who can strike terror into the conscience who can affright the soul. 2. From the Nature of these fears They are supernatural and spiritual and so must be cured by answerable comforts Outward applications cannot cure inward maladies But spiritual comforts are from God onely The spirit of a man may sustain all other infirmities but a wounded spirit who can bear Prov. xviii 14. Sicknesses losses natural and humane means may relieve us in them but these apprehensions that come from heaven and upon sense of Gods Majesty they are of another nature As balls of wild-fire ordinary water will not quench them so these flashes from heaven are not extinguish'd with sublunary comforts 3. The Grounds of these fears cannot be removed but by God and so by consequence not the fears themselves Secret guiltiness conscience of sin apprehension of Gods wrath they betray us to these fears Now none but God can free us from these Guilt it is an obligation and recognition in which the soul is bound over to answer to Gods Tribunal These fears like an Hue and Cry are sent out against us none can recall it till God makes stay of it I have sinned what shall I do unto thee O thou preserver of men Iob vii 20. This will appear in these three respects 1. In those sins that are not punishable by mans judgement yet the guilt of these will haunt the conscience 2. In those sins that are not discernable by mans observation when no eye sees us or can accuse us yet then the soul is troubled and perplexed As Cain he had an easie escapal there was none but his father upon earth yet saith he Every one that findeth me shall slay me Gen. iv 14. 3. In those persons who are subject to no mans censure Kings and those who are in respect of man lawless and uncontroleable as David was yet he cryes out Against thee have I sinn'd Psal. li. Thus the woman in S. Ioh. viii though all her accusers forsook her yet she stood still trembling before Christ expecting his doom or absolution Application 1. It must teach us to discern the true cause and original of these spiritual anxieties We must know they are the terrors of the Almighty Do as Rebeckah Why am I thus enquire of the Lord Gen. xxxv 22. If we come to these conjectures 'T is a chance as the Philistims said we shall never think of those courses that will do us good Nature will answer if we seek help of her as the King of Israel did to Naaman's messenger See he sends to me to recover a man of his leprosie Am I God 2. It shews the insufficiency of all other means to recover our spirits thus dismayed Some other means may for a time cast us into a slumber like Opium to a sick body it will stay the sourse of the disease for a time but it will break out again with greater violence There are three wayes of bodily cures Either 1. We allay the pain Or 2. Stupefie the part affected Or 3. Remove the cause So some outward worldly means may for a while allay and mitigate these fears and anguishes As Pleasure Saul gets an Harper to chase away the evil spirit Or Employment Cain falls to building of Cities to drive away his terrors Or Company the noyse and din of that may out-noyse our fears but this is no cure Others go about to stupefie the part to benum and dead and sear conscience to make it sensless and brawny Yet this cures not but heals onely and skins-over the wound of conscience The cure cannot be effected here but by removing the cause which is the apprehension of Gods power against us 3. It should make us careful to avoyd the causes and occasions of such spiritual fears which by all humane means are irrecoverable Those diseases that have Parabilia medicamenta are not so dangerous men are not so shie of them but suppose that a disease were in it self deadly and but one medicine in the world could cure it and that too in the hand and skil of one only Physician how careful would we be not to endanger the running into that malady These fears of conscience they are like the Kings-Evil none can cure it but the King all other helpers are Physicians of no value The Conscience may like the woman in the Gospel who had spent much upon Physicians but was never the better nay the worse she suffered much from Physicians it may seek out for case elsewhere but all in vain till God remove its terrors As they said of Leprosie that it was not to be cured by the Art of the Physician but it was left to the hand of God so we may say of Sin and the fears that arise in the soul because of it Secondly Another observable Consideration is from the present and speedy Act of relieving and recovering of these Saints They being cast into fear and perplexity they are not suffered to lye under it and to be swallowed up of it but a speedy present help is from God reach'd out unto them they are raised and comforted Observe as God wisely suffers his children to be overtaken with fear and perplexity so he graciously orders it that they shall not perish in these amazements but that they shall have a timely and seasonable recovery This he doth 1. In much pity and tenderness to them No mother hastens more to catch up her child that is fallen then God hastens to relieve his children He taketh pleasure in the prosperity of his servants Psal. xxxv 27. He loves to see them in a joyful comfortable condition Isa. liv 7. For a small moment have I forsaken thee but with great mercies will I gather thee Vers. 8. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy upon thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer This he doth 2. In care lest they should be swallowed up and overwhelmed with grief and fearâ—… Isa. lvii 16. For I will not contend for ever neither will I be alwayes wroth for the spirit should fail before me and the souls which I have made Vers. 18. I will restore comforts unto him and to his mourners S. Paul how careful was he lest the excommunicated Câ—…rinthian should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow 2 Cor. ii 7. Much more is Christ. God hastens to recover such S. Peter being much dejected for his denial a message is speedily sent to him by the Angel Go your way tell his Disciples and Peter that Christ is risen Peter thought himself cast off and forgotten see here a special â—…idings directed to him 3. He measures out these fears and anguishes to his children in a just proportion they shall undergo no more then is fitting for them 1. Suitable to their weakness and what they can bear God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able 1 Cor. x. 13. He wrestles with Iacob but
Ezek. ix 4. But out of these and the like cases 't is true Gods own people and servants are subject to these common calamities and judgments as well as others Abraham and his family are by famine driven into Egypt Gen. xii So Isaac and his family were driven into the Philistines country Gen. xvvi And Iacob and his family by want were driven into Egypt Thus the People of God in Davids time suffered a famine of three years Eliâ—…s that great Prophet was forced out of the land of Israel into Sarepta by reason of want The Saints have their share and portion in these common calamities upon divers Reasons 1. The differences that God puts 'twixt his own and others are not seen in the administration of these outward things not in making their portion in riches and outward prosperity more full then others As he makes the wicked partakers of temporal blessings his Sun and his Rain doth good to them Matth. v. 45. So his temporal judgments fall upon the righteous as well as upon the unrighteous Communia esse voluit commoda profanis incommoda suis Tertul. Solomon observes it Eccle. ix 1. No man knows love or hatred by all that is before them all things come alike to the righteous and to the wicked The priviledges of Gods People are not temporal but spiritual not exemption from common sufferings but grace and comfort in them that 's the Saints portion Otherwise Religion would not be a matter of faith but sense and men would serve God not for piety but for plenty 2. The Saints are partakers in these common sufferings as being parts and members of those Societies and People who are thus punished A Christian is both filius Seculi and filius Dei He hath that in him which belongs to the present generation as well as that which pertains to the state of regeneration Now the sins of any body or nation may involve all the members in the same Judgment Haec mala nos quoque perstringunt ut vobis inherentes Lot was carried away in the Captivity of Sodom as cohabiting with them As in personal sins the Father's sin doth subject the Son to punishment quia filius pars patris all Achans family was destroyed for Achans sacriledge so in national sins the Saints of God though personally innocent yet because members of a nocent body are liable to undergo the temporal smart of national Judgments 3. The Servants of God are often contributers to the common heap of sin that brings down Judgments Though they be not actours of those gross impieties that call for vengeance yet their sins though of a smaller nature adds to the fewel of Gods indignation Gross impieties are like Pitch or Gunpowder that enrages the fire but even the sins of Gods Servants are combustible matter and do add to the flame Thus not onely Manasses his bloud-shed but even good Hezekiah his vanity and boasting of his riches brought upon the Land the Babylonish Captivity Saint Augustine meditates upon this point piously and gives reasons why good Christians are involved in common calamities 1. Quamvis longè absint à flagitiis non tamen à delictis Sinners they are though not outragious ones and their sins may be are tanto crebriora quanto minora Small sins frequently committed are just provocations 2. They are punish'd here with wicked men saith he Quia non sic vivunt cum impiis ut cum iis vivendum est They suffer with wicked men because living with them they do not teach them and admonish them and reprove them and mourn for them 3. Saints suffer in temporal things because though they do not luxuriously abuse them yet saith he they do too much enjoy them Simul cum impiis flagellantur non quia simul agunt malam vitam sed quia simul amant temporalem vitam non aequaliter sed tamen simul We have seen the Supposition Come we now Secondly to the resolution though all these evils come upon us Yet will I rejoyce in the Lord And here are two prints of Piety in this Speech of the Prophet 1. Is implied in this Particle Although that 's an act of forecast these miseries may befall us 2. Is implied in this Particle Yet that 's an act of preparation against these miseries 1. Quamvis Although that forecasts the misery 2. Tamen Yet that forelays the Remedy Praevidet He foresees sorrows in the first Providet He provides against them in the second 1. He forecasts it that miseries and afflictions may nay will befall us That 's one point of wisdome and print of piety to forecast it in our thoughts Prosperity will not hold always we must look for changes Summer will not last all the year long a Winter will come and with it storms and tempests It was Solomons counsel Eccles. xi 8. If a man live many years and rejoyce in them all yet let him remember the days of durkness for they shall be many It is good to premeditate on evil days to acquaint our selves with the thoughts of poverty and sickness and adversity and mortality It will have a threefold good operation upon thee 1. It will moderate thy care and pursuit after these outward things What shall I toil and vex my self to get that which I cannot hold but must part with all I know not how soon 'T is Solomons advice Prov. xxiii 4. Labour not to be rich cease from thine own wisdom Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not for riches certainly make themselves wings they flie away like an Eagle towards heaven Certainly they will do so All the certainty that is in them is that they are uncertain 2. This Forecast it will moderate thy delight in them Wilt thou place thy joy in that which thou canst not enjoy It will make us we shall not apponere cor not set our hearts upon them 3. It will moderate our sorrow in parting with them It is good to look dangers and miseries in the face before-hand Acquaint thy self with them it will take off the horror and dreadfulness of them Unlook'd-for calamities seem dismal to us but foresight breeds acquaintance that when they befall us we shall not be dismayed with them That 's the first he forecasts them 2. As he forecasts them so in this Particle Yet he provides against them And that sets out the holy entertainment which the Prophet will give to this foreseen Calamity 1. Tell an Atheist a Judgment is coming from God he entertains those threatnings with derision Let him hasten his work that we may see it said those mockers in the Prophet Isai. v. 19. 2. Tell a voluptuous man of it that poverty and scarcity is approaching What saith he Let 's then enjoy the world while we may let 's crown our selves with Rose-buds before they be withered Let 's eat and drink for to morrow we shall die 3. Tell a Worldling that want and poverty is a coming what saith he Let
TWENTY FIVE SERMONS BY THE Right Reverend FATHER in GOD RALPH BROWNRIG LATE LORD BISHOP OF EXETER Published by WILLIAM MARTYN M. A. Sometimes Preacher at the ROLLS The Second Volume LONDON Printed by Tho Roycroft for Iohn Martyn and Iames Allestry and are to be sold at the Bell in St. Paul's Church-yard M DC LXIV THE R REVEREND FATHER IN GOD RALPH BROWNRIG LORD B P OF EXETER who dyed aged 67. Dec. 7. 1659 Lo here a Prelate in whom Light Heate Learning Zeale Meeknesse Courage met In Gods cause the Kings our Brownrige was A Boanerges though a Barnabas W Faithorne sculp TO THE Most Reverend Father in God GILBERT By Divine Providence LORD ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY HIS GRACE Primate of all England and Metropolitan And One of His MAJESTIES most HONOURABLE PRIVY COUNCIL May it please Your GRACE THIS is the Second Volume of that most Renowned Prelat's Sermons Dr. Ralph Brownrig sometimes Lord Bishop of Exeter The First I had the Happiness and Honour to present to my Dread and Dearest Soveraign King Charles the Second Who was graciously pleased to condescend so low as to receive it from me into His most Sacred Hands while I was upon my knees before Him This Second I take the boldness to tender to Your Graces Acceptation being confident with an assurance that disdains to hope that as the Former from that High and Mighty Monarch the Father of the Country so this Latter from You the Great Metropolitan and Father of the Church will find a most ready and welcome Entertainment That I styled the Sword of Goliah by the help whereof through the Blessing of Him who is the Captain of our Salvation the Christian Souldier may prove truly victorious and triumphant over that great Goliah of Hell and all his accursed Agents and Adherents This I will call the Dagger of Ehud For as that Judg. iii. let the dirt out of the belly of Eglon so will this if skilfully wielded and with resolution and courage that filthy Corruption Satanae Excrementum out of the Heart with which it naturally abounds as the Sea with Mire and Dirt. To Your Grace then I humbly solicite I may present both the Person and the Sermons of that good and great Bishop His Person to Your Memory His Sermons to Your Eye and Perusal For the Person who was the Composer I may not I must not pass over in silence something I must say of Him Not that thereby I can add so much as the least dram of real worth to Him no more then a curious Picture can Beauty to that Face which it represents But that thereby according to my narrow measure I may set forth and declare to others that which was before Which whilst I shall endeavour to do I beseech Your Grace that that of Plinius Secundus to his Antoninus may be remembred Pictores pulchram absolutamque faciem raro nisi in pejus effingunt An exact face is very seldom drawn but with great disadvantage much more when a Bungler hath it in hand His Lordship was one of a sweet nature of a lovely disposition of a pleasing off ability in his carriage and conversation He was endowed with a sharp wit a quick apprehension a strong mind a piercing judgment a faithful memory and milder affections then ordinary By Industry and Art every Faculty of his Soul was furnish'd and fill'd with those Ornaments and Qualities of which they were naturally capable even to a very great perfection He was admirable for the Profoundness and Variety of his Knowledge and enabled with such an universal Wisdom as that he was thought worthy Employment not onely in Affairs of State but in the Direction and Guidance of the House of God which is the Church of the living God the Pillar and Ground of the Truth And yet These had been nothing not any of them not all of them if there had not been the Salt of Grace to have seasoned them and the Life of Faith to have animated them Without this all those his other Accomplishments had been but as gay and gorgeous Attire upon a leprous Body as Iewels and Bracelets upon a putrid rotten Carkass Oh his Religion his Holiness this was farr the fairest and most orient Flower in the Garland of all his other Excellencies and incomparably above all his Greatness had he been advanced even to Desert to the highest Pinacle of Church-Preferment and Honour For what ever Prophane and Worldly-wise men may think without all Controversie one Grain of Grace is infinitely more precious and worthful then the whole Earth though turned into a Globe of Gold or Center of Diamond And yet this Reverend Prelat now in Glory was inrich'd with a very great Proportion of it even to Admiration In short He was a wonder to all who had the happiness to know him for his insight into all kinds of Learning both Ancient and Modern of Positive Textual Controverse Case-Divinity But above all for his being sanctified with an Experimental Inspection into the Particularities of that heavenly Science of Saving Souls Now may it please Your Grace these Sermons being the Compositions of so Learned so Religious so Wise a Person they cannot but be most worthy Your Graces Patronage and the Worlds highest Esteem and Valuation They are Sermons which deliver the Word in the Purity of it without those humane Inventions which might adulterate it without that spiritual Treason of wit and fancy or of Heresy and Contradiction which to use the Expression of a Learned Bishop is wont to stamp the private Image and Superscription of a man upon Gods own Coyn and to torture the Scripture to confess that which was never in it Sermons that carry Authority with them and so able by the Power of the most High to humble the Imaginations to non-plus fleshly Reasonings and to subdue all things to the Obedience of Christ God having stampt upon his Lordship more then ordinary Characters of Divinity and as it were more glistring sparkles and degrees of Majesty then upon many others that so with greater power he might publish the Secrets of Heaven and with more unresistableness and glory execute that highest Office of the Lords Embassadour Sermons fraught with spiritual Prudence with Christian Religious Wisdom and such the World never had more need of How exactly are they accommodated to every mans temper How wisely are the Lightnings of the Gospel mingled with the Thunderings of the Law Uses of Comfort with those of Confusion Cordials of Compassion with Corrosives of Terrour So that the Weak cannot be offended nor the Mighty exasperated nor the Beginners discouraged nor those who are without affrighted from coming in and entring upon the Path that is called Holy Which wisdom his Lordship neither received from flesh and blood nor yet learned of men but had it inspired from above From the Father of Lights All which I cannot but apprehend as very great Encouragements of me to this Dedication and as sufficient
have of those unconceivable joyes are like our selves low and unproportionable Ask the piercingest judgement of those After-joyes How must they stammer and fumble and bewray Ignorance If it should be asked 1. What is that Eternity of Being which we look for in heaven We cannot comprehend it 2. What are those heavenly Speeches that souls and spirits use in Glory We cannot conceive them 3. What is that Impassibility and Agility of our bodies in heaven We cannot imagine it 4. What is that Beatifical Vision and sight of the Essence of God We cannot attain to it As Christ to Nicodemus If we cannot understand more earthly things as The work of Grace Union with Christ The manner of Regeneration How can we understand him when he speaks of heavenly O! Eye hath not seen and that sees far Ear hath not heard and that receives much nay Heart hath not ability to imagine or conceive those hidden things In this case we are no more able to conceive what that life of Glory is then a child in the womb can conceive what is the condition of this present life Our discourses of heaven are like theirs who talk of Countreys they never saw Nay S. Paul who was there yet found them unutterable All other knowledge hath some help and hint from nature but this is a Mysterie hid from Generations and Ages and lock'd up in that store-house of Eternity This inconsiderate unadvised Motion of Peter He knew not what he said 3. It arose from the surcharge and overwhelming of this great Glory The exceeding Glory of Christ hath overwhelmed the soul and mind and capacity of Peter and overcomes his understanding Excellens objectum corrumpit Our understanding is shallow limited finite proportionable to these lower things but God and the fulness of his Glory are too high for us As it is with our Brains be we on the ground then they are steddy but upon some high mountain or steeple they fail us Bonorum quorundam sicut malorum intolerabilis magnitudo est Tertull. Not onely the torments of hell would consume us but if God should not put strength into our souls the very joyes of heaven would swallow us up Stay me with flagons comfort me with apples for I am sick of love Cant. ii 5. As we say of crazy bodies Too pure an ayr and too accurate a diet will overthrow them So our crazy souls are not able to undergo the eminency of that Glory Such knowledge is too wonderful for me it is high I cannot attain unto it Psal. cxxxix 6. Hence they say we must have Lumen Gloriae confortans elevans intellectum Our understandings enlarged and raised and strengthened to undergo that weight of Glory The Sun puts out a Candle So the light of Glory will soon damp our poor glimmering Spark This makes the very Angels stand aloof and cover their faces He dwelleth in that light that cannot be approached unto that light is like the Sun-beams to sore eys The Queen of Sheba 1 Kings x. 5. was overcome with the sight of Solomons magnificence she was spent with admiration There was no more spirit in her We have seen the nature and condition of this Motion whence it arises Secondly Consider the particular conviction of this rashness in S. Peter in the many particularities of his erroneous Motion Formerly we have seen what commendable things were contained in this his suit but we see it here censured as unadvised and imprudent Let us review these Motions of S. Peter and see his failings I. In his Motion of Continuance Master it is good being here 1. The first Error 'T is good being here He would fain abide here always He errs in desiring a perpetuity of that condition which was but transient and momentany This Vision was but a taste of Glory but a drop from the Honey-comb not a full repast of Glory intended onely to strengthen their Faith incourage their Diligence correct their Error quicken their Hope all these purposes are omitted and he must not part with this Vision of Christ but must have it perpetual As Mary she embraceth the feet of Christ would never have left him Christ bids us leave off these were but extraordinary Appearances not to be dwelt upon Besides the vileness of noysom lusts which still would be craying even the spirit of man loves to glut it self in spiritual refreshments How loath were the Apostles to part with Christ's bodily presence So in many extraordinary Appearances which are not intended as perpetual yet there is Libido and Luxuria spiritualis we would fain enjoy those ravishing joyes which are but for a time No as the Angel that refresh'd Elias said to him Feed and be walking thou must live in the strength of it forty dayes it may be all thy life time No stick to Faith that 's our Ordnary As Dives who lived deliciously every day so some Christians if they be not caught up into heaven do not see Visions of Angels they are discontent 2. A second Error is in that he places the fulness of joy in the view of the Humanity of Christ but gloriously Transfigured and can be content never to see more or go further but to behold this Glory True it is a great accomplishment to our bliss to see that price of our Redemption the Body of our Saviour in Glory but yet it is not the main and original No created Glory can be the fountain and fulness of Glory to us Even the Manhood of Christ is blessed by derivation and participation from an higher Fountain The Society of the Saints is comfortable the view of that Lamb of God most ravishing but yet it is the blessed God-head the face of God himself the adoring and enjoying an heavenly communion with the Sacred Trinity that is our true prime original happiness Shew us the Father and it sufficeth Ioh. xiv 8. The increated Glory of Christ's Deity that is the matter and summ of our blessedness Ioh. xvii Our happiness is to behold the Glory which Christ had with God not on Mount Tabor but before the world was This is the message which we have heard of him and declare unto you that God is Light 1 Ioh. i. 5. that we may have fellowship with the Father and with the Son vers 4. Our hearts are restless till setled upon this All our affections are flowing and running till they are swallowed up in this Ocean The eyes of our body indeed shall have Christs Body as the most glorious Spectacle of all Comfort but the eye of our soul that goes higher As the eye of Faith rests not upon the Humanity of Christ but upon his Divinity and so on the whole Trinity so doth the eye of Beatifical Vision that succeeds Faith 3. A third Error 'T is good being here He would settle his rest upon Mount Tabor This was an error to bring down heaven upon earth To enjoy Tabor he can be content to part with heaven and resign
So may we say Is the Lord displeased with the course of nature that he makes it unkindly Is he angry with the quiet and peaceable order of the world that he turns it all into up-rore and confusion No verily he is the God of order not of confusion he is the God of peace not of dissention but our sins have bred and brought upon us those judgements We are like chimneys set on fire with our own soot We minister the fewel that feeds the fire of Gods indignation That 's the first they are judgments and therefore deserved 2. Our miseries are Gods judgments and therefore wisely decreed and ordered by God he sends them upon us Sine temeritate not unadvisedly Our afflictions they are not casualties but the wise and holy dispensations of a righteous God In regno providentiae non est locus temeritati Chance or mishaps have no place bear no sway in the kingdome of Providence and government of God Our sufferings they are not Missilia fortunae scatterings of fortune as the Philistins thought of their diseases It may be 't is but a chance that hath befallen us No they are right-ayming thunderbolts as the book of Wisdome excellently calls them Our chastisements they come from the hand of God that doth wisely order them they lye not at the feet of Fortune to be spurn'd into the world at all adventures Thus the Scripture tells of the bending of his Bow and the preparing of his Arrows and he shoots not at rovers as that man that hit Ahab in the battel it was unwittingly done and at all adventure but he hath a steddy aym He sets up a sinner as his mark at which he levels and directs his stroke The most uncertain and seemingly casual afflictions are yet wisely and steddily ordered by Divine Providence Amongst the Plagues of Egypt that of the Swarms of Flies was the most unlikely to be subject to Guidance Who can order or direct the tumultuary motions of those living Atoms and errattick Creatures Yet what saith God of that Judgment Exod. viii I will send swarms of flies and the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of them but in Goshen where my people dwell no swarms of flies shall be there Thus also he calls the Annoyance of Locusts and Catter-pillars his great Army of which he is Commander and see how he orders them They shall march every one in his wayes they shall not break their ranks they shall walk every one in his path as a well-ordered Army Ioel ii It makes us acknowledge 't is neither fate nor fortune neither natural destiny nor uncertain casualty but the holy hand of God that doth afflict and punish us 3. They are Iudgments and therefore proportioned in a due measure and moderation he brings them upon us Sine furore Rage and fury are boundless doth all in extremity But Justice and Judgment sets limits to it self keeps within Compass of a just Moderation Dispensator poenarum est non profusor S. Basil calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. He proportions our sufferings to the measure of our sins That 's Proportio Iustitiae He ponders our punishments with the weight of our sins Ut punire videatur justitia non potestas saith Salvian therein rather discharging the office of a Judge then fulfilling the pleasure of an angry Potentate Yea and this he doth with much abatement He punishes not ultra but citra his Judgments fall short and on this side of our Iniquities He punishes us less then our deservings Ezra ix He serves out his Judgments with the Strike not with the heaped Measure 2. He proportions his Judgments with an eye to our infirmities That 's Proportio Misericordiae He considers not onely what we do deserve but what we can endure He knows our weakness and will not over-charge us with unsupportable Judgments I will not contend for ever neither will I be always wroth saith God in Isaiah for the spirit would fail before me and the souls which I have made He so remembers us to be sinners as that he forgets not we are weak Creatures able to deserve that which we are not able to endure His punishments do not come upon us in their perfection as elsewhere he threateneth Isai. xlvii 9. Thus God proportions our Afflictions as he did the manner of Legal Purifications That which could endure the fire was to pass through the fire but that which could not endure the fire was to pass through the water It was his gracious dealing with his people How oft did they provoke him in the Wilderness But yet He destroyed them not and did not stirr up all his wrath for he remembred they were but flesh spiritus vadens non rediens a wind that passes away and cometh not again Hence arises that seeming Contradiction betwixt his peoples confession and his pity and compassion Thou hast punished us less then our iniquities nay saith God I have punished you more You have received at the Lords hand double for your sins He is sorry for their afflictions and seems to blame his Justice for being too severe We have seen the first Particular the Nature of our Afflictions what they are and what we must account them to be They are Gods Iudgments Consider II. Their Time and Season And that is set forth in this Particle of Time Quando when When thy Iudgements are in the earth And we may consider this Circumstance of Time in a threefold Notion 1. This When 't is Tempus restrictum 'T is a limited and confined Time This Quando 't is but Aliquando This Time 't is but Sometime His Iudgments are not always abroad in the earth He is not always smiting not ever punishing and afflicting the sons of Men. He doth not always chide saith David nor keep his anger for ever Psal. ciii What we say of the offers of his grace 't is most true also of the testimonies of his wrath they are hodiè they are not quotidiè they have a limited time they are not always upon us There are other times pass over our heads before this time of Judgment begins 1. There is the time of his goodness and bounty and that 's like a long Summers-day a time that God delights in to do good unto us to win us to himself by his mercies that we might serve him with gladness of heart and delight our selves in his great goodness And 2. There is the time of his Patience and that is a long day too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He hath his time of long-suffering and patience when he waits upon the hardness of our hearts when his Spirit strives with us to reclaim us We provoke him and yet he will not be provoked but forbears us winks at our faults when his eye-lids rather then his eyes look upon us as David speaks Psal. xi and he will not take that advantage which our sins give against us These and many such times are with him e're
Stubbornness and Obstinacy of an inflexible Will these Plagues and Punishments they are not teaching and correcting but destroying Judgments I will send my plagues upon thy heart saith God to Pharoah that made him past hope mark'd him out for destruction As Gregory distinguishes of sins so may we of sufferings Carnalia peccata sunt majoris infamiae sed spiritâ—…alia peccata sunt majoris culpae So outward bodily Judgments may be more smarting and vexatious but spiritual Judgments are a great deal more dangerous Oh! when our sins are made our sufferings Quando non patimur id quod acritèr â—…lolet sed facimus id quod turpitèr delectat that saith S. Aug. is Ira Dei gravissima 'T is a fearful token of Gods heavy displeasure when David's curse falls upon us and we fall from one wickedness to another when as S. Aug. speaks lib. 1. cap. 24. contra adversar Legis Prophet Crimina criminibus vindicantur supplicia peccantium sunt incrementa vitiorum there is small hope then to enter into his righteousness Oh! take heed of being Agents in the Judgments of God Sufferers may be pitied but when we come to be Self-destroyers by wilfulness in sin that puts us into an hopeless condition when we sport our selves with our miseries like the Citizens of Caesarea in Africk of whom S. August reports that upon a set time every year they divided themselves into two Companies Fathers on one side and their children on the other and took up stones and with them maimed and mischieved and killed each other 2. His Iudgments are in the earth They are common and general and over-spreading Judgments and they are most likely to work good upon us God hath not onely his Personal but his National and Epidemical Judgments Sometimes he takes a Sinner with a private Judgment as with an Angle otherwhile he hath his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Verriculum and Drag-net that catches all kind of Sinners He hath his Arrows in private Visitations and he hath his Chain-shot that will bear down all before them All these are stored up in his Treasures For as S. Aug. observes well Non sicut Regi hominum aut Principi sic Deo quicquid à multis peccatur inultum est A multitude of offenders among men even forces an impunity And as elswhere he saith Neque Rex neque Multitudo Excommunication must not reach to Kings nor to whole Congregations 'T is so with Men but God knows how to punish Multitudes of Sinners be they never so many Though we have our ten thousands he hath his twenty thousands to come against us as our Saviour speaks He hath his Sickle in his hand to reap down whole Countries Ioel. iii. He hath his Rasor not onely his Volsellae to pluck out some disordered hair but to shave and make bare all the body Ezek. v. 1. He can command his Sword to go through the Land Ezek. xiv 3. His Iudgments are in the earth and so they are present and actual Judgments Conceive them in a threefold nearness and propinquity 1. When these Judgments are aliorum poenae When we see Gods judgments lie heavy upon others then we should take warning and e're they come nearer to us we should learn righteousness 'T is the wisdom which Christ teaches us When our enemy is afarr off we should send and sue for conditions of peace That 's the first and best way of amendment by Gods Judgments when the visible Judgments of God upon others make us to bethink our selves and return to him Murdering pieces to others should be Warning pieces to us The Jews have a saying that if war be in another Country yet they should fast and mourn because the evil of warr is begun though amongst other people We should consider the Judge is now in his Circuit God hath entred upon his Visitation he hath begun with others it should make us look about us lest he ends with us This is Sapere aliorum exemplâ—… to learn our lesson by other mens sufferings Well we have over-slipt that time we are nothing bettered by Gods heavie hand upon other Nations the sufferings of Samaria have wrought no good upon Ierusalem There is yet 2. A nearer propinquity when these Judgments of God are Nobis impendentia Eccâ—… Iudex ante forâ—…s adstat The Iudge stands before the door that comes closer to us and doth more nearly concern us When a dismall cloud of vengeance hovers over our heads when we find ourselves beset with his judgments when the tokens of Gods displeasure begin to appear upon us discontents divisions great thoughts of heart rumours shall be upon rumours as the Prophet speaks when God hath unsheathed his Sword and is whetting of it and we see the Angel as David did over Ierusalem ready to smite us then 't is high time to look about us Quando nondum 〈◊〉 sed adhuc imminente minante adversario pâ—…cem quaerimus that is Sapere nostro periouâ—…o To learn Righteousness upon fear of Judgments it is servile but yet it may be accepted may prevent actual punishments Had we feared them we should not have felt them Well we have lost that advantage too There is yet 3. Another propinquity and that is worst of all That is When his judgments are Nobis incumbentia They are already upon us his wrath is already kindled and smoaks out against us We do not onely fear the rod but feel it then if ever it concerns us to quicken our conversion When he hath hathed his Sword in our bloud and it hath eaten flesh and his Arrows stick fast in our sides this is Sapere proprio damno What Know you not that Egypt is destroyed O! 't is high time to awaken when Gods judgments have broken in upon us and begun to consume us We have seen the first particular of the Text Doctorem that which must teach us His Iudgments Now let us consider theâ—… Second that is Disciplina the Lesson we must learn by them We must learn Righteousness And here we have three things observeable 1. Who are the Scholars They are the Inhabitants of the World 2. What is their Duty they must be Learners 3. What is their Lesson they must learn Righteousness 1. The Inhabitants of the world they are the Scholars that must be taught and instructed by these judgments The Prophet's speech we see is of a large circumference It takes in all It aims not at any one rank or order of men to reform them and all will be well No the amendment must be answerable to the judgment If that be general and over-spreading the earth the reformation must be as general The plaister must be as broad as the soar If it be an over-flowing scourge that goes through the Land sure the amendment must not be confined to a narrower â—…ompass There is a necessary connexion in these two combinations 1 National sins bring National judgments that 's the first and then
2. National Judgments call for National Repentance In Ioel ii we read of two Trumpets sounding 1. One in the first Verse there we have it Blow the Trumpet in Sion Sound an alarm let all the inhabitants of the Land tremble at it then 2. At Vers. xv There is another Trumpet sounding Blow the Trumpet in Sion proclaim a Fast call all to repentance This Trumpet must sound as loud give as shrill a noise as did the other Trumpet all the inhabitants of the Land must be called to repentance And the Use of this second Trumpet belongs to us of the Clergie We are to lift up our voyces like trumpets to call to repentance As for that other Trumpet to fore-tell a judgment especially to blow a Trumpet to stirr up and bring on a judgment let them look well to their warrant that will sound such a Trumpet Let the Sons of Aaron observe that rule which God gives to them for this use of the Trumpet Numb x. 7. When the Congregation is to be gathered together you shall blow but you shall not sound an Alarm Sure in all the Scripture we find not any Prophet of God by any sound of theirs quickning or hastning of a judgment And when they did but foretell it they did it with much regret and commiseration My bowels my bowels saith the Prophet Ieremiah I am pained at my very heart because thou hast heard O my soul the sound of the trumpet the alarm of warr Ier. iv 19. But for the Trumpet that calls to repentance let that like the Trumpet on Mount â—…inai sound louder and louder You are the Lords Remembrancers keep not ye silence 'T is our office to teach every man and to warn every man by the sound of this Trumpet They say there is a tenure of Land in the Northern borders which they call the tenure of Cornage they hold their land by sounding of a Trumpet upon the approach of an Enemy That is our tenure for what we possess Our sound must go into all the earth and our words unto the end of the land all the inhabitants of the land must be called to repentance Indeed sometimes God punishes a few that all may amend and his mercy delights in such compendious cures but he never punishes all that a few onely may mend but expects and exacts a general reformation To hope that the repentance of a few private men should prevail for the ceasing of a general judgment is as if we should think to quench a raging fire by the drops and sprinklings of a casting-bottle No when all flesh have corrupted their ways 't is not Noah Daniel or Iob that can prevail with God nothing can appease him but a general repentance Thus you see Who are the Scholars All the Inhabitants of the Land 2. What is their dutie They are required to learn And learning on our part supposes teaching on God's His judgments then they have this virtue in them they are purposed by God to be our instructions He delights indeed to win us to himself by a more gentle way by â—…avours and mercies but if that will not do it as it does but seldom we listen to God saith S. Aug. Rariùs inter prospera crebriùs inter adversa I spake unto thee in thy prosperity saith God but thou saidst I will not hear Ier. xxii 21. but then he opens our ears by his corrections Iob xxxvi he delivers us over to afflictions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as S. Basil speaks as to so many curst Schoolmasters that we may learn obedience by the things which we suffer as the Apostle speaks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his displeasure must be our instructer as it is said of Gedeon he took briers and thorns and with them he taught the men of Succoth Iudg. viii 16. Res prospera donum est consolantis res adversa donum est admonentis Dei saith S. Aug. Doth he grant us prosperity then he doth encourage us Doth he send us adversity then he doth admonish us Ut qui beneficiis non intelligitur plagis intelligatur saith Cyprian that we may learn to know him by his punishments whom we would not acknowledge in his mercies His judgments they are speaking judgments as God saith to Moses Exod. iv If they will not hearken to the voyce of the first Sign Gods judgments are Iudicia vocalia and clamantia too not dumb and silent but loud speaking judgments And that calls for our Attention Audiam quid loquatur Dominus If he speak it becomes us to listen If he teaches it is fit we should Learn He that planted the eare shall not he hear saith David The consequence is as good and strong He that planted the ear shall not he be heard he that chastiseth the Heathen shall noâ—… he correct Us That is the duty of the Text We must all learn Righteousness Surely if Gods Rod be upon us we may conclude there is some things either not known or mistaken or forgotten or neglected in point of duty Indeed as S. Aug. saith Tiâ—…a shame for some men to begin to learn but it is a greater shame to continue ignorant We should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 learn betimes but if we have let slip that opportunity we must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 late learners rather then not at all especially when he writes our Lessons upon our backs in bloud What saith S. Paul to such What have you suffered so many things in vain If it be yet in vain Gal. iii. 4. And Learners we must be and that looks at our own duty what concerns our selves to know and do not become teachers of other mens duties And yet to invert the words of the Apostle Whereas for this time we should be all learners now how few of us are learners how many of us will teach and find fault with others Aliena satagimus nostra negligimus as Chrysostom speaks Complain of disorders call for reformation censure and condemn the lives of other men and they it may be more innnocent then our selves Ey but no man saith What have I done saith Ieremiah of the people of his time and it is too true of us So farr we are from Ionahs confession Propter me temtestâ—… haec My sinâ—… have had an hand in raising this tempest that we come not to the Disciples suspition of themselves Master is it I Every man will be an officer to attach others none acknowledges himself a malefactor and condemns himself Curiosum genus ad cognoscendam vitam alienam desidiosum ad corrigendam suam exceeding curious to find fault with others extreme careless to reform themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 very diligent to search other mens sores but neglect our own and let them rankle and putrifie Learn then we must and that may be we will be content to do 'T is but the business of the brain Hearing and conceiving and remembring there is no great pains in that nay may be much delight
and pleasure in learning and knowing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Aristotle there is much pleasure in learning and increase of knowledge Man naturally is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an understanding knowing creature Ey but that is not all the duty to be learned in the Text. 'T is a practical duty and practical things are best learned by practice We may know them in notion and apprehension and still be accounted ignorant men if we do not practise them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Philosopher Those things which we learn to do by doing we learn them You may teach a man all the rules and method of Musick but he is no Musician till he can handle his Instrument Ambulando discimus ambulare we teach children to go not by rules and precepts but by making them go S. Iohn bids us take heed we mistake not in this point Little children let ' no man deceive you he that doth righteousness is righteous 1 Iohn iii. 7. A good understanding have they that do thereafter Psal. iii. Such learning is to some purpose And this brings in 3. The last particular the Lesson to be learned that is Righteousness And take the summ of this duty in these three particulars 1. It is Primarium officium Righteousness is that which God chiefly aims at in all our afflictions To make us a righteous people zealous of good works Indeed there are other substantial duties which he requires of us and expects at our hands in the day of our visitation Prayers and Fastings and Mourning and the acts of Humiliation they are pious and profitable and seasonable duties when Gods Hand is heavie upon us Humble your selves under the mighty hand of God saith Saint Iames Return to me with fasting and with weeping and with mourning saith the Lord Ioel ii In that day did the Lord call to weeping and to mourning and to girding with Sackcloth Isai. xxii 12. And the neglect of those duties were an high provocation Vers. 14. But yet the doing of these is not the thing that God chiefly aims at as if all were well when these services were performed These are not Iustitiae but conditurae Iustitiarum as Origen speaks they are but instrumental and preparative duties to fit and dispose us to the great duty of Righteousness 1. They are Realia insignia real confessions of our sinfull unworthiness 2. They are Incitamenta poenitentiae good provocations to Conversion and Amendment 3. They are Testimonia interni doloris visible testimonies of our inward Contrition But yet they come short of the works of Righteousness They may serve for Physick but not for Diet and the regiment of health We do not say a man is recovered because his physick works kindly The life and strength of Piety consists in Righteousness 'T is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Chrysostom not abstinence from meat but from sin that makes a good fast The Ninevites they fasted and wore Sackcloth and sat in Ashes and it was well-pleasing to God but yet it was their Righteousness and the amendment of their lives that prevailed for deliverance 'T is not said That God saw their Fasting but God saw their Works that they turned from their evil way and he repented and spared them 'T is Righteousness saith Solomon that delivers from death 2. It is Substantiale officium The Lesson to be learned by Gods judgements is Righteousness and that 's a Substantial duty Our Saviour calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the weighty things of the Law It consists in the performance of real and substantial and moral Obedience The neglect of those duties God revengeth and the practice of these he calls us unto by his severe judgements It is not the altering of some outsides and rituals to purchase some external forms that God will be appeased with or that which he ayms at in his heavy judgements and yet this is the construction that we make of all his judgments As if we should pull down an house to remove a few cob-webs that are in the roof of it or pluck out the eye that we may free it from a mote or as Gerson wittily as if to kill a Fly that is on a mans forehead we should take an hammer and beat out his brains No What saith God when he reckons with his people Psal. l. I will not reprove thee for thy Sacrifices and Burnt-offerings 'T is not the failing in these ceremonious Services that doth so much provoke him The kingdome of God consists not in these but in Righteousness and Holiness We must not cum capiti mederi debeamus reduviam curare think to cure a vital part by washing away a mote or freckle that appears in our face Relieve the oppressed saith God judge the cause of the poor break every heavy yoke let Righteousness run down like a mighty stream that is able to quench the flames of Gods anger and just indignation 3. The Lesson to be learn'd is Righteousness and that is Universale officium 't is a comprehensive duty of a large circumference 1. It takes in all estates and orders of men Some virtues are appropriate to some sorts of men they suit not with others Good Government that is the Magistrate's virtue Obedience that is the duty of the people and so in many others But Righteousness it is of universal concernment It speaks like Iohn Baptist to People to Publicans to Souldiers teacheth every one of them what they must do Warns us as S. Iohn doth I write unto you Children I write unto you Young men I write unto you Old men It gives every man his charge And then 2. It takes in all sorts of duties 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every virtue As health is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the good temper of all the humours of the body so is Righteousness the just proportion and exercise of every virtue And Gods judgements ayms at both these First all the Inhabitants of the land every rank and order of men must take out this Lesson Not say Reform the Clergie and all will be right punish exorbitancies in them no matter for the rest What saith the Lord to the Israelites that were so hot in pursuing their brethren 2 Chron. xxviii 10. And now ye purpose to keep under the children of Iudah and Ierusalem for bond-men and bond-women unto you but are there not with you even with you sins against the Lord your God It was a word in season and gave a check and stop to their rage and fury Oh! that it might do the like with us And then every sort of men must resolve of every sort of duty that belongs unto them Gods judgements have an universal aym he hunts us not out of one ill course to drive us into another hate Idolatry but commit Sacriledge flee from Superstition and run into Prophaneness cry out of Oppression and bring in Confusion suppress Popery and suffer Schisme and Faction to increase and multiply as if Locusts had
been the onely judgement and that swarms of Flyes and Lice had brought no annoyance upon the land of Egypt No Let us resolve of an universal Reformation and then we may expect an universal Deliverance Then our God will Return and Repent and leave a Blessing behind him Let us first learn the Didactical part of Esay's Song and then we shall have cause to take up the Eucharistical part He will put a new Song into our mouthes even Thanks-giving unto our God The righteous Nation shall have perfect peace as our Prophet here promises The Apostles words will admit of this inversion we shall find it true The fruit of Peace 't is sown in Righteousness Indeed in this holy Husbandry Et tellus annus sructificat Righteousness and Peace they help each other Righteousness that is the soil out of which Peace springeth and Peace that is the season in which Righteousness flourisheth Sow to your selves in Righteousness and reap in mercy Hosea x. 12. The work of Righteousness shall be Peace and the effect of Righteousness shall be Quietness and Assurance for ever Isa. xxxii 17. As S. Augustine sweetly meditates on those words of the Psalmist Righteousness and Peace have kissed each other Fac Iustitiam saith he habebis Pacem duae amicae sunt tu unam vis alteram non facis nemo est qui non vult Pacem sed non omnes volunt operari Iustitiam Every man wishes for Peace but every man is not for Righteousness No saith the Father Si amicam Pacis non amaveris non amabit te Pax. Either love Righteousness the companion of Peace or Peace it self will never love thee or delight to dwell with thee Now. the God of Peace that delights in the Peace and Prosperity of his servants lead us into all the ways of RIGHTEOUSNESS and guide our feet into the paths of Peace And that for His sake who is the Lord our Righteousness and the Prince of Peace even IESUS CHRIST our Peace-maker To whom c. A SERMON ON Habbakkuk iii. 17 18. Although the fig-tree shall not blossom neither shall fruit be in the vines the labour of the olive shall fail and the fields should yield no meat The flock shall be cut off from the fold and there shall be no herd in the stall Yet I will rejoyce in the Lord I will be joyful in the God of my salvation THE Text it is a Prophetical Intimation of a Judgment of Dearth and Famine that should fall upon the Land In it the Lord threatens to break the staff of bread to send cleanness of teeth and scarcity of all things a general want of all the supports of life And this passage of Scripture together with the Context sets down the entertainment that the Prophet and People of God gave to all this sad Prediction Here is a double Entertainment 1. They entertain it with fear Verse 16. When I heard this my belly trembled my lips quivered at the voice rottenness entred into my bones and I trembled in my self 2. They entertain it with faith and confidence yea with joy and comfort Although this affliction shall befall us Yet will I rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation See a sweet combination and mixture of two contrary dispositions in the heart of this holy Prophet 1. A disposition of fear and sorrow 2. A disposition of joy and comfort 1. When he foresees this great calamity he fears and trembles at it 1. Take it either as a natural affection hearing of so great a misery to come upon them though he be a Saint yet he is afraid and troubled at it The holiest men while they are in the body they are not so fortified with grace but that they shrink and startle and tremble at miseries like other men Abraham in Egypt is afraid of his life Good Iacob when Esau comes towards him is afraid to meet him David pursued by Saul cries out in fear I shall one day fall by the hand of Saul Elijah was subject to the like Passion he fled for his life Want and poverty and pain and misery are fearful conditions even to the Saints of God Or 2. Conceive this fear as an holy and religious disposition in them When God threatens to bring a judgment upon us the first apprehensions we must have of his menaces must be apprehensions of fear and sorrow and humiliation motions tending to Repentance My flesh trembles for fear of thee saith David Psal. cxix 120. And I am afraid of thy Iudgments It is not fortitude but fool-hardiness to stout it out with God and not to startle at the signs and tokens of his displeasure How was God delighted with this awful disposition in good Iosiah when he wept and his heart melted at the hearing of those Judgments which God threatned against them Nay it prevailed somewhat with God when it was sad and serious though not sound and sanctified in wicked Ahab 2. When this grace hath had a perfect work in us then faith and hope and confidence will be seasonable graces I trembled in my self that I might rest in the day of trouble v. 16. Then fear shall give place to joy and comfort This holy fear will bring in faith And this faith will cast out fear As mercy on Gods part rejoyceth against judgment so faith on our part shall triumph over fear In the multitude of the sorrows that I had in my heart thy comforts have refreshed my soul Psal. xciv 20. In the midst of all these sad occurrents yet will I rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation These are the two blessed Entertainments of any threatned Judgment 1. A deep Humiliation 2. A stedfast Faith and Consolation For the words themselves we may resolve them into these two particulars 1. Is a sad Supposition Although the fig-tree shall not blossom the strength and comfort of all the creatures fail us and we suffer a want and destitution of all things That 's the Supposition Here is 2. A comfortable Resolution Although these miseries befall us yet in the midst of them all the Prophet knows how to support himself Yet will I rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation First For the Supposition And the Sum and Substance of it will appear unto us in these three Extractions which we will draw out of the Text. I. The Strength and Comfort of the Creatures may fail us there is in them a fading and vanishing Condition The fig-tree may not blossom the Vine may be fruitless the fields may yield no meat we may be destitute of all these succours and supports of life All these helps and supplies for life have a possibility in them of failing of us Reckon not upon them as certain and unchangeable comforts that will not disappoint us As it was in the Manna which they fed on in the Wilderness 't is so in all the helps and
Christians The Faith of the Patriarchs and Prophets was chiefly employed about Christs first Coming and Incarnation the Faith of Christians must now expect and wait for his second Coming in Glory to Judgment They listned to hear the first voyce gentle and meek as the voyce of a Lamb we must be attentive to hear his last voyce that is dreadful and terrible as the roaring of a Lion Answerable to these two Epoches and periods of the Churches Faith the Scripture tells us of two dayes of Christ. 1. The day of his Incarnation the Prophets and Patriarchs fixed most upon that Abraham rejoyced to see that day Iohn viii 56. Then 2. The Scripture tells us of a second day of Christ that is the day of his Coming to Judgment That is called The day of the Lord 2 Pet. iii. The day of Iesus Christ Phil. i. 6. It is called The dreadful day of the Lord Malach. iv 5. The great day of his wrath Revel vi 17. For this day must be the expectation and preparation of Christians S. Peter tells us 'T is our duty to look for and to hasten to the Coming of this day of God 2 Pet. iii. 12. That is the first thing I note here Christ forewarneth it Secondly He doth not onely forewarn it that one day sooner or later it will come upon us but he tells them of many signs and prognosticks of the approaching of it vers 25. there shall be signs of it and they certain and infallible and dreadful and dismal that will astonish the beholders Indeed the particular season and set time of it is reserved and concealed from us and that for great and good purpose but yet Christ hath furnished his Church with such signs and tokens of it in the fulfilling of which we may plainly conclude The day is drawing on and now approaching that we may resolve with S. Iohn 1 Ioh. ii 18. We know that it is the last time See saith S. Iames The Iudg standeth before the door Who knows how soon he will enter in upon us That 's the second he foretells the signs of it Thirdly He doth not onely forewarn it and foretel the signs of it but premonisheth and giveth a Caveat to us that we should carefully provide for it 1. Be the truth of his Coming never so certain 2. Be the signs and tokens of it never so manifest yet 3. If we look not well about us we may be surprised by it It may rush in upon us when we little think of it S. Paul tells us It shall come suddenly as the throes and travel of a woman with child 1 Thes. v. 3. Let a woman with child keep her reckoning never so carefully yet the just time and season of her travel she may not know she may be taken with those pangs when she little looks for them So then we have here a strict Caveat given us a warning-piece shot off to arouse and awaken us against the day of Judgment And it stands upon two Particulars 1. Here is a special Caution against a dangerous indisposition that will make us unfit for the entertainment of that day that is Gravedo cordis a spiritual surcharge and surfeit that our souls may fall into that will so clog and dull and oppress the heart that it can never heed nor expect or once think of the day of reâ—…koning that must come upon us That 's vers 34. 2. Here is a special direction to an holy preparation and â—…itting our selves against that day that is the duty of Vigilancy that we should keep Sentinel continually stand upon our Watch expect daily prepare hourly fit our selves carefully for the entertainment of that fatal day vers 36. The Text contains the first the â—…aution In it observe these particulars 1. The Caveat it self Take heed to your selves lest at any time 2. The distemper and indisposition to be avoided that is oppressing and overcharging our hearts 3. The Causes that will breed this surcharge of our hearts surfetting and drunkenness and cares of this life 4. The mischief that will follow if this Caveat be neglected That day may come upon us unawares and then wo be to us We come First to the Caveat In it three things 1. Is the duty of heedfulness and attention 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Take heed 2. The persons concerning whom this Caveat is given Your selves 3. The greatness and measure and strictness of this heed in this vigilant and watchful word of circumspection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lest at any time I. The first thing you must consider is the duty of heedfulness and attention Take heed saith Christ. 'T is the solemn watchword and warning of Scripture often urged and pressed upon us Take heed to thy self saith Moses that thine heart be not deceived Deut. xi Take good heed unto your selves Iosh. xxiii Take diligent heed Iosh. xxii Take heed and beware saith Christ Matth. xvi It is a warning always seasonable we all stand in need of it but especially in three Exigencies 1. If the duty we undertake the business about which we are employed be weighty and ponderous Matters of less moment and consequence may be slubbered and slighted but matters of importance require heed and attention Now matters of Religion that concern our spiritual state and condition the eternal welfare of our souls are of all others of highest consequence of greatest concernment Oâ—… set your hearts unto it saith Moses for it is not a vain thing for you because it is your life Deut. xxxii 46. So again Deut. iv 9. Onely take heed to thy self and keep thy soul diligently And amongst all the duties of Religion the fitting of our souls for the day of Judgment the survey and examination of our consciences making 〈◊〉 our accounts against that day of reckoning it is a most weighty business That is the first enforcement of this duty of Heed the matter is exceeding serious 2 There is a second Exigent of this Care and Heed which makes this Caveat seasonable that is the approach of some great danger and miscarriage Safety may breed security but when we go upon hazards and dangers then we look about and arouze our selves to care and heedfulness Now there is no undertaking so beset with dangers as the duty of Religion and the managing of our spiritual condition The way of Piety is exceeding narrow and down-falls on both sides A Christian is Salutis funambulus The way to heaven it is no broad high way but a narrow path we may soon tread awry Especially the dangers of the last day the hazards that our souls must run at that great day of trial and account are most perilous 3. Above all this Caveat is most seasonable and necessary if the miscarriages we may fall into be irrecoverable and such as there is no getting out of them In those miscarriages that may be recovered and fetch'd about again there is some hope but if the danger we go upon be deadly and
allows and gives warrant to You shall not do whatsoever is good in your own eyes but what I command you In matters of Religion Invention is Superstition As Vincentius alluding to S. Pauls words Tradidi quod accepi quod accepimus non quod excogitavimus As they at Samaria we must learn the manner of the God of the Countrey Moses though wise and holy yet refers the Worship of God to his own choice Exod. x. 26. We know not with what we must serve the Lord till we come thither And all his frame of the Tabernacle must be done according to the pattern shewn in the Mount Id utique Deo dignum quod ipse Deus sibi fatetur acceptum That God is to be worshipped nature tells us but how that is his Choice and Pleasure and matter of Revelation Strange fire was abominable so are invented Services Devotion in respect of forwardness and cheerfulness and frankness asks and offers Wherewithall shall I come before the Lord and how my self before the high God Shall I come before him with Offerings with Calves of a year old Will the Lord be pleased with thousans of Rams or with ten thousands of rivers of Oyl Micah vi 6 7. But Faith and Obedience takes this answer vers 8. He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what the Lord requires Free-will-offerings for their kind prescribed these will be accepted 3. A third Print of Devotion in this proffer of S. Peter is his care for Christ and these two Saints He thinks not of himself and provision for his own safety and abode he had no thoughts of a Tabernacle to shelter himself Love and Devotion to God and his Church transports the Saints out of themselves makes them even forget their own comforts in respect of God All S. Peter's care and solicitude is for Christ. Love seeketh not her own but the glory of Christ hath the first thoughts and deepest consultations When self-love swayes us then we are all for our selves take care for building our own Tabernacles provide for our own Whereas Tertullian observes Not any that followed Christ that ever questioned how they should live None said Non habeo quo vivam Pietas non respicit vitam multo minus victum 1. It is enough for S. Peter to be In famulatu Christi Attendance upon him is provision enough As Noblemen count themselves more honoured to serve in the Court then to Lord it in their own 2. Faith knows Christ will take care of them Take thou care to provide for Christ Christ will provide for thee Let Obed-Edom prepare a Tabernacle for the Ark the Ark shall bring a blessing upon his Tabernacle As Elias to the Widow Provide for me first venture all thy Meat and Oyl and be sure of a blessing of encrease If Christ have a Tabernacle he will not shut us out of dores As God to David Because thou hast thought to build me a House I will build thee a sure house So much of Peters proffer of furtherance for continuance of Christ and those two Saints with him Now follows III. The Censure that the Scripture passes upon this Motion It was inconsiderate and unadvised He knew not what he said Take of it a double Consideration 1. Consider the Nature and Condition of this sudden inconsiderate Motion whence it ariseth 2. Consider the particular Conviction of this rashness in Peter in the many particularities of his error in making it First Consider the Nature and Condition of this Motion Whence arose this sudden and unadvised and impertinent Motion of Peter's It was from three Principles 1. It arose Ex passione vehementi Peter being ravished and transported with this glorious Appearance of Christ in Majesty is overtaken with a sudden passion of joy and fear too saith S. Mark Observe Excessive Passions transport us sometimes to unadvised unwarrantable thoughts and desires even in matters of Piety and Devotion to Christ. See it in S. Peter Luk. v. 8 9. there he was overtaken with a passion of Fear at the great draught of Fish it stirs up a strange sudden Motion Lord depart from me for I am a sinfull man His Fear abandons Christs Presence and Society Here in this place a passion of Joy puts him upon a vain inconsiderate suit it casts him into a dream and he talks like one in a dream or trance Psal. cxxvi 1. Then were we like men that dream Ioh. xiii 8. Christ offering to wash S. Peters feet he is taken with a sudden passion of preposterous Reverence and Humility Lord thou shalt never wash my feet So again Matth. xvi 22. Christ foretelling his death Peter is overtaken with a preposterous passion of Love breaks out into this inconsiderate Motion Lord be it far from thee this shall not be unto thee So Iames and Iohn Luk. ix 54. Christ being excluded by the Samaritans these two are taken with a sudden passion of Anger and Revenge and make a Motion accordingly Shall we call for fire from heaven and consume them Thus Gods children in rash and violent passions they conceive strange and unwarrantable Desires and Motions We must inspect and so examine our passionate wishes check them as Christ did Zebedee's wives suit You know not what you ask These passionate Motions are not so good 1. Quia minus fundata They have no root or bottom usually As the stony ground had present joy but without root and so withered Warmth of affection may make hasty proffers that will vanish again Deliberations and Resolutions must ground our Devotions As David My heart is fixed One thing have I desired which I will require 2. Quia minus accepta These hasty proffers are not set by or valued by God He judgeth of us by our constant bent in our cold temper Thus he answered the young man who was suddenly taken with a miracle Lord I will follow thee wheresoever thou goest No Christ tells him what he must look for let him sit down and cast the charges As we judge of Rivers not as they swell with fall of waters but as their own proper current runs 3. Quia periculosa They are oft-times preposterous and prejudiciall to us If God should take us at our word it would go ill with us If he should not have washed Peter he should have had no part in Christ. Misericorditer negat and Audit ad utilitatem non ad voluntatem Of our selves in these passions we know not what to ask I said in mine haste This inconsiderate and impertinent Motion 2. It arose out of the ignorance of Understanding and humane Apprehension of heavenly Glory Peter hath here a view and glimpse of it but yet knows not how to judge and esteem of it That spiritual and heavenly Condition it is a meer strange thing to us We apprehend it in our earthy and carnal manner and so talk of it out of gross apprehensions Peter thinks three Tabernacles will well suit with three glorious Bodies The thoughts that we