and weaknes he saith not all spirits or all that are holy just wel-deserving wealthie or noble but all flesh shall come The poore have accesse aswell as the rich to poure out their heart before God the base aswell as the noble the unlearned aswell as the learned the sinfull Publican aswel as the Pharisee even the sinner I say if he have begun to compt his sin a miserie may come to God and bevaile his miserie and implore his mercie All these I say may come and shall be heard If any man come and is not heard it is because he cometh not as he ought nor seeketh aright Here first consider that latlie we came to God offered up our prayers to him as for other benefits so for a seasonable harvest We have found by experience that the Lord hath heard our prayers though having in them many defects and worthie to be cast back as dung in our faces We have found as the PROPHET speaketh in the end of this Psalme that he hath visited the earth and enriched it with the river of God blessed the springing of it hath crowned the year with his goodnes and hath made his paths to drop fatnes Let us no think that this was from chance or nature but let us with thankful hearts acknowledge it to be as indeed it is the visitation and blessing of God Let every heart and every mouth say Blessed be the Lord who-hath not put back our prayers but notwithstanding of our sinnes hath so visited blessed and enriched vs. Secondly if we would be still partakers of this great benefit let vs be carefull to continue our thankfulnes still There are many things that we stand in need of for which we must pray to him to purge away our iniquities as he saieth in the next verse To still the noise of the sea and tumults of the people to blesse the fruits that he hath given us that his wrath come nor upon us while it is betwixt our teeth Let us therefore that it may be well with us for ever resolve to performe not only this day but also all the dayes of our life our vows of obedience and to praise him with our life aswell as with our mouth As for the earthly blessings which he hath given us as on the one part we should esteem highly of them soon the other part Let us remember they are but the pleadges of better things abyding us in our countrey if his riches be so great toward us in our sojourning what may we expect when we shall sit down in his house at his table to be satisfied with the fatnesse of it If the river of God passing through the earth so refresh us here how shall we be delighted with that river of pleasures which maketh glad the citie of God The Lord grant that our hearts may be there and that we may walk in the way that leadeth into it and that for the merits of Christ To Whom c. FIRST SERMON UPON the Lamentations of JEREMIAH Chap. V. Verse 19. Thou O Lord remainest for ever Thy throne from generation to generation 20. Wherefore dost thou forget us for ever and forsake us so long-time 21. Turne us unto thee O Lord and we shall be turned renew our dayes as of old The holy PROPHET having made a pittifull complaint to God of the great desolation that had come upon Sion or the Church of God Ierusalem being taken and burnt the people of God being killed or lead in captivitie he in end shutteth up all and closeth with a fervent prayer Thou O Lord remainest for ever c. In this prayer two things are to be cōsidered First the ground of the PROPHETS petitions Thou O Lord remainest for ever thy thro◠from generation to generation Secondly the petitions themselves which are espetially two the first is set down by way of expostulation wherefore doest thou forget us forever and forsake us so long time which includeth this petition Lord forsake us not but restore thy favour to us againe and renew our dayes as of old The second is in the next words turne thou us unto thee O Lord and we shall be turned To returne againe to the first part which is the ground of the PROPHETS supplication and of his hope confidence to be heard it is set down in the first words we have in it three Prerogatives ascrived to God the first that he is UNCHANGEABLE Thou O Lord remainest Sayeth he secondly he ascriveth to him absolute Dominion imported by this that Hee is the Lord and hath a Throne Thirdly Eternity is ascrived both to him and his Kingdome Thou O Lord remainest for ever c. Let us consider these points shortly both in themselves and with a reference to the PROPHETS petitions Thou O Lord remainest c. Here the PROPHET to strengthen his hope the hope of the Church fixeth the eyes of his faith upon the Vnchangeablnes of God thou sayest he remainest The word in the originall signifieth to dwell to abide or sit still importeth when ascrived to God his constancie immntabilitie For clearing of this we are to consider that this is in God in a most excellent manner He is simple Vnchangeable both in his nature and in his decrees or purposes both which are meaned here In his nature at his perfections he is Vnchangeable If any chāge of this kynde could have place in him it should be either from imperfection to perfection or from perfection to imperfection but neither of these can be no new perfection can haue place in him because as we said before in him is the infinite fulnes of perfectiōn which is not capable of any increase o◠accession Neither can he change to any imperfection for none of his infinite perfections can be lossed They are one the same with his own nature and being Now his being is necessar for he hath it not from another and therefore as it ever was so it can never cease to be and consequently is Vnchangeable for Vnchangeablnes is nothing else but a necessitie of being that which he was before Thus it i◠most evident that God in his nature essentiall perfections is Unchangeable the acquiring of any new perfection being repugnant to the infinite fulnes of being that is in him and the losse of his perfection being contrate to the necessitie or infinit firmnes or stabilitie of his being or Nature Secondly as he is Vnchangeable in his naturall perfections so in his decrees and purposes toward us we often change our resolutions and purposes and the reason is we do not perfectly perceive and consider the good or the evil the conveniencie or inconveniencie of that which we are about therefore when thereafter we find our own errour we change and retraite the will and purpose which we had before This cannot have place in God who from all eternitie hade a most clear sight of all the good
that for the merits of Christ Iesus to whom c. THE SECOND SERMON Psal CXLV Vers 3. Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised and his greatnesse is unsearchable THe holy Prophet having set down his purpose of extolling and praising God in the two first verses he now entereth into the praise intended by him and in a most divine manner declareth and coÌ„mendeth the chief of his divine perfections IT is marked by holy Augustine in his Preface on this Psalme That God is both the Object and the Authour of the praise that is here set down God is commended and praised here and it is God who praiseth himself DAVID was but the Instrument and Pen-man of the Spirit by whose instinct and endytment he uttereth this praise of him Neither should it seeme strange that God doth praise himself It is otherwayes with God then with man It is arrogancie in man to praise himself and therefore it is said PROVERB 27. 2. Let another man praise thee and not thine own mouth a stranger and not thine own lips But for God to praise himself it is a singular work of mercie For first by praising himself he instructeth us how we should praise him 2. By setting forth his own praises he representeth to us his Excellencie the lovelinesse thereof that we may be inflamed with his love wherein our happinesse consisteth Let us now come to the words Great is the Lord and greatlie to be praised c. The PROPHET beginneth his praise of God at the consideration of his Greatnesse and not without cause Wee can never praise God aright till we have some apprehension of his Greatnesse But when we look upon it and thereby are brought into admiration and astonishment our praise extolling and blessing of him floweth kyndly as it were from this fountaine And thus in generall The meaning of DAVIDS words is O my God who art the King of kings I said That I would extoll and blesse and praise thee and that Every day and for ever and ever And good reason have I so to do for Great art thou even above all and therfore thou deserveth to be praised greatly above all yea Thy greatnesse is unsearchable or without end and therefore thy praises should be without end or bound In the words â—ee have two things particularly to be considered First the Perfection of God which DAVID commendeth 2. The Duty whereunto wee are oblieged by reason of that perfection The Perfection of God commended heere is his Greatnesse which first is simplie set down Great is the Lord and thereafter is more particularlie descrived namelie that his Greatnesse is such that it is unsearchable or incomprehensible The Duty which we owe to God by reason of this his perfection is Praise and that in the highest degree under which many other duties are comprehended Great is the Lord saieth he greatly to be praised Before we enter into the matter it is to be observed that the last words are diverslie rendred Our Interpreters render them His greatnesse is unsearchable and upon the margine Of his greatnesse there is no search The seventie and vulgar latine render them thus Of his greatnesse there is no end but both come to one purpose Gods greatnesse is truly unsearchable as we shall hereafter heare and the word in the the original properlie signifieth so much Hence in the 40 of Isaâ—ah where it is said That his understanding is unsearchable yee have the same word that is used here Upon the other part the reason why the Greatnesse of God is unsearchable is this namely that it hath no end no bounds or limits Therefore it cannot bee searched into or comprehended and so both the expositions do well agree both with the words and amongst themselves For clearing of this point the better and that we may make our use of it more fruitfullie wee shall consider first What is this unsearchable greatnesse of God where of the PROPHET speaketh 2. Wee shall shew you that it is in him 3. We shal consider more particularlie what things belong to it And 4. How truly in respect of these thing it is called unsearchable As for the first It is certaine the Greatnesse here spoken of is not the greatnes of bodily quantity That is not in God nor is it of it self the object of praise so out of all doubt the Greatnesse here spoken of is the greatnesse of perfection which the PROPHET not only ascriveth to God but also in the highest degree while as he saieth That it is such a greatnesse that cannot be searched into and consequently hath no end or bounds or limits but is boundlesse and infinite Neither is this greatnes of God infinite or boundles onlie in some respect but also every way A thing may be said to be infinite two maÌ„ner of ways First because in respect of some thing or other it is unbounded or unlimited This way a line if drawn out in length without end should be infinite namely in respect of length so the Merite of Christ in respect of worth vertue is infinite for ther is not nor can be any merite in any creature so great but the Merite of Christ in worth doth infinitlie exceed it and that because he is not only Man but also God to whom it belongeth 2. A thing may be said to be Infinite not in this or that respect but every way as containing in it self the whole fullnesse of being or perfection that is or can be and that in the most eminent or excellent manner Thus God is infinite and this infinitnesse is his greatnesse whereof the PROPHET saieth here that it is unsearchable or that it hath no limits or bounds Thus much shortly of the first point I come now to the second to shew you that this absolute Infinitnesse or unbounded and unlimited greatnesse is in God This is cleare both by the light of nature and by scripture First by the light of nature by which we know that God is the first and independent Being who hath his Being from none and giveth being unto all things Now if it be so which if it were not there should bee nothing at all for wee must come to One first and pryme Beginning which giveth being to all other things The Being of God cannot bee any wayes bounded or limited First because there was none to bound or limite him The creatures are bounded and limited because they are and do depend from one who hath set to every one his bounds but he that is the First and pryme Being could have none to limite or determine him 2. If the Perfection of God had any bounds or limits then something might be added to him and if he be capable of any addition or increase then ther most bee some one prior or superior who may adde unto or â—ugment his perfection and consequently the first supreame Beâ—ng should not be the first and supreame but in some
tremble Suppose all the people of the world conspired against thee these three words stedfastly believed the Lord reigneth is enough to give thee comfort and courage Whatsoever injuries are done this Lord seeth and will redresse and revenge in his own time The Lord reigneth saieth that same DAVID Psalm 93. His throne is established the floods haue lifted vp O Lord the floods haue lifted vp their voice the floods haue lifted vp their waves The Lord on high is mightier then the voice of many waters yea then the mightie waves of the sea But it may be thou will say to me how cometh it to passe th◠that the servants of this great King are so many wayes afflicted and troubled Consider I beseech thee that in al thy afflictions he hath a supreame hand Now all that thou hast is his he may do with his own what he will Thy wealth thy promotion thy children yea thy life is his he gave all he may take back againe all when he will These things he hath but committed unto thee reserving stil the dominiō of them to himself therfore may require them back againe at his pleasure Beside I appeale thy own conscience did ever any thing befal thee so grievous in thy life but thy sinnes deserved as much yea a thousād times more lastly consider that as he is a most absolute so he is a most Gracious Lord and most wise who dealeth with us so here as he knoweth is most fitting for our eternall well He looketh not only to that which is present but also to eternitie and afflicteth us here that hereafter it may be well with us for ever We are Iudged by the Lord that wee perish not with the world Secondly the consideration of this great dominion of God it giveth us confidence to put up the second petition of the PROPHET and to say with him turne thou us O Lord and we shal be turned This great Lord and King hath power of the soule spirit aswel as the body can work upon it no lesse then upon the body the power of earthly kings reaches no further then the body they cannot draw the heart effectually and infalliblie but God can subdue the heart unto his scepter and can make them that were averse and unwilling to be a willing people Psalm 110. He can enlighten the minde create a clean heart and renew a right spirit He can take away the hert of stone and give us a heart of flesh he can put his spirit within us and cause us to walk in his statutes and keep his Iudgements Paul was a persecuter but no sooner did the heavenly light of this great Lord shine upon him no sooner did his hand touch his heart but he cryed out Lord what will thou haue me to do Before he was his enemie persecuter now his obedient servant and acknowledgeth him to be the Lord and seeketh no more but to know what he would haue done or what he would have him to suffer professing that he was ready to obey So albeit thou have turned away from this Lord yet dispaire not he is so infinitely good and powerfull that he can and will turne thee back againe to him if thou seek it of him as thou ought Which the Lord grant unto us and that for the merits of Christ Iesus To whom c. SECOND SERMON UPON Lamentations of JERIMIAH Chap. V. Vers 19. Thou O Lord remainest for ever and thy throne from generation to generation Vers 20. Wherefore dost thou forget us for ever And forsake us so long time Vers 21. Turne thou us unto thee O Lord And we shall be turned renew our dayes as of Old The holy Prophet in these words as we said before presenteth to God a fervent prayer for his church of whose distresse he had made a most pittifull complaint in the words preceeding He prayeth for two things first that God would restore his favour and the former fruits thereof unto his people This he seeketh first secretly by a loving expostulation wherefore dost thou forget us for ever c. And thereafter expresly and directly renew our dayes as of Old The second thing which he prayeth for without which the first could not be had is their conversion or turning againe to God Turne thou us unto thee O Lord And we shall be turned The ground of these petitions of his confidence to be heard in them is set down in the first verse and it is Gods own nature and the perfections thereof Thou O Lord c. Here three things are ascrived to God First immutabilitie Secondly a dominion and kingdome Thirdly eternitie which belongeth to himself and to his kingdome Thou O Lord saieth he remainest for ever and thy throne c. Of the second and first we haue spoken already let us come now to the third Which we shall handle in this order first we shall show what this eternitie is Secondly that it belongeth both to God and his kingdome Thirdly we shall give you the uses of this doctrine To come to the first yee are to understand that the eternitie of God which is the only and properly so called eternitie is not a thing diverse from his nature or essence There is nothing in God which is not God and one and the same with his divine nature So the eternitie of God is nothing else but this own divine essence or existence considered as it abideth persevereth indeficiently unmeasurably without beginning or end Wee cannot conceive this indurance of God but with a reference to the time of indurance of the creatures as we cannot conceive the immensitie of God but with a reference to a bodily space wherein the creatures are or may be and therefore the eternitio of God as conceived by us includeth a reference to the duratiō continuance of other things whereas in it self it differeth from them infinitelie For the more particular understanding of this point ye are to consider that the eternitie of God hath three notable properties First it is such a duration that hath neither beginning nor end but is altogether unmeasurable time may be measured and is measured by our minds and used as a measure of the continuance of other things It had a beginning and since the beginning of it 6000. years are not a◠yet past But if we should go beyond this time 100000. years yea millions of ages we should come infinitely short of Eternitie which hath no beginning at all So time shall haue an end but if we go beyond that end as many millions of ages as there are stares in heaven pickles of sand on the sea shoar drops of water in the ocean yet are we infinitely short of the length of eternitie which hath no end at all So it is an indurance simplie and altogether unmeasurable The second propertie of it is that it is such an indurance as hath no fluxe in it no
shall I do whether shall I go I cannot leave my daughter she is so tormented I cannot stay with her The beholding of her sufferings is so grievous unto me she is not dead and yet a thousand times worse then dead O LORD therefore have mercy upon me This is her suit that he would have mercy upon her Marke the words I pray you she sayes not Pray to God for me but Lord have thou mercy and it shall be well Thou art the LORD I have not brought her to thee Thou sees that which is absent Thou knowest that which is hid I desire thee not to go to her nor yet to speak a word that she may be whole only have mercy and that will put away the devil and subdue all his power See here the wonderfull strength of her faith Secondly she saieth not have mercy upon my daughter but have mercy upon me She counteth the miserie of her daughter her own it touched her as if she had been in that same estate herself Secondly it seemeth she hath thought her daughter was so afflicted because of her sinnes which she desires to be removed by mercy that so her daughter might have health Lastly it is remarkable that the thing she requireth is the exercise of mercy Mercy is but one word but comprehendeth under it all Good that we stand in need of and with all includeth a confession of our own miserie as if she would have said O LORD it is not in confidence of any worthines or righteousnesse in me that I present my self unto thee I flie to thy mercy the haven and harberie of sinners My miserie is great but thy Mercy is greater The disease is grievous but nothing to thee the Great and mercifull Phisitian Hence we may learne what we should fix our eyes upon this day after we duly viewed the great miseries wherein we are plunged either by reason of our sinnes or by reason of their wofull effects Where to shall we look but to the Mercy of God in Christ and say with this woman have mercy upon me O LORD c. With the Publican be mercifull to me a sinner with DAVID Have mercy upon me O LORD according to thy Loving kindnesse and according to the multitude of thy compassions blot my transgressions out This Mercy is the refuge of sinners This is our maine comfort that our God is the God and Father of Mercies that his Mercies are over all his works and reach even unto the heavens Mercie is the name wherin God delighteth most The LORD The LORD Mercifull c. and wherein our strength against despaire lieth and as we said it comprehendeth all the good we have or would have If we say God is Light that importeth but one thing if we say God is our Strength that importeth but the strengthening of us but when I say that he is the God of my Mercy that imports all whatsoever we are whatsoever we have or desire in nature in grace in intention in conversation in faith in hope in love in deliverance from evill or injoying of good that is all of his Mercy and his Mercy can give it all Come therefore O man if thou have a penitent heart fix thine eyes this day upon this Mercy of God be not swallowed up with the greatnes either of thy sinnes or sorrowes Art thou polluted with uncleannesse filthinesse of thy flesh yet cast not away thy confidence remember what this Mercy of God did to that uncleane and sinfull woman who washed the feet of Christ with tears in the 7. of Luk. Hast thou been a murtherer theef or oppressor remember what the Mercy of Christ did to that Theefe who was crucified with him Many villanies it may be had he done yet when he with a penitent heart said LORD remember me when thou comest to thy kingdome this Mercy answered verily to day thou shalt be with me in paradise hast thou been a persecuter and blasphemer Remember what this Mercy did to S. PAUL it made him who was before a wolf to be a pastor it made him to be an Apostle who was before a persecuter and to be a prime builder of that Church which before he wasted But let us proceed and see how this fervent devote Prayer was accepted It is said by S. MATTHEVV that he answered her not a word What a strange thing was this this miserable woman prayes cryes againe againe for mercy yet the Saviour and lover of mankinde giveth no answer he that is the eternal Word is silent He that was the opened fountaine seemeth to be closed he that was the great and most kinde Physitian seemeth to deny all cure This was the first assault of this womans faith and it was not a small temptation She might have thought with herself alace I heard he received al that came unto him graciously but now I find by mine own experience that either this report is false or at least I am extreamly unhappy man cannot help me and God will not heare me What shall I do but such thoughts entered not into the devot heart of this woman For al this she continueth crying still as appeareth by the following words Hence we should learne that which our LORD often urgeth that we should pray and not faint There is in us naturally impatience wherby we weary soon when we are not heard If God hide his face for a while seeme to forget us we give over O say we we have prayed and it may be againe and againe and yet we had no answer returned us But consider although thou hast prayed yet it may be thou hast not cryed thou hast not been earnest nor fervent in seeking God Alace how often do our hearts wander when our lips move in prayer and we do not so much as remember that we are praying Secondly suppose thou hast cryed with fervency to God yet that is not enough thou must also persevere and not weary Thou must still ask seek knock God hath not promised to grant our desires upon the first or second or third petition This assurance is only given to them who continue without fainting Abraham was an hundreth years old before he obtained Isaac that was promised him No doubt the mother of Samuel hath poured out her heart oftē before God erre she conceived Simeon waited long for the consolation of Israel before he got Christ in his armes Luke 2. So Anna the prophetesse departed not from the temple but served God day and night with fasting praying erre she was blessed with the sight of our Saviour O LORD saieth DAVID Psal 22. I cry to thee in the day time and by night I am not silent So then perseverance in prayer is necessary for obtaining our suites Neither need we feare that this importunity will displease God It is not with God as it is with the great ones of this world If they vouchsafe not an answer to our
the Servant of GOD. There is also a kinde of violence inferred to our sinful corruption for so great is the Power of GOD given to us by his Grace that violently as it were we break the bands whereby our naturall corruptions hath hitherto tyed us The Kingdome of heaven sayeth our Saviour suffereth violence and the violent entereth by force Thus we see our effectuall calling is not without cause called a drawing of us by the Father who of his infinite Goodnâ—s by his almighty Power worketh so on our hearts that of unwilling he maketh us to be willing to go to Christ to run after him This doctrine serveth first to teach us al humility If thou have any good thou may perceive from this which hath been said that it is not of thy self but from God O man who hath discerned thee what hast thou but that which thou hast received and of thou hast received it why â—oustest thou as if thou hadest not received it No honour herein is due to us but all the glory belongeth to him From whom every good gift and every perfect giving descendeth Againe if as yet thou have nothing which is truly good blame not God but thy self through whose default it is that thou art not drawn by him No man indeed can come to him except he be drawn but if any man be not drawn this is to be imputed to his own wickednes As GOD draweth none but out of his free Mercy so he leaveth none but out of his uncontrollable justice Humble therfore thy self and acknowledge as the truth is that thou hast not used the means a right which he hath given thee but on the contrary hath abused his manifold Blessings Lastly This serveth also to work in us humility while we consider the different dealing of God towards diverse persons of whom some are drawn and some are not drawn by him Go not to inquire curiously why this man is drawn and that man is not drawn although it may be that he that is drawn is no lesse if not more unworthy then he who is not drawn If thou search into this it is presumption humility contenteth it self with this that if any be not drawn it is through their own fault if any be drawn it is of the bounty of God who may do with his own what he will Humility maketh us cover our faces with the Seraphims to adore this great mysterie to cry out with them Holy holy holy is the LORD GOD of Hosts Holy is be in all his wayes Holy is he both when he draweth and when he draweth not when he calleth men to him and when he rejecteth them It maketh us to cry out with S. PAUL O the deepe of the riches both of the Wisdome and Knowledge of GOD. how unsearchable are his judgements and his Wayes are past finding one Secondly The consideration of this doctrine should stirre us up to earnest incalling on God for his Grace at all times Inquire not sayeth holy AUGUSTINE upon this place Why GOD draweth this man and why he draweth not that man but understand receive this counsell if thou thy self be not drawn pray to God that thou may be drawn Are we not yet converted we should carefully use the means especially of prayer that we may be converted And suppose we be coÌ„verted yet should we still cal on God that he would yet draw us more that we may run after him We should say with David Thou hast been mine help leave me not neither forsake me O God of my salvation Thirdly This should stirre us up to be carefull obediently to answer the Calling of God that we through our default deprive not our selves of his saving Draught Remember he that calleth thee is infinitly Excellent and most Worthy whom thou shouldest hearken unto He hath no need of thee but thou standest in great need of Him and without him cannot be but miserable To him thou art infinitely bound he is the Creator and thou the creature he the LORD and thou the servant he the Redâ—â—â—â—r and thou the captive 2. Consider that thou art most unworthy to be called by him but most worthy to perish in thine own sinnâ—s 3. That from which hee calleth thee 〈◊〉 sinne the greatest of evils and death the wages of sinne 4. That which he calleth thee unto is perfect Happines He calleth thee to life even the life of Grace he calleth thee to Peace even to that peace that passeth understanding he calleth thee to the Gifts Joy of his Spirit yea to the participation of his blessed Spirit himself He calleth thee to the great banquet wherein thou art to receive not earthly food but the bread of life which came down to give life to the world And will thou not hearken unto him wofull miserable shal thy estate be when some refused to come to the feast of the great King Luk. 14. He vaxed angry said they should never taste of his banquet If Wisdom call we answer not if she stretch out her hands and we regard not Prov. 1. 24. She also will laugh at our destruction and mock when our feare cometh we shall call but she shall not answer we shall seek her early but shall not find her The Lord make us wise that we may consider this aright and that for the Merits of Christ Iesus to whom with the Father c. THE SECOND SERMON Upon the VI Chapter of S. JOHN Vers 44. 〈…〉 And I will raise him up at the Last day Vers 45. It is written in the prophets And they shall be all taught of GOD. Every man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the Father cometh unto meeâ— YEe have already heard the instruction given by the LORD unto the murmuring Jews namely That none can come to him except he be drawn by his Father who sent him In the words now read he showeth first the happy estate of them who are drawn by the Father and come unto him confirming withall his former discourse where at they murmured 2. He proveth the necessity of that drawing before mentioned and more fully explaineâ—h it It is written in the prophets Thy shall be all taught of God And I will raise him up at the last day These words are added here by our LORD first to preveene the misinterpretation of his former words wherein he said that men cannot come to him except they be drawn by the Father Some might have thought because of this that he was inferiour to the Father therefore he saieth That he shall raise him up at the last day which importeth no lesse power then that is whereby men are drawn by the Father 2. These words ar added to confirme that which he said before namely That he is the bread of life and came down from heaven To confirme this I say especially in the minds of beleevers For if he raise up men at the last day undoubtedly he
to see men though his enemies subject to so great miseries Alacâ— then how great reason have we to mourne for these dreadfull miseries which ar like to come upon our brethren and upon our selves What other can we expect except we turne from our sinnes and except the Lord turne away his Wrath from us He hath given us the spirit of giddenes We are like men that are drunk every one rising up and ready to rush against another How dreadfull a token is this of the Wrath of God kindled against us because of our sinnes and how great reason have we to contribute our tears for the quenching of this fire Oftentimes we have foretold you that God would visit for the sinnes commitred in this land and that he would be avenged on such a nation as this Many and terrible examples also of the Iudgements of GOD ye have had before your eyes by which the Lord hath been saying to you Except yee repent ye shall all likewayes perish But notwithstanding of all this we have gone one securely in our sins How many thousands in Germany and other parts not long since have thought their feet as sure from falling as yee have thought yours their eyes have been as dry and their souls seemed to be as sure of life yet their feet have slidden their eyes have been drowned with tears their souls have tasted of DEATH The Sword of God hath devoured their flesh and is become drunke with their blood This same cup which the Lord hath given them he now presenteth to us and if we pacifie not his Wrath whether we will or not he shall force us to drinke it out Let us therefore follow the example of our Saviour When the bitter cup was presented to him for our sins he fell down and with tears of blood said Father if it be possible let this cup passe from me Let us turne to God and do in like manner Neither should we thinke it enough to mourne this day but should continue our mourning in private that if it be possible he may deliver us and our land from this great Wrath or if he have decreed otherwayes wee may at least escape his eternall indignation The Lord grant this unto us and that for the merits of Christ to whom c. Excellencie of the Psalmes 2. Excellencie of this Psame 3. Argument of it 4. Summe of the words 5. Davids applicatieÌ„ 6. Certaintiâ— of Gods favour possible 7. This gives confidence 8. Alacritie in GODS service 9. Peace in troubles 10. Gods name what 12. All Comfort in it 13 Comfort in Christs Name 14. This upholdeth us wheÌ„ other comforts faile 15. Exalting what 16. Blessing what 17. Praising what 18. God should be praised in al estats 19. The reasons God praiseth himself 2. ConsideratioÌ„ of Gods greatnesse the fountain of his praise 3. DivisioÌ„ of the words 4 Points to be considered 5. Infinitnes what 6. It is in God 7. All perfections ar in him 8. In the highest degree of perfection 9. In a most perfect unitie 10. His highnes above the creatures 11. His greatnesse is unsearchable 12 Praise due to him 13. Love the immediaet fountain of it 14. What praise proceeds from it 15. Our unduâ—ifulnes in this 16. Our heart should bee set upon him 17. Our desirs of him should bee effectuall 18. Nobilitie of GOD service 19. Reverenes in our carriage to him 20. Confideâ—â—â— in him Doct. BARON his Aâ—ath lamented 1. song of degress 2. Vnitie coÌ„mended here 3. Behold 4. Whâ—â—â— to dwell together in â—â—â—itie 5. Brethren 6. Concord good and pleasant 7. Goodnesse of it 8. Pleasantnesse of it 9. Vnitie in the church coÌ„manded 10. Fathers highlie esteemed it 11. CoÌ„cord lik an ointmeÌ„t 12. Like the dew 13. Blessing followes it 14. The portrâ—cture of it 15. we ar bene to dissentioÌ„ 16. Humility necessar 17. Meeknes necessar 18. ExhortatioÌ„ to keep our unity 1. Intention and summ of this Psalme 2. The waitting or silence of praise 3. SioÌ„ should praise 4. Sion can praise 5. Doeth praise 6. Necessitâ—â— of praise under the Law 7. Vnder the Gospel 8. A vow is a Promise 9. Made to God 10. Religious 11. willingly 12. Of a thing gracious 13. A vow of a thing not coÌ„manded 14. Not Wil-worship 15. Obliedgment to do good 16. Vows of things necessar 17. GOD honoured by vows 18. vows lawfull now 19. Vows should bee performed 20. God hears praier 21. Of all 22. Hee hath heard our prayers 23. Our duty 1. Intention division 2. GOD unchangable in his nature 3. In his Decrees 4. No chaÌ„ge in him froÌ„ his works 5. How he is said to repent 6. unchangeablnesse proper to GOD. 7 Comfort hence against troubles 8. Gods Love chaÌ„ges not from us in trouble 9. Hâ—â— Vnchangeablnes a spurr to Repentance 10. GOD the supreame Lord. 11. His dominion Vniversall 12. Comfort hence against troubles 1. reason 13. 2. reason 14. Why Hee permitteth our affliction 15. His power to convert us 1. proposition of the point intended 2 Eternitie is one with Gods essence We cannot conceive eternity but after the manner of time 3. It is unmeasurable 4. It is all at once 5. It is so of it self 6. It maketh good or evil infinitelâ—e better or worse 7. It belonges to GOD. 8. His Kingdom never began 9. It shal never end 10. The vanity of earthlie things 11. CoÌ„fort to the godly against travels 12. CoÌ„fort against troubles 13. Terrour to the wicked from eternitie 14. Tyme should not bee spent idlely 15 It should be imployed in wel-doing 1. Intention of the Prophet 2. Division 3. The first part 4. Peace sought by all 5. Out-ward peace not meaned here 6. GODS people havâ— it not alwayes 7. Dreadful state of the wicked 8. Inward peace of minde here understood 9. God alone giveth it 10. He giveth it easilie 11. Stayednes of minde referred to GOD. 12. Reference of it to the Godlie 13. Withdrawing of the heart from the creature necessarie 14. Necessitte of setling our love on GOD and submission to his wid 15. Equitie of this in respect of GOD his excellency 16. Equitie of it in respect of our profite 17. This is the way to peace 18. ContentatioÌ„ in evils prejudicial to God his Glorie and mans salvation 19. Confidence in GOD. 20. Exhortation to it Mark 14 verse 70. Luke 22. 59. Iohn 18. 26. 1. Peter speaketh to us 2. The history and order 3. Peter truly deuieth Christ 4. Branches of his sin 5. Grievousnesse of his deniall 6. his cursing 7. How grievous a sin it is 8. Grievousnesse in respect of the matter 9. In respect of the person 10. His pusillanimitie 11. His obstinacie 12. Humane weaknes 13. One sinne draweth another after it 14. Necessitie of compassion in pastors 15. Wee deny CHRIST alse 16. â—is repenâ—ance 17. Gods looking in justice 18. His Looke in mercie 19. Necessitie and power of Christs grace 20. Readinesse of it 21. Peters remembraÌ„ce 22. His
DIVERSE Select SERMONS Upon severall TEXTS of holy SCRIPTVRE Preached by that Reverend and faithfull Servant of JESUS CHRIST D. James Sibald Doctour of DIVINITY Late Preacher of the Gospell at ABERDENE There-after At DUBLIN in IRELAND Published after his Death Remember how thou hast received heard and hold fast and repent REVEL 3. 3. Printed at ABERDENE by Iames Brown 1618. TO The Right Honourable JOHN JAFFRAY PROVEST ROBERT FORBES GILBERT GRAY ALEX. ROBERTSONE ALEXANDER ALEXANDER Bailies And the remnant of the Honourable Councell of the City of ABERDENE Grace mercy and peace c. RIght Honourable This posthumus WORK coming forth to Publick view IT was thought fitt not without reason to have your H. Names so eminent Favourers of learning piety prefixed unto it For by the defence it may expect at your hands as an Orphan The Authour of it did labour in your City a considerable time in the Lords Worke and probablie would have ended his Labours where he began them if GOD in his holy provideÌ„ce wherunto he learned to submit himself had not disposed otherwise of him As he studied to approve himself unto GOD a Work-man that needed not to bee ashamed rightlie dividing the Word of Truth and to have his Conversation such as became a Minister of the gospel of Christ through his rich blessing upon his travels was instrumentall for strengthning to wel-doing for lifting up of weak hands for comforting of Mourners for winning to settling in the Truth so with the same minde in the rest of his beloved Charge your love and respects towards him your longings after him when he was withdrawn from you were very great Vpon these accounts next to the glory of GOD and the well of his Church in generall These following Sermons preached upon severall occasions in your hearing are published and to be an encouragement to your H. to go on and persevere in the wayes of holinesse and righteousnesse whereunto while he was with you he did from time to time most earnestly exhort you that as yee were his hope here yee may bee his Joy and Crown of rejoycing in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming Which is the earnest prayer of Your H. humble servant I. S. Christian Reader SOme of the Travels of one who is now resting from his laboures are here presented unto thee It is more then probable if before the publication of them they had been revised by himself for thy further satisfaction they had come forth both more polisthed and enlarged Notwithstanding it is hoped that the Voice of the Dead yet speaking in them upoÌ„ thy diligent perusall of them through the Lords Mercy may prove helpfull to further thee in thy way to eternall life The Authour was first called from the profession of Phylosophy in COLLEDGE-MARISCHALL in Aberdene to a pastorall Charge of souls in the same City where to his great joy he saw the seale of his Ministry and the LORDS Work prospering in his hand Afterwards when the troubles of this Nation both in Church and State were come to a great hight the sad effects whereof he oftentimes foretold and bemoned upon the not concurring of his judgement in the manner of Church-Goverment with them who were other wayes minded He was called to afflictions and sufferings and which he looked upon as the heaviest of all to leave them who were so deare unto him and to whom so oft with 〈◊〉 mutuall joy he had holden forth the word of life His last Service in the ministry of the Gospell was in the city of Dublin in Ireland which at that time was againe and againe in great danger of the bloody sword of their unnaturall Countrey-men of the popish party their rageing exceedingly sheding much innocent blood Here he acquited himself so eminently a burning and ashining light that he was greatly beloved of all living very much desired and dying no lesse lamented and the reâ—lity of their affections was demonstrate by evident testimonies of their respects to him both in his life time aud after his death In this city after he had run his race of ten years labours in the LORDS Work he finished his course and was called to receive that eternall Crown which was prepared for him and for all who love the appearing of our LORD Iesus Christ in Glory at his second coming I have only this to adde further in a word that his recepts from the Father of lights were not small for his great abilities in the Oriental languages and all kinde of liberall sciences humane divine expressing them selves with the tongue of the learned dayly growing to greater perfection wer accompanied with the power of Godlines earnest desires for the peace of the Church unanimity with his worthy fellow labourers gravity humility charity and all other christian graces So being confident that his Memorie shall he blessed and his laboures profitable I shall adde only that of the Poet speaking of another Vivet extento Proculeius aevo Notus in fratres animi paterni Illum aget penna metuente solvâ— Fama superstes Horat. Lib. 2. Carm. od 2. J S. THE FIRST SERMON PSAL. CXLV vers 1. 2. I will extoll thee my God O King and I will blesse thy Name for ever and ever Every day will I blesse thee and I will praise thy Name for ever and ever ALthough all Scripture bee given by inspiration of GOD and bee profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousnesse 2. TIM 3. 16. yet the Psalmes among other parts of scripture have been ever thought to have a speciall excellencie S. Chrysostome in the 5. Tom. of his works 6. Hom. of Repentance saieth That this was the coÌ„mon sense of Christians in his time albeit saieth he Moses was the great Lawgiver saw God face to face yet saieth he his books are scarce read once a yeare The gospell wherin Christs miracles are registrat wherin we see death destroyed life restored and God as it were conversing with men is read saieth hee but once or twyce a weeke The Epistles of S. Paul who was the Orator of Christ who was taken up to the third heaven who saw things which is not lawfull to utter are read saieth he but twice a weeke But saieth he in the meane time DAVID is read day and night All carrie him about at all times as a precious and sweet smelling oyntment If wee abide in the Church all night David is the first and the middle and the last with whom wee end If wee sing hymnes to God in the morning DAVID is the first and the middle and the last If wee have pompe at the Funerals of the dead DAVID is the first the middle and the last Even they that have not letters have him as it were ingraven in the heart Neither is this only in Churches and towns but in all places in all times 2. Sam. 23. 1. The sweet singer of Israel
it self Hee is not content to say simply that he will praise God but useth sundry pregnant words to this purpose to signify the vehemencie and fervencie of his desire to honour God First he saieth I will extoll thee or exalt thee Wee cannot exalt God by making him higher for he is most high and we are low and base There can be no accession to his Hignesse and though there could yet cannot we contribute to it We are said to exalt him in that sense that we are said to magnifie glorifie and sanctifie him This we do by acknowledging proclaiming worshipping his Greatnesse Glory Holinesse So we exalt him when wee acknowledge his infinite Highnesse and Excellencie when we most highly esteeme of it most highly love it and most humbly submitt our selves unto it Thus I will extoll thee is as if hee had said I will most highly praise thee reverentlie worship thee magnificently proclaime and incomparably prefer thy Highnesse and Excellencie to all others Secondly he saieth He will blesse Him and his Name BLESSING is a wishing of good to another and the bestowing and conferring of it when it lyeth in our power IT comprehendeth two acts the one of the Will the other of the Vnderstanding By the first wee wish or will good by the other we conferre it and so it is a practicall kinde of speech This Blessing as it proceedeth from God is ever effectuall If he speak good to us it is done his word is able to do whatsoever he willeth As when a King hath the honours of a kingdom in his own hand If he say to one be thou a Duke to another be thou an Earl it is so by vertue of this his speech these honours are conferred But it is not so with our blessing especially of God His good is either inward or outward as for his inward good it is in himself in infinite perfection Hee laiketh nothing nor can wee contribute any thing in that kinde All that wee can do in respect of this good is to congratulate and expresse our joy at this that he possesseth in himself all good As for the outward good which belongeth to him namlie the knowledge the love the feare and worship of his Name unto that we may and ought to contribute by his grace Wee should not only wish that good but so much as lyeth in us should endeavour to procure it Thus when DAVID promiseth to blesse him and his Name he meaneth that he wished all to know to feare to love him and that hee would to the uttermost endeavour to effectuat what he wished Thirdly Hee promiseth to praise Him PRAISE is a proclaiming of the excellencie that is in any by reason of his actions and worthie deeds So God is often praised for his acts of mercie justice and power The excellencie that is in any by nature is rather honoured then praised saieth the Philosopher yet often men are praised for naturall excellencies as engyne beauty strength c. And God here and often elswhere in scripture is praised for his Naturall excellencies Infinite greatnes goodnes power mercie c. Lastly DAVID promiseth thus to exalt praise and blesse God and his Name Every day for ever and ever He will beginne it now but is never to end it So long as hee lived hee did praise him and now being dead doeth praise him on earth by this other songs of praise and in heaven doeth and shall for ever blesse him Beside this he promiseth to do it without intermission Every day saieth he which signifieth that nothing should befall no change no trouble that should divert him from this exercise Whence we may learne this profitable instruction that it is our duty in every estate whatsomever befall us to praise and blesse God No trouble or temptation should make the praise or blessing of him to depart from our mouth nothing should make our courage to quaile our patience to wearie our tranquillitie to cease or stay the lifting up of our hearts to blesse his holy Name For this should be done by us every day and at all times Psal 34. 1. Thou should blesse him in the day of thy sicknesse aswell as in the day of thy health in the day of thy want aswell as in the day of thy aboundance in the day of desolation aswel as in the day of consolation in the day of adversitie aswel as in the day of prosperitie What great matter is it saieth holy AUGUSTINE upon this place that thou blesses God in thy joyfull day when all things flow to thee according to thy heart What if a sorrowfull and melancholious day appeare will thou not blesse him then also If thou will not thou did not truly say Every day will I blesse thee How many and how grievous evils came upon Iob and that how suddenlie yet did hee not intermitt the praising of God in that his most sorrowfull day When all the evill tydings had come unto him hee worshiped and said The Lord hath given the Lord hath taken blessed be the Name of the Lord. Thus ought we all to do and the reasons are manifest For first If God be thy God then thy heart is upon him thou places in him thy soveraigne good which is to be found in him alone Now no crosse or trouble can bereave thee of him unlesse thou thy self forsake him Iob his hudge wealth was taken away and his children for whom he keeped it were taken away but God who gave the one and the other and was able to restore that and infinitly more could not be taken from him Thus the day of worldlie sorrow cannot take our God from us and so we have the ground and matter of our true and chief joy and consequently have reason still to blesse him 2. Whatsomever God doeth to his own he doeth it for the best He maketh all their sorrows and troubles to work for their good yea oftentimes promoveth their good by sicknesse want adversitie more then it should have been advanced by health aboundance prosperity LAZAR us sores poverty wer more profitable to him then all the wealth dainties of the Rich-man were to him Both found it to be so in end when the Rich-man was laid in flames of fire was faine to beg one drop of water which yet he could not have and when Lazarus was carried by the angels into the bosome of ABRAHAM Wee may not judge of these outward evils by our own sense but by the word wisdome goodnes and power of God which maketh them all to serve to our good Now if it be so we have reason in the midst of all our worldlie sorrowes to blesse and to praise the Name of our God Happy is he that can do so this is a most happy holy way by which a man may go through all the sorrows of this life to heaven rejoycing and exulting The Lord grant that we may so do
do the like We profane his Name his Word and other holy Ordinances by the wickednesse of our lives we contemne misregard the greatnes of all his perfections and carry our selves toward him as if there were no greatnes in him at all and so leade others to the like contempt and misregard what a lamentable 〈…〉 this in man All the works of God praise him in their own kinde The heavens declare the glory of the Lord and the firmament sheweth forth his handie work and so it is with the rest of the works of God only man amongst these visible creatures faileth in this dutie albeit of all others hee be most bound God hath made him alone according to his own Image hath loaded him with infinite blessings and all for this end that he should set forth the praises of him Who hath called him out of darknes to his marvellous light His obliedgement to God is many wayes infinite therfore his unthankfulnes is most worthy of infinite wrath punishment Iustly therfore is the wrath of God revealed now against wicked and unthankfull man We will not take the cup of salvation and call upon his Name with praise therfore he justly presenteth unto us the cup of his furie yea the wicked shall drink the dreggs of it hereafter even Everlasting pain which shall make them so drunk and mad that they shall curse themselves and blaspheme God himself This much of the duty mentioned by the PROPHET Beside this wee may learne from the consideration of Gods infinite Greatnesse First That in him alone wee ought to seek the satisfaction contentment of all the desires of our hearts Nothing can be desired by us which is not in him and in him most perfectly All good is in him all truth all beauty all honour and dignitie all power and strength all riches and treasures all joy and comfort all peace and blesse and eternall life which comprehendeth in it That which the eye hath not seen the eare hath not heard and hath not entered in the heart of man to understand So there is in him that which is able fully to satisfie all our desires Why sufferest thou then thine heart to go a-whoring after the creatures all the good whereof is as but a shadow and vanitie when compared with that good which is in him If a man weâ— sitting under a most fruitfull tree where he might have aboundance of most delightsome fruits if he would but look up and stretch out his hand would hee not be thought mad if neglecting this he shall look only to the shadow of the fruits upon the ground follow after it Far greater madnesse is it to follow after that shadow of Gods perfections which is in the creatures when thou might enjoy that true that solide and eternall good that is in God if thou would but look up to him and stretch out the hand of thy soule to lay hold upon him If we had that all which is in this world have not him we have no more but a dreame of happinesse but if we have him suppose wee had nothing else wee should find in him true and solide blesse Let therefore all the desires of our heart bend to this great God the onely center wherein they will find rest Thus David psal 27. 4. One thing I have desired and that I will seek after that I may see the beauty of the Lord all the dayes of my life and enquire in his holy temple And againe psal 73. Whom have I in heaven but thee and in earth there is nothing that I desire besides thee Thou art the strength of my heart my portion for ever Hence our Saviour said to Martha though bâ—ssied in serving himself Martha Martha thou are troubled about many things leaving that good part which shall not be taken away namly to sit at Christs feet to heare his word that our souls may enjoy him But it may be yee will say There is none of us who desireth not God and the enjoying of that great goodnesse which is in him I Ans If thy desire were sincere and true it would bee effectuall that is it would make thee to do all that thou canst for the obtaining of them As in naturall things That inclination which they have to that which giveth them rest perfection maketh them to break through all impediments if they bee able Thus a stone if it had power should break thorow the very earth till it came to the center so if our desire of God were true and sincere wee should do all that is possible unto us for finding of him Now through his grace nothing is impossible and therfore nothing should withold us from him Secondly From the consideration of this infinite greatnesse of God wee may learne that it is a most high and honourable thing to serve him The greater any King is his service is the more honourable Now God is infinitlie greater then any earthly Monarch and therefore his service is far more glorious then that of any earthly Prince Yea it is more honourable to serve him then to reigne in this world For to bee set over men is lesse then to be conjoyned with God to have accesse to his presence that we may present our sutes to him to enjoy his familiaritie and to receive favours from him Hence DAVID who was a king over a mighty people gloried not in that but in this that he was the servant of God I am thy servant saieth he I am thy servant c. And againe I had rather hee a doore keeper in the house of my God then to dwell in the tents of wickednesse Thirdly This Greatnesse of God should teach us to carry our selves before him in all reverence humility The greater any King is the more he should be reverenced God therefore who is infinitly great is worthy of infinite reverence if it were possible Hence Abram though it pleased God to use him very familiarly said to him Behold I am but dust and ashes and I have taken upon mee to speak unto my Lord. Yea the most glorious spirits the Ceraphims in acknowledgement of his greatnes of their own smalnes nullity cover their faces before him saying Holy holy holy is the Lord God of hosts c. How much more becometh it us vile and sinfull creatures to humble our selves before this infinite Majestie Of our selves we have no good can do none All the good we have is of God that hath joyned with it in us manifold corruptions and miseries Now wee are in health and incontinent sick againe now in joy and incontinent cast down with sorrow now we live incontinent our breath goeth out wee are filled with terrours within and environed with troubles without and exposed to a thousand dangers How vile then should wee bee in our own eyes especially when wee come into the presence of this infinitly great King when he vouchsafeth
contentions among them that so at least he may overcome them Beside all this our manifold sinnes deserve at Gods hands that he should suffer us to cast away this blessing of Peace and therefore in all these respects we ought carefullie to take heed to it to humble our selves under the hand of God to turne from our sinnes Drunkennesse whoredom profaning of the Lords Day Pryd malice and others our abominations and fervently to pray That the Lord yet would spare his people and 〈◊〉 give his inheritance to reproch and yet of his great goodnes continue peace in our Church in our State and in this citie among ourselves Secondly Observe that in so farre as we are exhorted to Vnitie and Concord which should bee among the saints in the Church of God wee are also exhorted to follow these vertues without which it cannot be obtained nor preserved and to â—lee these vices which fight directly against it or tend to the overthrow of it What are these yee will say I shall give you but two Humilitie and Meeknesse First Humilitie is necessar For by pride cometh contention saith the wise-man Let nothing be done through strife or vaine glorie saieth S. Paul exhorting to unitie Philipp 2. But let each one in humilitie think of another better then of himself So our Saviour saieth Learne of me for I am meek and lowlie in heart Alace if wee had this humilitie our contentions might soon be at an end it would make us think lesse of our own thoughts and not to despyse others Men that are given to trouble would consider that they are also men that they may erre aswell as others To erre in nothing saieth S. AUGUST is angelicall perfection to be deceived in somthings is a thing incident to humane infirmitie but for a man to love his own opinion so that for maintenance of it hee would fall in heresie or schisme is a divelish presumption saith he in his 2. book of Baptisme against the Donatists What came the Word of God from you or came it unto you only saieth S. Paul 1. Cor. 14. 36. Secondly Meeknesse is required Our Lord the Prince of peace requires this also in the place before cited The servaÌ„t of the Lord saieth S. Paul 2. Tim. 2. 24. must be gentle apt to teach patient In meeknes instructing them that are contrarie minded if peradventure God will give them repentance The good orthodox fathers of old dealt even so with those that were hereticks schismiticks Optatus Milivitan ' a godly ancient father in his first book against ParmeniaÌ„ calleth the Donatists brethren albeit these Donatists would no wayes acknowledge him and his fellowes for brethren S. Augustine in his 14. sermon upon the words of the Apostle speaking of them that were infected with the Pelagian errour Wee would gladlie wish that our brethren would not call us hereticks wee call them not so albeit it may be saieth he wee have reason wee beare with them in the bowels of pittie that they may bee healed and instructed They go too farre and it is hard to beare with them and a matter of great Patienâ—eâ— Let them not abuse the patience of the Church but be amended wee eâ—hâ—rt as friends and do not contend as enemies They reproach 〈◊〉 but wee beare with it They misregard Rules but cannot prevaile against the trueth And thus we have touched how Peace Vnitie should be preserved if in humilitie meeknes we subject our hearts unto it that the peace of God may rule in our hearts To conclude I beseech you to think highly of your Vnitie and to maintaine it carefully and earnestly Yee have seene for a long space blessed be God How good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unitie Yee have found it as a most precious and sweet smelling ointment and as a most refreshing dew and God hath made many blessings to accompany it among you I beseech you to take heed that ye deprive not your selves of this benefit by hearkening to those that would make Division among you As for us that are your Pastors as we have preached truth so wee have preached alwayes this unitie and peace Wee have troubled the peace of none nor have meddled with any that belong not to us Wee are sorie for the divisions that we see elswhere Yee know that God who is the God of peace and love is grieved thereby that good men are displeased therewith that weak ones are offended and that to our adversaries this is great matter of rejoycing Wee heartly wish peace everie where and continually pray for it and are readie to promove it so far as we can with a good conscience But wee must not as it is well said by Gregorie Nazianzene in his 32. Oration affect peace with prejudice of truth that we may be called gentle and meeke Wee can do nothing against the truth but for the truth which wee are most willing to follow and maintaine in love The Lord open the eyes of all that they may see the truth and unite all our hearts that we all with one heart one soule may say Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unitie The Lord grant this and that for the merits of Christ to whom c. A SERMOM of Thanksgiving Upon LXV Psalme Novemb. 5. 1637. Vers 1. Praise waiteth for thee O God in Zion and unto thee 〈◊〉 the vow be performed 2. O thou that hearest praier unto thee shall all flesh come BEside the ordinarie service of this day wee are by Gods grace to offer to God an extraordinarie sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving for the benefite of Fertilitie wherewith hee hath blessed this yeare For this benefit I say which this land stood in so great neede of and whereof we were likly to be deprived by the tempestuous weather in the begining of harvest For the right performance of this duty I have made choise of a part of this most sweet divine psalme and song of Thanksgiving indyted by God to David and that as some think to be a paterne to the Church of God whereby her praise and thanks should be directed The blessed Prophet shortly compriseth in it the chief benefits bestowed upon man by God First he setteh down benefits spirituall namely the choising of men to be his people the hearing of their prayers the pardoning of their sins the sealing of them with his Spirit by the light wherof they know him and by the sweetnes whereof they are refreshed and satisfied in his house that is his Church 2. He considereth the goodnesse of God in establishing and defending the civill Estate against the furies of the divell and tumults of men that humane societie may be maintained and flowrish in honestie and peace aswell as in pietie 3. He expresseth the benefit of the fertilitie fruitfulnes of the earth redounding to the comfort both of man and beast which
all his benefits so especially for that of our Redemption By the right performance of this duty we begin our heaven on earth for the proper exercise of heaven is PRAISE blessed ar they that dwel in thy house for they ar still praising thee The blessed spirits are still singing blissing and glory and honour and power and wisedome c. Beside thanksgiving for former benefits is a secret and real prayer drawing down new benefits it preserveth the benefits we have receaved and procureth the increase of them wheras Vnthankfulnes depriveth us both of that which we have and of that which we ought to have looked for Iustly therefor saieth CHRISOST that thanksgiving is great wealth and treasures an unexhausted good which while a man hath he hath aboundance although he had lost all other thing Hast thou lost thy means and yet doest thou praise God thou hast gained thy soule and GGDS favour in greater measure then before When all other things was taken from IOB yet having an heart to praise God and to say The Lord hath given the Lord hath taken blessed be his Name He was most rich even in that his povertie Let us therefore earnestly apply our hearts and minds to this praise of God And let every one in his temple think speak of his glory Wee proceed now to the next duty And unto thee shall the vow be performed As Praise so vowes and the performance thereof belongeth to Thankefulnesse And therefore these two are ordinarly joyned in scripture For clearing of this point we will shortly shew what is a Vow 2. How it belongeth to Thankefulnesse For the first A Vow is a religious promise made to God willingly of a thing acceptable to him It is a promise A purpose to do a thing is not sufficient to make a Vow which is a kinde of Contract betwixt God and man obliedging a man to the performance of something by way of fidelity which obliedgment cannot be without a promise or practical kinde of speech as Schoolmen speak whereby a man tyeth himself as he tyeth another by his commandement Secondly It is a Promise made to God Vnto thee saieth my Text shall the vow be performed Vow pay your vowes unto the Lord psal 76. 11. Offer unto God thanksgiving pay thy vows unto the most High psal 50. 14. In a word everiewher in holy scripture we find vows made to none but to God And yet this day the practise of the Roman Church is to make vows to saints And their Doctours labour to justifie this practise It is acknowledged by Bell. That a vow in holy scripture is ever taken for a promise made to God And yet saieth he vows are rightly made to saints A strange thing How can these two consist Heare I pray you his answere When the scripture was written saieth he vowing to saints was not in use This certainly is true but to confesse it what else is it but to condemne their own practise as an innovation whereby the honour due to God alone is given to the creature O saieth he The saints are Gods by participation They in a most excellent manner are partakers of his naturall glory but by no distinction may the honour due to God be given to any other by the same shift they might alleadge offering of sacrifice to saints with which making of vows is cōmonly joyned in scripture Thirdly I say It is a religious Promise VOWING is a proper act of Religion or the worship of God As by an Oath which is an proper act of worship we profess God to be the supream truth and the Maintainer of it so by a vow wee professe God to bee most good and to be well pleased with the doing of good and indeed a vow is not much different from a promisarie oath except That the Oath is made to man but the vow is made to God 2. To vow to a false God should be Idolatrie and therefore a vow to the true God is true religion and worship which shall hereafter more appeare Fourthly It is a promise made willingly God loveth a cheerfull giver repelleth that which is done by constraint or vnwilingly A vow is as it were a private Law whereby a man bindeth himselfe and differeth in this from a general Law that a general Law bindeth a man whether he be willing or unwilling but so doeth not a vow therefore if made without the use of reason or through ignorance or fear it obliedgeth not Fifthly It must be of a thing acceptable to God That is of such a thing the doing thereof is better then the not doing of it If the thing vowed cannot serve for an good purpose it is but the sacrifice of fools If 〈◊〉 a thing evil as was that of these who vowed not to eat or drink till they had killed S. Paul Act. 23. 12. It maketh the vow abominable for beside the wickednes of intending or doing such a thing he that voweth it cōmitteth akynd of blasphemy in so far as by vowing it he confesseth that God is pleased with such an evil The matter therefore of a vow must be a thing that may be done acceptable to God but these things are of two sorts some are not necessare in particular to be done by such or such a person some againe are necessare Of both some doubt is made whether they bee a fit matter of vow Some Papists affirme that our Divines deny that a vow may be made of a thing not cōmanded or not necessar but this is a calumnie Our learned Divines acknowledge that ther at some things which if a man omitt he shal not sinne yet to do them were better then not to do them and consequently that a man may vow to do such a thing For example such or such a man should not sin not to give such a summe of money to the poo◠or pious uses yet if he would give it he should do better and may vow so to do The same may be said of Fasting or abstinence at such and such times That such things may be vowed is cleare from scripture which everie where almost speaketh of such vows Deut. 23. 21. 22. The Lord cōmands That if a man mak a vow be shal perform it but saith the Lord If thou forbeare to vow it shall not be sinne unto thee To give such or such a summe of money to the poor is a good work without a vow and pleasing to God being an act of charitie why then should it not be pleasing to God when a Vow is passed upon it That which our Divines condemn in such vows is That men ascrive Merite unto them account them works of supererogation and by making them rashly ensnare their own Consciences These and like abuses being removed they acknowledge that vows made of such things are hinderances of sinne nourishments of devotion and profitable exercises whereby the minde is confirmed in good and keeped
This is his unchangeable Nature to render good to them that do good and evill to them that do evil Say unto the righteous it shal be well with him but wo to the wicked it shall ill with him Tribulation and anguish upon the soule of every one that doth evill c. When thy face was toward God his countenance shyned upon thee now thou hast turned thy back to him and what wonder that thou find not the beames of the light of his countenance since hee is unchangeable If thou would enjoy his face and favour as before turne to him againe and because of thy self thou cannot do it say to him with the PROPHET Turne thou me O Lord and I shall be turned heale thou me and I shall be healed I come now to the second perfection of God which the PROPHET here considereth in him IT is his Dominion or Kingdome implyed in this That he is the Lord and hath a Throne Hee meaneth that hee is the supreame Lord and that his Throne is exalted over all both these belong to him by way of excellencie There are many lords and kings but not as hee The greatest kings depend from him By me kings reigne saieth he Prov. 8. 13. Their power is his ordinance Rom. 13. and that is their chief dignitie that they ar his anointed He setteth the Crown upon their heads ps 21. It is he that hath called theÌ„ gods ps 82. 6. I have said Year gods And he hath their hearts in his hand as the rivers of waters and â—urneth them whither he will Prov. 21. Beside the dominion of other Kings even of the most free Monarchs dependeth in some sort from the subjects They stand in need both of their heart and of their hands and if they want these what can they do This is the defect of all earthly Dominion As the the servant standeth in neede of the Master so the Master standeth in neede of the servant and hath a kinde of dependance from him as August observeth upon the 69 psal Thy servant standeth in neede of thy bread and thou standest in neede of his travels but it is not so with God he dependeth from none for he standeth in neede of none O my soule thou hast said unto the Lord thou art my God my goodnesse extendeth not to thee Secondly This Dominion of God as it is supreame and independent so it is universall Other kings are called so with a limitation as the kings of France or Spayne or of some other particular Countrey but God is absolutlie the LORD and absolutlie the KING If thou ascend to heaven it is his Throne If thou look to the earth it is his Footstoole If thou looke to hell it is his Goale or his Prison All the creatures are his servants even the unreasonable and senslesse creatures the fire the haile the yâ—e the snow the winds and tempests they all obey his Will and do his Commandements and no wonder they are all his the Day is his and the Night is his Hee made the Light and hee made the darknesse hee createth peace and he raiseth warre and in a word Hee made and createth all things by the Word of his Power which none can â—â—sist and therefore the very Angels in heaven adore his Majestie and the wicked spirits in hell tremble at his power His dominion reacheth as to all things so to all that is in them our dominion goeth no further then the superfice as it were of things And we have rather the use of things then the dominion but the dominion of God reacheth to their verie substance which he hath made can preserve or destroy as he will What say I of the things that are even the things that are not are only possible are subject unto him He calleth the things that are not as if they were If he should call and but speak the word they should come forth out of that darknes of nothing wherein they lurke Thus he is the supreame and the true Lord and the King before whom the glorie and Majestie of all earthly kings is but vilenes they depend from him and others as we said he depends from none they haue some subjects and riches he hath all They so rejoice in their crowne the glorie of it that still they haue their own sollicitudes and fears and therefore some haue laid down their crownes but he reigneth in all tranquillitie securitie and peace Thus yee haue shortly his Dominion and Kingdome Now let us see how the consideration of it serveth for the use of the PROPHET may serve for ours First The coÌ„sideration of this most perfect Dominion of God is a most notable comfort against the temptations that are raised in our mindes in the time of trouble and adversity when we think that God hath forsaken us hath left us as a prey to our enemies to be swallowed up by them If thou be tempted by this consider first that thou are the special as it wer the domestick servant of this King albeit all the subjects of a king be his servants and that which they have his in some sort yet he hath some speciall servants that are nearer to him and more particularlie regarded He hath particular houses and possessions and jewels and treasures of his own so it is with God They that feare him are his particular servants they are his House wherein he walketh they are his Vineyard which he hath planted and which he manureth they are his Jewels and his Peculiar Treasure as he calleth them himself so it cannot be but they are deare to him Secondly Consider that he is such a King as is both willing and able to maintaine his own Yee know that it is said in the end of the Lords praier thine is the kingdome and the power and the glorie As the kingdome is his so glorie is his whereof he is jealous aboue all things and as the glorie is his so power is his he is able to vindicate his glorie and to maintaine his servants against all that dare injure them Earthly kings somtimes forsake their servants for want of power but the power of this King is omnipotent able to secure all his friends and to subdue al his enemies If God be with us who can be against us saith the holy Apostle Although the kings of the earth would take counsell and princes would gather themselves together yet he that sitteth in heaven but laugheth at them and hath them in derision He can break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potters vessel His rod is the rod of strength he rules in the midst of his enemies and stricketh through kings in the day of his wrath Psalm 110. So then if we believe that we have such a Lord and such a king why do we fear for the terrours troubles of this world Hear what DAVID saith Psalm 99. The Lord reigneth let the people
before whom wee stand guilty till he speak peace ther is no solid calmnes in our minds Beside our hearts naturally are full of trouble and tormoyle and therefore cannot have peace unlesse it be created in them Now this is the proper work of God who saieth Isai 57. to this purpose I creat the fruit of the lips peace peace to him that is a far off Lastly so long as sinfull corruption is not healed in our soules their wound remaineth greene which suffereth us to have no rest Now it is God alone who can healâ— the soule and therefore it is he only who can give peace to it Thus the working of this peace in us is the peculiar work of God If he stand by no man nor angell can give it Hence DAVID even after the tydings of peace brought unto him by NATHAN cryeth yet to God for peace and joy Make me to heare the voyce of joy and gladnesse that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce Upon the other part as it is God alone who giveth this peace so for our comfort wee are to know that hee can easily give it and keep and preserve us in it It costeth him no more but a word if be but speak peace wee are sure to have it I will heare what the Lord God will speak hee will speak peace unto his people If he but speak the word it is done To this purpose we have a notable place Isai 44. There the Lord is thus descrived The Lord who saieth to Jerusalem be thou inhabited and to the cities of Judah be yee built that sayeth unto the depth be dryed up that saieth to Cyrus his servant thou art my sheepherd and shalt perform all my pleasure So the Lord needeth no more but a word to build Judah to make Jerusalem inhabited to remove all impediments out of the way of his people to perswade the heart of Cyrus an heathen man to be their nursing father Thus Psal 44. the PROPHET saieth to God Thou art my King O God command deliverance for Jacob. If God but send forth his Commandement it shall be obeyed When the sea is most raging and the waves greatest if Christ say be still there shall be a great calm This serveth exceedingly for our comfort that our God whom we serve is able so easily to give us peace and calmnesse in all our troubles and distresses Yee found this latlie by your own experience When yee looked for the help of man yee were disappointed and felt that the Arme of flesh is a vaine thing to trust into but when your Troubles wer come to the hieght your 〈◊〉 desperate then the Lord spake peace to you and whâ—â— hâ—â—aid was performed Would God that yee were sensible of â—his his goodnes and O that yee may be alwayes mindfull 〈◊〉 that by the consideration of so great a benefite yee may 〈◊〉 alwayes stirred up to praise him and to trust in his mercie 〈◊〉 much of the benefite Now I come to the description of them to whom it belongeth Whose minde is stayed on thee c. The words in the originall signifieth the minde or thought is stayed and by some are referred to God by others to the godly Learned CALVIN writting upon this place referreth the words to God thus The counsell and purpose of God whereby he hath decreed to preserve the peace of his servants is unchangeable and therefore he will keep them in peace There can no alterations fall out in this world which may change his immutable minde so there is a secret opposition betwixt Gods thought and ours My thoughts are not as yours Isai 55. neither are my wayes as your wayes but as high as the heaven is above the earth so high are my thoughts above your thoughts and my wayes above your wayes The minde and the counsell of God is immutable whereas our thoughts are changeable every moment upon the least occasion He is the Lord and changeth not and therefore wee are not consumed Secondly The words may bee referred to the godly thus Their minds are stayed and fixed on God and therefore he will keep them in peace Our Interpreters have so expounded the words and this seemeth best to agree with them But yee will ask what is this to have our minds stayed on God I answere unto this first is required that our hearts bee withdrawn from all things else Wee cannot have our minds on God and the creature both for Wee cannot serve two masters Hence our blessed Lord requireth of his disciples that they deny themselves and telleth them that none can be his disciple except he hate father and mother wise and children c. So it wee would have our hearts stayed on God they must settle upon nothing besids him This is necessarie for the obtaining of our peace which wee cannot enjoy so long as our hearts are fixed upon any creature The reasons are cleare First the creatures are transitorie and changeable and therefore the heart set upon them must needs change with them 2. While as the heart is inordinatly set on the creature the affections are contrarie to sound reason and our actions are contrarie to God and his Law so during this inordinat love we have a warre which standeth not with peace 3. As long as the heart doth cleave inordinatly to any creature there must needs bee a continuall feare which is contrarie to the Peace of the minde For either wee feare that wee shall not obtaine that which wee love or that wee shall losse it when it is obtained or that we shall not recover it when it is lost Either we feare that our will shall be crossed or suppose our desires second us in all things yet our guilty conscience accuseth and tormenteth us 4. There is no creature how perfectly soever enjoyed by us that can give satisfaction to out soules without which they can haue no peace Such is the nobilitie of our soule such is the excellencie of our minds and wils that a world yea a thousand worlds known beloved and possessed cannot give them rest contentment Either the Object delighted in is unproportionated to the soule as the sound to the eye or the colour to the eare or at least is unable to equall the infinite desire of it This none can do but God O LORD thou hast made us for thy self saieth holy AUGUST and our hearts are restlesse till they rest in thee Thus when ever we would have peace or have our hearts on God wee must withdraw them from the creatures The next thing that is required for staying our hearts upon God is that we joyne unto him by sincere love and by humble submission of our desires wills to his so that we love nothing but in him or for him desire nothing but his Glory and the accomplishment of his will This is the solid way to Peace when men will and nil the same things then there is true
declared his Wrath against it by dreadfull judgements In this kinde we have a notable example in Eusebius his ecclesiastick Hist 6. book and 8. chapter There he reporteth that three wicked men had conspired against Narcissus Bishop of IERUSALEM in the time of the Emperour Severus who was a man of singular holinesse but somwhat severe These wicked persons fearing to bee censured by him accuse him of Vncleannesse to perswade men to beleeve them did use fearfull curses and impreeaâ—ions against themselves if they spake not the truth The first of them wished that he might be burnt The second wished that his body might rot be consumed The third wished that he might be blinde if it was not true which they spake Notwithstanding of all this the people were so perswaded of the holinesse of their Pastor that they beleeved them not And in the meane time ere it was long the judgement of God came upon these three The house of the first took fire and in it hee and his familie was burnt The second fell into a grievous disease which consumed his bodie away The third considering the vengance of God that had come upon his fellowes is brought to repentance confesseth publickly the whole matter shed tears so aboundantly then and afterwards that he lossed the sight of his eyes So the curse of every one of them fell upon themselves Thus we may perceive that the Apostle his cursing did much aggravate his sin Secondly the matter which he denied with oathes execrations was most great and important It was no lesse then his LORD and SAVIOVR even he to whom before he had said Lord whether shall we go from thee for thou hast the words of eternall life and we know and are sure that thou art the Christ the son of the living God Thirdly he who denied this was no mean person but a great and prime Apostle which aggravateth the offence it was Peter whose name Christ had changed and whom he had called Peter to signifie that the strength and firmnes of a rocke should be in him It was Peter who had been so familiar with his Lord had seen him worke so many miracles and had wrought miracles himself in his Name Peter who had been with him in mount Tabor had tasted there the heavenly joyes had heard this voice from heaven Thou art my well beloved son c. Peter to whom the Father had revealed this That Jesus was the son of the living God Math. 16. And to whom our Saviour said To thee will I give the keyes of the Kingdome of heaven and whatsoever thou shalt binde upon earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth shall be loosed in heaven Fourthly In this his denial appeareth great pusillanimitie weaknes and distrust of God for at the first assault of a hand-maid and doore-keeper he denyed That he knew Christ Behold saieth holy AUGUSTINE The most firme pillartrembls whollie at one small blast of the aire Where now saieth he is thy former confidence and bold promises where now are these words I am ready to follow thee both to prison and to death Is this to follow thy Lord to deny that thou knowest him Is this to lay down thy life for him to deny him at the voice of a damsell for preserving thy life how strangely is thy voice changed now and yet thou art not brought unto publick thou art not presented yet before kings or governours thou art not yet put to the rocke or torture It is not a scribe or pharisee or priest or souldier or executioner that demandeth of thee but a woman a servant and a doore-keeper Thus we see there was in him exceeding great weaknes and feare Lastly There was a kinde of obstinacie in his sinne for he denyed and swore againe and againe and the third time There was betwixt his second and third deniall about the space of an houre wherein the had time to recollect his confounded thoughts and to call to minde what he hade done that he might have repented or at least might have eschewed a new sinne but notwithstanding of this he continued still unmindefull of Christ and what he had done Thus we see his sinne in many respects was grievous which we have discovered not for the reproach of that great and holy Apostle God forbid but that we may learne these uses from it Which the spirit of God would have us to learne which is the third point propounded by us The first use that we should make of this fall of the great Apostle is we may perceive clearly in it humane weaknes infirmitie how great it is and how little it should be trusted unto This great Apostle was by nature fervent and veâ—ement and had received many excellent graces and priviledges from Christ as we said before yet when he trusteth to much in himself and is for triall and humiliation left to himself he falleth and that most foullie He that assured himself of victory before the fight trembleth now before the sound of the trumpet he that should not have denied Christ although the sword had been at his throat denieth him now at the voice of a damsell The like we may see in DAVID who was a man according to the heart of God and yet fell both in adulterie murther This should teach us all humilitie feare and watch fulnes and to trust in nothing but in God and his Graceâ— S. Peter himself learned these things by his fall When our Lord after his resurrection asked him whether he did love him more then others did he did not preferre himself to any but was content to expresse his own sinceritie saying LORD thou knowest that I love thee So in his 1. epist 1. chap. He saieth That we are kept by the power of GOD through faith unto salvation and in the 5. chap. of that epist he giveth this exhortarion to all Be sober be vigilant for your enemie the devil goeth about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devoure Let us in like manner learne to be humble and to feare and watch If the strong pillars and mighty cedares be so shaken and so soone what may become of us who have scarce grace rooted in our hearts in the day of our temptation What is man without the Grace of God saieth holy AUGUSTINE in his 124. Sermon of time But that which Peter was when he denied his LORD yea suppose thou had never so much grace yet thou hast this treasure in an earthen vessell thou art like to a rich ship full of precious wares that is tossed in the sea and in danger to be swallowed with the waves or to dash upon the rocks Be not therefore high minded but feare Let him that standeth take heed lest he fall Remember that S. PAUL hath said Worke out your saluation with feare and trembling And that he himself did beat his body down and kept it in
they shall be forced to remember and that remembrance shall be one of their greatest torments What greater torment have the damned then to remember how often and how willingly God called upon them yet they refused to hearken unto him What greater torment then to remember how easilie they might have escaped these infinite and eternall torments and how easily they might have attained unto eternal joyes Let us therefore take heed than we forget not Christ and if we have forgotten him let us call to minde againe as S. Peter did whose remembrance was most fruitfull for He went out and weept bitterly There was bitternes and grief in his heart and aboundant tears in his eyes Neither at that time only did he weep but as it is reported by Clemens as long as he lived He weept when he heard the cock crow so that at last his tears drew furrows in his cheeks We reade not his words which may bee were chocked with aboundance of his tears but no doubt since he called to minde his sinne repented fruitfully he had thoughts or inward words both of sorrow and confidence When he thought upon his sinne we may well thinke he said within himself Alace miserable man what have I done How do I yet live who have denied him who is the life what wonder though the earth should swallow me up who have denied my Lord and redeemer O wicked mouth how could thou deny that thou knewest him who hath bestowed so many benefits upon thee cursed tongue how could thou abjure him who hath showed so many tokens of his love unto thee In like manner while he thought upon these words of Christ I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not we may think that he hath said within himself I will turne to him who hath turned to me I will look to him who hath looked to me It is he that hath said As I live I love not the death of a sinner I will cast my self down at his feet and say Master and LORD I have sinned against the heaven and against thee and am no more worthy now to be called thy Son Would God we would imitate the Apostle in these tears of unfeigned sorrow Nothing more pleasing to God No face so beautifull in his Eyes as that which is bluddered with tears The teares of a penitent are the pearles which he delighteth in Nothing more profitable to us Hast thou lost thy goods thy tears will not recover them againe Hast thou lost thy children thy tears will not bring them back againe Hast thou lost health thy tears will not make thee better but rather worse But if thou hast lost GOD and his Favour the tears of unfeigned sorrow can bring him back againe and who would not for recovering of so great a good with Peter here weep bitterly with Mary Magdalen wash his feet with tears and with DAVID make his bed to swime with them But it may be ye will say to me I would do so if Christ would turne and look upon me Is not Christ turned to thee when he speaketh to thee in his Word and inviteth thee to come to him doth he not turne and look unto thee when he offereth to thee his own Body and his Blood Look therefore unto him and look unto thy self Look to him sweating his own Blood crowned with thorns scourged buffetted denuded of his garments and all for thee Canst thou look upon this sight without tears what are the tears of thine eyes to the Blood of his sacred Body and to the sorrowes and travailes of his Soul look upon thy self consider thy ungratitude the filthines and defilment of thy soul and body how thou art exposed by thy sinnes to his dreadfull and eternall wrath If thou can consider this aright it will make thee to say with the PROPHET O that my head were waters and that my eyes were fountaines of teares that I might weep day and night Blessed are they that so sow in teares they shall reap in joy but â—o to them that will needs laugh now for they shall mourne and that without comfort for ever The Lord make us wise in time and that for the merits of Christ to whom with the Father c. A SERMON UPON the XV. Chapter of MATTHEW Vers 21. Then Iesus went thence and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon Vers 22. And behold a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts and cryed unto him saying Have mercy on me O LORD thou Sonne of David my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil Vers 23. But he answered her not a word And his disciples came and besought him saying Send her away for she cryeth after usâ—â— Vers 24. But he answered and said I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel Vers 25. Then came she and worshipped him saying Lord help me Vers 26. But he answered and said It is not meet to take the childrens bread and to cast it to dogs Vers 27. And she said Truth Lord yet the dogs eat of the crumbes which fall from their Masters table Vers 28. Then Jesus answered and said unto her O woman great is thy faith be it unto thee even as thou wilt And her daughter was made whole from that very houre I Have made choise of these words at this time which containe a most notable historie and most fit for the worke which we have in hand this day for in it is set before us an exact paterne teaching us how to pray and how to wrestle with God so as we may prevaile and have a blessed successe as the woman here mentioned had who prayed with such faith confidence humilitie and invincible constancie that not only obtained she her desire but much more O woman said our Saviour unto her great is thy faith be it unto thee even as thou wilt The historie is very easie and and plaine and requireth not so much to be explained as to be remarked and applyed Three things are chiefly considerable in it First the description of the person so much commended here Secondly her carriage toward Christ and his behaviour toward her Thirdly the obtaining of her suite and praise of her faith To come to the first The person that was here a supplicant to our Lord was a woman One of the weaker sex by which the devill first prevailed against man expelled him from paradise and the joyes of it Secondly she was a gentile or a heathen woman as S. Mark telleth us she was none of the peculiar people of God but a greek as it is in the original which according to the phrase of scripture is as much as a gentile and so a stranger from the Common-wealth of Israel and had her being among them who worshiped the devil in stead of the true God Thirdly yet more she was a Canaanite as S. Mathew calleth her S. Mark calleth her a Syrophenician both which agree
hearers because of new they were againe instructed the mysteries of christian religion For it was presumed that they who had so grievously fallen had never rightly learned these heavenly mysteries and therefore were taught againe especially concerning the terrour of GODS Iudgements against sinne that they might the more willingly undergo what was injoyned them This done they were received to their repentance wherein for diverse years somtimes for seven more or lesse according to the greatnes of their offence they were exercised with most laborious works of humiliation and mortification TERTUL in the 9 chap. of his book of repentance saieth That they did humble themselves in sackcloth ashes they did lye prostrat upon the ground they did nowrish their prayers with fasting they did weep mourne and cry to GOD and did humblie beseech pastors and all faithfull people to pray for them S. CYPRIAN speaking of this same matter sayeth to them that had fallen That it behoved them to pray earnestly to passe over the day in sorrow to spend over the nights in mourning and teares to humble themselves in sackcloth aud ashes to despise the garment of the body since they had cast away the garment of Christ and to despise the food of the body since they had eaten at the table of the devil they thought not that such works of humiliation could merite any thing at the hand of GOD but they were injoyned as means appointed by GOD to promove unfeigned sorrow and detestation of their sinne which men after great faults especially do not ordinarly attaine unto without those exercises of fasting prayer and humiliation They were injoyned as means of mortifying those carnall lusts whereby they had been stirred up or whereby thereafter they might be stirred up to offend God and as expressions of their sorrow for their sinnes and just indignation against themselves because of their sinnes that so God through Christ might be moved to have pitty upon them that good christians might be assured of their unfeigned conversion and that all who did behold might be edified by their good example as they had been before offended by their fall When all this was done they were not yet admitted to the participation of the holy sacrament of the Body and Blood of our LORD but after a good space of time wherein they had given full proofe of the trueth and sincerity of their conversion Neither was it only those of the meaner sort who did subject thēselves to these ecclesiastical bonds two christian Emperours submitted themselves thereunto The first was Philip the first christian Emperour of whom ye may reade in the sixt book of Eusebius his ecclesiastical historie That when he would have come to the participation of the holy mysteries the bishop to wit Fabianus debarred him refusing to admitt him therunto because of his lowd life till he had made satisfaction by publick repentance which he yeelded unto The second was the glorious Emperour Theodosius He as ye may reade in the 5 book of Theodoret his ecclesiasticall historie 17. chap. after a great murther committed at Thessalonio◠by a rash commandement of his being come to Millane wher S. Ambrose was bishop and intending to enter into the Church and communicat was encountred by S. Awbrose without the Church who freely told him of the grievousnes of his sinne and that though he was an Emperour yet was subject to him who is the LORD of heaven and earth and that those whom he had killed were partakers of that same nature with him and made according to the Image of GOD aswel as he With what eyes saith he can thou behold this temple or how can thou trade upon this holy ground how can thou stretch out these hands embrued with blood or open that mouth which hath commanded so much innocent blood to be shed to receive the sacred Body and Blood of Christ depart therfore said he and adde not a new sinne unto thy former sinne but accept of these bonds wherewith he that is LORD over all hath commanded thee to be bound for these bonds have a power to put away the disease and to restore health unto thee againe The good Emperour hearkned unto him and returning did give himself to mourning and humiliation after he had been excercised thus eight moneths the feast of the nativitie of our Saivour was come in which he begane most grievously to mourne and weep being demanded of one of his chief courteours Ruffinus why he did so alace said he you understand not the evils wherein I am Servants and beggers have accesse to the House of GOD but I am debarred both from the Church Heaven For I remember that sentence of our Saviour Whatsoever ye shall binde on earth shall be bound in heaven Afterward when he was admitted by S. Ambrose the historian saieth That when he entred into the Church he did not stand nor kneel praying but that he did fall down upon the ground saying these words of DAVID My soul cleaveth unto the dust quicken thou me according unto thy word and began to strick his face and to rive his hair and to water the ground with his teares If so great so glorious an Emperour disdained not in such a manner to submitt himself to ecclesiasticall censure is it not strange that every one almost now who is any thing in their own eyes disdaineth to embrace this remedie which Christ hath appointed for grievous offenders S. AUGUST speaking of this purpose saieth in the 49. Sermon of his book of fifty homiles Let no man say I will transact secretly betwixt God and my self I shall have sorrow in mine heart c. Then saieth he The keyes of the kingdome of heaven were given in vaine and in vaine it was said whatsoever yee binde on earth shall be bound in heaven Shal a Senator saieth he be ashamed to do that which the Emperour Theodosius did shall a craftsman or a merchant be ashamed to do that which so glorious an Emperour did I come now to the other sort of excommunication whereby men are bound This is the greater excommunication which is a most fearfull and dreadfull anathema eurse By it a man is wholly separated from the communion of the faithfull in meetings in prayers and in all other sacred fellowship such an one is fully cast out of the Church and cut off from the body of Christ as a rotten and corrupt member by reason wherof he is subjected to unspeakable evils For if he be so cut off from Christs Body he can no more be partaker while he is in that estate of the vitall and saving influence which cometh from Christ the HEAD Being separate from the Body of Christ he can no more have his Spirit then a member of the body cut off from the rest can be quickned with that soul which giveth life to the rest of the body and if a man have not the Spirit of Christ he is not his Such an one
us in it Hence our Saviour hath commanded us To watch alwayes because wee know neither the day nor the houre of our LORDS comming Every day and houre we should have our loins girded with the girdle of mortification of our affections and the torches or lamps of good works shining in our hands If thou give thy self but to folly this night what knowest thou but thy sentence shall be This night thy soul c. What assurance of thy life hast thou more then he let us learne to be wise by such examples They teach us a most profitable lecture they who have been so overtaken say to us as it were as my Judgment was so also shall it be with thee yesterday to me and the day to thee Yesterday I was where thou art I had this same thoughts of long life and happines which thou hast here and yet even then my body was condemned to the dust and my soule brought before the Tribunall of GOD to give an account and to receive the sentence of justice What knoweth thou but it shall be so with thee to day Would God wee did rightly consider this That we might number our dayes and apply our hearts to wisdome esteeming of every day as if it were our last day and doing that in it which wee would wish to bee doing if death were come Secondly he sayeth They shall require thy soul He sayeth not he shall die but That his soul shall be required or taken away The words import first that this should be done to him against his will resisting and strugling to the contrary 2. that this should not be done by chance but by justice that he might receive his sentence according to his doings 3 It is said They shall take to signifie that the devils as the executioners of GODS Justice were ready to execute vengeance upon him Here is a dreadfull sentence whereby the soul is taken away The soul the precious soul the redemption whereof ceaseth for ever The soul which is of more worth then all the world What profiteth it a man to gaine the whole world if he losse his soul The soul which is our divine part the Breath of GOD and Stamp of his Countenance The soul for which the precious Blood of Iesus was shed The soul the soile which if it were rightly manured should bring forth the fruit of immortall joy That this soul should be taken away unavoidably first to judgement thence to intollerable torment what wo and misery Hence we may perceive what sorrow and anguish was in the soul of this covetous man or in any like wretch When Belshazzar Daniel 5. 6. saw the hand-writting against him on the wall that he was numbred weighed and divided His countenance was changed his thoughts were troubled within him the joynts of his loins were loosed and his knees did smite one against another such is the anguish and the agonie of the wicked when GOD putteth forth his Finger and writteth on their body by an incurable disease that their dayes are numbred finished when he wakens their conscience writteth therin that they ar weighed and found to be light and that they must be divided from their houses lands wife children friends yea and that the soule must be divided from the body and that the one must go to be the meat of wormes the other to eternall fire If such a man look back to his life his sins which he thought evanished his negligence and coldnes in Gods service ambition covetousnesse malice whordomâ— c. rush upon him like so many furies to gnaw his conscience to rent his heart in pieces and tell him that as he hath had their sweet so must he have their bitternesse If he look before him he sees GOD ready to cast him away and to say depart from me thou cursed c. The good Angels ready to forsake him and the devils ready to snatch up his soul He seeth that within half or quarter of an houre he must change his bed it may be of repose which his children and friends stand about with a bed of fire with a company of horrible spirits with everlasting chains everlasting darknes O what unspeakable anguish is this what is there in this earth that can countervaile it It is not so with the death of the Godly Though nature in them also shune death yet grace in end prevaileth Their soule is not taken from them but they deliver it and recommend it into the hand of GOD the Father and redeemer of spirits In thy Hands I recommend my spirit for thou hast redeemed it O Lord GOD of trueth sayeth David Psal 31. 5. They are content to go out of the body as out of a prison and grave They desire to be disolved and be with Christ They depart in peace because their eyes have seen the Salvation of GOD. They count the last day of their life the first of their happinesse the birth day of eternity which shall draw aside the courtaine and make them clearly see which before they saw but obscurely They know that day shall free them of all stormes and put them betwixt the Armes of their Father And turne their trouble into rest their mourning into joy and their basnes into glory They have reason therfore to be content when it pleaseth GOD to call The LORD grant that we may live their life that so we may die their death and that for the merits of Christ c. THE FIRST SERMON Upon the VI Chapter of S. IOHN Vers 43. JESUS therefore Ansirered and said unto them murmure not among your selves Vers 44. No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him and I will raise him up at the last day OUr blessed Saviour having entred upon a most heavenly discourse concerning the Dignity of himself and the happines of them who receive Him as they ought having entred I say upon this discourse in the preceeding words He taketh occasion from the murmuring of the Jews at that which he said to prosecute this same discourse more particularly and more fully in these words that I have reade and in many after following Particularly in these words yee have to consider the occasion of this discourse which was the murmuring of the Jews insinuated there And Iesus answered unto them saying murmure not among your selves 2. Yee have an heavenly instruction given to them and to us all in them concerning the way by which we come to Him No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him 3. Yee have the happines of them who are so drawn by vertue thereof unto Christ And I will raise him up at the last day And Iesuus answered and said unto them murmure not among your selves These words insinuate as we said that the occasion of our Saviours following discourse was the murmuring of the Iews whereof yee may reade immediatly before my text
Sorrow because of them 3. This sorrow promoves the work of our repētance It makes us to humble our selves under the mighty hand of God It stirreth us up to an holy indignation and the taking of a just revenge of our selves because we have offended God as the Apostle sheweth in the next vers Hence the renting of our hearts spoken of by IOEL and the smiting of our breast which we find in the Publican This sorrow also venteth it self by confession Psal 32. When I keped silence my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long Day and night thy Hand was heavie upon me my moisture was turned into the drought of summer Then I said I will confesse my sinnes and mine iniquity will I not hide I acknowledged my transgressions unto the LORD and thou for gavest the iniquity of my sin Sela. This Sorrow also expresseth it self by tears by fasting by sack-cloath and ashes but which is most of all This Godly sorrow stirreth us up to conversion to turne from our former evil wayes and to walk in the way of righteousnes A stedfast purpose of so doing is the maine part of our repentance and this is wrought in us by this Godly sorrow For he that is truly sorrowful displeased for that he hath offended God will in time coming eschew that which may be offensive to him and will be carefull to do that which may be pleasant in his Sight This is that which the LORD chiefly requireth if the wicked man shall turne from his evil wayes and keep all my statutes his former unrighteousnes shall be no more remembred Ezek. 18. 21. 22. Turne unto me sayeth the LORD with all your hearts Ioel 2. 12. our life is as it wer a journey and the end of our way is happines which is not to be found but in God In whose presence there is fulnes of joy and at whose right hand there are pleasures for evermore Therefore our steps or our eyes should never be turned from him but alace such is our corruption and such is the power of satan that oftentimes he draweth us out of the way of Gods commandements which leade us to that end by setting before us some triffle of pleasure or honour or commodity and so bringeth us in the way of sinne and perdition Therefore if we would repent wee must turne againe turne againe to God and that with our heart even with all our heart It is not enough that the minde be changed farlesse that we turn our face that may be for shame or that wee turne our feete that may be for feare but we must turne our heart affections that wholly from al our sins and from all the occasions thereof so farre as lyeth in us that we may walk in newnes of life even in the good way wherein we may find rest unto our souls So the prodigall son resolved to go to his father and indeed went unto him saying Father I have sinned c. Thus Godly Sorrow worketh repentance for it serveth powerfully to put a holy indignation in our HEART tears in our EYES words in our monuths and in all our CONVERSATION fruits worthy of amendement of life The Apostle addeth that this repentance Is to salvation not to be repented of Albeit this repentance will seem grievous and bitter because of the sorrow and humiliation that is in it yet indeed it is such that no man will ever repent of it If we have not this repentance we shall be forced to repent for the want and neglect of it What is the worme of conscience which tormenteth the demaned but a continuall repentance as it were whereby they accuse and condemne themselves for not using aright the means of grace and repenting while they had time But this is unprofitable repentance though most painfull and eternall The Godly shall not so repent of their repentance it shall never displease them but shal be ever matter of joy and rejoycing to them The reason is set down here namely This repentance is unto salvation There can bee no salvation without it Except yee repent saith our Saviour ye shall all likewise perish Repent and do thy first work else I will come suddenly to thee and take thy Candlestick out of its place saieth our Saviour to the Church of Ephesus Upon the other part if we repent wee are sure of salvation we may have great hope to be delivered from the evils threatned in this life howsoever that be we shall be sure to escape the wrath that is to come If the wicked man saieth the Lord turne from his evill wayes and keep my statutes he shall surely live he shall not die Wash you and make you cleane Isa 1. 16. Cease to do evill learne to do good and though your sinnes were as crimson they shall be made white as snow and though they were as scarlet they shal be made as wooll If we be carefull by the tears of true and unfeigned repentance to blot out our sinnes out of our conscience God will hide his Face from them and blot them out of his register and remember them no more against us Thus then we see how great motives we have to repent and turne to God First The Glory of God requireth this by our sins we have dishonoured him and therefore ought by repentance to restore to him his Honour againe 2. The love which we ought to our selves requireth this since without repentance we cannot be saved but must needs perish if we want it Put the case a man were walking in a way wherin if he went on a little he would undoubtedly fall head-longs over a rock and dash himself into pieces If that man would not do so much as turne back for the safety of his life ye may justly say that he were a murtherer of himself How much more cruell is thy murther of thy self who rather then tho wilt turne from thine evil way will drown thy self in the lake of brimstone and fire where the most bitter eternall death is Lastly we have yet another pregnant motive to perswade us to sorrow and repentance at this time that is the danger of our Church and countrey Who seeth not a fire kindled in the Wrath of God which threatneth this Church and Land with desolation Alace how can we be without regard to this S. AUGUSTINE in his first book of the City of GOD and 6. chap. Reporteth this fact of Marcellus which there also he commendeth While he was taking in the city of Syracuse in Sicily in the mean time that the armies were sighting he went up to a turret to behold Perceiving from thence men running in fury each one against another hearing the cryes of them that wer wounded and killed seeing fire cast on houses and the smoke ascending to heaven and hearing the noise of the houses falling to the ground he breake forth in tears albeit sure of the victory He weeped