and to be shut out from the presence of the Lord 2 Thes 1.7 11. and from the glory of his power If it were such an unspeakable grief and misery to the Primitive Christians as indeed it was to be debarred of one anothers society and company by being confined to Isles and Mines and strong holds O then what an unspeakable grief and misery will it be to all unholy persons to be for ever debarred of the blessed society of God Christ Angels and Saints and to be everlastingly confined to the strong holds of hell and to the society and company of that damned crew who will be still a cursing and a blaspheming of God and adding to one anothers torments O Sirs it is the sight of God in heaven wherein mans happiness and blessedness doth consist it is the fruition of God in heaven that is the life the honour the crown and glory of Angels and Saints Heaven it self would be but a low thing yea it would be but magnum nihil a great nothing without the sight and fruition of God there Now without holinesse there is no seeing of God there is no possessing or enjoying of God there is no possibility of ever obtaining a part or portion in God Ah friends without holiness all is lost thy soul is lost thy Christ is lost thy God is lost thy Crown is lost thy Heaven is lost thy glory is lost and what are all other losses to these losses Demorrathus of Corinth saith they lost the chiefest part of their lives happiness that did not see Alexander sit on the throne of Darius but what was their loss to that unconceivable and unexpressible loss that all unholy persons must sustain who shall never see the King of Kings in his beauty who shall never behold the Lord on the throne of his glory Well Sirs if none of these Arguments can prevail with you to labour after holiness I must conclude that divine Justice hath hardened you and that Satan hath blinded you and that your lusts have besotted you and that this world hath bewitched you and that it had been ten thousand thousand times better for you that you had never been born then to live without holiness and to die without holinesse and to be everlastingly damned for want of holinesse And thus much for the Motives I come now to lay down some means and helps to holiness Supposing that the language of some of your souls may be this O what shall we do to be holy O what course what way what means must we use that we may obtain this holiness without which we now clearly see that we shall never come to a fruition of happiness Methinks I hear some of you crying out Oh none but holiness none but holiness As that Martyr once cryed out Oh none but Christ none but Christ Methinks I hear you crying out O give me holiness or I die As Sampson once cryed out Give me water or I die Or as Rachel once cryed out Give me children or I die So you cry out O give us holiness or we die give us holiness or we eternally die O what shall we do to be holy we see we are undone without holiness we shall be damned without holiness O! that we were but made holy that hereafter we may be assuredly happy Well then if you are in good earnest resolved to be holy I would thus advise and counsel you First take heed of some things Secondly Labour to put in practise other things The things that you are to avoid and shun even as you would shun poyson in your meat or a Serpent in your way yea as you would shun the Devil himself or hell it self are these First Take heed of mistaking some particular Scriptures as that of Ezek. 14.6 Chap. 18.30 31 32. and Chap. 33 11 14 16 19. from these and such like Scriptures many unholy hearts are apt to conclude that they can repent when they please and that though they do defer their repentance yet it is no such difficult thing to confess their sins at last cast and to be sorry for their sins at last cast and to forsake their sins at last cast and to beg the pardon of their sins at last cast And that if they do so God hath given his Word for it he hath given it under his own hand that he will pardon their sins and save their souls Now to prevent these soul-undoing mistakes thou must know O sinner First that thou canst as well wash a Blackamore white at pleasure as thou canst repent at pleasure thou canst as well raise the dead at pleasure Jer. 13.23 chap. 31.18 Lam. 5.21 Acts 5.31 Eph. 1.17 18 19. 2 Tim. 2.25 Acts 11.18 as thou canst repent at pleasure thou canst as well make a world at pleasure as thou canst repent at pleasure thou canst as well stop the course of the Sun at pleasure as thou canst repent at pleasure thou canst as well put the Sea in a Cockle-shell at pleasure and measure the earth with a span at pleasure as thou canst repent at pleasure witness the proofs in the margin I confess that if to repent were to hang down the head like a Bull-rush for a day or to whine with Saul for an hour or to put on sackcloath and walk softly with Ahab for a short space or to confess with Judas I have sinned or to say with Simon Magus Pray to the Lord for me or to tremble with Felix for a moment I say if this were to repent doubtless you might repent at pleasure but alas friends to repent is another thing to repent is the hardest and difficultest work in the world and that will appear in the next particular And therefore Secondly To repent is to turn a flint into flesh it is to turn darkness into light hell into heaven and is this easie Ezek. 36.25 26. Acts 26.18 Ezek. 16.61 62 63. To repent is to make all clean in-side clean and out-side clean it is to make a clean head and a clean heart a clean lip and a clean life and is this easie True repentance includes a true sense of sin a deep sorrow for sin a hearty loathing of sin and a holy shame and blushing for sin chap. 29.43 and is this easie To repent is for a man to loath himself as well as his sin and is this easie for man that is so great a self-lover 2 Corin. 7.10 11. and so great a self-exalter and so great a self-admirer to become a self-loather To repent is to cross sinful self it is to walk contrary to sinful self yea it is to revenge a mans self upon himself and is this easie To repent is to pluck out right eyes and to cut off right hands and offer up only Isaacs and is this easie True repentance is a daily turning of the soul further and further from sin and a daily turning of the soul nearer and nearer to God It is a repentance not to
man Bona est misericordia sed non quum est contra judicium Aug. Mercy is good but not when it is contrary to judgement for the judgement is Gods and the cause that is too hard for you bring it unto me and I will hear it And so in Levit. 19.15 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgement thou shalt not respect the person of the poor nor honour the person of the mighty but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour The great man is not to be spared for his might nor the poor man for his misery It is neither the great mans power nor the poor mans meanesse The Judges in Aegypt were pourtraied without hands and without eyes to signifie that they were not to take bribes nor to accept mens persons that a Judge is to mind in judgement A Judge a Justice must never out of carnal pity cry out Oh he is a poor man nor yet out of base fear cry out Oh he is a great man Their eyes are to be alwayes upon causes and not upon persons The statues of the Theban Judges were made without hands and without eyes to intimate to us that as Judges and Justices should have no hands to receive Bribes so they should have no eyes to see a friend from a foe a brother from a stranger And it was the Oâ—â—â—f the Heathen Judges as the Orator relates Audiam accusatorem reum sinc affectibus personarum respectione I will hear the Plantiff and Defendant with an equal mind without affection and respect of persons In the twelfth Novel of Justinian you may read of an Oath imposed upon Judges and Justices against inclining or addicting themselves to either party yea they put themselves under a deep and bitter execration and curse in case of partiality imploring God in such language as this Let me have my part with Judas and let the leprosie of Gehezi cleave to me and the trembling of Cain come upon me and whatsoever else may astonish and dismay a man if I am partial in the administration of Justice That was a famous act of justice that was performed by Canutus King of Denmark who when one of the twelve Thieves that he had condemned pleaded that he was of the Royal blood saâ—th the King It is reason some favour should be shewed to this person whereupon he commanded that he should be hanged on the highest Gibbet which was done accordingly It was Cato's complaint of old Cato ap Gell. l. 11. c. 18. The Roman Orator observed that the force of justice is such and so great that even Thieves and Robbers both by Sea and Land who live upon injustice and rapine yet cannot live upon their trade without some practice of it among themselves that those that robbed private men were clapt up and laid by the heels in cold irons but saith he publick thieves that wrong and rob the Common-wealth they sit in scarlet with gold chains about their necks And the Scythian Philosopher hath long since complained that Laws were like Spiders webs that would take flies but not Wasps or Hornets his meaning was that if poor mean men offended they should be sure to be punished but greâ—t men that were the makers of Laws they might be breakers of the Laws and yet never smart for it In all ages some or others have poured out sad complaints agaâ—nst partial justice Pilate that unjustly condemned Christ was afterwards kickt off the Bench by Caius the Emperour for partial justice and for grief and shame he became hâ—s own executioner O Sirs God will one day kick such Judges and Justices Psal 9.17 and Psalm 11.5 not only off the Bench but into hell who make a Trade of partial justice except there be sound repentance on their sides and pardoning grace on his O that all the Judges and Justices of the Land would for ever remember what the wisest Prince that ever swayed a Scepter saith in Prov. 18.5 It is not good to accept the person of the wicked to overthrow the righteous in judgement It is not good that is it is bad By the figure Liptote much is to be understood when there is but little said it is very bad yea it is so exceeding bad as that it can hardly be expressed or uttered it is so great a wickednesse it is so horrid and so hideous a wickednesse yea it is so hell sh a wickednessâ— as can hardly be imagined as can rarely be declared The Poet in the Greek Epigram taught the silver Ax of justice that was carried before the Roman Magistrate to proclaim If thou be an offendor let not the silver flatter thee if an innocent let not the Ax affright thee The Athenian Judges judged in the night when the faces of men could not be seen that so they might be impartial in judgement I have read of Zaleucus that impartial Law-giver and Judge among the Locrians how that he made a very severe Law against Adulterers viz. That whosoever should be found guilty thereof should have both their eyes put out Now it so fell out that his Son proved the first offendor forthwith sentence was pronounced and execution ready to be done whereupon the people earnestly intreated the Judge his father that he would pardon the fact who upon serious deliberation put out one of his own eyes and one of his sons and so shewed himself to be both a tender Father and an upright and impartial Judge at once O Sirs it is your wisdom and work yea it is as much your glory as it is your duty to be impartial in all your administrations of Justice and not to favour friends or relations nor to fear the frowns of enemies but to proceed impartially according to the merits of the Cause that is before you But Secondly As you must do justice impartially so you must do justice speedily Jer. 28.12 O house of David thus saith the Lord execute judgement in the morning and deliver him that is spoyled out of the hand of the oppressor lest my fury go out like fire and burn that none can quench it because of the evil of your doings Ezra 7.16 After examination execution is to be done with expedition When men cry out for justice justice you must not cry out Cras Cras to morrow to morrrw you must do justice in the morning Noon justice and evening justice is not so acceptable to God nor so honourable to your selves nor so advantagious to others as morning justice is You are called Gods and as in other things Ioel 3.4 Gen. 19. Num. 16. Psalm 101.8 The Persian King had one about him whose office it was to mind him every morning of his cha ge saying Arise O King and have an eye to those affairs for which the great God hath made you King and dispatch them so in this you should be like to God who is speedy and swift in the exercise of Justice as you may see by comparing
paper and wrote upon the top of the leaf Moderation and in the middle of the leaf Moderation and at the bottom of the leaf Moderation signifying thereby thus much to the King that the best way in the world to have his Crown set fast and to keep his Kingdom safe was to manage throughout all his affairs with moderation And there is nothing more evident in Scripture and History then this that many by scruing the pegs of Government too high have broke all in pieces about their ears Now my Lords and Gentlemen there are five things or Rules that will be of singular use to help you in this case to steer such a course as may be safe and honourable to you and as may render you a mercy and a blessing to the Nation And the first is this never make those things to be sins which God never made to be sins to make those things to be sins which God hath made to be no sins is to make gods of your selves yea it is to lift up your selves above God himself as if you were more holy more wise more just and more righteous then the holy one of Israel is Indeed the Papists that are will-worshippers and commonly highly conceited of their own wisdom and worth they frequently transgresse this Rule with their Touch not Col. 2.21 23. taste not handle not which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will-worship c. but why should you why should you who have a higher profession upon you and a more clear Gospel-light shining every day more strongly upon you But Secondly Never make those things to be absolute and necessary duties that God hath nowhere declared to be such Isa 33.22 Jam. 4.12 Such things that do neither fall under a general nor a particular command of God may not be imposed upon the consciences of men as absolute and necessary duties to be performed by them a faithful observing of these two Rules would prevent a multitude of sins a sea of sorrows and a world of troubles But Thirdly In all your administrations of justice take the Authority of the Word with you this will yield you most comfort most peace most security and most boldnesse in the great day of your account But Fourthly Never put off your own souls with any such pleas or arguments now that are not pleadable in the Court of conscience when you shall lie upon your dying-beds nor that are not pleadable before the Court of heaven when you shall stand before Christs Judgement-feat But Fifthly and lastly In all your administrations of justice and judgement be sure that you act nothing upon the account of any command commission or authority under heaven that you dare not own plead and stand by before the great authority of heaven when the King of Kings shall make a narrow inspection into all your Judicial proceedings and accordingly passe judgement upon you What though this command and that commission and the other authority may bear you out in this world yet if they are too weak to bear you out in the other world you will curse the day that ever you were born and wish that you had rather been a turning of spits or lying under an hedge or a begging at the rich mans door then that you had ever sate in seats of Judicature to act upon such grounds as are no wayes pleadable before the Lord Jesus Christ when he shall come in the glory of his father with all his holy Angels to judge all the Kings Princes Nobles Judges and Justices of the earth My Lords and Gentlemen if these five things or Rules were but sincerely seriously resolutely and constantly followed no heart can conceive nor no tongue can expresse the hainous sins the sore troubles and the dreadful calamities and woful miseries that thereby would be prevented And thus my Lords and Gentlemen I have done with those special Rules that you are carefully diligently faithfully and constantly to observe in all your Judicial administrations but how you will be able to act suitable and answerable to these Rules without a spirit of holinesse without a principle of holinesse and without an experiment of the powerful operations of holinesse in your own souls I am not able to see If you please to read from page 433. to page 447. you will find many more weighty arguments to move you to labour after holiness and therefore how much it stands you upon that want that holinesse that this Treatise holds forth to study holinesse to love holinesse to prize holinesse to countenance holinesse to encourage holinesse to promote holinesse and to be restlesse till you have experienced the power and life and sweet of holinesse in your own hearts and lives I must leave you to Judge And O that after all this pains that I have taken upon the account of your immortal souls I may not have cause to complain as once Marcus Antonius did Alas saith he those Graces which the Deity sent down as so many pillars to stay up humane Societies viz. Faith and Modesty Justice and Verity they found such cold entertainment in the world that they are fled back to heaven I shall follow these weak endeavours with my best prayers that you may all put on holinesse as a Royal Robe and that all your Judicial administrations may savour of a spirit of holinesse and of the power and prevalency of holinesse that so you may be as high in happinesse above others as you are now in power and place exalted above others If this Treatise should fall into any of their hands who call and account themselves the only Ministers of Jesus Christ I mean such who preach rather to please then to profit to tickle the ear then to awaken the conscience that are better at fleecing of their Flocks then they are at feeding of their Flocks Ezek. 13. read it throughout Mat. 23.23 Mat. 15.1 10. that seek more mens goods then their good that set up mens Traditions above Gods own institutions that prefer humane commands before divine commands that are very zealous and warm for Mint Anise and Cummin but are very cold carelesse and negligent in the great and weighty matters of the Law viz. Judgement Mercy and Faith That can blesse God in the Church and blaspheme him in the Tavern That prefer musick in the Church Gentlemen if you please to turn to page 296 297 298 299. of this book you will find more matter that concerns you before singing of Hallelujahs in heaven That prefer a fat Benefice before an interest in an heavenly inheritance That can kneel devoutly behind a pillar and in their drunken fits rail as stoutly against a post That pretend a greaâ— deal of reverence to the name of Jesus and yet in their lives do daily crucifie the Lord Jesus That with Judas can kisse Christ and betray Christ in a breath That pretend much kindnesse to the head and yet shew nothing but unkindnesse to
that had rather be vessels of wrath then vessels of honour and that had rather be fire-brands of hell then glorious Saints in heaven Ephes 2.12 Rom. 9.22 And so I have done with those reason◠that may satisfie the Reader concerning my Dedication of this Treatise to all sorts ranks and degrees of persons Having premised these things in the general give me leave to say That if this Treatise should fall into the hands of any of the Learned Judges of this Land or into the hands of any of the Justices of this Nation I would then take the humble boldnesse to offer this to their most serious consideration viz. That if they would discharge the duties of their places so as to give up their accounts at last with joy and cheerfulness to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords it highly concerns them to study this doctrine of holinesse yea to fall in love with holinesse and highly to prize it and earnestly to presse after it and to be restlesse in their own spirits till they have experienced the powerful operations of holinesse in their own souls for till then they will never be able so to administer Justice and Judgement as becomes those that have the name of God and the name of profession upon them and that judge themselves to be in a higher Form then those Heathens were who were famous for justice and righteousnesse Cato Fabricius Scipio Cambyses c. and yet never heard of a Christ nor salvation by him and as becomes those that would not stand trembling and quaking in the great and terrible day when Christ the Lord-chief-Iustice of heaven and earth shall passe a righteous and impartial judgement upon all the Judges and Justices that ever were on earth Joel 2.11 31. Acts 17.31 2 Tim. 4.1 2. Where justice is God is and where God is there is no want of men or fortitude said Herod at the head of his Army the better to encourage his souldiers My Lords and Gentlemen you know that the wisest Prince that ever set upon a Throne hath told us that Righteousnesse exalts a Nation Prov. 14.34 It is not valour in war but righteousnesse it is not policie in Government but righteousnesse it is not wittinesse of invention but righteousnesse it is not civility in behaviour but righteousnesse it is not antiquity of forms but righteousnesse it is not largenesse of dominion but righteousnesse nor it is not greatnesse of command Iustice is conservatrix Humanae conjunctionis quae ad beatitudinem via est c. Amos 5.24 The Hebrew word Veiiggalchat is here rendred run down is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Galal that signifies to roul down f eely plentifully plainly vigorously constantly Where justice thus rouls down all the world shall never make that Nation miserable but righteousnesse that is the honour and the safety that is the renown and the security of a Nation That Nation that exalts righteousnesse that Nation shall be certainly exalted by righteousnesse It is not Achitophels policy it is not Jeroboams calves in Dan and Bethel it is not Jehues pompous zeal it is not Goliahs sword it is not rich Mines of Gold and Silver nor Magazines nor Armies nor Counsels nor Fleets nor Forts but Justice and Righteousnesse that exalts a Nation and that will make a mean people to become a great a glorious and a famous people in the world The world is a Ring and Righteousnesse is the Diamond in that Ring The world is a body and Righteousnesse and Justice is the soul of that body Ah England England so long as judgement runs down as waters in the midst of thee and righteousnesse as a mighty stream thou shalt not die but live and bear up bravely against all gain-sayers and opposers but if injustice shall grow rampant and thou shalt brandish the sword of Justice in the behalf of the friends of Baal Balaam and Bacchus and turn the wheel upon the righteous if the sword of justice shall be a sword of protection to the desperate swearer and to the cruel oppressor and to the roaring drunkard and to the cursing monster and to the Gospel despiser and to the Christ contemner c. and shall be a devouring sword to the upright and peaceable in the Land Divine vengeance will dig thy grave and divine Justice will tumble thee into it though all the Nations of the earth should labour to prevent it It is a base and ignoble spirit to pity Cataline more then to pity Rome to pity any particular sort of men more then to pity the whole It is cruelty to the good to justifie the bad It is wrong to the sheep to animate the Wolves It is danger if not death to the Lambs not to restrain or chain up the Lyons but from all these vanities the Lord deliver all your souls And O that you would for ever remember this that as the constitution of a mans body is best known by his pulse if it stir not at all then we know he is dead if it stir violently then we know him to be in a Fever if it keep an equal stroak then we know he is sound well and whole so the estate and constitution of a Kingdom or Common-weal is best known by the manner of executing justice therein for justice is the pulse of a Kingdom if justice be violent then the Kingdom is in a Fever in a very bad estate if it stir not at all then the Kingdom is dead but if it have an equal stroak if it be justly and duely administred then the Kingdom is in a good a safe and sound condition When Vespasian asked Apollonus What was the cause of Nero 's ruine he answered That Nero could tune the Harps well but in Government he did alwayes wind up the strings too high or let them down too low The Application is easie Now having premised thus much in the general give me leave to tell you that there are eight special Rules that you are carefully and faithfully to observe in the administration of Justice and Righteousnsse And how you will be able to act sutable to those Rules without a Spirit of holinesse without principles of holinesse and without an experience of the powerful influences and operations of holinesse in your own souls I cannot for the present understand Now my Lords and Gentlemen the first Rule that you are to observe in your administring of Judgement and Justice Psalm 82.1 6. Luke 20.21 Mat. 22.16 is this You must do Justice impartially you are called Gods and in this you must be like to God who is no acceptor of persons Audi alteram partem said Lotharius the second Duke of Saxony he accepts not the rich man because of his Robes neither doth he reject the poor man because of his Rags Deut. 1.17 Ye shall not respect persons in judgement but you shall hear the small as well as the great you shall not be afraid of the face of
the Scriptures in the margin together To delay justice is worse sometimes then to deny justice it is an evil thing and a dangerous thing when Magistrates Judges and Justices are as long a bringing forth their Verdicts as the Elephant her young Delayes of justice makes many more irreconcileable It makes the Clyent often go with an heavy heart an empty purse and a thred-bare coat It fetcheth heavy sighs and groans from the hearts and a Sea of tears from the eyes of the delayed and oppressed Magistrates Judges and Justices should be alwayes ready to do justice they should be alwayes at leisure to do justice I have read of one of the Kings of Persia how that he would many times alight off from his horse to do justice only to a poor body It were well if all Judges and Justices would write after this Copy to be ready to do justice and judgement at all times and upon all occasions O Sirs you may have time to live even when you have out-lived your seasons and opportunities of doing justice and judgement and what a hell will then your lives be to you To prevent this hell it is good to do justice in the morning I have read of a very poor woman who was very earnest with King Philip of Macedon to do her Justice but he deferred her Plutarch Apothegm in vita Dometrii and told her that he had no leisure to hear her she replyed then Why have you leisure to be King The poor woman thought that they were very unmeet to be Kings and Judges who could not be at leisure to do justice when the necessities and miseries of poor creatures cryed aloud for Justice Justice I have read of a famouus passage of Theodorick King of the Romans who when a widow came to him with a sad complaint The Poets feign Justice to be the daughter of Jupiter whom he hath set over the world to revenge those injuries that one man doth to another c. that she had a suit depending in the Court three years which might have been ended in a few dayes the King demands of her the Judges names she tells him he sends a special command to them to give all the speedy dispatch that was possible to the widows cause which they did and in two dayes determined it to the widows liking this being done the King calls for the Judges and they supposing that they should have both applause and reward for their expedition hastened to him full of joy but after the King had propounded several things to them about their former delayes he commanded both their heads to be struck off because they had spun out that Cause to a three years length which two dayes would have ended Here was Royal Justice indeed O that all the Magistrates Judges and Justices of the Nation would every morning lay Prov. 13.12 warm upon their hearts Hope deferred maketh the heart sick but when the desire cometh it is a tree of life The Hebrew word Memushshacah that is here rendred deferred is from Mashach that signifies to draw out at length men are short-breathed and short-spirited and hopes hours are full of eternity and when their hopes are drawn out at length this makes their hearts sick and ah what a world of such sick souls lies languishing at Hopes Hospital all the Nation over yea all the world over Hope in this Text is put for the good things men hope for now when the good things men hope for be it justice or a quick dispatch c. are deferred and delayed this makes the poor Client sick at heart A lingring hope alwayes breeds in the heart a lingring consumption The harder travel hope hath and the more strongly it labours to bring forth and yet is deferred and delayed the more deadly sick the Client grows But when the desire cometh that is when the thing desired wished and looked for be it justice be it righteousnesse be it successe c. is gained it is a Tree of life or rather as the Hebrew hath it is a Tree Chajim of lives All sorts of lives and all the comforts and contents of life are wrapt up in the enjoyment of the thing desired He that hath these things granted to him that are earnestly desired by him is once more put into a Paradise Wilful delayes in justice makes the Iudge unrighteous Luke 18.6 But Thirdly As you must do justice speedily so you must do justice sincerly Isa 61.8 you must do justice out of love to justice When the golden Angels appear to draw you to perver◠justice Acts 8.20 you must say as Peter did to Simon Magus Thy money perish with thee Deut. 16.20 That which is altogether just shalt thou follow that thou mayest live and inherit the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee Or rather as the Hebrew hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tsedek Tsedek Iustice Iustice shalt thou follow that is pure Iustice shalt thou follow The streams of justice should be alwayes pure and clear Justice Justice shalt thou follow that is all manner of Justice shalt thou follow and nothing but Justice shalt thou follow and thou shalt follow Justice sincerely exactly carefully and constantly thou shalt be not seemingly just but really just not hypocritically just but intirely just not partially just but universally just not just to some but just to all not transiently just but perpetually just not sometimes just but alwayes just and so much the Geminating of the word Justice Justice imports Prov. 21.15 It is joy to the just to do judgement This argues much sincerity and integrity in a mans spirit when he doth not only do judgment but joyes to do judgement it is a vanity to do justice slightly lightly wantonly but it is an honour to do justice from a principle of divine joy he that joyes to do judgement he will do justice sincerly he will do justice out of love to justice and indeed there are no Judges there are no Justices to those that do justice out of love to justice Mazarinus complaineth of Forraign Judges that they too much resembled the blood-stone which hath a special property to stanch blood but as Jewellers observe it puts not forth this vertue unless it be let in or covered over with silver and so applyed to the vein but certainly these men were far from doing justice sincerely from doing justice out of love to justice Some Judges and Justices there have been who for the cleanlinesse of the conveyance would like Mendicant Fryars touch no money themselves but have a boy or a Clerk with a bag to receive it for them Certainly these were as far from doing justice out of love to justice as heaven is from hell or as the Pope the Turk and the Devil are from being real Saints Doubtlesse many Magistrates Judges and Justices have found that a gift blindeth the wise Exod. 23.8 and perverteth the words of the righteous Golden dust hath put out
do Justice resolutely couragiously valiantly As soon as Joshua came into the office of Magistracy God charges him no lesse then three times in a breath as it were to be very couragious in Joshua 1.6 7 9. A Judge that is timerous will quickly be treacherous A Judge that is fearfull can never be faithful Solomons Throne was supported with Lyons to shew that Magistrates should be men of courage and mettal The Athenian Judges sate in Mars street Acts 17.22 Job 31 31 34. to shew that they had Martial hearts and that they were men of courage and mettal Job was a Judge of rare courage and magnanimity nothing could fear him nothing could daunt him nothing could terrifie him nothing could discourage him from doing Justice and Judgement The Graecians placed Justice betwixt Leo and Libra to signifie that as there must be indifferency in determining so there ought to be courage in executing Where there is courage without knowledge there the eye of Justice is blind and where there is knowledge without courage there the sword of Justice is blunt Judges and Justices should be men of courage for God and godlinesse Why should not the standard be of steel and the chief posts in the house be heart of Oak I have read of Agesilaus how that he was by all concluded fit to be made their King but that he halted Men of the best choicest accomplishments if they are not couragious and magnanimous but lame and halting they are no wayes fit for Magistrates Judges and Justices should have Martial Spirits high Spirits for Justice and Righteousnesse Every Judge every Justice should have a Lyons heart an Eagles eye and a Gyants arm Such men whose hearts are faint whose heads are dull whose ears are heavy whose eyes are dim whose hands are weak and whose feet are lame are more fit to sit in a Chimney corner then to sit Judges and Justices upon the Bench. It hath been long since said of Cato Fabritius and Aristides that it was as easie to remove the Sun out of the Firmament as to remove them from Justice and Equity they were men of such couragious and magnanimous Spirits for Justice and Righteousnesse No scarlet Robe doth so well become a Judge as holy courage and stoutnesse doth I have read of Lewis the eleventh King of France who going about to establish some unjust Edicts which when some of his chief Courtiers perceived they went altogether to him in Red-Gowns the King asked them what they would have the President La Vacqueri answered We are come with a full purpose to lose our lives every one of us rather then by our connivency any unjust Ordinance should take place The King being amazed at this Answer and at the courage constancy and resolution of those Peers gave them gracious entertainment and commanded that all the former Edicts should be forthwith cancelled in his presence Courage and resolution may prevent many a Publick mischief and misery But Sixthly As you are to do Justice resolutely couragiously so you are to do Justice and Judgement exactly Exod. 23.6 7.13 The Egyptians had a notable practise when their Judges were set they caused the Image of a divine Numen by them called truth to be hung about his neck who sate next unto the Judges to make them the more exact and heedfull in Iudgement 2 Chro. 19.5 6 7. And he set Judges in the Land throughout all the fenced Cities of Judah City by City And said to the Judges Take heed what you do for ye judge not for man but for the Lord who is with you in the Judgement Wherefore now let the fear of the Lord be upon you Take heed and do it for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God nor respect of person nor taking of gifts God is exact in all his wayes and he is exact in all his works he is exact in all his promises he is exact in all his threatnings he is exact in all his Rewards and he is exact in all his punishments he is exact in the exercise of his mercy and he is exact in the exercise of his Justice And therefore you that are called Gods should in this be like God O Sirs some by force others by flattery some by large presents to your relations and others by promising great rewards to your selves may indeavour to corrupt you and blind you and induce you to judge rashly inconsiderately irregularly c. And therefore you have the more cause to be exact in transacting all your judicial affairs O remember that the most sharp piercing eye of God is still upon you O remember that the severe eye of Jesus Christ who is the Judge of Judges is never off of you And the Angels those Princes of glory are very strict Observers of you When the Ethiopian Judges were set in their seats of Judicature certain empty chairs were placed about them into which they conjectured the holy Angels came and were spectators of all their transactions and this they thought would work such an awe such a dread such a care such a fear and such a resolution in them that they could not but manage all their Judicial proceedings with much exactnesse and heedfulnesse And as the Angels have their eyes upon you so Satan hath alwayes his eyes upon you Cave spectat Cato was a watch-word among the Romans O how much more should Cave spectat Dominus be a watch-word amongst you he hath alwayes a watchfull eye an envious eye a malitious eye a crafty eye and a revengfull eye upon you witnesse his disswading you sometimes from your duty and witnesse his distracting and disturbing of you whilest you are in your duty and witnesse his accusing of you for the neglect of your duty and witnesse his endeavours to pride you and puffe you up upon the discharge of your duty And as the eye of Satan is upon you so the eyes of good men are upon you and the eyes of bad men are upon you And if all this doth not bespeak you to be very exact and accurate in all your Judicial transactions I know nothing My Lords and Gentlemen if all this will not do then remember that the lives liberties consciences rights priviledges estates and interests of persons next to God and Christ and Grace are the most choice and precious the most desireable and delectable Jewels that men have in all the world and therefore you had need be very exact and accurate in all your Judicial transactions Yea once more remember that God will one day bring you to an exact account concerning all your Judicial proceedings That same mouth that tells you that you are Gods Psalm 82.6 Heb. 9.27 tells you also that you must die like men And after death comes Judgement You that now call others to Judgement shall shortly be called to Judgement your selves Acts 17.32 you that now sit in Judgement upon others shall ere long be Judged by him that will
Judge the world in righttousness My Lords and Gentlemen give me leave to tell you Tennes the son of Cyrnus who was worshipped as a god was so strict and exact in Judgement that he caused an Ax to be held over the witnesses heads to execute them out of hand if they were taken with falshood and from thence was the Proverb Tenedia bipennis that that Judge to whom you must be responsible is no ignorant Judge nor no covetous Judge nor no partial Judge nor no fearful Judge nor no doating Judge nor no trifling Judge though such there may be in the world but he is an omniscient Judge an omnipotent Judge an impartial Judge a holy Judge a couragious Judge a serious Judge a severe Judge an unbiassed Judge a righteous Iudge and a resolute Iudge Alas Sirs it is not your scarlet Gowns nor your Titles of honour nor your great estates nor your interest in Princes nor your noble relations nor your applause among men that will stand you in stead when you shall stand before that Iudge that is a consuming fire Heb. 12. ult Well Gentlemen remember this there is never a professing Iudge nor Iustâ—ce in the world that will be able at last to give up their accounts with joy and to stand in judgement when the Lamb shall sit upon his Throne but such as have made it their great businesse to take the spirit of the Lord for their guide and to set up the glory of the Lord as their great end and to make the Word of the Lord their principal Rule and to eye the example of the Lord as their choicest and chiefest pattern and therefore it is much to be feared that the numher of such Iudges and Iustices that will be able to stand before the Iudge of all the world will be but few But Seventhly As you must do justice and judgement exactly so you must do justice to others as you would have others do justice to you For Judges and Justices to do as they would be done by is the Royal Law the golden Rule and the Standard of equity Judges and Justices should think of others as they would have others think of them and speak of others as they would have others speak of them and do to others as they would have others do to them Mat. 7.12 Severus the Emperour had this Scripture often in his mouth and whensoever he punished any of his souldiers for offering of injuries to others he still commanded this Scripture to be proclaimed by the Cryer Whatever by the light of nature or by the light of conscience or by the light of Scripture a Judge a Justice would have another do to him the same must he do to another In all just things for so this Law of Christ is only to be understood we must do to others as we would have others do to us as we would have others carry it equally justly and righteously towards us so we must carry it equally justly and righteously towards others and as we would not have others to wrong us in our names estates rights liberties lives so we must not wrong others in their names estates rights liberties lives c. This Law of Christ is the summe of all righteousnesse it is the foundation of all Justice and Equity Self-love doth so commonly blind the sons of men that to judge righteously they must change the person they must put themselves in others room All Princes Judges Justices Parents Masters Subjects Servants Children should so act in their relations as they would have others act in the correlation All injustice will be repaid one time or another and therefore men had need be just and do to others as they would have others do to them I have read of a Citizen of Comun in the Dukedom of Farrara who being cast into prison upon suspitâ—on of murder his wife could get no promise of his deliverance unlâ—sse she would give the Captain whose prisoner he was two hundred Ducats and yield her body to his pleasure which with the consent of her husband she did but after the Captain had his desire he notwithstanding put him to death The Duke Gonzala hearing of it commanded the Captain to restore the two hundred Ducats to the widow with an addition of seven hundred Crowns then he enjoyned him to marry her presently and lastly before he could enjoy his new wife the Duke caused him to be hanged for his treachery and injustice Sometimes in this life injustice is repaid upon the heads of unjust Judges My Lords and Gentlemen before I close up this head give me leave heartily to recommend to your Justice those wrongs and injuries which more immedâ—ately strike at the honour and glory of the great God God hath put his name upon you Psalm 82.6 I said that ye are gods yet it must be granted that you are gods in a smaller letter mortal gods gods that must die like mâ—n all the sons of Ish are sons of Adam And as God hath put his name upon you so he hath made you his Vice-Royes 2 Chron. 19 6. Ye judge not for your selves but for the Lord. Rom. 13.2 Exod. 16.7 8. 1 Sam. 8.7 And therefore God takes all affronts that are done to you as done to himself as you may see by comparing the Scriptures in the margin together And God hath provided for your honour among men Exod. 20.28 Thou shalt not revile the gods Rom. 13.7 Josh 4.14 i. e. the Magistrates nor curse the Ruler of thy people I have read of Fabius Maximus who highly reverenced and honoured his own son being Consul this Heathen will one day rise up in judgement against all such that scorn to give to Magistrates that honour that by the fifth Commandment is due unto them 2 Pet. 2.9 10. 1 Sam. 10.2 Iude 8.2 1 Sam. 8.7 And God is very severe in revenging the wrongs that are done to you He interprets all the injuries that are done to you as done to himself And why then will you not revenge the wrongs and injuries that are done to the great God Give me leave Gentlemen in the behalf of the great God a little to expostulate with you Shall the least dishonourable word that is spoken against an earthly Prince be severely punished and shall all those horrid and hellish blasphemies by which the Prince of the Kings of the earth is dishonoured and reproached all the Nation over passe unobserved Rev. 1.5 Shall all affronts that are offered to Embassadors be deeply resented and justly censured as high indignities done to the Prince that employed them And shall the Embassadors of the great God I mean such as are called commissionated spirited gifted and graced for that high office by God himself be scorned defamed injured reviled and on all hands evilly intreated and yet no man say Why do you thus wickedly 2 Chron. 36.15 ult to provoke the great God to your own destruction Shall it be
looked upon as noble and necessary justice that all insurrections in the State be punished as Rebellion and shall those who are daily up in open arms against the great God and that daily bid defiance to him to his Son to his Ordinances to his people to his word and to his wayes escape without the least lash the least censure Shall those that rob their neigbours though it be but to the value of five shillings yea lesse be indited examined condemned and executed and shall others that rob God of his glory of his Sabboths and of his service c. escape without the least shaking of the rod or without the least danger of the whip Shall all prophanâ—sse loosnesse and wickednesse be winked at yea countenanced and encouraged notwithstanding his Majesties most Zealous pious and renowned Declaration against it and shall real holinesse and the power of godlinesse be on all hands scorned discountenanced opposed and reviled and yet no man say What means these things Well my Lords and Gentlemen for ever remember this All those sins that are in this Land committed which by your just power and gracious examples might have been prevented all those sins in the great day shall be charged upon your accounts and therefore it highly concerns you with all your might to brow-beat wickednesse to discountenance ungodlinesse and to improve your power to the uttermost for the suppressing of all prophanesse and for the countenancing encouraging and promoting of real holinesse that so you may give up your accounts at last with joy I have read of King Ethelbert how that by his godly example and by his countenancing and encouraging such as were godly and by his discountenancing of prophanesse and wickednesse he drew this whole Kingdom once to look after godlinesse Oh my Lords and Gentlemen if you would be but shining examples and patterns of holinesse to the Nation if you would but in good earnest put forth your utmost power for the encouraging of godlinesse and for the suppressing of prophanesse O what a holy Nation yea what a happy Nation should we have King Cyrus commanded the chief officers of his Army to keep a strict hand upon themselves for saith he that is the best way in the world to keep the whole Army in good order the application is easie But Eighthly In the exercise of justice you must look that justice and mercy that justice and clemency go hand in hand Prov. 20.28 Prov. 29.14 Psalm 101.1 Mercy and truth preserve the King and his Throne is upholden by mercy Some read the words thus It is usual in Scripture by Truth to understand Iustice Mercy and justice preserve the King and his Throne is upholden by mercy All justice will not preserve the King nor all mercy will not preserve the King there must be a mixture both of justice and mercy to preserve the King and to uphold his Throne and to shew that mercy is more requisite then justice the word Mercy is doubled in the Text. Justice without Mercy turns into rigour and so becomes hateful Mercy without Justice turns into fond pity and so becomes contemptible Look as the rod of Aaron and the pot of Manna were by Gods command laid up in the same Ark so must mercy and justice be preserved intire in the bosom of the same Magistrate King John thought to strengthen himself by gathering a great deal of money together but neglecting the exercise of mercy clemency and lenity he lost his peoples affections and so after many endless turmoyles he came to an unhappy end Iudge and Iustice Mercy and justice mildnesse and righteousnesse lenity and fidelity are a safer and a stronger guard to Princes and People then rich Mines munitions of Rocks mighty Armies powerful Navies or any warlike preparations It is very observable that Christ is called but once the Lion of the Tribe of Judah in the book of the Revelation and that is in chap. 5.5 but he is called a Lamb no lesse then nine and twenty times in that book and what is this but to shew the transcendent mercy clemency lenity mildnesse and sweetnesse that is in Jesus Christ and to shew that he is infinitely more inclined to the exercise of mercy then he is to the exercise of justice It is true Magistrates Judges and Justices should be Lions in the execution of justice and it is as true that they should be Lambs in the exercise of mercy and clemency mildnâ—sse and sweetnesse And the more ready and inclinable they are to the exercise of mercy where mercy is to be shewed the more like to the Lamb they are Seneca hath long since observed that the custom of anointing Kings was to shew that Kings should be above all other men of the greatest sweetnesse and mildnesse their anointing being a sign of that Kingly sweetnesse and mildnesse that should be in them Nero's speech hath great praise who when he was to subscribe to the death of any condemned man would say Utinam nescirem literas I wish I did not know how to write But Ninthly and lastly you must do justice proportionable to the nature of the offence your penalties and punishments must be alwayes suitable to the offence to punish any fact more severely then it deserves is alwayes injustice to the offendour for so far innocency it self suffers as any man is punished beyond the demerit of his offence I have read of the River Nilus that if it either exceed or be defective in its due overflowings of the land of Egypt it causeth famine the application is easie Cleobulus one of the seven Sages was wont to say that Mediocrity was without compare and to punish lesse then the Fact deserves may be of dangerous consequence to the publike The Roman Fasces were a bundle of rods with an Ax in the midst to signifie the equity of Magistrates in punishing some only with reds and others with the Ax the Romans had their rods for lesser faults and their Ax for capital crimes Justice is then remiss when it spares where it ought to punish and Justice is then too sâ—vere when it punisheth where it ought to spare Extream right often proves extream wrong he that will alwayes go to the utmost of what the Law allows will too too often do more then the Law requires it is rare very rare to see a man dance upon the brink of the pit and not to tumble in A rigid-severity often mars all equity is still to be preferred before extremity To inflict great penalties and heavy censures for light offences this is to kill a Fly upon a mans fore-head with a Beetle In the French History there is mention made of an old Courtier that would needs depart the Court and retire himself to a private life the King desired him before he went to leave his advice in some general Rules what was best to be done in the Government of the Kingdom Upon which motion he took a fair
merriment to a fool to do wickedly Prov. 14.9 Fools make a mock of sin they make a jear of that which they should fear more then hell it self they make that matter of sport which may prove matter of damnation to them they make a May-game a pastime of that which may make them miserable to all eternity they make a mock and flout of that on earth for which the devil will mock and flout them for ever in hell Justice will at last turn over such fools to Satan who will be sure to return mock for mock jear for jear and flout for flout they that love such kind of pastime shall have enough of it in hell Now all unholy persons are such spiritual fools as that they delight Prov. 1.22 and take pleasure in sin which is the most pernicious and dangerous thing in the world Psal 62.4 They delight in lyes Though every lye deserves a stab from God yet spiritual fools make but a sport of them Such a one was Thespis the Poet who being reproved by Solon for lying answered him That it was not material Plutarch in the life of Solon seeing it was but in sport upon which Solon beating the ground with his staff replied If we commend lying in sport we shall find it afterwards in good earnest in all our bargains and dealings It is said of Epâ—minondas a heathen that he abhorred mendacium jocosum a jesting lye this Heathen in the great day will put such lyars to the blush who delight in lyes Isa 66.3 There was no flesh so sweet as that which the Eagle robbed the Altar of Ther soul delighteth in their abomination 2 Thess 2.12 they take pleasure in unrighteousness 2 Pet. 2.13 They count it pleasure to riot in the day time sporting themselves with their own deceivings Not that there is any real delight in intemperance for if there were then Heliogabalus an exceeding intemperate person should have been more happy then Adam in Paradise * He writ a Book to provoke the Appetite Apicius was the greatest Glutton that ever was at length he hanged himself such shall hang in hell at last who delight to abuse many at once the creatures their Creator and their own souls and bodies Well Sirs Sin is the poyson of the soul the nakedness of the soul the disease of the soul the burden of the soul and if mercy do not prevent will prove the bane of the soul O then how great is their folly that delight in it and that make a sport of it Fifthly Natural fools are taken more with the outward shine lustre beauty and glory of things then they are taken with the intrinsecal vertue value and worth of them they are more taken with the shine and luster of gold jewels and precious stones then they are with the worth and value of them So unholy hearts are taken more with the form of godliness then they are with the power 2 Tim. 2.5 they are taken more with a name to live with a name of being holy then they are taken with holiness it self Rev. 3.1 2. Augustin Multi Christianum nomen ad judicium habent non ad remedium Many have the name of Christians to their condemnation Isa 58.2 3 4 5 6. Mat. 1.9 Za. 7.4 5 6 7. Matth. 23. not to their salvation They are taken more with the outward shine and pomp of duties then they are taken with the spiritualness and holiness of duties they are taken more with what of man is in duty then they are taken with that of God which is in a duty they are taken more with raised notions then they are taken with raised affections they are taken more with some witty rhetorical expressions in duty then they are taken with the holy movings and breathings of the spirit in duty Ezek. 33.30 31 32. All which speaks them out to be spiritual fools and indeed no fools to those who are taken more with the shadow of Religion then they are with the substance of Religion who are taken more with the outside of godliness then they are with the infide of godliness for what is this but to be taken more with the outside of the Cabinet then with the treasure that is within or to be taken more with the purse that holds the gold then with the gold that is in the purse and with Democritus the Philosopher to esteem a Room covered over with green branches of trees above the royal Palace They cry as the Epicure cryed Vtere temporibus praesentibus utere rebus Sixthly Natural fools are all for the present they cry out Spend and God will send they only mind and care for the things of this life As what they shall eat and what they shall drink and what they shall put on they are all for their bodies their bellies their backs they take no care they make no provision for their immortal souls A spruce Roman riding on a lean Jade was asked by the Censor his reason he answered I look to my self but my man to my horse So fools look only to their bodies let who list look to their souls Such fools are all unsanctified persons they look only after their bodies and their outward concerments they look not at the necessities miseries and wants of their souls such were those in John 6.26 27. who crost the Seas and followed after Christ for loaves but never lookt after the meat which endureth to everlasting life And such fools were those in Hos 7.14 who howled upon their beds for corn and wine let them have but provender provant for their bodies and they care not what becomes of their souls and such were they in Phil. 3.19 whose God was their gut And such were the Laodiceans in Rev. 3.14 19. who had well fed bodies but starved souls whose houses were full of goods but their hearts empty and void of Christ and grace who had thred-bare souls under all their purple Robes who were rich in temporals but very poor and beggarly in spirituals And such a one was that rich fool in Luke 12. who only laid up for his body for this life but never took care for another life for a better life he makes many years provision for his body and not a days provision for his soul he talks of living many years when he had not a day nor a night to live in this world And being thus foolish in his reckoning Christ brands him for a fool to all generations Ver. 20 21. Thou fool this night shall thy soul be required of thee then whose shall these things be which thou hast provided So is he that heapeth up treasure for himself and is not rich towards God Every man in the world is a fool that heaps up treasure to himself that adds land to land and house to house and heap to heap and baggs to baggs and hundreds to hundreds Plato seeing one over indulgent to his body asked him what he meant
because it makes against Gods holinesse but an unholy person loaths it because it provokes Gods justice A holy person detests sin because of the hell that is in sin but an unholy person detests sin because of the hell that follows sin a holy heart abhors all sin but an unholy heart is still in league with some sin Rom. 12.9 Cha. 7.15 19. Isa 28.15 18. Now because this is a point of great concernment I shall a little more open and evidence the truth of it in these three particulars First The heart of a holy man rises against secret sins against such as lye furthest off from the eye of man Psal 119.113 I hate vain thoughts but thy Law do I love What more secret then vain thoughts and yet against these the heart of a holy man rises When Joseph was tempted to be secretly wicked with his Mistris his heart rises against it How can I do this great wickedness and sin against the Lord Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart Genes 39. 2 Chron. 32.24 25 26. Heart sins lye most close and secrret And yet for these a holy man humbles himself Job would not suffer his heart in an Idolatrous way secretly to kisse his hand Job 31.26 27. The heart of a holy man rises against wickednesse in the dark against folly in a corner Rom. 7.23 24. against sin a Closet So Paul was much affected and afflicted with the operations of sin within him with the Law in his members rebelling against the Law of his mind Paul after his conversion never fell into any scandalous sin those sins that did most trouble him and distresse him were of his own house yea were in his own heart A holy man knows that secret sins are sins as well as those that are open Psalm 19.12 He knows that secret sins must be repented of as well as others he knows that God takes notice of secret sins as well as of open 2 Sam. 12.12 Thou didst it secretly he knows that secret sins do often interpose between God and his soul Psalm 90.8 Thou hast set our iniquities before thee our secret sins in the light of thy countenance Gen. 38.24 25 26 27. He knows that secret sins will quickly become publick except they are presently loathed and speedily mortified He knows that secret sins like secret diseases and secret wounds do oftentimes prove most dangerous and pernicious He knows that secret sins are the price of blood as well as open sinnings He knows that secret sins are a grief to the Spirit as well as those that are manifest He knows that sometimes God punishes secret sins with manifest Judgements as you may see in that great instance of David 2 Sam. 12.10.18 Upon all which accounts a holy heart rises in a detestation of secret sins But Secondly The heart of a holy man rises against the least sins as well as against secret sins in a strict sense I know there is no sin little because there is no little hell no little damnation no little Law nor no little God to sin against but yet some sins may comparatively be said to be little 2 Kings 2.3 Matth. 23.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Sam. 24.5 2 Sam. 24.10 if you compare them with those that are more great and grosse that are more hainous and odious Now the hatred of a holy man rises against the least Psalm 119.163 I hate and abhor lying but thy Law do I love I hate I abhor with horror I loath I detest I abominate lying as I do hell it self So much the Original word imports Davids heart smote him for the cutting off the lap of Sauls garment And his heart smote him again for numbring of the people and yet neither of these sins were hainous or scandalous Some write that there is suth a native dread and terror of the Hauk implanted in the Dove that it detests and abhors the very sight of the least feather that hath grown upon the Hauk Certainly there is such a holy dread of sin implanted in the heart of a Saint 1 Cor. 8.13 Daniel 8.1 Gal. 2 3 4. Jude 23. that he cannot but detest and and abhor the least sin yea the very appearance of sin his soul rises against the least motions or inclinations to evil though they are silverd over with the most specious shews and most glorious pretences for he knows that the least sins are contrary to a righteous Law a holy God and to his blessed Saviour and the Spirit his only Comforter First A holy man knows that little sins if not prevented will bring on greater 2 Sam. 12.26 Mat. 26.70 ult David gives way to his wandring eye and that led him to those scandalous sins for which God broke his bones hid his face and withdrew his Spirit So Peter first denyes his Master and then forswears him and then falls a cursing and damning of himself as the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports he imprecated the wrath of God to fall upon him and that he might be separated from the presence and glory of God if he knew the man and then concludes with a most incredible lie I know not the man when as there was hardly a Jew which knew not Christ by face he being very famous for the many miracles that he daily wrote before their eys Ah to what a height will sin suddenly rise Ge. 27.19 20. So Austin confesseth that his Mother Monica by sipping and supping when she filled the cup to others came at last to take a cup of Nimis sometimes Plutarch So Jacob first he tells three lyes in a Breath 1. I am Esau 2. Thy first born 3. I have done according as thou badest me and then he dissembled in calling his meat venison and then he takes the name of God in vain by intitling God to that he did The Lord thy God brought it to me Ah of what an incroaching nature is sin how insensibly and suddenly doth it get ground upon the soul I have read of a young man that was tempted to three great sins viz. to kill his Father to lye with his Mother and to be drunk judging the last to be the least he yielded to it and being drunk he killed his Father and ravished his own Mother Lesser sins usually are inlets to greater As the little Thief let in at the window opens the door and makes way for the greater and the little wedge makes way for the greater When Pompey could not take a City that he assaulted by force he pretended that he would withdraw his Army only he desired that they would entertain a few of his weak and wounded Souldiers which accordingly they did these Souldiers soon recovered their strength and opened the gates of the City by which means Pompeys Army entred and subdued the Citizens So little sins yielded to soon gather strength and open the door to greater and so a conquest is made
mens hell who sin against a double light c. But Thirdly The neglect of prayer is charged upon wicked persons as their sin as you may see by comparing of these Scriptures together Psal 14.2 4. Psal 10.4 Jer. 10.21 Hosea 7.7 Zepha 1.6 Now doubtless if it were not a duty for unregenerate persons to pray it could never stand with the holiness justice and righteousness of God to charge the omission of prayer upon them as a sin but the omission of prayer is charged upon them as a sin and therefore without all peradventure 't is their duty to pray But Fourthly Wicked and unregenerate persons are againe and â—gaine imprecated against for not calling upon the Lord Psal 79.6 Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not knowne thee and upon the kingdomes that have not called upon thy name So Jer. 10.25 Pour out thy fury upon the Heathen that know thee not and upon the families that call not upon thy name Now certainly if prayer were not a duty incumbent upon wicked men they would never be thus imprecated against for the omission of it to imprecate that vials that full vials that full vials of wrath and fury should be poured forth as water is poured forth suddenly and plentifully upon those kingdoms and families that do not call upon the name of the Lord is so dreadful a thing that it had never been mentioned in the Scripture had it not been to alarme the worst of men to the work of prayer But Fifthly If absolute promises or precious promises of special grace and mercy be made to sinners as sinners then sinners may in prayer plead out those promises and urge God upon making good his promises but absolute promises or promises of special grace and favour are made over to sinners as sinners ergo That such promises are made over to poor sinners as sinners is evident by comparing these Scriptures together Isa 57. 17 18 19. These words drop nothing but myrrhe and mercy if Ennius could pick gold out of a dunghil oh what gold what comfort may be pick't out of these golden promises In these words let us consider two things First the precious promises that are here made Secondly the persons to whom they are made In the words you have four precious promises of special grace and favour they are as so many streames of grace flowing from the covenant of grace First You have here a promise of healing ver 18. I have seen his wayes and will heale him or as you may reade the words though I have seen his wayes and courses and well observed how unworthily how untowardly and how obstinately he has carried it yet I will heale him I will heale his backsliding nature though his disease be dangerous though it be very dangerous yet to an Almightie Physician no disease is uncurable I will heale his inside by pardoning his sin and purging his conscience Psal 103.3 Jer. 3.22 Mala. 4.2 and I will heale his outside by removing of judgements and calamities from him and all this I will doe upon the account of my promise and covenant Hosea 14.4 Jer. 32.38 and 40.2 compared Secondly You have in the words a promise of leading I will lead him also or as the Hebrew hath it and I will lead him I will conduct him in safety to his own Countrey so some sense it but you may understand it doubtless of a spiritual as well as of a providential leading I will lead him by my word and I will lead him by my Spirit and I will lead him by my counsel sutable unto many precious promises of grace that are scattered up and down in the Scripture Thirdly In the words you have a promise of comfort I will restore comforts to him not comfort but comforts that is in the roome of all those discomforts sorrows calamities and miseries that he has been exercised with I will says God lay in abundance of comfort yea I will store him with all sorts of comforts both temporal spiritual and eternal sutable to that word of grace that you have in Isa 40.1 2. Fourthly In the words you have a promise of peace v. 19. I create the fruit of the lips peace peace to him that is far off and to him that is near saith the Lord the gemination of the word Shalom Shalom peace peace imports a large extent of peace it notes true peace firm peace sure peace great peace abundance of peace yea constant lasting peace under the name of peace in the Hebrew is denoted all manner of prosperity and the Geminating of the word always notes a large measure of tranquility plenty prosperity and felicity Oh sirs peace with God and peace with conscience and peace with the creatures are all the products of Gods creating power and grace 2 Eph. 16.17 18. and so must be referred to the Covenant of Grace Secondly Let us consider the persons to whom these precious promises are made and here set us observe these three things First Their sin and this you have in vers 17. For the iniquity of his covetousness I was wroth The sin that is charged upon him is a very great and grievous 't is a very vile and hainous sin 't is called not onely covetousness but the iniquity of his covetousness to shew the height and transcendency of this their wickedness for covetousness is a Mother-sin 2 Tim. 6.10 't is a breeding sin 't is a sin that has all sin in the womb of it 't is a sin not onely against the light and law of grace but also against the light and law of nature for it makes the soul terrene which should be celestial and therefore the Persians though Heathens have a law that no man ought to covet what belongs to any other man And they have another Law that they ought not to be worldly minded No sin lays men under greater woes Wo to him that joyneth house to house and wo to you Scribes Pharisees and Hypocrites Mat. 23 'T is an evil that subjects men to the basest and vilest evils 't is the root of all evil it makes a man a fool Luk. 12.20 Thou fool this night thy soul shall be taken from thee It robes a man of all true peace comfort content and quiet it brings men into snares which drowns their souls in perdition It renders men unsatisfied under all their outward enjoyments though a covetous wretch may have enough to sink him yet he can never have enough to satisfie him first he wishes for a bagg full and then a chest full and then a chamber full and then a Church full c. The plague of unsatisfiedness is none of the least of plagues that covetous men are under Certainly you shall as soon fill a triangle with a circle and a chest with grace and the body with aire as you shall be able to fill and satisfie a covetous mind with money In a word covetousness is a sin that renders a