them Of this Look DAVID Psal 104. saieth He looketh upon the earth and it trembleth He toutbeth the mountains and they smoke Secondly somtimes he looketh in Mercie and Favour of this DAVID speaketh Psal 25. Look upon mine affliction and my pain and for give all my sinnes And Psal 119. 132. Look upon me and be mercifull unto me as thou usest to do to them that love thy Name It was with this Look that he beheld S. Peter at this time as appeareth by the gracious mercifull effect thereof for it wakned him out of security and brought him to remembrance and consideration of that which he had done c. Here first observe the necessitie and power of Christs Grace The necessitie for till Christ looked upon Peter he neither remembred what he had done not considered the hynousnesse thereof The cock crew againe and againe and this should have been a memoriall of his fall and an admonition to repent but all this availed nothing till Christ looked upon him Likewise so powerfull was this Look that no sooner doeth Christ look upon him but he remembereth and considereth his heart melts and his eyes gush out with tuares They whom Christ looketh upon bewaile their sinnes sayeth S. AMBROSE as without it there is no saving good so where it is there is all good Whence was it that the blessed Virgine was the Mother of our LORD It was because God had Looked upon the low estate of his handmaid Whence is it that we enjoy any good in this life or in the life to come more then others it is because it pleased God to look upon us from eternitie with the eyes of his mercy Hence that prayer of the ancient Church Lord look upon me with these eyes wherewith thou looked upon Marie Magdalen in the banquet wherewith thou looked upon S. Peter in the hall and wherewith thou looked upon the thief upon the crosse Grant unto me that with Marie Magdalen I may perfectly love thee with Peter I may bitterly â—walle my sinnes and that with the thief I may see thee for ever Secondly we may observe here the readinesse and willingnesse of God to show mercie even to most grievous sinners Our Lord at this time was arreigned before his enemies bound buffered condemned or ready to be condemned On the other part S. Peter had forsaken him denied him that with Oaths curses yet forgetting the injuries done to him both by his enemies and by his own Apostle he remembereth him and looketh upon him and plucketh him out of the mouth of the Lyon who was ready to devoure him This and the like examples of mercie serve much to encourage and comfort distressed souls ready to despaire through the sight of their own sinnes S. AUGUSTINE in his 9. 10 sermons on the words of the Apostle 1. Tim. 1. 15. hath a sweet meditation to this purpose of the Mercie of God shewn to S. PAUL suppose saith he an excellent skilful physitian should come to a place where he is not known and having wrought a rare cure upon a man desperatly diseased would say to him whom he had cured go thy wayes now to other men who have the like disease show them what I have done unto thee Bid them be of good courage I am able and willing to cure them also If this man should come to a person so diseasea as he was looking for nothing but death and should say to him be of good courage I have seen the like disease and have had the like my self and have been cured by him who is willing to cure thee also and hath hiden me tell thee so much This could not be but matter of great comfort unto him Even so saieth he S. PAUL healed by the Great Physitian CHRIST JESVS saieth unto thee who are ready to despaire He that cured me sent me unto thee he said unto me go tell distressed foules what I have done to thee what I have cured in thee and how soon with one voycel called thee from heaven with another I did cast thee down with the third I raised thee up and with the fourth I healed perfected and crowned thee say unto thee sick cry unto them that are ready to despaire This is a true and faithfull saying that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners Why feare yee why doubt yee I am the chief of them and I obtained mercy for this effect that in me he might show forth all long suffering for a patern for them that should there after believe upoÌ„ him to everlasting lif I was a persecuter and blasphemer I keeped the garments of them that stoned his first Martyre Steven I breathed nothing but surie and thirsted nothing but the blood of the Saints I was in a spirituall frâ—necie and did strick my phisitian and yet he suffered me long and in end took away my disease Thus S. PAUL speaketh to us and so doeth S. Peter and many others which is matter as I said of unspeakable comfort This much for the cause of his repentance The repentance it self followeth And PETER called to minde the words of Jesus Being Looked upon by our LORD First he remembereth his words and no doubt considered and weighed his own sinne This remembring or calling to minde importeth that before he had forgotten or at least considered not Christ his Words It is strange that he should have forgotten him with whom he was so familiar who that night had washed his feet and from whom that night he had received the holy sacrament but such is the corruption of our nature that most quickly we forget GOD and his Word Hence we are compared to lacking vessels that rune out Hence the LORD Deut. 4. saieth â—kè heed to thy self and keep thy soul diligently lest thou forget the thing which thine eyes have seen and that they depart not from thy heart for ever And againe Deut. 8 Take heed to thy self that thou forget not the LORD thy GOD in not keeping his Commandements and judgements and statutes c. who would give himself to wickednes if he remembred and considered the Goodnes of God bestowed upon him and laid up for him if he remembred and considered the end for which God made and redeemed him even that he might serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of his life if he considered the filthinesse that is in sinne and the great evils that it bringeth upon the body and soul both here and hereafter It is most manifest that we forget or consider not these things when we give place to sinne This is the cause of our offending God and is in it self a great offence There is no moment wherein we taste not of the Mercies of God and therefore there is no moment wherein we should not remember him We should not breath oftener then we should remember him Wo to them that regard not to forget him the time shall come when
they shall be forced to remember and that remembrance shall be one of their greatest torments What greater torment have the damned then to remember how often and how willingly God called upon them yet they refused to hearken unto him What greater torment then to remember how easilie they might have escaped these infinite and eternall torments and how easily they might have attained unto eternal joyes Let us therefore take heed than we forget not Christ and if we have forgotten him let us call to minde againe as S. Peter did whose remembrance was most fruitfull for He went out and weept bitterly There was bitternes and grief in his heart and aboundant tears in his eyes Neither at that time only did he weep but as it is reported by Clemens as long as he lived He weept when he heard the cock crow so that at last his tears drew furrows in his cheeks We reade not his words which may bee were chocked with aboundance of his tears but no doubt since he called to minde his sinne repented fruitfully he had thoughts or inward words both of sorrow and confidence When he thought upon his sinne we may well thinke he said within himself Alace miserable man what have I done How do I yet live who have denied him who is the life what wonder though the earth should swallow me up who have denied my Lord and redeemer O wicked mouth how could thou deny that thou knewest him who hath bestowed so many benefits upon thee cursed tongue how could thou abjure him who hath showed so many tokens of his love unto thee In like manner while he thought upon these words of Christ I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not we may think that he hath said within himself I will turne to him who hath turned to me I will look to him who hath looked to me It is he that hath said As I live I love not the death of a sinner I will cast my self down at his feet and say Master and LORD I have sinned against the heaven and against thee and am no more worthy now to be called thy Son Would God we would imitate the Apostle in these tears of unfeigned sorrow Nothing more pleasing to God No face so beautifull in his Eyes as that which is bluddered with tears The teares of a penitent are the pearles which he delighteth in Nothing more profitable to us Hast thou lost thy goods thy tears will not recover them againe Hast thou lost thy children thy tears will not bring them back againe Hast thou lost health thy tears will not make thee better but rather worse But if thou hast lost GOD and his Favour the tears of unfeigned sorrow can bring him back againe and who would not for recovering of so great a good with Peter here weep bitterly with Mary Magdalen wash his feet with tears and with DAVID make his bed to swime with them But it may be ye will say to me I would do so if Christ would turne and look upon me Is not Christ turned to thee when he speaketh to thee in his Word and inviteth thee to come to him doth he not turne and look unto thee when he offereth to thee his own Body and his Blood Look therefore unto him and look unto thy self Look to him sweating his own Blood crowned with thorns scourged buffetted denuded of his garments and all for thee Canst thou look upon this sight without tears what are the tears of thine eyes to the Blood of his sacred Body and to the sorrowes and travailes of his Soul look upon thy self consider thy ungratitude the filthines and defilment of thy soul and body how thou art exposed by thy sinnes to his dreadfull and eternall wrath If thou can consider this aright it will make thee to say with the PROPHET O that my head were waters and that my eyes were fountaines of teares that I might weep day and night Blessed are they that so sow in teares they shall reap in joy but â—o to them that will needs laugh now for they shall mourne and that without comfort for ever The Lord make us wise in time and that for the merits of Christ to whom with the Father c. A SERMON UPON the XV. Chapter of MATTHEW Vers 21. Then Iesus went thence and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon Vers 22. And behold a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts and cryed unto him saying Have mercy on me O LORD thou Sonne of David my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil Vers 23. But he answered her not a word And his disciples came and besought him saying Send her away for she cryeth after usâ—â— Vers 24. But he answered and said I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel Vers 25. Then came she and worshipped him saying Lord help me Vers 26. But he answered and said It is not meet to take the childrens bread and to cast it to dogs Vers 27. And she said Truth Lord yet the dogs eat of the crumbes which fall from their Masters table Vers 28. Then Jesus answered and said unto her O woman great is thy faith be it unto thee even as thou wilt And her daughter was made whole from that very houre I Have made choise of these words at this time which containe a most notable historie and most fit for the worke which we have in hand this day for in it is set before us an exact paterne teaching us how to pray and how to wrestle with God so as we may prevaile and have a blessed successe as the woman here mentioned had who prayed with such faith confidence humilitie and invincible constancie that not only obtained she her desire but much more O woman said our Saviour unto her great is thy faith be it unto thee even as thou wilt The historie is very easie and and plaine and requireth not so much to be explained as to be remarked and applyed Three things are chiefly considerable in it First the description of the person so much commended here Secondly her carriage toward Christ and his behaviour toward her Thirdly the obtaining of her suite and praise of her faith To come to the first The person that was here a supplicant to our Lord was a woman One of the weaker sex by which the devill first prevailed against man expelled him from paradise and the joyes of it Secondly she was a gentile or a heathen woman as S. Mark telleth us she was none of the peculiar people of God but a greek as it is in the original which according to the phrase of scripture is as much as a gentile and so a stranger from the Common-wealth of Israel and had her being among them who worshiped the devil in stead of the true God Thirdly yet more she was a Canaanite as S. Mathew calleth her S. Mark calleth her a Syrophenician both which agree
hearers because of new they were againe instructed the mysteries of christian religion For it was presumed that they who had so grievously fallen had never rightly learned these heavenly mysteries and therefore were taught againe especially concerning the terrour of GODS Iudgements against sinne that they might the more willingly undergo what was injoyned them This done they were received to their repentance wherein for diverse years somtimes for seven more or lesse according to the greatnes of their offence they were exercised with most laborious works of humiliation and mortification TERTUL in the 9 chap. of his book of repentance saieth That they did humble themselves in sackcloth ashes they did lye prostrat upon the ground they did nowrish their prayers with fasting they did weep mourne and cry to GOD and did humblie beseech pastors and all faithfull people to pray for them S. CYPRIAN speaking of this same matter sayeth to them that had fallen That it behoved them to pray earnestly to passe over the day in sorrow to spend over the nights in mourning and teares to humble themselves in sackcloth aud ashes to despise the garment of the body since they had cast away the garment of Christ and to despise the food of the body since they had eaten at the table of the devil they thought not that such works of humiliation could merite any thing at the hand of GOD but they were injoyned as means appointed by GOD to promove unfeigned sorrow and detestation of their sinne which men after great faults especially do not ordinarly attaine unto without those exercises of fasting prayer and humiliation They were injoyned as means of mortifying those carnall lusts whereby they had been stirred up or whereby thereafter they might be stirred up to offend God and as expressions of their sorrow for their sinnes and just indignation against themselves because of their sinnes that so God through Christ might be moved to have pitty upon them that good christians might be assured of their unfeigned conversion and that all who did behold might be edified by their good example as they had been before offended by their fall When all this was done they were not yet admitted to the participation of the holy sacrament of the Body and Blood of our LORD but after a good space of time wherein they had given full proofe of the trueth and sincerity of their conversion Neither was it only those of the meaner sort who did subject thēselves to these ecclesiastical bonds two christian Emperours submitted themselves thereunto The first was Philip the first christian Emperour of whom ye may reade in the sixt book of Eusebius his ecclesiastical historie That when he would have come to the participation of the holy mysteries the bishop to wit Fabianus debarred him refusing to admitt him therunto because of his lowd life till he had made satisfaction by publick repentance which he yeelded unto The second was the glorious Emperour Theodosius He as ye may reade in the 5 book of Theodoret his ecclesiasticall historie 17. chap. after a great murther committed at Thessalonio◠by a rash commandement of his being come to Millane wher S. Ambrose was bishop and intending to enter into the Church and communicat was encountred by S. Awbrose without the Church who freely told him of the grievousnes of his sinne and that though he was an Emperour yet was subject to him who is the LORD of heaven and earth and that those whom he had killed were partakers of that same nature with him and made according to the Image of GOD aswel as he With what eyes saith he can thou behold this temple or how can thou trade upon this holy ground how can thou stretch out these hands embrued with blood or open that mouth which hath commanded so much innocent blood to be shed to receive the sacred Body and Blood of Christ depart therfore said he and adde not a new sinne unto thy former sinne but accept of these bonds wherewith he that is LORD over all hath commanded thee to be bound for these bonds have a power to put away the disease and to restore health unto thee againe The good Emperour hearkned unto him and returning did give himself to mourning and humiliation after he had been excercised thus eight moneths the feast of the nativitie of our Saivour was come in which he begane most grievously to mourne and weep being demanded of one of his chief courteours Ruffinus why he did so alace said he you understand not the evils wherein I am Servants and beggers have accesse to the House of GOD but I am debarred both from the Church Heaven For I remember that sentence of our Saviour Whatsoever ye shall binde on earth shall be bound in heaven Afterward when he was admitted by S. Ambrose the historian saieth That when he entred into the Church he did not stand nor kneel praying but that he did fall down upon the ground saying these words of DAVID My soul cleaveth unto the dust quicken thou me according unto thy word and began to strick his face and to rive his hair and to water the ground with his teares If so great so glorious an Emperour disdained not in such a manner to submitt himself to ecclesiasticall censure is it not strange that every one almost now who is any thing in their own eyes disdaineth to embrace this remedie which Christ hath appointed for grievous offenders S. AUGUST speaking of this purpose saieth in the 49. Sermon of his book of fifty homiles Let no man say I will transact secretly betwixt God and my self I shall have sorrow in mine heart c. Then saieth he The keyes of the kingdome of heaven were given in vaine and in vaine it was said whatsoever yee binde on earth shall be bound in heaven Shal a Senator saieth he be ashamed to do that which the Emperour Theodosius did shall a craftsman or a merchant be ashamed to do that which so glorious an Emperour did I come now to the other sort of excommunication whereby men are bound This is the greater excommunication which is a most fearfull and dreadfull anathema eurse By it a man is wholly separated from the communion of the faithfull in meetings in prayers and in all other sacred fellowship such an one is fully cast out of the Church and cut off from the body of Christ as a rotten and corrupt member by reason wherof he is subjected to unspeakable evils For if he be so cut off from Christs Body he can no more be partaker while he is in that estate of the vitall and saving influence which cometh from Christ the HEAD Being separate from the Body of Christ he can no more have his Spirit then a member of the body cut off from the rest can be quickned with that soul which giveth life to the rest of the body and if a man have not the Spirit of Christ he is not his Such an one
us in it Hence our Saviour hath commanded us To watch alwayes because wee know neither the day nor the houre of our LORDS comming Every day and houre we should have our loins girded with the girdle of mortification of our affections and the torches or lamps of good works shining in our hands If thou give thy self but to folly this night what knowest thou but thy sentence shall be This night thy soul c. What assurance of thy life hast thou more then he let us learne to be wise by such examples They teach us a most profitable lecture they who have been so overtaken say to us as it were as my Judgment was so also shall it be with thee yesterday to me and the day to thee Yesterday I was where thou art I had this same thoughts of long life and happines which thou hast here and yet even then my body was condemned to the dust and my soule brought before the Tribunall of GOD to give an account and to receive the sentence of justice What knoweth thou but it shall be so with thee to day Would God wee did rightly consider this That we might number our dayes and apply our hearts to wisdome esteeming of every day as if it were our last day and doing that in it which wee would wish to bee doing if death were come Secondly he sayeth They shall require thy soul He sayeth not he shall die but That his soul shall be required or taken away The words import first that this should be done to him against his will resisting and strugling to the contrary 2. that this should not be done by chance but by justice that he might receive his sentence according to his doings 3 It is said They shall take to signifie that the devils as the executioners of GODS Justice were ready to execute vengeance upon him Here is a dreadfull sentence whereby the soul is taken away The soul the precious soul the redemption whereof ceaseth for ever The soul which is of more worth then all the world What profiteth it a man to gaine the whole world if he losse his soul The soul which is our divine part the Breath of GOD and Stamp of his Countenance The soul for which the precious Blood of Iesus was shed The soul the soile which if it were rightly manured should bring forth the fruit of immortall joy That this soul should be taken away unavoidably first to judgement thence to intollerable torment what wo and misery Hence we may perceive what sorrow and anguish was in the soul of this covetous man or in any like wretch When Belshazzar Daniel 5. 6. saw the hand-writting against him on the wall that he was numbred weighed and divided His countenance was changed his thoughts were troubled within him the joynts of his loins were loosed and his knees did smite one against another such is the anguish and the agonie of the wicked when GOD putteth forth his Finger and writteth on their body by an incurable disease that their dayes are numbred finished when he wakens their conscience writteth therin that they ar weighed and found to be light and that they must be divided from their houses lands wife children friends yea and that the soule must be divided from the body and that the one must go to be the meat of wormes the other to eternall fire If such a man look back to his life his sins which he thought evanished his negligence and coldnes in Gods service ambition covetousnesse malice whordomâ— c. rush upon him like so many furies to gnaw his conscience to rent his heart in pieces and tell him that as he hath had their sweet so must he have their bitternesse If he look before him he sees GOD ready to cast him away and to say depart from me thou cursed c. The good Angels ready to forsake him and the devils ready to snatch up his soul He seeth that within half or quarter of an houre he must change his bed it may be of repose which his children and friends stand about with a bed of fire with a company of horrible spirits with everlasting chains everlasting darknes O what unspeakable anguish is this what is there in this earth that can countervaile it It is not so with the death of the Godly Though nature in them also shune death yet grace in end prevaileth Their soule is not taken from them but they deliver it and recommend it into the hand of GOD the Father and redeemer of spirits In thy Hands I recommend my spirit for thou hast redeemed it O Lord GOD of trueth sayeth David Psal 31. 5. They are content to go out of the body as out of a prison and grave They desire to be disolved and be with Christ They depart in peace because their eyes have seen the Salvation of GOD. They count the last day of their life the first of their happinesse the birth day of eternity which shall draw aside the courtaine and make them clearly see which before they saw but obscurely They know that day shall free them of all stormes and put them betwixt the Armes of their Father And turne their trouble into rest their mourning into joy and their basnes into glory They have reason therfore to be content when it pleaseth GOD to call The LORD grant that we may live their life that so we may die their death and that for the merits of Christ c. THE FIRST SERMON Upon the VI Chapter of S. IOHN Vers 43. JESUS therefore Ansirered and said unto them murmure not among your selves Vers 44. No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him and I will raise him up at the last day OUr blessed Saviour having entred upon a most heavenly discourse concerning the Dignity of himself and the happines of them who receive Him as they ought having entred I say upon this discourse in the preceeding words He taketh occasion from the murmuring of the Jews at that which he said to prosecute this same discourse more particularly and more fully in these words that I have reade and in many after following Particularly in these words yee have to consider the occasion of this discourse which was the murmuring of the Jews insinuated there And Iesus answered unto them saying murmure not among your selves 2. Yee have an heavenly instruction given to them and to us all in them concerning the way by which we come to Him No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him 3. Yee have the happines of them who are so drawn by vertue thereof unto Christ And I will raise him up at the last day And Iesuus answered and said unto them murmure not among your selves These words insinuate as we said that the occasion of our Saviours following discourse was the murmuring of the Iews whereof yee may reade immediatly before my text
respect dependent from another which implyeth a manifest contradiction Thus the light of nature leadeth us to the infinitnesse of God By the light of scripture this is also manifest for beside this many other like places the Lord descriving himself to his servant Moses Exod. 3. 14. taketh the name of Being to himself as proper and peculiar to him Thus shalt thou say to the children of Israel saieth the Lord I AM hath sent mee unto you by which name he signifieth that he is alone of himself whereas all other things of themselves are not That he is fullie containing in himself the amplitude of al that is or hath or can have any being that he is eternally and unchangably So being that he cannot cease to be at all or to be what he is and in a word that he is Being it self the unbounded Ocean of being from which all being flâ—weth and dependeth whence S. Paull out of the poet saieth That in him we live move have our being so then the Being of God both by the light of scripture and nature is such as excludeth not being infinitly which therefore hath not nor can have any place in him IT is not so with the creatures They are of themselves nothing and therfore of themselves they tend to nothing and while they are bounded and limited within some one kind of being without which they are not But so it is not with him whose Greatnesse hath no end or bounds which the PROPHET here ascriveth to God Now let us in the third place see more particularly what belongeth to this infinite and unbounded greatnesse of God The first thing that belongeth to him by reason of his infinite Greatnesse is that hee comprehendeth in himself all kinde of being and perfection that either is or is possible created or increaâ—ed There is no good in man or angels in earth or heaven no jâ—y or blesse no goodnes or beautie c. which is not in him If it he in the creatures it must needs be in him Shall not hee see who made the eye or shall not hee heare who made the eare There is no perfection in the creature which is not the expression of his eternall conception and a footstep oâ— resemblance of that perfection which is in him In like manner that is nothing or perfection possible which is not in him If any such thing or perfection be possible it must needs be in him by whom alone it can be brought forth and made actually to bee for if hee have it not himself how can he give it unto others So then name or conceive what perfection you will Sense Life Vnderstanding goodnes Beauty Wisdom Mercie Power Truth c. it is in him yea infinitly more perfections are in him then wee can conceive even all that are or any way can be This is the first thing which belongeth to his infinite Greatnesse The second thing is That all the kindes of being or perfections are in him in the highest degree of perfection and excellency that can be As all things are in him so there is nothing in him according to that maÌ„ner of imperfectioÌ„ in which we perceive by our sense or conceive by our minde Look unto things sensible to the heavens to the earth or to any thing that is therein there is nothing like to him To whom will yet liken God and what liknesse will ye compare unto him Isai 40. 18. There is Beauty indeed in him but not such a beauty as we perceive in things bodily but a beauty which the angels caÌ„not coÌ„prehend There is Light in him but not such a light as is in the sun or the startes he dwelleth in light that cannot be approached unto which no man hath seen or can see There is Sweetnes in him but not such as is in meat or drink or any such like thing but a sweetnes which exceedeth the capacity of al other things Hence holy AUGUST in his 10. book of the city of God and 6. chap. saieth what do I love when I love my God Not the beauty of bodies nor of bodily sound or smell or sweetnes yet wheÌ„ I love him I love a certain light voice smell food embracement Even the light voice smell food embracement of the inward man wher that shyneth to my soul which place caÌ„not coÌ„prehend that soundeth which time taketh not away that smelleth which no blast can dissipate c. And again look to the perfectioÌ„s which our minds conceive these aâ— not in God as conceived by us For example Neither goodnesse nor justice nor wisdome nor mercie nor truth at in him as we conceive them we conceive them but imperfectly and so they are not in him as they are conceived by us they are finite and bounded and distinct one from another but so in him they are not So if wee would conceive God and his greatnesse aright wee must not only transcend our sense but also all the imaginations and thoughts of our minde and must consider that he is infinitly more high and excellent and all that is in him then all that we can conceive or comprehend His Wisdom as I said is not as ours but of a boundles perfection It containeth all the kinds degrees and measures of wisdome that is or is possible and extendeth it self to all that can be understood that actuallie is or is not present bypast to come His Beauty in likemanner comprehendeth all kinds and degrees of beauty bodily or spirituall that are or can bee and in a manner infinitly more perfect then wee can conceive So it is with his Goodnesse Power c. This is the second thing that belongeth to his infinite greatnesse namlie that hee hath in himself all perfections in the highest degree of excellencie The third thing is That he hath all these his perfections joyned in the most perfect manner namlie in a most perfect Vnitie and simplicity His perfections are not in him as ours in us Our perfections are distinguished one from another but it is not so in him By his most simple nature and essence as hee is God so hee is Wise and Just and Good and True and Omnipotenz c. each of these perfections including other as they are in him for they are one and the same with his own Essence God saieth holy Augustine in his 6. book of the Trinitie and 7. chap. is called Great and Wise and True but wee may not think that his Greatnesse is another thing then his Wisdome or that his Wisdome is another thing then his Goodnesse and Truth or that his Truth is differentifâ—oÌ„ any of these we conceive these things indeed as really distinct but that is through the imperfection of our minde which caÌ„not coÌ„ceive things divine according to that â—ie sublime manner after which they are in God but most needs think of them with a proportion to the creatures in which we
â—nd the essence of things distinguished from 〈◊〉 perfections and 〈◊〉 perfections distinguished one from another It is faâ— otherwayes in God what soever is dispersed here there in the creature is all joyned in him in a most perfect unitie and that without any limits or bounds as was said before Thus shortly yee have that which wee can conceive of this infinite Greatnesse of God whereby wee may easily understand that there is no end of it not any thing that can be compared to it All the creatures in respect of him are nothing Isai 40. 12. Hee meteth out the heaven with his span saieth the Prophet there Hee measureth the waters in the hollow of his hand be comprehendeth the dust of the earth in a measure weigheth the mountains in scales and the hils in a balance Behold the nations are 〈◊〉 the drop of a bucket and are counted as the small dust in the balance All nations are before him as nothing and are counted to himâ—lesse then nothing and vanitie If yee would compare the hudge Ocean with a small drop of water taken out of it yee would think there were a great distance betwixt them and yet far greater distance is there betwixt this great God and all the creatures that are or are possible That drop of water is of that same nature with the rest of the water of the Ocean but the perfections of the creatures are not of that kinde with that which is in God as we have showen That drop of water little as it is was a part of the Ocean but the perfections of the creatures ar no part of God 3. If many drops were added to that one drop it might at last equall the whole Ocean but adde whatsoever yeâ— can conceive to the goodnes to the power to the wisdom c. that is in the creatures they can never equall the Goodnesse or Wisdome or Power that is in God So his Greatnesse is infinitly high above all that is or can be without himself Secondly Hence followeth that which DAVID saieth here That him greatnesse is unsearchable or incomprehensible It is have no bound or ground how can it be searched out by the creature which is finite and bounded It is true God comprehendeth himself follie His Infinitnesse is to him in a manner finite His Vnderstanding is infinite and therefore equall to his divine Effence yea one and the same with it But no creaturesâ— man or angell can fully search into 〈◊〉 comprehend this â—reatnes of God If this could be wee should see him as perfectly as he can be seen nothing of him should be hid from us and all his greatnesse should be inclosed as it were within the compasse of our mindes which cannot be except our understanding and sight were infinite Hence by the way we may learne that we should not curiously pry into his nature decrees counsels which are unsearchable as himself is It becometh us to praise him that he hath revealed and manifested himself to us so far forth as he knoweth to be fit for his own glory and our salvation and so much the rather that he hath sent his own Son for this effect God hath no man seen at any time Ioh. 1. 18. but the only begotten son that is in the bosome of the Father he hath revealed him unto us We should be content with this and should labour to make a right use of this knowledge purging our hearts daylie that we may bee prepared for the blessed sight of his countenance with which there is fulnesse of joy This much of the Perfection of God Let us now come to the duties which wee ought to it DAVID expresseth this one That he should be greatly praised Great is the Lord saieth he and greatly to bee praised According to his greatnes so should his praise be His greatnes is infinite as we have showen and therefore he is worthie of infinite praise Hee deserveth to be praised not only for ever and ever but also with an infinite affection if it were possible to us It is true all that wee can do in this kinde is small For what can our little tongue contribute to the praising of the great God yet wee should labour to do what wee can to the uttermost Our endeavours to praise him should be without end and our continuance in his praises should be without end This is a part of service from which the blessed spirits of men and angels iâ— heaven are not exempted They praise him that sit upon the Thron and the lamb saying Blessing and glorie and power and honour and dominion be to him that sitteth upon the Throne and to the Lambe for ever Neither do they ever intermitt or end this exercise Blessed are they that dwell in thy house saieth DAVID they are still praising thee For the more full clearing of this dutie We are to consider That the due coÌ„sideration of the greatnesse of Gods excellency First inflameth our heart with sincere love of him and that love being kendled in our hearts filleth both our soules with joy and our mouthes with praise There ariseth from it joy in us when we look upon these inestimable perfections of the infinite Wisdome Power Joy and Blesse that are in God If thou assuredly knew that thy beloved son abounded in wealth honour and all happinesse it could not be but matter of exceeding joy unto thee so it cannot but fill thy soule with joy when thou considerest that thy God and Father hath within himself the infinite fulnesse of all good and blesse Secondly From this love springeth the praise of God When we see his perfections and love him that hath them wee cannot choise but praise and blesse him we cannot but desire his glory above all things being ready to imploy all the powers of our bodie and soule to the promoving of it Wee are not coÌ„tent to praise and honour him our selves but labour to draw all men with us to the same exercise As good Courtiours that serve a worthy Prince so praise his vertue and power as that they labour to draw others to the love and obedience of him Even so they that serve this great King aright endeavour to bring all others as much as lyeth in them to the knowledge of of his infinite Greatnesse Wisdome Power and Goodnesse c. to the love and reverence of him Neither labour they only by their words to do this but also by their deeds by obedience to him in their life and conversation according to that of our Saviour Let your light so shyne before men that all that see your good works may glorifie your Father which is in heaven This is the dutie of all and the practise of them that are good but alace how few such are there Wee are so farre for the greatest part from praising and honouring God and stirring up others thereunto that we both dishonour him our selves and provoke others to
to the beholding of it but if we consider the occasion of this Song hee inviteth us to the beholding of it with a reference to the wofull and dolefull evils of Division when DAVID entered into his kingdom the kingdom of Israel was devided and there was a long and bloody warr betwixt Israel and Iud◠〈◊〉 end it pleased God to send a blessed Vnitie and Peace both In the Church State so that both DAVID the speaker they to whom he did speak had experience both of the good of unitie of the evill of Division wherby they had been brought almost to utter desolation Out of this experience he saieth Behold yee have tasted so long of the bitter fruits of Discord which hath made you that were brethren to hate persecute one another as cruell enemies behold now and see how inestâ—â—able is the benefit of Vnitie and how good and pleasant a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in it Let us now see what it is which he commendeth and how he commendeth it That which hee commendeth is the dwelling of brethren together in Vnitie which also importeh the reason why this should be done as we shall heare To dwell together in Vnitie is not to dwell in one place The Vnitie he speaketh of is the unitie of brotherlie Concord wherby as the latine word importeth the hearts of men are knit together according to that Act. 4. 32. And the multitude of them that beleeved were of one heart and of one soule This Concord maketh a man not onlie to do that which another willeth but also to will that which he willeth and therefore presupponeth the union of mindes and judgements especiallie in things of importance and is grounded upon the will of God revealed to us into a true and perfect Concord So it is not true concord or unitie of hearts when fear imposeth a necessitie of obeying or when hatred malice envy are clocked with outward shewes of love Feare commandeth not this Concord neither can subtiltie of wit work it Temporall gaine cannot buy it neither can paper and inke keep it but the God of Love and Vnitie who hath commanded it giveth confirmeth preserveth and keepeth it They that have this Concord dwell together in unitie although they be in diverse places and have many bodies yet they have as it were but one heart and one soule Who aâ— they that should have this unitie Brethren All men in some sort are brethren being descended of this same first parents and partakers of this same nature but DAVID meaneth those who were more straitly tyed together as partakers of the same kingdom and countrey members of the same Church Those are brethren and there ought to be no division betwixt brethren Let there be no strife I pray thee between thee and mee for wee are brethren said ABRAHAM to LOT Gen. 13. 8. Feare joy and sorrow should be common unto brethren and nothing more hatefull then that one brother should hate another rejoyce at his evill be grieved at his good or that he should cast him down and trample him under his feet So when he saieth brethren he not only sheweth who but also why wee should keep unitie amongst our selves even because wee are brethren Now wee have the thing commended The unitie and concord of brethren Let us see how he commendeth it How good and how pleasant is it saieth he It is not only good nor only pleasant but both good and pleasant Some things are good that are not pleasant as Travels repentance fasting Martyrdome and some things are pleasant that are not good as many sinfull actions but Concord and Peace are both good and pleasant Beside he saith not simplie that it is good pleasant but How good how pleasant to signifie the excellencie of goodnes and pleasure that is in it and therefore the seaventie Interpreters render it thus What is good and pleasant but that brethren dwell together in unitie First then It is good and so good that without it nothing is good and by it all necessar good is attained In naturall things everie thing is that which it is by union or unitie and by that same unitie is conserved in the being thereof and if it bee capable of further perfection is by that unitie strengthned till it attaine to that perfection which is due unto it Nay further the blessednes of God himself consisteth in unitie wherby he is present to himself and whereby he hath all his divine perfections most straitly and unseparablie united In like manner the Wel-being of all Societies civill or ecclesiasticall dependeth froÌ„ their unitie When the Christian Church was first planted it consisted of a small number but being of one heart and of one soul did soone spread it self throughout the whole world When Rome was first founded it was scarse two myles of compasse but by unitie warrlike vertue it came to pass that in the time of Aurelian the Emperour it had the compasse of fiftie myles and the dominion of the world almost By concord small things grow to an hight and so it is good profitable but by discord and division all things even the greatest things declyne from their pryme estate and are weakned diminished and in end perish If the members of the body should rise up one against another if the right hand should cutt off the left if the fingers should pull out the eyes if one member should draw the nourishment from another the body could not stand even so no house nor city nor kingdome nor church divided against it self can stand Secondly As the unitie of brethren is good so it is pleasant beautifull That which maketh this World to bee a beautifull frame is the unitie that is in it So long as the heaven the ayre the sea and the earth every thing therin agree and do their own duties for which they were appointed calmly without perturbation it hath an incomparable beautie But if things should become confused and disordered nothing should bee more deformed so is it in respect of humane societie Nothing more beautifull and desirable then the unitie peace thereof and nothing more uglie and horrible then divisions and tuptures therein Hence it is that there is no man but he desireth peace As all men desireth to rejoyce so al desire to have peace saieth holy Augustine even Martiall men that have the sword in the one hand fire in the other they are seeking peace such a peace as they imagine to be right as the same Father observeth in the 19. of the city of God and 12 chap. In a word we desire it in our houses in our wives in our children in our friends and in all things wee wish to have peace It appeareth by a sermon of S. August upon the CXLVII psal That when hee had uttered these words of the Text Hee maketh peace in thy borderit The people at the
and evil expediencie and inexpediencie that is in every thing and therefore not subject to any errour or change Hence I am chap. 1. 17. calleth him the Father of lights with whom is noâ— variablenesse neither shadow of turning Hence the Lord himself sayeth of himself Malach. 3. 6. I am the LORD I change not therefore yee sons of Iacob are not consumed Num. 23. 19. God is not as man that he should lie neither the son of man that he should repent hath he said and shall be not do it or hath he spoken and shall he not make it good To this same purpose David psal 102. speaking to God sayeth thou art the same and thy years shall have no end Thou art not now one and now another but alwayes one the same Thus we see his being is the same alwayes so are his decrees the counsell of his heart standeth and his thoughts throughout all generatioÌ„s Thus we see his unchangeablnes by reason whereof the PROPHET sayeth here Thou O Lord remainst Hence we may perceive that no change which we see in the creatures doeth any way affect God he made this world all things in it he changed them froÌ„ nothing to this being which they now have but without any change in himself When the shadow of thy face appeareth in a glasse there is no change in thy face from that which was before when thy foot leaveth an impression or mark in the way thy foot is nothing altered now what is the creature but as it were the shadow of the countenance of God A footstepe impression or smal resemblance of that perfection which is in him proceeding from him without any alteration of him at all so without any change he ruleth and governeth this world which he hath made albeit ther be innumerable changes or alterations in it yet he is touched with no new affections no new thought or counsel aryseth in his mynde Whatsoever counsell or purpose love or hatred lyking or disslyking is now in him was in him from all eternitie and what was in him is yet and shall be for all eternitie Once for al before the foundations of the world even froÌ„ everlasting he conceived and decreed what he would have done or permitted to be done in al succeding ages and by vertue of that his eternall decree all things come forth in their own times he remaining fixt and firme immutable in his most simple Unity and prime estate suppose that this world have its being and all the creatures especially men angels concurre to serve to worship to praise and enjoy him this addeth nothing to his inward joy or blesse or to any his inward perfections He had in himself without them the infinite fulnes of that he made them not to ripe any comfort or gaine by them but to communicate the super aboundace of his goodnes to make them partakers of his riches so far as they are capable On the other part Suppose the whole world al the creaturs therin should perish it would diminish nothing of the joy blesse of God For he hath infinite happines in himself which cannot be impaired as we haue shewn all the creatures ar in him in a most excellent manner in his wisdom in his power for in himself he beholds them and delights in them aswell as in themselves But it may be some man will say it seemeth that there may be some change in God since the scripture ascriveth repentance to him Gen. 6. 6. And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth And the PROPHET expostulateth with him for forgetfulnesse I Ans That the scripture ascriveth these and the like things unto God condiscending to the weaknes of our capacity not to signifie that there is any such thing in God properly but to signifie that such effects come from him as use to proceed from repenting and forgetfull men Repentance properly taken in men presupposeth an errour or fault for the which the Penitent is grieved So Wrath includeth the flame of an incensed minde Mercie importeth the misery of a condoling heart Jealousie some inward dispite and envy Thus it is that these things are ascrived unto men but in God it is far otherwayes His Wrath Aâ—g 1. book against the Adversary of the Law and Prophets chap. 20. is nothing else but the revenge of sinne His Mercy is a succurring goodnesse His Jealousie in his Providence whereby he will not suffer them to go free or unpunished who love that which he forbiddeth so his Repentance is nothing else but an unlooked for clearing of things that are in his power IT importeth no change in him but in the outward effects which he altereth without any change in his Will or purpose Hence in 1. Sam. 15. 29. It is said The strength of Israel will not lie nor repent for he is not a man that he should repent albeit it be said a little before in that same chapter That he had repented that he had set up Saul to be King So when he repenteth he changeth things but is not changed when he is angriâ— he revengeth but is not moved when hee sheweth mercie he helpeth but is not grieved and when he is Jealous he afflicteth but is not afflicted In like manner when hee is said to remember or forget The speech is borrowed from men His Remembrance importeth his Love his Care and Protection and his Forgetfulnesse signifying that he leaveth or seemeth to leave men exposed to dangers This much of his Vnchangeablnesse Secondly It is to be observed That the PROPHET ascriveth this Vnchangeablnesse to God as proper to him and competent to no other Thou O Lord remainest as if he would have said This is thy prerogative O Lord thou and none but Thou remainest All other things whatsomever are changeable This World we see is full of changes alterations and nothing more certain then the uncertaintie of it and therefore the Apostle 1. Cor. 7. 31. compareth it to a Shew upon a stage where suddenly all things are altered The fashion saith he of this world passeth away So it is with our selves our bodies our soules and the whole man Our bodies are exposed to a perpetuall change Now they are in health incontinent in sicknesse now in strength and againe in weaknes All flesh is grasse and the goodlinesse therof as the flower of the field Isai 40 6. so that Every man this way in his best estate is altogether vanitie When God with rebukes corrects us for iniquitie he makes our beauty whatsomever is desirable in us as Davids word importeth Psal 39. to melt away or to consume like a moth Our soules albeit of a more excellent nature being spirituall and heavenly ar in like manner tossed to and fro with changes now they know now they are ignorant now againe they forget now they are moved with one affection againe with the contrare somtimes with love
tremble Suppose all the people of the world conspired against thee these three words stedfastly believed the Lord reigneth is enough to give thee comfort and courage Whatsoever injuries are done this Lord seeth and will redresse and revenge in his own time The Lord reigneth saieth that same DAVID Psalm 93. His throne is established the floods haue lifted vp O Lord the floods haue lifted vp their voice the floods haue lifted vp their waves The Lord on high is mightier then the voice of many waters yea then the mightie waves of the sea But it may be thou will say to me how cometh it to passe th◠that the servants of this great King are so many wayes afflicted and troubled Consider I beseech thee that in al thy afflictions he hath a supreame hand Now all that thou hast is his he may do with his own what he will Thy wealth thy promotion thy children yea thy life is his he gave all he may take back againe all when he will These things he hath but committed unto thee reserving stil the dominiō of them to himself therfore may require them back againe at his pleasure Beside I appeale thy own conscience did ever any thing befal thee so grievous in thy life but thy sinnes deserved as much yea a thousād times more lastly consider that as he is a most absolute so he is a most Gracious Lord and most wise who dealeth with us so here as he knoweth is most fitting for our eternall well He looketh not only to that which is present but also to eternitie and afflicteth us here that hereafter it may be well with us for ever We are Iudged by the Lord that wee perish not with the world Secondly the consideration of this great dominion of God it giveth us confidence to put up the second petition of the PROPHET and to say with him turne thou us O Lord and we shal be turned This great Lord and King hath power of the soule spirit aswel as the body can work upon it no lesse then upon the body the power of earthly kings reaches no further then the body they cannot draw the heart effectually and infalliblie but God can subdue the heart unto his scepter and can make them that were averse and unwilling to be a willing people Psalm 110. He can enlighten the minde create a clean heart and renew a right spirit He can take away the hert of stone and give us a heart of flesh he can put his spirit within us and cause us to walk in his statutes and keep his Iudgements Paul was a persecuter but no sooner did the heavenly light of this great Lord shine upon him no sooner did his hand touch his heart but he cryed out Lord what will thou haue me to do Before he was his enemie persecuter now his obedient servant and acknowledgeth him to be the Lord and seeketh no more but to know what he would haue done or what he would have him to suffer professing that he was ready to obey So albeit thou have turned away from this Lord yet dispaire not he is so infinitely good and powerfull that he can and will turne thee back againe to him if thou seek it of him as thou ought Which the Lord grant unto us and that for the merits of Christ Iesus To whom c. SECOND SERMON UPON Lamentations of JERIMIAH Chap. V. Vers 19. Thou O Lord remainest for ever and thy throne from generation to generation Vers 20. Wherefore dost thou forget us for ever And forsake us so long time Vers 21. Turne thou us unto thee O Lord And we shall be turned renew our dayes as of Old The holy Prophet in these words as we said before presenteth to God a fervent prayer for his church of whose distresse he had made a most pittifull complaint in the words preceeding He prayeth for two things first that God would restore his favour and the former fruits thereof unto his people This he seeketh first secretly by a loving expostulation wherefore dost thou forget us for ever c. And thereafter expresly and directly renew our dayes as of Old The second thing which he prayeth for without which the first could not be had is their conversion or turning againe to God Turne thou us unto thee O Lord And we shall be turned The ground of these petitions of his confidence to be heard in them is set down in the first verse and it is Gods own nature and the perfections thereof Thou O Lord c. Here three things are ascrived to God First immutabilitie Secondly a dominion and kingdome Thirdly eternitie which belongeth to himself and to his kingdome Thou O Lord saieth he remainest for ever and thy throne c. Of the second and first we haue spoken already let us come now to the third Which we shall handle in this order first we shall show what this eternitie is Secondly that it belongeth both to God and his kingdome Thirdly we shall give you the uses of this doctrine To come to the first yee are to understand that the eternitie of God which is the only and properly so called eternitie is not a thing diverse from his nature or essence There is nothing in God which is not God and one and the same with his divine nature So the eternitie of God is nothing else but this own divine essence or existence considered as it abideth persevereth indeficiently unmeasurably without beginning or end Wee cannot conceive this indurance of God but with a reference to the time of indurance of the creatures as we cannot conceive the immensitie of God but with a reference to a bodily space wherein the creatures are or may be and therefore the eternitio of God as conceived by us includeth a reference to the duratiō continuance of other things whereas in it self it differeth from them infinitelie For the more particular understanding of this point ye are to consider that the eternitie of God hath three notable properties First it is such a duration that hath neither beginning nor end but is altogether unmeasurable time may be measured and is measured by our minds and used as a measure of the continuance of other things It had a beginning and since the beginning of it 6000. years are not a◠yet past But if we should go beyond this time 100000. years yea millions of ages we should come infinitely short of Eternitie which hath no beginning at all So time shall haue an end but if we go beyond that end as many millions of ages as there are stares in heaven pickles of sand on the sea shoar drops of water in the ocean yet are we infinitely short of the length of eternitie which hath no end at all So it is an indurance simplie and altogether unmeasurable The second propertie of it is that it is such an indurance as hath no fluxe in it no
are sâ— fraile and vaine We trouble our selveâ— about many things which are needles and worthles but there is one thing only necessarie even to provide for that good part which shall never be taken away Secondly The consideration of Eternity and of that Kingdome wherein God shall reigne in us and we with him for ever should encourage us against travailes and comfort us against all troubles wherewith wee encounter here First it should encourage us against all our travailes Our flesh is ready to faint under the burden of pains and travailes that must be endured in the service of God but all that wee endure this way should seeme light if righty compared with the reward of this eternal Kingdome In it is eternall rest And Eternall rest saieth holy AUGUST is worthie of eternall traveles Yee see what travailes Souldiours are content to undergo for the hope of a small gaine They go to warre in their youth they continue it may be almost al their dayes that they may gaine some little thing to sustaine them in their old age which both is short and uncertaine yet what are they not content to suffer for this What hunger what thirst What heat what cold To how many dangers necessâ—ties and wounds do they expose themselves Alace should not we be content to suffer much more for this glorious and eternal Kingdom A Kingdome wherein we shall be equal with the angels wherin wee shall be joynt heirs with Christ yea wherein wee shall bee made one spirit with God enjoying his inâ—inite Essence and entered into the fulnes of his joy wherein we shall continue not an hundreth or a thousand years or ages but unto all eternitie What travaile or pains can we take in serving God which may be compared with this glory and the eternitie of it Secondly This should also comfort us against our troubles afflictions that we meere with in the service of this great King Heare what S. PAUL saieth Rom. 8. I reckon that the afflictions of this present life are not worthie to be compared with that glory that shall be revealed in us And againe The light afflictioâ—s that endure but for a moment worketh for us a farre more exceeding and eternall weight of glory Blessed are these sufferings which draw after them this great eternall Reward Blessed is that hunger and thrist which bringeth us to be satisfied with the fatâ—es of Gods house and to drink of the rivers of his pleasure for ever Blessed is that contempt which is followed with eternal honour Blessed is that povertie which is followed with eternal treasures Blessed is that sorrow which is followed with eternal joy we ought not therfore to faint for the miseries distresses that we meeâ—e with here for God and his righteousnesse We may not think that he forgetteth or forsaketh us because we are exposed to them he looketh to this eternitie for which by these sufferings he prepareth us Who could be more miâ—erable then Lazarns who was full of sores could not haue so much as the crumes that fell from the rich mans table who seemed more happie then the rich man who swimmed in wealth and pleasure yet now experience teacheth that farre more blessed were the sufferings of the one then the pleasures of the other Now Lazarus findeth being in Abrahams bosome where he shall bee to all eternitie The trueth of our Saviours sayings Blessed are they that hunger and thrist for they shall be satisfied Blessed are they that mourne for they shall be comforted So They that wandred in sheep-skins and goat skins in dens and mountains and caves of the earth afflicted desture tormeÌ„ted Heb. 11. 37. 38. Would haue seemed to haue been men forsaken of God But indeed were deare unto him and Now find by experience That blessed are they who are persecuted for righteousnes for great is their reward in heaven Thirdly The consideration of this eternitie should make all men to tremble and feare to offend God the effects of whose wrath are everlasting If thou be the enemie of God thou shall be deprived of his Eternall Kingdom there can be no greater losse for it is the losse of an infinite and eternall good Thou shall be subjected to most grievous and eternall pains To the fire that never shall be quenched to the worme that never shall die In a prison eternall and in darknes eternall Who would for all the joyes and honours and riches of this world be content to burne a hundreth year in fire and yet take a thousand and ten thousand millions of ages from eternitie and it is as fresh to begin as it was before O dreadfull eternitie who is able to conceive the greatnes of it what strength of man or angell is able to endure the burden of it Alace we are afraied of nakednes povertie and contempt here These seeme to us so terrible monsters that to eschew them we care not what we do even against God and against conscience but what are these to eternall fire and to eternall darknes and to the eternall companie of the Devill his Angels Would God this eternitie were alwayes before our eyes and deeply settled in our hearts It alone were enough to beat down all our pride to breake the hardest heart and daunt the stoutest courage of bold impenitent sinners It alone were enough to make us detaste all wickednes froÌ„ which this eternall evil springeth Who would delight in the fulfiling of his Lust if he considered deeply that his Lust will kindle a fire which will burn both the soul the body for ever that it will breed a worme which shall ever live to torment him who would delight in the inordinate desire of riches if he considered that this is the roote of all evill which whill men follow after pierceth them through with everlasting sorrowes and maketh them to fall into a temptation and snare and in many foolish and noysome Lusts which drowne men in everlasting Perdition Lastly The consideration of this eternitie should make us carefull of the right use of this present time Since though it be but a moment yet from the use of it our eternall well or wo dependeth in particular First this should make us carefull not to mispend our time in things unnecessare unprofitable The time is short and precious in respect of the use of it thou are still hasting to the Tribunall of the great Iudge who is to passe an eternall sentence of thy Bodie and Soul what folly then is it to spend the short time upon things which will availl us nothing then Hee might be justly accounted a foole who having occasion of a market wherein he might gaine as much as might make him rich all his life time would go and spend all his money and time in buying of trifâ—es of no worth Even so is it with us who waste our time by sport or idle coÌ„ference things not only unprofitable but
have read out of all the foure Evangelists The unlearned unconsiderat READER might think That the Evangelists agree not well in relating this Historie but if wee compare them together wee shall find a very sweet harmony and that the cause of the apparent disagreement is only that one hath that which another wanteth Now according to them all this is the Historie Our LORD being arraigned before Cajaphas and his Councell the night before his death S. Peter having followed him to the HALL of the high Priest and having twice denyed him there is now the third time assaulted First about the space of an houre after his second deniall one cometh to him and affirmeth confidently or strongly as S. Luke telleth us and confirmeth his saying with this argument That he was of Galilee where Christ for the greatest part conversed and whence the greatest part of his disciples were By occasion of this some others standing by as S. Matth. and S. Mark importeth urge him in like manner Of a truth say they this fellow was with him for he is a Galilean and his speech bewrayeth him to be such an one There was but one language in the land of Canaan to wit the Syriack at that time but there was a diversitie in the pronunciation and manner of speech betwixt the Galileans and others as there is in our own or any other country betwixt them that are of diverse provinces Notwithstanding of all this S. Peter standeth to his deniall In the meane time There cometh a servant of the high Priest a kinsman of his whose care Peter had cut off as we learn from S. Iohn and he pressed the Apostle more perempterly Did I not see thee in the garden with him saieth he as if he would have said How darest thou refuse how canest thou deny Did I not see thee with these eyes of mine with him in the garden Here the Apostle being brought to a perempter perceiving himself to be in great danger and fearing that he should be arreigned aswell as his Lord and exposed to the cruelty of the Jews aswell as he hee is not content simply to deny him but he doeth it with oaths execrations swearing and cursing that he knew not the man that he did not so much as know what they said Now immediatly while hee is yet speaking the Cock croweth the second time as S. Mark telleth us and Jesus turning him about looked upon S. Peter Whereupon he remembred and called to minde the words of Jesus How hee had said Before the Cock crow twice thou shalt deny me thrice and thinking upon this he went out and wept bitterly This is the Historie in order In it there are two particulars chiefly considerable First his Fall or sin secondly his Rising or repentance For clearing the first Wee shall consider first his sin secondly the grievousnesse of it and Thirdly shall shew you what use should be made by us thereof But before we enter into these particulars yee are to understand that some have excused or extenuated this sin of Peter that either they thought it no sin or a very small one but this is well refuted by S Jerome If saieth he we affirme that Peter denied not Christ then we give Christ the lie who said Before the cock crow twice thou shalt deny mee thrice To this same purpose holy August in 66. Treatise upon Iohn If Christ spake trueth whereof to doubt is impietie then PETER indeed denied Christ Let us not accuse Christ saieth he to defend Peter let humane infirmitie acknowledge its sin for in him that was Trueth is self there could bee no lie S. Peter himself acknowledged both the sin and the grievousnesse thereof he refuteth his defenders his tears are witnesses against them Let us come now to the first point and consider his sin what it was First in that he denied the LORD he sinned against Trueth and that two wayes first because he denied that he knew him whom indeed he knew very well Secondly because hee break his promise to his Lord which was That he would not deny him though he should die for him 2. He sinned against faith For the commandement wherby we are tyed to beleeve bindeth us not only to beleeve inwardly but also outwardly to confesse For with the heart man beleeveth unto righteousnes and with the mouth coÌ„fession is made unto salvation 3. He sinned by perjurie calling 〈◊〉 God and desiring him to bear witnes to his lie 4. He sinned by cursing and wishing all kinde of mischief to himself if he spake not trueth All these wayes he sinned in this his third deniall Now let us consider the grievousnesse of his sin For clearing of this point consider first That he many wayes offended before his deniall First there was in him too great confidence of himself and over-weeâ—ing of his own strength Hence when our Lord. Joh. 13. 36. Said Thou canst not follow me now he answered Lord why cannot I follow thee now I am ready to go with thee both to prison and to death and againe Though all men should â—e offended at thee yet I will never be offended Secondly there was a kind of misbeleeving the words of our Lord for he forewarned him of his fall and yet he would not take heed unto it Thirdly he neglected that commandement Watâ—h and pray that ye enter not into temptation For the spirit indeed is readie but the flesb is weak He was sleeping sound when he should have been watching and praying Fourthly when he followed Christ he followed him coldly a far off did not cleave to him neatly ferveÌ„tly as his true follower should have done Fiftly by entering into the HAL of the High Priest amongst his enemies he did cast himself into danger without necessity or any calling Thus many waies he procureth his own Fall which aggravateth his sin Secondly There are many things concurring in his sinne which doth greatly aggravate it First he not only denied Christ but also he denied him with oaths againe and again and not content with this he cursed and anathematized himself if it was not so as he said The word used in the original signifieth that he wisheth himself to be an Anathema which is as much as one that is accursed execrable and unworthy of the communion of good men and that is devoted and appointed for â—ell The word which the Syrian Interpreter useth signifieth to destroy and abolish in the old Testament coÌ„monly signifieth A thing devoted to God which cannot be redeemed but must needs be abolished and destroyed So the Apostle by this anathematizing or cursing wished all mischiefs to himself both to his body and soule which is no lesse then eternal condemnation Neither did hee simply curse this way but hee did it vehemently as the word used by S. Matth. importeth Suppose there had been no more This cursing was a grievous sin God oftentimes even in this life hath
subjection Lest by any means when he bad preached unto others he himself should be a cast-away Our securitie is to feare alwayes our strength is to distrust our own strength and to put all our confidence in the Mercie of God and Merites of Christ Who hath prayed for us that our faith faile not Let us therefore say to God every one of us LORD thou hast been my help leave me not neither forsake me O GOD of my salvation Secondly we may perceive from this fall of Peter that one sinne especially if it be grievous draweth another after it and that without stay till Christ look againe upon the sinner Hence sinne is called by S. PAUL The sâ—ure of the devil Ye know when a bird is taken in a sâ—are she is still more and more fastened and entangled If thou give place but to a light lust at the first as Peter did to the servant-maid one to a hundereth but from that thou shalt fall into a greater sinne from that to worse againe as S. Peter from denying came to swearing and from swearing came to extreame cursing of himself This should teach us not to give any place to the devil but to resist him stedfastly and to pray with DAVID Order my steps in thy word and let no iniquitie have dominion over me Thirdly It is observed by holy AUGUSTINE in the place before citted that this fall of S. Peter was permitted by God to make him the more ready to compassionate others when they should fall He was by nature vehement as appeareth by many passages of the Gospell and particularly by cutting off the eare of Malchus He was to be a prime pastor ruller of the Church and to receive the keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven An innummerable multitude of people was to be committed unto him loaden with manifold iniquities Now if he had never fallen himself like enough it was that he would have been the lesse inclind to piâ—tie comiserate others Therefore saieth holy AUGUSTINE The secret of Gods providence was so disposed that he himself was permitted first to fall and that foullie that he might temper the severitie of the sentence against others by the remembrance and consideration of his own fall Thus God hath taught us also by his fall that it is most necessar in a pastor to have a tender heart ready to pitty compassionat others He will never act the part of a pastor faithfully that can do nothing else but rule with authoritie terrifie censure punish That is not the way to win men to God but to drive unstablished souls from God and to cast those that ar weak and distressed into despaire Fourthly It is to be observed that a man may deny Christ although by his mouth he say not that he knowes him not as S. Peter did We may professe that we know him with our mouths and yet by our works deny him as S. PAUL teacheth us Tit. 1. we deny him also wheÌ„ we deny our selves to be his disciples as we see in S. Peter here Now our Lord hath told us That he that will not take up his crosse and follow him cannot be his disciple and that hereby all men shall know that we are his disciples If we love one another And That we must abide it s his word and do the will of his Father If we would be his disciples So also S. PAUL saieth That they that are Christs hath crucified the flesh with the lusts thereof If therefore thou art not content to take up thy crosse with patiencâ— if thou love not thy brother abide not in Christs words art not carefull to do the will of his heavenly Father and to crucifie thy flesh with the lusts of it thou denies thy self to be his disciple consequently denies him In a word Christ is the trueth and therefore if thou believe him not thou deniest him Christ is the way If thou follow not him thou doest deny him Christ is the life therefore if thou be given to the dead works of sinne thou deniest him Thus alace many wayes often-times have we denied him and so have deserved that he should deny us before his Father and his Angels and have need to slie to the mercie of God whereof we may see a notable demonstration in Christ his dealing with S. Peter But there is mercie with God as yee will see most clearly in the next part of my text to which now I come S. Peter having fallen in the manner before declared immediatly whill he was yet speaking the Cock crew the second time and with all Jesus turning looked upon him where upon he remembred and called to minde the words of Jesus how he had said before the cock crow thou shalt deny me thrice and so went out and weeped bitterly Here is the historie of his rising or repentance Two things are to be considered in it First the cause of his repentance 2. the repentance it self for the first the cause of his repentance was Jesus turned and looked upon him Some thinke that the Look of Christ was only spirituall and that he did not look upon him with his bodily eyes But the Text showeth that he did this also for it is said That be turned and looked upon him Now to what purpose should his turning been mentioned if he had not looked upon him with the eyes of his body But say they S. Peter was without and could not be seen with the bodily eyes of Christ Yet this convinceth not but it may bee that he was brought to the court wherein Peter was or that being in an upper roome as the Gospell showeth he might from thence being turned about see him with the eyes of his body Neverthelesse it is certain that his spirituall look was that which pierced into the soul of S. Peter and cleansed and renewed his heart For clearing of this more fully ye are to consider that the spirituall look of God as it is descrived in scripture is somtimes in Justice somtimes in Mercie somtimes to Humble somtimes to Exalt somtimes to Reward somtimes to Punish In Iustice he looked upon the first world when all flesh had corrupted their wayes and the effect of his Look was an universall diludge of waters Thus he looked upon them that were building Baâ—el Gen. 10. and the effect of his look was the confounding of their languages and the scattering of them upon the earth He looked thus upon Sedom and Gomorrah Gen 18. I will go down saieth the Lord and see if it be according to the cry which is come up unto me and the effect was the destroying of them with fire brimstone from heaven Thus he looked upon Sâ—nnacherâ—b Isai 37. And the Angell of the LORD that same night smot a hundreth fourescore and five thousand of his armie He looked thus upon Corah Dathan and Abiram numb 16. and was displeased and in his fiâ—ie indignation he consumed
very well Phenicia where Tyrus and Sidon here mentioned were was possessed by the postoritie of Canaan as we may see in the 10. of Gen. Where Moses telleth us that the sonnes of Canaan inhabited both Iudea and this part also and the eldest sonne of Canaan was Sidon who gave the name to that ancient famous town expressed here So then these whom the greeks called Phenicians from the aboundance of Palme trees that grew in their countrie were called by the Isralites Cananites Hence in the 5. of Joshua those that were called in the hebrew kings of Canaan are now called by the seaventy INTERPRETER 9. kings of Phenicia S. MARK addeth that she was a Syrophenician not only because that Countrey was a part of Syria but also because it was particularly termed Syrophenicia in respect it was next adjacent to the chief part of Syria Thus yee see She was not only an heathen woman but also a Cananite That is one of the worst of the Heathens who for their grievous and unnaturall sinnes were very abhominable This part of her Discription is set down not only to shew That the Spirit of God doeth breath where it pleaseth but also that the glory of the grace of God wrought in this Woman and manifested by her at this time might appeare the more When the Jews the Scribs and Pharisees who had the LAW and PROPHETS daylie in their hands did flye from our Saviour Who followed them and made him at this time to retyre from them for a while because of their unworthinesse yet this woman followeth him though in appearance flying from her and would by no meanes leave him till she obtained her suit Besids the benefite bestowed upon her was a presage as it were of that mercie which was to bee taken from the Jews and to be bestowed upon the Gentiles and by which the devill who so long and so grievously had vexed their soules drawing them to so many errours and sinnes was to be expelled from them Lastly She is descrived from her distresse misery Her daughter had an uncleane spirit saith S. MATTH and was vexed therby So it was affliction that drew her unto Christ and was the occasion of this singular manifestation of the grace that was in her IT would have seemed that none had been more miserable then she but yet experience taught that it was good for her that she was so afflicted Had it been otherwise with her it may be she would not have taken such notice of Christ as she did when she heard of him it may be would never have come to him So it was good for Manasses that he was bowed down with heavie bonds that hee could not lift up his head nor get any release that did drive him to God and made him seek God most humbly and earnestly who also heard him and was intreated of him It was good for the Prodigall son that he could not get so much as the huskes that the swine did eat This made him come to himself againe to returne to his father who received him graciouslie It was good for the Theefe whoÌ„ our Saviour converted that he was nailed to the Crosse if it had been otherwise iâ— is like enough he should not have been in Paradise as he is now So look not to the crosse and to the bitternesse of it but look to the fruit thereof Happy is that crosse although it were to beo vexed with a devill that sends a man to Christ to get salvation in him But let us now come to the behaviour of this Woman Here yee have first her addresse to Christ and the manner of it 2. The mighty temptations which her faith meet with and overcame First being sensible of the greatnesse of her own misery and understanding that Christ was come to these parts although as man he laboured to keep it as secret as could bee and having no doubt heard that he was called the Son of God and the Messiâ—s and that he had proved himself to be such an one by many miracles and that he lovingly received and powerfully delivered all that came unto him She I say having heard this cometh to him full of faith and confidence that she will be also relieved by him She goeth not to Inchanters or Socerers to drive out one devill by another as appearantly hath been the practise of these heathen parts where she lived but forsaking these impieties she goeth to Christ to seek help And mark I pray you how she cometh She goeth not as CHRYSOST observeth to Peter James or John or any of the Apostles that they might get her accesse but she goeth to himself immediatly and she cometh to him with a prayer full of faith fervencie humilitie most fit to stirre up pittie and compassion SHE cryed after him who seemed to hasten from her cryed farre lowder with her heart then with her mouth Have mercie upon me O LORD thou sonne of David for my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil O LORD saieth she see her faith she acknowledgeth by this style his Deietie and almighty Power Thou Sonne of David Here her faith acknowledgeth that he was the Messias and promised Saviour of the world for it is manifest by many places of the Gospell that the Messias was commonly so called be way of excellencie because he was to come of his seed and to sit in his throne This was the ground of her confidence It might have been said If he be the LORD how darest thou so importune him but her faith was ready to reply he is the Sonne of David also and the Saviour of the world For this end came he down from heaven hath humbled himself and hath assumed such flesh as I have that I might have accesse unto him that I might not be affraied to speak unto him Therefore sayeth she O LORD thou Sonne of David have mercie upon me for my daughter c. The reason of her cry is expressed in these words my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil This was a lamentable case and could not well be fully expressed by words We may easily conceive how much this distresse afflicted her What a dolefull spectacle was it for her to see her daughter daylie so tormented as they are whom the devil getteth power to vex We know that some naturall diseases breed so terrible convulsions such intollerable paines as hardly can we endure to look upon them that are in such a case The eyes are like to burst out of the head the mouth fometh the face is turned about sense is taken away c How much more miserable may we think the estate of this woman was who was vexed with a devil Fathers and mothers who have sense of naturall affection may conceive this better then I expresse it her lowd and importunate cries shew how sensible she was of it she might have said Alace O LORD my torment is intollerable What
being ended the Physitians look to the part being to use their cure But there they found all to be whole and sound But ye will say to me whence cometh it then to passe that our prayers have so small effect I answer we pray not aright and therefore find not the wished fruite of our prayers We follow not this patron which is proposed unto us She cryed and prayed fervently being sensible of her great distres but our prayers have no life in them and that because we have not a due sense and feeling of our misery which is farre greater then hers But you will say to me there is none of us blessed be God vëxed with a devil how thē can we be in such or a worse estate then she was The answer is easie for first the devil vexed but the body of her daughter and amongst us many have their soules fully subjected to his power through grievous sinnes Sinne is a great devil sayeth CHRISOST writting upon this place at least it is an argument of his presence in a most wofull manner The bodies of good men and women may be vexed with Satan and that makes them to be but the objects of pittie but when sinne reigneth in the soul men are wicked and the objects of the wrath and Hatred of GOD. Now how much the devil prevaileth by sinne and holdeth men captive at his pleasure the great abominations of this land and citie do plainly testifie the Love and Fear of God is not in the hearts of men his Name is prophaned his Sabbaths are violated Superioures are disobeyed the hearts of men are full of hatred and malice every place is polluted with whooredome falshood oppression lies slanders abound What a strange power then hath Satan gotten over us if there be any sense in us how great reason have we to mourne and sigh for al our own sinnes and for all the sinnes and abominations done in the midst of this land Secondly we have great reason to fear that Satan and his instruments shall get power over our bodies and estates When I pray you is the devil more loosed in this kinde then in the time of warres If at any time his Throue is then set up for then the exercise of religion is banished or much hindred Justice hath no place the authoritie of lawes is contemned Men give themselves to uncleannes to drunkennes to the oppression of the weak poore The bodies of men are murthered their meanes are spoyled This is one of the most terrible Plagues of GOD whereto David preferred the pestilence Now this we justly fear and have we not reason then out of the deep sense of so great an evil to cry unto God mightily this woman cryed vehemently for one but among us many thousands are in danger Secondly Her prayer proceeded from a true and lively faith whereby her heart was purged from her former sinnes and now set wholly upon God But alace we continue still in our iniquities and what wonder then that our prayers are not heard Would we have God to do our will when we rebell against his most Holy Will Though ye multiply your prayers I will not hear saith the LORD when ye spread out your hands I will hide my face because your hands are full of blood And again Is this the fast that I have required for a man to hang down his head as a bulrush is not this the fast that I have required to loose the bands of wickednesse to undo the heavie buedens and to let the oppressed go free Isai 58. Hence it is that our manifold humiliations and prayers bring not forth the desired fruit Some will acknowledge their sinnes and promise to amend them but in the meane time bring forth no fruits worthie of amendement of life Some will not so much as acknowledge their own sinnes but stand still in the maintenance thereof Wee reade Jeremiah the 42. and 43. that IOHANAN and the remnant of the Jews that were with him after the destruction of Jerusalem desired IEREMIAH to pray to God for them and promised to obey the Word of the LORD whatsomever it was IEREMIAH did so brought him back this answer That if they would stay in the land of Judea it should be wel with them that they needed not fear the king of the Caldeans of whō they were affraied for the slaughter of Gedaliah for God would incline his Heart to favour them whereas if on the other part They would go down to Egypt as they intended They should perish by the famine by the sword and by the pestilonce IOHANAN and the rest of the proud men having heard this which was contrary to their humor replyed That this which he said was false and that the LORD had not spoken so but that BARUCH the sonne of NERIAH did set him upon them to perswade them to stay in the land that they might be delivered into the hand of the Caldeans Even so it fareth with many They promise indeed to obey the Word of the LORD but when the Word of the LORD is told them if it crosse their intentions and desires they say it is not the Word of the LORD and so continue in their evil courses No wonder then that GOD heare not their prayers not the prayers of others for them If we would be heard we must wash our hearts from wickednes and put away our vaine thoughts from us and as we said before most still continue knocking at the doore of Gods Mercy This if we do we may be sure God in end will give us a comfortable answer which the LORD grant and that for the Merits of Christ to whom c. A SERMON UPON the XVIII Chapter of S. MATTHEW Vers 18. Verily I say unto you whatsoever ye shall binde one earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven OUr blessed Saviour having declared in the words preceeding in what manner a sinner that is obstenate and disobedient to the voice of the Church is to be delt with Namly that he should be accounted as an heathen and as a publican He now in the words that I have read sheweth what is the efficacie power of the Sentenco of the Church even that it is no lesse then if it were pronounced in heaven and by GOD Himself A man rejected by the Church and ordained to be accounted as an heathen and a Publican might have thought within himself what albeit such or such men esteemes so of me if they misregard me account of me as of an heathen or publican I shall do the like to them and shall as much disesteeme them No saieth our Saviour it is not only their bare sentence and esteeme that is to be looked too That which they do rightly in this kinde is ratified confirmed and allowed by God in heaven And he that will despise them must despise GOD and Heaven
how could he have expressed it more fully then in the termes which he hath used To the will I give the keyes of the kingdom of heaven whatsoever ye binde on earth it shall be bound in Heaven c. Whose sinnes soever ye retaine they shall be retained c. Thirdly the manner of our Saviours speech when he promised this Power which is with a serious and vehement attestation Verily I say unto you and the ceremonie used at the performance of it which was by breathing on them with these words receive the holy Ghost these circumstances I say do shew that our Saviour intended to give and did actually give a greater power then is that of declaring a thing to be which already is beside the Repentance of men is a thing which pastors cannot perfectly know and therefore they cannot certainly declare a man to be loosed from sinne For these and other reasons I make no doubt that the Power promised here by our Saviour is not barely a declarative but also an effectuall Power which worketh some effect upon men So the holy Fathers have understood this CHRISOST in his 3. book of the priesthood saith that Christ hath given to men that are upon earth a power to dispose of things that are in heaven This Power saieth he he hath not given to the angels or Aâ—changels for to whom of them hath he said to the will I give the keyes of the Kingdome of heaven and whatsoever thou shalt binde on earth c. Earthly kings sayth he have power to binde loose also but their power extendeth to the bodies of men only whereas this Power reacheth unto the soul and unto heaven That which the servant doth here beneath the LORD confirmeth above and the LORD in a manner denizeth to follow the servant the binding on earth being prior at least in order of nature to the binding in heaven and the loosing on earth being before the loosing in heaven So writting upon the 20 of S. John on these words Whose sinnes soever ye retaine they are retained he sayeth that our Saviour indued his Apostles with such a Power as a king giveth to governours under him when he giveth them power to cast into prison and to take out of it and writting upon these words To thee will I give the keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven Matth. 16. he saieth that Christ hath given to a mortall man the Power of all things that are in heaven for this cause our Saviour addeth here these words on earth whatsoever ye bind On earth To what purpose is this aded but to signifie the amplitude and greatnes of his Power and that how soever it be done by earthly men yet it shall have an authoritie force of a sentence and law in heaven as if a mighty Emperour would say to one whom he much trusted and to whom he had given a most ample commission Whatsoever thou wilt do in the remotest parts of my dominion I shall alow and ratifie it The farrer that servants are from their Masters they use to take to themselves the greater liberty and it is a token of great trust in the master when he committeth power to them in such a case Thus we see that Pastors have properly a power to binde and loose sinners let us now consider more particularly in what manner they do binde and loose and how their binding and loosing is accompanyed with binding and loosing in heaven The Bond wherewith Pastors by vertue of the keyes do binde sinners is directly and immediatly an ecclesiasticall bond exercised about sinue as it as an offence of the Church So their loosing is directly and immediatly an untying and loosing of that ecclesiasticall bond wherwith they have bound a sinner whence of necessity their binding most go before their loosing in this kinde they can loose nothing this way but that which before they have bound But how then yee will say doeth their binding or loosing reach to a mans sinne as it is an offence of God I Ans This is not but mediatly and indirectly in so farre as they do such a thing upon the doing whereof Christ hath promised to binde or loose the sinnes of a man The like we have in haptisme wherin sinne is taken away if he that is baptised put no impediment all that the minister doth is but a washing of the body and an incalling of the blessed Trinitie yet this Action as an instrument or condition carrieth with it the remission of sinne and purging of the soul So in the matter that we have in hand the pastor bindeth the person guilty with an ecclesiasticall bond directly and againe looseth that same bond by ecclesiasticall absolution or reconciliation yet by vertue of Christs promise set down in these words upon the doing of this GOD in heaven doeth binde or loose the sinnes of such a man Thus we see how God not only principally but also alone immediatly taketh away sin for the minister only performeth an ecclesiasticall action upon the doing whereof GOD by vertue of his own Promise taketh away the sinne of such a man Secondly Yee may ask wherein this ecclesiasticall bond consisteth I answer it standeth in a certaine excoÌ„munication whereby a grievous offender is separated in whole or in part from the Church of Christ and from the society of the faithfull and according the loosing opposed hereunto consisteth in the reconciliation of such an one to the Church or in giving him the peace therof whence our Saviour said in the preceeding words If he neglect to hear the Church let him be to thee as a heathen or aâ— a Publican This excoÌ„munication is of two sorts the one is called the lesser excoÌ„munication the other is called the greater In that a man is bound for some grievous offence by debarring him from the society of the faithfull in some things especially in the participation of the blessed mysteries of the body blood of out LORD and by imposing of the works of pennance and humiliation this is called a ponetentiall and medeoinall excoÌ„munication because the chief end of it is to cure him that hath sinned from that disease wherein he hath fallen This kinde of binding we use toward grievous sinners who submite themselves to the direction of the Church and in the ancient Church it was used with great vigor and severitie In the first 300 years when the devotion of Christians was fervent and their puritie great men were not ordinarly admitted to this outward repentance till for a long time with many teares and with great tokens of unfeigned forrow they had earnestly intreated to be admitted in the number of publick penitents when that was granted then they were not immediatly received to their publick repentance but were thrust down as it were first to the degree of the catechumeny or those who were yet unbaptised and did but learne the mysteries of the christian religion and in this degree they were called
abide to look upon them let be to speak with them Alace it is a pitty to see the company of excommunicat persons so much haunted as it is by some among you This is to transgresse the expresse Cōmandement of God this is to disappoint the Gracious Intention of GOD which is that such Persons may be ashamed of their sinne yea this is to confirme and barden them into their sinne to make your selves partakers thereof I beseech you therefore to esteeme such as we cast out to be indeed cast out of the society of the faithfull and unworthy with whom good Christians should converse The LORD imprint these things in our hearts and that for the merits of Christ to whom c. THE FIRST SERMON Upon the XII Chapter of LUKE Vers 15. And he said unto them Take heed and beware of covetousnesse for a mans life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth Vers 16. And he spake a parable unto them saying The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully Vers 17. And he thought within himself saying what shall I do because I have no room where to bestow my fruits Vers 18. And he said This will I do I will pull down my barns and build greater and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods THere is no time of the year wherein ye are more distracted about worldly cares then at this time To the end therefore that you exceed not due measure I thought good to present to your meditation these Words of our Saviour wherein most powerfully he diswadeth frō covetousnesse First ye have his dehortation Take heed and beware of covetousnesse Secondly it is inforced by a pregnant reason for the life of man c. Thirdly this reason is confirmed and cleared by a most divine parable where in to the life is represented the folly wickednes punishment of avarice And he spake unto them a parable saying Let us return to the dehortation And he said unto them take heed c. Before we consider the words ye are to understand that this dehortation was occasioned by the discord of two brethren of whom one came to our Saviour as ye may reade in the preceeding words desiring him to move his brother to divide the inheritance with him It was covetousnesse which made the one to retain that part of the inheritance which was not his own and which made the other to have recourse to our Saviour not for the health of his soul as he should have done but for redresse in his temporall estate It made him more mindfull of his patrimony in earth then of that which is in heaven Hence our Saviour taketh occasion to exhort him and all these that were present and in them us all to take heed and beware of covetousnesse Take heed and beware of covetousnesse This is the duty which he recommendeth That which he wils us to beware of is covetousnesse Elsewher it is called The love of money but the word used here is more large signifying a desire and seeking after that which is more then is needfull and sufficient whether in money or houses or lands c. It is a vice in defect contrary to liberality whereby a man esteemeth loveth and delighteth in earthly riches more then he ought whence he exceeds just measure in retaining or acquiring of them Thus one is guilty of this sinne 1. when against the tenth commandement he coveteth that which is not his own or against the eight commandement violently or fraudulently takes it 2. when he setteth his heart upon that which is his own placeth his delight therein or which followeth therupon niggardly tetaineth it when by justice or love or mercy he is oblidged to cōmunicat it to others This is the vice from which here our Saviour diswadeth neither sayeth he simplie Be not covetous but Take heed and beware of it Take heed fore see or consider we cannot be aware except by sound and right judgement what is good and to be desired what is necessary and what not This he will have us to consider and weigh and with all that present effect of covetousnesse among these bretheren and the like wofull effects which avarice bringeth forth This is not enough we must also beware We must carefully watch and strongly guard our hearts that this enemie get no accesse By this our LORD insinuateth two things first that covetousnesse is insidious next that it is also a pernicious evil First We must beware of it because it is an insidious evil It subtily creeps into the heart of man To this purpose it bath often the maske the appearance of vertue somtimes it seemeth to be frugality somtims justice and pretendeth titles of just and right Thus easily it prevails with our earthly minds and therefore almost there is no vice so universall it entred into the society of the holy Apostles and overthrew Judas there amongst the primitive Christians it poysoned the heart of Ananias and Saphira the courts of kings the cottages of poor men are easily tempted by it as experience teacheth Secondly It is a most pernicious evil S. PAUL 1. Tim. 6. sayeth The love of money is the roote of all evil distrustfull anxiety lying fraude perjury thift oppression discord and murther spring from it There is nothing more wicked then a covetous may sayeth the wise-man Ecclesiast 10. 9. for such an one will set his soul to sayle Ther is no law of man no law of God or nature which it will not make men to trample under foot That same Apostle sayeth It is Idolatrie It maketh a man to yeeld that honour to his gold which he oweth to GOD. That he beleeveth that he trusteth to that he delighteth in to it he offereth sacrifice upō the altar of covetousnesse Cursed is that altar sayeth CHRISOST in his 18. homile upon the epist to the Ephes The sacrifices offered upon it are the bodies and souls of men if thou go to the altars of pagan Idols thou shalt find the blood of sheep and oxen but the altar of avarice smoaketh with the blood of men There the skin is plucked from the flesh and the flesh from the bones of the Poore There their flesh is eaten and their bones brocken and choped in pieces as for the Pot. MICAH 3. 3. On this alter a man often sacrificeth himself He killeth his soul with deadly wounds and often his bodie How many hath it made to drowne or hang or steb themselves no wonder therfore that the Apostle calleth it the serving of an Idol They that serve it may say to it For thy Sake we are killed all the day as holy AUGUSTINE marketh in his 100 sermon upon the saints Besids it is a vice almost incurable The older men grow it cleaveth the faster to them when they are nearest to the earth and grave they cover often most for it and cannot be satisfied till
and be merry He thought upon nothing but upon this life and therefore he expecteth rest from bodily pleasures from eating drinking and solemne banquets wherein he thought to cheer himself and rejoyce for that is imported by the word used here There is an extremity of many rich-men who have abundance and yet have not grace to eat of it Ecclesiast 6. 2. This he thought to have eschewed but he falleth into another extremity of Epicurians What else would thou have said sayeth S. BASIL If thou shouldest had the soul of a swine whose soul serveth them but in flend of salt Two errours may be observed in these words 1. he thought his abundance of goods would give him abundance of bodily pleasure This was an errour pleasure often times accompanieth not that abundance it is marred often by sicknesse by many distempers of body minde They that have bur competency of means have often more joy in eating or druiking though their faire be course then they that swime in wealth They have a sauce better then that which the most exquisite cooks can devise namly hunger which seldome cometh to the table of the wealthy Hence craftsmen and the like have better health greater strength a sweeter relish of meat or drinks more quiet sleep and calmer minds then they that have greatest abundance To this purpose holy AUGUSTINE sayeth That health is the patrimony of poore men Secondly Put the case his pleasure in feasting had been as great as he imagined yet could it not give him and his soul the rest of happinesse That the like pleasures are but the good of the body and not of the soul Eating is but the solace of that misery which is in hunger and drinking of that misery which is in Thirst yet this pleasure is but a sauce as it wer wherby God hath appointed these actions necessary to conserve our life or kinde to be seasoned because otherwise we would have abhored them it is a good that is common to the beasts a good wherein if we be excessive it destroyeth the body effeminateth the minds overthroweth all vertue and draweth us headlong to all kinde of vice and leaveth behinde it a most bitter sting of remorse of conscience Hence it is manifest that such pleasures cannot give rest to the soul And yet would God there were not many christians who seek their rest and happines in these pleasures of their flesh All their travalls are for gaine their gaine is intended for this that they and theirs may eat drink and be merry these may have the name of christians but indeed Their bellie is their God their glorie is their shame and their end will be confusion This much of the inward disposition of this man The third maine point followeth which is GODS Judgement of him and Sentence against him But GOD said thou foole He spake but secretly and within himself yet his words were heard and examined in heaven and thence he getteth an answer wherein first God declareth him a foole Thou sayth S. BASIL shvorest nothing but the flesh are wholly given to thy belly and art a slave of thy base affections and therefore here a style worthy of thee which no man but GOD himself hath given thee THOV FOOLE Thus he is called by a kinde of mockrie derision which is no small part of the punishment of the wicked It breedeth them unspeakeable griefe to consider their own solly in contemning things heavenly for this earth and to see themselves so contemned by GOD. Hence The damned Wisdom 5. 3. brought to a sense of their folly shall grâ—an for anguish of their spirit and detaste their own folly Thou fool Many crimes might have been objected to this man He was impious and wicked for he acknowledged not that GOD had given him these goods He thanked not GOD for them not prayed to Him to give a blessing to them or to give himself grace to use them aright He was hard hearted and unmercifull for he intended not the relief of his poore bretheren He was unfaithfull for he thought to have keeped all to himself which was given to him also for the benefite of others he was base and an abject for he minded nothing but â—ating drinking and carnall pleasures yet God designed him by this name Thou foole Under this all his impieties may be comprehended and it directly crosseth that wherein he applauded himself most for he thought he had taken a wise course in providing so well for himself This he thought was wisdom but God whose Word must stand said in so doing he was a foole A fool because he thought that his life consisteth in his abundance A foole because he thought these things to have been the good of his soul a fool because he thought length of life a most certaine thing which was must uncertain A foole because he did not fot see and provide for these dangers which he might so easily fallen into but was securely ploting dreaming of felicity and in the mean time he was incontinent to bee hailed to judgement and tormant A foole because hee thought only of this temporall life and not of that which endureth for ever which he might have so easily provided for by giving aâ—mes of a part of his abundance and super fluety A foole because for the love of the things of this life he lost eternall life he lost his own soul which of all follies is the greatest For what can the whole world profite a man if he losse his own soul Let us marke this his folly that thence we may learne to be wise his folly principally consisted in this that he considered not his true finall end and therefore directed not his course aright to it True wifdome prudence therefore on the contrary fixeth the eye upon our last end and ordereth all things as is most convenient to obtaine it for the end is the rule of the means they must bee directed and squared according to it If you say what is this our last end I answer he who is our first beginning and author GOD. It is he that hath made us of his own bounty and according to his own Image and that for himself in an high degree He is the Center as it were and naturall plaine of our hearts as some Anoients speak As heavy bodies when moving down-ward can have no rest till they come to the Center even so our heart moved by the weight of affections findeth no repose till it obtaine GOD. O LORD Thou hast made us for thy self and our hearts are restles till they rest in thee It is not then to live after our own lusts for which we wer made It is not to seek after riches delights or honours that were to make our selves or the creature our last end whereas of God and for him are all things and in particular man is for this end that he may see GOD enjoy GOD and be
blessed as his Angels and as himself is This is our salvation and this is our last end the right way leading to it is to know GOD here to Love Him to Reverence Praise and Serve Him in holinesse without which none shall see His Face To help us forward to this end GOD hath made these inferiour creatures and hath given us the use of them They all proclaime to us the Perfection and Excellencie of their Maker and invite us to know and love Him in Whom these Perfections are infinitely greater then in them and who hath given them these Perfections more for our good then for theirs They are appointed as means to help us to serve our LORD to save out selves and that this might be done the more effectually and cheerfully He hath made so many so beautifull so admirable creatures serving not only for necessity but also for delight Hence the beauty of colours harmonie of sounds pleasantnesse of odours sweetnesse of meat and drinke softnesse of rayment plenty of fruits preciousnesse of gold silver and jewels c. All this I say is not that our hearts may go a whoring after these things but that by them we may be furthered toward our last end to wit GOD Himself This if we attaine unto happy are we We have obtained the true good in which there is no mixture of evil the perfect good in which there is no defect and in which is all perfection GOD is an Infinite Ocean of Goodnesse Able to satisfie our desires in all things In Him is infinite Light Beauty Truth Love Power Safety therefore in the possession of so infinite a good there is an unspeakable joy and perfect peace but on the contrary if we losse this true and last end we have lost all true good all joy all peace and in stead thereof incurre Damnation and Eternall Torment Hence followeth That if we would be truly wise and eschew this damnable folly we should take heed that our affection be not inordinate in any thing whether in our wealth or pleasure or health or life These things should be desired of us only so far forth as they are able to procure our salvation promove us in the way to our last end It is therfore neither health nor sicknes nor riches nor poverty nor honour nor dishonour that we should seek but that which is most fit to bring us to our true end so much of that as God knoweth to be expedient for true wisdome teacheth not to take more of the means then is convenient for the end Secondly Hence followeth that nothing in true wisdom should be extreamly shuned but that which is contrary to the obtaining of this our end That which directly crosseth it is neither sicknesse nor poverty nor basnes of birth nor disgrace nor rudnes of knowledge for a man may have all these and yet be saved but it is sinne By this directly we go out of the right way we deny GOD in effect and place our last end in some of the creatures and therefore S. PAUL sayeth That the belly of the glutton and the gold of the covetons is his GOD. So give a man all the world let the whol countrey think him the wisest man therin if he sin against God he is a foole if he have no other thing else yet if he serve him he is truly WISE Who is wise and he shall understand who is prudent and he shall know these things Hos 14. 9. But let us now come to the Sentence of GOD. This night c. He proveth his folly from the effect of it as if he would have said behold thy folly and imprudence thou thinkest to live many years to enjoy thy goods but thou shalt not live so much as to the morrow For this night c. This night This she weth that his consultation was in the night time the care of his riches bereaved him of sleep and made him anxiously to be thinking on them when he should have been at rest This is not one of the least evils of riches that the care to gather preserve and imploy them spend so much time unto us which is a thing most precious so that often they give us no leasure to naturall refreshment and farrelesse to do that which belongeth to the Service of our GOD salvation of our souls THEOPHYLAC addeth That it was sitly in the night that he had such thoughts for the desire of his riches had blinded him and had made him to be in a night of grosse darknes whence all his thoughts and consultations were but dreams of felicity Observe here how dreadfull is the Sentence of GOD against this man 1. His death is sudden even that same night It is a fearfull and dangerous thing to be taken away in a moment Iob 34. 20. To be snatched away suddenly there is none but would shune this and therefore it hath been one of the petitions of the christian Church in her service From sudden death LORD deliver us To die leasurely is more painfull indeed for the body somtimes then to be despatched suddenly but very advantagious for the soul It giveth a man time to call himself to just account of things past it giveth him leasure to censure unpartially the pleasures of sinne and vanities of this world to detaste them and to mourne for them and so to perfect repentance The Joyes of heaven have leasure also to present themselves unto our minde and thus a man by means of departing at leasure may exercise noble acts of faith love hope and patience By means of it he may also do great good to others It giveth him occasion to advise prudently of bestowing charity It giveth opportunity of giving instruction and comfort to others of prayer for them and in a word of teaching men how to die a right Thus Moses Joshâ—ah and David died and so all good men would wish to die but this was denied to this wretch he is snatched away suddenly even away that night Secondly He dies in his folly which was yet farre more fearfull If a man be in a right and wise course though death come suddenly yet it cannot prejudge his salvation but to be seized upon by death in the very hight of our folly is a very dreadfull thing The godly want not their own folly but they perceive and amend it in time This is the misery of the wicked that they perceive not their folly till they be taken in it and feele the smart of it by death and judgement This should teach us to pray to God to give us respet at death if it be his Will and howsoever that death take us not in the midst of our folly but that in respect of our prepared minds it never be sudden for this cause we should be ever on our guarde alwayes carefull to shune that folly which migh prejudge our souls if death should overtake
is not from the earth but from heaven and if he give life to them that are dead he may be justly called The bread of life 3. He addeth these words to comfort Beleevers and to terrifie unbeleevers For no greater comfort can be to them that receive him by a true and lively faith then the assured hope that they shall be raised up by him from death to a glorious and immortall life and on the other part it is matter of exceeding terror to the unbelieving and wicked that they shall not be partakers of this blessed resurrection but they shall be raised up to shame and confusion This point is urged diverse times hereafter by our LORD and therefore it may be we shall have occasion to speak of it more fully Only now consider that this is a point which we should at this time deeply meditate upon He who calleth us and offereth himself unto us is no lesse then he who hath power of life and death even of eternall life and of eternall death If wee answer him and embrace his Calling we may look to have confidence joy and glory at our death and resurrection but if we do otherwayes we can expect nothing but terrour sorrow and confusion Though we think little now of death and resurrection yet they wil come It is appointed for all men once to die and after death cometh judgement The soul will be called out of the body the body will be called out of the grave and both will be called before the Tribunall of GOD. If thou hearkned devotly and obediently to his Calling here Thou shalt lift up thine head then being confident that thy redemption draweth near When GOD sayeth to thy soul at death Come out thou shalt encourage it and say Go 〈◊〉 my soule fear nâ—t it is the Voice of my Beloved calling not to destroy but to save thee It is the voice of him who hath often called me before and whom I have answered by his Grace It is the Voice of him that I was longing for He said to me before Behold I come I have answered even so Amen LORD Iesus come But on the contrary if thou hast despised his gracious and mercifull Calling here thy terrour shall be unspeakable at death and at the resurrection He shall call when thy Lamp is not prepared and albeit thou would not be drawn by his Mercy his Justice shall draw thy soule out of thy body at death and thy body out of the grave at the resurrection although thou call then he will not heare but will say Depart from me I know thee not Long have I cast open the doore of my Mercy unto thee but thou would not enter and now it is shute O how terrible shall this Calling or rather Drawing of iustice be to the disobedient soule body Faine would they draw back into that very nothing out of which they were brought Therefore the wicked shall say then unto the hills and to the mountains fall upon us and cover us from the Face of him that sitteth upon the Throne and from the Face of the Lamb. Let us therefore while we have time thinke both upon his Mercy Justice These are the two armes of his Providence whereby he draweth to good and from evil MERCY is as it were his Right-Hand which is alluring and comfortable justice his Left-Hand which is terrifying and dreadfull Let us labour That his left hand may be vnder our head as the Spouse speaketh and that his right hand may embrace us that is let us thinke upon his gracious Promises that we may be allured to obey him and withall consider his dreadfull terrours that we may stand in awe to despise his invitations I will speake no more of this Now I proceed It is written in the prophets And they shall be all taught of GOD c. Here he confirmeth and cleareth what he said of the drawing of men to him by the Father He confirmeth it by the testimony of scripture It is written sayeth he in the prophets they shall be all taught of GOD. This testimony is expresly set down Isaiah 54. 13. Where the PROPHET speaking of the happy estate of the Church of the new Testament sayeth to her All thy children shall be taught of the LORD and great shall be their peace According to the sense it is also to be found else-where especially in the 31. 33. of Iâ—r where the LORD speaking of the Church of the new Testament sayeth After those dayes it shall come to passe that I will put my law in their hearts writ it in their inward parts and they shall be my people and I will be their GOD and they shall not teach every man his brother and every man his neighbour but they shall know me from the highest to the least sayeth the LORD For clearing of this yee are to understand that to be taught of God is nothing else but to have our minds enlightned by the knowledge of him and to have his love â—â—â—ed abroad in our hearts so that we obey him and that not out of the fear of punishment but out of the love of righteousnes Of this teaching the Prophet spake when he said Psal 94. 12. Blessed is the man whom thou chastisest and teachest out of thy law and when he said againe Teach me to do thy Will O GOD for it is good This our Saviour manifesteth in the next words wherein he explaineth what it is To be taught by GOD saying That such an one heareth and learneth of the Father and cometh to him that is he that is so taught understandeth and beleeveth that which the Father revealeth and embraceth it by sincere love and affection and so cometh to Christ by faith by hope by love and obedience Hence S. AUGUSTINE in his book of the Grace of Christ 12. and 13. chapters inferreth That this doctrine of the Father is nothing else but his heavenly Grace communicated to us whereby he maketh us not only to know what we should do but also to do what we know whereby he maketh us not only to beleeve that which should be loved but also to love that which we beleeve This is the doctrine of the Father whereby from on hye by his unspeakable Power inwardly he manifesteth his truth and communicateth to us the love of himself This also is manifest as S. AUGUSTINE observeth there from the 1. Thess 4. 9. where S. PAUL sayeth As for brotherly love yee have not need that I should write unto you for yee are taught of GOD to love one another So the Teaching of GOD maketh us not only to know what should be done but also to do that which we know And he that knowes and doeth not is not caught by God He is not taught according to grace but according to the law he is not taught according to the spirit but according to the letter Secondly Yee are to consider that our Saviour by urging
for ought I know hath had so great peace and prosperity joyned with the profession of it The second thing which I would have you to observe is that albeit the outward means are much to be esteemed yet we are to depend chiefly upon the Instruction of GOD. He is the chief Master and in respect of him none is worthy of that name call no man your master sayeth our Saviour upon earth First there is no master which hath such Wisdome and Knowledge GOD is essentially and of himself Wise He hath not had nor could not have any Teacher Counseller or Book of which he might learne His Wisdome is of himself and in himself he seeth all things that are to be done Therefore his Knowledge is unbounded and He is only Wise as the Apostle calleth him All others of themselves are ignorant their knowledge is from him hath narrow limites and hath much errour and ignorance joyned with it Whence often the doctrine of others is pernicious to them that learne of them but that which GOD teacheth is alwayes true and saving and such as may leade us to deliverance from the greatest evils and to the obtaining of our soveraigne good Secondly As God infinitely excelleth others in Wisdome so in his Ability of communicating it Put the case the knowledge of a man were never so great yet can he not make others learned except they have ingine and take paines but our heavenly Master is able to make the most rude to learne every truth that he pleaseth He is absolute LORD of our spirits and can speak in them what he pleaseth Again suppose we understand the truth yet it may be we are not moved not can be moved by the doctrine of our Master to love it but God is able to make us love what we know without force constraint yea with exceeding joy delight In a word the knowledge which we have by man iâ— dry and puffed up but that which is from God doth satiate the SOUL knowledge obtained by man reacheth to the understanding but that which is by God reacheth to the affections also That is â—peculative this is practicall effectuall That is as it were a shyning light this both shineth burneth That maketh learned but this markeâ— SAINTS It is the knowledge of salvation or the saving knowledge 〈◊〉 1. 97. And therefore should be chiefly desired Thirdly Observe that he 〈◊〉 hearing to the SOUL every one that heareth and learneth of the Father As the body hath five senses whereby it perceiveth things profitable and pleasant so the soul hath actions answerable to these senses whereby it perceiveth the things that are spirituall in scripture are called by the name of SENSES seeing hearing smelling c. We hear God inwardly when we receive his Inspirations which are words as it were whereby he speaketh inwardly to our heart This is that hearing without which the outward availeth nothing It is the Voice of God as we said that changeth the heart which softeneth the hard heart and maketh it to melt which inflameth the cold heart maketh it to burne as we reade of the two disciples going to Emaus which pacifieth the troubled heart and secleth it in tranquillity Thus God speakes somtimes to SINNERS He maketh them to hear a voice as it were behinde them saying this is the good way walk in it and yee shall find rest unto your soules but most commonly this way he speaketh to the Godly instructing comforting and exhorting them to a continuall progresse in piety 2. There is a spirituall sight while as God infuseth a clear light in our minds whereby with Moses We see him that is invisible apprehending divine mysteries more firmely clearly then we did before and in such a manner as is fit to raise up love desire and joy in our hearts for this fight the holy Apostle did pray Ephes 1. 17. 18. When he desired That GOD would give them the spirit of Wisdome and revelation in the knowledge of him that the eyes of their minde being enlightned they might see what was the hope of his Calling and the riches of the glory of his Inheritance in the saints So there is a spirituall SMELL Christ is anoynted with the oyle of gladnes above his fellowes His name is as oyntmenâ— poured forth The good oyntments of his divine Perfections and heavenly vertues send forth so sweet a savour as maketh the Spouse in the Gant to say Draw us and we will run after thee This the soul perceiveth by a spirituall kinde of smell and the feeling of it raiseth up most ardent desires and stirreth up to most earnest endevours of the things that are heavenly Like wise the soul hath a spirituall taste There is an unspeakable Sweetnet in GOD in his divine Mysteries and Obedience which may be tasted by the soul of a spirituall man O taste and see how sweet the LORD is sayeth David as if he would say If yee taste yee will know the sweetnes of his Goodnes Mercy Liberality and Power So we may say of every divine mystery Taste and see how sweet it is and of every vertue Taste see how sweet is obedience patience humility chastiry charity c. Lastly There is also a spirituall touch Hence the devote soule Cant. 2. 6. sayeth His left hand is under mine head and his right hand doeth embrace me and againe I have found him whom my soul loved I held him and would not let him go But why do I insist so much upon this first To shew the admirable Goodnes of GOD who vouchsafeth so many wayes to communicate himself to us and maketh us so many wayes able to receive him All this proceedeth meerly froÌ„ his infinite Goodnes There should be no losse to him although we should never SER his Beauty HEART his Voice SMELL the sweet Savour of his Precious Oyntments TASTE his Sweetnes or EMBRACE him in the armes of our love this should nothing impaire his Felicity which from eternity he perfectly enjoyed and might unto all eternity enjoy without our injoying of him but all this proceedeth from his admirable Goodnes which delighteth to commucat it self to his unworthy creatures Secondly I have insisted upon this at this time to move you to stirre up all the powers and faculties of your fouls to receive him who offereth himself at this time most abundantly to bee participated by us first Christ offereth himself to be seen by us in these sacred mysteries both as GOD and man Here we may see him by the eye of faith as GOD not simply as GOD but as GOD made man and as made a man of sorrowes for us and as made the bread of life unto us What a wonderfull sight is this how can the Angels of heaven but admire to see the only begotten Son of God who is in the bosome of the Father The brightnes of his Glory and the expresse Image of his person eternall and
omnipotent as the Father is Infinite in Majesty Wisdom Goodnesse Power c. How can they I say but admire to see him demitt himself so farre for us and to us As man also he offereth himself to be seen by us spiritually Here we may see him and should look upon him as he suffered and was crucified for us Here thou may see his Head crowned with thornes which should have been and now is crowned with Glory His Face spitted on and busseteâ—â— which should have shined and doeth shine with the beams of heavenly Light His Hands and Feet pierced and in a word all wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities and now giving his Body that was broken and his Blood that was shed as the food of our souls unto eternall life O what a wonderfull and sweet sight is this what reverence and humility what love and thanksgiving should it raise up in us Dost thou see what thou receivest in these sacred mysteries and from whom and wilt thou who art but dust and ashes refuse to humble thy self in body and in soul or can thou consider his infinite Love to thee which made him to give himself for thee when thou was his enamie to exchange as it wer the Throne of his Glory with the ignominy of the crosse canst thou I say consider this and not be inflamed with love and breake out in thanksgiving Secondly He speaketh to us in these sacred mysteries most sweet and comfortable words which we should heare and answer unto He sayeth I am the bread of life c. that we may answer LORD evermore give us this bread He sayeth I am the water of life that we may answer LORD give us of this water that we thrist not againe He sayth This is my Body which is broken for you This is my Blood which was shed for you he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my Blood dwelleth in me and I in him that we may answer Whence is it that our LORD cometh to us O LORD we are unworthy that thou should enter under the rooffe of our unclean souls but let it be unto thy servants according to thy word Here he reacheth us as it were from his crosse all the precepts of divine vertue He sayeth Learne of me for I am meek and lowly in heart I humbled my self and became obedient to the death of the crosse when I was stricken I revenged not I gave my life for mine enemies I prayed for them in my greatest distres I cleaved most firmly unto God thus he speaketh unto us and we should devotly answer him But the time is spent and therefore I forbeare to proceed further The LORD imprint these things in our hearts that for the merits of Christ to whom c. A SERMON UPON the II. of the CORINTH chap. VII Vers 10. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvatiâ—â— not to be repented of but the sorrow of the world worketh death THe holy Apostle in the former words speaketh of the effect of his former Epistle unto the Corinthians wherein he had rebuked them for not censuring the incestuous person that was among them of whom ye may reade in the 5. chap. of that â—repist This his reprooffe of them had grieved them made them sorrowful but he tels them that if it could have been he wished not their sorrow If it might have stood with their wel-being he would have been glad that thy had not been sorrowfull at all Yet in the mean time he declareth that this their sorrow which his epistle had wrought in them was matter of joy unto him not for that they were grieved but because they had sorrowed in a Godly manner and that unto repentance unto the Glory of God and good of their own souls He confirmeth this particularly by the generall doctrinâ— of the fruit of Godly Sorrow in the place that I have read For Godly Sorrow sayeth he worketh repentance c. Here he commendeth Godly Sorrow of which nature that was which his epistle wrought in the Corinthians first The very name he giveth it containeth an argument of commendation for the Sorrow which he speaketh of is a Godly Sorrow or a Sorrow according to GOD. 2. He commendeth it from the fruit of it it is such a Sorrow as worketh repentance even a repentance that is never to be repented of because it is unto salvation 3. He commendeth it by opposing the contrary Sorrow namly the Sorrow of this world which worketh death That we may proceed the more clearly we shall beginne at this last point The Sorrow of this world sayeth he worketh death He opposeth as yee see two kinds of Sorrowes the one to the other the Sorrow which is according to God and the sorrow of this world The sorrow of the good Corinthians had this good in it that it was not a sorrow of this world which is no matter of joy for it worketh death All sorrow presupposeth love for no man sorroweth but for the losse or want of that which he loveth therefore where this worldly sorrow is there is also a love of this world Such is the sorrow that men have for the losse of worldly things wealth honours delights or friends If their heart and love be set upon these things they foolishly and without the feare of God rejoyce in them when they have them and being drunke with that transitory happines they seek for no more On the contraâ—y when they losse or want them their hearts are cast down and they are pressed down with Sorrow inordinatly Such a Sorrow the Apostle recommendeth not nay he dehorteth from it for it worketh death This Sorrow can do no good When a man hath lost his riches if he sorrow for that this sorrow will not restore his wealth to him againe If a man hath lost his honour the sorrow which hee hath for that will not recover it againe If hee hath lost his friends or children should he mourne never so much for them his sorrow will not bring them to life againe So this sorrow can do no good yea on the contrary it doth great harme it worketh death It maketh the way to bodily death especially when it is inordinate The heavines of the spirit dryeth up the bones saieth SOLOMON Proverb 17. 22. Sorrow hath killed many and there is no profite in it saieth the WISE-MAN Ecclestast Chap. 30. 23. And which is worst of all this sorrow leadeth to eternall death For God is offended with it it stirreth up a man to do many things wherat God is offended and maketh a man guilty of eternal death so this sorrow is no matter of joy but the sorrow that was in the Corinthians and which ought to be in us all was of another kinde It was a Godly sorrow or a sorrow according to God For better understanding of this Consider first That this sorrow which is according to God is such a sorrow as a man