Text 1 Destruction 2 ruine 3 repente and â—uis scit Let us feare those foure and fearing them persist as we have done hitherto in the feare of God and the King and ever feare to have to do or to deale with them that feare neither So I pray GOD we may and that this may be the fruict even our fruict And His blessing upon that hath beene spoken that we may live and die Timentes Deum Regem ever pure from this mixture and so GOD make Vs all A SERMON PREACHED BEFORE THE KING'S MAIESTIE AT WHITE-HALL ON THE V. of NOVEMBER Anno Domini MDCXV PSAL. CXLV VER IX Suavis DOMINVS universis Miserationes Ejus super omnia opera Ejus The LORD is good to all and His mercies are over all His workes TEN yeares it is now since our memorable deliverie as upon this day And we heere to celebrate not the Anniversarie onely but the Decennalia of it Now in numbering it is well knowne that at ten we beginne anew at the figure of one we returne againe ever to the first So do we now For this was the first Misericordiae DOMINI super opera Ejus We shall never forget it so many of us as then heard it that it was the first that it was thought and that Authore magno to be the fittest theme of all wherewith to beginne the first solemne thanksgiving of all for the great Mercie of GOD and for the great Worke of that Mercie this Day shewed upon us all To this then the first every way the first may I crave pardon to put to my poore cipher and make it ten this tenth yeare So as it was the first fruits it may be the tenth So they may be as they should be Primitiae Decimae de eodem both out of one and the same It led us at the very first whither first and last we must come to the true Cause of thâ—â— our Deliverie of that and of all other we have had or ever shall have the Super 〈◊〉 of His Mercies That deliverance when it came it came not temerè it had a cause That cause was 〈◊〉 and in GOD His Mercie It was the mercie of God we were not consumed Lamen 3.22 so said â—e then out of Ieremie at the seventh yeare That mercie of His that is super omâ—â—â— So say we now out of David at the tenth For this is King David and that way not unfitt neither As written first by a King applied since by a King in the case of saving a King and a Kingdome Or rather one King but more Kingâ—omes then one It was then spoken to the praise And it is a prayse and it is out of a praise For so is this Psalme intitled David's Prayse For howsoever the prayers and the prayses all in this Booke are for the most part of David's penning yet two there are he hath singled out from the rest and set his owne marke on them as proper to himselfe The LXXXVI Psalme his Tephilla David's owne Prayer And this heere his Tehilla his owne Praise or thanksgiving As if he had made the rest for all in common but reserved these peculiarly for himselfe With Exultabo te DEVS it beginnes He will exalt God Every day and for ever so he vowes in the two first verses For what will He exalt Him For many high perfections in Him For the greatnesse of His Nature which is infinite at the third For the greatnesse of His wonderous workes the fourth for His glorious Majestie the fifth For His mightie Power the sixt For His Goodnesse subdivided into His Iustice and Mercie For His Iustice the seventh And for his Mercie the eighth And heere now in the ninth in this verse and these very words He setts the Super omnia the crowne and garland as it were on Mercie 's head gives it the Sovereigntie â—ver all Exaltabo Te God He will exalt and Exaltabo in Te in GOD He will exalt His mercie above all the rest Vpon the matter then all is as we said but a praise of Mercie And a praise The Summe not positivè that is not so effectuall but by way of comparison held ever the better In a comparison ever three points we looke to 1. With whom it is made With the workes of God 2. How large it is laid Not with some one or more but with them all all commers as they say 3. And in what In the point of Super in that there is so much adoe about the point of Supremacie whither above whither Superiour to other Two things of God there are sett downe 1 His Mercies and 2 His Workes these two compared Compared in the point of Super and Mercie found to carrie it Her 's the Supremacie All His Workes high all great all all excellent But major â—â—rum Misericordia the highest greatest most excellent of them all Mercie that the Super omnia of them all Of these then First of the words as they stand in order The Division Then of Mercie 's Super and that three waies 1 Super above So we read it 2 Super over So the LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3 Super upon So we pray Fiat misericordia super nos Let thy mercie be upon us 1. Super above it may be as a Spire is and not reflect downe and be over 2. Super over it may be and hoover aloft not descend or come downe upon us 3. But Super upon is it when it lights upon us that is Fiat misericordia super nos And of these 1 as well for Mercie 's honour that is over them 2 as for the good of â—he Workes that are under it Then come we to a Super in this Super. Vpon some of God's works more then other 〈◊〉 And so to our selves And so to this day For sure this Scripture if it be well looked unto doth competere agree to no case so as it doth to ours Nor to ours as this day We are His workes once and those Mercies of His heere said to be over all His workes have beene over and upon us Vpon us in LXXXVIII and many other times but above all other most sensibly this day this day of all dayes And that with such a Super in so high a degree in such so great a Mercie so great a Worke of Mercie as great as ever was eny In Saving so gâ—eat a number from so strange and unheard of a crueltie by a Mercie super omnia I may say from a crueltie Super omnia I am sure Then lastly what we are in Super to GOD for this Super. Where 1 of the Super upon the head of all GOD 's Workes for these His Mercies thus over them 2 And of all His Workes and above them all of the Super remaining upon our heads for diverse besides but for this Day and this Worke Super omnia Above all the Daies we ever saw Above all the workes He ever wrought for us And it is
works Psalme 91.13 Psalme 110.1 with Super Aspidem et Basiliscum to tread upon them to make His enemies His footstoole and so a Super Over them too And now we have set Mercie in her Chariot of triumph In which if ever she sate IIII. The Super of our Duety she sate in the Super omnia of this Day Let us now come to the last Super the Super of â—â—ety remaining upon the head of all God's works for His mercie over them all but â—mong them all and above them all upon our heads if it were but for the sovereigne Mercie of this Day what we are in Super to GOD for it The Super upon all GOD 's works followes in the words next ensuing From his works a Verse 10. Confiteantur Are His mercies over all his works Why then b Verse 21. O all ye works of the Lord all flesh Psal. 150.6 every thing that hath breath but chiefly his chiefe worke the sonns of men d Psal. 117.1 the nations and the kindreds of the earth come all to confession all ow this to confesse at least Confesse what Nothing but mercie and the Super of the Mercie Nothing but that it is as it is do but as God doth exalt it place it where He setts it Let the deep say it is over me and the drie land say it is over me and so of the rest every one so many works so many confessions There is a further Super upon His Saints they owe more to Him then His ordinarie works His works but to confesse His Saints to confesse and blesse both From his Sainâ—s Verse 10. Psal. 65.1 They are double works needle-worke on both sides more becomes them Te decet hymnus in Sion Both to confesse it is above all and to blesse and praise it above all For if it be above all it followes more praise is to come to Him for it then for all If Mercie above all the praise of His mercie above the praises of all There is a further Super yet upon us that have found and felt the Super of it From Vt. the Non taliter say I above works and Saints both All are bound but we that are heer suâ—er omnes more then all we We that should have been Martyrs of Satan's crueltie it stands us in hand to be Confessors of God's Mercie as to which we owe even our selves our selves and our safetie safetie of soules and bodies every one of us Then let the King Queen and Prince let all the three Estates let the whole Land delivered by it from a Chaos of confusion let our soules which he hath held in life let our bodies which He hath kept together from flying in pieces let all think on it think how to thank him for it say and sing and celebrate it above all We above all for it above all For if ever Mercie were over worke of His if ever Worke of His under it directly it was so over us and we so under it this Day If ever of any it might be avowed or to any applied If ever any might rightly and truely upon good and just cause say or sing this verse we of this land may do both It will fitt out mouthes best best become us For such a Worke did He shew on us this Day as if Mercie have a Super omnia of other this may claime a Super omnia of it of Mercie it selfe His Mercie is not so high â—bove the rest of His works as this Daye 's Worke high above the works of it That supreme to all this supreme to it Mercie in it even above it selfe We then that have had such a Super in this Super we of all others nay more then 〈◊〉 others to have it yet more specially recommended A bare confession will not sâ—rve but the highest confession of all to take the Oath of the Supremaciâ— of it We if â—ver any to say it and sweare it if it had not been in sovereigne manner over some of His works that is our selves we had beene full low yet this infra infimâ—s beneath under all his workes not now above ground to speake and to heare of this theme Let it then claime the supremacie in our Confiteantur and in our Benedicant both â—bove works Saints and all And that not mentally or verbally alone in heart â—o to hold and in tongue so to report it but which is worth all really in worke so to eâ—presse it I meane as our thanks for His mercie above all our thanks so our works of Mercie above all our works But be they so His are so are ours I would to God â— could say they were but sure they are not His mercie above all his works With 〈◊〉 in this point it is cleane contrarie all our works above our mercie The least the last the lowest part of our workes are our workes of mercie the fewest in number the poorest in value the slightest in regard Indeed infra omnia with us they But sure GOD in thus setting it above all his workes sheweth He would have it with us so too That which is Super omnia Ejus to be Super omnia nostra as above all His so above all ours likewise And CHRIST our SAVIOVR would have it so His Estote Luc. 6.36 is Estote misericordes and how not barely Estote but Estote sicut Pater vester coelestis Mercifull as He. And how is He So as with Him it is above all To imitate Him then in this let it be highest with us as with Him it is highest Sure we are not right till it be with us so too As in GOD 's so in ours above ours above them all That so it may have the Supremacie in Confiteantur in Benedicant in praise â—nd thankes in words and workes and all To sett of the Super of this day then and to conclude If the generalitie of His works confesse Him for theirs and the specialitie of his Saints blesse Him for theirs what are we to doe how to confesse how to blesse for the singular Mercie of this Day and let all others goe Psal. 71.8 Sure our mouthes to be filled with praise as the Sea and our voice in sounding it out as the noise of his waves and we to cover the heavens with praise as with clouds for it But we are not able to praise Thee ô Lord or to extoll thy Name for one of a thousand Nay not for one of the many millions of the great Mercies which thou hast shewed upon us and upon our children How often hast thou ridd us from Plague freed us from Famine saved us from the Sword from our enemies compassing us round from the Fleet that came to make us no more a people Even before this Day we now hold before it and since it have not Thy compassions withdrawen themselves from us But this Day this Day above all daies have they shewed it Super omnia
à Domino Esa. 64.6 inherent in us by sanctification of the gifts and graces of the Lord is not worth remembrance for it is a defiled cloth and dung in it selfe and were it never so good God hath no need of it nay being offered to God he is nothing increased by it If thou do all good works Deus meuses et bonorum meorum non indiges Thou art my God saith David Psal. XVII II my goods and therein are his good works also are nothing to thee God is not increased or inriched by them If thou do commit all manner of sinnes with all manner of greedinesse thou canst not defile God nor take any thing from him thy evill cannot decrease or diminish him But it is Iustitia in Domino Righteousnesse in the Lord that is Christ's righteousnesse communicated or imputed to us for Christ is made to us wisdome from God and Iustice 1. Cor. 1. or righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption and he doth not say fecit nos he made us righteous in the concrete but factus est nobis he was made righteousnesse to us in the abstract because he communicates his righteousnesse to us and thereby covers our nakednesse as Iacob clothed in his elder Brother's garments received the blessing And therefore the name of the Sonne of GOD is IEHOVAH Iustitia nostra The LORD our righteousnesse Besides no man is accepted or well pleasing to GOD for his work 's sake Ier. 23.6 but rather the worke is accepted for the workeman's sake as GOD first Respexit Abelem he respected or accepted of Abel's person and then followes et sacrificium ejus and then his sacrifice For GOD cares not for Abel's lambe but because Abel the lamb offered it his heart and willing readinesse to offer a lambe was pleasing and he accepted the sacrifice As in the Father of the faithfull GOD could not accept the sacrifice of Isaac because he was not sacrificed facto sed voto or voluntate not in deed but onely in vow and will and purpose in him Voluntas reputatur pro facto his will was accepted for the sacrifice And in Cain's sacrifice God made no difference betweene the lambe and the sheafe of corne both which were after commanded aequally in the Law and the Panes propositionis were ever joyned with a lamb The difference was he offered his eares of corne but not himselfe and therefore the words be Ad Cain vero et ad munera ejus non respexit But to Cain and to his offering God had not respect he accepted not his person and therefore he regarded not his sacrifice And therefore the Antient say Rupert in Gen. Lib. 4. C. 2. That either of them offered parem cultu et religione hostiam an aequall sacrifice in respect of Religion and the worshipp of God Sed non rectè uterque divisit Cain made an ill division he offered the fruits of the earth to God Cor retinuit sibi seipsum non obtulit he reserved his heart to himselfe and he offered not himselfe to God but Abel first offered himselfe to God and then his lambe And so Saint Paul's words are true Abel offered a greater sacrifice to God then Cain Greater first Quia hostia copiosior because he offered a double sacrifice himselfe and his lambe but Cain onely offered his corne Secondly Quia excellentior he offered a more excellent sacrifice better chosen because de adipibus of the fattest and best of the flocke Cain carelesly tooke that came first to hand de fructibus of the fruict and no more Thirdly Quia ex fide by faith he offered it and that faith justified him and his sacrifice because he believed in the Seed of the Woman that should bruise the serpent's head And so it is true Dignitas operantis the faith and piety of the sacrificer and worker dignitatem confert operi conferrs all the worth to the worke For if an Heathen or Turke do the same worke of Almes or mercy that the faithfull Christian doth it shall passe without all regard whereas the faithfull heart and person makes the worke of the hand acceptable to the LORD So then sacrifices of goodnesse and Almes or distribution there must be they are necessary to Salvation in them that have time and opportunity and meanes and therefore sufficit ad paenam meritis carere It is sufficient to punish us if we want good works But there can be no trust or confidence placed in them for they are unperfect and defective and therefore merit nothing at God's hands out of justice but onely are accepted out of God's mercy and the infinite Merit of CHRIST which is aequall to his Person that is infinite as he is the aeternall Sonne of God and therefore Sufficit ad praemium de meritis non praesumere the greatest part of the dignity of the best workes of the best men is to renounce all trust and confidence in our selves and our best workes and to repose all our hope in the mercy and merits of CHRIST Now to returne to the use of the word Promeretur in Antiquity I remember Saint Cyprian useth it not for the dignity and merit of the best worke but onely for the way or meanes of obteyning For reading that place of Saint Paul I. Tim. I. XIII But I obteined mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbeliefe he reads it thus Sed Misericordiam merui But I merited Mercy what was Merui in 〈◊〉 Cyprian's sense Epist 73â— N. â— 1 but I obtained mercy and so the Vulgar reads that place Agâ—ine speaking of those that were baptized and signed in the fore-head with the â—â—gne of the Crosse he saith of Ozius the leper that he was maculated with leprosie in that part of his body in which they are signed qui Dominum promerentur which 〈◊〉 the Lord so would our Rhemists read it But the true understanding is they that promerited the Lord that is they that enter covenant with the Lord in Baptisme De vnitate Ecclesiae Num. 16. And I presume rather the keeping the Covenant then the entring should be meritorious if there be any merit at all And Saint Aâ—gâ—stine De gratiâ libero arbitrio Cap. 5. 6. speaking of Saint Paul saith Meâ—itum fuit in Paulo sed malum In Paul there was merit but evill merit when he persecuted the Church and received good for it And after Let us returne to the Apostle whom we find without any good merits Sine vllis bonis 〈◊〉 imo cum multis malis meritis yea with many evill merits to have obtaiâ—â—â— the grace of GOD and then he adds Vt post bona merita consequatur coronam 〈◊〉 post mala merita consecutus est gratiam that after his good merits obtained the crowne who after his evill merits had obtained grace 1. Here first it is plaine merit is joyned in both with obtaining 2. Againe Merits are good and Merits are bad the word is common to both 3.
the taking of Abrahams seed amounteth to as much as that of S. Paul 1. Tim. 1.15 no lesse true then worthie of all men to be receiued that He came into the world to save sinners and that cheâ—fe sinners as it is certaine they were even the Seed of Abraham of all the Seed of Adam But not for comfort onely but for direction two doth He use Abrahams name heere 2. For our Direction Even to entaile the benefit comming by it to his Seed that is to such as he was For for his sake were all nations blessed And Christ though He tooke the seed of the woman Gen. 22.18 yet doth not benefit any but the seed of Abraham even those that follow the stepps of his faith For by faith Abraham tooke hold of Him by whom he was in mercie taken hold of Gen. 15.7 Et tu mitte fidem tenuisti saith Saint Augustine That faith of his to him was accounted for righteousnesse To him was and to us shall be saith the Apostle Rom. 4.23 if we be in like sort apprehensive of Him Either as Abraham or as the true Seed of Abraham Iacob was that took such hold on Him as he said plainely Non dimittam te nisi benedixeris mihi without a blessing Gen. 32.26 Rom 9.7 he would not let Him go Surely not the Hebrues alone nay not the Hebrues at all for all their carnall propagation They onely are Abrahams seed that lay hold of the word of promise And the Galatians so doing though they were meere heathen men as we be Gal. 3.6 yet he telleth them they are Abrahams seed and shall be blessed together with him But that is not all there goeth more to the making us Abrahams seed as Christ himselfe the true seed Iohn 8.39 Rom. 4.12 teacheth both them and us Saith He if ye be Abrahams sonnes then must you do the workes of Abraham Which the Apostle well calleth the stepps or impressions of Abrahams faith Or we may call them the fruits of this seed heer So reasoneth our Saviour Hoc non fecit Abraham This did not He if ye do it yee are not His seed This did He do ye the like and His seed ye are So heer is a double apprehension 1 one of S. Paul 2 the other of S. Iames Iam. 2.22 Gal. 5.6 1. Tim. 6.19 Work for both hands to apprehend Both 1 Charitas quae ex fide and 3 fides quae per charitatem operatur By which we shall be able saith Saint Paul to lay hold of aeternall life and so be Abrahams seed heere at the first and come to Abrahams bosome there at the last So have we a breefe of Semen Abrahae The Vse of the Text. 1 For MeditatioÌ„ Now what is to be commended to us out of this Text for us to lay hold of Verily first to take us to our meditation the meditation which the * Psal. 84. Psalmist hath and which the Apostle in this Chapter voucheth out of him at the sixt Verse When I consider saith he the Heavens say we the Angells of Heaven and see those glorious Spirits passed by and man taken even to sigh with him and say Lord what is man either Adam or Abraham that thou shouldest be thus mindfull of him or the seed or sonnes of either that thou shouldest make this doe about Him The case is heer farr otherwise farr more worth our consideration There Thou hast made Him a little lower Heer Thou hast made Him a great deale higher then the Angells For they this day first and ever since daily have and doe adore our Nature in the personall Vnion with the Deitie Look you saith the Apostle when He brought His onely begotten Sonne into the world this He proclaimed before Him Let all the Angells worship Him Heb. 1.6 and so they did And upon this verie daies taking the seed hath ensued as the Fathers note a great alteration Before in the Old Testament they suffered David to sit vpon his knees before them 1. Chr 21.16 Since in the New they endure not Saint Iohn should fall downe to them Apoc. 22.9 but acknowledge the case is altered now and no more superioritie but all fellow seruants And even in this one part two things present themselves unto us 1 His humilitie Qui non est confusus as in the eleventh Verse the Apostle speaketh who was not confounded thus to take our Nature 2 And withall the Honor and happinesse of Abrahams seed vt digni haberentur that were counted worthie to be taken Luk. 20.35 so neere unto him 2 For Resolution The next point That after we have well considered it we be affected with it and that no otherwise Ioh. 8.56 then Abraham was Abraham saw it even this day and but a farr of and He reioyced at it And so shall we on it if we be His true seed It brought forth a Benedictus and a Magnificat from the true seed of Abraham If it do not the like from us certainely it but flotes in our braines we but warble about it But we beleeve it not and therefore neither do we rightly vnderstand it Sure I am if the Angells had such a feast to keepe if he had done the like for them they would hold it with all ioy and iubilee They rejoyce of our good but if they had one of their owne they must needs doe it after another manner farre more effectually If we do not as they would do were the case theirs it is because we are short in conceiving the excellencie of the benefit It would have surely due observation if it had his due and serious meditation Luk. 12.48 Further we are to vnderstand this That to whom much is given of them will much be required and as Gregorie well saith Cum crescunt dona crescunt rationes denorum As the gifts grow so grow the accompts too Therefore that by this new dignitie befallen vs Necessitas quaedam nobis imposita est saith Saint Augustine there is a certeine necessitie layd upon us to become in some measure suteable unto it in that we are one one flesh and one bloud with the Sonne of God Being thus in honor we ought to vnderstand our estate and not fall into the Psalmists reproofe Psal 49 13. that we become like the beasts that perish For if we do indeed thinke our Nature is ennobled by this so high a conjunction we shall henceforth hold our selves more deare and at a higher rate then to prostitute our selves to sinne for every base trifling and transitorie pleasure For tell me men that are taken to this degree shall any of them proove a Deuill as Christ said of Iudas or ever as these with us of late have to do with any divelish Ioh. 6.76 Psal. 32.9 or Iudasly fact Shall any man after this assumption be as horse or mule that have no vnderstanding and in a Christian
but by very few quia nemo nos interrogat because it is growen out of request quite We have learned I know not where a new a shorter course which flesh and blood better likes of to passe the whole course of our life and in the whole course of our life not to be hable to set downe where or when or what we did when we did that which we call repenting what fruits there came of it what those fruits might be worth And but even a little before our death and as little as may be not till the world have given us over then lo to come to our quid faciemus to aske what we should doe when we are hable to doe nothing And then must one come and as we call it speake comfortably to us that is minister to us a little Divinitie Ladanum rather stupefactive for the present then doing any sound good and so take our leaves to go meet with ira ventura This way this fashion of repenting Saint Iohn knew it not it is farr from his fructus dignos Saint Paule knew it not it is farr from his opera digna And I can say little to it but I pray GOD it deceive us not It is not good trying conclusions about our soules Heer is the playne way this is the streight path layd out before us by him that was sent to prepare the wayes of the LORD Esa. 40.3.30.11 and to make His pathes streight and go we which way we will we shall heare the voice behind us crying to us Haec est via ambulate in eâ Set your tree bring forth your fruits see to them altogether unworthy they would not be Somâ—what worth raised to some degree of worthinesse Mar. 14.8 Mar. 12.44 Quod potuit fecit did CHRIST accept in M. Magdalen's case and quod habuit dedit in the poore Widowe's case with her but two mites We doing our indevours to raise them to what degree we can He for His part will not be behind but relieve and helpe us out Esa. 30.18 For expectat DOMINVS ut misereatur nostri GOD even waites that He may have mercie on us And therefore laying away His rigour will not go exactly to worke but be ready to relieve and repute that worthy that is not all out so Revel 3.2 So in the Church of Sardi we finde He saith Non invenio opera tua plena their workes were not found to have the full poyse yet notwithstanding He saith digni enim sunt the Parties found worthie for all that All the worth is not intrinsecall to the thing it selfe When all is sayd that can be sayd Luk. 20.35.21.36 that which makes all full the chiefe part of their worth lyeth in digni habebuntur It is therefore CHRIST 's counsaile Orate ut digni habeamini Pray they may be found in so good a degree towards it as GOD may compt them and so accompting make them Quanquam sat digni si quos dignatur saith the Christian Poet. In one Chapter we have them both in the II. Thes. I. counted worthy at the 5. verse made worthy at the II. ver Both come to one Two words there are in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Two in Latine dignitas and dignatio And as there is dignatio ex dignitate So is there dignitas ex dignatione And that is it Worthy is the fruict He so esteemeth But upon the point rather dignatione Ejus then dignitate suâ rather by His deigning or dignifying them then by the intrinsecall by their owne dignitie they have in themselves Yet let â—s never thinke be so base as to conceive He will hold for such any at all let them bâ— what they will it skills not how worthlesse how farr from all degrees toward it No But such as wherein He seeth some conscience made some care taken some zealous desire some earnest endeavour appeare Some prâ—fferâ— at least toward those 〈◊〉 degrees 2. Cor. 7.11 in 2. Cor. 7. which may serve to assure our selves and to shew the world we dally not with repentance but make a serious matter of it and go to it in good earnest In witnesse whereof this and this fruict we have brought forth Somewhat like yet somewhat beseeming persons truely penitent whereto He would say 2. Cor. 12.9 sufficit tibi gratia mea My grace is sufficient for thee And in that we may rest It remaines we examine our selves touching these points 1 Our repentance is it like a live tree and not a dull heavy mood neither life nor soule in it 2 Have we sett it on growing brings it forth at all 3 Is it fruict it brings forth For whatsoever els it is it is not for Saint Iohn's turne 4 The fruict it brings is it ought worth for the quantitie the qualitie the well lasting of it GOD graunt it be so and thankes be to GOD if it be so But this Proferte will aske some time Iona's repentance was not like Iona's gourd V. The fruit-time Ion. 4.6 His gourd was up in a night sodenly Trees come not up so quickly they require more time then so Never trust a repentance repentine no sodein flash or brunt It is altogether an error to thinke Repentance is a matter of no more moment then to be dispatched in a moment There be two words words of weight One is Saint Peter's 2. Pet. 3.9 and that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to withdraw goe aside to retire and be private to sequester our selves to our repentance The other is Saint Paule's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to take us a time nay to make us a time a vacant time a time of leisure to intend fasting and prayer 1. Cor. 7.5 two fruits of repentance I ask then did we ever 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 withdraw our selves to that end what was the place where we so did did we at any time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 take any such vacant time what was the time and when when we so did I doubt ours hath beene rather a flash a qualme a brunt then otherwise rather a gourd of repentance then any growing tree A time there must needs be taken for this Proferte Now the time S. IOHN gives is but while Ira ventura the wrath to come is in comming Ira ventura are two words In that it is wrath and GOD 's wrath there is just matter of feare In that it is ventura to come but to come and not yet come there is hope yet some good may be done before venit quae ventura that come that is to come If these fruits come the wrath when it comes shall not come upon us but passe by us and not touch any fruit-bearing tree To take a time then Now there cannot be a fitter time then that the Church hath set us forth that is now at this time of the yeare For now is the time of the yeare to plant in
resurrection heer to be passed He that hath his part in this first He shall not faile but have it in the second If then Temples they would be that we so make them for to make them so is the Excitabo of this life And so shall we make them even Temples and no way sooner then if we love this place the Temple well and love to resort to it and to be much in it That they may be Temples By being much in it we shall even turne into it And sure if ever we have aliquid Templi any thing of a Temple in us then it is when we are duly and devoutly occupied and employed they and we in His worship and service Then are we Temples But to be Temples is not all we are further to be Templum hoc this Temple Temples Corporis sui and this was the Temple of His bodie And that are we if at any time then certeinly when as if we were Temples in very deed we prepare to receive not the Arke of His presence but Himselfe that He may come into us and be in us Which is at what time we present our selves to receive His blessed bodie and blood that bodie and that blood which for our sakes was dissolved dissolved three daies since when it suffered for our sinnes Rom. 4.25 And this day raised againe when it â—â—se for our iustification Which when we doe that is receive this bodie or this Temple for Templum hoc and Hoc est Corpus meum are now come to be one for both Templum hoc and corpus hoc are in Templum corporis sâ—i and when the Temples of our bodie are in this Temple and the Temple of His bodie in the Temples of our's then are there three Temples in one a Trinitie the perfectest number of all Then if ever are we not Temples onely but Templa Corporis sui Temples of His bodie and this Scripture fulfilled in us This Feast a fit time for it This are we when we receive Now at no time is this act of receiving so proper so in season as this very day so hath CHRIST'S Church thought it and so practised it ever the very day of this His Excitabo the day of His Rising And by meanes of it of our raising our raising first to the life of righteousnesse to the estate of Temples heer in this world And after of our raising againe to the second the life of glorie and blisse of glorious Temples in the world to come which is the Excitabo when all is done What time they and we shal be loosed as now from sinne so then from corruption And raised and restored as now to the state of grace so then to the state of glorie and glorious libertie of the sonnes of God To which happy and blessed estate may He raise us all in the end that this day was raised for Vs. c. A SERMON Preached before the KING'S MAIESTIE AT WHITE-HALL on the XXXI of March A.D. MDCXVI being EASTER DAY I. PET. CHAP. I. VER III. IV. Benedictus Deus c. Blessed be GOD and the FATHER of our Lord Iesus Christ which according to His abundant mercie hath begotten us againe vnto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead To an inheritance incorruptible and vndefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for you THE Summe of this Text The Summâ— and if ye will the Name of it too is set downe in the very first word of it It is a Benedictus The first word is so The first word Benedictus and if you looke the last word is for You. Give me leave to reade it for Vs to put in our selves Seeing to us and for us it was written So a Benedictus it is from us to GOD for something comming from GOD to or for us Something Nay many Benedictus is but one word but the first word the rest of the words of both the Verses are for us all And many they are We reduce them to three 1 Our regeneration which is past 2 Our hope which is present 3 and our Inheritance which is to come 1. Regenerating or begetting is of it selfe a benefit We get life by it if nothing els 2. But to beget to an Inheritance is more then simply to beget 3. And yet more then that to beget to Such an Inheritance as this of which so many excellent things are heere spoken Three then in this 1 To be begotten 2 To be begotten to Inherite 3 To be begotten to Inherite such an Inheritance But then an inheritance is no present matter All heires be heires under hope Vsque dum Tit. 3.7 till the appointed time So comes hope in Therefore first to hope After to the thing hoped for the Inheritance it selfe There is a resemblance of both these in the two Seasons of the yeare At this time the time of CHRIST 's Resurrection and of our celebrating it to hope as to the blossome or blade rising now in the Spring To the Inheritance that as the crop or fruit to come after at harvest And the harvest of this crop saith our SAVIOVR is the end of the world Matt. 13.39 We are not yet come to the point Regenerate whereto to a lively hope Hope whereof of an Inheritance Inheritance what manner one Such as is heere set downe But all these whereby Per resurrectionem by the Resurrection of CHRIST All by Him All by that This By is the maine heere This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that runnes through all this Text. For all arise from CHRIST arising from the dead Now if from CHRIST rising then from CHRIST at this Feast For this is the Feast of CHRIST'S rising And so this the proper Benedictus for this Feast We had a Benedictus made by Zacharie Luk. 1.68 Saint Iohn Baptist's Father for His Birth for Christmasse day knowne by the name of Benedictus We have heere now another for His rising for Easter day of Saint Peter's setting And this it is The Division For the Order we will put the words in no other for we can put them in no better then they stand Every one is in his due place from the first to the last 1. GOD first and the true GOD the Father of our LORD IESVS CHRIST 2. Then His mercie the cause moving 3. Then CHRIST'S Resurrection the meanes working 4. Then our regeneration the act producing Producing 1 hope first of the Inheritance a then after the Inheritance we hope for Of which two points there are 2 How it is qualified Vncorrupt undefiled not fading Every one hath his weight 3 Then how Seated Even in heaven There it is there kept it is And which is the Capitall chiefe point of all kept for us there Now then for these 1 For His Mercie first 2 For our Regenerating by His Mercie 3 For the Hope of this Inheritance 4 but more for the Inheritance it selfe
the tenth yeare this And naturally Decumana sunt grandiora A Fluctus decumanus Psal. 38.4 a deepe floud it was had like to have gone over our soules And a Misericordia decumana A Mercie of a large size it was that made it went not then That we performe then Laudes decumanas great Praise and large Thankes now this Anno Decimo some way answerable to the greatnesse of our Perill and to the greatnesse of the Mercie that made us so well passe it The numbers of seven and ten are not without their weight The Seaventh the Sabboth The Tenth GOD 's part Both waies as the Sabboth day as the Tenth yeare sacred to GOD is this Day and our dutie upon it I. Of the words in order Misericordiae The Mercies MIsericordiae DOMINI Misericordiae To looke into the nature of the word Mercie It is best conceived by the Object and by the Act. Mercie hath for her Object circa quod her matter and metall to worke upon Miserie the best Vertue the worst Object of all It is not so plaine this in our English word Mercie as in the Latine Misericordia for there is miserie full out at the length Vpon this Object the proper Act of Mercie Miseratio as the Fathers read this Text Misericordia is the Habit Miseratio the Act which is nothing els but Misericordia eliquata that which runnes from Mercie at the melting the Act that relieves us of miserie and all the degrees that lead to it necessities impotencies dâ—fects distresses dangers and whatsoever would make our case miserable more or lesse To relieve these is the Act and this you must take with you without merit to relieve them The opposition the Church makes in diverse her Collects Non nostris meritis sed Tuâ solâ misericordiâ with an expresse obstante of all merit For the eye of Iustice will relieve all them that deserve it Goodnesse in merentes that is Iustice. Goodnesse in immerentes yea and sometimes a degree farther in malè merentes that is Mercie properly Psal. 106.44 Neverthelesse saith the CVI. Psalme for all they deserved it to be miserable when he saw their miserie saw that and nothing els to move Him that moved Him and He heard their complaint and gave order for their reliefe This is Mercie Misericordiae Ejus Mercies in GOD. This Mercie is in GOD Misericordiae Ejus Indeed such is the immutable constancie of the Divine Nature as we should hardly conceive it to be in this wise flexible but that great care is taken of this point of no one so great that there is Mercie in GOD there be Misericordiae Ejus But what Mercie From the nature and force of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which I am not now to tell you I have done it heertofore is properly the bowells that is there are tender mercies in God so we turne it in the Benedictus Not of the ordinarie sort flight and such as pierce not deepe come not far but such as come de profundis from the verie bowells themselves that affect that part make the bowells relent And what bowells Not the bowells of the common man for then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had been 〈◊〉 word but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are the bowells of a parent so we said the word 〈◊〉 and this adds much adds to Mercie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 naturall love To one strong â—â—fection another as strong or stronger then it And what Parent the more pitifull of the twaine the Mother For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the â—â—â—gular of this word is Hebrew for the Womb. So as this to the two former addeth 〈◊〉 Sexe the Sexe holden to be the more passionate and compassionate of both â— Of all mercies those from the bowells 2 and of all bowells the bowells of a parent and of the two parents those of the mother those from the womb Such pitie as the â—â—ther takes of the child of her wombe such as the wombe of the child that lay in it â—ercies are in GOD such mercies are in God And GOD willing to set forth unto us the exceeding great tendernesse of His mercie to have it throughly apprehended by us Humanum dicit speakes to us in our owne Puerilis And to expresse the efficacie of His action takes to Him the affection and to expresse the affection takes to him the part of the bodie the seat of it the bowells and the bowells of a parent of that parent whose bowells in our nature are the pitifullest of all the mother And if you will you may add this that one mother hath but one wombe for all her children but He speakes heere of GOD in the plurall as if He had the compassion of more wombs then one the pitie of many mothers put together It is good newes for us these mercies are in GOD but better yet In GOD with a Super. that they are in Him with a Super. But best of all that that Super a Super not Super quaedam but Super omnia Much is said in few words to Mercie 's praise when this is said Super omnia And that super Super omnia Nihil sâ—pra were much None above it but Super omnia It above all he that saith that lâ—aves no more to say there is no higher degree Super omnia is the Superlative Super omnia Above all For Opera Ejus His workes these two might well be spared All are workes and all are His workes Super omnia opera Ejus that is absolutely Super omnia For workes is no terme diminuent heere All His workes that is all simply Beside GOD and His workes there is in the wide world nothing at all But yet with His workes with them it is laid and well Not with GOD 's other Attributes absolutely but with them in the point of workes His Attributes are all alike all as Himselfe is infinite all and one infinite is not more then another But take the workes and Virtus in actione we know lay it there Compare the workes of â—ny of them nay of all of them with the workes of Mercie and Mercie carries it cleere 1. Sam. 18.7 More workes more in number If they their thousand Mercie her ten thousand More great more glorious Workes of it then of eny of them all Nay then of all 〈◊〉 them Super omnia opera that it is And now to our Super. And first Super above Super above is said heere by way of figure Properly Super is of height II. Of their Super Height iâ— a dimension that perteines to quantitie and quantitie to bodies 1. Super above whereof Mercie is â—one The meaning is it is the chiefest So Heaven in the greater World So the Head in the lesse both of them the highest both of them the chiefest chiefest of all and rule all As indeed of whom is Super said so rightly as of the Sovereigne So doth Mercie Namely His Power which may serve
Iustitia We are now to seeke the reason why Iehova is in this Name per modum Iustitiae by the way or under the terme of Righteousnesse rather then of some other Attribute as of Power or Mercie that it is not Iehova Misericordia or Iehova Poâ—entia but Iehova Iustitia GOD with us saith Esai With us saith Ieremie of all His properties by that of Righteousnesse cheifly and above other Not of Power as in Esai by His Name El which is His Name of power For in power there is no true comfort without iustice be joyned to it For what is Power except Righteousnesse goe before We see it is a thing very agreeable to our nature to have that we shall have by iustice to choose and that way doe even the mightiest first seeke it and when that way it will not come they overbeare it with power Nor of Mercie not Iehova Misericordia Psa. 59. ult by which Name David caleth Him For though it be a Name of speciall comfort and Saint Augustine saith of it O Nomen sub quo nemini desperanaum yet if we weigh it well of it selfe alone we shall finde there is no full or perfect comfort in it except this also be added For that we have in us two respects 1 One as persons in miserie the other as persons convict of sinne And though Mercie be willing to relieve us in the one for her delight is to help those in miserie Yet what shall become of the other how shal that be answered We have in the Verse before mention of a King ready to execute iudgement and iustice Now iustice is professed enemie to all sinne and iustice in her proceeding may not admitt of any respect either of the might or of the miserie of any to lead her from giving sentence according to law Truâ— it is Mercie is ours ours wholly there is no doubt but iustice is against us and except iustice may be made ours too all is not as it should be But if iustice if that in GOD which onely is against might be made for us then were we safe Therefore all our thought is to be either how we may get Mercie to triumph over iustice with the Apostle or Iam. 2.13 how at the least we may get them to meet togither and be friends in this worke Psa. 85.10 For except iustice be satisfied and doe joyne in it also in vaine we promise our selves â—hâ—t Mercie of it self shall worke our salvation Which may serve for the reason why neither Iehova Potentia or Iehova Misericordia are enough but it must be Iehova Iustitia and Iustitia a part of the Name Nostra And neither may this be left out For without this 4. Nostâ—a Iehova alone doth not concerne us and Iehova Iustitia is altogither against us But if he be Righteousnesse and not only Righteousnesse but ours too all is at an end we have our desires Verily this last this possessive this word of application is all in all By it we have interest in both the former and without it our case is as theirs Quid nobis tibi Mat. 8.29 What have we to doe with thee Iehova Iustitia which is most fearefull and nothing but terror and torment in the consideration of it Therefore we must make much of this For if once he be Nobiscum with us and not against us and not onely Nobiscum with us but Noster our owne all is safe Otherwise it falleth out ofâ— there be many Nobiscum that be not nostri with us talke with us eat with us sit with us which yet are not ours for all that And in this point also doth this Name of Ieremie more fully expresse the Name of Esai's Immanuel no lesse then in the two former first of IEHOVA which is more then El and then of Iustitia which is more agreeable then that of Potentia And now in this heere that there it is Nobiscum which is well and heer it is Noster which is better and more surer by a great deale 1. Cor. 1.30 For if He be as the Apostle saith Factus *** nobis Made unto us Righteousnesse and that so as he becommeth Ours what can we have more Serm. 3 in Missus est c What can hinder us saith S. Bernard but that we should uti nostro in utilitatem nostram de Servatore salutem operari use him and his righteousnesse use that which is ours to our best behoof and worke our Salvation out of this our Saviour So that Nostra may not be spared no more then the other part of the Name For all is in suspense and there is no compleat comfort without it 5 Iustitia nostra To which comfort this may be added for a conclusion of this part no lesse effectuall then any of the former That it is Iustitia nostra in the Abstract and not in the Conrcete Iustificans or Iustificator noster our Iustice or Righteousnesse it selfe not our Iustifier or Maker of us Righteous For thus delivered I make no doubt it hath much more efficacie in it and more significant it is by farr to say Iehova our Iustice then Iehova our Iustifier Rom. 3.26 I know Saint Paul saith much That our Saviour CHRIST shed His bloud to shew His righteousnesse that He might not onely be iust but a Iustifier of those which are of His faith And much more againe in that when He should have so sayd To him that beleeveth in GOD Rom. 4.5 he chooseth thus to set it downe To him that beleeveth in him that iustifieth the ungodly making these two to be all one GOD and the Iustifier of sinners Though this be very much yet certainly this is most forcible 1. Cor. 1.30 that He is made unto us by GOD very Righteousnesse it selfe And that yet more That He is made Righteousness to us that we be made the righteousnesse of GOD in Him 2. Cor. 5. ult Which place Saint Chrysostome well weighing this very word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith He the Apostle useth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to expresse the unspeakable bounty of that gift that he hath not given us the operation or effect of His Righteousnesse Gal. 1.13 but His very Righteousnesse yea His very selfe unto us Marke saith he how every thing is lively and as full as can be imagined CHRIST one not onely that had done no sin but that had not so much as knowen any sinn hath GOD made not a sinner but Sinne it selfe as in another place not accursed but a Curse it selfe sinn in respect of the guilt a Curse in respect of the punishment And why this To the end that we might be made not righteous persons that was not full enough but Righteousnesse it self and there he stayes not yet and not every righteousnesse but the very Righteousnesse of GOD Himself What can be further sayd what can be conceived more comfortable To have him ours not to make us