Dr. Stewards Sermons.

TRIAS SACRA, A Second Ternary OF SERMONS PREACHED, Being the last (and best) Mo­numents that are likely to be made publique, of that most learned, pious and eminent Dr. Richard Stuart, DEAN of St. Pauls, afterwards Dean of Westminster, and Clark of the Closet, to his late Ma­jesty King CHARLES.

Being Dead, he yet speaketh.

LONDON Printed by T. L. for Hen. Brome at the Gun in Ivy- lane, 1659.

TO THE READER.

Courteous Reader,

I Have almost protested a­gainst Print­ing, in such a Time as this, where­in a most ingenuous in­vention [Page] was never more abused; and 'tis doubt­ful, whether this, or that of Powder, have hurted the modern world most: I dare believe, had the Founders of them had so much of Providence, as Invention, they had sti­fled their [...] in the birth, and never be­queathed such dange­rous VVeapons into the hands of such mad [Page] men as we are, who a­buse both the Powder and the Press (as that cursed Assasine) to kill body and soul too. But since the soul must have her Mess, without which she cannot live; and that is best and soonest car­ved out to her from the shops of Intellectuall provisions: And since too many sawcy and ca­pricious Peasants have [Page] kickt down her dishes as they were serving in; and most of her enter­tainment has contracted much dirt about it, and is rendered unfit for her Table; Reader, take this as a part of the clea­nest Divinity that is left us, being (I think) disht out to thee before the s [...]uffle began, and is sent to thee by A Steward, who, when alive, loved [Page] to serve those of the houshold with clean dy­et, and well drest; and now dead, is entred in­to the joy of his Lord. It has no other plot up­on thee, but to save thee; there be other Tables spread for thee in the world, but 'tis foul meat, ill drest, hard to digest, will lie heavy on thy Stomack, which thou must disgorge, or die for [Page] it; and a very hard rec­koning at last. Use the Steward God hath sent thee, who brings thee this Angels food, and bread from Heaven, and taking what is carved thee, go on eating, till thou come where thou shalt read all in God.

A Table of the Texts.

PHILIP. 4. 17.

Not because I desire a gift; but I desire Fruit, that may abound to your ac­count.

MARK 6. 20.

For Herod feared Iohn, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and ob­served him, and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.

HEBREWS 10. 1, 2.

For the Law having a shadow of good Things to come, and not the very I­mage of the Things, can never with those Sacrifices which they offered year by year continually, make the commers thereunto perfect.

For then would not they have ceas'd to be offered, because the worshippers once pur­ged, should have had no more conscience of Sin?

The First SERMON.

PHILIPIANS, 4. 17.‘Not because I desire a gift; but I de­sire Fruit, that may abound to your account.’

GODS vineyard had for some certain years been now planted at Philippi, and therefore no marvail, if the labourers did both desire, and ex­pect fruit. Indeed should those [Page 2] Disciples have believed onely, it would have argued, that the vines had taken root; but yet except they also bring forth fruit with pa­tience, the Apostle, who cultiva­ted them, might well conclude the ground of their hearts was but un­profitable. The Philippians then must be working; and their works must be fruits too, answerable to those rootes of Faith, which they had received by Saint Pauls plantation. For if a Christian soul bring forth the works of darknesse, being himself a child of light, it is no lesse unnatu­rall, than for a vine to be [...]r Thorns, or a Fig▪tree Thistles. If it yeeld works in themselves good, yet with­out the culture and help of faith, it is but like some hollow stump, which the bees have chosen to be their store house; it may afford honey, a gift perhaps, and yet in it self be both dead and fruit▪

[Page 3]That the Philippians were to ab­stain from works of impiety, both nature and Saint Paul had taught them. My Apostle here becomes more punctual, and admits not of all those works, which yet in mans judgment (perhaps) might seem approvable; he is more curious in his choice; and like those Fishermen in Saint Matthews Gospell, Chap. 13. He accepts not of all that comes to hand, but takes the good, and refuseth the bad. I desire fruit, saith he; thus with them he puts the good into vessels▪ but I desire not a gift, saith he again; so he casts the bad away.

In the whole there are these things considerable.

  • First, A distinction of works; they are either gifts, or fruits: or to [Page 4] speak more properly to this text, a division of paris within the same good work. For either we consider the matter whereof it consists, and so 't is a gift; or else the root from whence it takes life, and so 't is fruit.
  • Secondly, A direction for our practice. The Axe is laid to the root of the tree, bring forth therefore fruits, not gifts onely: And this truth stands here Armed with a double weapon, the first▪ is the judgment of mine Apostle, I desire not a gift, but I desire fruit. The Second is the nature of [...]he things themselves, fruits abound to your ac­count, saith my Text▪ and there­by intimates, that what is but gift onely, comes not into the reckoning.

My discourse then must consist of these three parts. First I am to shew you the conditions requisite to the perfection of a good work, it must not onely be the gift of the [Page 5] man, but the fruit of his Faith▪ Next I must inform you, how to esteem of a good work, you must not so much respect the gift it self▪ as the Faith of him that gives it, for so my Apostle is re­solute, I desire not a gift, &c. He was in want and penury at this time, and yet takes more delight, that his Philippians are good, than that they are liberal, joyes more to see their Faith, than to feel their bounty. In the last place, I must acquaint you with the value, and price of good works. We have an account to make with the King of Heaven▪ and at his great Audit such [...]oyn as this (good works) will be passable.

Strengthen me O Lord, while I treat of these particulars in their order; and you my beloved, Here and [...] likewise.

Not because I desire a gift, but I [Page 6] desire fruit, &c. Gifts and fruits.

As the man is, so is his strength, was the Speech of those Midiani­tish Princes, unto Gideon, the re­venger of Israel, Iudg. 8. 21. And 'tis no lesse true in the Acts of Re­ligion, than those of valour; as is the man, so are his works. There are some you know, who want as much Faith, as they have Hypocri­sie; men that desire not so much to be, as to be accounted Religious, in whose mouths there is a God sometimes, but their hearts are farre from him. Such as these may love our Nation (perhaps) they may build or endow Synagogues, they may give gifts, even beyond the lists of a free mind, and become prodigal in their charity▪ and yet when their goodly buildings fare now finished, their large pos­sessions firmly conveigh'd▪ in stead o being the Serv [...]ants of God, be­come [Page 7] no better than the Slaves of their own [...]ain Glory▪ with those founders of Babel, Come let us build, and get a name, say they. I, they res­pect their name, more than God, and desire more to live in the peoples applause▪ than with Gods appro­bation.

But can such a mans works do good to others, and yet in them­selves be evill? may a man erect Temples to the honour of God, houses for the education of his Pro­phets? may he give his bread to the hungry, and clothes to them who are naked▪ and yet all these goodly deeds be counted reprobate▪ not so much as to be termed good works? Can a man in the same Act be both a Benefactour and a Sinner? My Text decides it so; for it ex­pects in our good works, that they be as well fruits as gifts; as well the fruits of faith, as the gifts of fortune▪

[Page 8]If a man give Almes to the poor, not so much to expresse his duty to God, as to winne applause from spectatours, this Action may (possibly) be termed a good gift, but it is no good fruit. Tis a good Gift, because it gave ease, per­haps to his poverty, who received it: 'Tis no good Fruit, because the tree was evill; it grew not upon a right stock; it proceeded not from his faith, but his vain Glory.

'Tis an old rule, and allowed by him, who is Truth it self, the tree is known by his fruit; but I must now invert the Maxim, and tell you, the fruit is known by the tree: For here it is so. Would ye find the difference between Cains offering, and that of Abels? look not so much upon their Sacrifices, as upon themselves. The elder brought the encrease of his ground, the young­er of his Cattell, both alike (per­haps) [Page 9] in worth and estimation, had they been to have been sold in the market: And yet there was as great a difference in their works, as in their persons; as great a disproportion in their Religi­ous offices, as there was be­tween Abel a Saint, and Cain a murtherer.

My Apostle hath penn'd the difference in the 11th. to the He­brew [...] at the 4th verse. And as the example is there related, it seems as happily suitable to this point, as to his conclusion. By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent Sacrifice than Cain▪ See here the exact per­fection of a true good work. He of­fered Sacrifice, a▪ Gift; there's the matter whereof it consisted; but he offered it by faith, saith the Text, and therefore it was fruit too; and that's the root from whence it took life. His Cattel [Page 10] made the work a gift, but his faith made it fruit.

In Cains Sacrifice the case was otherwise. He came to the Altar, like him in the Gospell unto the Kings Table, who came in as a man onely, not as a guest; for his marriage-robe was wanting, he had not on a wedding garment: so Cain brought of the fruit of the ground, and probably his Sheaves might be as well grown, in their kinds, as Abels Lambs, how be it his Sacrifice proved a gift onely, it was no fruit; why? because he who wants the root of faith, can never offer the fruit of good works; Cain a reprobate may seem (perhaps) liberal before men, he cannot be fruitfull before God.

That of David at first hearing may seem harsh and improbable▪ Thou desirest no Sacrifice▪ else would [...] [Page 11] give it thee; thou delightest not in burnt-offerings; 'tis in the 51 Psalm, at the 16. verse What, is God him­self now become mutable? is his mind changed? doth his law so strickly enjoyn Sacrifices▪ and yet in Davids time, doth he not desire them? was the priesthood of Aa­ron at an end, before that of Christ began? The sequel answers, and Satisfieth the doubt, The Sacrifices of God are a broken Spirit. For now, (me thinks) he speaks there in the Kingly Prophet, neither more nor lesse, than what he hath here intimated by his great Apo­stle, I desire no Sacrifice, that is, I desire not a bare gift onely; what make your Cattel at the door of my Sarctuary, while your hears run on whoring after strange Gods? Indeed I have comman­ded, that beasts should beslain; but whiles their bodies are [...]orn, [Page 12] your hearts should be rent too. I desire not those naked Gifts, but I desire Fruit, a broken and contrite Spirit; I desire repentance, the fruit of faith. Adde this Salt unto your Sacrifice, and then come▪ offer as much sacrifice as you will, make my▪ Altars grow fat with offer­ings, weary my Levites, let my Priests faint through the multi­tude of your oblations, offer up the fruit of your ground, the encrease of your Cattel, Tythe mint and cumins. 'Tis acknowledged, these gifts ought to be done, but withall remember Iustice and Iudgment, re­member to break and rent your hearts; these fruits must not be left undone.

Will you see the Gospell exem­plifie this truth? attend our Sa­viour into the Temple, and with him behold the Jews casting into the Treasury, you may there fix [Page 13] your eye upon some long-rob'd Pharisee, whose Phylacteries are so Spacious, that they scarse leave any room for goodnesse; and sud­denly perceive his pride so super­ [...]uously bountifull, as if he came not to adore, but to purchase a deity; you may then descry a poor, yet pious widdow, whose bounty and living are of the same extent; they both make but a farthing: And then hear Christs censure of the oblations, [...]. This poor widdow here hath cast in more than they all. How? more than the Pharisee? Can the truth it self be found at such a fault? Can a farthing be more than thousands? yes, very well; in account, though not in quantity. That which she did was a perfect good work; her far­thing was but a gift▪ but the good intent, the good mind, wherewith she gave it▪ was fruit. That▪ [Page 14] namely her farthing, was the bo­dy onely, but this, to wit, her true devotion, was the soul of her Acti­on; This crown'd her good work. Each of the rest gave a gift indeed▪ perhaps rich and goodly, but that was onely the carcase of a good work; one to winne an opinion of Holinesse, another of Magnifi­cence, but for fruit you can there expect none, where there's no In­tegrity.

And now Beloved judge ye, whether is better, living David, then dead Goliah? David is little, but yet a perfect man; Goliah is large and vast of bulk, but yet no more than a Trunk. So a Pharisees works may be goodly indeed, and great in outward shew, but yet dead in themselves, because their hearts are uncircumcised; Those of the widdow are lively▪ and full of faith; little, but good works.

[Page 15] Didiciate, Deus meus, inter da­tum & fructum discernere, sayes S. Austin in his last book of Con­fessions, at the twenty sixth chap. I have learned it of thee, O my God, to put a difference betwixt gifts and fruits. What may the difference be, good Father? Da­tum est res ipsa, quam dat, qui im­partitur, hae [...] necessaria: Fructus recta voluntas Datoris est. A gift is no more than the bare thing it self which is bestowed: Fruit is the good intent o [...] him that gives it.

To afford a Disciple a cup of cold water is a gift: But to do it in the name of a Disoiple, that argues a Religious inclination; and then 'tis fruit too. To sustain a pro­phet, thats a gift; and so the Ra­vens did feed Eliah: But to give him entertainment in the name of a Prophet, because he is a man of God, [Page 16] This is fruit it self; and so he was nourished onely by the good wid­dow of Zarephah. Didici a te, De­us meus, saith the devout Father, this have I learn'd of thee my God: He thought it worth the registring, that he had received so usefull a Doctrine from so great an Au­thour.

For throughout the various passages of our doubtfull life, what more universally profitable? what more applyable? Each humane Action admits of this mixture; there's a gift, and there should be fruit in it; your very approach in­to these Assemblies, what is it but a gift? you give unto God your paines, you give him your pre­sence, you afford him the knee, the eye, the hand, with those other complements of Religious honour. If these be done onely upon some false respects, as either to purchase [Page 17] an opinion of Holinesse, or to a­void the threats of the law; if they be done either for fear of Su­periours, or to keep correspon­dency with those of your own Rank, they make but a bare gift onely, and are as farre from the nature of a good work, as truth is from hypocrisie.

That these gestures may become fruits too, make Religion the Mi­stresse of your outward Actions; let her prompt your feet to go, your eyes to look upward; subject all your members unto the Scepter of her direction. Be indeed what you would seem to be: For 'tis a shame that your bodies should be more Christian, than your soules; that your tongues should be more ready to praise, than your hearts to conceive the Lord; Your knees more officious to bow to him, than your souls to adore him. Let that [Page 18] Kingly votary be your guide and instruction, Come (says he) let us worship, and fall down, and kneel before the Lord our Maker. First wor­ship; thats the Fruit of a Religious intent: and then fall down and kneel, those are the gifts of our outward Actions: and therefore, that the service of your knees, eyes, hands may be acceptable, first take order, that your Souls do wor­ship.

My Text commands yet further, and will needs sit in judgment, even with this exercise at which we are present, it claimes rule in the Pulpit too, and requires, that our Sermons be composed of its two ingredients, that they have in them both gift and fruit; They must be gifts to others, and fruits to our selves. If we preach, ra­ther to insnare mens [...]ares, than to correct their affections; if in stead [Page 19] of censuring mens sins, we defame their persons; if our intent be not so much to winne Souls, as followers, and that we preach, ac si deus nu­meraret tantum, non aestimaret, as if God were able onely to number our Sermons, but not to weigh and judge of them; if thus, we offer gifts only, and those as displeasing in the eyes of the eternal God, as they are oft times ridiculous unto the eares of a mortal Auditor.

But when with an upright and pure heart, we intend and endea­vour the health of Israel; when our reprehensions do as much move our selves, while we meditate them, as we desire they should work upon our hearers, when we deliver them; if Iudah hear of her sins, not from our passion, but our conscience, and the house of Ia­cob of their transgressions, not to vilifie, but to reform her people, [Page 20] then our discourses, and exhorta­tions to you become Fruits too; and then are they no lesse pledges of our own salvation, than they are the means of yours. Happy Prea­cher! who endeavours this com­position, who affects, that his Sermons may appear to be as well the Fruits of faith, as the Gifts of learning, for in so doing he shall both save himself, and them that hear him.

The word [...] is yet more Do­ctrinal. Good works▪ are here called Fruits; 'tis to let us understand, that as fruits keep a due proporti­on to the tree that beares them, so should our works be still answera­ble to our ability. In this way to heaven, the blind mans fight, as it is expressed in the Gospell, must be our direction, I see men as trees walking, we must walk like trees▪ you know 'twere unnatural for a [Page 21] pomegranate to bear fruits no bigger than a grape; and 'tis no lesse unseemly, for a man of large Revennew to give Almes like his meaner neighbour.

Neither must our charity exceed our Estate▪ for when a man grows liberal beyond his means, ▪tis as if a vine, in stead of its proper grape▪ should bring forth a gourd. We read, Exod. 35. 20. at the building of the Tabernacle, some brought Gold and precious Stones, some Purple and Fine twined linnen, others Badgers skins, and Goats hair to the Sanctuary: all these were Fruits. Gold and precious Stones fit for the Nobles of Israel to bear; Purple and Fine linnen for persons of middle rank; Skins and Goates haire for the poorer sort. Iael may give Milk to drink, and bring forth butter in a Lordly dish; 'tis well if the poor widdow can give a [Page 22] little Cake, and a draught of wa­ter to Eliah.

Thus let each tree bring forth its own Fruit; let each mans wis­dome proportion his contribution to his Estate. Great men must do great works; and God may as well expect, that a rich man should build a Church, where there is need, as that another should adorn it. Should Caithas have cast in those Two mites into the Treasury, men might rather have scorn'd his basenesse, than commended his charity; mites did well become the widdow, but the high Priest must bring a larger offering.

I know, 'tis not our substance, but our Faith, which commends the work; but▪ yet we may well suspect the Niggards faith, when he gives too little of his substance, and he's to be counted a very weak Christi­an, whose covetousnesse shuts his [Page 23] purse so close, that his Faith can­not open it. There are some that can speak great store of charity, they can give good words, to people in want; Alas my brother! Alas poor man, I am sorry for you; yea they can be content to pray sometimes, that God would help them, but it is with reservation, so that they be not his instruments. But such Trees as these, bear not fruit, but leaves; and, as you know it follows, their end is to be burnt.

If our good works be fruit, it follows, they ought not to make us proud, nor to puff us up with any vain imaginations, as though they had deserved, that God should fa­vour us. For tell me, when Noah had bestowed▪ great paines in planting a vineyard, do you think he was beholding to his slips, that they brought forth graps?

Beloved, we are Gods vineyard, [Page 24] he hath planted us, he hath set an hedge about us, and therefore to bring forth the fruits of a Godly life, is not our kindnesse, but our duty. This truth is yet further manifested by the verse next fol­lowing. My Apostle had lately received a contribution from Phi­lippi, and yet thus he speaks of it [...], I have received all things; [...], is a word very emphatical, it signifies to receive by way of due debt, as a Prince receives his Tri­bute, or a Lord his rent; for so 'tis expounded by Saint Chrysostome, a Greek Father, and therefore one that knew well the property of my Apostles language.

Observe hence, when you mini­ster [...]nto the Saints necessities, you do but pay what you owe; and such works, I hope, you will confess, are not to be accounted as your libera­lity, but as Gods Tribute.

[Page 25]You have heard the difference between Gifts and Fruits; and I doubt not, but the bare Narration of it hath soon taught you which to practise: For Iacob needed no other inducement to chuse Rachel before her Sister Leah, than that the one was bleare-eyed, but the other beautifull. The dispropor­tion here is of a farre greater con­sequence: bare Gifts are dead, and unprofitable, but Fruits are of a weighty value, the Testimo­nies of our Faith, and the pledges of our Salvation. If neither Grace, nor yet Reason, hath taught you which to chuse, learn at least to rely upon Saint Pauls Authority, I desire not a Gift, but I desire Fruit: which I call'd my Second part, and I must now explain it to you.

I desire not a Gift, but I desire Fruit. To know the true worth of [Page 26] this Apostolique assertion, we must as well enquire how Saint Paul then liv'd, as what he wrote; we must look as well into his life, as his Epistle.

You must understand therefore, that he was now at [...]ome a priso­ner under Nero the Emperor, whither the Jews malice con­strained him to appeal, as Saint Luke relates it from his own con­fession, in the last of the Acts, at the 19th. verse. He was now in­deed in a very Strange Land, forc'd to converse with Romans, Strangers to his person, with Gentiles Stran­gers to his Religion, and which makes his case farre more lamen­table, There was a Nero and a Paul together, the most Zealous Apostle under the most Savage Tyrant.

You see Beloved, he is a misera­ble object, his condition, and in all [Page 27] likely hood his wants also, not un­fit for a whole Church to exercise their charity upon. Here's an Apostle, in necessity, in prison, and that under a cruel Prince, among Strange people. The Phi­lippians hear news of his Estate, and presently in a Religious boun­ty they make Collections for him, and dispatch them to him by Epa­phroditus, who in their names was both to Salute and relieve the pri­soner. It may be thought, nothing could be more welcome to the Apostle at this time, nothing more welcome than wealth in stead of want, than the Almes of Phi­lippi, in the midst of his great ex­tremity.

But men of that opinion are ig­norant of Saint Pauls abundance. He could truely say of himself, what the Comaedian put into the mouth of his Actor, omnia habeo, [Page 28] nec quicquam habeo, nihil cum est, nihil deest tamen. I have all things, and yet possesse nothing, there's nothing about me, and yet I want nothing. For contentment is a large possession, and the man tru­ly full, is not he that hath eaten most, but he that's satisfied. They are his own words in this present Chapter. I know both how to be aba­sed, and I know how to abound, I am instructed both to be full, and to be hungry, both to abound, and to suf­fer need; I can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me.

How! all things? hear ye El­ders of Philippi, what need is there of your Churches bounty? Saint Paul wants nothing, he hath al­ready all the wealth he desires, and 'tis but a Thanklesse expence to enrich a man beyond his wishes Indeed had these Philippians, in a seeming Holinesse, sent but [Page 29] their wealth, a bare Gift onely, his chain had been more welcome, than their Benevolence, Saint Paul would have more esteem'd the bonds of Christ, than the riches of hypocrisie. But when under the shadow of this outward bounty, he descryes the inward Truth of a Sincere affection, when he per­ceiv'd it an odour of a sweet smell, a Sacrifice acceptable, well-pleasing to God, then he breaks out, I rejoy­ced in the Lord greatly, that your care of me hath Flourished; not because I desire a Gift, but I desire Fruit, not that I cove [...] my own wealth, but your Salvation.

A generous mind you see, and fit for an Apostles breast; he scorns to be relieved, but by the hand of Faith; and can be as well content with the pangs of hunger, as the Gifts of Infidelity. Indeed, had the Philippians been yet but hypo­crites, [Page 30] my Apostle might with a good conscience have used their bounty, for it came to him by deed of Gift; and there is no fairer Title to any possession: But he is not so content; to please him, they must send, as well Fruits as Gifts, they must send such pre­sents, as may abound no lesse to their accounts, than to his necessi­ty; otherwise they may satisfy his wants, perhaps, but not his desire.

'Tis a rule in the Mathematicks, that Rectum est index curvi; the best way to discover a Crooked line is to compare it with one that is straight. You know 'tis a straight square that must tell the workman, whe­ther his timber be straight, or un­even.

The case is with us, as with Lines, Beloved. Men of a crooked disposition are then best known, [Page 31] when they are compared with o­thers of an upright heart▪ and the onely way to discover a false Phi­lippian, is to examine his Actions by Saint Pauls example. He was in want you heard, and yet desires not Gifts, except they were Fruits too. How farre then do those poor decline from the straight steps of his Apostle, who scarse either desire the one, or respect the other, but had rather be beholding to their own theft and cousenage, than either to the Fruits of other mens Faith, or to the Gifts of their vain Glory? Indeed, such men may usurp upon that speech of Saint Paul, these hands minister to my necessities, but 'tis not of their own, but their neighbours goods.

The covetous person may here examin himself, and strait way discover the errour of his life. [Page 32] Saint Paul was poor, and yet de­sires not wealth; for his content­ment was his riches. This man abounds in all things, and yet is therefore still poor, because he's not Satisfied. We may (all of us) behold mine Apostle, and from him take a pattern how to rectify our affections: he desires not Gifts, but Fruits; and delights more in the Philippians Faith, than in their liberality.

This likewise shews the Crooked­nesse of those perverse Christians, who preferre their own profit, be­fore the Salvation of their bre­thren; and would more delight to see the Philippians become their Tributaries, than Christs Disci­ples. He that rules a Family must hence learn to take more pleasure, that his servants are good, than that they are profitable: for if they labour their Masters encrease, [Page 33] either for hope of reward onely, or for fear of offence, this is but eye-service, neither Fruit, nor Gift, unlesse perhaps ye account that given, which ye pay for. But when they become Trusty for conscience sake, when they are industrious and truly diligent, not as in the sight of man, but God, then are their labours Fruits, and a Christi­an Master must more joy to see his Servants Faith, than his own Com­modity.

That your Actions must be Fruits, not Gifts onely, I have shewed unto you in my First part, from the Nature of the things them­selves; in this Second part I have shewed it from the Authority of the Apostles choice. I must reiterate my exhortation once more. Bring forth Fruits, if not for these rea­sons, yet for your own commodi­ty. Remember that great Audit [Page 34] which▪ you must one day make with the Lord of Heaven: then Fruits will abound to your account; which I made my last part, and must now be handled.

That may abound to your account. There's a great correspondency be­tween the written and the eternal word; between Christ and the Scriptures. They have both of them humbled themselves for us; He to the death of the Crosse, This to the dulnesse of our capacity. For how often does not the Scripture speak of God, as of a mortal man? It gives him both eyes, and eares, and Feet, and hands; in some places it supposes him an Husbandman, in others a Shepheard; some places make him a man of War, and clothe him with har­nesse to the battel; and in my Text he is an Auditor. The Lord hath sought a man after his own heart, [Page 35] saith the Scripture of David, first of Kings at the 13th. chapt. how, Sought? God is every where, and may spare that enquirie; what needs he to seek, who sees all at once? Non quod nesciat, ubi sit, quae­rit, sed per hominem, more hominum lo­quitur, quia sic loquendo nos quaerit, as Saint Austin speaks, in the 17. of the City of God, at the 5th. chap. he did not seek David, because he was ignorant where he was, but he so speaks, because he seeks us; for we are then found, when we under­stand him.

That we might become learned, God is said to have Books too; The Books were opened, saith Saint Iohn. Revel. 20th. that is, the particu­lar Testimonies of every ones pri­vate conscience. And again, ano­ther Book was opened; that is, the Sacred register of Gods eternal Decree. My Text adds to this li­brary, [Page 36] for it implyes Books too, namely Books of Account. So Zanchius unfolds the Metaphor, hic Deo tribuit librum, the Apostle, faith he, in this place attributes to God the use of a Book, wherein there stands the formal draught of an exact account. Here he writes his expenses, namely the things w [...]i [...]h he hath given us; and here are his receipts too; that is, the du­ties which we have returned to him: again, here he notes our Tres­passes, or Debts, and here likewise he sets down our weeping payment, our tears, those fruits of Faith, which so farr abound unto our ac­counts, that they turn our reveng­ing creditour into a loving Father. Put my Tears into thy Bottle; are they not noted in thy Book? Saith David, a weeper, in the 56th. Psalm, at the 8th verse, for so runs the o­riginal, it is a word▪ varyed [Page 37] from [...] (Sepher) which signi­fies a Book. He that hath mercy up­on the poor, lendeth unto the Lord, Prov. 19th. the Lord borrows our works of Charity, and puts them into his receipts.

See then, Beloved, do not such Fruits abound to our advantage? they make our God become our Debtour; and our Accounts must then needs be easy, when we our selves are become the Creditors; who gives a Disciple a cup of cold water only, in the name of a Disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward, saith our Saviour, Mat. the 10th. at the last verse. The thing here to be given is scarce worth the valuing; and yet if this water be Fruit, if it issues as well from his heart, that gives it, as from the Fountain from whence it is drawn, how doth it abound to our account? It both cancels our [Page 38] debts, and entitles us to a farther Benefit; it gives us, not a Freedom only, but a reward.

Are our works then of so high a price? can they both discharge the debts we owe, and yet leave us so rich, that we may purchase too? In­deed our Saviour seems to intimate it, Come yee blessed of my Father, inhe­rit the Kingdom prepared for you before the world began, for your Fruits have abounded to your accounts, I hungred, and yee gave me meat, I thirsted, and yee gave me drink, &c. Heres no mention of offences at all: it seems then our works shall both Satisfie those debts, and also pur­chase a Kingdom for us.

But lest, with that purple whore, we become drunk with a conceit, or pride of Merits, we must un­derstand, that our accounts are to passe before such an Auditor, whose only Mercy is our satisfacti­on. [Page 39] Indeed in his Reckonings our Fruits shall passe for current coyn, but yet 'tis his bounty that gives them value. A Creditour, if he please, may accept of Brasse for Gold, and of Iron instead of Sil­ver: though all our righteousness be as a stayned cloth, yet God in mercy may both pardon and crown our works: and when he so deals with us, we are not beholding to the worth of our coyn, but unto the bounty of our Creditour; not un­to the merit of our desert, but un­to the mercy of our Redeemer. Come ye Blessed of my Father, [...], (So the Greek hath it) possess ye the Kingdome by title of Inheri­tance. Mark, Beloved, we are heirs, not purchasers, and we ob­tain the Kingdom, not by our own desert, but by Gods free adop­tion: and yet, that all the world might know his sentence to be e­qual, [Page 40] he adds, for I hungred, and yee gave me meat, I thirsted, and yee gave me to drink; your Fruits make it manifest, that you are the Sons of me your Father; and thus do they abound to your accounts.

The Civilians distinguish be­tween Dominium & Possessio, between the right of Title, and the form of taking possession. You know a man may have Title to what he doth not yet possesse; and a man may wrongfully possess that, to which he hath no just Title Nabouh had to his vineyard, to wit, Title of inheritance; the Lord forbid, saith he to Ahab, that I should give the Inheritance of my Fathers unto thee, 1. of Kings, 21. Yet at length Ahab possest it, without a Title, for ought we find, unlesse perhaps it were some new Law of Iezabels enact­ing; that the Husband should succeed him, whom the Wife had murthered. [Page 41] We may get a right of Title by o­thers, for so Isaack had it to his In­heritance, because he was the Son of Sarah, the wife of Abraham; and Mephibosheth to his possession, be­cause he was the Son of Ionathan, the Friend of David. But 'tis the Act of their own Body usually, whereby men take possession.

Possessio, quasi pedis positio, say the learned Lawyers, 'tis gotten by setting our foot, and seeming to take up our rest, upon the ground which we meant to possesse. You may remember Ahab went down in person to take possession of Na­baoths vineyard, in the Text before cited. So then we may get a right of Title from the bounty of others, but possession is the Fruit of our own endeavours.

I apply it; the practice of this le­gal course, is no lesse observable in the attainment of the Everlasting [Page 42] Kingdom: for to have a Title to it is one thing, the manner of posses­sing it another. If we be Sons, then are we also heirs, Saith the Apostle; there's our Title, 'tis by a right of Inheritance. Well done, good and faithful Servant, enter into thy ma­sters joy, there's the manner of pos­sessing it; 'tis per pedis positionem, by setting our feet, and putting our selves resolutely into that nar­row way, which leadeth unto life, by bringing forth the Fruits of Faith, which may abound, and advance us unto this possession.

Calvin himself hath intimated, what I now observed, in his third Book of Institutions, chap. 17. In his locis, in these Texts, saith he, where Eternal life is called the reward of good works, the Holy Ghost speaks not of life it self, but of the form of enjoying it, that is, as I understand him, he speaks not of our Title to the [Page 43] Kingdom, but of the manner how we must possesse it. Without Fruits then our Account will not be taken; or to speak plainly, and leave this Metaphor, without good works there's no Salvation. They are not indeed the cause, but they are the way to life; They are not the Ti­tle whereby we lay claym to Hea­ven, but yet they serve instead of that legal form, whereby we must take possession of Heaven.

Nor is my Text any way injuri­ous to Faith, while it holds good works in so great esteem: for if you observe the word here used by my Apostle, when he mentions the one, he implyes the other; yea and chiefly extolls Faith, though he doth not name it, [...], he saith not, I desire good works, but I desire Fruit. They are not esteem'd then for their own sakes, but because they grew upon the [Page 44] Stemm of Faith. He that loves an Israelite, because he is the Son of Abraham, loves Abraham, more than he doth the Israelite; and so he that desires good works, because they are the Fruits of Faith, honours Faith, more than he doth good works. For our affection looks chiefly at that which first moves it, and therefore the cause, why we respect any thing, is still more in our account, than the Thing it self.

Names of Relation alwayes bu­sie our understanding, and by a si­lent kind of Command make us to search farther than the Thing we hear. If we call the Rechabites no more but good men, our apprehen­sion confines it self unto their per­sons only; but when we Stile them obedient Sons, we can hardly abstain from making some farther enquiry touching their Father Ionadab. So, [Page 45] had it been here said, Good works abound, we might per­haps have sought no further than into their desert, but the name of Fruit, which is given them, makes us enquire for the Tree on which they grow, and silently enformes our un­derstanding, that good works do therefore abound to our account, because they are the Fruits of Faith, that saves us. So then, 'tis Faith that justifies, both our selves, and our works too: it makes us of Sinfull men become the children of God; and it makes our works, of unprofita­ble Actions, become Fruits; a­bounding unto our Eternal Free­dome.

Where's now the forehead of that Romish strumpet, who dares affirm, that our Doctrine hinders good works, and that without [Page 46] blushing too? Indeed we must not say they merit; that were as false as dangerous, and the ready way to make us men, become rather proud than honest: yet we averr, without good works there's no Sal­vation, and in mine Apostles phrase, that without such Fruit, we shall fail in our account: our Master will be wroth with us, and de­liver us over to the Tormentor, to lye in prison, till we pay all that's due to him, which will be to eter­nity.

If this be not a sufficient induce­ment to good works, what is? who can move him, that regards neither the losse of Heaven, nor the gaining of hell? nor do I well see, how our adversaries them­selves should present us with a greater motive; unlesse perhaps they will have the confidence to tell us, that the Fire of Hell is not [Page 47] so hot, but burns more gently and softly than that of Purgatory. 'T were to be wished indeed, that in this point, our lines were as well able to give Rome the lye, as our Doctrine is; she might then see, as well as read, that the reform­ed Church, can be both good, and humble too; and knows both to be rich in the Fruits of Faith, and yet to rely onely upon Christs satis­faction.

I conclude with that of Saint Austin, in the 23th. chapter of his Confession. Germinet anima nostra opera misericordiae, Let our souls Bud and Bring forth the works of mercy: pitty the Fatherlesse, have compassion on the poor, relieve those that are in distresse, lend a tender and favourable ear to the widdows groanes; Be ye members one of another, by compassion and a lively sense of your Brethrens suf­ferings, [Page 48] and be ye members one to another by the free help of your Be­nevolence and Chatity. Be Eyes to the blind, be Feet to the lame, be Hands to them that cannot, through age or other impotency, labour for themselves. In a word, give Almes, every man according to his Estate, liberally, frequent­ly, constantly worship God humbly and devoutly, do all kind of good works with Diligence, Faithfullnesse and Sincerity; So shall your Fruit abound, not onely to your own, but to the Churches ac­count; the Church shall have wherewith to answer her Adver­saries in this world, and your selves wherewith to satisfy that great Judge of account in the world to come: which God of his mercy grant, &c.

The Second SERMON.

MARK 6. 20.‘For Herod feared Iohn, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.’

EXamples give life to pre­cepts: for as they usual­ly make us conceive with ease, what otherwise we should [Page 50] hardly understand; so do they cause us to practise with encou­ragement, what without them (perhaps) we should scarse at­tempt. Precepts indeed may com­mand, but it is their examples, that perswade obedience with great­est facility; the reason is, because they both imply matter of Emula­tion, which is as a spurre in many cases, unto mens spirits, and likewise exclude impossibility, by shewing that the thing, which is commanded us, may be perform­ed.

That we must in all things obey the voice of the Lord our God is a pre­cept better known than observ'd; and what can be more availeable to enforce our performance of this command, than the consideration of Abrahams example? For canst thou stick to abandon the compa­ny of thy vitious Associates, when [Page 51] he, to avoid occasion of sinne, leaves both his kindred and his Fa­thers house? Canst thou forbear strangling thine in ordinate affecti­ons and lusts, when thou seest him, in obedience to the com­mand of that great Law giver, turn Executioner to the Fruit of his own loynes, and rather than not to be the child of God, is content to be no longer the Father of his dea­rest Isaack?

But amongst all the several kinds of Inducements, that are apt to work upon us, and to move us to do this or that, there is none that more effectually stirs our af­fections, than the good examples of those who seem most exposed to ignominy and disgrace. For we can hardly brook the worthy At­chievements of our Equals in any kind, but we disdain and are vex­ed to see our selves out-stript by [Page 52] our inferiours. And therefore that fabulous Philosopher, Aesope I mean, did very wisely; who be­ing desirous to incite and bring his Auditours to a more vertuous course of life, chose rather to ac­quaint them with the Annals of Beasts, than men; to the end that they might be ashamed to see sense out go reason, and to observe those silly creatures performing the offi­ces, which either sluggish negli­gence made them unable, or their crooked and perverse dispositions unwilling to execute.

This one example, which my Text proposeth, affords variety of such inducements. For if thou beest possessed with a generous Spirit, and apt to emulate the Actions of great men, Behold, here is Herod a Prince to be imita­ted: but if thy drowsie affections permit thee not to look up, nor to [Page 53] be awaked with such Alarmes, yet blush notwithstanding to see thy self outstript by Herod, a man whom the Gospel hath noted out, as notoriously infamous, an in­cestuous person, and a murtherer: Is it not a shame then for thee, to contemn the Ministers of God, or to abuse his servants, to whom in this place Herod himself doth reverence? To be backward and slothfull in attending to his word, which Herod here again and again receives with gladnesse? lastly, would it not argue great want of Grace in thee to be an idle hearer onely, when we in this Text find Herod himself doing, readily doing and performing many good deeds?

Consider I say, and blush at these circumstances, thou who ever thou art, that hast not as yet attained to Herods perfection. Think how farre short thou comest [Page 54] of those duties, which that last and great day shall exact of thee: Seeing that the charity of our best Divines cannot so farre o'rerule their judgments, as to make them think this Galilaean Prince, through­out all these Actions, to have gone any whit beyond a repro­bate. For although considered in their own nature, the many things, which he is here said to have done, were doubtlesse good and truly commendable before men, yet be­ing stain'd with infidelity, and cor­rupted by the ill manner of the performance of them, they were as farre from the perfection of a true good work, in the sight of God, as himself was in person from the privilege of a true­born Israelite; to which yet (as some say) he was not unwilling to pretend.

[Page 55]The Actions here specified are Three.

  • First, the respect which Herod shewed to the Ministers of the word, and withall to the line of Aaron; for Iohn was heir to the course of Abia, being, as the Gospel shews and calleth him, filius Zachariae, the Son of Zachariah the Priest. He feared Iohn, and ob­served him.
  • Secondly, the entertainment, the joyfull entertainment, which Herod gave to the word it self, which Iohn preached. And when he heard him, &c. he heard him gladly.
  • Thirdly, the Reformation, or good effect, which Iohns Sermons, or preaching, wrough upon Herod. He did many things, &c. Each of these apart in their order, toge­ther with a particular discovery of [Page 56] their several imperfections, are to be the subject of my present dis­course; it being my desire and in­tent principally, to acquaint you with the fair progress, which a Re­probate may seem to make in god­linesse, and yet how farr he comes short of true Grace and Salvation.

Part I.

You may thence conjecture, that our fore-Fathers did highly esteem the Priests office, because it was so often, in their time united unto the Kings Authority. Majorum haec erat consuetudo, ut Rex esset etiam Sa­cerdos & pontifex: 'Twas a custom among the Antients, that he that was King, should be likewise Priest, as Isidore Hispalensis obser­veth in the 7th. of his Etymoli­gicks, at the 12th. chapter. This was practised by the Patriarks themselves, as we may read Heb. 7th. There Melchisedech partakes [Page 57] of both Tit [...]es, he received Tyth [...]s of Abraham, as Priest of the most high God; and questionlesse he took Tribute of his own people, as being King of Salem. Also the Scripture tells us of Eli and Samuel, both Judges, successively invested with the same Soveraignty, and yet the first a Priest, the second both a Priest and Prophet in Israel.

The Gentiles, though as yet they had not attayned to the Faith of Israel, that is, unto the true knowledge of Almighty God and his Law, yet in this particular they thought not amisse to imitate the custom of Israel: among them there was.

Rexidem hominum Phaebique Sacerdos,

As Virgil speaks of Anius, who was both King and Priest, a King to Delos, and a Priest to Apollo, who [Page 58] was there worshipped. And 'tis not unworthy of observation, that Moyses Gen. 41. Stiles Potipherah his Father in Law [...] (On Cohen) which you may render either Prince, or Priest of On. Probably 'twas to let us understand, that Aegypt liked well of the old con­junction between the Sacerdotal and Princely dignity.

Thus did those elder times think Holiness the chiefest policy: and therefore held him as most able to Reign, whom they saw to be most fit to Sacrifice. This Antient pra­ctice seems not a little to justifie a Maxime of our own times. Rex, lay we, est persona mixta cum Sacerdo­te, the King himself is partly a Clergy-man: his office then in­cludes a Priesthood, and bids him not to rule only, but to pray for his People.

Consult the Pagan Antiquities, [Page 59] and you will find strange variety of Honour conferred upon the Mi­nisters of their supposed Deities. Romulus stiled them Kings, as if he meant to have enlarged their pow­er unto the height of his own Au­thority. And when afterwards the name of a King became as odi­ous at Rome, as the real oppressi­on of a Tyrant was to other Ci­ties, yet was she still content, that the chief Master of her religious Ceremonies should retain the old Ti­tle, and be styled Rex Sacerdotum, or the Priestly King. I might ac­quaint you with the large Immuni­ties and Privileges which they en­joyed, with the strange Comple­ments of Honour, wherewith they were little lesse than adored, did they not contain as great an excess of Superstition, as they did aboun­dance of Reverences?

This will be sufficient to prove [Page 60] that they were both fear'd and ob­serv'd, that in succeeding ages, the Caesars themselves became ambi­tious of the Priesthood, as Sueto­ [...]ius hath observed in Iulius Caesar and Augustus; and Tacitus wit­nesseth the same, (in the third of his History) of Vitellius.

The Relations even of our mo­dern times are not without some parallel examples likewise. Hen­ry the Archbishop of Ebora be­comes King of Portugal, as you may find in the late Spanish Histo­ry: and Possevine the Jesuite re­lates this of the Russian Monarch, otherwise called the great Duke of Muscovie, Rex Sacrorura simul et Imperator videri velit, he doth as much affect to be thought chief in their holy Ceremonies, as to be held chief in his Empire: And therefore his Robes are Copes, his Crown a Miter, and in stead of a [...] impe­rial [Page 61] Scepter he arms his left hand with a Crosiers staff.

Neither did the purer years of the Christian Church shew them­selves any whit negligent, in the performance of so Religious a du­ty; being no way ignorant of that Doctrine, which St. Paul had im­parted unto his Timothy. Let the Elders, saith he, that rule well be had in double honour; especially those which labour in the word and doctrine. 1 Tim. 5. 17. Indeed for those for­mer Titles of Soveraignty, as I read them not offer'd, so neither could they have been accepted by the Ministers of the Gospel, they having received prohibition a­gainst it from their Masters own mouth, vos autem non sic, The Kings of the Gentiles reign over them, and they that bear rule among them are cal­led Benefactours: But you shall not be so. Luke the 22. Yet if we enquire [Page 62] into the cariage of those Elder Christians, we shall easily find, that what was wanting in those swelling Titles of Eminency, was supplied in the Truth of sincere af­fection. So the Apostle himself witnesseth of his Galathians in the 4th. chap. of his Epistle to them. Yee received me as an Angle of God, yea as Christ Iesus; nay I bear you record, that if it had been possible, you would have plu [...]kt out your own eyes, and have given them unto me.

Happy Galatia! who wert be­come the Mother of such aff [...]ctio­nate Children. If you expect fear and reverence, they receive the A­postle as an Angel of God. If love and affection; they could have spa­red even their own eyes to have sup­plyed his necessities.

But is the practice of our present times answerable? doth it equal the se precedents of the Aposto­lique [Page 63] age? do you fear and observe? nay do you not rather scorn and neglect our profession? else what's the cause that the most liberal and ingenuous dispositions are fearful to undertake this worthy calling? what hinders them, but only the publike contempt aud much igno­miny, which in these times they see openly attends the Ministry? For doubtlesse, if a mans reputa­tion be his second life, you may now justly call Orders a kind of Martyrdom; because I am sure, he hazards his account in the world much for Christs sake, whosoever in our dayes puts himself apart to serve the Tabernacle.

How are we contemn'd by the greatest? and injured by those of meaner rank? do not the scorners deride us? and the Drunkards make songs upon us? nay is not our very Function become a Proverb of con­tempt, [Page 64] even in their mouths, whose education hath ever been as ser­vile, as their birth was base? There are perhaps of our Masters in Israel, that can with Nicodemus be content, to afford us countenance by candle light, I mean, in private, and du­ring the absence of those high-bred Spirits, who count it basenesse to entertain discourse with people of so mean Quality, as we are in their esteem.

But are the times so strangely altered? are we now thought un­worthy to accompany them, whom Antiquity held us fit to govern? 'Twas his Majesties late observati­on, before a most honourable and judicious Assembly, that the Cler­gy was never grown into such con­tempt as now; and in his opinion 'twas one of those great offences, which argued the near approach of the latter day. There he enjoyned [Page 65] his Judges to countenance us, ex­horted his People to reverence and respect us; God continue so graci­ous a Prince, that reigns even in these dayes, to become a Preach­er: and let all those, that wish well to the house of Aaron say A­men, Amen. For should not Iu­dah, I mean the Scepter it self, stand firm to Levi, the other Tribes would be as ready to prey upon us, as they are now to scorn us.

Yet could the practice of former ages work any alteration upon these latter times, I should not doubt but to leave this Auditory▪ as carefull of our Estimation here on earth, as we professe to be (and in some measure, I hope, are) of your Welfare in Heaven. My speech hath already laid open the exam­ples of the Patriarks and purer Church to instruct you; of the Pa­gans and Infidels, to stir up and [Page 66] enflame your affections. But if through hardnesse of heart you re­main still unmoveable, yet quake and tremble to think, how this Herod in my Text shall one day rise up in Judgement against you, and shall condemn you; for he fear'd and observ'd the Baptist, and I say unto you, it may be spoken of the meanest Minister of the Gospel of Christ, A greater than Iohn is here.

Speak I this of my self? saith not the Scripture the same also in the eleventh of Matthew, at the e­leventh verse. Amongst them which are begotten of women, arose there not a greater than Iohn the Baptist; yet the least in the Kingdome of Heaven is greater than hee. Where our Savi­o [...] makes comparison between Iohn and us; not in respect of a­ny personal eminency; for therein, if in modesty we would not, Truth it self would enforce us to yield [Page 67] Iohn the precedency; but in re­spect of our Office: and in that re­gard, as Iohn was greater than the former Prophets, because he taught Christ after a more clearer manner than they, so are we to be prefer'd before Iohn himself, because our preaching of Christ is yet more manifest, than his was: for which reason the Christian Church is ther likewise honoured by our Saviour, with the Title of Kingdom of Heaven.

Thus Calvin understands the Text, and I find him accompani­ed in his exposition with the best of our own Interpreters. Besides he is countenanced by the 7th. of Luke, where that Evangelist re­lates it thus. Among them that are begotten of women there is not a greater Prophet than Iohn: mark, he saith not a greater Man, but a greater Prophet: the comparison then con­cerns not his Person, but his Office. [Page 68] Only Maldonate the Jesuite chal­lengeth this Gloss, as injurious to the Baptist. What shall each pri­vate Minister, each Priest and Deacon be thought greater than Iohn? yea, Jesuite, why not? your own Abulensis in his thirty fourth question upon St. Matthew, confes­seth as much. Quantò de Messiâ a­pertior, tanto major Propheta. We Ministers are Prophets too, and we are therefore the greater, because the playner Prophets.

Surely this Jesuite fears to be out-stript by Herod in his respects to Iohn, and therefore we shall find him more observant, than or­dinary. Hear therefore, if you please, his Commentary upon the Text, The least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he, that is, saith he, the least of them that receive the Gospel. How? may the least Christian be greater than Iohn, [Page 69] and yet not the least Minister? He's very observaunt indeed. Iohn shall take place both of Elias, and Paul, of Apostles and Prophets, yet Demetrius and his Crafts-men may have the wall of him. There are of his Church, I confesse, that go sarr beyond this Herod in ob­servance; they have taken the paines to climb Heaven it self, as it may seem, to do the Baptist some shew of Honour. For Ger­son, in his fourth Tract upon the Magnificat, with Maironius, and from them another Jesuite Barradi­us, give him confidently the third place in Heaven, that is, next to our Saviour and his Virgin-Mother; in the very same Throne say they, from whence Lucifer fell. Great observance indeed, if there were as good ground for it.

But I go on, Had this fear and observance been done by Herodias; [Page 70] had she with Mary Magdalen, of a lewd Strumpet become an humble Paenitent, the example had not been so much worthy the noting; in as much as the tendernesse and instability of her sexe might argue (possibly) some easiness in her con­version also; or had they been performed by Philip, the forsaken husband of Herodias, it had been no great marvail; no great mar­vail, I say, to see a man injuri­ously disgrac'd by his Brothers lust, and perhaps not well able to revenge himself, to think of a re­tir'd life, ro renounce the World, and become follower to a Pro­phet, in the Wildernesse, espe­cially to such a Prophet as the Baptist was, whose zeal had all­ready made him a party in his quarrel.

But that this lawful respect should proceed from Herod him­self, [Page 71] who being a man, wanted that tendernesse of affection, which should mollify him, and for ought we read, was not ex­pos'd to such injuries, as might discontent him in any sort with the World, that hee should do it, it may seem to argue abou [...]dance of Grace, and that he went as farr beyond the other two in Good­ness, as he did in Authority.

But upon a more strict inquiry into the nature of the Action, we shall find it I doubt to issue from some bastard fountain; to pro­ceed at best from Morality, rather than from Religion. My Text dis­covers it plainly. Herod feared and observed Iohn, knowing him to be a just man and an holy. See, the re­spect which was given to Iohn, was given to his person, not to his office: Herod observed him for those personal deserts, or merits, [Page 72] which he saw in the Man, not be­cause he was a Prophet, and the forerunner of so great a Majesty. To be short he honoured Iohn, but not the Baptist.

And what was this more than Philosophy had taught her follow­ers? R [...]me, even in the height of Paganism and Idolatry, yet ho­nour'd the Severer strictnesse of Cato'es Integrity very much; and that Stern carriage of the Stoicks in how great estimation was it, even with those Athenians, which for their own persons were most loosely profane and vicious?

But thou, who intendest after a right manner to regard and reve­rence Gods Ministers, consider not so much what they are, as from whom they come; and the respect, thou affordest them, give it not so much for their own sakes, as for his that sent rhem. For who en­tertains [Page 73] an Embassadour onely ac­cording to his own personal de­serts, may soon violate the law of Nations, by scorning him, as ei­ther weak, or vitious, to whom in that imployment belongs all the honour due to his Princes per­son. Now we are the Embassadours of Christ; whatsoever the mean­nesse of our persons be, yet at least that's the Title and dignity of our office.

Nor doe I altogether condemn this Action of Herod: For fear and observance are matters of due Debt unto Justice and Holinesse; such qualities deserve respect: yet neither can I commend it, I mean, as a work truly good. The reason is, I find it not performed with any relation to the Author of goodnesse, without respect to whose Glory, our best Actions may be goodly perhaps, but yet [Page 74] but goodly Transgressions, splen­dida peccata, as the Father calls them.

But can so much good as this come out of Galilee? from whence there ariseth no Prophet, can there come a man that shall so highly regard a Prophet? A shame it is for these times, that the worst part of Israel should af­ford a man, whom we can hardly better within our Christian Terri­to [...]ies. For of that small number, which at this day either fear or observe the Ministry, the most part are provok'd unto it by Herods in­ducements: Either they know them honourable, or wealthy; or perhaps of an austere life, and ex­emplary conversation. In this manner I confesse, diverse of the Clergy are honoured in these our daies, and yet but few Ministers are honou [...]ed▪

[Page 75]Let a Baptist be called to some Eminent dignity in the Church, no doubt there are of all sorts, both Scribes and Pharisees, that would reverence him. Let him be Zealous and powerfull in his pro­fession, there are of the most viti­ous Publicans and Sinners, that would sometimes even tremble un­der him. Nay let him be but as violent against Ceremonies as Sinnes; Let him enveigh as bitterly against the Priests vestments, as against the incest of Herod, he should have followers by Troops from Hierusalem to Iordan, and from thence to Enon: onely he must lay apart his garment of Camels hair, and that girdle of skins about his loins; because they are one­ly in fashion now a daies among our great enemies, they are used onely in the Cloysters of Babylon.

[Page 76]But you Beloved, that your en­tertainment of the Prophets may receive, and be crowned with a Pro­phets reward, learn to receive them, not in the name of learning, not in the name of kindred▪ not in the name of honour, wealth, or any outward dignity, but onely in the name of a Prophet, onely in the name of their office, and for their office sake. What though his bo­dily prefence be but weak, and his speech contemptible, as some said of that great Apostle Saint Paul? Yea what though his conversation be in some things faulty, and his life not altogether unblameable? (indeed it should not be, we ought to be lights to the world, as well by our conversation and good exam­ple, as by our Doctrine, but I say, what though it happens sometimes to be otherwise) yet know thou, who ever thou art, [Page 77] that stumblest at this s [...]one, God, is able, out of the mouths of Babes and Sucklings, to ordain strength, unto his own praise, and can, even out of the tongues of reprobates them­selves, when he please, bring forth Salvation.

Else, why was Iudas employ­ed in the publication of the first good newes of the Gospel, as well as the other Apostles? Iudas, I say, that Traytor and repro­bate, why was he sent to preach, if the poison of his wicked heart could have envenom'd his Do­ctrine? or that his treacherous intentions could have done his Au­ditours, as much hurt, as they did his Master? yet Iudas we see, was one of the twelve, Iudas was one of them, whom it pleased our Saviour to send out with that So­lemn Affidavit, and encou­ragement of his, in the eleventh of [Page 78] Matth. He that receiveth you, re­ceiveth me.

Else why did our Saviour en­joyn his Auditory to observe the preaching Pharisees, if the wick­ednesse of their works, and manner of living, could have been an abso­lute hinderance to the successe of their Doctrine? They sit in Mo­ses Chair: Whatsoever therefore they bid you observe, namely out of the Law, and according to it, That, saith he, do; but after their works do not. Matthew 23th. at the 3d. verse.

Away then with that affected parity of some amongst us, that thinks it self in danger to be stain­ed by the word it self, if it comes from the mouth of a polluted Mes­senger. 'Tis a proud fancy, long since condemned by Saint Austin in the Donatists, in his second Book against Petilians letters, and [Page 79] the 30th. chapter. Non d [...]scerni­mus vitium, quod homo habet, & ve­ritatem, quam non suam, sed Dei habet. Can we not distinguish, saith the Father, betwixt the Fault of the man, and the truth of God? can our dullnesse make no difference be­tween Iacob and Esau, because they were (both of them) nou­rished in the same Family? can we make no distinction between sincerity of Doctrine, and corrup­tion of manners, because they are both found in the same person? if the meanest capacity here present scorn to be accounted so grosse, let it shame us to forbear the Assem­blies of the Church for no better reasons, but only that the Preach­ers are not Holy; let us remem­ber, that though it be the same mouth, the same tongue, which now Preacheth, and anon wi [...]l swear, curse, yea perhaps blas­pheme, [Page 80] yet that God is Author of the first, his Doctrine, but him­self onely of his impiety and sacri­lege.

In the first chapter of the Epi­stle to Titus, the Apostle cites an Authority from a Cretian, Poet [...], from a Cretian Poet I say, a liar both by Country and profession; and yet what he saith in this case, is both heard and al­lowed, [...]. This witnesse is true, saith Saint Paul, verse 13th. If therefore the Apo­stle gives ear to this Moral verity, though vouched by Epimenides, an Idolater and Infidel, how much more, 'tis Saint Austins argument still in the place formerly cited, should you willingly accept of the word of life, though it proceed from a Minister of blameable con­versation?

Nor do I endeavour Apologies [Page 81] for these shames of Levi: woe to them that separate Holinesse from the Priesthood, woe, I say, to them, whosoever they are. But what I speak, is for your sakes. Take heed, I pray, lest while you seek a man, whose spotlesse life may answer your expectation, you carelessely neglect that Do­ctrine, which would lead you forth to everlasting happinesse, even without humane sufficiency. For if you gladly hear them onely who are just and holy, what great thing do you? did not even He­rod the same? you shall see it plain­ly in my second part, which I am now to handle.

Part 2.

And when he heard him, &c. he heard him gladly. This Action of Herod I find diversly censur'd; Some think it feigned and Hypocri­tical, so Lyra; others true and [Page 82] sincere, as Beza with some other of our own Divines. I desire to give Herod his due; and am there­fore willing to account him, at least an ingenuous A [...]ditor of the Baptist: the rather, because I see him well countenanced, not one­ly by the judgment of the forena­med Authors, Beza and others, but by the Circumstances of the Text.

For my Evangelist, if you ob­serve him, makes the Kings good inclination towards Iohn, the on­ly advocate to plead for him a­gainst the wicked suggestions of Herodias; who did not more pas­sionately desire the pleasure of her incestuous bed, then she did the destruction of him, who durst control her; Herod then must needs be truely of himself well in­clined towards Iohn, otherwise he neither would nor could have so of­ten [Page 83] resisted her entreaties, whose affections had enthralled him, and who desired nothing of him, but the silencing of that tongue, whose publike reprehensions were as pre­judicial to his own honour, as to her contentment.

But if we admit Herod to have been indeed a joyfull receiver of the word, we must acknowledge also some congruous and little cause of this his gladnesse, and so necessarily allow him Faith, no lesse free from hypocrisie, than his joy was from dissimulation and fiction. For otherwise it were a strange prodigie, and as contra­ry to nature, as to see Grapes grow upon Thornes, or Figs on on Thistles. Joy, or rejoycing in good things, (if it be true) is a Fruit of the Spirit, and there­fore necessarily supposeth Faith▪ which is the first work of Spirit in [Page 84] us, and the root and fountain of all others: And granting this, what other thing do we but plead for Arminius, and bring in this Eastern Prince to grace his Tri­umph? For here's Herod, a man truely Faithfull, you say, because truely glad or truely affected with the preaching of the word; and if Faithfull, justified also; for who dares deny the consequence? and yet I fear his Absolution is now cancelled, and that whatsoever he once was, he is now no better than a reprobate.

Hence therefore, namely by granting that Herods gladnesse at the Preaching of the word was Sincere and unfeigned, it may seem to follow what Arminius labours to conclude, to wit, that a man truely justified may afterwards full from Grace, and become a repro­bate.

[Page 85]But the inconvenience is well avoided by distinguishing between Truth and Goodnesse: we must know, that an Action is not presently void of Sin, because 'tis free from hypocrisie. Ahab, I doubt not, did truly joy at the death of Na­baotb, yet that Gladnesse of his was damnable; and Herod might in­deed truly rejoyce at the Preaching of Iohn, but I shall detect his joy, and shew it to have been meerly carnal, and so wholly set upon the respects of this life, that it had no dependency at all on that to come.

And to begin the discovery a­right, we must first observe his Faith; which I take, (or rather find) to be Temporary; the fame that Saint Mark describes, chap. 4th▪ at the 17th. verse. They have no root in themselves, and endure but for a time; my Authority is Beza, [...]a­debat [Page 86] hic semen in saxosa loca, saith he, The sowers seed sell here upon stony ground. The servant must not be above his Master; and therefore as Christ sometimes Preached to hard, and obdurate hearers, that received not the word so kindly into their hearts, as that it could take due root in them, so must Iohn be content to do.

Now this Temporary Faith, al­though we may well enough stile it true Faith, as Truth is opposed to Hypocrisie, because it was not feigned, yet doth it as much differ from the nature and excellency of that which justifieth, as Ismael did from Isaak, he was no counterfeit child of Abraham, but yet begot­ten upon a bond-woman: So these Faiths, the Temporary and Iustifying Faith, do both proceed from the same Spirit, as from the same Fa­ther, [Page 87] or Author of them; But you know, that Sun, the Holy Spirit I mean, imparts his influences di­versly unto men, and after diffe­rent measures, viz. according as he stands affected to the▪ subject which he works upon.

No man can say that Iesus is the Lord, but by the holy Ghost, saith Saint Paul, 1 Cor. 12. and yet the devils themselves, constrained no doubt thereto by the evident pow­er of Gods Spirit, non dicunt tan­tum, sed vociferantur, as one saith, they do not onely speak it, but proclaim it. I know who thou art, saith the unclean spirit, in Saint Mark, chap. the 3. even the holy one of God. Here are different works of the Spirit, you see, even upon reprobate and damned creatures. But Spiritus Paracletus erit vobiscum, saith Christ of the elect, Iohn the 14th. They shall receive the Spirit, [Page 88] not of Illumination only, but of Com­fort. The Scripture, 'tis confes­sed, stiles them both by the name of Faith, but the one is a bare assent only unto the Doctrine preached, the other is a confident application of it; wee, saith that elect Apostle, have confidence by Faith in him, Ephes. 3. at the 12th. verse.

Lastly they both produce a glad­nesse; this pure and Spiritual, out of a sense of the forgivenesse of Sins; being justified by Faith we have peace with God, Rom. 5. at the 1. that other impure, carnal, and on­ly stirr'd up by the force of some Worldly motives. So were the Philosophers at Athens most glad­ly desirous to hear the Doctor of the Gentiles, not because their Souls were joy'd with the sound­nesse of his Doctrine, but because their ears listened after Novel­ties.

[Page 89]'Twas a story to them that seem'd to deserve attention, to hear of a Deity Incarnate, of a God crucifyed; and that to the Immortality of the Soul, which they had learn'd from nature, the Gospel now added the Resurrecti­on of the Body. The strangenesse of such Doctrine as this, must needs delight, and give satisfacti­on, no lesse to a Curious, than to a Godly Auditour.

How could the Doctrine of Christian liberty but be welcome to many irreligious and loose peo­ple in Hierusalem? how could that news want ready entertainment, that promised such absolute and present freedom, both to them­selves from the bondage of those annual ceremonies, and to their children also from the pain and peril of Circumcision? Iustificati­on by Faith must needs joy them, [Page 90] that are loath to be at the charge of good Works; and free remis­sion of Sins is so plausible a Theme, that I fear it makes many think, they are scarse put to the trouble of Beleeving.

How many joyful hearers do these times afford, who yet never in their life desired, much lesse labou­red, to attain a sense of the for­givenesse of Sins? Their joy im­ployes it self about other matters. The Preacher's eloquent, perhaps; and then his pleasing periods com­mand their attention. Perhaps he's bitter; and then they are tickled with the display of their Neighbours vices; and begin to take it for a kind of Innocency, that other men are as bad as them­selves. Nay are they not those, that presse with eagernesse into these Assemblies, only that they may find, wherewith to busie their [Page 91] detracting humours? Here he wanted Art; there diligence; these lines were too carelesse; that strain too affected. Quibus plus Displices, si ominem sine aspiratione dixeris, saith St. Austin, quam si hominem oderis, men that had rather you should break a Commande­ment, than offend a Grammar rule; and think it a greater fault to mispronounce a mans name, than to murther his reputation. But let such Auditours know, ani­mis, non auribus loquimur, (as Seneca hath it) we speak to your consci­ences, not to your ears, and desire, not so much to please, as to save your Souls.

I much wonder therefore at our English Arminius, I mean Thomp­son, in the 5. chapter of his Diatri­ba, that makes the difference, ac­cording to Scripture as he pre­tends, between the wavering or [Page 92] Temporary, and Iustifying Faith, to be only temporis tantum aut gradus, non rei et essentiae, that is, that they differ not essentially and in na­ture one from another, but gradu­ally, and in respect of time, durance and perseverance only. So that Tem­porary Faith (with him) so long as it continues, is as true Faith, as that which continues for ever. And hence indeed it follows easily, that a man, though qualifyed only with that fading imperfection of a Temporary Faith, yet for the time that such Faith continueth in him, must needs be justified before God; and when it fails, that his Iustifi­cation also ceaseth and is broken off: and so the Title of his Diatriba is made good, de interscisione Gratiae, &c.

But surely the Truth is farr o­therwise: Those things are distin­guish'd essentially, and in nature, [Page 93] that differ as I have shewed these to do, that is to say first in the cause. The Temporary Faith proceeding only from some general and inferi­our operation of the Holy Spirit, commonly incident unto reprobates and wicked men, who doubtlesse feel many times Impulses, and as it were Knockings of the Spirit at the dore of their hearts, which yet are never opened to any true Conversion: whereas Iustifying Faith proceeds from that supreme and most special working of the Spirit, which is proper to the E­lect, and alwayes effectual to Sal­vation. Secondly they differ in the things themselves, or in their Defi­nition: That, viz. Temporary Faith, being only a bare assent unto the Doctrine preached; This, a confi­dent and lively application of it to ourselves, and to our own Souls. Thirdly in their effects: This, to wit, [Page 94] Iustifying Faith being the Fountain and Source of true Spiritual joy and comfort; that other only of what is false and carnal.

We need not fear then to con­fesse Herod a reprobate, and yet acknowledge him to have given most joyful entertainment to Iohns preaching, and that unfeignedly and in good earnest. For as Tempora­ry Faith may be the Mother of an unfeigned joy, which yet is not presently to be thought commen­dable, only because it is not coun­terfeit. For Herod might take de­light in some carnal circumstances, more than in the principal matter preached; as to hear him tell of a Messiah that was to come, of his strange Baptism, that he would Bapt ze men with fire; of the excel­lency of the Messiah's person, see­ing Iohn, (whose grave Aust [...]rity freed him from all suspicion of any [Page 95] complemental excesse) confessed himself not worthy to untye the the latchet of his Shooe.

He might be affected with his grave discourse, and Treatings of Justice, Temperance, Fortitude and other Princely qualities, wher­with doubtlesse the Baptist knew very well how to entertain him. For virtue loves to shew its lustre, and will seem admirable some­times even in the eyes of vice it self. Now how could it but re­joyce a King, to hear those, no lesse politique, than Divine in­structions, copied out in the third of Luke, where in at once he taught the people charity, the Publicars conscience, the Souldiers content­ment and modesty? Thus did he ease Herod in governing, and make Religion supply that, which o­therwise would require the Princes Authority.

[Page 96]There is then a twofold Truth to be considered in our joy, rei & per­sonae. Herods Person was truly glad, but his joy had made choise, and fix [...]d it self upon a false object; and therefore false, because 'twas fading. For we may not think he rejoyced in any sense which he had of the remission of his Sins; for then we should have read him like­wise partaker of Iohns Baptism, which was preambulatory to it: nor that he put any confident assu­rance in the preached Messias; for then he would not have arayed him in white, and so mocked and despised him as he did, no, cade­bat hic semen in terram petrosam, all this seed fell upon stony ground: and that you may know that it did so indeed, by and by it Sprung up; you may see a blade of it, almost as soon as it is sowen: for so the Text addeth, He did many things: [Page 97] and that was my third and last part; which I now come to consi­der, and un [...]old to you.

Part 3.

He did many things, &c. Faith argueth our birth, but good works our growth in Religion; and as we may well su [...]pect the child is abor­tive, if it lives onely, but encreas­eth not; so may we justly con­demne that Faith for degenerate, that beleeves onely, but works n [...]t.

But Herod seems Religious be­yond censure; who to manifest the Truth of his Fai [...]h, adds also the integrity of a good conversation. And because one Action, or two onely, are scarse able to prove a man Good, he claimes the Title by a multitude, he doth many things, perhaps feed [...] the hungry, clothes the naked that were in Israel; Fasts twice every week perhaps, gives [Page 98] Tythe of all his possessions precise­ly, and becomes as Ceremonial and formal as any Pharisee in the crue.

But we must learn from Saint Austin, lib. 1. Confess. cap. 17. Non uno modo sacrificatur transgressoribus Angelis. The devils Altars admit of more than one kind of sacrifice: ard though perhaps Herod might do him at this time no worship, by way of oppression, or covetous­nesse, or Idolatrie; yet so long as he kept Herodias, he was a true votary and servant of Satan, and his Incest with his brother Philips wife, a welcome oblation.

This then is but another pro­gresse of a reprobate, a second step which such a one may make in the way of salvation, and yet never attain it. He may do many goodly works; and his charity may seem, though not more true, yet more [Page 99] specious, splendid, and bountifull, than that of the Elect themselves: for enquire but a little, wherein the strength of his devotion lyeth, you will find, he had rather be­head a Prophet, than displease a Minion; he had rather hazzard the losse of Religion it self, than forgoe the pleasures of a beloved si [...].

This is Herods pietie. Thus did this dyi [...]g Tree shed all its fair fruit at the blast of a woman; Those many things which he did, must all end in one Herodias. So in­considerately wicked was t [...] is Ga­lilaean, that he staines the beauty of all his former Actions, and in­curres the censure, or penalty, of the whole law, by giving consent to that one transgression.

For this we must know, the Gospel hath glo [...]s'd upon both the Tables of the law, farre beyond [Page 100] the strictnesse of Phari [...]aical Inter­preters, teaching us by eff [...]ct, as well as report, that Christ came not to destroy the law, but to explain it, and to take away, [...]ot its Authority, but its sting onely.

Thoughts were held free, till he taught, that but lusting was a breach of the seavent [...] commande­ment. A riddle, till then, beyond Sampsons subtilty.

H [...]c u [...]i vir non est, ut sit adulte­rium, as the Poet sc [...]ffingly ex­presseth it, that a woman should be an Adultresse, that never enter­tained a paramour; that Herodi­as in the Court of Galile, should commit sin with Herod, absent from her (perhaps) as farre as Hierusalem.

'Tis strange likewise that Achan, because guilty of Theft, should be arraigned and made liable to the law of Murther; or that even [Page 101] Herod, because incestuous, should be counted as him that impiously blasphemes and curseth God. And yet it is the Doctrine which Saint Iames in his Epistle teacheth, chap. 2. at the 10th. verse. He that transgresseth in one commandement, is held guilty of all. Not that all sins are therefore equal, or that an in­cestuous person is ipso facto, as we say, really and indeed made there­by a Blasphemer: to think so, were, perhaps, little lesse than to blaspheme, and to accuse the justice of God of a strange iniquity: but the sense is this. He offends the same Majesty, in the breach of the seventh commandement, who lustfully climbeth up into his neighbours bed, which he doth, in the breach of the third, who sa­crilegiously Blasphemes and curs­eth his Creator. The same Divine Majesty is offended by the breach [Page 102] of any one Commandement, that is offended by the breach of all; and we lose the love of God, and become lyable to eternal damna­tion, by the breach of one, as really and assuredly (I say not so deeply perhaps or h [...]inously, in regard of punishment) as if we had trans­gres [...]ed them all.

Herod then may well do many things, and yet come farre short of that goodnesse, which becomes Religion. For as that mans joy is but carnal, that looks not chiefly upon remission of sin, though he be otherwise entertained with never so great variety of guest and de­light; so are not his works to be counted, otherwise than most im­perfect and vitiated, who gives himself the liberty of any one sin: yea, though he should be supposed, even from his youth up, with that rich youngster in the Gospel, to [Page 103] have kept the Tenour of all the o­ther nine Commandements very strictly.

Now Herodem omne fert tempus, as the Oratour said of Clodius. There are a multitude of Herods in all ages; our works are no better than his, imperfect for the most part: few there are, that go be­yond this Galilaean in Holinesse; go beyond, do I say? nay, may I not wish we did but equal him, and came up to him? he heard and did many things, we hear, and do just nothing. The voice of our Preachers now is as the voice of the Prophets were of old (Ezek. 32. 32.) we detain your eares, our Sermons are (perhaps) unto you, as a lovely Song of one that hath a pleasant voice; you are content to hear our words, but the world sees, and your own conscience tel­leth you, you do them not. I speak this [Page 104] of the greater part of our hearers in these daies.

And as for them, who think they ought to be excepted out of the list, as being neither idle, nor curious, nor unprofitable hearers, but doers of the word, Alas! how uncontroulably true is that of Bion in Seneca of us, omnia hominum nego­tia simillima sunt initiis, all cur do­ings, what are they, but as it were, beginnings to do? asla [...]es rather than a [...]chievements? endeavours (at least, as we make our selves believe, and God grant, we do not in that thing very often deceive our own soules, endeavours I say) rather than performances?

This man, perhaps, goes so farre in Religion, as to check all Temptations of unbeleeving thoughts, yet gives no check to his lust, but cherishes that, and gives it the reigns of liberty, even [Page 105] to excesse and scandal; if this man be a hearer, (as there are such, not a few) what doth he, but at the same time confesse God, and provoke his Maker?

Another, perhaps, goes further, and with a Godly fortitude resists the assaults of those carnal and bru­tish lusts, but in the mean time yeelds to pride, and busies himself perpetually with the fancy of his own perfections; or to covetuous­nesse, and instead of worshipping stocks and stones, worships his Golden wedge: Such hearers as these, wherein are they better than Herod? either Herod Antipas here in the Text, who did many things, as good as any they do; or Herod Agrippa in the Acts, chap. 26. who professeth himself but half a Christi­an?

Not that I hold an absolute per­fection in all good works, necessary [Page 106] to the attainment of that saving Title; for then the Disciples of Christ must have been called Chri­stians, in Heaven onely, not at An­tioch: but I require the absence of all darling and beloved sinnes; I require that no Sin, that is, no kind of sin, reign in your mortal bodies; I require, that you give not your selves up to any ev [...]l customes of vice, in w [...]at kind soever, whether of pride, sensuality, covetousnesse, revenge, detraction, lying, envy, or the like. I require that you mortify and resist all inclinations and pronenesse unto sin in every kind, and that with all possible care, faithfu [...]lnesse and diligence: because hee's no lesse a slave that is commanded by some one, than he that groanes under the Tyranny of many Masters.

Be perfect therefore, as your Father which is in Heaven, is perfect. Reve­rence [Page 107] his Ministers, not so much because thou seest them wise, or honoured by the State, or rich, but because they are the Embassa­dors of that great peace, which the God of Heaven hath granted, and by them publisheth and confirm­eth unto the inhabitants of the earth.

Hear his word gladly, not because it is sometimes attended with the content of temporal and carnal al­lurements, but because it brings promise of remission of sinnes, and eternal life to penitent sin­ners.

And to those many things, which (I presume) the worst of you all does perform in the service of God, and in order to your everlasting happinesse, at some time or other, adde the forbearance, the diligent, carefull, and conscientious forbea­rance of all beloved and customary [Page 108] sinne: So shall he, who vouchsa­fed this Herod in the Text, the honour of a temporal kingdome, make you partakers of his own kingdome which is eternal, and Crown you with that immarcessible Crown of Glory, which he hath pre­pared for all that love him. He grant it us to all, who hath so dearly bought us, Jesus Christ, &c.

The Third SERMON.

HEBREVVS 10. 1, 2.

For the Law having a shadow of good Things to come, and not the very I­mage of he Things, can never with those Sacrifices which they offered year by year continually, make the commers thereunto perfect.

For then would not they have ceas'd to be offered, because the worshippers once pur­g'd, should have had no more conscience of Sin?

TO confute Jewish Blasphemies in a Christian Assembly, were to give Medicines for a Fever, to [Page 110] cure the Palsie: which promiseth, I think, as little health to the Pati­ent, as it doth credit to the Physi­cian. Indeed my Author, who here b [...]speaks these Hebrews, a Nation that strangely doted on their legal Ceremonies, did most profitably make the imperfection of their Law the subject of his dis­course: it being the most proper and persuasive argument, to win them from those servile Elements, unto the glorious libertie of the Sons of God.

But the contrary distempers of our Auditories require Treatings of another nature. Here's none that expect their part in the Covenant should be seal'd to them by the Sa­crament of Circumcision; none that pretend to R [...]mission of Sins by vir­tue of any Oblations of Levi; Lastly▪ I dare be confident, here's none that looks for Iustification by the [Page 111] works of the moral Law; although perhaps it might be wished, our practice therein were a little more Jewish, so our Faith con [...]inued Christian.

In these points it may not be de­nyed, but our understandings en­joy a very Health of Truth; only we languish in our other faculties, and our Actions are farr unanswera­ble to our Belee [...]. We have those whose consciences are already dead in their Sins; and they must be quickened: we have others who groan under the burthen of an ac­cusing conscience; and they must be comforted.

My Text considered in it self, gives occasion of many such parti­culars. I shall therefore, by your patience, first briefly repeat the Argument wherein it hath pleased my Apostle to place his grand Pro­position; and then handle [...]t singly [Page 112] and alone, without relation to its other circumstances. He disputes t [...]u [...].

Those worshippers, who have been once purg'd, are no more troubled with a conscience of Sins. That's his Major proposition.

But the Jews, after all their Sa­crifices, were still burthened with a conscience of Sins: for otherwise what needed those annually repea­ted oblations for the same offen­ces? There's his Minor.

The Conclusion. Therefore they were not throughly purged by their legal Sacrifices; and conse­quently the Sacrifices themselves unperfect, because not able to bring the worshippers, or those who offe­red them, to perfection. You see then my Text contains a Maxime, whereon my Apostle founds his disputation, against the preten­ded perfection of Legal ceremo­nies: [Page 113] and may be thus simply pro­posed.

Worshippers once purg'd, have no more conscience of Si [...]s.

Divis.

In the handling of which words, not to be burthensome to your at­tention, I shall insist only upon these three particulars.

  • Here's first a Disease, and that's a troubled Soul, conscience of Sins.
  • Secondly here's a Remedy, namely one spiritual Evacuation, once being purg'd, &c.
  • Thirdly here's the State of the pati­ent after recovery: positively peace and quietnesse, but here expressed only by a privative particle [...] none, or no more; no more conscience of Sins.

I confesse, that here are Patients too implied in this first word, Worshippers: Bu [...] this particular shall [Page 114] stand as an Introduction to those that follow, and serve only to en­tre at your patience.

You, whom this dayes devotion doth make partaker of that goodly Title; you that in this place, and at this time, are come to, worship, to fall down, and kneel before the Lord our Maker, hearken while I shew unto you, first the nature of this Disease, and with all the many several de­grees of it. Secondly the condition of the Remedy, and therewith a several application to each particu­lar distemper: and in the last place, our happy estate after recovery, to­gether with the Truth of this whole proposition, in what cales, and how [...]arr it proceeds; Worshippers once purged have no more conscience of Sins.

And if my discourse by Gods Blessing, may be so effectual, as to leave among you the happy Eruits of a good Canscience, it will [Page 115] be a blessed Antepast, and most con­venient to go before that great Banquet or Feast that attends you.

Part 1. The Disease, a troubled Conscience.

The Invention that first made us acquainted with forum conscientiae, a Court of Conscience, seems to have made that power of the Soul an absolute Iusticiarie. And indeed a slight enquiry will easily make it manifest, that there are not more solemn proceedings in a civil Court, than in the Tribunal of Con­science: only what's there commit­ted to the execution of many seve­ral Persons, is here strangely dis­patcht and done by the able dispo­sition of one only Faculty. Conscience is in it self both Informer to accuse, and also Witnesse to testifie: It's a Judge to give sentence, and an Officer likewise to do Execution: so that the Meditation of the Psal­mist [Page 116] hath already interpreted my discourse, I am fearfully and wonder­fully made.

For Is't not a wonder to see a man sit in Judgement against his own Soul? Is't not Fearful to see him impartially becomming his own Executioner? and yet this Truth wants no examples. Witnesse Iu­das his Conscience, in the 27. of Mat. that both accused the Sinner, and gave in evidence to prove him guilty; that both condemn'd, and hang'd the Traytor.

Conscience then is that Judicial Facultie of the Soul, whereby we apply our general knowledge, of what is good and ill, unto each particular Action; and so both en­joyns performance of the thing it approves, and condemnes every adventure and attempt that we make upon the contrary.

The light of nature had taught [Page 117] Cain, not to shed any mans bloud willi [...]gly; then [...]e [...]is Conscience condemnes the Slaughter of his Brother Abel. The law [...]ad infor­med David [...]ot to lay hands upon the Lords An y [...]ted; and thence to have but r [...]nt Sauls coa [...], was censur'd by his tender Conscience, as if the Kings Robes had bee [...] as sa­cred as his Person, and Treas [...]n might have been committed against his very garments. 'Tis this, that when we are quiet, Counsels us; when in motion, directs us: if we intend ill, it checks our purposes; if good, it gives encouragement to our designs.

Thus is the course of our whole li [...]e become subject unto the Cogni­sance of this Court of Conscience; here our words must be censur'd, and our Actions a [...]aign'd, and what [...]'re shall be decreed by this Au­thority, our best way to be at quiet, is to be obedient.

[Page 118]But we oftentimes wrong the Iustice of this Court, by giving too facil [...]an ear to our inordinate af­fections; which through the vio­lence of their tempting commands, make us to slight her verdicts, neg­lect her decrees; and then Conscience, which was given us at first for our health, and to be our Guide, be­comes unto us only a remembrancer of our fallings: and seeing we enter­tain her not as a remedy by obser­ving her commands, she becomes at last a Disease to us, and like the Ca­chexia of a bad stomach, continual­ly upbraydeth us with our Trans­gressions.

Which distemper yet, as I con­ceive it, is as unfitly called mala con­scientia, an evil Conscience, as if we should call him a Trayterous Iudge, who condemnes a villane for conspiring against his King. And therefore my Text most pro­perly [Page 119] calls it, not a Sinning Consci­ence, but [...] a Con­science of Si [...]s; not as if it were it self diseased, but because it bears witnesse of our infection.

I confesse the Apostle, chap. 5. v. 15. of the Epistle to Titus, tells us of some whose Consciences were de­filed: and it's true, saith Aquinas, Par. 1. Quae [...]. 19. Art. 13. inquina­tioinest conscientiae, at non [...]anquam accidens in subjecto, sed tanquam cog­nitum in cognitione. Their Consci­ences then were said to be defiled, for no other reason, but because they accused those Sinners of their notorious filthinesse.

Besides I find, 1 Cor. 8. 12. [...], a Weak, or sickly Conscience; which, as though Sins were grown scarse, produceth a new kind of impieties, and through a doubtful uncertainty concerning what she goes about, becomes the [Page 120] unhappy Mother of her own affli­ction. Ea enim est vis Conscientiae, saith Peter Martyr, ut opus adiapho­ron, cum dub [...]et▪ m [...]l [...]m reddat, For Conscience, saith he, hath that un­ [...] property, that its able to bring forth Sin out of indifferency, and to make a fact law [...]u [...]l i [...] its own nature, become damnable by her suspition; according to that Rom. 14. He that doubteth, is damned if he eat. Thus is shee, not unlike a man that is overfearful of sicknesse, qui omnem corporis calorem calumnia­tur, as Seneca speaks, that belies his own health, and turns his very Fear into a Fever.

Yet if we enquire into the several faculties of Mans Soul, we shall find, that the word [...] is there to be taken in the largest ac­ception as it comprehends also that other animal facultie, which the Schools call [...]: and con­sequently [Page 121] that Weaknesse, which the Apostle mentions to proceed ra­ther from an imperfection in their Knowledge, than from any defect in their consciences properly, speaking.

For had a constant [...] reso­lutely informed those weak Corin­thians, that an Idol was nothing; had they undoubtedly known, or been perswaded, that whatsoever was sold in the Shambles was of like in­differency, their mouths would scarsely have offended their [...], n [...] would their Consciences have ever check'd, for eating part of the Heathenish Sacrifices! But their knowledge or persuasion con­cerning that, being but doubt [...]ul and imperfect, begat in them that affliction, which might well be called a weak Conscience, I mean ex parte causae, because it proceed­ed from so grosse a weaknesse in their understanding.

[Page 122]Neither yet do I free Conscience it self from partaking somewhat in the calamity of Adams fall; where­by, as the other Faculties of the Soul, so likewise this of Conscience hath lost much of her primitive In­tegrity. It's now become dull, and unapt to attend, so exactly as it should, to what the understanding directs; its become sluggish, and will not alwayes speak, though knowledge hath given its full and cleer information.

No doubt David knew perfectly, that to be an Adulterer, was by the law of God to be accursed: yet how long did his sleepy Conscience conceal the sad consequence, which she should have inferred, and sug­gested to him, upon his attempt with Balshebah? How long did she forbear to tell him, Thou hast com­mitted Adultery with Vriahs wife, Therefore thou art accursed?

[Page 123] David was many Months, some say a whole year, before his Con­science spake to him, and waken­ed him to that good Confession, I have sinned against the Lord. Nay this power was so farr decayed, and as it were, stupifyed in him, that probably it had still continu­ed silent, had not Nathan promp­ted it. God must send a Prophet to supply the negligence of his care­lesse Conscience; that so, though it of it self had no power to speak, yet with Rock and Moun­tains to help it, it might be able to give an Eccho to what he should deliver, when he made that dread­ful remonstrance to David, 2 Sam. 12. 17. Thou art the man: Thou hast slayn Vriah the Hittite with the sword, and thou hast taken his Wife to be thy Wife; and therefore thou art accursed, the sword shall not depart from thy house, & thy wives shal be given to thy Neigh­bour.

[Page 124]I consesse then, this Faculty of the Soul, Conscience, is in it self some time distempered, and may then very well undergoe the cen­sure and name of a Sinning Consci­ece.

But my Text speaks of another sort of Malady, which troubles and infests the Conscience, while Con­science is in it self in perfect health, and diligently accuseth Sin; only the worshippers themselves are out of Tune, they are distempered.

The Discase then that I am now to declare and treat of, is a Mala­dy, not so much in, as from the Con­science; Conscience now supplyes the place rather of a Discoverer, than a Receiver: and may proper­ly enough bear divers special Ap­pellations, according as it stands di­vided, or looking unto, several de­grees of Sin. I will name only two at present.

[Page 125]There is conscientia peccati ex par­tereatus, A Conscience, which not only Testifies we have sinned, but affrights us too with the guilt of Sin, and makes us out of a Iense of our own unworthinesse and the deep­nesse of our guilt, to doubt of par­don; which fear yet, if it be mo­derate, doth not utterly dismay, or drive us to despair of it.

Secondly there is conscientia pec­cati ex parte victimae, a Conscience which not only questions our Sins, but our Attonement too; not only tells us, we want a pardon, but that to procure it, we stand in need of a farther Sacrifice.

This is it, which my Apostle chiefly insinuates, according to St. Chrysostomes exposition, [...], in that the Jews did offer Sacrifice, it shews that they [Page 126] had a Conscience, which accused themselves of Sin: but that they did it continually, argues they had a Conscience too, which accused their Sacrifices of imperfection.

Whether I have now rightly na­med Conscience of Sin, a Disease or not, let Galen himself be judge. Bring him a man, whose guilty thoughts do most clamorously af­fright him, with the fearful alarums of some crying Sin; let him see his countenance distracted, his face wi­thered, his flesh consumed; Let his bones be vext, as were Davids in this case, and let his moisture be like the drought in Summer; either his rules contain no [...] a perfect survey of our bodily infirmities, or else they must confesse this man distempered.

But could we see likewise those aniatus & ictus, as Socrates speaks in Tacit [...], those wounds and stripes, which so dreadfully afflict his [Page 127] threatned Soul; could we see his confused thoughts choaking one a­nother; could we see, how all his Meditations and purposes are made abortive, before they be half­born, we should soon conclude him not only Sick, but that his Disease is past Galens help; that no earthly Pharmacon, or Dose, how Sove­raign soever to the Body, can do him good; and consequently, that he ought to be sent to my Apostle sor remedy: which is contained in my second part, and I am now to speak of it, namely of

The Remedy of this Disease. Part 2.

We [...]eed not distrust the effi­cacy of that Medicine▪ wherein the Physician himself disdain [...]s not to become the chief ingredient; [Page 128] and this will appear to be our case, if you'l but▪ hear Saint Iohn de­scribe the potion. The blood of Iesus Christ, saith he, chap. the first of his first Epistle, cleanseth us from all Sinne. This then is that Di­vine Catholicon, that all-sufficient remedy, which God from all eter­nity ordained for the cure of man­kind; and which in the fullnesse of time he sent into the world to that purpose, that is, actually to effect the work, by altering of Religion, and changing the present shadows and imperfections, into Truths and substances, the many and but empty Ceremonies, by which the world was then busi [...]d, into one absolute and well-pleasing Sacri­fice.

So my Text hath it [...]. This great cure was to be wrought at once; and is therefore perfect, be­cause it needs no repetition. For [Page 129] that faith, which the Synagogue professed, was therefore necessari­ly attended with a conscience of sins, because she expressely taught and prescribed to her followers, a re­iteration of sacrifices: for that must needs cause them to suspect the sufficiency of each former Atton­ment. But the very Tenour of our most holy profession fully cures us of that doubting disease: in as much as it plainly assured us, that Christ having once suffered, the wrath of God exacts no further satisfaction. So my Apostle in the 9th. chap. of this present Epistle at the 26th. verse. In the end of the world, saith he, hath he appeared once to put away sinne by the sacrifice of him­self.

Dares Rome then tread the steps of old Hierusalem? doth she af­fect to turn this very remedy into a disease? For what else is her [Page 130] sacrifice of the Masse? wherein their profession is, that they day­ly offer up again the body of Christ, thinking by their sacri­legious repetitions to adde some new suficiency to that great obla­tion.

So truely may it, in these Chri­stian times, be verified of that City, what was observed of her being yet in Paganism. Roma mag­nam sibi assumpsisse videbatur Religio­nem, quae nullam respueret falsita­tem. Tis the acknowledgment of Leo the great, as they call him, one of her own Prelates, in his first Sermon upon the Nativity of Saint Peter and Saint Paul. Rome, saith he, therefore thought her self to be above all other Cities in the world chiefly Religious, be­cause she became the common receptacle of all their Idola­t [...]ies.

[Page 131]And what else is her practice at this day? she's willing to pro­fesse the name of Jesus, and there­in joynes with the Christians: she's content to impart Divine wor­ship to Images, and therein con­curres with the Gentiles: Besides, she's factious too for the daily re­petition of expiatory sacrifices, and therein accords with the Jews themselves.

So that it may seem now a point of injustice to deny the Roman Church, the Title of universal, seeing she so friendly communicats with all Religions.

I, but yet Rome will still seem Orthodox for all this, and hath learn't from her Doctors of Transub­stantiation, at least to evade and delude, where she cannot satisfy. Let my Apostle then in this Text, nay in a solemn discourse of two whole chapters, not barely pro­nounce [Page 132] alone (which yet were more than enough, where such a Majesty dictates the words) let him not I say barely pronounce, but logically prove and conclude, that Christ can but once be offered up, sheel make him understand it de sacrificio cruento, onely of the bloody Sacrifice of the Crosse, not of that unbloody one of the Al­tar; and so with the same words, both corrupt his sense, and yet seem to condescend to his conclu­sion.

Thus doth Truth never suffer more dangerous attempts, than when she falls into the hands of learned impiety. But my Text soon quits her, by the suggestion of this one interrogatory. After Christ his bloody passion, remains there a conscience of sinnes or no, ex parte victimae? do our affright­ed thoughts as yet inform us, that [Page 133] the greatnesse of our sinnes exceeds the sufficiency of his oblation? if so, then is the sacrifice of the Crosse, as insufficient as were those of the Jewes: but if this doubt be abso­lutely removed, which my Apo­stle cleerly enough insinuates in the Text, then is their sacrifice of the Altar, as Sacrilegious, as were those of the Gentiles. For what can more derogate from that Divine Attonement, than that it should stand in need of a daily sup­ply? what other thing were this, than to Crucifie again the Lord of life? for he must in some sort be daily slain, that's daily offered: and so shall the Romane Priests supply the like place at this day under the Pope, which the Roman Souldiers once did under Pilate.

But they yeeld, you'l say per­haps, the oblation of the Crosse to be most absolute, and that the sa­crifice [Page 134] of the Masse is onely requi­site to make us capable, or actu­ally partakers of those Benefits, which the sacrifice of the Crosse obtained for us at Gods hands, and which the wisdome of God found good to conveigh unto us by that means, viz. by means of the Mysti­cal and unbloody sacrifice of the same body in the Masse; what's this? one sacrifice required to ap­ply another; and by consequence a third will be necessary to apply the second; and so we shall runne, multiplying of sacrifices in infini­tum; for what shall hinder? where shall we stop? an absurdi­ty as hatefull to Religion, as na­ture.

Indeed, should God have given us his sonne in sacrifice, and yet have denied us a participation in his sufferings, what had it been but to have dealt with his Church, [...] [Page 135] the Poets feign that Iupiter did with their Tantalus, that is, shewed her onely the means of her reco­very, and indeed to torture her, rather than releeve her. For there can be no more bitter affliction, than to be barr'd the enjoying of that good which is in our view, and whereto a proba­ble hope hath already intitled us.

God therefore, as he is rich in mercy, so is he bountifull in de­claring it; and he that hath not spared his Son to save us, denies not his holy Spirit, to testifie un­to us the Truth of our recove­ry. No sooner then doth the Court of Heaven, by virtue of this remedy, pronounce us Iusti­fied from our sinnes, but it present­ly dispatcheth the Spirit of Comfort, to bear that joyfull newes to our afflicted souls, that we are there [Page 136] in [...]old for the Sonnes of God. Rom. 8. 16. And while our soul is affor­ded due entertainment by those sweet acclamations of Abba Father, it puts to silence all clamour of conscience, and makes her smile, who was wont nothing but to frown, and threaten. Then the blood of Christ growes Eloquent, and speaks better things to us, than that of Abel; for that spake on­ly vengeance upon sinne commit­ted; this speaks nothing but salvation upon sinne pardoned.

The remedy thus applyed cures this conscience of sinnes too, ex parte reatus▪ for there can remain no more guilt, no fear of punish­ment, where the holy Ghost him­self vouchsafes to testifie, that Christ hath satisfied what we have deserved.

But Alas! we oft times dispos­sesse this Spirit, and suffer wick­ednesse [Page 137] to encroach upon his Ter­ritories: and then how can it sing the Lords Song in a strangeland? [...]ow can that be a fit place for the Dit­ties of Sion, where Babylonish ini­quity hath usurp'd the scepter? No, when we sinne, that is grieved and silent; and where the Spirit tunes not the Anthemes of pea [...]e, Conscience will not be long to towl the sad grones of desperation. Thus are our very souls subject to relapses, being as lyable to the distempers of sinne, as our bodies are to the assaults of sick­nesse.

And must we then yet seek a further remedy? doubtlesse such a pretence is wholy inconsistent with my Apostles Doctrine. [...]. To cure all conscience of sinne, we need (with him) but one purgation, but once to be purged. Indeed it is true, both in [Page 138] the point of justification, and in that of the passion, we can but once be justified, but once be purged; yet may the sense of these benefits be subject to reiteration. For a righteous man, though he be al­waies justified, yet doth not per­haps alwaies feel it: we can but once be purged, yet we oft lose the sense of this remedy; and it requires yet a further cure, to make us become certain of our reco­very.

Against this Disease, viz. un­certainty and doubtfullnesse of our justification, were those tears of David, in the 51. Psalm. Lord, saith that Royal penitent, restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; laeti­tiam exoptat, saith one not untrue­ly, non justificationem, he prayes not for justification, but Comfort; that God would then impart unto him on earth the joy of that sen­tence, [Page 139] which questionlesse was long before pronounced in Hea­ven. If therefore with that good King, thou art desirous to cure this conscience of sinne, that is, to repossesse and recover again the happinesse of thy decaying Comforts, repent, as he did, mourn, weep, pray, yea let thy soul [...]e yet more af­flicted.

A strange remedy you might think, to cure involuntary sad­nesse by mourning willingly, were it not therefore to be esteemed the more availeable, because humane wisdome counts it foolish and im­proper.

But true Religion prescribes Antidotes many times as full of wonder, as health. Wouldest thou live a Christian life? thou must dye to thy own affections, and in­ordinate lusts; wouldst thou re­cover [Page 140] again the losse of thy spiri­tual comforts? thou must mourn, and be yet further afflicted for Sin­ing. Let therefore thine eyes be­come fountains of tears, and mingle thy drink with weeping: let the Sor­r [...]ws of thine afflicted soul out cry the guilt of thy wounded con­science: so he that hath not disdain'd to take thy body to be his Temple, may be pleasd also to accept of thy Tears for sa­crifice.

Nor do I still enjoyn thee to call a Confessor to witnesse; as if thy Re­pentance were of necessity to be as legal, as thy Testament; if thou wilt, confesse onely to that Judge, who alone can absolve thee; yet sure I am, in case of great distresse, open and free confession to a law­full Minister is most availeable, both to cure a conscience of sinne, as also to attain a sense and feeling of [Page 141] their forgivenesse; although the sentence of the Minister, 'tis con­fessed, be of it self no Absolu­tion.

For example, who knowes not, that Gods word barely spoken, is of it self able to challenge our be­lief? yet hath Divine goodnesse been so indulgent to humane infir­mity, as to make words visible for our sake, that is, to ordain sacra­ments, (which are commonly, and not unfitly called by Divines, visible words) and to make us s [...]e that in a Sacrament, which we could but hear only from a preacher; that so our weak Faith might stand the more firmly, being supported by the evident information of more senses than one.

Although therefore the promise of remission of sinnes, at what time soever a sinner repents him of his sinne, Ezek. 18. should be as persuasive, as [Page 142] 'tis certain, and induce into us a confidence of forgivenesse, no lesse easily and effectually, than the words sink into our ears; yet hath God been pleased also to invest his Ministers with the power of the keies, to the intent, that seeing a man clo­thed with our own flesh, to repre­sent his person, and now ready, as from his mouth, to pronounce our absolution, our thoughts might be quickned, our spirits re­vived, and our consciences become as free and exempt from doubting, as his promise is from mutability or change.

You know 'tis the very Tenour of our great Commission, sealed unto us by that King of Kings, our most Blessed Saviour, in the 20. of St. Iohns Gospel. Receive the Holy Ghost; whose soever Sins yee remit, they are remitted unto them. Not that these words imply a Iudiciary pow­er; [Page 143] for in that sense the Pharisees themselves were Orthodox, none can forgive sins but God only; yet do they at least give us Authority to declare, what God hath promised, and at least to publish Absolution, though not decree it.

Of what efficacy then, you'l say, is this declarative power? if it be but only to make a bare nar­ [...]ation of forgivenesse to a penitent Sinner, 'tis no special power, 'tis [...]o more than every Christian may do, yea ought to do, towards his Brother in case of spiritual distress; and so by consequence it will fol­low upon this supposition, that in the case of that crying Adultery, Davids Conscience might have been sufficiently pacifyed with the good words of any common Israe­ [...]ite; as well by Hushai, the Kings [...]riend, as by Nathan the Pro­phet.

[Page 144]But we must know in these cases of Conscience, there's somewhat more in a Prophets word, than in a Courtiers. Hushai may do Da­vid good service, in case of Trea­son perhaps, and in preventing the outward danger of an Absaloms conspiracy, but in case of Sin, Na­than is most fit to be called to Counsel, and 'tis his word, not Hushai's, that shall best appease the inward clamours of an accusing Conscience. A friend may advise best for the Government and State of his Kingdom; but for the or­dering and setling the peace of his Soul, let the Prophets words be heard. I say, in this case let the Prophet be heard; for his words are in a special manner accompa­nyed with Gods own promise: He will perform the Counsel of his Messen­gers, Isa. 44. at the 26. verse [...].

Amongst all the Sons of men we [Page 145] are said in Scripture to remit Sins; not that we have of our selves an absolving power, but that our words might give the greater satisfaction to afflicted Consciences; that when we speak upon good grounds, they might be as fully assured of their remission, as if we indeed had forgiven them. So Calvin upon that place of Iohn, in the 3d. of his Institutions.

We cannot then of our selves re­mit the crime, yet God hath gi­ven us power, to cure the Consci­ence; it lies not in us to acquit, it d [...]eth to comfort a Sinner; which Truth is yet further illustrated by that Text in the 18 of St. Mat­thew's Gospel; whatsoever yee shall loose on earth, shall be loosed in Hea­ven. First we loose on earth, and then God in Heaven.

But what, you'l say, doth the Ministerial Act go before the Prin­cipal? [Page 146] may we declare what God hath not yet decreed? that were to play the Kings Interpreter, while he is silent; or to publish a proclamation before it be penn'd. These seem to be great inconveni­ences.

We must therefore understand, that upon the hearty and true con­trition of a penitent Soul, first God himself decrees his Absolution, then after his humble Confession the Minister doth publish, or pronounce it: to which Act of the Minister, God by promise adds the assistance of his persuading Spirit, and so the Sinner becomes certain of the re­mission of his Sin. In this sense therefore it is true, that we are first loosed on earth, and then in Heaven, because that after the Ministerial Absolution pronounced here on earth, our Consciences do by the Spirit obtain an undoubted [Page 147] assurance, that we are loosed in Heaven.

Thus have I shewed you, what this one remedy is, to wit Iustifica­tion by the bloud of Christ; the manner how we attain a sense of it, the inward Testimony of the Holy Ghost; the means how to recover this Testimony, when upon our Sins we seem to lose it, humble Confession of our Sins, sometimes to God only, sometimes to his Ministers also, and this either pri­vate, or more publike, as the case of the Penitent requireth. And of this Confession to the Minister I in­sisted somewhat the more largely, because, indeed to be, as my Text speaketh, once purged of sinne, and yet to have a conscience not duly sensible of this benefit, I mean the benefit of Absolution, by the law­full Ministry, is but with those blinded Anamites, to be in the [Page 148] midst o [...] the people of God, and yet not know it.

After this remedy followes our happy estate of health, attended with the blessing of peace and quietness; being in my last part shadowed out only under a negative description [...], no more conscience of sinne.

The happy Estate. Part 3.

I dare not undertake to describe this happinesse, for I find it passeth all understanding, much more all discourse of man. To call it health, or peace, or joy in the Holy Ghost, were to name it rather than to ex­presse it: so mysteriously happy is this estate, that its conceived onely by being enjoyed. I shall therefore make use of my Apostles modesty, and call it onely no conscience of sin; [Page 149] yet doth this Brevity include a pa­negyrick of praises; for you know all excellencies are defin'd by Ne­gatives.

Nor do I hold it a weak argu­ment of perfection, that Sathan so much desires to counterfeit this Estate, seeing things of mean con­dition are no objects for imposture; men do not usually counterfeit Brasse, or Copper, but Gold and Silver. And therefore Satan, that grand Impostor and deceiver of souls, that he may more securely cheat us of that which is true, la­bours with all subtlety to work in us a false similitude of this blessed­nesse; and in stead of leaving us no conscience of sinne, many times leaves us no conscience at all.

Saint Paul, chap. the 4th. of his fi [...]st Epistle to Timothy, verse 2. fi [...]ly describes such deluded ones, [Page 150] [...]; men of seared consciences, as we say in En­glish; or rather, as Beza some­what more Emphatically seemes to render it, such men, as an hot Iron, (set on fire, sur [...]ly by Hell) hath not seared only, but cut off their consciences quite.

H [...]u miseri servitutem qui intelli­gunt, miseriores qui non intelligunt, cryd the Orator; and I may well in this case be his Eccho. Misera­ble are those men that feel the bur­then and bondage of daily trans­gressions; but most of all unhappy are they, that serve sin, and do not perceive it.

Canst thou then, being a Noah, beget a Cham? make laughter the sonne of drunkennesse? canst thou after a beastly surfeit jest at it in­stead of weeping? canst thou lye in wait to deceive chastitie, and then impudently boast of those [Page 151] Actions, of which nature her self is ashamed? If you be such, Be­loved, it behoves me then to turn this part of my Sermon, which I intended for your consolation, into some Funeral discourse, and set my self rather to deplore, than con­gratulate your estate: your disease is not cur'd, but chang'd; in stead of the Fever, the burning Fever of a tormenting guilty conscience, you are fallen into a Lethargie, or dead sleep, of unsensibleness and stu­pidity of spirit; in a word, you are dead, not living.

Yet seing the dead too shall hear the voice of the Gospel of Christ, I must not forbear to call upon you; Awake therefore, thou that sleepest in the security and sense­lessenesse of sin, awake and stand up from the dead, that Christ may give thee life. Take and consider well these few lessons I shall give thee; [Page 152] they may possibly help to recover thee.

Lea [...]n▪ first to be diseas'd, that thou maist be healthfull; let the Terrours of the Law threatning sin with death, affright thy soul; let them enter and wound thy Con­science, that so thou maist both hunger and thirst after this remedy; by Teares and contrition labour to procure a sense of it; and so by degrees at length attain the blessed­nesse of this happy estate; where­in those accusing thoughts shall be silenced, those distractions quie­ted and composed, and instead of Terrours and amazement, thy con­science shall speak nothing but peace unto thee.

Thus have I discoursd upon the words of my Text apart, and shewed you hitherto, what I was able to collect from each of them in particular by themselves. It [Page 153] remains now, that I declare▪ ac­cording to my intended purpose, and briefly, the Truth of this whole proposition, namely how far a justified person may be again perplexed with his former trans­gressions, and in what sense mine Apostle speaks, when he saith, that

Worshippers once purged, have no more conscience of sin.

Give me a man then after Gods own heart, one who condemns himself with as much severity, as he sinnes with fear; let his sorrow keep pace with his transgressions; and because he must daily offend, let his life be a perpetual repen­tance; yet may even such a Iob, such a just man, and carefull walker with God, be afflicted with his passed offences, after a setled con­fidence of Absolution.

[Page 154]He may hold himself, for their sakes, unworthy of the blessings of this present life, as Saint Paul thought, he deserved not the high attribute and Title of an Apostle, because the Christian Church had sometimes groaned under his perse­cution. I am not meet, saith he, to be called an Apostle, because I perse­cuted the Church of Christ; yet I was received to mercy, because I did it ig­norantly through unbelief; I was re­ceived to mercy; that argues his con­fidence of forgivenesse. I am un­worthy to be called an Apostle; that shews, there was a conscience re­maining in him, which some way accused his sin.

Nay in respect of Temporal pu­nishments, our consciences are of so large extent, that they bid us fear sometimes, when our conceit tells us, that others offend. For Deli­ [...]ant reges, plectuntur Achivi, the [Page 155] pestilence may invade all Israel up­on Davids offence; and though it were the Son of Kish onely, that unjustly flew the Gibeonites, yet may the famine starve all Iudah, in the reign of the son of Ishai, for that offence.

Upon this conscience of sinne doth our English Letany, not without good cause, give enter­tainment to that petition, Remem­ber not, Lord, the offences of our Fore-Fathers; although I confesse, ve­hemently opposed by that sort of men, who professe themselves ene­mies to our whole Liturgy; and whose zeal in this, as in diverse other cases of like nature, is mani­festly of great prejudice to their judgment. But I have no occasion to speak more of them at pre­sent.

'Tis true, Ieremy hath long ago censured that murmuring proverb [Page 156] of his people, the Fathers have eaten the sour grapes, and the childrens teeth are set on edge; and not with­out cause: for it was as false, as common. For Iudah her self never eat more sour grapes, than in the time of that weeping Prophet; and whereas sometimes she tasted onely, and set her teeth on edge, now she eat and surfet­ted.

The sinne then of the Fathers was punished in their posterity, but not without the childrens offence; and when they also cease not to continue their Fathers sinne, they may justly expect a severer punish­ment; now which of us dare say I am innocent? I have utterly de­clined my Fathers sinnes? It we dare not, or cannot say thus; if our own consciences would fly in our faces and give us the lye, in case we should, what mervail is [Page 157] it, yea what obstinate perverse­nesse were it, if we should refuse to make our petition to God, in those words of the Prophet Daniel; O Lord let thine anger be turned away, le [...]t because of our sinnes, and the sinnes of our Fathers, Hierusalem and thy people be made a reproach.

For as in the eyes of that All­seeing Majestie, a Thousand years are but as one day, so are as many generations but as one man. Now in a single offender, 'tis mercy that expects repentance a long time, though for neglecting it, the pu­nishment be infflicted afterward with greater severity. So is it in respect of whole Nations; 'tis the goodnesse of God, that through­out so many ages attends their conversion; yet must that King­dome dread the more fearfull ruin, which hath enlarged her transgres­sions by perpetuity.

[Page 158] Amalek rebelled in the time of Moses, and was then threatned with eternall hatred, as appears Exodus 17th. at the 14th. verse; but succeeding ages, and the sinnes of Amaleks posterity, brought down that horrour of punishment, of which Saul, 1 Sam. 14. was or­dained to be Executioner.

Nor was posterity then punisht for the Fathers sinne alone; for as 'tis evident, Amalek still main­tained enmity against Israel, the people of God: whereas had they from a conscience of their Fathers sinne, sued out pardon for those first offences, probably the pu­nishment had not been of so high a nature, where the transgression should have been found of lesse continuance.

Neither may this conscience of sinne past, arise onely from a fear of Temporal afflictions. No: un­happy [Page 159] and Frail men that we are, we may be again and again perplexed with the guilt of those very transgressions, which we once thought and verily perswaded our selves were forgiven.

For the infant-issue must needs faint, when the Mother languish­eth; and when our Faith is so mix'd with doubting, our joy must needs be subject to much inconstan­cy; and if in the case of eternal salvation it self, our confidence may be buffetted sometimes with con­trary fears, and almost degenerate into despair; much more, as to the matter onely of Forgivenesse of sin, may our peace be again mo­lested with perplexity.

In the 51th. Psalm, while David entreats pardon of God for that complicate sin, which he com­mitted, in the case of Bathshebah and Vriah, that is, murthering the [Page 160] Husband, and defiling the Wife, see, he becomes burthened on the sudden with the conscience of all his former transgressions; there he makes confession of his original guilt, and humbly entreats par­don for all his Actual offences. Dele omnes iniquitates meas, saith he, at the 10th. verse. Lord blot out all mine iniquities whatsoever, and at the 12th. redde mihi laetitiam, &c. O give me the comfort of thy help again, and Stablish me with thy free Spi­rit.

And if a justified man may not be again troubled with a conscience of sins past, whence came that prayer of this same Prophet, [...]s. 25th. at the 6. verse, Remember not, O Lord, the sinnes of my youth? shall we think David so carelesse, as not to have long before this time, entreated pardon for his youthfull transgressions? or that [Page 161] God himself so little regarded his prayer, whom his very soul loved, as that though he had begg'd, yet he had not obtained pardon for them? no doubt he had of a long time felt good assurance, and a sensible Testi­mony, that such his sinnes were forgiven him: and yet upon con­sideration of those many miseries, which befell him from Sauls ma­lice, and Doegs treachery, he groans again under the former burthen, and begins to accuse the sins of his youth, as cause, that his riper years were expos'd to such afflictions.

But what? do you say a man once purg'd may be so many waies burthened again with a consci­ence of sinne? may his past offen­ces again, after purgation, after his being justified and acquitted from them by the blood of Christ, af­fright him with fear, sometimes [Page 162] of Temporal, sometimes of eter­nal punishment? where's then the Truth of my Apostles Doctrine, worshippers once purg'd, have no more conscience of sin?

To answer you briefly, it holds in these two senses. First and ab­solutely in respect of that consci­ence of sinne, which we called ex parte victimae, they that are once purg'd in the blood of the lamb, do not with those Hebrews, which my Apostle deals with in the Text, again thirst after any further sacri­fice; but their consciences rest fully assured, that all sinnes what­soever may be perfectly done away by Christs one and great obla­tion.

Secondly, it may be under­stood also in some sense, in re­spect of that conscience of sinne, which we called ex parte reatus; but not so absolutely here, as in [Page 163] the other; because not at all times, nor upon all occasions. For the Saints have many fallings; there is no man living, that sinneth not, even the just man himself, as the Scripture speaketh, falleth, that is, sinneth, more or lesse grie­vously, seven times a day, and by consequence wounds and loads his conscience with the guilt of sinne: however, it is certain, that at some times also the true servants of God, men truely justified and regene­rate, have their hearts so sprinck­led with the blood of Christ by faith, and are so united with God by a full assurance of the forgivenesse of sin, and sense of Gods love and favour towards them, that they have no conscience, that is, no sense, no fear of guilt at all for any of their offences whatsoever. For as they are at some special times assu­red of their salvation, so are they [Page 164] likewise, in the same hours of com­fort, assured of the remission of all sin.

Fear not then thou fainting Christian, fear not, nor be dis­maied, although thy tender and timorous conscience affrights thee sometimes perhaps, with the re­membrance, even of those trans­gressions, whose pardon thou hast heretosore, upon sure grounds, no way distrusted; be not much troubled at them, seeing thou hast the remedy almost in thine own hands. Whensoever thou findest them thus to return upon thee, distracting thy thoughts, and disturbing thy repose, cast thy self upon God, confesse them a­gain, wash them both in the blood of Christ by Faith, and in thine own tears, by contrition and hear­ty sorrow: so shall thy good God, who doubtlesse upon thy first re­pentance [Page 165] did truely remit and par­don them unto thee, upon thy se­cond confession and tears, make thee become a second time, and much more, certain of thy absolu­tion.

I say confesse them again. For although the Iesuite, Salmeron I mean, be pleased to give us such an observation as this in his com­mentaries upon this chapter, ad iterandas confessiones nullâ lege arcta­mur aut Evangelicâ aut Apostolicâ. Theres no Law ties us to make often confession of the same sinne, viz. which we have once already duly confessed; yet though lawes be silent, I think, I have shewed examples, namely of that man after Gods own heart, that royal penitent and Prophet King David▪ of the Prophet Daniel, and di­verse others that might be alleg­ed; which although they tye not [Page 166] our belie [...]e, perhaps, as to a matter of Faith or Divine pre­cept, as the Iesuite pretends, yet I suppose, their bare practice deserves our Imitation better, and is more safely followed, than his opinion, especially in ca [...]es of great distresse, and where spe­cial comfort is necessary to qui­et and allay the Agony of Spi­rit.

But I shall not enter into sur­ther controversie with him. God, who comforteth Hierusalem, com­fort the mourners that are in Israel: comfort all such as groan under the conscience and guilt of sin̄ne; restore True peace unto their souls; give them all necessary and full assu­rance of the remission of their sins here, through Faith in the blood of Christ, and afterwards advance them to Glory, and to the Fruiti­on of those comforts, which shall [Page 167] never fail, by the same Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom with the Fa­ther and the Holy Ghost, three Persons, one Eternal, Almighty, and most merciful God, be all Ho­nour and Adoration given of all creatures now and for ever,

Amen.

THE END.

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