please others the sins we have committed in our own persons and the sins we have occasioned others to commit the sins we know and the sins we know not the sins that we have so long striven to hide from others knowledge that we have even now hid them from our own memories these O Lord are more in number then the sands upon the Sea shoar or the Stars of Heaven which cannot be numbred We have sinned against the light of Nature and against the light of Grace against thy Law and against thy Gospel against thy Promises and against thy Threats against thy Mercies and against thy Judgements against all vows and promises and resolutions of better obedience against the reproofs of thy word against the many motions of thy good Spirit in our souls against thy Fatherly admonitions against thy loving corrections against the many fearfull examples of thy Judgements against the infinite obligations of thy favours and against the checks of our own consciences These things have we done and because thou held thy tongue we have also thought wickedly that thou art altogether such an one as our selves or that either thou dost not see or dost approve or wilt not severely punish the crimes that we have so long doted on If thou Lord God shouldest be extream to mark what is done amisse Lord who is able to abide it but with thee there is mercy and with thee there is plenteous redemption and thou desirest not the death of him that dies but rather that be should turn from sin and be saved and seeing that without thee it is not possible for us of our selves to be able to please thee Lord turn us to thee and we shall be turned for thou art the Lord our God Draw us and we shall run after thee draw us by the cords of love and with the bands of loving kindnesse work powerfully upon our spirits by thy holy Spirit work contrition in our hearts and godly sorrow for all our sins even a sorrow to repentance and repentance to salvation never to be repented off Break these hard and stony hearts of ours by the hammer of thy word mollifie them by the oyle of thy grace smite these rocky hearts of ours by the rod of thy most gracious power that we may shed forth rivers of tears for all the sins we have committed Lord make us grieve because we cannot grieve and to weep because we cannot weep enough O that thou wouldest humble us more and more under the true sight and sense of all our ungodlinesse of all our wickednesse and of all our unworthynesse And O thou Father of mercies have mercy on us O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world have mercy upon us thou that takest away the sins of the world take away the world of our sins they are too heavie O Lord for us to bear thou only art able to bear them and thou didst bear all our sins upon thine own body upon the tree O thou that wast wounded for our sins and bruised for our transgressions we beseech thee let the chastisement of our peace be upon thee and do thou by thy stripes heal us Hide us most gracious Redeemer hide us from the wrath of God in the glorious skars of those meritorious wounds which thou didst suffer for us and by the vertue of them create peace in heaven for us by reconciling the Father to us And O thou that wast our Saviour on earth we beseech thee be thou our Advocate in heaven be thou our High-priest still offering up thy self a Victim to the Father for us and besprinkle us with thine own most pretious bloud that through that bloud of sprinkling our persons our services and the desires of our souls may be acceptable to the Father Be thou our King set up thy throne in our hearts dismantle and disgarison all the strong holds and fortifications of sin that sin may no longer have dominion over us but do thou rule and over-rule us enable us to do thy will write thy Commandements in our hearts and thy Statutes in our inward parts put thy fear into our souls that we may fear thee and love thee and diligently live after thy commands Be thou our Prophet leading us into all truth Oh do thou inform us and teach us the way wherein we should go and do thou guide us by thine eye be thou the voice behind us still directing us this is the way walk in it guide us by thy counsels here and hereafter receive us unto thy glory And O Holy Spirit the Comforter do thou help our infirmities and with thy unutterable groans make intercession for us And thou that workest both to will and the deed in us of thine own good pleasure put into our hearts good desires and let the continuall assistance of thy grace help us to bring the same to good effect plant in our souls the love of thy name graffe in our hearts true Religion nourish us with all goodnesse and of thy great mercy keep us in the same so long as we have to live make us to love that which thou commandest and to desire that which thou hast promised that among the sundry and manifold changes and chances of this mortall life our hearts may surely there be fixt where true joyes are to be found And thou that sheddest the pretious ointments of thy grace upon all thy faithfull people O do thou open the eyes of our souls that we may see thee who art invisible that beholding thy glorious but invisible presence in all our actions we may be so awfully affected towards thee that whether either the Devil shall tempt us or the world shall allure us or our own carnal lusts and sinfull affections shall incline us to commit any wickednesse thy Holy Spirit O Lord may in all things so direct rule and overrule our hearts and awaken our consciences to aske us How shall we dare to commit any wickednesse and sin against thee Gratious God keep us from sinning against thee though it were to gain the whole world for it will not profit us to gain the whole world and lose our own souls help us rather we pray thee to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling and to give all diligence to make our calling and election sure Help us to eschew and decline all the occasions all the opportunities that have betrayed us unto sin and to hate the very garments spotted with the flesh O Lord with what affliction soever thou shalt punish us do not punish us with spirituall judgements and desertions give us not over to our own hearts lusts to our own vile lewd and corrupt affections give us not over to hardnesse and impenitency of heart but make us sensible of the least sin and give us thy grace to think no sin little committed against thee our God but that we may be humbled for it and repent of it and reform it in our lives and conversations
Esay from the sole of the foot even unto the Head there is no soundness in it but wounds and bruises and putrifying sores c. Esay the 1 c. 6. v. so total a defection hath seized upon our nature that not now the pool of Bethesda or the waters of Iordan must be washt in to heal our Leprosie but the fountain of life set open by a crucified Saviour to wash and bath our sinful souls for sin and for uncleanness yea so foul is our Crime that it hath made man out of order both in Soul and Body His very spirituals are much carnalized look upon him in his soul and that you 'l find is amiss and very much disordered 1 In the understanding which is the eye of the soul is there not much dimness contracted if the light that is in us be darknes how great must our decay in sight needs be What St. Paul saith of the Gentiles is true of every one of us by nature in Eph. 4.18 having the understanding darkned being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their hearts and untill he the power of whose death tore in pieces the Temples vail rent the vail of ignorance from off our rocky hearts we did abide benighted with the black clouds of sin and rebellion it being just with the Almighty either totally to Eclipse or finally to withdraw that spiritual light our wills voluntarily cast away as being puft up with an overweening conceit of being made like Omnipotency it self in the knowledge of good and evil Such towring thoughts being likely to lead to no other place but that of darkness yea and that irremediless too without the assistance of that true light graciously promised to enlighten every soul that cometh into the world for our nature hath not onely led us from the way of truth but the best discerning our souls have is onely to find our selves involved in misery and a total deprivation of good So that you see our understanding can onely let us know our selves miserable but can no way relieve us 2 The will is perverse and utterly unconformable to the law of God the relish of Eves forbidden fruit is still fresh on the palate of every son of Adam delighting to go astray rather then follow the straight rules of Gods command so that he puts his people to their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and since he cannot affright us with our dangerous estate nature hath left us in by its unskilful choice he would faine convince all men of their extreme madness putting the question with a quare moriemini Why will ye dye O house of Israel Ezek. 18.31 and the more folly you will finde lodges in the heart of every man who wilfully turns off from the truth of Gods law if you but seriously consider that his inducement thereunto arises from no experienced comforts he ever found in those gilded vanities which most account the worlds pleasures or fleeting trifles which are reckoned for profit for we have all good reason to believe Solomons knowledge who distilled all the quintessence of sublunary beings into his own cup of delight and what 's the summe total at the foot of this account you may take it in his own language I have seen all the works that are done under the Sun and behold all is vanity and vexation of Spirit Eccles 1. ch 14. vanity in their being and vexation of spirit in their operation for they are no other but pricking goads and stinging thornes in the sides and hands of him that enjoyes them so that by this time you may well sit down and take up a lamentation both on the behalf of your selves and others that so great folly should be entailed upon your actions as voluntarily to run from the straight path that leads to eternal life and wilfully to follow the perverse guidance of your own unbounded appetite seeing therefore there is so much evil in vice and so great glory in virtue that even wicked men would appear godly Sejanus incipiente adhuc potentia bonis consiliis notescere volebat Tacit. Annal. l. 4. p. 116. that Sejanus himself whilest a young courtier took care for nothing but to grow famous by his integrity let us al learn this pious prudence to run with speed to heavens merciful throne and with uncessant cries beg that our crooked mans will may be made straight by the guidance of Gods commands 3 Our affections are placed upon wrong objects for its the object and the end together with the manner of performance which makes every action either good or evil we covet our own pleasure and are unsatisfied without it though the purchasing thereof cost us no less then the loss of Gods heavenly countenance such fools have we made our selves that our chief delight is folded up in the enjoyment of a few transitory beings forgetting the onely Jewel which the worlds treasure is of too mean a value to make purchase of for as one saith Well no glory that 's woven in the finest tapestry of this world but will lose colour decay and perish whereas saving grace and the knowledge of Iesus Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a possession for eternity and we are so wedded to our carnal interests that we cannot endure to have mention made of their removal and are so besotted with their imaginary beauty that we seek to cover all their deformities dealing with our affectionate lusts as the painter did with Antigonus who had but one eye he drew his picture imagine lusca half faced and so buried the deformity out of the beholders sight We usually present our seeming contents with the fair face of outward joy while in the mean time we draw a curtain before their cloven foot and stinging tail such is the unhappiness our first parents folly hath reduced us to that we naturally choose the evil and let pass the good court the shadow and let the substance flee away Greedy affection was the inlet of our sinne and misery and still the same porter keeps open the doors for our unruly appetites With how much eagerness therefore should we endeavour to get our desires and affections placed upon their proper object that so they may attain the truest end by the rightest means and not rest contented with a few lifeless wishes and cold desires which at the best as one saith well can gain but this mean character bene cogitare est bene somniare a good thinker is but a good dreamer whose awakened sight serves onely to let him see he hath but the cloud instead of Iuno therefore above all things it teaches us the truth of this lesson that needs must men do evil whose very affections are wrong placed Our souls being amiss we must needs do amiss for man is borne to evil as naturally as the sparks flye upward saith holy Iob for the best of men without renewing grace are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
world whose impatient billows serve but to force them so much the nearer dangers brink therefore let no man please himself in any sensual enjoyments for they are the wicked mans portion and as we are unwilling to undergo thei smart so let us refuse their seeming pleasure lest we find such gilded pills to be but the forerunner of a bitter potion 4 Tasting comes in also for its share in the unprofitable merchandise sinne hath brought poor man as the return of all his unlawful actions indeed it s holy Davids Exhortation that we should tast and see how good the Lord is but happy is the man that hath so much wisdome for we are so vitiated with the practice of evil that we have no palate at all to relish heavenly food minding rather to patch up our decaying carcases which are daily veterascent and mouldring away then the taking hold of any opportunity that may lead us to partake and tast of those immortal joyes whose duration runs parallel with eternity Temptations to evil alwaies appearing big with a promising fruition of pleasantness so that with Eves deceived eye we are often prevailed with to trie and taste their goodness fleeing from all holy consultation till with her we pay no less then the smart of a troubled mind for the satisfying of an unbridled lust I question not but your own experience can sadly witness the truth of this assertion that impatient and immoderate desires after carnal pleasures alwayes return laden with the intolerable burden of grief and sorrow 5 Touching which is the fifth sense that suffers with us and for our transgression evil appetites being borne do also grow up with us the consideration whereof induced me the rather to stretch the line of your patience to a particular enumeration thereof that so beholding our vileness we might be brought to consider that the sins of our bodies and senses such as are lusts will wither in time and decay of themselves but sinful habits and spiritual wickedness which vitiate and corrupt the mind except in this life they be put off by grace will continue to infect and oppress our souls to eternity of how much concernment then is it for us all to lay hold on those things that will stand by and witness for us in a day of trouble We see the drowning man will catch at a straw rather then let pass any thing that with safety may bring him to the shore and our selves are curious and careful to lay hold on those means that will either purchase or preserve temporal safety oh why then should we not be as wise for our spiritual estate to lay up treasure where neither moth nor rust can come to decay or lessen it In a word by all that hath been said it plainly appears that the subject of sinne is the soul and the body is the instrument that subject works by therefore sinne is said to reign in our mortal bodies so then the proposition is true not onely of them that with Ahab sell themselves for sinne making merchandise of that invaluable gemme which a righteous man would purchase with the loss of life it self could any thing but the blood of God make redemption thereof or them that make a league with sinne and death but even the saints of God also make too true a proof of this assertion Holy David a man after Gods own heart is sometimes found following the devises of his own though his freedome therefrom cost him no less then a bedewed couch or broken bones such fruit must all the sowers of sin expect to gather Nay holy Iob gives the same testimony against himself in 9. Iob 20. If I justifie my self my own mouth shall condemne me If I say I am perfect it shall also prove me perverse And if the task would not procure wearisomness to your patience I might in tracing holy ground present you with variety of examples out of sacred Writ Lot was no sooner delivered from devouring fire but himself presently burnes in unnatural lust Noah hath not long escaped the floods of waters but himself is drowned in a deluge of wine and he that was to be the rock upon which Christ will build his Church he himself falls from the spiritual rock Christ Jesus and if this be done in the green tree what will come of the drie that are no sooner tempted but yield assaulted but embrace it like the willing bulrush continually sink into its nourishment the filth and mire of a roaring sea so that the Pelagians impeccant purity and the Donatists unspotted sanctity are but Apochryphal and will never be inserted into the Christians Creed for we must say with holy David in the words of my Text If thou Lord wilt be extreme to mark what is done amiss Lord who can abide it And the reasons of it are cleare 1 Because not onely our nature alone is found active in evil but it hath drawn in the will and affections also to be its companions in sin a truth which but now I have preacht to your ears my whole time for the most part hitherto being spent in the narration of our corruption both in soul and body of the rebellion of each against other and both against God so that if we eye our selves as the objects of Gods anger nothing but everlasting destruction can be expected the soul sins and the sin is conveyed thereunto by the organs of the body which by a free consent are joyned in rebellion against the Father of lights whose vengeance if severe in reckoning must be expected to destroy us 2 Because its easier in it self for man to do amiss than to walk uprightly for there must be the concurrence of all circumstances to denominate an action good whereas the defection and want but of one will make it become evil Our very conception is in sin therefore needs must there be facility for us to do amiss we need run no further then little infants who are but our selves multiplied for example in this kind how much difficulty and industry is required to work in them one moral action that may beare the name of goodness when on the contrary great restraints and much severity can scarce withhold them from multiplied acts of evil Nay that you may as soon bind a wolf with the guts of a tender kid as seek to bridle an impenitent wretch with the cords of love for by nature we are all King Solomons fools who make it our pastime to do evil but to do good have no understanding 3 That perfect symmetry of righteousness that obtaineth life if there be found therein but the obliquity of one act the demerit thereof will be eternal wrath so saith St. Iames 2. chap. 10. For whosoever shall keep the whole law and offend in one point is guilty of all Good reason then have we to stand in awe and sin not to watch over our wayes and be circumspect a little leven will leven the whole lump the smallest
to passe on in a way of sin casting all fear of danger behind us as if we were able to encounter devouring fire or dwell with everlasting burning especially when we consider but our own frame we cannot but know we are but dust and that which is our mould will soon decay and withal remembring our time is but short and the word redde rationem backt with a Thou fool may this night be given suddenly and then assuredly as the tree falls so it lies and in the same condition must we appear at Gods Tribunal Oh then with what circumspection should our actions be performed lest any evil or vicious habits should square themselves to joyn with us in our holiest Oblations because we pretend service to him whose power in a few words can write great Monarchs into trembling and can make a hair Adrian 4. or the kernel of a raisin as mortal as a Goliahs spear and can with ease blow down our bubling lives into nothing for the time is coming when not astuta verba but pura corda as Saint Bernard saith not fair words but honest hearts will prevail and commend us to him who judgeth all things for he will infatuate all fallacious wisdom and self-destroying wit For thou art the God that hast no pleasure in wickedness nor shall any evil dwell with thee saith holy David Psal 5.4 So that Holiness is now the onely path that leads weary and wandring souls to the Paradise of Celestial Blisse all other wayes being severely kept against us by the flaming sword of Gods irreconcileable anger and hatred against sin and sinners for no unholy thing shall enter much lesse remain in the Holy City all such shall be cast out Rev. 21.27 A good nature like a shallow brook may empty it self into the narrow river of Humane love but perfect Holiness and real Sanctity is only that noble stream which carries the soul to Heaven and loses it in the Ocean of infinite Blisse You may for a time sport your selves with the fire of lustful pleasures but ere you are aware the flame thereof will not onely sindge your gilded wings of ambitious desires which so long bore you up with the breath of popular applause but also consume your soul and body in endless woe and misery for when God shall come in flaming fire he will render vengeance to all that are ungodly not enduring longer to have the cry of our sins to come up before him and therefore holy David well considered this Meditation when he broke forth with the words of my Text If thou Lord will be extreme to mark what is done amiss O Lord who may abide it In which words we have already considered two general parts 1 An Antecedent 2 A consequent Or if you will here is 1 The Thesis 2 The Hypothesis In the first you have Gods extremity in punishing In the second you have mans misery in suffering for he saith If thou Lord be extreme to mark what is done amiss O Lord who may abide it From which sacred concession we have enedavoured to wind up the sum and substance of holy Davids intention into these four bottoms or doctrinal conclusions viz. 1 It is the corruption of mans nature to do amiss 2 God is not alwayes extreme to punish man when he hath done amiss 3 God can when he pleases be extreme in punishing man when he hath done amiss 4 If God be extreme in punishing man must needs be extreme in suffering Thus far our general division hath had its equal course and our progress in the dispatch of these truths hath but quitted the first and made entrance upon the second which together with the two latter acompanied with your patience shall at this time terminate my hours discourse And that I may with the more benefit to your understanding proceed therein I shall onely lead your memories back to the second conclusion namely Doct. 2 The mercy of God is such he will not alwaies be extreme to mark what 's done amiss Examples of Gods patience and long forbearance have no where such lively representations as in our selves whose unconsumed lives are nothing else but a series of continued mercy nor is there any rational account to be rendred for the same save onely that it is the good will of him that dwelleth in the bush whose glory is not to be given to another and that he will have mercy on whom he will have mercy c. Which he doth 1 For his name sake Exodus 34.6 2 For his natures sake which is alwaies prone to shew mercy 3 For his glories sake and that 1 In general 2 In particular 1 In general it is the constant language of holy Scripture as you have already heard 2 In particular he is not extreme for his Glory sake which is great in many respects I In respect of his judgements for they are his strange work and never had he felicity in executing the same but with an unwilling willingness is alwayes constrained to visit for the sins whether of nations cities or particular persons witness his sending the Gospel to the lost sheep of the house of Israel his low condescention to Abraham when he became Advocate for Sodom and his own tears over Ierusalems approching ruine yea and witness the repentings that were kindled in his bowels for revolting Ephraim but mercy is his delight because he waits to be gracious 2 Great in respect of time for the mercy of God endures for ever in Ps 136. As his power is unlimited so neither can bounds be set to his mercy sun and moon heaven and earth these all have their periods but the rich treasure of Gods mercy shall have no end I have seen an end of all perfection but thy commandement is exceeding broad saith holy David Ps 119.96 All the attributes of God like himself are from everlasting to everlasting 3 Great in extent of place for his mercy reaches unto the clouds Psal 36.6 7. Thy mercy O Lord is in the heavens and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds Thy righteousness is like the great mountains thy judgements are as a great deep Lord c. Gods extended grace makes its full appearance not onely in delivering from danger but in supplying our wants not onely in saving our bodies from temporal evils but in redeeming our souls from eternal damnation for with him is great deliverance 4 Great in extent of plenty for God is rich in mercy Eph. 2.4 But God saith the Apostle who is rich in mercy for the great love wherewith he loved us c. as if St. Paul had spoke his mind in larger phrases thus You are poor and needy you want blessings temporal and spiritual and know not whither to flee for succour and supply so that the narrowness of your hearts imagines Gods free hand is straitned but let no such scruple bear rule in your minds for with God is so great a treasure of grace as never can be exhausted
Gods mercy that he alwayes punishes not according to our sinnes and is not alwayes extreme in observing when we have sinned mercy it was that the Almighty at first did make man who stood in no need of the best of Creatures and their most pious services but greater mercy that the Holy One should not utterly destroy man when he had sinned and that his patience should forbear destroying sinful flesh a God of so pure a nature that he cannot behold sinne without hatred and yet a God of so rich mercy that he saves the soul when it hath sinned proclaiming himself to be the Lord gracious and merciful passing by iniquity trangression and sinne the consideration whereof made S. Chrysostome cry out Lord what am I to thee that thou shouldest command me to love thee and when I love the not thou art angry seeing its misery enough not to love thee and when I sinne and run from thee yet thou waitest still to be gracious to me and leavest no means unattempted that may make me love thee And Saint Austin I remember hath this expression God saith he is weary of our sinnes and is pressed with them as a cart heavy laden with sheaves and why doth he not rid himself of us who sinne wilfully in contempt of him but casts our sinnes behind his back as if no dishonour were done to his Holy Name by them Why doth he thus saith that holy Father expostulating with himself but meerly because he will not be extreme with us O therefore admire the riches of Gods mercy who gives you space to repent and by no means wils your death Oh I beseech you then if you expect that God should make your souls incessantly happy in his eternity be you holy in tua aeternitate as Saint Bernard saith in thy limited and short eternity that so you may come to see not his footsteps or back parts but his glorious face by an immediate intuition of his Majesty O think with your selves how your souls shall then be filled with glory and happiness O praeclarum invidendum spectaculum Oh what a sea and inundation of unspeakable Joy must needs flow in upon the Soul and will you not stand and admire the riches of that grace which gives you space and means for the obtaining of so great a blessing 2 This may move every one to begin and if begun to increase their repentance the Lord is ready to forgive and with thee is mercy saith the verse following my Text therefore shalt thou be feared Our sacrifice and propitiation can be nothing as from our selves its onely Jesus Christ the righteous that can satisfie Gods offended justice for our sinnes For if any man sinne we have an advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous 1 John 2.1 This is that pearl of great price which hath redeemed us from our Sins this is the Propitiation with which God is well pleased and is now become not our angry Judge but reconciled Father for were he a Judge and not our Farher he would be extreme to mark our actions and were he severe and not mercifull we could not stand before him But with thee is mercy that thou maist be feared Psal 130.4 And in his Beloved he is now made one with us the partition-wall which sin had erected by his suffering is now destroyed and broken down that so we may now come with boldness to the throne of Grace having an High Priest pleading continually for us and one who knows what it is to bear our sinnes and endure our sorrows Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the whole armour of light that so we may be able to stand in the evil day But withall let us take heed of taking occasion to live in sinne because God is merciful and because he is gracious to turn that grace which should save us into wantonness this is to treasure up wrath against the day of wrath and to lay upon our selves a mark of reprobation for though it be true of our God what Benhadads servants said of the Kings of Israel we have heard that they are merciful Kings so you may say if we sin yet our God is merciful to forgive and so sinne that grace may abound do not thus deceive your souls for the same God that is a merciful Father to true Penitents is also a jealous Lord over wretched sinners and will like Iehu drive on his Judgments furiously against rebellious sinners and will wound the hairy scalp of all Impenitents Behold therefore the goodness and the severity of God severity to them that go on in sinne impenitently but goodness to them which truly repent Rom. 11.22 Oh therefore let me perswade you whose souls as yet sit in darkness and in a state of sinne to awaken your selves out of this woful security consider if thou turn to the Lord with all thy heart and truly art sorry for thy sinnes consider I say he is ready to forgive and waits that he may be gracious to thy immortal Soul for which Christ dyed but on the other hand if thou continue in sinne know assuredly thou vile impenitent he will come in flames of fire to revenge himself upon thy implacable and immalleable heart Oh therefore while it s called to day harden not your selves against his fear but get your peace made with him ere it be too late and you that have already begun do you persevere unto the end that so you may receive that crown of Life which shall never be taken from you for he will not alwayes be extreme with you and yet severe with those that continue in sinne because when he pleases he can be extreme to mark what is done amiss and that brings me to the third Observation Third Observation That God can when he pleases be extreme in punishing man when he hath done amiss The will and the power of God in themselves are the same though to our corrupt understandings they seem distinct because our irregular wills are confined by a limited power and though God may do what he will with his Creatures because he is Omnipotent yet when they have sinned he doth not alwayes will their destruction because he is merciful his Omnipotent and executing power being alwayes limited by the will of mercy when he comes to deal with sinners for their transgressions though God when he list can be extreme to punish See the proof of this 1. A priori 2. A posteriori 1. A priori The power of God is infinite and that infinity of his is omnipotent as he can make a Genesis to give being so also an Exodus to destroy that being as there is in him a power to create so an infinite justice to destroy that creation when made though he create light out of darkness because he is the parent of Infiniteness so also is he Omnipotent and can when he pleases will the new light into its ancient state of darkness the same
to our deserts and that with speed too for the time draws neer when God will come to judge the earth righteously and the nations with his truth Psal 96.13 He will try all things as the refiner by fire which will discover and make legible that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the blind and subtil characters of mens thoughts and actions which before could not be read or perceived and all this by the power of his righteous judgement and the unerring law of his revealed will those righteous statutes the breaking whereof will make the wicked call to the mountains to cover them from the wrath of the Lamb when he shall come in flaming fire to render vengeance upon all ungodly and impenitent sinners whose destruction is of themselves their sins being the measure of his punishments for he will reward every man according to his works whether they be good or whether they be evil for with him is no respect of persons for as suffers the pesant so shall the Princes of the earth if found in their impenitency if their steel melt before his fierceness what shall man do whose clay-cottage continually sticks in the mire of sinne Oh sit down then and hang your mournful harps upon the willows of contrition cast away from you all terrene hopes of comfort which at last like Egypts reeds will prove no further useful then with sorrow to pierce your troubled sides lean no longer upon the staffe of your own understanding lest your falling thence become irrecoverable but betake your selves with true and pure devotion to that golden mercy-seat whence none ever returned empty that sought aright for there is no armour able to resist or divert Gods severe judgements but pious prayers and fervent ejaculations and no doubt but if you thus do but he who lends an ear to the cry of speechless blood will not turne it away from the voice of your petitions especially if put up in the name of him whose employment it is to propitiate for the sins of the whole world you must needs confess your selves sinners and if living and dying such you may be sure the end thereof will be eternal misery Therefore it s every mans great concernment as he would escape the last to provide against the former and the sooner the better because we know not how soon our accounts will be demanded and God come with ah thou fool this night shall thy soul be taken from thee c. Therefore to day while its called to day let 's hear his voice and not harden our hearts against him 2 Seeing none can say his heart is clean and all have reason to say every one is more righteous then we Oh then what fountains of tears should we shed if possible to bath our sinful souls in and baptize our selves anew in penitential teares not that the water alone hath any cleansing virtue in it for the very springs must be purged by the rock Jesus Christ yet contrition is ofttimes an inseparable signe of being cleansed for when sins by us are truly repented of Gods favourable eye of compassion looks on those sins as if they were never committed and where our sins look as red as crimson we must endeavour to have our tears as white as snow that falling sincerely from the eye of a true penitentiary they prevail with the father of mercies to pass over our souls when his judgements begin to be executed so then we must put off the redness of guilt that so we may be clothed with the white robe of innocency by getting our sins and iniquities blotted out But do not deceive your selves it is not a seeming holiness or appearing innocency acquired by our own strength that will avail us such weak lights are easily blown out and extinct by the gust of every temptation or like the costly gilt of a well-tuned instrument appearing pleasant while such but when once the strings begin to jar the impatient hand with fury casts both them and all its beauty from it as if no such loveliness had ever there been found Therefore above all things t is our concernment to make sure work in the things of eternity not taking them upon trust or others credit but our own experience not fearing others so much as our own eternall weal for there is nothing hath been so much the bane of Christian community as an overweening conceit of our own sanctity saluting every man with a Pharisaical Stand off I am more holy then thou disdaining to think any are so high in Christs esteem as our selves whereas our truest glorying is onely in the cross of Christ and an humble heart which in the sight of God is of great price For if thou Lord be extreme to mark what is done amiss who can abide it And this brings me to the second observation propounded namely That the mercy of God is such he 'l not alwaies be extreme to mark what 's done amiss Mercy is Gods proper work it is that wherein his chief delight doth rest what was reported of Dionysius the Emperour and left upon record for his eternal fame viz. that he wept when he came to subscribe his name to condemne a man as being loth to dip his finger in the blood of his fellow-creature is much more true of the Father of Mercy witness those tears that dropt from the eyes of our Saviour over impenitent Ierusalem a sad presage of approching ruine and yet a true symptome of his unwillingness to put the same in execution though they were already come to the Zenith of impiety killing the King of Glory and the Saviour of the world and though but beholding this at a distance such was his mercy that it made him weep Mercy is an attribute that of it self properly belongs to God justice is as it were by accident because of mans evil therefore is he said to wait to do the one but sparing in execution of the other yea he is unwilling to execute determined wrath therefore he saith how shall I give thee up O Ephraim and I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger c. Hos 11.8 9. therefore he that hateth nothing that he hath made will not alwaies be extreme with what he hath not made lest with it he destroy the work of his hands for the mercy of God is exercised towards man as considered in a twofold capacity 1. As a sinner 2. As his creature 1. As a sinner that he may do away his sins Isa 43.25 he makes open proclamation thereof I even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake and will not remember thy sins so willing is God to free the sinner from mistaking the person that he ingeminates the word as if he had said if thou art unacquainted who it is that must do away thy sins know that it is I I who am thy maker and put thee in a blessed condition whence thou fell and it is I who again will restore thee
as Christ will own to be his brethren 2 Christ humbled what a wondrous abasement was this of Christ that he that enjoyed the height of Divinity should yet be the lowest of our nature that the Word should be incarnate should be borne that the great God should become a child that the Ancient of dayes should become an infant of one day that the Almighty Iehovah should become the weakest of men yea even as a child that glory should be so humbled that God should become man this is the wonder of wonders a miracle placed upon pinacle of admiration that he whom the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain should be laid in a manger The inhabitants of the earth wonder to see a new star much more to see a new sun on earth he was accounted yea was equal with God yet made himself of no account in taking our forme he made himself like to us by a willing humiliation It was the saying of a Father Whether can be most to pity him that he was so or admire him that he would be so that he would so descend to come in person was a wonder but that he should come in the wants and weaknesses of a child that might have come in the glory of God is above all wonder and we are not more beholden to him that he came then that he should so come he must be nothing that would be made like us he made himself of no reputation not of his declining power but of his inclining mercy it was the goodness of God that he would not be glorious rather then not profitable and therefore the more and greater was his humility in debasing himself to us the more should we magnifie him not any thing of his but ours was the unworthiness And if our Saviour humbled himself thus are not we yet humbled our thoughts cannot be too meanly conceited of our selves since our Saviour was so low and vile the very heathen cannot debase us so low as the earth did God who likened himself to us let us compare our selves to nothing he was called the son of man born of a pure Virgin what should we call our selves worms and no men and say to corruption thou art my mother since Christ was thus borne for she brought forth her first-borne son And so I come to the second general the mothers tenderness 2 The mothers tenderness she brought forth her first-born son and wrapped him in swadling-clothes She wrapped him that custome was the office of a midwife the visitation of friends and kindred among those many women in Bethlehem was there no tender mother to afford Mary the office of common civility none to consider the wants of a necessitous Virgin among the many that gave to Caesar was there none to give to God the things of God Never was heavenly majesty invested in so homely a throne Christ was now first borne that we might be borne again he became an infant in us that we might become men in him he was now straitned to a span of mortality that we might be inlarged to immortality his mother now embraces him in her armes she laps him not in a fine mantle for what cares he to be gorgeous that cares not to be glorious his rags they were pure clean though poor and mean so soon as we had sinned we could be clothed but so soon as he was borne he began to be miserable he was wrapt in swadling-clothes Christ was wrapt in our clothes to procure a blessing for us though God made us naked and innocent yet we presently made our selves nocent and we had not been clothed had we not blushed what was there in Christ that he should be clothed and thus clothed surely no unrighteousness of his procured it but Christ was covered with these onely for our sakes whose sinful nakedness wanted the covering of his righteousness O the vanity of men much more of Christians Christ took our clothes to take our sins yet we see not our sinnes in the vanity of our clothes we accounted it our ornament to be clothed and yet so full of poverty and indigency in our selves that all we have is either from the earth or from the beasts that inhabit therein it was sinne that brought us to borrow of the earth and beasts it was sinne that made us thus shamefully clothed to clothe our sinnes and why should we be proud in the gaiest clothing since it is but a remembrance of sinne why should we trim and deck our selves when Christ coming to save us was wrapped in swadling-clothes Necessity of clothes speaks us men and the decency of them speaks us Christians Christ was wrapt in swadling-clothes and laid in a manger And so I come to the Childs poverty viz. 3 She laid him in a manger God brought forth man like a King and placed him in Paradise but he brought forth God-man like a beast in a stable and laid him in a manger Christ was abased as to a beast left all honour as to understanding that he might restore them to spiritual wisdome who by sinne were become like the beasts that perish Christ came to restore man and therefore would become one with the lowest of men that none might come short of salvation O silly creature know thy master the Lord of honour is now companion of beasts obey him then in his humiliation that hath disobeyed him in his glory what can we behold in this his abridgment but the contemning of the pride and the glory of the world in his sanctified humility why should Christ be thus low and mean but to teach us to prize nothing but heavenly things To Apply this If our Saviour did so humble himself to this mean condition how low should we humble our selves before him did the Son of God abase himself to misery and death that he might exalt us to glory and life therefore why are you lifted up While Christ was vile thou wert raised up though Christ was patient thou art full of impatient malice he embraces where thou despisest thou likest not the tast of delicates yet he sucked a poor womans breasts thou grudgest thy finest apparel he contented to be in clouts he was though a King though a God borne in a stable laid in a manger to teach thee that where thou art thou should have nothing to regard or be proud of either in thy self or thine enjoyments For what was there about thee O blessed Jesus but poverty was visible in it a poor carpenter and a desolate Virgin and perhaps the beasts were thy onely companions what was magnificent there but that which was noysome and by the presence of Christ was made pure a dark dungeon by this bright sun becomes full of light the rags that wrapped him were more precious then rayment of purple the clouts that comforted him were of more value then if made of the finest and most gorgeous linen O Lord our hearts are by reason of sin become dens caves and stables
decree of Almighty God 2. Consider this belief clearely takes away a mans conscience for why should men strive to hinder sin or make conscience of what they do when they are perswaded there is a necessity of sinning lies upon them and why should a man weep and mourn for that evil for which there is a necessity he do commit it as it must needs be when a mans sins are his destiny and not any thing in himself the cause thereof therefore if it be so if sin be not at all ours but of destiny or upon an inevitable decree then all our teares and repentance are spent in vain and when once this principle is throughly entertained religion cannot long continue therefore how cautious should we be of harbouring such principles much better were it for us to reflect upon our selves as the onely cause and instruments of sin and be alwaies afraid lest Gods just punishments should unavoidably overtake our evil actions and in this moderate sense feare makes a man apprehensive of a Deity alwaies unwilling to offend him and ever careful to keep a good conscience which the contrary opinion will lead a man to destroy 3. It takes away the guilt of sin for whatsoever is fatal cannot be justly punished because those sins for which men are justly rewarded with punishment must be concluded to have been within their power to have avoided them but fatal actions are not so neither can any man be temporally or eternally punished for those actions which he was born to commit for for a temporary offence which a man could no way avoid no eternal punishment can justly be inflicted the imbecillity of his power justly reprieving him from the sentence of condemnation and as no eternal so no temporary judgement can belong unto them for if magistrates thought mens offences unavoidable they would think it bootless to punish them but we see Judges punish men for offences because they know men have a power to refrain from breaking the law having dayly experience that fear of punishment hath kept men inoffensive but on the other side if the offender should think the offence for which he stands convicted to have been his destiny whether it be murder rebellion or acts of treason and other villanies c. and that they were committed by the necessity of a decree and that to this end he was born then he would and might very well plead innocency and complain he was unjustly punished for that which he had no power to refuse so that you see such a principle as this will be the dissolution of all government both temporal and spiritual for how can it stand with the justice of God to punish man yea to destroy to eternity both soul and body for the breaking of that law which he never had power to keep nay more to punish him for that evil which he could not avoid because his peremptory decree from all eternity had reprobated him unto it and if this be true that tribunal would not be just where the sentence of everlasting fire shall be pronounced against a man for that very action in which he was meerly passive having no power to avoid it this were to make God unjust in his proceedings with mankind for the recompence of good or evil cannot be given to good or evil that are so not freely but of necessity for where necessity is there is no place for retribution And therefore how vain and simple are we in our thoughts words and actions when we place mens Nativities under fatal constellations or their actions under a peremptory decree when as God hath given men liberty to live freely under his righteous judgments It were injustice in God to punish such that he had first made such therfore a point of ignorance madness for any that believe the resurrection of the dead and the day of judgement where God will render to all according to their works for him to say that there is a destiny lyes upon their actions for how can true faith and piety stand to this monstrous assertion But 4. If this were so then all the whole life of man would be but a destiny all our imaginations would be destiny and all the several changes and events that fall out in a nation or kingdome would be but by chance and a kind of fatal necessity if there were truth in this opinion and so we should do just nothing for if it be Gods decree to purpose sin within and an extrinsecal necessity rule us without to what purpose were preaching and hearing if men be not capable of exhortation all such means are in vain and will never convert a sinner or to what end is duty pressed and men called upon to repent to get grace to be meek and humble yea why are there promises made in Christ Jesus through believing that we may obtain remission of sins if that be a truth which some affirme that the peremptory decree of Almighty God rules all and that to this or that end men were born And if lawes do nothing wherefore were they made wherefore were Ordinances prescribed if they contribute nothing to help us heaven-ward and why is it that ministers accommodate themselves by meet words fit to work on mens understandings and affections and with the reasonableness of Christian religion labour to captivate their wills to bring them under obedience if by a peremptory decree which is unalterable they are designed to another end wherefore are the promises of mercy and the threats of eternal judgement made use of if there be no power in man that is capable of perswasion and that will admit of a change from evil to good I am sure such a tenent is none of the doctrine of the holy Catholick Church for St. Austin pronounces them accursed that say any man is predestinated to sin and we do pronounce such accursed if any such there be and many there are amongst us that say all events are from necessity so that by this time you cannot but see how irrational and unchristian it is for a man to lay the cause of all his actions upon Gods peremptory decree And so I have done with that error and come now to the other opinion which will have all actions regulated by the influence of stars And here secondly we utterly deny that any action is brought about or necessitated by the influence of stars or in respect of any fatal constellation for though it be true that there are infinite of heavenly bodies conformable to the inferiour creatures and that there are some particular planets which have special influence upon and domination over some particular climates over which they are placed and therefore it is that we read of the sweet influences of Pleiades and of Mazzoroth in his season Job 38.31 and the whole heavens shall hear the earth Hosea 2.21 so that we see there is a correspondence held between the stars above and the creatures below the firmament though some
are destructive in their courses and fight against their enemies thus the stars in their courses are said to fight against Sisera Judg. 5.20 and hence it is said there is a heavenly vessel that empties it self into the lower vessel and that every herb discovers it self to be useful for this or that part of mans body by the similitude which it carries unto that part for which it is medicinal and that every one hath governing from its proper star that every thing living hath a starry influence upon it and that there is not a man beast or stone but hath influence from the stars now granting all this to be a truth as it is the opinion of some yet it will be still found an infallible assertion that though all the stars at once were malignant they could not force any man to sin their malevolous aspects cannot compel any man to commit iniquity indeed by the fall of Adam our nature was corrupted and so the creature became subject unto vanity yet as we recover our selves from destruction in the second Adam they lose that power of vanity and so by consequence no extrinsecal meanes can be the cause of sin in respect of a fatal constellation but to say we were born during the predominancy of such or such a Plannet and our guidance in the way to eternal life is from God alone is a most certain truth for the sun and Moon which are the great luminaries of heaven and earth can do no more by their power towards our good or evil estate then a lame man can help himself to walk that hath no legs nay the Angels in Heaven can do no more then wish and long for the prosperity of Gods chosen Therefore how much of vanity is there in those minds who impute that power to celestial creatures which God never intended they should possess for take them at the best and they are but such instruments as can doe nothing without him that doth whatsoever he will both in Heaven and in Earth the Sea and all deep places We must not when we doe that which is evil lay the charge upon God or the Stars or the Angels who are the instruments that act those Stars 1. We must not lay the blame on God Let no man say when he is tempted he is tempted of God c. St. James 13.13 No let no man say he hath caused me to erre or that it is through the Lord that I fell away for he hath no need of the sonne of man saith the son of Syrach Ecclesiasticus 15.11 12. For the Lord hateth all abomination so contrary is sinne unto his Holinesse that his eyes are upon them that fear him and they that truly love God will do his will and obey his Commandements for they know that Gods Justice hath no need to advance its glory by the destruction of their lives Nor 2. Can any man justly impute his sinnes to the holy Angels for it is the property of them to hearken to the voice of God and alwayes to be doing of that which is good O praise the Lord ye Angels of his ye that excel in strength ye that fulfill his commands and hearken unto the voice of his words Psal 103.20 21. Therefore certainly they that fulfil Gods command and hearken to his voice will be farre enough from causing others to commit that which they hate especially in the Children of God for whose sakes they are made ministring Spirits But then some will be ready to excuse themselves and lay the fault upon the Devil and his evil Angels it is true the Prince of the Aire rules in the children of disobedience but it is as true they give up themselves unto him their lusts first ruled in their members before Satan got domination over their hearts they are taken captives at his pleasure but they first give up themselves willingly to be captivated they are willing to lie under the yoke of Egyptian bondage nor care they for other freedome then what the service of sinne will allow of and therefore our Saviour tels the Jews You are of your father the Devil and the lusts of your father you will doe The lusts of your father you will obey you have a lust to doe whatsoever he wills and your will is bent to doe whatsoever your lust dictates and yet men would fain make God the author of their evil as if he had decreed that to come upon them which they cannot refuse To this end saith St. Austin evil men lay not the blame of their vicious actions upon their evil nature but upon the Stars or on Gods peremptory Decree whereas what is sinne is voluntary and what is not voluntary is not sinne Saint Paul saith Ye have yeilded your members servants unto sinne So that we must not lay the fault upon the Stars but upon our own perverse wills for though the Stars doe draw vicious passions as in melancholy hearts in some anger and in others wanton love c. And though by nature we readily yeild to those influences yet there is power in grace which is able and doth break in every regenerate man the power of the Stars But if we give up our selves to sinne we must needs yeild unto those evil passions whereas a wise man even by his very reason will domineer over the malignant influence of any Star and though the corruption of our nature or the evil influence of the Stars may incline us to any kinde of vice as lying stealing to commit adultery c. yet as we are rational creatures we may and ought to strive against them labouring to get power from above to assist us and to that end is it that we are born again by holy Baptisme for this cause came we into the Christian Church that we might no longer live after the lusts of the Gentiles which know not God but that we forsaking the lusts of the flesh following godliness with the greatest eagerness and sharpest conflicts that a renewed heart can use against stubborn and rebellious flesh that our whole man may be wounâ— up to so high a pitch of Piety that in righteousnesse and godly sincerity we may perfect holinesse in the fear of God and in our several stations follow God as dear children and walk in love as Christ also hath loved us and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God c. Ephes 5.1 2. And so I have done with the end as asserted To this end was I borne and for this cause came I into the world c. The next thing in order to be handled is the Action viz. To bear witnesse For so saith our Saviour To this end was I borne and for this cause came I into the world that I should bear witnesse unto the truth FINIS A second NATIVITIE SERMON SERMON VI. St. IOHN 18.37 To this end was I born and for this cause came I into the world that I should bear witnesse unto the
or against their wils for he sits down among the Gods 5. For lasting his Dominion is everlasting and he shall reign over the house of Iacob for ever Psal 16.11 6.7 and of his Kingdome there shall be no end St. Luke 1.33 6. For fulness In his presence is fulness of joy c. 7. For subduing of enemies Bring those my enemies that would not that I should reign over them c. St. Luke 19.27 But why go I about to describe that which is infinite or blazon the glory of a power that is incomprehensible It made holy David cry out Lord what is man that thou art mindful of him c. Psal 8.4 Man is as a thing of nought for when he was not guilty being innocent and had not sinned he could merit no favour but when he was guilty and by sinning had deserved not to be what he was before yet then God to shew the freeness of his mercy that he who had made the world for man would not make man for nothing and though his Image was defaced by him yet he would not have it ruinated that goodness that planted him in uprightness would not have him presently destroyed when found in wickedness no he was prone to mercy though provoked to wrath by beholding that in man which his infinite Power never created and therefore to this purpose he came into the world 1 St. John 3.8 that he might destroy the works of the devil To apply this Since God was pleased so to honour us as not to redeem us with corruptible things 1 St. Pet. 1.18 as silver and gold nor with the bloud of buls and goats nor the power of men and Angels but by the death and passion of his own Son St. John 3.16 of his own Substance If God so loved us that he gave his only begotten Son for us why should we think any thing too much for him or through the ambition and pride of our hearts think our selves too good to serve him or imagine we can be happy without him Or on the contrary let us not suppose our sins to be more and greater then he is able or willing to pardon since God is pleased to send his Son to redeem you why should you think your selves too good to serve him let the beasts be sensual and the divels wicked why should you be scornful or so far degenerate as to do any action that may intitle you to the insensibleness of the one or to the losse of the other to be ungrateful to the God of Heaven is impious therefore bear your selves worthy of the Favourites of Heaven since Gods Son came into the world to redeem you And so I come to the second thing noted in his coming namely The humility of his Condescention If love to the Father and respect to our souls became to the Son of God so strong and powerful an inducement as to cause him to humble himself so far as in his own person to come and bear witness to the Truth then thou art inexcusable O man that sees the Truths of God opposed his Worship represt his Ministers supprest and dost not what thou canst to maintain the truth for every one in his proportion and degree to this end is born and comes into the world that he after the example of his Saviour should bear witness to the truth And so I come to the Nativity it self Christs coming into the world Came into the world We read in Scripture of a threefold coming of Christ 1. Imperiously To give the Law 2. Graciously To give the Gospel 3. Gloriously When he shall come to judge the quick and the dead The first was to the world the second in the world and the third will be at the end of the world In the first he came as a God In the second as a Saviour In the third he will come like a Iudge to require an account of every man for every particular action whether it be good or whether it be evil His first coming under the Law in Levitical types is not here intended but the coming mentioned in this place is his second coming when he came as a Saviour to give the Gospel Christ Jesus who is God-man thus came into the world and because as God he is omnipresent some will have his presence in every place and his being in every thing 't is true he was with us before he came to us but that God that is omnipresent and fils all places yet hath divers tranmsissions in Scripture Heaven is his place or throne of glory and earth his foot-stool but he is said to come to us when he manifests himself to us after a new manner and this coming of his is by an act of new Mercy he that is all Mercy now vouchsafed to his Creatures a new way of coming such as was never manifested before for he came to the old world in types and figures he was a Lamb slain from the beginning of the world when the Elect was Christ was there not only as the second person in the sacred Trinity but as a Propitiation for man in short he alwayes came in purpose he early came in the Promises and he successfully came in the fulness of time the Promises could not be frustrated and the Prophets could not be mistaken he is given to us in the Gospel and married to us by his Spirit having assumed our flesh in the blessed Virgin and that he should thus come to us was great humility from sitting in Heaven and hearing the Quire of Angels singing his praises working wonders in heaven and in earth c. yet he forsook all this to find us out who were rolling in clay for when he came to glorifie our nature we were in trouble we could be found in no condition but that of misery when he bowed the heavens and came down he then turned the name of Majesty into Pity his Glory into Humility and laying aside his Glory he leapt from that his Greatness and came and dwelt among us clothed in flesh indeed had he come in the form of an Angel that had been condescention or but to our flesh or had he but come to the circumcision of his flesh that had been a large extent of his love for his circumcision was no other than the shedding of his most precious bloud one drop whereof would have been sufficient for the ransome of a world but he took upon him the form of a servant and that to wash his Disciples feet which was a step lower for God to tread nay lower than that he humbled himself to the death and that of the crosse 2 Phil. 8. where he found his enemies to be his Judges and those that hated him falsly to accuse his sacred Works but both divided for there you have one drawing up a charge against his life and here another answering for his life here one proclaiming his innocency there another crying out he is
that shall deceive many c. 2 St. Peter 2.12 though indeed he tells us that they were the unlearned and the unstable that wrested the Scriptures to their own destruction ch 16. yet he admonisheth the faithful that they should not be led away by the errors of the wicked 2 St. Peter 3.17 18. and St. Paul saith if he or an Angel from heaven should come and offer any other doctrine let him be accursed Gal. 1.8 which implyes that there would some come which would offer another doctrine and that to the eminent Christians of Galatia and if it were possible the very elect should be deceived so saith our Saviour Saint Matth. 24.24 therefore I say in a matter of so high concernment as divine truth is we cannot do better then to confirme and bear witness to the truth as by speaking of it to the religious so Secondly by speaking of it against the erroneous passing the sentence of condemnation upon them that contradict the Scriptures that by it we may confirme the truth to the faithful by confutation of the opposite errors with the holy Scripture which is the word of truth and as it is the will of God so the rule of righteousness and they that will rove from this rule of truth are erroneous whether it be in understanding or conversation for those teachers that are already gone astray and by breaking Gods commands teach others so to do are chiefly erroneous however they may think to pacifie the world onely with a bare pretence to the truth and call the wisdome that is above their father thereby intending to deceive the simple with a shew of relation unto Almighty God while indeed they are the servants of the Devil for they know that if error should come in its proper shape it would be loathsome to every eye but now that it comes in the name and semblance of truth they think none will refuse it for many saith our Saviour shall come in my name saying I am Christ and shall deceive many Saint Mat. 24.5 so that you see truth is wounded by her own bow and as Iacob got the blessing in the hairy garment of Esau his elder brother thereby deceiving his Father so the wicked and erroneous men that are in the world seek to deceive the Church and servants of God in the apparel of our elder brother Christ Iesus so the Devil that father of lies could come and tempt our Saviour with the words of holy Scripture for when Christ alledged Scripture against him he did the same to our blessed Redeemer St. Mat. 4.6 no cunninger way for Apostates to bring in others under the same condemation with themselves then by pretending truth and piety to be the ground of theit actions The Prince of darkness will not think scorne to borrow the shape of an Angel of light if he thinks it may prove to his advantage and is it not a countenancing of blasphemy for any nation or people to give dispensation for all manner of heretical opinions who are ready upon all occasions to betray the truth and the professors thereof into a state of sin and misery Examine but Acts 18.19 and 1 Kin. 22.20 therefore seeing the factors of Satan are ready to betray many souls to perdition by corrupting Gods holy word is it not time for us to snatch the sword out of their hands and beat them with the strength and edge of those spiritual weapons which they endeavour to wound our heads withal for the truth is not like wax which is made to receive the image of every phanatical brain no where doubts arise in the holy Scripture they must be answered by its own spirit and not anothers But as we must defend truth with our tongues so Secondly practically by our words and works when the doctrine of Christianity is that way of truth which is evil spoken of and when men in profession are Christians but in conversation are Pagans and Papists c. Ro. 2.24 and St. Iam. 2.7 and when that truth is disgrac'd by the bad lives of men their sins become ours if we rebuke them not therefore Saint Paul saith have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather reprove them Ephes 5.11 That tongue which rebukes not his brother when he sees him go astray draws all the guilt of the action upon himself and so we make our selves sharers with him in misery for it is most certain he gives consent that holds his peace and no way contradicts the action Num. 30.4 the father by his silence at the daughters vow is there made co-partner with her and not onely the father but the husband also or any other person by their silence are said to give consent to the action as appears at large in that chapter Indeed there are two waies to keep a man from evil The one by reproof The other by not consenting to the action when committed For the truth is any Christians connivance or evil example but Masters and Rulers especially do harden the sinners heart and make him think well or ill of himself according as they approve or condemn the actions they see committed by him the truth is the Ministers silence at the sins which he sees committed often encourageth his people to go to hell therefore it is St. Pauls complaint The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you Rom. 2.24 and God himself hath commanded expresly Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart Levit. 19.17 not to rebuke thy brother when he does amisse is as much as to hate thy brother therefore it is said cry aloud and spare not tell Iudah of her sins and Israel of their transgressions if we please men we cannot speak the truth and we must speak the truth what man soever we displease Indeed there are three things especially which breed enmity in men against us for speaking the truth unto them 1. Displeasure 2. Disprofit 3. Discredit 1. Displeasure for hearing of the truth onely spoken many times galls some for let but truth be rightly spoken or seeme in the application but to touch their iniquities and they will presently like the frantick patient flie in the Chirurgeons face when he searches deep though it be for their safety so sometimes the least touch of truth will make men fret and fume and vent their malice in furious words against them who do but discharge their duty by a faithfull reproof of their sinfull actions 2. If it be against their profit or against their trade when application of truth is so made they cannot endure such doctrine but presently the Minister must suffer an ejection at least for his faithfulnesse and this must be done too with the greatest pretence of Piety for they think it no sacriledge to take the houses of God and make them dens of Theeves so that you may see and cannot but finde that many times the witnessing of the truth against that where the gain of wicked men lies
is but a lame consent yeilded by constraint for he that by a Tyrant is compelled with force of punishment to deny the Truth doth in a sort deny and not deny he denies it outwardly with his lips but his heart greives inwardly for the same because his conscience bears witness to the Truth but he that with a wicked life is given wholly to sin that he hath all his delights in it that man hath made himself perfect in evil 4. From the more full signification we do signifie more of wickedness to be in us by our works than by our words he sits at a farre greater denial of truth that denies it by a wicked life than he that denies it onely with his lips for fear of death though both these are great aggravations since in our lives words and works we are to bear witness to the Truth for to this end were we born and for this cause came we into the world c. Application Our Saviour bids Let your light so shine before men c. Saint Matthew 5.6 then we may hence learn that those that should light others to Heaven by their Doctrine must not darken their way by the evil example of an unholy life and not only must Ministers but people also let the light of holiness appear visible in their lives When God places a man a private Christian in the lower Orbe he puts him there to shine like a starre bright and clear in his own sphere Christians should shine and bear witness in their lives and be cautious how they walk because every sin puts a dimness upon the soul and darkness internal can expect no other but to go to darkness eternal and therefore St. Peter saith that our good works should make those that look on us as evil doers glorifie God in the day of visitation 1 Saint Peter 2.12 There be some that must believe in Christ throughout the world and witness his Truth to unbelievers by a holy life and why may it not belong to us but if on the contrary we be found to live as they live how shall they be brought to believe as we believe It was the saying of a Heathen If I did see the Christians lives better I should think their faith better than mine Religion and the Doctrines of Faith are often disgrac'd by wicked Professors 1 Tim. 1.6 7. the rebellion of a Christian that is a Servant though to an Heathen Master brings a scandal both upon God and on holy Religion Sure I am God and Religion is very much disgrac'd and the Gospel dishonoured and the Church of Christ abused by the wicked lives of those that are called the Sons of the Church Oh therefore that by holy lives judicious reading faithful hearing and constant studying and meditating in the wayes of God and the Truths of God we would make our selves able and ready to give an account of the hope that is in us that so both in our knowledge and practice we bearing witness to the Truth here on earth we may have the truth in our consciences to bear witness to our selves that we are the Sons of God that so he that ascended into Heaven to take possession of his own Glory may in time bring us thither who himself affirmed and after whose example we should walk that as he was born and came into the world to bear witness to the truth so we should also account of our selves that we were born and that we came into the world that we might bear witness to the truth that we came into the world this Christian world to witness to the truth as common Christians that we came into the world the Church of God as members thereof to justifie that faith by a holy life unto which our parents had baptized us still indeavouring to carry the same mind in us that was in Christ Jesus that as he did so we came into the world to bear witness to the truth for he justified himself before the judgement-seat of Pilate saying in the words of my Text To this end was I born and for this cause came I into the world that I should bear witness to the truth The end of the Sermons Dr. Hewit's publique Prayer after Sermon O HOLY HOLY HOLY Lord God of heaven and earth heaven and earth are full of the majesty of thy glory Glory be to thee O Lord glory be to thee glory be to thee glory be to thee for all those infinite favours which thou of thine infinite goodnesse hast voucsafed to us who are lesse then the least of all thy mercies for the fountain of all mercies Jesus Christ in whom thou hast loved us with an everlasting love before ever we or the world were made that thou hast created us after thine own Image and redeemed us by the bloud of Jesus Christ when we were utterly lost that thou hast called us with an holy calling and in some measure sanctified us by the graces of thy holy Spirit that thou hast spared us thus long and given us so long and so large a time of repentance when as thou mightest have cut us off in the midst of our transgressions whilst we were rebelling against thee Blessed be thy name O Lord for all thy mercies vouchsafed unto us thy mercies to allure us thy promises to wooe us thy patience and long-suffering towards us to lead us to repentance thy corrections to reclaime us thy judgements to affright and better us blessed by thy name for all opportunities of wel-doing for all hinderances of evill-doing for all the good purposes and resolutions thou hast put into our hands to draw our souls from the dregs of sin and ignorance into the glory of thy Saints for any assistance that thou hast given to any of us in any holy performance for the Communion of thy Saints the aide of their counsels the benefit of their Prayers the comfort of their conversations the protection of thy Holy Angels for all corporall spirituall temporall and eternall mercies mercies concerning this life and mercies concerning the life to come Blessed be thy name for thy mercies to us all the dayes of our lives thy mercies unto us this present day for the light thereof the greater light the light of thy truth to shine into our soules to guide our feet into the way of all truth For that portion of Scripture wherein thou hast been pleased to reveal thy self unto us at this time Lord though it be sowne in much weaknesse do thou raise it up in great power let it not be as water spilt upon the ground but let it be as seed sown in good ground that it may take deep root downward in our hearts by faith and bring forth much fruit upwards in our lives and conversations to the glory of thy holy name to the edification of thy Church and people and to the salvation of our souls in the day of Jesus Christ to whom with thy self and holy Spirit we desire to