rest upon their soules oh in these it will breake forth into a fierie flame that will grievously scortch Holcâ—t in Iâ—br Sap. Peccatum inquietat hominem nec permittit habere pacem burne torment their consciences for sinne it disquiets a man generally all sorts of men and suffers them not to possesse any true peace of conscience When Adam had once committed sinne against God oh how hee was vext how his soule burnt with feare and trembling Gen. 3.9 so that hee ran away from God hee hid himselfe from his presence that God was faine to call after him Where art thou Adam When Ionah Gods owne Prophet had disobeyed the voyce of the Lord oh how hee was stung in conscience he had no rest he fled from place to place he shipt himselfe to sea he bestowed himselfe in the lowest houldes Ion. 1 1â— to hide himselfe from God and to passe by the furie of his burning sinne he betooke himselfe to sleepe but all in vaine hee is rows'd up againe for without the winde and the waves pursue him the Lott discovers him within his conscience huntes him with a fiery flame which makes him cry out Take me and cast me into the sea so shall the sea be calme to you for I know oh the force of a guilty conscience that for my sake this great tempest is come upon you This was Davids state Psal 38.3 4. which made him complaine There is no rest in my bones because of my sinne my iniquities are gone over my head they overwhelme mee and are as a sore burthen too heavy for mee to beare oh inflamed conscience This was Hezekiahs state which made him conclude That it broke his bones like a Lion Esa 38.13 14. and enforced him to cry like a Crane to chatter like a Swallow and mourne like a Dove nay which farre exceeds all comparison when that blessed Saviour that immaculate Lambe Christ Iesus which had no sinne inhesive sinne onely imputative ours none of his owne when hee in this kinde did beare our sinnes it made him grovell upon the earth Luke 22.44 it made him distil down drops of bloud Mat. 27.46 at length mournfully to cry out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me So that sinne is fitly compared unto a Fever propter inflammationem in respect of the burning heate it brings upon soule and conscience perplexing the very Saints of God yea as wee see often deeply plunging the most cauterized conscience Wicked men may for a while brave out their sinnes and pass them by with a senselesse heart despising casting off the testimony of their conscience Without remorse of conscience Senec. â—p 43 Oh te miserum si contemnis hunc testem as did those Gentiles which the Apostle tells us were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 past feeling by which as Seneca speakes they became the more miserable and inthralled yet this will hardly bee alwaies their estate sometimes the horror of conscience will broile up in their soules as an unquenchable fire for as Iuvenall speakes Iuvenal de scelerat Nocte dieque suum gestant in pectore testem they doe day and night carry their witnesse in their breasts which will sometime or other pierce them and make them to heare his voyce therefore faith the Prophet Esay Esa 57.20 The wicked are like the raging sea that cannot rest whose waters cast up mire and dirt the filth of their sinnes and abominations to the most grievous terror of their soules Esa 57.20 For as Isidore speakes nulla gravior poenae quà m mala conscientia no greater punishment than an evill conscience Prov. 13.21 For there is no peace saith my God unto the wicked Hence it is that Salomon tells us That afflictions doe follow sinners even wrath anguish and horrour of soule they may seeke many meanes to passe them by but their wickednesse will lie in waite for them to scorch and burne them with unappeasable miserie Lastly sin is fitly compared unto a Fever propter privationem in respect of privation for as that fierce maladie doth often times deprive of all vitall power The axiom à privatione ad habitum impossibilis est regressus may well be said to be true in respect of this spiritual death and brings downe the body to the dust of the earth so is it with sinne it doth oft times so seaze upon the soule that at length it deprives it of all spirituall life and throwes it downe to eternall miserie never to bee recovered So that in this respect well may wee say that true is the axiom that from the privation to the habit the returne is impossible for whom sinne hath once totally slaine and throwne downe to the grave of miserable impenitencie there is no returne againe This was the estate of the aspiring Angells sinne slew them and deprived them of all spirituall life and threw them downe to eternall miserie never to be regained againe So deales sinne with all prophane persons who continue it and nourish it in their soules at length it utterly kills them takes from them all hope of life all hope of felicity all grace in this world all glory in the world to come and makes them owners of eternall thraldome Thus we see sinne is a desease and therefore first in a fivefold respect fitly compared unto a Fever Secondly the maladie of sinne is fitly compared to a Leprosie and that in regard of a threefold Sympathie Separation Infection and Curation Esa 59.2 This separation is not the least punishment that shall befall the wicked for if Absolom did desire rather to die than not to behold the face of his father David what great dolour shall it be to the wicked that they shall be separated from the presence of God and all the godly for ever Chrysost concludes that omnes poena non sunt illi poena comparari all punishments are not to be compared to it First it is fitly compared unto a Leprosie in respect of Separation for as that loathsome maladie doth occasion a man to bee separated from the company of men so deales sinne by the soule it doth cause a separation and that a most grievous one betweene the Creature and the Creator between God and our soules and therefore from all Grace and Glory from all holy men and Angells This the worthy Prophet declares to bee the force of sinne Your iniquities saith he have separated betweene you and your God and caused him to hide his face from you that hee will not heare This the last sentence to bee pronounced against the wicked doth plainely witnesse Goe yee cursed into everlasting fire Goe there is the separation of most grievous nature even from God and all the godly from all joy and comfort from all blisse and happinesse unto endlesse miserie Thus first sinne is fitly compared unto a Leprosie in respect of separation Secondly it is fitly compared unto a Leprosie in respect
that to these there is no condemnation wherefore saith David Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not Sinne. Psal 32. Againe he healeth our sinne by quenching the inherent flame thereof by the force of his Holy Spirit for it is the operation of Gods Spirit to beat downe sinne Rom. 6.6 to mortifie corruption and to renew in us the Image of God Thus wee see Ephes 4.24 that it is God that healeth sinne as the efficient and principall Agent Therfore to him let us seeke of him let us desire the pardon and remission of our sinnes of him let us intreat for the force of his Holy Spirit to quench the flame of our inborne Corruption bidding a farewell to all Romish superstitions indulgences satisfactions and invocations of Saints for our God is a iealous God and will not give his Glory to another Againe as it is proper unto God alone to heale Sinne so hee is most ready to performe that Cure which is the second point to bee considered No sooner did Ephraim submit himselfe and intreat the pardon of iniquitie but presently the Lord replies I will heale their Rebellions plainly witnessing that he is not wanting to us if wee be not wanting to our selves but if wee acknowledge our miserie and moure for our transgression he is most ready to cure us Oh how frequent are examples in this kinde When David from his mourning soule did cry out 2. Sam. 12.15 peccavi I haue sinned presently God had his Messenger ready to speake comfort to his soule Thy Sinne is put away When that Luxurious sonne that had prodigally spent his portion Luke 15. did but once cry out Father I have sinned against Heaven and against thee and am no more worthy to bee called thy Sonne presently his loving Father did runne to meet him hee did embrace him in his armes hee did kisse him with the kisses of his mouth and gave him royall entertainement Alas Luk. 7.38 when deepe wandring Mary had the feeling of her Misery that shee came and stood at the feet of CHRIST wept and mourned for her transgression oh how soone were the gates of Mercy opened unto her how soone did shee heare a comfortable absolution Oh that then wee would bee cautions that wee be not wanting to our selves by the hardnesse of our hearts refusing this blessed Cure Cant. 5.2 we haue Christ Iesus crying unto us with sweet and familiar termes Open unto mee my sister my love my dove my undefiled Rev. 3.20 Hee tells us that hee stands and knockes at the doore If any man open unto him hee will come unto him and will supp with him Oh that then wee would endeavour to open our hearts to entertaine this heavenly Physitian that hee might heale and cure the deepe corruptions of them lest whilst wee keepe fast the doore of our hearts at length the doore of mercie bee shut against us and wee perish in the loathsome desease of our sinne and wickednesse And so much briefly for the person emphatically set forth in the pronoune Ego I I will heale their Rebellions Come we now unto the Action exprest in the word heale by which Metaphoricall speech is plainly intimated that sinne is a desease for as there are corporeall Maladies that doe affect the body so there are spirituall Maladies that doe affect the soule Wherefore to insist upon this Metaphor and the more cleerly to shew that sinne is a desease even a furious and a grievous desease that doth in a speciall manner oppresse contaminate and infect the soule we may fitly compare it to a Fever to a Leprosie to a Phrensie to a Lethargie And first unto a Fever and that in a fivefold respect first in regard of debilitation for as a Fever doth wonderfully debilitate and weaken the body making it unfit to performe any validious exercise so dealeth sinne with the soule it so weakens it that it becoms unable to performe any holy duty Prov. 15.18 any fit action pleasing in the sight of God for what saith Salomon The sacrifice of the wicked is abhominable unto God Heb. 11.6 all he doth is odious in his sight for as the author to the Hebrewes speakes without faith it is impossible to please God But where sinne hath plenall domination there sauing faith hath no impression therefore it followes that all that these doe is utterly dispeasing unto God Thus first sinne is fitly compared unto a Fever in respect of debilitation it so weakens the soule that it makes it unable to doe any thing that is savorie in the sight of God Secondly sinne is fitly compared unto a Fever propter gustum in respect of tast for as to him that is affected with a vehement Fever the most sweetest things become bitter and distastfull so is it where the soule is laden with impiety Psal 19.10 there the most wholsome and pleasant things that which David proclaimes was sweeter to him than hony and the hony combe becomes most sharp and unsavory What could bee more sweet than Christs most heavenly speech delivered in the sixt of Iohn Ioh. 6.53 54. Except yee eate my flesh and drinke my bloud yee have no life in you Whosoever eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath eternall life c. Oh what could bee more sweet than this heavenly voice but what could bee more harsh Ioh. 6.60 or more distastfull to the soule-sick carnall Capernaites therfore they cry out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oh this is a hard speech who is able to heare it Againe what could be more sweet than our Saviours blessed speech to that penitent sinfull woman Luke 5. pronouncing to her a most comfortable absolution Thy sinnes be forgiven thee yet what could bee more displeasing to the arrogant Pharisees Luke 7.49 therefore they murmured among themselves Who is this that even forgiveth sinnes Thus secondly sinne may fitly bee compared to a Fever propter gustum in respect of tast for it makes the sweetest and most savorie nutritives to seem as if they were most sharp and violent distructives Thirdly sinne is fitly compared to a Fever in respect of digestion for as the fierce inflaming Maladie doth so oppresse the stomack that it disables it to admit digestion to the most wholsome food but oft makes it become so loathsome to it that it doth evomere send it forth againe so dealeth sinne with the soule it disables it to admit digestion to the most heavenly things but makes them so loathsome to it that it suffers it not to possesse so much as any quiet impression Hence it was that though Noah spake to the old world to returne from their impieties Gen. 6.3 or else the Lord would destroy them by a generall deluge from off the face of the earth though he did build the Arke in their sight to shew the certainty of this iudgement unlesse they would revert and continued this admonition by the space of
of infection and that in a twofold kinde for first as that grievous maladie is of that nature that it doth soone spread an infectious steame unto all those that associate themselves with these Senec. Vitia serpunt in vicinos contactunocent so deales sinne it doth soone as Seneca speakes taint and infect the neighbouring parts Hence it was that our grant-parent Eve associating her selfe with the wicked Serpent Gen. 3. became soone infected with his contagion to her great miserie and the miserie of all her posteritie Hence it was that godly Ioseph living in the polluted Court of Pharaoh became soone tainted with the contagion thereof Gen. 42.15 to sweare by the life of Pharaoh and to speake against his own knowledge and conscience Gen. 42.9 Hence it was that the Apostle Peter conversing with the wicked company Mat. â—6 58 Luke 12.55 the enemies of Christ Iesus became so farre infected with their foule pollution as to deny his most loving Master Aug. in Ps 99. Inter malos boni gemunt sic ut grana inter paleas sicut lilium inter spinas Bern. Heu mihi quia undique mihi pericula undique mihi bella undique mihi tela volant unâ—ique tentamenta quocunque me vertor nulla securitas Therfore well might Austine say inter malos boni gemunt c. the godly doe grone amongst the wicked as the wheat amongst the chaffe as the lillie among the thornes well might Bernard complaine woe is mee for dangers are on every side warres on every side darts doe flie on every side on every side temptations whither soever I turne me there is no security The people of Israell had great experience hereof whilst the Cananites became as thornes in their sides deeply piercing them with the foule infection of their loathsome impieties Thus we see that sinne is fitly compared unto a Leprosie in respect of infection spreading it selfe abroad unto remote and neighbouring parts Iudg. 2.3 Secondly sinne is fitly compared unto a Leprosie in regard of infection more proximate and personall for as that disease doth spread it selfe all over the body infecting every part thereof with its foule contagion so deales sinne by the soule it spreads it selfe all over it it annoyes and polluts every part thereof it blindes the understanding that it cannot discerne the excellent things contained in Gods word it dulls the will and makes it froward in the waies of God most backward to all goodnesse most forward to all evill it depraves the affection and makes it alienate from God for as one speakes a sinner is dumbe and blinde Parat Ser. de Temp. Peccator mutus cecus est he hath neither will nor tongue that prayseth and magnifieth God he hath neither understanding nor heart apprehending or taking knowlege of his sacred mysteries for as the Apostle speakes 1. Cor. 2.14 The naturall man perceiveth not the things that are of the Spirit of God they are foolishnesse unto him hee cannot know them for they are spiritually discerned Thus wee see that sinne is fitly compared unto a Leprosie both in respect of remote and proximate infection Lastly it is fitly compared unto a Leprosie Principiis obsta sero Medicina paratur in respect of curation for although it bee a worthy rule concerning all maladies to stay them in the beginning for feare they grow incurable yet is it most especially urgent concerning this foule contagion for if this be not soone lookt unto even in his very enterance alas it growes forever incurable Such a disease is sinne if it bee not carefully lookt unto in the very beginning of it Peccator inveteratus per peccatum induratur Hieron Dum parvus est hostis interfice it will soon take strength and grow exceeding dangerous for a sinner grown old in sinne becomes hardned by sinne therefore Hierome gives worthy counsell to destroy this enemy whilst he is smal even when it is but in thought for as Bernard tells us Evill thoughts whilst they dally with us they throw us downe to destruction Bernard Malae cogitationes dum ludunt illudunt Thus we see that sinne is fitly compared unto a Leprosie in respect of separation infection and curation Thirdly Sin fitly compared unto a Phrensie propter securitatem stoliditatem violentiam the disease of sinne is fitly sympathized by a Phrensie and that in a threefold kinde in regard of security in regard of stolidity and foolishnesse in regard of fiercenesse and violence First in respect of security for those thus affected how much the more grievously the maladie doth possesse them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or common sense is so offended in those troubled with Phrensie that they cannot rightly judge of the nature of any thing as Arist doth witnesse lib. 3 de anim cap. 2. Helcot in Lib. Sap. Peccator quanto pejor tanto minus se reputat peccatorem Prov. 18.3 1. Sam. 15.32 so much the more secure they are carelesse of any thing presumptuous in all things fearing no danger as having lost the use of common or reflecting sense by which they should judge of the nature of things So is it with those laden with the Phrensie of sinne how much the more deep in iniquity so much the more secure for it is truely said that a sinner how much the more worse hee is and deepe in sinne so much the lesse doth hee repute or reckon himselfe a sinner whence it is that Salomon tells us that a wicked man when hee comes into the depth of wickednesse he contemnes that is all admonitions all conceipt of misery becomes most presumptuously secure never considering any imminent danger or stroke of justice ready to bee imposed for sinne committed as Agag when hee was ready to be hackt in pieces hee securely concluded the bitternesse of death was past So pernicious Babel when God was ready to throw downe judgement against her Esa 47.8 shee presumptuously resolved I shall be a Lady for ever misery shall never seaze upon mee So Nebuchad-nezzar when hee was ready to be rejected and made as a beast of the field hee securely proclaimed a most induring pompe Is not this great Babel that I have built for the house of the Kingdome by the might of my Power for the honour of my Majesty Dan. 4.27 As if hee should say my state shall never be changed who can bring downe my might and power So that pampered Epicure though God had sent out a decree against him that very night to take his soule from him Luke 12. yet silly sot the picture of this madde world hee went to bedde with a wonted song of presumptive security Soule take thine ease thou hast much goods laid up in store for many yeares little thinking that that very night should put a period to his life and turne his long hoped joyes to present everlasting woes therefore first sinne is fitly compared to a
Phrensie in respect of security Secondly it is fitly compared to a Phrensie propter steliditatem in regard of the foolishnesse of him that is troubled with this disaster The reason of usual Laughter in such as are distracted is because the phantasie of such doe continually erre in the judgement of the object so that they cannot discern betweene matter of joy and matter of sorrow now it is cleere where there is no judgement there can bee no distinction or discretion of objects and humane nature is rather carried to laughter than to sorrow especially where the disease is not of melancholie very fierce and servent for man is naturally animal visibile a creature apt to laugh albeit the temperament of the humours doe often hinder the production thereof and makes them become 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Crassus and Heraclitus which were seldome seene to laugh for when hee is in the greatest misery most oppressed with the strength of his disease yet still you shall behold him as it were to laugh and carrie a pleasant countenance so is it with him whose soule is troubled with the disease of sinne when hee is extreamly miserable when the strength of his foule sinnes are readie to throw him downe to destruction yet still you shall see him to be full of jollitie and to carry a pleasant countenance This was the state of Ierusalem who troubled with the Phrensie of sinne became passing pleasant never discerning the time of their visitation never considering their imminent distresse Christ wept for them but they never wept for themselves but became full of mirth and insultation even when Christ was ready to denounce a wofull curse against them Behold your habitation shall bee left unto you desolate And such wee may daily see to bee the state of all inveterate in sinne they walke with lifted up countenances full of jollitie and insultation yea even those that would bee accounted the sonnes and daughters of Sion we may behold them to be haughtie Esay 3.16 to walke with stretched out necks and wandring eyes as the worthy Prophet speakes shewing much more insultation than humiliation carnall jollitie than religious pietie Thus wee see that sinne is fitly compared to a Phrensie in respect of the mad follie of them affected with that disaster This is the quality of those the ground of whose distraction is fervent burning mellancholie Thirdly it is fitly compared to a Phrensie propter violentiam for as he that is distracted becoms fierce and violent full of rage seazing upon any even his dearest friends and is not reclaimed but by bands and fetters so deales sinne with the soule it makes it fierce and cruell against God for when the Holy Ghost would describe a man laden with the Phrensie of sinne hee tells us that he sets his mouth against Heaven Psal 73.9 he warrs with God himselfe and is never reclaimed but by the speciall power of his justice Exod. 14.8 This was Pharaohs state which made him stand against God and all his power the ten mightie strokes which he strooke at him they danted him not at all but still hee maintained his warre against God and went on in the pursuit of his violent will and never left till God was faine to strike him downe with the hand of his judgement and swallow him up and his whole hoast in the furious waves of the sea And such become all those that deeply lade themselves with the Phrensie of sinne they grow fierce and mad against God and nothing can remove them no voyce of God no mercie nor menace but on still they goe with all violence as if they would pull God out of his throne untill at length he is faine to rowse himselfe up like a Giant and by the invincible hand of his justice throw them downe to eternall miserie for as the Prophet Esay speakes Let mercie bee shewed to the wicked Esay 26.10 corrective mercie in punishing and afflicting them to turne them from the evill of their waies yet they will not learne righteousnesse c. they will not behold the high hand of God but will still warre against his Majestie Thus we see that sinne may fitly bee sympathized by a Phrensie in respect of security in respect of foolishnesse in respect of fiercenesse and violence Lastly sinne is fitly compared unto a Lethargie for as this disease as Aequieta writes drawes upon the bodie even a continuall sleepinesse and as Trallianus saith such a forgetfulnesse that they forget what to speake or what to doe yea as Constantius speakes the necessarie actions of life so deales sinne with the soule it drawes upon it such a deadly and fearefull sleepe that these thus affected forget the most necessarie things that which most specially concernes them even all the waies of God all reverent feare and obedience to his Majestie all peace of conscience all salvation of their soules all eternall joy and felicitie in a word all consideration of their estate and condition Oh doe but survaie the passage of a wicked man and is it not cleere that his soule is thus affected alas hee goes on in a fearfull way and seemes not to remember so much as what way it is or whither it tends or what will bee the end of it hee hath a soule an immortall essence and a body the organ of that soule both which must appeare before Gods Tribune 2. Cor. 5.10 to receive a sentence according to their workes but he seemes utterly to forget it as if he had no answer to make or doome to receive or soule and body to be saved or condemned for who so did but duly consider amongst many other the like passages that onely which the Apostle doth plainely witnesse That an account must bee given for all the things done in our bodies whether they be good or evill how could it but restraine the force of sinne and beate downe the height of wickednesse but the long continued Lethargie of their impieties hath drawn so deadly a sleepe upon their soules that they become even utterly forgetfull of their miserable estate and condition never remembring that which Augustine doth plainely witnesse Aug Quae cunque facio ante te facio illud quicquid est quod facio melius tu vides quam ego qui facio Heb. 4.13 Rom. 2.16 Ezech. 7.9 that whatsoever they doe they doe it before the face of God and that whatsoever it is that they doe that he sees it better than they themselves that doe it All things as the Apostle speakes being naked and open to his eyes with whom we have to doe even their secrets which hee will judge by Iesus Christ nor will his eye spare them not will hee have pitie upon them but will lay upon them all their waies and their abominations shall bee in the midst of them and they shall know that he is Iehova that smiteth all which the deadly sleepe that the Lethargie of their sinne brings
upon them seemes to draw into an utter oblivion And thus we see that sinne is fitly compared to a Fever to a Leprosie to a Phrensie to a Lethargie Oh now what shall this impresse within us Is this the nature of sinne is it a disease a disease so grievous so hard to bee cured how well might this instruct us to relinquish sinne to bee warie how we entertaine that dangerous maladie But what may we not here stand a pauld and amaz'd may we not well cry out oh tempora oh mores for what heart can conceive what eare hath heard or what tongue can expresse the miserie of these times oh that the eternall power would inspire some power of his spirit to make our dull and earthie mindes fit to record and apt to utter some breviat of this wicked age Alas forsake our sinnes warie how we give entertainment to sinne a strange discourse oh how the flintie heart returnes it back againe and seemes to eccho in my eares Tush tush a voyce for heaven but not for earth what should we become the wonder of the world t is not the fashion of this strong stomackt age to make a question how full they gorge themselves with sinne Most true indeed what can bee more cleere The opinion of the world for now the trade of sin is growne full ripe * hee is held a sot of no regard that treads but ordinarie stepps of sinne but dives he downe to hell and fetch he thence some strange unheard of damned plot that may amaze the minde astonish modest eares and be a wonder to the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 câ—leritas ad nequitiam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 malignè diligens Such amongst other of this time seeme those to be in the Romish iudgement that plotted that horrid stratagem the powder-treason hath he not only as Basill speakes a notable dexteritie to invent mischiefe but as Eustathius speakes becomes most diligent and watchfull to put it in practice oh he is the man surpassing wise a worthy polititian oh none to him Those grosse and common sinnes ebrietie adulterie base usurie and foule blasphemie become such hacknies of the world so frequent and familiar in every place that these they seeme no sinnes at all they will tell you they can prescribe If you commence a suit they will plead a custome If you urge it further they will prohibit and draw you downe to the judgment of the world Egregious wickednesse reckoned by unhallowed spirits for wise political inventions where you may bee sure they will prove their suggestions So that these foule sinnes by their communitie and continuitie seeme to have purchased to themselves such a kinde of immunitie that you may behold them to walke up and downe the streets without controule very gravely very gentleman-like as if they had nothing to doe with the societie of hell as if these were no sinnes at all for in this deepe transgressing age nothing seemes worthy of that name The indulgent judgement that men use to have of sin and wickednes but some horrid-acted stratagem that may seeme to put the very Divells themselves to schoole now none seeme to bee wicked but such as are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 extreamely wicked wicked as it were beyond comparison oh such bee our times so strange bee our affections but oh wretched creatures whither doe you bend your course oh see your estate observe your condition you are full of foule diseases your soules are laden with the burning Fever of sinne with a loathsome Leprosie whose great contagion is ready to make a separation betwixt you and your God alas with a violent Phrensie which makes you warre against God grow insensible of your miserie and smile when your destruction approacheth even with a grievous Lethargie which makes you sleepe in sin and continue in wickednesse never remembring either heavenly joyes or hellish miseries And what will you still remaine in this estate will you take no notice of your great distresse shall neither the burning of the Fever nor the contagion of the Leprosie nor the violence of the Phrensie nor the oblivion of the Lethargie worke any impression upon you shall they be no motives to you to make you forsake your impieties and to become warie how you entertaine any sinne which ever carries with it the nature of all these grievous diseases Oh then what can remaine to you but endlesse woe and miserie what can be your estate but as David spake of the mountaines of Gilboa never dewes to fall on you more no showres of grace to mollifie your hearts but as you have begun in sinne so to end in sinne through the strength of your disease by which you have so violently resisted the sweet fountaines of Gods mercies so often compassing your soules But blessed bee the hills of Armenia which give rest unto the Arke of the Lord oh blessed those that give way to this voyce of God and become moved to forsake their sinnes and cautious how they ever entertaine that grievous disease which seekes to inthrall them with an incurable distresse And thus much for the action Metaphorically set forth in the word heale plainely shewing sinne to bee a dangerous disease and consequently never able to bee cured by any but by God himselfe as the principall efficient which concludes the scope of my first part the matter subject I will heale Proceed wee now unto the second generall the predicate Rebellions I will heale their Rebellions When sinnes of infirmitie or sinnes of ignorance are committed these doe taint the soule and make it liable to eternall death Rom. 6.23 for the reward of sinne of any sinne whatsoever is death but when wee lade our selves with rebellions sinnes pertinaciously committed and continued in against our knowledge and our conscience oh these may well be said to exasperate and incense a speedie passage of Gods justice against us for as the Prophet Samuell speakes Rebellion is as the sinne of witchcraft and transgression is wickednesse and idolatrie as proceeding from the same loathsome sinke an incredulous unbeleeving heart yet even this great wickednesse the Lord is content to heale and cure it to the repentant and truly humbled I will heale their Rebellions plainely shewing that great sinnes limit not Gods mercies but if we truly mourne for sinne and become sincerely humbled for our impieties endeavouring to apply his blessed mercies unto them desiring them in the merit and mediation of that loving Saviour Iesus Christ he will not faile to heale even the rebellious soares of our soules When bloudy Cain and treacherous Iudas had committed great and grievous wickednesse whence was it that they perished in their evills alas not because Gods mercies were not able to cure them but because they desperately despaired never fixed eye upon those soveraigne comforts Wee may see in Mathewes Gospell our Saviour tells us he would have gathered together wicked and rebellious Ierusalem as the hen her
chickens but they would not they regarded not his loving mercie they would not discerne the time of their visitation no though that blessed Saviour did seeke to move them unto it Luc. 19.42 August Non ideo non habet homo gratiam quia Deus non dat sed quia homo non accipit even with mournfull teares from his eyes crying out Oh if thou hadst knowne at the least in this thy day those things that belong unto thy peace It is a worthy speech of a learned Father that man becomes hardned and wants grace not because God doth not offer it but because man receives it not when it is offered for the Lord himselfe protests that as hee lives hee disires not the death of the wicked but that hee should turne from his way and live therefore hee concludes with a serious invitation Turne you turne you from your evill waies for why will yee dye oh yee house of Israell We may see in the first of Esay that having earnestly invited that Rebellious people to turne from their pernicious courses presently he inferrs Esa 1.18 And then let us reason together then I will admit conference with you to the great peace and comfort of your soules that were your sinnes as crimson they shall bee made as white as snowe though they were red like scarlet they shall bee as wooll oh then as Austine speakes cast not away your selves refuse not his mercie when it is offered for we see it cleere that great sinnes limits not Gods mercies but Aug. in Psal as the same worthie Author speakes as the earth abounds with mans miserie so it superabounds with Gods mercie yea saith hee that very thing shall bee required of a wicked man Ibid. that he would not receive mercie when it was offered Wee reason not here what inabilitie man hath brought upon himselfe by the distempered surfeit of sinne Eccles 7.31 but let us all understand that to bee true which Salomon records That God made man righteous but he hath sought many inventions many sinister courses to loade his soule with sinne Ion. 2.8 and wilfully following lying vanities doth as the Prophet Ionah speakes forsake his owne mercie that wee may well say with the Prophet Hosea That his destruction is of himselfe even by his wilfull contracting and going on in sin Hos 13.9 obstinately hardening his heart against the many loving and mercifull invitations of the Lord Mat. 23.37 who would gather these together as the hen her chickens oh then let me invite you all with that worthy speech of the Holy Ghost To day if you will heare his voyce harden not your hearts Psal 95.7.8 oh harden them not against the mercifull voyce of the Lord against the operation of his holy spirit which seekes to heale even the rebellious soares of your soules Let mee say to you with worthy Augustine Aug. in Psal Receive mercie my Brethren even the mercie of humble and penitent hearts the mercie of remission and pardon of your sinnes to the which the Lord invites you for which the Lord now knocks at the doore of your hears Oh let us all receive it let none of us sleepe or drowse in the receiving of it Rev. 3.20 lest hee be one day rowsed up to render an evill and a grievous answer before the tribune seat of Iesus Christ when in the terror of his wounded soule for the guilt of his many sins committed Rev. 6.16 hee shall wish that the mountaines and rockes would fall on him and hide him from the presence of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lambe and shall seeke for death and shall not finde it Rev. 9.6 and shall desire to dye which yet nature abhorres as the most terrible of all terrible things Anst as the very Heathen man concludes but death shall flie from him Oh then receive wee this mercie from our God who thus lovingly offers it Hos 14.3 and let us as this worthy Prophet adviseth take unto us wordes and turne unto the Lord and say unto him Take away all iniquitie and receive us graciously so will we render the calves of our lips that hee may yeeld us a comfortable answer I will heale your Rebellions even the greatest soares of your soules to the eternall peace and comfort of your consciences oh blessed those that thus receive the mercie of their God Wherefore this wisedome to attaine the cure of our long festered soares of sinne some tending to schisme and faction some to atheisme and profannesse but all grievously dangerous the eternall Father impresse within us for the precious merits of his deare sonne Christ Iesus To whom with their most holy sanctifying spirit three persons and one indivisible essence be all praise power and glorie ascribed from this time forth for evermore FINIS IOHN 10.27 My sheep doe heare my voyce and I know them and they follow me WEe may see Right Worshipfull and well beloved in our Saviour Christ in the twentie fourth verse of this chapter that the Iewes did compasse about our Saviour demanding of him how long hee would hold them in suspence If thou art the Christ tell us plainely A strange demand for this blessed Saviour had both by word and worke plainly witnessed that he was the Messiah therefore hee replies unto them I have told you and you beleeve not the very workes which I doe doe testifie of me that I am the Christ but you beleeve not And he shewes them the reason of this their unbeleefe The proposition considered separatively is categoricall considered as it is connexive and knit together by conjunctions it may be said to be hypotheticall that is materially for that they were none of his sheep that they were none of his sheep he proves Categorically thus My sheep heare my voyce but yee heare not my voyce therefore yee are not my sheep Or because the proposition considered in the whole wordes is connexive as consisting of divers branches we may frame the assumption accordingly the Major lying thus in my text My sheep heare my voyce and I know them and they follow me but you heare not my voyce I know not you you follow not me therefore you are none of my sheep Briefly in this proposition I consider three things as three speciall markes of the true sheep of Christ A subject urgently necessarie in these our times Beza Multum scientiae parū conscientiae wherein there is much science but little conscience when the pallats of many bee growne so strange that that onely yeeldes some kinde of rellish that is admirable and surpassing ordinary capacitie for in this our wantonizing age we deale with sermons as Gentlewomen with their fancie-flowers we use them for shew not for savour for fashion not affection And therefore like them when the night of our wonted sinnes approach wee cast downe all fragrant adminition at our unhallowed heeles
mournfully confessing her sinne and her transgression which so inkindled compassion in this blessed Saviour that presently he pronounceth to her a comfortable absolution Thy sinnes are forgiven thee If therefore we will be the sheepe of Christ wee must heare his voyce humbly truely and mournfully confessing our impieties for to brave out sinne or to lay some colour upon it is to aggravate sinne and make it greater for as Chrysostome speakes malum est peccare Chrysost sed gravius negare aut indulgere it is evill to sinne but it is a greater evill to denie it or indulge it by any colour whatsoever No evill so great but a wicked man may lay some kind of colour upon it For what sinne is so vile that a wicked man may not lay some kinde of colour upon it The base drunkard may say it was companie that induced him to that foule pollution the savage murtherer may inforce it was furie and choler that moved him to that horrid act the damnable swearer may say it was rash inflamed passion that moved him to blaspheme the name of God The Adulterer may alledge it was lust and concupiscence that was the cause of his base wickednesse the greedie insatiable worldling that prosecutes oppression and with the teeth of fraud deceit and crueltie feeds upon living men how easily may he inforce that he doth it to maintaine his reputation to sustaine his charge to leave large revennues to his posteritie But alas these are foolish excuses the fruits of old Adam they doe not minuere but augere crimen they doe not diminish but increase the fault and therefore are never able to stand the tryall of Gods piercing iudgement Oh then as the true sheep of Christ heare his voyce humbly entirely confessing thy transgression Aug. Non crubuisti peccare erubescis confiteri for as Austine speakes wast thou not ashamed to sinne and art thou ashamed to confesse thy sinne oh let this be farre from a Christian heart Fourthly as a fourth speciall instance the true sheepe of Christ doe heare the voyce of Christ delightfully Oh t is a ioy a pleasure to their soules no voyce so welcome to them they long after it they hunger and thirst after it Psal 42. as David doth witnesse of himselfe who being in banishment and not able to come to the house of God to heare his voice he mournfully proclaimes that as the Hart desired the water brookes so his soule longed after God yea saith he my soule is a thirst for the living God oh when shal I come to appeare before his presence Bern. in Cant. Suavia ad gratiam foecunda ad sensus profunda ad mysteria Psal 19. Psal 1.19 And no marvell for as Bernard speakes his words are sweet unto grace pleasant unto the senses profound unto mysteries yea saith the Psalmist they are sweeter than honey and the honey combe and therefore concludes they were dearer to him than thousands of gold and silver And this for speciall reason Ioh. 11.43 44. Luke 7.14 15. Mat. 9.33 Mat. 8.32 Luke 9.42 for t is a precious treasure of admirable force and power for by this mightie voyce the voyce of Iesus Christ the dead were raised the dumb did speak the deafe did heare and divels did depart yea by this most powerfull voyce the hardned hearts of men that raged against this blessed Christ were so farre pierst Acts 2.37 that it did make them to cry out Men and brethren what shall we doe yea by this the darkned world eclipsed with the clouds of sinne Gentiles in the flesh Ephes 5.8 strangers from the covenant of promise Ephes 2.12 without God in the world by this powerfull voyce are made to be no more strangers nor forreiners Ephes 2.19 but citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God Ephes 5.8 no more darkenesse but light in the Lord even professors of the Gospell of Iesus Christ Well therefore might the Apostle call this blessed voyce the power of God to salvation Rom. 1.16 well might he conclude that this is a lively voyce mightie in operation sharper than any two-edged sword entering thorow Heb. 4.12 even to the dividing asunder of the soule and the spirit In a word well may the sheepe of Christ delight in this voyce for it doth enrich their soules with incomparable happinesse true repentance with mournfull teares to condole their sinnes and their transgressions Now saith Chrysostome teares are the sponges of sinne Chrys Lachrimae sunt spongia peccatorū to wash them and purge them cleane away It doth enrich them with true faith to apprehend Christ Iesus by which they are made one with him Rom. 10.17 Ioh. 17.22 1. Cor. 12.27 Ephes 1.22.23 Ephes 4.15 16. Ephes 5.23 Rom. 8.17 the mystical bodie of that mysticall head and therefore heyres and co-heyres of his eternall kingdome Hence it is that the worthy Prophet doth conclude them to be blessed that live in the house of the Lord to be partakers of this heavenly voyce Blessed saith he are they that dwell in thy house Psal 84.4 they will ever praise thee Yea hence was it that it was such a speciall ioy to his soule to heare any speake of recoursing to those holy places as himselfe doth plainly witnesse I reioyced when they said unto me Psal 122.1 2. we will goe unto the house of the Lord our feet shall stand in thy Courts O Ierusalem O worthy affection prudently directed for as Augustine speakes Aug. in soliq Divina dulcedo quae omnem praesentem mundi amaritudinem toll it in this voyce there is a divine sweetnesse which takes away all the present bitternesse of the world all contempts and disdaines all distresses and afflictions fills the soule with such a secret inward consolation that it makes it conclude with the Apostle Rom. 8.18 that the afflictions of this life are not worthy of the ioyes that shall be revealed yea it so assures it that it makes it able to say Rom. 8.38 39. that neyther death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate it from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus For this heavenly voice the pledge of Gods favour the anchor of the faithfull it is so fastned to their soules by the strength of Gods spirit Bern. that as Bernard speakes it is not broken off by any disease by decrepit age by the intercourse of things by the change of times briefly not by death it selfe but shall rest as a sure comfort and consolation upon the soule for ever Oh therefore Esa 52.7 as the Prophet Esay speakes how bewtifull are the feet of those that declare and publish this message unto the mountaines that is to the sheep of Christ whose affections are lifted up from the dirtie vallies and
reputing of the creature righteous which is our justification And thus we see how first Christ may be said to know his sheepe Secondly he knowes them preservatively and that internally externally First internally to preserve them from the fury and violence of sinne oh else how soone would sinne extirpe and roote out all grace from their soules but this blessed Saviour preserves them and keepes downe the violence of sinne continually nourishing in them faith and obedience Hence it comes that though grievous disertions do oft-times afflict the very sheep of Christ yet their faith never totally failes sinnes never comes to have plenall domination for as the Prophet Ieremy speakes the Lord hath written his lawes upon their hearts and as the same Prophet speakes hath so put his feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from him that is totally and altogether as afterward I shall more cleerely shew wherefore the sheepe of Christ may well say with blessed David Psal 23. The Lord is our Shepheard he restoreth our soule alas our sliding soule leades us in the paths of righteousnes even for his Names sake Thus first hee knows them preservatively internally to keep them from the fury of sin Secondly he knows them preservatively externally to keep them frō the rage of Satan his wicked complices who if they might be left unto their swinge how soon would they root out the godly from the face of the earth for as the Psalmist saith the wicked doth watch the righteous to slay him Oh how did wicked Iezabell lye in waite to destroy the fervent zelous servant of God Eliah how did cruell Saul plot and practise against innocent David nay the wicked and ungodly who love not each other yet these as we often see can be content to joyne hands together to conspire a mischiefe against the righteous Luke 23.12 Aug. in Psal 36 Conc. 2. Injusti vix se patiuntur c tunc autem secum concordant quum in perniciem iusti conspirant non quia se amant sed quia cum qui amandus erat simul oderunt Psal 129.2 3 4 Pilate and Herod will bee friends together to supplant Christ Iesus This is that which Augustine speakes The wicked can hardly abide one an other c. but saith hee then they agree together when they conspire to destroy the godly not for that they themselves love one an other but for that they both hate him whom they ought to love But let this bee the comfort of the godly that their blessed Saviour Christ Iesus hath stood for their defense and will stand for their defense for ever For the whole flock of Christ may well say They have often afflicted me from my youth oh they have often afflicted mee from my youth but they could not prevaile against me The plowers plowed upon my back and made long furrowes but the righteous Lord hath cut the cordes of the wicked Psal 34.19 For it is cleerly true that many are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord delivereth them out of all he will not leave them in the hands of the wicked that is Psal 37.33 wholly altogether but will so preserve them that he wil give them happy deliverances here Rev. 21.4 or translate them where all tears shal be wiped from their eyes where there shal be no more mourning nor lamentation 1. Cor. 15.28 Psal 16 11. but God shal be all in all before whose face there 's fulnes of joyes for ever Thus we see that Christ knowes his sheepe preservatively to keepe them both from the furie of sin the rage of Satan all his pernicious cōplices Not that the knowledge of God is remissive by proper speaking but in regard of effects Esa 59.2 Thirdly he doth know them remissively that is to forgive and pardon all their sins and their transgressions Oh this is the speciall happinesse of a Christian condition for how grievous a thing is sinne it separates betweene the Creator and the creature For one sinne and that but in thought the Angells were cast out of Heaven Gen. 3.17 Gen. 6.7 Gen. 18.20 For sinne Adam was thrown out of Paradise For sin the old world was drowned and those flourishing cities Sodom and Gomorrah Deut. 19.23 Admah and Zeboim were consumed with fire from Heaven Oh saies the Prophet Ieremie Lam. 3.39 wherefore is the living man sorrowfull man suffereth for his sinne yea so grievous a thing is sinne that when once the greatnesse of it is discerned and the deepnesse of Gods judgements against it oh how it terrifies the soule It made Cain to cry out My sinne is greater than can be forgiven Gen. 4.13 Mat. 27.5 It made Iudas to lay violent hands upon himselfe yea it sometimes strickes no small terror into the very Saints of God It made David to cry out Psal 38.4 Mine iniquities are gone over my head and are as a waightie burthen too heavy for me to beare We see when that innocent lambe Christ Iesus did beare the burthen of our sinnes oh how they plunged him Mat. 6.38 they made him mournfully complaine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My soule is heavy round about unto the death Matt. 26.39 they made him grovell upon the earth they made him distill downe sweat like drops of blood and at length to cry out Luke 22.44 My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Oh then how grievous a thing is sinne Mat. 27.46 how happy are they that have the remission and pardon thereof that well might David say Psal 32.1 Blessed is the man whose iniquitie is forgiven whose sinne is covered that is from the revenging eye of Gods justice Oh blessed these for they have great peace of conscience Rom. 5.1.8 assurance that God is their loving Father assurance that they are coheires with Christ of his glorious kingdome Heb. 9.14 blessed therefore are these Rom. 8.17 Hence it is that the Apostle Paul doth place our whole justification in this speciall point Remission of sinnes the privative forme thereof From all which it is cleere that the blessednesse of a Christian doth not consist in this Rom. 4 7. that hee hath no sinne or that God cannot see any sinne in him but in this that his sinnes are pardoned and not imputed to him for the precious merits and satisfaction of Iesus Christ and therefore when these doe at any time through frailtie and weakenesse fall into any sinne God doth punish these onely correctively to amend them and bring them home to himselfe not vindictively to condemne them for their sinnes Rom. 8.1 for there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus And thus we see that Christ doth know his sheep remissively to pardon and forgive their iniquities Come I now unto the third generall Prosecution and they follow him that is in a threefold manner willingly patiently perseveringly First willingly not
divine power as his sinnes are heaped up many sinnes makes a deepe separation nay if we consider the eternall decree of God or as it is manifested in time and this either negatively or affirmatively that is as he denies saving grace unto some or as hee wills to throw them down to endlesse miserie sinne is the cause for for the foreseen sinnes of the wicked the Lord decreed to forsake them and to impose upon them everlasting horror Therefore saith the Lord by the Prophet Ezechiell That soule that sinneth that soule shall dye Ezech. 18. with which the Apostle Paul accords Ephes 5.6 For these things saith hee commeth the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience Hence it is Hos 13.9 that the Lord concludes by the Prophet Hosea Thy iniquitie hath destroyed thee oh Israell Furthermore hatred and wrath as they are punishments are not infflicted but for sinne But God hated Esau penally and hee will shew his wrath in the destruction of the wicked therfore for sinne Briefly the doctrine is cleer he delivers none to death but for things worthy of death for the wages of sinne is death Rom. 6.23 How fitly therfore might this instruct us to remove all murmuring and to loath and detest all sinne and wickednesse First to remove all murmuring and repining against God for is the hand of God upon thee and doth he begin to execute his wrath murmure not against him but look into thine owne soule and behold thy sinnes and thy transgressions for they have caused that judgment Ezech. 33.17 and remember that the way of the Lord is equall for he delivers none to death but for things worthy of death but that thine owne way is unequall for thou hast wilfully heaped up sinnes against his Majestie and therefore hast deserved wrath and judgement from the hand of the Lord. We may see 1. Sam. 15. that God rejected Saul 1. Sam. 15. but what was the cause why his transgression and rebellion wherefore the Prophet tells him that to obey is better than sacrifice and to hearken is better than the fat of rammes but that rebellion is as the sinne of witchcraft and transgression is wickednesse and idolatrie We may also see in the twenty fourth verse of this chapter that the Lord delivers up the Gentiles unto their hearts lusts c. and unto vile affections but what was the reason why as the coherence of the text doth plainely shew their former grosse and odious sinnes was the cause of it for these the Lord delivered them up unto a reprobate condition Oh then if the justice of God seaze upon thee murmure not against his Majestie but rather cry out against thy selfe who by thy sinnes hast provoked the Lords wrath against thee for hee is so equall that hee throwes none to death but for things worthy of death Secondly this should instruct us to loath and detest sinne and wickednesse for as God is so equall that he throws none to death but for things worthy of death so wee see hee is so just that for things worthy of death he throws them downe to death Oh then why should any bee so bold to entertaine sinne and wickednesse Esay 9.18 oh remember wee that wickednesse burnes like fire all wickednesse whatsoever Ecclus. 7.8 inkindling and inflaming the wrath of God against us therefore saith Sirach Bind not two sinnes together Eccles. 8.12 13 for in one thou shalt not goe unpunished For Salomon doth plainely tell us that though a sinner doe evill a hundred times and God prolong his daies c. yet it shall not bee well to the wicked Psal 92.7 but when the workers of wickednesse doe flourish then they shall be destroyed for ever Psal 73.19 then shall they suddenly perish c. and come to a fearfull end Oh that the ungodly did cleerely see this which draw iniquitie with cords of vanitie and sinne as it were with cart-ropes Esay 5.18 and as Salomon speakes reioyce in doing evill Prov. 2.14 and seeme to invite each other unto wickednesse Come let us enjoy the pleasures that be present Wisd 2.6 c. let us oppresse the poore that is righteous let us not spare the widow nor reverence the white haires of the aged that have lived many years Ver. 10. let our strength be the law of unrighteousnesse c. let us defraude the righteous Ver. 11. for hee is not for our profite but is contrarie to our doings he checketh us for offending against the Law Ver. 12. and blameth us as transgressors of discipline In a word who seeme as David speakes Psal 36.1 to have no feare of God before their eyes but seeme by their pernicious stratagems in sinne to disdaine all piety and religion and to declame against God and all his wayes with those wicked ones in Iobs historie Iob 21.14 15. Depart from us for wee desire not the knowledge of thy wayes who is the Almighty that we should serve him or what profit should we have if wee should pray unto him Oh that the ungodly that are so bold and greedie to entertaine any sinne and wickednesse oh that they did cleerely see the miserie that sinne brings upon them that so they might loath and detest all sinne and wickednesse Oh that this instruction might receive due impression upon their soules for we see it plain that as God is so equall that hee throwes downe none to death but for things worthy of death so the consequent arising from hence tels us that hee is so just that for things worthy of death hee will throw men downe to death And so much beloved for the matter of the pollution of the Gentiles They committed things worthy of death Come I now unto the forme of their pollution how they committed these things namely wilfully willingly for knowing the justice of God that is against these sins yet they committed them Wherin I consider first how God may bee said to be just secondly what is meant by justice in this place For the better opening whereof consider we that a thing may be said to be just in a three-fold maner We are justified by Christs righteousnesse not subjectively but effectively not materially as inherent within us but relatively and by way of imputation God in his mercie reputing it to every beleever as his owne proper righteousnesse wherfore when the Scriptures in any place expresse the Saints of God to be just or justified the meaning is not that they have no sinne but that it is not imputed for the materiall or blot of sinne remaines in some measure in the best of Gods children during their whole life in this world as the Scriptures plainly witnesse onely it is taken away in respect of the formall thereof that is in respect of the guilt thereof and the vindictive punishment by Grace by voluntarie obedience or by Nature First by Grace so the Saints and
sins so be you cautious duly to informe against their impieties that God may be honoured sinne may bee suppressed and your consciences may be discharged And thus we see caelando by concealing and keeping close the sinnes of others we become partakers of them and draw their guilt upon our soules Tenthly irritando by stirring up and provoking others unto evill we become culpable of that evill So Balaack became guilty of Balaams wicked action in comming to curse the people of God Numb 22.15 c. because he did stir him up and provoke him unto that mischiefe So that woman in Salomon Prov. 7.18 besides her owne personall wickednesse became culpable of the sinne of that yongue man because shee did incite him and stirre him up to commit adulterie with her So the adversaries of Iudah and Beniamin Ezra 4.1 5. became guilty of the hindering of the building 〈◊〉 the Temple of Hierusalem because they stirre 〈◊〉 and provoked the Kings of Persia thereunto Cyrus and Artaxerxes 〈◊〉 in like manner the Luxurious Libertines of this time become culpable of the sinnes of others whilst they provoke them and stir them up to foule and odious sinnes proclaiming with those wicked ones in Salomon Come cast in your lot with us Prov. 1. Wisd 2.6 let us possesse the pleasures that be present taking it for a speciall glory to lade them with ebrietie and drunkennesse and to insnare their soules with wickednesse entring into no small rage if any shall refuse to runne with them to the same odious excesse 1. Pet. 4.4 One beaten to death for refusing and distasting excesse in drinking by using some interceptive speech in their obscene passages 1. Sam. 2.31 as wee have even lately experience which crying sinne were worthy to receive exemplary punishment to the terror of others And thus wee see irritando by stirring and provoking others unto evill we become culpable of that evill Eleventhly connivendo by connivencie and winking at the sinnes of others wee make them to become ours This was the fault of old Eli for by his connivencie and winking at the sinnes of his children 1. Sam. 3.14 he became to participate of their wickednesse for which the Lord did witnesse that hee would cut off his arme and the arme of his Fathers house that there should not an old man be left in it and that this wickednesse should not be purged with sacrifice or offering 1. Cor. 5 6. This was that which the Apostle did so sharply reprove in the Corinthians concerning the incestuous person because they did wink at his evill and not rather abandon his societie for knew ye not saith he that a little leaven doth leven the whole lumpe This therefore is a great wickednesse in any and makes them partakers of the sinnes of others for it is a rule in generall that qui tolerat aliena peccata cum tollere possit sua facit hee that by connivencie suffers the sinnes of others when by due reproofe hee may take them away makes them his owne but yet it is most intolerable in those of publike place bee they of Ecclesiastick or of Civill condition Esay 58.1 For concerning the first it is Gods owne iniunction that they must cry aloud and must not spare but must lift up their voyces like trumpets to tell the people of their sinnes even the house of Iacob of their transgressions the contrary whereof is deepely distastfull as God himselfe doth witnesse Oh Israell saith hee thy Propbets are like the foxes in the wast places Ezech. 13.4 5. they rise not up in the Gaps they make not up the hedge for the house of Israell to stand in the battell in the day of the Lord. And wee may see in the second of the Revelation that the Lord rebukes the Angell that is the Pastor of the Church of Pergamus Rev. 2 15 20. because by his connivencie he suffered the pernicious doctrine of the Nicholaitans to bee spred abroad to the dishonour of God and the preiudice of his people So in like manner hee reproves the Angell of the Church of Thiatira Bern. Mihi non licet tacere cui ex officio incumbit peccantes arguere Ezech. 33. Isidor de summo bono cap. 36. Si cos â—ut ignorantes non rudiant aut peccantes non arguant Chrysost super matth in opere impers hom 31. Sacerdos est populo sicut radix in arbore sicut stomachus in corpore c. because hee permitted Iezabel that seeming Prophetesse to seduce the people from the true service of God unto odious Idolatrie Oh saith Bernard it is not lawfull for me to hold my peace to whom it belongs of dutie to reprove those that sinne the neglect whereof God himself hath bound with no lesse penalty than life for life than soule for soule therfore well might Isidore conclude that to these of this ranck there remaines extreame miserie if either they instruct not the ignorant or reprove not them that sinne For as Chrysostome speakes These are to the people as the roote to the tree as the stomack to the body if therefore there bee a defect in the Roote if it communicate not due iuice and vigour the Tree must needs pine away and wither if the Stomack be full of crude and raw humours the Body must needs be grievously distempered Thus we see these of Ecclesiastick condition by connivency become guilty of the sinnes of others Secondly those of publique ranke in respect of civill and politicall government by connivencie do make the sinnes of others to become theirs for these have speciall power to suppresse evill as those to whom the sword of justice is committed as those which are the ministers of God to take vengeance on them that doe evill therefore connivencie in these Rom. 13.4 Or Deacon of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oh t is the verie nurse of evill and tends to the ruine of Church and Common-wealth What speciall care ought these therefore to have that neyther by neglect oppression or partialitie they taint themselves with anie iniustice Not by neglect this was the fault of Demetrius the King of Macedon who neglecting the complaints of the people did alienate and withdraw their affections to the preiudice of himselfe and the damage of his whole countrey whereas saith Ambrose Ambr. de Abrahae c 6. l. 5. in Lucam Vir justus magnus murus patriae illius nos fides servat justitia ab excidio defendit Amb. sup Psal Iudicet ille qui ad pronunciandum nullo odio nulla offensione nulla levitate ducatur a iust man is a speciall wall to his Countrey whose fidelitie keepes it whose iustice defends it from destruction Againe not by oppression or partialitie for as Gregory speakes a Magistrate as hee is a Magistrate ought neither to have amicum nor inimicum nor friend nor foe nor favorite nor opposite therefore saith Ambrose let him iudge which is
Zophar in Iobs Historie Iob 20.12 c. When wickednesse is sweet in the mouth of the wicked when they hide it under their tongues when they favour it and will not forsake it but keepe it close in their mouthes then shall the meate in their bowells bee turned and the gall of Aspes shall be in the midst of them and the substance they have devoured they shall vomit it God shall draw it out of their bellies Thus wee see it cleere that the state of man may well be deciphered by a Race whether wee respect quantitie or qualitie his naturall life or his corrupted nature And thus much for the word Runne in the Abstract as it simply impies a Race Come we now to consider it in the Contret with the coherence of the Text as it implies a certaine speciall kinde of Race And because in every Race two things are specially remarkable the terminus à quo and the terminus ad quem the place from which and the place to which wee bend our passage consider wee therefore here in this spirituall Race the thing from which wee are to runne and the thing to which we are to speed our course And observe we That that from which wee are to bend our passage is the loathsome sink of sin our heape of foule corruptions And this for speciall reason for as the Prophet Esay speakes Esay 59.2 sinne makes a divorse between God and us Your iniquities saith he have separated betweene you and your God and have caused him to hide his face from you Sinne oh t is odious in Gods sight for as the Psalmist speakes Psal 11.5 his soule abhors all them that love iniquitie yea Hab. 1.13 saith the Prophet Habacuck his eyes are pure eyes and can behold no wickednesse that is to favour it Sinne as much as in it lyeth is distructive of the very nature of God or approve it wheresoever And no marvell for sinne as much as in it lies is distructive of the very nature and essence of God that is though not really yet intentatively although not in respect of the reall inferring of an evill for nothing can be opposed to God immediately in himselfe Nil Deo immediate in seipso opponatur contrariè vel privative Impius omnino vellet Deum peccata sua aut vindicare non posse aut nolle aut ea nescire Bern. Serm. 3. de resurrect Dom. either contrarily or privatively yet by attempting it and therefore in regard of will and affection for as Bernard speakes a wicked man would by all meanes that either God could not revenge his sinnes or that hee would not or that hee did not know them to be revenged of them therefore great reason all sinne should bee odious in Gods sight as endeavouring as much as in it lieth to destroy the very nature of God for if that could befall God which a wicked man desires he could not be God it would destroy his Deity Rom. 6.23 Hence therefore it is that the Apostle worthily concludes that the wages of sinne is death and that not onely temporall and corporeall but eternall of soule and body for ever And this also most iustly for what can be more equall than that there should bee an eternall and an infinite punishment imposed upon that which carries with it a certaine kinde of infinitie But sinne doth carry with it a kinde of infinitie though not * Non secundum Physicam entitatem physically or intrinsically yet morally and extrinsically or avertively and obiectively avertively as it is an evill turning man from an infinite good Peccatum non est infinitum in genere morali ut est malum hominis sed ut est malum avertens ab infinito bono Peccatum contra Deum commissum quandam habet infinitatem ex infinitate divinae Majestatis tanto enim offensa est gravior quanto major est ille in quem delinquitur Aquinas obiectively in regard of the person against whom it is committed for as Aquinas speakes the offence is so much the greater by how much the person is greater against whom it is committed as therefore God is the obiect against whom sinne is committed so sinne carries with it a certaine kinde of infinitenesse In a word many are the instances of Gods loathing and abhorring sinne and wickednesse Gen. 6.13 We neede never speake of the old worlds many sinnes for which she was absorpt swallowed up with a generall deluge Gen. 7. â—â— wee neede never speake of Sodomes heape of crying sinnes Gen. â—8 â—0 Esay 9.18 for which she was destroyed with fire from Heaven for as the Prophet Esay speakes wickednesse burnes like fire all wickednesse whatsoever Alas Gen. 19.24 for one sinne Adam was throwne out of Paradise and became a prey to Satan Gen. 3.19.23 a terrour to himself a scourge to his posteritie obnoxious unto death even a threefold death corporeall spirituall and eternall nay looke we upon the second Adam Christ himself that immaculate lambe which had no inherent spot of sinne no sinne of his owne Esay 53.5 sinne onely imputative and no more for hee was wounded for our transgressions and was broken for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him Matt. 26.39 yet when this blessed Saviour beheld the wrath of God against this sinne Luke 22.44 it made him grovell upon the earth it made him distill downe sweat like drops of bloud it made him mournfully complaine My soule is heavy round about unto the death it made him earnestly intreat Father Mat. 26.33 if it be possible let this cup passe from me From all which it is cleere that sinne is loathsome in Gods sight all sinne whatsoever what then can be more fit for us than to runne from the sinke of foule corruptions daily mortifying them The terminus ad quem or a place unto which we are specially to bend our Race 1. Cor. 2 9. and as it were leaving them behinde us continually more and more bending our whole course unto the blessed state of glory This is the second branch the terminus ad quem or place unto which wee are to speed our passage Oh this is a blessed state indeed such as the eye hath not seene such as the eare hath not heard nor can come into the heart of man to conceive Rev. 21.4 where as Iohn speakes all teares shall be wiped from their eyes where neyther death nor sorrow 1. Cor. 15.28 nor paine shall ever have anie entrance but God shall be all in all Rev. 22.4 Psal 16.11 and they shall behold the face of God before whose face saith the Psalmist there is the fulnesse of joyes at whose right hand there are pleasures for evermore pleasures so absolute and full of delectation that when Peter had but some glimmering tast hereof in the transfiguration of our blessed Saviour upon mount Tabor it so ravished his
terrene prosecutions Thirdly as the third thing necessary we must run patienter patiently that so wee may obtaine Oh this it must be as it were the Anchor of a Christian soule Gen. 22.10 to make it firme and stedfast against the high swelling waves of this world it must be as a Iacobs staffe to helpe us to passe the jorden of this earthly mansion for many are the rocks and rough the passages incident in this way subject to hinder this spirituall Race Gen 14.12 It was no small obstacle that Lot did meet withall when hee was captivated amongst the heathen and all he had was taken from him Oh how rough a way did good Eliah meet withall when hee was so wearied in the passage of this Race 1. King 19 4. that hee vehemently desired an end of his daies crying out unto God Oh t is now enough oh Lord take my soule I am no better than my Fathers Ionah 4.3 Oh how rockie was that passage that Ionah meet withall in this Race when he was so perplexed that he ernestly intreated the Lord to take his life from him concluding it was better for him to dye than to live Oh how stormy and full of bitternesse was that passage wherein the Prophet Ieremy was so wearied Ier. 20.14 c. that he was forced into those deepe imprecations Cursed be the day wherein I was borne cursed be the man that shewed my Father a man child is borne unto thee Oh that my mother had beene my grave or her wombe a perpetuall conception Oh how great a neede was here of patience as an anchor to withstand the fury of this tempest But most remarkable is that worthy example of Iob Oh how many rockes did he meete withall Iob 1. fiercely affronting him in this holy Race all his goods taken from him all his children slaine in a moment Iob 2.7.8.9 his very wife offensive to him his servants rebellious his vitall and spirituall powers disturbed Iob 19.15 his body disastered from the crowne of the head unto the soale of the foote and which was most grievous his neighbours contemned him Iob 19.19 and his familiar friends became dangerous enemies to accuse him for an hypocrite as a man rejected of God to inthrall his soule in deepe despaire Oh rough and troublous passages oh high and swelling rockes but how climbes hee these why patience the attending handmaid of a lively faith becomes his stay and strong support which made him thus to conclude amidst his many miseries Iob 19.25 c. I am sure that my Redemer liveth and hee shall at the last rise up upon the earth although after my skin the wormes destroy this body yet I shall see God in my flesh I shall behold him in me mine eies shall see him and none other c. In a word many are the rockes and sinister the passages hindering and perplexing the Saints of God in this holy Race within them they have inborne corruptions strugling and striving without them they have Sathan supplanting the world inducing the ungodly some seducing some oppressing some scoffing and contemning all conspiring and combining to overthrow this Christian Race So that patience had need bee the soules continuall attendant to helpe her in these deepe distresses for as the holy Ghost speakes Psal 34.19 Many are the tribulations of the righteous but here is the comfort to settle in their soules the patient induring of them the Lord will deliver them out of all Psal 37.6 Therefore saith the blessed Prophet Waite patiently upon the Lord and hee shall bring forth thy righteousnesse as the light and thy just dealing as the noone day and hee spake it by good experience Oh saith he Psal 40. I waited patiently upon the Lord and hee inclined unto mee and heard my cry he drew me forth from the pit of perdition from the lake of ruine and set my feet upon a rocke and ordered my goings Let mee therefore conclude unto you with the worthy Apostle Heb. 12.1 Cast away saith hee every thing that presseth downe and the sinne that hangeth so fast on and let us runne with patience the Race that is set before us A worthy instruction oh let it be our direction that so in the latest period of this Race we may be able in the assurance of Gods love and comfortable testimony of our approaching happinesse to commend our soules into the hands of God to rest with him in true felicity for ever And thus wee see Beloved that as the third subsequent thing necessary in this Race wee must run patiently that so we may obtaine Lastly as the last thing necessary for the full finishing accomplishing this Race we must run perseveringly for as Hierome speakes Not to begin Hieron Non incipisse sed perfecisse virtutis est but to perfect a thing is truely vertuous Therefore though many bee the obstacles of this Christian Race yet the Saints of God will persevere they will Alciat in Epig. Nititur in pondus Palma consurgit in altum Quo magis premitur hoc mage tollit onus The Palme tree strives against all weight and riseth up on hie The more t is prest so much the more to yeeld it doth denie as David speakes flourish like the Palme tree no pressures shall totally suppresse them but they will grow as the * The faithfull are compared to the Cedar because of the validious induring nature thereof as not being subject to rottennesse or to be worne out with age Plin. lib. 13. Psal 92.12 Psal 84.7 Gen 21.9 2. Sam. 6.16.22 1. Kin. 19.2.14 Dan. 3.19 Psal 16.5.6 Cedar in Lebanon that is strongly and perseveringly they will bring forth fruit in their age for they are planted in the house of the Lord c. and will goe from strength to strength untill they see the God of gods in Sion Let therefore Ismaell scoffe and contemne never so much Isaack will persist in piety and godlinesse let prophane Michol disdaine at blessed David yet hee will dance before the Arke of the Lord to shew his humility fervency and alacrity in the service of his God Nay let wicked Iezabel threaten godly Eliah and binde it with a deep imprecation The gods doe so to mee and more also if I make not thy life like one of theirs by to morrow this time yet he wil persevere in his holinesse and will still be jealous of the honour and glory of the Lord. Let cruell Nebuchad-nezzar prepare an oven made seven times hoter than ordinary custome to consume Shadrach Meshach and Abednego yet they will never be withdrawne but will still persist in the true worship of God Briefly let the world and all the baites therof compasse about the true servants of God yet it can never totally remove them from the love and obedience of the eternall God for they will still say with holy David The Lord is our portion hee will maintaine our lot our lines are fallen unto us in a pleasant place wee have a goodly heritage This is the wisedome of the Saints of God ingraven upon their soules by the Spirit of God by which they hold fast unto their God for they know that they which endure to the end they onely shall be saved Mat. 24.13 1. Cor. 9.24 2. Cor. 4.17 they onely runne so as to obtaine that is an eternall weight of glory The which heavenly wisdome that wee may run so perseveringly as to obtaine that glorious rest the eternall Father be pleased plentifully to afford unto us for the precious merits of his deare Sonne Christ Iesus To which Father and Sonne with their most holy Spirit three persons and one God be all praise power and glory of all creatures in heaven in earth from this time forth for evermore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 FINIS