and call vpon him daily for mercy vpon the land and that e Ezek 9.4 weepe and mourne in secret and vpon their beds for your abominations whom you hate and despise and persecute and defame and account as the very scumme of the people and the refuse and off-scouring of all things to whom yet you owe your preseruation Surely if it were not for some godly Iehoshaphat or other whose f 4. King 3.14 presence God regardeth among you if it were not for some zealous Moses or other that g Psal. 106.23 standeth in the gap for you Gods wrath had entred in vpon you long ere this as a mighty breach of water and as an ouerflowing deluge ouerwhelmed you and you had beene swept away as with the h Esay 14.23 besome of destruction and deuoured as stubble before the fire It is i Iob 22.30 the innocent that deliuereth the land and repriueth it from destruction when the sentence of desolation is pronounced against it and it is deliuered by the purenesse of his hands O the goodnesse of our God! that would haue spared the fiue Cities of the salt sea if among so many thousands of beastly filthy persons there had been found but k Gen. 18.32 ten righteous ones and that was for each city but two persons nay that would haue pardoned Ierusalem if in all the Ier. 5.1 streetes and broad places thereof replenished with a world of Idolaters and Swearers and Adulterers and Oppressours there had bin found but one single man that executed iudgement and sought the truth from his heart But on the madnesse of the men of this foolish world withall who seek to doe them most mischiefe of all others who of all others do them most good thirsting most after their destruction who are the chiefest instruments of their preseruation Oh foolish and mad world if thou hadst but wit enough yet yet to hugge and to make much of that little flocke the hostages of thy peace and the earnest of thy tranquillity if thou wouldest but m Luke 19.42 know euen thou at least in this thy day the things that belong vnto thy peace Thou art yet happy that God hath a remnant in thee and if thou knewest how to make vse of this happinesse at least in this thy day by honouring their persons by procuring their safety and welfare by following their examples by praying for their continuance thou mightest be still and more and euer happy But if these things that belong vnto thy peace bee now hidden from thine eyes if these men that prolong thy peace and prorogue thy destruction bee now despised in thy heart in this day of thy peace God is iust Thou knowest not how soone they may be taken from thee and though he doe not bring the euill vpon thee in their daies when they are gone thou knowest not how soone vengeance may ouertake thee and n Psal. 50.22 then shall he teare thee in pieces and there shall be none left to deliuer thee I haue now done §. 26. the Conclusion Beseech wee God the Father of mercies for his deare sonne Iesus Christ his sake to shed his Holy Spirit into our hearts that by his good blessing vpon vs that which hath beene presently deliuered agreeably to his holy truth and word may take roote downewards in our hearts and bring forth fruite vpwards in our liues and conuersations and so to assist vs euer with his grace that we may with humble confidence lay hold on his mercies with cheerefull reuerence tremble at his iudgements by vnfained repentance turne from vs what he hath threatned and by vnwearied Obedience assure vnto vs what he hath promised To which Holy Father Sonne and Spirit three persons and c. At Grantham Linc. 19. Iun. 1621. THE THIRD SERMON 3 KINGS 21.29 I will not bring the euill in his dayes but in his sonnes dayes will I bring the euill vpon his house §. 1. The doubts proposed I Come now this third time to entreate of this Scripture and by Gods helpe to finish it Of the three parts whereof heretofore propounded viz. 1. Ahabs Humiliation 2. the Suspension of his iudgement for life 3. and the Deuolution of it vpon Iehoram the two former hauing beene already handled the last only now remaineth to bee considered of In the prosecution whereof as heretofore wee haue cleared Gods Holinesse and Truth so wee shall be now occasioned to cleare his Iustice from such imputations as might seeme to lye vpon it from this Act. And that in three respects accordingly as Iehoram who standeth here punishable for Ahabs sinne may be considered in a threefold reference to Ahab that is to say either relatè as the sonne of Ahab or disparatè as another man from Ahab or comparatè as a man a 4 King 3.2 not altogether so bad as Ahab Now what b Quisquam est hominum qui fuisse illum Iouem Deum credat tà m iniustū tam impium nec mortulium saltem constituta seruantem apud quos nefas haberetur magnum alterum pro altero plect◠aliena delicta aliorum ceruicibus vindicari Arnob. contr Gent. lib. 7. Iustice first to punish the sonne for the father or indeed secondly any one man for another but most of all thirdly the lesser offender for the greater It is not a matter of so much difficulty §. 2. for resolution whereof as at the first appearance it seemeth to cleere these doubts if all things thereto appertaining bee duly and distinctly considered The greatest trouble will bee the things being of more variety than hardnesse to sort them in such manner as that we may therein proceed orderly and without confusion Euermore we know Certainties must rule Vncertainties and cleare truths doubtfull it will bee therefore expedient for vs for the better guiding of our iudgements first to lay downe some Certainties and then afterwards by them to measure out fit resolutions to the doubts and then lastly from the premises to raise some few instructions for our vse The first Certainty then §. 3. the first Certaintie and a maine one is this Howsoeuer things appeare to vs yet God neither is nor can be vniust as not in any other thing so neither in his punishments a Rom. 3.5.6 Is God vnrighteous that taketh vengeance God forbid for then how shall God iudge the world b Gen. 18.25 shall not the Iudge of all the earth doe right Indeed the reasons of his Iustice oftentimes may bee oftentimes are vnknowne to vs but they neuer are they neuer can be vnrighteous in him If in a deepe point of Law a learned discreete Iudge should vpon sufficient grounds giue sentence flat contrary to what an ordinary by-slander would thinke reason as many times it falleth out it is not for the grieued party to complaine of iniustice done him hee should rather impute what is done to want of skill in himselfe than of
vs that are of the Clergie §. 4. The explication of the words By manifestation of the Spirit here our Apostle vnderstandeth none other thing than hee doth by the adiectiue word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the first and by the substantiue word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the last verse of the Chapter Both which put together doe signifie those spirituall gifts and graces whereby God enableth men and especially Church-men to the duties of their particular Callings for the generall good Such as are those particulars which are named in the next following verses a Vers. 8-10 the word of wisdome the word of knowledge faith the gifts of healing workings of miracles prophecy discerning of spirits diuers kinds of tongues interpretation of tongues All which and all other of like nature and vse because they are wrought by that one and selfe-same b Vers. 11. Spirit which diuideth to euery one seuerally as he will are therefore called c Vers. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spirituall gifts and here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the manifestation of the Spirit The word Spirit though in Scripture it haue many other significations §. 5. By Spirit is meant the Holy Ghost yet in this place I conceiue to be vnderstood directly of the Holy Ghost the third Person in the euer-blessed Trinitie For first in vers 3. that which is called the Spirit of God in the former part is in the later part called the Holy Ghost a Vers. â— I giue you to vnderstand that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Iesus accursed and that no man can say that Iesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost Againe that varietie of gifts which in vers 4. is said to proceed from the b Vers. 4-6 same Spirit is said likewise in vers 5. to proceed from the same Lord and in vers 6. to proceed from the same God and therefore such a Spirit is meant as is also Lord and God and that is onely the holy Ghost And againe in those words in vers 11. c Vers 11. all these worketh that one and the selfe-same Spirit diuiding to euery man seuerally as he will the Apostle ascribeth to this Spirit the collation and distribution of such gifts according to the free power of his owne will and pleasure which free power belongeth to none but God alone d Vers. 18. who hath set the members euery one in the body as it hath pleased him Which yet ought not so to bee vnderstood of the Person of the Spirit as if the Father §. 6. not as excluding the other Persons and the Sonne had no part or fellowship in this businesse For all the Actions and operations of the Diuine Persons those onely excepted which are of intrinsecall and mutuall relation are the ioynt and vndiuided workes of the whole three Persons according to the common knowne maxime constantly and vniformely receiued in the Catholike Church Opera Trinitatis ad extra sunt indiuisa And as to this particular concerning gifts the Scriptures are cleare Wherein as they are ascribed to God the Holy Ghost in this Chapter so they are elsewhere ascribed to God the Father a Iam. 1.17 Euery good gift and euery perfect giuing is from aboue from the Father of Lights I am 1. and elsewere to God the Sonne b Ephes. 4.7 Vnto euery one of vs is giuen grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ Ephes. 4. Yea and it may be that for this very reason in the three verses next before my text these three words are vsed Spirit in vers 4. Lord in vers 5. and God in vers 6. to giue vs intimation that c Ne gratia donum diuisum sit per personas Patri Filij et Sp. Sancti sed indiscretae vnitatis naturae trium vnum opus intellâ—gatur Ambros in 1. Cor. 7. ca. 61. these spirituall gifts proceed equally and vndiuidedly from the whole three Persons from God the Father and from his Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord and from the eternall Spirit of them both the Holy Ghost as from one entire indiuisible and coessentiall Agent §. 7. but by way of appropriation But for that we are grosse of vnderstanding and vnable to conceiue the distinct Trinity of Persons in the Vnity of the Godhead otherwise than by apprehending some distinction of their operations and offices to-vs-ward it hath pleased the wisedome of God in the holy Scriptures which being written for our sakes were to be fitted to our capacities so farre to condescend to our weaknesse and dulnesse as to attribute some of those great and common workes to one person and some to another after a more speciall manner than vnto the rest although indeed and in truth none of the three persons had more or lesse to doe than other in any of those great and common-workes This manner of speaking Diuines vse to call a V. Aquin. 1. qu. 39 7. Appropriation By which appropriation as Power is ascribed to the Father and Wisedome to the Sonne so is Goodnesse to the Holy Ghost And therefore as the Worke of Creation wherein is specially seene the mighty power of God is appropriated to the Father and the worke of Redemption wherein is specially seene the wisedome of God to the Sonne so the workes of sanctification and the infusion of habituall graces whereby the good things of God are communicated vnto vs is appropriated vnto the Holy Ghost And for this cause the gifts thus communicated vnto vs from God are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spirituall gifts and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the manifestation of the Spirit Wee see now why spirit but then §. 8. What is meant by Manifestation why manifestation The word as most other verballs of that forme may be vnderstood either in the actiue or passiue signification And it is not materiall whether of the two wayes we take it in this place both being true and neither improper For these spirituall Gifts are the manifestation of the spirit Actiuely because by these the spirit manifesteth the will of God vnto the Church these being the instruments and meanes of conueighing the knowledge of saluation vnto the people of God And they are the manifestation of the spirit Passiuely too because where any of these gifts especially in any eminent sort appeared in any person it was a manifest euidence that the Spirit of God wrought in him As we reade in Act. 10. that they of the Circumcision were astonished a Act. 10.45 46. When they saw that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost If it bee demanded But how did that appeare it followeth in the next verse for they heard them speake with tongues c. The spirituall Gift then is a b Id est Donum spiritus quo dono spiritus suam in homine praesentiam declarat Metonymia effecti Piscat in schol hîc manifestation of
wee say of the fearefull Magistrate in the hands of a Coward to doe iustice and hee hath no heart You that are Magistrates remember the promise God hath made you and the Title he hath giuen you You haue an honourable Promise e 2 Chron. 19.6 God will bee with you in the cause and in the iudgement 2. Chron. 19. If God bee with you what need you feare who shall bee against you You haue an honourable Title too f Psalm 82.6 I haue said yee are Gods Psalm 82. If you bee Gods why should you feare the faces of men This is Gods fashion hee g 1 Pet. 5.5 giueth grace to the humble but hee resisteth the proud hee h Luke 1.52 exalteth the meeke and lowly but hee putteth the mighty out of their seates If you will deale answerably to that high name he hath put vpon you and be indeed as Gods follow the example of God lift vp the poore oppressed out of the mire and tumble downe the confidence of the mighty and proud oppressour when you i Psal. 75.2.4 receiue the Congregation iudge vprightly and feare not to say to the wicked be they neuer so great Lift not vp your horne So shall you vindicate your selues from contempt so shall you preserue your persons and places from being baffelled and blurted by euery lewd companion §. 20. 3. of the Offenders Courage in the Magistrate against these great ones especially is thirdly necessary in respect of the offendours These wicked ones of whom Iob speaketh the longer teeth they haue the deeper they bite and the stronger iawes they haue the sorer they grinde and the greater power they haue the more mischiefe they doe And therefore these great ones of all other would be well hampered and haue their teeth filed their iawes broken their power curbed I say not the poore and the small should be spared when they offend good reason they should be punished with seuerity But you must remember I now speake of Courage and a little courage will serue to bring vnder those that are vnder already So that if meane men scape vnpunished when they transgresse it is oftener for want of care or conscience in the Magistrate than of courage But here is the true triall of your Courage when you are to deale with these great ones men not much inferiour to your selues perhaps your equalls yea and it may bee too your Magistracie set aside men much greater than your selues men great in place great in wealth in great fauour that haue great friends but withall that doe great harme Let it be your honour that you dare be iust when these dare be vniust and when they dare smite others a Esay 58.4 with the fist of violence that you dare smite them with b Rom. 13.4 the sword of iustice and that you dare vse your power when they dare abuse theirs All transgressours should bee looked vnto but more the greater and the greatest most as a shepheard should watch his sheepe euen from Flyes and Maukes but much more from Foxes most of all from Wolues Sure hee is a sorry shepheard that is busie to kill Flyes and Maukes in his sheepe but letteth the Wolfe worry at pleasure Why one Wolfe will doe more mischiefe in a night than a thousand of them in a twelue-moneth And as sure hee is a sorry Magistrate that stocketh and whippeth and hangeth poore snakes when they offend though that is to be done too but letteth the great theeues doe what they list and dareth not meddle with them like Saul who when God commanded him to destroy all the Amalekites both man and beast slew indeed the rascality of both but spared the c 1 Sam. 15.3 9. greatest of the men and the fattest of the cattell and slew them not The good Magistrate should rather with Iob here breake the iawes of the wicked and in spight of his heart plucke the spoyle out of his teeth §. 21. The Inferences of all Thus haue you heard the foure duties or properties of a good Magistrate conteyned in this Scripture with the grounds and reasons of most of them opened They are 1. a loue and zeale to iustice 2. Compassion to the poore and distressed 3. Paines and Patience in examination of causes 4. Stoutnesse and Courage in execution of iustice The vses and inferences of all these yet remaine to be handled now in the last place and together All which for order and breuities sake wee will reduce vnto three heads accordingly as from each of the foure mentioned Duties or Properties or Rules call them which you will there arise Inferences of three sorts First of Direction for the choyce and appointment of Magistrates according to these foure properties Secondly of Reproofe for a iust rebuke of such Magistrates as faile in any of these foure Dutyes Thirdly of Exhortation to those that are or shall be Magistrates to carry thēselues therin according to these foure Rules Wherein what I shall speake of Magistrates ought also to bee extended and applyed the due proportion euer obserued to all kindes of Officers whatsoeuer any way appertaining vnto iustice And first for Direction S. Paul saith a Rom. 13.1 The powers that are are ordained of God §. 22. The First of Direction for the choyce of Magistrates yet S. Peter calleth the Magistracie an b 1 Pet. 2.13 humane ordinance Certainly the holy Spirit of God which speaketh in these two great Apostles is not contrary to it selfe The truth is the substance of the power of euery Magistrate is the ordinance of God and that is S. Pauls meaning but the Specification of the Circumstances thereto belonging as in regard of places persons titles continuance iurisdiction subordination and the rest is as S. Peter tearmeth it an humane ordinance introduced by Custome or positiue Law And therefore some kindes of Magistracy are higher some lower some annuall or for a set time some during life some after one manner some after another according to the seuerall Lawes or Customes whereon they are grounded As in other circumstances so in this concerning the deputation of the Magistrates person there is great difference some hauing their Power by Succession others by Nomination and other some by Election As amongst vs the supreme Magistrate the King hath his Power by succession some inferiour Magistrates theirs by Nomination or speciall appointment either immediately or mediately from the King as most of our Iudges Iustices some againe by the elections and voyces of the multitude as most Officers and Gouernours in our Cities Corporations or Colledges The Directions which I would inferre from my Text cannot reach the first kinde because such Magistrates are borne to vs not chosen by vs. They doe concerne in some sort the second but most neerely the third kinde viz. those that are chosen by suffrages and voyces and therefore vnto this third kinde only I will apply them We may not thinke because our
three the greatest vnto the Godly in the firme assurance of their Eternall reward §. 29. 3. against doubtings of their eternall reward It is one of the Reasons why God temporally rewardeth the vnsound obedience of naturall carnall and vnregenerate men euen to giue his faithfull seruants vndoubted assurance that hee will in no wise forget their true and sound and sincere obedience Doth God reward Ahabs temporary Humiliation and will he not much more reward thy hearty and vnfained repentance Haue the Hypocrites a Quid dabit eis quos praedistinauit ad vitam qui haec dedit etiam eis quos praedestinauit ad mortem Aug. 22. de Ciuit 24. their reward and canst thou doubt of thine This was the very ground of all that comfort wherewith the Prodigall sonne sustained his heart and hope when he thus discoursed to his owne soule b Luke 15.17 If all the hired seruants which are in my Fathers house haue bread enough and to spare surely my Father will neuer be so vnmindefull of men who am his Sonne though too too vnworthy of that name as to let me perish for hunger Euery temporall blessing bestowed vpon the wicked ought to bee of the childe of God entertained as a fresh assurance giuen him of his euerlasting reward hereafter c Gen. 25.5.6 Abraham gaue guifts to the sonnes of his Concubines and sent them away but his onely sonne Isaac he kept with him and gaue him all that he had Right so God giueth temporall gifts to Hypocrites and Castawaies who are bastards and not sonnes not sonnes of the d Gal. 4 28-3â— freewoman not sons of promise not borne after the spirit and that is their portion when they haue gotten that they haue gotten all they are like to haue there is no more to be looked for at his hands But as for the inheritance he reserueth that for his deare Children the Godly who are Gal. 4.29 borne after the spirit and f Gal. 3.29 heyres according vnto promise on these hee bestoweth all that euer hee hath g 1. Cor. 3.21 all things are theirs for on them hee bestoweth h Heb. 1.2 his Sonne the heire of all things in whom are hid all the treasures of all good things and together i Rom. 8.32 with whom all other things are conueied and made ouer vnto them as accessories and appurtenances of him and on them he bestoweth himselfe who is k 1. Cor. 15.28 all in all l Psal. 16.11 in whose presence is fulnesse of ioy and at whose right hand there are pleasures for euermore To which ioy vnspeakable and glorious O thou the Father of mercies who hast promised it vnto vs bring vs in the end for thy deare Sonnes sake Iesus Christ who hath purchased it for vs and giuen into our hearts the earnest of his and thy holy Spirit to seale it vnto vs. To which blessed Sonne and holy Spirit together with thee O Father thee persons and one onely wise gracious glorious almighty and eternall Lord God bee ascribed by vs and all thy faithfull people throughout the world the whole kingdome power and glory for euer and euer Amen Amen THE SECOND SERMON Grantham Linc. 27. Febr. 1620. 3 KINGS 21.29 because hee humbleth himselfe before mee I will not bring the euill in his dayes I Will not so farre either distrust your memories §. 1. A repetition of three former Obseruations or straiten my selfe of time for the deliuery of what I am now purposed to speake as to make any repetition of the particulars which were obserued the last time from the consideration of Ahabs person and condition who was but an Hypocrite taken ioyntly with his present carriage together with the occasion and successe thereof He was humbled it was the voyce of God by his Prophet that humbled him vpon his humbling God adiourneth his punishment From all which was noted 1. that there might bee euen in Hypocrites an outward formall humiliation 2. the power and efficacy of the word of God able to humble an oppressing Ahab 3. the boundlesse mercy of God in not suffering the outward formall Humiliation of an vngodly Hypocrite to passe altogether vnrewarded All this the last time by occasion of those first clauses in the verse Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himselfe before mee because he humbleth himselfe before mee I will not Wee are now next to consider of the great Fauour which it pleased God to shew to Ahab vpon his humiliation what it was and wherein it consisted It was the Remoueall at least for a time that is the suspension of an heauy Iudgement denounced against Ahab and his house most deseruedly for his bloudy and execrable oppression Because hee humbleth himselfe before mee I will not bring the euill in his dayes § 2. The opening of The Euill which God now promiseth hee will not bring I will not bring the euill in his dayes is that which in verse 21. hee had threatned hee would bring vpon Ahab and vpon his house a Vers. 21. c. hîc Behold I will bring euill vpon thee â—nd will take away thy posterity and will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall and him that is shut vp and left in Israel and will make thy house like the house of Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat and like the house of Beâ—sha the sonne of Ahijah for the prouocation wherewith thou hast prouoked mee to anger and made Israel to sinne A great Iudgement and an heaâ—y but the greater the iudgement is when it is deserued and threatned the greater the mercy is if it be afterwards forborne as some of this was But whatsoeuer becommeth of the iudgement here wee see is mercy good store God who is b Eph. 2.4 rich in mercy and delighteth to be stiled c Deus miserationum Nebem 9.31 the God of mercies and the d 2 Cor. 1.3 Father of mercies abundantly manifesteth his mercy in dealing thus graciously with one that deserued it so little Here is mercy in but threatning the punishment when hee might haue inflicted it and more mercy in not inflicting the punishment when hee had threatned it Here is mercy first in suspending the Punishment I will not bring the Euill and mercy againe in suspending it for so long a time I will not bring the euill in his dayes Of these two points wee shall entreate at this time and first and principally of the former I will not bring the euill It is no new thing to them §. 3. Obseru 4. Concerning Gods forbearing of threatned iudgements that haue read the sacred stories with obseruation to see God when men are humbled at his threatnings to reuoke them a Chrysost. in Gen. hom 25. ahbi saepè 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Chrysostome more than once this is euer Gods manner when men change their deeds to change his doome when they renounce their sinners to recall his
b Exod. 20.5 third scarce euer the fourth generation passe before God visit the sinnes of the fathers vpon the children if hee doe not in the very next generation In his sonnes dayes will I bring the euill vpon his house §. 34. The second Secondly if not onely our owne but our fathers sinnes too may be shall be visited vpon vs how concerneth it vs as to repent for our owne so to lament also the sinnes of our forefathers and in our confessions and supplications to God sometimes to remember them that he may forget them and to set them before his face that hee may cast them behind his backe Wee haue a good precedent for it in our publike Letany Remember not Lord our offences nor the offences of our forefathers A good and a profitable and a needefull prayer it is and those men haue not done well nor justly that haue cauilled at it O that men would be wise according to sobriety and allow but iust interpretations to things aduisedly established rather than busie themselues nodum in scirpo to picke needelesse quarrels where they should not What vnity would it bring to brethren what peace to the Church what ioy to all good and wise men As to this particular God requireth of the Israelites in Leuit. 26. that they should a Leuit. 26.39.40 confesse their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers b Psal. 106.6 Dauid did so and c Ierem. 3.15 Ieremy did so and d Dan. 9.5 Daniel did so in Psal. 106. in Ierem. 3. in Dan. 9. And if Dauid thought it a fit curse to pronounce against Iudas and such as he was in Psal. 109. e Psal. 109.14 Let the wickednesse of his fathers be had in remembrance in the sight of the Lord and let not the sin of his mother be done away why may we not nay how ought we not to pray for the remoueall of this very curse from vs as well as of any other curses The present age is riâ—e of many enormous crying sinnes which call loud for a iudgement vpon the land and if God should bring vpon vs a right heauie one whereat all eares should tingle could wee say other but that it were most iust euen for the sinnes of this present generation But if vnto our owne so many so great God should also adde the sins of our forefathers the bloudshed and tyranny grieuous vnnaturall butcheries in the long times of the ciuill warres and the vniuersall idolatries and superstitions couering the whole land in the longer and darker times of Popery and if as hee sometimes threatned to bring vpon the Iewes of f Math. 23.35.36 that one generation all the righteous bloud that euer was shed vpon the earth from the bloud of the righteous Abel vnto the bloud of Zacharias the sonne of Barachias so hee should bring the sinnes of our Ancestors for many generations past vpon this generation of ours who could be able to abide it Now when the security of the times giue vs but too much cause to feare it and the regions begin to looke white towards the haruest is it not time for vs with all humiliation of Soule and Body to cast downe our selues and with all contention of voyce and spirit to lift vp our prayers and to say Remember not Lord our offences nor the offences of our forefathers neither take thou vengeance of our sinnes Spare vs good Lord spare the people whom thou hast redeemed with thy most precious bloud and be not angry with vs for euer Spare vs good Lord. §. 35. the third inference Thirdly Since not onely our fathers sinnes and our owne but our Neighbours sinnes too aliquid malum propter vicinum malum but especially the sinnes of Princes and Gouernours a Morat 1. Episâ— 2. delirant reges plectuntur Achiui may bring iudgements vpon vs and enwrap vs in their punishments it should teach euery one of vs to seeke his owne priuate in the common and publike good and to endeauour if but for our owne security from punishment to awaken other from their security in sinne How should wee send vp b â— Tim. 2.1 2. supplications and prayers and intercessions for Kings and for all that are in authority that God would encline their hearts vnto righteous courses and open their eares to wholesome counsells and strengthen their hands to just actions when but a sinfull ouersight in one of them may proue the ouerthrow of many thousands of vs as Dauid but by once numbring his people in the pride of his heart lessened their number at one clap c 2 Sam. 24.15 threescore and ten thousand If d Ios. â—8 10.25 Israel turne their backs vpon their enemies vp Iosuah and make search for the troubler of Israel firret out the thiefe and doe execution vpon him one Achan if but suffered is able to vndoe the whole hoast of Israel what mischiefe might he do if countenanced if allowed The houre I see hath ouertaken me and I must end To wrappe vp all in a word then and conclude Thou that hast power ouer others suffer no sin in them by base conniuence but punish it thou that hast charge of others suffer no sin in them by dull silence but rebuke it thou that hast any interest in or dealing with others suffer no sinne vpon them by easie allowance but distast it thou that hast nothing else yet by thy charitable prayers for them and by constant example to them stop the course of sin in others further the growth of grace in others labour by all meanes as much as in thee lyeth to draw others vnto God lest their sinnes draw Gods iudgements vpon themselues and thee This that thou mayst doe and that I may do and that euery one of vs that feareth God and wisheth well to the Israel of God may doe faithfully and discreetely in our seuerall stations and callings let vs all humbly beseech the Lord the God of all grace and wisedome for his Sonne Iesus sake by his holy spirit to enable vs. To which blessed Trinity one only wise immortall inuisible almighty most gracious and most glorious Lord and God be ascribed by euery one of vs the kingdome the power and the glory both now and for euer Amen THE FOVRTH SERMON In S. Pauls Church London 4. Nov. 1621. 1. COR. 7.24 Brethren let euery man wherein he is called therein abide with God IF flesh and bloud be suffered to make the Glosse §. 1. The Occasion and scope of the Text. it is able to corrupt a right good Text. It easily turneth the doctrine of Gods grace into a Iude 4. wantonnesse and as easily the doctrine of Christian libertie into licenciousnesse These Corinthians being yet but b 1. Cor. 3.1.3.4 Carnall for the point of Liberty consulted it seemeth but too much with this cursed glosse Which taught them to interpret their Calling to the Christian faith as an Exemption
our selues and swell vs and heape vs vp aboue our brethren and because we thinke we do ouer-top them we thinke wee may ouer-looke them too and despise them as vulgar and contemptible Agar could despise Sarah the bond-seruant the free woman the maid her mistresse only for a little fruitfulnes of the wombe beyond her because c Gen. 16.4 5. she saw that she had conceiued and her Mistresse was barren Genes 16. All strength and eminencie then we see be it in any little sorry thing is apt to breed in men a despising of their weaker and meaner brethren but none more than this strength of knowledge and of faith wherewith we now deale It should bee quite otherwise our knowledge should praeferre facem hold the light before vs and helpe vs for the better discouery of our ignorance and so dispose vs to humilitie not pride But pride and selfe-loue is congenitum Malum it is a close and a pleasing and an inseparable corruption which by slie and serpentine insinuations conueyeth it selfe as into whatsoeuer else is good and eminent in vs and poysoneth it so especially into the endowments of the vnderstanding part Sharpnesse of wit quicknesse of conceit faithfulnesse of memory facility of discourse proprietie of elocution concinnitie of gesture depth of iudgement varietie of knowledge in Arts and Languages and whateuer else of like kind are but as winde to fill the sailes of our pride and to make vs swell aboue our brethren in whom the like gifts are not or not in like eminencie Scientia inflat our Apostle might well say d 1. Cor. 8.1 Quò didicisse nisi hoc fermentum c. Pers. Satyr â— Vide Casaub. ibi Knowledge puffeth vp And that it doth so readily and vnmeasurably that vnlesse there be the greater measure both of humility to preuent and of chariâ—y to vent it it will in short time breed a dangerous spiritual tympany in the soule A disease from which the strongest constitutions that haue beene haue not been altogether so free but that they haue had if not a spice of it yet at least wise an inclination vnto it Euen this our blessed Apostle who had so much humilitie as to account himselfe e 1. Cor. 15.9 of Apostles the least but f 1. Tim. 1.15 of sinners the chiefest was in so great danger g 2. Cor. 12.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be exalted aboue measure through the abundance of reuelations that it was needfull he should haue a â—harâ—e in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet him lest hee should be exalted aboue measure 2. Cor. 12. No maruell then if these new Conuerts but lately called by God ouâ— of the darknes of their ignorance h 1. Pet. 2.9 into his marueilous great light and not hauing their vnderstandings well informed and their iudgements throughly settled in the Doctrine and Vse in the nature and extent of that Euangelicall libertie whereunto they were called no maruell I say if these vpon so sensible a change were more than a little distempered with this swelling aboue their brethren euen as far as to despise them So hard is it euen for the most exercised Christian not to take knowledge of his owne knowledge or doing so not to despise and neglect the infirmities of his lesse-knowing brother It was not then without good need that Saint Paul should become a remembrancer to the strong in faith not to despise the weake And there is as good need the very strongest of vs all should remember it and take heed of despising euen the very weakest This despising being hurtfull both to the strong and weake to the strong as a grieuous sinne and to the weake as a grieuous scandall Despising first is a sinne in the strong §. 8. both for the sins sake Admit thy weake brother were of so shallow vnderstanding and iudgement that he might say in strictnes of truth what Agur saith but in modestie and that with an Hyperbole too Prou. 30. that a Prou. 30.2 surely hee were more brutish than any man and that hee had not in him the vnderstanding of a man yet the communitie of nature and the common condition of humanitie should bee sufficient to free him from thy contempt His body was formed out of the same dust his soule breathed into him by the same God as thine were and hee is thy neighbour Let his weaknesse then be what it can be euen for that relation of neighbourhood as he is a man it is sinne in thee to despise him b Pro. 14.21 Hee that despiseth his Neighbour sinneth Prou 14. But that 's not all He is not onely thy Neighbour as a man but he is thy Brother too as a Christian man He hath imbraced the Gospell he beleeueth in the Sonne of God hee is within the pale of the Church as well as thou though he be not so exquisitly seen in some higher mysteries nor so thorowly 〈◊〉 in some other pointe as-thou art If it haue pleased God to endow thee with a laâ—ger portion of knowledge thou oughtest to consider first that thou art bound to bee so much them one thinkefull to him that gaue it and then secondly that it is expected thou shouldest doe so much the more good within and thirdly againe that thou art charged with so much the deeper accâ—uâ—t for it If the same God haue dealt these abilities with a more sparing hand to thy brother in despising his weakenesse what other thing doest thou than euen despise the good Spirit of God c Iohn 3.8 that bloweth wheâ—e he listeth and d 1. Cor. 12.11 giueth to euery one as he lasteth For though there be e 1. Cor. 12.4 diuersities of gifts both for substance and degree yet it is the same Spirit 1. Cor. 12. And the contempt that is cast vpon the meanest Christian reboundeth vpwards againe and in the last resolution reflecteth euen vpon GOD himselfe and vpon his Christ. f 1. Thes. 4.8 Hee that â—â—spiseth despiseth not man but GOD who hath giuen vnto vs his holy Spirit 1. Thessal 4. And g 1. Cor. 8.12 when yeâ— sinne so against the 〈…〉 and their weake consciences yee sinne against Christ 1 Cor. 8. Thus you see Despising is hurtfull to the despiser as a sinne it is hurt full also as a scandall §. 9. and the Scandall to the despised And therefore our Sauiour in Math. 18. discoursing of a Math. 18.6 c. not offending little ones anon varieth the word and speaketh of b Ibid. 10. not despising them as if despising were an especiall and principall kinde of offending or scandalizing And verily so it is especially to the Weake Nothing is more grieuous to Nature scarce death it selfe than for a man to see himselfe despised c Plaut in Cistel Act. 4. Scaen. 1. Ego illam anum irridere me vt sinam Satius est mihi quouis exitio interire could he say in the
the inconsiderate forwardnes of some hath made it to my hand You may reade it in the disfigured windowes and wals of this Church Pictures and Statua's and Images and for their sakes the windowes and walles wherein they stood haue been heretofore and of late pulled downe and broken in pieces and defaced without the Command or so much as leaue of those who haue power to reforme things amisse in that kind Charitie bindeth vs to thinke the best of those that haue done it that is that they did it out of a forward though mis-gouerned zeale intending therein Gods glory in the farther suppression of Idolatry by taking away these as they supposed likely occasions of it Now in such a case as this the Question is whether the intention of such an end can iustifie such a deed And the fact of a Numb 25.7 8 Phinehes Numb 25. who for a much like end for the staying of the people from Idolatrie executed vengeance vpon Zimri Cosbi being but a priuate man and no Magistrate seemeth to make for it But my Text ruleth it otherwise §. 29. Resolued from the rule of my Text. If it be euill it is not to bee done no not for the preuenting of Idolatry I passe by some considerations otherwise of good moment as namely first whether Statua's and Pictures may not be permitted in Christian Churches for the adorning of Gods House and for ciuill and historicall vses not only lawfully and decently but euen profitably I must confesse I neuer yet heard substantiall reason giuen why they might not at the least so long as there is no apparant danger of superstition And secondly whether things either in their first erection or by succeeding abuse superstitious may not bee profitably continued if the Superstition be abolished Otherwise not Pictures only and Crosses and Images but most of our Hospitals and Schooles and Colledges and Churches too must downe and so the hatred of Idolatrie should but Vsher in licentious Sacriledge contrary to that passage of our Apostle in the next Chapter before this a Rom. 2.22 Thou that abhorrest Idols committest thou Sacriledge And thirdly whether these forward ones haue not bewrayed somewhat their owne selfe-guiltinesse in this Act at least for the manner of it in doing it secretly and in the dark A man should not dare to do that which he would not willingly either bee seene when it is a doing or owne being done To passe by these consider no more but this one thing onely into what dangerous and vnsufferable absurdities a man might run if hee should but follow these mens grounds Erranti nullus terminus Errour knoweth no stay and a false Principle once receiued multiplieth into a b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist. li. 1 Phys. tec. 22. thousand absurd conclusions It is good for men to goe vpon sure grounds else they may runne and wander in infinitum A little errour at the first if there bee way giuen to it will increase beyond beliefe as a small sparke may fire a large City and a c 3. King 18.44 45. cloud no bigger than a mans hand in short space ouerspread the face of the whole Heauens For grant for the suppression of Idolatrie in case the Magistrate will not doe his office that it is lawfull for a priuate man to take vpon him to reforme what he thinketh amisse and to doe the part and Office of a Magistrate which must needs haue been their ground if they had any for this action there can be no sufficient cause giuen why by the same reason and vpon the same grounds a priuate man may not take vpon him to establish Lawes raise Powers administer Iustice execute Malefactors or doe any other thing the Magistrate should doe in case the Magistrate slacke to do his duty in any of the premises Which if it were once granted as granted it must bee if these mens fact bee iustifiable euery wise man seeth the end could bee no other but vast Anarchie and confusion both in Church and Commonweale whereupon must vnauoidably follow the speedy subuersion both of Religion and State If things be amisse and the Magistrate helpe it not priuate men may lament it and as occasion serueth and their condition and calling permitteth soberly and discreetly put the Magistrate in minde of it But they may not make themselues Magistrates to reforme it §. 30. The example of Phinehes examined And as to the act of Phinehes though I rather thinke he did yet what if he did not well in so doing It is a thing we are not certaine of and wee must haue certainer grounds for what we do than vncertaine examples Secondly what if Phinehes had the Magistrates authoritie to enable him to that attempt It is not altogether improbable to my apprehension from the fifth verse of the chapter where the Story is laid downe Numb 25.5 especially paralleld with another Story of much like circumstances Exod. 32.27 that as there the Leuites so here Phinehes drew the sword in execution of the expresse command of Moses the supreme Magistrate If neither thus nor so yet thirdly which cutteth off all plea and is the most common answere ordinarily giuen by Diuines to this and the like instances drawne from some singular actions of Gods Worthies Men of Heroicall spirits and gifts such as were Dauid Samson Ehud Moses Elias and some others especially at such times as they were employed in some speciall seruice for the good of Gods Church were exempt from the common rules of life and did many things as we are to presume not without the a Nec Samson aliter excusatur quòd seipsum cum hostibus ruinâ domus oppressit nisi quò latenter Spiritus Sanctus hoc iusserat qui per illum miracula faciebat Aug. l. 1. de ciu Dei ca. 21. Si defenditur non fuisse peccatum priuatum habuisse Consilium indubiâ—anter credendus est Bern. de praec dispensat secret motion and direction of Gods holy and powerful Spirit which were therefore good in them that secret direction being to them loco specialis mandati like that to b Gen. 22.2 Abraham for sacrificing his sonne but not safe or lawfull for vs to imitate Opera liberi spiritus c Chytr in Gen. 14. in Exod. 32. say Diuines non sunt exigenda ad regulas communes nec trahenda in exemplum vitae The extraordinary Heroicall Acts of Gods Worthies are not to be measured by the common rules of life nor to become exemplary vnto others Of which nature was d 1. Sam. 17. Davids single combate with Goliah and e Iudg. 16.30 Samsons pulling downe the house vpon himselfe and the Philistines and f Exod. 2.12 Moses slaying the Egyptian and g Iudg. 3.15 c. Ehuds stabbing of King Eglon and h 4. King 1.10.12 Eliahs calling downe for fire from Heauen vpon the Captaines and their fifties and diuers others recorded in Scripture Of
which it may be more conuenient to conceale than to teach some diuine truths at some times and in some places But yet as the Case is here proposed §. 33. and in what he may not if it bee a truth questioned about which Gods people are much distracted in their opinions much mistaken by some through error in iudgement much abused by sinfull especially publike practice occasioning Scandals and offences among brethren likely to be ouerwhelmed with custome or multitude of those that thinke or doe against it and bee otherwise of materiall importance I take it the Omission of it vpon seasonable opportunitie is a grieuous sinne and not colourable by any pretence Beloued the Minister is not to come into the Pulpit as a Fencer vpon the stage to play his prize and to make a faire a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 9.26 flourish against sinne Here he could haue it and there hee could haue it but hath it no where but rather as a Captaine into the Field to bend his forces especially against the strongest troupes of the enemy and to squander and breake thorow the thickest rankes and to driue at the b Fight neither with small nor great saue onely with the King of Israel 3 King 22.31 fairest It is not enough for a Prophet to c Esay 58.1 cry aloud and to lift vp his voyce like a trumpet and to tell Iudah and Israel of sinnes and of transgressions at large but if he would whet them vp to the battell he must giue a more d If the trumpet giue an vncertaine sound who shall prepare himselfe to the battell 1 Cor. 14.8 certaine sound he must tell Iudah of her sins and Israel of her transgressions If there be in Damascus or Moab or Ammon or Tyrus or Iudah or Israel e Amos 1. 2. three transgressions or foure more eminent than the rest it is fit they that are sent to Damascus and Moab and Ammon and Tyrus and Iudah and Israel should make them heare of those three or foure more than all the rest Sinnes and Errors when they begin to get head and heart must be handled roughly Silence in such a case is a kinde of flattery and it is f Penè idem est fidem nolle asserere negare Fulgent lib. 1. ad Thrasim cap. 1. Sicut incauta locutio in errorem pertrahit ita indiscretum filentium in errore relinquit Greg. in Moral almost all one when sinnes grow outragious to hold our peace at them and to cry Peace Peace vnto them Our Apostle in Act. 20. would not haue held himselfe sufficiently discharged from the guilt of other mens blood if he had shunned as occasion was offered to haue declared vnto them g Act. 20.26 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euen the whole counsell of God §. 34. A more particular Application in defence of the former Sermon In my Application of this Instance and Case blame me not if I do it with some reference to my selfe Being heretofore by appointment as now againe I was to prouide my selfe for this place against such a meeting as this is as in my conscience I then thought it needfull for me I deliuered my minde and I dare say the Truth too for substance something freely touching the Ceremonies and Constitutions of our Church And I haue now also with like freedome shewed the vnlawfulnesse of the late disorderly attempts in this towne and that from the ground of my present Text. I was then blamed for that I thinke vniustly for I do not yet see what I should retract of that I then deliuered and it is not vnlikely I shall be blamed againe for this vnlesse I preuent it You haue heard now already both heretofore that to iudge any mans heart and at this time that to slander any truth are without repentance sinnes iustly damnable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they that offend either in the one or the other their damnation is iust To preserue therefore both you from the Sinne and my selfe from the Blame consider I pray you with Reason and Charity what I shall say You that are our hearers know not with what hearts we speake vnto you that is onely knowne to our owne hearts and to a 1 Ioh 3.20 God who is greater than our hearts and knoweth all things That which you are to looke at and to regard is with what b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 17.11 Non requiritur quis vel qualis praedicet sed quid praedicet Distinct. 19. Secundùm 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plat. in Charmide truth we speake vnto you So long as what wee preach is true and agreeable to Gods Word and right reason you are not vpon I know not what light surmizes or suspicions to iudge with what spirits or with what dispositions of heart wee preach Whether we c Phil. 1.15 16.17.18 preach Christ of enuie and strife or of good will whether sincerely or of contention whether in pretence or in truth it is our owne good or hurt we must answer for that and at our perill be it if we doe not looke to that But what is that to you Notwithstanding euery way so long as it is Christ and his truth which are preached it is your part therein to reioyce If an d Gal. 1.8.9 Angel from heauen should preach any vntruth vnto you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let him bee accursed but if the very Diuell of hell should preach the truth he must be heard and beleeued and obeyed So long as e Math. 23.2.3 Scribes and Pharisees hold them to Moses's Text Doctrine let them bee as damned f Woe vnto you Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites Math. 23.13 14 c. Hypocrites as Scribes and Phrisees can be yet all whatsoeuer they bid you obserue that you are to obserue do Let mee then demand Did I euer deliuer any vntruth It had beene well done then to haue shewne it that I might haue acknowledged and retracted it Did I speake nothing but the truth with what conscience then could any that heard me say as yet I heare some did That I preached factiously That I came to cast bones among them That I might haue chosen a fitter Text That I might haue had as much thankes to haue kept away For Faction I hate it my desire and ayme next after the good of your soules was aboue all the Peace of the Church and the Vnity of Brethren For casting bones if that must needs be the phrase they were cast in these parts long before my comming by that great enemy to peace and vnity and busie sower of discord the Diuell otherwise I should not haue found at my first comming such snarling about them and such g Gal. 5.15 biting and deuouring one another as I did My endeuour was rather to haue gathered vp the bones and to haue taken away the matter of difference I meane the errour in iudgement about and
inconformity in practice vnto the lawful Ceremonies of the Church that so if it had been possible all might haue beene quiet without despising or iudging one another for these things For thankes I hold not that worth the answering alas it is a poore ayme for Gods Minister to preach for thankes For the choyce of my Text and Argument both then and now how is it not vnequall that men who plead so as none more for liberty and plainnesse in reprouing sinne should not allow those that come amongst them that liberty and plainenesse against themselues and their owne sinnes I dare appeale to your selues Haue you neuer been taught that it is the Ministers dutie as to oppose against all errours and sinnes in the generall so to bend himselfe as neere as hee can especially against the apparant errours and sinnes of his present auditorie And doe you not beleeue it is so Why then might I not nay how ought I not bend my speech both then against a common errour of sundry in these parts in point of Ceremony and now against the late petulancy or at least ouersight of some mis-guided ones The noise of these things abroad and the scandall taken thereat by such as heare of them and the ill fruits of them at home in breeding iealousies and cherishing contentions among neighbours cannot but stirre vs vp if wee be sensible as euery good member should be of the damage and losse the Church acquireth by them to put you in minde and to admonish you as opportunities inuite vs both priuately and publiquely Is it not time trow yee to thrust in the sickle when the fields look white vnto the Haruest Is it not time our Pulpits should a little eccho of these things when all the Countrie farre and neere ringeth of them For my owne part how euer others censure me I am sure my owne heart telleth mee I could not haue discharged my Conscience if being called to this place I should haue balked what either then or now I haue deliuered My conscience prompting mee all circumstances considered that these things were pro hîc nunc necessary to be deliuered rather than any other if for any outward inferiour respect I should haue passed them ouer with silence I thinke I should haue much swarued from the Rule of my Text and haue done a great euill that some small good might come of it But many thousand times better were it for me that all the world should censure mee for speaking what they thinke I should not than that my owne heart should condemne mee for not speaking what it telleth me I should And thus much of things simply euill §. 35. The conclusion I should proceed to apply this Rule Wee must not doe euill that good may come vnto euils not simply but accidentally such and that both in the general and also in some few specials of greatest vse namely vnto euils which become such through Conscience Scandall or Comparison In my choyce of the Scripture I aymed at all this and had gathered much of my prouision for it But the Cases being many and weighty I foresaw I could not goe onward with my first proiect without much wronging one of both either the things themselues if I should contract my speech to the scantling of time or you if I should lengthen it to the weight of the matter And therefore I resolued here to make an end and to giue place as fit it is to the businesse whereabout we meet The Totall of what I haue said and should say is in effect but this No pretension of a good end of a good meaning of a good euent of any good whatsoeuer either can sufficiently warrant any sinfull action to be done or iustifie it being done or sufficiently excuse the Omission of any necessarie dutie when it is necessarie Consider what I say and the Lord giue you vnderstanding in all things Now to God the Father Son and holy Spirit c. At a Visitation at Boston Lincoln 13. March 1624. THE THIRD SERMON 1. COR. 12.7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is giuen to euery man to profit withall §. 1. The Occasion IN the first Verse of this Chapter S. Paul proposeth to himselfe an Argument which hee prosecuteth the whole Chapter through and after a profitable digression into the prayse of Charitie in the next Chapter resumeth againe at the fourteenth Chapter spending also that whole Chapter therein and it is concerning spirituall gifts a Vers. 1. Now concerning spirituall gifts brethren I would not haue you ignorant c. These gracious gifts of the holy Spirit of God bestowed on them for the edification of the Church the Corinthians by making them the b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys. in 1. Cor. hom 29. fuell either of their pride in despising those that were inferiour to themselues or of their enuy in malicing those that excelled them therein abused to the maintenance of schisme and faction and emulation in the Church For the remedying of which euills the Apostle entreth vpon the Argument discoursing fully of the varietie of these spirituall gifts and who is the Author of them and for what end they were giuen and in what manner they should be employed omitting nothing that was needfull to bee spoken anent this subiect In this part of the Chapter §. 2. Coherence entreating both before and after this verse of the wondrous great yet sweet and vsefull varietie of these spirituall gifts he sheweth that howsoeuer manifold they are either for kind or degree so as they may differ in the materiall and formall yet they doe all agree both in the same efficient and in the same finall cause In the same efficient cause which is God the Lord by his Spirit vers 4 6. Now there are diuersities of gifts but the same Spirit and there are differences of administrations but the same Lord and there are diuersities of operations but it is the same God which worketh all in all And in the same finall cause which is the aduancement of Gods glory in the propagation of his Gospell and the edification of his Church in this verse But the manifestation of the Spirit is giuen to euery man to profit withall By occasion of which words §. 3. and diuision of the Text. we may enquire into the nature conueiance and vse of these gifts First their nature in themselues and in their originall what they are and whence they are the workes of Gods Spirit in vs The manifestation of the Spirit Secondly their conueyance vnto vs how we come to haue them and to haue propertie in them it is by gift is giuen to euery man Thirdly their vse and end why they were giuen vs and what we are to doe with them they must be employed to the good of our Brethren and of the Church is giuen to euery man to profit withall Of these briefely and in their order and with speciall reference euer to
the spirit as euery other sensible effect is a manifestation of its proper cause §. 9. By spirituall gifts Wee are now yet farther to know that the Gifts and graces wrought in vs by the holy spirit of God are of two sorts The Scriptures sometimes distinguish them by the different termes of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 although those words are sometimes againe vsed indifferently and promiscuously either for other They are commonly known in the Schooles and differenced by the names of a V. Aquin. 1.2 qu. 111.1 Gratiae gratum facientes and Gratiae gratis datae Which termes though they be not very proper for one of them may be affirmed of the other whereas the members of euery good distinction ought to be opposite yet because they haue beene long receiued and change of termes though happely for the better hath by experience beene found for the most part unhappy in the euent in multiplying vnnecessary booke-quarrels wee may retaine them profitably and without preiudice Those former which they call Gratum facientes are the Graces of sanctification whereby the person that hath them is enabled to doe acceptable seruice to God in the duties of his generall Calling these later which they call Gratis datas are the Graces of edification whereby the person that hath them is enabled to doe profitable seruice to the Church of God in the duties of his particular Calling Those are giuen Nobis Nobis both to vs and for vs that is b Duplex est operatio sancti spiritus operatur enim in nobis aliud propter nos aliud propter proximos Bernard in paruis Serm. 53. chiefly for our owne good these Nobis sed Nostris to vs indeed but for others that is chiefly for the good of our brethren Those are giuen vs geminae operationis experimentum Vnius qua nos primò iâ—tus virtutibus solidat ad salutem alterius qua foris quoque muneribus ornat ad lucrum Illas nobis haec nostris accepimus Bernard in Cant. Serm. 18. ad salutem for the sauing of our owne soules these ad lucrum for the winning of other mens soules Those proceed from the speciall loue of God to the Person and may therefore be called Personall or speciall these proceed from the generall loue of God to his Church or yet more generall to humane societies and may therefore be rather called Ecclesiasticall or Generall Gifts or Graces Of that first sort are Faith Hope Charity Repentance Patience Humility and all those other holy graces and a Gal. 5.22 fruites of the spirit §. 10. What is here not meant which accompany saluation Wrought by the blessed and powerfull operation of the holy Spirit of God after a most effectuall but vnconceiuable manner regenerating and renewing and seasoning and sanctifying the hearts of his Chosen But yet these are not the Gifts so much spoken of in this Chapter and namely in my Text Euery branch whereof excludeth them Of those graces of sanctification first wee may haue indeed probable inducements to perswade vs that they are or are not in this or that man But hypocrisie may make such a semblance that we may thinke wee see spirit in a man in whom yet there is nothing but flesh and infirmities may cast such a fogge that wee can discerne nothing but flesh in a man in whom yet there is spirit But the gifts here spoken of doe incurre into the senses and giue vs euident and infallible assurance of the spirit that wrought them here is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a manifestation of the spirit Againe secondly those Graces of sanctification are not communicated by distribution b 1 Cor. 7.7 Alius sic alius verò sic Faith to one Charity to another Repentance to another but where they are giuen they are giuen all at once and together as it were strung vpon one threed and linked into one chaine But the Gifts here spoken of are distributed as it were by doale and diuided seuerally as it pleased God shared out into seuerall portions and giuen to euery man some to none all for c Vers. 8. to one is giuen by the spirit the word of wisedome to another the word of knowledge c. Thirdly those Graces of sanctification though they may and ought to bee exercised to the benefit of others who by the d Math. 5.16 shining of our light and the sight of our good workes may be prouoked to glorifie God by walking in the same paths yet that is but vtilitas emergens and not finis proprius a good vse made of them vpon the bye but not the maine proper and direct end of them for which they were chiefly giuen But the Gifts here spoken of were giuen directly for this end and so intended by the giuer to be employed for the benifite of others and for the edifying of the Church they were giuen to profit withall It then remaineth §. 11. and what is to vnderstand this Text and Chapter of that other and later kinde of spirituall Gifts those Graces of Edification or Gratiae gratis datae whereby men are enabled in their seuerall Callings according to the quality and measure of the graces they haue receiued to be profitable members of the publique body either in Church or Common-wealth Vnder which appellation the very first naturall powers and faculties of the soule only excepted which flowing à principijs speciei are in all men the same and alike I comprehend all other secondary endowments and abilities whatsoeuer of the reasonable soule which are capable of the degrees of more and lesse and of better and worse together with all subsidiary helpes any way conducing to the exercise of any of them Whether they be first supernaturall graces giuen by immediate and extraordinary infusion from God such as were the gifts of tongues and of miracles and of healings and of prophecie properly so called and many other like which were frequent in the infancie of the Church and when this Epistle was written according as the necessitie of those primitiue times considered God saw it expedient for his Church Or whether they be secondly such as Philosophers call Naturall dispositions such as are promptnesse of Wit quicknesse of Conceit fastnesse of Memory clearenesse of Vnderstanding soundnesse of Iudgement readinesse of Speech and other like which flow immediately à Principijs indiuidui from the indiuiduall condition constitution and temperature of particular persons Or whether they bee thirdly such as Philosophers call Intellectuall Habits which is when those naturall dispositions are so improued and perfected by Education Art Industry Obseruation or Experience that men become thereby skilfull Linguists subtile Disputers copious Orators profound Diuines powerfull Preachers expert Lawyers Physitians Historians Statesmen Commanders Artisans or excellent in any Science Profession or Faculty whatsoeuer To which we may adde in the fourth place all outward subseruient helpes whatsoeuer which may any way further or
same fountaine the holy Spirit of God and all those distributions passe vnto vs by one and the same way of most free and liberall donation Haue all the Word of Wisdome Haue all the Word of Knowledge Haue all Faith Haue all Prophecy or any other spirituall grace No they haue not but b 1. Cor. 12.8 c. to one the Word of Wisedome the Word of Knowledge to another and to others other gifts There is both variety you see and distribution of these graces But yet there is the same Author of them and the same manner of communicating them For to one c Ibid. is giuen by the Spirit the Word of Wisedome to another the Word of Knowledge by the same Spirit and to others other graces but they are all from the same Spirit and they are all giuen And as the gifts so the offices too To that question in vers 29. d Vers. 29. Are all Apostles are all Prophets are all Teachers Answer may be made as before negatiuely No they are not but some Apostles and some Prophets and some Teachers There is the like variety and distribution as before but withal the same Doner the same donation as before For e Ephes. 4.11 he gaue some Apostles and some Prophets and some Pastors and Teachers Ephes. 4. And f 1. Cor. 12.28 God hath set some in the Church first Apostles secondarily Prophets thirdly Teachers c. beneath at vers 28. Both gifts and offices as they are à Deo for the Author so they are ex dono for the manner from God and by way of gift If we had no other the very names they carry like the superscription vpon Caesars peny were a sufficient proofe from whom wee first had them When wee call them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gratias gratis datas Gifts and Graces and Manifestations of the Spirit doe wee not by the vse of those very names confesse the receipt For what more free than gift and what lesse of debt or desert than grace Heathen men indeed called the best of their perfections 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Habits but Saint Iames hath taught Christians a fitter name for ours g Iam. 1.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gifts They saw they had them and looked no farther but we must know as that we haue them so as well how wee came by them And therefore this Apostle aboue at Chap. 4. ioyneth the hauing and the receipt together as if he would haue vs behold them vno intuitu and at once h 1 Cor. 4.7 Quid habes quod non accepisti what hast thou that thou hast not receiued §. 18. not from Nature or Desert Possibly thou wilt alledge thy excellent naturall parts these were not giuen thee but thou broughtest them into the world with thee or thou wilt vouch what thou hast attained to by art and industry and these were not giuen thee but thou hast wonne them proprio Marte and therefore well deseruest to weare them Deceiue not thy selfe it is neither so nor so Our Apostle in the place now last mentioned cutteth off all such Challenges a 1 Cor. 4.7 Quis te discreuit Who made thee to differ from another Say there were as there is not such a difference in and from Nature as thou conceiuest yet still in the last resolution there must be a receipt acknowledged for euen b cum illius fit gratiae quod creatus es Hieron Epist. 139. Attendamus gratiam Dei non solùm quâ fecit nos Auggustin in Psal. 144. Nature it selfe in the last resolution is of Grace for God gaue thee that Or say there were as there is not such a difference of desert as thou pretendest yet still that were to be acknowledged as a gift too for God gaue thee that c Deut. 8.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dictum Agamemnonis ad Achillem apud Homâ—r Illad â— power whatsoeuer it was whereby thou hast attained to whatsoeuer thou hast But the truth is the difference that is in men in regard of these gifts and abilities ariseth neither from the power of nature nor from the merit of labour otherwise than as God is pleased to vse these as second causes vnder him but it commeth meerely from the good will and pleasure of that free spirit which bloweth where and when and how he listeth d 1 Cor. 12.11 diuiding his graces to euery man seuerally as he will at the eleuenth and e Ibid. 18. as it hath pleased him at verse 18. of this Chapter Nature is a necessary agent and if not either hindered by some inferiour impediment or ouer-ruled by some higher power worketh alwayes alike and produceth the same effects in all indiuiduals of the same kinde and how is it possible shee should make a difference that knoweth none And as for Desert there is indeed no such thing and therefore it can worke nothing For can God be a debtor to any man or hath any man f Rom. 11.35 giuen to him first that it might bee recompenced him againe As a lumpe of g Esay 64.8 Clay lyeth before the Potter so is all mankinde in the hand of God The Potter at his pleasure out of that h Rom. 9.21 lumpe frameth vessels of all sorts of different shape proportion strength finenesse capacitie as he thinketh good vnto the seuerall vses for which hee intendeth them So God after the good pleasure of his owne will out of mankinde as out of an vntoward lumpe of clay all of the same price equall in nature and desert maketh vp vessels for the vse of his Sanctuary by fitting seuerall men with seuerall gifts more or lesse greater or meaner better or worse according to the difference of those offices and employments for which he intendeth them It is not the Clay but the Potter that maketh the difference there neither is it any thing in man but the Spirit of God that maketh the difference here Whatsoeuer spirituall abilities wee haue we haue them of gift and by grace The manifestation of the spirit is giuen to eueryman §. 19. Generall Inferences 1. Of thankefulnesse for those we haue A point of very fruitfull consideration for men of all form whether they bee of greater or of meaner gifts And first all of vs generally may hence take two profitable directions the one if we haue any vsefull gifts whom to thanks for them the other if we want any needfull gifts where to seeke for them Whatsoeuer manifestation of the spirit thou hast it is giuen thee and to whom can thy thankes for it be due but to the Giuer Sacrifice not to thine owne a Habaâ— â— 16 nets either of Nature of Endeuour as if these Abilities were the manifestations of thine owne spirit but enlarge thy heart to magnifie the goodnesse and bounty of him who is b Heb. 12.9 Pater spirituum the Father of the spirits of all flesh and hath wrought those graces in thee by
not any honest Minister that will pleade for him But since there is no incapacitie in a Clergy-man by reason of his spirituall Calling but he may exercise temporall Power if hee be called to it by his Prince as well as he may enioy temporall Land if he bee heire to it from his Father I see not but it behooueth vs all if we be good Subiects and sober Christians to pray that such as haue the power of Iudicature more or lesse in any kinde or degree committed vnto them may exercise that power wherewith they are entrusted with zeale and prudence and equitie rather than out of enuy at the preferment of a Church-man take vpon vs little lesse than to quarrell the discretion of our Soueraignes Phinehes though he could not challenge to execute iudgement by vertue of his Priesthood yet his Priesthood disabled him not from executing iudgement §. 14. Phinehes his fact examined That for the Person Followeth his Action and that twofold Hee stood vp Hee executed iudgement Of the former first which though I call it an Action yet is indeed a Gesture properly and not an Action But being no necessitie to binde me to strict proprietie of speech be it Action or Gesture or what else you will call it the circumstance and phrase since it seemeth to import some materiall thing may not be passed ouer without some consideration Then stood vp Phinehes Which clause may denote vnto vs eyther that extraordinary spirit whereby Phinehes was moued to doe iudgement vpon those shamelesse offenders or that forwardnesse of zeale in the heate whereof he did it or both Phinehes was indeed the High Priests sonne as we heard but yet a priuate man and no ordinarie Magistrate and what had anie priuate man to doe to draw the sword of iustice or but to sentence a malefactor to dye Or say he had been a Magistrate he ought yet to haue proceeded in a legall and iudiciall course to haue conuented the parties and when they had beene conuicted in a faire triall and by sufficient witnesse then to haue adiudged them according to the Law and not to haue come suddenly vpon them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they were acting their villanie and thrust them thorow vncondemned I haue a Serm. 2. ad Cler. § 30. elsewhere deliuered it as a collection not altogether improbable from the circumstances of the originall storie that Phinehes had warrant for this execution from the expresse command of Moses the supreme Magistrate and namely by vertue of that Proclamation whereby he authorized the b Num. 25.5 vnder-Rulers to slay euerie one his men that were ioyned vnto Baal-Peor Num. 25.5 And I since finde that coniecture confirmed by the iudgement of some learned men insomuch as an eminent Writer in our Church saith that c Hall 7. Contempl 4. by vertue of that Commission euerie Israelite was made a Magistrate for this execution But looking more neerly into the Text and considering that the Commission Moses there gaue was first onely to the Rulers and so could bee no warrant for Phinehes vnlesse hee were such a Ruler which appeareth not and secondly concerned onely those men that were vnder their seuerall gouernments and so was too short to reach Zimri who being himselfe a Prince and that of another Tribe too the Tribe of d Num. 25.14 Simeon could not be vnder the gouernement of Phinehes who was of the Tribe of Leui how probable soeuer that other collection may be yet I hold it the safer resolution which is commonly giuen by Diuines for the iustification of this fact of Phinehes that he had an extraordinarie notion and a peculiar secret instinct of the Spirit of God powerfully working in him and prompting him to this Heroicall Act. §. 15. and iustified Certainly God will not approue that worke which himselfe hath not wrought But to this Action of Phinehes God hath giuen large approbation both by staying the plague thereupon and by rewarding Phinehes with an a Num. 2◠12.13 euerlasting Priesthood therefore and by giuing expresse testimonie of his zeale and righteousnesse therein as it is said in the next verse after my Text b Psal. 106.31 And it was accounted to him for righteousnesse Which words in the iudgement of learned Expositours are not to bee vnderstood barely of the righteousnesse of Faith as it is said of Abraham that c Gen. 15.6 applied by Saint Paul Rom. 4.3 he beleeued God and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse as if the zeale of Phinehes in this act had beene a good euidence of that faith in Gods promises whereby he was iustified and his Person accepted with God though that also but they doe withall import the iustification of the Action at least thus farre that how soeuer measured by the common rules of life it might seeme an vniust action and a rash attempt at the least if not an haynous murder as being done by a priuate man without the warrant of authoritie yet was it indeed not onely in regard of the intent a zealous action as done for the honour of God but also for the ground and warrant of it as done by the speciall secret direction of Gods holy Spirit a iust and a righteous action Possibly this very word of standing vp importeth that extraordinary spirit For of those Worthies whom God at seuerall times endowed with Heroicall spirits to attempt some speciall worke for the deliuery of his Church the Scriptures vse to speake in words and phrases much like this It is often said in the booke of Iudges that God d Iud. 3.9.15 c. 2.16.18 raised vp such and such to iudge Israel and that Deborah and Iair and others e Iud. 5.7 10.1.3 c. rose vp to defend Israel that is f Iud. 3.10 the Spirit of God came vpon them as is said of Othoniel Iudg. 3. and by a secret but powerfull instinct put them vpon those braue and noble attempts they vndertooke and effected for the good of his Church Raysed by the impulsion of that powerfull spirit which g Nescit tarda molimina spiritus Sancti gratia Ambros. 2. in Luc. 3. admitteth no slow debatements Phinehes standeth vp and feeling himselfe called not to deliberate but act without casting of scruples or fore-casting of dangers or expecting commission from men when hee had his warrant sealed within he taketh his weapon dispatcheth his errant and leaueth the euent to the prouidence of God §. 16. yet not to be imitated Let no man now vnlesse hee be able to demonstrate Phinehes spirit presume to imitate his fact Those Opera liberi spiritus as Diuines call them as they proceeded from an extraordinary spirit so they were done for speciall purposes but were neuer intended either by God that inspired them or by those Worthies that did them for ordinary or generall examples The errour is dangerous from the priuiledged examples of some few exempted ones to take
liberty to transgresse the common rules of Life and of Lawes It is most true indeed the Spirit of God is a free Spirit and not tyed to strictnesse of rule nor limited by any bounds of Lawes But yet that free spirit hath astricted thee to a regular course of life and bounded thee with Lawes which if thou transgresse no pretension of the Spirit can either excuse thee from sinne or exempt thee from punishment It is not now euery way as it was before the comming of Christ and the sealing vp of the Scripture Canon God hauing now settled a perpetuall forme of gouernment in his Church and giuen vs a perfect and constant rule whereby to walke euen his holy word And wee are not therefore now vainly to expect nor boastingly to pretend a priuate spirit to lead vs against or beyond or but beside the common rule nay wee are commanded to try all pretenâ—ions of priuate spirits by that common rule a Esay 8.20 Ad legem ad testimonium to the Law and to the Testimony at this Test examine and b 1 Ioh. 4.1 try the spirits whether they are of God or no. If any thing within vs if any thing without vs exalt it selfe against the obedience of this rule it is no sweete impulsion of the holy spirit of God but a strong delusion of the lying spirit of Sathan But is not all that is written §. 17. but with limitation written for our Example or why else is Phinehes act recorded and commended if it may not bee followed First indeed S. Paul saith a Rom. 15.4 All that is written is written for our learning but Learning is one thing and Example is another and we learne something from that which we may not follow Besides there are Examples for b 1 Cor. 10.11 Admonition as well as for Imitation Malefactors at the place of execution when they wish the by-standers to take Example by them bequeath them not Imitation of their courses what to doe but Admonition from their punishments what to shunne Yea thirdly euen the commended actions of good men are not euer exemplary in the very substance of the Action it selfe but in some vertuous and gracious affections that giue life and lustre thereunto And so this act of Phinehes is imitable Not that either any priuate man should dare by his example to vsurpe the Magistrates office and to doe iustice vpon Malefactors without a Calling or that any Magistrate should dare by his Example to cut off gracelesse offenders without a due iudiciall course but that euery man who is by vertue of his Calling endewed with lawfull authority to execute iustice vpon transgressours should set himselfe to it with that stoutnesse and courage and zeale which was in Phinehes §. 18. vnto this zeale If you will needs then imitate Phinehes imitate him in that for which he is commended and rewarded by God and for which hee is renowned amongst men and that is not barely the Action the thing done but the Affection the zeale wherewith it was done For that zeale God commendeth him Num. 25. vers 11. a Num. 25.11 Phinehes the son of Eleazar the sonne of Aaron the Priest hath turned away my wrath from the children of Israel whilest he was zealous for my sake among them And for that zeale God rewardeth him Ibid. vers 13. b Ibid. 13. Hee shall haue and his seed after him the Couenant of an euerlasting Priesthood because hee was zealous for his God And for that zeale did posterity praise him the wise c Sirac 45.23 son of Sirac Eccl. 45. and good old d 1 Maccab. 2.54 Mattathias vpon his death-bed 1 Macc. 2. And may not this phrase of speech He stood vp and executed iudgement very well imply that forwardnesse and heate of zeale To my seeming it may For whereas Moses and all the Congregation sate weeping a e As. Neh. 1.4 Iob. 2.13 Psal. 137.1 Esay 47.1.8 gesture often accompanying sorrow or perhaps yet more to expresse their sorrow lay graueling vpon the Earth mourning and sorrowing for their sinne and for the Plague it could not be but the bold lewdnesse of Zimri in bringing his strumpet with such impudence before their noses must needs adde much to the griefe and bring fresh vexation to the soules of all that were righteous among them But the rest continued though with double griefe yet in the same course of humiliation and in the same posture of body as before Only Phinehes burning with an holy indignation thought it was now no time to sit still and weepe but rowzing vp himselfe and his spirits with zeale as hot as fire f Solida mente Cassiodorus Constanter Lyranus Constantiâ mentis audacia operis Ludolfus hîc Hee had zeale in the feare of the Lord and stood vp with good courage of heart Sitac 45.23 hee stood vp from the place where he was and made hast to execute iudgement Here is a rich example for all you to imitate §. 19. Manifested by executing Iudgement whom it doth concerne I speake not only nor indeed so much to you the Honourable and reuerend Iudge of this Circuit of whose zeale to doe iustice and iudgement I am by so much the better perswaded by how much the eminency of your place and the weight of your charge and the expectation of the people doth with greater importunity a Maiora populus semper à summo exigit Senec. in Octau Act. 2. exact it at your hands But I speake withall and most especially to all you that are in commission of the Peace and whose daily and continuall care it should bee to see the wholsome lawes of the Realme duly and seasonably executed Yea and to all you also that haue any office appertaining to iustice or any businesse about these Courts so as it may lie in you to giue any kinde of furtherance to the speeding either of Iustice in Ciuill or of iudgement in Criminall causes Looke vpon the zeale of Phinehes obserue what approbation it had from God what a blessing it procured to his seed after him what glorious renowne it hath wonne him with all after-ages what ease it did and what good it wrought for the present state and thinke if it bee not worthy your imitation b Gal. 4.18 It is good saith the Apostle to bee zealously affected alwayes in a good thing And is it not a good thing to doe iustice and to execute iudgement nay Religion excepted and the care of that is a branch of justice too doe you know any better thing any thing you can doe more acceptable to God more seruiceable to the State more comfortable to your owne soules If you bee called to the Magistracy it is c 3. King 10.9 your owne businesse as the proper worke of your calling and men account him no wiser than hee should be that sluggeth in his own busines or goeth heartlesly about it It is the
was threatned though not presently is yet e 4. Kin. 10.10 at last performed yet where is his Iustice the while being a f 1. Pet. 1.17 God that without respect of persons rendereth to euery man according to his own workes and will g Exod. 34.7 not acquite the guilty neither condemne the innocent thus to seuer the Guilt the Punishment and to lay the Iudgement which hee spareth from the Father vpon the Sonne from the more wicked Father vpon the lesse wicked Sonne §. 3 and Diuision of the Text. Thus God to magnifie the riches of his Mercy is content to put his Holinesse and his Truth and his Iustice to a kinde of venture That so his afflicted ones might know on what obiect especially to fasten the eies of their soules not on his Holinesse not on his Truth not on his Iustice not onely nor chiefly on these but on his Mercy Hee seeketh more generall glory in and would haue vs take more special knowledge of and affoordeth vs more singular comfort from his Mercy than any of the rest as if he desired we should esteeme him vnholy or vntrue or vniust or any thing rather than vnmercifull Yet is he neither vnholy nor vntrue nor vniust in any of his proceedings with the sons of men but a Psal 145.17 righteous in all his waies and holy in all his workes and true in all his words And in this particular of his proceedings with King Ahab at this time I hope by his blessed assistance so to acquite his Holinesse and Truth and Iustice from all sinister imputations as that hee may be not onely magnified in his mercy but iustified also in the rest and b Psal 51.4 cleare when he is iudged as we shall be thereunto occasioned now and hereafter in the handling of this Scripture Wherein are three maine things considerable First the Ground or rather the Occasion of Gods dealing so fauourably with Ahab namely Ahabs humiliation Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himselfe before me because hee humbleth himselfe before me I will not c. Secondly the great Fauour shewed to Ahab thereupon namely the suspension of a Iudgement denounced I will not bring the euill in his dayes Thirdly the Limitation of that fauour it is but a suspension for a time no vtter remoueall of the iudgement But in his sonnes dayes will I bring the euill vpon his house Wherein wee shall be occasioned to enquire how the first of these may stand with Gods Holinesse the second with his Truth the third with his Iustice. And first of Ahabs humiliation Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himselfe before mee This Ahab was King of Israel §. 4. Ahabs person considered that is King ouer those ten Tribes which reuolted from Rehoboam the sonne of Salomon and claue to Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat Search the whole sacred storie in the bookes of Kings and Chronicles and vnlesse we will be so verie charitable as notwithstanding manie strong presumptions of his Hypocrisie to exempt Iehu the sonne of Nimshi and that is but one of twentie wee shall not finde in the whole List and Catalogue of the Kings of Israel one good one that claue vnto the Lord with an vpright heart Twentie Kings of Israel and not one or but one good and yet than this Ahab of the twentie not one worse It is said in the sixteenth Chapter of this booke that a 3. King 16.30 Ahab the sonne of Omri did euill in the sight of the Lord aboue all that were before him at verse 30 at verse 33. that b Ibid. 33. he did more to prouoke the Lord God of Israel to anger than all the Kings of Israel that were before him and at verse 25. of this Chapter that c vers 25. hîc there was none like vnto Ahab which did sell himself to worke wickednesse in the sight of the Lord. An Oppressour hee was and a Murtherer and an Idolater and a Persecuter of that holy Truth which God had plentifully reuealed by his Prophets and powerfully confirmed by Miracles and mercifully declared by many gracious deliuerances euen to him in such manner as that hee could not but know it to be the Truth and therfore an Hypocrite and in all likelihoood an obstinate sinner against the holy Ghost and a Castaway §. 5. and his carriage with the Obseruations thence This is Ahab this the man But what is his carriage what doth hee hee humbleth himselfe before the Lord. Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himselfe before me The manner and occasion of his humbling is set downe a little before at verse 27. And it came to passe when Ahab heard those words the words of a vers 20. 24. hîc Eliah the Prophet dealing plainly and roundly with him for his hatefull Oppression and Murther that he rent his cloathes and put sack-cloth vpon his flesh and fasted and lay in sack-cloth and went softly And that is the humbling here spoken and allowed of and for which God here promiseth that hee will not bring the euill in his daies Lay all all this together the man and his ill conditions and his present carriage with the occasion and successe of it and it offereth three notable things to our consideration See first how farre an Hypocrite a Castaway may goe in the outward performance of holy duties and particularly in the practice of Repentance here is Ahab humbled such a man and yet so penitent See againe secondly how deepe Gods word though in the mouth but of weake instruments when he is pleased to giue strength vnto it pierceth into the consciences of obstinate sinners and bringeth the proudest of them vpon their knees in despight of their hearts here is Ahab quelled by Eliah such a great one by such a weake one See yet againe thirdly how prone God is to mercy and how ready to apprehend any aduantage as it were and occasion to shew compassion here is Ahab humbled and his iudgement adiourned such a reall substantiall fauour and yet vpon such an empty shadow of repentance Of these three at this time in their order and of the first first An Hypocrite may goe very farre in the outward performances of holy duties §. 6. Obseru 1. How far an Hypocrite may goe in the performance of holy duties For the right conceiuing of which assertion Note first that I speake not now of the common graces of Illumination and Edification and good dexterity for the practising of some particular Calling which gifts with sundrie other like are oftentimes found euen in such apparantly wicked and prophane men as haue not so much as a 2 Mim 3.5 the forme much lesse the power of godlinesse but I speake euen of those Graces which de totâ specie if they bee true and syncere are the vndoubted blessed fruites of Gods holy renewing Spirit of sanctification such as are Repentance Faith Hope Ioy Humility Patience Temperance Meekenesse Zeale Reformation c.
so to bee vnderstood All Gods promises how absolutely so euer expressed are made sub conditione Obedientiae and all his threatnings how absolutely so euer expressed sub conditione Impoenitentiae And these Conditions viz. of continuing in Obedience in all Promises and of continuing in Impenitency in all Threatnings are to be vnderstood of course whether they be expressed or not This is plaine from those two famous places before cited Ier. 18. and Ezek. 33. a Ier. 18.7.8 See Chrysost. hom 5. ad pop Antioch fuse pulchrè When I say to the wicked thou shalt surely dye if the wicked turne from his sinne c. hee shall surely liue he shall not dye Where Almighty God plainely teacheth vs that we ought so to conceiue of all his threatnings bee they neuer so peremptorily set downe as what more peremptory than this Thou shalt surely dye as that he may reserue to him a power of reuocation in case the parties threatned repent The examples make it plaine Abimelech shall dye for taking Sarah vnderstand it vnlesse he restore her Forty daies and Nineueh shal be destroyed vnderstand it with this reseruation Vnlesse they repent And so of all the rest But why is not that clause expressed then §. 11. though sometimes not expressed because it is needlesse may some demand I answer first it needeth not secondly it booteth not First it needeth not For God hauing in Ierem. 18. and Ezek. 33. and elsewhere instructed vs in the generall that all his Threatnings are to be vnderstood with such clauses and conditions and reseruations it is needlesse to repeate them in euery particular As amongst Christian men who acknowledge Gods prouidence to rule in all things and to dispose of all actions and euents it is needlesse in euery speech de futuro contingente to expresse this clause if God will wee will goe to such or such a place or doe such or such a thing if God will because wee readily conceiue it as a clause which either is or should be vnderstood in euery such speech as a Iamâ—s 4.15 S t. Iames requireth And so in many promises amongst men this clause though not expressed is yet allowed of course and to common intendement vnderstood Rebus sic stantibus things standing and continuing as now they are so as if a man make a promise absolutely without expressing that or any other like clause of Limitation or Exception if in the interim some such vnexpected accident befall as maketh that either he cannot or may not do what he promised wee may not in right reason charge such a man with breach of promise if he perform not all hee promised because the foresaid clause though not expressed is yet presumed to haue been intended by the Promiser And that Gods Threatnings as deiure they ought to be by vs when wee heare them so de facto they were vnderstood by him when he made them with a secret clause of reseruation and exception in case of Repentance appeareth by the vsuall practice of many vpon such threatnings and the vse they made of them The Nineuites when Ionah preached destruction within forty daies without any expresse clause of repentance yet vnderstood it so else had it beene in vaine for them to haue repented at all out of an hope of preuenting the iudgement by their repentance as their speeches shew they did a Ion. 3.9 For who can tell say they if God will turne and repent and turne away from his fierce anger that wee perish not The like may be said of Abimelech Hezekiah and others and of Ahab in this place Againe as it is sometimes needlesse so it is alwaies bootlesse §. 12. 2. bootlesse to expresse this clause of repentance in the threatnings of God The expressing of it can doe little good secure ones will repent neuer the sooner for it but it may doe much harm secure ones may thereby put themselues in fairer hope of forbearance and so linger their repentance till it be too late Beloued it is admirable to obserue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods gracious courses which hee vseth for the calling of men to repentance In this particularity whereof we now speak see how his a Psal. 85.10 Mercy and Truth are met together and doe most louingly embrace each other Where he spareth in the end it is most certaine he euer meant to spare b Deus perseuerauit in proposito suo misereri volens ab initio Hieronym in Ion. 3. from the beginning but that his euerlasting purpose is part of his secret counsell and vnreuealed will which as wee cannot learne so wee may not seeke to know till the euent declare it Now to bring this his secret purpose about he must worke those men to repentance whom he hath thus euerlastingly purposed to spare else his iustice should become questionable in finally sparing the impenitent Amongst other meanes to worke men to repentance this is one to c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys. hom 5. ad pop Antioch threaten them with such iudgements as their sinnes haue deserued which threatning the more terrible it is the more likely it is to be effectuall and the more peremptory it is the more terrible it is So then God to bring those men to repentance whom hee meaneth to spare in his word and by his messengers denounceth against them such iudgements as their sinnes haue deserued and as his iustice without their repentance would bring vpon them denounceth them I say absolutely and in a peremptorie forme without any expresse clause of reseruation or exception the more to terrifie and affright them and to cast them downe to the deeper acknowledgement of his iustice and their owne vnworthinesse which yet are to bee vnderstood conditionally and interpreted with reseruation and exception of Repentance §. 13. The Inferences You haue heard euidence enough to acquite Gods Truth and doe by this time I doubt not perceiue how as in all other things so in the reuoking of his threatnings Gods Mercy and his Truth goe hand in hand together Let vs now see what profitable Inferences may bee raised hence for our vse The summe of all wee haue said is but this Gods threatnings are terrible but yet conditionall and if he spare to execute them when we are humbled by them it is a glorious illustration of his Mercy but without the least impeachment of his truth Here is something for the Distressed something for the Secure something for All to learne First for the Distressed §. 14. 1. of Comfort to the distressed Consider this and take comfort all you that a Esay 61.3 mourne in Sion and groane vnder the waight of Gods heauy displeasure and the fearfull expectation of those bitter curses and iudgements which hee hath threatned against sinne Why doe you spend your strength and spirit in gazing with broad eyes altogether on Gods Iustice or Truth take them off a little and refresh them by fastening
them another while vpon his mercy Consider not only what hee threateneth but consider withall why hee threatneth it is that you may repent and withall how hee threatneth it is vnlesse you repent Hee threatneth to cast downe indeed but vnto humiliation not into despaire Hee shooteth out his arrowes euen bitter words but as b 1 Sam. 20.20.21 Ionathans arrowes for warning not for destruction Thinke not hee aymeth so much at thy punishment when he threatneth alas if that were the thing he sought hee could lay on loade enough c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost. in Gen. hom 25. Nemo punire desiderans quod facturus est comminatur Hieronym in Ion. 3. without words No it is thy amendment hee aimeth at and seeketh therein and hee therefore holdeth not his tongue that if thou wilt take it for a warning hee may hold his hand If the Father doe but threaten the childe when the rod lyeth by him it is very likely hee meaneth not to correct him for that time but only to make him the more carefull to obey and the more fearefull to offend for the time to come Canst thou thus gather hope from the chiding of thy earthly father and wilt thou finde no comfort in the chidings and threatnings of thy heauenly Father whose bowels of tender compassion to vs-ward are so much larger than any earthly Parents can be by how much himselfe the d Heb. 12.9 Father of spirits is greater than those fathers of our flesh Yea but who am I will some disconsolate soule say that I should make Gods threatnings voide or what my repentance that it should cancell the Oracles of Truth or reuerse the sentence of the eternall Iudge Poore distressed soule that thus disputest against thine owne peace but seest not the while the vnfathomed depth of Gods mercy and the wonderfull dispensations of his Truth Know that his threatnings are not made voide or of none effect when thou by thy repentance stayest the execution of them yea rather then are they of all other times most effectuall for then doe they most of all accomplish their proper end and the thing for which they were intended in thy amendment Neither let his truth make thee despaire but remember that the tenor of all his most peremptory threatnings runneth with an implicite reseruation and conditionall exception of Repentance which condition if thou on thy part faithfully performe the iudgement shall bee turned away and yet Gods Truth no whit impaired This for the Distressed §. 15. 2. of Terrour to the secure Now for the Secure Moses in Deut. 29. speaketh of a certaine a Deut. 29.18.19 roote that beareth gall and wormewood that blesseth it selfe when God curseth and standeth vnmoued when God threatneth Here is an Axe for that roote to hew it in pieces and vnlesse it b Math. 7.19 bring forth better fruite to cleane it out for the fire If there be any spriggs or spurnes of that roote here let them also consider what hath beene said and tremble Consider this I say and tremble all you that make a mocke at God and at his word and imagine that all his threatnings are but Bruta fulmina empty cracks and Powder without shot because sundry of them haue fallen to the ground and not done the hurt they made shew of But know who so euer thou art that thus abusest the Mercy and despisest the Truth of God that as his Mercy neuer did so his Truth shall neuer faile Thou saiest some of his threatnings haue done no harme I say as much too and his mercy be blessed for it but what is that to secure thee If any where Gods threatnings did no harme and wrought no destruction it was there only where they did good and wrought repentance If they haue turned thee from thy sinnes as they haue done some others there is hope thou maist turne them away from thee as some others haue done But if they haue done no good vpon thee in working thy repentance certainly they hang ouer thee to doe thee harme and to worke thy destruction Gods threatnings are in this respect as all other his words are sure and stedfast and such as c Esay 55.11 shall neuer returne voide but accomplish that for which they were sent if not the one way then without all doubt the other If they doe not humble thee they must ouerwhelme thee if they worke not thy conuersion they will thy ruine As some strong Physicke that either mendeth or endeth the Patient so are these And therefore when iudgements are denounced resolue quickly off or on Here is all the choyce that is left thee either Repent or Suffer There is a generation of men that as Moses complaineth d Deut. 29.19 when they heare the words of Gods curse blesse themselues in their hearts and say they shall haue peace though they walke in the imagination of their owne hearts that as S. Paul complaineth e Rom. 2.4 despise the riches of his goodnesse and forbearance and long-suffering not taking knowledge that the goodnesse of God would lead them to repentance that as S. Peter complaineth f 2 Pet. 3.3.4 walke after their owne lusts and scoffingly iest at Gods iudgements saying where is the promise of his comming But let such secure and carnall scoffers bee assured that howsoeuer others speed they shall neuer goe vnpunished Whatsoeuer becommeth of Gods threatnings against others certainely they shall fall heauy vpon them They that haue taught vs their conditions Moses and Paul and Peter haue taught vs also their punishments Moses telleth such a one how euer others are dealt with that yet g Deut. 29.20 the Lord will not spare him but the anger of the Lord and his iealousie shall smoake against that man and all the curses that are written in Gods booke shall light vpon him and the Lord shall blot out his name from vnder heauen S. Paul telleth such men that by despising the riches of his goodnesse and forbearance they doe but h Rom. 2.5 treasure vp vnto themselues wrath against the great day of wrath and of the reuelation of the righteous iudgement of God S. Peter telleth them howsoeuer they not only sleep but euen snort in deep security that yet i 2 Pet. 2.3 their iudgement of long time sleepeth not and their damnation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not so much as slumbereth Doe thou then take heed whosoeuer thou art whatsoeuer thou dost that thou abuse not the Mercy of God and to diuorce it from his Truth is to abuse it If when God threatneth thou layest aside his Truth presumest on his bare Mercy when he punisheth take heed he doe not cry quittance with thee by laying aside his Mercy and manifesting his bare Truth God is k Psal. 145.8 patient and mercifull Patience will beare much Mercy forbeare much but being scorned and prouoked dared l Furor sit laese saepius patientia Patience it selfe
turneth furious and Mercy it selfe cruell It is Mercy that threatneth it is Iustice that punisheth Mercy hath the first turne and if by Faith and Repentance we lay timely hold of it we may keepe it for euer and reuenging Iustice shall haue nothing to doe with vs. But if carelesse and secure we slip the opportunity and neglect the time of Mercy the next turne belongeth to Iustice which will render iudgement without Mercy to them that forgat God and despised his Mercy That for the Secure Now thirdly and generally for All. §. 16. 3. of instruction to All. What God hath ioyned together let no man put asunder God hath purposely in his threats ioyned and tempered Mercy and Truth together that wee might take them together and profit by them together a Auson Epigr 10. Diuidat haec siquis faciunt discreta venenum Antidotum sumet qui sociata bibet as hee spake of the two poysons Either of these single though not through any malignant quality in themselues God forbid wee should thinke so yet through the corrupt temperature of our soules becommeth ranke and deadly poyson to vs. Take Mercy without Truth as a cold Poyson it benummeth vs and maketh vs stupid with carelesse security Take Truth without Mercy as an hot poyson it scaldeth vs and scortcheth vs in the flames of restlesse Despaire Take both together and mixe them well as hot and cold poysons fitly tempered by the skill of the Apothecarie become medicinable so are Gods Mercy and Truth restoratiue to the soule The consideration of his Truth humbleth vs without it wee would be fearelesse the consideration of his Mercy supporteth vs without it wee would bee hopelesse Truth begetteth Feare and Repentance Mercy Faith and Hope and these two Faith and Repentance keepe the soule euen and vpright and steddy as the ballast and sayle doe the ship that for all the rough waues and weather that encountereth her in the troublesome sea of this World shee miscarryeth not but arriueth safe and ioyfull in the hauen where shee would be Faith without Repentance is not Faith but Presumption like a Ship all sayle and no ballast that tippeth ouer with euery blast and Repentance without Faith is not Repentance but Despaire like a Ship all ballast and no sayle which sinketh with her owne weight What is it then that wee are to doe to turne away Gods wrath from vs and to escape the iudgements he threatneth against vs Euen this As in his Comminations hee ioyneth Mercy and Truth together so are wee in our Humiliations to ioyne Faith and Repentance together His threatnings are true let vs not presume of forbearance but feare since hee hath threatned that vnlesse we repent he will strike vs. Yet his threatnings are but conditionall let vs not despaire of forbearance but hope although hee hath threatned that yet if wee repent he will spare vs. That is the course which the godly guided by the direction of his holy Spirit haue euer truely and sincerely held and found it euer comfortable to assure them of sound peace and reconciliation with God That is the course which the very Hypocrites from the suggestion of naturall conscience haue sometimes offered at as farre as Nature enlightened but vnrenewed could leade them and found it effectuall to procure them at the least some forbearance of threatned iudgements or abatement of temporall euills from God Thus haue you heard three Vses made §. 17. The Promises of God how to be vnderstood of Gods Mercy in reuoking ioyned with his Truth in performing what he threatneth One to cheare vp the distressed that hee despaire not when God threatneth another to shake vp the secure that hee despise not when God threatneth a third to quicken vp all that they beleeue and repent when God threatneth There is yet another generall Vse to be made hereof which though it bee not proper to the present argument yet I cannot willingly passe without a little touching at it and that is to instruct vs for the vnderstanding of Gods promises For contraries as Promises and Threatnings are being of the like kinde and reason either with other doe mutually giue and take light either to and from other Gods threatnings are true and stedfast his Promises are so too a Tit. 1.2 promisit qui non mentitur Deus which God that cannot lye hath promised saith the Apostle in one place and in another b 2 Cor. 1.20 All the promises of God are Yea and Amen and where in a third place hee speaketh of c Heb. 6.18 two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lye his Promise one of those two The Promises then of God are true as his Threatnings are Now looke on those Threatnings againe which wee haue already found to be true but withall Conditionall and such as must be euer vnderstood with a clause of reseruation or exception It is so also in the Promises of God they are true but yet conditionall and so they must euer be vnderstood with a conditionall clause The exception there to be vnderstood is Repentance and the Condition here Obedience What God threatneth to doe vnto vs absolutely in words the meaning is hee will doe it vnlesse wee repent and amend and what hee promiseth to doe for vs absolutely in words the meaning is he will doe it if wee beleeue and obey And for so much as this clause is to bee vnderstood of course in all Gods promises we may not charge him with breach of Promise though after hee doe not really performe that to vs which the letter of his promise did import if we breake the condition and obey not §. 18. and entertained Wouldest thou know then how thou art to entertaine Gods promises with what assurance to expect them I answer with a confident and obedient heart Confident because hee is true that hath promised Obedient because that is the condition vnder which hee hath promised Here is a curbe then for those mens presumption who liuing in sinne and continuing in disobedience dare yet lay claime to the good Promises of God If such men euer had any seeming interest in Gods Promises the interest they had they had but by contract and couenant and that couenant whether either of the two it was Law or Gospell it was conditionall The couenant of the Law wholly and à Priori conditionall a Luk. 10.28 Hoc fac viues Doe this and Liue the Couenant of the Gospel too after a sort and à Posteriori Conditionall Crede Vines Belieue and Liue. If then they haue broken the conditions of both couenants and doe neither Beleeue nor Doe what is required they haue by their Vnbeliefe and Disobedience forfeited all that seeming interest they had in those Promises Gods Promises then though they be the very maine supporters of our Christian Faith and Hope to as many of vs as whose consciences can witnesse vnto vs a sincere
ends and Dauids children c 2 Sam. 13.29 Ammon and d 2 Sam. 18.15 Absalon and the e Num. 16.37.33 little ones of Dathan and Abiram and others Some haue had losses and reproaches and manifold other distresses and afflictions in sundry kindes too long to rehearse And all these temporall iudgements their fathers sinnes might bring vpon them euen as the faith and vertues and other graces of the fathers doe sometimes conueigh temporall blessings to their posterity So Ierusalem was saued in the siege by Sonacherib for f Esay 37.35 Dauids sake many yeares after his death Esay 37.35 And the succession of the Crowne of Israel continued in the line of g 4 King 10.30 Iehu for foure descents for the zeale that hee shewed against the worshippers of Baal and the house of Ahab So then men may fare the better and so they may fare the worse too for the vertues or vices of their Ancestors Outwardly and temporally they may but spiritually and eternally they cannot For as neuer yet any man went to heauen for his fathers goodnesse so neither to hell for his fathers wickednesse §. 13. An Obiection with the first If it be obiected that for any people or person to suffer a a Amos 8.11 famine of the word of God to bee depriued of the vse and benefit of the sacred and sauing ordinances of God to be left in vtter darkenesse without the least glimpse of the glorious light of the Gospell of God without which ordinarily there can be no knowledge of Christ nor meanes of Faith nor possibility of Saluation to be thus visited is more than a temporall punishment and yet this kinde of spirituall iudgement doth sometimes light vpon a Nation or people for the vnbeliefe and vnthankfulnesse and impenitencie and contempt of their Progenitors whilest they had the light and that therefore the Children for the Parents and Posterity for their Ancestrie are punished not only with temporall but euen with spirituall iudgements also If any shall thus obiect one of these two answers may satisfie them First if it should bee granted the want of the Gospell to be properly a spirituall iudgement yet it would not follow that one man were punished spiritually for the fault of another For betwixt priuate persons and publike societies there is this difference that in priuate persons euery succession maketh a change so that when the father dyeth and the sonne commeth after him there is not now the same person that was before but another but in Cities and Countries and Kingdomes and all publike societies succession maketh no change so that when b Eccles. 1.4 one generation passeth and another commeth after it there is not another City or Nation or People than there was before but the same If then the people of the same land should in this generation bee visited with any such spirituall iudgement as is the remoueall of their Candlesticke and the want of the Gospell for the sinnes and impieties of their Ancestors in some former generations yet this ought no more to bee accounted the punishment of one for another than it ought to be accounted the punishing of one for another to punish a man in his old age for the sinnes of his youth For as the body of a man though the primitiue moysture bee continually spending and wasting therein and that decay bee still repayred by a daily supply of new and alimentall moysture is yet truely the same Body and as a Riuer fed with a liuing spring though the water that is in the channell be continually running out and other water freshly succeeding in the place and roome thereof is truely the same Riuer so a Nation or People though one generation is euer passing away and another comming on is yet truely the same Nation or People after an hundred or a thousand yeares which it was before §. 14. and second answer thereunto Againe secondly the want of the Gospell is not properly a spirituall but rather a temporall punishment Wee call it indeed sometimes a spirituall Iudgement as wee doe the free vse of it a spirituall Blessing because the Gospell was written for and reuealed vnto the Church by the spirit of God and also because it is the holy ordinance of God and the proper instrument whereby ordinarily the spirituall life of Faith and of Grace is conueighed into our soules But yet properly and primarily those only are a Epli. 1.3 spirituall blessings which are immediately wrought in the soule by the spirit of God and can neuer be lost where they are once placed and are proper and peculiar to those that are borne againe of the spirit and all those on the contrary which may bee subiect to decay or are common to the reprobate with the elect or may turne to the hurt of the receiuer are to be esteemed temporall blessings and not spirituall And such a blessing is the outward partaking of the word and ordinances of God the want thereof therefore consequently is to be esteemed a temporall iudgement rather than spirituall So that notwithstanding this instance still the former consideration holdeth good that God sometimes visiteth the sinnes of the fathers vpon the children with outward and temporall but neuer with spirituall and eternall punishments Now if there could no more bee said to this doubt but only this it were sufficient to cleere Gods Iustice since wee haue beene already instructed that these temporall iudgements are not alwayes properly and formally the punishments of sinne §. 15. Temporall euils of children though not properly For as outward blessings are indeed no true blessings properly because Wicked men haue their portion in them as well as the Godly and they may turne and often do to the greater hurt of the soule and so become rather Punishments than Blessings so to the contrary outward punishments are no true punishments properly because the Godly haue their share in them as deepe as the Wicked and they may turne and often doe to the greater good of the soule and so become rather Blessings than Punishments If it be yet said But why then doth God threaten them as Punishments §. 16. are yet after a sort punishments to the Fathers and how if they be not so I answer First because they seeme to be punishments and are by most men so accounted for their grieuousnesse though they bee not properly such in themselues Secondly from the common euent because vt plurimùm and for the most part they proue punishments to the sufferer in case hee bee not bettered as well as grieued by them Thirdly because they are indeed a kinde of punishment though not then deserued but formerly Fourthly and most to the present purpose because not seldome the a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys. in Gen. hom 29. Filij bona valetudo felicitas patrimonium pertiâ—et ad patrem Felicior futurus si saluum habuerit filium infelicioâ— si amiserit Senec. 5. de
Doctors and his Proctors and his Aduocates leaue him For can it possibly enter into any reasonable mans head to thinke that a man should be borne for nothing else but to tell out money and take in paper which if a man had manie millions of gold and siluer could take vp but a small portion of that precious time which God would haue spent in some honest and fruitfull emploiment But what doe I speake of the iudgement of reasonable men in so plaine a matter wherein I dare appeale to the conscience euen of the Vsurer himselfe and it had neede bee a very plaine matter that a man would referre to the conscience of an Vsurer No honest man neede be c Pernagatissimus ille versus qui vetat Artem pudere proloqui quam fâ—ctites Cic. in Orator ashamed of an honest Calling if then the Vsurers Calling be such what need hee care who knoweth it or why should he shame with it If that be his trade why doth hee not in his Bills and Bonds and Nouerints make it knowne to all men by those presents that he is an Vsurer rather than write himselfe Gentleman or Yeoman or by some other stile But say yet our Vsurer should escape at least in the iudgement of his owne hardened conscience from both these Rules as from the sword of Iehu and Hazael there is yet a third Rule like the sword of Elisha to strike him stond dead and he shall neuer be able to escape that Let him shew wherein his Calling is profitable to humane society Hee keepeth no hospitalitie if he haue but a barr'd chest a strong lock to keepe his god and his scriptures his Mammon and his Parchments in hee hath house-roome enough He fleeceth many but cloatheth none He biteth and deuoureth but eateth all his morsels alone He giueth not so much as a crumme no not to his dearest Broker or Scriuener onely where he biteth he alloweth them to scratch what they can for themselues The King the Church the Poore are all wronged by him and so are all that liue neere him in euery common charge hee slippeth the collar and leaueth the burden vpon those that are lesse able It were not possible Vsurers should be so bitterly inueighed against by sober heathen Writers so seuerely censured by the Ciuill and Canon Lawes so vniformly condemned by godly Fathers and Councells so vniuersally d Ier. 15.10 hated by all men of all sorts and in all ages and countries as Histories and experience manifest they euer haue been and are if their Practice and Calling had been any way profitable and not indeed euery way hurtfull and incommodious both to priuate men and publike societies If anie thing can make a Calling vnlawfull certainly the Vsurers Calling cannot be lawfull §. 32. Enquiries concerning our selues Our first care past which concerneth the Calling it selfe our next care in our choyce must be to enquire into Our selues what Calling is most fit for vs and wee for it Wherein our Enquirie must rest especially vpon three things our Inclination our Gifts and our Education Concerning which let this be the first Rule Where these three concurre vpon one and the same Calling our consciences may rest assured that that Calling is fit for vs and we ought so farre as it lieth in our power to resolue to follow that This Rule if wel obserued is of singular vse for the settling of their consciences who are scrupulous doubtfull concerning their inward Calling to anie office or imployment Diuines teach it commonly and that truly that euerie man should haue an inward Calling from God for his particular course of life and this in the calling of the Ministerie is by so much more requisite than in most other callings by how much the businesse of it is more weighty than theirs as of things more immediately belonging vnto God Whence it is that in our Church none are admitted into holy Orders vntill they haue personally and expresly made profession before the Bishop that they find themselues a Book of ordering c. inwardly called moued thereunto But because what that inward calling is how it should be discerned is a thing not so distinctly declared and vnderstood generally as it should be it often falleth out that men are distressed in conscience with doubts scruples in this case whilest they desire to bee assured of their inward calling and know not how Wee are to know therefore that to this inward calling there is not of necessity required anie inward secret sensible testimony of Gods blessed sanctifying Spirit to a mans soule for then an vnsanctified man could not be rightly called neither yet any strong working of the Spirit of Illumination for then a meere heathen man could not bee rightly called both which consequents are false For b 1. Sam. 10.24 Saul and c Ioh. 6.70 Iudas were called the one to the Kingdome the other to the Apostleship of whom it is certain the one was not and it is not likely the other was endued with the holy Spirit of Sanctification And many heathen men haue beene called to seuerall emploiments wherein they haue also laboured with much profit to their owne and succeeding times who in all probability neuer had any other inward motion than what might arise from some or all of these three things now specified viz. the Inclination of their nature their personall Abilities and the care of Education If it shall please God to affoord any of vs any farther gracious assurance than these can giue vs by some extraordinarie worke of his Spirit within vs we are to embrace it with ioy and thankfulnesse as a speciall fauour but wee are not to suspend our resolutions for the choice of a course in expectation of that extraordinary assurance since wee may receiue comfortable satisfaction to our soules without it by these ordinary meanes now mentioned For who need be scrupulous where all these concurre Thy parents haue from thy childhood destinated thee to some special course admit the Ministery and beene at the care and charge to breed thee vp in learning to make thee in some measure fit for it when thou art growne to some maturity of yeares and discretion thou findest in thy selfe a kinde of desire to bee doing some thing that way in thy priuate study by way of tryall and withall some measure of knowledge discretion and vtterance though perhaps not in such an eminent degree as thou couldest wish yet in such a competency as thou maist reasonably perswade thy selfe thou mightest thereby be able with his blessing to doe some good to Gods people and not bee altogether vnprofitable in the Ministery In this so happy concurrence of Propension Abilities and Education make no farther enquiry doubt not of thine inward Calling Tender thy selfe to those that haue the power of Admission for thy outward Calling which once obtained thou are certainly in thine owne proper Course Vp and be doing for the