I am not as other men or as this Publican v. 11. Ecce superba iactantia behold his proud boasting But the Latter like a Full Eare stoopes downe and cryes Oh God be Mercifull Nulla praetendit Merita nullas adfertexcusationes Alfons Salmer in loc Tract 32. à Sect 13. ad 17 sed se Peccatorem liberè confitetur saith Salmeron a Iesuite He pretends not Merits as they of their Synagogue doe He extenuates not his sinnes by making them Veniall as he himselfe doth but hee freely confesseth them Propitiationem petens Ibid. per quam sibi appropinquare dignetur crying for Mercy by which onely hee might be esteemed worthy of approach amidst his Miserie In the same streame runnes another though otherwise a Papist saying Non allego Merita mea quae nulla habeo Lud. Granat in loc Concio 1. sed prouoco ad misericordiam I dare not pleade my Merits for they are altogether none but I will vrge thy Mercy for that endureth for euer and therefore I acknowledging my sin Pardon oh pardon mine iniquity and be mercifull vnto me a Sinner Doct. Whence note That euen by the iudgement of Papists Mercy not Merit is the best of a Sinners Plea in making suite against his sinnes The wounded and distressed Beggar when he would haue an Almes doth not cracke of his Country he stands not on his Gentility but rather hee Opens his Sores Lies in his Ragges deplores his lamentable estate and by these hee calls on the Passengers for pittie so should it be with the Sinner who is full of Sin and Shame whose soare runnes and ceaseth not who might euen Roare with Disquietnesse of heart because of the Encrease of his iniquities and what remaines then saue onely Obtestations Obsecrations Importunate entreaties grounded vpon Grace and all accompanied with an absolute disclaiming of all sauing onely The goodnesse of God Bee Mercifull As from the Sunne Diez Lucitan Summa Praedi Tit. Misericord Moone and other of the Planets which are as it were the Eyes of the world as by the Aspect of them so many good things grow as Gold in the Earth and Grasse on it yea Gemmes and Iewels Hearbs and Flowers So by Gods beholding vs in Mercy Diuersa quaeque bona in animis gignentur euery good and perfect gift are begotten in and gotten to our soules which may bring Comfort to the Conscience Ioy to the Heart Solace to the Soule and what can wee doe lesse yea or what else but cry O God be mercifull And if this be so Vse Come downe then thou Crakeing Pharisee and Boasting Iusticiarie who yet dost stand in it That there is something in thee for which thou art worthy to be heard If there be so then I pray thee shew it by these three ensuing signes and then will I say That thou art more worthy then Other men are or then this Publican First if thou beest Free and not bound of Dutie to doe that which thou dost then Boast Secondly if thou beest able Of thy selfe and By thy selfe to doe what thou doest then Boast Thirdly if when once thou hast done Well thou neuer afterwards committest Euill then Boast But who can thus doe and therefore Why Boastest thou thy selfe or rather why with Feare Shame and Sorrow smittest thou not thy Breast and sayst not O God be mercifull Surely if I might be thought worthy to make a President for them that haue any Suite into the Court of Requests I should cast his Purposes into this Mould and bring it in in this Manner Be mercifull for as mercy is the inducement to be a suiter so the maine ground of my Petition shall be mercy the substance of my request mercy and the scope and conclusion mercy and then I shall not feare but that mercy being my plea mercy shall be my Portion for God cannot but shew mercy where the Need of mercy is felt where the Desire of mercy is vnfeigned and when the Suite of mercy is importunate And therefore I amidst Popish Merit-mongers who come with their workes Ex Congruo Condigno Tho. Aquin. 1 ma 2. quaest 114. Artio 3. Reynerius Summae sub Tit. Meritum cap. 5. Rhemists Annot in Rom. 8.18 Annot. 5. for Price Value and Worth and among our Hypocriticall Professors who also come with their Dista stand off For I am holier then thou I euen I come stand betweene them both praying for Christs Propitiation and saying Oh God be mercifull for I am a sinner Ecce condemnatio Behold his Damnatorie sentence Mee a Sinner Marke heere that he doth not say I am one that sinneth 3 â—a 4 tae as in the Concrete but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mihi Peccatori Hugo Card. Alfons Salmar Gorran in loc Ioh. 9.34 Me a Sinner in the Abstract yea euen such an one in deed and truth as the Pharisees reputed the Blinde man Ioh. 9.34 Euen a man wholly borne in sinne What such a Sinner how darest thou then to approach This Presence With what face canst thou come into These Courts Doth not the Scripture tell thee That God heareth not Sinners Ioh. 9.31 how much lesse Publicanes Ioh. 9.31 which are fitter for Harlots houses Math. 21.31 Math. 21.31 then to be seene at Heauen Gates For what thinkest thou if Men will not cast Pearle before Swine or cast Breade vnto Dogges Math. 7.6 will God then thinke you shew mercy vnto Sinners Math. 15.26 Oh I verily beleeue That though hee will not cast them Pearles yet they shall haue Acrons though hee will not giue them whole loaues yet shall they taste of his crummes Math. 6.26 Math. 5.45 Psal 147.9 For hee that clothes the grasse of the Field Feedes the Rauens Shines with his Sunne on the Euill Shewers downe his Raine on the Vniust Hee I verily beleeue will also be mercifull to me a Sinner yea and from this Humble Confession I dare pronounce an Absolution saying Doct. in the holy Apostles words That if we acknowledge our sinnes Ioh. 1.9 he is Faithfull and Iust to for giue vs our sinnes and to cleanse vs from all our vnrighteousnesse Had this poore Penitent liued in Rome or among the Romanists of old he had not so soone had either Iustification or Absolution Concil Trid. Sess 14. cap. 9. can 13.14 Cassand de Confess Artic. 12. Tollet Ies Institut l. 3. c. II. for besides his Contrition and Confession they would haue had Satisfaction not by a Griefe onely or by Restitution which we hold both laudable lawfull yea and necessarie too but such Satisfaction would they exact as Ex proprijs ad aqualstatem ac per hoc Iuste ex Condigno satisfacere possumus As our owneact whereby we may also satisfie according to the measure of equality Bellar lib. 4. de Poenit. c. 7. by the merit of condignitie as satisfying the iustice of Gods law violated Oh such Satisfaction who can make surely
no man which though wee cannot doe yet let vs not cease to confesse humbly and pray heartily O God be mercifull to me a Sinner S. Gregorie was of the minde Greg. Moral 26. that Apud aures Dei vox valida deuota confessio est A lowly Confession was a lowd Petition in Gods eares Gen. 18.27 Abraham confessed I am but Dust and Ashes Gen. 18.27 Now saith one As Ashes doe preserue and keepe in fire so doth an Humble Confession assure Fauour You see that The lower the Pit the sweeter the water and be we also assured That the lowlyer the Sinner the more louing our Sauiour Psal 32.5 Dauid did but say I will confesse my sinner and hearken what is said further Thou forgauest me the punishment of my sinne Loe heere Nondum pronunciat sed solum promittit Deus iam dimittit Cassiod in loc As yet hee doth not confesse but he saith I will confesse and yet God forgiues Nondum est vox in Ore vt Confessionem exaudiat Homo sed Deus audit As yet what hee meanes in his minde is not come to his mouth but before his confession is heard of men his petition is granted of God An other patterne of his readinesse herein haue we in the Parabel of the Prodigall Luke 15.18 wherein you can no sooner heare the sonne saying Ego surgam I will arise but you may also see that Pater Surgit the father doth arise notably figuring vnto vs how gratious the Lord is and how ready to forgiue oh blessed soule wherein Mercy and Truth so meete together and kisseth each other for here is Truth in the Sonne and therefore the Father meets him with Mercy Ver. 20. Nay if you note that which is recorded ver 20. you cannot but say with S. Bernard Non pari vbertate fluunt Amans Amor S. Bern. in Cant. Ser. 8. Sponsus Sponsa Creator Creatura non magis quám Sitiens Fons that as there is great difference betweene the flowing of the Ocean and of a little Riuer and there is great odds betweene that which the thirsty man drinkes and that which the fountaine hath to giue him so is there betweene the creature louing God and God who is loue it selfe come therfore and let vs all stoope in humilitie and he will raise vs in Mercy let vs confesse that we are Sinners and he will surely raise vs vp a Sauiour A Sinner who confesseth not this and if This be enough who hopes not to be a Saint yea but I wil say of the Confession of our times as S. Iames did of Petitioning in his time Iam. 4.2 Yee Confesse but yee Confesse amisse you say for the generall That you are Sinners but you cannot abide to say where in Particulars oh those Pierce and Dart Deepe That all haue erred and strayed like lost Sheepe the whole congregation will confesse yea but if the Minister shall say wherein as naming the peoples Simplicity or Sensuality their Enuie or Ignorance their Pride or Couetuousnesse you would be ready to say That That were too much yea That some hold vnnecessary since Auricular Confession grew out of date which manner of confession the Popish Priests made a Bawd to their owne lust as if because that is not required that we make confession of our sinnes who cannot helpe vs we might conceale them from God before whom our consciences may accuse vs but hearken to the Wise-mans sentence Pro. 28.13 which mee thinkes is heauy Hee that Hideth his Sinnes shall not prosper Aug de Verbit Dom. Ser. 36. com 10. but he that Confesseth and Forsaketh them shall haue Mercy Dum Agnoscit Reus Ignoscit Deus Whilst the Guilty Confesseth the God of Mercy pardoneth Yea S. Bernlin speculo Monachi but then it must be on good conditions too for t is not euery Confession that will bring Remission Know you therfore that the conditions of this present Obligation is such that if it be 1. Faire 2. Feeling 3. Free 4. Full. Then it is a well-conditioned-confession indeed First I say it must be Faire that is Pura Simplici Intentions Bern. vbi supra Ludol de Sax. de vita Christi pars 1ma. cap. 41. with a pure and simple intention Teipsum ostendens non Alios Shewing of Shrifting thy selfe rather then others Secondly it must be Feeling that is such an one as ariseth out of either the weight or wickednesse of our sinnes in the feeling of either of which wee are forced to confesse with Teares That they are weighty and wearisome Thirdly it must be Free not Forced or Constrained either by Mans Lawes or Gods Iudgements as they that by Plague or Penurie by Sickenesse or Sting of an euill conscience haue had their sinnes extorted from them Greg. Epist lib. 5. cap. 44. Indictib 14. fol. 393. No saith S. Gregory Confessio extortafacit crimen acknowledgment enforced proues faulty t is not Freewill offering and therefore not regarded nor rewarded Fourthly it must be Full not vp to the Lips alone but full to the very Heart which consists not of a particularizing of some of our faults or culling out of our chiefe transgressions with Termes of Generall acknowledgement but euen with a Ripping vp of the Specialties Psal 51. 4. 1 Tim. 1.13 saying with Dauid This euill huae I done With Paul I was a Persecutor a Blasphemer an Oppressor Oh better were it that we did euen set our sinnes in Order by an Humble Confession then suffer God to set them in Order by a dreadfull remuneration Psal 50. 21. Bernard come therefore and let vs take the counsell of Mellifluous Bernard which is this 1. Vide vnde veneris Erubesce 2. Vbies Ingemisce 3. Quòvadis Contremisce First looke from whence thou art and be Ashamed Secondly where thou art and be Grieued Thirdly whither thou must and be Terrified These be the Pathes of a Penitent which will no longer liue like a Publican like a notable and notorious Sinner but like an holy and religious Saint But doth my Publican confesse Vse 1 and plainely say That he is a Sinner Oh where then shall appeare those that are as notably notorious as He and yet are found either to Conceale or to Excuse or to Extenuate or to deny or which is worst of all to defend their sinnes Of any of which if any that heare me this day be Guiltie I beseech them in Christs steed that as they hope for Absolution so they would come to Confession For hereby you shall Bring Glory to God 2. Confusion to Sathan 3. And Peace to your owne Soules Come wee then to Gods house right earely and right humbly and when we pray let vs shew rather Vulnera then Munera our wounds then our worth our Misery then our Brauery our Ragges then our Robes for which though the World condemnes vs for Puritanes yet if Christ doth commend vs for Penitents it matters not much for hereby we shall haue Glory after our Shame when as they shall be ashamed of their glory Let vs remember once againe what we are euen Stewards and let vs not forget That we must render an Account of our Stewardship Isodor Sum. cap. 14. Codex ergo Rationum conscribendus est It were well therfore that a count-book were kept Hic codex conscientia nostra est c. and this booke is our Conscience wherein our sinnes both great and small should be written that there they may be viewed and being viewed they may be confessed and being confessed they may be lamented and being lamented they may be pardoned and being pardoned we may be Euerlastingly comforted All which that we may haue let vs take to vs this Peerelesse Patterne and with him come vnto God 1. In Feare standing a farre off 2. With Shame Not lifting vp our Eyes to heauen 3. With Sorrow Smiting our Breasts 4. With Confession and Petition Saying O God be mercifull to me a sinner And the Though our sinnes were as red as scarlet Isay 1.18 they shall be as Wooll though they were as crimson they shall be made as white as snow For we shall be cleansed with his Bloud arayed with his Garments graced with his Vertues and glorified for his Names sake All which holy Father grant vnto vs in Iesus Christ To whom with Thee and the Holy Spirit be rendred and ascribed all Honour and Glory Power and Praise for euer and for euermore Amen Amen Amen The Doctrines contained in the two foregoing SERMONS Sermon I. Doct. 1. VVIth what reuerence and feare Sinners should approach Gods presence Pag 6. Doct. 2. It is indeed a good signe for a sinner or rather of a Saint to be abashed and ashamed Pag. 9. Doct. 3. What a sweete sacrifice a sorrowfull soule is Pag. 15. Sermon II. Doct. 1. IN all crosses and calamities distresses and miseries whither to flye euen to God onely in Christ alone for comfort Page 17 Doct. 2. That mercy not merit is the best of a Sinners plea in making suit against his sinnes Pag. 22. Doct. 3. That if we acknowledge our sinnes hee is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes and to cleanse vs from all our vnrighteousnesse Pag. 24. FINIS
If there be but a Graine of this Grace in thee know thou thy selfe wonderfully Graced for one Graine of what sort soeuer it bee is as truely Seed as a Bushel and one Grace is as verily Grace as if thou hadst them in that measure as they that haue them Pressed downe Shaken together and Running ouer As therefore the Spirit spake in Pauls Buffetings without and Fightings within My Grace is sufficient for thee Cor. 12.9 for my Power shall be made manifest by thy Weakenesse so I say to Thee that thou hast Grace oh glorie and reioyce in That as for the Measure let that alone till the Growing time for though the Winter be now yet assure thy selfe the Spring will come wherein the Sunne of Righteousnesse shall rise in thy Heart and vnthawe thy Frozen Soule sending out the Oyle that shall supple thy bruised conscience and pouring out the Wine that shall Lighten thy sorrowfull heart and make thee glad aboue all thy Fellowes yea aboue thy Condemners and Contemners nay aboue That Pharisee that points thee out for This so vilde a Publican Why therefore as though we were cast out should we be so much cast downe Oh let vs not feare for Aretius in 2 Cor. 12.9 Si non ex Toto exaudiamur exaudimur tamen Sic vt Consolationem habeamus ex ratione consilij Deie If we be not heard in All let vs not be dismayed as if we should not be heard at All for though hee heares vs not at our pleasure he will doe it at his leasure when as wee shall surely haue comfort enough as is well seene in the secret of his Counsell And therefore for That measure of sorrow which thou hast be therwith content and then God will adde to thy stature and make thee at the last euen To weepe bitterly with Peter and To wash thy Bed and water thy Couch with Dauid Math. 26.75 Psal 6.6 Psal 119.136 yea Gush out Riuers of water with which thou shalt so rinse thy Heart and cleanse thy Soule as thou shalt in the Purity thereof be so blessed as to See God Math. 5.8 and so happy as to say vnto him O God be mercifull vnto me a Sinner But I aske once more Vse 2 Is a sorrowfull Soule such a sweet Sacrifice Be not yee then deceiued who say We Repent and yet the time is to come that euer you truely sorrowed One saith wittily That some men deale with their sinnes as corrupt Courts doe with their Informers or as the Popes doe with their Stewes The one whereof because they bring Many Sackes to their Milles and the other because they bring Great reuenewes to their coffars likes them well enough tho they know them to be both Base and Beastly So doe the Vngodly and Impenitent deale with their sinnes which they will not leaue but rather loue and cherish till death doth them depart and all because they bring either Pleasure or Profit Honour or Exaltation Nay obserue some sinners and you shall finde them that when they are galled or grieued for their sins either by Checke of Conscience or by Plaine Reproofe out of the Word or by some Affliction or Iudgement yet will they not Leaue them off but as Beggars doc by their Soares so will they deale by their sinnes The former will not be Quite healed because with a Little smart they get some Ease and liue in Idlenesse yea and haue by it Almes to their Aduantage and therefore they cannot endure the Chirurgian that will quite recouer them So is it with these kinde of Sinners who cannot endure The Balme of Gilead nor yet the Physitian there because the one by his Skill the other by its Healing Power would make them whole euery whit But that is not for their Profit and therefore it the Physitian shall bring a Purging Pill of Reproofe to cleanse them it will not downe it cannot be endured Sweet words they thinke will rather heale their corrupt soares and if by any but by Them you striue to bring them to this degree of Sorrow as to make them to Smite their Breasts you shall perhaps be Smitten on your Backes if not so for feare of the Law I am sure you shall haue without loue to the Gospell Ieremiahs portion Ier. 18 18. Gal. 4.16 which was To be smitten with the Tongue The galled Galathians will repute you Enimies Gal. 4.16 The Amazed and Doubting Iewes will account you Full of New wine Acts 2.13.15 Acts. 2.13.15 and euery Talkatiue Tertullus though he be no Orator wil be telling it out that you are Pestilent Fellowes Mouers to Sedition Acts. 24.1.2.3.4.5.6 Acts 24.1.2.3.4.5.6 But oh I beseech you greeue not the Spirit by which yee are sealed and by whom we are sent to speake the Truth The whole Truth and nothing but the Truth as we shall answere at our masters appearing and if you doe otherwise yea the very contrary know you that all the Sorrow you shew either by deiected Countenances or by lifted vp eyes or by Holding vp the Hands or by Bowed Knees or Beating the Breast or Crying Lord haue mercy vpon vs all these things will not serue to make vp true Repentance such as will bring Remission and Forgiuenesse Come therefore I beseech you and learne with Humility and Patience what this Sorrowfull soule is which is so sweet a Sacrifice It is a Soule full of sence and feeling tender of euery spot of corruption that cleaues vnto it at which it quickely stirres and checkes and if it slippes through the frailty of Nature it grieues and laments wrings and woes as being wreched and miserable blinde and naked without Christ Iesus be his Deliuerer Get wee then such Hearts such Breasts as These and then feare nothing but that our comming shal be wel-commed our crying heard if we doe with my Publicans mouth and mind humbly confesse that we are in Misery and haue neede of Mercy and therefore cry O God be Mercifull c. Ecce vera Confessio Behold his true confession which is the fourth limbe of my Text of which in the next Sermon you shall by Gods grace haue the fruit The Picture of a Penitent SINNER The second Sermon LVKE 18.13 O God be Mercifull to me a Sinner THE things contained in the former words were 1. His Feare 2. His Shame 3. His Sorrow But now that Feare is past that Shame is discouered that Sorrow could not be hid but had I thought That all had beene so whole as that none of vs had needed the Physitian I would haue spared my paines and neuer called the Righteous but onely Sinners to repentance Yet let him that is without sinne cast the first stone at me and then will I leaue preaching to Them and onely pray for My Selfe Oh God be Mercifull to MEE a Sinner But sith it cannot be denyed That we are all sinners I heartily beseech you with patience to heed with your hearts what he