THis Psalme stands first in order, and for the matter, it well deserues to stand first. Venerable Bede giues the reason, Hic Psal­mus fine titulo, quia ipse est titulus; this Psalme hath no inscription, because it selfe is an inscription, it containes the argument of all the other Psalmes, and if of all the Psalmes, then of all the Bible, know them and know all: yea know all in the best manner, Non Theoreticè sed Practicè: we may behold therein Man as a liuing Bible, the Man Christ exactly, of whom not a few of the Psalmes entreate, and other men proportionably, whose affections are here limmed and de­scribed, be they good or bad.

The diuision then of this Psalme, is the same with that of the whole Bible: in both wee must obserue a Couenant, and Parties thereunto: the Parties are God and Man, Man is remembred in the entrance, Blessed is the man, God in the close of the Psalme, The Lord knoweth the way of the righteous, &c.

The Couenant stands in their mutuall stipulation: Man vowes, a Duetie: God promiseth a Reward.

Touching the first partie to the Couenant, and his Vow, wee must more distinctly obserue, Who this partie is, and what he vowes. The [Page 2]Partie is Ha [...]ish, Vir ille, That man, each word will yeeld his note. First, that the Partie to the Couenant is man; and secondly, that he is more than an ordinarie man.

As for his vow, it consists of two parts, an Abrenunciation of that corrupt state, wherein he liues by nature, and a dedication of himselfe to a better state, whereunto he is called by Grace.

But these parts must bee considered first ioyntly, in regard of their number and order: we must see, why they are in number two, and then how those two are digested: hauing thus considered them ioyntly, wee must looke into them seuerally, we must looke into the nature of each of them apart; and then in the Abrenunciation we shall finde From what, and How farre we must be seuered: will you know From what? the text will tell you, that wheras there are Sinners, and Sinnes, we must be seue­red not from the Sinners, but the Sinnes; not from the vngodly, sin­ners, and scorners, but from their counsell, way, and chaire.

Secondly of sinne, you shall finde here the seed and the fruit, from which you must be seuered: the seed is the counsell of the vngodly; that is it, which is sowen in our inward man, and comprehends the solicitation vnto sinne, from which spring two euill fruits, which shoot forth in our outward man; The way of sinners is the first, which is our falling to an ill course of life: the second, which is worst, is the Chaire of the Scorner, our becomming ring-leaders vnto others, both to doe ill, and also to vi­lifie what is good. This is that from which we must be seuered.

But how farre? our first care must be to withstand the first offer of sin; we must not meddle with the seed thereof; Not walke in the counsell of the wicked. We should estrange our selues so farre; but if haply we haue not beene so watchfull, as to auoyd the seed, yet we must be carefull not to bring forth the fruit thereof: not the first fruit, wee may not apply our selues to a wicked course, stand in the way of sinners; at least take heed of the second Fruit, of professing the art of sinning, to the reproach of vertue, which is, a sitting in the seat of the scorners: this is the Serpents method to draw vs to the height of sinne, from whence wee must take the measure of our care in preseruing our selues therefrom. And this is the first branch of that Vow, which we made in Baptisme, and I called it Abrenunciation, according to the ancient phrase of the Church.

The second part of our Vow is our Dedication; when we haue really shaken off this corrupt course, we must betake our selues vnto a better. We are taught here, what it is, and How long it must continue: It stands in two points, the first of which is the entertainment, that we must giue vnto Gods Law; that must be acceptable to our inward man, Our delight must be in the Law of the Lord: the second is our employment answera­ble thereunto; the benefit thereof must redound to the whole man, the whole must meditate vpon that Law.

But how long? surely God will not be serued by fits, we must perse­uere in this deuotion Day and Night, that must be the terme of our Medi­tation; neither onely of our Meditation, but of our Delight also; yea, this continuance of time, though annext vnto the last, must be vnder­stood [Page 3]in all the former clauses; for the latter doth alwayes presuppose the former: we cannot meditate, except we delight, neither can wee de­light, as we ought in the Law, except we seuer our selues so farre as is re­quired from Communion with sinners; therefore wee must be constant in all.

To begin then, wee are first to see the first Partie to the Couenant, which is set downe in two words, Vir ille, That man: it is a Man, and, yet such an one, as is more than ordinarie.

Man is a terme, which though it properly note one sex, yet vsually it includes both: and why? Man is the Head of the woman, therfore vsually where he is mentioned, shee is included; the Cinilians obserue it in the Law, and so doe the Diuines on the Scripture. Certainely the Fathers thought it worth their noting vpon this place: And it is well they did note it, for some Schoole Diuines haue beene so ill catechized, A [...]u [...]en [...]s in c. p 5. Mattha [...] as that they haue questioned the womans interest in this Couenant, forgetting the Text of Saint Paul, that In Iesus Christ there is neither male nor female: Gal. 3.28. what therefore is spoken to man, the woman also must take vnto her selfe.

Secondly, as there is no sex excluded, no more is there any kindred; for in Christ there is neither Iew, nor Greeke; therefore is the Partie set downe in a name, that signifies all mankinde; to signifie, that all man­kinde are included in this Couenant. And indeed it was entred into with Adam in Paradise; therefore it concernes all his posteritie: As the Sun in the firmament, so the Sonne of righteousnesse is common vnto all: I say hath made a whole Chapter of it, Cap. 56. Let not the sonne of the stran­ger, that hath ioyned himselfe vnto the Lord, speake, saying, The Lord hath vtterly separated me from his people: Neither let the Eunuch say, behold I am a dry tree; the Prophet goeth on, and reports the interest which God giues to each of them in his Couenant. Saint Peter, Acts 10. Vos. 3 [...]. hauing first re­ceiued it in a vision, deliuers it afterwards in a Maxime, Of a truth I per­ceiue, that there is no respect of persons with God: wherefore then, if any man be excluded, it is because he excludes himselfe.

And indeed, there are too many which exclude themselues, and though all may, yet few doe partake of this Couenant: and therefore the Psal­mist doth not onely name a Man, but that Man is Ish, which vsually notes some great man, especially with this Emphasis Ha-ish; if the per­son be so noted, sure it is some extraordinarie Man. And verily whereas all the world lyeth drowned as it were in wickednesse, Psal. 14.2, 3▪ so that The Lord lookes downe from heauen and cannot see any one that doth good, no not one; Gen. 6.17. Psal. 12. Mi [...]. 7.2.and all flesh hath corrupted his way, so that the Psalmist cryes out, Helpe Lord, for there is not one godly man left; there must needs bee somewhat more than ordinarie in him, which is not led away with the errour of the wicked, seeing they are so many, but striues to enter in at the straight gate, and to goe a way that is so narrow: to be as Noah in the old world, as Lot in Sodom, as Eliah in Israel, is a rare thing, and therefore de­serues a marke of raritie; the Person deserues not onely to bee called a Man, but That man by an Excellencie, and wee must hold this rule, [Page 4]that though it may bee, yet it is not a common thing to bee a Partie to this Couenant: therefore we must thinke it worth our paines to affect it, seeing wee receiue so honourable a title, for our right in it.

The Fathers go one step farther, and apprehend in this title Hominem Dominicum (as Saint Austin speakes) our Sauiour Iesus Christ. And no maruell; for though the first Couenant were entred into immediately with a meere man, yet because hee forfeited, and failed to performe his part of the contract, God in the renuing of it prouided better for vs, and entred into the second Couenant immediately with him, that is both God and Man, and so, that by him, as the Head, it should be communicated to the Church, which is his bodie: and who dare assume to bee a Partie to this Couenant but Christ, and those whom he will enable thereunto? we may not presume of this honour, except we deriue it from him; for though it be a point of great dignitie, yet is it a point of great difficultie also, as you will perceiue when we haue vnfolded the Vow. Let vs come then vnto it.

I told you it consists of two parts, which we must consider, first, ioynt­ly, and then seuerally: in the ioynt consideration of them, we must con­sider, first their number; they are two, they must needs be so many, since the Fall, before, one was enough. While we had the Image of God, we had nothing to doe, but to dedicate our selues to him, but now that I­mage is lost, wee haue more to doe, wee must not onely put on the new, but also put off the old man: Gen. 3.15. those words of God, I will set enmitie be­tweene the Serpent and the Woman, her seed, and his, imply, that there must be a separation betweene His, and those that are not His: and this hee discouered immediately after Adam had children, in the separation of Abel from Cain; in whom Saint Austin layeth the foundation of the two Cities, the Citie of God, and the Citie of the Deuill; which is true con­cerning so much of it, as hath a foundation in man, although it began before, in regard of the Angels, which before the fall of Adam were ran­ged into good and bad: After Abel, and Cain, God continued the sepa­ration in the posteritie of Seth, and Cain, in the posteritie of Noah, of A­braham, 2. Cor. 6.14. of Isaac, of Iacob, &c. Saint Paul giues the rule, No communion betweene light, and darknesse, righteousnesse, and vnrighteousnesse, &c.

As this number of parts is required, so must we take them in their or­der: and the naturall order is here set downe in my Text; we must be­gin at the Abrenuntiation. The Law for the most part is deliuered in ne­gatiue Commandements, which speake to vs, as we are in the state of corruption, from which wee must be cleansed, before we can make any vse of the affirmatiue, and haue our part in sanctification. Learne of our bodies, how wee must deale with our soules; corrupt humours must be purged, before good nourishment be administred, otherwise, the peccant humours will corrupt good nourishment: Cap. 10. vers. 12. Hosea teacheth it by another Similie, bidding vs to plow vp the fallow grounds of our hearts, and not sow amongst thornes: good husbands know, that except the plow doe first weed the ground, the weeds will choake the good seed that is sowne therein: and surely the reason, why men profit so little at the Church is, [Page 5]because they are not by Abrenuntiation prepared for their dedication.

But enough of the parts of our Vow, as they are considered ioyntly; let vs now come to take them asunder, and looke into the nature of each of them apart; and first of our Abrenunciation; wherein wee shall learne, From what, and How farre we must be seuered. There are Sinnes and Sinners, both exprest in my Text; the Sinners in three seuerall names, whereof the learned giue diuers significations, wherein they doe rather follow the translations, than the originall words; but the best ex­position of these names is, that which we sinde in the description of their Sinnes: The first is Rashang, which is a tumultuous, or an vnquiet per­son, whose Sin is; Ambulare in consilio: who is more vnquiet than hee that is vnresolued? The second is Chataim, from Chata, which signifieth one that shoots, but cleane besides the marke; and his Sinne is, Stare in viâ, looke where his arrow pitcheth, there to take vp his stand, and to resolue vpon that course. The third is Letz, a craftie Scorner; and the definition of his Sinne is, to sit downe in a chaire, to be a publike professor of sinne, with the disgrace of godlinesse.

As we must marke this distinction of the Sinners, so must we also the specious titles that are giuen to their Sinnes, Counsell, Way, Chaire; good names, but ill applyed: Counsell is necessarie to guide vs in our course; but not the Counsell of the vngodly: wee are all commanded to goe a Way, but it must not be the way of Sinners; and a Chaire is a seat of ho­nour, but not if it be the seat of the Scorner: That wee be not abused by the outside, we must looke into the inside of a temptation; adde Vngod­ly vnto Counsell, Sinner vnto Way, Scorner to the Chaire, and then we shall see, that there is reason, why wee should bee separated from these; and we shall not be ouer-reached by wolues in sheepes clothing.

But mark; whereas you haue heard of Sinners & Sin, the persons & their ill qualities, we are not willed to be separated from their persons, but from their ill qualities, not from the Vngodly, but from his counsel, not from the Sinner, but from his Way, not from the Scorner, but from his Chaire; we must goe out of the world, if we will be separated from their persons; but from their qualities wee may bee separated, and yet conuerse with them: onely when publike authoritie commands, whether Ecclesiasti­call or Ciuill, we must separate our selues from the persons also, not only from the sinnes of men. The children of God are compared to light, and during the time of their spirituall warfare, they must shew them­selues like vnto light: Light shines in the aire, and on the earth, and yet contracts no contagious qualitie from the one, or the other: so should the children of God doe; and as Christ tels them, they must be, though in the world, yet not of the world: yea, as the light doth discouer, Iohn 17. and correct the malignant qualities of the aire, and the earth, remaining it selfe vnalterable: so must not we be the worse for the world, rather, the world should be the better for vs.

But let vs looke a little farther into these things, from which wee must be separated, and then we shall finde here the seed, and the fruit of Sin; the seed, that is, the Counsell of the wicked, by that they seeke to worke [Page 6]vpon our inward man, and frame that, and worke it vnto sinne, by que­stioning the truth wherein it is setled. Eccles. 7.20. God (saith the Preacher) made man right, that is, set him in the right way, and set him vpright in his way, But man sought out many inuentions: what those inuentions were, Salomon in that Booke expresseth in his owne person, where he sheweth, that he was Ambulans in Consilio, he tooke a taste of all courses, but could rest vpon none of them: Cap. 5 [...]. vers. 20. the Prophet Esay compares wicked men to the restlesse seas, Cap. 1 [...]. c. 8. Saint Iames saith, that they are [...], men that can no where take sure footing: And how should they, that haue left a rocke to walke vpon the sands? Vers. 13. Saint Iude calleth them wandring starres, and indeed nothing can better resemble them then a Planet, who is sometime in coniunction with one star, and somtime with another, and varieth ac­cording to his coniunction: and the world is at this day ful of these wal­kers in Counsell,2. Tim. 4.3. 2. Tim. 3.7.persons hauing itching eares, who are euer learning, and neuer come to the knowledge of the truth: And this breeds so many Sects in the world, wherewith our Church, as others, hath beene, and is not a little disquieted.

And yet mistake not, I fauour not the blinde obedience, or implicite faith, where vnto the Church of Rome enthrals the consciences of her followers, and makes them seale their Vow of obstinacie, with the most sacred obligations of Oathes and Sacraments: whereupon our Recu­sants are become like deafe Adders, Psal. 58.4, 5.that stop their eares, and wil not heare the Charmer, charme hee neuer so wisely: did wee teach any other doctrine then that which God first deliuered in Paradise, and hath since vnfolded by his Prophets and Apostles, from whence the world degenerated, and whereunto we recall it, they did well to stop their eares, as our people shall doe well to stop their eares against them; because they draw not vnto God, but from him: but it is one thing to forbid irresolutenesse, when a man is assured of Gods will warranted by his Word, such as was in Eue, Gen. 3. Gen. 6. when she conferred with the Serpent; and the Sonnes of God, when they would needs be acquainted with the daughters of men: and in the Israelites, when they would learne the manners of other nations: another thing to forbid that irresolutenesse which was in Nicodemus, Na­thaniel, in Gamaliel, when they began to stagger, and could not presently resolue, whither that they were with others to oppose Christ, or else leaue their former course, and become the Disciples of Christ; neither of those courses being at the first assured to their consciences. The Papists for­bid this latter irresolutenesse, when neither way is knowne to be right, which irresolutenesse causeth a man to enquire, and finde out that which is right; we forbid the former irresolutenesse, where one way is knowne to be right, the other to be wrong; which will bring a man from a sound resolution, to an irresolution: Certainely, if we doe so walke in Counsell, we haue receiued the seed of sinne.

Our lesson then must be this: When God hath set vs in a right way, neuer to aduise, whether it bee good to take another way: if wee doe, then this ill seed of bad counsell sowen in the inward man, will fructifie and shoot forth in the outward man, Corrumpunt bonos mores colloquia [Page 7]praua, Ill counsell will corrupt good manners; He that takes this kinde of counsell, when he comes to resolue, resolues commonly vpon the worse, he will not stand in the right way, though hee will stand in a way: so it befell Rehoboam; he heard the Ancients, and hee heard the Youths, 1. Kings 12 hee that had so little wit, as to heare both, had so bad a will as to follow the worse, the like befell Ahab, 1. Kings 2 [...]. who was contented to heare as well the true Prophet as the false, concerning his iourney to Ramoth Gilead; but when he came to resolue, he gaue more credit to the false, than to the true; the verie same befell the Iewes, deliberating what way to take, Ierem. 42. whether to goe into Aegypt, or abide in Iudea; they asked Ieremie, hee aduised them to abide in Iudea, and that it was Gods will they should doe so: they aske others, they aduise them to goe into Aegypt, Ierem. 43. and with contempt of Gods pleasure they obstinately did so.

But why doe I seeke for proofe to these stories? Looke to the first de­liberation, that is of record, that of Eue with the Serpent, and iudge ther­by how dangerous it is at all to deliberate in such a case: that first delibe­ration hath giuen vs a wofull proofe, that he that doth, Ambulare in Consilio improborum, will stare in viâ peccatorum: Saint Paul hath a rule, Rom. 1.21. Rom. 1. that it is too naturall for men to bee vaine in these Dialogismes: our foolish heart will be darkned, and when we striue to be most wise, we shall prooue most sottish; well may we stand in a Way, to make some tri­all of the Counsell that is giuen vs, but it is more then likely, that our Way will be the way of sinners.

And it were well, if we bore only this fruit; there is yet a much worse, which is the Sitting downe in the seate of the scorners: When the heart becommeth so corrupt, that it depraueth the principles of Conscience, and our iudgement is so peruerted, that we speake good of euill, and euill of good, call darknesse light, and light darknesse, then wee are come so farre, as to beare this second ill fruit.

But the phrase imports two things: By Sitting in the Chaire, it is meant, that men proceede so sarre in Sinne, that they become Doctors of it, and the Chaire of scorners shewes, that they scoffe all that are opposite to it: Touching the first, we must note, that a sinner desireth not to bee single, but as good things haue semen in speciem suam, a seede for the multiplication of their kind; so haue euill also: The Serpent drew into his companie Eue, & Eue Adam, the daughters of men corrupted the sonnes of God, yea whatsoeuer sinne a man is giuen vnto, hee desireth compa­nie, A Theise, Prou. 1. an Adultresse, Prou. 7. Idolaters, Num. 25. The same may be obserued in others: Sinners are ambitious to be teachers of their Sinne; neither onely teachers of sinne, but also mockers of godli­nesse, so Ismael dealt with Isaac, the Israelites with the Prophets, Gen. 21. 2. Chron. 36 the Scribes and Pharisees with Christ: Saint Iude by a generall name calleth wicked men Mockers, and hardly will he forbeare to scoffe at godlinesse, Vers. 18. that vndertakes to be an Aduocate of Sinne; for whereas they are not a­ble to resist the strength of the apparent grounds of pietie and truth, they find, that the best way to entertaine the fauourable opinion of ignorant people, towards them that are bad, is to vilifie those that vndertake the [Page 8]defence of that which is good: This hath beene alwayes the practice of the enemies of the Church, whether Infidels or Hereticks, as appeares by the Ecclesiasticall Storie; and at this day the Romanists vse the very same method, who spend more Bookes in reproaching their Aduersaries per­sons, then in refuting of their Arguments, and thriue better by this indi­rect course, then they could by any that is direct.

You haue heard from what we must be separated, It remaines that now in few words you heare, How farre. This it set downe in three verbes, 1 Walking, 2 Standing, 3 Sitting; wherein there is a gradation, for stan­ding is more then walking, and sitting more then standing: but this gra­dation is somewhat strange; for though in Exhortations wee doe rise from the lowest degree to the highest, yet in dehortations wee vse to fall from the highest degree to the lowest: As for example, when we exhort to liberalitie, we tell men, that it is not enough for them to haue a chari­table heart, they must also haue a good eye, neither will a good eye suffice, except they haue a liberall hand; so do we by degrees draw them to the height of vertue: but when wee dehort (as for example) from murder, we tell men that they must be so farre from shedding bloud, that they must not vtter so much as an vnkinde word, yea they must bee so farre from letting loose their tongue, that they must set a bridle vpon their hearts, so doe wee endeuour to hold in the verie first motions of sinne.

Strange then may it seeme, that these words being a Dehortation should follow the course of an Exhortation, and in marshalling of sinnes should begin at the least: but the reason is: The Psalmist sets downe the method, by which sin first entred vpon man, and euer since doth worke it selfe into man, to the end, that we may obserue, how we must preserue our selues from it, and take heed, that it preuaile not so farre, as to bring vs to a desperate case.

There are three degrees here specified, which ascend one aboue the other. First, the Serpent tries, whether hee can worke in vs an vnresol­uednesse of heart, and tries whether we be stedfast in our faith: and here must we begin to withstand him, and not be brought to any parley; such deliberation must be auoyded, for it is no better then the receiuing the Serpents poyson into our vnderstanding, which must be the guide of our life, but if wee haue beene so foolish, as to walke in his counsell, wee must take heed, that we bring not forth the fruit of that wee haue conceiued, and let not our life witnesse, that wee haue beene inueighled by his Coun­sell, we must not stand in his way.

But it is too vsuall with men to be ouertaken with this second degree of sinne, wherein, the Serpent will not suffer them to rest; He will carrie them forward to the consummation of gracelesnesse, he will make them his seedsmen, like vnto himselfe; he is not contented to haue poison, ex­cept he also poison others; and whom he cannot worke to be a Serpent, on him hee will roare like a Lyon: euen so doe wicked men, when they are come to the height of sinne, they neuer cease till they haue corrupted, or oppressed those that are good: answerable to this contagious disposi­tion [Page 9]of theirs, the Septuagint, and the Vulgar call their Chaire, the Chaire of Pestilence: for it is obserued, as a malignancie that doth attend the pestilence, that they who are infected, take great delight to infect others also.

But when men come so farre, they are euen past hope, nothing re­maines, but that iudgement ouertake such Miscreants: the floud must drowne these Gyants, fire and brimstone from Heauen consume such Sodomites, and such Israelites must bee corrected with the Babylonian captiuitie.

But I conclude; You see how farre a man may goe in sinne, if we will be as thorowly separated from it, as we ought, we must haue these three degrees alwayes before our eyes; for we can neuer know certainely, how to keepe our selues in the way, that doe not know, how farre wee may goe out of the way: wherefore let vs take heed vnto these degrees, that we slip not, if it may be, into any of them; or if we slip in, yet that we goe not so farre, as to be past recouerie: this is required in the first part of our Vow, that Vow, which we made vnto God in Baptisme.

THe Article that is required on our part in the Couenant, whereinto we are entred with God, or the Vow which we haue made in Baptisme, doth (as I haue told you) consist of two parts; an Abrenunciation of the state, wherein we stand by Nature; and a Dedication of our selues vnto a better state, whereunto we are called by Grace. You haue heard of the first of these two parts, of the Abrenunciation; but you haue not heard of the best, that is, the Dedication. The Abrenunciation is required, Non per se, sed propter aliud, not that wee should rest in it, but that wee should tend vnto a farther end by it. The reason is plaine; it is but Remo­uens impedimentum, non efficiens communionem, Heb. 12.1 [...] it is but the laying aside of the waight, and sin which doth easily beset vs, and clog vs in our race, we haue not by it a Communion with God. Men plow their ground, but it is, that it may bee the fitter to receiue good seed; and they purge their bodies, but it is that they may be the better able to digest good meat; euen so the first part of our Vow serues to make way vnto the second; true Pietie is like Iacobs Ladder, which hath one foot vpon the Earth, and the other in Heauen: it is not enough to ascend from the earth, we must also climbe vp into Heauen; when we haue really shaken off our corrupt course, we must then betake our selues vnto a better. And that is expres­sed in the second part of our Vow.

Wherein we must obserue two points; First, Whereunto, then in What [Page 10]sort we must dedicate our selues; that whereunto, is the Law of the Lord; and the Text tels vs How, and How long we must dedicate our selues there­unto; How, we must first receiue it into our Inward man, our delight, or Will with a Delight, must be in the Law, from thence it must spred it selfe ouer the whole Man, we must meditate thereon. You see How.

The Text also tels vs How long, euen Day and Night; this Dedication must neuer be giuen ouer; These be the particulars whereof now briefly, and in their order.

First, we must see, Whereto wee must bee dedicated; and wee finde, that it is The Law of the Lord. When wee finde, that wee haue freed our selues from our serpentine guides, then must wee bee aduised in our choyce, that we pitch vpon a good guide: wherein the Scripture bids vs take heed of two Rockes; the one is, [...], the other is, [...], we must neither our selues forge a Religion, neither receiue any that is forged by others; for guiding of our conscience, as we must not be with­out Law, so must we take heed what Law we vse.

And indeed we may vse none safely, but The Law of God; in such ca­ses, Lanes 4.12. that of the Apostle is true, There is but one Lawgiuer, no Law but his bindes vnto that, for performance whereof we may securely expect, that he will performe, what in the Couenant for his part hee hath promised vnto vs. Many commendations wee read in prophane Writers, of the the Lawes of Solon, Lycurgus, Zaleuchus, and others; but these must all be as imperfect, as the Law-giuers, whether we respect the Precepts, or the Sanctions; none comprehending exactly the Dutie of Man, and therefore not being able to set Man in the way to the attaining of his So­ueraigne Good. This is peculiar to the Law of God.

But what is meant by the Law of God? Surely the Law deliuered by Moses, whereof the Prophets were but Interpreters, and their Interpre­tation shewes the largenesse of the Text; namely, That the Gospell is included in the Law; for the Decalogue cloathed with the Ceremonies, what is it but Implicitum Euangelium? The substance of the Gospell, which is Saluation by Repentance, and Faith in Christ. And so must we vnderstand not onely Moses his commendations of the Law, Deut. 4. but King Dauids also, Psal. 19. and 119 the truth whereof cannot be ac­knowledged, if the Law and the Gospell be taken Oppositè, and not Com­positè; if we oppose the one to the other, and doe not by the one put com­fort into the other; Certainely, in this place we must so vnderstand the Law, because it is made the Way to Blisse.

And marke, that here One Law of God, is opposed vnto the three de­grees of Sinne; The Counsell of the wicked, The way of Sinners, and The Seat of the Scorners; one to three, to giue vs to vnderstand, that what those three promise, is performed in this One: no true Counsell, but in this Law, no good Course, but that whereinto wee are set by this Law; and if we will be Doctors, and despise the folly of others, we must sit in Moses Chaire, we must professe no other, but the Law of God. And thus much of that Whereunto we must be dedicated.

Let vs uow see How. Wee must first receiue it in the Inward Man; the [Page 11]word vsed by the Psalmist is Chephetz, which signifies Voluntatem, and Voluptatem, and notes where, and what entertainment wee must first giue vnto The Law. Where, in our Will; so we finde in the tenour of the Co­uenant, This shall be my Couenant, Iere. 31.33.which I will make with the House of Israel (saith the Lord:) I will write my Lawes in their Hearts, &c. God will not haue a seruile Dedication, hee will not bee serued by compulsion; and therefore those that serue him are called, Psal. 110. A willing People: Neither can the seruice be reasonable, wherein the Will is wanting; for the Actions are not counted ours, wherein the Will hath no part; see­ing it is by vertue of the Will, that a Man is Dominus actionum suarum, a free Agent; neither is any Action free, but that which is done willing­ly: though we cannot partake of the Law, but by our Vnderstanding, yet is the principall obiect of the Law, our Will, for Theologia is Scientia, not Theoretica, but Practica, wee learne not the Law for to know it, but to doe it. Adde hereunto, that Inclinatio voluntatis, is Inclinatio totius suppositi, it is not without cause, that God requires the Will, seeing the Will hath power to sway the whole Man, especially if the Will be Che­phetz, ioyned with Delight, for so God doth require the Heart, hee will haue it seasoned with Loue, Deut. 6.5. Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and Loue is the fulfilling of the Law; King Dauid opens this Delight, 1. Tim. 1.5. Psal. 19. when he tels vs, that the Law was sweeter than Honey, and the Honey-combe; the meaning of it is, we must not be mercenarie, but the pleasure we take in it, must-be the cause why we entertaine it.

And marke the phrase, His delight is in the Law; Multi habent Legem in Corde, sed non Cor in Lege (saith Hugo de S. Victore.) Many treasure vp the Law in their hearts, that doe not solace their hearts in the Law; they only know it, these also delight in it. Saint Austin obserues a Distinction betweene In Lege, and Sub Lege; Qui est in Lege, secundum Legem agit; He whose heart is in the Law, followes the direction of the Law; Qui est sub Lege, à Lege agitur, he whose heart is vnder the Law, Rom. 7.22. entertaines it rather of constraint, then with a willing minde; but wee must Delight in the Law of God, in the Inward man, as the Apostle speaketh. For as ground is fruitfull, not by receiuing, but by liking of the seed: Euen so man be­comes not Religious, by knowing, but by affecting of the Law; Amor est virtus Vniens, by Loue doth a man become one with the Law, yea, himselfe is turned into a liuing Law; for men are alwayes busie about that wherein they take Delight, and the Law being receiued into the in­wa [...]d man will ouer-spread the whole man; which is implyed in the next branch, He meditates on that Law.

To Meditate on the Law is, First, to ruminate on the Scripture, and sound the depth of it; for the Law is deliuered in few words, wherein there are contained great Riches of sense, which by Meditation we must worke out: Christ hath giuen vs a patterne, Mat. 5. Where he vnwraps the sense of seuerall Commandements, of Murder, of Adulterie, of Di­uorce. In the sixth of Saint Iohn, how much matter doth he draw out of the Storie of Manna? And what mysteries doth Saint Paul in the Epi­stle to the Hebrewes find in the Ceremonies of Moses? This is the first [Page 12]branch of Meditating, the vnfolding of the Riches of that sense, which God hath treasured vp in his Law. This is the worke of our vnderstan­ding.

But the vnderstanding doth but prepare matter for the Affections; There is a second branch therefore of Meditating, which is, the seaso­ning of our Affections with that which we know; And as the vnderstan­ding prepares matter for the Affections, so what vse of our Affections, but to quicken our Actions? Therfore, as a man which takes into his mouth a morsell of good meate, chewes it, and by chewing doth discouer the sweetnesse, and kindly nourishment that is in it, and hauing rellisht it, swallowes it downe, and by meane conueiances disperseth it into euerie part of his body, that euery part may be made more vigorous, and Act­iue thereby: So a man which takes into his thoughts the Law of God; must by his Meditation chew vpon it, and when hee hath found out the sweete matter that is in it, his Affections must swallow it greedily, and he must not cease to worke vpon it, till hee hath made the power thereof appeare, in his liberall hands, in his godly lips, and in a word, euen in his whole outward man; for the Law is giuen to the whole man, Mat. 5. the Commandement, Thou shalt not kill, by the Glosse of the Pharisees was restrained to the hand, as if, Thou, were nothing but thy Hand, and, to Kill, were nothing but to shed bloud. It is true that what a man doth by a part, the whole becomes guiltie of it, but then he must know, that there i [...] no part, but may contract his guilt; a man may commit Murder with his tongue, and he may commit it with his Affections; this the Pharisee knew not, and because he knew not, he taught not, and his Disciples pra­ctised not, and so both of them for want of Meditation, scanted the enter­tainement which they were to giue vnto the Law. And so shall we if we tread in their steps, and learne not how to Dedicate our selues to God; whose Law we must Delight in, Meditate vpon, and Affect, that so wee may occasionally set on worke the tongue, and the hand, and may vtter, and Act with the outward man, those things which wee conceiue, and loue in the inward man. Thus you see How we must be Dedicated.

But how long? Day and Night, saith the Psalme. For first we must Me­ditate Day and Night; Which words some take properly, some impro­perly, improperly the Day notes Prosperitie, and the Night Aduersitie, these significations are frequent in the Scripture, and then the meaning is; that be we as happie as Solomon, or brought as low as Iob, neither con­dition must make vs forget our Meditation, this is a worke for all times; for, hereunto shall we bee beholding for our temperate vsing of Prosperi­tie, and resolute bearing of Aduersitie.

But take the words properly; and then because the Proposition is Affir­matiue, some thinke that it holds Semper, but not Ad semper, that though habituall Meditation must neuer bee wanting in vs, yet the Actuall neede not be exercised, but as occasion is offered vnto vs; but if we take Medita­tion together with the fore mentioned Actions which must goe with it, we neede not doubt, but the Proposition will hold semper, and Adsemper; for when are we not doing, speaking, or thinking, and which of these [Page 13]can be perfect without Meditation? And how then should not our life be a perpetuall Meditation; and why may it not be said, that we should Me­ditate on Gods Law, Day and Night? Sure I am, Deut. 6. that Moses speakes thus vnto Israel, These words which I command thee this Day, shall bee in thy heart, and thou shalt teach them diligently vnto thy Children, and shalt talke of them when thou sittest in thy house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest downe, and when thou risest vp, and thou shalt binde them for a signe vpon thine hand, and they shall be as Frontlets betweene thine eyes, and thou shalt write them vpon the posts of thine House, and on thy Gates. And the Apostle, 1. Cor. 10. Whether yee eate, or drinke, or whatsoeuer yee doe, doe all to the glorie of God. The enuious man will alwayes bee sowing Tares, therefore we must neuer sleepe; the enemie will bee alwayes giuing an assault, therefore we must alwayes stand vpon our gard, No man putting his hand to the Plow, and looking backe is fit for the Kingdome of God. Luke 9 Se­condly, as we must Meditate vpon the Law, so we must Delight in it Day and Night; This circumstance of time must not be restrained onely vnto Meditation, but enlarged also vnto Delight; neither must it onely belong to our Dedication, but to our Abrenuntiation also. For Meditation when it goeth so far, as to season the Affections with that which is knowne (as I expounded it) presupposeth Delight in the will, and the Dedication presupposeth the Abrenunciation; it is impossible the later should subsist without the former: therefore as long as wee are bound to obserue this last, wee must continue all the rest, which must needes goe before it. Whereupon it followes, that except this Text be vnderstood of our Sa­uiour Iesus Christ, who onely hath performed this Vow which is vn­dertaken by vs; it rather shewes vs, what we should, then what wee can doe, and sets vs vp a marke, whereat all our endeauours must bee ayming in this world, in hope that we shall hit it in the world to come.

I conclulde. The summe of the Christian mans Vow is. Psal. 37.27. We must De­cline from euill, and doe good; from all euill must we decline, whereunto we are prone by nature, and we must doe all good which is recommended vnto vs in Gods Law; That, must rellish pleasantly vnto vs, and therein must we continually exercise our selues, our inward, our outward man, fully, constantly, fare we well, or fare we ill.

THis Psalme containes the Couenant betweene God and Man; so that we are therein to obserue, the Parties to the Couenant, and Articles whereon they are agreed; the Par­ties are God and Man; the Articles, man vowes his Duetie, God promiseth a Reward; of the first Partie, and his Arti­cle, [Page 14]I haue alreadie spoken; It followes that I now come on to the second Partie, and his Article.

The second Partie is God; God is a partie to a Couenant with man. A Mercie to be wondred at; for God is a Creator, man his creature; therefore God may require whatsoeuer man can doe; a man is bound to doe it, were there no other inducement but this, that hee is Gods crea­ture; for he cannot owe his being, but hee must with all owe his seruice, and to whom he oweth the one, to him hee oweth the other also. And yet see how gracious God is vnto man, hee will not haue man serue him for nought. This is signified in that he vouchsafeth to enter into a Coue­nant.

If a man haue a bond-seruant, and make him his Farmer, the Law saith, of bond he makes him free, and inables him as well to implead his Master, as to be impleaded by him. And doth not God in a maner doe vs the like fauour, when hee doth contract to giue a Reward vnto our ser­uice, whereby he becomes bound to performe, and we may bee bold to challenge it? It were honour enough done vnto our Nature, if onely it were vouchsafed some neere attendance vnto God, and it caries with it a great Reward to haue our person so imployed: how much more honour then is done vnto vs, when God not onely yeelds that, but a much high­er aduancement also for that? It is a question; whether a man may serue God for a Reward? The nature of a Couenant doth cleare this doubt; For seeing God puts on the person of a Contracter, it is plaine that wee may not neglect the Regard, which wee must haue vnto the Articles of his Contract; especially, seeing the Contract is founded in Christ, whose Merit ouer and aboue Gods word, doth embolden vs to relie thereon.

But yet this Rule we must hold; We must obey, Quia bona Lex, prius quam quod Nobis commoda; our first respect must be vnto the Precept of the Law, and then to the Sanction; and we must obserue the Precept ab­solutely and for it selfe, but the Sanction onely conditionally, and be­cause God is pleased to adde it; and being conscious to our selues of our owne defect, we must presume, not vpon our own performances, but vp­on Christs, and claime, not for our owne Merits, but for His, in whom we are vouchsafed an interest.

But to leaue the Partie, and come to his Article. The Article is in effect this; If a man be dutifull in performing his Vow, God will be gracious in giuing a Reward. Touching this Reward we are here taught, what it is, and what is the euidence of it; It is set downe in one word, Blessed; And indeed Blessednesse containes the whole substance of our Reward.

But how shall it be knowne who is Blessed? Surely here are euidences by which it may bee proued; and the euidences are as many, as there are degrees of Blessednesse; thereof there are two degrees, for men are Blessed, either in this life, or that which is to come.

How it may bee knowne whether a man is Blessed in this life, wee are taught in the third and fourth Verses; where we are taught the difference betweene Good and Bad men in this world. Good men are compared to a Tree, whereof wee haue here set downe the Kind, and the Vertue; the [Page 15]Kind; it is not a Natiue, but a Satiue Tree; Planted by the Riuers of Waters. And the vertue therof is double, it is profitable, & it is acceptable; profita­ble, for it brings forth its fruit in due season, and his Leafe neuer failes, accep­table, Looke whatsoeuer he doth it prospers. As for the Wicked, Non sic, wee must remoue all this from them, the Kind, and the Vertue of the Plant. And what are they then? Nothing else but winnowed Chaffe, Chaffe which the wind driues too and fro. This is the first euidence, the euidence of Blessednesse in this world.

The second is the euidence of Blessednesse in the world to come. In the world to come two speciall times are obseruable, the beginning, and the continuance thereof. The Godly differ from the wicked in both; in the be­ginning, that is, the time of the generall Iudgement; for then the Righteous shall stand, the wicked flie; in the continuance; the Righteous shall be of a Congregation, whereunto the wicked shall not come.

Now this double difference proceedes from a double Act of Gods Prouidence, an Act of his wisdome which doth distinguish these persons, Hee knoweth the wayes of the righteous, and an Act of his power, The way of the wicked shall perish; but wee must marke, that the first of these Verbes, that expresseth Wisdome, includes Power, and the second that expresseth Power, includes Wisdome.

These be the particulars which are to be obserued concerning the Re­ward, the Nature & the Euidence of it, whereof I shall now onely vnfold that word which expresseth the Nature; and that word is Blessed, Ashre.

This word in the Originall respects our steps; and touching them ob­serues two things, their praise, and their Comfort; their praise is, to be straight, and that the word signifieth primarily; their comfort is, to be happie, and that the word signifieth secondarily. Heb. 13.14. Wee haue here no abi­ding place, but are wayfaring men, we may not, we cannot stand still, wee shall be euer in our way, onely our care must be what steps we tread; and this word implies the two Characters whereby wee may discerne such steps as we should chuse; they must be straight, and happie; first straight, then happie.

What a straight step is we may learne of the Harbinger of Christ, who doth not onely call vpon the people to prepare the way of the Lord, Esay 40 3, [...].and make his path straight; but also shewes what is opposite to straight: if there be any Hils they must be taken downe; if there be any Vallies they must be filled vp, if there bee any crookednesse declining to the one side or the other, it must be set euen. These are shadowes of better things. That which maketh a man goe out of the wayes of God, is either Presumpti­on, which maketh him to swell like a Hill, or Desperation, that maketh him to sinke like a Vallie; or else he is too much besotted with Prosperitie, which is leaning to the right hand, or else murmureth in Aduersitie, which is leaning to the left hand. So many wayes, to say nothing of the particulars contained vnder these seuerall wayes, may wee decline from straight steps. There is both a Variation, and Declination of the compasse of our life.

A second thing that we must marke is; That whereas the wayes of [Page 16] God lie straight, and Recta linea est breuissima inter eosdem terminos, that God doth not toyle vs out, but setteth vs in the next way to Heauen; if we fetch a compasse, and trauell by the crooked line, the fault is our owne, that will goe aside when wee might keepe forth right: as the Prodigall Childe, Luke 15. that might haue stayed at home with his Father, who would needs try the world, and come after a long time home to that Father from whom he went.

The third thing that we must marke is; that Rectum is index sui & ob­liqui, we must ghesse how farre we are out of the way, by comparing our course to the straight way; Looke how farre we are distant from that, so farre we are out. Here Praeter and Contra, which the Church of Rome distinguisheth, concurre in one, that which is Praeter viam, is Contra vi­am, because we should keepe in the right way; and what more vsuall in the Scripture, then to charge vs not to decline either to the right hand, or to the left? as if so to decline were a sinne, and a violation of the Law, and a doing contrarie to that which the Law commands; for the Law commands vs not to decline. The patronage of Veniall sinne then, which it borroweth from the preposition Praeter, is but weake; for to goe Praeter viam, is to doe Contra Legem.

As our steps must be straight: so if they be straight, they will be hap­pie; for Holinesse and Happinesse concurre in God, and by his Ordi­nance they concurre in man. Gen. 1. When God made his Creatures, hee be­held them, and saw they were all good, and because good, therefore hee blessed them, and euer since hath Blessing been an inseparable compani­on from Good. In the Law, God by Moses telleth the Iewes, Deut. 28. that if they hearken to his voice, and keepe his lawes, they shall be blessed; the like doth God pronounce by Esay; Chap 3.Say vnto the righteous man, it shall goe well with him; so true is this, that this word Ashre doth therefore signi­fie Happinesse, because Happinesse is annext to Holinesse.

Moreouer, wee must note, that this word is plurall, so is it euer read in the Originall; the Holy Ghost intimating thereby, that as a man is compounded of soule and bodie, a bodie of many parts, a soule of many faculties; that which must make happie, must containe a manifold Bles­sing, which must giue content to euerie Part and Power: and withall, checking the vaine, either definitions of Philosophers, or elections of Men, which haue recommended vnto vs, or haue addicted themselues vnto a maimed Blessednesse. But more of that anon, when I shall open the nature of Blessednesse.

By the way I may not omit to obserue, how in this Reward the Holy Ghost doth refute the vulgar opinion. For vulgarly men are of their o­pinion, [...]. 3.14. whom Malachi speakes of, who account it a vaine thing to serue God, and say, what profit is there in walking humbly before Him? we account the proud blessed, and they that set light by God, are lifted vp: and in the Booke of Wisdome the vngodly say, Chap. 5 4. They accounted the righteous mans life madnesse, and his end without honour; the Apostle telleth vs, that Christi­ans seeme in this life, [...]. 15.15to be of all men most miserable; the vnthriftie seruant did not sticke to challenge his Lord to his face, that hee was a hard man, [Page 17]and gathered where hee hath not scattered, reaped where hee had not sowen. Matth. 25.24. So farre are worldly men from thinking, that the Children of God are encouraged by any Reward to be constant in performing of their Vow, that they hold them most miserable, because they keepe the same. Read Esay 53. vers. 1, 2. &c. But in the afore-cited places, you shall finde an Answer to their Exceptions, and they are sufficiently answered, where they are brought in so blaspheming.

But you will not wonder at their errour, if I open vnto you the ground thereof. Wee must obserue then, that they frame vnto them­selues false Notions of Blessednesse, and according vnto them doe they iudge of euerie mans state: For Example, hee that placeth Happinesse in Riches, what wonder if he hold all poore men to be wretches? and if any make his Belly his God, will hee not thinke basely of Daniel, Dan. 1.and the three children that liue with water and pulse? Marke the forecited places, and you shall finde, that euerie one of these made his owne choyce the measure of his Iudgement, and contemned all others, that were not like vnto himselfe.

Wherefore, that we be not lead away with their errour, and that wee may be, as wee ought, affected towards our Reward; it is behoofefull, that we better vnderstand the nature of Blessednesse. All men naturally desire to bee blessed, and hee were a monster, and not a man, that were contented to bee a wretch: but that which in common wee all desire, when we come to determine, most doe mistake. Not to tire you with the enumeration of mistakes in this kinde, De Ciuit Dei lib. 19. c. 1 whereof Varro (as Saint Austin reports) made a long Catalogue, In few words, Blessednesse is the en­ioying of the Soueraigne Good.

What the Soueraigne Good is, wee must iudge by these two Chara­cters, it must be Optimum, and Maximum, it must bee the best that can be, and the most complete; if it be not the best, it will not sistere appeti­tum, we shall not leaue shifting of it; it will neuer giue vs content, wee will euer be longing, vntill wee light vpon that, beyond which there is nothing that wee may long for: And if it bee not Maximum, the most complete, it will not implere appetitum, wee shall not be satisfied there­with, we shall be hungring and thirsting still; though we desire no other thing, yet of that thing wherein wee take content, wee shall still desire more and more, vntill our vessell is filled, vntill we haue as much as wee are capable of.

Now these two Characters of the Soueraigne Good, belong onely vnto God; He, by the verie Heathen, is stiled, Optimus Maximus, and the Scripture that tels vs; There is none good but God only, and that He only is Almightie, doth confirme vnto him these attributes, as also doth that title of his, Shaddai, All-sufficient, and therefore as the Apostle speakes, 2. Timoth. [...] 15. only Blessed. Whereupon wee may conclude, that hee only is our Soue­raigne Good; for if by enioying of himselfe, hee make himselfe blessed, hee must needs bee the Fountaine of Blessednesse to all others. And in­deed Saint Austin expresseth this religiously vnto God, Confess. lib. 2.5.1 Fecistinos Domi­ne ad te, & inquietum est cor nostrum donec requiescat inte; Whom haue I [Page 18]in heauen, O Lord, but thee, and there is nothing on Earth which I desire with thee, my flesh, and my heart faileth, but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for euer, Psal. 73. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house, they will be still praysing thee, Psal. 84.

But God is Essentia simplex, of an vncompounded nature, the nature of man is many wayes compounded; how then can this single nature sa­tisfie our compound? Especially, seeing before you heard, that it is a mani­fold good that must make a happie man? We must helpe our selues with a Schoole distinction. A good may be manifold either Formaliter, or E­minenter; in Kind, or in Vertue; As for Example, there is a vegetable Soule in a Plant, there is a sensitiue Soule in a Beast, the Soule of Man hath not these in their kind, yet hath hee them in Vertue; for the reasonable Soule is endued with faculties, which in his Body performe both vege­tation, and Sense; a man hath an Eye, and an Eare, a Hand, and a Foote, to see, to heare, to worke, to goe, an Angell hath none of these Formali­ter, according to their kind, yet hath he them all Eminenter, his nature is such as hath the Vertue of seeing, hearing, mouing, and doing, and that in a more excellent sort then man is capable of: Euen so the single nature of God may giue full content to the manifold capacities of man, seeing no created good proceedes from God, which is not eminently in him; for there is no Effect that is not an Image of the Efficient; though created Effects are Images of the vncreated Efficient, no other­wise, then if wee consider them defecated, or purged from those imperfe­ctions, whereunto the condition of a Creature, a mortall Creature doth subiect them; seuer them, and then whatsoeuer good they haue is an Image of that which is in God. Whereupon it followeth, that if any sense of our Body, or power of our Soule find any good in the creature, it shall enioy the same though in a more eminent sort, if it enioy the Cre­ator.

Hauing found the Soueraigne Good; It followes that we now see how we become Blessed.

We become Blessed then, not by hauing but by enioying; for if hauing were enough euerie creature should be Blessed, for all creatures haue him, because they cannot be without him, yea they liue, moue, and haue their being in Him; Acts 17.28. But onely reasonable creatures are capable of happinesse, for they onely can see God, and take their Delight in God. The vnder­standing, and the will are those immediate faculties whereby we partake the Soueraigne Good; each by a double Act; First, the Eye of the vnder­standing being illightned doth discouer it; then doth the will sanctified fall in loue, and make to wards it; when they are both met, then fals the vnderstanding a worke againe, and doth vncessantly contemplate it, wherewith the will is stirred to a second worke, it takes inexplicable plea­sure in it. And this is the true enioying of the Soueraigne Good which makes a happie man.

Where hence, we may also gather the cause of the Angels, and Adams fall, both of them were made after the Image of God, and thereby made partakers of the Diuine nature, they fixt their Eyes, and setled their Af­fection [Page 19]vpon themselues, that modell of Diuine being, which they had in themselues, and so fell in loue with themselues, and ouer-valuing their own worth, deemed themselues meet to be their own Soueraigne Good, and so lost the true, while they sought an imaginarie Happinesse. But we must know, that the abilities that we haue, be they neuer so diuinely qua­lified, are but Vessels whereinto we must receiue, they are not the Happi­nesse it selfe, which we must enioy: the glorie of being the Soueraigne Good, is the incommunicable prerogatiue of God.

But God is in Heauen, and Man on Earth; and of Man on Earth the rule is true, He cannot see God and liue; how then should he enioy him, Exod. 33.20. and so become Blessed? We must vnderstand, that there is a presence of God in his Word, which is apprehended by faith, of which Saint Paul, 2. Cor. 3.13.Wee with open face behold the glorie of our God, and are changed into the same Image; this sight is Aenigmaticall, as the Apostle speakes, 1. Cor. 13. and like the beholding of our face in a glasse; but yet is it a true sight, and the pledge of a cleere. It is true, for whether we respect the Obiect, God, as he is described in his Word, or our faith, whereby we apprehend God so described, neither can deceiue vs, if they bee sincere, if there bee no mixture of humane inuention, with Gods Reuealed Will, and our faith be not allayed with our corrupt affections.

As this darke enioying of God is true, so is it the pledge of a cleere; Men come not to Heauen per saltum, men leape not out of the dregs of nature, into the glorie of Saints, neither can they be Blessed in the Church Triumphant, that are not Blessed in the Militant; but if we be Blessed on Earth by beleeuing God in his Word, we shall be Bles­sed in Heauen, and there our faith shall be turned into sight, and God will shew himselfe vnto vs as He is, we shall see him face to face.

Now because the state in Grace is Blessed, as well as the state in Glory, and these two Blessednesses are inseparable, as we may gather by the two Titles that the Scripture giues vnto the Spirit, which are, Rom. 8.23. 2. Cor. 1.22. First fruits, and a Seale or Pledge, the Psalmist pronounceth them Bles­sed that performe their Vow; two wayes Blessed, Re and Spe, Blessed, in that they are in the Kingdome of Grace, and Blessed, in that they shall be of the Kingdome of Glory; both these Blessednesses are included in this Word: and more Blessed a man cannot desire to be; As hereafter you will be more fully perswaded (if this perswade not enough) when you shall heare of the Euidences, that are annext to either of these Blessednesses.

But for this time I conclude. The summe of all that you haue heard, and whereof I pray God we may all make vse, is, we must not hold our labour vaine which we take in seruing God; and that wee con­temne not the true, Let vs not fancie a false Reward of our paines: God vouchsafeth to be our Reward, and we shall want nothing if we enioy him; and enioy him we must by knowing, and louing, truly and sincerely, though darkly, and imperfectly, in the state of Grace; that we may cleerely and fully know, and enioy him in the state of Glory.

THis Psalme breaketh it selfe into as many parts, as are con­tained in the Couenant of God; therefore haue you more then once beene told, that wee may consider therein the Parties to the Couenant, and their mutuall Stipulati­on: the Parties are Man and God; Man is to vow his Dutie, God doth promise a Reward. Of the first Partie, Man, and his Vow, you haue heard at large, and I haue begun to speake of the second, I haue shewed you, what is obseruable in the second Partie, in God.

And whereas touching the Reward, the Psalme teacheth, What it is, and what Euidence there is for it; I haue shewed you, What it is, vn­folding the riches that are contained in the first word, Blessed. It follow­eth, that I now goe on, and with the Psalme let you see, what Euidence there is of this Blessednesse.

And here wee finde a double Euidence, as there are two degrees of Happinesse: Men are happie in this life, and happie in the life to come, of each the Psalme expresseth a distinct Euidence: the Euidence of Happi­nesse in this world, stands in the apparent difference, that in this life ap­peares betweene the good, and bad. Good men are compared vnto a Tree; and touching this Tree, wee are taught, what good is done for it, and what good commeth of it.

The Good done for it, stands in the Husbandmans care, and choyce: Care, in setting the Tree; for the Tree is not wilde, but planted: Choyce, in setting it in a fruitfull ground; For the Tree is planted by the riuers of waters: this double Good is done for the Tree.

But what good comes of it? Surely, as manifold a Good; for it proues well, and is well approued: it proues well, whether you looke to the Principall, or the Accessorie Good expected from a Tree: the prin­cipall good is Fruit, and this Tree bringeth forth Fruit; Fruit that is good, it hath the two markes of good Fruit stamped vpon it; for it is kindly and timely fruit: Kindly, the Tree brings forth fructum suum, such fruit as well beseemes such a Tree, and so well husbanded: neither is it onely kindly, but timely also; for the Tree bringeth it forth, tempore suo, in his season, when it is fittest to serue the planters vse. A tree that beares such fruit, answereth the desire of the Husbandman, in regard of the Principall Good: but what doth it in regard of the Accessorie? It failes not there neither; for it beares leaues, which are Ornamenta arboris, and Munimenta fructus, that grace the Tree, and defend the Fruit; and this Accessorie good is lasting, for the leaues doe neuer faile.

[Page 21] It is plaine that the Tree proues well; neither is it lesse plaine, that it is well approued, for what it doth prospers, the Fruit prospers, the Leaues prosper: yea, it is as farre Approued, as it proues good; whatso­euer it doth prospers; it doth, and receiues as much, as you can require of a Tree. A happie coniunction, when doing well, and faring well meet so louingly together.

But all this while I haue beene talking onely of a Tree; the Holy Ghost meanes more then a Tree in this place: what Saint Paul said, Gal. 4. Gal. 4 24. of Abraham, his Wiues and Children, the same may I say of this Tree, [...], these things are spoken by an Allegorie; and so much is intimated by the first words of this Text, He shall be like a tree: so that what you haue heard, is but the outside, we must also looke into the inside of this Allegorie. And there wee shall find, that by the Tree is meant a Christian, whom God the Father as a carefull Hus­bandman hath planted in our Sauiour Christ, as a soyle well wate­red with the Grace of God; and that this Tree proues accordingly, a­bounding in good Workes, cloathed with their due Circumstances; so that they are acceptable vnto God, and profitable vnto Man. This is the inside of the Allegorie.

Hauing laid it open before you in grosse, and giuen you a taste of the contents therein; it followeth that I now resume the particulars, and lead you by the outside, more fully and profitably to vnderstand the in­side of this Allegorie.

First then, the Holy Ghost resembleth a Christian man to a Tree. It may bee, that you would expect that hee should propose Abraham, Isaac, Iacob, or some of the Patriarchs, they may seeme fitter patternes and better looking-glasses: but the Holy Ghost passing by them, pitch­eth on this. And why? to make the deeper impression in vs, if we will profit, and if we will not, to worke in vs the greater confusion. Those Worthies are dead, well may we heare of them, we cannot now see them, Et segnius irritant animos demissa per aures, Quam quae sunt o­culis subiecta fidelibus; things heard doe lesse affect, then those that are seene: therefore doth the Holy Ghost bring euery man home, and presents him with a visible Sermon in his owne Orchard, whereof hee should neuer behold the trees, but he should behold an Image of him­selfe; in euery good Tree, an Image (I say) of that, which hee should striue to be.

But a little more distinctly to shew how reasonable this Choise is; We must obserue, that (as the Philosopher sayth) Homo est arbor inuersa, a man is a tree turned vpside-downe; for a tree hath his roote in the ground, and his branches spread aboue ground; but a mans root is his head, therein is the fountaine of Sense and Motion, and there doth hee take in nourishment: but the armes and legs, as branches of this tree, they spread downeward. And there is a mysterie shadowed in this; for the roote of a Christian man it is in Heauen; Our life is hid in Christ, Col. 3▪ and we spread downeward, fructifying in good workes in the sight of the world; whereas before we were in Christ, our roote was downeward, [Page 22]It was in old Adam, and it bare fruit answerable to that Roote: This Saint Paul sets downe excellently. 1. Cor. 15. The first man was of the earth, earthly, the second was the Lord from heauen, as is the earthly, so are they that are earthly, and as is the heauenly, so are they that are heauenly. This is the first reason of the Holy Ghosts choise.

A second reason is, Mat. 1 [...].33. because a tree is the best patterne of Synceritie, make the tree good (saith our Sauiour) and the fruit will bee good, Mat. 7.18.make the tree euill and the fruit will be euill, for, a good tree cannot beare euill fruit, nor an euill tree good fruit. There is no dissimulation in a Tree, neither should there be in Men; but it fals out too often, that mens outside and there inside are not like, they are plaine Stage-players, and very Hy­pocrites.

A third reason, why the Holy Ghost delighteth in this Similie is; be­cause a Tree is a patterne of true Gloriation, it makes shew of nothing, but its owne Fruit, its owne Leaues, by them doth it commend it selfe vnto the Husbandman: and men should not stand vpon their Pedi­grees, but vpon their owne Vertues, and thinke themselues best graced by that, which testifieth their owne worth.

But enough of the reasonablenesse of the Holy Ghosts Choice; espe­cially, seeing the Analogie that is betweene the particular parts of this resemblance will more and more confirme the same.

Some inquire what Tree is here meant; whether the Oliue, Psal. 52. or the Palme Tree, Psal. 92. because these are perpetually flourishing, and greene: but I suppose, that the whole contexture of this Verse al­ludes to the Garden of Eden, or rather, the Vision Ezech. 47. where we find flourishing Trees planted by the waters of the Sanctuarie; that place and this haue the same Mysticall sense.

But let vs come to the branches of the Similie. And first wee are to see, What Good is done for the Tree; and that appeares in the Care and the Choice of the Husbandman; we haue here first his Care, He plants the tree. The Tree is not Natiue, but Satiue, not a wilde Tree, but a Tree of the Orchard, and there is great ods betweene such trees, and the ods is worth the marking; for this obserued in the outside of the Parable, giues light vnto that, which we must principally obserue in the inside. In the first of Genesis God bids the Earth, bring forth trees, but Genesis the second, it is said, that God planted a Garden, and there doth God first shew himselfe to bee an Husbandman, as Christ cals him, Iohn 15.1. The Holy Ghost doth often frequent that Similie, to giue vs to vnder­stand, that Gods care of Man is more then ordinary: wee see in the Creation with what circumstances the framing of Man is described, Let vs make man after our owne Image; and when Man forfeited, the new­making cost more Care, the second planting, then the first.

Saint Hierome out of Aquila reades transplanted; and indeed so it is. we grew vpon a wilde Oliue, and wee are grafted into a true, wee were branches of a degenerated Vine, and are now set into a generous: to speake it plainly, we were Children of wrath, and are made Children of God; besides our birth in our Mothers wombe, wee haue a new birth [Page 23]in the wombe of the Church: This Saint Paul, Rom. 6. speaking of Bap­tisme expresseth by Planting, and he calls a Man newly baptised [...], newly planted, which word is frequent in the Councels.

Our note is. We must acknowledge the prerogatiue of a Christian aboue other men, which must carrie with it an acknowledgement of Gods speciall care vouchsafed the faithfull; whereof Infidels haue no proofe: they continue Wild, whereas wee are Planted trees, they lie in the dregs of Nature, whereas we are brought to the state of Grace.

The second Good that is done to the Tree, appeares in the Choice that is made of the Soyle. It is no small benefit for a Tree to be planted, but that is not enough, it must also be fitted with conuenient ground, o­therwise much care might be ill spent: here we haue choice ground, it is locus irriguus, well watered ground, and such is commended for the growth of Trees, especially, if the waters bee artificially diuided, and carried round about the Trees, that they may yeeld nourishment to the root, which way soeuer they spread: and such is the site of our Tree; it is not onely planted by the waters, but also by the diuisions of waters, it hath iuyce enough, and that well disposed.

This is the outside of the resemblance, but the inside teacheth vs; that as we Christians are beholding to God the Father, by whose care we are planted; so are we to God the Sonne, by whose Spirit wee are wate­red. For indeed by Baptisme we are incorporated into Christ; He is the soyle that beares the spirituall Trees; Cap. 13. Hee is the Fountaine opened to the house of Israel for cleansing, mentioned in Zacharie; Cap. 4. He is a Well of liuing waters springing vnto eternall life, whereof we read in Saint Iohn; Hee is the waters, that streaming from the Sanctuarie, ran into the Dead Sea, Ezek. 47. and were both Sanantes and Viuificantes, healed the Trees that grew on the bankes thereof, and made them beare fruit abundantly; both which properties are necessarily required for a transplanted Tree, that it may cease to bee what it was, and become, what it should be: And wee doe finde a mortifying and a quickening grace in Christ, abolishing our Old Man, and reuiuing the New.

Finally, there are in Christ, Riui aquarum, Ioh. 7.He that beleeueth in me (saith Christ) out of his belly shall flow riuers of waters of life; yea, as wee haue manifold diseases and wants, so may wee finde manifold remedies and supplies in Christ: His grace doth compasse vs on euerie side, and is at hand euerie where to steed vs. So good choyce hath God made of the Soyle wherein to plant the Trees: and so well are Christians prouided for, that are made members of Christ. And so haue I opened vnto you the good, that is done for this Tree; let vs now goe on, and see what good comes of it. And wee shall finde, that as it receiued, so it yeelds a dou­ble good; for it proues welll, and is well approued: it proues well, whe­ther you looke to the Principall, or to the Accessorie Good, which is expected of a Tree.

The Principall Good is to beare good Fruit; and so doth this, it brin­geth forth fruit. Fructus comes from fruor; it must bee such a thing as is vsefull, not briers, or thornes, that scratch and spoile: of which kinde [Page 24]there is more then enough, appearing as well in mens liues, as growing vpon Trees. Whereupon it comes to passe, that the Prouerbe is chan­ged, and in stead of Homo homini Deus, wee may now say, Homo homini Daemon; Men liue not for their mutuall good, but ruine.

As that which a Tree beares must be Fruit, so must hee bring it forth. Those that are planted in the Church, must not conceale the grace they haue receiued, no more then a Tree doth his sap. Wee glorie in the dis­couerie of rich metals, and precious stones, that nature hath buried in the earth, and the sea; wee suffer nothing of this great world to lye hid, we loue to bring it forth, to behold, to shew it: so should we deale with the gifts and graces, which God hath treasured vp in this our little world. No Tree should striue more to send forth fruits, then wee to bring forth workes.

But we must looke that the Works be good, as the Fruit of this Tree is. It hath the two markes of good Fruit set vpon it, it is kindly, it is timely. Lignum rationale (saith Hilarie) dat fructum non confusè, non importunè, As the naturall, so the spirituall Tree bringeth forth fruit, neither confused­ly, nor vnseasonably. Let vs behold these two properties, first in the Na­turall, then in the Spirituall Tree.

First, let vs see how kinde it is. Profert fructum suum. Suum is a Rela­tiue, and lookes backe vnto the good, that is done for the Tree: the first appeares in the care of him, that of a wilde Tree mad [...] it a planted Tree; and it must not degenerate againe, and beare Fruit answerable to his for­mer stocke; being a generous Vine, it must not beare wilde Grapes, nor sower Oliues, being made partaker of the Sweetnesse of the true Oliue Tree. The Children of God must not liue like the Sonnes of men, neither must the members of the second Adam liue, as if they were mem­bers of the first. We are offended when we see such degenerating in the Trees of our Orchard; it were to be wished, we d [...]d not approue it in our selues, that are of the garden of God. The ouerflowing of Atheismes, Heresies, and impurities, doe testifie to the world, that we beare vnkind­ly fruit.

But Suum, His fruit, refers not onely to the Husbandmans care, but also to the fruitfulnesse of the soyle; and so requires not onely a good nature, but a good measure also. For a Tree to beare scant fruit, where there is good store of iuyce, must needs be vnkindly: and it is not kind­ly for men to be sparing in doing well, who are rooted so neere vnto the Fountaine of grace. For him that hath fiue talents, to yeeld but two, or him that hath ten, to yeeld but fiue, will make but a bad accompt; see­ing God expects, that men shall render according to that, which they doe receiue.

Moreouer, Suum doth import a respect to the doer, and also vnto o­thers, as it is ioyned with Profert. Looke vpon it, and you shall finde, that grace g [...]ue [...] abilitie to doe well, but the Faculties of our soule seaso­ned with grace, are they that are exercised in well doing: therefore is the worke reputed ours, as the Fruit is reputed to be borne by the branch of the wilde Oliue, though it be beholding to the new stocke (of whose [Page 25]fatnesse and sweetnesse it doth partake) for that it is able to beare such Fruit: It is no small honour that God doth vs, in that he makes his gifts so become ours.

But as Suum giues vs [...], a Possession, and Proprietie of the worke, so Prefert cals for a [...], or a Communicating of the worke vnto others, we must bee good dispencers of the grace of God, and edifie others with our gifts. And here we see a difference betweene Rationall, and Irratio­nall Trees: of Irrationall Trees, as of other Creatures the rule is true, Vos non vobis, they yeeld much good for which themselues are neuer a whit the better; but Rationall Trees reape good of that, where with they doe good; they doe good, because they bring forth fruit; and from this them­selues also reape good, because the Fruit continues their owne, and shall be reckoned vnto them in the day of the Lord.

Finally, by His fruit wee may vnderstand such Workes, as belong to euery mans Vocation. For as in an Orchard there is varietie of fruit, Apple-trees, Peare-trees, Plum trees, &c. and euery tree endeauours to sucke iuice answerable to his kind, that it may beare such fruit; and an Apple-tree doth not turne a Plum tree, nor a Plum-tree, a Cherrie-tree, &c. but euery tree contents it selfe to bee of its owne kind: So in the Church are there varieties of Callings, Pastors, People, Magistrates, Sub­iects, Euery one is to walke as he is called of God, 1. Cor. 1.20. & learne what belongs there­to, and not incroach vpon, or entermedle with that, which belongs to o­thers. Except men heed this, whatsoeuer good they seeme to doe, it is not accepted; the Saying of the Romane Generall to the Souldier that kept the tents, when he should haue beene fighting in the field, Non amo nimiùm diligentes, will be vsed of God, if he call vs to one profession, and we busie our selues about another; God will not like such busie bodies.

As the Fruit is kindly; so is it also Timely, the Tree bringeth forth fruit in his Season. As there are diuers seasons in the yeere, so are there fruites for euery season; the health of our body doth require it should be so, for whose sustenance these fruites were prouided; that is vnkind to bee taken in Winter which was fit in Summer, neither will that serue at Autumne, which was made for the Spring: Euen so the qualities of men haue their seasons, and (as the Preacher saith) There is a time for euery thing, Cap. 3.a time for weeping, and a time for laughing, a time for peace, and a time for warre. Nehemiah doth blame the people that Wept, Cap. [...]. and biddeth them goe and Feast; God reproueth the people that did Feast, because it was then a time to Fast; Rehoboam was stared by the Prophet, Esay 22. 1. K [...]ays 12. 2. Co [...], 19. when he would haue war­red vpon Israel; Iehosaphat is rebuked by a Prophet, for that hee would haue societie with the King of Israel. The ground of this varietie, is; We may not rebuke, when we should comfort, nor comfort when we should rebuke; the Habits of vertues must be alwayes in vs, but the Acts must be exercised vpon their iust occasions.

You see by this time, that the Tree proues well in regard of the Princi­pall Good, that is expected from a Tree: neither is it lesse true in regard of the Accessorie Good: The Accessorie good are Leaues; and indeede the Accessorie are a great good of the Tree, for they are Ornamentum arboris, [Page 26]and Oper [...]mentum fructuum, they make the Tree more pleasant to behold, and serue for to defend the Fruit from the iniurie of the weather: there­fore are they compared to the haire of a mans head, which if it should be missing, euery man sees, how much deformitie and discommoditie would come vnto our head.

But this is but the out side of the Parable. Good Workes haue their Circumstances, which in doing them must bee obserued, and are as be­hoofefull to the Worke, as Leaues to the Tree, both to recommend it, and also to defend it: for Example, He that giues, must giue with cheereful­nesse; hee that obeyes, must doe it with willingnesse; hee that reproues, must doe it with charitablenesse, &c. take away these Circumstances, and a churlish gift is not worth thankes, stubborne seruice cannot content, neither will a man be reclaimed by a malicious reproofe: put these Cir­cumstances to it; and if euer a man will be thankfull, it will be to him that giues vnto him cheerefully; if any seruant will please, it is hee that doth his dutie willingly, and if euer an vntoward nature will be altered, Cha­ritie must season the reproofe: Due circumstances giue a sweete influ­ence vnto a good worke; and they are the best Apologie to stop the mou­thes of slanderers. Such Leaues a good Tree beares, and a good Man ob­serues such Circumstances.

And he obserues them Constantly; for his Leafe Neuer fadeth. The rea­son, why the Leaues fade, and fall, is the disproportion betweene the heate and the moysture; when the heate is too weake, and so the moysture fals backe to the roote, or else is too strong, and consumes it faster, then it can be supplied by the roote; so that, if the Leafe neuer fade, there must needes euer be a good proportion betweene them. The Grace of God is compared sometimes to Fire, sometimes to Water; because it hath a warming and cooling propertie, a drying, and a moystning: It warmeth vs when we are ouer cold; as we are too often in doing good; and when through indiscreete zeale, wee are ouer hot, then doth Grace coole vs, and keepe vs in a good temper: Sometimes wee are ouer drie, and spa­ting in doing well, Grace then serues to moysten vs, and make vs more friuitfull; and when we grow luxuriant, it drieth vp our superfluities, and brings vs to a meane: from the due proportion of these qualities ruling our Actions, it comes to passe; that as a Tree casteth not his Leaues, so wee faile not in the Circumstances which must order our good workes. Fruit without Leaues, or Leaues without Fruit, make but an imperfect good Tree: So good Workes without due Circumstances, and Circumstan­ces without good Workes make but an imperfect Man. As then the Trees of Paradise were all good for foode and pleasant to behold; Gane. 2.good for foode, in regard of their Fruit, and beautifull to behold in regard of their Leaues: euen so should the Spirituall Trees bee (I meane Christian men;) their workes should be both vsefull and gracefull, otherwise, they are not answerable to this Tree; neither doe they attaine the perfection of Chri­stian men. And let this suffice to shew that the Tree proues well.

As it Proues well: so it is well Approued; for what it doth, Prospers; yea, it is as well Approued, as it Proues well, for Whatsoeuer it doth pros­pers. [Page 27]The Prospering of the Tree may well bee expounded, out of the Pa­rable of Trees, Iudg. 9. where the Oliues fatnesse is said to bee that, where­with they honour God and man, and the Vines Wine, that, wherewith they Cheere both; That is, the good vse that is made of them, is their Prosperitie. And what is the Prosperitie of a Rationall Tree, but that our Workes set forth Gods Honour, and edifie men? Onely the Rationall Tree hath one aduantage aboue the Irrationall, that it yeelds the doer a good Testimonie of his good Conscience; It is a great blessing, when a man doth labour to be assured of this, that he labours not in vaine.

Neither doth the Tree onely Prosper well, but the Prosperitie of it is vniuersall, Whatsoeuer he doth prospers. As he brings foorth good Leaues, and good Fruit: So there comes a Blessing vpon them both. It is the vn­happinesse of the wicked, that nothing goeth well with them, Their very Table (as it is in the Psalme) is made their snare, and that, which should bee for their comfort, is made vnto them an occasion of falling; Psal. 69. ver. 22.but all things worke for the best to them that Loue God (as the Apostle telleth vs, Rom. 8. their very afflictions are matter of exceeding Ioy, Iam. 1. And this is. Mysterium Crucis, wherewith none are acquainted, but those that are tru­ly initiated into Christ.

Bede goeth a step farther, and shewes, that their very sinnes doe Pros­per: He instanceth in Saint Peters fall, by which he profited in Humili­tie, and Compassion; we may instance also in Dauid, and others, and this is Miraculum miraculorum, that God turnes both sorts of Euils, as well Culpae, as Paene, as well of Sinne, as Woe into the profit of a good Man: God turneth it (I say), for his hand it is, that workes so strange effects, and his Hand is implyed in Iaztliack, which though it be vulgarly Tran­slated, shall Prosper, yet according to the Coniugation it may signifie shall make to prosper; and then must there bee some Efficient, which most fitly must bee accounted God. And God will blesse in making all things to Prosper that a good man takes in hand: as in the Creation, when he saw all things that himselfe had made, That it was good, then he Blessed it.

Or if you will referre it to the Tree, or the Christian noted by the Tree, then the meaning is; that the worke Prospers for the persons sake. And indeede, if we bee in ill termes with God, that which wee doe will succeede but ill, as all will succeede well, if we bee in good termes: but the Prosperitie here meant, must be vnderstood not Corporally, but Spi­ritually; for Corporally they often are distressed, though that distresse in the end turnes to their greater good.

Finally, Saint Chrysostom vnderstands Christ by this Tree, and indeed, what you haue heard can fully agree to none, but vnto Him: Hee is the Tree of life, and the best of vs is but a Branch in that Tree, yea a diseased Branch; therefore we must acknowledge the perfection of this Resem­blance in Him, and begge, that according to our proportion, it may bee communicated vnto vs.

THe Reward which God bestowes vpon them, which per­forme their Vow made vnto him in Baptisme, is (as you haue heard in the first word of this Psalme) Blessednesse; Blessednesse in this life, and Blessednesse in the life to come.

As this Blessednesse consists of two degrees: so doth this Psalme yeeld vnto vs of either degree a speciall Euidence; A speciall Euidence of the Blessednesse which is in this world; and that stands in the difference, which euen during this life, may bee obserued betweene the good and bad; we haue that difference exprest here in the third and fourth verses. Of the Good I haue already spoken; on the third verse I haue shewed you, how fitly they are compared vnto a Tree; a Tree, for which much good is done, whether you respect the Husbandmans Care in planting it, or Choyce of the Soyle wherein it is set.

And as there is good done to it: so comes there good of it; for it proues well, and is as well approued: i [...] proues well, in Fruit, and Leaues; good Fruit, for it is kindly, and timely; neuer fading Leaues, which are a perpetuall Ornament of a Tree, and Muniment of the Fruits. And as it proues well: so is it well approued; Whatsoeuer it doth is acceptable to God, profitable to Men, and comfortable to the Tree. These things you heard enlarged, and applyed to a good Man; It followes that now I come on, and you heare what this Scripture saith of a bad Man.

Wherein you must consider these two points; first, whom the Holy Ghost meanes by the Vngodly; secondly, What miserie euen in this life is heaped vpon them. First, they are not what they seeme to be; Non sic improbi; It is not so with the wicked, they haue no part in the resem­blance of the blessed Tree; Secondly, what they seeme not to bee that they are, a worse resemblance fits them; for they are no better then win­nowed chaffe. I begin with the first, they are here called vngodly.

Venerable Bede obsernes well; that by the Vngodly, you must vnder­stand not onely Incredulos; but also falsos Christianos; not only the god­lesse Infidell which is without the Church; but also the counterfeit Be­leeuer that liues within the Church. And indeed S. Paul, Rom. 3. out of the Psalmes, and other passages of Scripture, making an Anatomie of a wicked man, giues a good Rule; those things which the Law speaketh, it [Page 29]speaketh to them that are vnder the Law; so that all they must take this Title to themselues, that professe they know God, but denie him in their workes, that haue a forme of Godlinesse, but deny the power thereof; are called Christians, but yeeld no odour of that sweet Oyntment, which being powred vpon Christ the Head, Runnes downe to the verie skirts of his Garments. And therefore whosoeuer they are, that are any parts of his Coat, they should all of them smell of Mirrhe, Aloes, and Cassia, Psal. 45.8. 1. Pet. 2.9. and shew forth the vertues of him that hath called them out of darknesse into his marueilous light. All should, but more then a good many doe not; and therefore they come vnder this name of Vngodly.

But enough of the Persons, of whom I haue spoken at large vpon the first Verse; Let vs come on to their state; remembring this, that all come vnder the state, that come vnder the name; if they bee Vngodly, they partake of the miserie. And what is their miserie? surely, they are not what they seeme to be, and what they seeme not to be that they are.

They are not what they seeme to be; for in this world, of all men the Vngodly seeme to be in best state; but my Text denieth it, Non sic impro­bi, it is not so well with them, they are not that Blessed Tree. What then? Surely, what they seeme not to bee that they are, they are in a much worse state, and therefore are set forth in a baser resemblance; they are but like chaffe that is driuen by the wind. Strange doctrine; the whole Text is a verie Paradox.

A Paradox is a truth which crosseth the common opinion; of the truth of this Saying there can be no question, seeing it is Gods Word: but sure I am, that the state of the Vngodly is commonly taken to bee much better; if any, surely they in this life seeme to be that Blessed Tree; I haue seene (saith Dauid) the vngodly in great prosperitie, Psal. 89.and flourishing like a greene Bay tree; In the second of Esay they are compared to the Ce­dars of Lebanon, and the Okes of Basan; and what a goodly Tree was Ne­buchadnezzar? so he is compared, Dan. 4. where wee read, that his top reached vp to Heauen, his Branches spread to the ends of the Earth; he was full loaden with fruit, and all the birds of the aire did harbour in his boughes; and yet the Holy Ghost saith, Non sic impij, the Vngodly are no Trees, no Blessed Trees.

How then shall we proue this truth? We must helpe our selues out of another Psalme; The sonnes of men of low degree, are but vanitie, Psal. 62.and men of high degree are but a lye; All is not gold that glisters, neither may wee mistake a painted face for Natiue Beautie: He that goeth to a Play, shall see on the stage Kings, and Queenes, and other Personages of worth in outward shew, whereas indeed the persons that acted them, are base, and mercenarie fellowes. And this world is but a great stage, and the wicked are but personated Actors, or Players, not one appeares as hee is; Or to follow the Similie of Trees, which God himselfe is pleased to vse Deut. 32. the wicked are compared vnto the Vines of Sodome, and Gomorrah, that beare grapes in shew, but the iuyce of them is nothing but gall and bitternesse; yea, it is deadly poyson. They that write the Historie of that Countrey obserue, that the fruit thereof makes great shew, but [Page 30]when men come neere it, and touch it, it resolues altogether into Cin­ders, which hapily the Wise Man meaneth, when he saith, that there grow Plants bearing fruit which neuer come to ripenesse: Wisd. 10.7. Euen such is the pro­speritie of the wicked, faire in shew, nothing in substance. The reason is plaine.

For, seeing God onely is good, and nothing good farther then it par­takes of him; Vngodlinesse, that separates from God, must needs depriue of Good, and he is but a verie wretch, that hath whatsoeuer else is called good, if he haue it without God: yea he is more wretched, by so ha­uing what he desires, then by wanting it. It is Saint Austins note; and there is good reason for it, euen that Aphorisme in Physicke, Corpora cor­rupta quo magis nutris, eo magis laedis; Hee that giueth a sicke man what­soeuer he cals for, may hapily please his taste, but hee will surely encrease his disease: Honour, pleasure, wealth, make vngodly men vnhappily happy; so, that if you looke vpon them with the eyes of faith, and not with the eyes of flesh and bloud, you will acknowledge this to bee true, though strange; The vngodly are not what they seeme to be, they seeme to be happie, but indeed they are vnhappie.

Two wayes vnhappie. For first, you must strip them of true Blisse; Non sic, they are not like the Blessed Tree; then must you cloath them with their contempt; they are like the chaffe. I need but touch at the for­mer. You will easily conceiue that Branch of their Miserie, by measuring the Priuation by the Habit; and you must iudge of the want, by the desire­ablenesse of that which they doe want.

1. God takes care of the blessed Tree; Of a Tree of the field, a wild Tree, he maketh it a Tree of the Orchard, a planted Tree. Non sic impij; No such care taken for the vngodly, they are as Out-lawes left to themselues to grow on in the corruption of their Natures.

2. The blessed Tree is planted by the Riuers of Waters, it is set where it cannot want, Iohn 4. 2. Cor. 12.9. on euery side it is supplied with abundance of iuice. If God as the Husbandman take care of any, Christ will be vnto him a Fountaine of liuing Waters, his Grace will bee sufficient for him: Non sic impij; they drinke little of Christs spirit; as they are little husbanded by Gods care.

3. The blessed Tree, as it receiues Good: so it yeelds good againe. For first, it proues well, it yeelds kindly Fruit. Non sic impij; their Fruit is not theirs, but it is the fruit of him that sets them on worke, that is, of the Diuell. For marke; The naturall fruit that our Vnderstanding should beare, is Truth, and that our Will should beare, is Good: The very Phi­losophers haue taught vs, that Truth is the naturall Obiect of the Vn­derstanding, and Good of the Will; but our Vnderstanding bringeth forth Lyes to deceiue vs, and our Will Sinnes to giue mortall wounds vn­to vs, Iohn 8.44. if we bee Vngodly. And what are these but the fruites of the Diuell who is a Lyar; and a Murderer from the beginning?

4. The blessed Tree brings forth not only kindly, but timely Fruit al­so; His good deedes are as seasonable, as they are Vertuous; Non sic impij. The Scripture, especially the Prouerbs teacheth vs, that the wicked are per­uerse; they are peruerse, in that they doe not onely what they should not; [Page 31]but also when they should not: they will feast, and be frolicke, Esay 22. when they should humble themselues before God; and when they should be ioyfull, and cheerefully serue God, then will they bee discontent, and fall to their teares; as the Iewes, when after their returne from Babylon they laide the foundation of the Temple: In the Booke of Numbers you shall find, Ezra. 3. that when God would haue had the Israelites enter into Canaan, then they would backe againe into Aegypt, and when God would not haue them goe, then they would needs hasten into Canaan.

5. The blessed Tree beares not onely Fruit, but Leaues. A good man cloatheth his good deeds with good Circumstances; Non sic impij. If hap­pily an vngodly man vndertake a good matter, he wil marre it in the man­ner of doing of it; if he giue, he will doe it churlishly; if he reproue, hee will doe it vncharitably; if he Pray hee will doe it hypocritically; finally, whatsoeuer hee doth he will doe it vntowardly, and so his Good doth no good, and so proues no Good at all.

6. Finally, the blessed Tree is as well approued, as it proues well. When a good man doth good, it pleaseth God, and it profits men, and they haue Comfort of it themselues. Non sic impij, God abhorreth them, as being vnlike vnto him, and to men they are as odious, as they are mis­chieuous; Finally, they can take litle true content in themselues, because in themselues they can find little true good.

And so haue you seene the Vngodly stript of all that is desireable in the Blessed Tree: So, that although with the Church of Laodicea, they say, that they are rich, and increast with goods, and haue neede of nothing; Reuel. 3.17. yet by by this time you see, that they are wretched, miserable, poore, blinde, and naked.

And a man would thinke this were miserie enough so to be stript. The Holy Ghost doth not leaue them so; but as it tels vs, that they are not what they seeme to be: so doth it also tell vs, that what they would not seeme to be, that indeed they are; and this it teacheth in another Si­milie. He resembles them to Dust; or to Chaffe driuen with the wind; he doth not resemble them to Nothing; for manet in ijs materia poe­nalis. Sinne, as the Schoole teach, is Nothing, but not simply No­thing; it were happie for the wicked, if as they were made at first of Nothing: so sinne would bring them to nothing againe; but sinne is such a nothing as euer cleaues vnto that which continueth Something; it destroyes the Well-being, but not the Being of a Creature. For exam­ple; by sinne our Vnderstanding doth not cease to be, but to bee furni­shed with the true Light, whereby we may see the way of Life; and our Will loseth not her being, but her holy power of choice; as likewise our Affections are depriued of their true taste. This which so remaynes being depraued with sinne, doth Saint Hilarie fitly call Materiam paena­lem; it remaynes vnto our greater woe.

But to come to the Similie. The Vngodly doe not thinke so well of themselues, but the Holy Ghost thinketh as meanly; it appeares by the Resemblance, Dust, or Chaffe, things that are next to Nothing. And indeed to set forth their vilenesse, the Holy Ghost doth varie such kind [Page 32]of Resemblances; sometimes by representing them by Scumme, some­times by Froth, sometimes by Drosse, sometimes calling them Vani­tie; yea, Psal. 62. casting them below Vanitie; in the Scales if they bee both put, they will ascend lighter then Vanitie. The reason is; because all imperfection that is in vnreasonable Creatures is but Malum Poenae; and therefore must needs come short of Malum Culpae: seeing the least Sinne is worse then the greatest Woe; therefore the greatest Woe doth not sufficiently set forth the Euill of the least Sinne. We need not there­fore wonder, that the Holy Ghost doth vse so meane resemblances to set forth the Vngodly, in whom there is so little worth.

But to come closer to it. They are like Dust or Chaffe. Puluis licet ter­ra sit, tamen terra esse desijt, quia nihil habet solidi, destitutus humore; that which is Dust was Earth, but by loosing his moysture, it is no longer a part of the Earth; and Chaffe was a part of the Eare of Corne, though being thresht it continues no longer a part of the Eare: take which Resemblance you will, though the latter is thought best to ex­presse the Originall, This you may gather; That all the Vngodly haue their Originall in the Church, though they doe not shew themselues to be of the Church. The Husbandman carrieth out cleane Seed, but when it growes into an Eare, that Eare that beares the good graine, beares also Chaffe. Matti. 13. Our Sauiour Christ vseth this Similie; comparing the World to Gods Field, his Word vnto Seed, and himselfe vnto the Sower; and surely God neuer sowed any of his heauenly Seed, but the Eares did spring accompanied with Chaffe: God sowed it in Adam, of whom sprang Cain, and Abel; Cain, plaine Chaffe, Abel good Corne: He sowed it in Noah, of whom sprange Sem, Cham, and Iapheth; Sem and Iapheth good Corne, but Cham very Chaffe: Hee sowed it in A­braham, of whom sprang Ishmael, and Isaac; in Isaac, of whom sprang Iacob and Esau, from both came Chaffe as well as good Corne. And this Resemblance of Chaffe doth adde much to the Vngodlinesse of the Vngodly, that being vouchsafed to be in the Church, they haue so little Grace, as not to be of the Church; which agrees well vnto those persons which I told you before were meant here by Vngodly, namely, Counterfeit Christians.

But Chaffe hath two remarkable things in it, Ariditatem, and Steri­litatem; which you may very fitly oppose to the double good of the blessed Tree; the Drinesse, is opposite to the Good that is done for the Tree, and the Barrennesse to the good that comes of it. Touching the Drinesse, it is plaine to any one that beholds Chaffe; for though while it was growing it had some sap, yet being cut downe from the Root which did feed it, and thresht from the Graine which might yeeld some moisture to it, it must needs be drie. And such is the con­dition of the Vngodly: if they let goe their hold-fast which they haue on Christ by a true faith, and lose themselues from that blessed Com­munion, which they haue with Saints, what sap of Grace can there be in them? seeing these two are the only meanes of Grace, and without these we may not expect any sap of Life. Therefore Ieremie compareth [Page 33]the Wicked vnto the Heath in the Desart, Ier. 17.6.and parched places in the Wildernesse, in a Salt Land.

And if they bee subiect to Drinesse, they must needs bee subiect to Barrennesse; for who can expect fruit where there is no sap, seeing sap is the cause of fruit? and who can expect good workes where there is no Grace, seeing it comes of Grace, that man doth any thing that is good?

But the Vngodly are not only compared vnto Chaffe, but vnto win­nowed Chaffe. The state of the Vngodly is but meane, if they bee no better then Chaffe; but their state is meaner, if that Chaffe be win­nowed. It is some honour to the Chaffe, that it cleaues to the Eare of Corne growing in the Field, and in the threshing Floore lieth mingled with the graines; but it loseth much, though not of its substance, which it neuer had, yet of the countenance, which it seemed to haue, if once it come to be winnowed. Those that are not of the Church acquire some e­stimation by being in the Church; which they vtterly lose when they leaue that Communion.

But what is this Winnowing? The Fathers obserue a double Winde that turmoyles the Vngodly: There is ventus Vanitatis, and Ventus Iudicij, they are exposed to an Inward, and to an Outward Wind; the Inward Wind is the Wind of Vanitie, that taketh them sometimes in the Head; and as Saint Paul speaketh Ephes. 4. They are carried about with euery Wind of Doctrine, by the slight of man; and as Saint Iames, Iam. 1.they waue about, and are vnstable in all their wayes. Let a Theudas, or a Iudas of Galilie come amongst the Iewes; Let a Montanus, or a Mahomet come amongst the Christians, what a company will they draw after them? vnlearned, and vnstable soules how are they besotted with No­uelties? how are they with their owne Heads winnowed like Chaffe?

Neither with their Heads only; but also with their Hearts. There is not a Passion which like a strong Gale of Winde doth not transport them; Anger raiseth stormes within them; Vaine Glorie as wings carri­eth them beyond themselues; Couetousnesse makes them base; Enuie makes them vnsociable; Pride maketh them Tyrants; Luxurie makes them Beasts: the Vngodly are as plyable, as a Weathercocke, neither need they any other winde to shift their situation, but only their owne Passions.

But as if this Inward Wind did not turmoile them enough, they are subiect to an Outward, the wind of Gods Iudgement, which the Chal­dee Paraphrase calls Ventum furentem, and the Prophets very common­ly call it a Whirlewind. Saint Iohn Baptist tels vs, Matth. 3.12. that Christ shall come with his fanne in his hand, and therewith shall throughly purge his floore. Where marke, that Gods Iudgement is compared to Wind, of which our Sauiour Christ tels Nicodemus, the wind bloweth where it listeth, Iohn 3.8.thou knowest not whence it commeth, nor whether it goeth: so doe Gods Iudge­ments surprize men; when the vngodly crie Peace, Peace, 1. Thess. 5.3.then comes sud­daine destruction vpon them. You shall find this fully and excellently described, Iob 21.

[Page 34] But marke the Opposition of Chaffe vnto the Wind, the weaknesse of [...] to the irrisistiblensse of the Wind; especially, if it be a Whirlewind, whither you respect the Impotencie of their owne Affections, vnder which they sinke, or Gods Vengeance which must needes ouer-beare them. Who would set the Briars, and Thornes against me in Battle? (saith God; Esay 27) I will goe through them, I will burne them together: It must needs make much to the Miserie of the Vngodly, that being so little a­ble they must abide so violent an encounter: violent it is; but yet such as is meet for them; for the Vngodly are called Reshagnim, turbulent, and tu­multuous people; and what Iudgement is so fit for them, as to bee har­rowed, and hurled with the Wind? They that giue rest to none, it is pittie they should haue any rest. The Vulgar addes to the Text Exegeticè, from the Earth; The wind driues the Chaffe from the Earth. Saint Hie­rome makes a good Note vpon it; Tàm infoelix erit impius, vt ne terre­nus sit puluis; most miserable is the case of the Vngodly, when the Earth that bare them, [...]. will not endure them. God in Deuteronomie threatens such a Iudgement to the Iewes, and we see that at this day they endure it: their case may be any mans case, and if wee bee Vngodly, the Whirlewind may driue vs out of the good Land which God bestowes vpon vs. Russinus goeth a step higher, Si facies terrae species patriae Coele­ [...]lis accipitur, recrè puluis à facie terrae proijci dicitur, quia à Visione Calestis Gloriae impius remouetur. Adam in Paradise below, forfeited Paradise aboue, and the Iewes had little hope of Heauen, the Truth, that were cast out of Canaan, the Type thereof: Neither may wee pre­sume of the Kingdome of Glorie, if we be vnworthy of the Kingdome of Grace. And no wonder; for, Chaffe that is winnowed from the thre­shing Hoore is reserued for the fire, [...]. 3. as Saint Iohn Baptist telleth vs; nei­ther are the wicked separated from the good, but for their greater Woe.

But I must conclude. Three things we learne in this Text; First, that the Vngodly are subiect to a double Punishment, Poena Damni, and Poe­na Sensus; they are depriued of great Good, and the Euill is great whereunto they are exposed. Secondly, the Non Sic, and the Sicut ad­uise vs to compare the Happinesse of the Blessed Tree, with the Miserie of this winnowed Chaffe, that the Contraries being set one against the other we may the better discerne them, and resolue which of them to choose. Last of all; We may see, that there is no reason, why we should enuie the pompes and vanities of this wicked World; seeing they haue neither Substance, nor Continuance. Iob teacheth it more then once, and so doth Dauid, Psal. 37. and 73. When we goe to a Play, we doe with the Eyes of our Reason, correct the Eyes of our Bodie, and our Reason iudgeth them but Varlots, whom our Sense beholds as Kings: It were to be wished that when we come to the Stage of this World, we would bring thither, aswell the Eyes of Faith, as of Reason; our Iudgement would not bee so often perplext, nor our Resolution staggered as they are with the seeming prosperitie, and Glorie of the World; we would with Moses, [...].esteeme the rebuke of Christ better then the Treasures of Egypt, and endeauor to be happy, rather in deed, then shew.

[Page 35] To shut vp all. Blessed we would all be in this World; but few take Notice of the Euidence of true Blessednesse; That Euidence, is in the first Resemblance, the Resemblance to the Tree; Let vs obserue it, and desire to partake it; otherwise, we may be deluded with a seeming Eui­dence, which you haue heard of in the latter Resemblance, the Resem­blance of winnowed Chaffe: the double Miserie that is in it should make vs abhorre it; as the double good of the former, should make vs af­fect it.

THe words contain the second of those Euidences whereby it may be known, who are Blessed. Men are Blessed in this Life, and that which is to come, and God hath set marks vpon ei­ther degree of Blessednesse. The markes of the first degree, you heard vnfolded, when I last spake vnto you vpon this Psalme: It followes then, that I now open vnto you the markes of the second degree, so farre as I find them exprest in this Verse.

For the better vnderstanding whereof, we must obserue; First, what matter is contained in these words; and then, whereupon these words are inferred. In the World to come there are two remarkable things; the Entrance into, and the State of it, in either of these, there is some thing Common, and something Proper, both to the good, and the bad. In the Entrance, that which is Common, is, Iudgement, both must come to the Barre; that which is Proper, is, That in the Iudgement the Righ­teous can, the Vngodly cannot stand. In the state, it is Common to good, and bad, to bee Societies, or Congregations; but it is Proper to the Righ­teous, to be of such a Congregation, whereinto the Vngodly shall not come; neither shall the Righteous come into the Congregation whereof the Vn­godly shall be. So much must bee supplyed à Pari; the ground is the same for both, the reason of the latter difference is contained in the former; for they that differ in the Iudgement, must differ in the Societie also; seeing God is pleased, that that shall be the ordinarie passage vnto this. These are the Contents of the words.

But you must take notice of the Inference also remembred by the first word, Therefore. That, will informe vs; that the Euidence of Blessednesse in the Life to come, depends vpon the Euidence of Blessednesse in this present Life. He that is Blessed here, shall bee Blessed hereafter; and hee [Page 36]shall neuer bee Blessed hereafter, that is not Blessed here. And so haue I shewed you whereof you shall heare: Come wee then to the Text, and first to the Contents thereof; wherein wee must first see, what is Com­mon to the good and the bad at their Entrance into the World to come; and that is, Iudgement.

By Iudgement, the Chaldee Paraphrast vnderstands the Generall As­sizes, that shall be kept at the end of this World; and he is in his Inter­pretation followed by most Diuines, Ancient, and Moderne. This being the meaning of this Word; the Persons here mentioned, Righteous and Vngodly, must be vnderstood to appeare as well in their Bodies, as their Soules. There is a Iudgement, that passeth before vpon them, wherein their Bodies are seuered from their Soules; but that Iudgement is priuate and particular, whereas this is publike, and generall; and though they agree for the most part, in the Substance, yet in the Solemnitie they dif­fer much, and the latter doth much improue the former, whether you respect the Glorie of the Iudge, or the Doome of the Iudged.

This being resolued; that the Iudgement is that, which shall be at the last day: We must here obserue; how the Holy Ghost speaketh very ac­curately in these words. He saith not, the Vngodly, and Sinners shall not be Iudged, but the Vngodly shall not Stand in the Iudgement, nor Sinners in the Congregation of the Righteous. And so the words haue in them Ali­quid Commune, which they imply, and Aliquid Proprium, which they expresse: It is Common to all the persons here mentioned, Good and Bad, to be Iudged, but Proper to the Bad, not to Stand in Iudgement.

It is Common to Good and Bad, to come vnto Iudgement; as com­mom, as to rise from the dead. Saint Paul who, Acts 24. saith, there shall be a Resurrection of the iust and vniust, saith distinctly. 2. Cor. 5. that we shall all appeare before the Iudgement seate of Christ, to receiue accor­ding to that which euery man hath done in his Bodie, be it good or ill. Daniel in the twelfth of his Prophesie teacheth the verie same, [...] 2. Many of those that sleepe in the dust shall rise, some to euerlasting Life, and some to euerlasting shame. The verie same also wee learne of the Preacher in his twelfth Chapter, [...] 14. God shall bring euery worke into Iudgement, and euerie secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be euill. The point is so cleare, that it is made an Article of our Faith; so that I shall not need, to adde any more proofe.

Here note; That wheras God is an absolute Lord, most wise, most holy, most mightie; so that he knoweth all, and detests all sinne, and may deale with Sinners at his pleasure; yet, hee will haue all the World see; that he receiues none into Heauen, nor sends any vnto Hell, but the ground of his doing is iust: for he sentenceth both in Iudgement; so that there can bee no exception taken, (not by malice it selfe) vnto his procee­ding. Both good and bad passe by Iudgement to their state. And let this suffice concerning that which is Common vnto Good and Bad, in the Entrance into the World to come.

I come now to that which is Proper. And here I must begin with Venerable Bedes Rule, Intellectus est per Opposita. We must conceiue; [Page 37]that what is denied to the Vngodly is granted to the Righteous: so that these concise words must be resolued into more, and so some not vnfitly supply in the first Branch of this sentence a word that is found in the last, to make it cleere; wherefore they read thus, The Vngodly shall not stand in the Iudgement of the Righteous, that is, the Vngodly shall not stand in that Iudgement wherein the Righteous shall stand. Let vs then consider these Propositions asunder; first, that which is exprest; then, that which is implyed. The exprest Proposition is, The Vngodly shall not stand in Iudgement. Standing in, is opposed to both Shrinking from, and Sin­king vnder Iudgement: so that if the Vngodly shall not stand, it follow­eth they will Shrinke from, and Sinke vnder it. And indeed the Holy Ghost obserues both: when God ariseth vnto Iudgement, the wicked will first trie their heeles; but when they will not serue, then they grow heartlesse, and despaire of Helpe.

But to open these Branches a little more fully. Flight is the first at­tempt of the Vngodly at the Day of Iudgement; they are forced vnto it from within, and from without, from the horrour of their owne con­science, and from the terrour of the Iudge. Touching Conscience, it is an vndeniable truth; that where there is sense of Guilt, there is distresse of Feare: see it in our Grand-father Adam; no sooner had hee eaten of the forbidden fruit, and his eyes were opened thereby; but hee tooke couert, and when hee was questioned, hee gaue God this reason for his flying. I saw that I was naked. Neither was it his case only, Gen. 3. it is heredita­rie to all his ofspring; Salomon hath put it in a Prouerbe; Poou. 28.The wicked flie when no man pursueth them; God hath put it into his Law, where the Israelites are threatned, that if they breake Gods Couenant, one part of their punishment shall be, amazednesse of Heart, Leu. 26. and such a feareful­nesse, as that they shall flie at the shaking of a Leafe. An Example we haue in Foelix, Acts 24. who trembled when Saint Paul did but preach of Righteous­nesse, and Iudgement to come.

As the Guilt of Conscience: so likewise the terrour of the Iudge will make the wicked to flie. When God gaue his Law, he gaue it with that terrour, that the people gaue backe, and stood afarre off; yea, Moses him­selfe confesseth, as Saint Paul reports, that he was greatly afraid. Heb. 12. And how much more thinke you shall the wicked be afraid, when Christ shall come in the Glorie of his Father, with all his Angels? with the dreadfull sound of the Trumpet? and all the World burning round about him? certainly it cannot but strike such a terrour, as shall make the wicked betake themselues to their heeles. Christ in the Gospell describing the Last Day, saith, Luke 21.26. That Men shall be at their wits ends for feare and expecta­tion of the euils to come; they shall call to the Rockes to hide them, to the Mountaines to fall vpon them. Saint Iohn repeates the very same, recko­ning, Kings, great men, rich men, mightie men, bond, free; the voice of euery one of them shall be this; The great Day of the Lambs wrath is come, and who shall be able for to stand? Reuel. 6.

Put these Causes of flight together; and then learne from Saint Iohn; Iohn 1.3, 20.If our conscience doe accuse vs, God is greater then our Conscience; and [Page 38]knoweth all things. And yet Saint Basil maketh such a liuely Description of the worke of Conscience in Iudgement, that a man would thinke nothing could be added to the terrour thereof; [...] [...], &c. The Conscience will so limme out our Liues, and be such a Looking Glasse of all our deeds; that by an vnspeakable power, in a moment of time as we would thinke, nothing can better represent our selues to our selues.

But for all that; the Heart of a man is an intricate Labyrinth, none knoweth it but God only (as God himselfe teacheth in Ieremie. [...] 17 1 [...]. [...] 4. [...] 4.) As all things are naked before his eyes: so will he then bring many things to light which are hid in darknesse. When then both these terrours concurre, whereof the one so much increaseth the other, you will not wonder, that the wicked vpon the apprehension thereof betake themselues to flight.

Flying is their shift; but it is a vaine one; for whether should they flie, when euery creature, which at the Creation was made a Souldier in Gods Hoast shall at the last Day become a Iaylour to arrest prisoners, and present them at his Assizes? What remayneth then, but that they that cannot shrinke from the Iudgement, [...]isdome 17. sinke vnder it? For wicked­nesse condemned by her owne witnesse is very timerous, and being prest with Conscience alwayes forecasteth terrible things: The man that was but questioned for wanting his Wedding Garment at the Marriage, Matth. 2 [...]. grew pre­sently speechlesse: Our Sauiour Luke 21. saith; that their Iudgement shall come like a snare; and indeed in the Psalme we reade, that God shall raine vpon the wicked, Psal. 11.Snares, Fire, and Brimstone, Storme, and Tempest, this is their partion to drinke. Now we know, that a Snare doth not on­ly take, but ouer-turne the wild beast that is taken therein.

But if the terrour of the Iudge doe not, [...] 19.12. Vnder whom the mightiest Helpes doe stoope (as it is in Iob) nor the inextricable suddaines of his Iudgement; yet the weight of sinne will crush, and beare a Sinner to the ground.

Dauid in his owne person, and conflicts with a guiltie Conscience, out of which notwithstanding, by Gods mercie he did finally rise, yet confes­seth; that the sense of guilt is like a drowning Floud, like a crushing Burden, a Burden too Heauie for man to beare; and if the righteous, that Man after Gods owne Heart, when he sell as a man, were scarcely saued, where shall the Vngodly, 1. [...] [...]and the vnrighteous appeare? You see then, how true it is; that, The Vngodly shall not stand in Iudgement; Causâ cadent, & cadent per­sond, themselues with their Cause shall fall to the ground, they shall both sinke as low as the Chambers of death.

But Bon [...] concessum quod impijs negatum, (as Bede noteth), though They shall not, yet shall The Righteous stand. And no maruell; for they shall bee free both from the guilt of Conscience, and the terrour of the Iudge. And why? Their hearts are purified by Faith, yea, purified from dead workes; whatsoeuer is mortall is taken from them; for, Christ Iesus of God is made vnto them Wisdome, Righteousnesse, Sanctification, and Re­demption; [...]the Law of Life which is in Iesus Christ freeth them from sinne, [Page 39]and death: so that, Rom. 8. Matth. 24. there is no condemnation vnto them which are so in Christ: And if there bee no Condemnation; then may they Lift vp their heads with ioy when Christ commeth; 1. Iohn 3. Luke 21 knowing that their Redemption draweth neere; If their Conscience doe not accuse them, they may haue bold­nesse in the Day of Iudgement, they shall stand before the Sonne of Man; and his Throne shall be vnto them, a Throne of Grace.

But more distinctly. The Standing of the Righteous is opposed to the Flying from, and Sinking vnder Iudgement; if Adam did flie only because hee was Naked, that which remedieth the Nakednesse stayeth the flight: now Nakednesse stood in Sinne, and Mortalitie; both these are remedied in the Resurrection of the Iust. The Sinne is all taken away, by the Imputation of Christs Righteousnesse, and Sanctification of his Spirit. The Mortalitie, because as they are quickened by Grace in their Soules: so their Bodies of Naturall become Spirituall, 1. Cor. 15. and their Cor­ruptible puts on Incorruption, their Mortall, Immortalitie: so then, there being no part of Nakednesse left, there can remayne no cause of Flying.

And if not of Flying from, then not of Sinking vnder Iudgement; for that which is the Cause of Flying is the cause of Sinking also: but the state of their Person doth deny al possibility of Sinking; the Spiritin their Soule is the Pledge of their Inheritance in Heauen, and their Bodies which they shall then receiue, are not only Houses from Heauen; 2. Cor. 5. but such as are fitted for Heauen; both carrie vpward, and not downward.

But marke more particularly, 1. Thes. 4.16. what the Scripture saith of the Resurre­ction of the iust. The Dead in Christ shall Rise first: Yea, they onely shall Rise from death; for the Resurrection of the wicked is not from, but vn­to Death, from one Death vnto another. And therefore in Saint Luke onely the Righteous are called Filij Resurrectionis; Luke 20.36. because their Resur­rection is vnto Life, which is properly a Standing; the wicked doe but Rise to take a greater fall, they fall from a Temporall, to an Eternall Death.

Secondly, As the Righteous shall Rife first: so being raysed, 1. Thes. 4.17. Rapien­tur in occursum, They shall be taken vp into the ayre to meete Christ, and so shall euer be with him: So that except He fall, they shall neuer fall; they shall be remoued from the Earth which is the place of falling.

Thirdly, they shall be placed at the right Hand of Christ: to be taken vp vnto him is to be admitted to a Beatificall Vision; Psal. 16. for what is our hap­pinesse but to see Him as He is? For, in his presence there is fulnesse of ioy; and if we be placed at His right Hand, there is pleasure for euer more, se­cure Honour, and endlesse Life: if that support vs, no feare of falling, we shall certainely stand.

But to put it out of all doubt. When we come to the right Hand, Matth, 9. we shall be set vpon Thrones, and shall with Christ iudge the twelue Tribes of Israel, 1. Cor. 6 yea the Angels also; so farre shall we be from being wofully Passiue, that wee shall bee gloriously Actiue in that Iudgement. How we shall Iudge is a curious question: I will not now vndertake to resolue it, it sufficeth to my purpose, that howsoeuer we shall Iudge; as many as are honoured with that function, may well be held Standers; they shall neither Shrinke nor Sinke.

[Page 40] But we may not forget; that the Sinewes by which wee are supported in this Standing are deriued from Christ; if out of Him, we looke vpon our selues, Psal. 113. we may well say, Enter not into Iudgement with thy seruants, O Lord, for in thy sight, shall no flesh liuing be iustified; Or, to keepe to the word of my Text; Psal. 130. If thou Lord marke iniquities, who shall be able for to Stand? Wee cannot Stand without Corruption, except his Grace doe clense vs, neither can we Stand against Condemnation, except his Merits doe secure vs.

Some here worke vpon the difference, which they suppose to be, be­twixt Vngodly and Sinners; vnderstanding by vngodly, those wicked men who are open, and professed Enemies to God, Malefactors Deprehensi in flagranti Crimine, taken in the manner of doing: by Sinners vnderstanding other wicked men, which seeme to be in the Church, and are as it were but Probabiliter suspecti, Challenged vpon suspition. And they tell vs; The first sort of wicked men, Shall not stand in Iudgement, that is, shall not be graced with any formall Arraignment, before their Condemnation: The second sort, howsoeuer they may stand in Iudgement, so farre as to be legally tried; yet they shall neuer come, to stand in the Congregation of the Righteous, In Iob. c. 36. neuer partake with them in Happinesse. Princes (saith Gregorie) deale otherwise with their Subiects, then they doe with their Enemies, in point of Iudgement; for if they take an Enemie, they vse Martiall Law, and command Execution without any iudiciall Processe; but if a Subiect be called in question, hee hath the benefit of the Law, he is suffered to plead for himselfe, neither is hee doomed, before hee is tried. The meaning is, that, of the wicked which shall bee arraigned at the Day of Iudgement, such as are without the Church, shall without all plea, as profest Enemies of Christ, bee proceeded against; for their Infi­delitie shall be vndeniable: But those that are within the Church, God condescends farther vnto them; they shall haue a trial, they shall be heard what they can say; though it will steed them little, because it shal be shew­ed them, how vaine it is And indeede such a forme of proceeding is ex­prest, Matth. 25. and Luke 13.

Where, by the way, It is good for vs to take notice; That though it be a Priuiledge to be of the Church Militant in this world; yea, and it giues vs also a Priuiledge aboue Infidels at the entrance into the World to come; Yet, except we so shew our faith in our workes on Earth, that we may haue the benefit of it, at the Day of Iudgement, there is little com­fort in such a Priuiledge. For in regard of Death, a Citizen is no freer, then an Enemie, if both come to it; though one come to it by Martiall Law, the other by Processe in a Ciuill Court: So if both meete in Hell, it skils not, whether one come as an Infidell, and the other as a wicked Christian; except haply the Christians case be the worse; because he neg­lected the good meanes, which the Infidell had not.

I haue shewed you, wherein the Vngodly, and the Righteous agree, and differ, at the entrance into the world to come; we must now following the Text, see the very same points in the state of both, which followeth vp­on that entrance. And here first, we doe find something Common; for [Page 41]both are Socteties, or Congregations. They haue beene so from the very beginning of the World, there hath beene the Serpent and his Seede, the Woman and her Seed, the Sonnes of God, and the Daughters of men; Micha­ell and his Angels, the Dragon and His, Babel, and Hierusalem. Saint Austen in his learned Bookes De Ciuitate Dei, hath enlarged this point; it is so cleere, I neede not dwell longer vpon it.

But we must marke; that these Societies may bee distinguished [...]ither onely Habitu, or also Actu; onely in Qualitie, or also in Place: In this World they are in place confounded, though they are distinguished in qualitie; the Righteous though they are not of the World, Iohn 17 yet they are in it, and many false Christians are in the Church, which are not of it; the World is as Gods Feild wherein grow both Wheate and Tares; in his earthly Barne there is both Graine and Chaffe; his House hath Seruants Thriftie, and Vnthriftie; and in his Flocke, are as well Goates as Sheepe. But this confusion shall not hold on alwayes, they that differ in Qualitie, shall also be sundred in Place, the Goates from the Sheepe, the Tares from the Wheate, the foolish Virgines from the Wise, the Vnthriftie seruant from the Thriftie. This is the first point of Difference.

But it is not the onely point; but as they are separated: Luke 16. so this separa­tion shal continue for euer; so doth Abraham assure Diues, Betweene you and vs there is a great Gulfe, no passage from one to the other. The same God that separated the Egyptians from the Israelites by the Pillar of fire, when they came out of Egypt, will neuer suffer them to come together, will so part the Saints of Heauen, from the Feinds of Hell, that they shall neuer grow into one Societie againe. Not that absolutely it cannot be otherwise, but God will haue it to be so, 2. Cor. 6.14. he will haue it cleerely to ap­peare, that there is no Communion betweene Light and Darknesse, Christ and Belial, the Temple of God, and the Synagogue of Satan. Eay 66.14. It is true that the Godly shall goe out, and see the wicked tormented, Luke 16. and Diues in Hell shall see Abraham in Heauen, and Lazarus in his bosome, to the greater Comfort of the one, and terrour of the other. But they shall neuer come together, neither shall they change their Place or State.

This latter Difference is grounded vpon the former, for they that dif­fer at the entrance into the World to come, must needes differ in the state thereof; for Iudgement is the Gate that doth as it were lead vnto that State; therefore, if the vnchangeablenesse of the State doe moue vs, wee must not bee carelesse of the Iudgement. Let this suffice touching the Contents of these words; a word of the Inference, and so an end.

Therefore; the first word of this Verse lookes backe vpon that which goeth before, and out of that truth collects this. You haue heard that the Vngodly shall not stand in Iudgement; wonder not at it. The Vngodly are but Winnowed Chaffe, and how should that Stand, that is so light as Chaffe; or rest, which is so restlesse as Chaffe, which is winnowed? The Righteous shall stand; and wonder not at it, They are Trees, well planted Trees, Trees laden with Fruit, with Leaues, Trees wel-liking, well liked; euery point addes weight vnto them, maketh them firme, and standing. If a man bee disenabled to stand, it is because hee is Chaffe; and if hee bee [Page 42]a Tree, hee shall bee well able to stand. You see what you should feare, what you should desire; feare, to be like this winnowed Chaffe, desire, to be like the happie Tree, that you may haue a blessed Entrance into the World to come.

Neither a blessed Entrance only; but a blessed State also must you affect to haue therein: and how shall you haue it? Learne of, Therefore. It looketh backe to the beginning of the Psalme; you see there the dis­position of good Men in this World, they will haue nothing to doe with Wickednesse; they will not walke in the Counsell of the Vngodly, nor stand in the way of Sinners, nor set in the Seat of Scorners; they will haue no communion with wickednesse on Earth, and the wicked shall haue no Communion with them in Heauen. It is a Poeticall Fiction; that what euery Man affected here in Earth, with that hee shall bee solaced in the Elysian Fields. Certaine it is, that looke in what men delighted while they liued on Earth, with their Companions in that shall they be ranged in the Life to come: they shall not there bee the Seruants of God, who here were the Slaues of Satan; spirituall Eunuches that bring forth no good workes; Bastards that are not the Seed of God; the incestuous brood of Ammonites, and Moabites that are borne of worldly lust, and concupiscence, shall more certainly bee excluded the Congrega­tion of Heauen, then were the Corporall, from the Congregation of Israel on Earth. Dent. 23.

Seeing then, Psa [...]. 5. God is a God that hath no pleasure in wickednesse, nei­ther shall Euill dwell with him, The foolish shall not stand in his sight, He hateth all workers of Iniquitie; Ecclesiast. 18.18 Let vs prouide Physicke before we are sicke; and get Righteousnesse before we come to Iudgement: so shall the Tribu­nall of Christ bee vnto vs as Mount Sion, when to others it is Mount Si­nai; when they flie and fall, we shall approach and stand vpright; And if wee liue the Life of Christ, tread the steps of the Faith of our Father Abraham, Philip. 32 [...].haue our Conuersation in Heauen; wee shall not only bee as An­gels, but with Angels wee shall bee refreshed in Abrahams Bosome; wee shall sit downe with him, with all the Patriarches, and Prophets, with all the Saints and Angels at Christs Table, eternally Blessed in the Kingdom of Heauen.

VPon former words of this Psalme, I haue obserued a double difference betweene the Righteous, and the Vngodly; a dif­ference in this life, and a difference in the life to come: In this Life, the Righteous are like vnto a Blessed Tree, to which there is much good done, and of which there commeth [Page 43]much good; but the Wicked are like winnowed Chaffe, that hath small worth, and takes as little rest: in the Life to come they differ also, whe­ther you looke on the Entrance thereinto, or the state therein; at the Entrance, the Wicked shall not endure the Iudgement, wherein the Righ­teous shall stand vpright; and the Righteous shall be of a Societie, wherein­to the wicked shall not come.

I haue opened both these differences so farre, as I was occasioned by words of this Psalme; It remaynes, that now wee see the Cause thereof, which is the Argument of this Verse. It will teach vs; that of so notable a difference, there is some remarkable Cause; the Cause then is, Gods Iudiciall Prouidence: Gods Prouidence is very large; but there is a spe­ciall Branch thereof, that calls Men to an account for their Liues. In this Branch which I call Iudiciall Prouidence, there are two things which wee must obserue, Sapientia, and Potentia, it is a true Discerner and a powerfull Rewarder of all men, bee they Good or Bad; so much shall we find in these words, The Lord knoweth the way of the Righteous; but the way of the wicked shall perish. For the words are Synecdochicall, there is more implyed, then is exprest in them; the word that notes Sa­pientiam, Gods discerning of the Wayes, implies Potentiam, his an­swerable dealing with them; and the word that notes Potentiam, his reuengfull Hand on the Wayes, implyes Sapientiam, his discerning thereof also. And why? this Iudiciall Prouidence is Operosa Cognitio, therein the Power of God attends his Wisedome, and his Wisedome guides his Power.

This being obserued in Generall vpon the words of my Text, we must more distinctly therein see; first, Whereupon, then How, this Iudiciall Pro­uidence workes; that whereon it workes hath something Common, and something Proper; that which is Common is Via; bee men what they will bee, they haue a course of Life; but all take not the same course: there is something Proper, which stands in their seuerall courses; there­fore the Text doth distinguish of Wayes, saying, that there is Via Iusto­rum, the Iust mans way, which is all one with a iust way, and there is Via peccatorum, the wicked mans way, which is all one with a wicked way; this is that whereon Gods Iudiciall Prouidence doth worke.

Now his work Thereon hath also Aliquid Commune, and Aliquid Pro­prium; both the Wayes are wrought vpon by Gods wise Power, or Power­full Wisdome; for God is a Discerner, and Rewarder of both, as I told you, when I opened the Synecdochie of the Verse.

But there is something Proper in either Word; the Wisdome, and Power Iudiciall, workes one way vpon the way of the Righteous, and an other way vpon the way of the wicked; Nouit Viam Iustorum, he takes a speciall Notice of, and bestowes a gracious Reward vpon the way of the Righteous; but Via peccatorum peribit, the way of the wicked shall feele another kind of Reward, because it is excluded from this speciall kind of Notice. And these bee the Contents of this Scripture, which I will now vnfold briefly, and in their Order.

First then, of that Whereon the Iudiciall Prouidence worketh; there­in [Page 44](as I told you) there is something Common, and that is a Way. Praesens vita (saith Saint Basil) nihil aliud est quàm perpetua Via; this our mortall life is nothing else but a passage, and this World a Through faire: there­fore the Schooles distinguishing betweene those that are departed, and those that Liue, call the Liuing Viatores, way faring men; and those that are dead Comprehensores, such as are at their Iournies end; the Pa­triarches acknowledge as much when they call themselues Pilgrimes, Strangers, Soiourners, and their Life a Pilgrimage.

And indeed, [...] 13 [...]4. neither Good nor Bad haue here any Abiding place, they doe in purpose or in practice seeke one to come. It is true that worldly men thinke of no other World; [...]uke 11. but the 49. Psalme confutes their folly; so doth the Gospell in the Parable of the Rich man; and how should that be stable, 1. Cor 7 [...]1. that rests vpon a thing most vnstable? Praeterit figura huius se­cult, the fashion of this World passeth away, and All these things must be dissolued: and how should the little World euer come to a stand, when the Great World makes away? so that wee must prouide for another place.

Wee must, nay, euery man doth, will he nill he, he doth; for his Life is but a Way; he is euery day, euery houre, euery moment onward, some­what toward Heauen, or Hell.

But the Way notes not only a Course, but a setled Course. There are many startings aside both of Good and Bad; the best many times slep aside into by-paths, but that is not Via eorum, the Iust mans way: for he commeth to himselfe againe, and with greater alacritie returnes to his Religious Course: And the wicked out of fashion, or fancie, doe often­times trie the right way, but that is not Via eorum, it is not the wicked mans way; for he quickly distastes it, and takes againe his former Roade; therefore the Scripture doth not by the Way vnderstand, that which we doe by sits, but that which wee doe constantly, and wherein wee per­seuere.

So then, it is Common to all men to go a Way, and hold a setled Course, but yet the Course which all take is not the same: the Text will tell you, that though a Way bee Common, yet not the same Way. Here are two mentioned, The Righteous mans Way, which I told you, is a righteous way; and the Way of the wicked, which I told you, is a wicked Way. The Scrip­ture doth mention a Straight, and a Crooked, a Narrow, and a Broad Way; the way of the Eagle, and the way of the Serpent, a way vpward, and a way downeward, a way to Life, and a way to Death, the way of God, and the way of the Diuell; the Straight, Narrow, Eagles Way, the way vpward to Life, which is Gods way, that, is the way of the Righteous, or the righte­ous Way; the Crooked, Broad, Serpentine Way, the way downeward to Death, which is the way of the Diuell, that, is the Way of the wicked, or the wicked Way. I neede say no more of these Wayes, that heretofore haue said so much of the difference betweene Good, and Bad men; It shal suffice to haue added thus much vpon occasion of this word, Way, and the [...]arietie thereof, specified in this Verse.

Let vs come on then to the Iudiciall Prouidence, that worketh vpon [Page 45]these Wayes. And here I told you there is also some thing Common, and some thing Proper; both these Wayes are wrought vpon by the proui­dent Wisdome, and Power of God; he Discernes them, hee Rewards them both; were there no other proofe, the triuiall Verse confirmes it.

Entèr, Praesentèr Deus est, & vbi (que) Potentèr. His Eyes behold all the wayes of Men, and his Eye lids trie them all; that which is applyed to Baltazzar, Mene, Mene, Tekel, Vpharsin, Dan 5. concernes euery one more or lesse. Dauid hath made the 139. Psalme in describing this Generall Eye, and Hand of God; and the Sonne of Syrach hath excellently exprest it. Chap. 23. and we shall really denie God, and be plaine Manichees, if we did exempt any thing from him, and not subiect all things to his Iudiciall Power. Tis true; that some things he permits vnto the Creatures, but it is neither an ignorant, nor an negligent Permission; he knowes where­about they goe, and holds the bridle in his owne hand: most maiestical­ly doth God in Esay, let Zenacharib vnderstand as much, Chap. 37 in an answer that he giues vnto that insolent Message. I know thine abode, and thy going out, and thy comming in, and thy rage against me; because thy rage against me, and thy tumult is come vp into mine eares, therefore will I put my hooke in thy Nose; and my bridle in thy Lips, and turne thee backe the way by which thou camest.

But I need not enlarge this point of Gods Generall Iudiciall Proui­dence, for it will be farther confirmed by the particular branches thereof; If these particulars be true, the Generall cannot bee denied, because the Generall is included in the Particular.

Though then it bee Common to both Wayes, that they come vnder Gods Iudiciall Prouidence; yet come they not vnder it both alike; it workes vpon either after a speciall manner; first, vpon the way of the Iust, Nouit Deus, The Lord knoweth that Way; The Knowledge of God here meant, being not Generall but Speciall, we must enquire what man­ner of Knowledge this is. I cannot better informe you then by paralleling Gods speciall Knowledge of Man, with Mans speciall Knowledge of God; for Hee which knowes God, is also knowne of him, 1. Cor. 8. Et qui ignorat ignorabitur, 1. Cor. 14.38. Now the speciall Knowledge that Man must haue of God, stands in two points, in Distinguendo, & Colendo: he must first learne to distinguish God from all others; and that Contra, and and Supra; he must oppose him to all that seemes, but is not God; hee must not thinke him like vnto Idols that haue eyes and see not, eares and heare not, hands and handle not, &c. For hee must beleeue, that God is priuie to the Wayes of men, and disposeth all things at his Pleasure.

As we must thus oppose God to those which seeme, but are not Gods: so must we preferre him also before all to whom that name is communi­cable, bee they Angels or Men; for though there bee some thing like in both, yet doth God infinitely exceed in that wherein he is like. This is the first branch of our knowledge, which stands in Deo Distinguendo, in distinguishing God from all others.

The second branch stands in Deo Colendo, in our Carriage to­wards God, and that also consists of two branches, Contemplation, [Page 46]and Dilection, our Eye must euer bee on him, our Heart must euer be towards him; Psal 27 4. One thing haue I desired of the Lord, saith King Dauid, and that will I still require, that I may dwell in the House of the Lord, all the dayes of my life, to behold the faire Beautie of the Lord, and to visit his holy Temple; and how busie is the Eye of the Spouse in the Canticles in view­ing her Beloued from top to toe?

As the Beautie of God drawes the Eye of Man continually to behold it: so being beheld, [...], a man cannot behold it, but he must fall in loue with it. It was wittily replyed by an Ancient Father, (Saint Basil as it is thought) vnto Iulian the Apostata, when hee wrote vpon an Apologie of Christian Religion presented vnto him, [...]. [...]. Certainly it is impossible for him that knowes God as a Christian ought, not to thinke hee is bound to loue him in the highest degree, with all his Mind, with all his Soule, with all his Heart, with all his Strength, as the Law speakes.

This being the speciall Knowledge that we must haue of God; we must obserue, that Gods speciall Knowledge of Vs is answerable hereunto. He Knowes His, first, Distinguendo; as in the departure out of Aegypt, the bloud of the Paschall Lambe was sprinkled vpon the doore posts, to direct the punishing Angell, not to mistake an Israelite for an Aegyptian: And before the Babilonian Captiuitie, God sent a Man with a Pen and Inke­horne to marke in the forehead those that should escape the Destruction wrought by the Caldeans: and in the Reuelation, the Seale of God is set vpon his Chosen, that they be not wrapt in the Generall desolation. So must we assure our selues, Chap. 3.16. that God Knowes all His by name, and there is a Booke of Remembrance of them before him (as Malachie speaketh); he will neuer misdeeme Wheate for Chaffe, nor mistake a Sheepe for a Goate.

But the Scripture doth branch this Distinction, and God doth distin­guish His Contra and Supra Alios; [...]. 2.1 [...].Contra, hee doth oppose them vnto others. Wee learne it of the Apostle, Others are without God, without Christ, without Hope, Strangers from Gods Couenant, Aliens from His Common-weale; but they that are His, haue God for their Father, Christ for their Sauiour, the Holy Ghost for their Comforter, eternall Life for their Hope, 2. Pet. 1.4. [...]. 2.1 [...]. they haue pretious promises made vnto them, and they are of the Houshold of God, and Fellow Citizens with the Saints.

Neither doth God only thus oppose them to others, but preferre them before others. We learne this of Moses, Exod. 19. though all the World be His, yet they are His peculiar, His treasure; elswhere they are called his Inheritance, his First borne, his Image, Kings, Priests, all tearmes of preheminence, and note their prerogatiue aboue all others. So doth God Distinguish His.

And as he doth distinguish them: so doth he also regard them; and that in two points, Contemplatione, and Dilectione. First, Contemplatione. His Eye is vpon his Canaan from the beginning of the yeare to the end there­of;Deut. 11.The walls of Ierusalem are euer in his sight, his Eyes are vpon the Righ­teous, his eares are open to their Prayers, they find grace in his eyes, and his [Page 47]delight is to be with them, they are a Seale vpon His right Hand, and a Sig­net vpon His Arme; finally, they are the very Apple of his Eye.

If you reade the Song of Salomon, you shall see this gracious Contem­plation of God set forth at large; where the Beloued doth confesse, that he receiues a Loue-wound from this Contemplation.

And indeed, the Righteous Lord loueth righteousnesse, Psal. 11.7. as his eyes doe be­hold the thing that is right, and God doth therefore take delight to be­hold his Church, that hee may vse that as a meanes for to draw from him the Arguments of his Loue, Loue being the end of his Contem­plation. King Dauid doth excellently set this forth, Psal. 132. Where bringing in God testifying that he hath chosen Sion for his resting place for euer, and that there he delights to dwell, he goes on reckoning vp the Blessings that he will powre vpon the King, and his Subiects, the Priests and the People, the poore and the rich; and Deut. 11. where God pro­fesseth, that his Eye is alwayes vpon the Land, the End is expressed, to giue them seasonable raine, and make their Land fruit full; for, his Loue is Beneuolentia non latens, he delighteth in the prosperitie of His Seruants. The very same is meant by those Titles which God giues himselfe of Father, Sauiour, Husband; the Fathers eye is vpon his Child to prouide that is fit for it; the Husbands eye vpon his Wife to communicate both his Honour, and his Wealth vnto her; the Sauiour lookes vpon his Charge, that hee may looke to it, and not suffer any thing to annoy it, and that he may procure the welfare of it. This reall Loue makes good that which before I obserued, that Gods Power concurres with his Wisdome, and this speciall Knowledge is not Speculatiue, but Practicke; Gods Children feele most gracious effects thereof, and neuer more liuely effects then at the Day of Iudgement, whereof this Text especially is meant.

Well then; The wicked in this World haue no Wisdome to discerne the Godly, at least their Wayes, though they obserue their Persons; and the Power that they haue, they bend against them in regard of their wayes; you may see this excellently set forth in the Booke of Wisdome, Cap. 2. But what need the righteous care? They may say with the Apostle, that they are though vnknowne, yet knowne; they are knowne to God, 2. Cor. 6. [...] and God; Power is their support; and this makes a full amends for their worldly ignoblenesse, that they are so Heauenly Noble, and shall appeare such at the Generall Iudgement.

And so haue I opened the first speciall Act of Gods Iudiciall Proui­dence, which workes vpon the wayes of the Godly.

Let vs now see the second; How the same speciall Prouidence workes vpon the wayes of the wicked; The way of the wicked shall perish; here you must supply the word Lord; for he is the Person that doth destroy them.

And marke what he doth destroy. Not the Person, but the Way. Quàm clementer? (saith Saint Hierome,) He seemes to gather Gods Mercie out of it, in that Non perit impius, sed impietas: And indeed were it meant of this Life, it were a great Mercy; because, that Sinne is not abolisht here, but Grace succeeds; and that is a Blessed Destruction.

But the Connexion of this Verse to the former shewes, that this is [Page 48]meant of the life to come; and then you shall find that the Destructi­on is wofull; and it stands in two points, as their Wayes doe import two things, the Act of Sinne, and the Fruit of that Act. The Act of sinne shall cease wherein they take pleasure, for in Hell though there bee Sinners, yet is there no Sinning; the Corruption remaynes in their Per­sons, the Guilt in their Consciences, the one, to make them fewell for the flames of Hell, that they may neuer goe out, the other, to feed the Worme, that shall neuer die; but the terrour of the Iudge shall bee so great, whose hand they shall feele in the fire, and the Euidence of the euill of sinne shall be so apparent in the Worme of their Conscience, that they shall not dare any more to fall to the act of sinne, and so they shall be vtterly depriued of the pleasure they tooke therein; That shall perish.

A second thing that shall perish is, the worldly Fruit of their sinning, which is, Honour, Wealth, Friends, and such like. Saint Iames calls it [...], Iames 1.11. Esay chap. 5. speakes it plainly, Hell hath enlarged her selfe, and o­pened her mouth without measure, and their Glorie, and their multitude, and their pompe, and he that reioyceth shall descend into it; That, for which they take all their wicked paines, and wherein they took their wicked delight, That shall Faile. Faile, Totally, and Finally; Totally, the Glution shall not haue so much as a drop of water left to comfort him. In this Life there is a kind of Mixture in the heauiest Iudgement of God, and some thing left to mitigate the extremitie of their paine: not so in the Life to come; of that time we may vse those words of the 68. Psalme. Let God arise and his Enemies be scattered, Let them also that hate him, flie before him, like as smoke vanisheth, so shall he driue them away, as Waxe melteth before the fire, so shall the wicked perish at the presence of God. In the Booke of Wis­dome Chap. 5. this is amplified; What hath Pride profited vs? What good hath Riches with our vaunting brought vs? All these things are passed away like a shaddow, and as a Post that hasteth by; he goes on resembling it to the way of a Ship, of a Bird, of an Arrow, and concludes, The Hope of the Vngodly is like Dust, that is blowne away with the wind, like a thinne froth that is driuen away with the storme, like Smoake that is disperst with a Tem­pest; the same we may reade, Iob 18.

As these wicked wayes perish Totally: so doe they Finally also; for, de­struction, Nahum 1. [...]. as Nahum speaketh, shall not arise the second time; their perishing is eternall, like that of the Deuill and his Angels, who go into euer lasting fire. And indeed these wayes are in this point opposed vnto the Righteous wayes; Wisdome 3.4 Isal. 139.24. for Righteousnesse (as the Wiseman speaketh) is full of immorta­litie, and the Psalmist calls it, A way euerlasting: each Bodie shall con­tinue his state answerable to his Head; as Christ so Christians, as the Deuill so the wicked, both shall bee lasting, the one in Blisse, the other in Paine.

But the word here vsed, shall perish, is worth the noting; for Abad sig­nifies Perdere, and Perire, and what is fitter for a destroying way, then to be a way that shall be destroyed? During this Life the wayes of the wicked are Viae Perdentes; for they doe nothing but destroy either Gods good Creatures, as the Epicure, and Voluptuous; or other men, as the Coue­tous, [Page 49]and the Oppressors; yea their owne selues, for they waste Gods Image in them, and fight with their Lusts against their owne Soule, they shew themselues to be the children of their Father, which in the Reuelation is called Abaddon, or [...]: Reuel. 9.11. and what is fitter for him that is a Destroyer then to bee Destroyed? and so to bee destroyed as they doe destroy; not quoad Esse, but quoad Bene esse; Their Persons still continuing, all their Comforts faile, as they endeauoured to make all good Persons, and things to be vncomfortable.

But as this Destruction is Opus Potentiae, proceeds immediatly from Gods Power: so is it guided per Sapientiam, his wisdome hath a hand in it; for as he doth blesse those whom he doth specially know: so if hee destroy any, it is because they are not within the compasse of his speciall knowledge. And indeed so shall Christ say at the last Day, Luke 13.23. Depart from me yee workers of iniquitie, I know you not: How can God bee ignorant, and yet Iudge? It is not meant simply of knowledge, but of that speciall knowledge whereof you heard before; and if you will haue it more plain­ly, conceiue it in these foure Degrees.

First, God knowes not the wayes of the wicked, In se, He finds no such thing in Himselfe; and yet is his Nature the Exemplar of all good things. Secondly, He knowes them not, A [...]se; No such Effects euer proceeded from his Spirit; and yet Euery good and perfect gift commeth from aboue, Iames 1.17.from the Father of Lights. Thirdly, He doth not know them, Secundum Se, as an Image of himselfe, as all his Creatures are; not only the little World was made after his Image, Psal. 19. but also The Heauens declare the Glory of God, and the Firmament sheweth his handy worke; and the Visible Crea­tures make knowne the Inuisible Creator. Rom. 1 4. And lastly, Hee doth not know them, Secum; Hee hath no such in his Retinue; Psal 93.5. Holinesse be­seemes his House for euer, and they must bee sanctified that come neere him, and be Holy as He is Holy, and the wicked shall not stand in his sight. Exod. 11, 44.

Well then, When we behold the wicked on Earth, prospering in their wicked wayes, we see that euery one takes notice of them, and euery bo­die is readie to doe seruice to them; and haply this may bleere our eyes, and we may thinke better of their state, then it deserues. But as Christ when his Disciples shewed Him the goodly Fabricke of the Tem­ple said vnto them, Are these the things that you wonder at? I tell you; Luke 21.not a stone of these shall be left vpon a stone which shall not be destroyed: So I tell you, gaze not vpon such wayes, dote not vpon them; for God knoweth them but afarre off, Psal. 138. They are strangers vnto him, and therefore tollentur impij ne videant Gloriam Dei; they shall haue as little part in Gods Blessing, as they haue in his speciall knowledge.

Lay both these works of prouidence together, and then see the Truth of Maran-Atha in Saint Paul, the Lord commeth, 1. Cor. [...]6 22. as Saint Iude translates it, yea, and Christ himselfe in Saint Iohn, Reuel. 22. Behold I come quick­ly, and my Reward is with me to giue to euery man according to his workes.

What shall I then say to you, but euen remember you of those words in the Prophet Ieremie, chap. 6. Stand yee in the wayes, and see and aske [...]

THis Penetentiall doth teach vs touching Repentance, whence it springs, and what it is; Whence, in the Title, and What, in the Psalme. Of the Title I haue alreadie spoken; It followeth that I now come on to the Psalme; which when I haue ript vp, and laid open before you, you will haue iust Cause to say, that it is the goodliest Picture of true Re­pentance, that euer was drawne by the pen of the Holy Ghost.

The whole is a Prayer, but of that kind which we call a, Vow; And as King Dauid did sustayne a double Person, so is his Vow double; Hee was a Child of God, a deare one, Hee was a Member of the kingdome, the cheifest one, he was a man after Gods owne Heart, and hee was the King of Israel; therefore he vowes not onely for himselfe, but his King­dome also.

But in setting downe his Vowes, he obserues a good Order, the first is for Himselfe, the second for the Kingdome. And why? The King­dome was wounded by his Fall, and the Cure thereof depended vpon his Recouerie; therefore doth he first take care of the Head, from whom the same health was to streame afterwards into all the Body. For though the Vowes be two, yet are they both resolued into the same parts, & there are in effect the same Contents in either votiue Prayer. Let vs take them asunder, and see it.

In that either is a vow, you must find in either the parts of a vow, they are, a Desire, and a Promise; you may see them euidently in either Vow. First, in the Vow that King Dauid maketh for Himselfe, hee doth ex­presse a desire to be restored vnto, and preserued in the state of Grace, and if he speede, hee doth Promise a religious Seruice vnto God. These two Poynts are enlarged in the seauenteene first verses, in the personall Case of King Dauid; and being contracted, are repeated againe with a speciall Application to his kingdome, in the two last.

You see the breife of the whole Psalme; but it is too scant, it will not yeeld you a full view; let vs then goe backe againe, and vnwrap these particulars, that we may take more feeling notice of the spirituall riches, that are contayned therein.

[Page 65] The first Vow is made for King Dauid, the first branch of that Vow is his Desire, and the first Petition in that Desire, is, That he may be resto­red vnto Grace. In this Petition there are two remarkable things, the Matter which hee presents vnto God, and the Manner wherewith hee doth ingeminate the same Matter, and presse God with it. The Matter is contained in these two first verses, which in effect sound onely this; Miserable King Dauid desires reliefe, from the effectuall Mercie of God in Ie­sus Christ.

Where there is Sinne, there is Miserie; behold here varietie of Sinne, Transgressions, Iniquities, Distortions, all cleauing to Dauid, (for Mee, and Mine, confirme asmuch) and make him a Wretch, though hee were a King. Now what is the Remedie of such Miserie but effectuall Mercie? and this we finde here, Mercy by Name, in the entrance of the Prayer, Haue Mercie.

But whereas there is Mercy in Affectu, or in Effectu, Mercy in God, or Mercy from God, King Dauid doth desire not onely that God would bee gratiously affected towards him, but also that hee would worke power­fully vpon him; 1. Vpon the Guilt of his Sinne, Dele, quit me thereof. 2. vpon the Corruption of his Sinne, Laua, wash me therefrom. Yea, be­cause Guilt is sooner remoued, then Corruption clensed, keeping corres­pondencie with Gods Course in working therein, he adds Multùm laua, Munda, neuer giue ouer washing vntill thou hast made mee throughly cleane; thus doth Miserie seeke vnto Mercy.

But where is Mercy to be found? surely in God, to Him he directs his Prayer, Haue Mercy vpon me O God. There is no remedie for a sinfull Man, but in God, whom he hath offended with his sinne, and therefore hee saith, Secundum Tuam Misericordiam, according to Thy Mercy; It is Gods propertie to haue Mercy, but it is Gods in Christ; so much is meant by the next words, according to thy louing kindnesse, according to thy tender Mer­cies: God shines Graciously to none but in the Face of Iesus Christ, and in him is God become a tender harted Father to all penitent Sinners.

To all (I say) for hee hath not onely tender Mercies, but there is also in them to bee considered the Measure. Rob is the Hebrew word, [...] wee translate it Multitude, but it signifies also Magnitude, and giueth vs to vnderstand, that bee our sinfull Miserie neuer so great, neuer so diuerse, wee shall not want releife in Mercy, which is more great, and manifold.

Finally, the Text doth tell vs, that as our Miserie must seeke for Mer­cie in God onely, in whom it may be found: so we must not dreame, that any thing without God, can obtaine this at Gods hands; therefore wee must pray, Secundum, according to thy louing kindnesse; O Lord let that be not onely the Measure of the Mercy which I seeke, but the inducement thereto also.

And so haue you the Contents of that portion of King Dauids Desire, which I haue read vnto you; I will now resume them, and to your, and my farther edification enlarge the exposition of them.

First then; though Mercy stand formost in the Text, yet I will begin with the Miserie; for Miserie is first in Nature, and were it not for that, [Page 66]there were no neede of Mercie: add hereunto, that the sense of Miserie sets the best edge vpon the desire of Mercie, and he wil more eagerly long after it, that perceiueth throughly in what need hee stands of it. I told you, that Dauid was miserable though he were a King, were there no o­ther proofe, there is enough implyed in the first word; hee that cryeth Miserere, haue mercy, doth plainly confesse, that he is in Miserie; for one Correlatiue cānot subsist without the other. But to put it out of al doubt, here is enough exprest to proue him a Wretch, Pro. 14. Peccatum facit populos miseros; wheresoeuer there is Sinne, there is Miserie, yea, and there only; for sinne only is simply Euill: Malum Paenae, Calamitie, and Woe, though we call them Euills, yet indeed they are not so simply, but onely [...], as the Person is, and as God intends; for that otherwise they are good, it is plaine by two vndoubted grounds, the Efficient, and the Finall Cause. That which is Properly Euill, hath onely Causam defici­entem, it springs from the fayling of a reasonable Creature, but Woe hath Causam Efficientem, it springs from the almighty Hand of God; Hee is the Creator of this Darkenesse, aswell as the opposite Light. As it hath an Efficient. so hath it a Final Cause, & that is, the Recouerie of a sinner; God iudgeth vs temporally, that he may not iudge vs eternally: therfore Da­uid saith, Pal. 119.71. Bonum est Domine quod humiliasti me, it is good for me Lord, that I haue bin in trouble: but that which is truly Euill is destitute of a Finall cause, aswel as it was of an Efficient, as it comes from weak enes; so it ends in vanitie. It is true that God doth often times draw light out of darkenesse, & Good out of that which is simply Euill, but that is don by his Transcen­dent Prouidence; it will neuer proue, that that which is truly Good, & truly Euill, can haue any naturall habitude the one to the other, or that they haue any Cognation betweene themselues: Wherefore, onely Sinne being simply Euill, is that which properly maketh a Wretch.

And verily, wee that beholding Beggers, Lazars, men any waies af­flicted confesse them miserable; si adspici possint lanitatus, if we had eies to see the spirituall wounds and sores, the wantes and the Woes of A­dulterers, Murderers, Blasphemers, any other wicked liuers, wee would confesse them to be much more miserable.

My Text doth occasion me to giue you a tast thereof by opening the three words wherewith Dauid doth expresse his sinne.

The first is Peshang, [...] which is well rendred a Transgression, that is, a pas­sing of our bounds. Our lusts are apt to range, and exceed, God sets bounds vnto them, by his Law hee would hold them in, but it will not be, we are Sonnes of Belial, we will beare no yoake, we breake Gods bands, and cast his cordes from vs. Psal. 2. The first euill of sinne is, it maketh a lawles man: and who doth not know that liueth in a society, what an vnhappie libertie the lawles haue?

But why will man be lawles? forsooth he thinkes, that the more hee hath his will, the more hee shall compasse his owne ends: he thinks so; but it proues not so, that appeares in the next name of sinne, that is Chata, [...] and noteth a shooting cleane besides the Marke. When wee be­come Masterles, the vpshot of our endeauour is, to mistake euill for good, [Page 67]and reape woe, where wee looked for rest: The wicked, Wisd. 5. con­fesse this truth, and all Histories are but Chronicles of it; they testifie that lawlesse men haue finally missed of that whereat they aymed, yea, that they haue therein bin deceiued most, wherein they seemed vnto themselues to haue succeeded best. And doth not this Name of Sinne then argue a sinner to be a Wretch?

But that which is the height of Euill in Sinne, is noted in the third word Gnaon, Peruersenesse. [...] And indeed Sin is nothing but the peruerting of a Creature; God made the Great, and the little World, to set forth his owne Glorie, but sinne turneth both to his dishonour; God made the little World to be Lord ouer the great, and Sinne turneth the Lord into the Seruant, and the Seruant into the Lord; God made Man a Consort for Angels, Sin doth range Man with the Feinds of Hell; Final­ly, God made Man after his owne Image, Sin doth change him into the Image of the Diuell; most wretched peruersnesse. Now seeing this three­fold Euill is found in sinne, as the Names thereof giue vs to vnderstand, we cannot doubt but Sinne doth make a Miserable Man; hee that is in­fected with it, will confesse it, though he be a King.

Certainely King Dauid doth; He was at this time a King, a victorious, a glorious King, obeyed by many Nations, abounding in al kind of world­ly prosperity; Add thereunto that same gracious Entaile of his Crowne sent vnto him from God, 2. Sam. 7. the verie crowne of blessings. But see, being stung with the Conscience of Sinne hee is sensible of none of these, neither doth hee finde Comfort in any of them; notwith­standing all these, he confesseth himselfe a Wretch. Wherein wee may obserue by the way the difference betweene the iudgement of flesh and blood, and of a Child of God, concerning that which maketh Happie; the one placeth it in the Things of this life, the other in the Peace of God. And indeede so long as it is not well betweene God, and vs, all the World can giue vs no Content; the consciousnes of sinne, if we haue as feeling hearts as King Dauid had, feeling the mischieuous na­ture of sinne, wee will account our selues but Wretches, and wee will with him fall to our Miserere mei, Haue Mercie vpon me, &c. which is the second part of my Text.

The Correlatiue of Miserie is Mercy, & as there were no neede of Mercy, were there no Misery, so because there is Miserie there is a remedie proui­ded for it, and that is Mercy. The Verbe doth properly signifie, Be graci­ous to mee. Grace is free loue, so teacheth Saint Austin, Non est gratia vllo modo, si non sit omni modo gratuita; that fauour deserueth not the name of Grace, that can be either merited, or requited.

But yet there are two sorts of this Grace, one, Quae datur non merenti, another, Quae datur immerenti; The first was the Grace of Creation, it proceeded from the free Goodnes of God; for there was no possibilitie of Mans Deseruing, before hee had his Being, therefore was his Being a guift of Grace. The second is the Grace of Redemption, this pro­ceeds also from Gods free Goodnesse; this was vouchsafed to Man, when he deserued the contrary, he deserued eternall Death, but God vouch­safed [Page 68]him eternall Life, This speciall kind of Grace is called Mercy; Therefore, considering the Argument, the Translator did not amisse in restrayning the amplitude of the words, and rendring it, Haue Mer­cy; for Euangelicall Grace is Mercy, and it is such Grace that is meant in this place.

But this Mercy is considered either in Affectu, or Effectu, as it is in God, or as it manifests it selfe vpon Man. The Remedy of Misery is Mer­cie, but that Mercy must containe, not only a Gracious disposition to­wards man, but a powerfull operation vpon him; God must be well af­fected so, as that Mans state also may be altered. In Miseries plea for Mer­cie, these two cannot be seuered without Impietie, or Blasphemie; 1. Blas­phemie; for Sin & Compassion are incōpatible, if the one be not concei­ued as the remouer of the other, but he doth not so conceiue them, that looks only to the Affection, & looketh not also for the Action of Mercy; therefore he blasphemes the Author thereof. Secondly, there is Impie­tie in it; for it argueth that a Man would be free from Gods displeasure, but he would not part with that, which offends his pure eyes, Hee loueth to be a sinner. And this is plaine Impietie.

But what are the effects of Mercy? euen as many as are the euills of Sin. In sin then there are two Euills, the Guilt, and the Corruption thereof; the Guilt is resembled to a Debt; [...] 1 [...]. & indeed it is a plaine Debt, a double Debt; for in euery sinne that wee commit, we grow in arrerages vnto God, in regard of the duty which wee owe him; and God growes in Arrerages vnto vs, in regard of the punishment that is due vnto vs. Now of these debts God keepeth a Booke, all our misdeeds are recorded before him, [...] 5. and of these Bookes there is mention made in the Reuel: where the Soone of Man is represented vpon his Tribunall, iudging all the World according to those things, that are found in the Bookes that are open be­fore him.

As in regard of the Guilt, Sinnes are compared to Debt; so in re­gard of the Corruption they are compared vnto Staines; Staines of all sorts, to Froth, to Foame, to Scumme, to Drosse, to Mire, to all sorts of diseases, and impurities of the flesh; And indeed how can they bee o­ther, seeing they are the insection that wee receiue from the vncleane Spirit?

This being briefly obserued; Let vs now consider of Dauids Prayer, his Prayer for the Affection, and Operation of Mercy. First, for the Affection, in these Words, Miserere, Haue Mercy. The Affection is the Roote from whence springs the Operation; wee learne it in another Psalme, Psal. 80. Cause thy face to shine, and we shall be saued, therefore he doth well to make sure of that first, because no hope of the other, if hee speede not of that. No hope that the Beames will euer warme our Land, if the Sunne haue no aspect vnto our Horizon, neither is there any Hope, that wee shall euer seele Gods comforts, if Gods countenance bee not propitious: yea, the influēce is too scant to support our drooping soules, did not they first lay hold vpon the abundance, that they beleeue to bee in the Foun­taine of Grace.

[Page 69] But what our Faith is assured of in God, wee must desire to feele in our Soules; our desire that first craues Gods good Affection, must goe on, and desire Gods good Action also; certainely Dauid did so; it appeares in Dele, and Laua, blot out, wash cleane. Two Petitions, made for two Blessings, Innocencie, and Sanctitie.

Innocencie, for he desires to be acquitted of his Debt; he would haue his name blotted out of the Obligation that God had against him. And no wonder; We know the perplexities of Debters, if the Debt be only pecuniary, and may be redeemed by a Freind, how much more if it be Capitall, and can bee answered by none but our owne Person? in such a Case, how doth feare haunt vs, and anguish distresse vs? neither night nor day, at boord or in bed, alone or with Friends, can we be quiet, vn­till wee are free from such an Obligation. And can a Man priuie vnto himselfe in what danger he stands to God-ward, finde any rest vntill he haue made his peace? can hee chuse but bee ouerwhelmed with sorrow, except he can put off the storme that hangeth ouer him? Can hee for­beare to importune God for a pardon, knowing how obnoxious he is to the stroke of his vengance? doubtlesse hee cannot; bee hee as great, as good as King Dauid, he will fall to Dele, Lord doe away mine offences; for there is no securitie but only in Innocencie.

Innocencie is not enough; it is enough to free vs from feare, but it is not enough to cure our Miserie; without Sanctitie it is not fully cured; for though when we looke without vs, being innocent, we haue nothing to dismay vs; yet when we looke into our selues, if wee be without Sanc­titie, how ougly shall we appeare? Grego: Mag. Quid prodest malorum quae feci im­punitas, nisi etiam bene agendi sequatur facultas? as good haue no Inno­cencie, as not to haue it ioyned with Sanctitie. We naturally delight in neatnesse, in our persons, our cloathes, our diet, and what not? and how much cost doe we bestow in Cookerie, Taylerie, Cosmetrie, to remoue any vncomlinesse or vndecencie that may offend, though it bee but the eye of vanitie? We that so care to haue a faire outside, what a foule in­side doe we endure, if we endure the Corruption of sinne? No sluttish­nes in diet comparable hereunto; 2. Pet. 2. the Scripture resembleth it to a dogges feeding vpon his vomit. Reuel. 3. No slouenrie in Apparrell to bee matched here­with; the Scripture calleth it Nakednesse, such Nakednesse as discouers our Filthinesse. Finally, no sores come neare the spirituall ones in ougli­nesse; the Scripture doth parallell the deformitie thereof, with the dis­ease of Leaprosie. Can a man, being such, endure himselfe? can he chuse but fall vnto, Laua? be earnest with God, to wash him from his filthinesse? Certainely he cannot; a sensible sinner cannot; and such a one was King Dauid: he Prayeth, Laua, wash me O Lord.

Neither Laua only, but Multùm Laua; the Originall hath, multiplie to wash: When he prayed for Innocencie it was only Dele, put a way my sinnes, but when he commeth to pray for Sanctitie, hee is not contented with Laua, wash me, he will haue his washing renued againe and againe. What is the reason? Surely there are many Reasons for it. The first is, the difference that God puts betweene Iustification and Sanctification; [Page 68] [...] [Page 69] [...] [Page 70]it is his pleasure that the one should be Actio indiuisibilis, the other diui­sibilis (as the Diuines speake) the first he consummates at once, in the o­ther he proceeds by degrees; hee is pleased that our whole life should be an exercise of mortifying the Old Man, and quickening the New. As when a Garment hath taken a deepe staine, it must haue more scouring, and spungings then one, before we can get it out: euen so the Corrup­tion of sin sinks so deepe, that it asketh a great deale of paynes to worke it out; therefore Multùm laua is very necessarie in regard of Mortificati­on: And it is as necessarie also in regard of Viuisication. Saint Ambrose represents it in a fine Similie: Hee that will die a purple in graine, doth giue his cloath inferiour colours first, and after many dippings in many preparatiue liquours, he doth at length perfect the colour, and giue it its full luster: euen so the splendour of Sanctitie is not attained in the first moment of our Conuersion, many a line must bee drawne in our Soules by the Spirit of God, before wee can fully recouer his Image. Not, that there is any inability in God, so that hee cannot in a moment make vs both innocent, and holy, as he did in the Creation: but he is pleased in the difficulty of the recouerie on our part, to make vs mindfull of our for­mer vnthristinesse, and carefull to husband Grace better when God doth vouchsafe it.

Besides these Reasons, there is a speciall one which concernes King Dauids Case. You haue heard that he committed more Sinnes then one, whereof euerie one was verie hainous, now a single cleansing doth not suffice for many enormous sinnes; though for our secret sinnes it is e­nough to say, Psal. 1 [...]. Munda me Domine, clense me O Lord from my secret faults, and for ordinarie slips, Austin. Dimitte nobis debita, our dayly Prayer, forgine vs our trespasses, may suffice; yet when we multiply sinnes, haynous sinnes, we must haue Washing vpon Washing, many Washings, for many sinnes: It is a perfunctorie Repentance that wraps all such sinnes in one, and thinkes that one washing wil cleanse a sinner from them all. And yet God knoweth there is two much of this kind of Repentance in the World; but to such Penetentiaries I will vse the words of Salomon, There is a generation that are pure in their owne eyes, Pro. 30.and yet is not washed from their filthinesse; they will vnhappily be found in the state of Coruption at that day, when there will be no comfort but for thorough, or perfect Sancti­fication.

Thorough, or perfect Sanctification was it that King Dauid sought, as you may perceiue by the next word, Munda; This noteth the end for which Dauid desireth the multiplied washing, he would so be washed, that he might be cleane; he would not haue God Laterem lauare, take much paines, and leaue him neuer a whit the better. It is true that God com­plaines of some, Ierem. 13. that they are washed in vaine, can a Leopard change his spots, or a Blackamoore his skinne? if they can, then there is hope that you will be the better, but little hope of the one, and as little of the o­ther. But King Dauid would not haue Gods paines so wasted vpon him, hee would haue it sort a good effect, and make him to bee, as without blame, in regard of Innocency, so without spot, in regard of Sanctitie; & [Page 71]we must desire that wee may bee renewed, aswell as discharged, as tho­roughly renewed, as fully discharged, that we may be acceptable in Gods eyes, and comfortable in our owne.

Put now these two together, the description of Miserie, and the Pe­tition for Mercy, and you shall finde diuerse rem [...]akable things therein. First, that Miserie presenting it selfe vnto Mercy, doth take a right course. Nathan did charge Dauid with sinne, and threatned him many plagues, you finde not heere that he doth mention Gods plagues, but his owne sinnes; he spends his desire, not in deprecating the Plagues, but in rid­ding himselfe of his Sinnes. And this is good spirituall wisedome; for seeing plagues come for sinnes, wee are sure that we shall neuer eate of that Fruit, if we plucke this Tree vp by the roots; if sinne cleaue not to vs, we need not feare Gods wrath, either we shall not feele it, or we shall bee the better for it. Pharoah, and Pharoah-like Men haue an eye to their plagues, not to their sinnes; and therefore as he, so they, are eased of one plague to fall vnder another: if Gods Mercy heare our Prayers, and ease vs of any Affliction, and doe not rid vs of our sinne; let vs assure our selues that we are but like a Prisoner reprieued that may bee hanged when he least feares death.

Secondly, Miserie must learne of King Dauid to lay it selfe fully open, that it may be fully cured; Ambros: Quis nostrum qui peccatum confitetur non per­stringendum potius quam repetendum putet? When we repent, happily we can be contented to glance at our sinnes, but we will bee loath to looke farre into them, and search our wounds to the quicke; But King Dauid doth not so, hee doth aswell amplifie Sinne, the Cause of his Misery, as he doth distinctly sue for the branches of Gods Mercy.

Gods Mercy, And indeed God is the Person to whom he sueth for Mercy; he directeth his Prayer vnto him, & from him, he doth expect this Mercy. But here is a Paradox; for he that is ougly in his owne eyes, how can he but be odious in Gods? and how dares a guilty Prisoner offer himselfe at the Bar of his Iudge? Gods face is against those that do euill, Psal. 34.15.to root out their remembrance from the earth. This is true, and yet Dauid goeth to him. and no maruaile, there is no flying from him, but to him, hee only can restore a sinner, restore him to his owne fauour, and rid him of that that intercepteth the influence of the cōfortable beames of grace; the Church confesseth it, in the Collect, it is Gods property to haue mercy; and it sayth it according to the Scripture; Daniel confesseth it, 2. Cor. 1.3. To thee O Lord God belon­geth Mercy and forgiuenesse; Saint Paul maketh God, the Father of Mercies; Moses, or God rather speaking to Moses, sheweeh vs that it is an espe­ciall branch of Gods glory, in that Proclamation which hee maketh, Exod. 34. The Lord, the Lord God, mercifull, and gracious, long suffe­ring, &c.

But as Mercy is Naturall vnto God: so it is not comfortable vnto vs but as it is deriued through Christ; therefore we must marke the Words Chesed and Racham, words wherein King Dauid doth expresse Gods Mercy; for they note [...], the Affection▪ the bowells of a Father towards his Children. Now God is not a Father vnto vs but [Page 72]by Adoption, and we are not adopted but in Christ, which is the onely Sonne; God doth except vs in his Beloued, in him it is that he hath Mer­cie vpon vs; Therefore these very Words, louing kindnesse, are in the New Testament applyed to Christ comming in the flesh; Christ also in the Old Testament is noted by the Propitiatory, or Mercy-seate, and in the New Testament he is called our Propitiation, 1. Iohn 2.2. Heb. 2.17.and Mercifull high Priest. The nature of sinfull men without Christ, and God, that is iudge of all the World, are Infestissimi inimici, they will neuer agree together; our infirmitie will be ouerwhelmed by the diuine Maiestie, but it is Christ that turneth the dreadfull Tribunall into a Throne of Grace.

Neither must we seeke onely for Gods kind affection in Christ, but his gracious Actions also, no hope of Dele, nor Laua, but in him, and by him. It is true that God by the Prophet tells vs, that it is he that blots out our sinnes for his owne sake, Esay. 43, 44.59. & 27.and blo [...]teth them out like a cloud, and casts our sinnes into the Sea: But hee doth not this immediately, hee doth it by Christ; Daniel teacheth, Chap. 9. Coloss. 2.14. that Hee was to finish wickednesse, seale vp sinnes, and recon­cile iniquitie; Saint Paul teacheth it, saying, that Christ fastened and can­celled the Obligation that was against vs on his Crosse; Finally, the Father sent him, and he sent his Apostles, with power to remit, and to retayne sins, which must needs implie, that Dele, blot out, belongeth to Him.

And as Dele, so Laua. Zacharie foretold it; In that day, (meaning the dayes of the Gospell) there shall be a fountaine opened to the House of Dauid, Z [...]ch. 13.and to the Inhabitants of Ierusalem for sinne and for vncleanesse; Saint Paul sheweth the accomplishment of it, Ephe. 5 Christ loued the Church, and gaue himselfe for it, that he might sanctifie it, and clense it by the washing of water through the Word, that hee might make it vnto himselfe a glorious Church, not hauing spot or wrinckle, or any such thing, but that it should be holy, and without blame.

Neither must we be beholding to Christ only for these gracious Acti­ons, רב but for their measure also. The Text tells vs, that there is not onely Mercy in God, but that Mercy is of a large size, it is called here Rob; we translate it Multitude, it signifieth also Magnitude. The Conscience of a Sinner is afflicted some times with the Number, sometimes with the ex­cesse of sinne; least we should sinke vnder either burden, this word must specially be heeded, which doth assure a distressed Conscience, that there commeth not only Mercy from God, but Great Mercy also; so Great, as that his Mercy reioyceth ouer his Iudgement, & there lieth an Appeale from God vnto God; from God the Righteous, to God the Gracious: and God in regard of his Mercy is in a manner Greater then himselfe; with this Moses presseth God significantly, Num. 14. Now I beseech thee let the power of my Lord be Great, according as thou hast spoken, saying; The Lord is slow to anger, and of Great Mercy, &c. in the whole period hee importuneth him to shew, that his Mercy exceeds his Iustice. The Scripture doth ampli­fie this point by setting downe the dimensions of his Mercy, telling vs sometimes, [...]. 3. [...]. 11 33. Psal 145. Psal. 25. of the hight of it, it reacheth vnto Heauen; sometimes of the depth of it, it fetcheth men from Hell; sometimes of the width of it, it is ouer all his workes; sometimes of the length of it, it hath bin euer of old; [Page 73]His tender Compassions faile not, they are renewed euery Morning. Lamen. 3. But all this is to bee vnderstood in Christ; his Incarnation, his passion, the whole Redemption that hee wrought is indeed Magna Misericordia, a wonderfull Mercy; Saint Paul mentioning the breadth, the length, the depth, and the hight of it, teacheth vs that it passeth all knowledge. Ephe. 3.

Neither is it Great onely, but in this Greatnesse we must obserue Mag­nitudinem & Multitudinem. Saint Chrisostome doth excellently amplifie this poynt in regard of both branches; Ores nouas & inauditas! Behold and wonder, the first fruits of those that come to Christ, are those which were most desperately enthrauled to Satan, Magi, Publicani, Mere­trices, latro, blasphemus; the Conuersion of such persons, is an vndoubted Argument of the Magnitude of his Mercy. And touching the Multitude beleiue his answer to Saint Peter, Mat. 18. [...]. who asking Christ Whether hee should forgiue his Brother seauen times, replied, Not only seauen times, but seauentie times seauen; Eze. 18.21.At what time soeuer a Sinner doth repent from the bottome of his heart, I will put all his wickednesse out of my remembrance (sayth the Lord.)

And verely, were it not for this double Greatnesse that is in Gods Mercy, few should bee saued; for, Psal. 130. If thou Lord shouldest bee extreame to marke what is done amisse, who were able to stand? but with thee there is Mercy; we would despaire of our cure, if there were not such physicke; of our great sores, if there were not such a soueraigne medicine; but this is our comfort, Where sinne aboundeth, Grace aboundeth much more. Rom. 3.20. There is no sinne either so great or manifold which cannot be remedied by the Mercifull bowells of Christ. It was Cains voice, Gen. 4. my sinne is grea­ter then can be forgiuen; but a Father, (Saint Austin I thinke) replieth to him, Mentiris Cain; this thy complaint is a blasphemous derogation from the vnmeasurable bowells of Christ; and the Nouatians were long since condemned by the Church, which straightned the power of the Remission of sinnes which Christ hath left vnto the Pastors.

Marke now the Correspondencie of the branches of this Text. Wee found Magnitude, and Multitude in the Miserie of Dauid, and they did need a Magnitude and Multitude in the gracious operations of Mercie, and here we doe finde in the third place, that Mercy is so well stored, that it can doe as much as is required by Miserie. Whereupon two thinges follow. It is vnbeseeming diuine Mercy to bee scant in giuing, and hu­mane Miserie is foolishly modest, that is spare in asking. But this Diui­nitie must not be abused, it was neuer intended to encourage Presumpti­on, but God would haue it published to keepe men from Desperation. It is wholesome Doctrine for them that are Miserabiles, which labour and are heauie laden with the burden of their sin; but it is dangerous to them that are onely Miseri, such as are grieuous sinners, but haue no sense of their wretched state.

The last point in the Text is, Secundum Misericordiam, Haue mercy vpon me, according to that which is in Thee, not that which is in Mee. Nothing to moue God, but onely the free goodnesse of God, certainely to moue Mercy, nothing else can be pleaded by Miserie; Dauid had [Page 74]done many good things, Omnes voluntates Dei, as Saint Paul saith Acts 13. hee had restored Church and Common Weale, and made many sweet Songs to the honor, and prayse of God; But he remembreth none of all these in his Prayer, he doth not desire to speede for any of those. And why? Bona Opera Deo placere possunt, Deum placare non possunt, while wee doe them, though imperfect, yet are they well pleasing vnto God thorough Christ, but if we doe contrary vnto them, we may not pleade them for Satisfactions for our sinne. No, Gods Rule is, Eze. 18. When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousnesse and committeth iniqui­tie, all his righteousnesse that he hath done shall not bee mentioned; therefore Dauid prayeth discreetly, when he referreth God to his owne Goodnes, and pleades nothing of his owne Worth: and we must in the like Case lay before God only our beggery, and commend that vnto Gods Mercy; the lesse we haue, the more wee shall find in him, if wee are not ashamed to confesse our owne basenes, and his Goodnesse.

But it is time to draw to an end. Audi peccator orantem peccatorem, who­soeuer thou art, that art a sinner, learne from King Dauid the argument of penitent Prayer; It must represent a feeling Miserie, and a tender Mer­cy; and the feeling of Misery, must make vs seeke vnto tender Mercy. It was a strange errour in Saint Peter, that when he had seene a glimpse of Christs Glorie, Luke 5. [...]. brake out into these words, Goe from me Lord, for I am a sinfull Man; hee should rather haue desired that Christ would approach him; for with whom should a Patient desire rather to be, then with his Physitian, or a Sinner then with his Sauiour? Surely Saint Peter at a­nother time, Iohn. 13.2. though at first he made dainty, that Christ should wash his feete; yet when Christ told him, except I wash thee, thou canst haue no part in me, replied, Wash Lord, and not my feete onely, but my hands and my head also. There is none of vs that doth not daily runne in arrerages to God, that doth not staine that garment of Innocencie which he receiued in his Baptisme; and what should we do then being in such a case, but, that our selues may be written in the booke of life, desire that our sinnes may be blot­ted out of the Booke of death, & that we be not cast out of heauenly Hierusa­lem, [...]euel. 7.14. as an vncleāe thing, wash our garments white in the blood of the Lambe.

No doubt, but as King Dauid, so wee shall haue Paroxismes, sharpe sits of despaire, when our Conscience curiously suruaieth our Miserie. But the eyes of our soule must not dwell there, we must lift them vp vnto the Mercy-seate, et abyssus abyssum inuocet, let the depth of our Misery, seeke a re­liefe in the depth of Gods Mercy; be our sins neuer so many, bee they neuer so great, we shall find more bowells of tender Mercy, greater loue & kind­nesse there, then our Sinnes can need. Yea, not onely finde them there in God, but seele them also streaming from thence to the full reliefe of our distressed soules; We shall feele them so acquitting, so cleansing vs, that we shall be assured, that we are vessells of Mercy, though we deserue for our sinnes to be Vessells of Wrath.

THis Psalme (as heretofore you haue heard) consists of two Vowes, both were made by King Dauid, one for himselfe, another for his Kingdome; the first doth expresse his De­sire, and his Promise; his Desire to bee restored vnto, and preserued in the state of Grace: his Promise, if hee speede hereof, to performe religious seruice vnto God. In the former Petition, of his Desire there are two remarkeable things; the Matter contained in it, and the Manner of King Dauids redoubling it; of the Matter I haue already spoken, wherefore I now come on vnto the Man­ner.

And herein we must obserue; first, the Inference, then the Ampli­fication; that is, how that which followeth is brought in vpon that which goeth before, and how King Dauid enlargeth himselfe in vnfolding the Confession of his owne Miserie, and Petition for Gods Mercy: In the Inference we shall learne, that as God hath Mercy, so it is for such as are sensible of their Miserie; in the Amplification we shall learne, that hee which is sensible, must shew himselfe not onely ingenious in displaying his owne wretchednesse, but bee assured also of the Remedie which is prouided by Gods Goodnesse.

But to looke more particularly into the former branch of the Ampli­fication; behold therein how King Dauid doth rip vp his sinnes, the Branches, the Root thereof, the sinne which himselfe hath committed, and the sinne which hee hath deriued from his Parents, hee layeth open both, both the Debt and the Vsury, so Saint Chrysostom calls them. Homil. ad Neo­phytos. Hee beginneth at the sinne which himselfe hath committed, he vseth not the querulous Prouerbe of the Iewes, the fathers haue eaten sowre Grapes, Ier. 34.29and the Childrens teeth are set onedge, the remembrance of his wofull Inheri­tance, doth not make him forget his owne graceles Purchase; no, hee mindes this first, hee first amplifieth the Debt which himselfe hath contracted.

In laying open this, he obserueth two things; the naturall Pro­perties [Page 76]thereof, and the supernaturall Euent which followeth thereupon; the naturall Properties are two, a Malignity, and an Impiety, he handles the Impietie in the next verse, the Malignitie in this that I haue now read vnto you.

Malignity is a vexing euill; first, there is euill in his sinne, hee touch­eth a double euill, euill of the Heart, and euill of the Head, of the Heart, noted by the word Peshang, which signifieth a rebellious inordinatnes of the will; of the Head, noted by Chata, which noteth an erring Iudge­ment, or misleading aduise; these two euills are in sinne, enormous sinne, and where they are, there they vexe; for, they are Coram, or Contra, be­fore vs, or Against vs, the word beareth both significations, and there­fore it is translated both wayes; and if we couple them (as well we may) then you shall finde, that enormous sinne committed doth haunt our thoughts, and afflict our wills.

Neither onely doe they so, but they doe so incessantly, so saith the Text, they are Semper Coram, & Semper Contra, Alwaies before vs, and Against vs, alwaies vexing both our Head, and our Heart. Of this King Dauid is ingeniously feeling, and testifieth the truth of it in his owne Case; in his owne Case, I say, for the sinne which he remembreth is his owne, My transgressions, My sinnes, the disease of mine owne Head, and mine owne Heart; therefore saith King Dauid, I am feeling, feeling in my Head, and feeling in my Heart, for, Agnosco, I Acknowledge it, Ac­knowledging importeth a worke of the Head, which is Noscere, to know, and a worke of the Heart, which is, Agnoscere, to Acknowledge, the vse of knowledge, the applying of it to our Liues.

Neither is King Dauid only feeling hereof, but ingenious also in pub­lishing the same, for he did Acknowledge it in this Psalme. These bee the particulars which offer themselues in this Text, and whereunto (God willing) I shall now speake more fully, and answerably vnto this The [...] of [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] of Welles. Occa­sion.

But I must first touch at the Inference, and shew you, how these and the following words are brought in vpon those that goe before: Haue mercy vpon me O Lord, &c. saith King Dauid, for I acknowledge my trans­gressions, &c. Obserue then; Mans deuotion must follow Gods directi­on, neither may we hope otherwise to speede, then we are waranted by his Promise. Now, God doth not promise Mercy but to those that are feeling of their Miserie: in the beginning of the Leiturgie we heare daily out of Ezek. E [...]c. 18.21.22.At what time soeuer a sinner doth repent him of his sinne, from the bottome of his Heart, I will put al His wickednesse out of my remembrance saith the Lord; Ioel. 2.13. and therefore out of Ioel we are called vpon, to Rent our Hearts, and not our Garments, and turne vnto the Lord our God, because hee is gentle, and mercifull, patient, and of much mercy, and such an one as is sor­ric for our Afflictions: M [...]t. 5.6. to this purpose doth our Sauiour Christ in the Gospell pronounce them Blessed, that hunger and thirst after righteousnes, saying, M [...]. 11. [...]. they shall be satisfied; and inuiteth those that Labour and are heauie laden, saying, he will refresh them.

Although then wee doe yeeld, that the Mercy of God is infinite, and [Page 77]that it is readie to releiue all wretches; yet wee may not forget, that in obtayning it there are Partes nostrae (as Chrysostom speaketh) there is some thing that God requires on our part; hee requires that we approue vnto him our Repentance. Saint Austin sets it forth in a prettie Dialogue be­tweene God, and King Dauid; Quidergo? quaeris miserecordiam, & pe­catum impunitum remanebit? what (saith God vnto King Dauid) doest thou seeke for mercy, so that thy sinne may remaine vnpunished? Respondet Dauid, respondeant Lapsi. King Dauid replied, and all sinners must ioyne in this an­swer with King Dauid; Non Domine, Nay Lord, my sinne shall not bee vn­punished, I know his Iustice whose mercy I implore, my sinne shall not passe vn­punished, but therefore would not I haue thee punish it, because I doe punish it my selfe: and so Chrysostome. I see my sinne O Lord, therefore doe not thou see it, I register it in this Psalme, therefore doe thou blot it out of thy Booke, Agnosco, ignoscas, therefore pardon, because I am penitent; 1. Cor. 11. And indeed it is the Apostles Rule, That if we would iudge our selues, wee should not be iudged of the Lord.

Yet may we not corrupt this Doctrine as the Church of Rome doth, by ouer-valewing mans Penetencie, and esteeming it to bee Satisfactorie; Satisfactorie (I say) Dignitatesuâ, for any worth that is in it, though it may goe for Satisfactorie Dignatione Diuinâ, because God is pleased to rest contented with it. Paululum supplicij satis est Patri, to the Indulgence of a Father small sparkles of Grace make a good satisfaction, for a great fault committed by a Child, but he were a gracelesse Child, that would so mis-conster his Fathers good nature, as to deeme a few sorrowing teares, a full ransome of his offence: Our condition of being Gods chil­dren by faith in Christ, and the affection of God respecting vs in Christ as his Children, are the true ground why God requires no more of vs; and he that instead of this Relation, plods vpon a proportion be­tweene his Repentance and Gods vengeance, doth not onely corrupt a comfortable Doctrine by his errour, but for his pride deserueth to forfeit Gods gracious Pardon. Let vs keepe the right path, neither ouer-valew­ing Godly sorrow, neither yet neglecting it, seeing God hath vouchsafed it so comfortable an effect; Let vs all, especially you that are the Penitents, be feeling of our Miserie that God may releeue vs with his Mercie.

And let this suffice concerning the Inference; I come now to the Ampli­fication, to consider so much of it as is contained in this Verse; here, I told you, King Dauid doth display the malignitie of his Sinne. Malignitie is a vexing Euill, therefore in the Sin here specified, we must obserue, first, the Euill, and then the Vexation thereof; and we find a double Euill, noted by the two Names that are giuen to the Sinne; I haue on former Verses spoken of these words, but the present occasion hath made me looke far­ther into them, and obserue moreouer, that which is not vnworthy of our knowledge.

These words then will teach vs, that Sinnes, especially, if they be enor­mous, haue plaine Characters of the Diuell; Hee is resembled to a Ser­pent, and to a Lion; in regard of the first Christ calleth him a Lier, Iohn 8.44 in re­gard of the last, a Murderer, and where he instils Sinne, hee leaueth the [Page 78]steps of either of these; of his Lying, in the errour of Mens Iudgements; of his Murdering, in the Rebelliousnesse of their Affections; the second of these is noted by Peshang, Lawlesnesse, the first by Chata, aberration from the scope where at we ayme: he desireth not to haue men to halfes, he endeauoureth to venome both the fountaines of the reasonable Soule; and soldome shall you find a man misled in his Iudgement, whose Affecti­ons are not violent. See the truth of this, first, in Moralitie, then, in Di­uinitie. Let a man bee giuen to Drunkennesse; if the Serpent haue taken him by the Head, and made him conceiue, that that beastly qualitie doth well beseeme a man, the Lyon will take him by the Heart, and hee will grow mad against those that will not bee as mad as himselfe; the bloud that is shed in quarrels of this nature, are too dayly proofes of this Truth: For vnchastitie, you neede no better euidence, then the storie of the Sodo­mites: [...] 1. it is no great matter to gather proofes, touching other Morall de­fects, but the occasion remembreth me especially to instance in matters of Diuinitie; here you shall see, if euer, that the enemie of mankind hath left the markes of either of his Persons.

How the Serpent preuailed against the Pharisees, hee knoweth not the Gospell, that doth not know; Christ doth therein discouer manifold errours of their Iudgement: and that the Roaring Lyon had entred their Hearts, is witnessed by their persecuting of Christ and his Apostles: how fouly the Arians were deceiued concerning the Deitie of Christ, we read in the storie of the first Nicene Councell; and in the Ecclesiasticall storie we read, how barbarous, how bloudy they were; as the Serpent had bit them, so the Lyon raged in them: come on to the Papists; is not their erronious Iudgement accompanied with most furious Affections? As they are not ashamed to put the Diuels properties into their Creede, tea­ching an Art of periurious Lying, and Meritorious Murdering; so doe they act them both, publishing Lyes by their tongues and pennes, and practising Murders by their inchanted Assasinates; the Gunpowder-treason is a Monument hereof to their eternall infamie. The Anabaptists came fairely after them, whose opinions were not more grosse, then their dea­ling seditious; not so few as a hundred thousand persons perished, while with their Rebellious sword, they laboured to make good the forgerie of their braine; they made it plaine, that as well the Lyon as the Serpent had taken possession of them: This the Germaine stories relate at large; And our owne stories will tell vs, that wee haue not wanted some that haue beene kinne vnto them, Hackets, Coppingers, and others, that though they haue not gone so farre, yet had gone farther, then beseemes those whose profession is truth, and practise should bee obedience; they haue receiued, nay they haue vented some thing of the Serpent, and some thing of the Lyon.

I thinke you see by this time, what I meane; I meane to lance the sores of these Penitents, to let it appeare, that the Serpent hath got into their Head, and the Lyon into their Hearts: They haue had a false light that deluded their Iudgement, and an vnkind heat, that hath warmed their Affections, they haue scanted Gods bountie in permitting vnto vs the [Page 79]vse of his creatures, and entertained a Iewish conceit of the vnlawfulnesse of eating bloud.

And as their opinions haue beene erroneous, in regard of Christian libertie: so haue they beene also, concerning Ecclesiasticall societie; thinking, they may seperate themselues from the Church, if those whom they esteeme irreligious liuers, be not excommunicated by Ecclesiasticall censures: yea, so farre hath the Serpent preuailed, as to make them (if not denie) at least, to doubt of the Lawfulnesse of the Leiturgie, the Mi­nistrie, yea, to question the very Root of all the Ecclesiasticall Authoritie both of Prince and Pastors. So farre hath the Serpent beene with them.

And if He get in before, the Lyon will follow after; and indeede he hath followed in them: for what Auctoritie haue they not set at naught? Ecclesiasticall, Ciuill, either of them, more then once, and trod vpon them more waies then one; and how Lyon-like they would haue beene, if they had had power answerable to their will, God knoweth; the proofe wee haue had of others, may make vs iustly suspect the worst.

This onely I wish them to take to themselues; that in their Sinne there was this double Euill; and if they do not therein discerne this dou, ble Euill, they doe not as they ought looke into their Sinne; which not withstanding they should doe, because so to doe, is the first step of Re­pentance.

The second step doth consider the vexation that doth accompanie this Euill. As it seiseth vpon the Head, and vpon the Heart; so doth it vexe them both, for it is Coram Nobis, and Contra Nos, both before vs, and Against vs. The word Neged doth containe both Praepositions, and there­fore the Interpreters haue differed in their Translations; but because sin cannot be before a Penitent, but it will bee Against him, therefore will I conioyne them both, I will shew you, that it doth haunt our Thoughts, and afflict our Hearts.

Sinne then is fitly resembled vnto a Harlot painted, that her counte­nance may by art worke, what by nature it could not doe; while she doth wooe her Louers, that which she offereth to their view, is the paynting, but when she hath drawne them into her snare, she giueth thē leaue then to see hir natiue hue▪ she reuealeth then what before shee concealed: E­uen so sinne hath a faire out-side, but the inside thereof is foule, it puts on the one, to allure, but when men are allured, then it sheweth them the other; wee are easily tempted to the Act of sinne, for pleasure maketh vs swallow the bait; when the Act is determined, the sight of the pleasure vanisheth, but the sight of the guiltie corruption abideth by vs, the pain­ting is quickly wiped off, and the vglinesse thereof appeares, and the An­gell of light is quickly turned into an Angel of darkenesse; though wee striue to cast our sinnes behind vs, will we, nill we, they will thrust them­selues before vs. And why? Hom 3i. in Cap. 12. ad Hebraeo [...] they are grauen in Memoriâ Conscientiae (as Chrysostome calls it) they are registred in the Booke of Conscience, which we are forced to read, euen when we would be most glad to be rid of it; but the relation thereof cannot be supprest, our thoughts cannot be freed from it. And this is the first vexing propertie of sinne; it doth vexe our Thoughts.

[Page 80] But not our Thoughts only, it vexeth our Hearts also; it is not onely Coram, but Contra, not onely Before vs, we cannot but thinke of it, but al­so Contra Nos, In Psal. 35. we cannot but be tormented with it. Saint Ambrose saith, it is Vltrix Imago, a verie Furie, it is a Hell going before Hell, and rackes vs before wee are put vpon the racke, the Harlot suddainely turneth in­to a souldier, and giueth vs as many deadly wounds, as she gaue vs coun­terfeit kisses. Chap. 20. verse 12. Chap. 1. Iob expresseth it in a verie fine Similie, Wickednesse is sweet in the mouth, and the wicked hideth it vnder his tongue, but this meate in his bowells is turned, it is the gall of Aspes; the Wiseman speaketh it plainely, Men entertaine sinne as a frend, and make a Couenant with it; but what is the issue? it consumeth them, and bringeth them vnto naught, and as Saint Peter speaketh, 1. Pet. 2. it fighteth against their Soules.

Neither is this vexing momentanie, it vexeth Semper, Alwaies; Alwaies Before, Alwaies Against a Sinner, is the double Euill of sinne, in the night, in the day, in prosperitie, in aduersitie; while hee is alone, while hee is in companie; a sinner that is rowsed to see his sinne cannot but be vexed with the Euill thereof.

The torments will not end before death, and in the Reprobate after death, this Vexation shall be much increased.

But of this Vexation more anon, when I come to couple the first part of the Text with this latter; Let vs come on then to King Dauids inge­neous feeling of this Malignitie, Malignitie of his owne sinne.

And indeed it is his owne Sinne, that he is feeling of. Many studie sin, and they can see euill enough in it, but it is other mens sinne: in other mens eyes Moates seeme Beames, Mat. 7.3. but Beames in our owne eyes seeme not so much as Moates; most men are like the Laodiceans, thinke themselues Rich, encreased in goods, that they want nothing, euen then, when they are poore, blind, naked, and miserable, as Christ tells that Church Reuel. 3. Hereupon it is, Luke 18. that they come to God like Pharisees with I thanke God I am not like vnto other men; but King Dauid choose rather to play the Publican, to looke into his owne sores, his errors, his rebellions, to am­plifie his owne sinnes, and fit them with their proper names, to note the diseases of his owne Head, and of his owne Heart.

It were to be wished, that you that are Penetents had taken the same course. You haue traduced your Pastors, for the Diseases of their Head, and reproached them by the names of Baals Priests, you haue traduced your Brethren for the Diseases of their Hearts, and doomed them as vn­worthy of the Communion of Saints; and see how God hath rewarded your Pride; he hath suffered the Diuell to wound you both in Head, and Heart, he hath made you spectacles of those diseases which you condem­ned in others; Rom. 7. they may presse you with that question of Saint Paul, Thou that makest thy boast of the Law, by breaking the Law dishounerest thou God? And vpbraid you with the Prouerbe, Luke. 4.24. Physician heale thy selfe.

And it is a good warning that may be taken by vs all, not to studie o­thers, [Page 91]before we haue studied our selues, and not to let our censure passe against any, more seuerely then against our selues; so did King Dauid in his practise of Repentance, and so must we; we must looke into our owne Case; not onely so, we must bee feeling thereof also; so much is meant by the word, Acknowledging.

Acknowledge doth implie knowledge, and adde thereunto the vse ther­of. To vnderstand this we must obserue; that, for the ordering of our life God doth furnish vs with two helpes, the one is called [...], the other [...] doth signifie, or note, the Principles whereby wee doe distinguish good and euill; [...] noteth the Application of these Prin­ciples to our Actions; the first you may call Morall knowledge, the se­cond Morall Acknowledgement, the latter cannot bee without the for­mer, and the former should not be without the latter.

But to touch at either of these for our present occasion. God hath set downe those Principles which he thought expedient to guide a Christian Resolution, but two Euils haue ouer-taken the Church: The Papists they breed vp the people in an ignorant Deuotion, and care not how litle they know the true grounds of Conscience, but bid them rest contented with an Implicite Faith, and rest their Soules vpon the Authoritie of the Church; they offend in Parum, in ouer-scanting of the peoples know­ledge: But the Separatists runne into the other extreame, they offend in Nimium, attribute too little to the Church, and exceed in knowledge, or fancies which they suppose to be Diuine knowledge. And what maruell? When leauing the guides of their owne Church, then whom, since the Apostles dayes, God hath not raised vp in any Kingdome so many, and so worthy, they commit themselues vnto obscure Guides, that either lurke in corners, or flie their Countrie. No Bookes are for their eyes, but those which are of their penning, and they that scorne our Apocry­phalls, what Apocryphall writings doe they dote vpon?

And as no writings please them but such, so no mens Sermons but theirs can edifie them; and indeed they doe edifie; but it is a Babel; their sancies are no better then that Tower of confusion, and yet to dwell in that, they will forsake Hierusalem it selfe.

I will not amplifie your fault that are Penitents, but a man may guesse at the modell of your knowledge by your Librarie, by the Bookes any may guesse what Principles you follow; not of your owne Church, but of Conuenticles, and this is that that hath made you Schismatickes; hence forward you shall doe well, to take your light from those Starres whom God hath placed in this Church; especially, seeing they refuse not to let those who with modestie desire to bee resolued, see, that their Light is deriued from the Sunne of Righteousnesse; and that as Faithfull Stewards they presse nothing to the Consciences of their fellow seruants, but that, for which they haue warrant from their Master Christ, where­in they differ from the Popish Pastors.

But Knowledge is not enough, Acknowledgement is required also; vnto [...] we must adde [...], and the Principles that we haue, we must put in vre. As our Knowledge must not be Headlesse, so must it not bee [Page 92]Heartlesse; when we haue gone so farre, as that the Light of our vnder­standing can discerne betweene Good and Euill, wee must then take care of our Affections, that the heate of Grace giue them a good temper, that they take a true taste of their Obiects, that Loue and Hatred, Desire and Feare, Hope and Despaire, arise out of that which was designed to worke them.

But to amplifie this a litle farther. We should vse knowledge in guiding of our Actions before hand, and trie what that is which offereth it selfe to be done, before we goe about to doe it: If a man were so aduised, as timely to moue vnto his soule this question, quid ago? where about goe I? such prouidence, if it would not preuent all sinne, because of the ma­nifold temptations, and mans too naturall infirmitie, either in ne­glecting Grace, which he hath, or forgetting to pray for Grace, which he hath not; yet would it put off many a sinne, and make vs take lesse content in the sinnes which wee doe not put off; yea, this would bee a good inducement to the thorough feeling of our slips, which is the after vse we must make of our knowledge, and is vsually meant by Acknowledg­ment: for what is that, but only, that if sinne haue preuented our aduised­nesse, vpon a reuiewe we retract what rashnesse hath committed? This is a profitable vse of Knowledge. But sinfull soules are now become like corrupt Bodies; corrupt bodies haue often times great appetites, when they haue but small digestion; so, many desire much knowledge, where­of they put but a little in practice; yea, as meat that is not digested in the Body doth incumber it, and breeds in it many disquieting diseases; so if our life bee not the better for our knowledge, by our care to expresse it, it will be much the worse, by our quarrells that we will raise about it.

Socrates the Ecclesiasticall Historiographer reports a storie of one Pam­bo, Lib. 4. c. 18. a plaine ignorant man (such as you the Penitents are) who came to a learned Man, and desired him to teach him some Psalme, hee began to reade vnto him the 39. Psalme, when he had past the first verse, I said I will looke to my waies, that I offend not with my tongue, Pambo shut the Booke, and tooke his leaue, saying that he would goe learne that poynt; when hee had absented himselfe certaine moneths, hee was demanded by his Reader, when he would goe forward, he answered, that he had not yet learned his old lesson, and he gaue the very same answere to one that many yeares after moued the same question. I doe not desire, that our people should haue so few Sermons, the Canons of the Church haue prouided for the people better then so; but this I desire, that the people would make more vse of that which they learne, and let their liues shew that they are the better for the Ministers paines; for sure I am, that it is their negligence, that maketh the Ministers diligence the more need­full; and though knowledge be wanting in too many places of the Land, yet is Acknowledgement wanting much more: the fruit of our paines is so farre from preuenting sinne in the people, that we cannot speed so well, as to worke a feeling thereof in them, when they haue committed it; we finde not that tendernesse in their soules, which Nathan found in the soule of King Dauid, and which King Dauid implies in his Acknowledg­ment.

[Page 93] But feeling is not enough; that is not all that is meant by Ac­knowledgement, though the feeling bee no lesse in the Heart, then it is in the Head; Therefore, I told you, that King Dauids was an ingenious feeling, he published what he felt. If sinnes bee onely secret, then the hu­miliation of the inward man may suffice in the sight of God, it is enough to confesse his faults, or in a generalitie to acknowledge them in the pub­like confession of the Church, without specification, except the burden of his conscience giue him iust cause to reueale it, that he may be relieued by Ghostly counsell; but if what he conceiued inwardly, hee hath ven­ted outwardly, in word, or deede, to the offence not of God onely, but also of the Church, then, vnto the Confession made vnto God in priuate, must bee added a publike also in the face of the Church: such was King Dauids sinne, and such is King Dauids Confession; he testified publikely to the Church, the Religious feeling that hee had of his sinnes; and this is thereason why I called his dealing ingenious.

And indeed, herein standeth the great conflict, that Grace hath with flesh and bloud; hardly are wee contented to be priuie to our selues of our owne sinfulnesse; for though wee delight to commit sinne, yet doe we not delight to behold our selues as we are sinners; the more naturall the desire is in euery man to be reputed good, the more vnsauorie is that search that sindeth him to bee nothing so; And if wee are so vnwilling to know our selues to bee sinners, much lesse will we endure, that others should be of our Counsell therein. Stultorum incurata pudor malus vlcera celat. Many will rather die, then be knowne, that they are sicke of some shamefull disease; but men are lesse willing to haue their sinnes published, then their sores.

The more remarkable is King Dauids ingenuitie, & rather to be wished, then hoped for, in this Age, wherein men sinne without shame, but shame to Acknowledge their knowne sinne: outfacing of such challenge as was made to King Dauid, and excusing, sometimes of the fact, most vsually of themselues, are the best pleas which are stood vpon by offenders; though many exceed King Dauid in the infirmities which appeared in this fall, yet where is the man that commeth neere the least degree of his ingenuiti [...] in confessing of his fault? Where such stupiditie is, and men hide their sinnes like Adam, it is a signe, that the Principles of Conscience are dull, and dead; as it is a signe, that they liue and are quicke where contrarie ingenuitie doth appeare.

Which, you the Penitents should consider well, and let the Church see in your humble confession, what true Contrition there is in your soule; whether your Conscience bee senslesse, or feeling of that state whereinto you are brought by sinne: to worke this degree of penitencie in you, I will somewhat enlarge a point which I did but glance at before. Know then, that there are two sorts of the laying open of the malignity of sinne; the one is Voluntarie, the other is Compulsorie; the Volun­tarie is that whereof I haue spoken, which is medicinall, and prepares Miserie to receiue Mercy: for therefore doth God put a distance be­tweene our ill dealing, and faring ill, that Grace husbanding that di­stance [Page 94]thriftily, and wee iudging our selues, before we are iudged, might preuent that faring ill which is due vnto our ill deseruing.

Add hereunto, that if we willingly ser forth the Malignitie of our sin, the Obiect will be proportionable to our sight, and we shall so bee con­founded therewith, that we shall not bee confounded; our Godly sorrow shall haue an happie issue: But if we will not doe this willingly, we shall be constrained to doe it; happily in this world, certainely in the world to come; but whether now or then, the obiect will bee too strong for our sight, and our soules will be ouerwhelmed therewith. In this world it falls out very often, that Satan which tempts many vnto sinne, doth tempt them afterwards to despaire; and how doth hee doe it, but by re­presenting vnto them the malignity of their sinne? the euill whereof, proueth so vexing, that it maketh some as restlesse as Cain, and some as vnnaturall to themselues as Iudas; and both of them that spared to let their tongues confesse penitently, did not spare desperately to pub­lish their owne shame: but if happily God doe not permit so much pow­er vnto Sathan in this world; yet in the world to come he will force all the wicked vnto this Confession; the worme then will so bite, and the Bookes of their Consciences will be so legible; God will so set their sinnes before them, that they shall power forth a full Confession, and giue Glory vnto God, though little to their owne comfort, as it is excellently set forth Wisd. 5.

Wherefore, this penitentiall Confession enioyned by the Church, should not seeme irkesome vnto you, seeing it is so behoofefull for you; for you doe by this preuent a worse; preuent an vncomfortable one that will be forced vpon you, by this Medicinall one, if you performe it Vo­luntarily, out of a godly sorrow for your sinne.

But I conclude. ipartit. Hist. b. 9 c. 15. Non peccare vltra humanam naturam cognoscitur; it is not to bee hoped, that wee should runne the race that is set before vs, and not take any fall before wee die; least therefore we should so fall, as not to rise againe, God hath prouided a remedie; he will spare vs, if we doe not spare our selues; if we take notice of our sinne, God will not enquire into it; if it be grieuous vnto vs, God will neur greiue vs for it; neither shall we euer be forced to confesse to our Confusion, if we bee willing to confesse it to our Saluation: seeing then God hath giuen vs our choyce, whether our confession shall be a Medicine, or a Torment, let vs not re­serue our selues for the Torment, by despising of the Medicine. But let vs not be Like vnto those that behold their naturall face in a glasse, Nes 1.23.and going away, presently forget what manner of persons they were; that will make out Repentance but like a Morning cloud which quickly passeth a­way: And no wonder, if men often relapse into sinne, if they so quickly forget their former sinnes; hee that will hold himselfe in, must imitate King Dauid; his humiliation must be as lasting, as his Life; we should neuer forget, what wretches we haue beene, least withall we forget, how much wee are bound to God; the presence of our sinne forgiuen, will make vs more sensible of the forgiuenesse of our sinne.

Wherefore, if at any time we finde grace in Gods eyes, as which of vs [Page 95]doth not often finde it in this life? let it not greiue vs to say with Saint Paul that, wee are chiefe of sinners, 1. Tim. 1.15. though God should doe vs the like honour he did to him, and make vs chiefe Apostles; in a word, though we haue sped of our pardon, as Dauid did from the mouth of Nathan, let this be our constant Confession vnto death; I doe know mine owne wicked­nesse, and my sinne is euer before me.

KIng Dauid in this Penitentiall, confessing that sinne, which himselfe had contracted, obserueth the Naturall proper­ties, and Supernaturall euent thereof. The Naturall pro­perties are two; a Malignitie, and an Impietie which are in Sinne; Of the Malignitie I spake last, I come now to the Impietie.

We must then obserue; That in all sinne, besides the offence, there is a partie offended, and the partie offended setteth the Measure to the of­fence; as he is, so is that; he maketh it to be greater, or lesse: therefore, in a full Confession, the partie offended must not bee omitted; certainely King Dauid in his Exemplarie Confession doth not omit him; hee doth not forget to expresse whom hee had wronged; Against thee onely haue I sinned: and which is more, whom he had contemned; I haue done this e­uill in thy sight.

But more distinctly. In the Confession that concerneth the partie wronged, you shall find something that is common to all sinners. Tibi [Page 96]peccaui, I haue sinned against thee, must euery one say; for whosoeuer sin­neth, sinneth Against God; but here is some thing also proper; Tibi solj peccauj, Against thee onely haue I sinned, can none say, but a King; because there is none aboue him, but onely God; and therefore none but God can challenge him. As this must bee obserued in the Confession of the partie wronged: So in the Confession of the same partie contemned we must obserue; first, what contempt is in generall; it is, Malum facere co­ram oculis, not onely to wrong a partie, but to wrong him to his face. Secondly, how this contempt in speciall is aggrauated two wayes, 1. by the eye of the partie offended, Oculis tuis; for Gods is no ordinarie eye, 2. by the sinne, wherewith that eye was prouoked, Malum hoc, the sinne committed was no ordinarie sinne. These are the particulars which I meane to handle on this Text, wherfore I resume them, that I may runne them ouer briefly, and in their order.

First then, the whole Text is an amplification of sinne, in regard of the partie offended; and the partie offended maketh it plaine, that there is Impietie in the sinne. Persons with whom we conuerse are, some our e­qualls, some our superiours; if equalls, and we offend them, the offence is properly called Iniquitie, as taxing the vnequall dealing of equall per­sons: But if the persons be superiours, and be offended, then, the offence is properly called Impietie; because all superiours are instar parentum, either they are, or they are vnto vs instead of our Parents: Now, the vertue which must moderate our carriage towards our Parents, is called Pietie; and therefore is our misbehauiour towards them, no lesse then Impiety. And if they deserue this Censure that offend the Fathers of their flesh, how much more is it due to them that offend the Father of their Spirits? H [...]b. 1 [...]. Seeing, the fathers of our flesh, challenge our Pietie, in re­gard that they represent vnto vs the Father of our Spirits, therefore it belongeth much more vnto him whom they represent; whereupon it followeth, that to offend him can be no lesse then Impietie, and Impietie will proue a naturall propertie of sinne.

But let vs come to the Branches of the Confession. The first is that which toucheth the Person as he is wronged; and here, I told you, wee finde some thing that is common to all sinners, Tibi peccaui: all sinners must say, that when they sinne, against whomsoeuer they doe sinne, they sinne against God. I will make it plaine by foure euident Reasons. The first is taken from that which we abuse in sinne. All Creatures as they are made by God; so doe they still belong vnto him, so that wee cannot a­buse them, but in them we abuse him: Euery man may perceiue this in his one familie: he that wrongeth a wife, in the wife wrongeth the husband; the abuse offered to a child, redoundeth to his Father; yea, & a Master, an owner, is feeling of whatsoeuer hurt is done, either to the Seruant, or else to his goods; And shall we thinke then, that any creature can be violated, & the Creator not touched therewith? all Adulterers, Murderers, what­soeuer Malefactors must remember, they abuse the Creator, while they vse his Creature amisse.

A second Reason is this, that wee cannot abuse, nor wong [Page 97]others, but withall we abuse our selues much more; that which we do to them, is but Iniurie, but that which we doe to our selues, is Deprauation, wee corrupt our selues with sinne, when wee doe vnto them onely a wrong; Now, the reference which our selues haue vnto God, maketh the deprauing of our selues an offence against him; we are not our owne, 1. Cor. 6. Psal. 100. 1. Cor. 6. 1. Pet. 1. 1. Cor. 6. Psal. 132.14.God hath made vs, and not we our selues, yea, we are bought with a price, euen, the precious bloud of our Sauiour Christ; yea, the Holy Ghost by Christ hath made vs a Temple vnto himselfe, and we are vouchsafed to bee his resting place for euer. Looke how many references we haue vnto God; so many waies doe wee offend him, when wee imploy our selues in sinne: By Creation we should beare the image of God; and what an abuse is it of his Image, by sinne to transforme it into the Image of the Diuel? By Redemption we become the members of Christ, and how doe we vilifie him, when we make them members of an Harlot? we are vouchsafed to be temples of the Holy Ghost, was Christ so offended with the abuse of the materiall Temple, when the House of Prayer, was made a Denn of Theenes, Mat. 21.13. and thinke you that the abuse of the Spirituall, doth nothing concerne him? Certainely, his Spirit must needs be grieued therewith.

A third Reason is this. The naturall duties that we owe man to man, and Creature vnto Creature, are imposed vpon vs by a Law, and that Law is Gods; we swarue not from our duties, but we breake his law. And if we breake his Law, how can we but offend him? especially, seeing his Law is the Image of himselfe, of his Being, and of his Doing; in it wee haue a tast of his Holy Nature, and of that which is remarkable in his owne workes: Now, what Lawmaker will endure that his Law shall be bro­ken? especially, whereas he imposeth no other Law on his Subiects, then on himselfe, and that Law requireth nothing, but an outward Resplen­dencie of an inward Glory, that we should let our light shine before men, Mot. 5that they may see our good workes, and glorifie our Father which is in Heauen; the breaking of such a Law must needs offend the Sacred Lawmaker.

A fourth Reason is, the Blasphemie of the wicked occasioned by sin. They that know not the true God, measure him by that which they see in his Seruants, & thinke, that as they are, so is he, impotent in Affections, impure in Conuersation; & hereupon do they open their mouthes against Heauen. Nathan toucheth this in his reproofe of Dauid, & the Iewes are often by the Prophets taxed for giuing this occasion of Blasphemie, and the Christians had wofull proofe of it in the Primitiue Church; witnes the strange imputatiōs; that the Heathen did cast vpon the Christian Re­ligion, whereof a man may finde more then enough, in the Heathenish writings of those times. Neither do we want proofe in these daies; the bar­barous crueltie of the first Inuaders of the Indies, how did it cause those Infidels to blaspheme the name of Christ? & what infamie is dayly cast vp­on the Reformed Religion, by the aduerse party, whose chiefe proofe is, the vnreformedliues of the Professors therof? It cānot then be denied, but that, though in the eye of flesh & bloud, when we sin, wee satisfie our lusts vpon the creatures, & mandoth iniurie vnto man, as Dauid to Vriah, to Bathsheba; yet, the offence redounds vnto God, and God is a party A­gainst [Page 98]whom we Sinne, whensoeuer we sinne. Tibi peccaui, I haue sinned against thee, must be put in the Confession of euery sinner.

Besides this Confession, that is common to all sinners, here is added another Confession which is proper vnto Kings: Tibi Soli peccaui, against thee only haue I sinned, could no man say, but he that is a Soueraigne. But to open these words more fully; we must obserue, that some vnderstand them Absolutely, some Comparatiuely; and of those that vnderstand them Absolutely, some vnderstand them onely de Facto, some de Iure; some consider only, what was done, some, what ought to be done: these different senses agree all well with the Text, and because the knowledge of them is vsefull I will touch at them all. First, at the sense which con­ceiueth in these words that which was vsually done.

Great Men, especially Kings, are beset with flatterers, that will rather blanch sinne, then set it forth in its owne colour, pleade for it, rather then against it, they turne Princes vices into vertues, and adore their imper­fections, as if they were heauenly perfections; and so, if they begin to bee bad, they neuer leaue vntill they haue made them starke naught, to glorie in their shame, [...] 10. [...]4. which they see others magnifie. But God hath no respect of persons, he soweth no such Pillowes vnder the elbowes of Kings; neither will hee couer their ruines, with such distempered morter; when their sub­iects doe sooth them, [...] 3.5. he will speake home, and be a swift witnesse against them; when all others hold their peace, hee feareth not the faces of the mighty, neither will he spare to strike the greatest Monarch: Iob touch­eth this more then once, and the Author of the Booke of Wisedome doth euidently amplifie it; neuer a Booke Historicall in the Bible, that hath not some examples of it. And this may be the first thing, that King Dauid meaneth in these words: he might haue slept, and died in his sinne, for ought was sayd, or done vnto him by men; but hee found one that rowsed him, that searched his wounds to the quicke, and that was onely God; when the Prophet, when the Priest, the Councellors of State, all were silent, none made any Remonstrance to the King of his sinne, God put forth His voice, [...]yea & that a mighty voyce, that shiuered both the soule and body of King Dauid, and made him acknowledge the difference be­tweene his Soueraigne in Heauen, and his Subiects on Earth, saying, A­gainst thee onely haue I sinned.

As these words are true de facto, & note what is vsually don; so are they true de Iure also, & note what lawfully may be done. In sinning there is a double difference betweene a Subiect, & a Soueraigne; the one is, ratione Praecepit, Commandments, & Lawes; the other is, ratione Paenae, mulcts, and Chastisements The subiect hath two obligations vpon him, the Law of God, and of the King, hee is bound to yeeld his Obedience to them both, neither can hee dispence with his Obedience vnto either of them; the King is absolutely bound only to Gods Law, ouer his owne Lawes hee hath power, & although hee should vse them as Directions for the good of his people, yet, when there is iust cause he may dispence, not only with himselfe, but with others also; & in this respect do the Lawiers af­firme, that a Monarch is Solutus Legibus, that a King in regard of his own [Page 99]Lawes cannot deale vniustly; because in foro Soli, hee onely is to iudge, when it is expedient for him to dispence with his Lawes; So then, when a Subiect offendeth, he offendeth against the Law of his Soueraigne, and of God; but when a King offendeth, against the Lawes of a Soue­raigne he cannot offend, hee offendeth onely against the Lawes of God. And so in that sense it is true, Tibi Soli peccaui.

Besides the Precepts of Lawes, there are Sanctions; these containe the Penalties which they incurre, that breake the Lawes; as manifold as the Lawes are, so manifold are the Sanctions. And here commeth in a second difference betweene a Subiect, and a Soueraigne. A Subiect is liable to both Sanctions, to the Sanction of his Soueraignes Lawes, & the Sanction of Gods Lawes; if he offend, he is punishable by both: But a Soueraigne is subiect but vnto one Law, & so but vnto one Sanction, that Sanction which is annext vnto the Law of God; to the Sanction of his owne Law, he is not subiect. Nature abhors progressum in infinitum, as in Philosophie, so in Policy; therefore, subordination of Persons, that a­riseth by degrees, must rest when it commeth to the Soueraigne; all within his Territories are subiect to his chastisement, but hee to the cha­stisement of none; In Apolog. Dauid. Cap. [...]. tutus est Imperij potestate (saith Saint Ambrose) it is the principall of his Roiall prerogatiues; and vpon this point doe most of the Fathers insist, that haue occasion to speake of these words; euen from the verie dayes of the Apostles, haue they made these words, a Sanctuarie vnto Kings, and a sacred plea for their exemption, from the censure of any vnder God.

This Doctrine is the rather to be vrged in this Age, because the two extreames that impugne the truth, Papists on one side, and Schismaticks on the other, are both vsurpers vpon the Crowne, and Scepters of Kings, both will giue them Lawes, & both will correct the errors of their Liues, and Gouerment, one by the Pope, the other by the People. But both their vsurpations are condemned in this Text: Tibi Solipeccaui; Against thee only haue I sinned, confuteth them both, and subiects that will not passe for Rebells must be contented to take, not to giue Lawes, to suffer from, not to inflict Punishments vpon their Soueraignes.

Yet, though this be the duty of Subiects, Princes are not lawlesse, nei­ther is this a Doctrine of Impunity; for though it bee, peccaui Soli Tibi; yet, it is, Peccaui, and Tibi; God is their Lawginer, and will call them to an account for breaking of his law, Et potentes potenter, Wisd. 6. the greater they are, the greater shall their punishment bee; Lactant. Lib. [...]. de Iustitia c. 24 though they bee exempted from the power of man, they are reserued vnto a greater power, the power of God. This may stop all mutinous mouthes, and hold in all treacherous hands, that declame against the vnbridled power of Soue­raignes, and thinke it long before Iustice is done vpon them.

But enough of the absolute sense of these words. Some obserue be­sides this a Comparatiue sense: King Dauid offended God and Men; though the offence were great against both, yet was the former infinitely greater then the latter; the Men against whom hee offended were his Vassalls, God was his Soueraigne; vnequall Obiects make vnequall [Page 100]sinnes, and as is the sinne, so must our apprehension be, greater, of greater sinne. The apprehension then of the greater, did cleane take away the apprehension of the lesser; as when a man is afflicted with two paines, the sharper drownes all sense of the duller: so that, though King Dauid were not without feeling of the wrong done to his Subiects, yet was hee more feeling of the wrong done vnto God; especially, considering the amplification of the many fauours which God had vouchsafed him; the more he was indebted to God, the more reason he had to bee sensible of the offence, which hee had giuen to him; and so in comparison to greiue only for that. And so should we in our Repentance, make the measure of Gods fauours to vs, the measure of that Repentance, which the sinnes a­gainst our Neighbors, doe at any time draw from vs. And thus much for the first branche of the Confession, I come now to the second.

Wee haue heard Whom King Dauid offended, wee must now heare, How farre; that appeareth in these words, I haue done this euill in thy sight. To offend God, is to doe him wrong, but to offend him in his sight, is to improue that wrong vnto Contempt, and that is to doe wrong in the highest degree.

But more distinctly. As before you heard, there was some thing com­mon in the wrong, and something proper: so must you obserue the like, in the contempt also. To offend a man before his eyes, is not only to wrong, but also to contemne him; take an example from your selues, he that abuseth a mans wife doth him great wrong, but if it bee done be­fore the husbands face, how much doth that scorne multiply the wrong? there is much odds betweene a Seruants abusing his Master, and abusing him to his face; for this is not onely to displease, but also to despise him: If it bee so betweene man and man, how much more betweene Man & God? That which is common to all wrong, we may not denie vnto that wrong which we doe vnto God.

Especially, if you consider the inequalitie of the eyes; for as the eyes are, so is the eye-sore: Let a drunkard see one drunke, and an adul­terer one committing of adulterie, though in cold blood, out of some re­liques of Conscience, he will be moued, yet nothing so much as he ought, because the Obiects of his eyes are such as himselfe is. But the eyes of a sober, a chast man, are affected with such spectacles, answerably to their sobrietie, and chastitie; the more vertuous they are, the greater impres­sion of griefe doe these vices make in them. And this leadeth vs to that which is proper vnto God in this Contempt, & doth aggrauate the same; For there is an [...] in Coram oculis tuis, before thy Eyes; And, thy eyes, implie three properties that are peculiar vnto God. For, His eyes are. 1. most piercing. 2. most pure, 3. most powerfull.

Most piercing. 1 A man that breaketh wedlocke (saith the Sonne of Sirach) saith thus in his Heart, chap 23.who seeth me? I am compassed about with darknesse, the walles couer me, what need I feare? such a man onely feareth the eyes of men, and knoweth not that the eyes of the Lord, are ten thousand times brigh­ter then the Sunne, beholding all the waies of Men, and considering the most secret parts; He knew all things or ere they were Created, so also after they [Page 101]were perfected he looked vpon them all;Psal. 139.Dauid hath made a whole Psalme concerning this peircing Eye of God: Saint Paul comprehendeth it in few words, All thinges are naked before his eyes. Heb. 4. 1. Sam. 16. And herein standeth the pre­rogatiue of Gods Eye aboue mans; Man can see onely the Face, God looketh on the Heart, Man beholdeth the Operation, Ruffinus. God the verie Inten­tion of the worke. So that though Dauid committed this sinne in secret, & carried the matter (as he thought) very cunningly, yet was God too sharpe sighted for him, & by Nathan brought to light what hee thought was hid in darkenesse: and in vaine shall we affect these couerts; we can neuer be out of Gods Sight.

The second prerogatiue of Gods Eye is, that it is most pure, 2 it can a­bide no iniquitie, Such as bee wicked cannot stand in his sight. The best of men are compast with infirmities, and though they bee not as bad as o­thers, yet it is possible they may be, and this possibilitie may hold them in from being so censorious as otherwise they would: they that brought the Adulteresse to Christ, Iohn 8 when Christ bid Him of them which was without sinn, to cast the first stone at her, slunke away one by one, and their owne guilt, checked the forwardnesse of their Iudgement; But God is as farre from the possibilitie, as from the Act of sinne, and therefore may his Ho­linesse make him more free, in the abhorring of sinners.

The last prerogatiue is the Powerfulnesse of Gods Eye, 3 for it is the eye of a Iudge, the Iudge of all the world, a Iudge which is armed as well with power, as right, to take vengeance euen of the greatest Monarches in the world: put the Case that all King Dauids Subiects, had beene pri­uie to his fall, yet had they no right to call him to an Account; but God could doe what they could not, his eye was [...], an eye that could take vengeance, and chastise the King according to his deserts.

Lay now together all these prerogatiues of Gods Eyes, and see how they exaggerate King Dauids contēpt. It was great immodestie to sin be­fore the eye, in that it was so piercing an eye, not to feare a witnes, that was so through a witnes, from whom he could not conceale any part of his fact, nor the least circumstance that did cloath his fact; greater immode­stie to sinne before so pure an eye, from which he could expect no exte­nuation of his fault; because it was free from all communion in corrup­tion, it must needs as fully abhorre, as it did throughly discerne the fault but the greatest immodestie was, the sinning before so powerfull an eye, the eye of his Lawgiuer, before whom he was to appeare, and from whom he was to expect his doome; to be carelesse of such an Eye, must needs bee the hight of Contempt: for whom will hee regard, that regardeth not his Iudge, such a Iudge, that hath so Piercing, so Pure, so Powerfull eyes?

The Eyes of the Iudge doe exaggerate the contempt: so doth the en­ormitie of the sinne also; for it is not onely Malum, but Hoc Malum. Sinnes are of diuers degrees, some of Ignorance, some of Infirmitie; these, men daily commit before the eyes of God, and they ought daily to repent of them, because they testifie their neglect of Gods Eyes: but there are sinnes of a higher straine, which men cōmit with a high hand, the Di­uines call them, Peccata Vastantia Conscientiam, they argue, that, [...] [Page 102]is fallen asleepe, and so is [...] too, when wee vse neither the dire­ctiue Principles before hand, nor the correctiue after hand; but as wee shewed our selues gracelesse in committing sinne; so shew we our selues senslesse in not iudging our selues for sinne. King Dauid seemed not to be farre from such a case, and therefore hee had good reason to exagge­rate his contempt, by calling his sinne, not onely Malum, but Hoc Ma­lum, not only Euill, but this Euill, so exasperating Euill, before so sa­cred Eyes.

And indeed, the lesse excuse wee haue for sinne, the more we should deplore it; deplore, that we make that the Obiect of Gods Eyes, which hee so much detesteth; especially, seeing hee hath vouchsafed to bee so gracious vnto vs, as to make vs the delightsome Obiect of his Eyes: for his Children are as the Apple of his Eye: [...] 2. [...]. though all the World bee be­fore him, yet his contenting Obiect is his Church; the walles of Ierusa­lem are euer in his sight, and hee beholds his Israel, as the Seale on his Arme, and Signet on his right Hand. Certainly, the delight that God de­sireth to take in beholding vs, when wee doe well, doth much aggrauate our contempt, when wee are not respectiue of his priuitie to our couer­sation, whensoeuer we offend him.

But I conclude. Out of all that which you haue heard, the Lesson that we must learne, is, Religiously to amplifie our sinnes, from the circum­stance of the person against whom they are bent. Secondly, wee must obserue how many wayes the Euill done on Earth, reflecteth vpon Hea­uen. Thirdly, how much the presence of Heauen on Earth, adds vnto sinne; especially, if it bee a crying sinne. Fourthly, we must learne, that our sinnes offend the more, the more neere wee are ioyned vnto God. Finally, none should more insist vpon these points, then they that taste deeply of the Mercie of God; the more they are indebted for his fa­uours, the more should they bee afflicted with Godly Sorrow, when wittingly and willingly they offend before his Eyes.

KIng Dauid confessing the sinne which himselfe commit­ted, openeth vnto vs the naturall Properties that are there­in, and the supernaturall Euent that followed thereupon. Of the naturall Properties you haue heard heretofore. I come now vnto the supernaturall Euent.

The supernaturall Euent then is, the Praise of the Iustice of God. The Iustice of God here touched is twofold; Fidelity, and Integrity. Fidelity is Iustitia in verbo, a persons being as good as his word. Integritie is Iusti­tia in facto, the vprightnes of his doome; God hath the praise of both; of Fidelity, for he is iustified when he speaketh; of Integritie, for he is cleare when he iudgeth. This is the praise of Gods Iustice; and this praise in re­ference to King Dauids sinne, I call a supernaturall Euent. An Euent, be­cause it floweth not from, and yet it followeth vpon the sinne; but this Euent is supernaturall, because it must be a Diuine Prouidence, that must make these figs, to grow from those thistles, and so cleare light, to shine out of so grosse darknesse.

These are the Contents whereof I shall now entreat; wherefore I will now resume them, that I may open them more fully, and you more profi­tably heare them.

Iustice then is the Argument of these words. God that is Soueraigne a­boue all, dealeth with all according to an euen Rule, the Rule is well squa­red, and being well squared, is applied well also: Fortune, or Chance, haue no place in his Gouerment, whether hee contract with, or take an ac­compt of the sonnes of men; vpright reason, and euennesse, are the pro­perties of his Actions, and all things serue to commend them; they are the vpshot of all his Prouidence, as will appeare in the more distinct vn­folding of these words.

The first Branch then of Iustice here remembred is Fidelitie. Fidelitie, (as I told you) is Iustitia in verbo, Gods being as good as his word; we must then find out first, what Word is heere meant: And you shall read it 2. Sam. 7. where God sendeth by Nathan a comfortable Message, a Message that containes manifold, and those gracious promises; for it concerneth a Crowne, and the entaile thereof: read it at your leasure; but in your reading marke, that the Message is Verbum Mysticum, & Mix­tum. It is a Mysticall Word; for it consisteth of a Type, and a Truth; the Type was Dauid and his posterity; the Truth, was Christ and his Church; Saint Paul hath taught vs so to vnderstand it, Heb. 1. where he applieth the very words of Nathan vnto our Sauiour Christ.

[Page 104] As it is Verbum Mysticum; so is it Verbum Mixtum also; the Message is a temper of the Law, and the Gospel; yet so, that the Gospell hath the vpper hand of the Law: God will not haue his presume, and therefore hee vseth the Law as a Curbe to hold them in; but hee will lesse haue them to despaire, the Gospell serueth to keepe them in heart. This is the Word; and God will euer be as good as his Word, his Fidelitie war­ranteth as much.

Fidelitie is a compound Vertue, it consisteth of Veritie, and Constancie: First, there is Verity in it, no word in the Tongue that commeth not from the Heart, and the Tongue is a true looking Glasse of the Heart; for God speaketh in Veritate Mentis, without all simulation or dissimulation, without all equiuocation, or mentall reseruation; whensoeuer God spea­keth, his speech is true. And as he speaketh in Veritate Mentis; so doth he in certitudine Veritatis also; 2. Cor. 1.22. Numb. 23.19. his Word is as stable, as it is true; his Promises are not Nay, and Amen, all are Amen that come from him; God is not like Man that he should lie, Rom. 11. Math. 24.35. Psal. 89.nor the Son of Man that he should repent; but his Pro­misses are without repentance; Heauen and Earth shall passe, but his Word shall neuer passe; he will neuer lye against his owne Truth, and therefore is he in the Reuelation stiled, Cap. 3. the faithfull and true witnesse. Fidelitie then there is in Gods Word, which is the first Branch of Iustice.

The second is Integritie; Integritie (I told you) is Iustitia in facto, when iust deeds are squared by iust wordes. The Deed heere is Iudging; and this word must lead vs to another Chapter, the 12. of the 2. of Sam. Where the same Nathan commeth vnto Dauid with a second Message, a Message that containeth a performance of that which God promised in the former Message: hee promised that if he did sinne, hee should smart, and there hee maketh him smart; hee promised, that hee should not so smart, but hee should haue good proofe of Gods greater Mercie, and there he feeleth it in the Absolution from his sinne. So that Gods Deeds in Iudging, keepe good correspondencie with his Wordes; therefore is Integritie ascribed vnto them; for what is the integrity of a Iudge, but the true temper of Seuerity, and Mercy; if God be Iudge, the gracious mixture of the Law and the Gospel? where both these are put in practice, and put in practice as they ought, there is Integrity, & so much is wanting of Integritie as is wanting of these: if Seuerity bee administred without Mercy, or if Mercy haue not the vpper hand of Seuerity, there wanteth Integritie in the gouerment of the Common-weale, because he is com­manded of God so to temper his Iudgement. And God may seeme to come short of his Integritie, if hee did not mixe, and mixe so his Law with his Gospell, as he himselfe (being otherwise free) hath by promise laid a tie vpon himselfe. Hee couenanted with Dauid to administer the Law vnto him, and chastise his sinnes, but citra condignum, with the rod of a Man, and not of God; He couenanted with him to administer vnto him the Gospell, but vltra condignum, not after the manner of Men, but after the manner of God. Thus to administer both Law and Gospell, so to dispence Mercy, and Seuerity, is Gods clearing himselfe in Iudgement, I called it his Integritie.

[Page 105] Ioyne these now together, Promissionem, et Praestationem, the 7. and the 12. of the 2. of Sam. whereof one containeth the promising Word, the other the performing Iudgement, and couple the Integrity of the Performance, with the Fidelity of the Promise, and you haue an excel­lent Picture, or Representation, of the Iustice wherewith God doth go­uerne his Church.

Now this Iustice must haue its Praise. As God is Iust in speaking; so must hee bee Iustified, & as hee is cleare in Iudging; so must hee be clari­fied (that I may so say) that is, glorified. These two Verbes doe not im­port, that the Creature can infuse any perfection into the Creator, will wee, nill wee, these things are in him; Fidelitie is inseperable from his wordes, and Integrity from his Iudgements; all that can be done by vs is, Cognitio, & Recognitio, we are bound to take notice of them, and not to smother our knowledge, but yeeld God the glory that is due vnto them. To this end doth God manifest his perfections vnto the reasona­ble Creature, and in their owne Cases doe they feele, and see in o­ther Mens Cases, the experience of them.

Saint Paul seemeth to read the latter part of the Text otherwise then here is exprest; for hee hath, Rom. 3.4. that thou mightest ouercome when thou art iudged, whereas heere it is, that thou mightest be cleare when thou iudgest. They are not words of a contrary meaning; but Saint Pauls Text which followeth the Septuagint, doth adde an obseruation ouer and aboue that which you haue heard, that is, Though God be Iudge of all the world, yet worldly men sticke not to take vpon them to iudge God; yea, and God is pleased to put his Iustice vpon tryall, as wee read, Esay 1. Mi­cah 6. and elsewhere; so carefull is hee, that not onely his proceedings be iust, but his Iustice euident also; so euident, as that whosoeuer shall contend with him in Iudgement, shall bee driuen to yeeld. The best haue oftentimes doubts and disputes, they question Gods Integritie, how the Gospell and the Law can stand together, and God at the same time condemne and absolue, and yet bee iust; God would settle their con­sciences: Vnbeleeuers not onely quarrell with, but deny also Gods Integritie, but the Mouthes of all gainsayers shall bee stopped, they shall bee forced to subscribe, to confesse, that God is cleare in Iudging, free from all drosse of contradiction; that Mercy and Truth may kisse each other, and the Law goe hand in hand with the Gospell, as after appeares. And so haue I declared vnto you the praise of Gods Iustice.

I come now to shew you the reference that it hath vnto K. Dauids sin, which that I may the better do, you must obserue, that the former words Against thee, against thee onely haue I sinned, and done this euill in thy sight, may be vnderstood either Materialiter, or Formaliter, as a Description of sinne, or a Supplication of a sinner. Some vnderstand them after the latter fashion, and so King Dauid, Non not at finem peccati, sed precati­onis, hee noteth not the end of his Sinning, but the end of his Praying, Non dicit quo fine fecerit Malum, sed quo fine nunc faciat bonum, hee doth not shew vs whereat he aymed when he sinned, but what he desireth now heeprayeth. Hee desireth, that as in amplifying of his sinne, hee doth [Page 106]by a Comparison amplifie Gods Iustice, (for Contraria iuxta posita magis elucescunt, Vertue neuer shineth more gloriously, then when vice is made a foile vnto it) so his recouery may bee a Monument of Gods Mercy. And we may well propose vnto our selues in our confession, the setting forth of Gods glory, and this may be the end of it, yea, comfortles were our Confession, if it were not for this end, God would not accept it, nei­ther should wee haue good of it, the more we humble our selues to mag­nifie God, the more wee doe our duty, and the more wee shall tast of his Mercy. To make good this sense, some take in some of the former words, I acknowledge my sinnes, yea, goe backe as farre as the beginning of the Psalme, Haue Mercy vpon me O Lord. And indeed those two must con­curre, the humble Repentance of a sinner and the gracious Indulgence of a good God, that God may be iustified in his sayings, and cleare when he his iudged; O Lord (saith Gregorie) if thou doe not forgiue the Penitent, thou wilt haue none to whom thon mayst performe thy Couenant: Ruffinus, and diuers other Fathers doe amplifie this sense, and restraine it to the par­ticular Case of King Danid, as if the gracious promise in the 7^th of the the 2. of Sam: must needs fall to the ground, if the indulgence specified in the 12^th of the 2. of Sam. had not released the forfeiture, which God might haue taken for King Dauids sinne.

Though this be a religious and a true sense of the word, yet hath Saint Paul taught vs another that doth better fit the Contexture; Rom. 3.4. wherefore Saint Chrysostome, and other Fathers tell vs, that the particle vt noteth not Causam, but Consecutionem, not the end, but the euent of sin; I called it a supernaturall Euent.

An Euent is that which followeth vpon a former thing Accidentally, though naturally it cannot flow from it. Sinne is destructiue of good, and therefore cannot aduance the Prayse of God, wee see it in euery par­ticular; for what are they but breaches of that Law, in the performance where of standeth Gods honour? But what neede I vse any proofe? I the last Sabaoth day shewed you, that Impiety is one of the Natural pro­perties of sinne; It cannot be expected then, that so great a good, should naturally spring therfrom, as is the the Praise of God. Therefore (though old impure Hereticks, and the latter Familists, that turne the grace of God into wantonnesse, that vse Christian Liberty as a cloake of their Malicious­nesse, that hold let vs doe ill that good may come thereof, blaspheme Gods holy Truth, Row. 3.8. and their Condemnation is iust; no man may pretend a good intent for his doing ill, nor compasse a good end, by ill meanes, except he meane to goe for a Libertine.

But though Gods Prayse doe not naturally flow from sinne, and so be the proper end thereof, yet an Euent it may bee, and follow thereupon. But this Euent cannot be Naturall, for the Creature that is mutable may ruine it selfe of it selfe, and of it selfe dishonor God; but hauing ruined it selfe, and dishonored him, it cannot of it selfe repaire either its owne state, or His honour, it is onely God can doe this; this is a worke of di­uine prouidence, it doth exercise al the Branches therof, Gods Wisdome to contriue it, Gods Goodnes, to affect it, and finally it cannot be effected [Page 107]without his power. The mixture of the Law, and the Gospell, is such a se­cret of Gods wisdome, as could neuer haue entred into the heart of a crea­ture; that the fall of man should be foelix culpa, & produce a more glorious raising of him, who could euer haue dreamd? or to keepe my selfe to my text, may not we all stand amazed, when we read, that such a son as Solo­mon, should be born of Bathsheba with whom K. Dauid had committed so foule an offence? But as we must admire Gods wisdome in such works; so must we much more his goodnes, that testifieth his loue to sinfull man, in being willing that his wisdome shall yeeld such remedy to mans distresse. But God is pleased to let the world see in the freedom of his loue, quod da­re non dignis, res mage digna Deo; such goodnes can be found no where out of God. Finally, the power of God shined herein, which was to encounter with so many difficulties; we hold God omnipotēt, because he made hea­uen & earth of nothing; but the Fathers hold that the restitution is a grea­ter worke then the creation; if the former need an omnipotent power, much more the later. The reason is, because as there was nothing to help; so there was nothing to hinder, in the creation; but in the restitution God was encountred ab intra, & ab extra, frō within, and from without. From within, by his own Iustice; he was faine to ouermaster it with his Mercy; from without, by the powers of darknes, who stroue to keep possession of man, yea, by mans own peruersenes, who is too willingly a slaue to sin, & Satan; Gene. 50. but of Satans Temptation we may vse the words of Ioseph to his Brethren, Vos cogitastis malè, Deus autem bene. Ye thought euill against vs, but God meant it vnto good; and concerning our owne peruersenes, wee may vse the words of the Psalme, As a Father pitieth his Children: Psal. 103.so the Lord pitieth vs; marke the reason, for he knoweth our frailty, he remembreth that we are but dust. It is God, only God, that can cause such Euents.

And miserable were the state of the world, if he did not cause them; for else the Church had long since come to nothing. How quickly had A­dam dissolued the Couenant? and when God had restored it by such a supernaturall Euent, the Sonnes of God dissolued it againe; God was faine to redouble the Euentin Noah; in his posterity it fayled the third time, and a third time was God faine to renew the Euent in Abraham. And thus hath it gon on in all ages of the world; God hath bin faine to shew, that the Infidelity of Man, cannot euacuate the fidelity of God; that hee will be true though all the world be liars, Rom. 3.4. 2. Cor. 4.6. that hee can draw light out of darkenesse, when darkenesse hath extinguished Light. Such is his Om­niscient Wisedome, and Omnipotent Goodnesse. The ground of all which proceeding is the freedome of Gods loue; that had no Cause without him when it first began, & it is continued by no Cause besides himselfe; for those duties, the performance whereof doe seeme to enter­taine Gods Loue, what are they but the influences of his free Grace?

Wherefore, I conclude with Saint Bernard, Maior est Dei pietas, quam quaeuis iniquitas, or rather with Gods own words, Ego Deus et non mutor, I am the Lord which change not, Malac. 3.6.therefore you Sonnes of Iacob are not consu­med: it is of the Lords morcy that we are not consumed,Iament. 3.2 [...].because his Compassi­ons faile not, they are renewed euery morning; great is thy faithfulnesse; the [Page 108]same God that told Noah, Gen. 8.I will not againe curse the ground for Mans sake, and giueth this for a reason, for, the Imagination of Mans Heart is euill from his youth, doth implie, that we must seeke for the cause of this strange E­uent, not on Earth, but in Heauen, wee must hold it to bee not an Earth­ly, but an Heauenly Euent, and so to be not Naturall, but Supernaturall, as at first I told you. And this refutes all Manichees who dreame of two Gods, a Good, and a Bad; and will haue the Good, only to intermeddle with things that are good, and the Bad with the things that are bad; but here we may learne, that there is but one God, and that one God is good, & though good, yet intermedling with that which is bad; intermedling with it, out of bad to draw that which is good, and so to make it matter of his Glory; for Malum, non quâ malum, sed quâ ordinatum, (as Saint Au­stin teacheth) cedit in Gloriam Dei. In Enchyr.

And so haue I opened vnto you the meaning of this Text, so farre as I finde it in this Psalme, that is in Hypothesi applied to King Dauids Case. And there is no doubt, but King Dauid in speaking of them had an Eye to himselfe, and in reference to himselfe, did penitentially vtter them. But Saint Paul hath taught vs in the Epistle to the Romans to turne this Hypothesis into a Thesis, Chap. 3. and apply this Text to the whole Church. And indeed, if you remember, that I told you that the speaking here meant, is Verbum Mysticum (though the letter immediately note Dauid and his Posteritie, yet in them the Holy Ghost representeth Christ, and his Church) here can be no question, but the promise that in Christ is made to the Church, hath a temper of the Law & the Gospell, & the Church in all Ages doth experience the truth thereof.

Wherefore we must take the Text vnto our selues, and make vse of it in our owne Case: we haue no more promised then Dauid had, nor shall we feele lesse then he did; as his, so ours, both Verbum, & Iudicium, Pro­mise and Performance, are mixt of the Law, and the Gospell; but so, that the Gospell hath the vpper hand of the Law: Deus vincit malum bono, God doth euer ouer come euill with Good. Non ex merito Peccati, sed ex beneficio Misericordiae; Non ex dignitate nostra, sed dignatione suâ; Not, that sinne deserueth this at his hands, but God is pleased to shew the goodnesse of his Nature, and to be gracious vnto vs, when we carrie our selues gracelesly towards him. And indeed, it argueth wonderfull Good­nes, when it is vouchsafed to such as are so vnworthy thereof.

The vse of all that you haue heard serueth first, to direct our faith vnto its true obiect, which (I told you) is Verbum mixtum; we must so appre­hend a Mercifull God, as that we forget not, that hee is Iust; and so re­member, that he is iust, that we forget not, that he is Mercifull, we cannot omit eyther of these, but we shall either presume, or despaire, if wee for­get him to be iust we will bee apt to presume; and bee apt to despaire, if we forget him to be Mercifull.

But we must add a Cautionarie Rule, in this limitation of the Obiect of our Faith, and that is, wee must not apprehend Gods Mercy, and his Iustice, as Coordinata, but as Subordinata; I speake not of them, as these things are in God; for so they are more then Coordinata, they are in his [Page 109]simple nature all one; but as they shine in the effects which are produ­ced by him; for so they are alwaies Subordinate. In those that are Vasaira we may perceiue, that Mercy is subordinate to Iustice; for the fauours that they receiue out of Gods Mercy, through their abuse of them, serue but to set a sharper edge vpon the sword of Gods Iustice. But in those, that are Vasa Misericordiae, the Iustice of God is subordinate vnto his Mercy, and his strokes on them, worke such a godly sorrow, and good amendment, that Gods mercies are thereby redoubled vpon them. Thus must wee learne to conceiue of the true Obiect of our Faith.

And our Faith so informed, will add sinnewes to our Hope; For what better support can our Hope haue, then Verbū Mixtum, to conceiue that God will not suffer vs to runne wild, though our Nature bee luxuriant, but will timely vse the Law, and represse the breaking forth of sinne, and correct what is awrie within vs. And when wee smart, is it not a comfortable support of Hope, that God cannot forget to bee mercifull, nor shut vp his louing kindnesse for euer in displeasure? He will supple that wound with Oyle, which he scoureth with wine, and the sweetnes of the Gospell, timely administred, shall make vs forget all the sowernes that we felt in the Law.

Finally, as this Text serueth to direct our Faith, & support our Hope; so doth it, to inflame our Loue, for can there bee a greater motiue vnto loue then this Mixtum Verbum? for, therein we haue reall proofe of Gods Loue, therein we finde, that hee loueth vs Verè, though seuerè, though with Correction, yet to Saluation; And can wee doe lesse then requite loue with loue? loue him dutifully, that loueth vs so mercifully?

Neither are we only taught, that we must loue God, but how we must loue our Neighbour also; our Charitie to our Brother, must imitate Gods Charity towards vs, wee must ioyne therein the Law, with the Gospell, first humble, then comfort them that goe astray, so shall wee neither cherish sinne, nor yet destroy a sinner.

And if wee haue the like proofe of this Verbum Mixtum, as King Da­nid had, we must giue glory vnto God, as Dauid did. There is none of vs but sinneth, and expecteth fauour, let vs not bee Libertines, and make Gods fauour the end of our sinne (as it is to bee feared ouer many doe) but let vs repent, and when we repent, let vs admire, and adore that Di­uine Prouidence, that with a spirituall indignation doth breake the Ser­pents Head, that bruised our Heele, and tread Satan vnder our feete, that made vs tread awry, let vs consider the reason why the hainousnesse of our sinne doth not depriue vs of Heauen, which is onely this, that God will be good vnto vs for his owne Name sake, 1. Sam. 12.because he hath chosen vs to bee his Children; and therefore let vs say, Not vnto vs O Lord, not vnto vs, Psal. 115.2.but vnto thy Name giue the prayse.

In a word; Let Gods dealing with vs, teach vs, how we should deale with others; wee must doe them good, notwithstanding they deserue euill; Let vs not suffer our selues to be ouercome with euill, Rom. 12.2 [...].but ouercome euill with good.

THe sinne which King Dauid confesseth in this Psalme, is partly that which himselfe Committed, & partly that which he Inherited from his parents; of that which himselfe Com­mitted, I haue already spoken, whrefore I must now come on, and open vnto you, that which he Inherited. It is ex­prest in these words which now I haue read vnto you; here, King Da­uid doth Acknowledge, and Plead it; hee acknowledgeth, 1. what this sinne is, and 2. that himselfe is taynted with it; hee pleades it in great humility, the strongest motiue to worke Gods pitty. These poynts of­fer themselues in this Text, and of these will I now speake briefely, and in their order. I beginne at his Acknowledgement, whereof the first branch teacheth vs, what Sinne inherited is.

But before I open it vnto you, I may not omit a good Obseruation of Gregorie the Great, which sheweth vs, how this point of confessing Sin inherited, In Psal. 5. springeth from the confession of other sinnes which our selues haue Contracted; Saepe dùm quaedam malè gesta plangimus ipsa vi amari­tudinis ad discutiendos nos excitati, alia nobis plangenda inuenimus, &c. He that is seriously penitent for one sinne, is rowsed by godly sorrow to make a farther inquirie into himselfe, which leades him to a discouerie of many other sinnes, which his memorie, or his Conscience passed by vnregarded; but whereof hee then becomes so sensible, that he thinkes thē worthy to be repented of heartily; Certainely Dauid did so; he is not only pressed, and burthened with the conscience of Adulterie, and of his Murder, but he is pained also with an old disease, a disease which hee brought from his Parents loines, and cannot be quiet except he be eased of that, except that be healed also. And our euill Deeds, when wee be­thinke our selues of them, wil discouer their fountaine, which is our euill nature; neither haue we sufficiently searched into our selues, vntill wee finde the euill Tree that beareth euill fruite, the root of bitternes that fructifieth in all our euill Deeds. This we must obserue by the way, as a fit preface, shewing the reason of this branch of King Dauids Confession. Let vs now come closer to the Text, and see, what this sinne is which he acknowledged; and that is, a Natiue Corruption, Iniquitie wherein man is shapen, Sinne wherein his Mother conceiues him.

That you may the better conceiue this, I must first remember you of certaine grounded truthes which giue light hereunto, & without which it cannot be easily conceiued. The first is, that in the Creation God put this difference betweene Angels and Men, that Angels had their seue­rall Creations, not so Men; but as Saint Paul teacheth Acts 17.26. [Page 111] God of one blood made all the nations of men, that were vpon all the face of the whole earth; he would haue them all propagated from one. Second­ly, as all mankind is deriued from One; so with that One God was plea­sed to enter into a couenant for All, and All were liable vnto, and to com­municate in, that which befell that One; this is cleare in the Compari­son which Saint Paul maketh betweene the First and Second Adam. Rom. 5. Thirdly, the first Adam failed in his obedience, & so forfeited that which was couenanted on Gods part, & was subiect vnto that which was deserued on his owne; no man can doubt of this, that reades the third of Genesis. Fourthly, by the tenour of the Couenant, man failing wrapt all his Posterity in his transgression; and condemnation; Rom. 5.12 the Apostle is cleare for this also, By one man Sin entred into the world, and death by Sin; so that by the Fall all mankind becomes first guiltie, & then punishable; both these Euils doth Adam communicate vnto his Posteritie. I must o­pen the latter branch a little farther, because it is most proper to my Text.

The punishment then of Adams Guilt was, the losse of Holinesse, and Happinesse; Holinesse wherein, and Happinesse whereunto hee was cre­ated, in the losse of Holines stands so much of Original sin, as my Text doth occasion me to speake of. The Fathers vse to expresse it by the Pa­rable of the Man, that passing frō Ierusalem to Iericho fell amongst theeues, Luk. 10.30.who robbed him, and wounding him left him halfe dead: The Schooles a­bridge it thus, Supernaturalia sunt ablata, Naturalia sunt corrupta: both which being discreetly vnderstood, containe a sound truth which I ex­presse more plainely thus. The losse of concreated Holinesse consisteth in a Priuation, and a Deprauation; Adam was depriued of the Image of God, according to which hee was created, they call it vsually Original Righteousnes; and the Powers that remained after he was thus stript, were miserably peruerted; he became not only auerse from God, but aduerse to him also.

Sinne is an Auersion from God, and a Conuersion to the world, or a forsaking of God, and things eternall, to imbrace the world, and things temporall. God left Adam in the hands of his owne councell, to chuse whe­ther hee would follow Rationem Superiorem, or Inferiorem (as the Schooles speake) that is, cleaue to God, or to the World, but with this condition, that, which way soeuer hee bent, thither should his inclinati­on bee for euer after; he preferred Earth before Heauen, and so his pro­pension hath been euer since out of loue of this earth, to make head a­gainst God, and goodnesse, so that his Deprauation is not only Physi­call, but Morall, not only an Impotency vnto Good, but an Opposition to it also; his vnderstanding is not only blind, but a Sophister; his owne Iudgement is a snare whereby he entangleth himselfe in error, his will is so farre from making a good choice, Ambros. Gen. 6.7. Gen. 8.21. Rom 7.18. Ier. 17.9. Rom 6 6. Rom. 7.24. that it commands alwaies for that which is worst; all his Affections distast, and abhorre the good which they cannot rellish, and therefore not ensue; Finally, the Flesh is be­come, Illecebra peccati, sinne needes no other bait then mans senfuali­tie, All the frame of the Imaginations of the Heart of Man are euill, only, continually, from his youth; and in his flesh dwelles no good thing; the hear [...] [Page 112]is deceitfull aboue all things; and hee beareth about him a Body of sinne, and death: And this is that Massa Corruptionis, and Perditionis, that woefull Being whereunto sinne brought Adam. Whereby you may perceiue that though he hath lost his Goodnes, hee hath not lost his Actiuenes, and though sinne be Non ens, a Priuation, yet it is in ente, a Dreprauation also, by reason wherof, men that were reasonable Creatures by Nature, yea and Spirituall also, 1. Cur. 3.1. 1. C [...]. 2.14. are vouchsafed no better names in the state of Corruption then those of [...], and [...], Sensuall, and fleshly Men.

Hauing thus opened the miserable case whereunto Adam brought himselfe, it wil not be hard for you to vnderstand the words of my Text, and acknowledge with King Dauid the Natiue Corruption of mankind, or the Originall Sinne meant in this place.

First then, the want of Originall Holinesse is in the Text called Ini­quitie, or Sinne; and well may it so bee called; for what is Sinne but [...], an Vnconformitie to Gods Lawes? and how vnanswerable is his being herein, vnto that state wherein he was made; were he only vnan­swerable it were Sinne, how much more when he is opposite thereunto, and is become a rebell vnto God? can any thing in the reasonable soule be lesse then Sinne, [...]on. 7. that tempts vnto sinne? but Concupiscence is Domesti­cus Hostis, a traitour in our bosome, that doth seduce vs, and whose Lusts doe sight against the Soule: 1. Vet. 2.11. Neither only doth it tempt to sinne, but produce sinne also, Iam. 1.15. et simile producit sibi simile; wee must needs make the Tree Euill, that beareth such euill fruit. Neither can it be excused, see­ing the Leauen of Concupiscence hath seasoned all the powers of the soule, euen of the Reasonable soule, and so maketh the whole man come short of fulfilling the Law, Deut. 6.5. Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy Heart, with all thy minde, with all thy strength, &c. Ioyne that generall Precept, Exod. 20.17. with the generall Prohibition Non Concupisces, thou shalt not lust, and by them measure the state of a naturall man, and he must be ve­rie senslesse, that doth not acknowledge sin in this Corruption, he must needs make the Habits of no other nature then are the Actions which proceed therefrom. They that yeeld it to be Vitium, but not Peccatum, if they meane Vitium morale (as they must needs in this Argument) grant what they deny; though they would shift it, by acknowledging nothing to bee sinne, but that which hath a concurrencie of our will; which is too scant a Desinition, & (if it be admitted) will excuse, not only, habituall corruption, but our Ignorances also, and Omissions, from being sinne. But enough of this poynt.

A second thing that is to be obserued in the name giuen to this Corrup­tion, is that it is called Sinne in the singular number. And indeed, that which is Originall is but One, euen the first One that was committed by Adam, only that, and the euill of that, is propagated to Posteritie. The difference betweene the Couenant of the Creation, and the Euangelicall Couenant stands in this, that without any imitation of ours, or sinning after the example of Adam, wee are guiltie of his first transgression, and the consequents thereof fall vpon vs, whereas hee communicates no o­ther of his sinnes, and all other successiue Parents; vntill the time of our [Page 113]birth communicate no sinnes of theirs, but such as we imitate, and make our owne by imitation; and in this sense must we vnderstand the 18. of Ezekiel, where it is said, Vers. 20. that the Children shall not beare the iniquitie of their Fathers; the second Commandement must haue the same interpre­tation; Although we may not deny that temporally God doth visit the sinnes of the fathers vpon the children, to the terror and example of others; whom Magistrates in their Politicke Lawes imitate herein, for the good of their State; Therefore, that extension of punishment must be vnder­stood Non absolutè, but Secundum quid, not of Originall, but of Actuall sinnes, and those not propagated, but imitated.

The Sinne then is but One, but yet that One is such a One, as is Vni­uersall, and Seminall; Vniuersall, if you looke to the Act which Adam committed; for it was an Vniuersall Apostasie, and the Diuines which looke curiously into it, doe finde in it all kinde of sinnes, both of the first, and of the second Table. But time will not suffer me to particularize.

As it is Vniuersall in regard of Adams Act, so in regard of the cor­rupt Habit that followed thereupon, and is an expresse image thereof, it is Seminall; it containeth the Seede of all kinds of Sinne, so that there is no kind of Sinne whereunto the nature of man is not prone; Saint Iohn reduceth all that is in the world to three Heads: 1. 1. Ep. 2.6. The lust of the flesh, 2. the lust of the eyes, 3. the pride of life, that is, Couetousnes, Vo­luptuousnes, and Hautinesse; and who is there in whom this seede is not found? and from whom doth it not fructisie more or lesse, as men haue more or lesse of the grace of God? Saint Paul speaketh significantly, when he sayeth, that it is [...], a sinning sinne, Rom. 7.13. and that operatur om­nem concupiscentiam, it worketh all kind of lusts in man; Rom. 7.8. and the Septua­gint (whom the Vulgar imitates) may happily meane the compound na­ture of this sinne, when it rendreth the word in the plurall number, which the Originall hath in the singular. These properties must be obserued, because by them we may stop the mouthes of all profane persons, that extenuate the greiuousnesse of Originall Sinne.

As that which hath befallen our nature by Adams Fall, may iustly bee called Sinne; so is this Sinne fitly called Natiue, or Originall; for, (as the text teacheth) Man is shapen therein, and therein doth his Mother conceiue Him; it is such a sinne as wee deriue from our Parents. But our Parents are of two sorts, earthly, and heauenly, wee haue our being principally from God, so saith Iob vnto him, thy hands haue made mee, Iob. 10. vers 10. &c.and fashioned me together round about, thou hast powred me out as milke, & crudled me like Cheese, thou hast cloathed me with skin, and flesh, and fenced me with benes, and sinewes, thou hast granted me life, &c. Vers. 15. Vers. 3. 1. Ep. Ioh. 2.16. Gen. 1.31. Iam. 1. Feelesias 15.10.11. &c. Ecclesias. 25.24. Rom. 5.12. DAVID obserues the very same, Psal. 139. and Psal. 127. Lo (saith hee) children are an Heritage of the Lord, and the fru [...] of the wombe is his reward: But Concupiscence is not of that father, for All that he made was good, and only Euery good, and perfect guift commeth from him: Therefore must we fetch this from other Parents, our Parents that are below, from the wombe that bare vs, and the paps that gaue vs sucke; The Mother is here named, and indeed from the woman was the beginning of sinne, and in her we all die; but not in her only, [Page 114]for the Apostle tells vs, that By one Man sinne came into the world, and that Man was Adam. Philosophie teacheth, that in generation the man is Principium Actiuum, he is the principall cause of our Being, and there­fore of our being Corrupted; And indeed the woman could not con­ceiue, which is a passiue action, except a man did infuse the seede, there­fore is he implied in this Text, though he be not exprest.

And as wee receitie from both our Parents our being: so doe wee our being Corrupt; Serm. de Excell. Eatust. Apolog. Dauid c. 11. What Saint Bernard sayd of Adam and Eue, is true, Prius peremptores, quàm parentes, they had first murdered, before they ingendered their Children; and what of successiue generations Am­brose, Ante vsuram lucis, originis excipimus iniuriam, et antequam nasci­mur maculamur contagio, our parents beget Children after their owne I­mage, Ephe. 2.3. dead in sinne, and by nature children of wrath. And how can it bee otherwise? 1. Pet. 1.23. Iohn 3.6. the seed whereof wee are made is Corruptible seede; so that that which is borne of flesh must needs bee flesh, neither can any man draw that which is cleane, Ioh 14.4. [...]. 8. Psal. 58.3. out of a nature which is vncleane; Therefore see­ing old Adam is propagated in all, All must bee called transgessors from their youth.

But there is a curious Question, how this Sinne is conueyed from the Parents to the Child, from the dayes of Pelagius it hath much troubled the Church, argued by the Fathers, by the schoolemen, by the Refor­med Diuines; yet so as that the most iudicious haue beene most sober, and least aduenturous to define the manner.

I will not trouble you with that altercation; Saint Austine hath said enough for the Pulpit in those few words, The propagation is continued iusto, but occulto Dei indicio; God in so punishing hath done no more then he threatned in the Couenant, although how he doth execute this Iudgement, hee is not pleased to reueale; but leaueth men rather to a­dore such secrets, then to prie too farre into them: Especially if their curiositie proue so vaine, as to denie that which is euident, because they cannot finde out that which is hidden, as Hereticks haue done, which haue denied Originall Sinne. Their Sobrietie is tolerable, who suppo­sing the vndeniable truth of that Radicall sinne, seeke only the waies of clearing Gods Iustice in this propagation, wherein, (as in such darke and doubtfull cases it often falls out) Saluà fide, holding the fundamentall point, they differ about that which is not necessarie vnto Saluation.

That which is most vsefull for vs, is to know rather, how we may be rid of it, De Moribus [...] c. [...]. 1. c. 22. [...]pis. 29. then how we doe contract it, which Saint Austin expresseth in a fit Parable of a man fallen into a ditch, to whom hee that findeth him there, should rather lende a hand to helpe him out, then tire him with inquiries how he came in: Wee see that our ground is ouer­growne with briars, & thornes, yet we know, that God made the earth to beare better fruits; doe good husbands mispend their time in reaso­ning how they came there? or doe they not rather with their plough, and other instruments seeke to rid them thence? surely they doe; and we in the case of our soules should imitate them so doing. That Origi­nall Sinne is in vs, no man can doubt, that seeth how children die, euen [Page 115]in their mothers wombe, or so soone as they come out of it; and the wages of sinne is death; in them of Actuall it cannot be, Rom. 6.23. it must bee then of Originall: if they liue wee make hast to baptize them, and what doth Baptisme implie, but that they need a new Birth vnto life, seeing their first was no better then a Birth vnto death? Add hereunto that our Sauiour Christs Conception had not needed to be by the Holy Ghost, if so bee naturall generation did not enforce necessarily the propagation of Originall Sinne; which they should consider, that magnifie ouer much the Conception of the blessed mother of Christ. Let it suffice vs, that the Church Catholique of old, and the Reformed Churches haue resolued vniformly, that we are sinners so soone as we begin to bee, and this Le­prosie is hereditarie to vs all; that our worser part hath gotten the vpper hand of our better, and we are by nature no better then a masse of Cor­ruption, and the Serpents brood; the sense whereof, should make vs all cry out with the Apostle O wretch that I am, Rom. 7.24.who shall deliuer mee from this Body of Death?

King Dauid doth not onely confesse, that there is such a Sinne, but al­so that himselfe is tainted therewith, I was shapen in iniquitie, and in sinne my mother conceiued me. The words must not be wrested; some haue mis­taken them, as if Sinne were the cause of Generation. That opinion, though it bee found in some Ancients, yet it is so grosse, that it is not worth the refuting; for we reade Gen. 1. Multiplie and increase, Vers. 28. spo­ken to mankind, before euer Adam and Eue committed sinne; except happily this were their meaning, that before the Fall, the lust of genera­tion was in the power of man, to fulfill, or restraine it, as reason saw fit; but after the Fall reason became subiect vnto lust, and man fulfilled it not when reason would, but when lust vrged him; and this opinion is not improbable.

A second mistake is, that Dauid should lay the blame of his Sinne vpon his Parents, and taxe their sinfull lusts in the act of generation; but (be­sides that he could not conceiue so ill of his vertuous, and chast Parents) this were to make Dauid a Cham, and so to deserue a Curse, while hee seeketh a Pardon for his Sinne. The Fathers abhorred this sense, and ob­serue, that King Dauid here speaketh not of the personall sinne of his Pa­rents, but the naturall, which deriued from them, he had in-herent in himselfe; and that he was in the state of sinne before he saw light.

But this is strange; his Parents were members of the Church, circum­cised, not onely outwardly which is most certaine, but inwardly also, which is very probable, and if circumcised, then discharged from Origi­nall Sin, and in the state of Grace: how commeth it about then, that they should engender Children in the state of Corruption? Saint Austin an­swereth briefly Parentes non ex principijs nouitatis, De. Peecata. Merit & Re­mis. L. 2. C. 2.sed ex reliquijs vetusta­tis generant liberos; they that are regenerated, doe beget Children not according to the new Adam, but according to the old, not according to Grace, but according to nature; for Grace is personall, the corruption is naturall, and God will, that they shall only communicate their nature, and leaue the dispensation of Grace vnto himselfe. Saint Austin [Page 116]illustrateth it by those who being circumcised, begat Children vncir­cumcised, and Corne which being winnowed from Chaffe brings forth eares full of Chaffe.

And yet notwithstanding, a Prerogatiue the Children of the faithfull haue, Verse 16. which Saint Paul toucheth at, Rom. 11. If the Roote be holy so are the branches. But this Holinesse is in possibilitie, rather then in possessi­on, and there is a distance betweene naturall Generation, and spirituall Regeneration; though by their naturall birth-right, the Children of the faithfull haue a right vnto the blessings of Gods Couenant, yet doe they not partake them, but by their new birth, which ordinarily they re­ceiue in Baptisme, [...]it. 3.5. which is therefore called the Bath of Regeneration. Where hence we may gather the truth of Saint Hieromes saying, Christi­ani non nascuntur, sed siunt; wee may not vainely boast with the Iewes, we haue Abraham to our Father, Ioh. 8.39. as if hee could not beget children in ini­quitie, but it must be our comfort, that God corrects Nature by Grace, and thereby maketh vs liuing members of the Church; whereas such the best of naturall Parents cannot make vs to bee: Wee owe this blessing to our Father in Heauen, who conueieth it vnto vs by our Mother the Church; our naturall Parents can yeeld no such benefit, they yeeld the contrarie rather, as is cleare in this Text.

Ruffinvs giueth another good note hereof, Qui ad munditiae locum iam peruenit, &c. He that is in the state of Grace, must not forget the state of Nature; if we remember whence we come, we shall the better e­steeme the estate whereunto we are brought: No man can be so proud, as to arrogate vnto himselfe, the praise of that which he is, if hee mind well what without Gods grace he was.

But King Dauid was long before Regenerated, how comes he now to make mention of Originall sinne? How comes hee now to lay the blame of his Actuall vpon that? Surely, not without good cause. Circumcisi­on in the Iew, as Baptisme in the Christian, did absolue from all the guilt of Originall sinne, by meanes of Iustification; and by meanes of Sanctification, did impaire much of the strength thereof: Much (I say) but not all; there are still in vs reliques of the Old man, a Law in our mem­bers rebelling against the Law of our mind,Rom. 7.23. Gal. 5.16.the flesh, and the lusts therof diso­bedient to Gods Law, and resisting his spirit. Saint Paul cals it [...], Heb. 12.1. Sinne that cleaues so fast; so fast, that it cannot be loosed from vs a conceptione ad funus, saith Saint Bernard, though we bee working on it, and weeding out of it, from the beginning to the end of our life. Epipha­nius hath an excellent resemblance of a Fig-tree getting into a Wall, Heres. 64. and spreading his rootes therein, which well may it bee pruned, yet can it not be vtterly kild, except the stones bee taken asunder, and the Wall new built againe: Euen so is this natiue corruption rooted in vs, that vntill our dissolution we shall not be rid of it. The same God that left the Canaanites in the Holy-land, to exercise the Israelites, leaueth also Originall sinne in vs, thereby to trie, how we will serue, and obey him; vntill death we shall haue some thing, which we must alwayes watch, resist, keepe downe, mortifie; if we doe not, God will humble vs therewith, and wee [Page 117]shall receiue many a foyle thereby; Dauid had triall hereof, and so haue others had also, euen all the sonnes of men more or lesse; I except not Ieremie, nor Iohn the Baptist, though the Aduocates of Rome, (confoun­ding the gifts of Edification, with the gifts of Adoption) would priui­ledge them from the common condition of the sonnes of Adam. But let vs not forget, no more then King Dauid doth, this fountaine of temp­tation; which in those that are of age will neuer bee idle, it will find vs worke either of triumph, if we get the vpper hand of it, or of complaint with Saint Paul, Rom. 7. if it proue too hard for vs. Verse [...].

You haue heard King Dauids acknowledgement. I come now in a word to speake of his Plea. His Plea is for Pitie, but he maketh the mo­tiue thereunto to be the displaying of his Miserie; and this he doth in the first word (Behold) wherein he doth not so much informe God, as hum­ble himselfe; God cannot be ignorant of that which man knowes, but he is pleased, that man should in his deuotion expresse vnto him how feel­ing he is, and how desirous to bee vnburdened of that which brought him to offend God.

But we must obserue, that there is a double Ecce, or Behold, a Carnall, or a Penitentiall, whereof the one extenuates, the other aggrauateth the sinne. The Carnall mans Ecce, Behold, commeth out thus; I haue done ill, what then? Vitijs nemo sine nascitur, what needeth so sharpe a reproofe? All men are ill by nature, if all, what blame deserue I? Wee would detest a debter, who by his vnthriftinesse hath brought ineuitable beggerie vpon himselfe, or a diseased person, that by ryot hath ouer­throwne his body, if either of them, should bee so senselesse of his woe­full case, as not to blame himselfe, and deplore his state, with a longing desire, and earnest endeauour to be rid therof. And may we then brooke such Apologies of prophane men, that haue runne so farre in debt vnto God, and haue made themselues such spirituall Lazars through sinne? Farre be it from vs to thinke, that Dauid did so excuse himselfe to God; No, but as a discreet Patient, who throughly had searched into his own disease, and desired to bee wholy cured, he openeth his sore to the bot­tome, and concealeth nothing from his Physician. He that desires to be freed from his Actuall, but to continue his Originall sinne, desireth onely to put off one punishment, that he might deserue another. But a true Pe­nitent desireth so to be forgiuen, that he may bee preserued from offen­ding againe. We commend Prisoners for their wisdome, who knowing they are guiltie more wayes then one, desire that all the Indictments may bee brought in against them, before the Verdict passe vpon them; that so they may be throughly discharged: And hee that Arraigneth himselfe before the barre of God, should not leaue any thing vnrepen­ted of, whereof he knoweth himselfe guiltie, nor conceale any part of his miserie, that needeth the helpe of Gods mercie, the rather because wee need not doubt, least the multitude of our miseries should tire, or ouer­burthen Gods mercie; happily it may bee so with men, he that will for­giue seauen, will hardly be brought to forgiue Seuentie times seauen faults, but with God it is farre otherwise, in whom the sight of miserie (especi­ally [Page 118]if it bee presented with Penitencie) the greater it is, the more com­passion it moues. What a miserable case was Adam in? Euen in that woefull case which I haue described vnto you in this Text; yet no soo­ner came he into Gods sight, but God was so moued, that he was pardo­ned, before he was doomed; and the iust doome was made very tolera­ble, by the mercifull pardon.

After God had drowned the old World, what moued him to be more tender towards the new, Gene. 8.21. but the pitie that hee tooke vpon this natiue corruption, The euill frame of the Heart of man? Excellent is the place of Ezekiel where the Church is represented weltring in her Bloud, when no eye did pitie her, God said, that then was the time of his loue, hee said vnto her liue, Verse 13.yea, he said vnto her, when shee was in her bloud liue, Ezek. 16. King Dauid, Psal. 103. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that feare him; Verse 14. but marke what a reason he giueth, Hee knoweth our frame, he remembreth that we bee but dust. Doth God pitie the miserie of man, when there appeareth no Penitencie in him, and will hee reiect him, when it doth appeare? No, penitencie maketh miserie to pierce more deepely the tender bowels, and compassions of God. Wherefore let our, Behold, be exprest by the sorrow which we conceiue for our sin­full corruption, and wee shall find, that nothing can more effectually moue commiseration.

But I must end. We are at length come to the depth of King Dauids ingenuitie; and certainely in repentance a man can goe no farther. The first confusion whereunto a penitent sinner may put himselfe, is to bring his sinne before the eye of his owne conscience; Dauid did so, vers. 3. The second is, to haue it published before men, as in the solemne Satis­factions made to the Church; Dauid did so, as appeares in the Title of the Psalme. The last is, to present it before God, to draw Gods eyes to be­hold, as well our Originall, as our Actuall sinne. In the first, selfe-loue will diminish much of the shame, and our communion in the same cor­ruption, doth much impaire the second; but there is nothing can lessen the third, so pure, so vnpartiall are the sacred eyes of God; so that Dauid could not be more humble, more could not bee expected vnto a full Re­pentance.

Saint Ambrose vpon this Consideration hereof, breaketh out into these words, quis tanto affectu agit paenitentiam? where shall a man finde his parallell? suscepit personam generis humani, sayth Saint Austin, King Dauid spake no more in his owne person, then may beseeme the person of euery man, especially if he be a Christian; And therefore his practise should be a patterne vnto euery one of vs; we are as hee was, Si Dauid, talis Rex, talibus parentibus, in peccato natus, quanto magis Nos? The foun­taine of Corruption runnes as high now as euer it did, well may wee deeme our selues worse, better without intolerable arrogancy wee can­not deeme our selues; therefore his Ecce, Behold, will well beseeme vs, and we may well fall as low as he in the Confession of our sinnes. I presse this the rather, because this is a secret which Philosophers could not, He­reticks would not know; and so indulgent are we to our selues, that we [Page 119]are too willing to be ignorant of, at least to forget, that which our proud nature doth not easily brooke. The lesse the Old man doth like it, the more should the New man studie it. And that we studie it not in vaine, let vs all pray God that wee may haue Grace to exemplifie so good a Sam­pler, that we may so deepely launce our Spirituall woundes, as that they may be the better cured by our Heauenly Physitian, and the more seuere we are against our selues, we may finde our Sauiour more mercifull vnto vs. Amen.

K [...]ng Dauid in that Vow which in this Psalme hee maketh for himselfe, prayeth that he may bee restored vnto, and preserued in the state of Grace. To this end hee layeth o­pen his own wickednes, and layeth hold vpon Gods good­nesse; how he layeth open his own wickednesse you haue heard at seuerall times (as I vnfolded the verses that goe before,) and you shall (God willing) heare particularly how he layeth hold vpon the goodnesse of God, as I shall haue opportunitie to expound vnto you the following verses.

But my Text commeth in betweene these two maine poynts, so that it is hard to say to whether of them it referreth most, for surely it may fairely be referred to either of them; it may bee referred either to King Dauids vnfained repentance for his sinne, or steadfast considence in the mercy of God, therefore it is diuersly expounded by others, and it will not bee amisse if I shew you how the words looke backward, and forward, respect King Dauids either godly sorrow, or hope of Grace.

To come to the Text, The argument of it is remarkeable Sinceritie. Sincerity is fitly described in these words; truth in the inward parts; without truth there can be no Sinceritie; but the truth that maketh per­fect Sincerity must be in the inward parts.

Touching this Sincerity, wee are moreouer taught, first of what re­gard it is; secondly how we may attayne it; It is of principall regard, because entertayned with the best affection, that is Delight, and this af­fection is in the greatest person, it is in God; God desireth this truth in the inwards parts.

But how may it be had? surely not without diuine instruction of our inward man; The inward man is noted, by the secres part, that must be furnished with good grounds, which here are meant by Wisdome, and this wisedome must come from Heauen; God must make vs know it. These particulars wherein Sincerity is set forth in this Text are remarkeable [Page 120]particulars, so wee are taught by the first word behold; Behold they are euident, they may not be denied, Behold they are vsefull, euery one must make his profit of them.

And so haue I set before you the contents of this Scripture, which I shal now farther enlarge as the time shall permit, and we may best be edified.

But before I doe enter vpon the distinct poynts, I must acquaint you with the Language of the holy Ghost, which vseth often times to men­tion parts of our bodies, when it meaneth the powers of our soules; the reason whereof is in vulgar experience, because so long as the soule dwel­leth in the body, the powers therof in their working make some sensible impression vpon the parts of our body, those parts, which euen for this cause, haue by the wisest Philosophers, and most iudicious Physicians been reputed the proper seats, if not of the whole soule, yet of the seuerall faculties therof; My Text doth occasion me to instance in two parts, the Kidneys and the Heart, which are here to bee vnderstood, though in the translation they are not exprest; in the Originall the Kidneys are plaine­ly mentioned, which because they are two, therefore they are translated parts, and those inward, or hidden parts, because in the body the Kidneys are vsually couered with fat. The Heart is a single entrall, and therefore called by the name of a part also, a hidden part, because of the couerings wherein it pleased God, that naturally the heart should be inwrapt; vpon these two parts, seuerall powers of our soule doe worke, at least when they worke or are wrought, there will be some sence thereof in these parts, in the Kidneys of Affections, as of Resolutions in the Heart; this euery man that obserues himselfe, may easily assure himselfe to be true.

Hauing thus opened vnto you, the reason why the Holy Ghost thus speaketh, let vs now come, and looke a little farther into the things; By the inward parts then are meant the Kidneys, and by the Kidneys the Af­fections that discouer themselues therein; now our Affections haue long since, by those that haue been curious obseruers of them, been redu­ced vnto foure Heads, wherof two are exercised with Euill, and two with Good; Euill, if it be absent, wee feare, and if it be present, we Grieue; as for Good that which we haue not we Desire, and we ioy in that we haue.

To apply this to my Text: I told you that it looketh backward, and forward, to Dauids Repentance, and to his Confidence; If to Repentance, then to Euill, malum culpae, the Euill of sinne, for which hee Grieued, and malum poenae, the wages of Sinne, which he iustly Feared. If to Confidence, then to Good, to Mercy, which so farre as he had receiued, hee ioyed in, and desired so much as he had not yet receiued; These are those inward parts, the affections of King Dauids soule, that are to bee vnderstood in this place, in these it is, that Sincerity must appeare, so much is intimated by the word Truth.

But what is Truth? surely nothing else but a conformitie of one thing to another, whereof the one is the Sampler, and the other is the exem­plification. All that is in mans nature receiued its being from God, and was formed according to the patterne of Gods eternall decree, which hee exprest in the Creation, and which hee often toucheth at in the re­proofes [Page 121]which taxe the obliquities of our nature; we should bee in our Affections, as God first made vs, and that is the first Truth required in them, a Truth that is opposed vnto vanity, that vanity which doth di­mimish the wel-being of our nature, and so farre as it doth diminish it, of something maketh it nothing, for nothing can truly be sayd to be, farther then it is partaker of God, of the being which he giueth vnto it, who only can say, I am that I am.

Besides the Truth that is opposed to Vanity, there is another, which is opposed to Hypocrisie, and that is the correspondency of our outward actions, to our inward affections; for as our outward affections must haue their stamp from God, so must they endeauour to print their true stampe vpon our Actions; for as the seede that is sowne in the ground, beareth the like seede aboue ground, and the fruit is not vnlike the Tree; no more should it be in our moralities, wee should not sustayne one person in our bosome, and another in our countenance, bee painted sepulchers, full of dead mens bones, we should be Iacobs [...], plaine men, Nathaniels with­out all guile, Mat. 23.17. for [...] (saith Basil) [...] (saith Chrysostome) the character of an honest man is to be single minded, Gen. 25.27. single tongued, he that hath a heart and a heart, a tongue, and a tongue, hath not truth in his inward parts.

This being the nature of Sincerity; if wee will try the world by it, I thinke we may iustly breake out in to King Dauids complaint in another Psalme, Helpe Lord, there is not a godly man left, Veraces defecêrunt a filijs hominum, truth is perished from among the sons of men; the periuries, which are frequent at Assizes and Sessions, Psal. 12.1. the deceit of Citizens which haue denominated deceit it selfe (for from them is astutia deriued, quia nihil lu­crantur, nisi admodùm mentiuntur; whose thrift is fitly called craft, because did they not circumuēr, they would come short of much of their wealth. As for Statesmen all Chronicles do witnesse that they vse the Foxes case, more frequently then the Lions skin, and Policie is one of the words, that is degenerated, from a laudable, to an infamous signification, and is become a Synonymon for Machiauelisme; This is the cause that Leagues, and Contracts, though confirmed with neuer so religious bonds, are rather snares, whereby one State seeketh to intrap another, then pledges of their mutuall security. But the quintessence of all fals­hood is the Popish Aequiuocation, and Mentall Reseruation, then which the Diuell neuer hatched a more pestilent fraud to bane Societies, and desame Christian Religion. The reason of all these obliquities, and aber­rations from Truth is, for that euery man squareth vnto himselfe a mea­sure of his owne, but that measure of Sincerity which here God hath squared out, is euery where neglected; The Papist hee maketh the Ca­tholique cause his measure, the Politician his Greatnesse, the Citizen his wealth, the Iurour the preseruing of his Customes, or pleasuring his friends; these and some such like to these cautions and conditions doth the world patch vnto Truth, without which they will not entertayne it. The way to reforme all is to trie our Sincerity by the rule here set down, by truth in the inward parts, first that Truth that is opposed vnto Vanitie, [Page 120] [...] [Page 121] [...] [Page 122]for hereby must wee correct our inward affections, reduce them to the temper which God first gaue them, and keepe them within the bounds, which Gods Law doth set vnto them; and when we haue done this, then must we come on to the Truth that is opposed to Hypocris [...]y, let our con­uersation be the looking glasse of our affections, and let not any thing ap­peare in the Outward man, that is not in the inward; so shall wee be sin­cere, wee shall haue truth in our inward parts. And let this suffice for the nature of Sincerity.

Such Sincerity is of great regard, that appeareth first in the Affection wherewith it is entertained; The Affection is Desire, and Desire is a compound affection of Louing and wishing, for wee cannot desire that which we doe not loue, and what wee loue, if wee want it, for that wee wish; so that Sincerity is a louely thing; And indeed how can it choose but be louelie, that holdeth together all Societies, Domesticall, Politicke, Ecclesiasticall? without which iealousies must needs arise, and so de­struction follow, euery man commits himselfe securely to him in whom he suspecteth no guile, as where he doth suspect it, hee thinketh himselfe safest, when he hath least to doe.

Secondly, as it is louely where it is: so where it is not, there it is longed for; for man being by nature sociable, cannot but wish for that qualitie in euery man, without which there can be no society, therefore those whom otherwise wee hate, because wee cannot but haue to doe with them, wee wish them all this Vertue, Truth in the inward parts; which should make all sorts of persons carefull to nurture those that are com­mitted to their charge, Parents their Children, Masters their Seruants, Pastors their People, Magistrates their Subiects in this Vertue, and sharpely to correct their pronenesse to the contrary, the World groa­neth vnder the mischiefes of falshood, yet (as if it yeelded no mischiefe) euery where may you find a Schoole thereof: [...], eue­ry such master breedeth such a scholar, as maketh him a proofe, that he hath profited in his Art.

But the Affection only doth not shew the regard; it is improued much by the Person in whom this Affection is found: I shewed you that Since­rity is louely, and longed for, but it skilleth much who the Person is that loueth it, and longeth for it, for our nature is corrupt, and with our nature our affections, wee mistake euill for good, and we misplace our affecti­ons often vpon euill rather then good: It is not so with God; as hee is, so he affecteth, he is most Holy; and such are his Desires also, what he loueth is louely indeed, because he cannot loue amisse; and what he lon­geth for, that we want, because if we did not want it, he could not long for it; And indeed he must needs loue Sincerity, because it is the Image of himselfe, for he is Truth, and there is nothing counterfeit either in him, or from him, yea his Truth is the ground of all our Faith, our Hope, our Charity, were it not for that, these could haue no ground; Faith could haue no ground without his Truth in promising, Hope could haue no ground without his Truth in performing, Charity could haue no ground, without his Truth in louing. Therefore there is Truth in him, and who [Page 123]what is in Him, he loueth in others, for euery thing delights in his like; when God had made all things, and beheld that they were good, he pre­sently kept a Sabaoth, which importeth nothing else, but the sweet con­tent that he tooke in the worke of his owne hands. If in all things, spe­cially in those that did best resemble him, and he is resembled in nothing more then in diuine vertue; so that Sincerity must needs bee exceeding louely in his Holy Eyes.

As it is louely, so it is longed for also when it is wanting in our nature. By the Fall amongst other endowments this was lost, Psal. 62. [...]. The Sonnes of men are become vanity, the sonnes of noble men are but a lie; God then behol­ding them, must needs finde wanting, what in the Creation hee bestowed vpon them; and what hee findeth wanting, that he desireth may be re­couered; Behold, how hee sheweth himselfe as a Father, that might deale with vs as a Iudge; what hee might exact, hee desireth, and desi­reth as a Father the supply of that, the want whereof hee might punish as a Iudge; hee taketh more delight to see vs recouered mercifully, then iustly to perish in our sinnes.

The words must not be vnderstood exclusiuely; Hee desireth Truth in the inward parts, as if he desired it not also in the outward; The inward is his Peculiar, a closet whereinto none can enter but himselfe, and as his residence is specially there, so doth his eye principally looke in­to that; wee may not thinke that the Holinesse that will content the Creature, will content the Creator also; when we go about to reforme, wee must goe as deepe as Gods eye goeth; and not thinke that all is well vntill all is well there; But when we are prouided for that, Mat. 5.29. wee must Let our light shine also before men, the outward parts must haue Truth in them also; God that is the Author of societies, loues the bands of them also, and by commanding the obseruation, and commending the obser­uers, testifieth his good will towards them, to the confusion of all E­quiuocaters, that diuorce the Inwards from the Outwards, and care not how much fraud they vse outwardly, while they please themselues with a counterfeit truth inwardly; Wee must entertaine both such a truth in the Inward parts, as manifesteth it selfe in the Outward, and giueth good content both to God, and Man.

But marke, God that desireth Truth, in the inward parts, commen­deth not [...], but [...], he doth not bid vs root out our Affecti­ons, but order them aright, he calls not for stupidity, but simplicitie, he wills vs to flie all serpentine wiles, but to entertaine a singlenesse of mind, [...], Cyril. vnleauened affections are much set by of God, and sincerity is a vertue that yeelds sweet sauour vnto him.

Finally, our Repentance, our Confidence, must specially be seasoned with this vertue, for vnto them is the Text specially applyed. And let this suffice for the regard that is yeelded to Sincerity.

I come now to the meanes by which it may be had, and that is by di­uine instruction of our Heart. The Heart is here meant by the hidden part, which elsewhere is called the Hidden man of the Heart; why it is cal­led [Page 124]Hidden in some sort, I told you before, as also why it is called a Part, and not Parts, the entrall is single, and it hath a couering, as it ap­peareth in the anatomizing of our bodies.

But by the entrall is meant the Vnderstanding, the thoughts whereof are knowne onely vnto God; They that write of the Temple of Salomon doe many of them parallel it with our persons which are temples of the Holy Ghost, as that was partly vncouered, and partly couered; so haue wee an Outward, and an Inward man, and as that part of the Temple which was couered, was partly Sanctum, and partly Sanctum Sancto­rum: so haue we in our Inward man, a couert seate of our desires, which must be holy, (as you haue hitherto heard) and a couert seate of the rule of our desires, which must be more holy, and that is our Heart, there doth God reside as in his most Holy place, and from thence by our con­science giueth order to the whole course of our life.

This place or power must be furnished with Wisedome; The Apostle doth teach vs to distinguish betweene the Wisedome of this world, and the Wisedome of God, whereof the former is seeming, the latter is Wisedome indeed; This Wisedome is nothing but that guiding knowledge where­with the Conscience must be furnished; our desires haue no reason of themselues, that which they haue, they haue by participation of the higher power, which is therefore called [...]; because it is the guide of the inferiour powers; now you know the vertue of a guide is Wise­dome, take away Wisedome, hee will bee but a bad guide, a bad, did I say? nay, a blinde guide, for Wisedome is his Eye, and you know what our Sauiour Christ saith, Mat. 6.22. The light of the body is the Eye, if therefore thine Eye be single, the whole body shall be full of Light, if thine Eye bee euill, the whole body shall be full of darknesse. This Wisedome is nothing else but those good and sound Principles of Direction which should giue order to our affections, which of them should stirre, when, and how farre; did not Wisedome giue this order, out of a true iudgement past vpon the Obiect, Feare would stirre, where Hope is called for, and we would Ioy where wee should Grieue; but that each affection taketh his proper turne, and obserueth its iust measure wee are beholding vnto Wise­dome.

But whence is this Wisedome? Iob 38.36. Iob moued the question; who hath put Wisedome in the inward parts, or who hath giuen vnderstanding to the heart? hee answereth himselfe fully in the 28. Chapter, and the summe of his Answere is; that God is the giuer thereof; The reason may be ta­ken from the nature of Wisedome, which is answerable to the name thereof, C. 6. [...].23. so saith the Sonne of Syrach, [...], Wisedome is as the name thereof importeth, and it is not reuea­led vnto many; Fu [...]l [...] Mis [...]. l. 1. c. 5. Now it hath its name from Tzaphah, which signifieth to couer; And indeed, true Wisedome had a double Couering in the dayes of King Dauid, a Couering of Ceremonies, that darkened the things, and a Couering of Infidelity, that made most men incapable of them, on­ly God could remoue these Couerings, cleare the Mysteries of Religion, and giue men eyes for to discerne them; not that God vseth not the mi­nistery [Page 125]of men, and by men informeth vs of our duties; but they can goe no farther then the Outward man, Ambros. Cathedram habet in Coelo qui do­cet corda, none but our Master which is in Heauen, can open our hearts, and worke these good instructions into our consciences; This is the te­nour of the Couenant of Grace, Behold, Ier. 31.32.the Day is come (saith the Lord) that I shall make a new Couenant with the House of Israel, and with the House of Iuda, I will put my Lawes into their inward parts, and in their Hearts will I write them; and so; saith Saint Paul, 2. Cor. 3.17. Ibid. v. 18where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is libertie, libertie from both the Couerings, so that Men with open face behold the glory of the Lord.

And indeed who should repaire these guifts when they are forfeited, but he to whom they are forfeited? the Author of Nature, must bee the Author of Grace; And hee is so, abundantly in our Sauiour Christ, for in Him are all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge hid, Colloss. 2.3. in making him knowne, hee maketh true Wisedome to bee knowne vnto vs.

It is not in vaine that Dauid saith; Thou Shalt make me know wisedome; for though in Gods acts the Holy Ghost doth indifferently vse all times, past, present, and to come, because they are continuall, yet it is not a­misse to obserue, that in this life we cannot haue so much grace, but wee still want more, therefore wee should not rest in the first fruits of the Spirit, but bee still hungring and thirsting after righteousnes, Mat. 5. and forget­ting those things which are behinde, bee still pressing forward in wise­dome, that we may be forward in Sincerity.

Marke that if you lay both these parts together, the meanes of get­ting Sincerity, to the regard that God yeelds to it, it followeth faire­ly, that whatsoeuer in vs pleaseth God, is a guift that God bestoweth vpon vs; neither indeed can any thing that commeth not from him, bee acceptable vnto him; so that wee may well pray with Saint Austin, Da Domiue quodiubes, & iube quod vis, Let it bee thy good pleasure, O Lord, by grace to enable me, and then bee thy Commandement what it will, it shall most readily be obserued by me.

Secondly, Sincerity is not immediately from God, hee worketh it by heauenly Wisedome, neither may wee euer hope to be Sincere, except wee first be wise; if the Heart be nor first qualified, the Reines will not be reformed; The world hath yeelded too many smatterers in either of these, but because they put asunder, what God conioyned, they haue beene good in neither; Our Ancestours that liued vnder Poperie, were good meaning men (as they say of them) and the Church of Rome did cherish in them good intentions, but good indeed they could not be, because they were misguided; Wee are very inquisitiue after our Guide, and (God be thanked) wee haue a good one, and happily wee conferre often with him about a good course, but here is our fault, wee doe but conferre with him, commit our selues to his guidance wee doe not, wee entertaine not wisedome into the inward part, therefore haue our inward parts little truth; we are as foolishly wise, as our Ancestours were falsly sincere; It were to bee wished, that we would ioyne both as King Dauid doth, to be wise in the Hidden part, that so our inward parts [Page 126]may be true; especially when wee make our Atonement with God, and humble our selues before him, if euer, then beg wisedome, the wisedome of the heart, which may wholy order our affections, that our Repen­tance, and our Confidence may both testifie, that there is Truth in the inward parts.

The last thing that I obserued, is, that this Sincerity is remarkable, wee are taught it in the first word, Behold; which word noteth both Ve­ritatem Diuinam, and Vtilitatem nostram, the vndoubtednesse of these rules, and the vse which we must make of them; Ecce hoc patens est, (saith Ruffinus) this is as cleare as the noone, none but those that are blind can denie, that God loueth Sincerity, and that he giueth that wise­dome from whence sincerity streams; And as no man can doubt it: so eue­ry man must make vse of it, euery man must desire this sincerity that so he may be acceptable to God, & euery man must desire to be furnished with wisedome from Heauen, that he may be furnished with Sincerity; We are by nature full of vanity and hypocrisie; our corruption was display­ed in the verse that goeth before, but Contraria contrarijs illustrantur, we cannot so well conceiue how bad we are, as if we clearely see how good we should be; when we obserue that God requireth Truth in our inward parts, then may we perceiue how miserable wee are in being conceiued and borne in Sinne; so the Ecce here giueth light to the Ecce that goeth before.

As this giueth light to that, so that must be a whetstone to make vs to affect this. And seeing God taketh all excuse from vs, by making vs to know wisedome, we must receiue wisedome into its proper seate, that from thence, it may produce this acceptable worke; We must with Da­uid be able to say Ecce, Behold, thou hast made mee to know wisedome in my hidden part, that wee may also say, Ecce, Behold, O Lord, that Truth which thou desirest in my inward parts.

I conclude all; Behold here the Doue and the Serpent which Christ commends for patterns to his Disciples, wee must haue the simplicitie of the Doue, and the wisedome of the Serpent; Hee that can mixe the wisedome of the Serpent, with the simplicitie of the Doue, shall nei­ther be sottishly sincere, nor deceitfulluy wise.

KIng Dauid desirous to be restored vnto the state of Grace, doth first lay open his owne wickednesse sincerely, and then doth he sincerely lay hold vpon Gods goodnes. Of the former you haue hitherto heard, and are to heare of the latter hereafter; In opening whereof, you are to ob­serue, how aptly the Remedy doth answer the Disease; In the Disease wee found a double wickednesse, one which King Dauid committed himselfe, another which hee inherited from his Parents; The Remedy cures both: it cureth the wickednesse which King Dauid committed, the Malignity, the Impiety thereof, the Impiety by Expiation in this seuenth Verse, the Malignity by Consolation in the eight.

As it cureth the wickednesse which himselfe committed, so doth it that which he inherited from his Parents, that was a natiue Euill, and the Remedie doth cure it, as it is an euill, in the ninth verse, by forgiuing, and as that euill commeth by nature, the Remedie cureth it by Re­generation, as we shall learne verse the tenth.

At this time I shall handle onely the first branch of the Cure, the cure of the Impiety of that sinne which King Dauid himselfe contracted; This I told you was done, by Expiation, or Purification; for the better vnderstanding wherof, we must guide our selues, by a good rule of Saint Ambrose, Benè Veteris Testamenti Sacramenta non euacuat, et Mysteria E­uangelica praeferenda docet; These words are typicall, therefore they haue a compound sense; a Ceremoniall, and a Morall, Dauid acknowledgeth both true; but withall teacheth, in which standeth the greatest comfort; The Ceremonial was not to be omitted, because of Gods Ordinance, but the Morall was principally to bee intended, because that contained the Body, whereof the other was but a shadow; Which must the rather be noted, because the Holy Ghost doth often times taxe the Iewes for ei­ther wholy diuorcing the Morals from the Ceremonialls, or for that they were at least, preposterously zealous, preferring the Ceremonials, before the Morals; but our rule must bee to obserue whatsoeuer God commands, but so, that we value euery thing according to the rate which God sets vpon it; we are freed from the Ceremoniall Law of Moses, yet are we not left altogether without Ceremonies, for we haue Sacraments, in participating whereof, we must obserue Saint Ambrose his rule; We must not neglect the visible Signes, wherewith God sustaynes our Faith, yet must we pierce farther into the inuisible grace, and that must be the principall comfort of our Soules; So likewise in prayer, we must fall low with our bodies, but much lower with our Hearts, lift vp our eyes, but [Page 128]soare higher with our Affections; in a word, Hoc oportet facere, illud non omittere; neglect not Ceremonies, but intend Moralities chiefly in all the seruice of God.

But whereas I told you, that the sense of these words is double, Cere­moniall and Morall, before I can informe you in the Morall, I must first resolue you, what is the Ceremoniall sense; And here wee find not all agreed, some finde the Ceremonie in the booke of Exodus, some in Le­uiticus, C. 12.22. some in Numbers; In Exodus we read that the Children of Israel were commanded to sprinkle their dore-posts with the blood of the Pas­chall Lambe, that so when the punishing Angel came to destroy the first borne of Egypt, he might passe by them.

Chrysostome apprehends that King Dauid in these words prayeth a­gainst Gods wrath, and desireth by such a sprinkling to bee sheltered from that: And indeed, though God forgaue Dauids sinne, yet did hee by Nathan foretell That the sword should neuer depart from his House, 2. Sam. 12.10. therefore well might he deprecate plagues; But though wee find menti­on of Hysope in that Law, yet none of sprinckling the person, but the dore-postes, nor finally any mention of purifying, but of preseruing.

Therefore other of the Fathers find this Ceremony in Leuiticus, 14.4. in the Law of clensing the Leper; And surely the words of my Text, speaking rather de malo culpae, then poenae, (as appeareth by those Phrases, I shall bee cleane, I shall be whiter then snow) may haue good cognation with that Ceremony; the rather because the Fathers not vnfitly make Leprosie a liuely representation of the nature of sin▪ But in that Ceremony though Hysop were vsed for clensing of the Leper, yet the clensing of the Leper there, was declaratory rather then operatory, wherupon S. Hierome doth parallel it with the absolution of the Priest, who doth not remit sin, but declare that it is remitted of God; As the Priest (saith he) did not make the Leper cleane, but vpon examination, pronounce him to be cleane.

But my Text speaketh not of a Declaratorie onely, but an operatorie Purification, Ci [...]l. [...]. wherfore we must seeke farther into the booke of Numbers, in the 19. thereof wee shall sinde a Ceremonie that exactly sitteth my Text, sitteth it in the phrase, (as they that are skild in the Originall doe know) and sitteth it in the matter, as you may perceiue, if you reade the Chapter,; there God commandeth the burning of a red Cow, slaine by the Priest, V [...]. 6. with which was to be burnt Scarlet, Cedar wood, and Hy­sop, and of the ashes which came hereof, and running water was to be made a holy water, wherewith hee was to be purisied that touched the dead, V [...] 18. a clean person taking Hysop, & dipping it in the water, and sprink­ling it vpon the vncleane; C. 9.13. Saint Paule to the Hebrewes, moralizing that Ceremonie speaketh thus; if the bloud of bulls, and goates, and the a­shes of an heifer sprinkling the vnclean, sanctified to the purifying of the flesh; how much more shall the bloud of Christ, who through the Eter­nall Spirit, offered himselfe without spot to God, purge your Consciences from dead works, to serue the liuing God? Out of which words we may learne to giue a true Commentary vnto this Text, and obserue a good cor­respondency, betweene the Ceremoniall, and the Morall part thereof.

[Page 129] Which that we may the better do, obserue that the whole Text is a Pe­tition, wherein wee must obserue, first seuerally, what King Dauid beg­geth, and of whom; then ioyntly, how confident hee is of the successe of his Petition which he maketh to that person. That which he beggeth, is Purge, Wash; the person to whom he directeth this Petition is God, for to him he praieth, but he would haue him doe this through Christ, for Christ is meant by Hysop.

If God grant this request, (as he doubteth not but that hee will grant it, for it is Prophetica or atio, he prophesieth in praying) he then vndoub­tedly assures himselfe of a double effect, that shall be wrought vpon him; Innocencie, I shall be cleane, and Beautie, incomparable Beautie; I shall bee whiter then Snow.

Let vs looke into these particulars, and carrie along the Ceremoniall with the Morall.

First then see what he beggeth, purge, wash, but these words presup­pose some thing that is not here exprest, and that is from what he would be purged, and cleansed; Read the 19. of Numbers, there you shall see the Ceremonie; it was from the impuritie that was contracted from touching the dead, and this impurity did exclude them from accesse vnto the Tabernacle; Saint Paul Heb. 9. teacheth vs the Moral of this Cere­monie, Vers. 14. and that the touching of the dead did figure our intermedling with dead workes, that is sinnes; for they that are infected with them, are sayd Ephesians 2.5. to bee dead in them; and our Sauiour meaneth as much by the Prouerbe, Let the dead burie their dead. Mat. 8.22.

And indeed Sinnes are fitly termed dead workes, I [...]b. 1. for they had their originall from him that hath the power of death, that is the Diuel, Heb. 2.14. and they are in vs the sting of death, so venoming our vnderstanding, 1. Cor. 15.16. and our wil that they bereaue vs of the Life of God, to whom we liue only by the true knowing of him, and louing him as we ought; finally, Rom. 9.23. the wages of Sinne is death, and death in sinne bringeth vpon vs death for sinne, the spirituall death in this world, an euerlasting, in the world to come.

As hee that hath to doe with sinne, hath to doe with Death: so hee that hath the contagion of Death cleauing to him is vnfit for the House of the liuing God, for that is the House of the liuing; for God by Coue­nant, is not the God of the Dead, but of the Liuing; Mat. 22.32. they that are plan­ted in the House of the Lord (saith the Psalmist) shall flourish in the courts of our God; Marke then, in what case a sinner is, Psal. 92.13. Iob. 2.4. in the state of Death, secluded from the Liuing: Skin for skin, and all that euer a man hath, he will giue for his Life, though it be but his naturall Life, which is temporall; how much more would be giue for his better Life, if hee knew it, I meane his spirituall Life, which is Eternall? If it bee a thing desireable to hold our soule in our body, how much more desireable is it, to enioy God in our soule? Especially seeing the soule may bee in the body, and afflict it with hearts griefe; but no soule enioyeth God, that is not filled with vnspeakeable ioy.

But Life is not the vttermost of our desire, we are by nature sociable, and solitarines is a kind of Death; it is so, if we be only excluded from the [Page 130]societie of men, Psal. 42. & Psal. [...]4. how much more if we be debarred the Communion of Saints? King Dauids Psalmes shew how passionate he was, when hee was debarred the visible Communion by banishment, how much more passionate thinke you was he when he apprehended his exclusion from the inuisible, through the deadlinesse of his sinne; These things out of the Moralized Ceremonies must we set before vs, as the Motiues vnto this Petition; Purge me, wash me, me, that haue lost the comfortable pre­sence of my God, the life of my soule, and haue contracted the contagion of Death by my sinne, and for this contagion, am vnworthy to haue ac­cesse vnto thy House in the companie of thy Saints; the loue of that life maketh me abhorre the state of this Death, the desire that I haue to that societie, maketh this spirituall excommunication tedious vnto me, and giue mee no rest, breake my silence, make me importune thee O God, with Purge mee, Wash mee, expiate this impurity that hath so wofully di­stressed me.

These two words, Purge and Wash, looke to two parts of the Ceremo­ny; Vos. 18.19. In the aforenamed 19. of Numbers you shall sinde, that hee that had touched the dead, was first sprinkled with the holy water, and then was to haue his whole body bathed incleane water. These two acts Ce­remoniall, looke to the two parts of spirituall Purification; In Sin there are two things, the Guilt, and the Corruption, the taking away of the Guilt, was signified by the aspersion or sprinkling of holy water, and the Corruption by washing in cleane water.

God that hath giuen his Law for vs to obey, hath added a Sanction vnto it, to hold vs in, that wee should not dare to transgresse for feare of wrath, and ordained that a deformity should accompany sinne, and make it more odious vnto vs, out of the loue that we beare to our selues; When wee enter into consideration of our sinne, the first thing that we should apprehend is the Guilt, the danger that we stand in to God ward, wee should set him before vs as a seuere Iudge, armed with vengeance, ready to lay on vs deadly strokes; this should make vs breake into the first Petition; Purge mee, O Lord, free me from Guilt, let mee stand on good termes with my God.

But when wee haue made our peace with him, and all is safe from with­out; selfe-loue, religious selfe-loue must make vs looke home, suruey our selues, fixe our eyes vpon our soules, and take care to remedy the blemishes thereof; Deformity in our outward man wee cannot endure, I would we could endure it as little in our inward; wee desire the exa­ctest proportion, the fairest complexion, and where Nature faileth, wee helpe it by Art, and thinke no paines too great, no cost too deare, that is bestowed that way; Our better part deserueth the greater regard, by how much wee should desire more to recommend our selues to the eyes of God and Angels, then to the eyes of mortall men; yea, to the eyes of our owne soules, rather then to the eyes of our bodyes, for that these are truer Iudges, and Iudges of the best things; Certainly King Dauid thought so, who knowing that sinne carrieth with it not only a guilt, but a staine also, prayed no lesse Wash me, then Purge me, free mee, O God, both from staine and guilt.

[Page 131] But the Consequence must not be forgotten, the staine and the guilt themselues desire this fauour, were there no euill beyond them, how much more, when (as I shewed you in the Ceremonie) they are ne­cessarily accompanied with an Excommunication; so that purge me and wash me, must imply a desire of restitution also, a restitution into the Church, and into the Communion of Saints; a blessing that follow­ed vpon King Dauids person, being purified from his guilt and staine; and King Dauid must bee thought to haue (correspondently to the Law) aymed at that blessing.

And let this suffice touching that for which King Dauid prayeth. I come now to consider the Person of whom hee beggeth it in his Prayer.

The Person is God, for it is to him to whom hee directs the whole Psalme; And indeed none but God can doe this that hee prayeth for, for who can free from guilt, but hee to whom a sinner stands obliged by his guilt? hee that set the Sanction to the Law, must quit vs from the danger that is due from that Sanction; and who is that but God?

And as God onely can purge the guilt, so hee onely can wash away the staine; hee onely that made vs, can new make vs, and hee reformeth man to his Image, that first made him after his Image; This is the worke only of God.

But see; here is a limitation of Gods power, hee would haue God to purge him, but doe it with Hysop; as if without Hysop hee could not doe it, shall I say? God forbid; hee can doe more then wee can conceiue; they are too presumptuous that set such bounds vnto God, Faustus Socin. that is a most absolute Lord; no doubt hee might haue saued vs otherwise then he did; This wee may boldly say, hee would not doe it without Hysop, and his will is that which doth menage his power, what he hath freely decreed, out of his good will; that hee bringeth to passe, by his vnresistable pow­er; Hee spake the word, and made vs, but he was pleased that the re­deeming of vs should cost him more paines, hee would vse the helpe of Hysop.

Hysop is literally vnderstood in the Ceremonie, so wee finde it in that often cited 19. of Numbers, but spiritually by Hysop the Fathers vnder­stand Christ, and make a correspondencie betweene him and that herbe, in two respects, in regard of the smalnes of the herbe, and in regard of the vertue thereof, the smalnes representing Christs Humility, that vouchsafed to take vpon him the forme of a seruant, the vertue noting Christs efficacie; for as that Herbe worketh vpon our Inwards, De doctr. Chris [...] lib. 2. c. 16. so (saith Saint Austin) doth Christ worke vpon the Inward man.

Hysop worketh principally vpon the lungs (say the Fathers) which are the bellowes of our body, and are an excellent Embleme of Pride; and it was Pride wherby we lifted our selues vp against God, that Christ came to cure with his Humility, when he stooped vnto the ignomini­ous death of the Crosse.

But it was not Hysop alone wherewith hee desired to be purged, but Hysop dipt in the holy water, and this doth intimate yet more fully, that [Page 132]the expiation was to be made by Christ; for (to say nothing that the red Cow slaine, whose blood was sprinkled directly before the Tabernacle, was as all other sacrifices a Type of Christ) those things that are princi­pally to be marked in Christ, were most liucly represented in the things that were burnt with the Cowe; For there were to bee cast in, Cedar wood, Hysop, and Scarlet; The Cedar is the highest of all trees, and well representeth the Deity of Christ; [...]. 4.33. Hysop in the History of Solomons knowledge in naturall things, is opposed vnto the Cedar, as the lowest of plants, and may well note Christs Manhood; the Scarlet is an excel­lent representation of his bloody death, according to that in the Pro­phet Esay, [...]. 63.1, 2. who is this that commeth from Edom, with died garments from Bozra? wherefore art thou red in thy apparell? &c. And indeed Christs blood is the Bath of purification, it clenseth from all our sinnes; if wee haue our hearts sprinkled therewith, wee shall bee free from euill consciences, Heb. 10.22 9, 14 Zach. 13.1. our consciences shall bee freed from dead workes to serue the liuing God. Finally, his Spirit is that fountaine that is opened vnto the house of Israel, E [...]ek. 36.25. and the cleane waters that in Ezekiel God promised to poure vpon his Church; without Christ, the vertue of his death, and worke of his Spirit, God purifieth no man. The Heathen had their Aquam lustralem, their holy water, and so hath the Church of Rome also, but the Heathen holy water had no respect vnto Christs blood, the Romish would seeme to haue, but sanctifying Ceremonies without Gods warrant are fruitles; not only so, but spirituall vsurpations; If we expect purification from sinne, wee must tye our selues vnto Christs death, and not looke to partake the benefit of it, but by such meanes as are ordained of God, Mat. 15 9. for the Spirit breatheth where it will, not where wee will; so that in vaine shall we serue God, if therein wee follow no better guide then the commandements of men. And let this suffice tou­ching the Person to whom King Dauid directs his Prayer.

Hauing thus seuerally considered, What King Danid begs, and Of whom; by ioyning the points together, wee must see with what confidence hee expects the successe of his Prayer. The first point of con­fidence is implyed in the words purge, wash, for the Original hath it, thou shalt purge, thou shalt wash. And indeed such future tenses are Prophe­ticall wishes; and why? Faith in prayer hath an eye to Gods promise, and therefore a hope of his performance, 2 [...]moth. 2.12. and why? God cannot deny himselfe; hee euer will be as good as his word; Numbers 19, hee com­mands the carnall purifying, and promiseth the successe; and shall hee deny successe vnto the spirituall, if wee obserue it? Certainly hee will not.

A second branch of Considence appeareth in the resolute affirma­tions, I shall bee cleane, I shall bee whiter then snow, which import, that as God will bee constant in keeping his word, so hee will bee powerfull in accomplishing the deed; no doubt of the Effect when hee is pleased to bee the Efficient; [...]. 19. Vos. 1 [...]. A cleane person (saith the Cere­monie) shall purge him that is vncleane, and hee shall bee purified; And who so cleane as God? in comparison of whom, the best of his [Page 133]creatures are vncleane? If the carnall purification may be expected from a mortall man, how much more may we expect the spirituall, from our immortall God?

But marke; here is not onely expected a freedome from sinne, but al­so a furniture of grace, not only innocency spirituall, but Beauty also; so saith Dauid, I shall be cleane, that is innocent, yea, I shall be white, that is, beautifull; Parum est mundari a sordibus peccatorum, Ruffin. in hu [...] locum.nisi contingat deco­rari candore virtutum, it is a cold comfort to bee freed from impurity, ex­cept wee be beautified with sanctitie; But where sinne abounded, Rom. [...].20. grace abounded much more; sinne stripped vs of our originall Righteousnes, and wounded vs in our naturall power, and grace doth not only heale vs againe, but restore vs also to whatsoeuer we lost. The same God that in the Law commanded, that when a captiue Israelite was set free he should not goe away empty, Detr. 15.13, [...] but be furnished liberally with whatsoeuer God had blest his Master, is not fast handed towards vs, when hee freeth vs from the death of sinne, but adornes vs as beseemes the spouse of Christ.

White is the colour of Saints, Mark. 9.3. it appeares in the Transfiguration of Christ, and in the apparitions of Angels in the Reuelation of Saint Iohn more then once, as likewise in Daniel; so that that phrase implyeth that the effect of Christs purifying is not onely Grace, but Glory also, yea vn­speakable Glory, so the comparison will haue vs vnderstand it, when Da­uid saith that he shall be whiter then s [...]ow. It was a gracious promise that was made, Psal. 68. though yee haue hen amongst the pots, Vers. 13. yet shall ye be as the wings of a Doue couered with siluer, and her feathers with yel­low gold; yea when the Almighty scattered Kings for his Church shee was as white as snow in Salmon; here Dauid goeth a step farther, Vers. 14. whi­ter then snow; And indeed well may wee resemble spirituall things by corporall, and eternall by temporall, for that the one doth somewhat re­semble the other, but equall them we cannot, we may not, by reason of the many degrees wherby the corporall is exceeded by the spirituall, and the temporall by the eternall.

I conclude; Who can say I haue made my heart cleane? I am free from sin? Prou. 20. Lib. 1. c. 5. No man; for Habet cor vniuscuius (que) (saith S. Austin in his Confessions) quod offendat oculos Dominisscio & fateor; there is not the best of vs that hath not touched the dead, that is not infected with dead works, it besee­meth the best of vs to say with S. Austin, scio, fateor, I know, I acknow­ledge it, but we must go on with S. Austin, quis mundabit? who shall make me cleane? and resolue with him, cui alteri praeter te Domine clamabo? ab occultis munda me Domine, Psal. 19 12. O Lord I haue none to whom I may hopefully call but to thee, Lord clense me from my secret faults, or in the words of my Text, Purge me with Hysop, and I shall be cleane, wash me, and I shall bee whiter then snow. AMEN.

IN the desire, which King Dauid expresseth of being resto­red to the state of Grace, I haue told you more then once, that he layeth open his owne wickednesse, and layeth hold vpon Gods goodnesse. Hauing at seuerall times sufficient­ly shewed you, how he performed the former, I began the last time to open the later vnto you.

The first thing, that I then obserued, was, that the Medicine doth point for point answere the Disease: the disease was of double wic­kednesse, one King Diuid committed himselfe, another hee inheri­ted from his Parents. I shewed you, that here was a cure of both. In the sinne, which himselfe committed, we found Malignitie and Im­pietie, it vexed King Dauid, and offended God, each of these hath his proper cure: the sinne, as offensiue vnto God, is cured by Expiation, of that you heard the last time, as it is afflictiue of King Dauids person, it is cured by Consolation, and of that you must heare at this time.

But before we enter vpon the Text, marke the method of the Holy Ghost, consider how the Cures are digested: the Expiation of sinne, must goe before the Consolation of a Sinner; and why? Sinne had ne­uer beene afflictiue, if it had not beene offensiue, we then began to bee in distresse with the guilt of conscience, when we displeased God by brea­king his Law; therefore if we be not first at one with God, we must ne­uer looke to be at one with our selues: [...]om. 5.1. Cap. 14.17. learne it of Saint Paul, Being iusti­sied by faith, we haue peace with God, and else where more fully, The King­dome of God is righteousnesse, peace, and ioy in the Holy Ghost, it beginneth at Righteousnesse, which is all one with the Expiation of sinne, then vp­on Righteousnesse followeth Peace, and Ioy in the Holy Ghost: And what are these, but that Consolation whereof I shall now intreate? Onely I giue you this note by the way, that when so euer you shall neede the like cure, you neglect not this sacred order; that you tender not your owne case, before you haue atained Gods fauour; such preposterousnesse will cause, that your spirituall physicke will neuer sort a wished effect. But let vs come to the Text.

I told you, it containeth a cure of the Malignitie of sinne; Of the Ma­lignitie of sinne we haue here set downe the Power and the Author; the power, it breaketh a sinners bones, the author of this power is God, so saith the Text, The bones which thou host broken, the cure is restoratiue Comfort; comfort noted by two words, Ioy and Gladnesse, that is, In­ternall and Externall comfort, and such comfort is restoratiue, for it will make euen broken bones for to reioyce.

[Page 135] But whence commeth this comfort? And what hope is there of it? surely it commeth from God, Dauid beggeth it of him, make mee to heare of Ioy and Gladnesse, marke, euery word is significant; the meanes by which we receiue it, is the Eare, but God conueieth it by the Eare, yea the capacitie of our hearing is the gift of God; all these three things are contained in these words, Make me to heare.

As God is the giuer of it, so there is no doubt, but hee will bestow it, the phrase imports as much, and so doth the contexture, for though in my Text it bee read as a petition, Make me to heare, yet in the originall, which our vulgar reading Psalmes doe follow, it is a plaine assertion, Thou shalt make me to heare; Adde hereunto the contexture, the inference of the cure vpon the application of the remedie, Make me to heare of Ioy and Gladnesse, what will follow? The bones which thou hast broken shall reioyce.

You heare whereof I must speake, I pray God, that I may so speake, that you may heare, and learne the meanes of true consolation in the distresses of your soules.

The first thing then to be obserued, is the power of the Disease, the Malignitie of sinne, and that is the breaking of a sinners bones: the Bones are but a part of the body, but they are vsed here to note the whole, and well they may in this case; for if they faile, the rest cannot continue: the bones are the pillars (as it were) and foundation of the other parts, the Ligaments are fastned to them, the Muscles, the Entrals, the Skinne, all are borne vp by them. Adde hereunto that they being of the strongest substance, that which can crush them, cannot bee resisted by any other part: well then may the bones signifie the whole body, and the breaking of the bones, the consumption of the whole.

But what? The wound is in the soule, how commeth the disease then to be in the body? surely there is euident reason for it: the body of it selfe is but a lumpe of earth, the life and vigour, that it hath, it recei­ueth from the soule, and according to the influence of the soule is the health and strength that appeareth in the body: Take a similitude from the Sunne, and the Earth; the earth a huge globe, made to be the nur­serie of varietie of Plants, Beasts, Birds, while the Sunne shineth comfor­tably vpon it, how cheerefully doe all things looke? how well doe they prooue, and prosper? but remoue the Sunne from it, as in Winter, or Eclipse the beames thereof, how squalid is the face of the earth? how doe all things euen languish as it were and die? Euen so fareth it be­tweene our soules and our bodies: our bodies are in good liking, they are Summer-like, if they bee cherished by our Soules, but if our Soules neglect them, then they grow Winter-like and droope.

And how can they but neglect them, when the distresses of a guiltie Conscience haue seized vpon the roote of life, that is the Heart? If that once be cast into a spirituall melancholy, it groweth senselesse, and care­lesse of all other imployment, and if the soule wither at the roote, how should the branches flourish? how should any facultie performe its proper worke, when the Heart, that is the common director & strength­ner [Page 136]of the rest, giueth ouer her worke? They that have seene any con­flicting with this passion, might easily obserue, how neither food, nor friends, nor family, nor children, nor any thing that either nature or rea­son doth endeare, are any thing regarded by them; but feeding vpon that pyning humour, they seeme to take no content, but in their discon­rent, and spend all their thoughts in complayning of this fretting, and consuming humour. Read King Dauids Penitentials, if any where, you shall there see the Picture of such a languishing person, especially in the 38. Psalme, where expressing his disease Sinne, in the fourth Verse hee amplysieth the power thereof working vpon his body, There is no sound­nesse in my flesh, there is no rest in my bones, my wounds stinke and are corrupt, I am wearie, I am bowed downe greatly, &c. you may read the rest at your leasure, [...] 18.14. and it is worth you reading, that you may clearely see the truth of that saying of Salomon, A wounded spirit who can beare? What bo­dy can choose but languish that is possest by a languishing Soule? A man cannot be so wounded in the Inward man, but you may read it plainely in the Outward.

The Fathers doe Allegorize the Phrase, and by the Bones vnderstand Vertues: Vertues that are to the Soule, as Bones to the body; for a man as hee is a reasonable creature doth subsist in them, euen as the body is borne vp by the bones, as it is a liuing creature: the Cardinall vertues, the Theologicall, are our supporters, those as we are men, these as wee are Christian men. The conscience of Sinne shiuers these figuratiue Bones also: for looke vpon a man distressed by a guiltie conscience, what Prudence in him, that can giue no good counsell to himselfe? And as for Iustice, he cannot haue that, for he is vnsociable: his Temperance is to starue himselfe, and his Fortitude to sinke vnder his griefe: there is not a Cardinall vertue, that hath place in him, as a Man: and as a Christian man Theologicall vertues haue as little place, hee maketh no vse of his Faith to sustaine himselfe with the promises of God? his Hope is heart­lesse, for he forecasts onely fearefull things, and little sense hath he either of Gods loue to him, or his loue to God. Not one of these Bones conti­nueth sound, all of them sinke, and are crusht vnder the burthen of sinne. A pitifull case, and yet such is the case of euery one that secleth the worme of Conscience, of euery one that is stricken with the sting of that Serpent.

But whence hath sin this power? who giueth this wounding strength to sinne? Surely God, the Text saith so, Tufregisti, thou hast broken my bones, Vose 2. and so in the 38. Psalme, Thy arrowes sticke fast in me, thy hand presseth me sore.

It is true that God vseth meanes, our Conscience within vs, and Sa­tan without vs, to afflict vs for sinne; but both worke vpon his com­mand, and according to the measure, which he prescribes: touching Conscience, [...]. [...]. Saint Austins Rule is very true, Iussisti Domine & factum est, vt omnis anima inordinata sibi ipsi esset paena, God to hold vs in from sinne, hath placed in vs a Conscience, whose office amongst other things is this, to torture vs for sinne; and as for Satan we see in Iob, that hee is [Page 137]but Gods Executioner, and stirreth not, but when, and as farre as hee hath leaue, leaue giuen vnto him of God: but whether it be Conscience, or Satan, that which they harrow vs with, is the arraigning of vs before Gods Tribunall, setting him forth in the dreadfull Maiestie of a Iudge, and amplifying our vilenesse, that cannot denie the Indictment, that is brought against vs: These be the Engines wherewith they set vpon vs, this is the painefull racke, wherewith they torture vs.

And no wonder if such a spectacle distresse them, who are guiltie of some en [...]rmous sinne, that hath distressed the most Religious seruants of God. Cap. 6. v. 1. & [...]. Esay saw God sitting vpon his Throne of iudgement high and lifted vp, his traine filled the Temple, &c. Then said he, Woe is me for I am vn­done, because I am a man of vncleane lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of vncleane lips, for mine eyes haue seene the King, the Lord of Hosts. Ha­bakkuk had the like vision, and what saith he? When I heard, Cap. 3.16.my belly trem­bled, my lips quincred at the voice, rottennesse entred into my bones.Cap. 10.Daniel that is called Vir desideriorum, when a Vision was presented vnto him, being in the companie of others, obserueth, that a great quaking fell vp­on them, and they fled to hide themselues; as for himselfe hee saith, that his comelinesse was turned in him into corruption, and that he had no strength in himselfe. Moses that had his prerogatiue to talke with God face to face, yet when God appeared in his Maiestie to deliuer the Law, when he beheld the flaming fire, heard the sound of the Trumpet, and felt the Earth trembling vnder him, Saint Paul hath obserued, Heb. 12. That he said, I exceedingly feare and quake: But what doe I instance in these? Our Sauiour Christ who knew no sinne, but yet put on such affections as be­long to a sinner, when our sinne was imputed vnto him, presenting him­selfe in the Garden before God, and apprehending his Maiestie armed with vengeance to repay the sinnes of the world, how was he afflicted? into what an Agonie was hee cast? The Gospell doth tell vs, that hee sweate great drops of bloud: If the Prophets, if Moses which were not pri­uie to themselues of any enormous sinne, if Christ himselfe that was free from all sinne, was so affected and distressed at the sight of Gods iudge­ments, if their Bones were so broken, how shall they be ground into pou­der that come before him laden with enormous, with crying sinnes? 1. Pet. 4.18. If the righteous scarcely be saued, where shall the vngodly and sinner appeare? Surely, when God with rebukes doth correct such men for their iniquitie, hee shall make their beautie to consume away like a Moth, Psal. 39.11. Psal. 90.6. Psal. 68.2.they shall be like the wi­thered grasse, when he consumes them in his anger. As smoake is driuen a­way before the Wind, and as Waxe melteth before the fire, so shall the wicked perish at the presence of the Lord.

And thus much of the punishing power of sinne, what it is & whence: wherein you may behold two things most liuely set forth before vs, the true nature of griefe, and the cause that it hath such a nature. The Philo­sophers teach, that Dolor is solutio continui, the renting in sunder of that whose content stands in vnion: and the breaking of bones what is it but a rent? the soule denyeth succour to the body, the parts of the body each denieth his seruice to the other, yea the powers of the soule grow stran­gers [Page 138]betweene themselues, and vertue it selfe is bereft of vertue; he can­not want woe thathath such a distraction in his little common-weale.

Griefe there is then, Aug. de verâ Relig. and that hath a cause, Saint Austin shall tell you, what it is, fluendo deserit amatorē suum corpus, quia ille hoc amando deseruit Deum, your bones are broken and you are payned therewith, will you know why? the body breaketh with the soule, because the soule first brake with God, if your soule doe rend it selfe from God by sinne, it shall find litle rest in that house of clay whereon it doteth, this will make hast to returne to dust, when our better part giueth it selfe ouer vnto va­nity. And let this suffice touching the disease.

Let vs now come on vnto the Cure. That is exprest in two words, Ioy and Gladnesse: although the words may note one & the selfesame thing, yet may we not vnsitly distinguish the Remedie, as we did the Disease: the broken bones were vnderstood Properly and Figuratiuely: Properly for the languishing of the body, Figuratiuely for the languishing of the soule, this being the cause, whereof that is the Effect: or that being (as it were) the redundancy of this. Seeing then the Medicine must be of the same extent with the disease, we must finde in it a Comfort for the Soule, and a Comfort for the Body: the Comfort of the soule noted by Ioy, and the Comfort of the body noted by Gladnesse, so that the whole Comfort must make vp Iubilum, which (as Gregorie the great noteth in his Mor­alls) is such a chearefulnesse, as taking roote in the soule, doth manifest it selfe in the body, and the light of the Countenance doth argue the peace that is in the Conscience.

But Saint Austin vpon the Gospell of Saint Iohn, hath taught vs to distinguish of Ioy, there is Gandium veritatis, and vanitatis, a true and a false ioy: Ioy of it selfe is nothing else but the Content that e­uery part of our body, and power of our soule taketh in the obiect, that was made for to please it: as the Eye hath ioy in colours, the Eare in sounds, the Palate in meates, &c. if these bee proportioned to the tem­per of the sense; so fareth it with the powers of our soule, but sinne hath distempered vs within, and without, and we can rellish no better, then we can discerne: wee doe as ill rellish true Ioy and Sorrow; as wee doe distinguish Good and Euill: therefore that we mistake not our Cure, we must take heed, that we doe not mistake Ioy and Gladnesse, Gaudium va­nitatis, for Gaudium veritatis false for true Ioy: that you may distinguish the one from the other, I will shew you three markes, wherby they may be discerned: true ioy is first, purum, it is affected with nothing but that which is good, that which is euil should properly be the obiect of sorow, therfore all that delight in drunkennesse, adultery, blasphemie, or any o­ther sinne, though they seeme to haue Ioy, yet indeed it is no true Ioy, for it is, [...] 7.6. Chap. 20.12, 13, 14. [...]ke 6.25. but as the Crackling of thornes, as Salomon speaketh, or as Iob, like poyson, sweete in the mouth, that killeth so soone as euer it commeth into the maw, of such Christ saith in the Gospell, Woe be to you that reioyce for you shall weepe. The second marke of true Ioy is, that it is Solidum, it spen­deth not it selfe vpon toyes, but vpon that which is of worth: Wee ob­serue it as a difference betweene children and those that are of riper [Page 139]eares, that children value things as they affect, those that are of riper discretion value them as they are: a child will preferre an apple before a iewell, and we sinile at it; but how many of vs doe more glory in fan­tasticall fashions, then we doe in the greatest vertues? but we shall bee driuen in the end to write vpon them Vanity of vanity, all is but vanity; yea, those toyes will helpe to breake our bones, for they will proue vexa­tion of spirit: and why? they want the second property of Ioy, there is no solidnesse in them. The third property of true Ioy is, that it is perpe­tuum, it resteth not vpon that which is transitory, which may be taken from vs, or we from it; that is a deceitfull Ioy, the rich man was told so, Luk. 12.19. who said vnto his soule, Soule be merry, eate and drinke, thou hast goods for many yeeres, but hee heard, Thou foole, this night shall they take thy soule from thee, and then whose shall these things be? Luke 12.33.wherefore wee must pro­uide our selues bagges which waxe not old, a treasure in Heauen that fadeth not, where no thiefe approacheth, neither moth corrupteth, where such treasures are, there let our hearts bee also. But all this while I haue but distinguished true Ioy from false, I haue not shewed you what this medicinall Ioy is; Lib. 1. Cons. Est gaudium (saith Saint Austin) quod non datur impijs, sed ijs qui te gratis colunt; there is a Ioy whereof the wic­ked neuer partake, it belongeth only to them, that are thy faithfull ser­uants, and what is that? horum gaudium tu ipse es, they haue no Ioy but thee, and they thinke their liues most blessed, when they ioy in thee and for thee.

But how can a man, that is a sinfull man come to haue God for his Ioy? surely in Christ, and by Christ, so saith the Angel to the Shepheards, Luke 2.10, 11. Behold, I bring you tidings of great Ioy, which shall be vnto all people, for vn­to you is borne a Sauiour, which is the Lord Christ. In the Prophet Esay, Cap. 61.1, 2, 3. Christ speaketh thus, The Spirit of the Lord is vpon me, because hee hath anointed me to preach good tidings vnto the meeke, hee hath sent mee to bind vp the broken hearted, to proclaime liberty to the captiues, to giue vnto them that mourne in Sion, beauty for ashes, the oyle of ioy for mourning, &c. Cap. 9.3. And elsewhere speaking of Christs birth, They shall ioy before thee, according to the ioy in haruest, and as men reioyce when they diuide the spoile. And in­deed, hee that knoweth the case of one hunger-starued, and bound in fetters like a slaue, cannot deny but the newes of liberty, the newes of plenty must needs bee good newes, ioyfull newes vnto him: and such is the newes of Saluation by Christ; when we heare, Son be of good cheere, Mat. 9.2.thy sins are forgiuen thee, when Christs spirit beareth witnesse to our spirit, that we are the children of God, wee must needs embrace these blessings with exceeding Ioy: as in Samaria there was great Ioy, so will there be in any City where this Saluation commeth to sinfull men.

You haue heard what is the Disease, and what is the Cure, you must heare whence it commeth, not from Earth but from Heauen. It is vsuall with too many, when the worme of Conscience biteth them, and they smart from that inuisible sting, to sort themselues with iouiall com­pany, by them to driue away melancholly, and to charme this Serpent with variety of sensuall delights; but little doe they thinke, that these [Page 140]are Medici nihili, Chap. 13.4.Physitians of no worth (as Iob speaketh) and that when they returne to themselues againe, and looke againe into themselues, they shall find that the worme hath crept in farther, and biteth more smartly, the sting gets faster hold, and paineth more grieuously: and no maruell; for may a man expect to be cured by that which caused his dis­ease? or shall he not rather be the worse, the more he applieth that Phy­sicke? Esay 45.7. Deut. 32.39. there is none but God that can create Light and darknesse, Good and Euill, that can wound and heale, kill and make aliue againe: therefore if in so desperate a case we desire to haue recouerie, wee must repaire to him, and none but he must be our Physitian.

He cureth, but how? Per auditum, by the Eare. Wee haue two Ratio­nall Senses, and contentions haue beene made about their precedencie, the bookes that are giuen vs to studie, will easily resolue the doubt, they are Gods workes, and his words: if the sight of his workes might haue re­couered vs, we should not haue needed the Preaching of his word, but the infirmitie of the former is argued by the supply of the later: and whatso­euer Philosophie thinkes, Diuinitie must hold that wee are beholding much more to our Eare, then to our Eye for Sauing wisedome: when I name the Eare, I meane the bodily: the Enthusiasts haue an Eare, but it is onely for Gods spirit; but we must haue an Eare for Gods ministers; for ordinarily God dispenseth not the Comforter, but by their ministe­rie. Fead Iob. 33. And this is the highest commendation of sacred Orders, and that which must worke the greatest reuerence of the people towards them, for that God conueieth heauenly treasure by these earthen vessels, 2. Cor. 4.7. and into their hands hath put the power of the Keyes, yea to their tongues hath he in a maner tyed the efficacie of his word, they bind and loose mens soules, they open and shut vnto them the King dome of Heauen.

They doe it, did I say? rather God doth it by them; so are we taught by my Text, God must make Dauid to heare; it is not enough that God send his word, and great be the number of Preachers, God must breath also with his spirit, 1. Cor. 37. and when Paul hath planted, and Apollo watered, he must giue the increase: Acts 16.14. if God doe not then open the Heart, as hee did Lidia's, we may be no better then Francis Spera, whose bones being broken with the conscience of his sinne, he could not be cured, because the many ex­hortations, that were giuen vnto him by the words of men could haue no entrance into his Heart, there wanted there the spirit of grace: therefore we must with Dauid begge that God would make vs heare.

But I hasten to the last point, you haue heard who giues the Physicke, you must heare, what Hope there is that Dauids petition will succeed: there appeareth good hope; good hope in the phrase, for it is not onely Supplicatorie, but Assertorie. I obserued the like vpon the former Verse, I will not repeate it. But there appeareth more hope in the contexture, for there Dauid is confident, that the medicine shall not bee applyed in vaine, the bones that thou hast broken shall reioyce, so it is in the Originall: marke an excellent difference betweene Gods children and others, Re­probates in such a case, Optare possunt, sperare non possunt, they may wish themselues in a better case, but they cannot hope for better; but the chil­dren [Page 141]of God, when their bodies are euen brought to the graue, and their soules to the gates of hell, yet will they trust in God, and trust to see the lo­uing kindnesse of God in the land of the liuing. We doe not belieue that the Sunne hath lost his light, though the skye be ouer-cast with clouds, Read Psal. 77. nei­ther will we thinke that God hath forgotten to be gracious, euen when hee layeth deadly strokes vpon vs.

The Chaldee Paraphrase obserues not onely a Reall ioy of the broken bones, but a Vocall also, not onely shall our soules be comforted, and our bodies with our soules, but out of the sense hereof wee shall breake forth into the Praises of God, we shall praise our God with ioyfull lips. Final­ly, marke the method: the sorrow of the Inward man casteth the Out­ward into a Consumption: so likewise the Outward shall partake of Consolation, if so be Consolation by the Eare be distild into the Inward; Caro vt Cor, no lesse the flesh then the spirit, being quickned, shall reioyce in the liuing God.

I conclude all, As we are all subiect vnto sinne, so are we not free from the distresses of Conscience. When we are put to it, let vs heare, what the Lord will say, for he will speake peace vnto our soules; if our sorrow be godly, let vs not be without hope, Blessed are they, that mourne so, for they shall be comforted: let vs rest assured, that though Wee sow in teares, yet we shall reape in ioy, the Lord will turne our captiuitie, Psol. 12 [...].he will sill our mou­thes with laughter, and our tongues with songs. AMEN.

THe remedie, that King Dauid sought in this Penitentiall, was answerable to his distresse: That which distrest him was sinne, whereof the onely remedie is grace. The sinne (as you haue oftentimes heard) was two fold, first, that which himselfe committed, and secondly, that which hee inherited from his parents: he seekes a remedy for both in Grace. You haue heard, that it yeeldeth a remedy for the sinne, which himselfe com­mitted, for the Impietie thereof by Expiation, and by Consolation for the Malignitie that is therein.

It followth, that now you heare of the remedy, which Grace doth yeeld to the sinne which he inherited from his parents, that is a Natiue Euill, we commonly call it Originall sinne: Grace cureth this, partly by Forgiuing, and partly by Regenerating, forgiuing of the sinne, and rege­nerating of the sinner. These two points are commonly knowne by the names, the first of Iustification, the second of Sanctification: of Sanctifica­tion by regenerating our sinfull nature, you shall heare in the next Verse; on this Verse I must speake of Iustification from, by Forgiuenesse of, origi­nall sinne.

[Page 142] To come to the breaking vp of the Text, there is something therein implyed, and something exprest: that which is implyed, is, Gods Proui­dence, that which is exprest, is, Gods Indulgence; of Gods Prouidence we haue here intimated two Acts, his Eye seeth all things, and all things are recorded by his Hand. Did hee not See all things, it were needlesse to pray, Hide thy face, and it were as needlesse to pray, Blot out, were not all things recorded by his Hand: such prayers must needes presuppose those workes.

Besides this Prouidence of God so implyed, the Text will teach vs the Indulgence of God, which is here fairely exprest: for the better vnder­standing whereof, I will open vnto you, first the suite that King Dauid maketh for it, and then the possibilitie that there is of his obtaining it.

In the suite wee shall see, how answerable his desire is vnto Gods worke: Gods worke is to See and Record, and his desire is that hee would not See, hide thy face, that he would cancell, blot out.

But in the prayer we must more-ouer marke, 1. to what, 2. how farre, he would haue his desire extend. To what, not to his person, but to his sinnes, hide thy face, not from me, but from my Sinnes, blot out, not mee, but mine iniquities: Hee restraineth then Gods acts to their proper ob­iect.

But hauing so restrained them, he inlargeth their worke vpon that ob­iect to the vtter most, he excepts no sin, but would haue them all pluckt vp by the rootes, Hide thy face from my sinnes, blot out all mine iniquities.

This is King Dauids suite, a hard suite; you may oubt whether it can be granted, you may doubt, whether such indulgence may stand with the Diuine Prouidence, how he that seeth all, can hide his face from any thing; and how he can blot out any thing, that keepeth a record of all: I must therefore in the last place shew you, the possibilitie which King Dauid hath of obtayning his desire, shew you, that such Indulgence doth not preiudice Gods Prouidence, and Gods Prouidence not hinder such In­dulgence.

You haue the particulars which are contained in this Text, which I will now farther vnfold, I pray God it may be to our edification.

But before I enter vpon the particulars, I must giue some light vnto the phrases, which are darke, because figuratiue, and may mis-guide, if they bee taken as they sound. Whereas then here is mention made of a Face, wee may not conceiue, that God hath a body made of flesh and bloud; they were long since condemned for hereticks, that did so grosse­ly mistake the Scripture; God in such phrases by a resemblance infor­meth vs, as far as we are capable, of his incomparable Essence. Consider then the vse of our face, it is the instrument of knowledge, therein are the senses placed of seeing, hearing, smelling, &c. but yet though they ap­peare there, we must not impute the sense vnto the body, but vnto the soule, that quickens the body: Philosophie teacheth, that Anima est, quae videt, quae audit, &c. and there is sensible proofe of it; when the soule is departed from the body, though there be an eye left, and an eare, yet there is neither seeing, nor hearing, whereupon it followeth, that the [Page 143]vertue of seeing and hearing, is in the soule, these are the faculties of a spirit, so that God may haue them, though hee haue properly no face, hee may haue that which is signified by the face, the power of discerning things.

A second vse that is made of the face, is, that it serueth for a looking­glasse wherein to behold our affections; this vse followeth vpon the for­mer; for that which wee apprehend outwardly by our senses, doth in­wardly content, or discontent, the euidence of either you may reade in our countenance; if it content, we looke vpon it cheerefully, and turne from it wrathfully if it discontent: hereupon it commeth to passe that the face is vsed to note sometimes Gods fauour, and sometimes his an­ger, according as that which is presented before him, doth please or else displease. Out of both these vses of the face applyed vnto God, we must learne that there is no perfection in man, which is not in God that be­flowed it vpon man; but wee must conceiue it in God as it beseemeth God, according to the vncompoundednesse and infinitenesse of his nature.

The second phrase of blotting out which presupposeth a Booke, where­in things are written, is also a phrase borrowed from men, whose brit­tle memory maketh them haue recourse to such helpes, least otherwise many of their affaires should either be forgotten by them, or denyed by others: the Booke supplies both these defects, and what is entred there, serueth our owne memory, and resolueth the doubts of others; we haue proofe hereof in our Oeconomicks; no good husband which taketh not this course at home; and in the Politicks, there is no well aduised State, that is without a Register, and maketh not vse of Annals and Iour­nals. To apply this. God is Master of his house the Church, the world is his Kingdome, wherein hee reignes; wee may happily thinke, that though hee seeth all, yet he may forget much: to refute so vaine a dreame, the Scripture doth remember his Booke, not meaning that his memory wanteth a helpe, but that it is as firme as ours is with such a helpe, yea, much more firme; for our helpes are as much subiect to casualty, as our selues are, but Gods booke is nothing but himselfe, and himselfe is no more lasting then is his record we must therfore sublime our thoughts, when wee thinke of Gods Booke, and fancy nothing which is not Diuine.

But I leaue the phrase and come to the matter: I told you that Gods prouidence intimated by these two phrases, consisteth of these two acts; the first is Omnia nouit, hee hath an vbiquitary Eye, all things, (as Saint Paul speaketh) are naked before his eyes, Elihu in Iob, Heb. 4.13. Iob. 34.21.22.his eyes are vpon the wayes of man, and hee seeeth all his goings, there is no darkenesse, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselues. Psal. 139. King Dauid hath made a whole Psalme wherein hee sheweth, how vaine a thing it is for a man to seeke a hiding place from God. Ecclus. 23.19 The sonne of Syrach in few words, The eyes of the Lord are ten thousand times brighter then the Sun, beholding all the wayes of men, and considering the most secret parts, he knew all things ere euer they were created, and when they were created hee looked [Page 144]vpon them; Cap. 30.1. therefore doth God in Esay cry out against them that take counsell, but not of him, and that couer with a couering, but not of his spirit: and it is not without cause obserued as a great folly in our first father A­dam, that hee thought a thicket of trees would hide him from God. The same discase is inherited by his posterity, wee may gather it out of the phrase, [...]om. 1 [...].12. [...] 3. [...]0. Iob. 24.15, 16. wherein the holy Ghost describes sinnes, calling them workes of darkenesse, because as Christ telleth vs, Qui male agit, odit lucem, adul­terers and theiues choose darkenesse, when they will fulfill their lusts; and they that are drunken (saith the Apostle) are drunken in the night: but (silly wretches) while they thinke no eye seeth them, the eyes of God are vpon them, [...]. 23.19. Psal. 39.12.and hee is priuy to their most inward thoughts, for night is to him as the day, and darkenesse is as the cleare light. This is the first worke of Prouidence, Omnia nouit hee knoweth all things.

The second is, Omnia notat, he maketh a record of all things, that is im­plied in the Book. Psal. 139.16. Dan. 7.10. [...] 20 12. [...]. 20.12. & cap. 3.5. Often mention is made therof in the Psalms, in Daniel, in Ezekiel, in the Reuelation; and the Platonists Mundus intelligibilis, and Idaeaes seeme to import the very same: but that which I principally obserue is, that God doth not see things, as if they did not concerne him, but (as Salomon speaketh) his eye-lids try the sonnes of men and hee pondereth all their pathes, yea hee doth make a record of them, whether they bee good or bad. Vers. 16. Of the good you haue an excellent place, Malach. Chap. 3. when the Atheist had blasphemed, then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another, and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and there was a booke of remembrance written before him, for them that feared the Lord, and thought vpon his name. And that the bad pathes of men are also recorded, Vers. 4. wee read Deut 3. where God hauing reckoned vp diuers enormous sinnes, speaketh passionately thus, Is not this laid vp in store with mee, and sealed vp amongst my treasures? he alludeth to the man­ner of Kings, whose Records were kept in their Treasure-houses, as you may gather out of Ezra, Cap. 5.17. where the Roles are said to bee kept, where the treasures were laid vp in Babylon.

The vse of this note is made by the Wise man, Cap. 1. Beware of murmuring, which is vnprofitable, refraine from backbiting, (we may adde from all manner of sin) for there is no word so secret, that shall goe for nought, yea inquisition shall be made into the very thoughts of the vngodly. God keep­eth an exact Record of all.

These two acts of Gods Prouidence, refute two Athiesticall Positions; The first is their Tush, Iob. 22.13.14.God seeth not, is there vnderstanding in the High­est? Eliphaz in Iob expresseth it most elegantly, How doth God know? can hee iudge through the darke clouds? thicke clouds are a couering to him, that hee seeth not, hee walketh in the circuit of Heauen: so would they put out, but cannot, that al-seeing Eye, which they blaspheme. The second Po­sition refuted, is Tush, God careth not, suppose that he seeth, yet he careth not for the things below, he leaueth euery man to shift for himselfe, and they think, that the memory of their liues doth not out-liue their breath, they feare no reckoning, so they blaspheme Gods all-recording Hand: we shall doe well by acknowledgement of these two branches of Gods Pro­uidence, [Page 145]to auoid these two rockes, whereat many old, I feare me new Atheists also, doe dayly suffer shipwracke.

Hauing thus farre opened vnto you, what is implyed in my Text, I come now to open that which is exprest therein; I told you, it is Indul­gence, and touching it I obserued, first the suit that is made for it, wher­in you may see, that Dauid doth make the branches of his petition an­swerable to the branches of Gods Prouidence; The first branch there­of is, God seeth all, and answerably to that doth King Dauid pray, that God would hide his face: and no maruell, for God is a God of pure eyes, Cap. 1.13. (as Habakuk speaketh) and can abide no iniquity, therefore in whomso­euer there is the conscience of sinne, there must needs arise feare and shame, when such a party is presented before God; feare, for his eyes are as flames of fire, and sinners are but as dry stubble; Moses in a peniten­tiall representation of the calamity of the Israelites, in the Wildernesse, Psal. 90.8. Cap. 16.17.18. layeth this for the ground of it, Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sinnes in the light of thy countenance; and in Ieremy thus speaketh the God of Israel, Mine eyes are vpon all their wayes, they are not hid from my face, neither is their iniquity hid from mine eyes; what followeth, I will recompence their iniquity and their sinne double, because they haue defiled my land, &c. reade the like Amos Cap. 8. Vers. 7. The Lord hath sworne by the excellencie of Iacob, &c. And the Imprecation against Iudas is fearefull, Psal. 109.14. Let the iniquitie of his fathers bee remembred of the Lord, &c.

As feare, so also shame ariseth, wee learne it of the same Prophet Ieremy, by whom the Lord saith thus vnto Israel, Cap. 2.22. Vers. 26. Thy sinne is marked be­fore mee, &c. hee addeth, As the thiefe is ashamed when hee is found, so is the house of Israel ashamed: And indeed shame is an inseparable compani­on of the conscience of sin, when it is arraigned before a Iudge; wee see how Malefactors hang downe their heads, and Children blush, when they are taken in a fault: seeing then there is such feare, such shame, that ariseth from our guiltinesse appearing before Gods eyes, we cannot won­der that K. Dauid in his first desire, doth deprecate the first act of Gods Prouidence, and would haue him hide is face, that so hee might stand boldly and cheerefully before God.

His second desire respects the second act of Gods Prouidence, Deus notat omnia, God keepeth a Record of all, Dauid therefore desireth that God would raze his booke. To open this desire, wee must obserue that in the Scripture there is mention made of foure bookes, which keepe the Records of finne. The first is Gods Memory, that is the most exact booke, all things, with all their circumstances, are precisely set downe therein; it is the expresse Image of his Omnisciencie; of that booke I haue said enough before.

Lest the truth of that booke should be questioned, God hath proui­ded three other bookes that are without exception, which will iustifie his Record against the most wrangling sinner. The first is our owne Conscience, which shall accuse or excuse in the day when God shall iudge the secrets of men by Iesus Christ. It is of this booke that Ieremy speaketh. Rom. 2.16. The [Page 146]sinne of Iuda is written with a pen of iron,Cap. 17.1.and with the point of a diamond, it is grauen vpon the table of their heart, by the Heart, meaning the Consci­ence, 1 [...]. 3.20, 21. as Saint Iohn doth, where withall he aduertiseth vs, that this record in our bosome, beareth witnesse to the record that is in Heauen; If (saith he) our heart condemne vs; God is greater then our heart, and knoweth all things; but God is not contented with one witnesse, he hath a second, and him without exception also, that is our Bodies and Soules, they eue­rie one retaine the staine of sinne, when the act is past, and gone, and from this staine euery part and power receiues a new name; our throates are called open sepulchres, [...] 2.13, [...]. 2. [...] [...]. [...] 30.3. [...] 18. our lips poysonous Aspes, our eyes are said to bee full of adulterie, our hands bloudie, our feete mischieuous, our vnderstan­ding darknesse, our Will peruersnesse; finally our affections nothing else but impuritie. A sinfull man is a spirituall Lazar, and the leprosie; wher­with he shall appeare, will vndeniably proue, what a life he hath led. To these two, God adds yet a third witnesse, and that is a third Record; The creatures which we abuse in sinning, shall beare witnesse, when wee are challenged for our sinne, Cap. 17.1. The hornes of the altar (saith Ieremit) shall beare ingrauen the sinne of Israel: The stones shall erie out of the wall, and the beame out of the timber shall answere it, Cap. 2.11. Cap. 5.3. saith Habakkuk; your Gold and siluer is cankered (saith Saint Iames) and the rust of them shall witnesse against you: nothing that we abuse, be it meate, drinke, apparell, goods, or lands, but retaines a stampe of our abuse, it is a booke of record. Now then, in ore duorum aut trium testium stabit omne verbum; if so be doubt should be made of the first booke, the booke that is in Heauen, it must needs bee put out of all doubt by the threefold booke, or record of our sin, which God hath prouided here on earth.

Now wee throughly know the bookes, let vs come to King Dauids dele, the blotting out of that which is in the book, or rather the Record, or bill of indictment, for as such must we apprehend these bookes. There is no doubt but Dauid is primarily sollicitous of the first booke, and in­deed that is the ground of all the rest, and the rest are but imperfect ex­emplifications of that, and if the booke bee cancelled that is in Heauen, these on earth will be of no validitie, God will not leaue them longer vn­cancelled: if God raze our sinnes out of the booke of his Memorie, hee will giue an acquittance also to our Conscience, hee will plucke out the tongue of the staines that are in our Bodies and Soules, and put to silence the clamours of those Creatures, which wee haue abused; all those re­cords shall be cancelled, and it is for the cancelling of them all, that King Dauid doth pray.

But marke that Hide thy face, is not enough, except blot out be added. God may dissemble the sinnes of men for a time, and punish them at length; [...]. 32. Moses is taught as much, when hauing prayed that God would forgiue the Israelites Idolatrie committed with the golden calfe, God was intreated so farre as to hide his face, to forbeare them, but not to blot out, Vos. 34. that is, to forgiue them; for he addeth, Neuerthelsse in the day, when I visit, I will visit their sinnes vpon them, the like is to bee obserued in the case of Solomon, Ahab, Manasses, and others. Dauid prouideth better [Page 147]for himselfe then so, he ioyneth both in his desire, and prayeth not one­ly hide thy face, but blot out also, and so must we, when we seeke forgiue­nesse of sinnes. It is a cold comfort to a debtor to obtaine of his creditor, that he will not looke vpon his obligations; hee is not secure, except he haue them cancelled; neither is a prisoner without feare, that is onely repriued; and why? he may be hanged, when he little looketh for it; a sinners case is no better then this prisoners, or that debtors, except God be pleased as well to blot the record, as to hide his face.

But in the petition I obserued, that King Dauid doth not only expresse, what workes he expects from God, but he sheweth withall Whereto, and How farre he would haue these works extend, 1. Whereto, not to his per­son, but to his sinnes; hide thy face not from me, but from my sinnes: for if God should withdraw his countenance from vs, destruction, and anni­hilation must needes fall vpon vs; our being and our liuing, depend vp­on the influence of his countenance, and indeed our being, and our li­uing they are his workmanship, and to pray God to hide his face from his owne workmanship, must needes imply, that we would haue God hate what himselfe hath made; but God delights to behold that which is of him, because it is like him, neither doth it feare, or blush to come before him: It is that, which we haue patcht vnto his workmanship, which he abhorres to see, and which abhorreth to bee seene of him. Therefore King Dauid discreetly limiteth the obiect of Gods workes, and will haue them worke not vpon his person, but vpon his sinne; and we may not in our petitions confound these things, that are so different, wherof the one may endure, the other may not, these acts of the Prouidence of God; what so euer we haue which is of God, may without dis-comfort en­dure his all-seeing Eye, and all recording hand: therefore wee may not craue in regard of them, either hide thy face, or blot out; both these de­sires must be restrained to our sinnes.

And to them all. As Dauid doth wisely restraine the acts to his sinne, so doth he as wisely extend them to all his sinnes. Hee was not ignorant of that Maxime of law, Maledictus qui non permanserit in omnibus, Deut. 27.26.Cursed is he, that abideth not in all, that is written in the Law, for to doe it: ill doth the Shipwright prouide, who stopping all other leakes, leaues but one, for the water may enter thereat, and drowne the whole ship: euen so seeing euery sinne is mortall, wee may not looke for lesse wages for any one sinne then eternall death; yea, Saint Iames his rule is, Reus vnius & omnium, guiltie of one, and guiltie of all. And why? Cap. 2.10. though in conuersion to the world sinners doe differ, yet in auersion from God they all agree; & he that setteth light by God in breaking one cōmandement, doth not out of the feare of God keepe any one; happily it is, because he is not so prone to, or gaineth not so much by, other sinnes; or some other carnal reason there is; but certainly out of the feare of God he doth not forbeare them. Therefore King Dauid would haue his sinne pluckt vp by the roots, not one sprigge left in him; as before hee confest them all ingenuously, so doth he here desire that they may all gratiously [Page 148]be pardoned; as in the 1. verse he begged great mercy, so doth he here expresse, how great he would haue it.

The last thing that I obserued vnto you, was the possibilitie that King Dauid should speed in this petition; for it may seeme strange, that such indulgence should stand with the diuine prouidence; that God should See all, and yet not See something; and Gods Memorie to be a record of all, and yet to haue something blotted out. Notwithstanding, that this is a truth, we learne of God himselfe in Esay, Ego sum qui deleo iniquita­tes, I am he that blotteth out sinnes, and remember them no more; the like doth God affirme in Ieremie; Cap. 43.25. yea that which the heathen Orator spake flatteringly of Iulius Caesar, Cap. 31.34. is most true of God, Nihil obliuisci solet, nisi iniurias, he forgets nothing but the sinnes of penitent suppliants.

Wherefore to cleare this doubt, we must call to mind, what I told you before touching Gods face, that it signifies not onely his knowledge, but also the consequent thereupon, his answerable affection; now his know­ledge is necessarie, his affection voluntarie; so that though it be impossi­ble that God should be ignorant of any thing, yet he may be affected as pleaseth himselfe, haue mercie, on whom hee will haue mercie, and harden whom he will, as Saint Paul affirmeth out of Moses; When as then hee is moued in pittie towards any whom he is not ignorant to be sinners, [...]om. 9.18. hee is said to turne his face from their sinnes, Non aduertit (saith Saint Austine) in quod non animaduertit, his indisposition to punish it, is ment by his hi­ding his face from it: so likewise his blotting out, is not Gods hauing no record of our sinne, but not to vse it as an indictment against vs in iudge­ment; and so because in law, Idem est non esse, & non apparere; that where­of no vse is made, is figuratiuely said to be blotted out; so that the words are not to bee vnderstood absolutely, but metonymically; and Ruffinus doth well qualifie them with a quasi, quasi abscondit faciem suam, and quasi delet; God so dealeth with a penitent, as if his face were hid, and as if his booke were razed, in regard of the sinfulnesse of his person.

A second proofe of the possibilitie of King Dauids speeding in his pe­tition, may be taken from the ceremoniall Law of Moses, wherein Gods presence was figured in the Cloud, so Moses calleth it in Exodus; now betweene that and the place where the Israelites did sacrifice vnto God, there hung a double vaile, Cap. 13.21. & Cap. 16.10, &c. whereby Gods countenance was hid from seeing their imperfections, when they humbled themselues penitently at his altar. Adde hereunto that the Propitiatorie, was betweene Gods face and the Tables of the Couenant, which the Israelites entred into with God, and by which in iustice God might measure all the pas­sages of their life. These are types of greater things, Saint Paul calleth Christs flesh a vaile, and hee cals him [...], the Propitiatorie, Rom. 3.25.

And indeed so it is, Heb. 10.20. God doth not behold vs but in Christ, through the vaile of that flesh that suffered for vs, in him that hath cancelled the obligation that was against vs; not with the eyes of a righteous Iudge, but of a mercifull father.

[Page 149] And this sense must bee added to the former to make the defence compleate, and a Penitent hopefull, that hee shall speed of such a prayer.

I conclude all with a good note of Theodoret, who layeth this verse to a former, I know mine owne wickednesse, my sinne is euer before me; there­upon (saith hee) it followeth well, Turnethy face away from my sinne, &c. if wee fixe our eyes feelingly vpon our sinnes, God will turne his eyes from them, and God will not keepe them in his booke, if Wee record them penitently.

Wherefore that God may looke off, let vs looke on our sinfull selues, let vs booke all our misdeeds, that God may blot them out; so shall we finde him in Christ, not a Iudge but a Father, his loue shall not suffer him to see that, whereof hee cannot be ignorant, neither will hee euer indict vs, though the Record bee neuer so faire and full that hee hath against vs; whereupon wee may with King Dauid pray no lesse hopefully then humbly, Turne thy face from our sinnes, O Lord, and blot out all our offences. If thou, Lord, marke what is done amisse, who is able to a­bide it?

OVr naturall corruption is cured by Grace, and grace doth cure it partly by forgining, and partly by regenerating: of the forgiuenesse you haue heard on the former verse, and on this verse you are to heare of the Regeneration.

And that which you shall heare, is first What, then Whence it is. In opening What it is, the Text will leade me to shew you, first in what part wee must haue it, and secondly of what guifts it consists: the part is set downe first in generall, it is our inwards, wee must haue it within: but within wee haue many inwards, whereof here are two di­stinctly exprest, and they are two principall ones, the Heart, and the Spirit, whereof the one noteth the soueraigne, and the other the a­ctiue power of our soule, these are the parts, that are to bee rege­nerated.

Now the guifts whereof this Regeneration consists, are Holinesse and Stayednesse; Holinesse of the soueraigne power, and of the actiue Stayed­nesse, the first wee haue if our Heart be cleane, and the other, if our Spi­rit be right. This is Regeneration.

But whence is it? surely from God: to him King Dauid seeketh for it, Create in me a cleane heart, O God.

As it is fom him, so it is no ordinary guift of his; it is a Worke of his great Might, for it is a Creation, Create in mee, and of his great Mercy, [Page 150]for it is a Renouation, Renew in mee; our forfeiture maketh vs indebted vnto Gods Mercy renewing, not onely to his creating Power.

These be the particulars, which this Text doth occasion me to con­sider in Regeneration; what remaineth, but that our Regeneration may be furthered by them, wee listen vnto them with a religious eare, as they shall be further vnfolded briefly and in their order.

The first point then is the part wherein wee must haue Regenerati­on, the text saith, wee must haue it within. S. Ambrose, lest we should grossly mistake our corporall inwards for our spirituall, tels vs that the inwards here vnderstood are Intelligibilia viscera, the reasonable powers of our soule; and of them our Sauiour Christ saith in the Gos­pel, [...]at. 15.11. Not that which goeth in, but that which commeth out defileth a man: now where sinne first began, there must Regeneration begin also; but sinne began in the inwards, Psal 49.20. for Man being in honour had no vnderstanding; yea were it not for the vnderstanding, a man could not sinne: for it is an vndoubted Maxime, Bruta non peccant, no creature that is deuoid of conscience, can contract guilt; and it is as true, that in whom there is no Reason, there can be no Vertue, for Reason is the proper subiect of Vertue, and because of Vertue, therefore of Regeneration, which is the roote of all heauenly Vertues: see then why King Dauid desireth Regenera­tion within, because there, is the proper seate of it.

And indeed except it begin there, well may a man bee an hypocrite, Religious he cannot be; Mat. 23 27. he will be but like a painted Sepulchre (as Christ speaketh) that within is full of dead mens bones. Liuing Temples of the holy Ghost must bee like the materiall temple of Salomon, whereof the the innermost part was the place of Gods residence, and therefore was Sanctum Sanctorum, the most holy place; the next place was Sanctum, holy; and the rest Sanctuarium, partaking of holines, though in a lower degree, so much lower as it was farther from the place of Gods residence: euen so, though Regeneration must sanctifie our bodies, yet more our soules, though it must sanctifie our Vnderstanding, yet must it sanctifie our Will much more, and that which is most inward must bee sanctified first. I conclude this point with Christs admonition giuen to the Pharisees, Mundate quod intus; [...]t. 23 26. when we desire Regeneration, let vs desire to haue it specially in the inward man, to haue our reasonable inwards new moul­ded by grace.

But what inwards? here are two mentioned, the Heart, and the Spi­rit: these words are often vsed the one for the other, and therfore may seeme to import but one thing: but Nazianzene doth distinguish them, and so doe others both Greeke and Latine Fathers: I will not trouble you with repeating of their words, thus I conceiue, the Heart noteth the soueraigne, the Spirit the actiue power of the reasonable soule.

The Heart then is the soueraigne power: for as in a Kingdome there are sundry ministers of State, but the Maiesty is in the King; so in our litle common weale, our senses inward, and outward attend, and informe, but with submission alwayes to the pleasure of the Will; so that the Will is as it were a King in the person of man, therefore it is, that [Page 151]the Scripture maketh so frequent mention of the Heart in points of Morality.

But the Soueraignty thereof appeareth in two speciall poynts, in com­manding of the whole man, and in seasoning all his workes: that it com­mands appeareth by that receiued Maxime, Inclinatio voluntatis est incli­natio totius suppositi; let the Will once incline, and all the whole per­son bends with it, whether it be to loue, or to hate: what the will hates, the Eye will not indure to behold, the Eare to heare of, the Tongue to speake of, the Feet to goe to, the Head to thinke of; Finally, no pow­er of our Soule, or part of our Body, will haue to doe therewith, except it bee to detest or to destroy it: but on the other side, what the Heart doth loue, the Eye is not satisfied with seeing of it, nor the Eare with hearing, the Tongue cannot talke enough, neither the Hands doe e­nough for it, it will euer be busying our wits, and wee can neuer thinke enough thereon: such power hath the Will in commanding the seruice of the whole man, and so readily doth euery part and power obey: wee need not seeke proofe of this truth, euery man may be an instance, or an example of it vnto himselfe.

As the Heart hath this commanding power, so hath it a seasoning power also: it giueth a Moral seasoning vnto all our workes, the rule is Actio tantum habet virtut is aut vitij, quantum voluntatis; looke how farre our Will doth intermedle with our works, so farre are they either vertuous, or vitious: a good Will maketh the worke good, and the worke can­not bee good if the Will bee euill: wherevpon Nazianzene obserues well, that God hath equalized all men in that ability, which doth most commend or discommend, and that is the ability of the Will: hee gi­ueth an instance in Liberality, the Widowes mites by the forwardnesse of her Will were made a greaten offering, then that, which out of their superfluity the rich did offer in greater measure, measure of coine, but not of Will; wee may apply it vnto any other workes of wisedome, of strength, of learning, and whatsoeuer els; hee that is lesse able, and more willing may bee preferred before him, that is better able, and lesse willing; in doing well, and in doing ill, men are doomed ac­cordingly: this is the soueraignty of the Heart, so to command, and so to season.

But as this power is soueraigne, so there is another power that is actiue, a power that putteth in execution the resolutions of the former power, it is here called Spirit: our common phrase sheweth, that this word no­teth an actiue power: for wee say that a man is of an excellent spirit, a great spirit, a high spirit, when wee meane that hee is fit for, and for­ward in action; and when we meane the contrary, wee say, that hee is of a quiet, a meeke, an humble spirit, Psal. 131. that is (as the Psalmist speaketh) hee doth not exercise himselfe in great matters which are too high for him: that which the Philosophers obserue concerning the concupiscible, and the irascible faculties of our soule tends this way; for they make the soule actiue in pursuing of her obiects; the concupiscible hasting vs to them, and the irascible encountring all difficulties, that may hinder vs from [Page 152]them; so that the soueraigne power resolues not in vaine, because of this actiue power, that executes so well; but certainely were it not for the actiue power, the souer aigne power were in vaine: God hauing so linck­ed them, we must not seuer them, and seing either of them is so necessa­rie to the other, we must desire to haue our Regeneration in them both.

Out of this which you haue heard, you may gather, that though our Inward man is named, yet the Outward is not excluded, because though a part is named, yet the whole is meant, seeing the whole followeth the condition of these principall parts; wee cannot be regenerated in these principall parts, but the regeneration will redound vnto the whole man.

But what is Regeneration? of what gifts consists it? I told you of ho­linesse and staydnesse, which are meant by cleannesse of the heart, and rightnesse of the Spirit: where first marke, that Regeneration doth not concerne the substance, Iohn 3.4. but the qualities of our nature: Nicodemus conceiued grossely, that thought a man must enter into his mothers wombe and so be borne againe, that he may bee new borne; and they conceiue as grossely that thinke, that Originall sinne is any part of the substance of man; wee lost not our being, but our well being, as the moone in the E­clipse ceaseth not to be a starre, but to be a bright shining starre; the ayre in the night ceaseth not to be ayre, but to be lightsome ayre; the earth in the winter is earth still, though it be not a flourishing earth; finally when we haue lost our health, we lose not our bodies, though they become but sicke bodies.

Yet may we not conceiue superficially of Originall sinne, it is not as a painting, but as a dying of our nature: you know, that painting is a co­lour layed on, but the Dye is a colour that sincketh in, we may wash off, or scrape out a painting, the body continuing the same, but a Dye cannot be so taken out, but it sincketh cleane through the wooll, or the cloath, and the inwards of the stuffe are coloured, as well as the outwards.

The same may bee illustrated by the former similitudes, but I will not be so troublesome; onely this I obserue, that as Illyricus and others haue racked Originall sinne too farre: so the Pelagians old and new haue shrunk it too much: we shall doe well to keepe the meane and hold the truth. It is a corruption, that though it be not our substance (for that can not stand with the articles of our Creed, as the learned haue proued a­bundantly against Illyricus) yet is it throughly incorporated into our substance, neither is there any the least particle of our soule, and body, that is not infected therewith; whereupon God passeth his censure, The frame of the imaginations of the heart of man is euill, Gene. 5.6.& that continually from his youth: Rom. 7.18. and S. Paul maketh his confession, I know that in me, that is, in my flesh there dwels no good thing: therfore when we come to Regeneration we must conceiue of it, as of a cure that worketh out a deep rooted Cor­ruption: yea the termes of cleannes and rightnes must so be conceiued, as that the cure doth not only worke out corruption, but work in the con­trary, perfection: as we see that the Eclipse of the moone is remedied by the imparting vnto it the brightnes of the sunne, and the darkenes of the night by the succeeding of the day-light, the winterly hue of the earth is [Page 152]exchanged for the flourishing of the spring, and the weaknesse that wee seele being sicke, by the vigour that we haue from health: Euen so fareth it with our soules, we put off the Old man, by putting on the New, and the root of Originall sin, by being indued with Originall Righteousnes.

This being obserued concerning Regeneration in generall, wee must now descend to the Regeneration of the parts in particular: the first of which is the regeneration of the Heart, it is here called Cleannesse; I will not fall into the common place of the defiling Nature of sin, I haue touched at it more then once on the former words of this Psalme, I will keepe my selfe to that which is peculiar to this part. I told you, it is the soueraigne power of the reasonable soule, and the first point wherein the soueraigntie appeares, is, that it doth Command: now the blemishes of a commander are two, 1. Folly and 2. Impotencie, either he knoweth not what directions to giue them that are vnder him, or else contrarie to his iudgement, he is ouer-borne by his affections: take an example of Solo­mon the father, and Rehoboam the sonne: Solomon was wise, the wisest King that euer was, and no wise King was euer more impotent in his af­fections, as appeareth by his so doting on his heathenish wiues, that to content them, he entertained all kind of Idolatry: the son of Solomon Rehoboam, went as far in folly, as his father in impotency; the son of Syrach calls him the very foolishnesse of the people, Ecclies. 51. and well he deserued to be so called, that forsooke the counsell of the Sages, and listned vnto brain­sicke youths, and so lost ten Tribes of twelue.

In these two Kings we may behold the defects of our commanding parts, for somtimes the iudgment of it is so weak, that it misdeemes good for euill, and euill for good, light for darknesse, and darkenesse for light, and this error is predominant in those that are without the Church, for of Infidels it is most true, that they haue a foolish Heart; Rom. 1. yea when they thinke they be most wise in their reasoning they shew themselues most foolish: it were endlesse to descend to particulars, if I should reckon no more then those which are toucht in the Scripture, how much more if I should discouer it out of there owne writings, there speculatiue lear­ning, their practicke, their theologie, their policy, their ethicks, their oeconomicks, all are spiced with folly.

Though this folly be predominant in those without the Church, yet is there more then a good deale of it within the Church also; were there no other proofe, contentious writings proclaime to the world, that ma­ny beleeuers, cum ratione insaniunt, haue a crackt braine and weake iudgement, working vpon false principles, or working out such conclu­sions, as will neuer spring from truth.

Folly is one defect of the commanding part, but not the onely, it hath another, which is Impotencie, though the iudgement doe not faile in setting the heart right, yet the affections doe transport it, that it can­not resolue right, Video meliora probo (que), deterior a sequor, wee know our duety oftner then wee can bee perswaded to doe it. And this disease, though it be in Infidels, as the former verse doth witnesse, and Saint Paul much more Rom. 1. saying, that They detaine the truth of God in vn­righteousnesse, [Page 154]and that though they haue no Law, they are a Law vnto themselues, yet is this disease more common in the Church, whose sins spring more commonly from the impotency of their affections, then from the ignorance of their iudgement, as it is plaine by those that teach others, but teach not themselues, and commit those faults them­selues, which they condemne in others; there are few reasonably bred, that know not their Creed, and the ten Commandements, yet when they are put to a reall maintenance of their faith, or obseruance of the Law, who is hee that staggers not, that yeelds not to his affe­ctions.

Well, seeing these are the defects of the heart, as it is a commanding part, you easily conceiue what the cure thereof must be, and what is the first property of a cleane heart: it is the rectifying of it in regard of folly and impotencie, the making of it first wise and vnderstanding, the furni­shing of it with good and sound Principles, the knowledge of the good and acceptable will of God, in a word, a right iudgement in all things; this S. Paul meaneth, [...] 2.16. when hee saith, We haue the mind of Christ, so that bee the Scrpent neuer so crafty, bee sinne neuer so sweetly sugered, euill neuer so curiously blancht, be the suggestions of our aduersary neuer so sophisticall, yet shall wee not bee circumuented, wee shall not be decei­ued by it.

That our commanding part be so freed from folly is not enough, it must bee freed from impotencie also; wee must haue obedient and religious hearts, Mat. 10.37. be as ready to doe, as to know; loue nothing in comparison of God, and doing our duety; not father, mother, brother, sister, wife, &c. yea we must deny them all: L [...]ke 14 16. I say too little, Christ goeth farther, we must hate them all, if they be an impediment to our following of God, and keeping of his commandements; if we are so far masters of our selues, as to make our affections conforme themselues vnto our iudgement, then is the commanding part cured in regard of impotencie, and so the com­manding part, so farre as it is rid of folly and impotencie, is truely rege­nerate.

But there is in the soueraigne part, besides the commanding power, a seasoning power also, and that must bee regenerated. It seasons all our actions with vertue or vice, according as it is good, or ill. As the know­ledge of God is the regeneration of it, as it is the commanding part; so is the loue of God the regeneration of it, as it is the seasoning part, or rather the coniunction of the loue of God to the knowledge of God.

So that for a vertuous action wee must bee sani & boni viri, it must bee the worke of a well aduised and a well-affected man; so that the latter part of regeneration is but a consequent vpon the former, and the heart if it command well, seasoneth well, and seasoneth ill, if it com­mand ill, according to the Commandement, our workes doe proue ei­ther Vertues or Vices.

You haue heard what is the regeneration of the soueraigne power, here is another power specified, which is the actiue; Nazianzene calls [Page 155]it [...], it is that which executeth what the commanding part resol­ueth. The word in the Originall signifieth either Directum or Erectum, that which keepeth right forward, or standeth vpright. The actiue power of our soule is subiect to two defects, it may straggle out of the way through rashnes, or stagger in the way through faintnes; while we are in the way, allurements of diuers kinds draw vs into by-pathes, we are set vpon by the crafty serpent; and if that succeed not, then with ter­rors wee are startled, and made either to come to a stand, or else to march cowardly. The cure of all this is a right Spirit, when God is pleased by grace to set strait steps vnto our feete, and strengthen our feeble knees, so that wee step not aside out of the way, nor halt in the way: our Spirit is directus, it keepes good correspondency with our iudgement, and executeth no more then it hath in charge; and it is also erectus, it bends no more then our affections doe [...]; whether it pur­sue or encounter any thing resolued vpon by the soueraigne part: it sheweth continually a religious stayednesse. Finally, whereas grace maketh a double cure, one on our Heart, and another on our Spi­rit, and the regeneration of our Spirit is but an attendant vpon the regeneration of our Heart, wee may not diminish the number of the parts, nor inuert the order; but when wee will trie our selues whe­ther and how farre wee are regenerated, wee must looke into our in­wards, see how we finde our selues there, but specially to these foun­taines of life the Heart and the Spirit; see whether grace command in the Heart, before the Heart command, and that it may season our workes well, whether it selfe bee seasoned first with grace: and ha­uing taken this suruey of the Heart, wee must come on to the Spirit, and see whether our execution be as holy as our resolution: if grace pre­serue vs from mis-guiding allurements, and support vs against disheart­ning affrightments, then is our Spirit as right, as our Heart is cleane, both are regenerated by the Spirit of grace.

The Fathers vnderstand here a double grace, not onely the grace of Regeneration, whereof you haue heard, but the grace of Prophesie also, wherewith King Dauid was endued: as appeare in his Psalmes, where­in are many excellent Prophesies. It was no small griefe vnto him to haue that diuine influence suspended, and to haue withdrawne from him those heauenly Reuelations, therfore they conceiue the words thus, Dauid desired a cleane Heart, that so hee might haue a right Spirit, for Blessed are the pure in heart, they shall see God, saith Christ: Mat. 5.8. Wis. 1.1.5. and the holy spi­rit of discipline will not abide in a soule when vnrighteousnesse commeth in. The holy spirit of Prophesie is long since ceased, and wee cannot be de­priued of that, which we neuer had; but of this we may be sure, that sin in our heart doth not a little bleare our eyes, when we come to consider of Gods truth in his word, and endeauour, though not our selues to be, yet to vnderstand those that were vndoubted Prophets. But enough of Regeneration so farre as this Text doth teach vs, what it is.

I come on to shew you briefly the last point of the Text, which is, Whence it proceeds. It proceeds from God, of him King Dauid beg­geth [Page 156]it, Create in me a cleane heart, O God: and well may he aske it of him, for God doth promise the gift of this grace, A new heart will I giue you, and a new spirit will I put into you, saith God, Eze. cap. 36. and S. Paul in his Epistles, doth often direct his prayers for these vnto God.

[...]t how then doth Eze. c. 18. bid vs make vnto our selues new hearts, and new spirits, and Moses in the Law, Deut. 10. bids vs circumcise the fore-skin of our hearts? Surely not to note our power, but our want, that out of the conscience thereof we should seeke vnto the father of Lights, from whom commeth euery good and perfect gift. Iam. 1.17. Or if it be to note any power of ours, it is but power to vse the outward meanes, but the effect wished hath a higher cause, which is the Spirit of God.

And indeed the true cause why the Holy Ghost speaketh so differenly, sometimes calling vpon vs, and sometimes willing vs to call vpon God, is, because Gods inward worke is seldome without our outward, though the honour which God doth to the vse of the meanes, must not derogate ought from Gods totall producing of the effects. The more to be blamed is the Church of Rome, who by aduancing the meanes impaire that honour which is due vnto God. Let it stand then for a grounded Truth that Regeneration is the gift of God.

As it is Gods gift, so it is no ordinary gift of his, it is a worke of his great might, and of his great mercy; of his great might, for it is a Crea­tion. Creation is either to make something of nothing, or at least if that whereof it is made, be something; yet that thing hath no disposition to become that, which it is made: if you looke to the gift, that is giuen by Regeneration, surely that is made simply of nothing, it is an effect that proceeds immediately from the Spirit, who hath nothing out of which to worke that effect, but his owne almighty power, for non edu­citurè potentia naturae, nature sendeth forth no such fruit. If you looke vpon the Person, that receiueth the grace, then also Regeneration will proue to be a Creation: for so farre is he from being disposed fitly to re­ceiue grace, Rom 8.7. Is. 11.6. that hee is naturally opposite vnto it, the wisedome of the flesh is enmity against God, so saith the Apostle; and the Prophet will tell vs, that regenerating is like the changing of the nature of Tygers, Lyons, and Wolues, &c. a hard worke: Saint Austin goeth so farre, that hee thinketh it a harder matter to bring a sinner accustomed to an euill course into a right way, then to create a world, especially to bring him to entertaine the Christian faith, which is foolishnes to the Gentile, and a stumbling blocke to the Iew.

The more absurd is the patronage of free will in the case of new birth: the very word Creation doth refute it, 1. Cor. 1.23. 2. Cor. 5. Eph. 4. which Saint Paul vseth more then once, and thereby both Testaments put vs in mind, that wee can doe as little towards our spirituall creation, as we could towards our na­turall; in regard of both we may vse that of the Psalm. It is God that hath made vs and not we our selues, both waies made vs, by the power of a God.

Neither is it onely a worke of great power, but of great mercy also, that is intimated by the word Renew, pulchre dixit, innoua (saith S. Chrysostome) it is well said renew, the house was built before, which sinne ruined, and [Page 157]grace doth re-edifie; and indeed, that this is not the first time that we are beholding to Gods grace, the very word Regeneration may teach: we had this cleane heart and right spirit when we were first created, for wee were created after Gods image; sinne lost it, grace restored it: now you know that if a Tenant forfeit his Lease, and a Land-lord after re-entry restore it to him againe, this is a worke of his goodnesse, which is more then a worke of his ability, for many are able, and doe it not, therefore if any being able doe it, the inducement is not his ability, but his goodnesse: the like must we conceiue of God, it was his pittying mercie, that imployed his almighty power to repaire what we had ruined, to recouer what we had lost, to restore what we had forfeited, a cleane heart, and a right spirit.

Finally, both the creating and the renewing are actus continui, workes that God neuer intermitteth, otherwise we should quickly come to no­thing, or rather which is worse then nothing, become fire-brands of hell; for wee dayly forfeit by sin, and God may daily take aduantage of our breach of his Couenant. Adde hereunto that our Regeneration is not in facto, but in fieri, and therefore needeth a perpetuall influence, and supportance: for this cause though Dauid were now in the state of grace, yet doth he begge grace of God; though God had created in him a cleane heart, yet doth he desire, that God would create a cleane heart in him; and though he bad renewed in him a right Spirit, yet doth he pray that God would renew a right Spirit within him; so doth he wisely prouide against forfeitures, and religiously beg the increase of that, which he had receiued. But I conclude, sicut rogauit Dauid, it a debet vnusquis (que) nostrûm (saith S. Hierom) Dauids prayer is a praier that beseems vs all, we all beare about vs a body of sin, and we should all desire that it might be abolished.

We should indeed, but who doth? who doth enquire into the vnclean­nesse of his heart, and the crookednesse of his spirit? or who taketh notice whether there be in him at all any part of Regeneration? nay, who doth shew that there is any? Nazianzene Oratione 43. writing de Encae [...]ijs, doth giue a good obseruation, how a man should know whether his heart haue any part in this Creation, or his spirit in this Renouation yesterday thou wert a time seruer, to day thou art not ashamed of thy Sauiour Christ; yesterday thou didst affect the praise of men, to day thou settest more by an honest life; yesterday thou wert delighted with vain spectacles, to day thou art giuen to diuine meditations, &c. if thou find such a change, Haec mutatio dextrae excelsi, God hath put to his mercifull power to make thee a new man: if it be otherwise with thee, and the day following find thee as bad as thou wert the day before, thou hast no part in Regeneration. A fearfull case, because the Psalmist mouing the question to God, Psal. 24. Who shall ascend into the mountaine of the Lord? who shall stand in his holy place? an­swers, Euen he that hath innocent hands and a pure heart.

Wherfore be ye renewed in the spirit of your minds, & put on the New-Man, Eph. 4.25.which after God is created in righteousnes, & true holines: or because this is a worke too hard for any one of vs, Let vs euery one pray with K. Dauid in this place, Create in me a clean heart, ô God, & renew a right spirit within me. AMEN.

KIng Dauids desire set forth in the first part of this Psalme, is that hee may be restored vnto, and preserued in, the state of grace. How he desires to bee restored, you haue hitherto seene; you haue seene, how hee sueth first in generall, that Gods Mercie would relieue his Miserie, Gods great mercy, his deepe miserie; Secondly, in speciall, how hee brancheth his owne sinne, and Gods grace; hee confesseth sinne which himselfe committed, and that which he inherited from his parents; and hee beggeth a two-fold grace, that the cure may be proper to each kind of sinne; finally he would not haue a plaister narrower then his sore, nor a medicine that could not throughly remedy his disease. Thus he desires to be restored.

But to be restored is not enough, a Penitents desire must carrie him far­ther, for how shall it appeare that hee doth vnfainedly sorrow for sinne, and affect goodnesse, except he be as desirous to continue in, as to bee brought vnto the state of grace? [...] Pet. 2. Nay Saint Peter will tell vs that it were better neuer to haue knowne the way of righteousnesse, then after wee haue knowne it, to returne like dogges to our vomit, and like swine to our wallowing in the myre. Wherefore the second desire was necessa­rie for King Dauid, and must bee exemplarie vnto vs. Let vs come then to it.

It is set downe in this, and the following Verse, and conceiued in a double prayer, first in deprecation, and secondly, in supplication, a pray­er against that which King Dauid deserued, and a prayer for that without which King Dauid could not perseuere: we will meddle now onely with the former prayer.

But in the passage I may not forget a good note of Saint Bernards, where he commends King Dauids method, Serm. 3. de Pen­ticost. and obserues that after hee hath prayed, Create in me a cleane heart, O Lord, renew a right spirit with­in me, he prayeth seasonably, Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy holy spirit from me. When we offend, we fall into sinne, and out of fauour, and when we repent, wee must not desire to be receiued into fa­uour, vntill we are first acquitted from sinne; otherwise wee shall betray that we wish there were no Sanction of the Law, but as for the transgres­sion of the Law we are not much moued therwith, wheras the least sinne must be more irkesome to a repenting soule, then the most grieuous pu­nishment. But let vs breake vp this prayer, wherein I will note two things; 1. the Manner, and 2. the Matter, the manner is a prayer against, the matter is, that which King Dauid deserued. Now that which he de­serued [Page 159]comprehends two fearefull iudgements: 1. Reiection, and 2. De­priuation; I will cleare these two tearmes vnto you.

While we are in the state of grace, wee haue communion with God, and God hath communion with vs, God receiueth vs into his family, and we attend him, we weare his liuerie, and are knowne to belong vnto him; the first giueth vs free accesse vnto his presence, and the second is a parti­cipation of his holy spirit. Sinne (as much as lieth in it) dissolues both these communions, for we deserue by it, first, that God discharge vs of his seruice, giue vs no longer place in his family which is that which I called Reiection. Secondly, we deserue that God take from vs his liuerie, leaue vs no marke of our reference to him; and this is that which I called depriuation.

But more distinctly in reiection we will obserue 1. from what Place and state; both are included in Gods presence; Secondly, with what dis­grace and danger a sinner deserues to bee reiected, we may gather them both out of the words, Cast out.

In the depriuation we will obserue; first, Whereof; secondly, how farre a sinner may be depriued.

Whereof; first of what gift, of the Holy spirit; then What worth there is in the gift, spiritus tuus, thy holy Spirit, or the Spirit of thy Holinesse; a most precious gift; of this a sinner deserueth to be depriued.

But how farre? that appeareth in aufer as the taking away, which wee will resolue into these two Notes; the first is the taking backe of the spi­rit which God once gaue him, and therefore some render it, Ne recipias, withdraw not; secondly, the spirit is so taken backe that nothing of it re­maines with a sinner, it is not a diminution, but an ablation, a stripping him wholy of the Spirit of God.

Finally both these, reiection and depriuation, must bee considered not in themselues, but also in their consequences; and the consequences are two, and they much aggrauate the fearefulnesse of the iudgement: The first is; We cannot be reiected of our old good Master, but wee shall fall into the hands of another who is much worse, and wee shall be forced to weare a much worse Liuerie if we be stript of his; Looke whatsoeuer good we lose, we shall fall vnder the contrarie euill, if we bee reiected, if we be depriued. This is the first Consequence. A second is that such a sinners Case is desperate, God will heare no mans praiers for him, and he wil giue him no grace to pray for himselfe. And what can follow but that being brought into so bad a case, he senselesly runne a gracelesse course? which commeth to the maine point of my Text, which I told you was a desire of perseuerance in grace, whereunto nothing can bee more oppo­site then this reiection and depriuation, which is prayed against by our pe­nitent King.

And so haue I broken vp this Text, the parts whereof I shall now open farther vnto you, God grant they may further our religious repentance.

First then of the manner of the Prayer; I told you it is a deprecation, a praying against. When we are in danger we must not be senselesse bee it but corporall, how much more if it be spirituall? Now that we are sen­sible, [Page 160]wee can giue no better proofe then if wee pray against the danger; yea the more earnest wee are in prayer, the more doe wee manifest the prouident feare of our soules. Dauid had committed enormous sinnes, adultery, 1. Cor. [...].6. 1. Iob. 3.15. murder; of adulterers Saint Paul tels vs, that none shall enter in­to the Kingdome of Heauen; and of the murderer Saint Iohn tels vs that hee hath not eternall life abiding in him; King Dauid finding himselfe in this danger had reason to fall vnto this kind of prayer, especially hauing before his eyes the wofull example of his Predecessor Saul.

But what needed hee? 1. Sam. [...]. God had promised that it should goe well with him, and with his seed also, and that when they sinne, though hee will punish them, he will not withdraw his Mercy, as he did from Saul whom hee cast out from before his eyes; yea and Dauid for his particular had his pardon brought vnto him by Nathan. It is true. But it is as true, that he that doth recouer out of a desperate danger, is not so soone secure, as hee is safe; behold it in a corporall danger; If a man were ready to fall into a deepe pit, and a stander by timely stretch out his hand, and recouer him, hee cannot so soone recouer his spirits, as hee saued his life, you shall see him looke wan, feele his heart tremble, scarce get a word from him, or make him stand vpon his feet; he will aske some pretty time before hee can come to himselfe againe. And may we thinke that hee that found himselfe vpon the brinke of Hell, that saw himselfe entring at the gates of aeternall death, that was singed with the flames of that vnquenchable fire, and felt the palpable darkenesse of that euerla­sting night, though by Gods mercy hee tumbled not into the pit, came not into the Chambers of death, was not deuoured of the fire, nor cast into the vtter darknesse; thinke wee (I say) that hee can soone forget those affrighting spectacles? that hee can suddainly calme those stormes which they raised in his soule? that hee can as soone be secured as hee is safe? certainly he cannot; they that haue beene exercised in such con­flicts yeeld vndenyable proofe; and therefore wonder not that King Dauid notwithstanding Gods gracious promise, as if hee did forget it, maketh this kind of prayer vnto God.

Adde hereunto, that God doth not giue his promises to make vs idle, but to exercise our faith in importuning God for a performance; 1. [...]im. 4.8. Pietie hath the promise both of this life, and of that which is to come; yet doe wee not forbeare dayly to say the Lords Prayer, that we may speed of both. Our rule then is, That wee must vse Gods Promises as directions in, not as dispensations from the deuotion we owe vnto God. And let this suf­fice touching the manner of the Prayer.

Let vs come now to the matter; And first let vs looke to the Reie­ction, wherein the first particular was the Place from whence a sinner deserueth to bee reiected, that is here called the presence of God. God from the beginning of the world had a speciall place whereat hee appea­red to the Patriarkes, and they performed their deuotions at it; the learned gather it out of the 4. of Genesis, where God threatneth that Cain should bee a vagabond, and Cain complaineth, that hee was cast from the presence of God, that is, excommunicated from the visible Church: [Page 161]and the seuering of the sonnes of God from the sonnes of Men, seemeth to haue bin in regard of the meeting in that speciall place.

But, howsoeuer that may be doubted, it is out of all question, that when God made the Israelites a nationall Church, hee had a visible pre­sence amongst them, hee commanded the Tabernacle to be built for that purpose, whereinto he entred in the Cloud, and rested betweene the Che­rubims on the Mercy-seat; This was the typicall presence of a spiritu­all residence of God, of his gracious dwelling amongst his people. This was a thing so much reuerenced by the Patriarkes, Psal. 27. that they held it a great blessing to enioy it; Vnum petij (aith King Dauid) One thing haue I desired of the Lord, and that will I still require, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life to behold the faire beauty of the Lord, and to visit his holy Temple.

As it was a comfort to them to enioy it: so was it no small punish­ment to bee depriued of it; King Dauid confesseth as much, Psal. 84. when hee breaketh out into those passionate speeches, How amiable are thy Taber­nacles, O Lord of Hosts, my soule longeth, euen fainteth for the Courts of the Lord, my heart and my flesh cryeth out for the liuing God; and againe, As the hart panteth after the water brookes; so panteth my soule after thee O God, my soule thirsteth after God, euen the liuing God, when shall I come and appeare before God? I amplifie this ancient respect vnto the Place, that therehence you may gather the greatnes of the losse thereof.

But what is this to vs? those types be long since past; but they had a truth which shall remaine vntill the worlds end, and that is Gods graci­ous presence in the Gospel; learne it of S. Paul, who describing the digni­ty of the Gospel; setteth it forth in these words, God which cōmanded light to shine out of darknesse, hath shined in our hearts,2. Cor. 4.6.to giue the light of the know­ledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ, and againe, wee all with open face beholding as in a glasse, the glory of the Lord, 2. Cor. 3.18.are changed into the same image, from glory vnto glory; so that our Churches haue a residence of God, a residence much more glorious then that of the Iewes; and the losse thereof, if by any meanes it bee brought vpon vs, wee are not to esteeme it vnworthy a deepe sorrow.

But as the presence noteth a place; so doth it note a state also that doth accompany the place; I will reduce it to two heads; Gods speciall pro­uidence, and his gracious acceptance. Where God is pleased to reside, he taketh a speciall care of the persons; his care may be reduced vnto two heads mentioned in the 80. Psalme, God is a Sun and a Shield; that is, he blesseth and defendeth them that are his people. It is a pleasant thing (saith the Preacher) to see the Sun, the corporall Sun, how much more the spirituall, the Sun of Righteousnes? King Dauid will tell you how much more; there bee many (saith hee) that aske, Psal. 4.Who will shew vs, any good? but Lord lift thou vp the light of thy countenance vpon vs, and thou shalt put more ioy into our hearts, then they whose Corne, and wine, and oyle is encreased; and no maruell; for in thy presence is fulnesse of ioy, Psal. 16.and at thy right hand are pleasures for euermore. Is God a Sun vnto his Church? then euery good and perfect guift will come downe vpon it from the father of [Page 162]Lights. They are happy that dwell with the Sun? but hee that is hap­pie would be safe also, and he that is the Sun is also a Shield, hee hideth his seruants in his Pauilion, Psal. 27.in the secret of his Tabernacle, he doth hide them; hee that dwelleth in the secret place of the most high, shall abide vnder the sha­dow of the Almighty:Psal. 90.hee shall not be afraid of terror by night, nor of the arrow that flyeth by day; Read the whole Psalme, it is nothing but a de­scription of the Shield; In the entrance to the 18. Psalme Dauid compa­reth God to all kind of Munition; and Saint Paul, Ephes. cap. 6. teacheth that God doth furnish vs with compleat Armour. Who can doubt then that God is a Shield vnto his? You see what is Gods speciall prouidence ouer his Church; beside that, the state doth containe a gracious accep­tance also; Psal. 34.14. They that are neare are deare, the Eyes of the Lord are vpon them, and his eares are open vnto their prayers; they find grace in his eyes with Noah, and hee smels their sacrifice, he pittieth their defects, ouer­valueth their good endeauors, punisheth them lesse, but rewardeth them more then they deserue, Finally, as hee appropriateth, as it were, him­selfe to them, so doth he them vnto himselfe. I cannot stand to ampli­fie these things, onely marke this; if the losse of the place bee a punish­ment, there is a great accesse made to it by the losse of the state; if it be a punishment not to come neere God, what a punishment is it to bee out of such a Sun-shine? to be without such a Shield? what a punishment is it, that neither wee nor our workes should find any grace in the eyes of God? wee must put these things into the scales when wee weigh our Iudgement.

But not these things onely, the manner of the Reiection doth aggra­uate it not a little; that is intimated in the word Cast out, it is actio in­dignantis, wee must set before vs a person highly displeased, and be­hold with what countenance hee throweth from him that which he de­tests; Dauid was a King, and he knew well the mood of an angry King, what wofull effects it produceth against those with whom they are an­gry; I reduced them to two heads, disgrace and danger; take for exam­ple Ahasuerus wroth against Haman, vpon Queene Hesters petition; first hee was disgraced, his eyes were couered, that hee might not see the Kings face, and danger came not far behind disgrace, for he was present­ly hanged on a gallowes. If the casting out of a Subiect by the com­mand of a mortall King draw with it this double euill; how is it impro­ued when it is acted by the King of Heauen? But I will open it vnto you in a Resemblance or two.

This casting out is called a diuorce; now you know that if a husband for adultery put away his wife, shee forfeits her honour and her dower, she is branded for an infamous person, and destituted of her mainte­nance; Ose. 2. Christ (as the Prophet speaketh) doth marry vs vnto himselfe, and thereupon communicateth vnto vs his honourable name, wee are called Christians, and endoweth vs with his whole estate, maketh vs heyres of the kingdome of heauen; how great is the disgrace then? how great is the danger that doth accompany the diuorce? the disgrace that declareth vs vnworthy of our name, and danger that cutteth off our title to so glorious an inheritance.

[Page 163] A second similitude is the discommuning of vs; we were Gods peculi­ar treasure, a kingdome of Priests, so is our Prerogatiue expressed, Exod. 19. yea, we are made (as the Gospell speaketh) a Kingdome of Heauen; what greater worth, what greater wealth can bee conceiued then is in such a state? but if God be prouoked to pronounce Lo-ammi against them, Osea. [...]. you are not my people, I will not be your God, our worth, our wealth vanish both, they melt with the heat of that fierie doome. I might amplifie it by o­ther Similitudes, the cutting off the oline, the Vine branch mentioned, Rom. 11. and Ioh. 15. by the histories of Cain and of Saul, by the censures of cutting off from Gods people remembred in Moses, and Christs let him be vnto thee as a publican and a heathen, but I will not tire out your pa­tience. Onely this I would haue you obserue, that there is neuer a par­ticle that I haue insisted vpon, that is not fit to augment the grieuous­nesse of the iudgement, the iudgement which casteth a sinner out of the presence of God.

I should here take leaue of this point, but that I cannot leaue out a good note of Cassiodores; Cuius faciem timet, eius faciem inuocat, a strange thing; two verses before, he prayed, Hide thy face, &c. and here he pray­eth, Cast me not out from thy presence; hath the King forgot? doth he con­tradict himselfe? by no meanes; marke his words, and see a difference in the things wherof he speaketh, Russinus. the same difference which before I ob­serued out of Ruffinus; when hee prayeth, Hide thy face, he limited his petition to his sinnes; but here hee commeth to speake of his person, and conceiueth a contrarie prayer, Hide not thy face from me: we must euer pray that our selues may be still in Gods gracious eye; and we must pray also that his reuengefull eye be neuer on our sinnes.

I haue done describing the first punishment, which is the Reiection; I come now to the second, which is the Depriuation. And here wee must obserue first, whereof we are depriued, of the holy spirit; and what is that? that which maketh all Saints: All Saints day. this very day is a sacred memoriall of the gift; If I said no more you might reasonably conceiue it, but it is sit I speake more, happily you will vnderstand the day better. The Holy spirit (as I told you) is Gods Liuerie, his Cognizance, Iohn 14.16. none haue it but they that are his; Christ tels vs so, I will pray the Father, and hee shall giue you another Comforter, euen the spirit of Truth whom the World cannot re­ceiue, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him, but yee know him, for he dwelleth in you, and shall be in you.

But to what end? there are two principall vses of the Holy spirits in­habitation; he is vnto vs the Oracle of God leading vnto all truth; with­out whom we cannot perceiue the things of God, yea they will be foolishnesse vnto vs, but if we haue him, 1 Ioh. cap. [...] 1. Cor. 2. wee haue an vnction that will teach vs all things, yea, we can search the deepe things of God. King Dauid had him in a double sort, an Ordinarie, vnuailing his eyes that hee might see the wonderfull things of Gods Law; an Extraordinarie, illightning him to fore-tell secrets of the Kingdome of Christ which were then yet to come; The Chaldee Paraphrase, and many of the Fathers vnderstand the ho­ly spirit in this later sense for the Spirit of prophesie. That is true which [Page 164]they say, but it is not enough; King Dauid had also the spirit of adopti­on, and he doth not forget that, in his prayer against depriuation. Yea, he must be thought principally to ayme at that, for by the other gift wee may serue God on earth, but without this we shall neuer goe to Heauen; for so saith Christ, Mat. 7.24. Many shall say in the last day haue we not prophecied in thy Name? but they shall be answered, depart from me you workers of ini­quitie, I know you not: Therefore no doubt but King Dauid had an eye to that oracle which wrought in him a sauing faith, and did (as wee must) feare to be depriued of that.

As the Holy spirit is an heauenly oracle in our Heads; so in our Hearts it is an heauenly fire. God who instituted sacrifices to be offered by the Church, would haue them offered with no other fire, but that which should be sent by him from Heauen, yea, the vsing of strange fire was ca­pitall, as appeares by the storie of Nadab and Abthu. That type doth in­forme vs of a greater truth; it teacheth vs wherewith spirituall sacrifices must be offered vnto God. The first sacrifice spirituall must be a patterne to all the rest, Christ by his eternall Spirit offered himselfe vnto God; where­with his propitiatorie; therewith must our Eucharisticals be offered; Saint Iude speaketh it plainely, we must pray in the Holy Ghost.

The gift you see what it is, but you doe not yet fully see what is the worth of it; that I gathered out of tuus, it is not onely a holy spirit, but al­so the spirit of Gods holinesse, or Gods holy spirit. Our soule in vs is a spi­rit, and we loue it so well, that Sathan said not vntruely; skinne for skin, and all that euer a man hath will he giue for his life; the Angels are yet better spirits, 2 Pet cap. 2. higher in dignitie then Men, their titles (as Saint Peter af­firmes) confirme it, Psal. 103. and the Psalmist saith that they exceede in Power; and we haue reason to respect them, because they pitch their Tents about vs, Psal. 91. yea, God hath giuen a charge vnto them ouer vs, to carrie vs in their hands, that we dash not our feete against a stone. But there is a spi­rit beyond both these, euen the spirit of spirits, without whom the for­mer cannot bee, and from whom they receiue whatsoeuer good they haue, hee is the fountaine of being and wel-being to them both. If wee loue our owne soules, and the safegard of Angels be deare vnto vs; how should we loue Gods holy spirit, that is so farre beyond them in infinite­nesse of power, and excellencie of being, yea, without whom they can­not be, nor stirre without his command?

The phrase doth not onely import that the Spirit is Gods, but also that it is the spirit of that which is most desireable in God, that is his Holinesse; which doth much improue the gift when the liuerie that it gi­ueth vs, and whereby he would haue vs knowne to be his, doth make vs partakers of this Diuine attribute, wherein to resemble him, should bee the highest ambition of a reasonable soule.

But I will not wade farther in vnfolding the gift; what hath beene said, is able to make vs sensible of their losse that are depriued thereof, especially when I shall haue added thereunto the Manner of losing, which I called a depriuation. The word is rendered vulgarly, take not away. But this taking away, hath two remarkable things in it, it is a taking backe of [Page 165]that which was giuen, and a leauing vs not so much as any relique of the gift; In regard of the first some render it, Ne recipia [...], take not home a­gaine, in regard of the other, Ne spolies, strip mee not altogether, so the Arabicke. I will touch a little at both of them. First at the Taking backe.

Hee that loseth what good he had, is much more sensible of the losse then if hee neuer had it; hee that was borne sickly, and hath a long time languished in a disease, is not so much pained, as hee that being healthy and strong, is shaken with a feauer, or tortured with some ache: Pouerty and disgrace are more bitter heart-breakes to them that haue li­ued in plenty and honour, then they can bee to him who was neuer of better condition then a begger, or a drudge; Miserum est fuisse foelicem, the memory of a better doubleth the misery of a worse estate: it doth so corporally, and it will doe so spiritually, if euer we be put to the triall of it; yea we shall find it will doe it so much the more, by how much the touch of conscience is more tender then any other sense; and the gift which we lose is infinitely more precious then any other gift.

The taking backe, doth much amplifie the depriuation: but how much more doth it amplifie that nothing is left behind? Though the haruest be caried away, yet if there be some gleaning behind; though a Tree be cut downe, yet if there bee a roote left in the ground; though the Sunne goe downe, yet if it be twilight, these small remainders of greater goods, are no small refreshings to a loser: It doth a man some good to keepe some monuments of his better estate, especially when they are pledges of some sparkle of good will towards vs, continuing in him, vpon whose iust displeasure we forfeited all. As God in fauour giueth the holy spirit; so in displeasure doth hee take him away, and we cannot guesse better at the measure of his displeasure, then by the measure of the depriuation. If he take it but in part, then mercy tempers iudgement: but if he leaue no sparkles of grace that may be kindled again, then we become Loruhama, Hose 1. we are cleane shut out of the bowels of his compassion. And this is that which King Dauids trembling conscience doth deprecate in these words, Ne auferas, Take not away.

I haue opened vnto you the nature of spirituall Reiection and Depriua­tion; and I doubt not but by that which you haue heard, you conceiue that they are grieuous iudgements, but the bottomes of them are not sounded, except we also take notice of the Consequents: two wofull con­sequents. The first, if man be reiected of God as before you heard, hee must looke for a cleane opposite condition, hee loseth the place of Gods presence, and whether shall he goe, but euen to the pit of hell? Hee lo­seth the state of that blessed place, and hee shall fall into the state of the cursed. God doth disgrace him, dares any creature yeeld a good looke vnto him? God layeth him open to danger, and whose indignation then will not burne against him? Whose hand will spare him vpon whom God layeth his heauie hand? Guesse what will become of them that are reiected by the King of heauen, by that which you see befall them, who are reiected by Kings on earth.

[Page 166] The first consequent of reiestion is bad, neither is the first consequent vpon depriuation better: he that loseth the holy Spirit, shall be possessed by an vncleane Spirit, 1. Sam. 16. it was Sauls case, the Text is plaine, The Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an euill Spirit troubled him; where God is not, Satan will be. Some would bee Neutrals in the World, but indeed none are: Man is either a Temple of God or a Synagogue of Satan: yea, and looke how much God taketh from vs of his Spirit, so much wee shall be sure to haue of the vncleane Spirit; as Darknesse taketh vp all the roome that is not filled with Light: if we haue no portion of Gods Spi­rit, those vncleane Spirits will possesse vs wholy. A miserable exchange, and yet is this the in [...]uitable consequent of depriuation.

You would thinke I had brought the iudgement to the height, but I haue not: there is another consequent, a consequent worse then the for­mer, Omnis spes veniae tollitur, so sayth Gregorie the Great, the case is not only very bad, but it is past all recouery: and why? Is a man reiected? No other man may intercede for him; See this in the case of a King; How long, saith God vnto Samuel, wilt thou mourne for Saul, seeing I haue reiected him from raigning ouer Israel? See it in the case of a Kingdome, I will cast you out of my sight, saith God, as I haue cast out all your brethren, euen the whole seed of Ephraim, he speaketh of the Kingdome of Iudah, and therefore pray not thou Ieremie, 1. Sam. 16. Ieremy 7. for this people, neither lift vp crie, nor Prayer for them, neither make intercession to me, for I will not heare thee. A pittifull case a man may haue no Mediator if he be reiected. How much more miserable is his case if he be depriued? for then he cannot pray for himselfe, it is Saint Pauls doctrine, We know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit maketh intercession for vs with groanes which cannot be vttered; and he that searcheth the heart knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the Saints according to the will of God. You see there is no Prayer can be made hopefully, but must be en­dited by the Spirit, and the Spirit prayeth in none but in those that are Saints, therefore they that are depriued of the Spirit, are depriued of the grace of Prayer, as Zacharie also witnesseth which ioyneth them both together, Zach. c. 12. When a man is brought to this case, that hee hath no friend to stand vp for him, and he cannot be a friend vnto him­selfe, how desperate is his case? What remayneth then but that hee be­take himselfe vnto a wretched course? Surely Cain did so, when hee was reiected, hee became the Father of such Giants whom nothing could mend but the generall Deluge; and what a life led Saul after hee was de­priued? So ill a life that his owne death could not make amends for it, but many of his children were faine to be hanged vp long after to pacifie the wrath of God. Yea the Parable of the vncleane Spirit witnesseth that they that haue beene in the state of grace, and by reiection and de­priuation are fallen from it, are much worse vpon the relapse then euer they were before they first began to be good. No wonder then that Da­uid conceiued this deprecation against so fearefull iudgements. Yea most gracious was God vnto him that gaue him time for to deprecate, that put a distance inter meritum & iudicium, betweene his ill deseruing, and [Page 167]Gods iust reuenge: he deserued to be cast out, but continued still in Gods presence, he deserued to be depriued, but he retayned still Gods holy Spi­rit. See what good vse hee maketh of Gods patience, while hee is in the presence, hee preuenteth the casting out; and preuenteth the taking a­way of the Spirit, while yet the Spirit abode within him, and his preuen­ting, is nothing but deprecating. And while we haue the like time we must vse no other meanes; how long doth God forbeare vs, when wee grie­uously prouoke him? Were we better aduised we would be more proui­dent, and not ouer-slip the time allowed vs for deprecation, lest to our endlesse griefe we find, that when we are vnder these iudgements, our state is past recouerie.

I should here end, but I must speake a little of this solemne time, All Saints day. and of the blessed Sacrament, which wee shall now receiue: and my Text is well fitting to them both; to the time, for turne the deprecation into a supplication, and what will it sound then, but King Dauids desire to con­tinue a Saint? What is a Saint? Is it not a person that is vouchsafed to attend the presence of God? And is furnished with the holy Spirit of God? And he that prayeth, Take not from mee thy holy Spirit, cast mee not out of thy presence, what doth hee desire but this? Lord, continue mee, what thou hast once made me, let me euer bee a Saint. And now you see how true that is which at the entrance I obserued, my Text is a Prayer for perseuerance in grace, it was King Dauids Prayer, it must bee the Prayer of All Saints: I hope wee are all such, and that wee may neuer be other, let vs timely pray against those fearefull iudgements of spiri­tuall reiection and depriuation: pray so, we must; and that wee pray not in vaine, loe, yonder is a gracious answere to our Prayer, wee shall find it at the Table of the Lord (that I may touch at the Sacrament, as I haue done at the time.) Would any man be sure that hee is of Gods Fa­mily? What better euidence can he haue then that he is fed at Gods Ta­ble? Certainly hee is not cast out that is allowed his Ordinarie there. Doth any man desire to continue in him the possession of Gods Spirit? Loe, yonder is the fuell that feeds that heauenly fire; the bread the drinke are both Spirituall, they are pledges, they are Conduits of the Spirit of God; the Spirit will neuer faile them that worthily doe partake of these. And why? it is Christs Spirit, and where Christ is his Spirit must needes goe also. But yonder is the fariest picture that euer was made of Christ; goe to it, receiue it, that thou maist become one with it, and it with thee: so shalt thou be euer sure euer to be of the familie of God, thou shalt stand before his presence, thou shalt euer weare his liuery, and keepe possession of his spirit. Feare not thou hast Christ promise, Iohn 6. Him that com­meth to me I will not c [...] forth, and God hath said, Heb. 13. I will neuer leaue thee nor for sake thee. Onely le [...] [...] not be senselesse of our danger, nor carelesse of these good meanes

KIng. Dauids desire to bee continued in the state of grace, is conceiued in two Prayers, one against that which him­selfe deserued, another for that without which hee could not perseuere. I haue alreadie opened the former Prayer, I come now to the later. This later Prayer then that you may the better vnderstand I will obserue therein, what King Dauid beg­geth, and of whom. That which he beggeth is a restitution and a confir­mation, restore, stablish. Wee must moreouer obserue in the restitution, whereof it is; and in the confirmation, wherewith it is wrought. The resti­tution is of a comfortable sense of Gods grace. Gods grace is noted by sal­uation, whereof the comfortable sense is ioy. The Confirmation is wrought by a generous disposition: the disposition is meant in the word Spirit, which that it may be generous must be free. Such a comfortable sense, and such a generous disposition are the two supporters of perseuerance; by them are the children of God continued in the state of grace.

But whence doe they get them? Surely only from God, it is he that withdraweth in displeasure, and therefore it is hee that in mercie must restore the comfortable sense: as our being so our well being subsists only in him, and therefore only by him, can we be confirmed therein, therefore King Dauid desirous to speed of these meanes of perseuerance, seeketh them where they may be had, hee beggeth them at the hands of God. These are the contents of this text, which I will inlarge and apply in their order.

But in the passage I may not forget to obserue vnto you, that for ob­tayning perseuerance, the deprecation will not suffice without a supplica­tion; it is not enough to be freed from the impediments, except wee bee vouchsafed the meanes of perseuerance: put the case our Master should neuer in this World turne vs out of his Family, which is the Church, nor strip vs of his Liuerie which is his holy Spirit; yet if wee bee not prouided of meanes heartning and exercising vs in this seruice, better neuer to continue then to continue so in that blessed societie. The vn­profitable seruant that hid his Talent in a Napkin abode in the house with his fellowes that were more thrifty, [...] 25. and emplyed their talents to their Masters aduantage; but at the reckoning day that idle one was [Page 169]cast into vtter darknesse, there to weepe and gnash with his teeth, when his fellowes vpon their better account did enter into their Masters ioy. God hath done vs all this fauour as to continue our entertainment in the Church, we must not neglect our employment in his seruice; if wee doe, well may Gods fauour increase our paine, wee must neuer looke that it will yeeld vs comfort. For perseuerance is not a bare continuance in Gods Church, and participation of his gifts, it requireth that wee make vse of it, and aduance his glorie. This by the way: let vs come now to the particulars whereof the first is saluation.

The Fathers by this word vnderstand our Sauiour Christ, and indeed old Simeon calleth him so in his Song, taking Christ in his armes he spea­keth thus to God, Lord, now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace, for mine eyes haue seene thy saluation, and saluation is included in the Name of Iesus, therefore in the Kings Bibles, the Latine hath the Name of Iesu insteed of saluation. Acts. 18. [...]. Saint Peter in the Acts telleth vs that there is no o­ther name vnder Heauen by which we may be saued, but only the Name of Ie­sus; he is that salutare Dei, so often remembred in the Prophets, and the sauing grace of God mentioned in Saint Paul. Titus 2.11.

But we must not vnderstand only the person by this name saluation, but also the fruit: that springeth from him, spirituall and corporall. The spi­rituall, I haue handled vpon former Verses; it is the discharge from the guil [...], from the corruption of sinne, sinne which King Dauid contracted himselfe; sinne which hee inherited from his Parents. Iesus saued King Dauid from them both, this was his spirituall saluation. Ecclus cap. 47. But he had a cor­porall also: God was with him in all his warres, and bare downe his ene­mies before him; Hee played with Lions as Kids, and with Beares as with Lambes; Hee slue the Giant Goliah, subdued the Philistines, and all the bordering Nations, whereupon the people sung those words, Psal. 21. The King shall reioyce in thee, O Lord, how exceeding glad shall he be of thy saluation! In the case of King Dauid wee must ioyne all three significations, First, The person of Iesus, Secondly, The spirituall redemption, Third­ly, the corporall deliuerance.

This obserued touching the saluation, we must now consider what is meant by Ioy. Ioy I told you, is a comfortable sense, betweene reasonable and vnreasonable creatures, this is a speciall difference, that though both partake of blessings from God, yet a true sense of them none haue but those that are reasonable: pleasure animals may haue, but ioy, they cannot haue, for ioy is an affection of a reasonable soule. And reason hath taught naturall men not to receiue good, but to be affected answe­rably to the good which we receiue. In things that belong to our natu­rall life euery man giueth proofe hereof; if a man bee hunger-starued, what comfort will he expresse if one shall bring him sustenance? He that shall be eased when he is tortured with paine, how merrie will hee bee? And how will his heart dance for ioy, that should be receiued againe in­to the Kings fauour after some great disgrace? Whatsoeuer our world­ly distresse is, we cannot choose but manifest our content, when wee ob­taine a release. Whereby we may easily gather that ioy and good should [Page 170]goe together, they doe so in God, they should doe so in all that partake the Image of God, as hee so they should ioy in that which is good.

A second thing that we must marke is, that according to the good must the ioy be, as great, as manifold. As great, heauenly things call for grea­ter ioy then earthly, and those things that concerne our eternall life, must yeeld vs more comfort then those things that belong vnto our temporall. This discouers a great defect in the Worlds ioy: if our hun­gry bodies be sed wee ioy, God daily feedeth our soules with his Word, and we ioy not: if our bodies of sicke be made whole, we ioy; but who ioyeth in that medicine that restoreth his soule from death to life? Who ioyeth in the recouerie of Gods fauour? That would bee almost beside himselfe for ioy, if hee might bee vouchsafed but a little fauour? from a mortall King. So farre are worldly men from equalling their ioy vnto the worth of good, that the greater good can haue no share while the lesser taketh vp all their ioy: yea, that whereunto the Scripture hath in a manner appropriated ioy, findeth little entertain­ment in our affections, and that is the Gospell and Christ the substance thereof, whose attendant the Angels, the Prophets, the Apostles, in the Old, in the new Testament, make to be the affection of ioy. In their Ser­mons you shall find ioy and saluation coupled together; they make the newes of saluation not only gaudium magnum a great ioy, but also gau­dium solum the only ioy; Luke 2. and that with an absit: God forbid, that I reioyce but in the Crosse of Christ. Gal. 6. How much to blame then are wee, that are so farre from making it solum, our only ioy, that wee are not come so farre as to make it magnum, matter of any extraordinary ioy? Yea, in the most it findeth nullum, no affection of ioy at all. What shall I say then? Those things which God hath conioyned let no man put asunder, least at the Iudgement day, ioy and we be put asunder, when we shall wish, but wish in vaine, that God would ioyne vs together.

As ioy must bee as great as the good we haue, so must it bee also as mani­fold. A manifold good must not bee entertained with a single ioy. I haue shewed that saluation is threefold, and so a threefold good. Dauid was a Prophet, and had Reuelations of the Incarnation of Christ, that hee should be borne of his Seed, that he should be the Sauiour of the World, and he ioyed in this saluation, in this blessed contemplation of the King­dome of Christ; hee could not with Abraham see that day, but hee must needs reioyce. As the fore-sight of Christs Incarnation wrought in him ioy, so could he not reape the fruit thereof to his owne redemp­tion, but he must ioy also: the participation of it cannot but bring plea­sure, which wee cannot but with great pleasure behold; therefore no doubt but King Dauids soule did sing his Daughters Magnificat, and his Spirit reioyced in God his Sauiour. Neither did his temporall deliuerance passe vnsaluted by this affection; witnesse the eighteenth Psalme, which is nothing else but an amplification of the ioy which hee tooke therein. According to this good example should we learne to multiply our ioy, as God multiplyeth his saluation. Certainly the Church meant wee should doe so, when it multiplyed the Feasts, which in the old phrase of the [Page 171]Church are called gaudium, gaudie dayes, not so much from the corpo­rall refection, as from the spirituall exultation: it meant we should ioyne ioy and saluation together, spirituall ioy with spirituall saluation. But the corporall hath almost worne out the spirituall ioy, so much more doth the comfort of our bodies carrie vs away then the comfort of our soules.

But all this while we are not come vnto King Dauids Prayer, the first branch of his Prayer that concerneth this ioy of saluation. His Prayer is, as I said, for Restitution, restore: hee that prayeth so, giueth vs to vn­derstand two things, that he feeleth a want, and that hee remembreth what is the supply thereof; both good signes of grace. We hold it a signe of grace in regard of things temporall: those poore and sicke that are in ne [...]d and paine, we hold worthy of compassion, when we heare there lamentable complaints; but Vagrants that euen in the Prison being loa­den with irons, naked, and halfe starued, can be frollicke, and glorie in their misery, we hold as vnworthy of our pitie, as they haue little feeling of their owne bad case. Apply this now vnto our soules, and see the dif­ference betweene men and men, and iudge thereby what regard they de­serue to find at the hands of God. How many bee there that want this ioy of saluation, in whom notwithstanding there appeareth little sense that they haue of such want? Surely they doe liue as if eternall saluation did nothing concerne them; such are all prophane persons that say, Let vs eat, let vs drinke, to morrow we shall die, Quibus anima data eft pro sale ne putrescerent, which make no more account of their soule then of a preseruatiue that keepeth their bodies from turning into dung, whose la­bour is only to make themselues euerlasting fuell for hell. God regardeth them accordingly and they receiue as little of this ioy of saluation, as they would seeme to want it. But if wee meane to receiue wee must first feele that we doe want, and our want must be declared as King Dauids was in this supplication, restore. For God then begins to take pittie when men are brought to the knowledge of their wants: yea, he giueth men a sense of their want, before he vouchsafeth a supply thereof.

But redde doth not only imply a sense of want, but a remembrance al­so of that which sometimes we had. It is a good thing for a man to bee feeling of his want, but there is no small accesse made vnto that gracious sense, if we apprehend withall that our want proceeds from our owne vnthristinesse; that what wee want wee had, and that it is through our owne fault that we are brought vnto this want. And indeed if euer wee be in want, we want through our owne default; for God made vs per­fect, and we became not naked but by eating the forbidden fruit; and since that time men haue beene more or lesse vnthriftie, and haue mispent the portion which God hath giuen them. Therefore wee must not come to God with the simple Verbe da, that imports only that we are in want, we must vse the compound redde, we must confesse our selues Prodigals, that is the right voice of a Christian Penitent.

But whereto shall we apply this restore? To the saluation? Or to the ioy? Distinguish Quod fieri debet, & quod fit, our deseruing, and Gods dealing, and the answere is plaine: no doubt wee forfeit our saluation, [Page 172]God might strip vs of it if hee did reward vs according to our sinnes: Gods Couenant is like a lease that hath a clause of re-entrie, but leaueth a power in the Land-lord to vse extremitie, or deale mercifully with his Tenant: God is vnto his children as a kind Land-lord vnto bad Te­nants: he doth not take forfeits as often as we make them, hee doth not re-enter vpon our Tenement, nor strip vs of our saluation, we are often damnable, yet we are not damned. Notwithstanding, hee doth not suffer vs to scape scot-free; when he doth not take the forfeiture, hee taketh à nomine poenae; he doth inflict some penaltie, yea, and that a sharpe one too, for he taketh euen from his dearest children the ioy of their salua­tion; hee casteth them into sad moodes, hee afflicteth them with heauie hearts; when they looke vpwards they see cloudes cast ouer Gods countenance, and cannot but sorrow for it; when they looke downe they see Hels mouth gaping for them, they cannot but tremble at it: such agonies ouertake them and make them smart for their sinnes wherewith they offend God, agonies I say of sorrow and feare. Take a similitude from the Sunne, which may make a day, or a Sunshine day, while it is aboue our Horizon; it is often day when the Sunne doth not shine, but thicke clouds breathed from the earth make a sad skie, as if it were night, yet cannot we say the Sunne is gone downe: euen so many times are we in the state of saluation, the Sunne is with vs, wee are children of the day; yet haue wee no ioy of our saluation, our Sunne doth not shine, wee haue no cleere day. But from King Dauid you may learne that to bee sure of saluation will not content a religious heart, except hee may haue the ioy thereof also. I conclude this point; let vs take heed that pleasure strip vs not of pleasure, worldly of heauenly; let vs not grieue God lest he grieue vs, grieue him with sinne, lest he grieue vs with sorrow: for we see in King Dauids example, that God inflicts such penalties; and if at any time we suffer so for our desert, let vs not continue stupidly in this distressing want, but importune him with King Dauids Restore, Restore mee to the ioy of thy saluation. And so much of the first part of the sup­plication.

I come now to the second, from the Restitution to the Confirmation, Sta­blish me with a free spirit. Where first we must see what spirit is here meant. There is a spirit in man, and there is a spirit of God; some vnderstand the one, some vnderstand the other, I wil ioyne both together. For indeed the attribute belongs to both, Gods spirit is free, and so is mans, but Gods by nature, mans by grace: couple Gods Spirit vnto mans, and then you shal find the saying of the Apostle true, Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is li­bertie: 2. Cor. 3. Rom. 8. Iohn 8. for it is the Spirit of adoption, and if thereby the Sonne of God make vs free, then are we free indeed. Therefore I told you that here by the Spirit I vnderstand our disposition. But this disposition of ours must bee considered, as it is by nature so it is seruile; as it becomes by grace, so it is free. I called it a generous disposition, and indeed so the word signifieth.

But to open it a little more fully, Iohn 8. ver. 34 we learne of Christ that sinne maketh a slaue; it appeareth plainly in that which we call free will and the atten­dants thereon. Freewill is resolued into the iudgement wee passe vpon [Page 173]things, and the choice wee make according to the iudgement: now no man hath a more slauish iudgement then a wicked man, for sin blindeth his eyes, what he doth not desire he doth not beleeue, and you shall sel­dome see a man possest with any enormous sinne, in whom affected ig­norance is not euident: yea sinne maketh him put that out of all questi­on, which if he would vse his owne iudgement, hee would find had no credibilitie. Had it not beene for this seruilitie of iudgement, Pharaoh could neuer so long haue held out against Moses, Israel haue murmured so often against God, Scribes and Pharisees haue so fearefully blasphe­med our Sauiour Christ, the Church of Rome so shamefully withstand the truth, and Atheists so prophanely scoffe at the reproofe of their sinnes: not one of these many leud ones which hath not a seruile iudge­ment. Neither hath seruilitie taken possession only of our iudgement, but of our will also; wee can make no better choice then our iudgement will giue vs leaue, if that be seruile this cannot be free. Not free? Nay, it were well, if it were no more seruile then our iudgement, but indeed it is much more: for how often doe we see what we should doe, and yet to please sinne chuse to doe the contrarie? Whether we be regenerate, or whether we be vnregenerate (for the text is vnderstood of both by seuerall Di­uines) we may say with the Apostle, Rom. 7. I see a Law in my members rebelling against the Law of my mind, and carrying me captiue vnto sinne, we haue vncircumcised hearts, and doe resist the Spirit of God. Take an example or two: the Pharisees could not denie the Resurrection of Christ, the Souldiers brought them direct word of it, but see what a peruerse choice they made, Matth. 28. rather then they would giue glorie vnto God by acknow­ledging the truth, they bribe the Souldiers to out-face it with a grosse lie. This seruilitie of there will, is more plainly set downe in the Acts 4. Chap. where after Peter had healed a Creeple in the Name of Iesus, they therefore apprehended him and Iohn, and fall to this consultation, What shall we doe to these men? For that indeed a notable miracle hath beene done by them is manifest to all them that dwell at Ierusalem, and wee cannot denie it: a man would expect that their will should yeeld vnto such cleere eui­dence yet doth it not, for marke how they resolue, That it spread no fur­ther amongst the people, let vs straightly threaten them, that they speake henceforth to no man in this name. O seruile will!

Neither are these principall faculties only but their attendants also ser­uile, First, the concupiscible, or that faculty whereby we ensue what wee suppose good, the seruilitie thereof is most palpable. God made all these visible creatures to serue vs, and vs to serue only himselfe; but what creature is there which man doth not aduance aboue himselfe? Yea dei­fie that he may be a drudge vnto it? Our meates and drinkes so rauish vs, that Esau sold his birth-right for a messe of pottage: our money and wealth how base doth it make vs? Chap. 1 [...]. There is nothing worse then a couetous man, saith the Sonne of Syrach, for such a man will sell his Soule for a mor­sell of bread. The Apostle calleth the couetous man a plaine Idolater, which is nothing else but a slaue to an Idoll. And to whom is not an am­bitious man a slaue? Whose eyes are obseruant of euery mans lookes, [Page 174]whose eares attend euery mans tongue, whose tongue pleaseth euery mans humour, whose feet goe whether, whose hands doe what euery man will, that can inch him forward to the place whereunto hee aspires. Finally, looke whatsoeuer humour possesseth vs, there is no slauerie which for the satisfying thereof wee doe not willingly affect: yea marke that the baser things are, the stronger are mens affections that bow to them; as we see in Epicures, Wantons, Couetous and other wicked ones; it is hard to see a man so humbly, so earnestly to serue God, as they doe serue their earthly lusts.

Neither is the irascible, or the facultie wherewith we encounter diffi­culties while we pursue good, lesse seruile then the concupiscible is in pur­suing of vanitie and toyes: it maketh Pigmies seeme Gyants vnto vs, euery danger is as vgly as death, euery frowne will ouer awe vs, and the least terrour cast vs into a Feuer. If we be put to it whether we will lose Heauen or Earth, God or the World, we will quickly betray with what resolution we are carried vnto the best things, and how hardly we brook walking in the narrow way, though it lead vnto the Kingdome of Hea­uen, how hardly we endure momentany afflictions, though they worke vnto vs an exceeding and eternall weight of glory. 2. Cor 5. Read the Storie of the Israelites passage from Egypt to Canaan, in them you may read what man-hood we haue: Seruilitie hath so cowardized all our Fortitude, that we set lightly euen by God himselfe, if we may not possesse him easily and speedily.

I need say no more: by this time you see what a base and seruile spi­rit we haue, certainly by nature it is most base and seruile. I haue am­plified this that you might see there is great reason why King Dauid should make this Prayer, and perceiue better what that is which hee de­sireth, and what he meaneth by a free spirit.

Hee meaneth not a Libertines freedome, hee would not bee a sonne of Belial, haue a cloake for licentiousnesse, but hee would bee enthrawled to none but God. And indeed his seruice is perfect freedome: he would haue his iudgement free, he would walke by no light but by the light of Hea­uen: his vnderstanding he would haue captiuated only to the wisdome of God, and then he is sure he shall neuer mistake his true obiect, truth, because Gods Word is truth, and he can neuer erre whom God doth guide, and verily hee is the wisest man that maketh Gods Commandement the rule of his iudgement, his iudgement is free indeed. And what is a free­will? Sure that which chuseth the only good, that whose souereigne good is only God; he chuseth all that chuseth him, so that hauing him the will misseth nothing of her proper obiect: let it pitch vpon other goods, and it will bee if not deluded yet certainly skanted, because no­thing can satisfie which is lesse then that for which the will was made.

As grace doth thus free the reasonable facultie, so doth it the sensitiue also, it freeth our desires: though there be no Law to compell, yet doth a man readily run the way of Gods Commandements, he thinketh hee cannot speed fast enough, nor haue enough of that good, which a holy will guided by a wise iudgement recommends vnto him: vnto him Mo­dus [Page 175]diligendi Deum est diligere sine modo, hee drinkes himselfe drunke at the riuer of diuine pleasures, and is so vnsatiable in that, that he passeth in the World, for a foole and a mad-man. This is the freedome of de­sire, it made King Dauid daunce in an Ephod before the Arke; it made Abraham follow God, whithersoeuer hee did call him; and many holy men to affect solitarinesse, that they might haue the more of the societie of God, and his Angels! Such a desire is no hireling, it loueth good for good, and will serue God onely out of the content it taketh in his ser­uice; and such seruice God requireth, and such a desire is a free desire.

The last facultie that is free is the irascible, the courage of a man must be made free; Saint Paul hath exprest that excellently, Rom. 8. Who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ? Shall tribulation, or anguish, or persecu­tion, or famine, or nakednesse, or perill, or sword? No, I am perswaded that neither death, nor life, neither Angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor heigth, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus. Behold a free courage, such a Martyrs courage as will readily obey and runne to Christ, though he must be loaden with the Crosse: that will be conten­ted to hate Father, and Mother, Wife, Children, if they hinder him from being Christs Disciple.

Put these together, and you may reasonably conceiue, what King Dauid meaneth by a free spirit. And such freedome is to be desired by vs all, we must all desire to be so free in our iudgement, will, desires, courage, and so we shal become generous persons, such as stoupe to no base things, and shall sticke at the bestowing of nothing we haue, though it bee our owne selues, whereby we may compasse the true, the soueraigne good.

There is one thing moreouer meant by this phrase which is peculiar vnto Dauid; and doth somwhat concerne all those that are in authority, 1. Sam. ca. 16 and that is an heroicall spirit: Numb. 11. God gaue him one when hee anointed him first to be King, so did he vnto Moses, Exod. ca. 19. and the Elders which were chosen to assist him. Though euery child of God must by a noble spirit testifie his parentage, and that Kingly degree whereunto he is called of God, yet they that are set ouer others, must haue a principall spirit in a higher mea­sure, answerable to their charge must their gifts be; seruilitie beseemes none lesse then those, who are appointed guides to lead others out of thraldome.

The next point is King Dauids prayer, vphold or stablish. His late wofull experience had taught him that he was labilis and fragilis, that he was apt to take a fall, and with the fall a bruise; therefore hee had good reason to pray God to hold him vp, to strengthen him; yea the best are mutable creatures, as they were made of nothing, so of themselues they would turne to nothing againe. Therefore hee that standeth must pray that he may not fall, that his house rest not vpon the Sands to be blowen downe by the winds, or borne downe by the Waues, but vpon a Rocke which will hold out against them both.

Secondly, this word importeth that he that hath recouered a fall, Clem. Alex. Stromat. lib. [...] de­sires that he may no more relapse, Vilificat libertatem qui iterùm vult a­mittere, [Page 176]it is a shrewd argument that he setteth light by a free spirit, that doth not desire as well for to keepe it, as for to haue it, and the desire for to keepe it, doth argue at how deare a rate we set it.

Thirdly, Saint Bernards rule is true, Quae modo sunt, modo non sunt, is qui verè est non acceptat; nec in caducis istis potest vera aeternitas sibi com­placere. Vertue be it neuer so eminent pleaseth not God except it bee la­sting, he will haue euery one striue to resemble him as well in constancie as in sanctitie.

Finally, this comfortable sense, and generous spirit, are the two sup­porters of perseuerance, for what should moue him to fall from God, that is heartned with the comfortable sense of Gods fauour, and established by a generous spirit to doe him seruice? Therefore Gregorie the Great gi­ueth vs a good note, In [...]. Psal. that if wee meane to perseuere, wee must take heed that we doe not seuer these: Solet quibusdam contingere, &c. it falleth out too often saith he, that men luld a sleepe with the ioy of saluation, for­get how feeble their knees are, and begge not to be held vp with a free spirit, and so slip before they are aware: wherefore he addeth, Ita me cor­rectum sac gaudere de veniâ, vt tamen nunquam desinam esse suspectus de culpâ, Let me neuer so ioy in the pardon of my sinnes, as that out of the consciousnesse of my owne frailtie I should not desire to be strength­ned against sinne.

The last thing I noted vpon this Text is, Who is the giuer of these gifts, and it appeareth to bee God, for to him King Dauid prayeth, and what better proofe then that euery man seeketh it of him, and thanketh him, Serm 6. Dei o­n [...]e [...]. Cap. 6. 1. Cor. 1.31. if that he haue it? What meane we (saith Saint Cyprian) by all the Lords Prayer, Nisi vt in eo quod esse cepimus, perseueremus? Whereunto agreeth Saint Augustine, and the Apostle telleth vs, that he that glorieth must glorie in the Lord: Vntill we come to God we can find no ground of stabilitie: how glorious were the Angels in Heauen? How holy was A­dam in Paradise? Both left vnto themselues are monuments of the frail­tie of a creature. If they, how much more we that come so short of their gifts? Wherefore God hauing shewed vs how little stedfastnesse there is in the foundation of nature, Psal. 94. buildeth vs vpon a surer foundation, he buil­deth vs vpon himselfe, Hee is become our refuge, and the strength of our considence.

And as he only can establish vs with a free spirit, so only he can restore vnto vs the ioy of his saluation. The earth may breath forth vapours, and intercept the sun-shine, but not the Earth, but the Sunne it selfe must dispell those vapours, that with his brightnesse hee may cheere the earth againe: our sinnes may cloud the light of Gods countenance, only Gods mercie can make it breake through that cloude, and shed a comfortable influence into our soule, I say, only God, that for sinne withdrew it from vs.

It is not meant that hereupon we should grow idle, but wee must not ouer-value our endeuours, Heb. 3.12. wee must take heed that our Lampes goe not out, That there be not in any of vs an euill heart of infidelitie to depart from the liuing God, Psal. 127. we must gird vp our loines, and we must watch. But yet [Page 177]wee must still remember, that Except the Lord build the house they labour but in vaine that build it, except the Lord keepe the Citie, the watchman waketh but in vaine, Tutiores, saith Saint Austin, Esay 46.Viuimus si totum Deo damus, & non nos illi ex parte, & nobis ex parte committimus; wee are most secure while we value our owne endeauours at nought, and giue all the glorie of our stabilitie to God. Heare yee me, O house of Iacob, and all that remayne of the house of Israel, which are borne of mee from the wombe, and brought vp of me from the birth, therefore vnto the old age I am the same, euen I will beare you vnto the hoarie haires, I haue made you, I will also beare you, and I will carrie you, and I will deliuer you. If God put his feare into our hearts, we shall not depart from him, if hee keepe vs none shall be able to take vs out of his hand. Reade Colos. 1. Philip. 1.

I conclude, though we can say with Saint Paul, 2. Tim. 4.I haue fought a good sight, I haue finished my course, I haue kept the faith, hence-foorth there is laid vp for me a Crowne of righteousnesse, which God the righteous Iudge shall giue me at that day: yet let vs with the foure and twentie Elders, Cast downe our selues and our crownes before him that sitteth vpon the Throne and the Lambe, saying, Reue. 4.4. Prayse and honour and glorie and power be vnto him that sitteth vpon the Throne, and to the Lambe for euermore. AMEN.

WHen I brake vp the first part of this Psalme, I told you that it was a Vow, and therefore obserued therein the parts of a Vow, a Desire, and a Promise, for when a man voweth, there is something that he would receiue, and something that hee must render, render out of thankfulnesse, for that which out of the goodnesse of God he receiues. I haue ended the first of these two parts, King Dauids desire hath beene vnfolded vnto you, the briefe whereof is, he desired to be restored vnto, and preserued in the state of grace. Let vs now goe on and heare King Dauids Promise, heare what he will render thankfully, if God vouchsafe mercifully to grant his desire, King Dauid doth promise that hee will religiously serue God, this is the summe of his promise.

But in the pursuite of this point we shall be led to see, first of what kind his seruice is, and then what reason hee giueth for his choice. Gods seruice is either Morall, or Ceremoniall.

The seruice which King Dauid doth promise is morall; this is plaine in my Text, and the two following verses. Will you know the reason of this his choice? You haue it in the 16. and 17. verses; the reason is Gods good pleasure; his choice is guided by that; God delighteth more in Mo­rall [Page 178]then in Ceremoniall seruice, absolutely he doth so, and especially in pacification for such enormous, such hainous sinnes.

But let vs looke into the Morall seruice which he promiseth, there me thinkes the first thing I see is, that Kiing Dauid hath sped of that which he desired last; He desired a free, a liberall Spirit, and surely but from a free, a liberall spirit, so large a promise could not proceed. His promise taketh vp both Tables of the Decalogue, his dutie to God, his dutie to his Neighbour. His dutie to his Neighbour, he will edifie others, his dutie to God, he will glorifie him.

At this time I will insist only vpon his promise to edifie his Neigh­bour, for that is the proper argument of my text; wherein I shall shew you first seuerally what Meanes he vseth, and what Successe he hoped for. The Meanes are the teaching of Gods wayes; Gods wayes, the best of les­sons, but such a lesson as cannot be knowne without teaching. His Suc­cesse is the conuersion of those that are taught.

But more distinctly in the teaching wee must consider Quis, & Quos, who is the Master and what Schollers hee taketh in hand. The Master is King Dauid, King Dauid newly conuerted by grace, Ego docebo, I will teach. But whom Transgressors, Sinners, those that are such as I was; and indeed such Schollers need such a Master, those that goe astray such a one as is newly returned home. This we must obserue in the Teaching.

And in the Conuerting we must moreouer obserue Vnde, & Quo, from Whence and vnto whom these Schollers shall returne. Whence, that is im­plyed in their name Transgressors, Sinners, then must they returne from their transgressions, and from their sinnes, that is from their owne wayes. But whether? vnto God, from whom they went, vnto him they must returne, and to returne vnto God, is to returne vnto Gods wayes, and so to learne the lesson which their Master teacheth them.

Hauing thus seuerally considered the Meanes and the Successe, wee will consider them ioyntly, wee will see how fitly they are coupled together. There is no true conuersion without teaching, and teaching must worke that conuersion which must bring a Sinner vnto God.

You heare the particulars wherat (God willing) I shall now touch, I pray God I may so doe it that wee may all carrie away a true touch thereof.

But first you must take a lesson from the connection of the parts of King Dauids vow, of his Promise, with his Desire, and the lesson is, wee must not be vnthankfull, when God is mercifull vnto vs, not that God can be bettered by ought which we doe, for the Psalmist doth teach, Bonum meum nihil ad te, Esal. 16.My good reacheth not vnto thee, but we should testifie that we receiue not Gods grace in vaine, our fruit must shew what trees wee are; and because we are it by an others gift, Ingenuiest agnoscere & imita­ri benefactorem suum, There is no truer character of ingenuitie, then an humble acknowledging whose creatures we are, and a careful resembling of our Creatour. Especially seeing our gifts are bestowed vpon vs, not on­ly vt ornamenta, but instrumenta, not only to recommend vs, but also for the good of others. We see it in the frame of the whole World, in Hea­uen, [Page 179]and in earth, neither of them is more beautifull, then vsefull; yea, the more glorious, the more commodious are the parts of the Great world, which should make our little world blush, if wee vse our indowments as many doe their garments, for pride, and not for profit, that fooles may gaze on vs, and no body be the better for vs. This lesson we must take in the way.

Let vs now come to the particulars, whereof the first is the meanes that are vsed, the teaching of Gods wayes. Gods wayes I told you is the best of lessons, for wee are in this world, Viatores, way-faring men, and what should way-faring men spend their Studie vpon; but that which is answerable to their name, that is a Way. Yea, seeing we are not only way­faring men, but as the Apostle teacheth, peregrinamur a Domino, 2. Cor. 5.we are ab­sent from the Lord, what other wayes should we studie, but vias Domini, the Lords wayes, the wayes that are here mentioned in my Text. Surely that must needes be the safest way, for it is sine diuerticulo, sine praecipitio, it is a very straight way, it hath no turnings where a man may lose himselfe, and it tends all vpward, no feare of tumbling into the gulfe of perdition.

But the way of the Lord though in it selfe but one, is yet considered two wayes, first, as God doth trauell in it vnto vs, secondly, as we walke in it vnto God, for both causes it is called via Domni; and good reason, for God is such a Lord as doth praeire not onely praecepto, but also exem­plo, he leadeth vs not onely by good Lawes, but also by his owne good deedes, and doth before vs whatsoeuer he commands. If hee command vs to be holy, iust, true, mercifull, Psal. 145. the Lord himselfe is righteous in all his wayes, and holy in all his workes, and in another Psalme, All the wayes of the Lord are mercie and truth. But what need any more proofe, Psal. 25.10. when our goodnesse is but his Image, and our liuing well, but a shewing forth of the vertues of him that hath called vs. So that if a man were to choose a way, 1. Pet. 2. hee can desire no better then the way which the King doth goe in him­selfe; and can a Christian haue a better then is the way of God.

Way, or wayes, the Holinesse is but one, but it sheweth it selfe in ma­ny formes, in wisedome, in righteousnesse, in temperance, in patience, in whatsoeuer other vertue; the Charitie is still but one, but such a one as is able to giue fit entertainement to euery obiect, and because the enter­tainement is various, wee reade sometime Vias, the wayes of the Lord, and wee reade sometimes Via, because the Charitie is alwayes but one: and we should haue such grace as may answere all occasions, neither is it true regenerating grace that is vnprepared for any alteration, that can beare prosperitie, but not aduersitie, that can conuerse with God but not with men, that can not bee militant as well as triumphant. This proper­tie is a good toueh stone for euery man to trie his grace thereby.

But to leaue the Lesson and come to the Teaching. The way is such as no man can goe without a guide, and no maruell, for no man euer went it twice, no man euer passed from Earth to Heauen, and being there came downe to the earth to returne to heauen againe; haply if he did, he might haue remembred the way, and so goe it the second time without a guide, but God alloweth not a second iourney to heauen, therefore is euerie [Page 180]man a stranger in this way, whereupon it must needes follow, that eue­rie man doth need a guide, or else he cannot be sure that he goeth a right; especially seeing the way he must goe, is bee set on either side with so ma­ny broad, but mis-leading pathes. Teaching then is necessarie for those that meane to goe the way.

Hauing thus in a generalitie shewed you the meanes that is vsed, wee must now distinctly consider Quis, & Quos, who is the Master, Ego [...]o­cebo, King Dauid saith, he will take vpon him to be the master. But King Dauid must be considered as a newly conuerted Paenitentiarie as one re­stored vnto, and established in the state of grace, he had plucked out the beame out of his owne eye, before hee offered to plucke the moates out of his brothers eye, hee was illightned himselfe, before he offered to il­lighten others, and he would not purge others, before hee was purged himselfe. Grat. 1. Nazianzene hath a good rule, Cauendum est ne admirandae vir­tutis malipictores simus, we must take heede that we blurre not the vertue which we desire to limme. A man that goeth about to teach another the wayes of God, is by that father resembled vnto a Painter that draweth Gods Image vpon his brother, now he accounts him a good Painter, that is himselfe a good patterne of the virtue that he doth teach, but hee is but a bad Painter that blotteth out with his life, what hee Painteth with his tongue, who may bee cast off with that scornefull Medice cur a teipsum; who will beleeue him whose deedes discredit his words? Dauid was not such a Painter, he taught not others, before he had learned himselfe.

But how did he teach? Two wayes, exemplo, & verbo, his very case was a good Sermon, a Sermon of the wayes of God, of his way of Iu­stice, of his way of Mercie, Dauid was a monument of both. A monu­ment of Gods iustice, who though he were a man after Gods owne heart, yet did God not suffer his sinnes vncorrected. A monument of Gods mercie, for though his sinnes were very grieuous, yet vpon his vnfei­ned repentance they were graciously pardoned. So did he teach by his example, teach men not to presume, because in him they may see God is iust, teach them not to despaire, because in him they may perceiue that God is exceeding mercifull.

As he teacheth by example, so doth hee by his word also; witnesse this Psalme wherein he taught the Church in his time, teacheth vs now, and shall teach men vntill the worlds end, for what is the contents thereof but this, Come vnto me, hearken vnto me. I will shew you, I will teach you, what God hath done, and for my soule?

Adde hereunto that Dauid was a King, and his care that hee voweth may goe for a teaching, for Kings communicate in the name of Pastors, in the Scriptures they are more then once called by the name of Shep­heards, and Constantine the Emperour said well, that Kings were Episcopi ad extra, they haue a kind of Bishopricke, and must be carefull of the ghostly wel-fare of their charge. But we may not mistake, Dauid did not take vpon him the Priest-hood as Vzziah his successor did, and was pla­gued for doing it, he kept himselfe within his bounds, hee did but that which all that are trusted with Ciuill Authoritie are bound to doe, ex­cept [Page 181]what in this kind he did as a Penitent, or as a Prophet, and his ex­ample is a good admonition for of all his ranke, all in his case, yea, it may admonish all; It was Caines voice that said, Numquid ego sum custos fratris, Am I my Brothers keeper? Yea, God hath giuen (saith the Sonne of Syrack) a charge vnto euery man concerning his brother. The law will not suffer a man to neglect his brothers Oxe, or his Asse going astray, or sinking vn­ [...] his burden; hath God care of Oxen? or doth he not intimate there­ [...] how much more wee must care for the master of those beastes? It is the propertie of good men that the good which they receiue from God, they dispense to others, and are as carefull of other mens saluation as of their owne, according to the rule, Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe.

We haue found the Master; Let vs now seeke out the Schollers, wee find them here to bee Transgressors, Sinners, an vntoward subiect you would thinke for a Master to worke vpon, to tame such head-strong Colts, and bring such persons to a better course, and yet nihil aptius, ni­hil acceptius, no Schollers are more fit to be vndertaken by such a Master, and such a Master cannot better please the Master of Masters, that is God, then by vndertaking of such Schollers, vndertaking to teach trans­gressors and sinners, to teach them Gods wayes that haue gone farthest our of the way, for such must you vnderstand by these words. It is euerie mans worke to set them forward that are in the way, to teach the righte­ous; it is a harder taske to fetch them in, that are gone out, and such a Ma­ster must put himselfe to the hardest taske. A Souldier that hath plaid the coward, cannot recouer the reputation of a valiant man, by aduenturing no farther then ordinarie Souldiers, but by vndertaking some dangerous assault, or trying his valour vpon an enemie of note, and no teaching is worthy of a conuert, but the teaching of those that are much auerse; for how should hee shew that he doth throughly detest sinne, that hauing rooted it out of himselfe can indure it in another? No, his owne passion will fill him with compassion, the remembrance of the losse which him­selfe sustained, of the smart which himselfe hath felt, the experience (I say) of this double euill, will not suffer him to stand as an idle spectator, while the spirituall thiefe, the murderer, doth spoyle, doth slaughter o­thers; he will be aiding to such forlorne ones with his best, with his rea­diest succour. Adde hereunto that they that are conuerted were corrup­ters while they were in the state of sinne, they led many out of the way, and who doth it be seeme better to be stir themselues for the recouerie of sinners, then they by whom many haue beene made sinners? It is fit that by this care they doe redeeme that fault; surely Diues in hell shewed a desire of such a thing, when he praied Abraham to send teachers to his brethren, who might reclaime them before they came to hell, it implieth a sorrow (though a fruitlesse one) which he had for that hee had corrup­ted them; and he is worse then Diues, who being conscious to himselfe, that he hath beene an instrument of mis-leading others, doth not desire to conuert at least as many as he hath corrupted.

As there is nothing fitter for such a Master then the dealing with such Schollers, so there is nothing wherein hee can better please his Master, [Page 182]God, th [...]n by taking p [...]ines with such Schollers. God is compared vnto an Husbandman, all the world is his Farme, now you know a good Far­mer that hath many p [...]cels of ground ouer growne with Bryars and Thornes, taketh great comfort to see them grubbed vp, and the ground made good Pasture, or Arable: euen so God, who would haue all men [...]aued and come to the knowledge of his truth, is well pleased with their pa [...]ines that are instruments thereof, ye [...], therefore doth he conuert some, that by them hee may conuertothers; you may gat [...]er it out of Christs words to Saint Peter, [...] [...]2.I haue prayed for thee that thy faith should not faile, Tuantem conuersu [...], confirmafratres, When thou art conuerted, streng then thy brethren; [...]. This lessen is excellently shadowed in a vision of Ezekiels, where the waters running from the Sanctuarie into the dead Sea, healed it, and presently vpon the bankes grew vp [...] of life, of which we read in the Reu [...]lat on, [...].that their leaues were for the healing of the Nations. And indeed all the famous Conuerts that we read of [...]aue euer thought they could not dee God better seruice; I will instance but in two, Saint Paul, and Saint Austin; Saint Paul had beene a persecutor, a blasphemer, hee obtained mercie, and God put him into the Ministerie, that as his eyes were opened, so he might open the eyes of others; and what paines did he take? [...]. Becomming all, to all, that hee might winne some to Christ. Saint Austins confessions shew what his first life was, how sicke he was in Head and Heart, in faith and life, and his Workes doe shew how carefull he was, after God gaue him the light of his truth, and feare of his name, to reforme others, Epic [...]res and Heretickes, and worke into them a true knowledge and [...]eruent loue of God. I conclude this point; As many of vs as find grace at any time, must after the Patterne of King Dauid la­bour to present some Conuert sinner, as an Eucharisticall sacrifice vnto God. And let this suffice for the vnfolding of the meanes that this King doth vse.

I come now to the successe which is hoped for, which is a Conuersion. Conuersion is not a locall motion, but a morall change, the making of vs of old, new men, a metamorphi [...]ing, as Saint Paul calleth it, a chan­ging of vs into a new Image. But the nature of this Conuersion will bet­ter appeare, if I first vnfold vnto you the two termes, Vnde, & Quo, from Whence, and to Whome, sinners are conuerted. From whence you cannot better learne then by their names, they are called transgressors, such as leaue Gods wayes to follow their owne, the deuices of their owne braine, the desires of their owne heart. God made man (saith the Scrip­ture) after his owne Image, but the Image of God in man, was much like the Image of the Sunne in the Moone, so long as the Moone is in op­position to the Sunne, we see what a goodly light body it hath, no soo­ner doth it diuert to either side, but it soone loseth its light: euen so a man keeping himselfe towards God, receiueth an impression of his sa­cred Image, which vanisheth when he turneth himselfe from God. Yea, you see daily that when you walke in the Sunne, if your face be toward it, you haue nothing before you but bright shining light, and comforta­ble heat, turne your backe to the Sunne, and what haue you before you [Page 183]but a shadow? And what is a shadow but the priuation of the light and heate of the Sunne? Yea it is but to behold your owne shadow, that you defraud your selfe of the other, for there is no true wisdome, no true hap­pinesse, but onely in beholding the countenance of God, looke from that, and we loose these blessings; and what shall wee gaine? A shadow; an emptie Image, insteade of a substantiall, to gaine an emptie Image of our selues, we loose the solid Image of God: and yet this is the common folly of the world, men preferre this shadow before that substance.

When we are willed to turne we must remember that wee are auerse from God; when we goe our owne wayes we turne our backes to God, (as the Scripture teacheth) euerie of our wayes goeth from him, and when we Conuert, we must turne from our owne wayes, our euill wayes, for such are all ours, we must cast away the workes of darknesse, put off the old man, so the Scripture varieth the phrase of conuersion. But there are three conditions that must be obserued in our Conuersion. First, Eack. 18. it must be ab omnibus vijs malis; God loueth not mungrels; if a man haue beene a Drunkard, an Adulterer, a Swearer, hee may not leaue his drunken­nesse, and retaine his swearing, leaue swearing, and follow whooring; therefore Moses tels the Israelites that they must returne to God toto corde with their whole heart. A second condition is deliuered by Esay, Deut. 23. c. 31 6.Conuertimini sicut in profundum recessistis, looke how profoundly wee entertaine sinne, so deepe must our conuersion goe, wee must search our wounds to the very bottome, we must leaue no creeke vnaltered, it must bee verum Cor, our inside must be like our outside, so saith S. Paul, Heb. 10.22. Thirdly, our conuersion must be constant, wee must not bee like vnto Lots wise, whose feet caried her from Sodome, and her eyes were backe vpon it; that will argue that we repent of our resolution, and that we can easily be perswaded to become againe what we were before. This is the first branch of Conuersion (we must if we returne) so remooue ini­quitie farre from our Tabernacle, yea from our selues.

The next branch is to whom we must returne; If you will returne returne vnto me, saith God in the Prophet: many doe returne, but it is from one vanity to another, such a turning as Salomon describeth in Ecclesiastes, and there are examples euery where, many of prodigall turne couetous, and of profuse become base; many a Stoicke turneth Epicure, and of sens­lesse, becommeth shamelesse; many an Atheist turneth superstitious, and as if he did repent that he had beene long without a God, maketh his fan­cie the forge of Gods; of such turning there is too much in the world. But our returne here meant, is a returne to him from whom wee went, we went from God therefore to him we must teturne againe; lost sheepe that we are, we must returne to our Shepheard from whose fold wee straied, the onely and great shepheard of our soules; prodigals that we are we must returne to the Father that we forsooke, euen to our Father which is in Heauen; or to keepe my former Simile, we turned from the Sunne to the shadow, and so became darke and cold, ignorant and vntoward, we must turne from the shadow to the Sunne againe, that we may bee light and warme, and recouer againe the knowledge and the loue of God. A [Page 184]quo habet homo vt sit, [...] 70apud ill im habet vt benè sit, if at any time we bee ill, wee must not looke that it will be well with vs vntill we come to God that made vs.

Put now these two points together, Vndè, and Quò, and we may re­sonably conceiue what Conuersion is, it is that which by another word is called Repentance; and indeede the word in the Originall doth import that vertue. But marke that whereas Repentance is a compound thing of our turning from the world, and turning vnto God, it hath its name rather from turning vnto God, then turning from the world; turning from the the world hath no commendations in it, except it be to the end that wee may turne vnto God, as also turning to the world, is no Sinne, it deser­ueth no blame, vnlesse in doing it we turne from God; the offence is pro­perly in turning from God, as Repentance consists properly in turning vnto God.

Such a kind of turning is the successe which King Dauid hoped would follow vpon his teaching, conuertentur, the sinners, the transgressors will be conuerted if I teach them thy way; a confident speech, yet very likely, whether you looke vpon vias tuas, thy wayes, or docebo, I will bee the master, Gods Wayes, are Gods Lawes, now of Gods lawes we read in an­other Psalme, Psal. 19. that they are perfect, conuerting the soule, his testimonies are sure, F [...]. 1. 1. Cor. 2. He [...]. 4. 2 [...]. 3.and giue wisedome to the simple, they are the power of God vnto saluati­on, in them is the euidence of the Spirit, they are sharper then any two ed­gedsword, sinally they are able to make a man wise vnto saluation; there is then good hope of Conuersion from the efficacie of Gods lawes; and in­deede they are able to worke fidem infusam a sauing faith.

Docebo is a good ground of hope also, for that is able to worke fidem acquisitam, a morall perswasion, it worketh that which maketh way to the other, while what we thinke credible by reason of the speaker, wee are wrought to belieue by the word which hee speaketh, wicked men commonly scorne good men as fooles, when they tell them of the vanitie of the world, and the danger of sinne; they suppose because that they had neuer any experimentall acquaintance with it, the iudge of it most absurdly; but when they shall haue a Nebucadnezzar, an Antiochus, one that hath beene as deepe in sinne as themselues can goe, turne Penitent, declaime against; dehort from an ill life, they cannot but muse, they cannot but doubt, they cannot but bethinke themselues in what state they stand. Or if they may shift of such a Teacher because they thinke noueltie doth abuse his iudgement, and the nature of man is delighted with change, yet when they shall heare a Salomon, a Dauid, a Prodigall, that was first in the state of Grace, and hauing fallen foule into sinne, is come to himselfe againe, and vpon an experimentall comparison of both, passeth an indifferent iudgement, giueth grace, giueth sinne each his due, his thundrings and lightnings against sinne, cannot but shake the greatest Oakes, the tallest Cedars, make the obstinatest sinners to tremble, and bring them vpon their knees to Sing the Psalme of mercie; the Adder that cannot be charmed by this inchanter will neuer be rid of his poyson vntill his poyson riddeth him; his case is desperate; hee that will not [Page 185]heare a Penitent malefactor, will neuer be conuerted by any Preacher.

I haue dwelt long enough on the vnfolding of the Meanes, and the Suc­cesse as we are to looke into them seuerally: Let vs now in a word or two consider them ioyntly, and see how reasonable it is, that those Meanes be vsed for this Successe, teaching for conuerting. A man is a reasonable crea­ture, and Conuersion is an act of the reasonable soule, and therefore not to be expected but from meanes that can worke our reason, ordinarie meanes of this kind there is none but teaching; feare of the sword may o­uer-awe the outward man, and hinder vs from doing what wee would, but it cannot alter the inward man, and make vs well what wee should, whether it be truth or goodnesse that is commended vnto vs, it is not tor­turing [...], but instructing, that must make vs belieue the one, and loue the other; Magistrates may compell to the vse of the Meanes, but without the naturall meanes no hope that euer any one will entertaine these ver­tues. The more barbarous hath beene and is the tyrannie of the Church of Rome, which vseth the Inquisition insteed of Instruction, and laboureth to conuert soules, by subuerting of whole states.

Secondly, as without teaching, there is no conuerting; so if a man should be conuerted without teaching his conuersion cannot please God, Rom. 14.2 [...]. for Quicquid non est ex fide est peccatum, as good that were neuer done, which we doe without the guidance of our Conscience, because God looketh that in his seruice especially wee should shew our selues reasona­ble. Wherefore let vs leaue Monkes to their blind obedience, and the superstitious Papist to his implicit faith, let vs turne to God, but so, that we first be taught his wayes; let not our Conuersion out runne our Instructi­on, let them walke hand in hand together.

I conclude; There is not one of vs which doth not sometime or other by bad counsell, or euill example mislead others out of the way; what must we doe then? We learne here of King Dauid; Let vs by good coun­sell, by good example, bring them, or some others into the way againe: the rather, because it is a worke of the highest perfection, to be Gods in­strument to bring sinners from hell to heauen; Dan. 12.3. Daniel hath foretold that Teachers shall shine as Starres in the firmament, and Saint Paul, that the Conuerted shall be the Conuerters crowne and Glorie in the day of the Lord. 1. Thess. 2.19.

THe religious seruice which King Dauid vowed, is the Edify­ing of others, and the g [...]rifying of God: how he will edifie others, you haue heard, and are to heare, how he will glo­sie God.

God may be glorified, either in regard of the particular sauom h [...] sheweth vs, or the generall worth that is in himselfe; Dauid promiseth to glorifie God in both respects. At this time my Text doth occasion me to speake of the former, wherein I will obserue first a spiri­tuall Pange: ha [...]ouer taketh his Deuotion, and then the Deuotion it selfe. In the Pange we shall see what he seeleth, and to whom he slieth; he feeleth a sting of Conscience, a remorse of Bloud-guiltinesse; and being pained herewith, he seeketh for ease, he crieth Deliuer.

But he seeketh discretly, and ardently; discretly, for he seeketh to him that can Deliuer, to the Lord, who is interested in the consciences of his creatures: and as he can, so he will, he is the God of his childrens saluation. This is his discretion; which he warmeth with Zeale, hee is earnest in his petition, which you may gather out of the doubling of the name of God, Deus, Deus salutis meae.

Hauing thus ouercome the spirituall Pange that interrupted him, hee falleth to his Deuotion, wherein you must marke, first the argument that he insisteth vpon, and that is God Righteousnesse; Secondly, the manner how he doth extoll it, which is publike, and cheerefull; publike, for hee will vtter it by his tongue; cheerefull, for his tongue shall sing aloude. These bee the particulars which wee must now looke into farther and in their order. And first of spirituall Pangs in generall.

King Dauid had a pardon of this sinne particularly, besides a generall promise that God would neuer withdraw his grace from him, and yet we find him here perplext and distrest in conscience. Though I did on a former Verse touch at the reasons hereof, yet will it not be amisse that I a little farther enlarge this point. There can be no doubt but Gods truth is infallible, he cannot denie himselfe, hee will neuer recall his word, but yet Quicquid recipitur, recipitur ad modum recipientis, the vertues where­with we entertaine Gods promises are, as wee are, imperfect, because we art partly flesh, and partly spirit; our faith is not without doubting, & if their be imperfection in our faith which is the foundation of our spi­rituall life, our Hope will be answerable, it will not be without distrusting, neither will our Charitie be better, we cannot so loue, but we will feare; And why? Could we cast our eyes onely vpon God, his goodnesse must needes appeare wonderfull, and so leaue a kind of amazednesse in vs, nei­ther [Page 187]can we easily beleeue that he should vouchsafe such fauor vnto man; but we more often cast our eyes vpon our selues, vpon our wickednesse, whereby we haue broken Gods lawes, vpon our vnthankfulnesse, which haue set light by Gods blessings, and this is able to stagger our faith much more; especially when the Serpent shall plie vs with the represen­tation of Gods iustice, thereby indeauouring to ouer-whelme our Medi­tations vpon his mercies, and shall presse vnto our conscience the imper­fection of our faith, hope, and charitie, so farre as to perswade vs that they haue no truth at all. Here-hence spring those spirituall pangs, in so much that euen in those which by grace haue giuen sinne a deadly wound, you shall perceiue many pangs, as it were, of spirituall death, and as men that are recouered out of an Ague, haue many troublesome grudgings thereof, that disquiet them not a little: euen so Penitents, as­ter enormous sinnes must looke for many a smarting twitch of the worme of conscience.

But to leaue spirituall Pangs in generall, and come to that which in particular is toucht here in my Text; he feeles are morse of bloud-guil [...]i­nesse, the euill he feeles is exprest by the name of blouds, so the word is in the originall, and is vsed to note either our originall corruption, or actuall sinne; King Dauid in the former part of this Psalme; confesseth both that sinne that he inherited from his Parents, and that which hee contracted himselfe; therefore of the Interpreters, some pitch vpon the former, and some the later. Saint Austin pitcheth vpon the originall sinne, and suppo­seth that Dauid was moued with remorse of his corrupt nature, which is the cause of all sinne; and indeede they that are borne in Concupiscence, are said to be borne of flesh and bloud, 1. Cor. 15. and Saint Paul meaneth that wee must put off that, before we can be fully blest, when he saith, that flesh and bloud cannot inherit the Kingdome of heauen. Finally it is that where at God pointeth, Ezek. 16. when he speaketh thus to the Church, When I passed by thee and saw thee polluted in thine owne bloud, I said vnto thee in thy bloud, Liue. The reason of the phrase is, because Vitaest in sanguine, (as the law speaketh) the animall life subsisteth in the bloud, and the a­bundance of bloud is the fuell of concupiscence; whereupon some conie­cture, not improbably, that to note this, the legall expiation of sinne was made by the effusion of bloud.

Some goe not so farre as originall sinne, but vnderstand the word of a­ctuall which is the fruit of originall; and because of actuall sins, some are by Diuines called spirituall, some carnall; spirituall, such as mooue from, and are transacted principally by the reasonable faculties of the soule, and haue but sequelam, a concomitancie of animall; carnall, those that are suggested from, and acted by the animall soule principally, and haue but a concomitancie of the rationall; by blouds they vnderstand that la­ter kind of sinne. And indeede such were the sinnes whereof King Dauid had now remorse, his Adulterie, his Murder, both sprang from bloud; adulterie from bloud luxuriant, which made him transgresse in his con­cupiscible facultie, murder from bloud ebullient, which made him trans­gresse in his Irascible facultie; The word Sanguines being plurall is by the [Page 188]Fathers obserued to note plentie and varietie of sinne; some in one word parallell it with the first verse of this Psalme, where Dauid mencioneth all his Iniquities, and then there is a Synecdoche in the word, species progenere, the carnall sinnes put for all kind of sinnes, which some resolue in­to sinnes past, present, and to come. But it is best to keepe our selues vn­to the Argument of that storie whereunto this Psalme alludes, and then Varietie shall note Adulterie, and Murder, and Plentie shall consist in the many murders that followed the adultery, Vriah was treacherously slaine, and that he might be slaine treacherously, many others were slaine with him, and these murders brought out another murder, euen the murder of Dauids owne child, for though he died iustly by Gods hand, yet was Dauid the murderer of him, by reason of his sinne; to say nothing of Ab­solons rebellion, which shed much bloud, and was denounced for this sinne of Dauid: Dauid attending vnto these manifold iniquities of his, doth wrap them vp all in this word blouds, as being all the euill fruites of his sinfull flesh and bloud.

But we must not vnderstand onely Sinne, by the name of Blouds; the Scripture applieth the word vnto the Punishment of sinne also, and no­teth, [...] 12. that all sinne proueth bloudy to the sinner; and therefore the Apostle obserueth that without shedding of bloud there is no expiation for sinne, whereupon it followeth, that all sinnes are mortall, and doe slay the sin­ner. Chap. 2. But of all sinnes, this is especially true of Murder; the Law in Deu­tronomic doth intimate as much, when it doth require so curious an ex­piation of vncertaine murder; yea before Moses dayes, God exprest so much vnto Noah, not onely mystically when he forbids the eating of bloud, but literally when he saith hee will require bloud-shed both from man and beast; Gene 9 4.5. yea he doth so abhorre murder, and pursue it vnto death, that hee commands, that whosoeuer hath wilfully shed bloud, shall bee violently taken from his Altar (if hee take Sanctuarie there) and bee put to death. [...]od. 21.14. Goe higher to the Old world and there see how murder is iustly called bloudy, and proueth mortall to the murderer. Caine was the first that shed bloud, and Caine is recorded for a monument of Gods vengeance; Lamech speaketh fully, who is thought by some to haue flaine Caine, and so to haue paide home bloud with bloud, Gene. 4. I haue slaine a man (saith hee) to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt; that is, the stabbe which I haue giuen to another, proues a deadly wound vnto my selfe, in murdering him, haue I become mine owne murderer; so that in effect Dauid in the phrase intimateth thus much, bloud calleth for bloud, and I deserue to haue my bloud shed, that haue shed anothers. This was that that per­plext him, the conscience of this, was the worme that gnawed him.

And no wonder; he had heard from Nathan that he might not build Gods House, because he had shed much bloud, and yet the bloud which he had then shed, was onely the bloud of the enemies of Israel, and it was iustly shed in battell: how farre then might hee well thinke himselfe estranged from God, that had so treacherously, so villainously, spilt the bloud of his owne subiects; of his faithfull seruant; yea of his owne child? Saint Ambrose obserueth that seeing Dauid was of so gentle a nature, that [Page 189]he spared the bloud of his aduersarie Saul, we cannot thinke but he grie­ued much, when hee found himselfe ouer-taken with a sinne which the goodnesse of his nature so much abhorred; gesse at his disposition by his speech vnto Abigal, who wisely charmed him, when in a fu [...]ious moode he would haue destroyed churlish Nabal, and all his family, Blessed bee the Lord God of Israel (saith Dauid to Abigal) which sent thee this day to meete me, and blessed be thy aduice, and blessed be thou which hast kept mee this day from comming to shed bloud. It were to bee wished that Christi­an Kings had as tender hearts, and were as easily pacified, as they are en­raged; there would not be so much Christian bloud shed, neither would they bee such vnnaturall butchers of their owne subiects. Or because that is rather to be wished then hoped for, though it would make much for the publike good that murder were preuented, yet I would at least, that when it is committed, Princes were not so altogether with­out remorse of that which they haue done, and in godly sorrow would imitate King Dauid, and be timely feeling of their offence, and prouide for the safetie of their soules. Though Dauid were a King, and free from the danger of his owne Law, yet found he a controller in his owne bo­some, and was indicted by his owne conscience, from which the greatest Monarches cannot free themselues; Nero Emperour of the Romanes, Richard the third, an vsurper in this Kingdome, are in seuerall Histories reported to haue felt the vexation of this furie, and the biting of the worme: And if Monarches are not free, how shall meaner men bee pri­uiledged? And yet I cannot without griefe behold the senselessenesse of many that embrew their hands in bloud (whether in their cups, or for their honour) and neuer call themselues to an account, neuer iudge them­selues, before they are iudged of the Lord, but smother their owne con­science with frollicke liuing, vntill their wofull ends, make them feare­full examples vnto others. It were well for them if they felt more smart, that they might with King Dauid, desire ease, and crie out Deliuer.

The word is Vox confligentis, or ingementis, Ingementis groaning vn­der the slauerie of sinne; peccatiseruitvs pessima, sinne is the worst kind of fl [...]uerie, and therefore no wonder if it force a crie, and as the children of Israel in their Aegyptian bondage, so men enthrawled spiritually crie Deliuer. Or if it bee not vox gementis, it is vox confligentis; Dauid was now in a hard conflict, a conflict with remorse of sinne, a conflict with the feare of punishment, both were able to wrest from him this word De­liuer. Sinne is compared to an armed man, by the sonne of Syracke, all iniquitie (saith he) is as a two edged sword, Chap. 21.the wounds whereof cannot bee healed; it is there compared also to a Serpent which will bite; to the teeth of a Lyon which slaies the soules of men; he therefore counselleth vs to flie from it; yea and we had neede crie out too; sinne maketh a hideous crie a­gainst vs, it crieth in the eares of the Lord, and calleth for vengeance, it crieth in our conscience, and gineth vs no rest, there is good reason therefore why wee should crie out Deliuer, deliuer vs from the inward, from the outward crie, which so distresseth, which so afflicteth.