of God And this their worth shall bee published to the world It shall be published by the sonnes of Peace by the sons of perdition by the Son of God himselfe Thus as the Laurell was to the Roman Emperors both Munimentum Ornamentum a Defence against danger and an Ornament of honour So shall this Oliua Pacis be to the children of God Quanta est huius pacis retributio saith S. Austin August de â—emp Ser. 169. haereditatem possidere cum Christo substantiam patris habere cum filio caelesti regno participare cum Domino And what can your hearts desire more then this To be the children of God and the best affected of his children heyres of Grace and Glory co-heyres annexed with Iesus Christ partakers of that vnspeakeable happinesse which shall be honourably published on earth enioyed eternally in the heauens Therefore to conclude let mee say to you with Chrysostom Chrys in Psal 34. Quaerite Pacem vt inueniatis premiuÌ„ Seek Peace follow after it that you may haue the reward of Peace-makers Psal 34. Chrys ibid. Pulsate ianuam Pacis knock at the gate of Peace till it be opened to you So shall the same be to you a doore and passage into Heauen which mercy the God of Peace and Mercy grant vs for his Sonne our Sauiour Christs sake to whom with the holy-Ghost three persons and one immortall God be ascribed all Honour and Glory Might Maiesty and Dominion now and for euer more Amen FINIS THE SINNE AGAINST THE HOLY GHOST PLAINELY described By The Authoritie of Scriptures The Testimonie of Fathers The consent of Schoolemen In a Sermon Preached at PAVLS Crosse by IOHN DENISON Doctor of Diuinity and one of his Maiesties Chapleynes LONDON Printed by T. S. for Iohn Budge and are to be sold at the signe of the greene-Dragon in Paules Church-yard 1620. TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD IOHN KING Lord Bishop of LONDON Right Reuerend and Honourable THESE two Sermons being thought a second time worthie of the Presse I make bold to present to your Lordship They were both Preached in your charges the one in that eminent place where your Lordship hath Episcopall iurisdiction At Pauls crosse the other in that famous Vniuersitie At Oxford where then you were a worthy Gouernour The one hath passed hitherto vnder your patronage and the other being an Orphan desires it It obtained good acceptance with that Noble Lord The Lord Elsmere Lord Chancellor of England who loued your Lordship dearely and to whom my selfe was exceedingly bound In regard whereof I hope it shall finde the more fauourable entertainment at your Lordships hands The God of heauen who hath honoured you with many gracious endowments and made you an excellent ornament of our Church continue his fauours and enlarge his blessings to you for the Churches good and your owne eternall comfort Your Lordships humbly deuoted IOHN DENISON To the Reader IT fareth with me Christian Reader as with those Physitians who hauing employed their study for the health of their Patients doe afterwards divulge their experiments for the good of others For hauing at the request of certaine friends prepared these ingrediences and found them comfortable to their tender soules I haue beene moued to publish the same both for the further comfort of them and benefit of others And the rather haue I beene hereunto induced 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hippoc Aphor. because to vse the Physitians words here is a dangerous experiment and difficult iudgement the disease being the most dangerous and deadly of all diseases incident to any mortall creature and the physicke for cure description or preuention very rare to be had in our vulgar tongue None to my knowledge hauing of purpose handled it though I haue knowne some distressed soules haue greatly needed it and many very Christianly affected haue much desired it And so commending these my Meditations to thy courteous acceptance and my selfe to thy Christian prayers I commend thee to the grace of God in Christ Iesus Thine in the Lord I. D. A SERMON VVherein the Sinne against the Holy-GHOST is plainely described HEB. 10.26.27 For if we sinne willingly after we haue receaued the knowledge of the truth there remaines no more sacrifice for sinnes but a fearefull looking for of iudgement and violent fire which shall deuoure the aduersaries IT is the part of euery Christian at his enterance into the profession of Christianitie Right Honorable right Worshipfull and welbeloued in Christ Iesus to consider our Sauiours Caueat to the Disciples He that indureth to the end shall be a Mat. 10.22 saued To what purpose is it that the Sea-faring man sailes prosperously ariues safely and obtaines a rich prize if he sinke or suffer shipwracke in his returne This life is a sea-faring life to what purpose is it that a Christian be farely imbarked for heauen if afterward he suffer shipwracke of his holy Faith What auaileth it the Warriour to march hotly with Iehu fight manfully with Ionathan if hee turne his backe with Ephraim before the end of the battaile This life is a warfare what can it auaile vs to incounter Sathan if we suffer him to foile and conquer vs For he onely that fights the good fight finisheth his course and keepes the faith can expect the crowne of b 2 Tim. 4.7 righteousnesse This is the thing whereof Saint Paul doth in this place admonish the Hebrewes namely that they forsake not the fellowship they haue among c Vers 25. themselues Wherein that he may the better preuaile he inferreth these words of my Text as a pithy reason and powerfull ingredience to make the medicine of his admonition to worke the more effectually If the Souldier shall flie forth of the field reuolt from his Captaine forsake his colours runne from his company and turne to the enemie he disgraceth his militarie profession disableth himselfe for the trophies of honour and meriteth condigne punishment Behold we are the Lords Souldiers the Church is our field Christ Iesus our Captaine the word and Sacraments our colours the communion of Saints our company he that shall flie forth of this field reuolt from this Captaine forsake these colours runne from this company and be found fighting vnder Sathans conduct dishonoureth his Christian profession depriueth himselfe of the crowne of glory and incurreth the danger of Gods heauy iudgement For if we sinne willingly after we haue receiued the knowledge of the truth That is if we haue giuen our names to Christ serued in his campe taken pay in his warres and yet play the carnall Apostataes with d 2 Tim. 4 9. Demas the hereticall with e 2 Tim. 2.17 Hymeneus and Philetus the scornefull with f Socrat. Theodoret Iulian the Emperour the spightfull with g 2 Tim. 4.14 Alexander the Copper-smith there
into which they are infranchised There is that blessed society innumerable Angels Heb. 12.22 the spirits of iust and holy men and Iesus Christ the mediatour of the new couenant to whom they are ioyned There are those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 5.4 those thrones and crownes of glory that shall neuer fade Yea there the sonnes of God shall shine like the Sunne in the kingdome of their father In a word Mat. 13.43 from this Adoption it is that the children of God haue an interest in all the comforts and all the creatures that heauen and earth doe yeelde according to Saint Pauls epiphoneme whether it be Paul or Apollos or Cephus or the world or life or death 1 Cor. 3.23 or things present or things to come they are all yours because you are Christs and Christ is Gods Behold here the admirable and comfortable aduancement of Gods children And therein behold the blessed condition of the Peace-maker who is so estranged from the world that he doth not in some degree desire aduancement and who is so voide of iudgement that hee doth not preferre this honour before the greatest aduancement in the world Aug. in Psa 84. Habetis patrem habetis patriam habetis patrimonium saith Saint Austin If you be the sonnes of peace you are the children of God you haue a louing father a rich inheritance a goodly patrimonie When the Apostle Peter speakes of this he breakes forth into this vehement acclamation Blessed be God 1 Pet. 1.3 euen the father of our Lord Iesus Christ who hath begotten vs againe to an inheritance incorruptible and vndefiled that fadeth not away but is reserued for vs in the heauens Giue me leaue now to make some Application of what I haue deliuered and so I will finish this maine point And first I hope that this discourse hath not beene heard of you without comfort We hold it a great cause of ioy to be the children of Nobles and to be admitted into the fauour of Princes and surely they are great temporall blessings that men may lawfully reioyce in But let me say vnto you in our Sauiours words Reioyce not in this Luke 10.20 but rather reioyce because your names are written in heauen let it be your ioy that you are the children of God and in fauour with the King of Kings as the Apostle saith Reioyce in the Lord Phil. 4.4 and againe I say reioyce Againe are wee the children of God farre be it from vs to vnder-value the glorious inheritance of the Saints of God in life Farre be it from vs to dis-esteeme it like that carnall Cardinall Cardinall of Bourbon who said he would not giue his part in Paris for his part in Paradise Let vs not be like profane Esau who for the satisfying of his appetite lost his birth-right Heb. 12.16 But rather let vs say resolutely with Naboth 1 Reg. 21.3 God forbid that I should make away the inheritance of my fathers So God forbid that for all the vaine and transitory profits and pleasures vpon earth we should depriue our selues of those riuers of pleasures which the Saints of God doe enioy in heauen Bernard saith truely of the best things of this present life possessa onerant amata inquinant amissa cruciant The possession of them burdens vs the loue of them defiles vs and the losse of them vexes vs And the time will come when either the day of death or the day of iudgement shall swallow them all vp as the Ocean doth the riuers For the glory of this world passeth away like a shadow 1 Cor. 7.31 Againe are wee the children of God then let vs indeauour that our carriage and comportment may answere this dignity It becomes not the children of Nobles to be conuersant in base actions And how vnfit is it for the children of God to become like the Indian drudges to be taken vp with the corruptions of this euill world and to haue their affections in caeno when they should be in caelo Our Sauiour hath taught vs better in the fift of Matthew Let your light so shine before men Mat. 5.16 that they may see your good workes and glorifie your father which is in heauen To conclude Let vs as the Apostle Peter exhorts 2 Peter 1.10 Rom. 8.16 study to make our election sure by good workes Let vs get the euidence of our adoption sealed vp to our soules and consciences by the spirit of God Then let the earth totter and her pillars tremble vnder her let the sea roare euen to astonishment let the heauens burne to dissolution and the elements with vehement heate be consumed this our adoption shall be our comfort on earth and our crowne in heauen for euer more The third part The appropriation of this aduancement BVt what is this Adoption tyed onely to the ornament of Peace Surely no Gal 3.26 For Saint Paul saith You are all the sonnes of God by faith in Christ Iesus And Saint Austin in largeth the meanes Per gratiā per fidem per sacramentum per sanguinem Christi De verb. Dom. ser 63. saying We are the sonnes of God by grace by faith by the Sacrament by the blood of Christ Euery faithfull Christian is made one with Christ whereby he becomes the childe of God He hath the image of God stamped vpon him And as our natural birth makes vs the children of our earthly parents so our supernaturall and new birth makes vs the children of our heauenly father May not I then say of the Peace-maker as Saint Paul of the Iewes What is then the preferment of the Iew So Rom. 3.1 what is the aduantage and aduancement of the Peace-maker Yes and answer with him in the same place much euery way Though Iesse had eight sonnes yet was Dauid onely the Lords darling Though Christ had twelue Disciples yet was Iohn the Disciple whom Iesus loued Though all Iacobs children were deare vnto him yet was Bemamin the son of his right hand So may I say that howsoeuer all the faithfull are the children of God and consequently blessed yet the Peace-makers haue that honour in a more especial kinde because they doe in a more liuely manner resemble almighty God in that which is most excellent For as amongst the diuine attributes some of them are quoad nos more excellent then others as namely those of mercy and peace which are the sanctuarie to a distressed sinner so all those who doe in a more especiall manner come neerest to God in the same are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by a kinde of eminency called the children of God For as Bernard saith Deus Deus pacis Bern. ergo pacifici filij Dei iure optimo vocantur God is the God of peace and therefore those who are Peace-makers are the children of God by especiall right Though the body of man consist of diuers humours yet the denomination of the
the eternall Sabbath in the Kingdome of heauen which shall be a day without euening and shall yeelde you rest without labour and ioy without ending When Almighty God had made the heauens and earth hee placed Men and Angels in the same as his Tennants to bring him in the rent of obedience And though wee be much impouerished in our spirituall estate and the graces of God confiscate through Adams fall we must euery one of vs bring in something to the Lords Exchequer like the Israelites to the Tabernacle of which we may say Remember me O my God concerning this Genes 22. When Abraham went to sacrifice Isaac vpon mount Moriah When Moses forsooke the pompe of Pharaohs Court to sustaine affliction with Gods people Heb. 11. 1 Reg. 18. When Obadiah hid and relieued the Lords Prophets When Iob Iob 31. caused the loynes of the poore to blesse him When Mary Magdalen washed our Sauiours feete Luke 7. and wipte them with the haires of her head euery one of these had whereof he might say Remember me O my God concerning this Yea Mat. 10.42 he that giues but a cup of cold water for Christs sake may looke for his reward Behold what comfort shineth from hence to you Fathers and Brethren who haue spent your strength in the seruice of God and the conuersion of sinners Dan. 12.3 great is your reward in heauen You shall shine as Starres in the firmament for euer and euer What shall become of those vile wretches who haue deuoted themselues to all villanies and euen sold themselues to worke wickednesse These may conclude the acting of their wicked designes without * So Tremel doth well translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prou. 1.11 impunè dread or danger of punishment as it is in the first of the Prouerbs but assuredly all their foule acts must be remembred and their impieties punished As the Prayers and Almes of Cornelius did pearce the heauens for a blessed reward Acts 10.4 so the pride and luxury of Sodome did cry out thither for a dreadfull reuenge Gen. 18.20 Aswell the stony hearted men that scoft at Christ as the tender hearted women that wept for him aswell those that buffetted him as those that embalmed him aswell he that spat in his face as shee that powred the boxe of oyntment on his head shall be remembred the one indeede to their endlesse honor the other to their perpetuall shame and contempt Yea those that with the vnfruitfull seruant haue hid their talents Mat. 25.25 those that haue beene such niggards vnto their owne soules that they haue not prepared some acceptable seruice to present the Lord withall whereof they might say Remember me O my God concerning this euen concerning this they shall be remembred For the Lord shall say of them take and binde that vnprofitable seruant and cast him into vtter darkenesse hee shall say to them as Abraham said to Diues Luke 16. Sonne remember that thou hast in thy life time receiued thy pleasure Now ne guttam August qui ne micam Thou which wouldest not giue one crumme of bread to relieue poore Lazarus shalt not haue one drop of water to coole thy tongue Many there are who by carnall proiects as building and purchasing for their posteritie thinke to make their houses famous and their memories eternall as Dauid well obserueth Psal 49.11 These are like Nero of whom the Historian saith Sueton. in vita Neron cap. 55. Erat ei aeternitatis perpetuaeque famae cupido sed inconsulta He did affect eternall fame but he tooke no wise course to effect it It is like Dauids censure in the thirteenth Verse of that Psalme This their way vttereth their foolishnesse And no meruaile for God dealeth with them as the Ephesians dealt with Erostratus who would be famous by burning the Temple of Diana As they enacted a law that no man should speake of Erostratus so almighty God enacteth a law of obliuion against these carnall minded men their memoriall perisheth for euer This land did once so ouer-flow with charity to the Church that the statute of Mortmaine came in like the Riuers Euphrates and Tigris to Babylon Ita Iunius in Genes 2. Solini errorem corrigens to preuent the rankenesse of the soyle But there came a time when that statute repealed was like Nilus set at liberty for the watering of Aegypt Though bleare-eyed Leah be more fruitfull then beautifull Rachel Superstition commonly more sumptuous then true Religion yet if you consider the Hospitals Grammer Schooles our admirable Library our Colledges builded enlarged and augmented with indowments and other workes of charitie since the light of the Gospell blessed be God we may well say that Gedeons fleece hath beene watered aswell as his floore Iudg. 6. Our age hath yeelded gracious Dorcases who haue beene full of good workes and almes-deedes Acts 9. and worthy Centurions who haue loued our nation Luk. 7. and builded vs Synagogues All these instruments of Gods glory may come with comfort into the Lords Exchequer and for euery one of their worthy acts may say Remember me O my God concerning this Though some perhaps will be ready to mutter forth with Iudas Iohn 12.4 quorsum haec profusio What needeth this waste Yet others I trust will say with Iacob Genes 17. sit vp and eate of my venison that thy soule may blesse me Surely our soules shall euer blesse these worthies both present and succeeding ages shall eternize their memorable acts so long as the Gospell is preached here amongst vs which I trust shall be so long as the world standeth Mat. 26.13 This which they haue done shall be spoken for a memoriall of them as our Sauiour said concerning the Woman with the boxe of ointment Their name is like a good ointment as Salomon saith the sweete perfume whereof when they are gone forth of the roome of this present world shall be fresh and redolent euen to the children yet vnborne Yea when timber stones and bookes shall all be worne and dissolued the bookes of heauen shall be opened Reuel 20.12 where all their monuments of charity are written in a most indeleble Character and shall be recompenced with an vnualuable reward euen an eternall crowne of glory And all you who heare me at this day let my counsell be acceptable vnto you get something for which the Lord may remember you and the remembrance whereof may be a comfort to you at the houre of death prouide with Ioseph in the time of plenty against the day of scarsity Iohn 9. the night commeth when no man can worke Be of Vlysses minde in Euripides Eurip. in Hecuba 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let me see my tombe honoured whilest I am aliue Rom 12.1 2 Cor. 9.7 God loues a liuing sacrifice and a chearefull giuer Thinke with Titus Vespaan you haue lost that day wherein you haue not done
life for euermore Non in commotione Dominus God was neyther in the blustring windes the boystrous earth-quake nor the furious fire 1. Reg. 19.11.12 But when the still and soft voice comes there the Lord is according to that of the Apostle Brethren liue in Peace and the God of Peace shall be with you 2. Cor. 13. 2. Cor. 13.11 Therefore I may also say of this kinde of Peace Speciosum nomen Pacis est The name of this Peace is precious The fourth and last kinde of Peace is Peace eternall which also followeth the other For hee that hath not Peace on earth shall neyther haue peace nor place in Heauen As the first was Pax regis so this is Pax regni As that was Pax gratiae so this is Pax gloriae that was peace with Heauen this peace in Heauen That was peace of grace this is peace of glory Cassiodorus in Psal 36. This Cassiodore describes negatiuely Vbi nihil aduersum nihil contrarium which admits no aduersity no crosse or calamity for the seruants of God haue all teares wiped from their eyes Reuel 7.17 There is a meruailous difference betwixt our present and future condition Wee are here like sea-faring men incountred with many contrary windes Neuer did any sayle so prosperously in the Ocean of this present world but sometimes hee hath met with the stormes of discontent But there is sinus maris sinus matris the port and hauen of constant happinesse The excellency of this peace the Scriptures set not forth positiuely but in Alegoryes and no meruaile For neyther eye hath seene 1. Cor. 2.9 nor eare hath heard nor can it enter into the hearts of men what the Saints and seruants of God shall enioy in heauen Saint Austin knowes not whether he should call it August de Ciuit. Dei 19. 11. Pax in aeterna vita or aeterna vita in Pace peace in eternall life or eternall life in peace And no meruaile for if he had been furnished with the tongues of men and Angels he could neuer haue expressed the excellency of it Tam speâ—iosum nomen pacis est the name of this Peace is so specious so precious The second part Of the Peace-maker I Might further obserue the excellency of Peace and Vnity as being founded in the blessed Trinity three persons and one God But I come to speake of the Peace-maker whose honour it is that Peace is the worke of the blessed Trinity 2. Cor. 5.19 First the Apostle saith that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe Psal 85.8 He speakes peace to the soules of his seruants Psal 46.10 causeth warres to cease and planteth peace in their borders Leuit. 26.6 Therefore is hee called the God of Peace yea the name of his house is Peace for his dwelling is at Salem that is peace Psal 76.2 Rom. 5.1 Christ Iesus also is a blessed Peace-maker For we haue peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ Eph. 2.14 Yea hee is called our peace it selfe because peace is Praecipuum opus vnigeniti Chrysostom the especiall worke of the Sonne of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 1.20 He set at peace by the blood of his crosse all things in earth and heauen In which words wee haue both the price and bounds of this peace the price it was per sanguinem crucis it cost him his deerest heart blood and for the bounds they are of a large extent he reconciled all things in heauen and earth He brake downe a double partition wall and reconciled man vnto man and both vnto God and therefore is he stiled the prince of Peace The holy-Ghost is a blessed Peace-maker for Peace is one of those excellent fruits of the Spirit mentioned Gal 5.22 Hee calmes a threefold warre in the soules of men that is of the perturbations against reason the flesh against the spirit and the terror of Conscience wrestling with the wrath of God And therefore is hee called effectiuè Augustin the Comforter Now as the blessed Trinity the Father Sonne and holy-Ghost are Peace-makers so are all the children of God but diuersly Some employ themselues in making peace betweene God and man So did Moses stand in the gappe and by his humble supplications stayed the Cannons of Gods wrathfull indignation from playing vpon the Israelites Psal 106.23 So Noah by his sacrifice procured a couenant of Peace at the hands of the Lord and stopt the fountaines of the deepe Gen. 8.21 and the flood-gates of heauen that the earth should no more be made a fish-poole by the invndation of waters Some are for the peace of Conscience who hauing a tongue of the learned Esa 50.4 doe minister a word to him that is wearie These come like Noahs Doue with the Oliue-branch Genes 8.11 like the pittifull Samaritan with the oyle of gladnesse Luk. 10 34. and the balmes of mercy Quà m speciosi Oh how beautifull are the feete of them that bring glad tidings of Peace Rom. 10.15 Some are employed in out-ward and ciuill peace So was Moses when he indeauoured to take vp the quarrell betweene the two Hebrewes Exod. 2.13 So was Abraham when hee preuented the strife betweene himselfe and Lot Gen. 13.8 and stayed it betweene their seruants And so are those worthy Monarches who establish peace in their owne territories and compound controuersies betweene neighbour-Nations Thus as there are diuers kinds of Peace so are there of Peace-makers and I may say of them all in our Sauiours words Blessed are the Peace-makers And so I come to the third part which is the vniting of Peace-making and Blessednesse together The third part HEre I might first say the Peace-makers are blessed Quoniam filij deo vocabuntur because they shall be called the children of God but that were to gleane before the haruest I may deriue an argument from the excellency of Peace If peace be such a gratious ornament such a singular blessing I may well conclude thereupon that the Peace-maker is blessed For in this the Axiom holds Aristot 1. poster cap. 2. Propter quod vnum quodque tale illud magis tale est The temple being an excellent worke Psal 74.5 they were renowned that builded it So Peace being a singular blessing they must needes be thrise blessed that make it As God is glorified in the excellent frame structure of the heauens Psal 19.1 because his wisedom power goodnes shine therein most resplendently So is the Peace-maker much honoured in this excellent worke of Peace because such goodnesse and blessednesse are knit to the same inseparably The peace-maker is blessed in the very act of peace as he is esteemed a blessed man that quencheth some violent fire 1. Sam. 25.32 And therefore Dauid blessed Abigail for staying his hand from the stroake of violence vpon churlish Nabal saying Blessed be thou who hast kept mee this
diuine heauenly The second part The aduancement of the Peace-makers AND such is the waighty reason here vsed The Peace-makers are blessed for they are the children of God And this indeede is a great aduancement Stromat lib. 2. For as Clemens Alexandrinus concurring with Plato saith It is vera beatitudo true blessednesse to be like God which is the case of all Gods children who haue that image restamped vpon them which was defaced in Adam When Esau found that his brother had preuented him and got the blessing from him hee wept hitterly and said Gen. 27.38 Hast thou but one blessing Blesse me euen me also my father but the aged indulgent father who would gladly haue heaped innumerable blessings vpon his best affected sonne had already conferred vpon Iacob the spirituall blessing not to be reuoked And therefore albeit he had a temporall blessing for him The fatnesse of the Earth Ver. 39 and the dew of Heauen yet the same being no way comparable to the spirituall he will not vouchsafe it the name of a blessing But behold we haue here not the blessing of Esau but of Iacob not a temporall and earthly but a spirituall and heauenly yea that which as farre exceedes all earthly blessings as the heauens are aboue the earth And this onely the God of heauen dispenseth Dan. 2.48 Nebuchadnezzar may make Daniel a great man giue him many and great gifts and make him gouernour ouer the whole prouince of Babel Gen. 41.42.43 Daniel the second Pharaoh may set Ioseph ouer all the land of Egypt put his ring vpon his hand array him in garments of fine linnen put a golden chayne about his necke set him vpon his second Chariot and cause the people to bow vnto him Gen 41. Ahashuerosh may cloath Mordecai in royall apparell Hest 6.8 set the crowne royall vpon his head and cause him to ride on his owne horse through the streetes of the Citty Hester 6 Hest 6.11 Thus shall it be done to the man whom the kings of the earth will honour But to make vs the children of God to giue vs heauen for our inheritance to aduance vs to the Throne with Christ and to inuest vs with the crowne of glory it is onely in his power who is the King of Kings and this indeede is the transcendent aduancement If it was esteemed a great fauour that Christ called his disciples friends Ioh. 15.15 how great is this honour that God vouchsafes to call vs his sonnes his children God hath diuers sonnes he hath a sonne aeterna generatione By eternall generation his onely begotten Sonne Christ Iesus Iohn 1. He hath sonnes potenti creatione By creation for so the Angels are called Iob. 1. Dignitatis participatione By partaking his dignity for so kings are stiled Psal 82. Publica professione By publike profession For so the sonnes of Sheth are intituled Gen. 6. Gratiosa adoptione By adoption For so all the faithfull are called in sundry places of Scripture It is true as Saint Austin saith Nemo in filijs Dei similis filio Dei Aug. in Psal 88 Amongst all the sonnes of God Heb. 1.3 none is like the onely begotten Sonne who is the brightnesse of the glory and the ingrauen forme of his person Yet is this our sonneship by adoption exceeding admirable and comfortable It is admirable in diuers respects First it is not forth of any desert which amongst men is the ordinary ground of Adoption as Saint Austin saith Aug. in Ioh. tract 2. Homines voluntate faciunt quod natura non potuerunt Mens wills supply where nature fayles for hauing no children of their owne they adopt some others Quoniam sinistra fortuna mihi filios eripuit Sueton. So did Augustus Caesar Tiberius Pharaohs daughter Moses Mordecai Hester and many others whom diuine and humane stories doe mention But there was no such necessary ground of our adoption For albeit wee wanted a Father yet God wanted no sonnes no children He had the elect Angels vpon whom he might haue conferred his fauours hee had his onely begotten sonne Colos 1.13 the sonne of his loue concerning whom hee hath more then once proclaymed from heauen Mat. 3.17 Mat. 17.5 This is my welbeloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased So that I may say in Saint Bernards words Profecto haec est indulgentia non indigentia Surely this proceeded forth of Gods indulgence not indigence It was not any defect in God that caused him to adopt vs his children Secondly our adoption is yet more admirable in that it is founded in Christ For wee were predestinated to the adoption of children by Christ Iesus Eph. 1.5 And albeit the heauenly inheritance did anciently belong to vs as being prepared for vs from the foundation of the world Mat. 25.34 Yet as Esau sold his birth-right which the law of nature had cast vpon him so wee in Adams atayndor did forfeit our inheritance which God had prepared for vs But when the fulnesse of time came God sent his Sonne that hee might redeeme vs and wee might receiue the adoption of sonnes Gal. 4.5 In such a case as this men cannot brooke riualitie or copartnership no more then the world can indure two Sunnes Yet Christ Iesus who was the onely Sonne of God Qui vnicus natus est vnus manere noluit Aug. in Ioh. trac 2. would not remaine so here was mira dignatio a wonderfull fauour Yea hee that was the Sonne of God became the sonne of man Aug. in Psal 53 that we the sonnes of men might become the sonnes of God here was mira mutatio a wonderfull change Yea that which was yet more strange Aug. de verb. Dom. Serm. 27. Emit sibi fratres sanguine suo as the same father saith It pleased him to purchase brethren and that at no lesse a price then his precious blood So that which might in all likelyhood haue beene a powerfull barre became an effectuall bond of our adoption Thirdly this our adoption was yet more admirable in respect of our vncapablenesse of this fauour this honour For although adoption be gratiosa admissio ad participandam haereditatem euen a free and gratious admittance to the participation of an inheritance as the Schole-man saith Yet commonly Aquinas 3 ae q. 23. men in this act haue an eye to some worth in the person whom they adopt But as Dauid said to Saul 1. Sam. 18.18 Who am I and what is my fathers house that I should be sonne in law to the King So may I say who were we and what were our merits that God should vouchsafe to take vs for his children Wee might confesse ingenuously with the prodigall childe Luke 15.19 Wee are not worthy to bee called thy sonnes and supplycate humbly with him make vs as one of thy hyred seruants vouchsafe vs euen the least measure of thy fauour and it
is more then wee can expect then wee can deserue To see this honour done by some great Monarch to a poore beggar must needes be wonderfull in the eyes of the beholders yet that comes exceedingly too short in proportion comparison of our adoption by almighty God For what proportion what comparison betweene heauen and earth God and man Yea if our condition had beene base and ignoble onely and not sinfull also it had beene lesse strange But we being by birth and conception wretched sinners Psal 51.5 Rom. 5.10 enemies to God and by nature the children of wrath Ephes 2.3 to make vs the children of God is an vnspeakeable fauour and deserues that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the fift to the Romanes Rom. 5.8 God sets forth his loue Sarah spake eagerly and angerly concerning Ishmael Gen. 21.10 This sonne of the bond-woman shall not be heire with my sonne And might not God haue said as roundly and resolutely concerning vs These bondslaues of sinne and Sathan shall not be heyres with my Sonne But such is the goodnes of our gratious God that he deales with vs like the father of the Prodigall childe of whom Saint Ambrose Ambros in Luke 15. saith Filius timet conuitium pater adornat conuiuium The sonne feares a sharpe check but the father prouides a dainty feast For hee not onely pardons our indignities Psal 103.3.4 but crownes vs with mercy and louing kindnesse Fourthly this our adoption is admirable in the latitude of aduancement as Saint Paul presseth it most soundly and sweetely in the eight to the Romanes Rom. 8.17 If we be children wee are also heyres heyres of God and ioynt heyres with Iesus Christ Chrys in Rom. Hom. 14. Here Chrysostome obserues three notable passages of honour euery one arising by degrees aboue another For first where as one may be a childe and yet not be an heyre we are not onely children but heyres also Secondly wee are not heyres to any mortall man though neuer so potent but heyres to the immortall and omnipotent God Thirdly we are not basely associated in this our inheritance we are co-heyres annexed to Iesus Christ then which there can be no greater honour For when our Sauiour will propose the greatest aduancement that may be to them who haue done worthily in the spirituall warfare Reuel 3.21 it is this To him that ouercommeth will I giue to sit with me on my Throne as I haue ouercome and sit with my father on his Throne In regard therefore of the aduancement which attends our adoption Psal 1.12 well might Saint Iohn say Dedit eis potestatem as the vulgar latine hath it To them hee gaue power to be made the sonnes of God Greg. super Ezech. hom 6. and Gregory thereupon Quid hac potestate altius Quid hac altitudine sublimus Well might he call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a prerogatiue or dignitie Iansen Conc. Cap. 1. as Iansenus well interprets the word For it is the greatest prerogatiue that heauen and earth doe yeelde If it were the highest ambition of that great conqueror to be esteemed Iouis filius Alexander the sonne of Iupiter what an honour is it to be called the children of Iehouah the great God of heauen and earth Well might that Apostle say 1. Ioh. 3.1 Behold what manner of loue the father hath bestowed vpon vs that we should be called the sonnes of God Surely this great aduancement deserues an Ecce to vsher it for demonstration Behold and a Qualem charitatem to follow it for admiration What manner of loue the father hath bestowed vpon vs. Ioh. 3.16 For here is that Sic Deus dilexit mundum So God loued the world and this Sic is like that Sicut in the Lamentations of Ieremy Lamen 1.12 it cannot be paralleld Psal 8.4 What is man O Lord that thou art so mindefull of him What are the sonnes of men that thou shouldst so visit them so honour them Now as this aduancement is very admirable so is it very comfortable yea here is a confluence of all comforts belonging to it It were a tedious nay an impossible taske to recount them all I will mention a few yet so that by a cluster or two of Grapes Numb 13.24 you may iudge of the riches of Canaan Hence it is that the children of God are freed from the spirit of bondage Rom. 8.15 and receiue the spirit of Adoption whereby they cry Abba father Mat. 7. they haue both accesse and audience before the throne of grace Hence it is that they enioy the especiall prouidence of almighty God Mat. 6. for their heauenly father careth for them Fathers lay vp for their children 2 Cor. 12.14 saith Paul and how meruailous saith Dauid is the goodnesse which the Lord hath laid vp for his children Psal 31.19 euen before the sonnes of men And no meruaile Rom. 8.32 for hee that spared not his owne sonne but gaue him for vs all to death how should hee not with him giue vs all things that are good Are the children of God in want the Lord is ready to relieue them rather then they shall lacke the stony rocke shall yeelde them water Num. 19.11 the heauens shall raigne downe Quailes and Manna in abundance Exod. 16.13 The poore Widow shall relieue Elias 1 Reg. cap. 17. 19. the Angell from heauen shall furnish him and the rauenous Rauens shall feede him Thus all the creatures shall be seruiceable to the children of God and the earth the aire the heauens shall be store-houses for them Are they in danger or distresse Psal 34.7 the Angels become their gard and doe pitch their tents about them Are they not all ministring spirits to the children of God Heb. 1.14 that are heires of saluation Are they sicke The Lord will make their bed in their sicknesse Psal 41.3 Are they alone the father will come and dwell with them Iohn 14.23 Are they in sorrow and heauinesse behold their heauenly Father is the father of mercies 2 Cor. 1.3 the God of all consolation Haue they a iourney a progresse to vndertake the Lord will be their fidus Achates as he was to Iacob in his iourney to Mesopotamia Gen. 28.15 he will be with them whither soeuer they goe But why goe I about to number those comforts that are numberlesse Or why doe I confine my speech to the things of this life Neither eye hath seene nor eare heard nor can it enter into the heart of man to conceiue what God hath prepared for his children in the life to come There is that kingdome that cannot be shaken Heb. 12.28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 25.34 Heb. 11.10 which is the ancient inheritance There is that City whose builder and founder is God that glorious City which the Angel measured with a golden reede Reuel 21.15
l Ludolphus de vita Christi par 1. cap. 73. P. Lumb lib. 2. Dist 43. D. Dionys Carthus in Mat. 12. Titleman in Mat. 12. Gagnaus Catharinus Alphons Salmeron super Heb. 6. others But that which he alleadgeth may very well satisfie any reasonable man Now for the other point namely that this sinne is irremissible I will by Gods grace proue it directly by the Scriptures And because the same is a circumstance somewhat more subiect to controuersie I will annexe the testimonies and reasons of diuers Papists both ancient and moderne Yea I trust I shall make it euident that touching this point there is indeede no such difference but that which may be reconciled by a distinction allowed on all parts if men will lay by the humours of contradiction and contention First the three Euangelists which mention this sinne doe absolutely deny remission to him that commits it Saint Luke saith plainely m Luk. 12.10 It shall not be forgiuen him Saint Marke more expresly n Mark 3.29 He shall neuer haue forgiuenesse but shall be guilty of eternall damnation Yea the vulgar Latine hath it of an euerlasting sinne Aeterni delicti Saint Matthew yet more vehemently o Mat. 12.32 it shall not be forgiuen him either in this world or in the world to come May I not here vse Saint Augustines words in another case p Aug. Epi. 59. Quid hoc euidentius quid apertius quid expressius What speeches could be vttered more euident more apparent more vehement then these I cannot but wonder that any man should shut his eies against the cleare light of such an euident truth or open his mouth to contradict it Yea that any should dare to assay the breaking of such a threefold cord as when the holy Ghost saith It shall not be forgiuen to affirme yes it shall be forgiuen When he saith it shall neuer haue forgiuenesse to auough yes it shall haue forgiuenesse though hardly And when he saith neither in this world nor in the world to come to say presumptuously yes either in this world or in the world to come If this be tollerable what truth is there so certaine or sacred but it shall be subiect to contradiction Let vs compare this place with another though much inferiour in the vehemencie of negation It is said in the ninth of Marke that q Mark 9.44 the fire of hell neuer goeth out and why may not one by the like exposition say yes it will goe out but yet hardly which were happy newes for Diues and other damned spirits And a good supporting of Origens old errour who held that hell should be destroyed and all the damned after a certaine number of yeeres be saued But indeede such licentious expositions are vtterly vnlawfull and doe paralell Sathans deniall of the Lords words in the second and third of Genesis r Gen. 2.17 Gen. 3.4 you shall surely die you shall not die at all But Bellarmine ſ De Poenitent lib. 2. c. 16. would expound the speaches of the Euangelists by certaine places in Mathew and Ieremy In the nineteenth of Mathew t Mat. 19.24.26 our Sauiour saith It is easier for a Camell to goe through the eye of a needle then for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of heauen In which words saith he our Sauiour seemes plainely to exclude rich men from saluation yet he addes that which is impossible to men is possible to God v Ier. 13.32 And in the thirteenth of Ieremie hee saith that the Iewes can no more be changed then the blacke-Moore can change his skinne or the Leopard his spots and yet doth hee in many places after that exhort and call them to repentance To these place I answere first in generall that they are not like for though in similitudes and comparisons extensiue speeches are sometimes vsed to note a difficultie by an impossibility x As Mat. 24.35 compared with Luke 16.17 yet in a simple negation it is not so And further to the places in particular First those words in the nineteenth of Mathew may be taken for a direct and simple negatiue being truely expounded for our Sauiour in the tenth of Saint Marke y Mark 10.24 doth thus qualifie the rigour of them It is hard for them that trust in riches to enter into heauen So that a man may truely say it is impossible for a man so besotted with his riches and deuoted to his wealth that he makes it the especiall obiect of his loue the center of his hope the fort of his confidence to enter into the kingdome of heauen Secondly I denie not but as it is possible respecting the absolute omnipotency of Almighty God to saue such a rich man so is there no defect in God for sauing of him that sinnes against the holy-Ghost but the impossibility ariseth from the sinner himselfe z For so some take the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let the bunch on the Camels backe be taken away and he may goe into the gate at Hierusalem called the needles eye let the gable rope be vntwisted and you may put it through the eye of a needle So let the rich man like Zacheus giue some part of his goods to the poore and make restitution where he hath wronged and he may come to heauen And let him that hath blasphemed repent and beleeue and hee shall surely be saued Concerning the words in Ieremy we must obserue a rule of Scripture which Saint * Aug. collat cum Donat. c. 20. Augustine and Bellarmine himselfe obserueth a Bellarm. de Eccle. militante lib. 3. cap. 16. Namely that sometimes those things are spoken indefinitely of all which properly and directly doe belong to a part b Compare Ezeck 3.7 with 9.4 Gal. 3.1 with 6.1 onely It is written in the twelfth of Iohn c Ioh. 12.39 Though he had done many miracles there yet they beleeued not in him Here a man would thinke that none of the Iewes beleeued in Christ yet verse 42. It is said that many of the rulers beleeued in him When our Sauiour at his passion prayeth thus Father forgiue them for they know not what they doe This could not be spoken of euery indiuiduall man which had a hand in his execution but onely of some for it is euident that diuerse of them most desperately euen against their conscience did oppose themselues against Christ and so might the Lord speake indefinitely of the Iewes that they were like the black-More euen altogether incorrigible when as some of them notwithstanding were capable of Repentance and Pardon Againe if it were granted that the Lord counted all the Iewes vnrecouerable must it needes be that his sending to perswade them to repentance doth therefore crosse his censure Who knowes not that it is vsuall with God to send his Prophets and Preachers to call them to repentance of whom hee hath said
Christ then Christ hath reliefe for the man and so may I say to you beloued If you haue grace to beleeue then haue you not so sinned against grace and mercie but that the Lord hath plentifull redemption for you in store Christ Iesus himselfe cals you the Church exhorts you the spirit of God inuites you to take the pardon for your sinnes and the pawne of your inheritance The spirit and the spouse saith come and let him that heareth say come and let him that is a thirst come and let whosoeuer will take of the water of life n Reuel 22.17 freely Behold here is that Aqua coelestis that whosoeuer tasteth of hee shall neuer thirst any more here is that Aqua o Iohn 4.14 vitae which whosoeuer takes and drinke he shall neuer see death Yea though he were dead yet shall it restore him to p Iohn 11.25 life Therfore I may say to euery Christian beleeuer as our Sauior said to the woman os Canaan q Mat. 15.28 O woman great is thy faith be it vnto thee as thou desirest But for as much as diuers delude themselues with a vaine conceit of that Faith they haue not and others are dismaide because they doubt of their Faith which sometimes they feele not therfore I must further exhort euery one of you to trie your hearts and examine your liues concerning your repentance For that gracious promise shall euer be found yea and Amen That hee which is soundly and seriously penitent so that he turne away from his euill waies hee shall not die but liue r Ezek. 18.22 Yea for the assurance of this you haue the Lords oath ſ Ezek. 33.11 As I liue saith the Lord I delight not in the death of a sinner t Psal 51.15 The sacrifices of God are a troubled spirit a broken and a contrite heart the Lord will not despise It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not a sacrifice but sacrifices because it is instar omnium in stead of all as Tremelius truely saith Which whensoeuer we offer vp the Lord smels a sauour of mercie and compassion as he smelled a sauour of rest in the sacrifice of n Gen. 8.21 Noah O bring then this sacrifice to the Lords sacred Altar and behold you shall alwaies finde the doore of his mercie open to receiue you and the armes of his compassion stretched out to imbrace you as the prodigall childe found at his returne of whom Saint Ambrose saith filius timet conuitium pater adornat conuiuium The sonne feared some sharpe reproofe but the father prepared a dainty banquet When Nathan reproued Dauid for his o 2 Sam. 24.10 sinnes it is said that Dauids heart did scourge him A fit Metaphor to expresse the nature of Repentance which is flagellum peccati euen the scourge of sinne which is flagellum animae the scourge of the Soule Doe your hearts smart and smite you and are your Soules troubled for your sinnes bee not dismaide For as the Angell troubled the Poole of Bethesda for the curing of the diseased So Gods blessed spirit of compunction hath beene with you and troubled your soules for your cure and consolation To conclude therefore if all that I haue now spoken hath wrought in you an indignation and dislike of your selues and a detestation and loathing of your sinnes with an earnest and a resolute purpose to banish and abandon them Then dare I be bold to pronounce that you are free from this sinne against the holy Ghost yea the God of heauen hath thereby sealed you a pardon for all your sinnes Though they were as crimson they shall be made white as snow though they were red as skarlet they shall be as white as Wooll Which mercie that we may obtaine let vs humble our selues in Prayer Let vs pray O Lord our God who art able to preserue vs blamelesse and to present vs faultlesse before thy glory with ioy euen for thy tender mercies sake defend vs from this dreadfull sinne of Apostasie Keepe vs by thy power that we fall not restore vs by thy mercy when we are fallen preserue vs by thy grace that we neuer finally fall away O let not the gates of thy mercy be shut vpon vs neyther suffer the gates of hell to preuaile against vs But grant good Lord that albeit our fraile nature cannot obtaine an absolute freedome from sinnes of infirmity yet we may neuer set our selues against heauen or sinne with a high hand Renew a right spirit within vs that we may bewaile our sinnes Take not thy holy spirit from vs that we may reforme our liues Establish vs with thy free spirit that we may be confirmed in thy truth That being effectually sanctified in the kingdome of grace we may be eternally blessed in the kingdome of glory through the merites and mediation of Iesus Christ our alone and all-sufficient Sauiour to whom with thee and the holy Ghost three persons and one eternall God let all prayse power and dominion be ascribed by all thy seruants both men and Angels this day and for euer Amen AMEN FINIS THE CHRISTIAN PETITIONER Shewing how we must sue in the Courts of HEAVEN both for Reward and Remission A Sermon Preached at OXFORD the seauenth day of Iuly being the Act Sunday By IOHN DENISON Doctor of Diuinity and one of his Maiesties Chaplayne LONDON Printed by T. S. for Iohn Budge and are to be sold at the signe of the greene-Dragon in Paules Church-yard 1620. A SERMON PREACHED AT OXFORD the 7. of Iuly being the Act Sunday NEHEMIAH 13.22 Remember me O my God concerning this and pardon me according to thy great mercy DIuers writers both diuine and humane Right reuerend Right Worshipfull welbeloued in Christ Iesus doe very fitly compare both euill men and manners in Ciuill and Christian gouernment to badde humours in the body and the Magistrate to the Physition to whom the cure thereof doth belong Now as the soundest bodies haue their bad humours which must be purged so the best gouerned Common-wealths and States doe in time grow subiect to corruptions which must be redressed The truth of this is most apparant in this present Scripture For Nehemiah comming by Artaxerxes warrant to the gouernement of Ierusalem found the house of God prophaned by Eliashib who of sacred structures had built a Chamber for Tobiah his kinseman This abuse as it grieued Nehemiah sore so did he like a worthy Magistrate redresse it and then came not to king Artaxerxes but to the King of Kings to whom especially he had done that seruice saying as it is in the fourteenth verse Remember me O my God concerning this and blot not out the kindnesse I haue shewed to the house of my God Againe as he found Gods sanctuary polluted so did hee finde his Sabbath prophaned for whereas almighty God had consecrated that day to a spirituall Mart there were some who had employed it in carnall Merchandise where Nehemiah hauing
it is well for vs though we know not the nature of euery diuine constellation If God doe so remember vs that he doe vs good let him expresse it in what phrase he will let him effect it by what meanes he will wee must acknowledge his wisdome and reioyce in his fauour Men when they remember their friends will doe them good God when he doth his friends good is said to remember them For as in the worke of creation there went with Gods dixit his benedixit and with his ordinauit his ornauit so in the administration of all things with his remembrance there goeth a Recompense and with his regard a Reward But what is obliuion incident to that all-seeing and all-searching spirit who is able euen vno actu in one instant to take exact and perfect notice of euery obiect action and cogitation in the world Hath God forgotten to be gracious must he be put in minde of his seruants that Nehemiah here saith Remember me Nothing lesse for though a woman should forget the childe of her wombe which is so vnnaturall that it is almost impossible yet will not God forget his children Esay 49.15 If all kindenesse and compassion were lost in Women Men and Angels yet might it be found in our gracious God Plini hist nat lib. 7. cap. 24. Cyrus in Plinie is famous for his strength of memory being able to call all his Souldiers by their names but what is that to the exact and infinite memory of almighty God Psal 147.4 Who telleth the number of the Starres and calleth them all by their names This faculty euen in Angels compared with God is but as a Star in Man as a Candle to the glorious Sunne Yea what proposition is there betweene things finite and infinite When King Assuerus could not sleepe he caused the Chronicles to be turned ouer where hee found the good seruice of Mardochai recorded Hest 6.1 and hee rewarded it Psol 121. Behold hee that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor fleepe He keepeth a Register Malach. 3.16 and a booke of Remembrance is written before him for them that feare the Lord. And in this Chronicle all our good seruice euen euery action of obedience is recorded that it may be rewarded When men are carefull to remember any thing they vse to put some ring or some such other thing vpon their finger or by some such other meanes to reuiue and relieue the memory so the Lord doth graue his children vpon the palmes of his hands Esa 49.16 that hee may not forget them And in this sence doth Cassiodorus expound that place in the eight of the Canticles Cant. 8.6 Set me as a seale vpon thy heart a signet vpon thine arme Behold such actions and attributes are ascribed to almighty God not that he needes any thing to assist his infinite memory but all this is to inlighten our shallow conceipt and to help our great infirmitie Phil. 4.6 and therefore whereas S. Paul biddeth vs in all things make knowne our case to God S. Augustine Aug. Epist 121. by way of explicatiō saith Non Deo sed nobis Not so much to informe God concerning our wants as to confirme our selues in expectation of a supply Thus the remembrance of Gods carefull remembrance must yeeld vs comfort and the meditation of his gracious fauour should be a check to our diffidence a prop to our confidence and a motiue to obedience Doth God graue vs vpon his hands set vs as a seale vpon his heart and a signet vpon his arme and yet we doubt whether hee doth remember vs Doth God take notice of the Israelites grieuances in Aegypt Exod. 3.9 Doth he looke vpon them through the pillar of fire Exod. 14.24 and whilst they are marching is marshalling their affaires making the sea a Gallery and the clowdie pillar a Canopie vnto them and yet wee doubt whether he doth regard vs How iustly doe we incur that waighty reproofe of the Disciples Mat. 6.30.8.26 O yee of little faith How worthily doe wee deserue to be stiled with the Israelites A faithlesse generation Psal 78.9 But let vs looke vp to the eye of Gods prouidence and the hand of his protection let the Remembrance of his care be the Center of our Confidence and let vs euermore cast forth the holy Anchor of our constant hope in this faire hauen If we be like the wounded man by the high way side whom neither Priest nor Leuite regarded Luke 10. like poore Lazarus at the rich mans gate Luke 16. whom no man remembred or like the lame man at the poole of Bethesda whom no man relieued Yet let vs remember Iohn 5. that Christ Iesus is our gracious remembrancer in heauen Luk. 23.42 43 Lord remember me when thou commest into thy kingdome saith the penitent Theefe This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise saith our blessed Sauiour Behold he that had not one word of defence for himselfe or rebuke for his enemies hath a comfortable answere for a distressed Soule When Lazarus was sicke as we reade in the eleuenth of Iohn Ioh. 11.3 his sisters sent to our Sauiour this message Behold he whom thou louest is sicke Aug. in Ioan. Tract 49. Non dixerunt veni saith S. Augustine amanti tantummodo nunciandum fuit They needed not to desire his presence or craue reliefe it was sufficient to relate their wants because Christ loued Lazarus Iude verse 21. Let vs keepe our selues in the loue of God as Saint Iude exhorteth then let our prayers be our messengers to heauen and we shall finde that wee are not forgotten If we be not presently relieued let vs not feare that we are vtterly neglected distulit sanare vt posset resuscitare as Saint Augustine saith Christ deferred to restore Lazarus to health because hee ment to raise him vp from death Gods suspending of his present fauour is commonly the preparing of a greater blessing O tarry the Lords leasure then waite patiently with Noah so shall your prayers sent forth of a sanctified heart return from heauen with a comfortable eccho vnto your souls like Noahs Doue with an oliue branch into the Arke Iob. 1. Doth Iob serue God for naught saith Sathan why no nor shall any else Let vs bring in our bills into his Court and wee shall receiue present pay Christ hath it ready in his hand Behold saith he I come shortly Reuel 22.12 and my reward is with me to giue euery one according to his workes Bellarmine in his fift booke De iustificatione and eight Chapter picketh a needelesse quarrell against Caluin Negare videtur operandum esse intuitu mercedis Caluin saith hee seemeth to deny that the view of reward should stirre vs vp to good workes but this is a most iniurious imputation For Caluin onely denieth that the view of the reward should be our principall motiue to good workes which
dreame be to them that hate thee and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies so let this pardon be to all trecherous and incendiary Papists and the reseruation of punishment to them who are enemies to the grace of God and our gracious Soueraigne Miserable O miserable were our condition if our pardon were not absolute For as one bad humour left vnpurged may be the death of the body one small cranny vnstopped may be the drowning of the shippe so the least sinne vnpardoned must needes be the death and drowning both of soule and body in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone for euer But blessed be God Colos 2.14 we know that Christ Iesus hath fully satisfied the iustice of God Reuel 1.5 cancelled the bond of our debts and washed vs in his precious blood Hee was condemned that we might be iustified hee was punished that we might be pardoned Bern. in Cant. Serm. 22. Non gutta sed vnda sanguina largitèr per quinque partes corporis emanauit as Bernard saith There flowed out of fiue parts of his body not droppes but euen streames of blood that with him might be plenteous redemption and he might redeeme Israel from all his sinnes Auant therefore to the Merchants of Rome with their stained Merits their super-arrogant workes of supererogation their blasphemous satisfactions to God What needeth there a miserere where there is a mereri What neede is there of mercy where there is merit A man may fitly say of these men as Bernard speaketh of the boasting Pharisee Bern Annunci Domini Serm. 3. Nimirum plenus est nec habet in eo gratia Dei locum surely these men are so full of their merits that they haue no roome for Gods mercy Againe how miserable is the condition of those men who doe daily run through as many grosse sins as there are signes in the Zodiacke yet haue no power to finde remorse or seeke for remission and those who in stead of this humble Petition Pardon me according to thy great mercy do take vp Kaines desperate complaint My Sinne is greater then can be pardoned Farre Gene. 4.13 O farre be it from vs thus to abuse Gods mercy Let vs be truely penitent for our sinnes and then let vs put vp our Petition and craue pardon for the same yea let vs neuer be quiet till wee haue our quietus est Psal 39.8 euen a generall acquittance for all our transgressions And here againe I must briefly aduertise you that you must resume the former compellation to this Petition Pardon me O my God It is odious to God and dangerous to men to seeke for Romish indulgences it is impious to thinke that wee may appeale from God to the Virgin Mary for mercy Bernardino de Busto It is blasphemous to affirme that Christ hath imparted to his Mother the disposing of mercy and reserued to himselfe onely the dispensing of Iustice Gabriel Biel in Canone Missae as certaine Papists teach Hee that rewardeth vs must also pardon vs according to that of Esay Esa 43.25 I euen I doe put away doe put away thy iniquities Here that I so redoubled is emphaticall and exclusiue as it is in the eleuenth Verse I euen I am the Lord. I euen I as if he should say I and none but I. We indeede by preaching of the word may draw your pardons but God in mercy must grant them and by his spirit must seale them 2 Sam. 12.13 according to Nathans words Dominus transtulit the Lord hath put away thy sinne Giue me leaue in a word or two to passe from the act to the person Pardon me Me here the comfort is more ample and excellent in the originall then in our translation and no maruaile for no translation can keepe a proportion quoad pondus with the originall the Hebrew which we translate me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is gnalai vpon me or ouer me as if hee should say let thy pardon protect me and let thy mercy be spred ouer me like the glorious Canopie of heauen Let it be like the clowdie pillar which was as a vaile and couering to the children of Israel So that Nehemiah craueth here a protecting Pardon both a protection and a Pardon and the Lord granteth them both in one Patent It is like Dauids wordes in the fift Psalme For thou Lord wilt blesse the righteous Psal 5.13 and with fauour wilt compasse him as with a shield Here also the Hebrew fountaine runnes fuller of diuine comfort then the English streame for the Hebrew word signifieth to compasse with a crowne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus with Gods pardon there goeth his protection with this protection his crowne and benediction all these comforts doe flowe from the fountaine of his mercy as it followeth Pardon me according to thy great mercy The manner VVHen I come to speake of the mercy of God I enter into a Labyrinth without end and diue into an Ocean without bottome It fareth with mee as with the traueller who hath farre to goe and little time to spend but let mee craue your patience and I will hast to the end of my iourney The word Kesed here translated mercy plus est quam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Pagn è Rab. Kimchi saith a learned Linguist it is more then naturall loue which you know runneth with a strong current Therefore when you heare of Gods tender mercies thinke vpon the affection of a tender hearted mother and remember yet that the mercy of God doth as farre surmount the same as the resplendent Sunne exceedeth the little sparke of fire in brightnesse No man hath seene God at any time yet hath he manifested himselfe vnto vs by his Sonne incarnate Bern. in Cant. Serm. 61. Per cuius vulnera patebant viscera through whose side wounded with the speare you might behold the bowels of compassion wounded with loue Gods mercy seldome goeth alone but vsually it hath some epithet annexed to it as here it is called his great mercy Rab quantitatis qualitatis est say the Hebrews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so that it comprehendeth all whatsoeuer hath excellency in quality or amplitude in quantity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is Kerob casdeka secundum multitudinem according to thy many mercies as diuers doe translate it or secundum magnitudinem according to thy great mercy as here we reade it and neither amisse For as the Hebrew word so Gods mercy haue both the discreete and continued quantity When Iacob had got the blessing of Isaack as we reade Genes 27. Esau said to his Father in the anguish of spirit Hast thou but one blessing blesse me euen me also my Father Yet the good old man though an indulgent father had but one that was worthy the name of a blessing But happy are wee our heauenly Father is not so penurious He hath more then one