spirituall which a Pastor hath from Christ with the temporall which he deriueth from Princes the confusion hath shed much Christian blood and we must take notice of this that we neuer be engaged in the like vniust quarrell But enough of the Historie There is a mysticall meaning which the holy Ghost aymeth at in mentioning the Staffe and that is the Analogie betweene the care that is taken for irrationall sheepe and that which must bee taken for the rationall God that trusteth Princes and Pastors with the gouernment of his people will haue them to set before their eyes a Iacob feeding Labans sheepe or a faithfull Shepheards care and thereof doth he put them in minde in this phrase But I forget my principall Note I told you that the Staffe is the Hieroglyphick of power and indeed power is here meant Virga potentiae as it is called in the tenth Psalme it is a Rod of power the titles that are giuen vnto Pastors they all sound superioritie Episcopus Oeconomus Bishop Steward Leader Architect Ghostly father This cannot bee denied vnto the Pastor of whom this Text speaketh who as you haue heard is not Seruus but Dominus is Lord of the house and therefore rules 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with soueraigntie and with power Touching the Seruants there may bee some question because to them is committed onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are onely Ministers But their Ministrie must not be mistaken for it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they doe administer indeede but it is the power of Christ that they administer so saith Christ himselfe As my father sent me so send I you A Steward is a seruant in a house but such a seruant as vnder the master commands the whole familie wee are Stewards the Keyes are committed vnto vs we are to rule not to be ruled by the people But this Power brancheth it selfe into two parts for there is baculus directionis and baculus correctionis the Pastors power is first to teach the people their dutie they must receiue his words as the words of God and Gods words are commanding words and they are binding Lawes it is not left vnto the peoples choyce whether they will or will not obey them they proceede from the staffe of direction that directs in foro Poli not Soli the consciences of Christian people As the Power is of direction so is it of correction also not ciuill T is true that the Bishop of Rome hath patcht such a power to his pastorall Staffe but we can claime none such from Christ our Censuâ—es are spirituall we binde or loose mens soules we remit or retaine their sinâ—es open or shut the Kingdome of Heauen vnto them But though the weapons of our warfare are not carnall but spirituall yet are they mighty through God to the pulling downe of strong holds 2 Cor. 10. and to reuenge all disobedience Iustly therefore is this branch of Power to be awed that is contained in the Staffe the staffe that is the embleme of the power of Correction I will obserue no more vpon the first part of the furniture the Pastors Authoritie that is noted by the Staues I come on to his Abilities which are gathered out of the properties of the same Staues whereof one is the Staffe of Beautie the other of Bands I might tyre out both my selfe and you if I would scan the seuerall coniectures of the learned commenting on these words some by them distinguishing the Sheepe eyther into the Families of Noah and Abraham or into the Nations of Iewes and Gentiles some distinguishing the Shepheards into good and bad some the furniture of the good Shepheards which they will haue some to bee the Law of Nature and the written Law some restraine it onely to the written word and finde in these words the sweetnesse of the Gospel and the seuerity of the Law The grounds and mistakes of these seuerall opinions I list not to discusse the truest Commentarie is that which wee finde in this Chapter At the tenth verse then we reade that when the Shepheard brake his staffe of beauty he disanuld with that fact his Couenant that he had made with all people And what was that but the Couenant of Grace At the fourteenth verse where he breaketh the staffe of bands he addes that by that fact hee did dissolue the brotherhood between Israel and Iuda And what is that but the band of Charitie Whereupon it fairely followes that these words doe note the properties of the Shepheard the properties of the Euangelicall Shepheard who must be well seene in the Gospell and keep Christians at one Veritie and Charitie are meant the one by the beauty the other by the bands of the Staues And indeede these are the two grounds of a blessed Church Veritate nihil pulchrius nihil fortius Vnitate there is nothing that allures more than the Gospel or that holds faster than Charitie the losse of eyther of these will much distresse a Church For it will thereupon be either deformed or distracted deformed with heresie if it want the truth and distracted with Schisme if it want charitie it will become Tohu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bohu without shape and voyde returne to its former Chaos Christ the great Shepheard was Melchisedech King of Righteousnesse and King of Salem also that is King of Peace hee not onely beautified his Church with Righteousnesse but fortified it with Charitie also And whatsoeuer Pastor vnder him doth not herein resemble him he is too like the Idoll shepheard mentioned at the end of this Chapter and hath eyther his arme dryed vp or his right eye darkened he wants a staffe of beauty or of bands and so will be the cause through defect of his Abilities that the Church be eyther despised by Schisme or with Heresie disfigured But let vsâ—ake these Abilities asunder and looke into them seuerally First into the staffe of beauty The word in the Originall signifieth Pulchritudinem Suauitatem Fairenesse and Sweetnesse whereof the later is a consequent vpon the former for the fairest persons if they degenerate not are most commonly the sweetest natures Certainely it was so in our Sauiour Christ who was the fairest of the Sonnes of men and grace was poured in his lips and so the Gospell that commeth from him beareth both the characters of his nature fairenesse and sweetnesse Touching fairenesse Cyrillus Alexandrinus on this text giueth this Note 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the doctrine of the Gospell is eminently beautifull but hee addes well 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wee must not mistake it is no corporall but a spirituall beauty for the Kings Daughter is all glorious within But the corporall may teach vs what to obserue in the spirituall Corporall beautie consists of figura and forma proportion and complexion euery member of a body must haue his iust lineaments and his proper die and then the body is beautifull Something answerable hereunto there is in spirituall beautie in the beautie
generunt or genera singulorum it cannot bee vnderstood of singula generum God neuer suffered sinne so farre to preuaile but hee euer had a Church in the world and some true children the world could not continue if it were so bad as to haue none Though the times when Dauid came to the Crowne were verie bad yet not so bad there liued Nathan and Gad and Sadoc and manie thousands too no doubt were there in the dayes of Saul as in the dayes of Ahab which liued in the feare of God and as orderly members of the State but denominatio sequitur maiorem partem the greater part was the worser part and therefore the complaint is bent against the whole A complaint which may well fit our dayes wherein though GOD hath preserued manie as liuing members of CHRIST and profitable inhabitants of this Land yet can it not bee denyed that all sorts of sinnes doe raigne in all sorts of persons Wee may renew Esayes complaint Chapt. 1. From the sole of the foote vnto the head there is nothing whole therein And Chapt. 3. The people are oppressed one of another euery man by his neighbour the children presume against the ancient the vile against the Honourable what State is there that is not dissolued Honourable and Beloued I will not wrong your wisedomes so farre as to particularize onely this I obserue that when you giue your charge you doe nothing but relate the liues of the people they yeeld instances of all those sinnes which you so profitably disswade and I would the Grand-Iurie that haue their eares open to heare your charge would haue their eyes open also to behold the peoples liues and make a conscience to present what if they winke not they cannot choose but see and if they present there remaines nothing but that you Honourable and Beloued doe your part as carefully as they performe theirs faithfully And your part is set downe in the next point of the text in these wordes of King Dauid I beare vp the Pillars thereof This is the second reason the reason why you must iudge vprightly because when things are amisse the redresse of them lieth in you you beare vp the pillars thereof The Pillars of a State are good Lawes and good men good Lawes are the Pillars that beare vp men and men beeing so borne vp by good Lawes doe beare vp the whole state of the Land The reason why this title is giuen vnto Lawes is eyther historicall or morall The historicall is the ancient custome of ingrauing Lawes in brasse and fastening of them to pillars in publique places as wee vse now the Kings Proclamations it were not hard out of diuers Authors to confirme this custome I will alledge but two and they are two feeling authorities the one to bee heeded by a Iudge which is the saying of a Poet Fixit Leges pretio atque refixit the other is also the saying of a Poet but it lookes vnto the common people Hae he meaneth Lawes miserae ad parietem sunt fixae clauis ferreis vbi malos mores affigi nimio fuerat aequius Saint Paul seemeth to allude to this custome when hee calleth the Church The pillar and ground of truth 1 Tim. 3. But to leaue the historicall reason there is a morall reason of it also Our wits and our wills doe both stay themselues vpon the Lawes while wee reade Philosophers writings de aeque bono what is meete to bee done and what is not meete our iudgements doe wauer through vnresolued discourse so soone as a Law hath defined men cease to dispute wee captiuate our iudgment to the wisedome of the State and hold their resolution not to bee excepted against As a Law fixeth our iudgement so doth it settle our will also though good bee louely yet the loue of good is but weake in vs and were there not a Law that threatens the transgressors how little wee loue good it would too soone appeare When our affections would melt with sinne they are held together and held vnto their duetie by the bridle of the law the law stayes the law holds and therefore Saint Basil doth well vnderstand by these Pillars 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those Lawes which with power and authoritie settle euerie man in his orderly course of life Lycinius the Emperour spake barbarously when as Eusebius reports hee said that Iuris cognitio was virus pestis Reipublicae and the Iewes who as Ambrose obserues said that Leges were Crimina spake but as Iewes that is as a rebellious people And the Anabaptists that hold Lawes to bee contrarie to Christian libertie doe but by their doctrine giue vs to vnderstand the qualities of their liues which is Epicuricall licentiousnesse But Christians must giue Lawes their right and repute them as they are the Pillars of the State They are immediately the Pillars of the inhabitants and the inhabitants beeing qualified by them become Pillars of the State Therefore good men are a second kinde of Pillars and indeede so they are called St. Paul giues that name to Peter Iames and Iohn Galathians 2. Nazianzene saith of Athanasius that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and of Attalus Nicephorus saith that hee was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neither is this true onely of the Worthies of the Church but of the Common weale also Ioseph is called not onely Pastor but Petra Israelis as much is to bee vnderstood of Eliakim the sonne of Helchia of whom God saith in Esay cap. 22. I will fasten him as a naile in a sure place and he shall bee for a glorious throne to his fathers house and they shall hang vpon him all the glorie of his fathers house c. the meaning is they shall all rest vpon him And indeede there is no good man vpon whom the Land doth not rest for as the world was made for them so they beare it vp and when GOD remooues them the world groweth so much the weaker yea the wicked themselues doe grow the weaker for that they doe enioye their states they are beholding to the good they thinke when they breake Lawes and persecute good men themselues fare the better and their posteritie is the greater but fooles they are and therein proue their owne foes for they ouerturne the Pillars whereupon both themselues and the whole State doe leane There is that care in vnreasonable Creatures of the preseruation of the whole that euerie part will hazzard it selfe to preuent the common ruine onely men forgetting that themselues must perish when the Common weale goeth to wracke to satisfie their own lusts continually push at and would ouerturne both kind of Pillars and Sampson-like though not with so good a minde as Sampson nor in so good a cause for themselues are more like Philistines endeauour the ruine both of others and themselues What is the remedie surely the remedie lyeth in you in you that are the Pillars of the Pillars In vos domus omnis inclinata recumbit
our choyce that we pitch vpon a good guide wherein the Scripture bids vs take heed of two Rockes the one is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the other is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we must neither our selues forge a Religion neither receiue any that is forged by others for guiding of our conscience as we must not be without Law so must we take heed what Law we vse And indeed we may vse none safely but The Law of God in such cases Lanes 4.12 that of the Apostle is true There is but one Lawgiuer no Law but his bindes vnto that for performance whereof we may securely expect that he will performe what in the Couenant for his part hee hath promised vnto vs. Many commendations wee read in prophane Writers of the the Lawes of Solon Lycurgus Zaleuchus and others but these must all be as imperfect as the Law-giuers whether we respect the Precepts or the Sanctions none comprehending exactly the Dutie of Man and therefore not being able to set Man in the way to the attaining of his Soueraigne Good This is peculiar to the Law of God But what is meant by the Law of God Surely the Law deliuered by Moses whereof the Prophets were but Interpreters and their Interpretation shewes the largenesse of the Text namely That the Gospell is included in the Law for the Decalogue cloathed with the Ceremonies what is it but Implicitum Euangelium The substance of the Gospell which is Saluation by Repentance and Faith in Christ And so must we vnderstand not onely Moses his commendations of the Law Deut. 4. but King Dauids also Psal 19. and 119 the truth whereof cannot be acknowledged if the Law and the Gospell be taken Oppositè and not Compositè if we oppose the one to the other and doe not by the one put comfort into the other Certainely in this place we must so vnderstand the Law because it is made the Way to Blisse And marke that here One Law of God is opposed vnto the three degrees of Sinne The Counsell of the wicked The way of Sinners and The Seat of the Scorners one to three to giue vs to vnderstand that what those three promise is performed in this One no true Counsell but in this Law no good Course but that whereinto wee are set by this Law and if we will be Doctors and despise the folly of others we must sit in Moses Chaire we must professe no other but the Law of God And thus much of that Whereunto we must be dedicated Let vs uow see How Wee must first receiue it in the Inward Man the word vsed by the Psalmist is Chephetz which signifies Voluntatem and Voluptatem and notes where and what entertainment wee must first giue vnto The Law Where in our Will so we finde in the tenour of the Couenant This shall be my Couenant Iere. 31.33 which I will make with the House of Israel saith the Lord I will write my Lawes in their Hearts c. God will not haue a seruile Dedication hee will not bee serued by compulsion and therefore those that serue him are called Psal 110. A willing People Neither can the seruice be reasonable wherein the Will is wanting for the Actions are not counted ours wherein the Will hath no part seeing it is by vertue of the Will that a Man is Dominus actionum suarum a free Agent neither is any Action free but that which is done willingly though we cannot partake of the Law but by our Vnderstanding yet is the principall obiect of the Law our Will for Theologia is Scientia not Theoretica but Practica wee learne not the Law for to know it but to doe it Adde hereunto that Inclinatio voluntatis is Inclinatio totius suppositi it is not without cause that God requires the Will seeing the Will hath power to sway the whole Man especially if the Will be Chephetz ioyned with Delight for so God doth require the Heart hee will haue it seasoned with Loue Deut. 6.5 Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart and Loue is the fulfilling of the Law King Dauid opens this Delight 1. Tim. 1.5 Psal 19. when he tels vs that the Law was sweeter than Honey and the Honey-combe the meaning of it is we must not be mercenarie but the pleasure we take in it must-be the cause why we entertaine it And marke the phrase His delight is in the Law Multi habent Legem in Corde sed non Cor in Lege saith Hugo de S. Victore Many treasure vp the Law in their hearts that doe not solace their hearts in the Law they only know it these also delight in it Saint Austin obserues a Distinction betweene In Lege and Sub Lege Qui est in Lege secundum Legem agit He whose heart is in the Law followes the direction of the Law Qui est sub Lege à Lege agitur he whose heart is vnder the Law Rom. 7.22 entertaines it rather of constraint then with a willing minde but wee must Delight in the Law of God in the Inward man as the Apostle speaketh For as ground is fruitfull not by receiuing but by liking of the seed Euen so man becomes not Religious by knowing but by affecting of the Law Amor est virtus Vniens by Loue doth a man become one with the Law yea himselfe is turned into a liuing Law for men are alwayes busie about that wherein they take Delight and the Law being receiued into the inwaâ—d man will ouer-spread the whole man which is implyed in the next branch He meditates on that Law To Meditate on the Law is First to ruminate on the Scripture and sound the depth of it for the Law is deliuered in few words wherein there are contained great Riches of sense which by Meditation we must worke out Christ hath giuen vs a patterne Mat. 5. Where he vnwraps the sense of seuerall Commandements of Murder of Adulterie of Diuorce In the sixth of Saint Iohn how much matter doth he draw out of the Storie of Manna And what mysteries doth Saint Paul in the Epistle to the Hebrewes find in the Ceremonies of Moses This is the first branch of Meditating the vnfolding of the Riches of that sense which God hath treasured vp in his Law This is the worke of our vnderstanding But the vnderstanding doth but prepare matter for the Affections There is a second branch therefore of Meditating which is the seasoning of our Affections with that which we know And as the vnderstanding prepares matter for the Affections so what vse of our Affections but to quicken our Actions Therfore as a man which takes into his mouth a morsell of good meate chewes it and by chewing doth discouer the sweetnesse and kindly nourishment that is in it and hauing rellisht it swallowes it downe and by meane conueiances disperseth it into euerie part of his body that euery part may be made more vigorous and Actiue thereby So
a man which takes into his thoughts the Law of God must by his Meditation chew vpon it and when hee hath found out the sweete matter that is in it his Affections must swallow it greedily and he must not cease to worke vpon it till hee hath made the power thereof appeare in his liberall hands in his godly lips and in a word euen in his whole outward man for the Law is giuen to the whole man Mat. 5. the Commandement Thou shalt not kill by the Glosse of the Pharisees was restrained to the hand as if Thou were nothing but thy Hand and to Kill were nothing but to shed bloud It is true that what a man doth by a part the whole becomes guiltie of it but then he must know that there iâ— no part but may contract his guilt a man may commit Murder with his tongue and he may commit it with his Affections this the Pharisee knew not and because he knew not he taught not and his Disciples practised not and so both of them for want of Meditation scanted the entertainement which they were to giue vnto the Law And so shall we if we tread in their steps and learne not how to Dedicate our selues to God whose Law we must Delight in Meditate vpon and Affect that so wee may occasionally set on worke the tongue and the hand and may vtter and Act with the outward man those things which wee conceiue and loue in the inward man Thus you see How we must be Dedicated But how long Day and Night saith the Psalme For first we must Meditate Day and Night Which words some take properly some improperly improperly the Day notes Prosperitie and the Night Aduersitie these significations are frequent in the Scripture and then the meaning is that be we as happie as Solomon or brought as low as Iob neither condition must make vs forget our Meditation this is a worke for all times for hereunto shall we bee beholding for our temperate vsing of Prosperitie and resolute bearing of Aduersitie But take the words properly and then because the Proposition is Affirmatiue some thinke that it holds Semper but not Ad semper that though habituall Meditation must neuer bee wanting in vs yet the Actuall neede not be exercised but as occasion is offered vnto vs but if we take Meditation together with the fore mentioned Actions which must goe with it we neede not doubt but the Proposition will hold semper and Adsemper for when are we not doing speaking or thinking and which of these can be perfect without Meditation And how then should not our life be a perpetuall Meditation and why may it not be said that we should Meditate on Gods Law Day and Night Sure I am Deut. 6. that Moses speakes thus vnto Israel These words which I command thee this Day shall bee in thy heart and thou shalt teach them diligently vnto thy Children and shalt talke of them when thou sittest in thy house and when thou walkest by the way and when thou liest downe and when thou risest vp and thou shalt binde them for a signe vpon thine hand and they shall be as Frontlets betweene thine eyes and thou shalt write them vpon the posts of thine House and on thy Gates And the Apostle 1. Cor. 10. Whether yee eate or drinke or whatsoeuer yee doe doe all to the glorie of God The enuious man will alwayes bee sowing Tares therefore we must neuer sleepe the enemie will bee alwayes giuing an assault therefore we must alwayes stand vpon our gard No man putting his hand to the Plow and looking backe is fit for the Kingdome of God Luke 9 Secondly as we must Meditate vpon the Law so we must Delight in it Day and Night This circumstance of time must not be restrained onely vnto Meditation but enlarged also vnto Delight neither must it onely belong to our Dedication but to our Abrenuntiation also For Meditation when it goeth so far as to season the Affections with that which is knowne as I expounded it presupposeth Delight in the will and the Dedication presupposeth the Abrenunciation it is impossible the later should subsist without the former therefore as long as wee are bound to obserue this last wee must continue all the rest which must needes goe before it Whereupon it followes that except this Text be vnderstood of our Sauiour Iesus Christ who onely hath performed this Vow which is vndertaken by vs it rather shewes vs what we should then what wee can doe and sets vs vp a marke whereat all our endeauours must bee ayming in this world in hope that we shall hit it in the world to come I conclulde The summe of the Christian mans Vow is Psal 37.27 We must Decline from euill and doe good from all euill must we decline whereunto we are prone by nature and we must doe all good which is recommended vnto vs in Gods Law That must rellish pleasantly vnto vs and therein must we continually exercise our selues our inward our outward man fully constantly fare we well or fare we ill PSAL. 1. VERS 2. Blessed is the man THis Psalme containes the Couenant betweene God and Man so that we are therein to obserue the Parties to the Couenant and Articles whereon they are agreed the Parties are God and Man the Articles man vowes his Duetie God promiseth a Reward of the first Partie and his Article I haue alreadie spoken It followes that I now come on to the second Partie and his Article The second Partie is God God is a partie to a Couenant with man A Mercie to be wondred at for God is a Creator man his creature therefore God may require whatsoeuer man can doe a man is bound to doe it were there no other inducement but this that hee is Gods creature for he cannot owe his being but hee must with all owe his seruice and to whom he oweth the one to him hee oweth the other also And yet see how gracious God is vnto man hee will not haue man serue him for nought This is signified in that he vouchsafeth to enter into a Couenant If a man haue a bond-seruant and make him his Farmer the Law saith of bond he makes him free and inables him as well to implead his Master as to be impleaded by him And doth not God in a maner doe vs the like fauour when hee doth contract to giue a Reward vnto our seruice whereby he becomes bound to performe and we may bee bold to challenge it It were honour enough done vnto our Nature if onely it were vouchsafed some neere attendance vnto God and it caries with it a great Reward to haue our person so imployed how much more honour then is done vnto vs when God not onely yeelds that but a much higher aduancement also for that It is a question whether a man may serue God for a Reward The nature of a Couenant doth cleare this doubt For seeing God puts on the person
of a Contracter it is plaine that wee may not neglect the Regard which wee must haue vnto the Articles of his Contract especially seeing the Contract is founded in Christ whose Merit ouer and aboue Gods word doth embolden vs to relie thereon But yet this Rule we must hold We must obey Quia bona Lex prius quam quod Nobis commoda our first respect must be vnto the Precept of the Law and then to the Sanction and we must obserue the Precept absolutely and for it selfe but the Sanction onely conditionally and because God is pleased to adde it and being conscious to our selues of our owne defect we must presume not vpon our own performances but vpon Christs and claime not for our owne Merits but for His in whom we are vouchsafed an interest But to leaue the Partie and come to his Article The Article is in effect this If a man be dutifull in performing his Vow God will be gracious in giuing a Reward Touching this Reward we are here taught what it is and what is the euidence of it It is set downe in one word Blessed And indeed Blessednesse containes the whole substance of our Reward But how shall it be knowne who is Blessed Surely here are euidences by which it may bee proued and the euidences are as many as there are degrees of Blessednesse thereof there are two degrees for men are Blessed either in this life or that which is to come How it may bee knowne whether a man is Blessed in this life wee are taught in the third and fourth Verses where we are taught the difference betweene Good and Bad men in this world Good men are compared to a Tree whereof wee haue here set downe the Kind and the Vertue the Kind it is not a Natiue but a Satiue Tree Planted by the Riuers of Waters And the vertue therof is double it is profitable it is acceptable profitable for it brings forth its fruit in due season and his Leafe neuer failes acceptable Looke whatsoeuer he doth it prospers As for the Wicked Non sic wee must remoue all this from them the Kind and the Vertue of the Plant. And what are they then Nothing else but winnowed Chaffe Chaffe which the wind driues too and fro This is the first euidence the euidence of Blessednesse in this world The second is the euidence of Blessednesse in the world to come In the world to come two speciall times are obseruable the beginning and the continuance thereof The Godly differ from the wicked in both in the beginning that is the time of the generall Iudgement for then the Righteous shall stand the wicked flie in the continuance the Righteous shall be of a Congregation whereunto the wicked shall not come Now this double difference proceedes from a double Act of Gods Prouidence an Act of his wisdome which doth distinguish these persons Hee knoweth the wayes of the righteous and an Act of his power The way of the wicked shall perish but wee must marke that the first of these Verbes that expresseth Wisdome includes Power and the second that expresseth Power includes Wisdome These be the particulars which are to be obserued concerning the Reward the Nature the Euidence of it whereof I shall now onely vnfold that word which expresseth the Nature and that word is Blessed Ashre This word in the Originall respects our steps and touching them obserues two things their praise and their Comfort their praise is to be straight and that the word signifieth primarily their comfort is to be happie and that the word signifieth secondarily Heb. 13.14 Wee haue here no abiding place but are wayfaring men we may not we cannot stand still wee shall be euer in our way onely our care must be what steps we tread and this word implies the two Characters whereby wee may discerne such steps as we should chuse they must be straight and happie first straight then happie What a straight step is we may learne of the Harbinger of Christ who doth not onely call vpon the people to prepare the way of the Lord Esay 40 3 â— and make his path straight but also shewes what is opposite to straight if there be any Hils they must be taken downe if there be any Vallies they must be filled vp if there bee any crookednesse declining to the one side or the other it must be set euen These are shadowes of better things That which maketh a man goe out of the wayes of God is either Presumption which maketh him to swell like a Hill or Desperation that maketh him to sinke like a Vallie or else he is too much besotted with Prosperitie which is leaning to the right hand or else murmureth in Aduersitie which is leaning to the left hand So many wayes to say nothing of the particulars contained vnder these seuerall wayes may wee decline from straight steps There is both a Variation and Declination of the compasse of our life A second thing that we must marke is That whereas the wayes of God lie straight and Recta linea est breuissima inter eosdem terminos that God doth not toyle vs out but setteth vs in the next way to Heauen if we fetch a compasse and trauell by the crooked line the fault is our owne that will goe aside when wee might keepe forth right as the Prodigall Childe Luke 15. that might haue stayed at home with his Father who would needs try the world and come after a long time home to that Father from whom he went The third thing that we must marke is that Rectum is index sui obliqui we must ghesse how farre we are out of the way by comparing our course to the straight way Looke how farre we are distant from that so farre we are out Here Praeter and Contra which the Church of Rome distinguisheth concurre in one that which is Praeter viam is Contra viam because we should keepe in the right way and what more vsuall in the Scripture then to charge vs not to decline either to the right hand or to the left as if so to decline were a sinne and a violation of the Law and a doing contrarie to that which the Law commands for the Law commands vs not to decline The patronage of Veniall sinne then which it borroweth from the preposition Praeter is but weake for to goe Praeter viam is to doe Contra Legem As our steps must be straight so if they be straight they will be happie for Holinesse and Happinesse concurre in God and by his Ordinance they concurre in man Gen. 1. When God made his Creatures hee beheld them and saw they were all good and because good therefore hee blessed them and euer since hath Blessing been an inseparable companion from Good In the Law God by Moses telleth the Iewes Deut. 28. that if they hearken to his voice and keepe his lawes they shall be blessed the like doth God pronounce by
the younger as Sisters the higher Persons are in degree with the more respect must wee temper our Reproofe This is the generall Rule that we must follow particular instances of some Prophets who brought speciall Messages from God must not be drawne by vs into Example God will not haue Theologie to confound Policie Add hereunto that Nathan told his Message to Dauid in priuate because Dauid committed the Sinne priuately personall and priuate Sinnes must not haue a publike Reproofe except they haue vndergone first a iudiciall Censure where publike Authoritie hath not gone before the Reproofe of Personall faults must be priuate These Rockes being heeded our Vnpartialnes will be Diuine we may freely deliuer what difference there is betweene mens liues and Gods Lawes and set the Peoples danger before their eies yea touching Sin we may tell them that Omne animi vitium tanto conspectius in se Crimen habet quanto maior qui peccat habetur answerable to the Dignitie which God vouchsafeth vs are the Sinnes improued by which we offend him Secondly 〈…〉 Touching danger wee may let them know that Potentes potenter punientur Mercie will soone pardon the meanest but mighty men shall be mightily tormented This wee may tell them and tell them that they must expect this from God From God I say and not from Vs for we haue only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we are only Referendaries of Gods Will wee acknowledge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be the peculiar of God if any corporall chastisement bee to bee laid vpon a Soueraigne a Subiect must not draw the sword God onely hath power to vse it and they into whose hands he is pleased to put it which certainely is not the Pope nor his Assigne whether hee claime it Directly or Indirectly hee doth it Contra Ius sine Exemplo he hath no good either Rule or Example for it either in Gods word or in the writings of the Primitiue Church neither is it the People who must take Law from not giue Law to their Soueraigne both in Precept and in Sanction As Nathan did vse his Ministrie Vnpartially so did hee vse it Discreetly also 〈◊〉 de 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee handled the King so artificially that he made him giue sentence against himselfe before he was aware That seemes a Beame in our Brothers eye Mat 7. which in our owne seemes scarse a Moate as Christ teacheth in the Gospell therefore our iudgement is best tried in another Mans Case for therein wee will see with the most if it be a fault and if it be a good deede we will see with the least Therefore hee that will handle a Mans Conscience with spirituall Wisedome must first worke vpon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 see what good Rules he hath to guide Conscience withall and exercise them with some abstracted Case and if he find that it passeth an vpright iudgement then come on to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His Conscience and if euer you shall then make him sensible of his owne Case Certainely he must either condemne himselfe which is a signe of Grace or else contradict himselfe which will argue him to be voide of Reason Neither is this the onely poynt of spirituall wisedome which a Pastour must haue he must also vse a good method in dispensing the parts of his Ministrie Nathan will teach him asmuch who comming to Dauid furnished with the Law and the Gospell first humbled him with the Law then raised him with the Gospell first told him Thou art the Man and then when Dauid acknowledged it Nathan added The Lord hath remoued thy sinne thou shalt not die And you may not peruert this Order you may not applie a Salue before you haue vented the Corruption of a wound you may not power Oyle into it before you haue scoured it with Wine finally You may not absolue a sinner before you haue made him penitent Hauing sufficiently vnfolded the Meanes I must now let you see that these Meanes are Needfull and Powerfull Needfull that is intimated in this word Venit Nathan came to Dauid Of himselfe Dauid sinned but when hee was left vnto himselfe there appeared in him no disposition to repent To manifest this God did let him alone by the space of a whole yeare and during that time hee seemeth to haue beene senselesse of his state Mortifera securitas Austin Sermon de Temp. 51. he seemed to bee as it were dead in that sinne It was a strange thing that such a Man should take such a Fall but more stange that in so many Moneths hee should not recouer out of it What was the Cause was it because hee did not know the difference betweene good and euill it were absurd so to thinke but it was because hee did not make vse of his knowledge in weighing his owne Actions whether they were good or euill wherefore had not Nathan come to Dauid it is to be doubted Dauid would neuer haue returned vnto God It is to be doubted the rather because if you looke to the first sinne of Man you shall finde that after he had eaten of the forbidden Fruit he hid himselfe from God no mention of his returne vntill God sought and found him out And who may hope to bee better then our Father Adam surely the continuall storie of the Church shewes that we are herein all too like vnto him looke vpon all the restitutions that are recorded and you shall finde in them all the preuenting Grace of God and that saying of God is of a perpetuall truth I am found of them that sought me not and made manifest to them that inquired not after me But what shall I neede Examples of that Truth which euery man that hath grace may reade in himselfe The Conclusion is Repentance springs not Naturally from vs it is an effect of Gods word reclayming vs of our selues we are as vnapt to Rise as we are apt to Fall Wherefore we cannot too much magnifie the goodnesse of God that vouchsafeth vnto vs the Ministrie of his Word it is a great Grace that God is not wanting vnto vs when we are wanting vnto our selues wanting not only to instruct our selues but also to make vse of our knowledge for the Scripture is vsefull not only to informe but also to remember vs. Needfull then the Ministrie is It is not onely so but Powerfull also The word of God is sharper then any two-edged sword Heb. 4. it is liuely it is mighty in operation it enters through euen to the diuiding asunder of the soule spirit ioynts and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the Heart The weapons of the Ministers warfare are mighty through God to cast downe Holds 2 Cor. 10. to cast downe Imaginations and euery high thing which is exalted against the knowledge of God and to bring into captiuitie euery thought to the obedience of Christ. And it had neede be so it hath to doe with so
proofe is the vnreformedliues of the Professors therof It caÌ„not then be denied but that though in the eye of flesh bloud when we sin wee satisfie our lusts vpon the creatures mandoth iniurie vnto man as Dauid to Vriah to Bathsheba yet the offence redounds vnto God and God is a party Against whom we Sinne whensoeuer we sinne Tibi peccaui I haue sinned against thee must be put in the Confession of euery sinner Besides this Confession that is common to all sinners here is added another Confession which is proper vnto Kings Tibi Soli peccaui against thee only haue I sinned could no man say but he that is a Soueraigne But to open these words more fully we must obserue that some vnderstand them Absolutely some Comparatiuely and of those that vnderstand them Absolutely some vnderstand them onely de Facto some de Iure some consider only what was done some what ought to be done these different senses agree all well with the Text and because the knowledge of them is vsefull I will touch at them all First at the sense which conceiueth in these words that which was vsually done Great Men especially Kings are beset with flatterers that will rather blanch sinne then set it forth in its owne colour pleade for it rather then against it they turne Princes vices into vertues and adore their imperfections as if they were heauenly perfections and so if they begin to bee bad they neuer leaue vntill they haue made them starke naught to glorie in their shame 〈◊〉 10. â—4 which they see others magnifie But God hath no respect of persons he soweth no such Pillowes vnder the elbowes of Kings neither will hee couer their ruines with such distempered morter when their subiects doe sooth them 〈◊〉 3.5 he will speake home and be a swift witnesse against them when all others hold their peace hee feareth not the faces of the mighty neither will he spare to strike the greatest Monarch Iob toucheth this more then once and the Author of the Booke of Wisedome doth euidently amplifie it neuer a Booke Historicall in the Bible that hath not some examples of it And this may be the first thing that King Dauid meaneth in these words he might haue slept and died in his sinne for ought was sayd or done vnto him by men but hee found one that rowsed him that searched his wounds to the quicke and that was onely God when the Prophet when the Priest the Councellors of State all were silent none made any Remonstrance to the King of his sinne God put forth His voice 〈…〉 yea that a mighty voyce that shiuered both the soule and body of King Dauid and made him acknowledge the difference betweene his Soueraigne in Heauen and his Subiects on Earth saying Against thee onely haue I sinned As these words are true de facto note what is vsually don so are they true de Iure also note what lawfully may be done In sinning there is a double difference betweene a Subiect a Soueraigne the one is ratione Praecepit Commandments Lawes the other is ratione Paenae mulcts and Chastisements The subiect hath two obligations vpon him the Law of God and of the King hee is bound to yeeld his Obedience to them both neither can hee dispence with his Obedience vnto either of them the King is absolutely bound only to Gods Law ouer his owne Lawes hee hath power although hee should vse them as Directions for the good of his people yet when there is iust cause he may dispence not only with himselfe but with others also in this respect do the Lawiers affirme that a Monarch is Solutus Legibus that a King in regard of his own Lawes cannot deale vniustly because in foro Soli hee onely is to iudge when it is expedient for him to dispence with his Lawes So then when a Subiect offendeth he offendeth against the Law of his Soueraigne and of God but when a King offendeth against the Lawes of a Soueraigne he cannot offend hee offendeth onely against the Lawes of God And so in that sense it is true Tibi Soli peccaui Besides the Precepts of Lawes there are Sanctions these containe the Penalties which they incurre that breake the Lawes as manifold as the Lawes are so manifold are the Sanctions And here commeth in a second difference betweene a Subiect and a Soueraigne A Subiect is liable to both Sanctions to the Sanction of his Soueraignes Lawes the Sanction of Gods Lawes if he offend he is punishable by both But a Soueraigne is subiect but vnto one Law so but vnto one Sanction that Sanction which is annext vnto the Law of God to the Sanction of his owne Law he is not subiect Nature abhors progressum in infinitum as in Philosophie so in Policy therefore subordination of Persons that ariseth by degrees must rest when it commeth to the Soueraigne all within his Territories are subiect to his chastisement but hee to the chastisement of none In Apolog. Dauid Cap. â— tutus est Imperij potestate saith Saint Ambrose it is the principall of his Roiall prerogatiues and vpon this point doe most of the Fathers insist that haue occasion to speake of these words euen from the verie dayes of the Apostles haue they made these words a Sanctuarie vnto Kings and a sacred plea for their exemption from the censure of any vnder God This Doctrine is the rather to be vrged in this Age because the two extreames that impugne the truth Papists on one side and Schismaticks on the other are both vsurpers vpon the Crowne and Scepters of Kings both will giue them Lawes both will correct the errors of their Liues and Gouerment one by the Pope the other by the People But both their vsurpations are condemned in this Text Tibi Solipeccaui Against thee only haue I sinned confuteth them both and subiects that will not passe for Rebells must be contented to take not to giue Lawes to suffer from not to inflict Punishments vpon their Soueraignes Yet though this be the duty of Subiects Princes are not lawlesse neither is this a Doctrine of Impunity for though it bee peccaui Soli Tibi yet it is Peccaui and Tibi God is their Lawginer and will call them to an account for breaking of his law Et potentes potenter Wisd 6. the greater they are the greater shall their punishment bee Lactant. Lib. â— de Iustitia c. 24 though they bee exempted from the power of man they are reserued vnto a greater power the power of God This may stop all mutinous mouthes and hold in all treacherous hands that declame against the vnbridled power of Soueraignes and thinke it long before Iustice is done vpon them But enough of the absolute sense of these words Some obserue besides this a Comparatiue sense King Dauid offended God and Men though the offence were great against both yet was the former infinitely
Diuines call them Peccata Vastantia Conscientiam they argue that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is fallen asleepe and so is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 too when wee vse neither the directiue Principles before hand nor the correctiue after hand but as wee shewed our selues gracelesse in committing sinne so shew we our selues senslesse in not iudging our selues for sinne King Dauid seemed not to be farre from such a case and therefore hee had good reason to exaggerate his contempt by calling his sinne not onely Malum but Hoc Malum not only Euill but this Euill so exasperating Euill before so sacred Eyes And indeed the lesse excuse wee haue for sinne the more we should deplore it deplore that we make that the Obiect of Gods Eyes which hee so much detesteth especially seeing hee hath vouchsafed to bee so gracious vnto vs as to make vs the delightsome Obiect of his Eyes for his Children are as the Apple of his Eye 〈◊〉 2. ◠though all the World bee before him yet his contenting Obiect is his Church the walles of Ierusalem are euer in his sight and hee beholds his Israel as the Seale on his Arme and Signet on his right Hand Certainly the delight that God desireth to take in beholding vs when wee doe well doth much aggrauate our contempt when wee are not respectiue of his priuitie to our couersation whensoeuer we offend him But I conclude Out of all that which you haue heard the Lesson that we must learne is Religiously to amplifie our sinnes from the circumstance of the person against whom they are bent Secondly wee must obserue how many wayes the Euill done on Earth reflecteth vpon Heauen Thirdly how much the presence of Heauen on Earth adds vnto sinne especially if it bee a crying sinne Fourthly we must learne that our sinnes offend the more the more neere wee are ioyned vnto God Finally none should more insist vpon these points then they that taste deeply of the Mercie of God the more they are indebted for his fauours the more should they bee afflicted with Godly Sorrow when wittingly and willingly they offend before his Eyes GOd grant that the reference that we and those with whom wee liue haue to God and the presence that God hath continually with vs both may make vs as sensible as wee ought to be of the impietie that is so naturall to all sinne making it reach as high as from Earth to Heauen and arguing the small regard that sinfull man hath of his Righteous God So may this sense worke in vs such Repentance as may finde Mercie with him who onely can forgiue sinne and with-hold that stroke of Iustice which for the wrong done to him and the contempt of him whom wee offend besides and aboue our Neighbours may iustly bee feared by vs and may wofully destroy vs. AMEN PSAL. 51. The latter part of the 4. VERS That thou mightest bee iustified when thou speakest and bee cleare when thou iudgest KIng Dauid confessing the sinne which himselfe committed openeth vnto vs the naturall Properties that are therein and the supernaturall Euent that followed thereupon Of the naturall Properties you haue heard heretofore I come now vnto the supernaturall Euent The supernaturall Euent then is the Praise of the Iustice of God The Iustice of God here touched is twofold Fidelity and Integrity Fidelity is Iustitia in verbo a persons being as good as his word Integritie is Iustitia in facto the vprightnes of his doome God hath the praise of both of Fidelity for he is iustified when he speaketh of Integritie for he is cleare when he iudgeth This is the praise of Gods Iustice and this praise in reference to King Dauids sinne I call a supernaturall Euent An Euent because it floweth not from and yet it followeth vpon the sinne but this Euent is supernaturall because it must be a Diuine Prouidence that must make these figs to grow from those thistles and so cleare light to shine out of so grosse darknesse These are the Contents whereof I shall now entreat wherefore I will now resume them that I may open them more fully and you more profitably heare them Iustice then is the Argument of these words God that is Soueraigne aboue all dealeth with all according to an euen Rule the Rule is well squared and being well squared is applied well also Fortune or Chance haue no place in his Gouerment whether hee contract with or take an accompt of the sonnes of men vpright reason and euennesse are the properties of his Actions and all things serue to commend them they are the vpshot of all his Prouidence as will appeare in the more distinct vnfolding of these words The first Branch then of Iustice here remembred is Fidelitie Fidelitie as I told you is Iustitia in verbo Gods being as good as his word we must then find out first what Word is heere meant And you shall read it 2. Sam. 7. where God sendeth by Nathan a comfortable Message a Message that containes manifold and those gracious promises for it concerneth a Crowne and the entaile thereof read it at your leasure but in your reading marke that the Message is Verbum Mysticum Mixtum It is a Mysticall Word for it consisteth of a Type and a Truth the Type was Dauid and his posterity the Truth was Christ and his Church Saint Paul hath taught vs so to vnderstand it Heb. 1. where he applieth the very words of Nathan vnto our Sauiour Christ As it is Verbum Mysticum so is it Verbum Mixtum also the Message is a temper of the Law and the Gospel yet so that the Gospell hath the vpper hand of the Law God will not haue his presume and therefore hee vseth the Law as a Curbe to hold them in but hee will lesse haue them to despaire the Gospell serueth to keepe them in heart This is the Word and God will euer be as good as his Word his Fidelitie warranteth as much Fidelitie is a compound Vertue it consisteth of Veritie and Constancie First there is Verity in it no word in the Tongue that commeth not from the Heart and the Tongue is a true looking Glasse of the Heart for God speaketh in Veritate Mentis without all simulation or dissimulation without all equiuocation or mentall reseruation whensoeuer God speaketh his speech is true And as he speaketh in Veritate Mentis so doth he in certitudine Veritatis also 2. Cor. 1.22 Numb 23.19 his Word is as stable as it is true his Promises are not Nay and Amen all are Amen that come from him God is not like Man that he should lie Rom. 11. Math. 24.35 Psal 89. nor the Son of Man that he should repent but his Promisses are without repentance Heauen and Earth shall passe but his Word shall neuer passe he will neuer lye against his owne Truth and therefore is he in the Reuelation stiled Cap. 3. the faithfull and true witnesse Fidelitie then there is in
Gods Word which is the first Branch of Iustice The second is Integritie Integritie I told you is Iustitia in facto when iust deeds are squared by iust wordes The Deed heere is Iudging and this word must lead vs to another Chapter the 12. of the 2. of Sam. Where the same Nathan commeth vnto Dauid with a second Message a Message that containeth a performance of that which God promised in the former Message hee promised that if he did sinne hee should smart and there hee maketh him smart hee promised that hee should not so smart but hee should haue good proofe of Gods greater Mercie and there he feeleth it in the Absolution from his sinne So that Gods Deeds in Iudging keepe good correspondencie with his Wordes therefore is Integritie ascribed vnto them for what is the integrity of a Iudge but the true temper of Seuerity and Mercy if God be Iudge the gracious mixture of the Law and the Gospel where both these are put in practice and put in practice as they ought there is Integrity so much is wanting of Integritie as is wanting of these if Seuerity bee administred without Mercy or if Mercy haue not the vpper hand of Seuerity there wanteth Integritie in the gouerment of the Common-weale because he is commanded of God so to temper his Iudgement And God may seeme to come short of his Integritie if hee did not mixe and mixe so his Law with his Gospell as he himselfe being otherwise free hath by promise laid a tie vpon himselfe Hee couenanted with Dauid to administer the Law vnto him and chastise his sinnes but citra condignum with the rod of a Man and not of God He couenanted with him to administer vnto him the Gospell but vltra condignum not after the manner of Men but after the manner of God Thus to administer both Law and Gospell so to dispence Mercy and Seuerity is Gods clearing himselfe in Iudgement I called it his Integritie Ioyne these now together Promissionem et Praestationem the 7. and the 12. of the 2. of Sam. whereof one containeth the promising Word the other the performing Iudgement and couple the Integrity of the Performance with the Fidelity of the Promise and you haue an excellent Picture or Representation of the Iustice wherewith God doth gouerne his Church Now this Iustice must haue its Praise As God is Iust in speaking so must hee bee Iustified as hee is cleare in Iudging so must hee be clarified that I may so say that is glorified These two Verbes doe not import that the Creature can infuse any perfection into the Creator will wee nill wee these things are in him Fidelitie is inseperable from his wordes and Integrity from his Iudgements all that can be done by vs is Cognitio Recognitio we are bound to take notice of them and not to smother our knowledge but yeeld God the glory that is due vnto them To this end doth God manifest his perfections vnto the reasonable Creature and in their owne Cases doe they feele and see in other Mens Cases the experience of them Saint Paul seemeth to read the latter part of the Text otherwise then here is exprest for hee hath Rom. 3.4 that thou mightest ouercome when thou art iudged whereas heere it is that thou mightest be cleare when thou iudgest They are not words of a contrary meaning but Saint Pauls Text which followeth the Septuagint doth adde an obseruation ouer and aboue that which you haue heard that is Though God be Iudge of all the world yet worldly men sticke not to take vpon them to iudge God yea and God is pleased to put his Iustice vpon tryall as wee read Esay 1. Micah 6. and elsewhere so carefull is hee that not onely his proceedings be iust but his Iustice euident also so euident as that whosoeuer shall contend with him in Iudgement shall bee driuen to yeeld The best haue oftentimes doubts and disputes they question Gods Integritie how the Gospell and the Law can stand together and God at the same time condemne and absolue and yet bee iust God would settle their consciences Vnbeleeuers not onely quarrell with but deny also Gods Integritie but the Mouthes of all gainsayers shall bee stopped they shall bee forced to subscribe to confesse that God is cleare in Iudging free from all drosse of contradiction that Mercy and Truth may kisse each other and the Law goe hand in hand with the Gospell as after appeares And so haue I declared vnto you the praise of Gods Iustice I come now to shew you the reference that it hath vnto K. Dauids sin which that I may the better do you must obserue that the former words Against thee against thee onely haue I sinned and done this euill in thy sight may be vnderstood either Materialiter or Formaliter as a Description of sinne or a Supplication of a sinner Some vnderstand them after the latter fashion and so King Dauid Non not at finem peccati sed precationis hee noteth not the end of his Sinning but the end of his Praying Non dicit quo fine fecerit Malum sed quo fine nunc faciat bonum hee doth not shew vs whereat he aymed when he sinned but what he desireth now heeprayeth Hee desireth that as in amplifying of his sinne hee doth by a Comparison amplifie Gods Iustice for Contraria iuxta posita magis elucescunt Vertue neuer shineth more gloriously then when vice is made a foile vnto it so his recouery may bee a Monument of Gods Mercy And we may well propose vnto our selues in our confession the setting forth of Gods glory and this may be the end of it yea comfortles were our Confession if it were not for this end God would not accept it neither should wee haue good of it the more we humble our selues to magnifie God the more wee doe our duty and the more wee shall tast of his Mercy To make good this sense some take in some of the former words I acknowledge my sinnes yea goe backe as farre as the beginning of the Psalme Haue Mercy vpon me O Lord. And indeed those two must concurre the humble Repentance of a sinner and the gracious Indulgence of a good God that God may be iustified in his sayings and cleare when he his iudged O Lord saith Gregorie if thou doe not forgiue the Penitent thou wilt haue none to whom thon mayst performe thy Couenant Ruffinus and diuers other Fathers doe amplifie this sense and restraine it to the particular Case of King Danid as if the gracious promise in the 7th of the the 2. of Sam must needs fall to the ground if the indulgence specified in the 12th of the 2. of Sam. had not released the forfeiture which God might haue taken for King Dauids sinne Though this be a religious and a true sense of the word yet hath Saint Paul taught vs another that doth better fit the Contexture Rom. 3.4 wherefore Saint Chrysostome and
onely he would haue vs vse our tongues so well as that wee may be at the day of Iudgement praised by him Yea sâ—eing praysing is a delightfull employment God would thereby cheere vp our spirits with a sweete foretaste of that life which we shall leade in heauen for praysing is the Angels worke in the Church Militant we haue both praying and praysing but in the Church Triumphant there is onely praysing there is no praying at all that Eucharisticall sacrifice shall continue when all Propitiatories doe cease for praise is the euerlasting sacrifice of the New Testament and of that the saying is true Praise shall neuer depart from the mouth of a Christian Iewes and Christians haue both agreed to repeate daily this Text in their Liturgie out of that which you haue heard you may gather that it is not without cause that they haue so done Wee say it daily I pray God wee may haue learned this day to say it well hereafter so may we that now in Gods House on earth speake his praise sing for euer Halelu taâ— praise yee the Lord with the Saints in Heauen The words as I haue opened them are conceiued in a Prayer but as they are read in the I salter they represent a Prophecie the odds is not great because a good Prayer if it bee conceiued for spirituall grace is indeede a prophecie for he that disposeth to sue doth purpose to grant What shall we say then to these things But euen pray that seeing God hath the key of our Eares as well as of our Tongues and by the temper of our eares wee may guesse what will bee the temper of our tongues and he that hath a deligh to heare his dutie will haue a tongue readie to yeeld God his due and God will neuer open his tongue that suffers the Diuell to keepe the key of his eare Let vs I say pray that by being willingly deafe we doe not become vnwilling dumbe but that Christ by his Ephphata would rid vs of the spirit both deafe and dumbe that hauing heard these words as we ought we may vse our tongues as is meete That we may so doe let vs all ioyntly present our humble petitions vnto God in the words of my Text. O Lord open thou our Lippes and our mouthes shall shew forth thy praise Blessed are they O Lord that dwell in thy House Psal 8â— they shall alwayes bee praysing thee SELAH PSAL. 51. VERSE 16. For thou desirest not Sacrifice else would I giue it thou delightest not in burnt offering KIng Dauid in thankfulnesse for Gods mercie promiseth religiously to serue him but whereas Gods seruice is either Morall or Ceremoniall he voweth a Morall and not a Ceremoniall seruice Of this choice he yeeldeth a reason and that reason is Gods good pleasure he maketh Gods pleasure to set bounds vnto his Vow and is willing to enlarge or contract his Vow according to Gods pleasure To contract it as appeares in that which he speaketh of the Ceremoniall worship for he forbeares it and to enlarge it as appeares in that which he speaketh of the Morall for that is it which he obserueth as acceptable vnto God On this Verse which now I haue read wee shall heare of his conceipt concerning the Ceremoniall worship and what hee conceiueth of the Morall worship which is answerable thereunto when I open the next Verse I shall then shew vnto you The Ceremoniall worship is exprest in two words Sacrifice and Burnt offerings which words may betaken either in a large or in a restrained sense In a large so may you reduce vnto them all Ceremoniall worship in a restrained and so they comprehend the two offerings which the Law required for a Ceremoniall reconciliation of a sinner Take them which way you will my Text sets downe Gods disposition towards them and King Dauids conformitie to that disposition of God Gods disposition is twofold First he doth not desire them secondly he doth not delight in them before they are offered he doth not desire them neither doth hee delight in them when they are offered so must you in this place difference Gods Desire and his Delight To this disposition of God King Dauid doth conforme his seruice he professeth that hee would haue tendered these Ceremoniall offerings if God had affected them and onely because God did not affect them therefore he doth not tender them both these propositions are wrapt vp in these words Else would I giue it I would giue sacrifices and burnt offerings if thou didst desire them if thou didest delight in them but thou desirest not sacrifices thou delightest not in burnt offerings therefore doe not I presume to giue them to reconcile my selfe by them These be the Heads whereunto I purpose to referre whatsoeuer I shall deliuer in farther opening of this Text Now because you may mistake in your Deuotion as the Iewes did be perswaded in the feare of God to listen attentiuely to what shall be said that you may learne of King Dauid to passe a true iudgement vpon all Ceremoniall worship and vpon all corporall seruice Let vs come then to the particulars whereof the first is those words wherein the Ceremonies are exprest and they are two Sacrifice and Burnt offerings Which words may bee taken first in a large sense they may comprehend all kind of animat Offerings that were burnt vpon the Altar for of them some were Merocausta burnt but in a part the rest was the Priests portion alone or else he did share in it with him that presented the sacrifice Other Offerings were called Holocausta they were wholly burnt neither the Sacrificer nor the Offerer had any part therein God reserued it wholly to himselfe so that if wee thus farre enlarge these words they wrap in them all kinde of corporall Sacrifices Ruffinus and others giue them so wide a signification That signification is true but happily it is not so proper to this Text a more restrained sense may better fit this present Argument Obserue then that these wordes doe containe the two Offerings which God in Moses Law prescribed for the reconciliation of a sinner hee was required to bring one expiatory the Law calleth it a sinne-offering and that is it which is here as else-where meant by the generall name of Sacrifice another Dedicatory which was called an Holocaust and is here translated a burnt offering but you must vnderstand it burnt not in part but wholly therefore it is sometimes called a whole-burnt-offering These two Offerings went together in the ceremoniall reconciliation of a sinner we find it so in Leuit at the purifying of a woman after Child-birth Chap. 12. at the cleansing of a Leper Chap. 14. finally at the expiation of the Tabernacle or Temple and therein of the whole Church of Israel Chap 16. In all these places you shall find that they goe together But to looke a little farther into these Offerings there are two remarkable things in them 1. the Mystery and
2. the Method There is a Mystery in either of them Rom. 6. In the Sacrifice That teacheth that the wages of sinne is death the innocent beast was slaine but the sinner first put his hands vpon him to note what we deserue and Christ endured for vs from the guilt of our sinnes we are not freed but by the vertue of his death The Mysterie of the Burnt offering is wee owe our selues wholly vnto God and to him must wee giue our selues but first wee must be mortified we cannot ascend in our thoughts vnto Heauen except we mortifie our carnall lusts that grouell vpon the earth To note this mortification and viuification of our selues intire mortification intire viuification which leaueth no hold vnto sinne in any part of our body or power of our soule and which withholds no part or power of either from the seruice of God and which withholds no part or power of either from the seruice of God was the Holocaust soe handled as wee read in the Law first slaine then wholly consumed by fire Besides the Mysterie there is a Method to be obserued in these words K. Dauid doth not only expresse them but digest them digest them according to the prescript of the Law when they were both offered the Sacrifice was presented before the Burnt offering The Morall thereof is very good Wee cannot haue the honour to serue God Prouerb 31.27 except wee first find fauour to be discharged of our sinnes the Sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination vnto the Lord and without holinesse it is impossible for a man to please God therefore we must offer our expiatory Sacrifice before our Dedicatory burnt offering wee must make our peace with God before we presume to come into his presence Finally we must take good heed that wee neither maine the parts of our Reconciliation nor peruert their order Maine them we doe if we offer the Sacrifice but withhold the burnt offering desire remission of our sinnes and take no care to become the seruants of God Or if wee offer the burnt offering and withhold the Sacrifice put our selues into the seruice of God but yet doe cherish a root of bitternesse in our hearts doe not vnburthen our consciences of sinne And how few are there that thus fully reconcile themselues to God and ioyne together both these Offerings Some can be contented to be rid of the vncleane Spirit and haue their house swept and garnished but they keepe it emptie and vnimployed entertaine not God neither doe they deuote themselues vnto his seruice Othersome are contented that God shall dwell in them and they will be his Temple but they will haue this Temple to bee also an House of Merchandise a Denne of thieues a very Synagogue of Satan So doe men maime their Reconciliation they are loath to be wholly reconciled vnto God As we must not maime our Reconciliation so we must not peruert the parts thereof the burnt offering must not goe before the Sacrifice neither must wee dedicate our selues to God before wee are cleansed from our sinnes that were to put new wine into old bottels Marke 2 2â— new cloth into an old garment which if we doe Christ tels vs in the Gospell what will become of it the bottels will breake and the garment will rent and grace will neuer abide in a sinfull soule hee will quickly returne like a dogge to his vomit and a Swine to wallow in the myre We must be new creatures or else neuer let vs offer to be the seruants of God And let this suffice for opening of the two branches of the ceremoniall worships I come now to consider Gods disposition towards them and that is twofold He doth not desire them he doth not delight in them Of the words Desire and Delight though one bee ioyned to Sacrifice and the other to Burnt offering yet doe they both reach either of them and doe oftentimes signifie the same thing but yet here they doe not so I difference them and I did it by warrant of the Scripture which obserues two parts of Gods disposition before these things are offered God doth not desire them that is he hath giuen no precept concerning them God speaketh it plaine in Ieremy Chap 7 2. Put your burnt offering vnto your sacrifice and eat flesh for I spake not vnto your fathers nor commanded them in the day when I brought them out of the Land of Egypt concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices Psal 40 And the Psalmist Sacrifice and offerings thou diddest not desire burnt offerings and sinne-offerings hast thou not required In the fiftieth Psalme there is a plaine deniall of them I will not reproue thee for thy sacrifices or thy burnt offerings because they haue not beene before me I will take no bullocke out of thy house nor hee goate out of thy fold These places doe iustifie the words of my text and shew plainly that God did not desire them before they were offered hee gaue no precept concerning them And as no Precept so no Promise hee did as little delight in them after they were offered as he did desire them before they were offered reade it in Ieremie Chap. 6. To what purpose commeth there vnto mee Incense from Saba and the sweet Cane from a farre country your burnt offerings are not acceptable Chap. 10. c. In Esay God doth passionately amplifie this poynt Heare the Word of the Lord yee Rulers of Sodome giue eare vnto the Law of our God yee people of Gomorrah to what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices vnto me saith the Lord I am full of the burnt offerings of Rams and the fat of fed beasts I delight not in the blood of bullocks of lambs Chap. 66. and of the goats c. and elsewhere He that killeth an Oxe is as if he slew a man he that sacrificeth a lamb is as if he cut off a dogs necke he that offereth an oblation as if he offered Swines blood he that offereth incense is as if he blest an Idoll Chap 5. Chap. 5. You may reade the like in Micah and Amos so that bee they part sacrifices be they whole sacrifices be they Expiatory or be they dedicatory God doth not require them God delighteth not in them there is no precept that requireth their performance there is no promise that doth warrant their acceptance And indeed though Desire and Delight or Precept and Promise are differenced as I haue shewed you yet haue they a dependencie the one vpon the other for therefore doth not God delight in these things when they are offered because he did not desire that they should be offered vnto him for promise of acceptance depends vpon the precept of offering whereof there is a precept thereunto there is anext a promise and a promise doth presuppose a precept in all the seruice of God proue one and conclude both and you ouerthrow both if you can iustly denie either So that
regard of those that must obserue the Law all are not equall and Christ himselfe telleth vs that there are Mandata minima Matth. 5. Wherefore the doubt had a good ground but the Scribe knowing that the Law had three maine Heads the Morall the Politique the Ceremoniall and that from euery of the heads sprang manifold branches moreouer supposing that Christ was illetterd Matth. 13.54 and not seene in these studies thought that it was the onely way by such a Question either to disgrace his knowledge if he could not suddainely lay together the varietie of Commandements and out of an aduised comparison passe a true iudgement and so they should lessen his reputation with the people Or if he did answere to the Question and clearely expresse himselfe then hee should set those that held the contrarie tenant against him and so at least wise they should doe him some mischiefe which was the vp-shot of a Tempter And to that â—nd hee doth not onely Socratically mooue this question hoping for an ironicall conclusion and to put a scorne vpon Christ but politickly also hoping to distract his Auditors and raise him vp many aduersaries But foolish man that he was he looked onely vpon Christs out-side of his inside hee knew nothing Had he knowne who Christ was he would neuer haue made such an aduenture Hee that gaue the Law vnderstood the Law to the full and hee knew the degrees of obseruance which prescribed them vnto men the euent proued it and the Tempters successe was farre other then hee exspected as hereafter you shall heare There is one note more De magno mandato quaerit saith Chrysostome qui minimum non impleuit Matth. 23. the Scribes and Pharisees did vse to bind heauie burdens and lay them upon other mens shoulders which they would not lift at with the least of their fingers ambitious of profound knowledge but carelesse of any degree of true pietie Wee haue many such that busie their wits in the most learned Inquiries of Gods Predestination of the day of Iudgement of the mysteries in the Reuelation of Chronologie Genealogie sacred Antiquities and in the meane time soaring in these contemplations aloft take no heede vnto their steps but are spectacles to the world of no small Morall infirmities Wherefore Chrysostome aduiseth well Quaerat de maiore Iustitia qui impleuit minorem let vs practise our lessons as wee learne them and not paine our wits in studying a greater vntill wee haue brought our Hearts to obey a lesser commandement otherwise we shall bee but like the Alchimists that all their life are making of Gold and goe to their graues starke beggers You haue heard both of the questionist and the question and how well the question fitteth the questionist the temptation representeth the tempter Examples are not vnfitly compared vnto looking Glasses wherin we may behold as well what to eschue as what to follow in this we haue found little to be followed much to be eschewed GOd graunt we may make the right vse of it and that we doe not in our liues shew our selues to be either Scribes or Pharisees either counterseitly holy orignorantly learned But let our inside be no worse then our out-side and let vs presume of no more then we are sure is good either in our life or learning Finally let vs in simplicitie of heart become the Disciples of Christ and let our ghostly edification be the end of our enquires So shall we be free from the iust censure that was deserued by this questionist and that for this question a question otherwise good but tainted by the ill meaning of so bad a questionist The second Sermon MATT. 22. VERSE 37. Iesus said vnto him Thou shalt Loue c. THese words containe an answere to a question the question was mooued by a Lawyer the answere thereunto is shaped by our Sauiour Christ Hauing heretofore vnfolded the Question it followeth that I now come on and vnfold the answere vnto you wherein first wee must obserue that Christ doth vouchsafe an answere vnto a tempter Iesus said vnto him to him who before is said to haue come to tempt Christ Secondly we must see what the answere is which Christ doth vouchsafe it is such as doth fully yea abundantly resolue the question and which withall doth discreetly and powerfully defeate the malice of the questionist this later point is implied but the former is expressed in the Text. At this time I will meddle onely with the Answere to the question I will shew you the particulars contained therein and handle as many as the time will permit In the Text we doe find that Christ doth fully yea abundantly resolue the doubt for he not onely affirmeth which is the great Commandement in these words Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy Heart c. but hee confirmeth it also in these words On these two Commandements depend the Law and the Prophets To resolue the Question fully doth not content he doth resolue it abundantly also hee teacheth the Pharisee more then he did aske he asked but after one Commandement Christ teacheth him two as well that which enioyneth the Loue of our Neighbour as that which enioyneth the Loue of God hee giueth an Answere with a vantage but this vantage proueth in the end a disaduantage to the Pharisee as hereafter you shall heare But more distinctly to breake vp that which Christ affirmeth to be the great Commandement We find that therein God inioyneth Loue thou shalt Loue. As he doth enioyne it so he teacheth where it must bee seated and on whom we must bestow it It must bee seated in the inwardman the Heart the Soule the Mind And it must be bestowed vpon the Lord our God and our Neighbour Neither is it enough to bestow it on them except in bestowing it we obserue an Order and a Measure An Order for we must first loue God and then our Neighbour Therefore in my Text is that called the first and this the second Commandement A measure for we must loue God more then our Neighbour God with all our Heart Soule and Mind this first saith the Text is the Great Commandement But we must loue our neighbour only as our selues therfore doth the Text tell vs that this 2 nd is not equall it is only like to the first CoÌ„mandement Let vs come to the particulars whereof the first was this Christ doth vouchsafe an Answere and that to him whom he knew to be a Tempter Though the person deserue to be reproued to bee reiected yet Christ beareth with him and doth not refuse to satisfie his demand Wonder not at it long before he dealt no worse with the Arch-tempter in the 4. of S. Mathew you shal find that he replied vnto him euen a third time And in so doing taught vs that wee must not bee ashamed to auouch Gods truth though it be to the Diuell himselfe nay we haue a more comfortable note included herein
so doth it heare and speake it performeth all its naturall actions And so doth it its Morall also more heauily in some then in other some by reason of the temper doth the body in morall actions follow the Soule but yet it followeth And this may be a good reason why God rememiâ—reth here the powers of our Soule and not the parts of our Body But there is a better and that is deliuered by S. Paul The Law is spirituall Christ layeth the ground of that God is a Spirit Ioh. 4. and hee that worshippeth him must worship him in spirit and in truth Now we are sure that there is no hypocrisie in our Charitie if the seate of it bee the powers of our Soule there may be if it bee the parts of our body witnesse the Pharisee to whom Christ not onely directs but fitteth his speech also who made some shew of Charitie to the world but his inwards were full of Hatred in the sight of God for hee was a Tempter And this doth Christ perstringe or strike at in pressing these words of the Law and shewes that God doth not esteeme the outward deede without the inward affection And the Lesson whch wee must all draw from the seate of Charity is this that our outwarid charitable conuersation must bee rooted in our like inward disposition I should now if time would giue leaue carry euery mans eye into his owne bosome there to take a view whether this vertue bee Catholique and Transcendent or no and if hee find any part vnpossest or not improued as farre as it should bee I should perswade him to see it presently amended Nay I should tell you from that which all the world seeth outwardly that few haue Charitie inwardly for if they had how could their eyes bee so full of Adulterie their eares so set open to entertaine slanders and vntruths their mouthes so ouer-flowe with blasphemie and ribaldrie their hands be so exercised with extortion and cruelty Certainely these things could not bee without if Charitie were within And if Charitie bee not a Catholique and Transcendent vertue in vs no hope that it is either Ordinate or Imperatiue these are perfections whereupon the other are raysed as on a foundation But I cannot stand to take this view and quicken your eare onely remember this that if Loue doe not Hatred will take vp this full Soule GOd that hath commanded this extent of Charitie giue vs eyes to see our want and grace whereby to supply the same that so this vertue may be excluded out of no power that hath right vnto them all and the parts of our Body may bee conformable to the powers of our Soule That so no power nor part may appeare deuoyd of Charitie whether in the eyes of God or man AMEN The fourth Sermon MATT. 22. VERSE 37. The Lord thy God THe Scripture that doth commaund Charitie doth withall teach Where it must be seated and vpon whom it must bee bestowed Where it must be seated you haue already heard you are next to heare vpon whom it must bee bestowed And here we find two kinds of persons both capable of our Charitie because they can returne Loue for Loue and it is the propertie of Loue to be mutuall Of these two persons the names are exprest the first is the Lord thy God the second is thy Neighbour But we must farther obserue What is included in these Names the Cause why they must be beloued and Who are excluded by them They are not capable of the Loue due to the Lord our God that come not vnder his name neither are they capable of the Loue due to our Neighbour that are not contained vnder his name Secondly though the Persons onely are named yet are there things also comprehended vnder the names euen such things as haue reference to the Persons and whatsoeuer things are opposite are excluded thereby Touching the first person onely shall I handle these points at this time First then of his name He is called the Lord our God euerie word hath some remarkable thing in it That which is here rendred Lord is in Moses Iehoua but the Septuagint partly because the Greeke tongue hath no Characters wherewith to expresse that word and partly because the signification of it cannot be fully exprest in any Language by any one word vse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the fittest which they could light vpon the Euangelist doth follow them and so doe the vulgar translations But when you heare this word you must not vnderstand it in a popular but in a mysticall sense I will open the mystery vnto you It noteth then two things the one is absolute in God the other is relatiue to his creatures In God it noteth the prerogatiue of his nature which standeth in two things the singularitie and the eternitie thereof Touching the singularity When Moses asked God What is thy name Exod. 3 14. God answered him I am that I am The Scripture calleth him by diuers names sometimes True sometimes Iust sometimes Holy sometimes Mighty c. Wee must no otherwise conceiue of these Names then as being his very Nature Wee call him True and what is his Nature but Truth and Holinesse is his Nature whom wee call Holy the like must bee obserued in his other Attributes they are all his Nature and and therefore inseparable from him hee must cease to be before hee can cease to bee that which hee is properly called And herein hee differeth from his Creatures whose Vertues are a distinct thing from their Nature and therefore they may bee stript of them and yet continue themselues still a man may cease to be holy iust true and yet bee neuerthelesse a man The reason is plaine hee cannot say as God doth I am that I am his Attributes and his Nature are not all one But this singularitie of Gods Nature doth appeare specially in two compositions with the Attributes whereof none are capable but be The first of which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. looke whatsoeuer perfection hee hath hee hath it of himselfe and is not beholding to any other for it hee is his owne Originall and therefore his is the perfection it selfe he that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Good of himselfe is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Goodnesse it selfe the like may you say of the rest of the Attributes The second Composition is with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all the treasures of wisedome are hid in him hee is Almighty Coloss 2 3. the fulnesse of all perfection is in him In regard of these Compositions it is Iude 15. that the Scripture vseth these Phrases God onely is wise Math. 19 17. 1 Timoth. 6 1â— there is none good but God God dwelleth in light which no man can attaine vnto And indeed no Creaâ—â—â—e hath any perfection which is not giuen it from aboue which commeth not downe from the Father of Lights and that perfection which
it hath is but as a beame in comparison of the Sunne and but as a drop vnto the Ocean You see what is the singularitie of Gods nature pointed out in the word Lord as it is vsed to note the Hebrew Iehoua Besides this Singularity it noteth also Gods Eternitie And indeed where there is such Singularitie there cannot choose but bee Eternitie the one doth necessarily inferre the other as I could shew you if the Time would permit The Cabalists find Eternitie in the Syllables whereof the Name Iehoua is made they finde a preterperfecttense in the last syllable a present tense in the middle syllable and a future tense in the first Chap. 4. vers 8. This might seeme idle subtilty but that S. Iohn in the Reuelation goeth before vs in so resoluing the name Iehoua telling vs that the Lord is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Reuel Chap 3.6 1. Timoth. 6 16. Chap. 1.17 which was which is and which is io come But to to giue you more plaine proofe of this Eternitie In Malachy God speaketh thus I am the Lord I change not Saint Paul telleth Timothy God only hath immortality Saint Iames with God that is the Father of Lights there is no variablenesse nor shadow of change You see then that there is Singularitie and Eternity in the Nature of God and both are noted by the Name Iehoua or Lord. But as these things are noted when wee looke into the Nature of God so is there another thing noted which is Gods relation to his Creatures And indeed though the name Iehoua seeme not to bee yet is the name Lord apparantly a relatiue word so that what God is in himselfe of that he is a fountaine to his Creatures all things liue moue and haue their being in him and when he sendeth forth his Spirit hee renueth the face of the Earth Yea not onely the dependencie of the Creature vpon him but also the making good of his Word vnto his Creature is implyed in this Name God himselfe teacheth it Exod. 6. where hee telleth Moses that hee had before appeared vnto the Fathers by the name of Shaddai All-sufficient but hee would now appeare in his name Iehoua as a powerfull efficient hee would performe the promise which hee had made vnto the Patriarks To conclude this point Out of that which you haue heard you may gather that the name Lord doth note an euer-liuing and ouerflowing fountain of Blessednes and Perfection The second word is God in the Originall of the Law it is Elohim it it noteth the Trinitie the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost and such a God doth the Church acknowledge and by her acknowledging God for such differeth from those that are without the Church Those without the Church though they haue not reached home yet haue they gone farre in the knowledge of Iehoua in the knowledge of the fountaine of Perfection but by strength of Reason they could neuer finde out the Trinitie some touches we read in Trismegist and the Platonists but it was traditionary Diuinity that brought them to the knowledge thereof and that too very imperfect and corrupt to say nothing that Trismegist is by the learned censured for a counterfeit But the true knowledge of one God in three Persons is a peculiar mystery of the Church the Infidels for want of faith cannot comprehend doe not acknowledge it But this Trinitie may bee considered either ad intra or ad extra as it is in God or as it doth manifest it selfe to man As it manifesteth it selfe vnto man so each Person purteth on another consideration the first of a Father to men the second of a Redeemer and the third of a Sanctifier Although it bee necessary for the truth of our Faith to acknowledge the Trinitie in the first manner yet the Comfort of our faith lieth in the second consideration thereof as will appeare in the third word of my Text whereunto I now come and that is thy the Lord thy God Wherein we must first marke that as there are three persons in God so euerie one of those persons is Ours he that is a Father is our Father he hath adopted Vs and hee that is the Sonne of God hath redeemed Vs to make Vs Gods sonnes and his owne spouse and he that is the Holy Ghost hath sanctified Vs that we may be his holy Temples Secondly we must draw the Name Lord throughout all these persons he that is our Father is the Lord and so is he the Lord that is the Sonne the Holy Ghost is Lord also that is they are all three the ouer flowing Fountaine of blessed prefection and what they are they are it to me for they are all three my God and so their good is mine They are mine by Creation I was made after the Image of God and so are they all three mine they were the sampler according to which I was framed For because God could not be like man man was made like God 1. Tim 2.16 Colos 2.9 that likenesse might be a ground of mutuall loue But much more mine in the Redemption for then God was manifest in the flesh the Godhead dwelt bodily in my nature God became mine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my nature hath possession of his person and is admitted into an association in his workes It is no small prerogatiue then that is intimated in this word thy God I vnderstand now what an honour is done to the Patriarchs when God saith I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob what honour is done to Dauids sonne when God saith I will bee his Father this appropriation of God is the greatest prerogatiue vouchsafed vnto the Church I haue opened the Name vnto you out of which you may presently gather Who are excluded from our Loue the Loue that is due to the first Person euen omnes fictitij and factitij dij as well corporall as mentall Idols all that are not capable of this title Iehoua Elohim with whom we are not or at least we should not be in couenant But because hereafter when I come to the Commandement I shall fall vpon this point I will now passe it ouer As such persons are excluded so there is included in the Name a reason of our Loue and we find therein a double reason Exemplum and Meritum Good examples are strong perswasions and men fashion themselues to nothing more willingly then to that wherof they haue a pattern in their betters Now the exactest patterne of Charitie is in the Lord God for there is Vnitie and Trinitie and Trinitie in Vnitie Austin de Triritat l 15. c. 17. alibi and what is that but the two parts of Charitie Vnion and Communion But this is too high a speculation for a vulgar eare The second reason is more popular and that is Meritum this merit is two fold dignitatis and dignationis Dignitatis the merit of Gods owne worth for causa diligendi
speaketh properly to them that are vnder the Law and so Thou an Israelite and teacheth vs which are the Israel of God In this word Christ taxeth the Pharisees glosse who straightened the extent of neighbourhood Matth. 5. as appeared by the Addition they made to the Law Thou shalt loue thy Neighbour and hate thine Enemies they confined neighbourhood to their owne sect at least to their owne Nation And wee see at this day the Iewes mention not Christians without reproch no more then Papists doe Protestants But a Christian must know that in Iesus Christ there is neither Iew nor Gentile Coloss 3.11 Grecian nor Barbarian male nor female bond nor free Saint Austin hath a conuicting reason De Doctrina Christiana c. 30. which is that otherwise there would bee some persons with whom we might commit adulterie whose goods wee might steale whose bodies we might murder without any sinne against them which is absurde The case of the Canaanite was extraordinarie Austin tract in Iohannis cap. 15. we may not match our affections with Gods precepts as if they were alike lawfull Wherefore let vs beare fruit answerable to the seed which God hath sowen in our hearts and though our nature bee prone to satanisme and hatred for this charitie is a straine aboue nature and knowne only to those of the Church yet let vs mortifie it and subdue it to the Law of God Let vs not define whom we must loue other wise then we are taught of God let vs not thinke we loue as many as we should if we exclude any from our loue for our loue must be the fulfilling of the Law therefore it is impossible for vs in regard of any man whatsoeuer to performe the Law which bindeth vs to him without Loue. NOw therefore the God of Loue season all our hearts so with Loue that Hatred being cleane rooted out we may all be of one minde of one heart and out of the sweet sense and comfort hereof we may all say and sing Ecce quam bonum Behold how good and ioyfull a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in vnitie The sixth Sermon MATT. 22. VERSE 37 38 39. Thou shalt Loue the Lord thy God with all thy Heart and with all thy Soule and with all thy Mind This is the first and great Commandement And the second is like vnto it Thou shalt Loue thy neighbour as thy selfe THe last point which I opened vpon this Text taught vs vpon whom we must bestow our Charitie we learned that we must bestow it vpon The Lord our God and our neighbour vpon these persons and vpon those things that haue reference vnto them must it bee bestowed Therefore though the Commandement seeme in nature to bee but one for it is onely Loue yet Christ breaketh it into two and these two vnequall As it must be bestowed on them so in bestowing it we must obserue an Order and a Measure both are plainely prescribed in the Text. The Order for here is a Frist and a Second commandement mencioned The Measure for here is mentioned the great commandement and a commandement that is onely like it We are willed to loue first The Lord our God secondly Our neighbour this is the Order And we are willed to loue the Lord our God with all our heart soule and mind c. and our neighbour as our selues this is the Measure Order then and Measue are to be obserued in the bestowing of our Charitie And indeed without Order and Measure no worke hath either Beautie or Perpetuitie looke vpon the frame of heauen and earth were not the parts thereof so well ordered had not each of them his limits it could neither be so goodly nor so lasting a Creature want of Order would blemish the goodlinesse and want of Measure would shorten the lastingnesse thereof Euen so is it in Charitie inuert the Order alter the Measure required therein by the Law wee doe foulely deforme it and all societie grounded thereon bee it heauenly or earthly will quickly bee disolued This time will not suffice for the opening of both wherefore I will now onely handle the Order and reserue the Measure for some other time Touching then the Order that is to be obserued in Charitie wee must know that it is twofold there is Ordo ad intra and ordo ad extra an order in the generation of it or the working of it into our soules and an order in the employment of it as we expresse it in our liues Of the first Order you heard when I opened vnto you the seate of Charitie and shewed you that it is either Primitiue or Deriuatiue it must begin at the Heart and from thence spread it selfe into the Soule the mind the strength With that Order we haue nothing to doe now my Text leadeth me to speake of the second Order the Order of employment the bestowing of it vpon others after we are seasoned with it our selues To come then to this Order to vnderstand it we must take this Rule Scire quid facere debeamus nescire ordinem faciendt perfecta scientia non est moralitie requireth that we not onely know what we ought to doe but also in what order otherwise the knowledge of our dutie is imperfect therefore imperfect because it will be indiscreete discretion being that which doth distinguish and digest the parts of De Cinit Dei lib 5 cap. 22. and points in our dutie So that take away Order vertue will presently degeâ—erate into vice especially if we admit that definition of Saint Austine short but true Vâ—rtus est ordo amoris vertue is nothing else but the well ordering of our Charitie Wherefore the Order of Gods precepts must not bee passed ouer vnregarded because therefore doth God keepe an order in commanding to intimate vnto vs what order we must keepe in our liuing Whatsoeuer is good may be beloued well or ill well if you obserue the order and if you neglect it then you loue it ill But let vs come closer to the Text. Here we find a first and a second Commandement It is doubted by some whether they are rightly so called seeing that which concerneth our Neighbour was first deliuered Leuit. 19. vers 18. and therefore deliuered on mount Sinai Leuit. 27.34 Comp. numb 10 ver 11 12 with Deâ—â—r 1 6 vide Deut. 2 1â— and that which concerneth the Lord our God was deliuered afterward Deutro 6. vers 50. and therefore deliuered in the land of Moab Deutr. 1.5 The distance of times wherein they were deliuered was thirtie eight yeeres But we must not insist vpon these words as referring to the times wherein Moses deliuered the Commandements but as expounding their sense as they are a Summe of the Decalogue and point out the principall duties prescribed therein Now because the Decalogue was engrauen in two Tables and the briefe of the first was our dutie toward God therefore is that called the first Commandement
parts which are the two Commandements of Loue. Then ioyntly we will see how these contents can be so fully inlarged as to take vp those parts the two Commandements all the Law and the Prophets and those two parts so contracted as not to exceed these contents all the Law and the Prophets not to exceed the two Commandements for the Text saith they doe all hang vpon the Commandements These be the particulars which I shall now God willing inlarge and apply briefly and in their order The first is the parts of the Bible When I speake of the Bible I meane the old Testament there was no more extant when Christ conuersed here on earth the rest was added after his Ascension Now you shall find all the Bookes of the old Testament concluded sometimes vnder one name that is either the Law or the Law of Moses or the Prophets and as Saint Peter speaketh the sure word of the Prophets Sometimes the Bookes are diuided Christ diuideth them two wayes Once into three parts the Law the Prophets the Psalmes often into two Luke 24. in the Parable of Diues and Lazarus Luke 16. They haue Moses and the Prophets and in his commendations of Saint Iohn the Baptist The Law and the Prophets prophesied vntill Iohn which is also found Luke 24. Where it is said that Christ taught the two Disciples that were going to Emmaus out of the Law and the Prophets and this diuision so familiar to Christ is vsed in this place I am not ignorant that there are many other diuisions collected by the learned out of Iewish and Christian Writers but I will not trouble you with them I haue shewed you those that are in the new Testament and of them I will open this vnto you The first branch is the Law By a Law is vnderstood that obligation vnto dutie which is laid by those that haue autoritie vpon reasonable creatures Of Lawes there are two sorts that which is called the Law of Nature and that which is called positiue Law The Law of Nature was concreated with a reasonable Soule and was to be in her the nursery of all kind of vertues or honestie of life it is that which is commonly knowne by the name of the Morall Law And the things that are prescribed therein are Praecepta quia bona they are commanded because they are good good in their owne Nature they are properly called Vertues Therefore is this Law immutable vndispensable it binds all Nations and in all Ages It is true that sinne hath much impaired our knowledge of and obedience to it yet there remayneth enough in the ruines of our Nature to make euen Infidels vnexcusable at the Day of Iudgement as Saint Paul teacheth Rom 2. The second kind of Law is called Positiue this is made vpon such things as are in their owne nature indifferent the vse whereof notwithstanding is fit to be ordered by the wisdome of the Law-giuer as is most expedient for the State Now a State doth vndergoe a double consideration of a Church and of a Common Weale therefore the Lawes are of two sorts those that concerne the Church are called Ecclesiasticall and those are called Ciuill which concerne the Common Weale These Lawes containe Bona quia praecepta being in their owne Nature indifferent they are made vnto those that are subiect to the Iurisdiction not indifferent in their vse by reason that that is limited by a Law So that although if there were no Law a thing indifferent might be done or left vndone might be done this way or that way yet the libertie is taken away when a restraint is laid vpon vs by those that haue Authoritie Notwithstanding this kind of Law whether Ecclesiasticall or Ciuill is mutable is dispensable yet so that none can change it none can dispense with it but hee that maketh it according to the rule of the Law Eius est destruere cuius est construere none can abrogate but he that doth enact except he haue some lawfull superiour What you haue heard of Law is most true of Moses Law with which we haue now to doe for that is the most exact Sampler of all Lawes I meane Lawes of publike Gouernments of States for wee haue nothing to doe now with the Lawes of Arts Sciences and of Tradesmens Corporations In Moses Law then you shall find first the Law of Nature that is in the Decalogue or the ten Commandements the exactest Morall Law that euer was penned for neuer did any so strictly as that doth search into man and commend the perfection of vertue vnto him yea command his conformitie vnto it As for Positiue Lawes Moses hath deliuered both sorts The Ecclesiasticall or those that frame the Israelites to an outward deuotion beseeming that Church in the religious worship of God commonly called the Ceremoniall Law Besides which he hath also deliuered Ciuill Lawes such as were fit to order the Common Weale of the Israelites commonly called his Politique Lawes Though we may not denie that there bee in him some Ceremoniall Lawes that haue reference to the Ciuill Policie or the second Table of the Decalogue and some Politique Lawes that haue reference to the first Table and worship of God Neither may we forget touching Positiue Lawes that they are all attendant vpon the Law of Nature the Ecclesiasticall or Ceremoniall vpon the first Table the Politique or Ciuill attend vpon the Second And let this suffice concerning the first Branch The Law The second Branch is the Prophets The originall of a Prophet amongst the Israelites you shall find in Moses to haue beene this Deut. 17. When God had deliuered the Law by his owne mouth the people were so affrighted with the Maiestie of his presence that they desired they might not heare God speake any more thereupon God promised that he would rayse vnto them a Prophet of their Brethren whom they should heare His Office was to supply the defects and defaults of the Priest For the Priests lips were to preserue knowledge and the people were to aske the Law at his mouth moreouer in the difficulties and distresses of the Church they were to consult God by the Vrim and Thummin and deliuer his Oracles But the Priests did quickly degenerate they intended principally the beneficiall part of their seruice which were Sacrifices as for the doctrinall they cared not much for that Wherefore God raysed vp Prophets and by them refresht the peoples memories concerning his Lawes and though they had some thing answerable to the Vrim and Thummin that is they did deliuer diuine Oracles yet if you marke them well those Oracles doe containe little besides the gracious promises that are made vnto them that obserue the Law and serue to encourage them to doe well or the Iudgements that are threatned to the transgressors of the Law and serue to deterre them from doing euill Although wee may not denie that the corporall blessings and curses were shadowes of spirituall and the
what these two Commandements enioyned vs is by Christ fulfilled for vs. Saint Pauls wordes sound that way Rom. 8. That which was impossible for the Law by reason of the weaknesse of our flesh God sending his Sonne in the similitude of sinfull flesh and for sin condemed sin in the flesh Math. 5.17 Rom 10.4 Gal. 3 2â— that the righteousnesse of the Law might be fulfilled in vs and Christ saith I came not to abolish the Law but to fulfill it and he is the end of the Law and the Law a Pedagogue to Christ But Hilarie hath a good Rule Sensus dictorum sumendus est ex causis dicendorum Christs words are an Answere and therefore must bee vnderstood sutably to the Question Now the Question was touching that which was enioyned vs therefore the Answere is not to bee thought to extend farther And doubtlesse the Questionist thought nothing of the Gospell for how should hee thinke vpon that whereof he had no knowledge Wherefore in contracting of those parts wee must include no more then that dutie which is enioyned vs by the Law as it is contradistinct to the Gospell and all that is contained herein Yea Saint Austin was conceited that not only God did worke the Law and the Prophets out of this ground but that the very Heathen also wrought all their allowable Moralitie and Policie out of it Neither is there any point of this kinde in Christian Religion which may not bee fetched out of Heathen Writers Not that any one of them hath all the Rules but that there is no Rule which may not bee found in some one of them I except alwayes the Rules of the Gospell Whereupon it followeth that Reason it selfe acknowledgeth the truth of all those Rules I will not be so confident as to affirme that the Heathens did euer acknowledge all that I haue opened on these two Commandements a glimpse they had of most of it the writings of Plato Seneca others doe testifie as much the fragments of the twelue Tables which are the foundation of the Ciuill Law and the bodie thereof testifie how farre Reason hath gone But I hasten to an end You haue heard a Lesson which is recommended vnto vs in Christs Answere I told you it is a briefe of the Bible the whole is no more in effect then Loue God aboue all things and thy Neighbour as thy selfe a short lesson you would thinke but it is a very hard one whether you respect the proper worke of Loue or the workes which it commands The reason is partly in our Ignorance which doth not easily learne our dutie and partly in our Concupiscence which hinders vs from doing that which we know from these two impediments no meere man euer was free De perfect Iustit ad Coelest 1. Cor 13. since the fall of Adam neither is it likely any man shall bee vntill the end of the World Wherefore Saint Austin is of opinion that our intire obedience is reserued for our state in Heauen When that which is perfect is come then shall that which is imperfect be done away Saint Paul speaketh it of Charitie which shall not be abolished in Heauen but consummated where wee shall loue God though not quantum diligibilis in se yet quantum ab homine and our Neighbour as our selfe But Saint Austin giueth a good Rule why these Commandements were giuen I am ante praecipitur quia non recte curritur si quo currendum nescitur quomodo autem sciretur si nullis praeceptis ostenderetur Therefore wee must vnderstand the Commandements aright wee are wayfaring men and these Lawes trace out the way which we must goe to Heauen Wee I meane as many as are faithfull For to vs is the Law giuen and some steps must we make herein euery day that wee may bee the forwarder to our iournies end So all our worke should proceed from it and the Loue of God should order our life especially with that we should be principally affected and coldly with other things in comparison of that 1. Cor. 7. v. 31. Vse the world as if we vsed it not If a man bee perplext in his deliberation how hee should carrie himselfe because the profound disputes of Moralitie exceed his capacitie let him hearken to the good counsell of an ancient Father Noli per multa tre nec discendi terreat te ramorum diffusio radicem tene de magnitudine arboris noli cogitare A man may rid himselfe of much trouble in resoluing his conscience what to doe if hee season his Heart well with the Loue of God and of his Neighbour I meane not that he should refuse other helpes if hee may haue them but the more hee hath of this the lesse he will need other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that makes vs obey out of feare this out of goodnesse The Papists abuse this Text for they say this is one of the directories of the Church whereby shee may supply her Traditions but it warrants no supply of the Morall Law much lesse of Articles of Faith though if it be reasonably vsed it may extend to positiue Lawes Lastly seeing all hang on these two Commandements none can crie nesciebam I knew not what to doe But I draw to an end In the Hebrew Bibles the first Characters of these two Commandements are extraordinary great whether by the appointment of Esdras when he digested the Bible or by the Authours of the Mazoreth when they set downe the various lections I will not dispute of this wee may bee sure that whosoeuer was the Authour hee meant we should take notice of these as most remarkable Commandements Not such notice as the Iewes take who write them in schedules and weare and reade them as Amulets to keepe from them all euill which superstition diuers Christians did imitate in Saint Hieromes dayes hanging about their neckes little Gospels In Matth. c â—â— But that Father saith well that caskets and closets may hold our Bibles and be neuer the better for them they are the better for Scripture who lay it vp in their hearts and this God meant the Iewes should dâ—e when he bade them bind his Lawes as frontlets about their heads Deut. 6. and bracelets about their armes hee would haue them in all their wayes thinke vpon them and be euer exercising themselues in them and not to vse the ceremonie only forgetting the substance And I pray God these Commandements may be such frontlets on our eyes as God meant and not such as the Iewes vsed Charitie is the end of the Law the fulfilling of the Law 1 Tim 1.5 Rom 13.10 Col. 3.14 as Saint Paul speakes in imitation of Christ the bond of perfection the way of life yea the superexcellent way all these commendations the Scripture giueth it But beyond all commendations goeth that which Christ giueth it in my text Vpon it hang all the Law and the Prophets Wherefore owe nothing to any but this
that you loue Rom. 13. Chrysost Col. 3. v. 14. 1. Cor. 16.14 which is a debt that semper soluitur nunquam persoluitur Aboue all things let vs seeke after Charitte and let all our things be done in Loue. Yea let vs fall in loue with Loue that so wee may grow therein vntill wee come where it shall be so consummate as that all our life shall be spent in Loue in louing God with all our heart with all our minde with all our soule with all our strength and louing our Neighbour as our selfe THE CONCLVSION OF THE FORMER ARGVMENT DELIVERED IN a Sermon on the twelfth of Saint Marke Verses 32 33 34. And the Scribe said vnto him Well Master thou hast said the truth for there is one God and there is none other but hee And to loue him with all the heart and withall the vnderstanding and with all the soule and with all the strengh and to loue his Neighbour as himselfe is more then all whole burns offerings and Sacrifices And when Iesus saw that hee answered discreetly hee said vnto him thou art not farre from the Kingdome of God And no man after that durst aske him any question OVr Sauiour Christ in the conference which hee had with the Pharisee about the great Commandement Matthew 22. had to doe with a Question and a Questionist The question was good the Questionist was a Tempter therefore he fully yea abundantly resolued the question but he put the Questionist cleane besides his purpose and marred the plâ—t of the Pharisees For they thought either to disgrace or endanger him disgrace him if he were silent or if he did answere to endanger him to those that were of a contrarie opinion But Christ handles the matter so that they sped of neither of these ends for he answeres that they might not disgrace him for ignorance but answers so that he cleane defeats their malice This being but insinuated in Saint Matthew is fully opened by Saint Marke therefore at length to put an end to the Doctrine of the great Commandement whereupon I haue dwelt long I haue chosen these words as the fittest close of that Argument I purpose God willing briefly and plainly to vnfold them vnto you Therein then wee are to obserue Christs discretion in answering and the confusion of his aduersaries by his answere The first point is gathered out of the whole bodie of Christs speech the second out of the euent thereof More distinctly The discretion appeares in that Christ answeres not only secundum veritatem truly but also ad hominem hee fitteth his answere to the Questionist Answeres out of his owne Principles so that he cannot denie it and discouers his sinne that he may be stung with it Touching the confusion of the aduersaries that is double as they were of two sorts For one moued the question the rest plotted it both are confounded but not both alike The confusion of the Questionist is comfortable two wayes comfortable First in regard of his ingenuitie for hee doth acknowledge openly what Christ answeres yea and iustifieth it soundly though with the disgrace of his companions Secondly in regard of the clemencie with which our Sauiour entertaines it First he tooke notice of it he saw that hee answered discreetly Secondly hee encouraged it for hee told the Questionist that hee was not farre from the Kingdome of God Thus was the Questionist confounded His Complices also were confounded but their confusion was damnable for they had no more to say they asked him no more questions not because they were euer a whit the better for our Sauiours answere but because they durst not Their malice was ouer-awed they durst not play the Serpents any longer and set vpon Christ with craft and temptation but from this day forward they turned Lions and put him to a cruell death This is the summe of this Scripture the particulars whereof I will runne ouer againe I pray God it may proue for our instruction and edification First then of Christs Discretion it is gathered out of the bodie of his answere which containes not only a truth but truth fitted to the Questionist fitted two wayes First because it workes vpon his owne Principles for Christ keepeth himselfe to the words of the Law and maketh Moses giue the Scribe an answere Now the Scribe was a Doctor of the Law and Moses authoritie was sacred with him Adde hereunto Christs answere was the Scribes owne Tenent as appeares Luke the tenth Where Christ mouing the question another Scribe answereth the very same words of the Law So that he could not denie Christs answere except hee would contradict himselfe The like discretion in working vpon the Aduersaries Principles doth Christ vse in his dispute with the Sadducees about the Resurrection They are said to haue receiued only the siue Bookes of Moses and out of those Bookes doth Christ make good that Article of Faith Saint Paul imitates Christ arguing against both Iew and Gentile Against the Iewes in the Epistle to the Hebrewes where you may perceiue that he taketh most of his grounds out of the Law Against the Gentiles in the Acts Chap. 14 17. where he seeketh no farther then the Creation and the Prouidence to conuict them of Idolatrie The Fathers in the Primitiue Church tooke the verie same course as appeares by Iustin Martyrs Apologies to the Roman Emperours and his Dialogue with Trypho the Iew. The like might be shewed out of Origen Irenie Tertullian Eusebius and others whether they deale with Infidels or Heretickes they presse them still with their owne principles And so must wee for so shall we conclude most euidently against them and if any way this is most likely to preuaile with them A second branch of Christs Discretion is this that his Answere stings the conscience of the Questionist it layeth his sinne open before his eyes For he was a Tempter and to tempt is a worke of Satan which hath his name from hatred So that Christs answere doth vnmaske the Questionist and shew that although the title of a Pharisee and a Scribe the one for Holinesse the other for Knowledge seeme to make neere approches vnto God yet in that he is a Tempter he will be found farre from him if he be measured by the great Commandement the tenour whereof is nothing but Loue. And such a manner of teaching which closely conueys a good admonition to the heart when it seemes onely to informe the head is verie discreet and hath many worthy precedents But enough of Christ Discretion let vs come now to the Confusion of his aduersaries and first to the comfortable confusion of the Scribe which moued the question wherein wee are first to see his ingenuitie double ingenuitie For first he acknowledgeth that Christ had answered right Well Master thou hast said the truth He acknowledgeth it I say which is not onely to know but to confesse openly what a man doth know Yea he confesseth it before his fellowes at
his libertie out of the Loue hee bare to his Master and his Wife and Children Christ in his owne person maketh the allusion and we may accommodate it to our owne persons In a word a man doth heare Theologically when the Law which is perfect conuerteth his Soule the testimonie of the Lord that is sure Psal 19. maketh him wise of simple the statutes of the Lord that are right reioyce his heart and the commandement of the Lord that is pure doth illighten his eyes so that this hearing-eare is of God Deut 29. as also the Voice is and therefore Moses tels the Israelites that God hath not giuen them eares to heare and Christ in the Gospell saith qui habet aures ad audiendum audiat for vobis datum est it is not to euery body giuen to heare but of them to whom it is giuen Christ hath pronounced Blesse are the eares that heare that which you heare Hauing heard what the Voice is and what it is to Heare we must now ioyne them together and indeed speaking is for hearing in ciuill societie neither would God euer haue giuen men tongues if hee had not giuen them eares And if for this life hee so prouideth how much more doth he prouide so for the life to come Surely S. Paul saith that he receiued grace and apostleship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom 1 5. 1. Thes 2 13. that men might heare him with faith and he calleth the word of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word of hearing that is a word which must be heard Esay goeth a step farther and calleth the word of God Cap 53 1. Rom 10 16. Schemugnah Saint Paul rendreth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hearing who hath belieued our hearing So it is in the originall the meaning is who hath belieued the word that we Preach to the end that men might heare it The word of God is still to sound in mens eares and men are still to heare the sound thereof How iniurious then is the Romane discipline Luke 11. Matth. 23. which like the Iewish Lawyers takes away from people the Key of knowledge and shut vp the kingdome of heauen against men Which heretofore made it a mortall sinne to read Gods word And now clogs the libertie it grants with such cautions that very few especially of those that are with in the reach of the Inquisition dare bee acquainted with it yea and those clogs content not but now it is thought fitter vtterly to denie libertie As such teachers are iniurious so are there some schollars impious that may but will not heare whether out of contempt or neglect they are impious murtherers of their owne Soules for this Voice onely is the Voice of life and it quickneth by the eare although wee must not so limit the conueiance thereof by the corporall eare that wee exclude the eye for our eye also since Gods word is written by reading may conuey Gods Voice vnto the eare of our Soule and men by this second meanes are not a little edified in Gods truth the Fathers especially Chrysostome doth commend reading earnestly to the people yea the Law hath commanded it long since when it willed the Iewes to write the Law vpon their doore posts certainely the Iewes euen at this day inure their children to a daily reading of the Law so soone as they come to yeeres of discretion and it were to be wisht that Christians did imitate them therein But marke that as the Israelites must heare Gods Voice so they must heare it absolutely for God doth not yet acquaint them with the contents of his Voice he speaketh indifinitely hee requires obedience not to this or that Commandement not to this or that Article of faith but to whatsoeuer he shall purpose And well may God require such obedience for he is first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Truth of himselfe yea Truth it selfe so that a man need not feare that at any time or in any thing God can bee deceiued or will deceiue vs neither can agree with the Omniscience and Holinesse of his nature Secondly God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Almightie and the soueraigne commander of man so that his word is not onely Truth but a Law where the word of this King goeth there goeth power it admitteth no disputing no resisting As he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Truth so we may safely captiuate our wits vnto his wisedome as he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so we must dutifully submit our wils vnto his commands vpon these two foundations are built our absolute obedience vnto Gods indefinite Voice The word my voice is a word of limitation Ioh. 10. Christs sheepe heare his voice the voice of a stranger they will not heare Gods voice must bee reputed obiectum adaequatum of his people hearing wee must neither stretch nor shrinke it neither adde thereto nor take there-from These two Attributes of Truth and Power are so proper vnto God that they are not communicable to any creature Omnis homo mendax Psal 116. euerie man may deceiue or be deceiued and Omne sub regno graniore regnum est the greatest Soueraignes vnto men are subiect vnto God therefore mens words must be tried before they must be belieued wee must not credit all their words and we must yeeld obedience vnto men no farther then may stand with our obedience to God This must be obserued because the glorie that is due onely to God is too often communicated to men so Disciples take their masters instructions as Diuine oracles and follow them in errour out of a preconceipt that they are not men likely to erre But Saint Pauls rule is Omnia probate 1. Thes 5 1. Iob. 4. quod bonum est tenete proue all things but hold that which is best and Saint Iohn trie the spirits whether they be of God or no for many false Prophets are gone out into the world Amicus Plato magis amica veritas we must neuer dote so vpon any man as to forget that he is a man that is a creature subiect vnto errour If this caution had beene obserued and the Disciples had in all ages examined their masters Doctrine by his word that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither should the Church heretofore haue beene neither would it now be pestered with those many Sects that dictract the same As Disciples haue their caution so haue Subiects also they must dutifully obey their superiours but alwayes with a sauing sauing the Allegiance which they owe vnto the Superiour of Superiours that is vnto God so long as there is no contradiction betweene the commandements of God and superiour men subiects must obey though the obedience be vnsauorie and the command rigid but so soone as there appeares a contradiction endure they must patiently the Sanction of the Law but perform the Precept they must not Were this caution obserued by Subiects did they consider the subordination of all earthly Powers to the power of
God many enormous sinnes had neuer beene committed neither would the people so familiarly shift their Religion at the becke of their superiour But aboue all vsurpations of Gods glorie in this kind take notice of the Votiue blind obedience of the Religious Romanists especially of the Iesuites they make it a part of their solemne profession and put it in practise impiously and mischieuously as the world hath palpaple and woful proofe True it is that they pretend good limitations set to their Vow as that the superiour must not be obeyed against Gods Law and the law of Nature but while they make the superiour the interpreter of both these Lawes and that they must rest in their superiours Voice as in the Voice of Christ what they abhorre in words that they commit in deeds they commit many things both against the Law of God and nature And in generall all Papists that hold the Popes infallabilitie taking from him the resolution of our faith and manners how doe they serue God against Gods will and massacre Gods seruants out of an erroneous zeale for Gods glorie Let the conclusion then of this point be that no man may dispute or resist any voice of God but withall he doth challenge Gods Truth and his Power and whosoeuer requires absolute credit and obedience to all his words he vsurpes Gods Attributes which are incommunicable that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vnerring Truth and Vncontrowable Power And so haue you the first of those things which God doth require which is Obedience The second followeth which is Fidelitie Israel must keepe the Couenant of God a Couenant is a solemne contract made betweene diuers persons and Gods Couenant is the contract that is made betweene him and his Church in those termes I will bee your God and you shall be my people But of Couenants there are two sorts Foedus aequum and Faedus iniquum as the Ciuilians speake Foedus aequum is that which is made betweene persons that are of equall ranke whereof one is not superiour to the other Foedus iniquum is that which is made betweene persons that are impari iure of vnequall ranke whereof the one is superiour to the other When we speake of Gods Couenant made with man wee must not conceiue that that the persons are equall they are very vnequall there is no proportion betweene them neither can there be betweene an infinite and a finite person this must be obserued in the very first Couenant that euer God made the Couenant of the Creation for then the Persons differed as the Creator and Creature there was oddes betweene them Secondly as there may bee oddes betweene the persons that enter into a Couenant so there may haue beene before they enter into the Couenant no enmitie or no great enmitie betweene them Nations that neuer were at warre may enter into Couenant one to strengthen himselfe by the other or one to haue the freer commerce with the other but oftentimes it fals out that Leagues put an end vnto quarrels and Couenants are the securitie of a reconciliation and open the intercourse of mutuall good offices which war shut vp Though the Couenant of the Creation had no precedent enmitie yet that of the Redemption had and therefore it is called not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Couenant but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Reconciliation when we were enemies Christ died for vs and by his bloud was the New Testament ratified Thirdly the Couenant primarily here meant is the Decalogue on those Ten Words did God make a Couenant with Israel and the Tables wherein they were written were called the Tables of the Couenant 1 eut 9 11. the Arke wherein the Tables were put is called the Arke of the Couenant 1. Reg 8.1 and the Tabernacle wherein the Arke was was called the Tabernacle of the Couenant But this Couenant of the Decalogue hath a double consideration whereof the one is Intrinsicall the other is Extrinsicall the Intrinsicall is that which looketh to the naturall power of the Law which is to discouer sinne to conuict a sinner and to doome him according to his desert the Extrinsicall consideration is that which looketh to the supernaturall power of the Law and that is to be a Schoolemaster to bring vs vnto Christ who is the end of the Law and came to fulfill it To shadow this double consideration the Decalogue was cloathed with the Ceremoniall Law wherein the offerer imposing hands vpon the Sacrifice did confesse himselfe guiltie and the slaying of the Beast shewed the desert of a sinner thus there appeared what is the naturall power of the Law The supernaturall power also appeared in the ceremonies in that the offerer vnburthened himselfe vpon the Sacrifice as a sinner doth vpon our Sauiour Christ and that by the death of the beast the offerer was exempted from death as men are deliuered from death by the death and passion of our Sauiour Christ Wherefore though the Couenant of the Redemption bee but one yet in regard of the shadow it is called the Old and in regard of the substance the New You haue seene what is the Couenant of God you must now learne what it is to keepe it First wee must learne to obserue our distance though God doe vs the honour to contract with vs yet must not we presume to equall our selues to God for so shall wee betray our ignorance that we know not of what kind the Couenant is we must therefore discerne the inequalitie of the Persons that haue contracted and wee must confesse how low God hath descended that hath vouchsafed to take vs into so neere a reference As in keeping the Couenant wee must obserue our distance so must we not be vnmindfull of the danger which we haue escaped thereby he that considereth not that he stood at Gods mercie when hee was receiued to grace that he was by merit a firebrand of Hell when by mercie he was designed to be a Saint in Heauen cannot as he ought keepe the Couenant of God Now the Decalogue wherein this Couenant standeth hath a double consideration therefore he that will keepe Gods Couenant must make vse of both First he must make vse of the Intrinsecall consideration and of euery branch thereof by the Law commeth the knowledge of sinne therefore that he may haue a true iudgemement of the nature differences and degrees of sinnes he must be well conuersant in the Decalogue he must not trust to Morall Philosophie to Ciuill Constitutions and Customes to Pharisaicall or Papisticall Traditions these are but imperfect guides in such inquiries Only Gods Couenant can tell what is and what is not finne Moses is the best Casuist Secondly he must often suruey himselfe at this glasse of the Law and there find the excesses and defects of his life no other thing can represent them so truly as this will doe this Glasse will neither flatter nor deforme vs our consciences
sight of the eye is the sight of the whole bodie but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in possession it was neuer Basil lib â— de Baptismo Aug de Ciuit Deiliâ— 20 cap. 10. Leo de anniuersaria assumptione Serm. 3. no more then the whole bodie could euer see Wee must not then confound the Hierarchicall and the Mysticall Priesthood no more then we may the externall and the internall Kingdome each must keepe within his bounds And as we must in our priuate be religious as Priests in seruing God so wee must not without a lawfull calling and a mans lawfull calling is not as Anabaptists dreame his owne conceited abilitie but a Mission and Commission from lawfull Superiours without such a Calling I say we may not intermeddle with Pastorall Functions Finally the publike Kings and Priests must neither of them abuse these titles neither of them must wrest this place The Romanists are carefull to remember Kings that they play not Priests they amplifie Vzziahs example that was stricken with Leprosie for being so presumptuous I would they did aswell remember Christs speech whose Vicar the Pope claymes to be Iohn 18.36 Luke 12.14 My kingdome is not of this world and that Man who made me a Iudge to diuide inheritances they would not so often being Priests vsurpe vpon the sword But let them take heed Christ told Saint Peter Math. 26.52 and they will find it one day true The Priest that medleth with the sword shall perish by the sword the Kings ouer whom the Pope hath long tyrannized shall one day worke his ruine And thus much of the Eminencie of the Churches state I come now to the Sanctitie of their persons Israel shall be an holy nation and indeed Kings who are Priests such as you haue heard described how can they chuse but bee Holy especially seeing the persons that communicate in those titles are the First-borne Exod. 13. for the First-borne by the Law were holy to the Lord. And what is the oyle wherewith they were anointed Exod 30. Cap. 2 Cap. 1 18. but oleum sanctitatis holy oyle what are their persons but Temples of the Holy Ghost Ieremie calleth them Gods first-fruits and Saint Iames telleth vs that all Christians are a kind of first-fruits to God 2 Cor. 11.2 Ephes 5 27. The Church is by the Apostle said to be a chast virgin without spot or wrinkle in the Reuelation the Spouse is clothed in fine white linnen Reuel 19 8. Esay 26. which is the righteousnesse of Saints in the Prophet she is called The land of righteousnesse finally in our Creed the holy Catholike Church â—sal 101. King Dauid required vertue in his seruants He that walketh in a perfect way he shall serue mee how much more God To whom the Psalmist speaketh thus Lord who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle who shall abide vpon thy holy hill God answereth Hee that leadeth an vncorrupt life c. But what is Holinesse Origen will teach vs the holinesse of a man must be conceiued as the holinesse of a beast a vessell a vestment now those things were separated from prophane vses and dedicated to sacred so must a man be first seperated from earth and earthly things he must not set his affections vpon them though he be in the world Col. 3.2 Iohn 17. yet hee must not be of the world hee must not loue the world nor the things in the world the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life 1. Iohn 2.15 Ephes 5.11 he must haue no fellowship with the vnfruitfull workes of darknesse This is his separation the first branch of Holinesse The second is Dedication his life must be deuoted vnto God Christianitie is an imitation of the Diuine Nature a reducing of himselfe to the Image of God in which he was created 2. Pet. 1. Ephes 4. 1. Pet. 2. to righteousnesse and holines of truth a shewing forth of the vertues of him that hath called vs into his maruellous light If a man professe himselfe to be a Painter and take vpon him to make the picture of a King and mis-shape him doth hee not deserue iust blame yes surely for hee occasioneth strangers to thinke meanly of the Kings person because of his ill fauoured portraiture and shall a Christian escape punishment whose life is to be a visible representation of Christ if Infidels blaspheme Christ while they iudge of him according to his counterfeit hee shall not Wherefore faciamus de terra coelum faith Saint Chrysostome In Matth. 12. Tem. 2 p. 332. let vs represent Heauen in earth let vs so liue as that men may say that God is in vs of a truth Let our light so shine before men that they may see our good workes and glorisie our Father which is in Heauen Holinesse is the true characterizing qualitie of a Christian it distinguisheth betweene the faithfull Iust Martyr ad Diognâ—t p. â—97 〈◊〉 in Apolog. p. 61. and infidell they differ not in place in apparell in diet c. but in charitie in pietie in obedience in patience in euery Christian vertue whatsoeuer shew a man make if he want these vertues he is but like the Iuglers Ape which being attired like a reasonable creature and dancing curiously to his Masters instrument deceiued the people of Alexandria vntill one espying the fraud threw a few Dates vpon the Stage which the Ape no sooner espied but he tore all his vizard and fell to bis victuals to the scorne of his Master which gaue occasion to the Prouerbe An Ape is an Ape though hee bee clad neuer so gaily Nyssen applies it vnto men that call themselues Christians professe that they know God Tom. 2. de professione Christiana and that their hope is in Heauen but no sooner doth any vanitie come in their way but their heart doth betray where there treasure is but let them remember the Prouerbe It is a snare for a man to deuoure that which is holy Origen applies it to the sacriledge that a man committeth that vowed himselfe in Baptisme to the Lord and giueth himselfe vnto the World I conclude this point with Gods words in the Law Lenit 11.44 Math. 5 4â— Be yee holy for I am holy and with Christs words in the Gospell Bee yee perfect as your Father in Heauen is perfect sinne must not raigne in our mortall bodies because we are an holy Nation You see how the Good which God offereth to Israel is specified you must next heare how it is amplified that appeares in the words Eritis mihi As the Proprietarie is so doth the value of a thing rise hee addeth to the worth at least to the esteeme thereof though man only to the esteeme yet God also to the worth for hee can proportion the creatures worth answerable to his esteeme he whose glorie shineth in the heauens and handie worke in the firmament doth declare his glorie much more in the
quaerenda in hac vita what God is is a lesson for the life to come in this life it is enough for vs to learne what Gods will is A second mysterie in the Cloud is that it agreeth well with the reuelations of the Old Testament Gal. 4. for God appeared then in shadowes and figures there was a vaile cast ouer the Law which was figured in the vaile wherewith Moses couered his face 2. Cor. 3. So that though the Church in the Old Testament had much more knowledge then the rest of the world for they had sauing knowledge as appeareth Heb. 11. Yet he that is least in the Kingdome of God saith Christ is greater then Iohn Baptist notwithstanding that he was greater then any Prophet of the Old Testament A third mysterie is the condition of the Law Chap. 33. which in Deuteronomic is called a fierie Law very piercing and very scorching it enters farre in searching of a mans conscience it is a discerner of the thoughts I had neuer knowne Heb. 4.12 Rom. 7.7 saith Saint Paul that lust is sinne had not the Law said thou shalt not lust As the Law is piercing because fierie so is it scorching also it vexeth and tormenteth their consciences whom it findeth guiltie it is a burden too heauie for the best of vs to beare Acts 15. Saint Austine obserues well Breuis differentia Legis Euangelij timor amor although both these affections beseeme both Testaments and he that loueth must feare and he that feareth must loue yet Feare was preualent in the Old Testament and Loue is in the New We haue not saith Saint Paul receiued the spirit of bondage to feare Rom 8.15 which was the state of man vnder the Old Testament but we haue receiued the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father which is the libertie of the New Testament The same Apostle resembleth the different conditions of the Church vnder the two Testaments to the different conditions of a child when he is in nonage and when he is come to his full age Gal 4. while he is in his nonage though he be heire yet is he kept in awe and vnder a Pedagogue but when he commeth to full age his Father affords him a more chearefull countenance and more liberall maintenance Euen so vnder the Law the Church was kept vnder and scanted of grace but vnder the Gospel shee is more free and indued with a more plentifull measure of Gods holy Spirit Finally hereunto looketh the difference that Saint Paul maketh betweene Mount Sinai and Mount Sion Heb. 12. the terriblenesse of the one and the sweetnesse of the other I shall haue occasion to compare them before I come to the end of the Chapter By the mixture of the Cloud and of the Fire you may also conceiue a mixture of our knowledge of God as the light of the fire signifieth that he is in some good sort manifested vnto vs 1. Cor. 13 1◠so doth the Cloud signifie that out knowledge is very imperfect wee see but as through a glasse darkly that which we know not of God is much more then that which we doe know Let this suffice for the manner I come now to the End which is twofold for God came first to grace Moses whom he designed Lawgiuer to Israel or rather Referendarie of that Law which himselfe would giue vnto them And hee graced him two wayes First in comming to him and not vnto them so saith the Text I will come to thee Moses was vpon the hill the people in the bottome now the Cloud came downe but to the top of the hill not into the bottome wherein there was no small grace done to the person of Moses in the sight of all the people God vouchsafed his presence only to him and not to the people The second grace is yet greater that in the hearing of the people God would speake with him for it is not here said that God did speake with them But that wee mistake not this grace which is done to Moses and giue him more honour then hereby was by God intended towards him we must obserue that though here we find no mention of Gods speaking with the people but only of his speaking with Moses yet Deut. 5. verse 5. Moses himselfe saith that God talked also with them and here we reade that God so talked with Moses as that he talked in the hearing of the people When here wee reade of Gods talking with Moses only without any mention of Gods talking with the people hereby the Holy Ghost intends to honour him with the Mediatour ship of the Old Testament that honour which Saint Paul giueth him when hee saith The Law was giuen by Angels in the band of a Mediatour But where Moses saith Deut. 5. that God talked with the people there the Holy Ghost would teach vs that God intended the Law to the people And out of both places compared together it followeth that the Law was committed to Moses to the end that the people might receiue it from him not only as hee should deliuer it in the two Tables but also as he should report vnto them by word of mouth And because they were to receiue Gods Law as he should report it that they might be sure hee brought them nothing but that which hee receiued from God therefore God vttered the Law to him in their hearing Whatsoeuer commeth from a man as a meere man will hardly worke vpon the conscience because of that knowne principle Omnis homo mendax men haue their errors and their priuate ends therefore their proiects are entertained with iealousie that they mistake or intend their owne good but if a Law be once knowne to be Gods pleasure we readily submit because we know he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee can neither deceiue nor bee deceiued and hee hath absolute power to command Vpon this principle those famous Lawgiuers amongst the Heathen did make it their first labour to perswade their people that they had familiar colloquies with some diuine power by whom they were directed in their Law-giuing Minos with Iupiter Lycurgus with Apollo Numa with Aegeria c. Mahomet could neuer haue made his Alcoran so currant but by that notorious imposture of a Doue which had beene taught to come familiarly to his eare and which to the people hee pretended to bee the Holy Ghost Heretikes old and new haue had their Enthusiasticall guides Papisticall pretended apparitions and reuelations are much of this kind abuses of that sacred principle But to the point when God would establish the Canon both of the Old and New Testaments by two demonstrations hee shewed that they came from him the one of Miracle the other of Oracle So did hee establish that which the Church receiued by Moses First hee gaue him power to worke many Miracles which was a second proofe that he came from God for no man could doe
what he did except God were with him the very Magitians confessed so much Digitus Dei est hic Secondly God not contented to giue him the power of Miracles because Magitians might if not doe them yet make shew of them added also this second confirmation of Oracle which putteth the other out of controuersie because it is not so casie to be counterfeited Our Sauiour Christ by whom was laid the foundation of the Canon of the New Testament had the same euidences to confirme his doctrine besides the many Miracles which hee wrought that Oracle was once and againe vttered from Heauen Matth 3. Matth. 17. Matth. 24 25. This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased heare him And withall he forewarned his Church not to rest barely vpon Miracles for that false Christs and false Prophets shall arise and shew great signes and wonders But why did God grace Moses by speaking with him in the hearing of the people Surely the end was that they might beleeue him for ouer that faith towards his person might be wrought in them For Faith properly relieth vpon the person and resteth vpon his word although it doth not comprehend many things which he speaketh as indeed the Israelites did not vnderstand many parts of the Law yet neuer did they question them because they were deliuered by Moses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was enough to them farther enquirie they made none But how could Moses be beleeued for euer seeing he is dead diuers thousands of yeares since Surely Moses liueth in his Writings hee that beleeueth them beleeueth him The Prophets long after him referre themselues to him in his Writings Ad legem testimonium Chap. 8. saith Esay Remember the Law of Moses which I gaue him in Horeb saith God in Malachie Thus also in the New Testament Chap. 4. Christ referreth to him You beleeue in Moses Matth. 22. Iohn 9. The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses his chaire And wee find the Iewes still couering their oppositions to Christ and his Apostles with pretence of their faith to Moses Wee know that God spake to Moses wee are Moses his Disciples So deeply did this Oracle of God take roote in them that through ignorance and misconceit it became their stumbling blocke and that which truly vnderstood should haue brought them to the Gospel through the errour of their iudgement set them against it God doth as much as is fit to establish our faith but we often peruert the best meanes to our owne ruine I may not here forget to obserue vnto you a grosse errour of the Church of Rome God spake once to Moses saith my Text in the hearing of the people that the people should beleeue his words for euer therefore the Canon of the the Law was to stand for an eternall truth The same must we affirme of the Canon of the New Testament whose confirmation is much surer as Saint Paul testifieth Heb. 2. Hence it is that wee call vpon the Church of Rome to reforme according to this double Canon but they call as fast vpon vs for Miracles and Oracles to confirme our Doctrine But new proofes are only for new Doctrines wee alleage nothing but that which was taught by Christ and his Apostles and consequently nothing but that which hath beene alreadie proued by Miracle and Oracle an◠that which hath beene once thus proued is to bee beleeued for euer The last note which I gaue on my Text is that it hath a word which biddeth vs marke diligently all the points thereof marke what Gods comming is in what sort hee doth manifest himselfe vnto vs that which is not vulgar 〈◊〉 must not vulgarly bee regarded marke that Gods comming to giue the Law was full of Maiestie full of Mysteries wee must adore his Maiestie and not neglect any one of the Mysteries finally marke that whom God employeth in his seruice he vouchsafeth honour to their persons that his Word may passe with more weight from their mouthes The end of all is our good that we may cleaue faster vnto God ANd God grant that by the Ministerie of man our faith in God may so increase that at Christs second comming our faith may end in a beatificall Vision and then we shall haue no other Teacher but God The eighth Sermon EXODVS 19. VERS 10 and part of the 15 and 22. VERSES And the Lord said vnto Moses Goe vnto the People and sanctifie them to day and to morrow yea and the Priests to Verse 22. and Let them wash their Clothes and be readie against the third day Adde out of Verse 15. And not come at their Wiues YOu may remembe what I haue told you more then once that there was a Preparation to goe before the Promulgation of the Law a Preparation of God and of the Israelites This Preparation was first ordered and then the meeting followed So much of the Order as concernes God I opened the last time it followeth that I now come to the other part which concerneth the Israelites This branch of the Order doth prescribe First their Puritie and Secondly their Modestie Their Puritie whereof only at this time is deliuered in those words which now I haue read vnto you Wherein we will obserue First A Worke that is enioyned and secondly the Circumstances that doe attend that Worke. The Worke in a word is to Sanctifie But we are moreouer taught wherein this Sanctification doth stand and Whom it concernes It standeth in a Ceremoniall Obseruance They must wash their clothes and forbearance this you must must supply out of the 15. Verse They must not come at their Wiues These Workes that must be done concerne the Gouernour and his Charge the Gouernour is Moses he must sanctifie his Charge are the Israelites but they are diuided into the People and the Priest you must supply the Priest out of Verse the 22. both these must be prepared The Circumstances that must attend this Worke are two place and time the place is the Tents the ordinary place of the Israelites abode Goe to this people The Circumstance of time is double for here wee haue mentioned first the time during which the Worke was to bee a doing and that is to day and to morrow Secondly the time against which the Worke was to be done and that was the third day the day wherein God would appeare vnto them and they were to come in his presence You see then the particulars of my Text I purpose God willing to open them now and God now so open all our eares and hearts that we may learne by them to sanctifie our selues so shall God neuer appeare vnto vs nor wee appeare before God but to our endlesse comfort Come we then to the first particular and that is the Worke which must bee done this is in a word to sanctifie To sanctifie is to separate from a common to a sacred vse God made vs not only men that is reasonable creatures but also his children
shewed whensoeuer wee approach God or haue to doe with sacred things That we may learne and practice it Let vs in the feare of God listen to that which I shall further say of these points briefly and in their order The first is Moses charge He must make a fence betweene the people and the Hill set bounds round about the People or as it is in the 23. verse He must sanctifie the Mountaine and make of it a Sanctuarie And indeed well might it so be reputed when it was couered with all the visible tokens of Gods maiesticall presence and if it be sanctified hereunto then it followeth it must be reuerend in our eyes and inuiolable by vs wee must not esteeme it as common ground nor make bold with it as if it were such Euerie man should know his distance and obserue it but ignorance in some and negligence in others are the causes why men left to themselues either know not what they should doe or doe not what they know God therefore in pitie of our ignorance and to hold in our vnrulinesse hath appointed those that shall set vs our bounds especially in things indifferent wherein presuming of lawfulnesse few will haue an eye to expediences The vulgar eye is not sharpe enough to discerne it neither is the vulgar heart plyable to the obseruance of it It is the worke of the Gouernour to remedie both these defects Neither onely in things indifferent but also in moralities for they are to make Lawes euen vpon the Law of nature and keepe vs to the doing of that which we would not doe though our Conscience suffer vs not to bee ignorant thereof because the morall Law is written in our hearts What man that hath not put off a man knoweth not that murder adulterie theft are sinnes And yet what more common in mens liues The commonnesse hath made it necessarie for all States to set bounds vnto their people in regard of these things And if in regard of Ciuill how much more of Ecclesiasticall things Men are neuer more lawlesse then in those things wherein you would exspect that euery man should especially bee a Law vnto himselfe that is in keeping his distance from God But herein also we need a Boundarie and God hath appointed those that must set it And who are they but such as Moses those that are set ouer vs For Moses must be considered here not onely as a messenger from God but also as a Ruler of the Israelites neither were they to heare him onely as a Counselour but as a commander his words did more then informe they did order their liues And in a word this is a principall branch of Magistracie to take away the common excuse of offenders which is Non putaram I wist not that this was my dutie and to direct them by Lawes before they call them to an account for their liues I will not here fall vpon the question which is much debated at this day whether Magistrates may set bounds vnto the people in causes Ecclesiasticall as well as Ciuill Onely take notice that here by an example we are taught that they may And let this suffice for Moses charge The Israelites charge is They must not presume to goe vp vnto the Mount And indeed a Boundarie were no Boundarie if it might bee passed You know by your ground that an Inclosure is no Inclosure if it may bee common how much more must this be conceiued of the Inclosure of God that Ground which he hath fenced vnto himselfe for a Sanctuarie If it be a trespasse to breake through your neighbours fence how much more through the fence of God This is Transgression indeed it is indeed Peccatum for that is quasi pecuatum playing the vnruly sheepe that will not be kept within his penne or to speake plainely with S. Iohn 1 Iohn 3 4. it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Transgression of Gods Law But God will not haue his people Sonnes of Belial such as cannot indure his yoake Psal 2. hee will not haue them like those insolent ones that say Let vs breake his bonds and cast his cords from vs. God hath giuen a Law to the sea saying Iob. 38. Hitherto shalt thou come and here thou shalt stay thy proud waues and the Sea passeth not the bounds which God hath set it How much lesse should we presume notwithstanding the swelling of our nature and the impetuous affections thereof God exspecteth we should checke the presumption of our nature But about all presumption we should take heed of that which is the highest going vp into the Mount prophaning of the Sanctuarie of God and ventring in sacred things farther then he giueth vs leaue Curiositie in this kind hath beene the mother of Heresies when men haue beene busily wittie in searching into rather then belieuing of that profound Article of the Trinitie Man that is not able to vnderstand his owne nature Dauid confesseth such knowledge is too wonderfull for him dreameth that hee can comprehend the nature of God 〈◊〉 39. Others haue lost themselues while they haue diued into the mysteries of the Incarnation who are not able to vnderstand their owne regeneration Some ouer-studie themselues in the Booke of Gods prouidence and would know more then is possible for man to conceiue of Gods counsell in Predestination of the cooperation of grace in free-will c. Others climbe not so high but yet they goe to farre in determining the manner of the mysticall Vnion in the Sacrament and discouering of mysticall senses in many passages of the Scriptures To say nothing of the Iewish Cabalists of Astrologian diuinations of hereticall Reuelations and heathenish mysteries It is too cleare that what with the curious Cur Why of some and quomodo How of others there hath beene manifold passing the Bounds climbing the Mount and intrusions vpon God and the things of God It is naturall to a man to desire knowledge but since wee did eate of the forbidden fruit we haue beene very peruerse in that desire we that haue no mind to know God as we ought are very eager to know him as we ought not In this world Non Deum scrutari sedam are debemus we should rather desire to loue God then to know him whereas wee desire rather to know him then to loue him and as our first parents desire rather to eate of the tree of knowledge of good and euill then of the tree of life And we need as a spurre vnto good and sauing knowledge so a bridle to restraine vs from that knowledge which is curious and presumptuous 〈◊〉 12. wherefore blessed is that discretion which maketh vs wise vnto sobrietie I will conclude this point with a good admonition of the Sonne of Syrach 〈◊〉 3. Seeke not out the things that are too hard for thee neither search the things that are aboue thy strength but what is commanded thee thinke therevpon with reuerence The ground of that good
aduise you shall sind in Meses 〈◊〉 â—â— The secret things belong vnto the Lord God but those things which are reuealed belong vnto vs and to our children for euer that we may doe all the words of this Law I haue hitherto told you onely in generall whom this Prohibition doth concerne but in the 24. verse wee find a distribution of these persons there we sind that the Law is laid not onely vpon the People but vpon the Priest also No body will make a a question of the people what modestie beseemeth them yet there was a time when the question was made of them also 〈◊〉 16. â— 3 for Korah Dathan and Abiram came vpon Moses and Aaron thus You take too much vpon you all the congregation is Holy and the Lord is amongst them God is as neere to euery man as he is to you and euerie man may come as neere God as you doe See you how they plead for confusion and animate the People to be bold with God But they were taught better manners I but if the people be what is that to the Priest Yea the Priest also is to learne modestie Not only the minor Cleargie as the Rhemists mince it but the maior too they that are likely most to presume were to haue a speciall Item For the pride of our heart will carrievs aboue our selues when wee see that others are placed below therefore they that are aduanced in any degree need to bee remembred that they keepe their station This did God excellently expresse in the fabricke of the Tabernacle and of the Temple wherein there was First Atrium prophanum thither might Infidels and vncleane persons come but no farther within that was Atrium populi thither might the Lay both women and men come that were circumcised and not vncleane but farther they might not come except it were to offer their speciall Sacrifices within that was Atrium Sacerdotum thereinto might the Leuites come to doe their seruice to the Priest but no farther within that was Sanctum thereinto might the Priest goe to offer Incense but no farther within that was Sanctum Sanctorum whereunto the High Priest only had accesse and that but once a yeare in reuerence of Gods maiestie sitting in the Cloud there vpon the Mercie Seate betweene the Cherubins You see that the neerest places to Gods presence were of rarest accesse and that by fewest persons Looke what state God kept in the Tabernacle and Temple the same he kept at this Hill appointing vnto the Israelites seuerall stations the multitude both of Priests and people haue their station allotted in this text Some might come nearer as Aaron Nadab and Abihu and the seuentie Elders but they are willed to worship afarre off and Moses alone was to come neare the Lord but they are expressely willed not to come nigh Verse 2â— In this Chapter Moses and Aaron are called vp alone and are excepted out of the prohibition they may passe beyond others whom God calleth and they only God was pleased to doe them this honour And wee must repute it a great honour done vnto them that they might come so neare vnto God Our Sauiour Christ in the dayes of his humiliation kept the like state so farre as might stand with his forme of a seruant For he did not conueâ—se so familiarly with the multitude as with the seuentie Disciples nor with the seuentie as with the twelue Apostles nor with the twelue Apostles as with the pillars of them Peter Iames and Iohn who only were admitted to bee priuie to the highest glorie that hee manifested on earth which was his Transfiguration and the deepest Passion which hee endured on earth which was his agonie Yea euen of these three he chose out one as the principall fauourite Iohn whose stile is the beloued Disciple who at supper leaned on his bosome whom Saint Peter himselfe vsed vnto Christ when he would be resolued Who it was that should betray him Finally him he made the high soring and sharpe sighted Eagle the beholder and penner of that Reuelation which hath as many mysteries as words God then who is an absolute Monarch will bee a free disposer of his fauours and we must not presume of more then hee vouchsafeth the People may not the Priest may not both must take heed vnto themselues that they doe not presume Take heed vnto themselues Then themselues haue a pronenesse to curiositie Iaâ—â—eâ— 1 And indeed so it is for euery man is baited and so ledaside by his owne lusts and there is no lust so ancient in man as pride is Yea the first sinne of Angels was the stepping ouer their bounds and though pride be not homebred in man as it was in Angels yet experience proued in Adam and Eue that mans nature is a soile very apt to conceiue the seed of pride if it be sowne in it by the Deuill neither will any seed of iniquitie proue sooner or faster Considering then the aptnesse of our nature to receiue and forwardnesse to bring forth this euill fruit God doth not without cause by Moses bid the Israelites take heed vnto themselues Neither to themselues only but to their cattell also they must bee watcht that they breake not the bounds And indeed if our peccare be quasi pecuare if wee shew our selues beasts when wee doe straggle then it is the propertie of beasts to straggle and seeing it is their propertie they must be looked vnto But you will say that they are vnreasonable creatures and so able to doe morally neither well nor ill True but yet the place which we must not prophane our selues we must much lesse suffer our beasts for to prophane Yea obserue it well and you shall find that whether wee keepe fasting dayes or feasting dayes God will haue euen beasts to communicate in some sort in the Ceremoniall part of our pietie In the solemne repentance of Niniue not only the men but the beasts also are commanded by the King to bee kept from meate to bee clothed with sackcloth In the Law of the Sabbath when man resteth the beast must rest also thinke you only in a cruill sense There is more in it then so as hereafter I shall shew you God would haue them also to obserue his Feasts And here we see that what prohibition God layeth vpon men he layeth vpon beasts neither may prophane holy ground And may ours doe that which theirs might not doe May dogges tread in Gods Sanctuarie during the New Testament which vnder the old Testament were not suffered to be so very dogges that is impudent creatures It should seeme wee thinke they may else would wee not bring them hither and indure them here not only to disturbe Gods seruice but also to disgrace Gods House I shame to speake what we blush not to see the markes of their vncleanlinesse in the most sacred places of this Church and I thinke other Churches are not vsed much better Well I would wee were more
the Trumpet sounding in his eare Surgite mortui venite ad iudicium I will not stand to allegorize the two siluer Trumpets still sounded while the Sacrifice was burning at the Altar Verse 7. I will only bid you remember Saint Iudes note of Sodome and Gomorrah whose perpetuall burning God hath left as a remembrance of the euerlasting fire of Hell Some are yet more desperate and call for the Day of the Lord Let it come Let vs see it as you may read in the Prophets Foole hardie wretches that desire that which they will neuer be able to endure Luke 23.30 Vpon the first ouerture of it their hearts will faile them they will bee at their wits end they will call to the Hils and Rockes to couer them The Kings of the earth the great men the mightie men bond and free all sorts of men shall then crie out The great day of the Lambes wrath is come Reue. 6 1 Pet. 4.18 and who is able to stand And indeed If the righteous scarcely be saued where shall the wicked and vngodly appeare But to leaue them The last obseruation that I will giue vpon this dreadfull state shall be That wee are much bound vnto God that wee liue not vnder the Old Testament but vnder the New that God hath brought vs not vnto Mount Sinai but vnto Mount Sion Where God appeares in our nature and commeth meeke and in the forme of a seruant so sensible of our infirmities that hee cryeth not Esay 42.2 his voice is not heard in the street hee will not breake a bruised reed nor quench smoking flaxe He putteth vpon vs a light yoke and an easie burden his doctrine is a Gospel their feet are beautifull that bring it Esay 52 â— 7 this yeara is an yeare of Iubile his Trumpet soundeth nothing but deliuerance his Light is comfortable like the Sunne Psal 45.2 Cant. 5. v. 16 for he is the Sonne of Righteousnesse his lips are full of Grace his Mouth is most sweet In this Hill all things are louely there is nothing dreadfull at all And why God hath giuen vs the Spirit of Adoption which is the Spirit of Loue Rom 6 2. Tim 1. and of a sound minde so that wee can indure the very top of Mount Ston whereas they could not endure the bottome of Mount Sinai Time will not giue me leaue to pursue this comparison you may amplifie it out of Saint Paul 2. Cor. 3. Heb. 12. And if you will haue it to the full you must paralell the whole Oeconomic of the New Testament with that of the Old Only let me giue you this note for a farewell to this point That as the Patriarkes that were brought vnto Mount Sinai did beare themselues out vnder those terrors by casting their eyes forward vnto Mount Sion the place of comfort So wee lest we grow carnally secure during our abode at Mount Sion and surfet vpon the comforts thereof must cast our eyes backward vpon Mount Sinai and rowse our selues with the terrours thereof The solace of Sion is to none so pleasant as to him that commeth newly from Sinai their soules doe best rellish the Gospel whose consciences haue first sinarted from the Law or that haue beene exercised by that hopefull feare the point that commeth next to be handled in my text Hopefull feare then is the impression that was made on the Israelites by the dreadfull Harbingers of God First Feare Feare is argued from quaking For wee vsually say that men quake for feare And indeed what is quaking of the bodie but a consequent of feare in the soule For the spirits are conueyed by the arteries the sinewes and the veines into the outward parts to sustaine confirme them inable them to their functions and the vitall parts send them forth abundantly while themselues are secure But while we are or suppose our selues to be in any great danger all those forces repaire vnto and endeuour to safegard those principall inward fortresses especially the heart Whereupon the outward parts being vnfurnished fall as it were into a shaking Palsie and so Quaking is a consequent of feare But let vs fit this impression vnto the apparition and so you shall find that it followeth thereupon If there were nothing in these Harbingers but an Image of Gods Maiestie yet you shall not find in all the Bible that euer any man had any extraordinarie glimpse of Gods glory that did not vpon the apprehension thereof become as it were dead and giue himselfe ouer for a dead man Reade the storie of Gedeon and Maneah in the Booke of Iudges and of the Prophets whose inspirations were accompanied with Visions Ezechiel Daniel others the generall rule is Si te nouerim Domine me ipsum nouerim I shall neuer know how vile how fraile I am by any thing so well as by presenting my selfe before the glorious Maiestie of God Let vs descend to the second Image that is to bee beheld in these dreadfull Harbingers the Image of the Law and let vs see how that worketh feare The Image of the Precept I told you it is scarching and you cannot therewith search a man but you make him feare Aske Saint Paul he tried it and will tell you so he found by surueying himselfe That the Law was spirituall and hee was carnall and out of a sensible acknowledgement that his strength was nothing proportionable to the Law 〈◊〉 7. 〈◊〉 19. he brake out into those passionate words O wretch that I am who shall deliuer me from this bodie of death King Dauid surueyed the Law and the excellent properties of the Law but what is the vpshot of his meditation Euen this Who knoweth how oft he offendeth Lord cleanse me from my secret faults keepe thy seruant from presumptuous sinnes lest they haue dominion ouer me And verily no man can behold himselfe in that glasse and consider what manner of person he is but hee will bee driuen to that prayer in the last Penitentiall 〈◊〉 143 Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant O Lord for in thy sight shall no flesh liuing be iustified The Precept then maketh afraid And doth not the Sanction also Certainly it doth The Prophets that had a sight of God armed with vengeance against sinners how doe we find them affected and affrighted Câ—ap 6. Esay saw the Lord sitting vpon a Throne high and lifted vp his traine filled the Temple aboue it stood the six winged Seraphins c. it is a Vision of iudgement and it made Esay crie out Woe is me for I am vndone 〈◊〉 3.2.16 c. Habakuk had a Vision of the like argument which he describeth more at large and heare what was the effect When I heard it my belly trembled my lips quiuered at the voice rottennesse entred into my bones Psal 119 Dauid confesseth of himselfe My flesh trembleth for feare of thee O Lord and I am afraid of thy iudgements But you will say
and giue the world a good testimonie that we are the subiects of the Prince of peace I will set God before mine eyes and I will try how mine eyes can behold God and if I finde that mine eye delights to behold him that his countenance puts gladnesse into my heart when I doe behold him I am sure we are at Peace For were wee not eyther I haue no eyes and doe not see him or when I doe I shall be confounded with the sight of him I will open mine eares and I will heare God in his Word and if when I heare him the Law of his mouth is sweeter vnto mee than hony and the hony combe I know we are at peace were we not I must needs be like Adam heare and fly And if in the dayes of my mortality I can attaine this Peace of Perfection I doubt not but in the dayes of my immortality I shall attaine vnto that higher peace the peace of Retribution all teares shall be wiped from mine eyes all sickenesse from my body all blindnesse from my vnderstanding all vntowardlinesse from my will This ciuill discord of the flesh and the spirit and that greater betweene my conscience and God how much more these lesser discords that are between me and other men shall fully cease and be abolished for euer the Prince of Peace shall consummate my peace And so haue you those two titles of Christ which shew that we must vnderstand spiritually those two former titles which you heard before doe royally belong vnto him I should now farther shew you that the Scripture giues Christ many names because one or few cannot fully expresse him or at least we cannot fully sound the depth of that name when it is giuen vnto him The name of Iesus is a rich name and so is the name of Christ the vsuall names by which our Sauiour was called but the riches of those names are vnfoulded vnto vs in these particular titles and wee must take these as Commentaries vpon those for as it is in the eleuenth of this Prophecie The spirit which rested vpon Christ was manifold how manifold the holy Ghost doth there describe in abstracto but here to like purpose he speaketh of Christ in concreto The time will not suffer me to parallel these and the like places this is our Rule That as our nature delights in variety so there is a variety in Christ to giue full content vnto our nature and wee must not lightly passe by any one of his titles seeing euery one of them promiseth so much good vnto vs. O Lord that being my Lord art pleased to be my Father such a Father as that I neede not feare that I shall euer be an Orphan and hast prouided me an inheritance that shal be as lasting as my selfe that when all other fayle mee shall bee enioyed by mee an inheritance most comfortable because therein consists my Perfection and thy Retribution the Retribution of glory wherewith thou dost crowne the Perfection of grace grant that I neuer want that piety which I owe vnto my Father that charity which I owe vnto my Brethren Let my heart goe where my best treasure is and let that peace which passeth all vnderstanding haue the vpper hand in me Let me feele it let me practise it so in heart that I may haue the fulnesse of both sense and practice of it in the Kingdome of Heauen Amen THE SIXTH SERMON Of the increase of his Gouernment and Peace there shall bee no end vpon the Throne of Dauid and vpon his Kingdome to order it and to establish it c. IN Christ whom the Prophet describeth here vnto vs I obserued a double excellencie one of his Person and another of his State The first I haue already handled I come now to the second the excellencie of the State Which stands in a boundlesse growth of the Kingdome and a constant policie of the King that is the effect wherof this is the cause But more particularly in the effect obserue that there is a growth the Prophet calleth it an increase a growth of the gouernment and a growth of the peace both partake of the same increase And the increase of both is boundlesse there is no end of it no bounds of place it ouerspreadeth all no bounds of time it endureth for euer the word beareth both Of this effect or boundlesse growth of the Kingdome the cause is the constant policie of the King Which consisteth in the exercise of his two roy all indowments of his wisedome Hee shall order and to order is nothing else but to employ that wisedome which Christ hath as a wonderfull Counsellour of his power He shall support and to support what is it but to employ his power the power that he hath as he is a mighty God hee employeth them both his wisedome his power But they may bee employed eyther well or ill according as the rule is by which they proceed Christ employeth them well his rule is good it is iudgement and iustice he cals all to an account and measures to all as they are found vpon their triall This is the policie And herein he is constant he continueth it without ceasing from henceforth euen for euer So that of the euerlasting effect there is an euerlasting cause You see what is the summe or substance of this second excellencie but that you may see it better let vs runne ouer the parts briefly and in their order And first we are to obserue how answerable the excellencie of the state is to the excellencie of the person one goeth not without the other Christus naturalis will haue Christum mysticum conformable vnto him the body to the head Where he vouchsafeth an vnion of persons he vouchsafeth a communion also in the dignity of the persons It appeares in the name he is called Christ which is annoynted with oyle of gladnesse and we are called Christians we partake of the same oyle His name is but an oyntment poured out as it is in the Canticles Cap. 1.3 poured out like that precious oyle vpon Aarons head which ranne downe to the skirts of his garment Cap. 60. All Christs garments and the Church in Esay is compared to a garment smell of Myrrhe Aloes and Cassia as it is Psalme 45. This is taught by diuers Similies Of the wiues communicating in her husbands honour and wealth The branches partaking of the fatnesse and sweetnesse of the roote The members deriuing of sense and motion from the head So that our King is not like the bramble that receiueth all good and yeelds none to the state but hee is like the Fig-tree the Vine the Oliue they that pertaine to him are all the better for him they are conformable to him if he haue an excellencie they shall haue one also A good patterne for mortall Kings and Gouernours who should herein imitate the King of Heauen that as when a man seeth an excellent work he ghesseth that the
once Which word I told you imports two things that the shaking hath beene once before for both Worlds were shaken at the giuing of the Law St. Paul taketh notice of it Heb. 12. and you may reade it in the Story deliuered by Moses The Gospell as St. Paul 2 Cor. proues at large beeing much more glorious than the Law was not to come short of it in solemnitie when it was to be promulged therefore because the Worlds were shaken then they were to be shaken now Once more Some gather out of St. Pauls words Heb. 12. not onely the Earth but also the Heauen that the later was much the greater shaking But though once more yet no more but this once for there is no more new Doctrine to bee broached in the World no second Messias to come We must obserue this not only against the Iewes but also against the Heretickes The Montanists thought that as there were three Persons in God so euery one should haue his Time the Father vnder the Law the Son during the Gospell and then the holy Ghost Montanus sending the Paraclete into the World The Alcaron was built vpon the same ground whose Author though hee giue honourable testimonie vnto Christ as being a great Prophet yet he would make the world beleeue that God was to send a greater after him Vers 3. and that was Mahomet But we keepe our selues to St. Iudes Fides semel tradita the one Faith that was once deliuered to the Saints 2. Epist 10. We obey St. Iohn who biddeth vs If any man bring vs any other Doctrine we should not so much as bid him God speed Wee follow St. Pauls counsell Gal. 1.8 If an Angel from heauen bring any other doctrine wee hold him Anathema The Church of Rome chargeth vs with nouelty but we may rather charge them with many additions to the Truth they call to vs for Miracles to confirme our Doctrine but Miracles would argue another shaking of the World wee hold there shall bee no more And what need there any more seeing wee hold no other doctrine than that which was confirmed by the shaking of the two Worlds in the dayes of Christ and his Apostles They haue patcht their fancies thereunto therefore are they driuen to abuse the World with their forged Miracles and to counterfeit a second shaking When I say there shall be no more shakings I meane during the militancy of the Church for immediately before the Triumph thereof there shall precede another shaking Christ hath opened it at large in St. Matthew Cap. 24. I will not insist vpon it it is not to my purpose you may there see how both the Worlds shall be shaken against that time Heb. 12. but then we shall haue regnum immobile And of this last shaking the world is now too full of Prophesies and Resolutions but be ready for it not rash in determining it I come to the holy Ghosts answer to the second Question how soone And we finde here that it shall be very soone it is but a little while to the time of the shaking But that little time must bee vnderstood according to a Theologicall not according to a Mathematicall measure Theologie measureth our Time in proportion to eternity but the Mathematicks according to our mortall life In regard of eternity St. Peters Rule holds 2 Pet. 2.8 A thousand yeares are but as one day c. But in regard of our mortall life Omnis mora properantilonga est patienti verò longissima the deferring of our hope is the languishing of our soule To support our selues wee must passe from Mathematicall commensurations to Theologicall and then we shall finde that Modicum and Longum may stand together and Iacobs saying be true Bernard Gen. 47.9 that euill dayes are but few From Haggai's prophesying vntill the comming of Christ past better than foure hundred yeares the holy Ghost cals that but a little while And wee must inure our selues to this diuine Chronologie when wee thinke of the second comming of Christ the Apostle tels vs that vpon them that liue in the time of the Gospell the end of the world is come and these are the last dayes yea the last boure 1 Cor. 10.11 the Iudge is at hand he is at the doore yet there haue passed 1600. yeares But let vs not thinke it long let vs remember that of Habakkuk Hab. 2.4 The iust must liue by his Faith patient Faith and if any man make haste saith the Lord my soule shall haue no pleasure in him Wherefore if at any time our impatient heart wearied with the tediousnesse of this life shall breake out into these words Tu autem Domine vsque quo how long Lord dost thou cease to put an end to this miserable World Reu. 22. Let vs rest satisfied with Christs answer Behold I come quickly and congratulating the abridgement of our momentany afflictions and desiring that according to his promise the cloud thereof may speedily bee dissolued let vs put this clause into our daily prayer Euen so Lord Iesu come quickly God so prepare vs that we may haue the comfort of the Person that is to come comfort of his first and second comming Amen THE SECOND SERMON And the desire of all Nations shall come THe summe of this Scripture as not long since I obserued vnto you is the exceeding grace which the first comming of Christ should assuredly doe vnto that Temple at Hierusalem which in Haggai's daies was building by Zorobabel the Prince Iosuah the high Priest and the rest of the Iewes The generall parts which I pointed out were 1. the Presence of Christ in that Temple 2. the Assurance thereof giuen to the Builders The Presence was to be extraordinary I gathered it partly from the preparation thereunto whereof I then spake and partly from the description thereof which remaines to be spoken of The description is of the Person that was to come and the good that bee should doe Of the good that he should doe I shall speake God willing hereafter at this time my purpose is to speake onely of the Person that was to come The Person then here meant is in plaine termes our Sauiour Christ But he is set forth here in most comfortable words words most comfortable to all the world for he is stiled the desire of all Nations and what is that but the soueraigne good of all That which all desire the Philosopher could say is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the chiefe Good And againe if it be desired of all then is it common to all for appetitus non est frustra there was neuer any desire engrafted in the nature of man but the good whereunto that desire doth bend doth certainly belong vnto it If it bee so in nature it is much more so in grace the holy Ghost doth neuer inspire into vs any longing but it doth destinate vnto vs that good which he inclines our hearts to long for
and the gold is his The second remembrance is grounded vpon Christs will and in sense hereof wee may learne of King Dauid thankefull deuotion When Nathan brought him a message of more good than euer hee expected hee went vnto the Tabernacle and first villifieth himselfe Who am I 2 Sam. 7. O Lord God and what is my house that thou hast brought me hitherto then he magnifieth Gods mercie This was yet a small thing in thy sight O Lord God but thou hast spoken also of thy seruants house for a great while to come then he doth as we must all doe turne Gods promise into a prayer And now O Lord God the word that thou hast spoken concerning thy seruant and concerning his house establish it for euer and do as thou hast said God did it for Dauid he will do it for vs whereas they that are temples of grace haue a farther hope to be temples of glorie if we beleeue his power and desire the accomplishment of his will wee shall in due time experience a comparison which is beyond all comparison we shall be cloathed with a later house in heauen the glory whereof shall infinitely exceede the glorie of the former house of God which we are vouchsafed to be while we liue here on earth WHich God grant vs for Iesus Christ his sake to whom with the holy Ghost be rendred all honour and glorie Amen THE FIFT SERMON And in this place will I giue peace THe exceeding grace that Christ would vouchsafe to Zorebabels Temple I reduced to his bountie in giuing and the securitie of his gift Of the bounty I haue spoken it followeth that I now come to the security that is exprest in those words that now I haue read vnto you Wherein we will see first seuerally by what name the securitie is called it is peace secondly where is the resting place thereof in this place then ioyntly how the place commeth to bee possest of that peace wherein wee shall consider that this worke is a free-gift whereof the only giuer is our Sauiour Christ I will giue saith he peace in this place These be the particulars whereof God willing I shall now speake briefly and in their order First then of the peace Peace is nothing else but a free enioying of whatsoeuer good we haue But the good which we haue may be eyther ordinate or inordinate full or scant and so the enioying thereof may bring vnto vs a peace true or false perfect or imperfect If the good be ordinate the peace is true and if full then it is perfect but the peace is false if the good be inordinate and the peace cannot be perfect if the good be scant I will speake somewhat of the false and imperfect peace that thereby you may the better conceiue the true and perfect Wee must know that vnto flesh and bloud many things doe rellish as good which indeed are nothing so for the true character of good is a conformitie to Gods will the warrant whereof is his word from which all sinfull lusts doe swarue and yet in them doe carnall mindes place their good and the enioying of them is the worlds peace For what is carnall securitie but a plunging of a mans selfe into all kinde of wickednesse without remorse of conscience or feare of iudgement Amos cap. 6. doth describe such persons as stretcht themselues vpon iuorie beds dranke wine in bowles eate calues from the stall cheared vp their spirits with musicke This was their good a sensuall good yea and a senslesse too for they tooke not to heart the affliction of Ioseph but approaching to the seate of iniquitie put farre from them the euill day This is a false peace grounded vpon an inordinate good Our Sauiour Christ maketh the like description of the old world Matth. 24. they were eating drinking marrying and giuing in marriage when the floud came and tooke away those vngodly ones Hee speaketh not of ordinary marriage Gen. 6. which is Gods institution but alludes to the storie of the sonnes of God marrying with the daughters of men And as their marriage was irregular so was their eating and drinking too for they were feasts congratulating their irregular wedlocke much like the feasting of the children of Israel when they worshipped the golden calfe Exodus 32. The Wise man speaking of Idolaters passeth this censure vpon them cap. 14. liuing in the great warre of ignorance those so great plagues they called peace But this is not Gods it is the diuels peace qui 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dum vult cudere cudit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he maketh men like bedlems who gashing themselues with kniues laugh in the beholders face risu sardonio they laugh and dye By this security doth the diuell lull men asleepe in their sinnes that they may the better bee ouertaken with an vnexpected ruine for when they â—ry peace peace then as the Apostle foretold 1 Thes 5. commeth sadden destruction In the middest of their pleasure they goe in a moment downe into hell Iob. I would wee had not too many spectacles of this peace that of the Poet may be truly verified of vs I am patimur longae pacis mala saeuior armis Luxuria incubuit the peace which God hath granted vs from forraigne enemies what hath it wrought but this sinfull peace peace in sinne neuer did this land by prophanenesse by iniustice by riot more offend God and neuer was it more senslesse thereof And the Church may well complaine in the words of the Prophet Esay 38. in pace meâ amaritudo amarissima this calme of ours is a very storme a storme of sinne that will bring a storme of woe The Prophet Ieremie cap. 48. hath an excellent resemblance of a vessell of wine which while it is settled vpon the lees hath a good taste and smell but stirre the lees you marre the wine it will then become muddy and vnsauourie The wicked thinke they haue no lees nothing that can interrupt or alter their state but when God commeth to poure them from vessell to vessell they will finde the contrary they will finde that Christs saying in the Gospell is true Matth. 13. Voluptuousnesse and couetousnesse are nothing but bryars and thornes and they will iustifie that saying of the Preacher Eccles 1. All is vanitie and vexation of spirit Gods heauie hand hath beene long off from vs but it vseth to come vpon irrepentant persons with redoubled strokes Esay 57.21 Seeing then non est pax improbo it is no peace which the wicked haue in their prosperitie and that which they haue they cannot long enioy I will conclude with the admonition of Moses Deut. 29. Take heede lest there bee amongst you a roote that beareth gall and wormewood and it come to passe that when any man heareth the words of the curse denounced against the breakers of the Law he blesse himselfe in his heart saying I shall haue peace though I walke in the
a ground in the entrance to their decrees But when we come to enquire where the Lord saith so here we differ we differ about the Register of Gods Word wee acknowledge none but Verbum scriptum the written Word they adde vnto it Verbum non scriptum vnwritten Traditions but when we presse them with where is that to be found here they iarre between themselues To omit smaller differences this is a maine one that they cannot tell in whom the infallibilitie of relating these traditions is placed as likewise of interpreting the written Word The Councell of Constance and Basil placed it in the generall Councell to whom they gaue power euen ouer the Pope to ouer-rule him and giue Lawes vnto him and to this doth the French Church sticke though otherwise it hold the Romish faith But the Italian faction and specially Iesuites place it in the Pope and giue him authority ouer the Councell to controule it to giue Lawes vnto it and without it to make Lawes that shall binde the whole Catholicke Church and besides the Pope they hold that there is infallibilitie in none no not in a generall Councell Some place it ioyntly in both in a generall Councell that hath its approbation from the Pope wherein he presides by himselfe or his delegates and whose Canons he confirmes But while the Aduocates of the Pope strongly ouerthrow the reasons brought for the Councels infallibilitie and the Aduocates of the Councels ouerthrow the reasons brought for the infallibility of the Pope we may fairely collect from both that the infallibilitie is in neyther and if in neyther then not in both For as a cipher added to a cipher maketh but a cipher it maketh no significant figure so if the Pope may erre as the one side holdes and the Councell as the other side holds the fallibilitie of eyther added to the fallibilitie of the other cannot amount to the summe of an infallibilitie But we hold that which they confesse that the Word written in the Canonicall bookes is vndoubtedly signed with Thus saith the Lord of Hostes as for the Apocryphall Scriptures not onely the Fathers but their owne men haue branded them for Bastards before euer wee challenged them therefore doe not wee recommend them to the people further than they agree with the Bookes Canonicall Neither doe we burden the peoples consciences with their Vnwritten Word whereupon themselues are not yet resolued eyther Where or What it is Wherefore Thus saith the Lord must limit the Pastors message and the Peoples faith must not desire any thing beyond it for it is a sure foundation The best of men speake but in veritate mentis without simulation or dissimulation without equiuocation or mentall reseruation but God speaketh in certitudine veritatis no myst of errour can ouercast his wisdome or his holinesse his Word is tried to the vttermost Psalme 12 Heb. 12. as siluer tried seuen times in the fire there is stablenesse in his promise immutablenesse in his counsaile What should change him within him nothing can for he is the Lord neyther can he be changed by any thing that is without him for he is the Lord of Hosts therefore he speaketh thus in the Prophet Mal. 1. Ego Deus non mutor immutability is reciprocall with Gods nature Iames 1 With God there is no variablenesse or shadow of change God is not as man that hee should lye neither as the sonne of man that he should repent Hath he said it Numb 23. and shall he not doe it Yea he spake the word and it was done hee commanded and it stood fast The Lord breaketh the counsell of the Heathen and bringeth to naught the deuices of the people Psalme 33. but the counsell of the Lord shall stand for euer and the thoughts of his heart throughout all ages What neede we then feare Iulians scoffe who derided the Christians for that they had nothing to say for their faith but Thus saith the Lord. Orat. 3. Nazianzene replieth well vnto him you that allow Ipse dixit in the schollars of Pythagoras and though Suidas thinke that God was meant by Ipse yet Cicero saith Ipse erat Pythagoras may not except against 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I beleeue in the followers of Christ It is more lawfull to captiuate our iudgement vnto the authority of God than of man and if they might doe it in the principles of Philosophy which are examinable by reason much more may we doe it in the Articles of Faith vnto the secrets whereof no approach can bee made by the wit of man Wherefore Thus saith the Lord may well passe for an indemonstrable principle of our Faith and an irrefragable rule of life If there were no more in the signature but Thus saith the Lord this were enough to secure the Faith of a Christian man But Thus saith the Lord of Hosts is enough to stoppe the mouth of an Atheist let Iulian himselfe teach them hee derided Thus saith the Lord but hee had a wofull experience of the Lord of Hosts for being mortally wounded by Christs hand as himselfe confessed he breathed forth his impure soule with those words Vicisti Galilaec O Galilaean thou hast ouer-mastered mee Secondly if Thus saith the Lord of Hosts bee the signature we are hence to learne that the function of the Ministry is not onely for promulgation to instruct you in Gods will and in so doing to open vnto you the riches of our knowledge but it is for application also we thereby binde or loose the soules of men and remit or retaine their sinnes which the world little thinketh vpon For whereas there are two things considerable in a Minister his Sufficiency and his Authority the people listen much to his Sufficiency but take little heed to his Authority and therefore come they to Church rather to iudge than to be iudged forgetting that many may bee as skilfull but none can be as powerfull in this kinde as is a Minister A Iudge or Iustice of Peace may haue lesse Law in him than a priuate man but he hath much more power and they that appeare before him regard his acts according to his power so should it be in the Church But men feare the Magistrates that are vnder earthly Kings because the paines which they inflict are corporeall our hands our feete feele their manicles and their fetters And did our soules as truly feele as indeede they should the Pastors binding and loosing of them wee would make more account of these officers of God than we doe And it were good we did so for they so binde as that they can loose againe but if we neglect them when our Lord and Master commeth he will command all contemners so to be bound hand and foote that they shall neuer be loosed againe Wherefore let the power of the Keyes work more vpon your soules and consciences than vsually it doth I speake in regard of your religious submission to them If any
be otherwise minded will they nil they they shall one day finde that they haue no exemption from them Thus saith the Lord is our warrant regard not our persons regard that Lord whose Embassadors wee are receiue the words wee speake so long as we speake his Words not as the words of men but as the Word of God Finally couple Thus saith with the Lord of Hosts The Lord of Hosts noteth Gods Power Thus he saith noteth his Will Our soules shall finde little rest on Gods Power if it be not sure of his Will for God can doe many things which he will not doe though he cannot will any thing which he cannot doe Luke 3.8 God could raise vp Children vnto Abraham of stones but hee would not but the many miracles which he hath wrought shew that hee can doe what he will The coupling then of these words Thus saith the Lord of Hosts imports Gods willing power and powerfull will which amount vnto an authority fit to build our Faith vpon and to giue law vnto our Conuersation I haue sufficiently shewed you What the warrant is wee must now in few words see Why it is repeated so often For I dare say you shall not finde any passage in the Scripture where Thus saith the Lord is so often read in so few lines The reason is the weightinesse of the matter whereunto it is annext Mortall Princes vse not to signe Bils the contents whereof are triuiall matters many things are done by vertue of their Authority whereunto their signature is not vsed Euen so ordinary matters passe in the Word of God without nay speciall vrging of his Authority when that is prefixt the point is of great regard and if it be often ingeminated it giueth vs to vnderstand that we must take speciall notice of euery clause of it What must wee gather here then but the weightinesse of euery branch of this Text And indeede if you haue not forgotten what hath been obserued on euery part thereof you will easily confesse that there is not one of them which is not so weighty as to deserue Thus saith the Lord of Hosts Was not the shaking of Heauen and Earth the shaking of all Nations a weighty point and therefore deserued it not to be signed with Thus saith the Lord of Hosts If the shaking did deserue this signature much more did the Comming of the desire of all Nations especially seeing he came to fill the Temple with glory and as it deserued so it was signed with Thus saith the Lord of Hosts If the giuing of Glory were a matter of great moment what shall wee say of the degree of Glory Surely it required a great ability so great as we would hardly haue beleeued had we not bin heartened by Thus saith the Lord of Hosts and it must proceed from so great bounty as may be testified by the same Thus saith the Lord of Hosts Finally the peace wherein we possesse whatsoeuer good is contained in Christs presence doth so passe mans vnderstanding that to establish his heart in the beliefe thereof he needes this signature Thus saith the Lord of Hosts At length to conclude You haue heard in the former Sermons What in this Whom you must beleeue you must not separate Whom from What that which we must beleeue doth no doubt most pleasantly affect vs because it is our good but he whom we must beleeue doth most firmely secure vs because he is the Author of that good As then when wee gather fruit from a tree we doe not fixe our eyes onely vpon the boughes from whence we immediately gather it but also thinke vpon the roote which feeds those boughes and maketh them to bee fruitfull so in our religious meditations we must couple the Author with the Matter of blessings that God may be glorified as well as our soules are benefited If we say with Saint Paul I know whom I haue beleeued then we shall be secure that he will safe-keepe whatsoeuer any of vs committeth vnto him hee will keepe our soules keep our bodies and all that which himselfe hath bestowed vpon them Grace and Peace Christ will keepe them vntill his day his second day the day wherein the great and the little world shall receiue their last shaking Then shall the desire of all Nations which at first came in Humility returne againe in Glory hee shall returne to fill his House his Church with glory conformable to his owne Glory Then hee will open vnto vs all his treasures of siluer and gold and therewith adorne his Spouse which being Triumphant shall infinitely exceed her selfe as she was Militant Then shall our Peace come to the full and none shall be able to take our blessednesse from vs because none shall be able to separate betweene vs and Christ They shall not if we build our Faith vpon Gods reuealed Will vpon his Almighty Power vpon my Text Thus saith the Lord of Hosts Now let vs that are a handfull of his Host while we are militant so giue glory vnto the Lord of Hosts that we may hereafter bee triumphant and hauing palmes in our hands and crownes on our heads with harpes and tongues wee may sound and sing ioyntly and cheerfully Halleluiah Praise ye the Lord and with the whole Host of the Kingdome of Heauen saying Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Hosts Heauen and Earth are full of thy Glory Amen יהוה A SERMON PREACHED Vpon the ANNVNTIATION day LVKE 2.28 Haile thou that art highly fauoured the Lord is with thee Blessed art thou among women THis is a part of the Gospell appointed for this day and this day goeth commonly for the Annuntiation day whether the day haue his right place in the Calender I leaue to be disputed by Chronologers what is meant by the Annuntiation is an argument fitter for Diuines certainly for the Pulpit the third part of this Chapter treats thereof and it is conceiued in forme of a Dialogue In the Dialogue there are two speakers the Angell Gabriel the Virgin Mary and each of them maketh two speeches the Angell to the Virgin and the Virgin to the Angell The Angell in his first congratulates the Virgin whom hee informeth from God that she shall bee the mother of Iesus Christ Good newes but strange strange that a Virgin should be a mother this Virgin the mother of that Childe The Virgin thought so nay she said so whereupon the Angell addeth his second speech importing that though the thing be wonderfull yet the meanes are powerfull these must be thought vpon as well as that and she must resolue that nothing shall hinder it because it is the Holy Spirit that will doe it So spake the Angell The Virgin replies vnto him to his first speech shewing her willingnesse to vnderstand the message which hee brought that is gathered out of her question Quomâ—do c. to his second shewing her readinesse to obey so soone as shee vnderstood it that appeares in her submission Ecce c.
we exceed a proportion stinted vnto vs in the vse of the Creatures so they disproportion the harmonie of our bodies that are guiltie of this abuse and God doth in the end separate vs from them because wee for them separated our selues from God And this death we call the giuing vp of the Ghost But after these parts are dissolued there should seize on eyther of them a penall condition On the body for the graue is not only Sheol but also Shacath it doth not onely couetously swallow but digest it also verè 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therein death gnaweth vpon this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this rotten mouldring house this earthly Tabernacle of ours The Reason of it is because sinne is inherent and this leprous house cannot be purged except it be dissolued dust it is and to dust it must returne againe This is the penall condition of our body And as corruption seazeth on our body so should torments on the soule there is a worme to bite it a fire to scorch it vtter darkenesse to distresse it finally fiends that execute Gods vengeance on it being exiled from the ioyes of Heauen whereunto it was created and adiudged to the paines of hell which it hath deserued This is the penall condition of the soule Of these two penall conditions consists the second death for sinne By that which you haue heard concerning death you may easily ghesse what is Resurrection it is nothing but a recouerie from death for this is an infallible principle What riseth that dyed Resurrection then is as manifold as Death to the double death the Scripture opposeth a double resurrection The first Resurrection is from death in sinne and it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nyssen when Grace quickens the soule and the soule is transformed formed into the Image of God the Image of being and doing good which the Scripture cals the Life of God and the partakers thereof new men The second Resurrection is from death for sin whether it be the dissolution or the penall condition Whatsoeuer the Heathen thought it is plaine that after the dissolution there is an habitude in the soule towards the body and a naturall desire againe to inhabit it yea it doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it were trauaile with that appetite appetitus non est frustra Rom. 8. such a desire is an euidence of Gods purpose The soule shall againe bee re-vnited to the body But to bee free from the Dissolution is not the vttermost of mans desire he desires also to be free from the Penall condition Non est viuere sed valere vita better these parts neuer meete than not meete to their mutuall comfort and therefore the last branch of the Resurrection is the endlesse vnion of body and soule in beatitudine plenâ securâ in qua nihil concupiscet nihil metuet so throughly so vnchangeably blessed that they shall haue their hearts desire and bee free from all feare of euill I insist no longer hereon because this point must be resumed againe Let vs come on then and apply what hath beene said to the different subiects And here first wee must take for our guide a receiued rule Talia sunt praedicata qualia permittuntur esse à subiectis suis Death and Resurrection must be limited differently according to their different subiects And the first subiect is Christ Death in sinne would not agree with Him it will not stand with the grace of his holy vnction much lesse of his personall vnion he was the Holy one of God Luke 1. yea the Holy of Holies Dan. 9. Adde hereunto that a sinner implies a contradiction to a Mediatour neyther can they both consist in one for such a high Priest it behoued vs to haue that was holy harmelesse vndefiled separate from sinners Hebr. 7. therefore could he not dye that death As he could not dye the death in sinne no more could hee vndergoe all the death for sinne hee could not vndergoe either part of the penall condition Not that of the Graue his body saw no corruption and why though it had sinne imputed yet had it none inherent and it is only sinne inherent that subiects vs to that part of death And if his body were free from corruption much more was his soule from torment it left the body to take possession of Heauen purchased and Hell conquered vpon the Crosse therein his meritorious power after conflict brake the knot wherewith the dissolution of body and soule came fast clasped with the penall condition and this he proclaimed in his last speech Iohn 19. Consummatumest the passion is now at a full end There remaines then no part of death for Christ to suffer but onely the dissolution the separation of his soule and body and to that he yeelded himselfe as an Offerer that could not be inforced as a Sufferer When hee had triumphed ouer principalities and powers the fiends of Hell and shewed his murdering crucifiers by the supernaturall Earth-quake and Eclipse how hee could rescue himselfe from death he laid downe his life in testimony of his loue to vs and presented that sacrifice of a sweete smell to God which only was able to redeeme vs. This being the limitation of his death the limitation of his Resurrection must needes be answerable it must be restrained to the re-vnion of his body and soule 〈◊〉 Serm. 1. de Resurrect and it is no more in effect than Quod potestate diuisit potestate copulauit with what power he laid downe his life with the same he tooke it againe Though the soule were seuered from the body yet was the God-head from neither the hypostaticall vnion persisted still his body continued vitae sacrarium Ambros Rom. 1. he declared himselfe mightily to be the Sonne of God by the Resurrection from the dead But farther to open the Resurrection of Christ These words seeme to be a bare assertion and indeed a bare assertion vttered by them that are witnesses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were enough to warrant an Article of Faith But the words imply a manifold proofe and the proofe lyes in the word CHRIST Acts 10. For Christ signifieth Annointed annointed as the Scripture speakes with the Holy Ghost and with power This vnction is with grace and that eyther gratis data or gratum faciens of Edification or Adoption The grace of Edification designed Christ to a threefold office to be a Prophet a Priest and a King and euery one of these implies a proofe of his Resurrection His Prophesie for his Resurrection was a principall argument of that whether you looke vpon the types prefiguring or the words foretelling it he was to make both good or else his Prophesie were liable to exception As the Prophesie so the Priesthood inforceth the Resurrection How could it appeare that the obligation was cancelled the Law fulfilled God pacified sinne purged if hee had not risen from the dead
word doth encourage them to dye for who would be troubled when he is called to lay his wearied bones at rest But as the word hath that encouragement so hath it a better also and which doth comfort more For notwithstanding the rest expected yet the parting of soule and bodie is irkesome the rather because we see that this sweet companion our body must vndergoe so different a condition from the soule The soule goeth to Abrahams bosome there to be feasted with the foode of Angels but the body must turne to dust and become the foode of wormes And who can endure this surely he that remembers that it is but for a moment the body doth but sleepe it shall awake againe and awake to be of the same condition with the soule for so much we are taught in the next word which is Primitiae first fruits aequiualent to the Resurrection a phrase well befitting the season To vnderstand it we must obserue that in the Law there were two kinds of first fruits One generall consisting of the first of all the Holy Lands increase Leuit. 23. Verse 10. 17. and those might bee offered at any time of the yeare another speciall that was restraind to certaine seasons Easter and Whitsontide The first season was Easter day for the Passouer was slain vpon Good friday the day whereon Christ dyed the next was to bee a holy Conuocation wherein Christ continued in the Graue and the day following was the sheaff of first Fruits to be presented to the Lord and that was the first day of the weake the very day wherein Christ rose from the dead So that this word Primitiae is vere significant and shewes how the Truth did answer the Type Christs Resurrection was meant by that first fruits Hauing found the originall of the phrase let vs now rip it vp and inquire into the meaning of it and then we shall finde that it intimates two things Christs Prerogatiue and our Communion First of Christs prerogatiue Though the Resurrection belong to Christ and them that slept yet first to Christ first dignitate causatione some adde tempore also but I leaue it to bee disputed by the learned that may passe inter piè credibilia but these two are articles of faith for doubtlesse Christ had it in a greater measure and the measure that we haue we haue it from him First of the digintie Vnumquodque recipitur ad modum recipientis as was Christs capacitie so was his participation his capacitie was infinitely beyond ours his participation must be answerable The capacitie may bee conceiued by his Vnction and his Vnion Our Mysticall vnion comes farre short of his Hypostaticall and the vnction of him the Head farre exceeds the droppes that distill therefrom into euery one of vs that is but a Member when he rose his glorie was without all comparison The best of men is but a Starre of what magnitude soeuer hee bee but Christ is as the Sunne at the presence whereof the glory of all starres vanisheth Therefore is hee Reshith Biccure the first fruite of first fruits as the Law speakes eyther word notes an eminencie the first alluding to his title The Head the other to his title of First borne how much more eminent then is he when both are ioyned together This is his first Prerogatiue intimated by his being The first fruits But as he is Primus dignitate so is he causatione also Scrm. 10. de Pasâ—h for he caused his owne and is the cause of our Resurrection His owne St. Bernard so differenceth him from others Reliqui suscitantur solus Christus resurrexit Well may others be raised Christ only rose hee only by himselfe could conquer death Therfore though the word be passiue yet must it be vnderstood actiuely Christ was so raised that he raised himselfe and that not onely merito but efficacia also as the Godhead graced the manhood to merit it so was the manhood inabled by the Godhead to atchieue it But Christ rose though in se yet pro alijs in his owne person for our good that are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his purchase by death 1 Pet. 2.9 This is meant in the Law of First fruits when God telleth the Israelites they shall be presented to make you accepted and therefore as hee was the cause of his owne so is he the cause of ours also Primum in vnoquoquegenere est causa reliquorum God hath giuen eternall life but this life is in the Sonne He that hath the Sonne hath this life and he that hath not the Sonne hath not this life Ioh. 1.5 for he only is the quickning Spirit and hath the keyes of death and hell But Causa is eyther aequiuoca or vniuoca Christ is Causa Resurrectionis in both senses he is Causa aequiuoca euen to the wicked for he is iudge and therefore shall summon all in the Graue his Angels shall gather as well tares as wheate and the goats as well as the sheep shall he call before him Yea hee shall not only cause their rising but their incorruptibilitie also for it is by his Almighty power that they shall bee supported to endure their torment This causation only is not here meant but causatio vniuoca also for he is Primitiae faciens primitias what himselfe hath he makes others to enioy and therefore Theophylact obserues well Primitiae ad sequentes respectum habent these first fruits haue respect to others as if one of many should beginne to doe that wherein he is afterward to be followed by others And this appeares in our Communion Communion in name and in the condition answerable to the name In name For as Christ so wee are called Primitiae so speakes Ieremy cap. 2. v. 3 Israel was holinesse to the Lord and the first fruits of his encrease and S. Iames cap. 1. v. 18. Of his owne will begot hee vs that we should bee a kinde of first fruits of his Creatures and Reuel 14. These are redeemed from among men being the first fruits of God and the Lambe Hee is not so then the first fruits as if we were left to prophane vses for though in comparison of vs Christ is the First fruits yet in comparison of the world we also are so esteemed Leuit. 23. and therefore there is a second First fruites mentioned in the Law which was offered at Whitsontide and represented the Church to whom the Law was giuen and vpon whom was poured the Holy Ghost But as we communicate in name 1 Cor. 15. so doe wee also in the condition answerable to the name for Christus est Typus Christianorum As wee haue borne the image of the earthly Adam so shall we of the heauenly also To open this Point a little farther Christus is Typus victoriae vitae There bee two things wherein the first fruits doe warrant vs communion with him Victorie and Life Victorie ouer all ouer enemies they shall all be subdued no
may be reiterated though the other may not And so haue I laid before you as many particulars as I thinke obserueable in this Text which I will now vnfold briefly and in their order First then of the Author He is here called Iesus Saint Paul calleth him the Lord Iesus Though Sacraments be Ceremonies yet are they Ceremonies of efficacie Were they onely of significancie the Church might haue some power to ordaine them but being of efficacie their ordination belongeth onely to God because the efficacy floweth from his Spirit and of his Spirit none can dispose but himselfe As onely God is the Author of Sacraments so did hee institute them by the second Person by him that is the Sauiour of the world doth hee institute the Sacraments of sauing grace the Sacraments are his most liuely picture therefore he was fittest for to draw them He was fittest as Iesuâ— for to draw them and as the Lord to enioyne the obseruation of them therein especially stands his Kingdome in his Church to prescribe the meanes vnto eternall Life But how doth he do it you shall learne that in the Institution I therein obserued the time and the manner The time while they were eating saith St. Matthew after Supper saith St. Luke Saint Paul the same night that he was betrayed St. Paul and St. Luke are easily reconciled for the Passeouer was solemnized at the same time and St. Luke meaneth when they had done with that so far as concerned the Paschal Lamb but were not yet risen for that there was another Ceremony to be performed as the Iewish Ritualls obserue and that Ceremony was this The Master of the Family after the Passeouer was eaten distributed with solemne words concerning the deliuerance out of the Egyptian captiuity bread and wine before that was done Christ instituted the Sacrament and so it might be while they were eating though it were after Supper Where out of St. Pauls addition that it was the night wherein Christ was betrayed we may obserue that for the terrour of the Crosse which he fore-saw Christ did not omit to doe any thing which concerned his office and was to be for the comfort of his Church Secondly obserue that they were not at a prophane but a sacred Banquet which hindered not but they might be meete guests for Christs holy Supper while they receiued one Sacrament they were not vnfit for another And this teacheth vs the reason why though Christ gaue the Sacrament to the Apostles while they were feasting the Church commands vs to take it fasting For their feast was sacred the Church forbids that which is prophane so doth St. Paul 1. Cor. 11. yea the Iewes were to sanctifie themselues before the receiuing of the Passeouer How may we then come vnprepared to ours that the meate of our soules may the better be receiued we must not be prepossest with the food of our bodies Where by the way you may learne how to answer the cauill against our Liturgie which saith that the Diuell entered into Iudas after his vnworthy receiuing of the Sacrament For put the case he were not at the Eucharist which notwithstanding will not easily be proued because the best Harmonists are against the conceipt and so are the Fathers Greeke and Latine But put the case he were not there yet was he at the Passouer that is plaine in the Euangelists and the Passeouer was a Sacrament and so in effect the matter is all one Secondly obserue on these words While they were eating that before the Sacrament of the Old was abolished for it was not abolished but by the death of Christ Christ instituted the Sacrament of the New that because we haue alwayes so much need of grace wee might neuer be without the meanes thereof So did he substitute Baptisme to Circumcision the Ministry of the Gospell to the Priesthood of the Law the Lords Day to the Iewish Sabbath Seeing then Christ hath been so carefull of vs we must not be wanting to our selues if we want grace the blame must not be laide on him but on vs. Thirdly Christ abolished the Ceremoniall Law but not all Ceremonies We consist of a body and a soule and God doth conuey grace vnto the soule by the body which cannot be done without Ceremony But ours are fewer in number than were the Iewes Austin though they are not inferiour in power yea they are much more commodious though they be lesse burthenous Our charge being easier and our comfort greater our sinne is lesse excusable and our neglect more challengeable if we doe not practise such easie meanes to compasse so great a benefit Enough of the Time I come now to the Manner of the Institution where wee must first see what Elements were chosen and here we finde bread and wine Of this choice the reason is inquired Some thinke it occasionall because the Father of the Family did after the Passeouer distribute bread and wine Some thinke Christ tooke an occasion from that ceremony to institute this by this Truth to accomplish that Type Others thinke the reason to be Propheticall Cap. 1. Malachy foretold that from the rising of the Sun vnto the going downe of the same Gods Name should be great amongst the Gentiles and in euery place incense should be offered to his Name and a pure Offering the word is Mincah and so doth import an accessory to the ancient Sacrifice that was made commonly of fine flower and wine this accessory might in some cases be a principall as appeares in the Law Some rise higher vnto the dayes of Melchisedech and because hee offered bread and wine and Christ was a Priest after the order of Melchisedech therefore hee made vse of his Sacrifice and perpetuated it to this heauenly vse Now the bread and wine which Melchisedech brought out when hee met Abraham are by many of the Fathers thought to be a Sacrifice I might adde a fourth Originall that is Manna and the water out of the Rocke wherewith God sustained the Israelites in the wildernesse St. Paul calleth them spirituall meate and drinke 1. Cor. 10. But to leaue these points which are subiect to dispute I will come to that which is more cleare and that is Bread and Wine are the choisest of food bread strengtheneth mans heart and it is the sustenance of all other sustenances the Psalmist giueth Wheate as it were kidnies of fat not onely alluding to the forme of the graine but also to the effect thereof and God by the Prophet when he threatneth a famine expresseth it by breaking the staffe of bread as if without it all food were heartlesse As for wine the Psalme teacheth vs that it was made to cheare vp mans heart The Parable of the Trees telleth vs it cheareth both God and man Iudges 9. In the Probleme Esdras 3. What is strongest wine is brought in as one Ecclesiasticus hath made almost a whole Chapter of it and holdeth that there is no life without it be
haue not been carefull to bring them that sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death to the knowledge of Christ and participation of the Gospel Much trauelling to the Indies East and West but wherefore some go to possesse themselues of the Lands of the Infidels but most by commerce if by commerce to grow richer by their goods But where is the Prince or State that pitieth their soules and without any worldly respect endeauours the gaining of them vnto God some shew we make but it is but a poore one for it is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an accessorie to our worldly desire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is not it is not our primarie intention wheras Christs method is Mat. 6.33 first seeke ye the kingdome of God and then all other things shall be added vnto you you shall fare the better for it in your worldly estate If the Apostles and Apostolicke men had affected our saluation no more we might haue continued till this day such as somtimes we were barbarous subiects of the Prince of darknesse Those of the Church of Rome boast of their better zeale for the Kingdome of Christ but their owne Histories shew that Ambition and Couetousnesse haue beene the most predominant Affections that haue swayed their endeauours and they haue with detestable cruelty made their way to those worldly ends in stead of sauing soules haue destroyed millions of persons We should take another course for their conuersion yea the same that was taken for ours and if wee doe it is to be hoped God will continue vs his people and adde daily to his Church such as shal be saued For Popish Recusants let me speake a word their case is mixt consisting partly in ignorance of the truth and partly in the seed of disloyaltie Wee haue made many good Lawes if not to roote out at least to keepe downe so much of their corruption as is dangerous to the State it were to bee wisht that greater care were taken for informing their consciences and indeed there should our Lawes beginne with them vnder a reasonable paine to vrge them to conference for why should we doubt but that God would blesse the honest endeauours of the Ministers of the truth who permits the Seducers to steale away so many hearts from God and the King Of this we may be sure that eyther God will worke that which we wish the recouery of those which are seduced or at least their obstinacie will bee without all excuse and the punishment thereof by sharpe Lawes will be no more than is iust in the sight both of God and man The neglect of this care of infidels and recusants is no small cause of that great distresse which at this day is fallen vpon the reformed Churches and God thereby calleth vpon vs to amend these defects Let vs vse our punishment well and let Gods chastisement prouoke vs to a better life though it seeme grieuous to vnderlie Gods heauy hand yet it is much more grieuous to be neuer a whit the better for the plagues for it is a second refusing of grace the same God that doth at first recommend vnto vs pietie by sweetning it with temporall blessings when that course speedeth not tryeth whether wee will bethinke our selues if we smart for our vntowardlinesse and certainly his case is desperate who is the worse for his stripes as you may reade in Gods complaint passionately exprest by Esay Cap. 1. Cap. 5. Cap. 4. by Amos and Ieremie hath illustrated it by an excellent simile of reprobate siluer which is molten in vaine because the drosse cannot bee separated from it Amend then wee must That is not enough we must be constant in our amendment we must feare God all the dayes of our life that is true Repentance when a man so turneth to God that he doth not returne againe like a dogge to his vomit or a sow to wallow in the myre Relapses are dangerous as Saint Peter teacheth 2 Pet. 2.21 and our Sauiour Christ tels the recouered lame man in the Gospel Iohn 5. Behold thou art made whole goe thy way sinne no more lest a worse thing happen vnto thee I will hearken saith the Psalmist Psal 85. what the Lord will say vnto me for he will speake peace vnto his people and to his Saints that they returne not again vnto their folly We should all remember Lots wife who for looking backe was turned into a pillar of salt Animae in vitia relabentis accusatricem a visible inditement of relapsing soules Most men are to God-ward like Planets sometimes in coniunction with him sometimes in a more or lesse aspect too often in plaine opposition but let vs take heed we be not in the number of those wandring stars of whom St. Iude speaketh to whom is reserued the blacknesse of darknesse for euer To begin well and not to go on is as if a man should put a soueraigne plaister to a dangerous wound and after a while teare it off againe thinke you that man would bee the better for his salue or the worse rather you heard before our sinnes are wounds and although repentance be a soueraigne salue yet proueth it not such vnto vs except it be lasting There is a good reason giuen by St. Bernard Cecidimus in lutum lapides our sias are like vnto fals into the myre wherein there are stones the mud doth soile vs and the stones bruise vs we may soone wash away the myre but we cannot so soone recouer our bruise euen so the guilt of our sin is sooner remitted than the corruption can be purged Therefore Repentance taketh time to restore our spirituall health and doth not compasse it but with much fasting watching praying almesdeeds c. and is watchfull ouer vs that second wounds make not the first more dangerous in a word being deliuered from our enemies and the hands of all that hate vs we endeauour to serue God in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life Here are added two motiues vnto this constant amendment taken from the place wherein they liue It is true that wheresoeuer they liued they were to feare God all the dayes of their life because God is euery where a knower of the the heart a rewarder of men according to their workes But the place of their aboad put no small obligation vpon them first because it was an eminent place eminent corporally a good Land a Land flowing with milke and honey eminent mystically for it was the seate of the Church and a type of heauen and who should bee fruitfull in good workes rather than they that dwell in a fruitfull Land and holinesse beseemeth Gods house for euer But to sin in the Land of Immanuel in the Land of vprightnesse is no small improuement of sin and hee that is barren of good works in a fruitfull Land shall haue the earth that brings forth her increase rise vp in iudgement against him Our Countrey hath both
them Glory here he commandeth our seruice there he giueth vs our reward in Earth hee bindeth and looseth by his Ministers and what soeuer they binde or loose here himselfe doth ratifie in Heauen he reigneth in Heauen in glory and by his Spirit hee ruleth on Earth therefore the Angels and Saints adore him in Heauen no lesse than the faithfull doe here on Earth both are recapitulated in him as the Apostle speaketh hee is that Iacobs Ladder one end whereof reacheth to Heauen and the other to the Earth vpon him continually do the Angels ascend and descend vnto these two places Finally the Angels at his Birth congratulate both places Glory be to God on high that is in Heauen in earth peace good will towards men Luke 2. and the Apostle saith it is the fulnesse of Him that filleth all in all And thus much of Christs right or power to send Come we to the Errant he sends them on This is grounded vpon that power of Christ wherof you haue heard the Illatiue Therefore importeth as much And indeede a Kingly power hath good right to send Embassadors and the Dignity of the Embassador is answerable to the King from whom he commeth he that looketh vpon the persons of Ministers only will not much esteeme eyther them or their words but adde whose Ministers they are and that requireth reuerence to bee yeelded to their persons and obedience to their doctrine Especially if we consider that all those to whom they come are at his mercy from whom they come for he hath power ouer them all and such power hee must haue that sends so it is not a message sent by a King to a neighbour King but by a King to his Vassals the more are they to be respected and their words heeded But let vs come to their Charge Ite Goe yee They were not to abide still at Ierusalem after they were endued with power from aboue they were presently to be walking their names Apostles Angels Embassadors all sound a walking life But in the word take notice of two things First the Apostles doe not goe before they are sent it is the marke of a false Apostle to bee so forward Hebr. 5. No man should take vnto himselfe this honour except hee be called by those to whom Christ hath giuen authority It is an Anabaptisticall dreame that euery man may thrust himselfe into this worke as he findeth himselfe moued by the Spirit and it is an impious attempt of some vagrant Schollars that make vp a poore liuing by exercising this Function whereunto they were neuer ordered how farre are both these from that modesty which was in Moses in Ieremy and others who were so farre from going before they were called that they held backe when God would send them and pleaded their insufficiency so did Chrysostome Nazianzene other Lights of the Church And indeede Quis ad haec idoneus He is ouer well conceited of himselfe whosoeuer he be that doth not thinke it to be an ouer-weighty burden a burden that will crush the strongest shoulders if he beare it as he should Notwithstanding when God commeth to Quid statis hic otiosi Why stand you idle as many as are fit to worke wee must yeeld our paines and doe as well as wee can though wee cannot doe so well as wee should it is no lesse a fault to bee too backward than to bee too forward and yet there are many such whether because they thinke the calling vnworthy their gifts and below their birth or because they will not vndergoe the paines and danger that doth accompany the same men that will neuer bee Labourers except they be thrust into the Haruest thrust not by the Lord of the Haruest but by their owne necessities or aduantages A second Note in this word Ite is that wheras the world should come vnto God out of a sense of their owne want God is faine to send to them this word iustifieth that saying of God in the Prophet I am found of them that sought mee not I am made manifest to them that enquired not after mee Esay 65. Neuer would Adam haue returned to God if God had not sought him out and the sonnes of Adam would perish in their sinnes did not he seeke them likewise The Marriage Feast would hane no guests if the King did not onely inuite them but send his seruants also to call yea compell them Therefore this Ite should remember vs to magnifie the goodnesse of God which is so indulgent to vs carelesse men But let vs come to the particulars of the Charge and first see to Whom they are sent They haue a great Iourney to goe for they must goe to all Nations In the first Mission the Apostles were restrained to the lost sheepe of Israel and forbidden to goe into the way of the Gentiles or into a Citie of the Samaritanes that Commission is here recalled and the partition Wall is broken downe and their Circuit is enlarged they are taught that in Iesus Christ there is neyther Iewe nor Gentile Grecian nor Barbariaâ— bond nor free male nor female all are one in him as St. Paul saith and St. Peter warned by a Vision breakes out into this confession I perceiue of a truth that there is no respect of persons with God but in euery Nation hee that feareth God and worketh righteousnesse is accepted of him the Prophets foretold it should be so â—â—ay 2. 49. Psal 2. 71. and now the Apostles heare from Christ that they must make good those Prophesies their sound must goe out into all the world they must be the Light of the world or rather carry the Sunne of Righteousnesse round about the world and they must be the Salt of the earth that must season all mankinde which Christ sanctified in his person Rom. 10. compared with Psulmo 19. and though by others hee were called the Sonne of Dauid yet the name which hee commonly giueth himselfe is the Sonne of man And here see a difference between the Typicall and the true Redemption the Typicall extended to one Nation and Moses Law went no farther the true reacheth all mankinde and the Gospell must be carried as farre But here wee must take heede of a mistake the Nations are oftentimes opposed to the Iewes so wee finde it in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles But it is not so here for the Apostles are willed to preach vnto all Nations beginning at Ierusalem and so saith St. Paul To you ought the Gospell first to be preached but because you make your selues vnworthy of it loe we turne to the Gentiles And here also wee must not mistake for from the contempt of the Iew occasion was taken of preaching sooner to the Gentiles not simply of preaching to them had the Iewes entertained the Gospell the Apostles would haue spent more time with them and they spent the lesse time with them because they did not entertaine it The truth then is that all
in your priuate families to what end should a man giue instructions to his houshold if he neuer meant to take account of their conformitie thereto But all this is no more than a ciuill ground it deriues an Assizes only from the light of reason my text goeth farther it maketh it also a sacred Assembly Mogned signifieth such a one And indeede how can it be lesse doth not God stand in this Congregation and are not they that sit vpon the Bench called Gods Psalme 82. The Lawyers that plead at the Barre are euen in the entrance of the ciuill Law called Sacerdotes iustitiae they haue a kinde of Priesthood the Iurors and all persons of necessary seruice are bound Iuramento Dei with the Lords oath so the Scripture calleth it the worke as Salomon speaketh Prouerbs 21. is more than a sacrifice finally the place is Mogned a Synagogue a holy place I obserue this the rather because I would raise the estimation of that place to a higher rate than it commonly passeth at with the vulgar people The Iudge when he passeth from the Church to the Bench doth but passe from one sacred assembly to another only with this difference that sitting but as a sheepe in this fold in the other he sitteth as a shepheard Wherefore the Iudge when he sitteth there must remember the saying of Natianzene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou art the Image of God and they with whom thou dealest beare his image also if any staines haue blemished that image purge them but neuer forget so to deale with the people as those that beare Gods image The Lawyers must remember that the Iudges Bench is Gods Altar and being Priests thereat they may not sacrifice with eyther polluted tongues or hands The Iurors that haue bound themselues to God must deale as in his sight they must take heed of that wherewith they are too vsually charged that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 priuate men the common weale are not so much abused they are not abused so cunningly by any thing as by their oathes The words are significant giue me leaue to open them Sinnes are compared to debts he that breaketh a Law becommeth a debter thereby the Iudge commeth to enquire after those debts that satisfaction may bee made for priuate for publick wronges the Iurors are trusted with the relation and taxation of these debts they are to bring in who is in debt and how far and their oathes are credited herein but their oath is become a sophister and cunningly priuate wrongs at the one barre and publike at the other receiue an acquittance and yet the debter makes no paiment or surely no such payment as in equitie he should If their oath were Iuramentum diaboli their sophistrie were tolerable but I beseech them in the feare of God to consider that sinceritie is the attribute of the oath of God and let them take heed lest obliging themselues to God and doing seruice to the Diuel they descend not into hell when they hope to ascend to heauen Finally whereas the ground whereupon the Assembly standeth is holy ground let euerie man put off his shooes put off his corrupt affections so shall the worke be an acceptable a profitable sacrifice which may yeeld a sweet sauour vnto God and a sauour of rest vnto our whole Land it shall so be and it shall do so if the Iudge hauing called this assembly iudge according to the rule if hee iudge vprightly I come then from the time to the manner Some take the word Mesharim for a Nown some for an Aduerb wherupon arise two interpretations one respecting the person of the Iudge the other that whereupon the Iudge worketh If you respect the person of the Iudge then the words are I will iudge vprightly that is according to the Law Before you heard of a publicke standard whereat mens causes must be tryed the Iudge is not fabricator but adhibitor mensurae Iupiter ipse duas aequato examine lances Sustinet the King himselfe much more the Iudge is put in trust with it not to make it but to vse it and as St. Augustine speakes Non iudicat de legibus sed secundum leges he must not confound a Parliament with an Assizes That is the first thing that must be noted A second thing is that the word signifieth streight or right lines which is the proper attribute of a Law and you know that recta linea est brenissima inter eosdem terminos and if mens causes be iudged according to Law the handling of them must not take the next way about the proceeding must be as euen so speedy And yet which wee must note in the third place the straitnesse of the Law is not a mathematicall but a morall straitnesse It is not inflexible but it is so farre to be bent as the minde of the Law giuer did intend A Iudge must not insist vpon the words of a Law but put on the minde of a Law-maker and a Law-maker doth follow medium not arithmeticum but geâ—metricum not rei but rationis The circumstances of quid quantum cui quando Heb. 7. do varie the proceeding and yet the rule is still euen Prouided alwaies that the King and the Iudge bee as Melchisedeck 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so righteous a King and Iudge that he hath no consanguinity nor affinity but only the common weale If a Iudge follow such a rule hee then iudgeth vprightly But I told you though Mesharim may beevsed Aduerbially yet is it a Nown and so the Ancients did take it in this place as appeares by their translating it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 recta and I thinke it is most naturall here to referre it to that whereupon the Iudge worketh Hee calleth an Assembly to see what vprightnesse there is in mens carriage God as the Preacher speaketh made man straight the word is iashar that is set him in a straight way the holy Ghost doth much delight to resemble Lawes by waies and that resemblance is implied in this word but man being set so straight sought out many inuentions c. The Rule is as true in policie as in diuinitie S. Iohn Baptist the harbinger of Christ according to the Prophefie of Esay crying vnto the people to prepare Christs way and to make his path straight doth reduce all the obliquitie thereof vnto foure heads saying that euery hill must be brought low You shall finde some men through pride to swell like hils like mountaines lifting themselues aboue their ranke and vsurping more power than belongs vnto them such are the violent oppressors of the poore And I adde vnto them those that are mountainous also the supporters of the man of sin dwelling vpon the seuen hils who vsurped spirituall power of old but of late is grown more eager for a temporall hee hath many Proctors for both in this Land and they should all be brought low Besides these Mountaines you shall find Valleyes men that by base qualities fall below their
Confession the Aduisers shew how little grace there is in that Sect how vnlikely they are vnto King Dauid and vnto Iames and Iohn Howsoeuer they did let vs be of the old Patriarke Iacobs minde and say of them as he sayd of his sonnes Simeon and Leui they were Brethren in iniquity My glory enter not into their secret and my honour be thou not vnited to their Assembly Let vs not auenge our selues but giue place vnto wrath knowing that vengeance belongeth vnto God and hee will repay But if wee haue bitter zeale let vs not boast Wee lie against the truth as Saint Iames speaketh Hoc nomine ijs à quibus iniurias accepimus sublimiores simus ostendamus quid illos daemones doceant quid Christus nos erudiat In a word Nazianâ—â—â— Let euery man be slow to wrath seeing the wrath of man doth not accomplish the righteousnes of God And thus much of the Case of Conscience A second vse that we should all make of this Storie thus applied is to be stirred vp hereby vnto heartie thankfulnesse for our Deliuerance If wee did congratulate our first restitution to the Gospel by Queene Elizabeth how must we also our continuation thereof and preseruation therein in the dayes of King Iames that hee hath not suffered the Destroyer to haue his will against vs he hath saued our soules and saued our bodies the Destroyer aimed at the ruine of both Their first intent was to make vs drinke of their golden cup of poyson to make vs fall downe and worship their Idoll But not speeding of that because it pleased God to continue our Soueraigne a constant Defender of the Truth they attemped a second ruine the ruine of our bodies But Iesus hath Saued vs from both he hath saued vs from being corrupted with their Heresies he hath saued vs from being Destroyed by their malice So that wee may say Blessed be the Lord which hath not giuiug vs as a prey vnto their teeth Wee can neuer more feelingly receiue the Eucharist then vpon this occasion there is present our Iesus he inuiteth vs to partake of him And wee that haue Seene let vs also taste how good the Lord is and praise him because wee finde that all are so blest that put their trust in him I end The summe of all is The Church is subiect to the Crosse and Christians must looke to suffer and must not be ashamed to suffer for Christ But in suffering they must remember not to recompence euill for euill but to ouercome euill with good So did Christ so must Christians both in Word and Deed. O Lord that by thy Words and by thy Deeds hast taught vs to spend the heate of our zeale in the constant profession of thy Truth not in the bloody persecution of our foes giue vs grace to possesse our soules in patience and let the bloud of our deadliest enemies be precious in our sight So shall we beare the character not of the Destroyer but of the Deliuerer and hauing happily escaped all plots of our destruction in thy House with songs of prayse blesse thee O Iesu the only constant Author no lesse of our temporall then of our eternall Saluation A SERMON PREACHED AT St ANDREWES IN WELLES ONE DOING PENANCE FOR JNCEST PSALME 50. VERSE 21. These things hast thou done and J kept silence thou thoughtest that J was altogether such a one as thy selfe but J will reproue thee and set them in order before thine eyes THE Argument of this Psalme is an heauenly Assises whereof we haue here the Apparance and the Indictment the apparance made at it and the indictment read in it The Apparance is great whether we respect the Iudge or the iudged the Iudge GOD the iudged the Church of the Iewes both are set forth GOD in Maiesty whether you respect his owne Person or Attendants the Church with her prerogatiues as she is consecrated to GOD and hath couenanted with him And the conclusion is that this Church notwithstanding yea the rather for her prerogatiues shall be arraigned before that Iudge But what is her Arraignment Surely the transgression of the Law so much of the Law as containeth GODS seruice for this she shall be arraigned and receiue iudgement also as we are taught in my Text. In my Text then we are to obserue two things First how farre the Iewes are guiltie Secondly how GOD proceedeth against them How farre they are guilty appeares in the first words These things c. which are relatiue and repeat the enormous sinnes that are distinctly specified in the words that goe before For these sinnes GOD proceeds against them after much Patience which the Iewes abused vnto such Vengance as against which they shall haue nothing to except GODS Patience is gathered out of his silence I held my tongue the Iewes abuse hereof GOD testifieth to their face thou thoughtest that I am altogether such a one as thou art This abuse is insufferable therefore GOD threatneth Vengance I will reproue thee such Vengance as against which they shall not be able to except I will set thy sinnes in order before thine eyes You haue heard the substance of these words which I must now enlarge and apply as this present occasion doth require The first point then is the Indictment which sheweth how farre the Iewes were guiltie it is expressed in the first words These things hast thou done whereof euerie one is remarkable These things are relative words and repeat the Challenge that is made vnto the Iewes in sundry former verses the summe whereof is That they were guiltie of transgressing the Law The Law so farre as we haue to doe with it is partly Ceremoniall and partly Morall within these two is concluded the seruice of GOD. The Ceremoniall cherisheth the Morall and the Morall quickneth the Ceremoniall yea the Ceremoniall is a sensible description of the Morall and the Morall is a discreet limitation of the Ceremoniall when they goe together they worke both a sincere and a sober seruice of GOD sober in regard of the Ceremonie sincere in regard of the Moralitie But we must marke that the Ceremoniall and the Morall Law differ as the Soule and Body of man the body is of small vse if it be seuered from the Soule so is the Ceremoniall Law if it be seuered from the Morall Secondly the body is inferiour to the Soule euen so is the Ceremoniall Law inferiour to the Morall so that if it be a fault to neglect the Ceremoniall it is a much greater to breake the Morall Law Lo then the Indictment stands vpon two Branches a Seperation and a Transgression a Seperation of the Ceremoniall Law from the Morall and which is worse a manifold Transgression of the Morall with these two sinnes GOD chargeth the Iewes Both are great sinnes The Seperation is for GOD in his seruice commanded that our Soules should concurre with our bodies that our Affections should speake vnto him as well as our tongue
may read enough in the life of SOLOMON to iustifie this point But this was not the sinne onely of the Old Testament it quickly entred vpon the New no sooner had the Apostles planted the Christian Faith but impure Heretickes poysoned the Religion at the root and by wicked notions of God and Goodnesse seduced many simple ones vnto all dissolutenesse of life as we read in IRENIE and EPIPHANIVS Yea no sooner was the Gospel restored in these latter dayes but Anabaptists and Libertines trod the very same steps and turned Heauen into Hell and God into the Diuell As for our selues Beloued our Positions are sound and good but our Conuersation should be answerable otherwise the Apostle will tell vs That we denie God euen when we professe him deny him in deeds when we professe him in word yea whereas GODS Image is not Verball but Reall if we will goe for GODS Children and doe the workes of the Diuel how farre are we from this sinne of the Iewes You that are the Penitent should especially lay this to your heart for this brings your sinne vnto his heighth and if you thinke how prophane it is to beare our Incest with Periurie you may haue grace to acknowledge your guilt guilt of supposing GOD to be like vnto your selfe for such doing can hardly goe without such thinking especially if a man continue long therein When a sinner is come to this passe GOD can hold no longer he ceaseth his patience which the Iewes abuse and proceedeth to vengance against which they cannot except He that toucheth GOD in his Wisedome as doth the first kind of Atheist toucheth him neare but GOD beares it He that toucheth him in his Prouidence as doth the second kind of Atheist toucheth him nearer yet can GOD endure that also But he that toucheth him in his Holinesse as doth the third kind of Atheist toucheth him nearest his wrath for such a touch must needs breake out As the Will is the supremest facultie of the reasonable Soule so Holinesse the perfection of the Will is the chiefest of vertues therefore man should be certainly GOD is most tender of it if any impeach that he will certainly reproue them Reprofe is either verball or reall GOD reproues verbally or in word by his Ministers of that we heare as often as we heare from them the doome of sinne for it is Praeiudicium ante iudicium they tell vs what we are and how we shall faire and GOD will make good their words when he entreth into Iudgement But when we are not the better for the Verball then GOD commeth to the reall Ps 29. and then we shall find that Dei dicere is facere The voyce of the Lord is a glorious voyce mightie in operation it breaketh the Cedars of Libanus Hebr. 4. and diuideth betweene the sinnewes and the marrow it not onely rips a man vp to the verie heart root but is able to crush him all to pieces King DAVID describeth the effects of it Psal 39. When thou ô Lord with rebukes doest chasten man for sinne thou as a moath makest his beautie to consume This he vttereth more at large in the 90 Psalme yea read all the Psalmes that are Penitentiall and you shall find vpon the rebuke of GOD what a comfortlesse Soule what a healthlesse Body King DAVID had And if the Children of GOD feele such effects at GODS rebuke which notwithstanding haue euer some sparkes of comfort how doth it crush nay grind forlorne wicked ones If the voyce of Sion the rod of a man the correction of a father be so terrible that DAVID cryeth out O Lord rebuke me not in thine anger â—s 6. neither chasten me in thy heauy displeasure how dreadfull is the voyce of Sina the iron rod the destructiue wrath of GOD to whom shall wretched man flye what shelter shall he take there is no vmpier to qualifie the doome nor any defender to beare off the stroake certainly it is a fearefull thing so to fall into the hands of the liuing God You that are the Penitent are yet but vnder the verball you are not come to the reall reproofe happy shall you be if you make so good vse of this as to preuent that But be sure that the neglect of correction doth vndoubtedly prognosticate destruction to a sinner such destruction as shall not onely be iust but also take away whatsoeuer exception for God will set mans sinnes before his eyes The Hebrew hath nothing but I will order or marshall before thy face the Septuagint supply out of the first clause These things hast thou done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy sinnes St HIEROME out of the second clause thou thoughtest me like vnto thy selfe supplyes Thy selfe Proponam tibi te I will set Thee before thy selfe they are easily reconciled for the person is vnderstood in regard of his sin so that Thee and thine iniquitie is all one In professed wicked men there is not the distinction that is in the Regenerate of Ego Rom â— Peccatum the Old and the New man such a one is not a double but a single man But to come to the point the word ordering or marshalling doth giue vs to vnderstand that we delight in doing of sinne but not in beholding of it behold we can the seeming profit and pleasure that doth accompanie it but the breach of the Law or wound of our Soule we endure not to behold because there is pleasure in the act and remorse in the remembrance thereof But what we cast behind vs GOD will set before vs. The word marshalling importeth two things First that the sinnes are many but confused so that we doe not discerne either the great number or the vnequall measure of them whereupon it followeth that we cannot iudge either how grieuous or how vgly they are but GOD will so dispose them that we shall take notice of euerie one and euerie one according to his pitch Good things well digested are the better discerned and yeeld the more content and euill things displayed will the more vndeniably conuict vs of folly and more vncomfortably distresse vs with our want of grace These two conuiction and confusion doe necessarily accompanie the marshalling of our sinnes and if one sinne of murder wrought so vpon CAIN one sinne of treason vpon IVDAS that the one could not rest the other hanged himselfe in what case thinke we shall the wicked be when GOD shall set all their sinnes before them It is good then for men to vnburden themselues as neare as they can of all sinne seeing there is so much euill in the sight of any one sinne and we cannot auoid the fight of any especially if it be such as this Penitents sinne an enormous sinne and a crying sinne See it therefore now and let repentant teares wash out the characters thereof least remaining of record you be forced to see it when there will be no meanes of blotting it out A second thing that
the vncleane Spirit I goe on This censure which you haue heard of was inflicted by St PAVL and the Acts of inflicting it are two first it is pronounced by himselfe iudicially and then he requireth that it be solemnly denounced by the Corinthians First touching his owne iudiciall pronouncing here is something remarkable in his person for he was absent and present absent in body present in Spirit There is a morall rule contained in these words and a miracle The morall is this distance of place doth not extinguish the relation that is betweene persons though a King and his Subiects a Master and his Seruant a Husband and his Wife a Father and his Child be farre a sunder yet may they giue order one to another concerning their affaires so may a Pastor to his CHVRCH Especially an Apostle might who wheresoeuer he were was neuer out of his Dioces for his Dioces reached ouer all the world and so St PAVL being at Ephesus in Asia was in regard of his relation at Corinth also which is in Europe thus was he present euen when he was absent These words containe also a miracle Papae quanta est virtus doni saith St CHRYSOSTOME What a strange guift of the Spirit was this which maketh men that are a sunder to be together and informeth men of those things which are done a farre off so that none of his Dioces could any where be out of his reach Such an assistance of the Spirit had ELIZEVS 2 King 5. 8 who being in Israel could tell what was done in the King of Syria's bed-chamber and being in his owne chamber saw GEHEZI take bribes of NAAMAN when he was farre out of his sight Such a guift had St PAVL and thereby could be present where he was absent as he speaketh here and he tels the Colossians Cap. 2. that when he was absent yet he did he hold their order and stedfastnesse of their faith in Christ as his knowledge so also his power reached to any distance for the punishing of offendors This being obserued concerning his person we are now to see his worke he doth pronounce iudicially I haue iudged already Where we must first obserue that when Iurisdictions are subordinate if the inferiour be carelesse the superiour must take cognizance of the disorder and supply the others negligence otherwise Churches and Common-weales will come to confusion this is the course that St PAVL taketh in his place Secondly the word iudging doth import that he did not deale passionately or rashly but aduisedly and as beseemed a Iudge he tryed the cause by the Law of GOD and doomed not what he found not forbidden therein And indeed Apud Deum non sacerdotis sententia sed reorum vita quaeritur there must be some generall Law which men are bound to obey and mens liues must be tryed by that Law and as they are found so they must be censured otherwise GOD doth not regard he doth not approue the censure Last of all marke that St PAVL doth not onely say I haue iudged but I haue iudged already he doth not put off his iudgement vntill he commeth to Corinth but proceeds without delay you shall find the reason in the Preacher cap. 8. Because sentence against an euill worke is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the sonnes of men is fully set in them to doe euill a timely chastisement of one is a soueraigne preseruatiue of many You haue heard how iudicially St PAVL pronounced the sentence the next thing that you must heare is that he requires the Corinthians to denounce it solemnly he will that they haue a hand in it partly to redeeme their negligence and partly to expresse their detestation of sinne in both respects it was behoofefull that they should denounce what he had decreed denounce it by the mouthes of their Pastors as what is decreed by vs in the Consistorie is published by the Minister of the Parish where the sinner dwelleth whom our Decrees concerne But to denounce is not enough they must denounce it solemnly First in regard of the place it must be done in the face of the CHVRCH You being gathered together and my spirit with you that is in the presence of the chiefe Pastor and all his Flocke at Corinth Notorietas facti must haue notorietatem iuris Deut. 29. a publike sinne must haue a publike doome that others may behold and beware But this is done tantum conscia Ecclesia the Congregation is but witnesse to the doome not Iudge of the fact the power of the Keyes is giuen to the CHVRCH quoad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not quoad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it may haue the benefit of them not the managing the managing is committed onely to the Pastor as appeares Math. 16. and Ioh. 20. As the denouncing must be solemne in place so must it be in proceeding also for they must proceed cum potestate potenti â with the Authoritie and Efficacie of our Lord IESVS CHRIST St PAVL doth pronounce the Corinthians doe denounce neither of them must arrogate more to himselfe then is committed to him in regard of Authoritie they are but Delegates in regard of Efficacie they are but Instruments of CHRIST he is the Author and Actor of the Censure so that the proceeding must not be in mans name or with mans power but in the Name of our Lord Iesus Christ and with the Power of our Lord Iesus Christ This maketh the proceeding to be solemne in deed CHRIST is present at it his Commission is our warrant and his cooperation maketh good our censure Whose soeuer sinnes ye remit Iohn â—â— they are remitted vnto them and whose soeuer sinnes ye retaine they are retained Whatsoeuer ye bind on Earth it shall be bound in Heauen So that we must doe all ad nutum summi Pastoris as we are directed and authorized by the chiefe Pastor And you that are the Penitent must heare and feare the sentence as if it came from CHRIST's owne mouth and were to be performed by CHRIST's owne hand Put all the parts of the censure together and you will confesse that it is horrendum iudicium for you must set before your eyes Heauen and Hell the blessed state of those that are in the one the woefull state of those that are in the other then behold a man taken out of the blisse of the one and throwne into the woe of the other by an Apostle and in the presence of all the Saints nay by CHRIST himselfe by his voyce by his hands you must suppose that all this is done Contra Aduer sarium legis Lib. 1. cap. 17. St AVSTIN when he considered it thought it was grauius quam gladio feriri c. much more grieuous then to be beheaded burned stoned c. Many euidences there are of GODS seueritie against impure lusts Deut. 23. as namely he would not that a bastard should come into the Congregation of Israel
such women is verie vnnaturall it is no lesse then Incest Incest in the highest degree Such is the fact And verily such a fact is most haynous it is wickednesse Wickednesse is a common name to all sinne but it must here be vnderstood in a speciall sense for abominable for intollerable wickednesse Now such as the sinne is such is the doome the sinne is haynous and the doome is grieuous But in the doome take notice of two things First it is impartially seuere impartially doth GOD deale he spareth neither man nor woman neither him nor them And he dealeth seuerely with them both they shall burne him and them with fire and you know fire is a painfull tormenter and an vtter destroyer of that which it tormenteth Great seueritie and yet no greater then was necessarie to keepe the State from being guiltie that there be no wickednesse amongst you No wickednesse not absolutely none that is impossible in this world but no tantum nefas as the Vulgar expresseth the sense well no heynous wickednesse must be amongst you amongst you that is suffered by you which will make the State guiltie and prouoke GODS wrath against it You haue the briefe of my Text which I purpose GOD willing to enlarge GOD grant that what I shall say thereon may make these Penitents truly sorrowfull for their fault and vs that behold them carefull not to be ouertaken with the like fall Come we then to the particulars But before I distinctly vnfold them I must in few words cleare the phrases wherein the fact is exprest Obserue then first that to take a woman in this Law is to vncouer her nakednesse as MOSES expresseth himselfe vers 17. Cap. 18 or as we commonly speake to haue carnall knowledge of her Secondly Isha in the Hebrew tongue signifieth as well a woman as a wife and therefore some translate it if a man take a woman some if a man take a wise It is not materiall which way you render it because it is an vndoubted truth that whom a man may not marrie with he may not know carnally out of mariage if he doe it is incest no lesse Incest if he make her his strumpet then if he tooke her to be his wife Thirdly It is all one for the daughter to be the wife and the mother the strumpet or for the mother to be the wife and the daughter the strumpet the Incest will euer be of the same degree because the persons are both wayes of the same neernesse I note these two last points the rather because these Penitents may happily thinke they are not within the compasse of my Text whereas if it be vnderstood as the truth is and I haue shewed you my Text speaketh directly of them and the fact here mentioned is their fact The fact is but one but there are two sinnes in it whereof the first is Adultery it is adultery for one man to take more women then one As GOD made but one EVE of one ADAM so in mariage he coupled but one EVE to ADAM and he coupled them so neere that they two should be one flesh that is that the man should not haue power ouer his body but the woman nor the woman should haue power ouer her body but the man and the obseruance of this is the keeping of Pactum Iehouae the Couenant of the Lord which had accompanying it magnum benesicium and magnum mysterium a great blessing for their seed was semen sanctum a holy seed and GOD promised to be the GOD of those children which were borne of such parents The great mysterie was that liuing in such wedlocke they were a perpetuall monument vnto themselues of the heauenly mariage of CHRIST and his CHVRCH Marke now especially you that are Penitents what the sinne of Adulterie is First It maketh them two againe whom GOD made but one for a man cannot be one with two women because whose he is he must be hers entirely and he cannot be entirely more then one womans so that his first sinne is that he diuideth that which is indiuisible I meane coniugall affection Secondly He bestoweth that which is none of his owne for his body in this respect is his wiues she onely hath right vnto it and to this vse of it Thirdly In breaking GODS Couenant of wedlocke he defraudeth his children of the couenant of grace For obserue it in the storie of ABRAHAM he had children by two wiues SARA his first and his lawfull wife AGAR his second and vnlawfull wife but what saith the Scripture Cast out the bond-woman and her child Gala◠4.30 for the child of the bond-woman shall not be heire with the child of the free woman Besides the great mysterie you may there-hence gather this morall that although GOD may out of his mercie receiue that child whom the parents as much as lyeth in them cast away yet GODS couenant is made with the parent for no children but those that are begotten in lawfull wedlocke Finally Adulterers defraud themselues of that blessed memoriall of CHRIST's eternall coniunction with his CHVRCH the contemplation whereof should be our greatest solace seeing we haue a blessed interest therein There were euill enough in the fact if it were onely Adulterie seeing Adulterie hath so manifold euill in it but there is a greater sinne which is Incest for the women are of verie neere reference the one is a mother the other is her daughter neerer kin they cannot be and being so neere it is vnnaturall that they should be knowne of the same man he that knoweth them both committeth Incest in the highest degree But I will some-what more open vnto you the nature of Incest Know then that GOD purposed by wedlocke not onely to multiply mankind but also to preserue charitie Naturall charitie is founded in Consanguinitie but consanguinitie the farther it spreadeth the more doth charitie grow cold To repaire and as it were quicken it GOD instituted Affinitie which doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make domesticks of strangers and naturalizing those that are forreiners to our stocke And indeed it is much like graffing for as in that art the Sien is taken from a sweet Cherie or Apple tree and entred into another growne wild for example a Crab-tree or wild Cherie-tree and art doth worke as nature in making them one so is it in Affinitie it maketh persons as neere as nature it selfe doth and charitie out of this re-vnion should grow as strong as if the persons were of one blood euen as beames of the Sunne which growing weaker the farther they goe by reflection into themselues recouer their former strength so doth the charity of consanguinitie when it is waning waxe againe by the helpe of Affinitie Where by the way note That whereas we call persons fathers-in-Law mothers-in-Law and so brothers and sisters we must not vnderstand it of meere positiue Law but it is a secundarie Law of nature vnalterable sauing onely by GOD and this Law of
God in three Persons be rendred all honour and glorie now and for euer Amen Marriage is honourable amongst all men and the bed vndefiled but fornicators and adulterers God will iudge A SERMON PREACHED IN THE CATHE DRAL CHVRCH OF WELS AT WHAT TIME FOVRE PERSONS DID PENANCE FOR INCEST COMMITTED BY ONE MAN WITH HIS WIVES DAVGHTER BY THE OTHER MAN WITH HIS WIVES SISTER DEVT. 27. VERSE 22 23. 22 Cursed is he that lyeth with his sister the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother and all the people shall say Amen 23 Cursed is he that lyeth with his mother-in-law and all the people shall say Amen WHEN GOD had deliuered the Children of Israel out of Aegypt he was pleased to enter into a Couenant with them at Mount Sinai the manner of it is set downe Exod. 24. But the Israelites quickly brake with GOD and GOD entred into iudgment with them he made them for the space of fortie yeeres to wander in the Wildernesse and in that space he so consumed them that of 600000 men remained aliue onely IOSVA and CALEB After so long displeasure GOD returned againe in mercie to them he vouchsafed to haue his Couenant renewed againe the forme of the renuing he prescribeth in this 27 of Deut. A most solemne forme for therein were to concurre three remarkable acts First The Law was to be fairly written vpon great plaistred Stones that the people before-hand might see whereunto they were to bind themselues for GOD would haue them enter into his Couenant aduisedly Secondly there was an Altar to be erected and thereon they were to offer whole burnt offerings and sacrifices of thankes-giuing which were to be reall acknowledgments that they did wholly deuote themselues to GOD and giue thankes for that GOD of his goodnesse would againe renue his Couenant GOD would haue them enter into his Couenant religiously Thirdly GOD commanded that the twelue Tribes should sort themselues into two diuisions sixe should stand vpon the descent of Mount Gerezzim and sixe vpon the descent of Mount Ebal both diuisions with their faces towards the mid Valley where the Arke of GOD the Type of his visible residence amongst the Israelites was borne vp by the Priests In this Theater as it were did GOD require that the Israelites should heare the Articles of Agreement betweene GOD and them both blessings and cursings and professe their conformitie thereunto GOD would haue them professe themselues party to his Couenant openly in the sight both of GOD and Men. In this third act you shall find a rehearfall of sinnes first in particular then ingenerall and a doome pronounced against the committers of those sinnes both by Priest and People Of the particular sinnes my Text specifieth two and specifieth withall the doome that belongeth to either of them The sinnes are vnlawfull matches one collaterall a brothers lying with his sister and because a woman may be sister more wayes then one here is an exegesis the word is expounded whether she be daughter of the mans father or daughter of his mother The second vnlawfull match is in the right line a mans lying with his mother-in law Of these matches you haue these penitent spectacles here presented before you The Text goeth on and tels these Penitents and whosoeuer else shall presume to be like vnto them what is their doome it is set downe in one word but that is a sharpe one they are cursed But farther obserue concerning this doome who doth pronounce it and who doth approue it They that pronounce it are the Leuites so we read verse 14 and they are willed to pronounce it with an audible voyce so audible that all Israel may heare They that approue it are the people they are required to say Amen in token that they all assent to that which they heare all the people must say Amen You haue the briefe of my Text I purpose GOD willing now to enlarge it I pray GOD I may so doe it as that we that stand may take heed least we fall and these that are fallen may learne to rise againe I begin with the sinne wherein we are first to make you see that the Text doth fit this occasion For neither of the matches therein specified seemeth to agree with theirs that are vnder the present Censure Not the collaterall for my Text speaketh of a sister by consanguinitie and these Penitents were brother and sister onely by affinitie not that in the right line for my Text speaketh of a mans lying with his mother in-Law or his wiues mother but this man here is censured for lying with his wiues daughter And so you may thinke that neither of these couples come within the compasse of my Text and therefore are neither of them guiltie of the sinne neither need feare the doome To take away this doubt you must take notice of two rules in Diuinitie The first is that affinitie makes persons as neere in the Law as consanguinitie doth The reason whereof is plaine Affinitie is grounded vpon mariage and by mariage two become one flesh and consequently their kinted whether ascendent or descendent or collaterall become alike neere on each side to the other Your wiues father and mother brethren and sisters sonnes and daughters are vnto you by her as neere as if they were of your owne blood This being true you perceiue that it was no lesse vnlawfull for this man to couple with his wiues sister then with his owne sister the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother The other rule is That more then is exprest in GODS Law is to be vnderstood when by analogie it may fairly be deduced there-from GOD himselfe is our direction to take notice of such analogie for if you compare this Chapter with the 18 of Leuit. you shall find that this verie instance of a man lying with his mother-in-law which is mentioned here is omitted there whereupon you may well conclude that some particulars which GOD forbids are not named in the Letter though they are within the meaning of the Law and that the meaning is as wide as analogie will suffer I will shew you in a word what this analogie is it is that persons which are not forbidden expresly and in the letter of the Law are there forbidden implicitely and in the meaning of the Law where others in the same distance of Consanguinitie or Affinitie are expresly forbidden As for example the Law forbids expresly a nephew to marrie with his aunt it saith nothing of an vnckles marrying with his neece yet these being as neere in degree as the other we may of them reasonably conclude that they also are forbidden in the meaning of the Law the exception of the Romanists is friuolous To our purpose by the letter of my Text a man may not marrie with his mother-in-law which may be either his wiues mother or his fathers wife if not with his mother-in-law which is his fathers wife then in the
both to our faith and to our manners and from our most wise and most holy GOD nothing could proceed that was not most righteous and most true Out of this Principle doth MALACHI worke the reparation of a breach which the Iewes had made vpon the seuenth Commandement The breach was Polygamie or multiplying of wiues whereof the reparation is a reducing of them to the first institution of marriage and this is done in those words that now I haue read vnto you Herein we haue first a Text of the Law And did he not make one Then a Sermon of the Prophet made thereon yet had he the residue of Spirit And wherefore one Because c. But more distinctly In the Text of the Law we will consider First the matter that is contained in it then the manner how the Prophet doth vrge it The matter sets before vs a Worke and a Workmaster The worke is the making of one the Workmaster was he both clauses are darke because the words are short To cleere them we must supply out of Genesis and there we find that this one was one Adam and the he that made him was the Lord God GOD made one out of one male he made one female by creation and by coniunction he made that female to be one againe with that male out of which he tooke her This is the matter The manner of the Prophets arguing the Text is powerfull that which in Genesis is a plaine narration is here turned into a question and in such questions the Holy Ghost doth report himselfe vnto the Consciences of those that heare whether to their knowledge he speake not truth So must you vnderstand those words did he not make one Hauing proposed his Text the Prophet maketh a short but a full Sermon hereupon for it consists of a doctrine and an exhortation The doctrine openeth the reason of GODS worke and the Prophet argues in effect thus GOD made but one was it because he could make no more or because he would make no more Certainly not because he could not for he had aboundance of Spirit then it was because he would not And indeed all GODS workes ad extra as the Schooles call them the workes of Creation Prouidence Redemption are all arbitrarie they come from his Will but such a Will as is not blind it is guided by his Wisedome and his Will prescribes nothing whereof his Wisedome cannot yeeld a reason and sometimes he is pleased to shew that reason to vs who otherwise are bound to rest satisfied with the signification of his holy Will Therefore the Prophet goeth on in his arguing wherefore one What is the reason of this Will of GOD And he answereth by the direction of GODS Spirit that it was expedient it should be so two wayes expedient First Expedient in Nature God sought for seed he would haue men multiply and increase which could not be except he had made one and if he had made more then one it could not well haue beene Secondly It was expedient in Grace also for though GOD would haue men multiply yet would he not haue them multiply otherwise then beseemed the children of GOD he sought a holy seed For these ends was GOD pleased thus to order his workes and vpon this doctrine of the ends doth the Prophet ground an exhortation it consists of two parts because in the case of mariage we owe a double respect one to our selues another to our mate The respect we owe to our selues is that we must watch ouer our better part take heed to our Spirit The respect we owe to our mate is we must not violate the faith plighted to her let no man deale treacherously with his wife especially if she be the wife of his youth that is he married her when he was young the longer they haue beene marryed together the more back-ward should they be from dealing falsely one with the other You see the particulars of the Text and of the Sermon that we may better vnderstand them and their fitnesse for this occasion I will open them a little more fully I pray GOD I may doe it profitably also Come we then to the Text of the Law to the matter contained therein I will not trouble you with the diuers translations and varietie of interpretations suitable thereunto leaue that to the Schooles our CHVRCH hath made a choyce and that choyce agrees well with the Originall we will rest contented with that and according to it frame our obseruations I told you that the words set before vs a Worke and a Workemaster yet neither doth plainly appeare they are onely pointed at here but exprest Gen 1. whence I supplyed the name of ADAM and the name of GOD whereof the first is the Worke and the second the Workmaster so that then the words will sound thus God made one Adam Let vs take these parts asunder The name of ADAM is not to be vnderstood vulgarly but as the Holy Ghost vseth it and so it comprehends both sexes so we read Gen. 1. GOD created ADAM male and female made he them in the 5 of Genesis more plainly God made man male and female and called them Adam so that the name ADAM being but one is commonly two the male and the female As they are one in name so are they in nature also we read Gen. 2. that GOD made the female out of the rib of the male for he would haue her to be like him De Paradiso Cap. 10. and he confest her to be bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh Nec illud otiose saith St AMBROSH it is worth our marking that GOD did not make the woman of the same Earth whereof he made man but he made EVE of the rib of ADAM to giue vs to vnderstand that there is but one body in them both and that one body the onely Fountaine of all mankind Plat. Do Conuiuio Leo. Heb. The Platonists Androgunos is but a corruption of this truth As man was by creation made two but of like substance and so continued still one both in name and nature so by a second work they were made yet more one that is by marriage Gen. 2. for that maketh two one flesh two I say the Septuagint adde that word vnto MOSES his Text and CHRIST approues it in the Gospel Math. 19◠1 Cor. 6. Eph. 5. St PAVL therein followeth CHRIST and the words of marriage are the man shall cleaue to his wife therefore doth the Apostle call the wife 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the husband 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 7. Lesse then one there could not be and be a naturall propagation and more then one there should not be and that propagation be orderly But this onenesse is principall or accessorie the principall is onenesse of coniugall power and coniugall affection Coniugall power for though in other things the man is superiour to the woman the husband to his wife Rom. 7.1
make vs see how much better he is then we dreame of him Looke vpon the fore-cited places the wicked thinke that God is like vnto them Mal. 3. What saith GOD there I will reproue thee and set thy sinne before thee So likewise in Malachy they thought that GOD fauoured men the more the worse they liued but GOD tels them that in the day when he made vp his Iewels they should returne and see the difference betweene them that feare God Math. 25. and them that feared him not And the vnthriftie seruant was refuted before his face for his Master gaue to the thriftie seruants each what he had gayned vpon his Masters goods But as GOD doth thus refute affirmatiue blasphemies so may you perceiue in the verie same places that the Blasphemer doth defraud himselfe of that which GOD proues to be his perfection and leaues him to be more vile then he thinketh GOD to be So likewise what gayneth the negatiue Blasphemer but this that he putteth himselfe out of the protection of those Attributes whereof he would but cannot rob GOD. GOD will euer haue an vnderstanding eye though not to watch ouer him but to enquire into him he will haue a hand of power not to relieue but to plague him and he will neuer cease to be prouident but the Blasphemer shall neuer be the better for it What shall we say then to these things Surely considering our duty considering our danger we must thinke better vpon and take more care to fulfill that Petition of the Lords Prayer Hallowed be thy Name That we may performe our dutie that we may auoid the danger let vs all and you especially that are the Penitent daily ioyne with the Angels 〈…〉 and beare a part in their Hymne singing Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Hosts Heauen and Earth are full of thy glorie For shall not mortall man adore that Name which is so reuerenced by Cherubins and Seraphins It is his honor to be admitted to it and a horrible contempt if he doe it not yea doe the contrarie The kind of blasphemie is not here exprest neither doe I thinke it sit to enquire into it seeing the Holy Ghost is silent such sinnes are better concealed then reuealed therefore doe not I publish this Blasphemers sinne And I wish you not to be inquisitiue after it Our concupiscence is like tinder it will quickly take fire especially the catching fire of Hell St Paul hath a good rule Such things should not so much as be named amongst Christians Yea blasphemie was so detested of old that whereas it had a name yet they did expresse it by an Antiphrasis and vsed the word blessing in stead of cursing I would our tast of words were as good as theirs was I haue done with the proper blasphemie Tract 27. in Ioh. I come now to speake a word of the occasionall Here take St Austins rule Rarò inueniuntur qui blasphemant lingua multi qui vita few haue gone so farre as this Penitent who hath properly and directly blasphemed GOD. But there are more then a good many that haue obliquely and occasionally blasphemed yea and doe daily euen all those whose conuersation is not answerable to their profession For they without the CHVRCH who heare vs professe that we are the children of GOD and haue for our guid the Word of GOD when then they see vs doe that which common reason doth condemne as wicked they conclude Like children like â—ather like liues like Lawes they open their mouthes against GOD and against his holy Word Wherefore we must by well-doing stop the mouthes of gaine-sayers and let our light so shine besore men that they may see our good workes and glorifie our Pather which is in Heauen or else we shall goe for occasionall Blasphemers as did Dauid and also did the Iewes 2 Sam. 12. Rom. 2. And let this suffice for the sinne I come now to the punishment And here we must see first What it is and then On whom it is inflicted The punishment is set downe here first in generall he shall beare his sinne By sinne is meant punishment the Holy Ghost by so speaking intimates the knot that in Iustice should be betweene them none should be punished but for sinne and no sinne should be vnpunished Which is also true when this word signisieth a Sacrifice for the originall of a Sacrifice was sinne and sinne in the Old Testament was not expiated but by a Sacrifice As you must obserue these two things in the word sinne so are there two like things a ceremoniall and a morall in those words he shall beare his sinne for thereby in this place the Holy Ghost signifieth that a Blasphemer may not redeeme himselfe from punishment by any ceremoniall Sacrifice the Law hath prouided no Sacrifice for so crying a sinne whereas pettie sinners might be ransomed by Sacrifice a Blasphemer may not so vnburden himselfe he must beare his owne sinne Num. 15. for Blasphemie is one of those sinnes which are committed with a high hand As the phrase doth debarre the Blasphemer of this ceremoniall reliefe so doth it put him ouer to the Ciuill Magistrate and yeelds a good morall Note which is that we must vnburden the State vpon the malefactor for sinne committed by one that is a member of the Common-weale by reason of the Communion that is betweene the parts of the politique Body maketh all the Body guiltie Nouel Constiâ— 77. if it be haynous which Iustinian the Emperour obserued well in his Preface to the Law which he made against this sinne for this sinne saith he doth God send Famine Pestilence the Sword vpon a Common-weale neither can it put off the guilt and preuent the punishment but by laying them vpon the malefactor making him to beare his owne sinne lest they also beare a part of it A good remembrance for Magistrates to quicken their iustice in such cases and teach them that they cannot be mercifull to a Blasphemer except they will be cruell to their Countrey But I shall touch at this point againe before I end and therefore I will goe on The Punishment is not onely set downe in generall but in speciall also the speciall punishment is two-fold First It is Ecclesiasticall for the malefactor must be carried out of the Tents so GOD commanded a little before my Text and in the end of this Chapter it was so practised And when in the Holy Land they dwelt in Cities in stead of Tents which they vsed in the Wildernesse they obserued the same course for they cast Blasphemers out of the Citie as appeares in the storie of Naboth 1 King 21. and of St Stephen Act. 7. who were calumniated for Blasphemers 1 Tim 1.20 Now this was a kind of Excommunication and so vile persons were cast out De Malâ—die c. Statuimus to note that they were vnworthy not onely to liue but euen to dye also amongst the people of GOD
be ready to entertaine that which GOD prescribes So shall we be sure either at all not to deceiue our selues or if we haue beene ouertaken by carnall selfe-conceit we shall not refuse to be fooles that we may be wise GOD vouchsafe vs this preuenting Prouidence and recouering Repentance as that we may not either stray at all or if we stray that we may returne againe till we come to that place where there is no feare of straying no need of returning whither GOD our mercifull Father bring vs through Jesus Christ our Sauiour that is made the wisedome of GOD vnto vs by the gracious influence of the Holy Spirit of Wisedome into vs. To this one GOD in three persons be rendred all honor and glorie c. Πάντοτε δόξα Θηῶ. SVNDRIE SERMONS PREACHED AT COVRT By the right reuerend Father in God ARTHVR LAKE late Lord Bishop of BATHE and WELLES PRVDENTIA LONDON Printed by T.C. and R.C. for N. Butter 1629. A SERMON PREACHED AT FARNEHAM ON St IAMES HIS DAY BEEING THE DAY OF KING IAMES HIS CORONATION IAMES 1. VERSE 12. 12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tryed he shall receiue the crowne of life which the Lord hath promised to them that loue him THIS day directs vs to this Epistle and these words thereof are not vnfit to refresh a solemne vse that to our great and common comfort hath beene made of this day The vse was a Coronation and a Coronation is a principall point in this Text but the Coronation that was then beheld is past that whereof we are now to heare is to come yet this mutuall helpe they will yeild the one to the other that which is to come may call to mind that which is past and by that which is past we may the better conceiue that which is to come Yea by comparing them we shall perceiue that that which is to come is much more desirable then that which is past For although flesh and blood may affect that which is past per se as if to be a Soueraigne on earth vpon any condition were a soueraigne good yet a Christian doth not he cannot as he ought digest those vexations which sowre euen a kingly state but propter aliud in hope to be a copartner of a greater a quieter crowne in Heauen This hope doth St Iames cherish in these words he animates great personages to be constant notwithstanding all troubles knowing that their patience is not in vaine in the Lord. That he speakes to great personages appeareth in the tenth verse Let the rich reioyce when he is brought low where he teacheth two lessons First That great men may be brought low Secondly That yet they must reioyce That great men may be brought low is not strange to reason therefore St Iames doth onely represent that truth in a knowne yet a liuely resemblance of fading and withering hearbes and flowres But that notwithstanding they are brought low they must reioyce is an harder truth reason whose principall it is that nothing delights in its owne destruction will not yeeld it Our Apostle therefore workes an assent thereunto out of supernaturall grounds he sets downe two faire ones in my Text whereof the first openeth the nature the second the end of patience The nature of patience is briefly but fully set downe here ratione obiecti subiecti The obiect is temptation but because thereof there are diuers sorts here is added a note of difference it is such temptation as maketh tryed men The subiect is Man but not euerie man it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man of more then ordinarie place and worth and his worth is here distinctly set downe in two points wherein it principally doth consist and the points are answerable to the two parts of the obiect The first part of the obiect is Temptation that layeth on load vpon the outward man in regard thereof he must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he must hold out vnder his burden The second part of the obiect is the tryall and that inquires into the inward man in regard thereof he must hold out out of that loue which he beareth to GOD. When such an obiect meeteth with such a subiect there ariseth the vertue patience You haue heard the nature thereof now heare the end The end is suitable to the vertue a happy end of so worthy a vertue the end is blessednesse and what would not a man doe to compasse blessednesse But what is this blessednesse though all desire it yet few are agreed about the nature of it quot capita tot sensus euerie man striueth for his owne To compose this difference the Holy Ghost must interpose and define he doth it here behold a full definition in two words A crowne of life without life there is no blessednesse and no life is blessed without this crowne You see the end one thing remaines the assurance that this is the end of patience that we haue here also in two verbes The Lord hath promised it and the patient man shall receiue it The warrant is good that hath GODS word and here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is he that warranteth it but his warrant is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a promise so that the crowne must be claymed not by the Law but by the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that is the Lord may by vertue of his Law command patience but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 putteth vs in mind how much we are beholding vnto the Gospel by which he vouchsafeth a recompence Yea though he doth vouchsafe it and besides his promise the patient man hath no right vnto it he needs not distrust 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is as true as the Gospel he in all be sure of it You see the substance of this Scripture and see that it brancheth it selfe into pataence and a recompence whereof the patient man may not be proud and yet he is most sure Let vs now run ouer these points orderly I pray GOD we may doe it profitably also The first is the obiect of patience and that is called temptation here see how the phrase is changed of the rich man it was said before that he was brought low here it is said that he endureth temptation that was a vulgar phrase this is facred that might be vnderstood by reason this onely by faith you will confesse it if we doe a little rip vp the nature of it GOD made man though vpright yet mutable the root of mutabilitie was Freewill by which man may encline to either side Notwithstanding this mutabilitie man did owe vnto GOD a constant and absolute obedience whether he would performe it it was to appeare his Vnderstanding and his Will were to be exercised the one with arguments the other with occasions which might discouer the one the resolution the other the election of man what way he would take the right-hand or the left the way of life or death These arguments and occasions
saith the Apostle that you are the Temple of God speaking of our whole person But lest question should be made of any part in the sixth Chapter he distinctly expresseth both Body and Soule He that is ioyned vnto the Lord is one Spirit with him that is cleere for our soule And lest we should vnder-value our worser part Know you not saith he that your bodyes are the Temples of the Holy Ghost So that no question can be made of either part of our person both are liuing stones 1 Pet. 2. and built vp into a Spirituall House And if we be Spirituall Houses then God is in vs of a truth 2 Cor. 6. for so the Apostle collecteth Ye are the Temples of the liuing God saith GOD and I will dwell in them and walke in them St Peter is not afraid to say 2 Pet. 1. We are made partakers of the Diuine nature and the Fathers that we are deified Although there be no personall vnion betweene vs and GOD as there is in CHRIST yet such a mysticall one there is that Philo Iudaeus his words are verie true Deus est animae bonorum incola malorum tantum accola though GODS generall influence be wanting to no Creature yet his gratious inhabitance is the prerogatiue of the Church And all they to whom GOD commeth so neere haue presently erected in them an Oracle and an Altar the Spirit by the Word reuealeth their eyes to see the maruailous things of GODS Law they are all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They haue an vnction that teacheth them all things 1 Iohn 2. 1 Cor. 2. yea they haue the verie mind of Christ yea the same Spirit that erecteth the Oracle erects an Altar also an Altar of Incense in their hearts which sendeth forth Prayers intelligibiliter suaueolentes Spirituall but acceptable vnto GOD. as Origen answereth Celsu◠obiecting to the Christians that they had no Altars And how can we want an Altar of burnt sacrifice when our broken and contrite hearts offer vp our bodies a liuing sacrifice holy and acceptable to GOD which is our reasonable seruice of him This is enough to let you vnderstand that we are if we are Christians Houses of God answerable vnto Christ I would it were enough also to perswade vs so to esteeme our selues as such grace requireth at our hands for what an improuement is this to our persons and what a remembrance should this be to euerie one to keepe his Vessell in honour but more of that anon I must first speake a little of the description of the Market it is in my Text called an House of Merchandize GOD that made vs Men made vs also sociable and vsed our wants as a Whetstone to set an edge vpon that propension but we should liue together as Merchants ordered by commutatiue Iustice whose Standard is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it requireth that men barter vpon euen tearmes otherwise one man will deuour another and the Common weale cannot continue To preuent this mischiefe GOD hath appointed distributiue Iustice the vertue of the Magistrate who dispencing praemium poenam Reward and Punishment should set euerie man a thriuing but suffer no man to thriue to the preiudice of others The euill of the dayes wherein we liue doe giue me occasion to complaine not onely that there is varietie of corruption in Trades dangerous because some are ouer-thriuing but also of the decay of Trades no lesse dangerous because there are so many thousands that haue no meanes to thriue at all Gouernours giue order for Houses of Correction and no doubt but if they were better vsed vagrants might be restrayned thereby but there must be moreouer an increase of Trades that must employ the Common-people multiplying as they doe in this blessed time of peace while the Gentleman depopulates the Countrey and the Vsurer and Victualer are become the chiefe Trades-men of Incorporations what wonder if contrarie to GODS Law and the Kings the whole Land be filled with miserable poore There is no true at least no full remedy for this euill but they to whom the care of distributiue Iustice is committed must reuiue and quicken the Commutatiue and make our Land according vnto that good opportunitie which GOD hath giuen vs an House of Merchandize This by the way vpon occasion of the phrase where out you may gather that in the Market the world taketh vp most of our thoughts and our dealing there is for worldly things Hauing sufficiently opened the description of the Temple and the Market The difference betweene them is euident to a meane conceit he will easily apprehend that the one place is Heauenly the other Earthly the one for the Communion of Saints the other for the Common-weale in the one place we need be no more then Men in the other we must shew our selues to be the Children of God And is it not a great fault to confound these things which GOD hath so distinguished Surely it is and it was the Iewes fault CHRIST doth open it as he doth forbid it for if we may beleeue the Rabbines the Law was pronounced in the eares of Malefactors while stripes were layed vpon their backes and it is most likely that while CHRIST expelled the Merchants with his whip he spake these words vnto them Make not my Fathers House an house of Merchandize Let vs come then to this Prohibition The best places are subiect to abuse Heauen was and so was Paradise no wonder then if the Temple be And seeing abuse can be excluded no where we must be watchfull euerie-where yea the better a place is the more doth the Diuel solicit vs to abuse it because he will doe GOD the more despite and worke man the more mischiefe Therefore the better the place is the more circumspect must we be It is a soule fault to dishonour GOD any where but specially in his owne House In estimating our owne wrongs we aggrauate them by this circumstance Esay 26 Ier. 11. and shall we neglect it when we ponder the sinnes we commit against GOD Nay rather the greatnesse of our contempt ariseth with the greatnesse of his Maiestie which appeareth in that place and the more gratious he sheweth himselfe there the more gracelesse are we if we yeeld him not a due regard Now what doth that due regard require at our hands Surely that we bring not so much as the world into the Temple we may not doe legitima in illegitimo loco saith St Austin we may not doe lawfull things in a place appointed for better vses Caelum est Caelum ingrederis Nilus the Temple is Heauen as you are taught before when thou entrest the Temple thou must suppose thou art entering into the Kingdome of Heauen Now in Heauen there is neither eating nor drinking marrying nor giuing in marriage buying nor selling therefore we must neither thinke of nor meddle with these things while we enter into that place 1 Cor. 11 Haue you not
his Successe is a performance so much is GODS mercie more forward then mans dutie And is not this a remarkable Successe Surely it is and so much is signified by Selah for Selah interpreted morally is a note of some great and some constant truth and such is that which is contained in my Text. You see the particulars whereof this holy Scripture doth occasion me to speake that we may all be the better for that which shall be spoken let vs by GODS assistance with Christian audience listen againe vnto them as they shall now be vnfolded briefly and in their order I begin at King Dauids Practise wherein the first thing obserued was the matter confessed and that is Sinne. Peccatum confitetur vt Publicanus non iustitias vt Pharisaeus he appeares befor GOD in the humilitie of the Publican not in the pride of the Pharisee He had many Prerogatiues for he was a man after GODS owne heart the Father of faithfull Kings the sweet Singer of Israel a liuely Type of our Sauiour CHRIST but he fixed his eyes vpon none of these neither came any of these into his mind he remembreth nothing but sinne And what doth this intimate but that his guid was not nature but grace For by nature we not onely desire to heare from others but also our selues would be Heralds of our owne vertues yea and are contentedly deceiued by setting and seeing them in a false light to haue others admire them but specially our selues to dote vpon them Euerie man naturally is a Laodicean and thinkes himselfe rich and increased in goods and in regard of his spirituall estate to want nothing But what our Sauiour CHRIST replyed to that Church is spoken to vs all Thou doest not know that thou art poore wretched blind and naked No man doth thinke on these things by nature and therefore when any man doth it is a signe of grace as it was in K. Dauid that thought rather what he wanted then what he had rather how vile then how good he was And indeed where grace is it fareth with our soules as it doth with our bodies If a man be sicke haue he neuer so stately reabes they cannot shelter haue he neuer so daintie fare it cannot rellish haue he neuer so soft a bed yet cannot rest his diseased body feeles nothing but the afflicting peccant humour Euen so when the remorse of conscience workes all our guifts be they neuer so great they appeare not they cannot couer our nakednesse they cannot satisfie our haunger and thirst neither doe they ease our torture though we haue them yet for the time we haue no vse of them we see we heare we feele nothing but sinne as experience teacheth them that haue beene assistants to soules distressed in this kind But it is not onely Sinne but Pâ—shang haynous and ennormous sinne that is here remembred King Dauid is as ambitious to amplyâ—ie his sinne as others are to amplysie their vertues for this word sigâ—ifieth Reuolt and Rebellion the highest improuements that can be of sinne You will acknowledge it if you distinguish inter Legemet Legis latorem euerie trespasse is a violating of the Law but to set at nought the Law-giuer and set our selues against him what is it but High-treason If men satisfie particular lusts they commit but particular sinnes as in Theft Adulterie Murder but Treason is vniuersâ—lis iniustitia it includes all kind of ennormities What then could King Dauid say more against sinne then to make it the character of the sonne of Belial that breakes GODS bonds and casts his cords from him peruersè imitatur Createrem suum vt sibi ipsi lex sit vsurps the Throne of GOD Yea because there is no neutralitie in this case for he that is not with GOD is against him and auersenesse from GOD is attended with aduersenesse to him for rebellion is that whereat the Diuel aymeth in reuolt Sinne doth muster vs in the Armie of the Dragon and ranketh vs with the malignant brood of the Serpent so much doth King Dauid signifie by this word and by so amplifying teacheth vs that we may noâ— mince sin but as we consider the Law which we transgresse so must we also the Law-giuer to whom our sinne doth reserre and we shall find that commonly it is of a higher nature then we suppose and is a plaine spirituall Treason Oh that all Adulterers and Murderers would herein be Dauids Schollers and then no doubt but out of that detestation which they haue of Treason they would profitably conclude how odious they deferue to be in the eyes of GOD themselues deserue to be for the sin which King Dauid amplyfieth is his owne he makes bold in this case with none but himselfe It is a strange peruersenesse of our conscience to be sharpe sighted a farre off when we view others but to be purblind at hand when we looke on our selues our perspectiues multiply the motes that are in other mens eyes and make them appeare as great as beames but the beames that are in our owne eyes they so diminish that they scarce â—â—peare so bigge as moates How doe we detest that in others which we suffer in our own brests And how many would we send to Hell for that where-with our selues hope to climbe to Heauen Sic nemo in sese tentat descendere nemo selfe-loue is perswaded that all is well at home But euerie man is best knowne to himselfe and therefore euerie man should study himselfe most and if he doe though haply others be bad yet will he find himselfe to be worse and confesse with St Paul 1 Tim. 1◠〈◊〉 Sam. 24. Peccatorum ego primus and say as this King doth in another place I haue sinned I haue done wickedly but what haue these sheepe done No mans sinne will appeare greater then our owne And so much of the matter confessed I come now to the manner of confessing The word vsed by the Psalmist is borrowed out of the Law Leuit. 5. and Numb 5. and so alludes to the Ceremoniall Sacrifice wherein the offerer was to lay his hand vpon the Sacrifice in acknowledgement of what he deserued and wherewith he was to be relieued The words of my Text containe the Morall of that Ceremonie which teacheth that we must manifest a sense of our sinne and in that manifestation must first lay the blame where it is deserued and then seeke onely to him in whom we may find succour Confesse we must that is the manifestation but the confession must be made against our selues who onely are blame-worthy and we must present our confession vnto the Lord from whom onely we may expect succour But a little more fully to rip vp these points The Septuagint hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which sheweth that in Confession there must be a concurrencie both of soule and body and both must arraigne vs at the Barre for it is verbum forense If it were onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the
therefore hath in the Liturgie restored it to its natiue puritie Onely it were to be wished that so farre as the Church allowes it we would practise it for I am perswaded that many liue and dye in enormous sinnes that neuer made any vse of it nor receiued any comfort from the power of the Keyes The confessing to the Lord doth not exclude confessing vnto man so the due limitation be obserued But enough of the Confession There is one point more to be obserued before we come to the Successe and that is that this confession of King Dauid was onely in purpose he was come no farther then dixi a sense he had of his sinne but he was not yet come so farre as to vtter it though he was disposing himselfe thereunto But dixit was not onely verbum oris but cordis also promptitudinem alacritatem hoc verbo notat saith St Bernard he was willing and ready to make his confession he adds Saul dixit peccaui sed quia non dixit antequam diceret corde priusquam ore as King Dauid did non audiuit Deus transtulit pecâ—atum tuum he heard not so good newes from Samuel as King Dauid did from Nathan The Lord hath put away thy sinne The lesson rising hence is pij non trahuntur ad Tribunal Dei sed sponte accedunt knowing that there is no shelter against GOD but onely in GOD we must preuent our summons and resolue vpon a voluntarie apparance Finally putting the Purpose to the Confession we see that the children of GOD vse not to continue in their sinnes but so soone as they are roused the principles of grace doe worke and they humbly shreeue themselues to GOD. And so haue you the first maine point in this Text which openeth vnto vs King Dauids Practise I come now to the Successe thereof which is the forgiuenesse of the sinne Where we may first see the difference betweene Triâ—unals on Earth and the Tribunall of Heauen On Earth Non est confessi causa tuenda rei Confession is the cause of condemnation it is not so at the Tribunall of GOD there though it be not the cause as Papists straine it yet it is the meanes of absolution Whereby you may perceiue that the word here vsed is a phrase of the Gospell and not of the Law For iudgements of men tread the steps of the Law of GOD 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is no reliefe for a poore sinner to be found in the Law he that will haue it must seeke iâ— in the Gospel And yet the word here vsed is borrowed out of the Law but it is the Ceremoniall Law and the Ceremoniall Law is if not wholly yet for the most part Gospel But more distinctly to handle this point We must obserue the Matter forgiuen and the Manner of forgiuing The matter forgiuen is the Iniquitie of his sinne It is disputed what is meant here by â—â—â—quitie whether culpa or poena Some vnderstand poenam and thinke that an allusion is made in this word vnto the message of Nathan wherein GOD doth remit the heauiest stroke of his wrath but yet retaines some part in punishing the child and permitting Absolon to rebell and abuse king Dauids concubines so Theodoret Deus non condigna poena Dauideni puniuit Some vnderstand culpam and will haue this phrase to be an amplification of that as if Superbia defendens or Taciturnitas celans or Impietas contra Deum assurgens or some such great guilt were meant by this phrase But as I doe not censure these opinions which may well stand So I thinke the phrase lookes backe vnto that word which was in the Confession The sinne confessed was Peshang and this is but an analysis of this word for Gnaon Catai what is it word for word but the peruersenesse of my aberration Catah is an aberration from the Scope or Marke whereat we ayme all men ayme at felicitie but most men stray from it because they are not led by that Law that guides vnto it the violating whereof is called Catah But some doe stray out of meere ignorance and they onely breake the Law some out of stubbornnesse which will not submit themselues to the Law-giuer these mens sinne is called peruersenesse which GOD is said here to forgiue So that Dauid did not confesse more against himselfe then GOD includes in his pardon well may GOD exceed our desire he neuer doth come short thereof if it doe concerne our spirituall our eternall good as he doth exclude no sinner that doth confesse so doth he except against no sinne that is confessed You haue heard the Matter of the pardon now heare the Manner And the manner makes the Remission answerable to the Confession The Confession had an inward sense and an outward euidence so hath the Remission For GOD spake the word by Nathan to resolue king Dauids faith but he also gaue a tast of his truth by working ease in King Dauids heart Both are included in the word but specially the latter for Nasa signifieth to vnburden as if the soule were burdened with sinne And indeed sinne is a burden a burden as King Dauid else-where speakes too heauie for him to beare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heauier saith Chrysostome then any lead And no wonder For if euerie euill doe make a heauie heart much more spirituall euill cloggeth the Spirits makes a man sincke inwardly and bow outwardly you can haue no better character of such a deiected soule then that which we find in the penitentiall Psalmes It is verie true that many walke lightly and skip frolickly as if they bare no weight though they be fraught with sinne but the answer is plaine Nihil ponderat in loco suo while sinne resides in that part which commits the sinne it giues such content to the concupiscence that dwels therein as being the desired obiect thereof that it presseth not at all neither is it euer burdenous till it be brought vnto the conscience which onely hath an eye to discerne it a scale to weigh it and a sense wherewith to iudge of that weight and when GOD inhibendo with-holding those vanities which hinder the conscience from weighing and exhibendo putting the whole measure of sinne into the scales doth rouse vs then the most carelesse and the most senslesse shall be driuen to acknowledge that indeed it is a great burden But the penitents comfort is this that as he feeles it so he hath one by whom he may be eased of it the putting on the hands vpon the Sacrifice did ceremonially testifie as much but the morall thereof is in St Iohn Behold the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world Qui tollit a plaine translation of Nasa But CHRIST speakes it more plainly Mat. 11. Come to me all ye that labour and are heauie loaden and I will ease you Where also we find that it is the Lord onely that forgiueth sinnes They spake truly in the Gospel that excluded all
filio Dei hominis the same title belongeth vnto him euen as hee was incarnate whereof the ground is the personall vnion the man-hood being assumed into one person with the God-head In regard of the first consideration is hee called vnigenitus the onely begotten of his Father in regard of the second he is called Primogenitus the first borne of many Brethren both wayes is CHRIST neere vnto GOD but our comfort standeth in the latter that Emanuel God with vs or in our Nature is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sonne of God for that is fons origo Adoptionis nostrae it is that which layeth the soundation of being the sonnes of GOD. As CHRIST was neere so was hee deere vnto GOD. And indeed the words that note the neerenesse containe the grounds of the deerenesâ—e also and they were vnigenitus the onely begotten and primogenitus the first borne vnigenitus ergo vnicè dilectus the onely begotten therefore onely beloued primegenitus ergo praecipuè dilectus the first begotten therefore the especially beloued of GOD for this is a principle Euery man loneth himselfe the more of himselfe hee findeth any where the more he affecteth if he bee not degenerate A father loueth his onely sonne intirely because he hath no more and his eldest chiefely because hee is Principium praecipuum roboris the first and chiefe of his strength But this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or naturall affection of men is but a sparkle and that much allaied of that which is in GOD originally and but deriuatiuely in vs. Therefore we may easily conceiue that CHRIST that is so neere in nature and grace must needes bee most deere vnto GOD that indeed he is Vir desidertorum a man after Gods owne Heart and the true Dauid that is beloued as the Prophets call him Adde hereunto that setled loue where it is iudicious is more feruent Now Christus is dilectus not recenti impulsu sed inolito probato it is as ancient as GOD euen coeternall that CHRIST is the Sonne of GOD onely it is in time delated to the man-hood but the length of it is Aeternitie See then how GOD expresseth his loue to vs when he so describeth the person that hee bestoweth vpon vs. And haue we then any thing which we should thinke too good to render vnto GOD Abraham will teach vs better who spared not Vnicum and dilectum silium his onely beloued Sonne when GOD called for him and we see how his thank fulnesse prospered Certainely we would prosper much better if in this kindnesse we would striue to bee answerable vnto GOD. I. pray GOD we may sure I am wee haue good cause if there were no other motiue then is contained in filius and Dilectus if we doe consider onely what the second Person in Trinity is to the first How much more if wee consider what hee doeth for vs In him is the Father well pleased Wee will resolue this Note into two first wee will see in whom and then how the FATHER is pleased Hee is pleased in his beloued Sonne This opens a Mystery Thou shalt make a plate of pure gold Exod. 28. said GOD to Moses and graue vpon it like the ingrauing of a signet Holinesse to the Lord and thou shalt put it vpon a blew lace that it may bee vpon the Miter vpon the forefront of the Miter it shall be and it shall bee vpon Aarons fâ—rehead that Aaron may beare the iniquitie of the holy things which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their hory guifts and it shall be alwayes vpon his forehead that they may bee accepted before the Lord Euen so CHRIST being to bee consecrated now High Priest hath the Holy Ghost descending vpon him that so the Church may bee made acceptable in GODS beloued SONNE Neither was hee the Trueth onely of the High Priest but of the Sacrifices also St. Paul Hebr. 10. applieth to this purpose that place in the Psalme Psal 40. Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not but a body hast then prepared me in burnt offerings and Sacrifices for sinne thou hast no pleasure then said I loe I come In the volume of thy Booke it is written of me to ave thy will O God In this sense doth the Law vse the word Ratza when it is applied to Sacrifices â—enit 1. and saith that they shall be accepted for the offerer and make an attonement for him Vntill CHRIST came there was no remedy against the curse of the Law but Typicall within the Church and without fruitlesse Colos 1. but CHRIST incarnate brought a soueraigne remedy Ephes 2. when hee became the true Propitiatory in him it pleased God that all fulnesse should dwell and by him to reconcile all things both in Heauen and earth De Censensu Ruangelact lib. 2. cap. 4. St. Austin speaketh briefely but fully In te complacui is as much as Per te constitui gerere quod mihi placuit In thee am I well pleased not onely taking delight in that which thou art but also by thee accomplishing all the good that I meane to the sonnes of men But what did CHRIST Surely he did propitiate GODS wrath and giue man grace in GODS eyes these two workes are contained in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are the blessings that flow from GODS good will towards men Reconciliation is composed of both of GODS Indulgence and Beneficence Indulgence is not enough without Beneficence â— Sam. 14. Absalon shewed this to Ioab when hee was restored from his banishment but not admitted into the King his fathers presence A good patterne to bee imitated by men is GOD who dealeth so in his reconciliation with men whereas men vse some times to forgiue but seldome to forget also they thinke it too much to deserue well and enough that they doe not deserue ill I would it were no more But let vs touch at these points a sunder first at the propitiating of GODS wrath The latter Chronologers will haue this Sacring of IESVS to haue beene performed vpon the day of Expiation in September which if it bee true then the Holy Ghost doeth fairely insinuate that CHRIST came as the Lambe of God to take away the sinnes of the world How soeuer this is true that hee bare our sinnes in his body and by his stripes we are made whole that he cancelled our obligation and slew hatred when hee suffered â—pon the Crosse Neither did CHRIST onely propitiate GODS wrath but also gaue man grace in GODS eyes CHRIST teacheth it in three Parables of the lost Sheepe the lost Groat and the Prodigall Childe The Fathers obserue the Allegory that St. Peter maketh in comparing Noahs Arke vnto the Church and obserue moreouer that as the Doue brought the Oliue branch into the Arke in token that the deluge was ceased and the world was become habitable againe Euen so the Doue that lighted vpon CHRIST brought the glad tidings of the Gospel it
to streame afterwards into all the Body For though the Vowes be two yet are they both resolued into the same parts there are in effect the same Contents in either votiue Prayer Let vs take them asunder and see it In that either is a vow you must find in either the parts of a vow they are a Desire and a Promise you may see them euidently in either Vow First in the Vow that King Dauid maketh for Himselfe hee doth expresse a desire to be restored vnto and preserued in the state of Grace and if he speede hee doth Promise a religious Seruice vnto God These two Poynts are enlarged in the seauenteene first verses in the personall Case of King Dauid and being contracted are repeated againe with a speciall Application to his kingdome in the two last You see the breife of the whole Psalme but it is too scant it will not yeeld you a full view let vs then goe backe againe and vnwrap these particulars that we may take more feeling notice of the spirituall riches that are contayned therein The first Vow is made for King Dauid the first branch of that Vow is his Desire and the first Petition in that Desire is That he may be restored vnto Grace In this Petition there are two remarkable things the Matter which hee presents vnto God and the Manner wherewith hee doth ingeminate the same Matter and presse God with it The Matter is contained in these two first verses which in effect sound onely this Miserable King Dauid desires reliefe from the effectuall Mercie of God in Iesus Christ. Where there is Sinne there is Miserie behold here varietie of Sinne Transgressions Iniquities Distortions all cleauing to Dauid for Mee and Mine confirme asmuch and make him a Wretch though hee were a King Now what is the Remedie of such Miserie but effectuall Mercie and this we finde here Mercy by Name in the entrance of the Prayer Haue Mercie But whereas there is Mercy in Affectu or in Effectu Mercy in God or Mercy from God King Dauid doth desire not onely that God would bee gratiously affected towards him but also that hee would worke powerfully vpon him 1. Vpon the Guilt of his Sinne Dele quit me thereof 2. vpon the Corruption of his Sinne Laua wash me therefrom Yea because Guilt is sooner remoued then Corruption clensed keeping correspondencie with Gods Course in working therein he adds Multùm laua Munda neuer giue ouer washing vntill thou hast made mee throughly cleane thus doth Miserie seeke vnto Mercy But where is Mercy to be found surely in God to Him he directs his Prayer Haue Mercy vpon me O God There is no remedie for a sinfull Man but in God whom he hath offended with his sinne and therefore hee saith Secundum Tuam Misericordiam according to Thy Mercy It is Gods propertie to haue Mercy but it is Gods in Christ so much is meant by the next words according to thy louing kindnesse according to thy tender Mercies God shines Graciously to none but in the Face of Iesus Christ and in him is God become a tender harted Father to all penitent Sinners To all I say for hee hath not onely tender Mercies but there is also in them to bee considered the Measure Rob is the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wee translate it Multitude but it signifies also Magnitude and giueth vs to vnderstand that bee our sinfull Miserie neuer so great neuer so diuerse wee shall not want releife in Mercy which is more great and manifold Finally the Text doth tell vs that as our Miserie must seeke for Mercie in God onely in whom it may be found so we must not dreame that any thing without God can obtaine this at Gods hands therefore wee must pray Secundum according to thy louing kindnesse O Lord let that be not onely the Measure of the Mercy which I seeke but the inducement thereto also And so haue you the Contents of that portion of King Dauids Desire which I haue read vnto you I will now resume them and to your and my farther edification enlarge the exposition of them First then though Mercy stand formost in the Text yet I will begin with the Miserie for Miserie is first in Nature and were it not for that there were no neede of Mercie add hereunto that the sense of Miserie sets the best edge vpon the desire of Mercie and he wil more eagerly long after it that perceiueth throughly in what need hee stands of it I told you that Dauid was miserable though he were a King were there no other proofe there is enough implyed in the first word hee that cryeth Miserere haue mercy doth plainly confesse that he is in Miserie for one Correlatiue cānot subsist without the other But to put it out of al doubt here is enough exprest to proue him a Wretch Pro. 14. Peccatum facit populos miseros wheresoeuer there is Sinne there is Miserie yea and there only for sinne only is simply Euill Malum Paenae Calamitie and Woe though we call them Euills yet indeed they are not so simply but onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Person is and as God intends for that otherwise they are good it is plaine by two vndoubted grounds the Efficient and the Finall Cause That which is Properly Euill hath onely Causam deficientem it springs from the fayling of a reasonable Creature but Woe hath Causam Efficientem it springs from the almighty Hand of God Hee is the Creator of this Darkenesse aswell as the opposite Light As it hath an Efficient so hath it a Final Cause that is the Recouerie of a sinner God iudgeth vs temporally that he may not iudge vs eternally therfore Dauid saith Pal. 119.71 Bonum est Domine quod humiliasti me it is good for me Lord that I haue bin in trouble but that which is truly Euill is destitute of a Finall cause aswel as it was of an Efficient as it comes from weak enes so it ends in vanitie It is true that God doth often times draw light out of darkenesse Good out of that which is simply Euill but that is don by his Transcendent Prouidence it will neuer proue that that which is truly Good truly Euill can haue any naturall habitude the one to the other or that they haue any Cognation betweene themselues Wherefore onely Sinne being simply Euill is that which properly maketh a Wretch And verily wee that beholding Beggers Lazars men any waies afflicted confesse them miserable si adspici possint lanitatus if we had eies to see the spirituall wounds and sores the wantes and the Woes of Adulterers Murderers Blasphemers any other wicked liuers wee would confesse them to be much more miserable My Text doth occasion me to giue you a tast thereof by opening the three words wherewith Dauid doth expresse his sinne The first is Peshang 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is well rendred a Transgression that is
a passing of our bounds Our lusts are apt to range and exceed God sets bounds vnto them by his Law hee would hold them in but it will not be we are Sonnes of Belial we will beare no yoake we breake Gods bands and cast his cordes from vs. Psal 2. The first euill of sinne is it maketh a lawles man and who doth not know that liueth in a society what an vnhappie libertie the lawles haue But why will man be lawles forsooth he thinkes that the more hee hath his will the more hee shall compasse his owne ends he thinks so but it proues not so that appeares in the next name of sinne that is Chata 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and noteth a shooting cleane besides the Marke When wee become Masterles the vpshot of our endeauour is to mistake euill for good and reape woe where wee looked for rest The wicked Wisd 5. confesse this truth and all Histories are but Chronicles of it they testifie that lawlesse men haue finally missed of that whereat they aymed yea that they haue therein bin deceiued most wherein they seemed vnto themselues to haue succeeded best And doth not this Name of Sinne then argue a sinner to be a Wretch But that which is the height of Euill in Sinne is noted in the third word Gnaon Peruersenesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And indeed Sin is nothing but the peruerting of a Creature God made the Great and the little World to set forth his owne Glorie but sinne turneth both to his dishonour God made the little World to be Lord ouer the great and Sinne turneth the Lord into the Seruant and the Seruant into the Lord God made Man a Consort for Angels Sin doth range Man with the Feinds of Hell Finally God made Man after his owne Image Sin doth change him into the Image of the Diuell most wretched peruersnesse Now seeing this threefold Euill is found in sinne as the Names thereof giue vs to vnderstand we cannot doubt but Sinne doth make a Miserable Man hee that is infected with it will confesse it though he be a King Certainely King Dauid doth He was at this time a King a victorious a glorious King obeyed by many Nations abounding in al kind of worldly prosperity Add thereunto that same gracious Entaile of his Crowne sent vnto him from God 2. Sam. 7. the verie crowne of blessings But see being stung with the Conscience of Sinne hee is sensible of none of these neither doth hee finde Comfort in any of them notwithstanding all these he confesseth himselfe a Wretch Wherein wee may obserue by the way the difference betweene the iudgement of flesh and blood and of a Child of God concerning that which maketh Happie the one placeth it in the Things of this life the other in the Peace of God And indeede so long as it is not well betweene God and vs all the World can giue vs no Content the consciousnes of sinne if we haue as feeling hearts as King Dauid had feeling the mischieuous nature of sinne wee will account our selues but Wretches and wee will with him fall to our Miserere mei Haue Mercie vpon me c. which is the second part of my Text. The Correlatiue of Miserie is Mercy as there were no neede of Mercy were there no Misery so because there is Miserie there is a remedie prouided for it and that is Mercy The Verbe doth properly signifie Be gracious to mee Grace is free loue so teacheth Saint Austin Non est gratia vllo modo si non sit omni modo gratuita that fauour deserueth not the name of Grace that can be either merited or requited But yet there are two sorts of this Grace one Quae datur non merenti another Quae datur immerenti The first was the Grace of Creation it proceeded from the free Goodnes of God for there was no possibilitie of Mans Deseruing before hee had his Being therefore was his Being a guift of Grace The second is the Grace of Redemption this proceeds also from Gods free Goodnesse this was vouchsafed to Man when he deserued the contrary he deserued eternall Death but God vouchsafed him eternall Life This speciall kind of Grace is called Mercy Therefore considering the Argument the Translator did not amisse in restrayning the amplitude of the words and rendring it Haue Mercy for Euangelicall Grace is Mercy and it is such Grace that is meant in this place But this Mercy is considered either in Affectu or Effectu as it is in God or as it manifests it selfe vpon Man The Remedy of Misery is Mercie but that Mercy must containe not only a Gracious disposition towards man but a powerfull operation vpon him God must be well affected so as that Mans state also may be altered In Miseries plea for Mercie these two cannot be seuered without Impietie or Blasphemie 1. Blasphemie for Sin Compassion are incōpatible if the one be not conceiued as the remouer of the other but he doth not so conceiue them that looks only to the Affection looketh not also for the Action of Mercy therefore he blasphemes the Author thereof Secondly there is Impietie in it for it argueth that a Man would be free from Gods displeasure but he would not part with that which offends his pure eyes Hee loueth to be a sinner And this is plaine Impietie But what are the effects of Mercy euen as many as are the euills of Sin In sin then there are two Euills the Guilt and the Corruption thereof the Guilt is resembled to a Debt 〈◊〉 1◠indeed it is a plaine Debt a double Debt for in euery sinne that wee commit we grow in arrerages vnto God in regard of the duty which wee owe him and God growes in Arrerages vnto vs in regard of the punishment that is due vnto vs. Now of these debts God keepeth a Booke all our misdeeds are recorded before him 〈◊〉 5. and of these Bookes there is mention made in the Reuel where the Soone of Man is represented vpon his Tribunall iudging all the World according to those things that are found in the Bookes that are open before him As in regard of the Guilt Sinnes are compared to Debt so in regard of the Corruption they are compared vnto Staines Staines of all sorts to Froth to Foame to Scumme to Drosse to Mire to all sorts of diseases and impurities of the flesh And indeed how can they bee other seeing they are the insection that wee receiue from the vncleane Spirit This being briefly obserued Let vs now consider of Dauids Prayer his Prayer for the Affection and Operation of Mercy First for the Affection in these Words Miserere Haue Mercy The Affection is the Roote from whence springs the Operation wee learne it in another Psalme Psal 80. Cause thy face to shine and we shall be saued therefore he doth well to make sure of that first because no hope of the other if hee speede not
to encourage him For which is a second branch of his Clemencie he tels him that he is not farre from the Kingdome of God There are two things in the Law first the Depth and secondly the End of it both which the Pharisees misunderstood The Depth as it appeares Matth. 5. where Christ shewes how shallowly they did vnderstand it The End for that they so rested in the perfection of the Law that they litle thought of the reliefe which mans inability to perform the same was to receiue from the Gospell and therefore they stumbled at the doctrine of Christ who neuer meant to derogate ought from the Law considered in it selfe but to discouer mans weaknesse the conscience wherof should make him flie vnto the Gospell This Scribe seemes to haue had a reasonable vnderstanding of the Depth of the Law but hee was not come so farre as to haue an vnderstanding of the End thereof Notwithstanding because the knowledge of the Depth is a good step to the knowledge of the End therefore our Sauiour Christ tels him he is not farre from the Kingdome of God By the Kingdome of God or of Heauen the Scripture vsually vnderstands the Gospell that is the way vnto eternall blisse Now seeing Christ is the end of the Law and the Law is a Schoolemaster to bring vs vnto Christ he that doth well vnderstand the Law how the Morall exceeds the Ceremoniall and how much the Morall requireth at the hands of men as this Scribe did if he do but trie himselfe thereby he will see what need he hath of the Gospell and may be perswaded to embrace it Therefore doth Christ tell him that hee is not farre from the Kingdome of God Non abest procul abest tamen A man that is almost at the top of the water may aswell bee drowned as hee that lieth in the bottome therefore a man must not content himselfe to bee almost a Christian as Agrippa did he must be altogether if he meane to be saued Therefore Christ in these words wils the Scribe to build forward and to supply that which he wanted of the meanes to life Obserue here how Christ would not breake a bruised reed nor quench a smoking flaxe because of his ingenuitie hee handled him gently Teaching vs how odious vnto him a Romish butcherie is and that we in dealing with Aduersaries of the Truth must follow the Apostles rule In meeknesse instructing them that are contrarie minded 2 Tim. c. 2. if God at any time will giue them repentance vnto the knowledge of his truth Especially if we see them preferre the truth before their owne priuate affections and not resist the Holy Ghost What became of this Scribe the Scripture doth not teach vs it is not vnlikely but that afterward he beleeued in Christ and that his ingenuitie made good vse of Christs clemencie I haue opened vnto you the comfortable confusion of him that moued the question they that set him a worke also were confounded but their confusion was damnable For though their mouthes were stopped yet their heart was not stopped their heart was not changed they continued malicious still They asked him no more questions no more serpentine questions otherwise questions they did aske him but hauing by their perplexing temptations laboured in vaine for that still they had the worst Yea and which vexed them more Christ by answering them got honour amongst the people who wondred at his readinesse and wisdome Luke 13. they therefore gaue ouer playing the Serpents and turned Lions The next newes wee heare of them is that they contriue and compasse the death of Christ And this is the right Method of the world when disputations and bookes will not make good a bad cause nor beare out errour and falsehood then the sword is set a worke to doe what the tongue or pen cannot and the bloud of Gods seruants is spilt to satiat cruell minds This Age hath too lamentable proofe thereof all our neighbour countries be turned into shambles of the Church But wonder not at it for Venena inuidiae possunt superari sed difficulter quiescere Malice may be ouerawed but it will neuer bee idle if it may worke with opportunitie Therefore I told you that their confusion was Damnable Damnable seeing their reason was conuicted and yet they persecuted Christ I will dwell no longer vpon this point because I toucht it in part before in this and also in the first Sermon Onely obserue that which Saint Paul hath God maketh the wisedome of this world foolishnesse and taketh the craftie in their wilinesse so that we may say with him Where is the Scribe God puts into the mouthes of Christs aduersaries such an answere as that they confirme his Doctrine and Testimonium ab Aduersario validissimum Moreouer their answere cleares the innocencie of Christ when they were still confounded that sought to haue iust cause against him And no wonder for he that foyled the Father of temptations could not be foyled by any of his Children One point more and so I end It is a note of Saint Chrysostomes tentando Iudaei sibi acquisiuerunt confusionem nobis prouiderunt salutem the Temptations wherewith Christ was exercised by the Iewes occasioned him to deliuer many excellent lessons for the instruction of his Church So did God bring light out of darknesse and how many excellent tracts haue the Fathers written which had neuer come from them if their industrie had not beene whetted by the enemies of the truth And the same prouidence at this day sets the Orthodoxe a worke to looke more and more into the mysteries of the Kingdome of Heauen enabling them to stop the mouthes of gaine sayers and to bring their Charge forward to the measure of the age of a perfect man in Christ I conclude you haue heard of exemplarie discretion and confusion discretion of Christ confusion of Christs aduersaries You shall doe well to imitate Christs discretion learne of him to be not onely Innocent as Doues but wise as Serpents If our words be poudred with such salt they are most likely to yeeld grace vnto the hearers As for the confusion of Christs aduersaries let vs take heed of the damnable confusion that doth but helpe men forward to fill vp the measure of their sinnes in this world that they may haue the greater measure of plagues in the world to come But let vs set before vs the comfortable confusion let vs be euer ready to shew our ingenuitie that we may haue experience of Christ clemencie Onely let vs take care not onely to begin well but also to goe on not onely to come neere vnto but also to enter into the Kingdome of God that Christ which is as ready to encourage as to discerne our good disposition may establish vs in grace and crowne vs with glorie who onely can so worke vs readily to obey that he may blesse our endeauours and receiue vs in the end with those comfortable words
Well done seruant faithfull and true enter into thy Masters Ioy. Πάντοτ◠δοξά Θηῶ. TEN SERMONS Deliuered on the nineteenth Chapter of Exodus contayning the Preface of GOD and the preparation of the people to the promulgation of the LAW BY The Right Reuerend Father in God ARTHVRE LAKE late Bishop of that See LONDON Printed by W. S. for Nathaniel Butter 1629. TEN SERMONS DELIVERED ON THE NINETEENTH CHAPTER OF EXODVS contayning the Preface of GOD and the preparation of the People to the promulgation of the LAW The first Sermon EXODVS 19. VERS 1 2. In the third moneth when the children of Israel were gone out of Egypt the same day came they into the Wildernesse of Sinai For they were departed from Rephidim and were come to the Desert of Sinai and had pitched in the Wildernesse and there Israel camped before the Mount YOu may remember that opening vnto you those words of our Sauiour Christ in the Gospell of Saint Matthew Chap 22. Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy minde with all thy soule and with all thy strength and thy Neighbour as thy selfe I told you they were the generall contents of the Decalogue whereof I then promised you a speciall and distinct explication I haue not forgotten that promise although I haue beene interrupted by interuenient texts occasioned by the times wherefore my purpose is this day to begin my performance of that promise And I could not doe it on a fitter day for this is Ascension day and it was an Ascension day that is mentioned in my text Moses being a type of that whereof Christ was the truth began vpon the day here mentioned to ascend into the Mount thence to bring the Law as our Sauiour Christ vpon this day which wee solemnize ascended into Heauen thence to send the Holy Ghost which as the Apostle telleth vs giueth life to the Law Adde hereunto that as Christ ascended into his glorie so Moses in his Ascension had a kind of Transfiguration for comming neere vnto God his face so shined that he was faine to put a vaile vpon it because the children of Israel could not endure to behold it There is then a good correspondencie betweene this Feast and my text Neither doe I only thinke so but our Church also which commandeth the tenth of Deuteronomie to be read this morning wherein is a report of this Ascension of Moses So that the time which I haue chosen is fit and I meane God willing not to bee scant in my performance I will pay you the principall with interest for I meane to vnfold not only the twentieth Chapter but also the nineteenth of this Booke though that more fully yet this competently And there is good reason why for the nineteenth containeth a remarkable preparation to the twentieth neither will the twentieth bee so well vnderstood or regarded so well if the nineteenth doe not make vs more docill and attentiue then vulgarly men vse to bee Wherefore what God thought fit at the giuing of the Law will not amisse be remembred at the expounding thereof it will bee behoofefull for you that I quicken your capacitie and raise your attention with these powerfull obseruations wherewith the Holy Ghost doth preface the promulgation of the Law You must then take notice of the forerunning Circumstances and Solemnitie which are recorded in this Chapter The Circumstances whereof only I shall speake now are two First the Time Secondly the Place of both which we haue here the two termes A quo and In quo Whence they take there beginning and where they haue their ending Of the Time the reckoning beginneth after the children of Israels going forth out of Egypt and it endeth on the third moneth the verie same day that is the verie same day that the third Moneth began As for the place the text teaceheth vs first whence they came immedately from Rephidim Secondly where they tooke vp their rest in the wildernesse of Sinai thereon the cloud pitched and they encamped before it These be the particulars which I meane to obserue in these Circumstances That you may the better vnderstand them I will resume them againe God grant that as I open them more largely so you may heare them more profitably The first Terme then of the Time sheweth vs whence the reckoning doth begin it beginneth at the children of Israels comming out of Egypt which words doe not only note a motion from a Place but also an Alteration of their State for they did not only come out of the Land but also out of Bondage wherewith they were oppressed in that Land And such a going out giueth the name vnto this Booke this Booke is called Exodus and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is nothing but a going out a going out of bondage into libertie There is a great mysterie in the word which concerneth Christ and his Church wee learne it in the Transfiguration of Christ therein Moses and Elias appeared vnto him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 9.31 and spake of the Exodus or departure which he should performe at Hierusalem The Apostle maketh it plaine Heb. 2. By death which is an exodus Verse 14 15. for wee vsually say that a man is departed when wee meane hee is dead he ouercame him that had the power of death that is the Deuill that hee might set them free or giue them an Exodus which all their life time werein feare of bondage And who are they but the Church Let this be the first note A second is That God did not giue his Law to Israel when they were in Egypt but when they were come thence when they were a Societie by themselues then he gaue them a Policie whereby they might be Distinguished and Ordered Distinguished first from themselues for though before they were a Church yet was it but Domesticall each Family at least each Tribe was left vnto it selfe but now they were to become a Nationall Church to bee knit into one Bodie which could not bee but by one forme of gouernment And this forme being of Gods Ordinance must needs distinguish them Secondly from others also whose Policie was but of humane institution Moses telleth them that the very heathen should acknowledge the difference especially if as God did them the honour to distinguish them by the Law so they should answere the Distinction in the good order of their Liues whereat the Law did principally aime There is a mysterie in this point also which Saint Paul doth obserue out of the Prophets Esay and Ieremie Come out from amongst them 2. Cor. 6. v. 17 18. and separate your selues saith the Lord and touch no vncleane thing and I will receiue you I will bee your Father and yee shall bee my sonnes and daughters saith the Lord Almightie So long as we are mingled with the heathen and learne their workes God will not vouchsafe vs his Oracles nor incorporate vs for his people the branch