Constantinople which made it a prey to the enemie as the Turk himselfe confessed when in the sacking of the City and rifling the houses he found such a masse of treasure as might have easily secured the place if the owners would have contributed but a small part of it to the maintenance of the Greeke Emperours warre against the Saracens And to come neerer my text it was not the Assyrians horse and chariots but Jeroboams golden calves together with their sorcerie witchcraft and other sinnes discovered unto them by the Prophets Amos and Hosea but unrepented of which destroyed Israel It is true which Arnobius affirmeth that we u Arnob. adver gent. l. 2. Procul absit tam scelerata persuasio ut rerum omnium salus Deus ulli rei fuerit miseriarum aut discriminum causa may by no meanes staine the decrees of God with any aspersion of bloudy cruelty or impute to him the miseries which befall us and yet God by his Prophet x Amos 3.6 Amos demandeth Shall there bee any evill in a City and the Lord hath not done it y Salv. de providentia l. 8. A Deo quippe punimur sed ipsi facimus ut puniamur cum autem punire nos ipsi facimus cui dubitum est quin ipsi nos nostris criminibus puniamus vim Deo faciamus iniquitatibus nostris ipsi in nos iram Dei armamus Salvianus excellently accordeth the seeming difference betweene these assertions God is the cause and wee are the cause of our woe God punisheth us and wee punish our selves God indeed punisheth us but wee cause and after a sort force him to doe it God inflicteth stripes but wee deserve them God striketh but wee provoke God powreth out the vials of his wrath but wee fill them up to the brimme by our over-flowing iniquities God maketh us good if wee are so but in a true sense wee make him just and which may seeme a great Paradoxe even by our injustice For if wee were not unjust in transgressing God could not bee just in punishing neither would hee desire any way to exalt his glory by the ruine of his creature For he delighteth in mercy Micah 7.18 and goodnesse is his nature Hee therefore never sendeth evill upon us before we have it in us hee never fils us a cup of z Psal 75.8 In the hand of the Lord there is a cup and the wine is red it is full of mixture and he powreth out of the same red wine before the measure of our crimson sinne is full neither powreth hee out the dregges of his wrath upon any but such as Moab-like are settled upon their lees Zeph. 1.12 To strike saile then and land my discourse If our Israel if the Scepter of our Moses and the Rod of our Aarons flourish not as in former times if the people bee multiplied and yet our joy not increased if our corne and wine and oyle abound and yet wee are not enriched if the publike weale and every mans private by some secret veine inwardly bleeding hath beene in a kinde of consumption if our State hath received any wound or our Church any blow wee know where to lay the blame wee must say with mournefull Jerusalem a Lam. 1.8 The Lord is righteous but wee have rebelled against him God hath beene good to us but wee have rewarded evill unto our selves God hath not forgotten to bee gracious but wee to bee thankefull God would bee better to us if wee were better b Hor. car l. 1. od 3. Sed nos per nostrum non patimur scelus Iracunda Deum ponere fulmina Doth any desire to know how it commeth to passe that our gold is not so pure our silver so bright our brasse and iron so strong as heretofore that is the honour of our Nobility the riches of our Gentry the vertue and strength of our Commonalty is much empaired If I and all Preachers should bee silent our c Sen. de ira l. 2. Nec furtiva jam scelera sunt praeter oculos eunt in publicum missa nequitia est loud sinnes would proclaime it blasphemy would speake it prophanenesse sweare it pride and vanity paint and print it usury and bribery tell it luxury vent it gluttony and drunkennesse belch it out St. Peters argument were now of no force these men are not drunke seeing that it is but the third houre of the day for all houres of day yea and night too are alike to many of our drunkards d Tacit. annal l. 3. Praestat omittere prae valida adulta vitia quam id assequi ut palam fiat quibus vitiis impares simus Tiberius his advice in Tacitus may passe in point of policy for good viz. to dissemble and conceale overgrowne and head-strong evils rather than by taxing them to make it knowne what vices have so got the masterie of us that wee cannot stand against them but religion allowes of no such politicke silence God layeth this burthen upon his Prophets to burthen all sorts of men with all sorts of sin and to tell the greatest Potentates upon the earth that Potentespotenter that the mighty shall bee mightily tormented that the d Apoc. 19.18 fowles that flie in the midst of heaven shall eat the flesh of Kings and the flesh of Captaines and the flesh of mighty men The lowder our sinnes cry the higher we must lift up our voice like a trumpet to cry them downe even by thundering Gods judgements against them Pope e Plat. in vita Silv. Silvester when he was bid beware of Jerusalem for that whensoever hee should come thither hee should certainly dye he flattered himselfe that hee should put off his death long enough because hee was sure that he never meant to travell into Palestine little thinking that there was a Church at Rome of that name into which hee had no sooner set his foot but hee met with his evill Genius as Brutus did at Philippi and suddenly ended his wretched dayes Suffer I beseech you the word of admonition and exhortation It is not Rome in Italy which we need so much to feare though it bee the Seminary of Heretickes and Traytors but Rome in England Rome at home I meane the Popish faction among us which casteth continually fire-balls of dissention in the State and of Schisme in the Church to set all in a combustion f Cant. 2.15 O take away the foxes the little foxes that spoile the grapes of that far spreading vine which God hath planted among us by his word and watered by the bloud of so many noble Martyrs But I feare to lance any publicke sores any deeper let mee give but a pricke at our private wheales and then I will soone rid you and my selfe of paine Beloved wee are all querulous yet none almost either knoweth or looketh after the cause of their woe One complaineth that hee goeth backward in the world and sinketh in his estate
raise up the prostrate and dejected soule Be of good cheere ye that have received the sentence of death in your selves There is no malady of the soule so deadly against which the death of Christ is not a soveraigne remedy there is no sore so great nor so festering which a plaster of Christs bloud will not cleanse and heale if it be thereto applyed by a lively faith Thus as you see I have made of the bruised reed a staffe of comfort for a drouping conscience to stay it selfe upon extend but your patience to the length of the houre and I will make of it a strait rule for your actions and affections Though all the actions of our Saviour are beyond example yet ought they to be examples to us for our imitation and though we can never overtake him yet we ought to follow after him His life is a perfect samplar of all vertues out of which if we ought to take any flower especially this of meeknesse which himselfe hath pricked out for us saying Learne of me that I am meeke and lowly in heart Matth. 11.29 and you shall finde rest to your soules which also hee richly setteth forth with a title of blessednesse over it Matth. 5.5 and a large promise of great possessions by it Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth Matth. 5.7 Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercy Neither is this vertue more acceptable in the sight of God than agreeable to the nature of man Witnesse our sleek and soft skin without scales or roughnesse witnesse our harmlesse members without hornes clawes or stings the offensive weapons of other creatures witnesse our tender and relenting heart apt to receive the least impression of griefe witnesse our moist eyes ready to shed teares upon any sad accident mollissima corda Humano generi dare se natura fatetur Quae lachrymas dedit haec nostri pars optima sensus Shall not grace imprint that vertue in our soules which nature hath expressed in the chiefe members of our bodies and exemplified in the best creatures almost in every kind Even among beasts the tamest and gentlest are the best the master Bee either hath no sting at all or as Aristotle testifieth never useth it The upper region of the ayre is alwaies calme and quiet inferiora fulminant saith Seneca men of baser and inferiour natures are boysterous and tempestuous The superiour spheres move regularly and uniformly and the first mover of them all is slow in his proceedings against rebellious sinners hee was longer in destroying Jericho than in creating the whole world And when Adam and Eve had sinned with a high hand reaching the forbidden fruit and eating it it was the coole of the evening before the voice of the Lord was heard in the garden and the voice that was heard was of God walking not running to verifie those many attributes of God Mercifull gracious long-suffering Exod. 34.6 7. and aboundant in goodnesse and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity and transgression and sinne Is God mercifull and shall man be cruell is the master meek and milde and shall the servant be fierce and furious shall hee give the Lambe in his Scutchion and they the Lion If hee who ruleth the Nations with a rod of iron and breaketh them in pieces like a potters vessell will not breake the bruised reed shall reeds breake reeds Martial Epigr. The Heathen Poet giving charge to his woodden god to looke to his garden useth this commination See thou looke well to my trees Alioqui ipse lignum es Otherwaies know that thou art wood thy selfe that is fit fuell for the fire Suffer I beseech you the word of exhortation Looke to it that you breake not Christs bruised reeds Alioqui ipsi estis arundines Otherwaies know that you your selves are but reeds and what measure you mete unto others shall be measured unto you againe Stand not too much upon your owne a Sen. de clem l. 1. Nec est quisquam cui tam valde innocentia sua placeat ut non stare in conspectu clementiam paratam humanis erroribus gaudeat innocency and integrity For b August confes l. 13. Vae laudabili vitae hominum si remot â misericordiâ discutias cam Wo be to the commendable life of men if it bee searcht into without mercy and scann'd exactly The Cherubins themselves continually looke towards the Mercy-seat and if we expect mercy at the hands of God or man we must show mercy for there shall be judgement without mercy to him that will shew no mercy which menacing to the unmercifull though it point to the last judgement and then take it's full effect yet to deterre men from this unnaturall sinne against their owne bowels it pleaseth God sometimes in this life to make even reckonings with hard hearted men and void of all compassion As he did with Appius Livius dec 1. of whom Livie reporteth that he was a great oppressor of the liberties of the commons and particularly that hee tooke away all appeales to the people in case of life and death But see how Justice revenged Mercies quarrell upon this unmercifull man soone after this his decree hee being called in question for forcing the wife of Virginius he found all the Bench of Judges against him and was constrained for saving his life to preferre an appeale to the people which was denied him with great shouts and out-cries of all saying Ecce provocat qui provocationem sustulit who sees not the hand of divine Justice herein He is forced to appeale who by barring all appeales in case of life and death was the death of many a man Let his owne measure be returned upon him And as Appius was denied the benefit of appeales whereof he deprived others and immediatly felt the stroke of justice so Eutropius who gave the Emperour counsell to shut up all Sanctuaries against capitall offenders afterwards being pursued himselfe for his life and flying to a Sanctuary for refuge was from thence drawne out by the command of S. Chrysostome and delivered to the ministers of justice who made him feele the smart of his owne pernicious counsell I need the lesse speake for mercy by how much the more wee all need it and therefore I passe from the act to the proper subject of mercy The bruised reed If * Sen. de cle l. 1. Tam omnibus ignoscere crudelitas est quam nulli Jude ver 22. mercy should be shewed unto all men no place would be left for justice therefore St. Jude restraineth mercy to some Of some have compassion making a difference The difference we are to make is of 1. Sinne. 2. Sinners For there are sinnes of ignorance and sinnes against conscience sinnes of infirmity and sinnes of presumption sudden passions and deliberate evill actions light staines and fowle spots some sinnes are secret and private others publike and scandalous some
but onely by vertue of the promise of him who here saith To him that overcommeth I will give 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will render or repay for it is not so in this warre as in others wherein the souldier who carrieth himselfe valiantly in warre and ventureth his life for his Prince and countrey may challenge his pay of desert because wee beare not our owne armour nor fight by our owne strength nor conquer by our owne valour nor have any colour for our service on earth to pretend to a crowne in heaven In which regard though wee may expect yet not challenge looke for yet not sue for desire yet not require as due the reward here promised b Luk. 12.32 Feare not little flock saith our Saviour for it is your fathers pleasure to give you a kingdome it is not his bargaine to sell you it Albeit the wages of sinne is death and there we may plead merit yet the Apostle teacheth us that eternall life is the gift of God Upon which words Saint c L. de grat lib. arbit c. 9. Cum posset dicere recte dicere stipendium justitiae vita aeterna maluit dicere gratia autem vita aeterna ut hinc intelligeremus non pro meritis nostris Deum nos ad aeternam vitam sed pro sua miseratione vocare unde dicitur in psalmo coronat te in miseratione Austines observation is very remarkeable Whereas the Apostle might have continued his Metaphor and said the wages of righteousnesse is eternall life because eternall life is the reward of righteousnesse as death is of sinne yet hee purposely put the word gift in stead of wages that wee might learne this most wholesome lesson that God hath predestinated and called us to eternall life not for our merits but of his mercy according to those words of the Psalmist He crowneth thee in compassion If there be any merit in S. Bernards judgement it is in denying all merit Sufficit ad meritum scire quod non sufficiant merita And verily had the Church of Rome all faith as her proselytes suppose that she hath all the good works yet her standing upon tearms with God pleading merit would mar all her merit and justly fasten upon her the ill name of Meretrix Babylonica the whore of Babylon For Meretrix saith Calepine à merendo sic dicta est hath her name from meriting When wee have done all that wee can d Luk. 17.10 Christ teacheth us to say wee are unprofitable servants we have done but that which was our duty to doe Nay have wee done so much as wee ought to doe Venerable Bede to checke our pride who are apt to take upon us for the least good work we doe telleth us no quod debuimus facere non fecimus we have not done what was our duty to do and if the best of us have not done what was our duty to doe wee merit nothing at our Masters hands but many stripes Yet the Church of Rome blusheth not to define it as a doctrine of faith in her conventicle at Trent that our e Concil Trid. sess 6. Can. 32. Si quis dixerit hominis justificati bona opera ita esse dona Dei ut non sint etiam bona ipsius justificati merita aut non vere merere augmentum gratiae vitam aeternam anathema sit good workes doe truely merit eternall life In which assertion as Tertullian spake of venemous flowers quot colores tot dolores so many colours so many dolours or mischiefes to man so wee may of the tearmes of this proposition quot verba tot haereses so many words so many heresies for First it is faith which intituleth us to heaven not workes by grace wee are saved f Ephes 2.8.9 through faith and that not of our selves it is the gift of God not of works lest any man should boast Fides impetrat quod lex imperat Faith obtaineth that which the Law commandeth Secondly if workes had any share in our justification yet we could not merit by them because as they are ours they are not good as they are good they are not ours but Gods g Phil. 2.13 who worketh in us both the will and the deed it is God which worketh in you both to will and to doe of his good pleasure for h 2 Cor. 3.5 we are not sufficient of our selves to thinke any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God Whence St. i de lib. arbit c. 7. Si bona sunt Dei dona sunt si Dei dona sunt non coronat Deus tanquam merita tua sed tanquam dona sua Austin strongly inferreth against all plea of mans merit If thy works are good they are Gods gifts if they are evill God crowneth them not if therefore God crowneth thy workes he crownes them not as thy merits but as his owne gifts Thirdly the workes that may challenge a reward as due unto them in strict justice must be exactly and perfectly good but such are not ours k 1 Joh. 1.8 For if we say that we have no sinne or that our best works are not some way tainted we deceive our selves and there is no truth in us Woe saith St. l Confes l. 13. Vae hominum vitae laudabili si remota misericordia discutias eam Austine to the commendable life of men if thou examine it in rigour without mercy In which passionate straine he seemeth to take the note from m Psal 130.3 David If thou Lord shouldest marke iniquities O Lord who should stand and hee from n Job 9.2.3 Job How should man be just before God if he contend with him he cannot answer one of a thousand Fourthly were our workes free from all aspersion of impurity and suspition of hypocrisie yet could they not merit at Gods hands any thing to whom we owe all that we can or are Dei omne est quod possumus quod sumus The greatest Champion of merit Vasques the Jesuit here yeelds the bucklers because we can give nothing to God which he may not exact of us by the right of his dominion we cannot merit any thing at his hand by way of justice For o Vasques in Thom. disput Non meremur in via justitiae quia pro eo quod alteri redditranquam debitum nihil accipere quis debet ideo servi inâ—tiles dici possumus quod nihil quasi sponte Deo demus sed demus ea quae in re dominii ex praecepto exigere possit no man can demand any thing as his due for meerly discharging his debt no not so much as thankes Luke 17.9 Doth hee thanke that servant because he did the things that were commanded him I trow not Fiftly might our workes taken at the best merit something at Gods hands yet not eternall life For there is no proportion betweene our finite workes and such
Pauls precept the whole Christian Church offered up their united devotions for the Roman Emperour The matter and forme of their prayer is set downe by d Tertul. in apol Manibus expansis quia innocuis capite nudo quia non erubescimus precantes semper sumus pro omnibus Imperatoribus vitam illis prolixam imperium securum domum tutam exercitus fortes Senatum fidelem populum probum orbem quietum Tertullian With hands spread abroad because innocent and bare head because not blushing we are alwayes praying for all Emperours that God would grant unto them a long life a happie reigne a safe house victorious armies a faithfull councell a loyall people and a peaceable world And if according to Saint e Cypr. de laps Cyprians passionate admonition we would joyne publickly our prayers to their prayers and our teares to their teares and our sighes to their sighes who groane under the heavie yoake of heathenish or antichristian tyranny who knoweth whether God would not change the face of Christendome and not onely wipe bloud from the bodie but also all teares from the eyes of his most disconsolate Spouse Thus much of the notes in space the notes in rule are specially In thy strength 1. That the onely securitie of Princes and States is in the strength of the Almighty The King shall rejoyce in thy salvation 2. That God holdeth a speciall hand over Soveraigne Princes 3. That Princes mightily defended and safely preserved by the arme of God must thankfully acknowledge this singular favour and deliver their deliverances to after ages that the children yet unborne may praise the Lord as we doe this day 1. That Princes and states have no safe repose but under the shadow of the Almighty I need not alledge any one Psalme for proofe it is the burthen almost of every song Not a string in Davids harp but soundeth out this tune briefly f Psal 2.12 happy are they that put their trust in him g Psal 4.8 Thou Lord onely makest me to dwell in safety h Psal 20.7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses but wee will remember the Name of the Lord our God i Psal 21.7 The King trusteth in the Lord and through the mercy of the most High he shall not be moved k Psal 44.6.8 I will not trust in my bow neither shall my sword save me In God wee boast all the day long and praise thy Name for ever Selah Upon this note how excellent doth he divide l Psal 18.2 The Lord is my rocke and my fortresse and my deliverer my God my strength in whom I will trust my buckler the horne of my salvation and my high tower m Xen. Cyr. p. ed. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. It is not the golden Scepter wee see Princes leane upon that supporteth them it is the loyalty of their loving subjects which beareth them up withdraw this golden Scepter from them they cannot stand n Plin. in panegyr Satellitium principis ipsius innocentia optimum munimentum munimento non egere The best guard of a Prince saith Plinie is his owne innocencie the best defence and munition to need none for armes are provoked by armes neither can a Prince be guarded from his owne guard but by his buckler of faith and the right hand of the Almighty Dextra mihi deus est My right hand is my god saith he in the Poet falsely and blasphemously but David truely and most religiously The Lord is the strength of my right hand o Psal 127.1 Except the Lord build the house they labour in vaine that build it except the Lord keepe the City the watchman waketh but in vaine Except the Lord protect the royall person of a Prince the States-man counselleth the Captaine fighteth the Guard waiteth but in vaine no magazine of treasure no arsenall of armour no fleet by Sea no forces by land no alliance with neighbour Princes no allegeance of subjects can secure their persons for a moment Those in the bath who forsake their guides and will venter to goe of themselves are often drowned and travellers who refuse or distrust their convoy when they passe through theevish places dismissing them or stealing away from them for the most part by escaping seeming danger fall into certaine danger so it fareth with them who rely not upon the protection of the Almighty but seeke other helpe aid and support from the arme of flesh or the braine of worldly Politicians p Jer. 17.5 Cursed is hee who maketh flesh his arme and trusteth not in the Lord his God To the truth of which verdict the greatest Potentates in the world have subscribed with their owne bloud Nebuchadnezzar trusted in his Citie Babel and it became his Babel that is his confusion Xerxes trusted in his multitude of men his multitude encumbred him Darius in his wealth his wealth sold him Eumenes in the valour of his regiment called the Silver-shields his Silver-shields bound him and delivered him to Antigonus Roboam in his young Counsellers his young Counsellers lost him the ten Tribes Caesar in his old Senatours the Senatours conspired against him Domitian in his guard his guard betrayed him Adrian in his Physicians his Physicians cast him away Multitudo medicorum perdidit Adrianum Imperat orem These all leaned upon Egyptian reeds which not onely brake under them and so deceived their trust but also ran in to their hands and sides and wounded them By whom let us all learne to distrust all meanes of trust and confidence save in the continuance of Gods favour and the support of his power and Grace St. p Prosp sent excerpt ex Aug. Qui in se stat non stat qui se sibi sufficere confidit ab eo qui verè sufficit defici◠Prosper out of St. Austine happily concludeth this point Whosoever standeth upon himselfe standeth not hee who is confident in his owne support by this his arrogancie loseth the support of true confidence opinion of selfe-sufficiencie inferreth a deficiencie from him in q 2 Cor. 3.5 Not that we are sufficient of our selves to thinke any thing of our selves but our sufficiencie is of God whom is all our sufficiencie I have shewed you the pictures of those who have suffered shipwracke by making worldly policie their Pilot and committing their bodie and goods to those brittle barkes which I before mentioned behold now the cheerefull faces of those who in a deluge of troubles have yet arrived to the faire havens being steered by the compasse of Gods Word and carried safe in the arke of divine protection How many mutinies against Moses how many stratagems against Joshuah how many attempts against David what preparations against Hezekiah what combinations against Jehosaphat what armies against Constantine what fulminations from Rome what Armadoes from Spaine what poysons what dags and daggers from Traitours at home against Queene Elizabeth Yet all these were compassed
of sinnes is peculiarly attributed to the Spirit and by a metonymie termed the Holy Ghost Barradius bringeth us an answer out of the schooles that z Barrad in harmon Evang. remission of sinnes is a worke of Gods goodnesse and mercy now workes of goodnesse are peculiarly attributed to the holy Spirit who proceedeth as they determine from the will of the Father and the Sonne whose object is goodnesse as workes of wisedome are attributed to the Sonne because hee is the word proceeding by way of generation from the understanding of his Father This reason may goe for currant in their way neither have I any purpose at this time to crosse it but to haste to the period of this discourse in which that I may better discover the path of truth in stead of many little lights which others have brought I will set up one great taper made of the sweetest of their waxe The Holy Ghost is sometimes taken for the person of the Comforter which sealeth Gods chosen to salvation sometimes for the gifts effects or operations of the Holy Ghost as it were the prints of his scale left in the soule these are principally three 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Grace 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spirituall power or authority 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vertue or ghostly ability to worke wonders and speake with divers languages 1 Is common to all them that are sanctified 2 Is peculiar to Christs Ministers 3 Restrayned to the Apostles themselves and some few others of their immediate successors z Joh. 3.5 Exceâ—t a man be borne of the water and of the spirit 1 Regenerating grace is termed the holyGhost 2 Spirituall order or ministeriall power is called the Spirit or holy Ghost in this place and Luk. 4.18 Esay 61.1 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me to preach the Gospell c. 3 Miraculous vertue is called the holy Ghost Act. 2.4 And they were filled with the holy Ghost and spake with divers tongues 1 The Spirit of grace and regeneration the Apostles received at their first calling 2 The Spirit of ecclesiasticall government they received at this time c. 3 The Spirit of powerfull and extraordinary operation they received in the day of Pentecost 1 In their mindes by infallible inspiration 2 In their tongues by multiplicity of languages 3 In their hands by miraculous cures Receive then the Holy Ghost is 1 A ghostly function to ordaine Pastors and sanctifie congregations to God 2 Spirituall gifts to execute and discharge that function 3 Spirituall power or jurisdiction to countenance and support both your function and gifts Thus have I opened the treasury of this Scripture out of which I now offer to your religious thoughts and affections these ensuing observations And first in generall I commend to the fervour of your zeale and devotion the excessive heat of Christs love which absumed and spent him all for us flesh and spirit His flesh he offereth us in the Sacrament of his Supper his spirit hee conferreth in the sacred rite of consecration His body hee gave by those words Take eate this is my body his spirit hee gave by these Receive ye the holy Ghost a gift unestimable a treasure unvaluable for it was this spirit which quickned us when wee were dead in trespasses and sinnes it is this spirit which fetcheth us againe when wee swoune in despaire it is this spirit that refresheth and cooleth us in the extreme heat of all persecutions afflictions sorrowes and diseases to it we owe 1 Light in our mindes 2 Warmth in our desires 3 Temper in our affections 4 Grace in our wils 5 Peace in our consciences 6 Joy in our hearts and unspeakeable comfort in life and death This is the winde which bloweth a Cant. 4.16 Blow upon my garden that the spices thereof may flow out let my beloved come into his garden and eat his pleasant fruits upon the Spouse her garden that the spices thereof might flow out This is the breath which formeth the words in the cloven tongues this is the breath which bloweth and openeth all the flowers of Paradise This is the blast which diffuseth the savour of life through the whole Church This is the gale which carryeth us through all the troublesome waves of this world and bringeth us safe to the haven where we would be And as the Spouse of Christ which is his mysticall body is infinitely indebted to her head for this gift of the spirit whereby holy congregations are furnished with Pastors and they with gifts and the ministery of the Gospell continually propagated so wee above all nations in the world at this day are most bound to extoll and magnifie his goodnesse towards us herein among whom in a manner alone this holy seed of the Church remaineth unmixed and uncorrupt not onely as propagated but propagating also not children onely but Fathers Apostolicall doctrine other reformed Churches maintaine but doe they retaine also Apostolicall discipline laying of hands they have on Ministers and Pastors but consecration of Archbishops and Bishops they have not And because they want consecrated Bishops to ordaine Pastors their very ordination is not according to ancient order Because they want spirituall Fathers in Christ to beget children in their ministery their Ministers by the adversary are accounted no better than filii populi whereas will they nill they even in regard of our Hierarchy the most frontlesse Papists must confesse the children begot by our reverend Fathers in the ministery of the Gospell to be as legitimate as their owne For albeit they put the hereticke upon us as the Arrians did upon the Catholike Fathers calling them Athanasians c. yet this no way disableth either the consecration of our Bishops nor the ordination of our Priests not onely because we have proved the dogge lyeth at their doores and that they are a kinde of mungrils of divers sorts of heretickes but because it is the doctrine of their Church b See Croy in his third conformity Whitaker in fine resp ad demonstrat Sanderi Rivet procem de haeref q. 1. Cath. orthod that the character of order is indeleble and therefore Archbishop Cranmer and other of our Bishops ordained by them if they had afterwards as Papists most falsly suppose fallen into heresie could not lose their faculty of consecration and ordination The consecration of Catholicke Bishops by Arrians and baptisme of faithfull Christians children by Donatists though heretickes is made good as well by the decrees of ancient as later Councels determining that Sacraments administred even by heretickes so they observe the rite and forme of words prescribed in holy scripture bee of force and validity Praysed therefore for ever bee the good will of him that dwelt in the bush that the Rod of Aaron still flourisheth among us and planteth and propagateth it selfe like that Indian fig-tree so much admired by all Travellers from the utmost branch whereof issueth a gummy juyce which hangeth
which is the first place we speak not so properly when we say that God hath any vertue as when we attribute to him all vertue in the abstract all wisdom all justice all holines all goodnes Goodnes is the rule of our will but Gods will is the rule of goodnes it selfe we are to doe things because they are just good but contrariwise things are just good because God doth them therfore if vertue be the load-stone of our love it wil first draw it to God whose nature is the perfection of all vertue As for beauty what is it but proportion colour the beauty of colour it self is light light is but a shadow or obscure delineation of God whose face darkneth the sun dazleth the eies of the Cherubins who to save them hold their wings before them like a plume of feathers A glympse wherof when the Prophet David saw he was so ravished with it that as if there were nothing else worthy the seeing it were impossible to have enough of so admirable an object he crieth out d Psa 105.4 seek his face evermore not so much for the delight he took in beholding it as for the light he received from it For beholding the glory of God as in a mirrour with open face we are changed into his image after a sort made partakers of the divine nature ô my soul saith a Saint of God mark what thou lovest for thou becommest like to that which thou likest Si coelum diligis coelum es si terram diligis terra es audeo dicere si Deum diligis Deus es if thou sincerely perfectly lovest heavenly objects thou becomest heavenly if carnall thou becomest sensuall if spirituall thou becomest ghostly if God thou becomest divine Let us stay a while consider what a wonderful change is wrought in the soule of man by the power of divine love surely though a deformed Black-a-moor look his eies out upon the fairest beauty the world can present hee getteth no beauty by it but seems the more ougly by standing in sight of so beautiful a creature the sun burns them black darkeneth their sight who long gaze upon his beams but contrarily the Sun of righteousnes the more we looke upon him the more he enlighteneth the eies Poulin in opusc Illum amemus quem amare debitum quem amplecti chastitas cui nubere virginitas c. maketh them fair their faces shine who behold him as Moses his did after he came down from the Mount where he had parley with God O then let us love to behold him the sight of whose countenance will make us fair lovely to behold let us conform our selvs to him who wil transform us into himself let us reflect the beams of our affection upon the father of lights let us knit our hearts to him whom freely to love is our bounden duty to embrace is chastity to marry is virginity to serve is liberty to desire is contentment to imitate is perfection to enjoy is everlasting happines To whom c. THE ROYALL PRIEST A Sermon preached in Saint Maries Church in Oxford Anno 1613. THE XXXVII SERMON PSAL. 110.4 The Lord sware and will not repent thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech Right Worshipfull c. THere are three principall attributes of God Wisedome Goodnesse Power Wisedome to comprehend all the good that can bee Goodnesse to will all that which in wisedome he comprehendeth Power to effect all that in goodnesse he willeth and decreeth for the manifestation of his justice and mercy to his creatures These three attributes of God shine most clearely in the three offices of Christ 1 Kingly 2 Priestly 3 Propheticall Power in his Kingly Wisedome in his Propheticall Goodnesse in his Priestly function For Christ by his Princely authority declareth especially the power by his Propheticall he revealeth the wisedome and by his Priesthood he manifesteth the goodnesse of God to all mankinde Christ as a Prophet in wisedome teacheth us what in his goodnesse he hath merited for us as a Priest and by his power he will bestow upon us as a King freedome from all miserie in the Kingdome of glory And on these three offices of Christ the three divine graces 1 Faith 2 Hope 3 Charity have a kinde of dependance 1 Faith holdeth on him as a Prophet 2 Hope as a King 3 Charity as a Priest For Faith buildeth upon the truth of his Prophesie Hope relieth upon the power of his Kingdome Charity embraceth the functions of his Priesthood whereby he washeth us from our sinnes in his owne bloud and maketh us a Apoc. 1.5 6. Kings and Priests unto God and his Father In this Psalme David as Christs Herauld proclaimeth these his titles First his Kingly Sit thou on my right hand ver 1. Be thou ruler in the midst of thine enemies ver 2. Secondly his Propheticall The people shall come willingly in the beautie of holinesse ver 3. Thirdly his Priestly The Lord sware thou art a Priest ver 4. To obscure which most cleare and evident interpretation of this Propheticall Psalme although some mists of doubts have beene cast in former times yet now after the Sun of righteousnesse is risen and hath dispelled them by his owne beames nothing without impietie can be opposed to it for b Mat. 22.42 43 44. there he whom David meaneth openeth Davids meaning he whom this Prophesie discovereth discovereth this Prophesie he to whom this Scripture pointeth pointeth to this Scripture and interpreting it of the Son of man sheweth most evidently that he is the King who reigneth so victoriously ver 1. the Prophet that preacheth so effectually ver 3. and the Priest that abideth continually according to the words of my text which offer to our religious thoughts three points of speciall observation 1 The ceremony used at the consecration of our Lord The Lord sware 2 The office conferred upon him by this rite or ceremonie Thou art a Priest 3 The prerogatives of this his office which is here declared to be 1 Perpetuall for ever 2 Regular after the order 3 Royall of Melchizedek First the forme and manner of our Saviours investiture or consecration was most honourable and glorious God the Father performing the rites which were not imposition of hands and breathing on him the holy Ghost but a solemne deposition of his Father with a protestation Thou art a Priest ceremonies never used by any but God nor in the investiture of any but Christ nor his investiture into any office but his Priesthood Plin. panegyr Trasan Imperium super Imperatorem Imperatoris voce delatum est nihil magis subjecti animo factum est quam quod caepit imperare At his coronation we heare nothing but the Lord said Sit thou on my right hand The rule of the whole world is imposed upon our Saviour by command and even in this did Christ shew his obedience
sonne when it is ripe which he permitted to grow in the father without applying any such remedy outwardly unto it yet this is most certaine that he never visiteth the sinne of the father upon the children if the children tread not in the wicked steps of their father Thus much the words that follow in the second Commandement imply unto the n Exod. 20.5 third and fourth generation of them that hate mee He often sheweth mercy to the sonne for the fathers sake but never executeth justice upon any but for their owne sinnes The sinne of the sonne growes the more unpardonable because he would not take example by his father but abused the long-suffering of God which should have called him to repentance The Latine Proverb Aemilius fecit plectitur Rutilius Aemilius committeth the trespasse and Rutilius was merced for it hath no place in Gods proceedings neither is there any ground of the Poets commination o Hor. l. 3. od 6. lib. 1. od 28. Negligis immeritis nocituram postmodo te natis fraudem committer◠fo rs debita jura vicesque superbae te maneant ipsum Delicta majorum immeritus lues Romane For God is so far from inflicting punishment upon one for the sins of another that he inflicteth no punishment upon any for his own sinne or sins be they never so many and grievous if he turne from his wicked wayes and cry for mercy in time for God desireth not the death of a sinner but of sinne he would not that we should dye in our sinnes but our sinnes in us If we spare not our sinnes but slay them with the sword of the Spirit God will spare us This is the effect of the Prophets answer the summe of this chapter and the contents of this verse in which more particularly we are to observe 1. The person I. 2. The action or affection desire 3. The object death 4. The subject the wicked 1. The person soveraigne God 2. The action or affection amiable delight 3. The object dreadfull deprivation of life 4. The subject guilty the wicked The words are uttered by a figurative interrogation in which there is more evidence and efficacy more life and convincing force For it is as if he had said Know ye not that I have no such desire or thinke ye that I have any desire or dare it enter into your thoughts that I take any pleasure at all in the death of a sinner When the interrogation is figurative the rule is that if the question be affirmative the answer to it must be negative but if the question be negative the answer must be affirmative For example Who is like unto the Lord the meaning is none is like unto the Lord. Whom have I in heaven but thee that is I have none in heaven but thee On the other side when the question is negative the answer must be affirmative as Are not the Angels ministring spirits that is the Angels are ministring spirits and Shall the Son of man find faith that is the Son of man shall not find faith Here then apply the rule and shape a negative answer to the first member being affirmative thus I have no desire that a sinner should dye and an affirmative answer to the negative member thus I have a desire that the wicked should returne and live and ye have the true meaning and naturall exposition of this verse Have I any desire that the wicked should dye 1. God is not said properly to have any thing 2. if he may be said to have any thing yet not desires 3. if he may be said to have a desire of any thing yet not of death 4. if he desire the death of any yet not of the wicked in his sinne Have I As the habits of the body are not the body so neither the habits of the soule are the soule it selfe Now whatsoever is in God is God for he is a simple act and his qualities or attributes are not re ipsâ distinct from his essence and therefore he cannot be said properly to have any thing but to be all things Any desire Desires as Plato defineth them are vela animi the sailes of the mind which move it no other wayes than the saile doth a ship Desire of honour is the saile which moveth the ambitious of pleasure is the saile which moveth the voluptuous of gaine is the saile which moveth the covetous Others define them spurres of the soule to prick us on forwards to such things as are most agreeable to our naturall inclination and deliberate purposes Hence it appeares that properly there can be no desires in God because desire is of something we want but God wanteth nothing Desires are meanes to stirre us up but God is immoveable as he is immutable If then he be said to desire any thing the speech is borrowed and to be understood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in such sort as may agree with the nature of God and it importeth no more than God liketh or approveth such things That the wicked should dye A sinner may be said to dye two manner of wayes either as a sinner or as a man as a sinner he dyeth when his sinne dyeth in him and he liveth as a man he dyeth either when his body is severed from his soule which is the first death or when both body and soule are for ever severed from God which is the second death God desireth the death of a sinner in the first sense but no way in the latter he desireth that sinne should dye in us but neither that we should dye the first death in sin nor dye the second death for sinne He is the author of life p Job 7.20 preserver of mankind He is the q 1 Tim. 4.10 Saviour of all especially them that beleeve Hee would not that any should r 2 Pet. 3.9 perish but all should come to repentance If he should desire the death of a sinner as he should gain-say his owne word so he should desire against his owne nature For beeing is the nature of God Sum qui sum I am that I am but death is the not beeing of the creature No more than light can be the cause of darknesse can God who is life be the cause of death If he should desire the death of a sinner he should destroy his principall attributes of wisedome goodnesse and mercy Of wisdome for what wisedome can it be to marre his chiefest worke Of goodnesse for how can it stand with goodnesse to desire that which is in it selfe evill Of mercy for how can it stand with mercy to desire or take pleasure in the misery of his creature Doth he desire the death of man who gave man warning of it at the first and meanes to escape it if he would and after that by his voluntary transgression he was liable to the censure of death provided him a Redeemer to ransome him from death calleth all men by the Gospel to