of Condoling woe and shall be free from Condemning though our spirituall enemies are stronger and our greiuous sinnes are greater then wee yet as God said to Rebecca the greater shall serue the lesser In Christ all thiâ—…gs are ours and all things quoth Paul euen Sin it selfe quoth Augustine euen the Deuill himselfe quoth Luther worke together for our good yea for the best if we loue God in his Christ. Heale vs thenô Lord and wee shall be healed saue vs and we shall be saued Deliuer vs from eternall woe that we may bee blessed with euerlasting happinesse in thy kingdome of glory where wee shall euer be sure to be free from sorrow because free from sin Ceasing to draw iniquity with cordes of vanity and sin as it were with cart-ropes ESAY 41. 14. Feare not worme Iacob c. CHrist is Alpha and Omega Reu. 1. 8. As Esay speakes in this Chap. at the 4. verse the first and the last and that vnto vs as well as in himselfe being yesterday and to day and the same for euer Heb. 13. 8. And therefore the Church allots a proper Scripture for euery Sunday throughout the whole yeare begins and ends her deuout seruice with the comming of Christ. For the first sentence declared in the Gospell appointed for the first Sunday is behold thy King commeth vnto thee And the conclusion of the last Gospell on the last Sunday this of a truth is the same Prophet that should come into the world which occasioned Petrus Machado to terme this order annulus Christianus as it were the Christians round or ring So the Church in obseruing this high and holy time makes the birth of our Lord and appurtenances of the same the first and the last obiect of all her solemne deuotions other holy dayes in deed come between the feasts of his Natiuity Circumcision and Epiphany but all of them are called Christmas dedicated onely to Christs honour and the reason as some coniecture why Saint Stephen and Saint Iohn and the blessed Innocents are mentioned aboue the rest of the Saints is to shew that Christ came into the world to saue men of all sorts of whatsoeuer degree the Chiualrie represented by Saint Stephen a resolute Knight and warriour in the Lords battaile The Clergie represented by S. Iohn stiled the Diuine The Commonaltie or Infantrie represented by the children Herod slew Or intimating that Christ was borne for men of euery seueral age for men of perfect strength as Saint Stephen For old men on their Crouches as Saint Iohn who liued after Christ was dead as Hierom reports in his life 68. yeeres being as Baronius avoweth at his dying houre 106. yeeres old Lastly for Infants in their Cradles as the blessed Innocents Or it may bee these Saints are honourably remembred at Christmas rather then other because Christ saith if any will follow me let him forsake himselfe take vp his Crosse Mat. 16. 24. The seruant is not greater then his Master if they haue persecuted me they will persecute you also Ioh. 15. 20. Now Bernard other Doctours say there bee 3. kinds of suffering or martyrdome in Christs cause The 1. In will in act as that of Saint Stephen the 2. In will but not in act as that of Saint Iohn the third in act but not in will as that of the Bethelemitish Innocents And so Christ as it is sayd Cant. 5. 10. Is white and ruddy the chiefest among ten thousand as one featly but I censure not hovv featly Candidus in Iohanne rubicundus in Stephano electus ex millibus in Innocentibus This Scripture then is chosen aptly for a Christmas Sunday promising that in type which wee now see performed in truth namely that Christ our Lord is the deliuerer of Sion out of her Captiuity the Comforter abettor strength helper in a word the redeemer of his people from the hands of all their enemies from the bands of all her sinnes In this verse which is Capitulum Capitis as it were the Chapters abridgment two points are to be considered especially 1. The weaknesse of the Church in respect of her selfe as being a worme and as a dead man 2. The strength of the Church in respect of her Sauiour saying feare not I will helpe thee this I haue sayd and this I will haue done being powerfull and able because the Lord pittifull and willing because thy redeemer faithfull and true because the holy one of Israel The Lord calleth elsewhere Iacob his chosen Israel his possession Iuda his Sanctuary Israel his dominion an holy Nation a Kingdome of Priests an holy tree springing of an holy root a people peculiar to himselfe enclosed as it were from the Commons of the whole world But heere considering their present affection and miserable condition vnder Captiuity hee takes a better course with them in omitting these glorious titles and comparing them vnto wormes and men that are dead for this he shewes more That he greatly cares for them although they seeme most abiect in the worlds eye Feare not I am with thee be not affrayd I am thy God I will strengthen thee and helpe thee and sustaine thee with the right hand of my iustice Howsoeuer now thou beest nothing yet I wil so succour thee that all the men of thy strife shall be confounded ashamed perish and come themselues to nothing Behold I will make thee a roller and a new threshing instrument hauing teeth and so thou shalt thresh the mountaines and grind them to powder and make the hills as chaffe A word spoken in his place saith Salomon is like aples of gold with pictures of siluer He therefore which is set apart for the gathering together of the Saints and the worke of the ministrie must as St. Paul exhorts diuide the word of truth aright He must as the Baptist in preparing way for his Lord exalt the vallyes and make the mountaines low Men are made mountaines two wayes either assuming too much vnto themselues out of their owne merit or else presuming too much vpon Gods mercy and on the contrarie men are vallyes in contemplating their great faults and little faith humbled in their sin and in their suffering for sin And therefore the man of God ought to digg downe Mountaines by denouncing Iudgments and to raise vallyes by pronouncing mercy He must as Ambrose sayd bee like a Bee applying the I awes sting to the proud in heart but the Gospells honie to the poore in Spirit It is written in the Law that if a man goeth vnto the wood with his neighbour to hew wood and his hand strikes with the axe to cut downe the tree If the head slip from the helme and hit his neighbour that he dye the same shall flie to one of the Cities appoynted for refuge and liue Such as handle the word indiscreetly without any distinction of times or places or persons or circumstances of sin makes the head
quoth he would chuse rather to throw my selfe into hell then commit one foule fact onely But St. Paul affirmes plainly Heb. 10. 31. That it is a fearefull thing to fall into the handes of the liuing God g Answere is made by distinction almighty God hath marring or destroying handes Of which hands St. Paul there speakes againe making handes Psal. 119. 73. Thine handes haue made me protecting handes Iohn 10. 28. no man saith the Shepheard of our soules shall plucke my sheepe out of my handes and sauing handes Luke 23. 46. Father into thy hands I commend my spirit Of which Dauid here speakes Or as other in this world while there remaines hope for pardon it is better to fall into the handes of God But in that blacke day when once the sentence of condemnation is past it is an horrible thing to fall into his handes for with the froward hee will bee froward Psalm 18. 26. Dauid here speakes of a punishment which is temporall on earth at the most enduring but three dayes But S. Paul there speakes of a payne which is eternall in hell inflicted by such an aduersary which is euerliuing and so consequently his Iudgements in that dungeon of torture can neuer dye Or as other it is better for one who sinnes against God and contemnes the riches of his mercies esteeming the blood of his Couenant where-wherewith he was sanctified an vnholy thing despiting the spirit of grace crucifying Christ againe and trampling him vnder his feet I say for such a reprobate who dyeth in his sinnes It is better to fall into the handes of man who can onely kill the body but hath not power to destroy the soule But for one that sinnes and as Dauid here repents of his sinne from the bottom of his heart It is better for to fall into the handes of God Or in playner termes if it be possible God hath two handes one of Iustice another of Mercy To fall into his hand of Iustice an horrible thing Of that hand Iob sayd Chap. 13. 21. Withdraw thine hand farre from mee The fingers of that hand wrote terrible thinges vpon the wall of Belshazers pallace Dan. 5. But to fall into his hand of mercy full of comfort bâ—…cause his mercies are great Now S. Paul in that place meaneth punishments inflicted by the Lord as an angry Iudge But Dauid in this place meaneth chastisements imposed by the Lord as an indulgent father in loue for the amendments of his children This rubbe being remooued and the passage made cleare let vs proceed in the wayes of our text And that as the blessed Apostle speakes with a right foote In the resolution of Dauid chusing the pestilence rather then famine or the sword Interpreters obserue many notable vertues as first his Iustice For had he chosen famine that would haue pinched onely the poorest himselfe would haue fared well And if hee had chosen warre that would haue destroyed onely the weakest Or if the fury thereof had ouerrunne most of the other yet he might haue set a safeguard to defend his owne person and so preserue his owne skin from the dint of the sword and print of the speare But hauing beene partaker with his subiects in their sinne hee would not exempt himselfe from the punishment He chose therefore the plague which is common Et regt et gregi to Prince to people to Peere to poore The hand must bee equall that handles the scale Princes are sometimes partiall in distributing Iustice betweene subiect and subiect But in a cause concerning their owne particular so well as the generall of their people not to shew more of the party then of the King as Dauid in this answere to Gad is admirable Iustice. Well fare his heart who sayd Diuines are to blame who write Cases of conscience for priuat persons and teach exactly what account shopkeepers are to make for false wares and idle words and in the meane time neglect exorbitant errours of higher powers and potentates And it is a good quaere whether it bee not grosser Idolatry to preferre reason of states before the principles of piety then to worship the golden calfe or Nabuchodonosors Image Dauid vnderstood that hee was obliged to God doubly first that he made him a man Secondly in that he made him a little God to rule ouer other men a finger as it were of that great hand that gouerns al the world as then he stood in Gods place so did he follow Gods paterne as God is righteous in all his wayes so hee desires to deale iustly with all men in all things Hee respects the ship of the common weale more then the cock-boat of his owne fortune and therefore would not haue the whole burden of the punishment to be layd vpon his people but with bowed knee stoupes to beare his part saying Let vs fall into the hand of God shewing himselfe so forward to suffer as he was to sinne Secondly Diuines obserue Dauids humility laying no fault vpon his subiects their sinnes he knew not his owne he knew for which he had iustly deserued this plague The text telleth vs at the 10. verse That after hee numbred the people for which all this tempest arose His heart smote him and hee sayd vnto the Lord I haue greatly sinned in that I haue done And now I beseech thee O Lord take away the iniquity of thy seruant for I haue done very foolishly and at the 17. verse Loe I haue sinned and done wickedly but these sheepe what haue they done That is the people being innocent as Sheepe what haue they done that they should thus suffer I pray thee let thine hand be vpon mee and against my fathers house Hugo de Sancto victore Tostatus and other auow that the people did offend in numbring the souldiers as much if not more then Dauid First because they did not entreat Dauid to forbeare this muster at this time being needlesse saying as Ioab the generall of the host in the 3. verse Why doth my Lord the King delight in this thing Secondly because being numbred they did not offer vnto the Lord his due for the law saith Exod. 30. 12. When thou takest the summe of the children of Israel after they be numbred euery man shall giue a ransome for his soule to the Lord when thou numbrest them that there be no plague among them when thou numbrest them It was according to the law for the magistrate to number Israel as we read Num. 1. 2. But it was against the Law for the people being numbred to neglect their offerings For the better vnderstanding of this hystory let vs if you please renew that text againe When thou takest the summe The word in Hebrew signifieth Head because the summe totall howsoeuer it bee placed at the foot of our account yet indeed it is the head of the number or Head That is the summe of the heades of
Chap. 6. vers 5. Woe is me for I am vndone This kind of woe nothing at al or very litle concernes our present Text that other is two fold to witt a woe of instruction and a woe of destruction or in plainer termes a woe denounced and a woe executed The woe whereof I am now to treate and many moe both after and before these words As woe to them that ioyne house to house and field to field Till there be no place for others in the Land Woe to them who rise vp early to follow drunkennesse Woe to them who speake good of euill and euill of good are but warnings and so by consequent armings against that heauy woe of destruction which in the end of the Chapter is threatened by a nation that shall come from farre with arrowes that are sharpe and all their bowes bent with horses hauing hoofes like flint with Chariots hauing wheeles like whirlwinds roaring as the Lyon or as the roaring Seas Executing the iudgements of God vpon the men of Iudah and inhabitants of Ierusalem in such sort that none shall deliuer them In the dayes of security to sound out the woes of seuerity is not welcome though it be wholsome it is harsh vnto flesh and bloud vnto such as are at ease in Sion vnto such as haue made a league with death and with hell agreement vnto such as dreame of peace when there is no peace Saying to the seers see not and to the Prophets prophesie not vnto vs right things but speake flattering things Esay 30. 10. But the Thundering of woe is wholsome to such as haue hearts and eares to suffer the words of exhortation It is so farre from either bringing or hastening of woe as that if it worke true repentance it doth often deferre and sometime deliuer vs from a woe hanging ouer our heads Howsoeuer the wicked had rather once feele then euer feare destruction and woe yet it is an argument of Gods infinite rich mercy who desires not the death of a sinner first to become a Preacher and then a punisher First to sound a woe before hee send a woe First to speake to vs in his wrath before hee vexe vs in his sore displeasure Psal. 2. 5. So we read that he did inioyne his Prophets to cry aloud to lift vp their voyce like a Trumpet in shewing his people their trangressions and to the house of Iacob their sinnes And Christ albeit he were the Prince of peace Esay 9. 6. did chuse some for his Apostles who were the Sonnes of Thunder so well as others who were the Sonnes of Consolation and after ascending vp on high and giuing gifts vnto men Ephes. 4. 8. He bestowed vpon his Apostles not onely clouen but all so fiery tongues Acts. 2. 3. That they might not onely direct but also correct as St. Paul speakes improue rebuke c. As Nazianzen wrote of Basil that they might lighten in their doings and thunder in their doctrines In this Chapter at the 6. verse the preachers are compared vnto cloudes I will command the cloudes that they raine no more raine vpon my Vineyard That is the pastours teachers that they preach no more When the Lord saith Augustine by the mouths of his ministers denounceth a woe then he thunders in the cloudes But when they bring the glad tidings of saluation he distilleth as it were drops of his mercy sending a ioyfull raine thaâ—… refresheth his inheritance God as an exquisite musician twines the strings of our hearts euery way that he may put vs in tune he hath a longing desire that the teares of our repentance may quench vtterly the Coales of his displeasure for albeit the Axe bee layd vnto the roote of the tree yet shall it not be hewen downe so long as there remaines any hope for fruites of amendment It is true that God if men will not turne hath his Bow bent and ready but as hee that shootes to hit another hath the string of his Bow vpon his owne breast Euen so God in drawing the Bow to shoote the bitter arrowes of his wrath against vs hath his hand on his heart and in the middest of his anger hee remembers mercy Abacuc 3. 2. Denouncing a great many woes before hee will execute as much as one woe This exceeding kindnesse and long suffering in God commendat et emendat as Augustine speakes it recommends God as a patterne teaching vs to be mercifull as our Father in heauen is mercifull Is the Lord gratious full of pitty long suffering and of great goodnesse Then I beseech you be followers of God as deere children Ephes. 5. 1. As God sayd vnto Moses Exod. 25. 40. So I say to thee fac secundum exemplar performe that which is good according to the patterne Doe not rashly iudge much lesse condemne any man before the time but expect amendment in thy greatest enemie hope the best euen of the worst although he draw iniquity with cordes of vanity and sinne as it were with cart-ropes Secondly the bountifulnes and long suffering of God lead vs to repentance Rom. 2. 4. For that which is counted of man slackenesse is in God patience desiring that no man should perish but all should amend and be saued 2. Pet. 3. 9. If we shall harden our hearts and neglect the woes of instruction vndoubtedly the woes of destruction will one day come vpon vs. If we continue not onely to sinne but to delight in sinne and not only to delight in sinne but to boast of sinne and not only to boast of sinne but also to iustifie sinne As to make good euill and euill good drawing iniquity with cordes of vanity and sinne as it were with a carte rope What do we but heape vpon our selues wrath against the day of wrath and of the declaration of the iust iudgement of God The diseases of our age through a long peace grow for the most part by riot and excesse and consequently haue not so much vse of restoratiues as need of launcing and corrasiues when the woundes of the people saith Cyprian are tumentia then the preachers as good Chirurgions must open the swelling veynes of pride launce the puffed-vp impostumes of greedy desires then it is their duty to cry woe be to those that are mighty to drink wine woe be to those that are wise in their own sight woe bee to those who iustifie the wicked for reward In a word the best musicke for our times is that of the Angell Apocalyps 8. 13. Woe woe woe to the inhabitants of the earth And because men haue despised the Prophets and stoned if not with hard flint yet with hard speeches and vsage such as haue beene sent vnto them early late Therefore God makes the very dumbe creatures to Preach and sound out his woes in the middest of a peruerse generation The foundations of the earth quaking and shaking
so little regarding the light of Israel and honour of this our braue victorious nation that they resolued vpon the conclusion of the match not onely to be sonnes of the Pope but also the seruants of a strange people Yet God be thanked England had her Dauids who did not cease night and day to call and cry to the Lord For thy sonnes sake for thy Sions sake let not our insulting enemies a bloody generation drunken with the bloâ—…d of the Saints haue their desires ouer vs For their mercies are full of cruelty But let vs fall into thy handes for thy Iudgements are full of mercy And it is vndoubtedly Gods owne worke who brings light out of darkenesse and can doe whatsoeuer he will and will doe whatsoeuer is best for his people sometime by weake meanes and sometimes by no meanes and sometime by contrary meanes against whom there is no wisedome nor vnderstanding nor counsell That our Dauids prayer is heard our religion established our peace setled good men incouraged our open enemies discomfited and our false friends discouered and worthily deluded To whom I 〈◊〉 now no more but only this If you be good Christians and setled Protestants so remaine If you were once anâ—… 〈◊〉 now fallen returne If you neuer were repâ—… If you neuer will be perish Were it not for the honour of God and glory of his people the cast happily might prooue measurable whether it bee better to bee slayne by the sword in warre or by the pestilence in peace But a good man and a good magistrate especially considering barbarus has segetes That the blasphemous aduersaries of God roare in the middes of the congregations and set vp their banners for tokens breaking into Gods inheritance defiling the holy Temple and making Hierusalem â—…n heap of stones And how they giue the dead bodies of his seruants to be meate vnto the foules of the ayre and the flesh of his Saints vnto the beastes of the land I say the new borne babe in Christ vnderstanding these things easily resolues as Dauid here Let vs fall into the hand of the Lord and not into the hand of man 4. Learned Expositours obserue the wisedome of Dauid in chusing é malis minimum of three mischiefes the lesser Abuleâ—…sis vpon the place notes aptly That God made these 3. punishments inequall in time 7 yeares of famine 3 moneths of warre 3 dayes of pestilence that hee might make them equall in magnitude and so put Dauid into his doubts so well as his dumps The time being equall the plague doubtlesse is more grieuous then warre and warre more grieuous then famine But seuen yeeres famine may bee so bad as three moneths fleeing before cruell enemies and three moneths of bloody warre so bad as three dayes of plague Yet Dauid chose the pestilence for these reasons 1. In the rebellion of Absolon he had â—…ryall of the sword for there fell in that ciuill warre 20. thousand of the people And he had felt 3. yeeres famine for the sinne of Sauls house But he neuer yet had experience of the plague as then Ignoti nulla cupido so nulla formidâ—… 2. The plague is Gods immediat hand his sword 1. Chron. 21. 30. His arrow Psal. 91. 5. The physitians haue termed it fulmen coeleste The thunderbolt of heauen and the canonists Bellum Dei contra homines the warre of God against men Happily you will obiect is there any euill in the city and the Lord hath not done it Amos. 3. 6. It is true that warre and famine are from the Lords hand but herein hee doth vse other instruments as the sword of men in warre and other deuouring creatures in famine and so consequently whereas in the pestilence wee seeke onely to the mercies of God in warre and famine we are to wrestle with the cruelties of men also whose heart saith Esay is to destroy To take the spoyle to tread their enemies downe like the mire in the streetes saith the Lord was a little displeased but they helped forward the affliction Zach. 1. 15. As if he should haue sayd my purpose was only to try you but theirend to destroy you now we beare more then patiently the Lords rod then the hand of man 3. Dauid did chuse that punishment which was most agreeable to his sinne his fault in numbring the people was to try his power and to put his affiance therein and therefore being sorry for his errour he desired the plague that he might not trust any more to the arme of flesh but altogether rely vpon the Lord. For had he chosen warre men of valour would haue resisted and imagined that their sword should haue saued them And if he had chosen famine money-men would haue trusted in their purse making gold their hope and saying to the wedge of gold thou art my confidence Hee that hath siluer may buy bread and hee that hath enough bread need not to starue for hunger but a man infected and afflicted wiâ—…h the plague hath no weapons or meanes to relieue his distressed estate but onely prayers and teares Mysticallâ—… this numbring of the people saith Ruperius vpon the place figures carnall Israelites boasting in the works of the Law for to thinke that a man is iustified by works when as Abraham was iustified by faith is to trust in chariots and horse Lastly Diuines obserue Dauids faith and affiance in the Lord as being assured that all things worke together for the best vnto those that feare him he well vnderstood that God haâ—…h a left hand of Iustice so well as a right hand of mercy But the godly feele each hand gentle both hands of God are right hands vnto them Is there dearth in the land Daniel will thriue with water and pulse so well as other with wine and Iunkets Is there persecution in the Church To suffer death in Christs cause quoth holy Bradford is the high way to heauen on horsbacke Though Esaâ—… bee stronger then Iacob yet the greater shall serue the lesser The number of Gods elect is small the number of reprobate fooles infinite The Church is a little flocke of lambes in the mids of wolues and yet populus maior seruit minori many that are bad serue those few which are good non obsequendo quoth Augustine sed persequendo not by doing good but by doing mischiefe to them and so they turne Goldsmiths of God to make crownes for all such as in his battailes haue fought a good fight If other troubles arise touching our goods or good name Dauids resolution is It is good for me that I haue beene in trouble For affliction holdes men in as hauing little outlets or leasure for idlenesse and luxury Doth sicknesse and of all sicknesse in many respects the most vncomfortable the pestilence come nigh our dwelling Yet let vs not be afrayd for any terrour by night or the arrow that flyeth by day
But instantly and that constantly resolue with Dauid here let vs fall into the hand of God and not into the hand of man As we feele more sensible comfort of the Sunnes heate when we are cold So the greater our danger and extremity the greater is that power and piety that deliuereth vs. These vertues are the brightest starres in the sphere of maiestie manifesting Dauids duty to God and man and the reason of all this high and holy resolution is because the mercies of the Lord are great great in their nature as being riches of his goodnesse Rom. 2. 4. Exceeding riches of his grace Ephes. 2. 7. Great in their number as being multitudes of mercies Psal. 51. 1. Great in their continuance as being for euer and euer Psal 103. 17. That is as the doctours expound it from euerlasting predestination to euerlasting glorification euery way so great that our Prophet saith in the 145. Psal. at the 9. verse His mercies are ouer all his workes Of which I find a two fold construction and each of them exceeding comfortable 1. His mercies are ouer That is greater then all his works not in propriety for all the vertues of God are equal as being essential attributes But in effect and extent greater For whereas Gods indignation is but vpon the 4. generation of such as hate him his mercies are vpon thousand generations of those that loue him and keepe his Commandements Among the 13. properties of God Exod. 34. Almost all of them appertaine to his mercy whereas one concernes his might and only two his lustice The 2 construct on is his mercies are ouer all that is shâ—…wed in all and towards all his works for the latter clause his mercies c is nothing else but a repeâ—…ition of the former The Lord is good vnto all His goodnesse is the same with his mercy and all is all his works The mercies of God then are great to the whole vniuerse more specially to the reasonable creatures and among those principally to such as loue him and feare him and call vpon him faithfully As our Prophet in the before cited Psalme verse 18. 19. 20. His mercies compasse them about on all sides and at all seasons on euery side for hee maketh an hedge about them and about their houses and about all they haue Iob. 1. 10. They bee his enclosed vineyards of whom hee saith Esa. 5. What could I haue done more for my vinyard which I haue not done for it and his mercies are toward them at al seasons as the blessed Virgin in her Magnificat throughout all generations To speake more distinctly the mercies of God toward vs are seene in two things especially donando et condonando That is in giuing vs whatsoeuer is good for vs and in forgiuing whatsoeuer is euill euill of sinne euill of punishment for sinne pardoning all our offences against himselfe against our other selfe against our owne selfe lastly his mercies are great in Inferendis Differendis Auferendis supplicijs Mercifull in inferring punishment for when as we deserue to be scourged with Scorpions he chastiseth vs only with the rod of men and with the stripes of the children of men 2. Sam. 7. 14. We confesse that we sinne greatly So Dauid verse 10. of this chapter But the Lord saith I was but a little displeased Mercifull in deferring punishment as being full of pitty slow to wrath long suffering of great goodnesse cito struit tarde destruit making the whole world in sixe dayes and yet was in destroying one citie seuen dayes Mercifull in remouing punishments as in this present example For the Rabbines haue a fable that the plague threatned here 3 dayes continued only for one houre Ioscphus writes that it continued only from morning till noone others conceiue that it continued onely till the time appointed for euening sacrifice that day when it begun They who stand vpon the precise letter of the text say that the time was shortned for the Lord repented him and sayd to the Angel that destroyed the people it is enough And that was in the beginning of the third day For had not the Lord stayed the Angels hand hee would haue gone on siniting till that day had beene expired and finished It is reported of one that hauing a booke of 2 leaues only hee could not in all his life read it ouer one leafe was red wherein was registred the Iudgements of God in consideration whereof he cryed out enter not into iudgement with thy seruant O Lord c. The other was white in which were written the mercies of God in admiration whereof hee cryed out what is man that thou art so mindfull of him as being lesse then the least of thy mercies If he could not read them in his whole life how shall I repeate them in this munite of time Giue mee leaue onely to conclude in the words of our mother Church O God whose nature and property is euer to haue mercy and to forgiue grant vs thy grace that in all time of our tribulation in all time of our wealth in the houre of death and as the day of iudgment we may put our whole trust and confidence in thee resoluing always as Dauid here let vs fall into the hand of the Lord and not into the hands of man for thy mercies are great 2. KINGS 19. 36. 37. So Senacherib King of Ashur departed and went his way and returned and dwelt in Niniue And as he was in the Temple worshipping Nisroth his god Adramelech and Sharezer his sons slew him with the sword THis scripture reports two things specially to wit the flight and fall of Senacherib King of Ashur a great Monarch and a great boaster of his greatnesse saying in the pride of his heart verse 23. By the multitude of my chariots I am come vp to the top of the mountaines by the sides of Lebanon and will cut downe the tall Cedars thereof and the firre trees thereof and I will goe into the lodging of his borders and into the forrest of his Carmel I haue digged and drunke the waters of others and with the plant of my feete haue dryed all the riuers of besieged cities Affronting Gods people with insolent language Let not Ezechia deceiue you neither let Ezechia make you to trust in the Lord saying the Lord wâ—…ll surely deliuer vs. Hath any of the gods of the nations deliuered his land out of the hand of the King of Ashur Where is the God of Hamath and of Arphad where is the God of Sepharuaim Hena and â—…ua How haue they deliuered Samaria out of mine hand Now the Lord when this huge Leuiathan had in his owne conceit swallowed vp Iuda put a hooke into his nostrils and a bit into his mouth and so brought him backe againe the same way that he came making him in the mids of his fury first to fly then afterward to fall His flight is reported here to bee full of
a cherefull thankesgiuer one that serues him with gladnesse and comes before his presence with a song It is a seely thing for a Priest or people to dissemble with God and to become Hermaphrodites in the businesse of religion A seely thing to halt betweene God and Baal A seely thing to receiue the wages of the Gospell and to doe the worke of Antichrist A seely thing to looke vp to Hierusalem and to goe downe to Iericho to gaine preferment in the Church of England and yet vnder hand craftily to repaire the tottering walles of Babylon the Lord knoweth who are his and he knowes those which haue but a sâ—…cret marke of the beast as well as wee know those which openly worship a wodden blocke magnifie the masse make new sauiours yea for king killers a new heauen and for such as please not their confessours well a purgatorie which is a new hell and so withall that is within them and all that is without them exalt the man of sinne aboue all that is called God Beloued if ye desire to seeke the Lord happily seeke him heartily and that not only once or twice during the sun-shine of prosperity or in the time of trouble in the houre of death in the day of Iudgment only But as our Prophet exhorâ—… euermore When a man hath done his best he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 againe saith Ecclesiasticus he that 〈◊〉 he hath sought enough is like to find bâ—… 〈◊〉 saith Leo the great so Bernard qui dixit suffâ—…t d ficit continually to seeke is constantly 〈◊〉 seeke neuer to fâ—…int in doing this duty Happily some will obiect if the Lord bee found of such aâ—… seeke him faithfully what need is there to seeke any more Are christians in this respect like to the foolish gossips of whom St. Paul euer learning and yet neuer able to come to the knowledge of the trueth or like carnall Israel who following the law of righteousnesse could not attaine to the law of righteousnesse Rom. 9. 31. Answere is made by Augustine that wee seeke Gods face by faith and they seeke it more by hope Melior fit quaerens tam magnum â—…m quod et inueniendum quaeritur et quaerendum inuenitur nam et quaeratur vt inueniatur dulcius et inuenitur vt quaeritur auidius He doth alwayes better himselfe who seekes so great good which is to bee sought that it may be found and found that it may be sought sought that it may be found with greater delight and found that it may bee sought with greater desire Now we behold Gods face by faith and hope through a glasse darkely but we shall hereafter see him as S. Paul speakes euen face to face and then as wee shall euer loue him so doubtlesse euer seeke him and as the want of the beautifull vision in the iudgement of Diuines is the hell of hell so the fruition of Gods face contrarily the heauen of heauen The Father of mercy bee mercifull vnto vs and blesse vs and shew vs the light of his countenance that wee may grow from strength to strength and goe from grace to grace from seeking him in this earthly tabernacle to seeing him vpon his holy mountaine Hierusalem aboue where with him and of him and through him and for him we shall haue fulnes of ioyes and incomparable pleasures for euermore Amen IOHN 8. 6. Iesus stouped downe and with his finger wrote on the ground THere be so many questions vpon this text that the text it selfe is a little called into question it being in the iudgment of Erasmus Caietan Iansenius Beza rather a patch then a parcell of the Gospel If any list to be contentious hee may read Erasmus answered by Bellarmin de verbâ—… dei lib. 1. Chap. 16. Caietan answered by his Antagonist Ambros us Catharinus in his annotations against the nou ll opinions of Caietan § de historia adulterae Iansenius answered by Maldonate Beza by Melancton Caluin Aretius Piscator in their commentaries vpon the place For my part I was euer and am still an oâ—… 〈◊〉 of the Church hearing the instâ—…uction of my Father and not forsaking the eaching of my Mother and therefore beholding this pecce with the eyes of all antiquity to bee prot 〈◊〉 and altogether authenticall I foâ—…beare further inquisition and come presently to the worke of this houre which is to deliuer vnto you first an explication of the wordes and then an application of the doctrines arising from the same Our text then is a Iudicious answere of Christ vnto a captious question of the Scribes and Pharisees in the words immediatly going before Master this woman was taken in the very act of adulterie now Moses in the law commanded vs that such should be stoned but whatsayest thou hereby tempting him that they might haue to accuse him either before the Priests or the people before the Priests If contrary to the commandement of Moses hee should absolue this adulteresse before the people If contrary to the profession of his meekenesse and mercy he should vtterly condemne her and therefore being in a great strait he doth answere by not answering or he giueth vs his answere by deed whereas they did obiect by word this action of deed is two fold 1 He stouped downe to the ground 2 He wrote with his finger on the ground In stouping downe to the ground he doth intimate that if they would set apart their supercilioâ—…s pride descend into themselues and contemplate that in the beginning they were dust and in the end shall againe returne to dust If they would consider seriously that it is appointed vnto men once to dye and after death a iudgment followeth in which all receiue their doomes according to their deedes If they would examine their owne selues and vnderstand their owne case they would not bee so foreward in censuring nor so malitious in condemning others O earth earth earth heare the word of the Lord thou which art earth by procreation earth by sustentation earth by corruption in principio sperma faetidum in medio 〈◊〉 corumi in fine cibus vermium Heare the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord what word euen that of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sauiour Mat 7. 1. Iudge not that yeâ—… bee not iudged Iudge not rashly Iudge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iudge not vnseasonably lest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the whole world conâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So S. Paul expounds his Lord â—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—… If we would iudge our selues wee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iudged Iâ—… is a conclusion in architecture that the foundation requires the most exact care for if that happen to dance it will marre all the mirth in the house and it is another rule he that will build high must lay his foundation low So beloued it is in the spirituall building of Gods house which are we Heb. 3. 6. 〈◊〉 euer exalteth himselfe shall be humbled and 〈◊〉 that humbleth himselfe shall be exalted The proâ—…d
And because the men of sinne haue transgressed most on earth it will chiefly cry out against them as hauing beene pondus inutile terrae an vnworthy burden for mother earth to beare 4 Christ wrote on the ground as a very learned Bishop of our Church acutely to shew that hee would haue slanderous accusations written in the dust and trodden vnder foote of those who passe by Solomon saith A good name is better then great riches honor is better then wealth good is better then great for as Plato determined diuinely goodnesse is not in greatnesse but on the contrary greatnesse is in goodnesse Put then according to the rules of Logicke these premises together and the conclusion of it owne selfe will easily follow that a good name is better then great riches He therefore that is an vnworthy backbiter of his brother is worse then a thiefe stealing that away which is more precious then siluer and gold And the rule doubtlesse is verified in backbiting so well as in burglary there would bee no theeues if there were no receiuers If some men had not itching eares to heare false rumours others would not haue scratching tongues like the pens of libellors to make them and moue them it is truely sayd by Bernard the tale-bearer hath the deuill in his tongue the receiuer in his care the one is the foot-post and messenger of Satan and the other lest happily the deuil being now growen an old serpent should fayle in his memory the recorder and register of hell It is reported of Theocritus that being asked on a time what beast hee thought to be most hurtfull and cruell answered on the mountaines Lyons and beares in the cities catchpolles and slanderers a thiefe is sayd to send one to the deuill an adulterer two but the back-biter hurteth at the least three to wit himselfe the party of whom and the party to whom he tels the tale ter homicida quoth Luther he kils three with one blow Bernard goes further multitudinis audientium dum aures infecit animas interfecit And therefore when thou hearest a scandalous information against a brother against an Elder especially follow Christs example write it in the dust haue not eares to heare but expresse both in word and gesture that thou hatest a backbiter euen with a perfit hatred Hitherto concerning the first question and the branches thereof I come now to the second what it was our blessed Lord wrote on the ground S. Ambrose saith hee wrote this sentence Matth. 7. 3. Thou beholdest the mote that is in thy brothers eye but considâ—…rest not the beame that is in thine owne eye As if he should haue sayd in other termes yee Scribes and Pharisees are ready to condemne this adultres yet your selues running a whoring after your owne inuentions adulterating the law with your corrupt glosses and impious interpretations haue committed greater abhominations in the sight of the Lord her carnall vncleannesse is nothing in comparison of your spirituall wheredomes without number Hicrome 〈◊〉 Bullenger and some other haue this 〈◊〉 that hee wrote certaine characters in the pauement which the Pharisees beholding might as in a glasse see their own wickednesse and so blushing at it went their wayes one by one beginning at the first euen to the last one by one they went not out by twoes much lesse by troups but stole away single lest it might appeare that Christ had confounded them and the most ancient went out first as being most guilty For the true Church is compared to a flocke of Lambes and of Lambes it is truely sayd the bigger the better But the wicked are compared to goates of whom it is sayd the elder the worse as they bee the sonnes of many dayes so the fathers of many sinnes or the eldest went out first and the younger imitating their example followed after and so none left in the roome but misera et misericordiae saith Augustine the woman a subiect of misery and Christ the Father of mercy Pride and Hypocrisie being remoued a Sauiour and a sinner agree well enough alone and yet by reuerend Bezaes leaue they were not alone for although his aduersaries and her accusers went out as being conuicted in their conscience yet his owne company stayed with him in the Temple the which is cleare by the words of our Euangelist at the 9. verse stans in mediâ—… she was standing in the midst in the midst of whom If Christ only were present with her Beda Thomas of Aquin and many moe thinke he wrote that sentence which afterward he spake he that is without sinne among you let 〈◊〉 cast the first stone at her The which one word crossed their cauill and answered their question abundantly preseruing hereby both the lawes honour and his owne credit Non dixit as Augustine pithily non lapidetur ne contra legem nèc lapidetur ne contra misericordiam venit enim quaerere quod perierat If he had sayd let her not be stoned that had beene against the law If he had sayd let her be stoned that had beene against the Gospell and himselfe who came to call sinners to repentance to seeke and to saue that was lost He therefore frames this midling answere that quit himselfe of both imputations Here then is verified that of Solomon a word fitly spoken or as the Hebrew hath it a word spoken vpon his wheeles as Castalio translateth oratio râ—…tunde pronuntiata round and sound is like apples of gold in pictures of siluer what could haue beene sayd more shortly yet what more sharply being as Paul speakes a two edged sword on the one side cutting the knot of the proud Pharisees doubt on the other side cutting asunder the bondes of a poore dismayed sinner The precept it selfe teacheth all people that if they contemplate their owne sinnes in the glasse of the word they will not rashly censure of others It is the Rhetoricke with which all of vs were borne to lessen our owne offences to lay them at the doors of others Adam in the beginning as yee know layd his fault vpon the woman and she layd it vpon the serpent and the serpent vpon God it is an old sayd saw non videmus id manticae quod intergo est the sinnes of our brethren are placed in that part of the Wallet which is before vs alway but our owne misdeeds in that part which is behind vs out of sight All of vs in examining our proper errours are like Polyphemus hauing but one eye or like the Popish Priest who had one that was nequam and another nequicquam yea borne blind like the man in the ninth of S. Iohn hauing neuer a seeing eye but in discouering the manifold transgressions of other Argus-like of whom the Poet Centum luminibus cinctum caput Argus habebat Themistus obserued iudiciously that our vnderstanding seldome errs
men and for ought I know commendable to prouide some new clothes against the receiuing of the communion at Easter now S. Paul exhorteth vs to put on under mercy kindnesse humblenesse of mind mâ—…ekenesse long suffering for bearing one another and forgiuing one another which Christ himselfe termeth a nâ—…w sutâ—… Iohn 13. 34. A new commandement I giue vnto you that you loue one another This vndoubtedly was an old precept from the beginning but he calleth it new For that he would haue this alway fresh in our memory fresh in our practise leâ—… all our things be done in loue that one chiefly which is called a Communion in respect of the common Vnion among our selues and as being a signe and a seale of our communion with Christ our â—…eace The second kind of confession is for the satisfaction of our owne selues if at any time wee feele our consciences heauily burdened with any grieuous temptation I know Christ is the Priest vnto whom euery sinner infected with a spirituall leprosie must open and shew himselfe being a Priest for euer after the order of Melcâ—…isedec an high Priest that is touched with a feeling of our infirmities Heb. 4. 15. So Chrysostome saith I will thee not to bewray thy selfe before others openly but I counsell thee to obey the Prophet saying Open thy way to the Lord And againe Confesse thy sinnes vnto the Lord who is able to cure thee and not vnto thy fellow-seruant that may vpbrayd thee with them And S. Augustine what haue I to doe with men that they should heare my confession as if they could heale my griefes Yea but what if after all my contrition and confession vnto God I feele not an absolution or any comfort to my poore distressed soule What if after I haue cryed vnto the Father of mercies O God be mercifull vnto me a sinner He do not answere my spirit I am thy saluation What if for one scandall which I haue giuen I haue such an insupportable burden in my conscience as if a milstone were hanged about my necke S. Iames in such a case doeth aduise here Confesse your faults one to another and pray one for another that yee may be healed For the prayer of a righteous man preuaileth much if it be feruent For as a vehement burning feuer is no way to bee cured but with opening a veine whereat the infected blood hauing vent may carry away with it the putrified matter that did molest the body So against strong temptations and afflictions of the mind there is no remedy more secure then to open the heart vnto a wise friend and to let out those raging passions that did disquiet our soule Now because preachers of the word ought to be more skilfull and expert then others in applying the good tidings of the Gospell vnto the poore to binde vp the broken hearted and to comfort such as mourne in Sion It is fit that wee should haue recourse to some learned Pious and discreete Pastour who can and will Minister a word of consolation in due season For Almighty God hath giuen power and commandement to his Ministers to declare and pronounce to his people being penitent the absolution and remission of their sins Vnâ—…o them he sayd Whatsoeuer yee bind in earth shal be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer ye loose in earth shall bee loosed in heauen And vpon this ground there is in the Church of England a general absolution after a generall confession of sins and a particular absolution after a particular confession and wee teach also that this acte of absoluing belongs vnto the Minister ordinarily Tanquam ex officto But when none of that order is or can bee present another may doe it with good effect according to that old saying In casu necessario quilibet Christianus est sacerdos In one worâ—…â—…ee may confesse our faults vnto good people which are power-full in the Scriptures apt to teach admonish and aduise for our comforts But especially to Godly Pasâ—…ours as being put apart to preach the Gospell of God and to be disposers of his holy secrets This I know to be the Tenet of our Church agreeable to the confessions of other reformed Churches as to the confession of Heluetia Cap. 14. of Bohemia Cap. 5. of Aspurge art 11. of Saxone art 16. As you may reade Harmon confessionum Sect 8. This acknowledgement of our faults is farre different from auricular Popish confession First in that it is not vpon constraint but voluntary Secondly because wee are not enioyned to confesse vnto the Parish Priest or to any one confessour appoynted by the Diocesaâ—… and Ordinary But wholly left at our owne choise Thirdly Because wee are not tyed to any certaine time but only when wee find our selues in our conscience rightly disposed and to bee in the state of true repentance Yet because men are negligent and carelesse in performing of this duty the Church exhorteth vs to confesse at two times aboue the rest To wit In sicknesse and in Lent In sicknes euery Christian ought to make a speciall confession if hee feele his conscience troubled with any weighty matter earnestly desiring the standers by to pray for him and the discreete Pastour if need be to absolue him As for Lent Although our whole life should be nothing 〈◊〉 but a Lent to prepare our selues against the Sabâ—… our death and Easter of our resurrection Yet seeing the corruption of our dayes and wickednesse of our natures is so much exorbitant as that it is an hard matter to hold the common sort of people within the lists of Piety Iustice and Sobriety It is fit there should bee one time at the least in the yeare and that of a reasonable continuance for the recalling of them vnto some more stayed courses and seuere cogitations and happily these things might haue beene more fitly restored in the reformed Churches vnto their Primitiue sincerity rather then abolished as in some places vtterly The fourth â—…hing required in confession is that it be not defensiue buâ—… accusatiue noted in the word Peccata Now there be diuers partitions of sinnes as First In respect of their beginning so some sinnes are called Originall as being deriued from our first parent Adam other actuall as issuing from our owne corrupt will Secondly In respect oâ—… their obiect and so some sinnes are called carnall aud other spirituall according to that of S. Paul The Virgin careth for the things of the Lord that she may be holy both in body soule For al things in which al offend are either felt by the senses as meate drinke lust so 〈◊〉 be carnall sinnes or apprehended by the vnderstanding as honour knowledge power and â—…o called spirituall wickednesses the first makes vs lâ—…ke beastes the second like deuils Thirdly In respect of the parties iniuried in 〈◊〉 and so some be called sinnes