PHysitians meet not with more diseases in the body, than Divines do in the soul of man. Are their Patients troubled with burning feavours? ours are with boyling lusts too: have theirs the torturing stone? ours have hardnesse of heart: are theirs incident to the [Page 2] Falling sicknesse? Alas! so are ours to fowle apostacy. In a word, have theirs Consumptions? ours have envy: have theirs the Tympany? ours have Pride: are theirs subject to death? ours are to damning. Hence it is that as our blessed Saviour is styled by St. Peter the Bishop of our souls, (1 Pet. 2. and the last) so he cal­leth himself the Physitian (Mat. 9.12) A Physitian indeed he was, according to Socrates's raised wish, Plato Hippias. [...], that cured both flesh and Spirit. I shall not lead you out of the way for an instance, you have a lively one in the Text before you. In the ninth verse of this Chapter he had healed a Criple of his lamenesse, Beda. immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed and walked: & qui foris ab infirmitate ipse etiam intus salvavit à scelere, saith venerable Bede upon the place; as he had delivered him from his infirmity, he goeth to purge him from his iniquity: you have the ingredients he useth in it, in the words I have now read, [...], Behold thou art made whole, sin no, more least a worse thing come unto thee.

The words were calculated (you see) for another, but may very well serve for our Meridian: they were spoken many hundred years a goe, yet are very perti­nent to the businesse of this day. They were delivered at first to a man newly recovered, and what fitter to be repeated to a people lately delivered? He Christ pro­nounced them to, was one that had been decripit for eight and thirty years; and you I am now rehearsing them to, have you not for eighteen years been more than almost in as lame a posture? Our Saviour that by his power had restored this man from his impotence before, endeavoureth by his councell to draw him to penitence here; and you that have had such unex­pected mercies of late conferred on you; what fitter addresse can I now make to you than with the same Memento, to presse you to your duties, behold you are [Page 3]made whole, sin no more, &c.

Divis.In which words, you may be pleased plainly to take notice;

• 1. Of an intimation of a sin that might be com­mitted.
• 2. The commemoration of a mercy that had been re­ceived.
• 3. The Admonition of a duty that was to be per­formed.
• 4. A Commination of fury that otherwise would be inflicted.

• The intimation is pious.
• The Commemoration gracious.
• The Admonition serious.
• The Commination grievous.

• The intimation of the sin suspected, you have in that word behold.
• The Commemoration of the mercy received in those words, thou art made whole.
• The Admonition of the duty to be performed in those, sin no more.
• The Commination of the fury that might be in­flicted in those, least a worse thing come unto thee.

These are the naturall parts of the Text; of each whereof distinctly and doubly: First in their ab­solute consideration as they lie in the Text, and then in their relative, as they may be a looking glass for us. I begin with the absolute consideration of the text, and therein first with the first particular.

1. Part.The intimation of the sin, the sin of ingratitude, that he might run into, now he was upon his legs again. Behold! Behold thou art made whole.

Behold! Is this the first Salutation? every thing would put him in minde of this: How is it possible he should forget the misery of eight and thirty years in so short a space as eight and thirty hours? What is he as lame in his memory as he was in his limbs, that [Page 4]this is so soon repeated to him?

Saint Chrysostome hath appositely answered the question, St. Chrysost. in locum. [...] &c. It was not spoken for him alone, but upon this occasion, written for our instruction, to teach us that every mer­cy should have its Ecce: No blessing should escape our registring. Lorinus hath wittily noted, Lorinus in Psal. frater Ephraim qui fructificantem significat, Manasses est qui obliviosum, qua­si oriatur ex beneficiis oblivio; that Manasses which sig­nifies forgetfulnesse, is the brother of Ephraim which signifieth fruitfulnesse: and the Eremite that telleth his Nicholaus of the three Mysticall Monsters which would alwayes be assaulting him, Bibl. patrum tom. 5. maketh this to march in the front (primam nomino oblivionem) an unthankfull heedlesnesse of what God doth for us: to prevent this here Cynthius aurem vellit, he hath this seasonable item, Behold; be not stupid, regardlesse, insensible, I expect you should be mindful off, affected with, thank­ful for this unexpected mercy that is befaln you. And well may he call for this from all of us, when he hath showred down blessings upon us to behold them: this is,

• A Natural.
• An Aequal.
• A Facile returne to him.

First, 'Tis natural [...], as Aelian in another case: Aelian. var. hist. l. 6. there needeth no Art of memory, no bond of Penalty, no Act of Parliament, one would think for this: the very Beasts will do it. The Oxe knoweth his owner, and the Asse his master Crib, and shall we come short of these? Agellius l. 5. c. 14. Agellius's Lyon that three years after fawned upon the Slave that cured him; Lilius Gical­dus. Democritus's Dragon that succoured Thoas who fed him; Sophronus in prato. spirituali. Philarchus's Aspe that killed her young one for biting the childe of the Ae­gyptian [Page 5]who bred her, were enough to rise up in judgment against us and condemn us. Besides,

Secondly, It is equall. We expect that others should take notice of the kindnesse we show, and the courtesies we doe for them; and is it not fit (think you) we should take notice of those which our God conferreth on us? Canan thinketh no name so fit for his son as Mahalaleel, qui quoties filium nominaret, toties, quasi dicecet Hallulujah said a learned interpreter, Lapide in lo­cum. be­cause as often as he named him, he would be minded to bless God for him. The Heathen had learned so much divinity, when they had escaped any danger, recovered any loss, gained any victory, pictis tabellis in templis deorum appensis, &c. Saith Mercurialis de regymnest. Mercurialis de regym­nesticâ, to paint the story of it, and hang it up for perpetuall record in the Temples where they wor­shipped. Good Hezekiah is recovered from his sick­nesse, but this wonderful deliverance from death must not dy and be buried in oblivion; himself turneth Hi­storiographer, that as the [...] had their tabulae post naufragium, so he hath his scriptura post valetudinem. Isaiah 38.9. you see it is but equall in the thoughts of all men; yea which may sway more.

Thirdly, It is facile. Had it been some great thing, should we not have done it? But when he stoopeth so, low who would offer to deny him? If we could have what we want from men at this price, what a peniworth should we reckon it? No, there the Market riseth. The Physitian when he visiteth his Patient, is scarce contented if he have nothing but thanks from him; the Lawyer scarce heartily pleadeth a Cause where the Client feeth him with a handfull of thanks only, the Trades-man will not part with his Commo­dities where he meeteth with a chapman that bid­deth nothing but thanks; and yet this is all that the Almighty asketh, when he giveth us all our bles­sings. Blessed God how Cheap thou art! O how well [Page 6]thou usest us! seeing he is so Gracious to aske no more, let not us be so ungracious as to offer lesse: where we are so much beholding? how can we but behold, the duty the Text called for.

Appl. And this is that we are this day met together for: The A­postle telleth us in the 2. of Tim. 3.2. that in the last dayes as some would be traytors, some heady, some high-minded, some disobedient to Parents; so some would be unthankfull; O (my Brethren!) you that abo­minate the former vices for Gods sake, take heed of the latter. And that we may not mock God, nor de­ceive our selves, in thinking we do this duty, when we omit it, let us mingle our thanks-giving with these three ingredients to perfume and sweeten it.

Let it be

• Universal.
• Proportionable.
• Suitable.

First, be sure it be universal, for all that God doth for us. Of course solemnly before meat and after we give God thanks; but (alas!) how many thousands of other mercies escape us with no observance? Here I may allude to that passage of our Saviour concerning the Leapers (Luke 17.17.) Were there not ten clean­sed? but where are the nine? Have not you millions of mer­cies and blessings? what is become of them, that there are not found for which men give glory to God save this one? How many have we that are much more worth than a meales meat? Doest thou not prise thy Health higher? Thy Estate higher? Thy Liberty higher? Thy Peace, higher? Thy Relations higher? Where, O where is our thankfullnesse for these? Every one deserveth an Ecce, a behold to be set on them; let it be universall. And then,

Secondly let it be proportionable: let not slight praises serve for a solid and substantiall mercy. [Page 7]The Pharisees short come of, is that which most men con­tent themselves with (Luke 18.11.) God, I thank thee: This is all we are willing to part with. The Latines happily phrase this duty gratias agere, to do thanks: here we must act and act fervently and vigorously. Solomon, as a high upbrading, sendeth the sluggard to the Ant to learn diligence; whether shall I send you? Truly, I may to the Caterpillar, Lice, and Locust, the Pestilent Vermine that of late was crept into every place (like the Plagues of Aegypt, not sparing the Kings Bed-chamber) and over-run the Kingdomes; look up­on them in the day of their usurpation, 'tis easy to re­member how they defiled the Holy places with their assemblings, commanded unwelcome dayes to be Cele­brated, drawled out audacious Hallelujahs to heaven, for every prosperous villany. Did they dare to doe this for ruining three Kingdomes? and shall we dare to do otherwise for the preserving them? Did they in their way seem to give God thanks (I annually) for over­throwing a King! and shall not we for the restoring him? Did they proclaim thanksgiving for wasting a Church, and shall not we for settling it,

3. Let it be suitable thanks; thanks fit for us to give, and God to receive, serious, sincere and spiri­tuall. It is the Greek Fathers note upon him in the Text; Jesus findeth him in the Temple, [...] &c. He was in a proper place for a thankful man to be in, not in the Market, not in the Court, not in the Field, but in the Temple: O how many are there among us that are glad, who doe not give thanks! glad of this dayes work (the redemption that God hath wrought for our Israel, in turning again our captivi­ty) who except the miserably infatuated or interest­ed are not? But (O!) how sadly do we expresse it! You may finde them in the Taverne drinking, in the [Page 8] Parlour feasting, in the Theatre gazing; but how few, how few comparatively, in the Closet, or with him in the Text, in the Temple praising and glorifying the great and Gracious Author of it? God hath given us (my beloved) that which we would have. O let us now give him that which he would have. The greatnesse of the mercy every way deserveth it; come, let us not give thanks to the halves; we are made whole, which bringeth me to,

2. Par.The second Particular of the Text, from the intima­tion of the sin, we are apt to run into ingratitude and un­thankfulnesse, to the Commemoration of the benefit which hath been received, Thou art made whole.

Thou? Who? Thou who wert eight and thirty years decrepit, Thou who hast layn so long at the Poole, Thou who wert so unlikely ever to recover, Thou art made whole. Augetur admiratio ex pertinaciâ morbi, saith Judi­cious Grotius; Grotious in ver. 5. the inveterateness of the distemper showeth the miraculousnesse of the cure.)

Righteous art thou (dearest Jesus!) when we plead with thee; yet let us talke with thee of thy judgments. Seeing thou didst intend to heale this poor man at last, why didst not do it before? Thou hast told us, Thou dost not willingly grieve; this would make as if thou didst not willingly ease the Children of men: we often read in thy word, that thou art slow to anger, and shall we finde thee in the same word slow to mercy?

Sic visum est superis. He could as easily have healed him at the first; but his will was otherwise: That of the Tragaedian is true of all his proceedings towards men: ‘ [...].Euripides.’

As he many times keepeth silence at the wickeds sins, and doth not punish them; so doth he at his peoples sorrows and doth not redresse them. He is many times long in bestowing that mercy, which he doth intend to bestow at last. He intended to deliver [Page 9]his people out of the Exod. 12.40 Bondage of Aegypt, yet you know he stayed foure hundred and thirty years. First, he did determine to give them a 1 Sam. 16.13.King after his own heart, but they stay five hundred and odd years first. He re­solved to bring them out of Jer. 25.12.Babylon, but they stay there threescore and ten year first. It appeareth he in­tended to deliver England from the violence and op­pression of them that Raged rather than Reigned over Us, but you know he stayed some tedious years first. But all this amounteth to no more than that he doth so still we may wonder. Blessed Lord! Thou hast told us, we Pro. 3.28.must not say to our neighbour, Go and come again, and to morrow I will give, when we have it by us; and what wilt thou say so to thy Children? Judg. 5.28.Why is thy charriot so long in comming? why tarry the wheeles of thy purposed mercy? If he that giveth quickly, giveth doubly; then he that giveth slowly will be scarce accounted to give at all. But his wayes are not as our wayes; his wisdome and goodnesse are both seen in these delayings.

First, to make us the more earnest for the blessing, and set the higher rate upon it. It was once (I read) a cu­stome among the Persians when their Emperour dyed, to continue three dayes without any Governour at all, that there being no [...] no heire of restraint, as the Judges 18.7 Holy Ghost hath stiled the Magistrate, but every man doing what was good in his own eyes, the tyred people might with one consent and lip the more passionately welcome the Prince that did succeed him.

Such a method the Almighty maketh use of, to make us fast for some time from a mercy that we may have the better stomach to it next time it is set before us. The wise man telleth us, Pro. 27.7. The full soule loatheth the Honey comb; we have sadly seen the truth of it, when a sweet natured Prince, and sweet tempered laws could not (they had so much of them) be brooked any longer or got down with men; but when the devouring voider [Page 10]had took away these from the table, though the But­chers, Cooks and Scullions of the new or rather no mo­del'd State, were still serving up one Hot-potch or ano­ther to stop the mouths of the people; how quickly did they spit out that trash and trumpery, it serving on­ly for sowre sauce to procure them a fresh appetite to their wholesome old provisions; and that is one end of God in not present healing of our distempers, and send­ing us our blessings as soon as we misse them, that we may have the more mind to them.

2ly. Another reason may be to manifest his power, the more Chronick diseases are hard to cure, when as they that are taken at first are soon helped; tis easie to pluck up a new set slip; but how fast doth the grown Tree stand?

Now God delighteth to act so as himself may have most glory; then to do things when they appear most difficult. He that will stay while probabilities vanish, hopes sink, things look desperate, and then [...], himself will appear from above, when none can come in for partners, or claim a share with him; Isaiah. 63.5. He will look on while there is none to help; hold off while there is none to uphold, and then, then shall his own arm bring Sal­vation. Gideon hath 32000. men to fight with, but they are too many; Judg. 7.3.4. they are reduced to ten thousand; they are too many still; they must be reduced to three hundred, a petty inconsiderable company, (considering their enemies they had to deal with) and then they shall deliver. England had an Army, but then we shall not be delivered; then it would have been attribu­ted to their strength. God suffereth them to be routed, and vanquished; yet the Loyall ones had estates, but then we shall not be delivered; then it would have been thought it was done by their bribes and money: God suffer­ed them to be sequestred and decimated. Yet there were remaining wise men and Councellors, but then we shall [Page 11]not be delivered; then it would have been said, it was their policy and contrivance. God suffereth many of them to be taken away and murdered; and when there was no likelihood, when men could not doe it, then he commeth down to visite us. And

3ly. And Lastly; He stayeth, that we may be the fit­ter for it. Many times a mercy is ready for us, and God with-holdeth it, because we be not ready for the mercy: As he will shew his power in effecting it; so he will show his wisdome in timing it. He could have brought Israel out of Aegypt with eleven dayes easy travelling; but he spin­neth out forty tedious years with them; he could have cured the womans issue of blood as soon as it came, Luke 8.43. but she shall spend all she hath upon Physitians: First, our Sa­viour could have wrought the miracle at the instance of his Mother, John 2.4. but his houre was not yet come. The Hebrews have a proverbe [...] Heinsy Aris tar­chus. you must not tell a wise man when he should do a thing; and if a wise man, surely we may conclude the wise God will, and doth take the only fit time for eve­ry administration. He hath a time, a set time wherein he will have mercy upon his Sion, Psal. 102.13. When the enemies of it are most impudent and hardned, when her Children are most penitent and awakened. In the first of these, I am sure, came our deliverance, when the ram­pant Ʋsurpers said of all that concerned things Sacred, rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof; of all that concerned our civills, abjure it, abjure it even to all gene­rations: And O that the loosenesse and lowdnesse, the boysterous profanenesse and wild debaucherys, that fly a­broad like so many [...] shamelesse and noon-day devills, did not hinder me from saying the latter too! I must confesse seeing ten righteous persons should have been a City-fitness to have saved Sodom from the fire, I have a great deal of confidence (notwith­standing the too huge heaps of the riotous unreformed) [Page 12]at that low rate there might be found as many zealous and conscientious mourners in England, in the day of her sore evill, that gave their God no rest, as might amount to a national fitness, to deliver us out of the fire If there were not, and there wanted us to make up the number, Now we have the mercy! O now, let us la­bour to walk worthy of it; let the goodnesse of the Lord lead us unto repentance. This is that he looketh for, that as he hath been better towards us than he was, so we should be better towards him than we were: Being made whole, sin no more.

Part. 3.The third Particular of the Text, and leadeth me from the commemoration of the mercy that had been conferred, thou art made whole, to the Admonition of the duty that was to be performed, sin no more.

Sin no more? That is impossible. Is there any that liveth and sinneth not? Doth not the Psalmist tell us Psal. 14.3.there is none exactly righteous, no not one? Holy Job, Job. 14.4. that none can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? the Blessed Apo­stle,1 John. 1.8.if we (the best) say they have no sin, they deceive them­selves? what meaneth the counsell then?

R.Not to spend time to no purpose, doubtlesse it hath peculiar reference to that or those particular sins for which this long affliction had been on him. Cave tale aliquid committas quale ante hos xxxviii. annos; so Gro­tius; G [...]ti. 9. in loc aliquod scelus patravit auod deus morbo tam diutino castigare voluit; So Lapide: Lap. in loc [...], So Nonnus hath paraphrased it;Monn. in loc The summe of what they all say, is that the words seem to strike at some espe­ciall eminent and accustomed sin this man had before been guilty of; he should have a care while he lived, to sin that sin no more. And thus much we must all learn from it, Arab. when we are delivered to take speciall heed of those sins for which we were before punished; Non redire ad Peccandum; as the Arabick readeth the Text, not to re­turne [Page 13]to do as we did before the judgment was sent to reclaime and Tutour us. This is the Doctrine which the Psalmist preacheth, Psal. 85.8. He will speak peace unto his people and to his Saints, but let them not turne again to folly. This is the Ʋse holy Ezra presseth; Ezra 9.13.14 After all this is come upon us for our evill deeds and for our great trespasse, se­ing thou our God hast punished us lesse than our iniquities deserve, and hast given us such deliverance as this, should we again break thy Commandments and joyn in affinity with the people of these abominations? Wouldst thou not be angry with us till thou hadst consumed us, so that there should be no remnant nor escaping? Have a care we must after mer­cies and deliverances, that we be not as loose as ever, for fear God should bring us as low as ever. Bring me thy mercies (O soule!) of what sort soever; what su­perscription have they? what is the Motto under them but this Sin no more? Tis short, let us conn it by heart all of us; we have very good reason for it this day.

• Ob praeteritam afflictionem.
• Ob debitam ingenuitatem.
• Ob nullam compensationem.

First, because of the past affliction, the miseries we have already endured, which had no other end but only this to reforme and better us; ad hoc ex­coquuntur homines tribulationibus (saith the Father) ut vasa electionis evacuentur nequitiâ & impleantur gratiâ, Augustinus. Sent. num. 2 [...]4. this is the end of all our sufferings, the taking away of our sins; and what shall we lose the benefit, and on­ly endure the smart of them? How sad will it be to be like Solomons drunkard? They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not; when shall I awake, I will seek it yet again? What? [Page 14]hast thou been imprisoned? and art not yet humbled? Sequestred? and art not yet Reformed? Impoverish­ed? and art not yet returned to thy God? It was a signe of the Churches sincerity when they could say, All this is come upon us, yet have we not forgotten thee; it would be a sad argument of our obstinacy if we can­not but say all this is come upon us, these Warrs, these Confusions, these calamities and losses, and yet have we forgotten thee? let us remember our past afflicti­ons.

Secondly, Sin no more, because of the ingenuity which we owe; think how great an obligation God hath layd on us: We can do nothing for God, but he re­quiteth it: Doth the King of Niniveh keep one Fast? Jonah 3..10. God spareth the City for it. Doth the King of Baby­lon serve him in one expedition? Ezek. 29..18. he shall have ample wages for it. Doth the poore indigent give one Cup of Water to a Disciple of his? Mat. 10.42. he shall not lose his re­ward for it. Doth God pay so liberally for that little we do for him, and shall we returne nothing for the great things he doth for us? Come, give as much for the mercy now thou hast it, as thou believest thy self, thou shouldest have offered for it when thou wantedst it. Come (my Brethren,) seriously bethink your selves, Had God said to us some years agoe, in the height of our confusions, by revelation told thee (give me leave to suppose it) if thou wilt never be drunk more, never take my name in vaine more, never be unchaste more, the King shall come in peace, shall be restored, the Church shall be setled. It cannot enter into my soul that any person breathing that had either the Loyalty of a Subject, or the reason of a man, yea the tendernesse of a Woman, is so wretchedly lost to all principles, not onely of Religion, but of hu­manity, but would willingly have entred into the [Page 15]bonds of the most solemn vows to the most High, that he would accept the offer; O now you have them, do not deale the worse with God, because he hath trusted you before hand. Few of us but would make the world believe we would do much for the King and Church, ready to say in this case with St Paul, Acts. 21.13. we are ready not only to be bound but to dye: come here is a tryall of you; as you tender both, Sin no more. I must confesse my friends, I doubt you will scarce (if need be) haz­zard your fortunes, venture your lives to rescue them from, if you will not deny your selves, and sacrifice your lusts, to keep them out of danger: if you have so deare an estimation of these, as I hope you have, show it, O show it in this necessary returne, for the restoring them: your ingenuity is at stake for it.

Thirdly, Sin no more, in regard of the wofull recom­pence you have got by it. What was the Apostles Que­stion to the Romans, chap. 6.21. shall be mine to you [...]; Rom. 6.21. What fruit have you had in these things? Thy wretched oaths, intemperate revellings, blushfull chamberings, unchristian Scandalls; What! What have they cost these convulsive pale-faced Kingdomes?

Tell me, tell me, what made one King Murdered? were they not these? another exiled? were they not these? a Church ruined? were they not these? and is not this enough to put you out of love with them, to think how dearly you have paid for them? The Philosopher in the itch and heat of his lust, was frighted out of it with the price: he would not (he said) give so many drachms for repentance: and shall not wee, when the market is so much raised? Hero­dotus hath a peculiar conceit from other Historians a­bout Helena, Herodot. Euter­pe. whom Paris ravished from her husband, that she was not in Troy at all, but was stopt by Proteus in Egypt; and when Menelaus came to besiege their City, they denyed with an Oath that she was [Page 16]there, and told him if she were, they would willinly have delivered her: and this he writeth with all manner of confidence, beleiving if she had been a­mong the Trojans, they would never have been so ridiculously besotted, as for her sake to let their friends be slain, their Countrey wasted, themselves and families ruined. Indeed (my Beloved) none in after-ages that read our story, and see what we have run through, but will conclude, in charity sure of our Dalilah's, that we were not so bewitched with them, but that wee delivered them up to make peace with him that was provoked by them: how can they think we were so vilanously base as to part with our peace, our lawes, our friends, our estates, rather than our lusts? But seeing here we are too too guilty,

Let us take that counsell of the Prophet in this day of our rejoycing, Lament. 3.40. Lament. 3.40. Let us search and try our wayes, and turne again unto the Lord. Enquire what it was incensed him so against us, as to bring those eare-tingling evills upon us, that wee may know them no more. This is but a just return for our sinnes sinding us out, for us to find them out; to act this lawful revenge on them, to deliver them up to wrath, that have delivered us up to wrath. What was it brought such a general (though causeless) odium upon our Li­turgie, but our slight and formal using of it? O now 'tis restored to you, be more devout and zealous in it, sinne no more. What made the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, that bread of life cast aside like the Gibeonites mouldy loaves, but our unworthy and unprepared re­ceiving of it? O now you may again partake of it, be more tender and conscientious in it; sinne no more. What made the holy Creed that good confession, suffer an Ostracisme and be disused in our Churches, but an unholy life reproaching our most holy faith? O now 'tis re­turned, be more awakened and reformed; sinne no more [Page 17]What was it caused God to punish us with an unna­tural and bloody war, but our habitual rebelling and fighting against God? O now we are in peace again, let us be more willing, and obedient, sinne no more. What made him permit men to sequester and plunder you, but your mispending and abusing of the estates, which he had given you? O now you re-enjoy them, be more sober and charitable with them, sinne no more; what made the Clergy (the Orthodox clergy) ejected and turned out of their places, but their two great negligence and carelesness in their places? O now we are resetled and reintrusted, let us be more diligent and abundant in la­bours, sinne no more. We are very apt to looke upon others, to search and try their wayes, that did these things to find out their pride and cruelty, their malice and coveteousness, their disloyalty and hypocrisy, their perjury and implacableness, but this were better spared, as that which only exasperateth and maketh us more bitter: O let us look upon our selves, search and try our wayes that cause these things, find out our own lust and carnality Oaths, and Idleness, Intemperance and Vanity, Impatience and Ʋnthankfulness, this were time well-spent, as that which might amend and make us better: that discovering these Achans, we may stone them to death, knowing these Jonahs, we may cast them into the Sea, attaching these malefactors, we may con­demne and execute them, being sensible that these are the sinnes we may abhorr and abandon them. For if we shall yet retain them and indulge them, be assured (my brethren!) they have not done us so much mischief already, but they will doe much more, they have not brought down such heavy judgements yet, but they will bring much heavier, and so I am fallen upon the [...]

Part. 4.Last particular of the text, from the exhortation to the duty we owe, sinne no more, to the commination of the [Page 18]fury, which otherwise we shall feele, least a worse thing come unto thee.

The Talmudists tells us, M [...]sius in lo­cum. that the [...] which the Israelites are bid provide, when they were to take possession of the land of promise, Josh. 1.11. was not victuals as we translate it, but malè actae vitae peniten­tiam & adversus deum pictatem [...] ut his virtutibus se dig­nos praestent, qui in terram promissant faeliciter traficiant, The provision they are commanded to make, was not of things to eat and drinke, for that they had (say they) no need of, Manna still falling; but it was to furnish themselves with suitable graces, that they might resist the temptations of their prosperity, and walke worthy of their Milke and Honey: otherwise Canaan might be more intolerable than Aegypt. Such an Item hath this paralytick in the Text, to have a care how he walketh, now he is set again upon his legs; else his remedy would be more dangerous than his disease, his recovery more mischeivous then his malady, his exaltation more mortall and formidable than his affliction, a worse thing would come unto him.

A worse thing? one would thinke that could not well be, he had lain under the smart of an uncomfor­able visitation for eight & thirty years together, and now he was well, who would not think that the worst were past? No, no, unlesse he now reforme, he must look for more misery than ever he had; Chrysost in lo­cum. [...] saith the Golden-mouthed father upon the Text. A relapse into former sins still bringeth a recruit of sharper judgments. The second Edition of sin is still the dearest. The latter end of repeated provocati­ons, worse than the beginning Sodom, and Gomorah are vanquished in the field, Gen. 14.10. Will not they take warning and amend by that? The next [Page 19]time you heare they are consumed by fire, Gen. 19.24. The first-borne of his anger, is enough to deterre, that is a Jezreel, Hosea 1.4. But if that be ineffectual, the next will surely destroy and undoe, that is Lo-ru­hamah, chap. 1.6. The Murrain, Boyls, Haile, Locusts &c. come upon Aegypt, Exod 9.10, &c. are they hard­ned still and obstinate? Then the red sea must make clean worke with them, chap 14.26.

His armory is stored with, and his quiver full of all sorts of punishments: his Arme is not shortned that it cannot reach, nor his hand weary, that it cannot strike again the new-delivered sinner, no, no, if we re­volt more, we he will be sure to strike more, If we fall of from him again, he will fall on upon us again; and that with more fearfull and firy indignation, if after he hath whipped us with some smarting rods we still continue our stubbornesse and obstinacy then, he hath stinging Scorpions, if after he hath bruised our bones we are stupid and will take no warning, then he can break our necks, if after the evill things; we have endured we are not refined, —vires aquirit eundo; a worse thing will come unto us; how can we expect other if we consider

• God.
• The Sin.
• The Sinner.

• God who is more provoked,
• The sin which is more aggravated,
• The sinner who is more hardly reclaimed.

First, God who is more provoked by such unworthy and disingenious requitalls. Ephraim that telleth God [Page 20]plainly he was not a whit the better for all his suffer­ings [...] as some Greek Coppies have it, [...], as the Chalde paraphrase, Jer-31.18. Thou hast chasted me, and I was not chastised, but as a bullock, unaccustomed to the yoake, or as our translation, thou hast chastised me, and I was cha­stised as a Bullock, &c when thou correctest me I was as much the better as a mad bull would have been: yet he maketh this faire promise, turn thou me, fac ut redeam in patriam, as Grotius hath explained it, Vide Grotium [...] locum. return my captivity, restore my liberty, & tunc resipiscam, and then I shall be turned, I shall reform, this will melt me, and engage me. Now when God hath thus trusted us, upon no other security but our bare word, that we will be better, flung away his rod, upon our solemn engagement, we will do so no more; if then we shall apostatise and deal falsely, here the treachery is super­added to the impiety, the disingenuity to the iniquity; and how can we expect but his anger should be hotter, and his blows the harder? Men cannot endure to be deceived and cheated, and if we once go [...], as Porphiry hath elegantly phrased it, Porphi [...] l. 2. [...] to think to gull the Almighty by our coggings and fawnings on him in a low condition, and when we have what we would have, neglect and dishonour him as much as ever:

This must needs incense the sweetest patience, when it is thus affronted: we may well look not onely for a worse, but the worst of things to come unto us.

Secondly, After mercy received and blessings con­ferred, the offence is heightned, the iniquity aggravated, then to sin more is more sin The Apostle 2 Tim. 3.13. tel­leth us of men that wax worse and worse. Our Saviour [Page 21]speaketh of them that are twofold worse, Mat 23.15. The Prophet of them that are three, foure-fold worse, Amos 2.1. The Evangelist of one sevenfold worse, Mar. 16. v 9. God himself of them that were tenfold worse, Numb. 14.22. But if any thing maketh a man a thou­sand fold worse, worst of all: surely it is this, after his being made whole, to sin more: To venture upon these provocations, for which God had before pla­gued and punished him, and then out of tenderness saved and delivered him.

Foolish people and unwise shall we thus requite the Lord? What have we not then to answer for? O the obdu­ratenesse! O the unkindness! O the falsenesse! O the wantonnesse we shall then be called to an account for! God threatneth his people upon this very score, A­mos 3.2. You onely have I known of all the families of the earth: Therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities. It was a smart (though prophane) answer of him that being pressed upon the account of Christianity to be reconciled to a great acquaintance of his that had done him an injury, He had read in the Gospel that he must forgive his enemies, but never that he must for­give his friends. This went near the Psalmist, that they that eat of his bread should lift up the heele against him, Psal. 41.9. The Historian hath given us this character of the Athenians, Thucydide. l. 1. [...], they are more enraged at the unkindnesse of a friend than the afront of an enemy. Thus is it with the highest the more obligations we have, the more aggravations our sins have. It is cheaper sinning before our sickness than after our recovery; before our danger than after our deliverance; before our captivity than after in our pro­sperity; [Page 23]no wonder then if we will have it at such a time, if we pay dearer for it, a worse thing.

Thirdly, So it must be, beccause of the sinner, who is more hardly recovered. The bad things of this life, crosses and afflictions are [...] as Hippocra­tes reckoneth, Hippocr. the knife and the launce, instruments for cure and Chirurgery; now if one will not doe, he taketh another, if this physick be too weak to purge out the disease, the next shall be stronger: See how rhetorically he expostulateth it. Amos 3.4. Will a Lyon roare in the forrest to have no prey? shall my chidings and threats and thunderbolts, tearing your Ephod, and your Altar, your Vaile, and your Temple, your Throne, and your Gates, be spent to no purpose? Will a young Lyon give forth his voice from his den, that he may take nothing, shall all this Tragical Scene de­signed and acted by me, be but a beating of the aire, or a scourging of the Sea unprofitably? It shall goe hard, very hard, but he will have some fruit of it. He bringeth Terrors, Consumptions; Burning Agues, flying before enemies, them that hate us, to raigne over us; then, we might say in our hast, he hath even done his worst here: no alas! he telleth us, if you will not for all this hearken to me, I will punish you seven times more, Levit. 26.18. If this will not doe, he will plague seven times more, Verse the 21. If that will not doe, he will punish yet seven times more. Verse the 24. If that will not doe he will chastise yet seven times more, Verse the 28. mille nocendi artes. And this being his method in dealing with us, we may be sure that he that hath not his word, will not have his works to re­turn in vaine. If one judgement do not availe, he will send a second, if a drop of anger will not serve, he will poure out a vial; if touching with a coale will not putrifie, he will kindle a furnace of affliction.

[Page 22] To shut up this then,

It is commonly storied that when Philip had re­ceived those three joyful messages in one day. Plutarchi Alex­ander. That the Illyrians were overthrown by Parmenio, that his horse wan the prize at Olympus, and that Alex­ander his sonne was born, least he should be exalted above measure, he appointed an Officer still to re­peate this to him, Remember thou art mortall: Indeed such an office I must now take on me, to prevent security, in this day of your prosperity, sound this in your ears, remember you are mutable. This is a day of glad glad tidings, but let me sprinkle a little salt to season it, least it be too luscious. S. Augustin [...]s. This is a Feast [...] as the Jewes were wont to call their high ones, but let me put a deaths head upon the table to keep you sober. St. Augustines observation of the fruit of our delive­rances is too too true, abstulit securi [...] attulit securi­tatem, as soon as God taketh of his hand, we are ready to lift up the heele, as soon as out, apt to conclude we can never more fall into misery: Not only the Babi­lonian said he was ascended above the heights of the clouds (where you know there are no stormes) Isaiah 14.14. The Tyrian that he sat in the seat of God (which you know can never shake) Ezek: 28.2. But a David so forgot himself in his prosperity, that he said he should not be moved. Psal. 30.6. This is it my Text calleth me to rectify, serva praescriptum vel rues in proscriptum, sinne no more, or a worse thing will come unto thee. [...] It is the design of some turbulent spirits by making monstrous and prodigious lies, their refuge, to attempt to make their (they feare) crest fallen crew believe a worse thing is coming to us: let me by mak­ing this word my basis, cause you to believe that a worse thing may come. As it is the Character of a guilty man to feare, when no feare is, formidable, bug bares, malitiously dressed up by a discontented [Page 24]fancy, so is it of a hardned not to feare where just feare is, monstrous and prodigious provocations, if these be among us and abound? O let us with a conscienti­ous speed mortify and relinquish them as the things (indeed the only things) which may now turne us back into a more deplorable sad estate than either the house of Bondage or the horrid Wildernesse we are come out from. Our arme of flesh is not so full, but it may yet be withered, our Mountaines of settlement is not so strong but in may yet be shaken, our distempers of Church and state not so through cured, but they may yet break out again worse than ever. If these late years torrent of calamities, have not washed and clens­ed us from our former filthinesse; what can we think remaineth but a fearfull expectation of an Ocean a deluge of more heavy ones; upon the sinning yet more, how presumptuous so ever and confident we may be, as if [...]; he that delivered us telleth us a worse thing will come unto us.

And so I have done with the Text in its absolute con­sideration, as it is of generall importance and instru­ction; but I must not so leave it, I promised you their Relative discusion in reference to our selves, and the happy occasion we are this day met upon. This is in­deed a gawdy day, and it would not be so suitable a Pulpit-solemnity if we had not this second course. Let me beg your patience to allow me a little exceedings in time for it, that I may by once more rubbing over the text make it so bring and clear, that we may see our own features dress and posture in it, and then I shall dimisse you.

When Luther eagerly read over the Hi­story of young Samuel, how he was dedi­cated to God, how the Lord appeared to him, &c. Caepit optare, (saith my Author) Melchior Adam vit. Lutheri. Ʋt olim talem librum & ips, &c. O that such a book might be made of him too. Much of such a nature (I cannot but tell you) have my own thoughts been often with reading of this Scripture: ma­ny a time in the days of our Tyrants and Taskmasters, when we lay uncomfortably groaning for some good Angel to come down & stir these waters of Marah, my me­lancholly Loyalty thinking of this sto­ry, hath been ready to sigh out; Oh that this Text were verifyed in us too. And now blessed, blessed, blessed be God! our eyes have seen it, hujus voti deus nos ab­undè reddidit compotes, a little to alter the Historians words, upon this occasion, at length it is come to passe compleatly, and now the Kingdome is removed into this upper forme, this is the lesson God is teach­ing every one in it, [Page 26]

A Text, which in reference to us, like Janus hath two faces, like Rebeccah, hath two Children, like Homer's wise man, looketh [...] both forward and backward: backward upon our past misery, Behold, thou art made whole; for­ward upon our present duty, sin no more; least a worse thing come unto thee. Of one part of it; I may say, as our blessed Saviour of another place; this day is the Scripture fulfilled in your eares, Behold, thou art made whole: of the other, sin no more; What day it will be fulfilled, alas! I am at a losse in: But that we may see our selves the better, let us once more split the Text assunder, and look severally upon the two great parts of it.

• The Commemoration of the mercy we have received.
• The Admonition of the duty that must be performed.

Begin we with the first, the Com­memoration of the mercies we have re­ceived; Behold, thou art made whole.

[Page 27]If the ancient said of David's Psalms, they were enough to make mutum elo­quentem, a dumbe man speak, I may of this days deliverance, it is enough to make caecum discernent em, a blinde man see. And yet (the wretchednesse of turbulent and pevish spirits!) how many shut their eyes upon it? A generation we have so ex­ceeding sharpe-sighted; they could behold Liberty in a Dung-hill▪ Tyrant▪ Law in high Courts of Justice; Reformation in a sa­crilegious confusion; and yet (good men!) are able to discerne nothing in a Lawfull Prince, but jealousies; in a setled Church, but superstition; in ancient laws; but perse­cution; & they that taught them thus, upon this day, when they must appear in publick by the uncouth choice of their Texts, sly drift of their discourses, impertinent, if not scan­dalous, (being carefull to speak no more to the purpose, than they doe upon the thirtieth of January, or one of the Churches Festivals) too clearly manifest, they are unwilling the people should behold any thing of mercy in the dispen­sation. Indeed it is no great wonder, [Page 28]for such as these licked themselves whole when the Kingdome was broke, and they themselves are broke, now the King­dome is made whole. But let us remem­ber what it is this day is set apart for, and that we may behold the dimensions of this miraculous deliverance not to stay (in such haste) upon the length of it: which God grant may be as long as the Sun and Moon shall endure. See a little,

• The depth of it in its needfulnesse,
• The Heighth of it in the Sweetnesse,
• The Bredth of it in the Extensive­nesse of its conveyance.

First, the depth of it in its needfulnesse. We were ready to say of it, as Rachel of her Children, give us this or we dy. The Schoolmen dispute boldy, whether God could have found out another way for the redemption of mankinde than the blood of his Son. I like not that que­stion so well, as to start another, as unne­cessary and presumptious, whether he could have found out another way for the setling of our foundations then the re­storing of our Soveraign. This I am sure [Page 29]of, we men could pitch upon no other. How did those Mountebancks and Quack­salvers of State that had the body Poli­tick in cure, try all conclusions, that they might not fly to this; prescribing, sometimes the strong Purges of illegal Se­questrations: sometimes the fasting Spit­tle of pretended Humiliations: sometimes the letting Blood of a High Court of Ju­stice: constantly the Weapon-Salve of a domineering Army? and what did all a­vaile us? All could see at last and ac­knowledge the Kings Evill was the di­sease which we were sick off, and his hand onely could work the cure, and him God gave us. Consider,

Secondly, The height of the deliver­ance in the Sweetness & smoothnesse, that it came to us, Rabbi Bechai in his Para­phrase upon Gen. 49. R. Bechai co [...]. in Gen. hath nicely noted that all the letters in the Alphabet, are to be found in the blessing of Judah, except only I, and the subtle reason he giveth us of the omission of that single letter is that [...] signifyeth a weapon, and this was left [Page 30]out to hint to them, that all the mercies they should enjoy, should not proceed from their strength and valour, but from divine love and favour. What his af­fected curiosity fancied our own expe­rience hath verifyed, as many blessings in a lump as all the letters can well express have been restored of late, and setled on us, and all without Weapon, or Blood-shed; Sword or Speare. Thus God delighteth to act by contraries, when he would pu­nish us, he let the Embassadours of Peace (Ministers) beat our Plow-shares into Swords & our Pruning-hooks into spears; when he would deliver us, he maketh the Children of Warr (Souldiers) beat their Swords into Plow-shares, and their Speares into Pruning-hooks; to carry it yet further, let us Behold.

Thirdly, The breadth of it in the ex­tensivenesse of the mercy. How farr did it reach? Who is not the better for it? Let none be so sottish as to mistake it for a particular mercy to His Majesty onely, true it is, he hath a Benjamin's [Page 31]portion in it, this day he was made, brought forth into the World, and made whole, brought back into His Kingdomes; but this is not all, though the blessings was poured out immedi­ately upon Him the Head; yet it ran down plentifully on His Subjects the hems of His Garment, that all are made whole. Behold O ye Nobles you are made whole in your priviledges, that are retur­ned, your Honours which were despised, your Families which were endangered. Be­hold O ye Churchmen, you are made whole in your worship, that is established; your jurisdiction that is restored, your Reve­nues that were Ravished. Behold O ye Lawyers, you are made whole, in your Laws, that are maintained, your Courts that are upheld, your Societies that are countenanced. Behold O ye Souldiers, you are made more than whole, in the estates you have got, the priviledges you have granted, the Arreares which have been paid you. In a word, all of us may be­hold our being made whole in our peace, which was disturbed, our Liberty which [Page 32]was violated, our indemnity which is gran­ted. And being thus sensible of our be­ing made whole, forget not the other Part of the Text, to sin no more, least a worse thing, &c.

2. General.Sin no more against the Lord to pro­voke him to do such terrible things as he hath been doing among us; of that large­ly before, here let me add one word more.

Sin no more against the Lords anoin­ted. When Robert King of Naples, desired Giotto then famous in Italy to paint him out his Kingdome, he drew an Asse with a Saddle on his Back smelling to ano­ther new Saddle with a Crown and Scep­ter upon it; the King demanding what he meant by it, he reply'd, this is the lively protracture of your People and Subjects, who are still desiring new Lords and Go­vernours; Indeed had the Picture of England been to be drawn some years agoe, it would have puzled a good Ar­tist to have done it better, How did the new-fangled tumults cloyed with the [Page 33]lusciousnesse of their antient constituti­ons; hancer after every wilde Chimaera and Eutopian forme of policy that was started to them? rather than have no new Government in the State; some would send to Rome for a perpetual Di­ctator, some to Holland for acurst Com­mon-wealth, others (I had almost said) to Hell for hardnamed Juntos; it would almost fright you to repeat to you. Rather than have no new alteration in the Church; some would send to Geneva for a Presby­terian Parity, some to New-England for an Independent Anarchy, some to Munster for an Anabaptisticall Frenzy. Yea so hot and eager were we upon those frantick crotchers, that have them we must whatever we pay for them. Caligula-like an Army must be raised to spend blood and mony, that they may gather these Cockleshells. And now (my belo­ved!) now you have eat of the fruit of those unreasonable, as well (as unchri­stian) projects, tell me what taste had it? where was the goodly reformation [Page 34]that they promised you? where was the amendment of abuses they would rectify for you? where was the glorious days they would make for you? I cannot but think you are sensible, a plague and a cheat was never so dearly purchased. O now the omnipotent God hath wound us out of those wofull Labyrinths we had brought our selves into, Sin thus no more; Sin no more by your unthankfull repinings, sin no more by your tumultuary complainings; Sin no more by your Factious sidings. Parliaments! Sin no more by Disloyall Votes and Ordinances. Preachers! sin no more by Seditious Doctrine and discour­ses. Citizens! Sin no more by Rebellious Armes and Contributions. Grant you must, you were sadly punished for these sins before; and be assured you will not come off so easily, if you should returne again to them; A worse thing will come unto you. Vossius telleth us, that the Tapejones in the West-Indies, owne two Gods, one who is the Author of all good; the other, the inflicter of all crosses and afflictions. The good one, he saith, be­cause [Page 35]such is the goodnesse of his nature, that he punish­eth no body, nullo prosequun­tur honore; they are wholy re­gardlesse off, but the bad one they pray & offer sacrifices to, quia iracundus sit & cultus sui negligentes male perdat; because he is fierce and will destroy them, else I hope every misled person among us, is of a bet­ter temper, and will now love, love his sweetly engaging Sove­raign much, because much is for­given him; but if any should be of so devillish a disposition as with the Clay to be the more hardned by these sun-beams, the more embolded to new disturbances and insurrections, [Page 36]as you could not but expect, that as you snarled at one ano­ther before, it would be worse you would devoure one another then: So on the other hand you could not expect another Act of Indemnity to secure you then but a worse thing would come unto you.

But I forget my self. This day calleth for Musick to af­fect you, and not for Thunder to affright you. I remember what the Massorites tell us, that in foure books of Holy Scriptures, viz. Ecclesiastes, Isaiah, Lamentations and Ma­lachy; when they are read in the Synagogues the last verse save one is repeated after the [Page 37]last, because the last verses them­selves end with threatning. The end of my text doth so, it en­deth with threatning of a worse thing; but I was thinking upon this blessed occasion, to follow that president, and close with repeating the former part of my text as suitable to the Tri­umph of this day, behold thou art made whole, but all things considered that it may be the stronger motive to you, to sin no more; I shall choose rather to sweeten the latter, sin no more and a better thing shall come un­to you. What our God hath done for us, as amazingly by great as it is, shall be but the earnest of a larger bargain, the [Page 38] first fruits of a fuller harvest, the dawning of a brighter day: this being made whole shall be but a Preface to our being made hap­py. O sin no more, this will keep all whole. Sin no more, this will keep the nation whole, the na­tion that hath been an Acelda­ma a field of blood, this will make it a Canaan, a place of fruit­fullnesse. Sin no more, this will keep the inhabitants whole, the inhabitants that have been Be­non [...]s's sons of sorrow; this will make them Isaacks children of joy and laughter; in a word, sin no more, this wil keep the church whole; the Church that hath bin a Meribah a place of strife and contention, this will make it a Hierusalem, a City uniforme; [Page 39]compacted and united within it self. Thus we being better by sinning no more, every day better and better things will be coming to us. Which God (who is the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, and as a Testimony that he had not cast us off for e­ver, brought again our Grati­ous Lord and King to sit upon the Throne of His Fathers, this day,) grant every day more and more; and in an humble sense of what he hath done al­ready, Let us ascribe unto him, The Kingdome, the Power, and the Glory, now and for ever more, Amen.