work but without any hearty affection to him God giueth them the outward benefit but without any hearty affection to them For want of which hearty affection on both sides it commeth to passe that neither is the outward worke truely acceptable to him nor the outward benefit truely profitable to them A third reason of Gods thus graciously dealing euen with Hypocrites may be assigned with reference to his owne deare Children and chosen for whose good especially next vnder his owne glory all the passages of his diuine prouidence both vpon them and others are disposed in such sort as they are as for whose comfort this manner of proceeding maketh very much and sundry wayes as I shall by and by touch in the Inferences from this Obseruation §. 26. And inferences thence whereunto I now come because it is time I should draw towards a Conclusion And first by what hath bin already said a way is opened for the clearing of Gods Holinesse in these his proceedings If sometimes he temporally reward Hypocrites it is not either for their owne or for their workes sake as if he either accepted their Persons or approued their Obedience No it is but Lex Talionis he dealeth with them as they deale with him They doe him but eye-seruice and he giueth them but eye-wages Indeede God can neither be deceiued nor deceiue yet as they would deceiue God in their seruice with such obedience as falleth short of true obedience so they are deceiued in their pay from him with such blessings as fall short of true blessings And all this may well stand with Gods both Iustice and Holinesse Secondly it appeareth from the premises that Gods thus dealing with wicked and vnsanctified men in thus rewarding their outward good things giueth no warrant nor strength at all eyther to that Popish corrupt doctrine of Meritum congrui in deseruing the first grace by the right vse of Naturalls or to that rotten principle and foundation of the whole frame of Arminianisme Facienti quod in se est Deus non potest non debet denegare gratiam We know God rewards his owne true and spirituall graces in vs with increase of those graces here and with glory hereafter wee see God rewardeth euen false and outward seeming graces naturall and morall good things with outward and temporall fauours And all this is most agreeable to his infinite both Iustice and Mercy and may stand with the infinite Puritie and Holinesse of his nature But this were rather to make God an vniust and vnholy God to binde him to reward the outward and sinfull workes of Hypocrites for the best naturall or morall workes without Grace are but such with true sauing Grace and inward sanctification Other Inferences and vses more might bee added as viz. thirdly for our Imitation by Gods example to take knowledge of and to commend and to cherish euen in wicked men those naturall or morall parts that are eminent in them and whatsoeuer good thing they doe in outward actuall conformity to the reuealed will and law of God And fourthly for Exhortation to such as doe not yet finde any comfortable assurance that their obedience and good workes are true and sincere yet to goe on and not to grow wearie of well-doing knowing that their labour is not altogether in vaine in as much as their workes though perhaps done in Hypocrisie shall procure them temporall blessings here and some abatement withall I adde that by the way of stripes and euerlasting punishment hereafter But I passe by all these and the like Vses and commend but one more vnto you and that is it which I named before as one Reason of the point obserued viz. the Comfort of Gods deare children and seruants and that sundry waies §. 27. especially for Comfort to the Godly 1. against the prosperitie of the wicked First here is comfort for them against a Temptation which often assaulteth them and that with much violence and danger arising from the sense and obseruation of the prosperitie and flourishing estate of the wicked in this world We may see in the Psalmes and elsewhere how frequently and strongly a Psal. 37. 73 Dauid and b Iob 21.7 c. Iob and c Ier. 12.1 c. Ieremie and other godly ones were assailed with this temptation For thy instruction then and to arme thee against this so common and vniuersall a temptation if thou shalt see fooles on horsebacke vngodly ones laden with wealth with honour with ease Hypocrites blessed with the fat of the earth and the dew of heauen and abundance of all the comforts of this life yet bee not thou discomforted at it or disquieted with it d Psal. 37.1 doe not fre◠thy selfe because of the vngodly neither bee thou enuious at euill doers Thou expectest for thine inward Obedience an vnproportionable reward in the life to come doe not therefore grudge their outward Obedience a proportionable reward in this life Some good things or other thou maiest thinke there are in them for which God bestoweth those outward blessings vpon them But consider withall that as they haue their reward here so they haue all their reward here and whatsoeuer their present prosperitie bee yet the time will come and that ere long be when e Iob 8.13 the hope of the Hypocrite shall wither and f Psal. 37.38 the end of the wicked shall be cut off §. 28. 2. against temporall afflictions Againe here is a second Comfort for the godly against temporall afflictions and it ariseth thus As Gods loue and fauour goeth not alwaies with those temporall benefits hee bestoweth so on the other side Gods wrath and displeasure goeth not alwaies with those temporall afflictions he inflicteth For as he rewardeth those few good things that are in euill men with these temporall benefits for whom yet in his Iustice hee reserueth eternall damnation as the due wages by that Iustice of their grace-lesse impenitency so hee punisheth those remnants of sinne that are in Godly men with these temporall afflictions for whom yet in his mercy hee reserueth Eternall saluation as the due wages yet by that mercy onely of their Faith and Repentance and holy Obedience As Abraham said to the rich glutton in the Parable Luke 16. a Luk. 16.25 Sonne remember that thou in thy life time receiuedst thy good things likewise Lazarus euill things but now he is comforted and thou art tormented As if he had said If thou hadst any thing good in thee remember thou hast thy reward in earth already and now there remaineth for thee nothing but the full punishment of thine vngodlines there in Hell but as for Lazarus hee hath had the chasticement of his infirmities on earth already and now remaineth for him nothing but the full reward of his godlinesse here in Heauen Thus the meditation of this Doctrine yeeldeth good Comfort against temporall afflictions Here is yet a third Comfort and that of the
to destroy to build and to plant Only then be intreated to vse that power God hath giuen you vnto edification and not vnto destruction And now haue I done my message God grant vnto all of vs that by our hearty sorrow and repentance for our sinnes past by our stedfast resolutions of future amendment and by setting our selues faithfully and vprightly in our seuerall places and callings to doe God and the King and our Countrie seruice in beating downe sinne and rooting out sinners wee may by his good grace and mercy obtaine pardon of our sinnes and deliuerance from his wrath and be preserued by his power through faith vnto saluation Now to God the Father the Sonne c. THREE SERMONS AD POPVLVM PREACHED IN THE PARISH CHVRCH of Grantham in the Diocesse and Countie of Lincolne BY ROBERT SAVNDERSON Bachellor in Diuinity and sometimes Fellow of Lincolne Colledge in Oxford PSAL. 25.10 Viae Domini Misericordia Veritas LONDON Printed by R.Y. for R. Dawlman at the Signe of the Bible neere the great Conduit in Fleetstreete 1627. To the Right VVorshipfull and my much honoured Lady the Lady MILDRED SAVNDERSON Wife to Sir NICHOLAS SAVNDERSON Knight and Baronet GOod Madame It is not so much the kinde respect which you haue for many yeares past continually manifested towards me although that might iustly challenge from mee a farre more ample acknowledgement that hath induced mee to present you with these three Sermons as your vnfained loue to Gods truth and Gospell together with your religious care by a holy and vertuous conuersation both to strengthen your owne assurances for the hopes of the life to come and to prouoke those that are sprung from you or liue vnder you by the strength of your example to presse so much the harder towards the same glorious marke by the same gracious courses To the encreasing of which Loue and Care either in you or yours or in any other into whose hands they may chance to come if these poore Meditations shall adde any furtherance I shall haue the lesse cause either to blame the importunitie of those that haue long vrged or to regard the censures of those that shall now mislike the publishing of them The God of power and of peace make them profitable to his Church and preserue your spirit and soule and body blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ. Your Ladyships to be commanded in the Lord ROBERT SAVNDERSON Boothby Paynell Linc. 9. Aprill 1627. THE FIRST SERMON At Grantham Linc. 3. Octob. 1620. 3 KINGS 21.29 Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himselfe before mee because hee humbleth himselfe before me I will not bring the euill in his daies but in his sonnes daies will I bring the euill vpon his house THe History of this whole Chapter affoordeth matter of much Varietie and Vse §. 1. The Coherence but no passage in it so much either of Wonder or Comfort as this in the close of the whole both Storie and Chapter That there should bee Mightie-ones sicke with longing after their meaner neighbours vineyeards That there should bee crafty heads to contriue for greedy Great-ones what they vniustly desire That there should be officious Instruments to doe a piece of legall iniustice vpon a Great mans letter That there should bee Knights of the poast to depose any thing though neuer so false in any cause though neuer so bad against any man though neuer so innocent That an honest man cannot bee secure of his life so long as hee hath any thing else a Sic reus ille fere est de quo victoria lucre Esse potest Ouid. de nucâ— worth the losing here is instance in the fâ—re-part of the Chapter of all this in b vers 4. hîc Ahab sickening and c vers 7. Iesabell plotting and the d vers 11. Elders obeying and the e vers 13. Witnesses accusing and poore f vers 13. Naboth suffering But what is there in all this singularly either Strange or Comfortable All is but Oppression Actiue in the rest Passiue in Naboth And what wonder in either of these g Iuven. Satyr 13. stupet haec qui iam post terga reliquit Sexaginta annos himselfe may passe for a wonder if he be of any standing or experience in the world that taketh either of these for a wonder And as for matter of Comfort there is matter indeed but of Detestation in the one of Pity in the other in neither of Comfort §. 2. Argument To passe by other Occurrents also in the later part of the Chapter as That a great Oppressour should hugge himselfe in the cleanly carriage fortunate successe of his damned plots and witty villanies That a weake Prophet should haue heart and face enough to proclaime iudgement against an Oppressing King in the prime of his Iollitie That a bloudy Tyrant should tremble at the voyce of a poore Prophet and the rest some of which wee shall haue occasion to take-in incidentally in our passage along marke we well but this close of the Chapter in the words of my Text and it will bee hard to say whether it containe matter more Strange or more Comfortable Comfortable in that Gods mercy is so exceedingly magnified and such strong assurance giuen to the truely penitent of finding gracious acceptance at the hands of their God when they finde him so apprehensiue of but an outward enforced semblance of Contrition from the hands of an Hypocrite Strange in that Gods Mercy is here magnified euen to the hazzard of other his diuine perfections his Holinesse his Truth his Iustice. For each of these is made in some sort questionable that so his mercy might stand cleare and vnquestioned A rotten-hearted Hypocrite humbleth himselfe outwardly but repenteth not truely and God accepteth him and rewardeth him Here is Gods Mercy in giuing respect to one that ill deserued it but where is his Holinesse the while being a Hab. 1.13 a God of pure eyes that requireth b Psal. 51.6 truth in the inward parts and will not behold iniquitie thus to grace Sin and countenance Hypocrisie A fearefull iudgement is denounced against Ahabs house for his Oppression but vpon his humiliation the sentence at least part of it is reuersed Here is Mercy still in reuoking a sentence of destruction and if somewhat may bee said for his Holinesse too because it was but a temporall and temporary fauour yet where is his Truth the while being a c Tit. 1.2 God that cannot lye and d Iames 1.17 with whom is no variablenesse neither so much as the bare shadow of turning thus to say and vnsay and to alter the thing that is gone out of his lippes A Iudgement is deserued by the Father vpon his humiliation the execution is suspended during his life and lighteth vpon the Sonne Here is yet more Mercy in not striking the Guilty and if somewhat may bee said for Gods Truth too because what
and call vpon him daily for mercy vpon the land and that e Ezek 9.4 weepe and mourne in secret and vpon their beds for your abominations whom you hate and despise and persecute and defame and account as the very scumme of the people and the refuse and off-scouring of all things to whom yet you owe your preseruation Surely if it were not for some godly Iehoshaphat or other whose f 4. King 3.14 presence God regardeth among you if it were not for some zealous Moses or other that g Psal. 106.23 standeth in the gap for you Gods wrath had entred in vpon you long ere this as a mighty breach of water and as an ouerflowing deluge ouerwhelmed you and you had beene swept away as with the h Esay 14.23 besome of destruction and deuoured as stubble before the fire It is i Iob 22.30 the innocent that deliuereth the land and repriueth it from destruction when the sentence of desolation is pronounced against it and it is deliuered by the purenesse of his hands O the goodnesse of our God! that would haue spared the fiue Cities of the salt sea if among so many thousands of beastly filthy persons there had been found but k Gen. 18.32 ten righteous ones and that was for each city but two persons nay that would haue pardoned Ierusalem if in all the Ier. 5.1 streetes and broad places thereof replenished with a world of Idolaters and Swearers and Adulterers and Oppressours there had bin found but one single man that executed iudgement and sought the truth from his heart But on the madnesse of the men of this foolish world withall who seek to doe them most mischiefe of all others who of all others do them most good thirsting most after their destruction who are the chiefest instruments of their preseruation Oh foolish and mad world if thou hadst but wit enough yet yet to hugge and to make much of that little flocke the hostages of thy peace and the earnest of thy tranquillity if thou wouldest but m Luke 19.42 know euen thou at least in this thy day the things that belong vnto thy peace Thou art yet happy that God hath a remnant in thee and if thou knewest how to make vse of this happinesse at least in this thy day by honouring their persons by procuring their safety and welfare by following their examples by praying for their continuance thou mightest be still and more and euer happy But if these things that belong vnto thy peace bee now hidden from thine eyes if these men that prolong thy peace and prorogue thy destruction bee now despised in thy heart in this day of thy peace God is iust Thou knowest not how soone they may be taken from thee and though he doe not bring the euill vpon thee in their daies when they are gone thou knowest not how soone vengeance may ouertake thee and n Psal. 50.22 then shall he teare thee in pieces and there shall be none left to deliuer thee I haue now done §. 26. the Conclusion Beseech wee God the Father of mercies for his deare sonne Iesus Christ his sake to shed his Holy Spirit into our hearts that by his good blessing vpon vs that which hath beene presently deliuered agreeably to his holy truth and word may take roote downewards in our hearts and bring forth fruite vpwards in our liues and conuersations and so to assist vs euer with his grace that we may with humble confidence lay hold on his mercies with cheerefull reuerence tremble at his iudgements by vnfained repentance turne from vs what he hath threatned and by vnwearied Obedience assure vnto vs what he hath promised To which Holy Father Sonne and Spirit three persons and c. At Grantham Linc. 19. Iun. 1621. THE THIRD SERMON 3 KINGS 21.29 I will not bring the euill in his dayes but in his sonnes dayes will I bring the euill vpon his house §. 1. The doubts proposed I Come now this third time to entreate of this Scripture and by Gods helpe to finish it Of the three parts whereof heretofore propounded viz. 1. Ahabs Humiliation 2. the Suspension of his iudgement for life 3. and the Deuolution of it vpon Iehoram the two former hauing beene already handled the last only now remaineth to bee considered of In the prosecution whereof as heretofore wee haue cleared Gods Holinesse and Truth so wee shall be now occasioned to cleare his Iustice from such imputations as might seeme to lye vpon it from this Act. And that in three respects accordingly as Iehoram who standeth here punishable for Ahabs sinne may be considered in a threefold reference to Ahab that is to say either relatè as the sonne of Ahab or disparatè as another man from Ahab or comparatè as a man a 4 King 3.2 not altogether so bad as Ahab Now what b Quisquam est hominum qui fuisse illum Iouem Deum credat tà m iniustū tam impium nec mortulium saltem constituta seruantem apud quos nefas haberetur magnum alterum pro altero plect◠aliena delicta aliorum ceruicibus vindicari Arnob. contr Gent. lib. 7. Iustice first to punish the sonne for the father or indeed secondly any one man for another but most of all thirdly the lesser offender for the greater It is not a matter of so much difficulty §. 2. for resolution whereof as at the first appearance it seemeth to cleere these doubts if all things thereto appertaining bee duly and distinctly considered The greatest trouble will bee the things being of more variety than hardnesse to sort them in such manner as that we may therein proceed orderly and without confusion Euermore we know Certainties must rule Vncertainties and cleare truths doubtfull it will bee therefore expedient for vs for the better guiding of our iudgements first to lay downe some Certainties and then afterwards by them to measure out fit resolutions to the doubts and then lastly from the premises to raise some few instructions for our vse The first Certainty then §. 3. the first Certaintie and a maine one is this Howsoeuer things appeare to vs yet God neither is nor can be vniust as not in any other thing so neither in his punishments a Rom. 3.5.6 Is God vnrighteous that taketh vengeance God forbid for then how shall God iudge the world b Gen. 18.25 shall not the Iudge of all the earth doe right Indeed the reasons of his Iustice oftentimes may bee oftentimes are vnknowne to vs but they neuer are they neuer can be vnrighteous in him If in a deepe point of Law a learned discreete Iudge should vpon sufficient grounds giue sentence flat contrary to what an ordinary by-slander would thinke reason as many times it falleth out it is not for the grieued party to complaine of iniustice done him hee should rather impute what is done to want of skill in himselfe than of
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his owne mind vers 5. sufficient securitie not onely of their lawfulnesse in themselues at large but of their particular lawfulnesse too vnto vs then But this by the way §. 19. How things become accidentally euill Now to proceed There are diuers meanes wherby things not simply euill but in themselues either equally or vnequally indifferent may yet become accidentally euill Any defect or obliquity any vnhappy enteruening circumstance is enough to poison a right good action to make it stark naught I may aswell hope to graspe the Sea as to comprehend all those meanes I make choyce therefore to remember but a few of the chiefest such as happen oft and are very considerable Things not simply euill may accidentally become such as by sundry other meanes so especially by one of these three Conscience Scandall and Comparison First Conscience in regard of the Agent Though the thing be good yet if the Agent doe it with a condemning or but a doubting Conscience the Action becommeth euill a Rom. 14.14 To him that esteemeth any thing to be vncleane to him it is vncleane and b Ibid. vers 23. hee that doubteth is damned if he eate because he eateth not of Faith Chap. 14. of this Epistle Secondly Scandall in regard of other men Though the thing be good yet if a brother c Ibid. vers 21 stumble or be offended or be made Weake by it the action becommeth euill d Ibid. vers 20 All things are pure but it is euill for that man who eateth with offence vers 20. there Thirdly Comparison in regard of other actions Though the thing be good yet if we preferre it before better things and neglect or omit them for it the action becommeth euill e Matth. 9.13 Goe and learne what that is I will haue mercie and not sacrifice Matth. 9. The stuffe thus prepared §. 20. Nothing simply euill may be done for any good to come thereby by differencing out those things which vndistinguished might breed confusion our next businesse must be to lay the Rule and to apply it to the seuerall kinds of Euill as they haue bin differenced I foresaw we should not haue time to goe thorow all that was intended and therefore we will content our selues for this time with the consideration of this Rule applyed to things simply euill In them the Rule holdeth perpetually and without exception That which is simply euill may not for any good be done We know not any greater good for there is not any greater good than the glory of God we scarce know a lesser sin if any sin may be accounted little than a harmlesse officious lye Yet may not a Vide fusè Augustinum in lib. de Mendacio contra Mendacium alibi this be done no not for that Will you speake wickedly for God and talke deceitfully for him Iob 13.7 If not for the glory of God then certainly not for any other inferiour end not for the sauing of a life not for the b Ad sempiternam saluteÌ„ nullus ducendus est opitulante mendacio Aug de mendac c. 19. conuersion of a soule not for the peace of a Church and if euen that were possible too not for the redemption of a world No c Ea quae constat esse peccatae nullo bonae causae obtentu â—ullo quasi bono fine nulla velut bona intentione facionda sunt Aug. contra Mendac c 7. intention of any end can warrant the choice of sinfull meanes to compasse it §. 21. The first Reas. The reasons are strong One is because sinne in its owne nature is a Suapte naturâ repugnat peccato quòd sit eligibile propterea nec propter se nec propter aliud bonum est eligibile Caiet in hunc locum de numero ineligibilium and therefore as not eligible propter se for it own sake there is neither forme nor beautie in it that wee should desire it so neither propter aliud with reference to any farther end Actus peccati non est ordinabilis in bonum finem is the common resolution of the Schooles In ciuill and popular elections if men make choice of such a person to beare any office or place among them as by the locall Charters Ordinances Statutes or other Customes which should rule them in their choice is altogether ineligible the election is de iure nulla naught and voide the incapacitie of the person elected making a nullitie in the act of election No lesse is it in morall actions and elections if for any intended end we make choice of such meanes as by the Law of God which is our rule and must guide vs are ineligible and such is euery sinne §. 22. The second reason Another reason is grounded vpon that Principle a Aquin. 1. secundae qu. 18 art 4. ad 3. qu. 19. art 6. ad 1. ex Dionysio cap. 4 de diuin nomin Bonum ex causa integra Malum ex partiali Any partiall or particular defect in Obiect End Maner or other Circumstance is inough to make the whole action bad but to make it good there must be an vniuersall b Non est actio bona simpliciter nisi omnes bonitates concurrant sed quilibet defectus singularis causat malum Aquin. 1.2 qu. 18. art 4. ad 3. concurrence of all requisite conditions in euery of these respects As a disfigured eye or nose or lippe maketh the face deformed but to make it comely there is required the due proportion of euery part And any one short Clause or Prouiso not legall is sufficient to abate the whole writ or instrument though in euerie other part absolute and without exception The Intention then be it granted neuer so good is vnsufficient to warrant an Action good so long as it faileth either in the object or maner or any requisite circumstance whatsoeuer c 1. Sam. 15.20 c. Saul pretended a good end in sparing the fat things of Amalek that he might therewith do sacrifice to the Lord but God reiected both it and him 1 Sam. 15. We can thinke no other but that d 2 Sam. 6.6 7. Vzzah intended the safetie of Gods Arke when it tottered in the cart and hee stretched out his hand to stay it from falling but God interpreted it a presumption and punished it 2 Sam. 6. Doubtlesse e Math. 16.22.23 Peter meant no hurt to Christ but rather good when hee tooke him aside and aduised him to bee good to himselfe and to keepe him out of danger yet Christ rebuked him for it and set him packing in the Diuils name Get thee behinde me Sathan Mat. 16. But what will wee say and let that stand for a third reason if our pretended good intention proue indeed no good intention §. 23. The third Reason And certainly be it as faire and glorious as we could be content to imagine it such
the weary to drinke and thou hast with holden bread from the hungry But as for the mighty man hee had the earth and the honourable man dwelt in it Thou hast sent widowes away empty and the armes of the fatherlesse hast thou broken Being thus shamefully indeed shamelesly §. 2. Scope vpbraided to his face without any desert of his by those men a Etsi ego dignus hac contumeliâ At tu indignus qui faceres tamen Terent. who if he had deserued it should least of all haue done it his b Psal. 55.12 14. neighbours and familiar friends can you blame the good man if to remoue such false aspersions hee doe with more than ordinary freedome insist vpon his owne integritie in this behalfe And that hee doth in this Chapter something largely wherein he declareth how he demeaned himselfe in the time of his prosperitie in the administration of his Magistracy farre otherwise than was layed to his charge When the eare heard mee then it blessed mee and when the eye saw mee it gaue witnesse to mee Because I deliuered the poore that cryed and the fatherlesse and him that had none to helpe him The blessing of him that was ready to perish came vpon mee and I caused the widowes heart to sing for ioy in the next immediate verses before these And then he goeth on in the words of my Text I put on righteousnesse and c. It seemeth Iob was a good man as well as a great and being good hee was by so much the better §. 3. Summe by how much he was the greater Nor was he only Bonus vir a good man and yet if but so his friends had done him much wrong to make him an Hypocrite but hee was Bonus Ciuis too a good Common-wealths-man and therefore his friends did him yet more wrong to make him an Oppressour Indeed he was neither one nor other But it is not so vsefull for vs to know what manner of man Iob was as to learne from him what manner of men wee should bee The grieued spirit of Iob indeed at first vttered these words for his owne iustification but the blessed Spirit of God hath since written them for our instruction to teach vs from Iobs example how to vse that measure of greatnesse and power which hee hath giuen vs be it more bee it lesse to his glory and the common good So that in these words we haue to consider as layed downe vnto vs vnder the person and from the example of Iob some of the maine and principall duties which concerne all those that liue in any degree of Eminencie or Authoritie either in Church or Common-wealth and more specially those that are in the Magistracie or in any office appertaining to Iustice. §. 4. and Diuision of the Text. And those Duties are foure One and the first as a more transcendent and fundamentall dutie the other three as accessorie helpes thereto or subordinate parts thereof That first is a Care and Loue and Zeale of Iustice. A good Magistrate should so make account of the administration of Iustice as of his chiefest businesse making it his greatest glory and delight Vers. 14. I put on righteousnesse and it cloathed mee my iudgement was a robe and a diadem The second is a forwardnesse vnto the workes of Mercy and Charity and Compassion A good Magistrate should haue compassion of those that stand need of his helpe and be helpfull vnto them vers 15. and part of 16. I was eyes to the blinde and feete was I to the lame I was a father to the poore The Third is Diligence in Examination A good Magistrate should not be hasty to credit the first tale or bee carryed away with light informations but he should heare and examine and scan and sift matters as narrowly as may bee for the finding out of the truth in the remainder of verse 16. And the cause which I knew not I searched out The Fourth is Courage and Resolution in Executing A good Magistrate when hee goeth vpon sure grounds should not feare the faces of men bee they neuer so mighty or many but without respect of persons execute that which is equall and right euen vpon the greatest offender Vers. 17. And I brake the iawes of the wicked and plucked the spoyle out of his teeth Of these foure in their order of the first first in these words I put on righteousnesse c. This Metaphore of cloathing is much vsed in the Scriptures in this notion §. 5. The Opening of as it is applyed to the soule and things appertaining to the soule In Psalme 109. Dauid vseth this imprecation against his enemies a Psal. 109.29 Let mine aduersaries be cloathed with shame and let them couer themselues with their owne confusion as with a cloake And the Prophet Esay speaking of Christ and his kingdome and the righteousnesse thereof chap. 11. thus describeth it b Esay 11.5 Righteousnesse shall bee the girdle of his loynes and faithfulnesse the girdle of his reynes Likewise in the New Testament St. Paul in one place biddeth vs c Rom. 13.14 put on the Lord Iesus Christ in an other exhorteth women to d 1 Tim. 2.9 c. adorne themselues instead of broydered haire and gould and pearles and costly aray with shamefastnesse and sobriety and as becommeth women professing godlinesse with good workes in a third furnisheth the spirituall souldier with e Eph. 6.14 c. shoes girdle brestplate helmet and all necessary accontrements from top to toe In all which and other places where the like Metaphore is vsed it is euer to bee vnderstood with allusion to one of the three speciall ends or vses of apparell For we cloath our selues either first for necessitie and common decency to couer our nakednesse or secondly for security and defence against enemies or thirdly for state and solemnitie and for distinction of offices and degrees Our cloakes and coates and ordinary suites wee all weare to couer our nakednesse and these are Indumenta knowne by no other but by the generall name of Cloathing or Apparell Souldiers in the warres weare Morions and Cuiraces and Targets and other habiliments for defence and these are called Arma Armes or Armour Kings and Princes weare Crowns and Diadems inferiour Nobles and Iudges and Magistrates and Officers their Robes and Furres and Hoods and other ornaments fitting to their seuerall degrees and offices for solemnitie of state and as ensignes or markes of those places and stations wherein God hath set them and these are Infulae Ornaments or Roabes It is true Iustice and Iudgement and euery other good vertue and grace is all this vnto the soule seruing her both for couert and for protection and for ornament and so stand both for the garments and for the armour and for the roabes of the soule But here I take it Iob alludeth especially to the third vse The proprietie of the very words themselues giue it so for he
for this cause pay we tribute and other duties vnto you who are Gods ministers euen because you ought to be attending continually vpon this very thing to approue your selues as i Rom. 13.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 22.25 the ministers of God to vs for good Oh that wee could all superiours and inferiours both one and other remember what wee owed each to other and by mutually striuing to pay it to the vtmost so endeauour our selues to k Rom. 13.8 fulfill the Law of God! But in the meane time wee are still iniurious if either wee withdraw our subiection or you your helpe if either wee cast off the duty of children or you the care of Fathers Time was when Iudges and Nobles and Princes delighted to bee called by the name of Fathers The Philistims called their Kings by a peculiar appellatiue l Gen. 20.2 26.1 Psal. 34. in titulo Abimeleob as who say the King my Father In Rome the Senatours were of old time called Patres Fathers and it was afterwards accounted among the Romans the greatest title of honour that could bee bestowed vpon their Consuls Generalls Emperours or whosoeuer had deserued best of the Common-wealth to haue this addition to the rest of his stile m sed Roma parentem Roma patrem patriae Ciceronem libera dixit Iuvenal Satyr 8. patrem patriae appellauimus vt sciret datam sibi potestatem patriam quae est temperatissima liberis consulens suaque post illos ponens Senec. 1. de Clem. 14. Pater patriae a Father to his Countrie Naamans seruants in 4 Kings 5. call him Father n 4 King 5.13 My Father if the Prophet had commanded thee c. And on the other side Dauid the King speaketh vnto his Subiects as a father to his children in Psalme 34. o Psalm 34.11 Come yee children c. and Salomon in the Prouerbes euery where My sonne euen as Iob here accounteth himselfe a father to the poore Certainly to shew that some of these had and that all good Kings and Gouernours should haue a p Vt eos quasi filios cernaret per amorem quibus pater praeerat per protectionem Gloss. interl hîc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Philo de creat Principis fatherly care ouer and beare a fatherly affection vnto those that are vnder them §. 11. and extent thereof All which yet seeing it is intended to be done in honum vniuersitutis must bee so vnderstood as that it may stand cum bono vniuersitatis stand with equity and iustice and with the common good For a Prou. 3.3 Math. 23.23 Non auferat veritas misericordiam nec misericordia impediat veritatem Augustin sent 110. apud Prosperum Mercy and Iustice must goe together and helpe to temper the one the other The Magistrate and Gouernour must bee a father to the poore to protect him from iniuries and to relieue his necessities but not to maintaine him in idlenesse All that the Father oweth to the child is not loue and maintenance he oweth too Education and he oweth him correction A Father may loue his childe too fondly and make him a wanton he may maintaine him too highly and make him a Prodigall But he must giue him Nurture too as well as Maintenance lest he be better fed than taught and correct him too as well as loue him lest hee bring him most griefe when hee should reape most comfort from him Such a fatherly care ought the ciuill Magistrate to haue ouer the poore Hee must carefully defend them from wrongs and oppressions hee must prouidently take order for their conuenient reliefe and maintenance But that is not all hee must as well make prouision to set them on worke and see that they follow it and he must giue them sharpe correction when they grow idle stubborne dissolute or any way out of order This he should do and not leaue the other vndone There is not any speech more frequent in the mouthes of beggars wanderers wherewith the Countrey now swarmeth than that men would bee good to the poore and yet scarce any thing so much mistaken as that speech in both the termes of it most men neither vnderstanding aright who are the poore nor yet what it is to be good to them Not he only is good to the poor that deliuereth him when he is oppressed nor is hee onely good to the poore that relieueth him when he is distressed but hee also is good to the poore that punisheth him when he is idle Hee is good to the poore that helpeth him when hee wanteth and he is no lesse good to the poore that whippeth him when he deserueth This is indeed to bee good to the poore to giue him that almes first which he wanteth most if hee be hungry it is almes to feed him but if he be idle and vntoward it is b Non solùm qui dat esurienti cibum sitienti potum verumetiam qui emendat verbere in quē potestas datur vel coercet aliquâ disciplinâ in co quòd corripit aliquâ emendatoriâ poena plectit eleemosynam dat quia misericordiam praestat Aug. in Enchirid. c. 72. almes to whip him This is to be good to the poore But who then are the poore wee should be good too as they interpret goodnesse St. Paul would haue c 1. Tim. 5.3 widowes honoured but yet those that are widowes indeed so it is meete the poore should be relieued but yet those that are poore indeede Not euery one that begs is poore not euery one that wanteth is poore not euery one that is poore is poore indeede They are the poore whom wee priuate men in Charitie and you that are Magistrates in Iustice stand bound to relieue who are old or impotent and vnable to worke or in these hard and depopulating times are willing but cannot be set on worke or haue a greater charge vpon them than can bee maintained by their worke These and such as these are the poore indeede let vs all bee good to such as these Bee wee that are priuate men as Brethren to these poore ones and shew them Mercy be you that are Magistrates as Fathers to these poore ones and doe them Iustice. But as for those idle stubborne professed wanderers that can and may and will not worke and vnder the name and habit of pouerty rob the poore indeed of our almes and their maintenance let vs harden our hearts against them and not give them doe you execute the seuerity of the Law vpon them and not spare them It is St. Paules Order nay it is the Ordinance of the Holy Ghost and wee should all put to our helping hands to see it kept d 2. Thess. 3.10 He that will not labour let him not eate These vlcers and drones of the Common-wealth are ill worthy of any honest mans almes of any good Magistrates protection Hitherto of the Magistrates second
three the greatest vnto the Godly in the firme assurance of their Eternall reward §. 29. 3. against doubtings of their eternall reward It is one of the Reasons why God temporally rewardeth the vnsound obedience of naturall carnall and vnregenerate men euen to giue his faithfull seruants vndoubted assurance that hee will in no wise forget their true and sound and sincere obedience Doth God reward Ahabs temporary Humiliation and will he not much more reward thy hearty and vnfained repentance Haue the Hypocrites a Quid dabit eis quos praedistinauit ad vitam qui haec dedit etiam eis quos praedestinauit ad mortem Aug. 22. de Ciuit 24. their reward and canst thou doubt of thine This was the very ground of all that comfort wherewith the Prodigall sonne sustained his heart and hope when he thus discoursed to his owne soule b Luke 15.17 If all the hired seruants which are in my Fathers house haue bread enough and to spare surely my Father will neuer be so vnmindefull of men who am his Sonne though too too vnworthy of that name as to let me perish for hunger Euery temporall blessing bestowed vpon the wicked ought to bee of the childe of God entertained as a fresh assurance giuen him of his euerlasting reward hereafter c Gen. 25.5.6 Abraham gaue guifts to the sonnes of his Concubines and sent them away but his onely sonne Isaac he kept with him and gaue him all that he had Right so God giueth temporall gifts to Hypocrites and Castawaies who are bastards and not sonnes not sonnes of the d Gal. 4 28-3â— freewoman not sons of promise not borne after the spirit and that is their portion when they haue gotten that they haue gotten all they are like to haue there is no more to be looked for at his hands But as for the inheritance he reserueth that for his deare Children the Godly who are Gal. 4.29 borne after the spirit and f Gal. 3.29 heyres according vnto promise on these hee bestoweth all that euer hee hath g 1. Cor. 3.21 all things are theirs for on them hee bestoweth h Heb. 1.2 his Sonne the heire of all things in whom are hid all the treasures of all good things and together i Rom. 8.32 with whom all other things are conueied and made ouer vnto them as accessories and appurtenances of him and on them he bestoweth himselfe who is k 1. Cor. 15.28 all in all l Psal. 16.11 in whose presence is fulnesse of ioy and at whose right hand there are pleasures for euermore To which ioy vnspeakable and glorious O thou the Father of mercies who hast promised it vnto vs bring vs in the end for thy deare Sonnes sake Iesus Christ who hath purchased it for vs and giuen into our hearts the earnest of his and thy holy Spirit to seale it vnto vs. To which blessed Sonne and holy Spirit together with thee O Father thee persons and one onely wise gracious glorious almighty and eternall Lord God bee ascribed by vs and all thy faithfull people throughout the world the whole kingdome power and glory for euer and euer Amen Amen THE SECOND SERMON Grantham Linc. 27. Febr. 1620. 3 KINGS 21.29 because hee humbleth himselfe before mee I will not bring the euill in his dayes I Will not so farre either distrust your memories §. 1. A repetition of three former Obseruations or straiten my selfe of time for the deliuery of what I am now purposed to speake as to make any repetition of the particulars which were obserued the last time from the consideration of Ahabs person and condition who was but an Hypocrite taken ioyntly with his present carriage together with the occasion and successe thereof He was humbled it was the voyce of God by his Prophet that humbled him vpon his humbling God adiourneth his punishment From all which was noted 1. that there might bee euen in Hypocrites an outward formall humiliation 2. the power and efficacy of the word of God able to humble an oppressing Ahab 3. the boundlesse mercy of God in not suffering the outward formall Humiliation of an vngodly Hypocrite to passe altogether vnrewarded All this the last time by occasion of those first clauses in the verse Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himselfe before mee because he humbleth himselfe before mee I will not Wee are now next to consider of the great Fauour which it pleased God to shew to Ahab vpon his humiliation what it was and wherein it consisted It was the Remoueall at least for a time that is the suspension of an heauy Iudgement denounced against Ahab and his house most deseruedly for his bloudy and execrable oppression Because hee humbleth himselfe before mee I will not bring the euill in his dayes § 2. The opening of The Euill which God now promiseth hee will not bring I will not bring the euill in his dayes is that which in verse 21. hee had threatned hee would bring vpon Ahab and vpon his house a Vers. 21. c. hîc Behold I will bring euill vpon thee â—nd will take away thy posterity and will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall and him that is shut vp and left in Israel and will make thy house like the house of Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat and like the house of Beâ—sha the sonne of Ahijah for the prouocation wherewith thou hast prouoked mee to anger and made Israel to sinne A great Iudgement and an heaâ—y but the greater the iudgement is when it is deserued and threatned the greater the mercy is if it be afterwards forborne as some of this was But whatsoeuer becommeth of the iudgement here wee see is mercy good store God who is b Eph. 2.4 rich in mercy and delighteth to be stiled c Deus miserationum Nebem 9.31 the God of mercies and the d 2 Cor. 1.3 Father of mercies abundantly manifesteth his mercy in dealing thus graciously with one that deserued it so little Here is mercy in but threatning the punishment when hee might haue inflicted it and more mercy in not inflicting the punishment when hee had threatned it Here is mercy first in suspending the Punishment I will not bring the Euill and mercy againe in suspending it for so long a time I will not bring the euill in his dayes Of these two points wee shall entreate at this time and first and principally of the former I will not bring the euill It is no new thing to them §. 3. Obseru 4. Concerning Gods forbearing of threatned iudgements that haue read the sacred stories with obseruation to see God when men are humbled at his threatnings to reuoke them a Chrysost. in Gen. hom 25. ahbi saepè 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Chrysostome more than once this is euer Gods manner when men change their deeds to change his doome when they renounce their sinners to recall his
I will gather thee vnto thy fathers and thou shalt be gathered vnto thy graue in peace and thine eyes shall not see all the euill which I will bring vpon this place vers last Indeed euery man should haue §. 22. with the Reason and euery good man hath an honest care of posterity would reioyce to see things settled well for them would grieue to see things likely to goe ill with them That common speech which was so frequent with a Dio. lib. 57. Liberius was monstrous and not b Illa vox scelerata atque in humana Cic. 3. de finib Vox magna et detestabilis Senec. 2. de Clement 2. sauouring of common humanity c Everso juvat orbe mori Dictum Râ—ffini apud Claudian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When I am gone let heauen and earth be jumbled againe into their old Chaos but hee that mended it with d Nero. apud Sueton. in Nerone cap. 38. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea saith he whilest I liue seemeth to haue renounced all that was man in him Aristotle hath taught vs better what reason taught him that e Arist. 1. Ethic. 11. Res posterorum pertinent ad defunctos the good or euill of those that come after vs doth more than nothing concerne vs when we are dead and gone This is true but yet f Terent. Andr. 4.1 Proximus egomet mî though it were the speech of a Sharke in the Comedy will beare a good construction Euery man is g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neerest to himselfe and that Charity which looketh abroad and seeketh not onely her owne yet beginneth at home and seeketh first her owne Whence it is that a godly man as he hath just cause to grieue for posterities sake if they must feele Gods judgements so hee hath good cause to reioyce for his owne sake if he shall escape them and he is no lesse to take knowledge of Gods Mercy in sparing him than of his Iustice in striking them §. 23. and vses therof the first This point is vsefull many wayes I will touch but some of them and that very briefly First here is one Comfort amongst many other against the bitternesse of temporall death If God cut thee off in the middest of thy daies and best of thy strength if death turne thee pale before age haue turned thee gray if the flower be plucked off before it begin to wither grudge not at thy lot therein but meete Gods Messenger cheerfully embrace him thankfully It may bee God hath some great worke in hand from which he meaneth to saue thee It may be he sendeth death to thee as he sent his a Gen. 19.16.17 Angel to Lot to plucke thee out of the middest of a froward and crooked generation and to snatch thee away lest a worse thing than death should happen vnto thee Cast not therefore a longing eye back vpon Sodome neither desire to linger in the plaine it is but a vallie of teares and miserie but vp to the mountaine from whence commeth thy saluation lest some euill ouertake thee Possibly that which thou thinkest an vntimely death may bee to thee a double aduantage a great aduantage in vshering thee so early into Gods glorious presence and some aduantage too in plucking thee so seasonably from Gods imminent iudgements It is a fauour to be b non mehercule quenquam audio hoc anno ereptum qui mibi non a lâ—iis immort ereptus ex his miseriis ex iniquissimâ conditione vitae videretur Cic. 5. epist. 16. Fuit hoc luctuosum suis acerbum patriae graue bonis omnibus sed ii tamen Remp. casus secuti sunt vt mihi non erepta L. Crasso à Diis Imm. vita sed donata mors esse videretur Non vidit flagrantem c. Id. 3. de Orat. Fortunatus illius Hortensii exitus qui ea non vidit cum fierent quae praeuidit futura sed illum videtur felicitas ipsius quâ semper est vsus ab eis miserijs quae consecutae sunt morte vindicasse Id in Bruto taken away betimes when euill is determined vpon those that are left Secondly here is a Warning for vs §. 24. the second to take consideration of the losse of good or vsefull men and to feare when they are going from vs that some euill is comming towards vs. The Prophet complaineth of the too great and generall neglect hereof in his times a Esay 57.1 The righteous perisheth and no man layeth it to heart and mercifull men are taken away none considering that the righteous is taken away from the euill to come Esay 57. When God sendeth his b Gen. 19.16 Angel to plucke out his righteous Lots what may Sodome expect but fire and brimstone to be rained down vpon them When he plucketh vp the fairest and choysest flowers in his garden croppeth off the tops of the goodliest poppies who can thinke other than that he meaneth to lay his garden wast and to turne it into a wilde wildernesse When he vndermineth the maine pillars of the house taketh away the very props and buttresses of Church CoÌ„monweale sweepeth away religious Princes wise Senatours zealous Magistrates painefull Ministers men of eminent ranck gifts or example who can bee secure that either Church or Common weale shall c Periturae vrbis aut malorum imminentium vel futurae labis hoc primum indicium est si decidaÌ„t viri consultores Ambros de Cain Abel c. 3. stand vp long and not totter at least if not fall God in Mercy taketh such away from the euil to come we in wisedome should look for euil to come when God taketh such away §. 25. the third Thirdly here is instruction for Worldlings to make much of those few godly ones that liue among them for they are the very pawnes of their peace and the pledges of their securitie Thinke not yee filthy Sodomites it is for your owne sakes that yee haue been spared so long know to whom you are beholden This a Gen. 19 9. fellow that came into soiourne among you this stranger this Lott whom you so hate and maligne and disquiet hee it is that hath bayled you hitherto and giuen you protection Despise not Gods patience and long-suffering yee prophane ones neither blesse your selues in your vngodly waies neither say Wee prosper though wee walke in the lusts of our hearts This and thus wee haue done and nothing hath beene done to vs God holdeth his hand and he holdeth his tongue at vs surely b Psal. 50.21 he is such a one as our selues Learne O yee despisers that if God thus forbeare you it is not at all for your owne sakes or because he careth not to punish euill-doers no he hath a little remnant a c Luke 12.13 little flock a little handfull of his owne among you a d Reu. 3.4 few names that haue giuen themselues vnto him