Paradisus Genesis in quo pullulant Patriarcha­rum virtutes Ambr. Epist. 41. THis booke of Moses, is resembled by St. Ambrose not unfitly unto Paradise. Genesis (saith he) is a Paradise, wherein spring forth the virtues of the Patri­archs; For as in Paradise there were va­riety of trees, which brought forth vari­ety of excelent fruits, both pleasant to behold and good to eate:Gen. 2.9. So in this Paradise, this book of Genesis are many worthy plants, Gods Children and Servants, whose fruits of Faith, of Love and obedience, are both delightfull for us to read, and pro­fitable to imitate. Now of all these plants, the chief are the Pa­triarchs, of all the Patriarchs the most fruitfull is Abraham, and of all the fruits which he ever brought forth, we have here the worthiest without all comparison, his wonderfull Faith and Obe­dience to God, in offering his Sonne; For this Chapter containes [Page 2]that admirable History of Abrahams offering his Sonne Jsaac un­to God; wherein three things are especially set down.

First, The cause which moved Abraham to offer his Sonne; namely, the commandement of God in this second verse.

Secondly, Abrahams obedience to Gods commandement, to the 11. verse.

And thirdly, Gods approbation and acceptance of Abrahams o­bedience, in the 12, and 13. verses.

For the first, which is, the cause that moved Abraham to offer his Sonne, namely the Commandement of God, it was the most grievous Commandement that ever was given; and it was given, as appears in the [...]ver. for the tryall of Abraham. A strange tryall of so holy a man,Lippoman in Cate. in Gen. which as Zeno the Bishop of Ver [...]na said, Ant e [...]m sa­crilegum faceret si contemneret Deum, a [...]t crudelem si occideret fili­um; would make him either guilty of sacriledge if he contemned God, or of great cruelty if he killed his Sonne. So that Abraham is here brought into wonderfull straits; for if he do not that which God Commands him, God will condemn him of great impiety; and yet if he do it,5. Difficul­ties in this Commande­ment. all the world will condemn him of extreame cruelty. Now the difficulty and grievousnesse of this Commande­ment appears especially in these five things, which are all comprized and couched together in this second verse.

1 First, In regard of the sacrifice it self which is to be offered, and that is Isaac, not Abrahams Servant, but his Sonne: not one out of many, but his onely Sonne: not one that he cares not for, but his beloved Sonne. Take now thine onely Sonne, Jsaac whom thou lovest.

2 Secondly, I regard of the party that must offer this sacrifice, and that is Abraham, Abraham a Father must sacrifice his Sonne, he must do it himself and no other for him; Take now thine onely Sonne and (do thou) effer him.

3 Thirdly, In regard of the manner how he must sacrifice his Son, He must offer him to God (in holocaustums) for a burnt-offring. So that first he must kill him, then hew him in pieces, and when that is done, he must lay him upon the fire and he must burne him to ashes; for all this is required in a burnt-offring.

4 Fourthly, In regard of the place where he must sacrifice his Son, and that is set down two waies,

• 1. More generally, in the Land of Moriath, a place (as appears in the fourth verse) that was distant [Page 3]from him three daies journy, that all the while he is travelling thi­ther with his Sonne, his affection might have time to work within him,
• 2. More specially, upon one of the Mountaines (saith God) that I will tell thee of. Though it be a most unnaturall and monstrous act which he is to persome, yet he may not do it in secret; but he must do it upon a Mountaine where he may the les [...]e conceale it.

5 And fifthly, In regard of the time when he must sacrifice his Son, he must not stand to deliberate it; but he must go presently about it, Take now thine onely Sonne. Nay, now when he is old and his wife past bearing; and therefore hopelesse of having any other children; now he must take this his onely Sonne: he must post into the land of Moriah, and there upon one of the Mountaines, he himself must offer him, and that for a burnt-offring.

Difficulty. 1 And thus we see, the difficulty and grievousnesse of this Com­mandement; I will now come to handle the particulars, in the same order as I have propounded them. And first, of the first dif­ficulty, in regard of the sacrifice it self which is to be offered, that is Isaac; the Sonne and onely Sonne of Abraham.

God, as appears in the former chapters, had many wayes made tryall of Abrahams obedience. Get thee, saith God unto Abraham in the 12. chapter, 1. verse, Get thee out of thy Country and from thy kindred, and from thy Fathers House unto the land that I will shew thee. This was a hard Commandement. Abraham was then al­most fourscore years old, and he must begin to travell and which might grieve him the more, he must travell into a farre Country; but he knowes not whither;Gen. 12.5. yet A­braham did it, and so he came into the land of Canaan, as God had appointed him. But it may be when he came thither, this was a place to seate himself in, and better it may be then in his own Country. He was no sooner come thither,Gen. 12.10. but he was welcom'd into the Land with an extreame famine, insomuch that he was fain to shift for himself, and to fly into Egypt and his wife with him; yet Abraham was contented, and never murmured against God. But it may be when he came thither his entertainment was better. He was no sooner come thither,Gen. 12.15. but Sarah his wife was taken from him, and for no other cause; but because she was so beautifull to look upon. Still Abraham persisted without any murmuring. But it may be that God had extraordinarily blessed him in all other [Page 4]matters. It is true indeed, that God had greatly blest him; but yet so, as that, that which of all wordly things he chiefly desired, he still wanted,Gen. 15.2. the comfort of having a Sonne to succeed him. And therefore in the 15. chap. 1. verse, when God had promised Abraham to be his exceeding reward, Abraham takes the oppor­tunity, and presently puts up a Petition to God, Lord, saith he, What wilt thou give me seeing I go childlesse, and the Steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus; Behold, thou hast given no seed unto me, and therefore my servant must be my heir. This was that which so troubled Abraham: God had given him great wealth and riches, but what should he do with them, he himself was old and might well suppose, that he could not long enjoy them, he was in a Country where he had no Kindred, and he must leave them to a stranger that must succeed him.Gen. 16.15. God promised him issue; and first he gave him Jshmael by Hagar the bond-woman: but this was not he that should be his Heir, but another which Sarah his wife should bear him. To be short, Sarah conceived and brought forth Isaac; Gen. 17.19. Isaac. God himself had given him his name before he was borne, a name which signified joy and laughter; because Isaac should be a comfort and joy to his Father. And now old Abra­hams soule is revived; when he seeth his Sonne Isaac, presently he thinks he hath lived long enough now he hath a Sonne to succeed him; but presently again he checks his thoughts, and wishes to live longer, that he may the longer injoy him. But Abrahams joy may not long continue, God hath another crosse for him in store, and that is this; Abraham must take Jshmael his first begotten, and cast him out of dores with his mother Hagar. But this, how­soever it was a grief to Abraham; yet it inflamed his affection the more towards Isaac. For, as when Eliah was taken away, his spi­rit was doubled upon Elisha: 2 Kings 2.9, 10. so Jshmael being gone, now Isaac is his Fathers only darling; and now Abrahams affection is doubled upon him. But when God sees this his deep-setled love, he strikes him as it were with a thunder bolt from Heaven, and commands him to kill this his onely Son. A Commandement more cruell then the Lawes of Draco which were written in blood; wherein every word stabs Abraham to the heart. Take saith he, thy Son, thine onely Son even Isaac thine onely beloved Son. Was it not enough, O Lord, saith Origen, that thou dost command him to kill his Sonne; but [Page 5]thou must adde for this further vexation, his onely Sonne, or was not this enough, but thou must put him in mind how dearly he loves him, and was not this yet enough, but the more to kindle and inflame [...]is affection, thou must likewise name him? The par­ting with a Sonne will move a Father very much,His Sonne. so great is a Fa­thers affection unto his Sonne: when Jacob heard that his Sonne Joseph was dead, he mourn'd and Iamented,Gen. 37.34.35. he put on Sack­cloth and would not be comforted; yet Jacob (ye know) had ma­ny more Sonnes. In Rama saith the Prophet, there was a voice heard, weeping, mourning, and great lamentation; Jerem. 31.15. Rachell weeping for her Children, and would not be comforted, because they were not. Yet Rachell was young and might have more Children,2 Sam. 18.33. when Da­vid heard that his Sonne Absolon was slain, he wept and lamented very bitterly for him; nay, he wished that himself had died in his roome. O Absolon Absolon, my Sonne my Sonne, I would to God saith he, that I had died for thee my Sonne Absolon. Yet Absolon was a graceless and rebellious Sonne, one that rose up in Armes against his own Father, and sought to deprive him both of life and King­dom; and yet because he was his Sonne, David could not but love him, so great is a Fathers affection unto his Sonne, which no man indeed can sufficiently conceive, but he that is a Father, and hath a Sonne.

We read in the Ecclesiasticall Histories,Sozomen. lib. 7. cap. 24. That a certain Mer­chant in Theodosious time, hearing that two of his Sonnes were ta­ken prisoners, at the day appointed that they should be executed, he came in all haste to Thessalonica where his Sonnes were, & hear­ing the matter why his Sonnes were to suffer, he first offered a great summe of money for his Sonnes Ransome, and when that would not be taken, he offered his own life, and made sute that he him­self might die in their roome. They who had the charge of the Prisoners committed unto them, made him this answer, that his death could not possibly excuse them both, because a set number were appointed to suffer; but offered withall, that if he would die for any one of them, his death should be taken. The Father pre­sently accepted their offer, and mourning and lamenting over both his Sonnes, he would willingly have died for either of them, but he knew not whether: so great was this Fathers affection unto his Sonnes, that though it were equally divided between them both, yet he was willing to have saved either of their lives, even [Page 6]with the losse of his own.His onely Sonne. But now if a Father have but one Sonne, then all his care, all his love, all his affection is wholly set upon him, and then it is the greatest grief in the world to lose him. And therefore the Prophet Jeremy in the sixt of his Prophesie speaking of the great mourning which the Jewes should make, when their most cruel enemies the Chaldeans, and Assyrians should come to destroy them,Jerem. 6.26. he knew not how to express the greatness of their sorrow, but by the sorrow of a Father, who having but one Sonne is to part with him: make, saith he, lamentation and bitter mourn­ing, as for thine onely Son, shewing thereby, that there is no sor­row like the sorrow of a Father, who having but one Son, is to be deprived of him. And therefore our Saviour John 3. to set forth Gods infinite love towards us;John 3.16. he saith, That God so loved the world, that he gave his onely begotten Son. If a Father have ma­ny Sonnes,Pluta [...]ch. de multitud. Amicorum. his affection is divided among them all, and therefore the lesse towards any one; like a River, which being cut into ma­ny Channels, his current ye know must needes be the weaker. If a Father have many Sons, the losse of one cannot be so grievous unto him, because he finds comfort in those which are left him; but having but one, if he loose him (especially when he is old as Abra­ham was) this must needes be an extraordiraly grief unto him. And yet Abrahams case is far more grievous.His beloved Sonne. Many a Father, though he have but one Son, yet his grief is the lesse, when he is taken a­way; because while he lived he was a grief unto him. But Abra­ham must loose not his Son onely, and his onely Son, but Isaac his onely joy and comfort, Isaac his onely beloved Son. And in­deed there was never any Father, that had the like cause to love his Sonne. Parents do commonly love their Children, either be­cause they are their own flesh and blood, or because they continue their name after them; for so long as their Children and Posterity continue, they seeme in a manner to live in them. But besides these Abraham had many other causes, and far more forcible to love his Sonne. Abraham as we heard before (out of the 15 of Gen.) even longed as it were to have a Sonne; after that God had promised him a Sonne, many a year past before he had him. In the mean time, God to make him as it were amends for his long expectation, had given him many com­fortable promises concerning this Sonne; as that his seed should be called in Isaac, Gen. 17.19. that he would multiply his seed like the starres of [Page 7]Heaven; that he would establish his Covenant with Isaac for an e­verlasting Covenant, and with his seed after him. And hath not Abraham then an extraordinary cause to love his Sonne? But be­sides this, Abraham was fully a hundred years old before he had him, Sarah had been barren for a long time, and if she had not been so, yet by reason of her age she was past bearing; so that God had wrought a double miracle, in giving him a Sonne; all which did more inflame his affection towards him; and yet now all upon the suddain, as if God had repented him of his former kindness, he commands him to sacrifice this his onely Sonne; what now might Abraham think with himself? he might now suppose that God had but deluded him in all his promises, and that God had given him many faire words concerning his Sonne;Job. 10.1.2. but all to no purpose. And surely had it not bin Abraham, he would have of­fered like Job, in the bitterness of his soule, to have pleaded with God; he would have stood up in the behalf of his Sonne, and re­plyed again: And is this that Isaac that should be my comfort? is this he whom thou hast so often promised, and whom I have so long expected, as a pledge of thy love and favour towards me? and must I now kill him? Quid meus hic Isaac in te committere, &c. Alas, what hath Isaac committed against thee? how hath he of­fended thee? who will ever believe that thou wouldest have spa­red Sodom, had there been ten that were good in it, if thou now takest delight in the blood of the innocent? doest thou thus reward thy Children and Servants? and is this the fruit of their love and o­bedience? O let it not be known in Gath nor published in Ascalon, lest the uncircumcised Philistins insult over thy people, & say among themselves; such honour may have all his Saints. But Abraham never opened his mouth for his Sonne, but grace having got the upper hand of nature, and faith of affection, he was glad when God had given him a Sonne; but more glad that he had a Sonne to give unto God: for so saith Chrysostom, Latus erat Abraham cum silium acciperet, laetior cum sibi imolandum dominus postularet: Abraham rejoyced when he received his Sonne, but he rejoyced more, when God commanded him to offer him unto him.Doct. 1

The Doctrine that may be gathered from hence is this: That God makes tryall of our love and obedience, in those things which of all other are dearest unto us. For so we see he deales here with A­braham, when he sees how dearly he loves his Sonne; for the bet­ter [Page 8]tryall of his love and obedience, he commands him to offer him for a burnt-offring.

Thus dealt our Saviour with the Ruler in the Gospell;Luke 18.22. for knowing that he was rich, and withall, that his heart was set upon his treasure, he willed him to sell all that ever he had, and to give it to the poor, and so tryed him in that which was dearest unto him.

He,Math. 10.37. saith our Saviour, that loveth Father, Mother, Sonne or Daughter more then me, he is not worthy of me. It is no ordi­nary love which God requires of us, but such a love as is able to subdue all naturall affection: So that if our Children were dearer unto us then our own soules; yet the love of God is to be pre­ferred before them.

And this was prefigured by those milch kine (1 Sam. 6.) which being to carry the Arke of the Lord, it is said, that their Calves were taken from them, and yet they went on, and onely sometimes did low after their Calves, but never turned back to look after them. To note unto us, that Religion must alwayes oversway affection, and though we do naturally love our Children, yet if they be any hinderance unto us in Gods service, we are not to regard them. It is the commendation of Levi (Deut. 33.) that he said to his Father and Mother, he had not seen them, and that he knew not his Brethren nor his own Children. For when the Levites were commanded (Exod. 32.) to consecrate their hands unto the Lord, every man upon his own Sonne and his own Daughter; they were so zealous in Gods Cause, that they fought against nature, and had no more compassion on their Parents or Children, then if they had been meer changers whom they had never seene.Hieron. lib. 2. Epist. Select. It is an excellent saying of St. Jerom, Licet pervulus ex collo pendeat nepos, &c. Though thy little Nephew should hang about thy neck, though thy Mother should intreat thee by those her own duggs that gave thee suck, though thy Father should lie upon the Threshold, and cling about thy feete as thou art go­ing out, to stay thee from spending thy life in Gods service, per calcatum perge patrem, &c. Tread thy Father under thy feete, and trample upon him; Solum in hac re crudelem esse pietatis est genus, Onely in this case it is a kind of piety to use cruelty. This, howso­ever it may seeme a very harsh Doctrine unto flesh and blood, yet if our hearts were once throughly inflamed with the love of God; [Page 9]if we were wholly devoted unto Gods service, and if we did e­ven hunger and thirst after righteousness, then whatsoever it were that God required at our hands, we would be ready with Abraham to perform obedience.Mat. 4.21.22. And as the Disciples when our Saviour called them, they left both their goods and their Pa­rents to follow him: So whatsoever it were that God requi­red of us, though it were to the losse of all that ever we have. yet we would be willing to resigne it when God commands us.

And thus much concerning the first difficulty in this Com­mandement, in regard of the sacrifice which is to be offered, Abrahams onely beloved sonne Isaac, I come now to the second.

diffi∣culty. Second The second difficulty is in regard of the Person that must of­fer this sacrifice, & that is Abraham; Abraham a Father must sa­crifice his Son, he must do it himself and no other for him, Take thine onely beloved Sonne Isaac, and (do thou) offer him.

If a Father having but one onely Son, should but hear that he were causeless to be put to death, this (ye know) would be a great grief unto him; but if he were commanded to be pre­sent himself, and to be an eye-witnesse and spectator of his death: this must needes be a further vexation. O, but being come thither, if he himself were inforced to be his Sonnes exe­cutioner, and with his own hands to kill his Sonne; this were a torment beyond all comparison. But this is Abrahams case here, If God had commanded him, to deliver his Son to some of his Servants, and that they should kill him; yet Abraham might have conceived some comfort, for it may be his Ser­vants would have had compassion on him (as it hath often been seene) or if they had not, but had put him to death; yet Abraham should not have been a spectator thereof, but that Abraham may be sure of the death of his Son; God will have him not onely an eye-witness thereof, but to be the actor him­self; he will have him with his own hands to kill him.Valer. Max. lib. 5. tit. 7. When Caesar commanded Cesetus a Roman, to subscribe but his hand to the bannishment of his Son, he made him this answer. Ce­lerius tu mihi Caesar, omnes meos liberos eripies, quam ex his ego unum mea notá pellam. Thou shalt sooner, saith he, berave me of all my Children, then I will ever set my hand to bnnish any one of them. What would he have answered, if he had been commanded with his own hands to have killed him? for so must Abraham.

It is noted by Suetonius, that among other arguments of Caligula his great cruelty,Sueton. Ca­lig. 27 Sect. this was one, That Parents were often compelled by him, to be present themselves at the execu­tion of their children: And when a father would have excu­sed his absence from his sons execution, in regard of his sick­nesse: we read there, that Caligula sent him his horse-litter to bring him thither: but we never read among all his cruel­ties, that he forced any father to be his sons executioner. There have been some, saith Philo, who for the safety and good of their Countrey,Philo lib. de Abra. have suffered their children to be sacrificed to their gods, but they in the mean time, have either staied at home, and would not be present when their children were sacrificed, or if they were present, they have turned away their eyes, and covered their faces, as unable to behold so sad a spectacle. Thus when Iphigenia was to be sacrificed to Diana, Agamemnon standing aloofe off, when he saw his daughter to be brought to the Altar, he could no longer endure it, but as Euripides writes,Euripid. in Iphig. he turned away his head, he drowned his eyes in tears, he covered his face, and all that he might not see his daughter sacrificed. How then would he have en­dured, if he himselfe should have done it? for so must Abra­ham, if God had put it to Abrahams choise whether he would have offered himselfe, or his son, no doubt he would have thought, that God had dealt very graciously with him, and that God had set Isaac but at too low a rate, seeing he might purchase his life with the losse of his own: for Abraham was old, and therefore would willingly have yielded his life unto God, which he must of necessity have yielded unto na­ture not long after. But God will not be content with Abra­hams death, but with the death of his son, for he knew it would be worse then death unto Abraham, to live without I­saac, but a thousand times more grievous when he himselfe should kill him. For what might Abraham think with him­selfe? Cain was the first parricide that ever was, and Abraham must be the second. When Cain had murdred his brother Abel, he thought he had committed such an abominable act, that every one that saw him, would be ready to kill him, whoso­ever findes me, saith Cain will slay me. And Abraham might well imagine, that this would make him odious among his [Page 11]neighbours, and that every one would count him as an enemy to nature, and as one that were not worthy to live among them. If but any bruit beast saith Plutarch, do kill their young, we stand amazed at it, we count it prodigious, and that is portends some strange event, we offer sacrifice to appease the Gods, that they may defend us from it. For we know, saith he, that nature hath taught them to love their young, and not to destroy them. And would not every man then exclaime a­gainst Abraham? Is not this that Hebrew that murdred his son? is not this he, who as short a time as he hath so journed in our Land, hath made the whole Countrey to ring of his cruelty? are these his good works? Lord, how precise he seem'd amongst us? how ready to reprove us of impiety and prophanesse? and shall we harbour among us such a monster in nature, as seems to make a scruple of the least sins, and makes no conscience of murder? Thus every one would be ready to crie out against Abraham, and yet such was his obe­dience, that he had rather become odious amongst his neigh­bours, and shew himselfe cruell in killing his son, then ir­religious in disobeying God. Scelus enim est (saith Saint Au­gustine) filium occidere, sed Deum scelestius non audire, It is a sin for a father to kill his son, but a greater sin, if he kill not his son when God commands him.

Doct. 2 The Doctrine which may be gathered from hence, is this, That God makes triall of our obedience, according to the measure of his gifts and graces which he hath bestowed upon us. For so we see, he deals here with Abraham, A light temptation had not been fit for so great a Patriarch, and therefore as God had extraordinarily enricht him with the graces of his Spirit, so he makes an extraordinary triall of his faith and obedience. For God deals with us, as a School-master is wont to deale with his schollars, who examines not every one alike, but accord­ing as they proceed and profit in learning, so he still puts them to further exercises. If God should lay any grievous triall up­on those that are weak, and not strengthened in faith, it were enough to discourage them: if light and easie upon those that were strong, it were not enough to make manifest their vir­tues which lye hidden in them. And therefore he proportions his trials of our faith, to that measure of grace which he hath [Page 12]vouchsafed us. When then we see, what God here requires of Abraham, we may admire Gods goodnesse and mercy towards us, who spares our infirmity; and makes not the like triall of our obedience: For if God should lay the least of those trials upon us, which he laid upon Abraham, how unable were we to undergo the same? And this we may see, if we examine our selves as touching our obedience in smaller matters. If God do but visite us with any tedious and long sicknesse, or if he lay upon us any crosse or affliction by taking our goods, or our children from us, presently we fall into great impatience, and we think that God deals very hardly with us. How then would we bear it, if he should make the like triall of us, which he makes here of Abraham, and if he should command us for the proofe of our obedience, to kill our children with our own hands, and to offer them unto him? yet Abraham went willingly about the same.

If the loss of our goods will so overcome our patience, as many times it doth, what then would we say, if God should lay upon us that which he laid upon Job, when he took both his goods & his children from him, and when of all that ever he had he left him nothing; yet Job blest God when he had taken away all. The Lord (saith he) hath given, Job 1.21. and the Lord hath taken, blessed be the name of the Lord. In a word, if a little pain in the time of our sicknesse will so bereave us of patience, what then would we do, if God should lay upon us, that which he hath laid upon thousands of our betters, I mean those Mar­tyres in the time of persecution, whereof some have had their flesh torne by piece-meale from their bodies with hot pincers, some have had their bodies cut asunder with sawes, and others have endured whatsoever the wit of man, or the malice of Satan could invent against them, and yet they have triumphed in the midst of their torments. So that this may teach us to extoll and magnifie Gods goodnesse towards us, who layeth not so much upon us as he laid upon them, but proportions his trials to our infirmity and weak­nesse.

And thus much likewise for the second difficulty in this Commandement, in regard of the party that must offer this sacrifice, Abraham Isaac, a father his sonne.

difficulty. third The third difficulty, is in regard of the manner how he must sacrifice his son, he must offer him to God (in holocan­stum) for a burnt-offring.

The manner how they were to offer their burnt-offrings in the old Law, is prescribed by God unto Moses, in the first of Leviticus, where we finde that the burnt-offring that was to be offered, was to be killed, to be cut in pieces or quartered, and every part to be laid upon the fire till it were wholly con­sumed. Whether Abraham when he had killed his son, was likewise to quarter him, and to hew him in pieces, I will not determine? but yet it is probable. For howsoever the manner of offering these offrings was specified long after this Com­mandement was given, yet Abel and others had offered burnt offrings long before, which no doubt they had done as God himselfe had taught them. But this is certain, that when A­braham had killed his son with his own hands, he was likewise to lay him upon the fire, till he were wholly consumed, and burnt to ashes; for so much the word holocaustum signifies. And therefore Musculus saith upon this place, (Non simplici­ter immolare filium jubetur Abraham, sed offerre in holocaustum, hoc est, &c. Abraham is not commanded simply to sacrifice his son, but to offer him for a burnt-offring, that is, saith Musculus, after that he hath imbrued his sword in his sons bloud, with his own hands to lay his body in the fire, and when one side is burnt to turn the other, and so to let it burn till it be consumed to ashes, which is all one, as if his body were to be consumed to nothing. So that this is more horrible then all the rest. For how is it possible for a father to endure, when he hath bathed his sword in his sons bloud, to take him up in his armes, and to lay him upon the Altar, to see his bowels fry and crackle in the fire, and to turn him upside down, till every part be consumed and burnt to nothing? What death can be imagined so horrible as this? If God had commanded Abra­ham, either to have strangled or smoothered his son, yet his body (ye know) would have remained whole, & he might have entombed him: if God had commanded him to cast him down headlong from the top of the mountain, so that every mem­ber had been dashed asunder, yet some part of his body would have been remaining. Nay if God had commanded him to [Page 14]take his son, and cast him to the wilde beasts, that they might devoure him, yet at least-wise, ye know, his bones would have been left, and so Abraham might have had some relique of his son, but this is such a death as doth utterly consume every part of the body, and brings all to nothing. But besides this, Abraham knew very well, that God could not away with humane sacrifices, and therefore that Abel, Noah and the rest, had never offered the like in any of their offrings. It is true indeed, that many years after, the Children of Israel had learn'd of the Gentiles (as we see Psalm. 106) to sacrifice their sons and their daughters to divels,Psal. 106.37. but therefore saith David, The wrath of the Lord was kindled against them, so that he ab­horred even his own inheritance. Psal. 106.40. Nay this is so monstrous and abominable an act, that many of the heathen did utterly con­demne it. We read of the Carthagincans, that they were wont to sacrifice their children to Saturne, Plutarch. in Reg. Apophth. as thinking that this would be acceptable to their God, because they had heard the fable, that Saturne was wont to devoure his children. But therefore when Gelo the King of Sicilia had subdued Car­thage, he forbad this custome, as thinking it monstrous, that the gods should be worshipt with such cruell sacrifices. And therefore when Agesilaus, Plutarch. in vita Agesilai. as Plutarch records, was admonish­ed in a dream to sacrifice his daughter to Diana, as Agamemnon had done, he made this answer, that he would not imitate Agamemnons folly, but he would offer such a sacrifice as was fit for a goddesse. How then could Abraham think that God would be pleased with such a sacrifice, and that he who is the father of mercies, and would not so much as the death of a sinner, should delight in cruelty, and in the slaughter of inno­cents? so that when God commands Abraham to sacrifice his son, here is a further temptation then all the former, which seems not so much to impugne his affection, as to con­found his faith, in that God here seems contrary unto himselfe.

And indeed beloved, the conflict which Abraham sustain­ed in his affection, was nothing to that which his faith su­stained. For how should he believe the promises of God concerning his son, being now commanded by God to kill him.

God had promised Abraham as we heard before, that him seed should be called in Isaac, that he would multiply his seed, like the starres of Heaven, Gen. 26.4. and that he would establish his Co­venant with Isaac for an everlasting Covenant, and with his feed after him. Abraham believed according to Gods promise, that the Saviour of the World should spring from his Sonne, and that so all the Nations of the Earth should be blessed in him; and yet now he commands him to sacrifice his Son, and so to burn as it were the bond of his own salvation. For if Isaac must die, how can Abraham look for the Messias from him? and if no Messias, what remaines but Gods wrath and venge­ance to be powred upon all men? so that this Commande­ment seemes quite to overthrow Gods former promise; and yet such was Abrahams faith and obedience, that he both per­formed that which God had commanded, and withall believed that which God had promised. For howsoever it might seeme as impossible to flesh and blood, that seed should be raised from Isaac being dead, as that a Tree should budde forth, when the root is withered, yet he knew there was nothing impossible with God; and therefore though Isaac were whol­ly consumed and burnt to nothing, yet that God was able e­ven out of his ashes to raise up seed unto him.

Doct. 3 Now whereas God commands Abraham here, to offer his Sonne in holocaustum for a burnt-Offring, so that no part of his body may be kept, but that it must wholly be consumed and burnt to nothing. The Doctrin that might be gathered from hence is this, That as God makes tryall of our Obedience, in that which of all other is deerest unto us so he requires that we keep nothing thereof unto our selves; but that we dedicate it wholly to Gods service. But I will passe this over, and come to the fourth difficultie.

difficulty. fourth The fourth difficultie in this Commandement, is in regard of the place where he must sacrifice his Sonne, namely in the land of Moriah upon one of the mountaines which God would shew him.

Morti destinatum citò occidere misericordia genus est: It is a kinde of mercie, if a man be condemned to die, to dispatch him quickly: and the reason is, because the punishment is much augmented through the expectation of it, the expectation of [Page 16]any evil, being as ill or worse then the evil it selfe. But God here, the more as it may seeme to torment Abraham, Com­mands him not onely to Sacrifice his Son, but injoynes him a long and tedious journey before he must do it. God might have appointed him. First, to go with his Son into the Land of Moriah, and being come thither, then he might have told him the cause of his coming. But first he commands him to sa­crifice his Son, and then sends him to the place where he must perform the same: and what is the Reason but onely this, as Origen saith, ut dum ambulat, dum iter agit, per totam viam cogi­tationibus discerpatur, that all the while he is travelling with his Son, he might ruminate upon that which he went about, and be confounded in a manner with the remembrance of it.

Now concerning this place where Abraham was appointed to sacrifice his Sonne, some of the Jewes report, that Cain and Abel had offered their offrings upon the same Mountain. St. Jerome writes, that he had heard it for certain of some an­cient Jewes, that Isaac was offered in the very same place, where afterwards our Saviour Christ was crucified. St. Augustine addes that he had heard it reported, that Christ was crucified in the very same place where Adam had been buried, and therefore that it was called Calvaria locus, the place of a dead mans skull, quia caput humani generis ibi dicitur esse sepultum, because the head of mankind lieth there buried The Saracens (who will needes borrow their name from Sarah, though they came of Hagar) to make it more profitable that they sprang from Isaac, they faine that the land of Moriah is a part of their Country, and therefore when any stranger comes to their City of Mecha to see Mahomets Sepulcher, hard by the City, they do shew him the Mountain, where on Abraham as they say, did sacrifice his Sonne. But the truth is, that the Land of Mo­riah where Isaac was to be offered, was the same which was af­terward called Jerusalem, as we may plainly gather out of the second of the Chronicles, 2 Chron. 3. the third Chapter; for there it is said in the first verse, that Salomon built the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem in Mount Moriah: So that the place where Isaac was to be offered, was either the same, or very near to the place, where our Saviour was afterwards to be crucified. And [Page 17]indeed it was not unfit, that Isaac should be offred where our Saviour was to suffer, because Isaac was a type and figure of our Saviour. So saith St. Augustine, Abraham, quando filium suum obtulit, typum habuit Dei Patris, Isaac typum gessit Domini Salvatoris. Abraham when he offered his Sonne represented God the Father, Isaac when he was offered represented our Saviour the Son of God. For many things which wore shadowed forth in Isaac, were afterwards verefied in our Savi­our Christ. As the promises of God unto Abraham concerning his Son, were often renewed, and his birth foretold; so were the promises and the birth of the Messias. As Isaacs was named before he was borne, so was also Christ. As Isaacs Birth was strange and miraculous, in regard that he was borne of Sarah, that was barren; so was also Christs being borne of a virgin. As Isaac was Abrahams onely Son, whom he so dearly loved; so Christ was the onely begotten Son of God, in whom alone he was wel pleased. As Isaac was causeless to be put to death, so was Christ being innocent. As Isaac bore the wood where­with he was to be sacrificed, so Christ bore the Tree whereon he was to be crucified. In a word, as Isaac, by yielding himself to be offred, did testifie his obedience unto his Fathe, and his Fa­ther his wonderful love unto God: so Christ, by submitting himself to the death, declared his wonderfull obedience unto, God, and God his unspeakable love towards us.

And indeed beloved, this is the most excellent use that can possibly be made of this whole History; when we hear how Abraham did offer his Son, we stand amazed at it, we wonder how it was possible for a Father to do it: And may we not much more admire the infinite love of God unto us, in giving his onely begotten Son to be crucified for us. When we hear how Isaac yielded himself to be bound and offered, we cannot but wonder at his strange obedience: and may we not much more wonder at the infinite obedience of our blessed Saviour, who being equall with God, yet humbled himself and became obedient, [...]ven to the death of the Crosse? Abraham when he offered his Sonne unto God, he did but restore unto God that which God had given him, & he might wel the rather be moved thereunto; because God had been alwaies so gracious to him; But when God gave his Son to be offered for us, we were so [Page 18]far from having deserved any thing at his hands, that we were his open and profest enemies. Isaac when he yielded himself to be offered, yet he yielded himself into his Fathers hands, who was to present him for a sweet savour unto the Lord; and so to put him to a kind of death, which of all other might seene the most glorious: But Christ when he yielded himself to be offered, he yielded himself into the hands of his persecu­tors, who he knew would not onely put him to the most ig­nominious death; but for his further vexation, even deride him in his torments: When Abraham was to sacrifice his onely Sonne, God was so moved with compassion and pitty, that in­stead of his Sonne he provided a Ramme; Indeed it was fitter that a Ram should dye, if the death of a Ramme might ran­some a Sonne: But when Christ was to be offered the case was altered; the Ramme was spared, and the Sonne was sacrificed; Nay, the Sonne was therefore sacrificed, that the Ram might be spared.

Read over all the Histories of Heathen Authours, examine their writings, search out all their antiquities, and see if there were ever the like example of love: For a man to die for his friend it is no small matter, and but few have done it; but if one should offer to dye for a stranger we would wonder at it; O but for a man to dye for his enemy, nay, the Sonne of God to come down from Heaven, even from his Fathers bosome, to dye a most accursed death for his enemy; this is that love of God which passeth all understanding, and can never be suffici­ently exprest either by men or Angels.

And yet, that we may in some measure conceive a little bet­ter of this infinite Love of God; suppose with thy self, that thou being a poor and a silly creature, shouldst live under the Dominion of some mighty Emperour, who had made this Law; That whosoever should be found guilty of high Treason, should be put to the most exquisite torments that could be imagined, and that thou afterwards (having received many fa­vours from him) shouldst give eare notwithstanding to some of his Nobility, and willingly joyne with them in Treason a­gainst him: And being both convicted of the same, he should execute the utmost of his fury upon his Nobility; but cast with himself how he might save thee. And finding no other meanes [Page 19]for thy deliverance, he should give his onely beloved son, the sole Heir of his Kingdom, to suffer the must shamefull and accursed death of all other for thy ransome; who willingly ta­king the same upon him, should never speak so much as one word in the behalf of his Nobility, but onely plead and sue for thee, that thou by his death mightst not onely be forgiven; but likewise mightest be made Heir of his Fathers Kingdom. What now wouldst thou think of his love unto thee? How wouldst thou wonder at it? How would thy soule be ravisht when thou thoughtest upon it? Beloved, such and farr great­er is the love of God unto thee, if thou canst apply it. The An­gels, that were farre more glorious creatures, made to attend upon God and to be in his presence, yet God spared not them, when they had but once, and that onely in thought rebelled a­gainst him; but as for thee, though thou hadst often rebelled against him; yet God hath given his onely begotten Sonne, to dye in thy roome, that thou mightest inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. And this was that reall sacrifice which was here pre­figured by Abrahams off [...]ing his onely Sonne.

And therefore, when Abraham was come to the place ap­pointed, and had already stretcht forth his hand to have sacri­ficed his sonne, God presently forbad him; because onely the death of our blessed Saviour and not Isaacs death was a price sufficient for our redemption. But [...]et we are to remember, that Abraham knew not but that his Sonne should die; and there­fore (no doubt) all the while that he was travelling to the Mountaine, he was distracted between faith and affection. be­tween his love unto God and his love to his Sonne; the one still pulling him backward, and telling him what an unnaturall act he went about: the other putting him forward; because it was God that had commanded him to do it.

Doct. 4 Now, whereas God here commands Abraham to go and sa­crifice his Sonne in the land of Moriah; which was as I told you, distant from him three dayes journey. We may learne from hence, That while we are to performe any service to God, no journey ought to seem tedious unto us; For he that cōmands Abra­ham to go so farre to sacrifice his Son, he requires of us that we refuse no labour, while we are about to perform that which God [Page 20]commands us. But I will likewise passe this over, and proceed to the last difficulty.dif∣ficulty. fifth

The last difficulty in this commandement, is in regard of the time when he must sacrifice his Sonne, Take now thine onely Son, namely, now when he was old and his wife past Bearing; and therefore hopelesse of having any other children, now he must sacrifice his onely Sonne.

We read in Herodotus, Herod, Thalia. that when Intaphernes, one of the privy Councell of King Darius, had offended the King, the King commanded that both he and his whole family should be put to death; but being moved with the complaints of his wife he both spared her, and withall gave her the choice, which of them all she would choose to deliver. She having a while deli­berated upon it, resolved in the end to make choise for her bro­ther; and the King demanding why she sued not rather for her husband or children, she made this answer; that though her husband or children should dye, yet she being young might marry again, and so might have more; but if her brother were put to death now that her parents were dead, she was sure she should never have any other brother. If God had given A­braham a child, while himself and Sarah, his wife had been young & had then commanded him to have put him to death; yet his losse had been the lesse, in that he might have hoped to have had more children; but they both being old when he was to sacrifice Isaac, they could not hope for any other after him.

Fathers saith Philo, when they come to be old, of all their children they make most of their youngest;Philo lib. de Abraham. and he giveth this reason; because being old they expect no more, now nature being spent and decayed in them. But Abraham, as I told you before,Joseph. lib. 1. Antigen. was a hundred yeare old, and Sarah was ninety before Isaac was borne, Isaac was now (as JOSEPHUS writes) five and twenty yeare old, when he was to be offered; and therefore they, being struck so far in years might well ima­gine, that as Isaac was their first: so he was like to be their last that they should have between them; So that Abrahams grief must needs be the greater in regard of the time, when he was commanded to sacrifice his Sonne.

But to come more directly to the time, it is said in the form­er verse, that after these things God did prove Abraham, and [Page 21]said unto him, Take now thine onely Sonne, namely, after that God (as we see in the former chapter) had had notable expe­rience of Abrahams obedience, by calling out Jshmael his first begotten; now he layes a new task upon him, & far more grie­vous then the former was; Now saith he, Take thine onely Son, as though he should have said, I have made heretofore some tryall of thine obedience in smaller matters. I commanded thee to leave thy native Country and thou hast left it; I bad thee to cast Jshmael out of dores with his mother, and thou hast done it, deest adbuc vnum, yet there is one thing wanting, now that thou hast done all this, now thou must sacrifice thine onely Sonne. We see then, how many tryalls God layeth upon Abra­ham, and how many difficulties are couched together in this one tryall, to be deprived of his onely Sonne whom he so dear­ly loved, himself to become his Sons executioner. to put him to so violent and horrible a death, to undertake so long a jour­ney to perform the same; and then to do it when himself w [...] so old, and his wife past bearing. The least of these tryalls was very hard to be overcome; yet Abraham like a Gyant that re­joyceth to run his course, rose up early in the morning & went about it: and having a full resolution to sacrifice his Sonne, as God commanded, he concealed his purpose from his wife, and his Servants, lest they should have hindered him from the execution of it.

Doct. 5 The Doctrine that may be gathered from hence is this, That God the better to sound the hearts of his Servants, makes often try­all of their obedience; and after that one tryall is past and over, he layeth another upon them for their further exercise. If any man saith our Saviour, will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his Crosse every day and follow me. Luke 9.23. Where we see two things, 1. The generality of these crosses and tryalls which are laid upon us, in that every Christian must be content to bear them; If any man Will come after me let him take up his Crosse. 2. The multitude of these tryalls, Let him take up his Crosse eve­ry day and follow me; Every day, to shew that the tryalls which the faithfull undergo, are many in number, and that they come (as it were) thick and threefold one after another. Job had no sooner heard that the Sabeans had taken away his Oxen as they were ploughing, and his Asses as they were feeding in [Page 22]their places but presently there comes another and brings him worse tydings, that the fire fell from Heaven and consumed his Servants; and presently after, he heares worse newes then the former, that while his children were together at a banquet, the house fell upon them all so that not one of them escaped. And this is the condition of Gods servants, many are the tryalls which they are to endure and the end of one tryall is many times but the beginning of another; For we serve not God with this condition, that after he hath laid one tryall upon us, and we have borne the same, we should crave as it were a pas­port, and seek to be discharged from any-further service; but whatsoever it is that God requires at our hands, and how often soever; yet we must be ready with Abraham to performe obe­dience.

The comfort is this, that though the tryalls which God layes upon us be never so many; yet God will enable us to bear the same.1 Cor. 10. For God is faithfull, saith the Apostle, and will not suffer us to be tempted above our power; but will give an issue with the temptation that we may be able to bear it: and when we have borne it, he hath promised to reward us, and that infinitly for it. Blessed is the man saith Saint James, James 1.12. that endureth temptation; for when he is tryed, he shall receive the Crown of Life, which the Lord hath promi­sed to them that Love him.

THese words are the conclusion of an excellent Parable, Coherence. which our Saviour did first pro­pound to the People, and afterwards ex­pound unto his Disciples. Wherein the word of God is resembled to seed, The Preacher of the Word to the Sower of Seed, and the Hearer of the Word, to the ground whereon the Seed is sowed. The ground proportio­nable to the diversity of Hearers, is distinguished by our Savi­our into four severall kindes; whereof three are unprofitable, and one onely fruitfull, To note unto us that we need be very carefull, how we hear the Word; considering that the greatest part of Hearers do but heare in vaine as three parts of the ground were fruitless and barren, where the seed was sowen, and onely one part was fruitfull and good, and this is that ground which is here described: wherein we may observe these two things.

First, The meanes of a good ground, And Secondly, the signes of a good ground.

The meanes of a good ground are two. First, the receiving of Seed, or the hearing of the Word. And Secondly, the receiving in of the Seed, or the understanding of the Word: But he that received Seed into good ground, is he that heares the Word and un­derstands it. The signes of a good ground are likewise two.

First, The bearing and bringing forth fruit, which also bears fruit and brings forth.

Secondly, The quantity of fruit which it brings forth, Some an hundred, some sixty, some thirty.

And these are the severall parts of these words, whereof God willing, I will speak in order, And first, of the first meanes of a good ground, the receiving of seed, or the hearing of the Word.

The Word of God is resembled to divers things in divers re­spects.Psal. 19.10. Sometime to the most refined gold, and that for the perfection and purity of it,Hebr. 4.12. sometime to a sharpe two-edged Sword, and that for the power and efficacie of it: sometime to a treasure hid in the field,Mat. 13.44. and that for the value and excel­lency of it: and sometime to bread, to raine, to seed, and that for the use and necessity of it. For seed is no more necessary to make the earth fructifie and give her increase, then the seed of Gods Word to make us fruitfull in all good Works, Ye know, if the Earth do not give her increase, there followes a Famin; if seed be wanting, and the Earth not sowen, it can­not give her increase: And thus where the seed of Gods Word is wanting, there followes a dearth of all spirituall gra­ces.

And therefore as we read Gen. 47. of a dearth or famine for want of seed:Gen. 47.19. Amos. 8.11. Mat. 4.4. so likewise we read Amos 8. of a dearth or fa­mine for want of the Word; for man cannot live by bread onely, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. God is able indeed to make us fruitfull, without the preaching of the word, as he made the Earth fruitfull at the first Creation,Gen. 2.5. without the sowing of seed: he is able to save us when his word is wanting by some other meanes, as he pre­served the Israelites with Manna from Heaven, when they had not the ordinary meanes of tillage; but the ordinary meanes to make the Earth fruitfull, is the sowing of Seed, and the or­dinary meanes to make us fruitfull, is the preaching of the [Page 25]Word. And therefore in those places where the People are not taught, or the word is neglected, we may see them abound in superstition and ignorance, and all the unfruitfull works of darkness, even as Salomon passing by the field of the sluggard, he saw it all over growen with thornes and nettles;Prov. 24.30.31 whereas on the contrary, where the seed of Gods word hath been sowen and received,John 4.35. Phil. 1.11. we may see the Regions even white unto Harvest, and filled as the Apostle speaks with the fruits of righ­teousness.

Therefore David describing the godly man. First brings him in meditating upon the Law of God, Psal. 1. and then bringing forth fruit in due season: as our Saviour here describing the good ground, first makes mention of the receiving of seed, and then of the bearing and bringing forth fruit. So that the first meanes of a good ground, is the receiving of seed or the hear­ing of the word.

And from hence we may gather many profitable instructi­ons, partly concerning the Preachers of the Word, the Sowers of this Seed; and partly concerning the Hearers of the Word, the ground that receives it.

Doct. And first, For the Preacher, seeing the Word of God is re­sembled to Seed, that therefore he omit no fit opportunity of preaching the Word.

The Sower ye know when Seed-time comes, he layeth all other business whatsoever aside, and betakes himself wholly to the sowing of his ground, as knowing that there is a time to sowe, and a time to reape. First to sowe and then to reape, and never any reaping unless there have been sowing. And thus we must omit no fit opportunity of preaching, nay we must be instant in season and out of season, expecting no Har­vest where the seed of Gods Word hath not first been sowen. The lesse paines the Husbandman takes with his ground, and the thinner he sowes it, the thinner the Corne must needes come up, and he cannot but expect the lesse fruit of it. And thus the lesse paines we take with our auditors, the lesse we instruct them, we cannot but expect the lesse fruit of them. And therefore in the morning (saith the Preacher) sowe thy Seed, Eccles. iii. 6. and in the evening withhold not thy hand.

Secondly, Seeing the word is resembled to Seed, that there­fore [Page 26]we sowe nothing but the Seed of Gods vvord. The Sower ye know before he sowes his Seed, he vvill first sift and vvin­novv it, he vvill cleanse it at home before he come into the field, and he vvill take avvay the chaffe and the refuse from it. And thus before vve come into the Pulpit, vve must examine the Doctrine that vve are to deliver, vve must vveigh and pre­meditate vvhat vve are to speak, that nothing passe from us but the pure Word of God.

In the 23. of Jeremy, the 28. verse, The Prophet (saith God) that hath my Word, let him speak my Word faithfully, what is the Chaffe to the Wheat saith the Lord?

Lastly, Seeing the Word is resembled to Seed, it shewes to what end we are to preach the Word: namely, for the bene­fit of those that heare it. The Sovver ye knovv, vvhen he sowes his Seed, he propounds no other end to himself but this, that he may make the Earth fructifie and give her increase: and thus the end of our preaching must be the good of our Audi­tors, not to shew learning, wit or eloquence, or to purchase credit and reputation to our selves, but to make them fruitfull in good works. Therefore the Sower to make his ground the more fruitfull, he first considers the nature of his ground, and sowes it with that Seed which is fittest for it, every soile being not fit for every seed; but one for Barley, another for Wheat: and thus, that our preaching may be the more profitable; we must apply our selves to the quality of our hearers, and consi­der what Doctrine is fittest for them: We speak wisdom, saith the Apostle, among them that are perfect; but to you, saith he, that are Babes in Christ, [...] Cor. 2.6. I gave milk to drink and not meat, for you were not able to bear it. And thus much in a Word for the Sower of this Seed.

Secondly, for the ground that receives this seed, the hearer of the Word: Seeing the hearing of the Word is the receiving of seed, therefore we are first to be fitted and prepared before we hear the Word. The ground ye know before it be sowen, it must be first plowed and broken up; otherwise it is not fit to receive the seed. And thus before we heare the Word, we must break up (as the Prophet speaks) the follow ground of our hearts,Jer. 4.3. otherwise we are not fit to hear the Word. And in­deed the reason, why the seed of Gods Word is lesse fruitfull, [Page 27]in some then it is in others, is because they are not fitted and prepared alike to hear the word. The seed which fell before by the high-way side, and the seed which fell upon the stony ground, as likewise the seed which fell among thornes, the seed was all alike, and altogether as good, as the seed which fell here into good ground, and the sower was the same that sowed the seed: yet in the one it became fruitfull, & in none of the other: and what is the reason? no difference in the sow­er, no difference in the seed, but only in the ground, the ground being not fitted and disposed alike to receive the seed. And thus where the seed of Gods Word is sown, though the Preacher and Doctrine be both the same, yet it is fruitfull in one, and not in another, and not by any defect in the Word, or him that delivers it, but by default of the hearer, as being not fitly disposed and prepared to hear the Word. Therefore when the people were to hear the Law, God commanded Moses Exod. 19. to sanctifie the people three dayes before,Exod. 19.10.11. that they might be the better prepared to hear it. If we have but a field or piece of ground of our own to be sowne with seed, we will first trimme and dresse it, we will pick out the stones, and root up the weeds, before we sow any seed in it. So carefull we are that our seed be not lost, how carefull (be­loved) then ought we to be that Gods Seed be not lost? and therefore not to harden our hearts if we will hear his voice; but to come with prepared and sanctified affections,Psal. 95.7.8. that we may be the more fit to receive his Word.

Secondly, Seeing the hearing of the word is the receiving of seed, therefore we are to be diligent in hearing the word. Seed, though it be necessary to make the earth fructifie, yet it hath not this vertue, unlesse it be sowne, and the earth receive it; while it lies in our barns, or is laid up in our Garners, it yields no increase, and hath not any power to make the earth fruitfull. And thus it is likewise with the Seed of Gods word, though it be the means to make us fruitful in the works of righ­teousnesse, yet it hath not this vertue, before it be heard & re­ceived of us, while it lies in our houses, or is lockt up in our Li­braries, it hath no such effect, but by hearing thereof it becomes fruitfull in us. For the word must first take root in the heart [Page 28]before it can ftuctifie, it cannot come into the heart but by the eare, the eare being as it were the doore where the word must enter. Therefore when Moses Deut. 5. was to repeat the Law unto the people, to shew them how they were to receive the Law, he begins the same with Hear O Israel. And therefore when Solomon will teach us wisdome and un­derstanding,Deut. 5.1. he first knocks as it were at the doore where wis­dome must enter,Prov. 1. [...]8. and cries Hearken my Sonne. The Kings daughter,Psal. [...]45.10.13. the Spouse of Christ, before she become all glorious within, must first hearken and consider and incline her eare. And the sheep of Christs fold,John 10.4. must first hear his voice before they can follow him. If either with the Adder we stop our ears, and refuse to hear the voice of the charmer,Psal. 58.4.5. or fall asleep with Eutichus, Acts 20.9. when we are come into the Church, or be busied with Martha about other matters,Luke. 10.4. no marvell though the word be not fruitfull in us. For as the ground cannot fructi­fie without the receiving of seed, no more can we without the hearing of the word.

Lastly, Seeing the hearing of the word is the receiving of seed, it shews us from whence the hearing of the word be­comes fruitfull in us, not from any vertue that we have in our selves, but from Gods blessing; as the ground which is sowne cannot bring forth fruit, but by the influence and vertue which it receives from heaven. The ground, ye know, when it hath been sowne with seed, must have the rain from heaven to moisten it, it must have the heat of the Sun to cherish it, otherwise it becomes fruitlesse, and yields no in­crease. And thus unlesse God give a blessing to his word, unlesse he mollifie our hearts, and illuminate our minds, the word which we have heard cannot fructifie in us. For Paul may plant, and Apollos may water, but it is God that must give the increase. And therefore as the ground when it hath been sown with seed, if it be but a while without the rain, it will thirst after it, it will open as it were the mouth, and gape to­wards heaven, with a longing desire to be refresht with it: and when the blade comes forth, it will seem even to droop, and to hang down the head, till the Sun do strengthen it. So must we be affected when we have heard the word, we must long for a blessing from heaven upon it; we must pray unto [Page 29]God for the assistance of his Spirit, and we must thirst after grace, even as the heart doth bray after the rivers of water, Psal. 42.1 and as the dry land doth thirst after rain in the drought of Summer. And thus much for the first means of a good ground, the re­ceiving of seed, or the hearing of the word.

The second means of a good ground, is the receiving in of the seed, or the understanding of the word.

The ground though seed be sown upon it, yet if the seed stay there, and go no further, and if the ground recieve not the seed into it, it must needs be fruitlesse. And thus though we hear the word of God, yet unlesse it do pierce further then the outward eare, unlesse what we hear with our ears, we understand with our hearts, the seed of Gods Word can­not fructifie in us. And therefore Saint James by an other like metaphor wils us to receive ( [...]) the engraft­ed Word; to note unto us,James 1.21. the Word must likewise be en­grafted in the heart like a sience in a stock, before it can bear and bring forth fruit. The seed which fell before upon the stony ground, soon withered away, and became fruitlesse, and our Saviour gives this as the reason of it, because it had no root. For though we hear the word never so often, yet till the understanding be informed, and the heart affected, our superficial hearing will profit us nothing. Therefore when Saint Paul did preach at Philippi, and converted Lydia, it is said there, that God opened her heart, so that she attended unto that which he spake. Acts 16.14. And when our Saviour instructed his Disciples out of the Law and the prophets, it is said there, that he opened their understanding that they might understand the Scriptures. Luke 24 [...]45. The Scripture is as it were a letter, sent down from heaven, wherein God hath revealed his will unto man, the hearing and reading whereof are singular means to instruct us in righteousnesse, but neither of them sufficient, unlesse we understand what we hear and read. Therefore our Saviour requires understanding to be joyned with hearing,Marke 7.14. Hear (saith. he) and understand. Acts 8.30. And therefore Philip requires understan­ding to be joyned with reading,Legere & non intellige­re negligire est, imò neo legere est. Ʋnderstandest thou (saith he) what thou readest? as if reading were to no purpose without understanding. For the end why we must hear and read the word, is that we may bring forth the fruit thereof, by endea­vouring [Page 30]to conforme our lives unto it, which we can never do unlesse we understand it, no more then the ground which is sowne can bring forth fruit unlesse it receive the seed into it. And therefore our Saviour makes the second means of a good ground the understanding of the word.

Ʋse. 1 Seeing then the Word must be understood, this first con­futes that erroneous doctrine in the Church of Rome, in hold­ing it unlawfull to have the Scriptures translated into the vul­gar tongue, and will not suffer the people to read the Scrip­tures, whereby they might be brought to the understanding of them. But if the Scriptures be the covenant which God hath made with his people, then must they not know what is con­tained in the Covenant? If the Scriptures be writ (even as Saint Paul tels us) for our learning, Rom. 15.4. then must we not know and understand what is written? And if the Scriptures be written as Saint John tels us,John 20.31. that we might believe, and by believing have life everlasting, then that we may know what we are to believe, must we not necessarily know what is written? To what end were the Apostles so miraculously furnisht with the gift of tongues,John 5.39. but that all might come to the knowledge of the truth revealed in the word, while every one heard it in his own language? To what end are all com­manded to search the Scriptures, if they may not be transla­ted into the vulgar tongue, that the people may read and un­derstand them?Acts 17.11. we see, the Bereans are commended in the Acts for examining the Doctrine of Saint Paul by the Scrip­tures: we see when our Saviour did preach to the people, he both preacht and read the Text in a known language:Luke 4. and we see that the Jews were commanded by God to write his Laws upon the gates of their houses,Dent. 6.7. to teach them their children, & to talk thereof in their ordinary conference, and therefore if they were to be so skilfull in the Scripture, then much more should we be now in the light of the Gospell, of whom God requires a greater measure of knowledge.

Ʋse. 2 Secondly, Seeing the Word must be understood, this there­fore serves both to taxe those Ministers who in their preaching do affect obscurity, and likewise the people who mislike their Ministers, if they preach plainly. Whereas indeed, every [Page 31]Minister ought to preach as plainly as he can, and to do his best indeavour to speak so perspicuously, that the simplest in his auditorie may understand him. God promiseth this as a bles­sing to his Church. Jer. 3.15. that he will give them pastors according to his own heart, which shal feede them with know­ledge and understanding: and therefore they are to speak to the capacity of their auditorie, that they may the more readi­ly conceive their Doctrine: Ministers in the Scripture are called Interpreters. Now it is the part of an Interpreter,Job. 33.23. to o­pen and explain the sence and meaning, to speak to the under­standing of those that hear him, that he may be understood whom he doth interpret.

And thus the Minister that is Gods interpreter, is to reveale and explain his Wil, to make known with St Paul the Mystery of the Gospel, and with John the Baptist, Ephes. 6.19. Luke 1.77 Mat. 5.14. to give knowledge of Sal­vation unto his People. Ministers are called The Light of the World; now it is the property of light wheresoever it comes to expell darkness, and to make things apparent and manifest to the light. And thus the Minister that is the light of the People, is to remove ignorance out of the mindes of his Audi­tors, and so to explain Gods Word unto them, that they may be filled (as the Apostle speakes) with the knowledge of his will, Ephes. 1.19. inall wisdom and spirituall understanding.

Vse. 3 Lastly, Seeing the Word must be understood, this therefore shewes the great folly of many, who regard not to have any knowledg in the Word. You shall have some that have more knowledg and understanding in any thing, then in matters of Religion. Talk with them about any worldly Affaires, you shall find them very cunning, their tongue is like the penne of any ready Writer, and they will discourse thereof at large if oc­casion be offered them: but talk with them again about any point in the Scripture, you shall have them as speechless as the guest in the Gospel,Mat. 22. [...] 1 Cor. 14.20. 1 Pet. 3.15. you shall find them to be Children in understanding, and not able to give a reason of the hope that is in them. And what is the reason? because they take no de­light in the Word, they regard not to have any knowledge in it. But were they as carefull for the good of their soules, as for their worldly affaires, they would be more skilfull in the Word of God, and not perish as they do for want of know­ledge. [Page 33]I have longed saith David for thy Salvation O Lord,Psal. 109.174. and thy Law is my delight. He that doth long to be saved like David, he will use the meanes to attain unto it, he will take delight in the word of God, he will meditate in it, and rather then he will want it, with the Merchant in the Gospel, he will sell all that he hath for the purchase of it.Mat. 13.46. For this is that one thing that is necessary, as Christ told Martha; and therefore it is compared to those things which are the most necessary of all other.Luke 10.42. Thus it is somtime compared unto food: what can there be named so necessary as food, and what so intolerable as the want of it? for a man wil suffer any thing rather then famine. Ye know, when there was a famine among the Egyptans, how they parted with all that they had for food. First with their money, then with their (attell; in the end they sold their Lands and their bodies for bread, Yet food is no more neces­sary for the preservation of the Body, then the word of God for the preservation of the soule: for as the body cannot live without the natural food, no more can the soule without the spiritual food, which is the word of God; and therefore we ought to hunger and thirst after it, and to desire it as ear­nestly, as one that is hungry desires food. [...] Pet. 2.2. As new borne Babes, saith the Apostle, desire the sincere milk of the Word, that ye may grow thereby. Young Children of all other are the most impa­tient of hunger, they must presently have the dugge, or they will cry for it, they cannot abide to be long without it, but e­ver and anon they must be fed again. And thus saith the A­postle, should we be desirous of the milk of the Word, like new borne Babes, we should long after it, and not indure to be long without it. And therefore such are in a miserable case, who by rejecting this spiritual food, do starve and famish their own soules. Physitians say, that when a mans appetite refu­seth meat, and cannot away with it, it is a signe of death, and a manifest token that he cannot live long.Psal. 107.18. And therefore the Prophet David saith to this purpose. Their soule abhorreth all manner of meat, and they draw near unto the Gates of death.

And surely when a man is once come to this passe, that he will not suffer wholsome Doctrine, but that the word of God which is the food of the soule, begins to be irksome and unsa­vory unto him; then questionlesse his soule is in a desperate [Page 33]case, it is even pining away as it were in a Consumption.

Sometime again the word is called the Sword of the spirit.Ephes. 6.17. Now what is more necessary for a Souldier in the field, then the use of a Sword? Our life is a Warfare upon the Earth, as Job saith, and we are all Souldiers, having given up our names at the time of our Baptisme to Christ Jesus our Captain, to fight the Lords Battells: the enemy with whom we are to en­counter, is the Prince of darkness with all his forces, and Gods word is the weapon which we are to use against them. How then shall our hands be able to warre, and our fingers to fight, if we have no knowledge in the word of God, and have no skill how to handle the sword of the spirit? And thus to omit ma­ny other particulars, the word as ye see here is resembled to seed; what is so necessary to make the Earth fructifie as the receiving of seed? The best soile that is, though it be never so fertill in its own nature, yet if it receive not the seed into it, it must needes be unfruitfull. And thus the best man that is, though he be never so furnisht with all naturall parts; yet till the seed of Gods word have been sowen in his heart, he can never be fruitfull in the works of righteousness. And there­fore if we be Gods Husbandry, as St. Paul calls us.1 Cor. 5.9. Colos. 3.16. Let us re­ceive this seed into the furrowes of our hearts, and suffer Gods word to dwell plenteously in us.

And thus much for the meanes of a good ground, the re­ceiving of seed or the hearing of the word, and the receiving in of the seed or the understanding of the Word.

Signes of a good ground. I come now to the signes of a good ground, and first that it bea [...]es and brings forth fruit.

As the meanes whereof we have already heard, will teach us how we may become this good ground, if as yet we be not; so the signes will teach us whether we be this good ground or no. For like as the ground when it hath been sowen with seed, it will shew it self by the fruit thereof, whether it be a fertill or a barren soile; so when a man hath been taught and in­structed in the word, he will shew by the fruits which he brings forth, whether he be a profitable or a fruitless hearer.

The ground therefore when it hath been sowen, it first ceaseth to bring forth thornes and bryers, and is not so plen­tifull [Page 34]in thistles and weedes as it was before. And thus when a man hath been instructed in the word, if he be a profitable hearer thereof, the word will have this operation in him, that first he will relinquish his former vices, and will not be so rea­dy to commit any evill as he was before.Psal. 119. ii. I have hid, saith David, thy word in my heart, that I might not sin against thee. So that this is one fruit and effect of the word, that it will make a man leave and forsake sinne.

If heretofore thou hast been given to swearing, yet when this seed of the word hath been sowen in thy heart,Jer. 23.10. Exod. 20.7. That be­cause of Oaths the Land shall mourne, and that God will not hold him guiltless that takes his name in vaine, this will cause thee to make a Conscience of Oaths, and will roote out this weed of unnecessary swearing.

If heretofore thou hast slander'd and defamed thy Neigh­bour, and wronged him in his good name and reputation; yet when this seed of the word hath been sowen in thy heart, That a false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speakes lies shall not escape:Prov. 19.5. this will root out this weed of slander and detraction.

In a word, what sinne soever thou hast committed heretofore, yet when the seed of Gods word hath been sowen in thy heart, it will root it out, and cause thee to leave it.

Secondly, The ground when it hath been sowen with seed, it not onely leaves bringing forth evill fruit, but likewise it brings forth good fruit; it not onely ceaseth from bringing forth weedes, but it brings forth, Corne for the use of man.

And thus he that is a profitable hearer of the word, he will not onely mortifie the deedes of the flesh, but he will likewise bring forth the fruits of the spirit, he will not onely leave evil, but he will do good.Titus 2. ii. The grace of God, saith the Apostle, which brings salvation, hath appeared unto all men, teaching us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts (there is the former fruit of the word, the leaving of evil) and to live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world (there is the other, the doing of good.) Gods word herein being like a sweet perfume, which not onely takes away the evil sent, but leaves a sweet sent in the roome of it.

If heretofore thou hast had an overweening conceit of thy self, and hast been possest with pride and arrogancie, yet when the seed of Gods word hath taken root in thy heart, it wil not onely dispossess and roote out pride, but in the roome thereof it will place humility: So that thou wilt be little in thine own eyes, and think thy self with St. Paul the least of all others. If heretofore thou hast lived in hatred and enmity, yet when the seed of Gods word hath taken root in thy heart, it wil not one­ly remove and root out hatred, but in the roome thereof it wil place charity: So that thou wilt blesse them that curse thee, thou wilt do good to those that hate thee, and thou wilt pray with St. Steven for them that persecute thee.Acts 7.60. And thus in a word, wheresoever this seed hath taken root, it will not onely weed out the former vices, but it wil place in their roome the contrary virtues.

Thirdly. The ground when it hath been sowen with seed, as it leaves bringing forth evil fruit, and brings forth that which is good, so it deferrs not the bringing forth fruit, but brings forth the same at the expected time. And thus he that is a pro­fitable hearer of the word, as he will abstain from that which is evil, and do that which is good: So he wil not defer the do­ing thereof, but in a seasonable time he wil bring forth the fruits which are required of him. When occasion is offered him of doing any good, whether such as concernes him after a more general manner, as he is a Christian, or more particular­ly in regard of his calling, he will take the opportunity, and bring forth his fruit in a seasonable time. If God have increas­ed thy wealth and substance, and given thee sufficient, not onely for thy self, but for the relief of others; when thou seest the hungry that would be glad of the Crums that fall from thy Table, when thou seest the naked and the stranger that want Clothing and Harbour, or any that are in any want and necessity, then thou hast opportunity to do good, and if thon be this good ground which is here mencioned, then thou wilt bring forth the fruits of mercy.

If God have given thee the tongue of the learned, and ina­bled thee to exhort with wholsome Doctrine, and to convince the gain-sayers of it, when thou seest thy Brother ready to fall [Page 36]into error, and to make ship-wrack of faith and a good Consci­ence, then thou hast opportunity to do good, and if thou be this ground which is here mentioned, then thou wilt bring forth the fruits of knowledge. If God have advanced thee to the place of Authority, and committed into thy hand the sword of justice, when thou seest the poor to be deprived of hi [...] right, and the innocent opprest; when thou seest iniquity to abound in the Land, and robbery and violence in all quar­ters, then thou hast opportunity to do good, and if thou be this good ground which is here mentioned, then thou wilt bring forth the fruits of justice.

The ground indeed when it hath been sowen, yet before it do bear and bring forth fruit, it shall have many impediments to hinder the groweth and increase thereof; it must undergoe many stormes and tempests, many frosts in winter, much scorching in Summer; but yet if it be a good and a fertil soile, it will overcome them all, and bring forth fruit at the time ex­pected.

And thus when the seed of Gods word hath taken root in thy heart; yet before thou canst bring forth the fruit thereof: thou shalt meet indeed with many lets and hinderances, partly from thine own unruly affections, and partly from others; but yet if thou be this good ground which is here mentioned, thou wilt overcome them all, and with the Tree that is described in the first Psalme, Thou wilt bring forth fruit in due sea­son.

To draw then to a conclusion of this first signe, if fruitfulness be a signe of a good ground, then that we may not deceive our selves,Jam. 1.22.2 Cor. 6.1. let us not onely be hearers of the word, but doers of it; let us not receive the grace of God in vain, but when the seed of Gods word hath been sowen in our hearts. Let us be care­full to practice the same, and to bring forth the fruits there­of in our lives. We would count him ye know a very bad Husband, who when his ground hath been sowen with seed, should turne in his swine to root it up, or when it is come forth and begins to ripen, should let in his Beasts to spoile and de­voure it; what then beloved may we think of our selves, if when we have been partakers of the word of God, we give [Page 37]way to our affections, and suffer the delights of the world, or the lusts of the flesh, to hinder this seed from fructifying in us.

And thus much for the first signe of a good ground, that it brings forth fruit. I come now unto the second, the quantity of fruit which it brings forth, some an hundred, some sixty, some thirty.

The ground if it be good, 2. Siga [...]. it is not onely fruit full when it hath bin sowen, but it yields as ye see, a very great increase, every s [...]ed at the least bearing thirty for one.

And thus he that is a profitable hearer of the word, he is not onely fruitfull in the works of righteousness, but he brings forth the same in great abundance. I, saith our Saviour Christ, am the vine, and ye are the branches, he that abides in me and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit. John 15.5. So that it is not enough to be fruitful, unless we be fruitful in some good measure. And now that we know what are the signes of a good ground, it remaines, that we try and examine our selves, whether we be this good ground or no. You will say, I have gotten this good, by hearing the word, that now when I heare it, I heare it wil­lingly, I take delight in hearing it, is not this a good signe? surely this is but a good beginning; for thou mayst heare the word, and that with delight, and yet be but an hypocrite; for so did Herod, he heard John the Baptist, and he heard him glad­ly, and yet all the world knowes what Herod was.Marke 6. You will say again, but I am gone further then so, for I do not onely hear the word, and that with delight; but I have left many sinnes since I have heard the word; and is not this a good signe? surely this likewise is but a good beginning; for first, it is not enough to leave many sinnes, unlesse thou endeavour to leave all: otherwise, God that for one sin of pride cast the Angels out of Heaven, for one disobedience thrust Adam out of Paradise, and for one onely lye, shewed his judgement on Ananias, will likewise reject thee for any one sin, if thou takest delight to continue in the same Secondly, as it is not e­nough to leave many sins, unless thou endeavour to leave all. So this is not sufficient, unless as thou leave evil, so thou do good. For as that is not to be counted a good ground, which onely leaves bringing forth evil fruit, except it likewise bring [Page 38]forth good fruit: So God will not repute him for a good man, who onely leaves evil, but doth no good.

The fruitless Fig-tree was cursed by our Saviour not because it bore evill fruit, but because it forbore to bring forth good fruit.

The unprofitable Servant is condemned in the Gospel, not because he did evill with his Talent; for he onely hid it; but because he did not do good therewith, he did not im­ploy it. In a word, to those whom our Saviour placeth at his left hand at the day of judgement, he gives not this Reason; for when I was hungry, ye took away my meate, when I was a stranger, ye took away my lodging. But saith he, when I was hungry, ye did not give me to eat; and when I was a stranger, ye did not provide me Harbour. So that it is not enough for thee to leave evill, except thou like­wise do good. You wil say again, but I am gone further then the leaving of evill since I have heard the word; for I have done good. Come therefore unto the second signe of a good ground and see whether thou hast brought forth fruit, according to that measure which is here mentioned. Is thy knowledge an­swerable to that which hath been taught thee? hast thou brought forth the fruits of Faith and obedience, according to that measure of seed which thou hast received, and pro­portionable to the paines which have been taken with thee? You will say, this is a hard saying; for who is able to do the same? Know therefore for thy comfort, that if thou bring but forth fruit in some good measure, and if thou do but thy best endeavour to be more and more fruitfull, God will ac­cept of thy good endeavour: and though thou be not so fruitfull as some others are, yet this may be thy comfort, that God doth as well accept him for fruitfull that brings forth thirty, as he doth him that brings forth an hundred. And like as the Husbandman when he reapes his Corne, he will not refuse and passe by those eares, which are not so full as the rest are, but will carry them all into the barne together: So God will not reject our imperfect obedience, but when he shall gather his Saints together, he will bring us all to those heavenly mansions, whither Christ is gone before to provide them for us.

IT was the prophesie of Isaiah, That the eyes of the blind should be opened at the coming of the Messias; Isa. 35.5. which words of the Prophet are to be understood, both of those that were corporally and spiritual­ly blind; Namely, that they who were outwardly blind, should be restored to their sense of seeing; and that they who were inwardly or spiritually blind, should be lightned in their mind and under­standing. And this prophecy of Isaiah was here fulfilled by our Saviour, by two notable miracles which he wrought im­mediatly one after the other; the one in the end of the form­er Chapter, where he miraculously cured a blind-man: the o­ther in the beginning of this Chapter, where he wrought a more miraculous cure, in the suddain conversion of a sinfull Publican; thereby to teach us, that he indeed is that skillfull Physitian, that cures both our corporall and spirituall diseases. He whom he cured before was a poor beggar, he whom he converted here was a rich Publican, thereby to teach us, that of what condition soever they be that do come unto him; whe­ther they be rich or poore, he will not reject them.

Now concerning this miracle that is wrought here by our [Page 40]Saviour; it is the more accurately set down by this Evange­last; because it is not mentioned by any other. And there­fore for our better understanding thereof,

• 1. He sets down the place where this miracle was wrought.
• 2. The partie upon whom it was wrought.
• 3. The manner how it was wrought.
• And lastly, The fruits and effects of it.

The place where this miracle was wrought, was, as we see in the first verse, the City of Jericho; a City which was de­stroyed by Joshua, Josh. 6.21. and afterwards re-edified by Hi­el, 1 Kings 16. When Joshua came to Jericho, he came with an Army, he wasted the City and destroyed the Inhabitants which were grievous sinners; but when Christ came to Jericho, though no doubt, there were as grievous sinners in the City as there were before; yet he came not as Joshua did, to destroy them, but he came in mercy to convert and save them.

The party upon whom this miracle was wrought, is set down by the Evangelist in the second verse, when we find him de­scribed divers wayes.

• 1. By his name, he was called Zacheus.
• 2. By his place or office, he was the chief receiver of the Tribute or the chief among the Publicans.
• 3. By his Estate and condition, that he was a rich man.

The manner how his conversion was wrought, is set down by the Evangelist in the 4 verses following. Where first we see that Zacheus had a desire to see Christ, in the third verse.

Secondly, he useth the meanes to see him, in the fourth ver. For when he perceived that he could not see Christ, by reason of the preasse of the people that flocked about him, Zacheus ranne be­fore them, and climed up into a tree where Christ should passe by, that so he might see him.

Thirdly, Christs calling of him in the 5. verse; For Christ understanding what an earnest desire Zacheus had to him, he calls him down, and offers himself not only to be seen, but to be entertained by him. Zacheus, (saith he) Come down, for to day I must abide at thy house.

Lastly. His joyfull receiving and entertaining of Christ, in the sixt verse; for Christ had no sooner called him down; but he came down hastily, saith the Evangelist, and received him joy­fully.

The fruits and effects of his miraculous conversion, are set down here in this eighth verse: and they are two, his mercy in giving, and his justice in making restitution; his mercy in giving, in the words of my Text, Behold Lord, the halfe of my goods I give to the poor. His justice in making restitution, in the next words following, And if I have taken (saith he) from any man by false accusation, I restore him four-fold. In the for­mer we may observe these four things.

First, The giver, or who it is that gives this gift, Zacheus, a rich Publican, I give.

Secondly, The gift it selfe, or what he gives, I give (saith he) the halfe of my goods: he gives of his own, and not of o­ther mens goods, and he gives bountifully of his own: for though he be rich, yet he giveth the half of his goods.

Thirdly, The persons to whom he gives them, I give (saith he) the halfe of my goods to the poor, not to his kindred or friends that love him, nor to the rich that are able to requite him, but he gives his goods to the poor that want them.

And fourthly, The time when he gives them to the poor: he gives them presently without any delay, he gives them not upon his death-bed, or when he lies a dying, but he gives them now in the time of his health, while [...]ight have still enjoyed them, Behold Lord (saith he) the [...] of my Goods I give to the poor. And these are the severall parts of these words, whereof, God willing, I will speak in order, and first of the giver, I give.

Who he was that gave this gift, we see, as I said,The Giver. in the se­cond verse. Where first the Evangelist sets down his name, because he is to speak of his conversion, and because it makes for his commendation which he is to speak of him. For it is the wisdome of the Evangelist, when he mentions any matter that tends to their disgrace of whom it is spoken, Parcere personis dicere de vitiis, to speak of their vices, but to conceal their names. Thus speaking of the pride of the Pharisees, Luke 18.9. yet their names are concealed that they might not be disgraced. He spake (saith the Evangelist) this parable against certain that trusted in themselves, and despised others; He spake (saith he) against certain, but he doth not name them. Thus speaking of the rich glutton, Luke 16.19. that [Page 42]was tormented in hed for being unmerciful, he spares his name because he would not defame him. There was (saith he) a certain rich man: but who he was, he doth not name, but presently after speaking of the begger, that was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome, because this made for his cōmendation he sets down his name; And there was (saith he) a certain begger named Lazarus. And thus the Evangelist speaks of Mary Magdalene, Luke 7.37. A certain woman, saith he, in the City which was a sin­ner. Because he touches the loosenesse of her life, and calls her a sinner, therefore he purposely conceales her name, as unwilling to defame her, by making her known; but present­ly after in the next Chapter, speaking of her following of Christ, and ministring unto him, because this made for her commendation, he sets down her name, and calls her Mary Magdalene. Which may teach us this lesson, That we must neither maliciously make a mans name known, when we men­tion any matter that may disgrace him, nor yet enviously suppresse and conceale a mans name in a matter that tends to his just commendation. As because it was commendable which Zacheus here did, the Evangelist names him. And as he describes him by his name, so by his place or office, that he was the chiefe re [...]r of the tribute, or the chiefe amongst the Publicans. Now they among the Romans were called Publi­cans, whose office it was, to collect the tribute of the people, for the Romane Emperours. And when the Jews became tri­butary to the Romanes, many bought this office, and paying yearly unto Caesar a certain summe of money for the tribute which they gathered among the Jews: whatsoever they col­lected was for themselves, and therefore they exacted more then was due unto them, and so became infamous among the people for their intollerable extortion. And therefore when the Publicans, Luke 3. came among the rest to be baptized of John, and demanded of him what they should do, he made them this answer,Luke 3.13. Require (saith he) no more then that which is appointed you: as thinking that this was the best counsel which he could give them, to leave their unjust and unlawfull exacti­ons, because this was the vice which was most ordinary among them: in regard whereof, the Publicans were alwayes had a­mong the Jews in the greatest disgrace of all others. And [Page 43]therefore the Pharisees Mat. 9. accused our Saviour unto his Disciples for eating with Publicans,Mat. 9.11. Why eates (say they) your Master with Publicans and sinners? as thinking the Publicans to be so vile persons, that it was a disgrace for any honest man to be in company with them. And our Saviour himselfe Mat. 18. speaking of such a man as having trespassed against his brother and done him wrong, and yet will not be wonne by fair means or foule, neither by private or publick admonition, Let such a man (saith he) be unto thee as a Publican or Heathen. Mat. 18.17. Noting thereby, that such a man is incorrigible, and his case desperate, and therefore that there is no more hope to be conceived of him, then there is of a Publican. And Matth. 21. reproving the chief Priests and the Elders for their great unbelief and disobedience, he tels them, That even the Pub­licans and the harlots should go before them into the Kingdom of God: Mat. 21.31. shewing them thereby, that there was small hope for them to be admitted into Heaven, when the most notorious sinners, even Publicans and harlots should take place before them. Thus the name of a Publican, is a name of disgrace, for they seldome (ye see) appear in the Book of God, but they come shackled together with desperate persons, somtime with sinners, somtime with harlots, and somtime again with heathen or infidels. But Zacheus here was not onely a Publican but the chiefe among them, so that if the Publicans were such notorious sinners, then what was he that was the chiefe of the Publicans? And therefore the people had so bad an o­pinion of him, that though they saw how earnestly he de­sired to see Christ, for which they might have thought the better of him, yet they murmured when our Saviour went into his house, because he would lodge with so sinfull a man. And yet Zacheus though he be the chiefe of the Publicans, and a man reputed to be so wicked, yet it is he that is here converted by Christ, and brings forth such fruit of his con­version.

And from hence we may learn two speciall Lessons.

First, To admire Gods infinite power, who is able to make us new creatures, though we be never so wicked, and to re­store us again to his own Image. It is said of Apelles an ex­cellent painter, that having made an exquisite picture it was [Page 44]afterwards by chance so strangely defaced, that no man was able to repair the same but only Apelles himselfe that made it: And thus man having lost the Image of God wherein God created him, God only is able to renue the same, and by ca­sting us again as it were, into a new mould, to make us the Sons of the living God. If a man should make any curious work, though the matter whereof he made it were either gold or silver, yet we would like his workmanship, and com­mend him for it: but if he should take the drosse thereof, and to shew his cunning should make as exquisite a piece of work as the former, then we would have him in admiration: But God, even of the scum, as it were, of the people, even of those that of all other are the vilest of sinners, he makes singular instruments of his own glory, and inables them to bring forth excellent fruits by converting them to grace, as he did here Zacheus, which may teach us to admire his infi­nite power.

Secondly, Seeing Zacheus is here converted, it may teach us neither to judge rashly of others, nor to despaire of our selves, though we have been never so hainous sinners, For who can despair of Gods mercy which extends it self even to those that are Publicans? The whole Scripture is written for our instruction, and there is not so much as one example in the whole Book of God, but a man may make excellent use of it, if he will apply it unto himselfe. For to what end are there set down in the Scripture, so many examples of Gods wonderfull mercies to grievous sinners, but that we might learn not to despair of mercy, by applying these ex­amples unto our selves. When we read of Zacheus here, that though he were a Publican and a grievous sinner, yet as soon as he had a desire to see Christ and sought for grace, Christ called him unto him, and offered him grace; are we not to make this use hereof, that how lewdly soever we have lived herecofore, yet if we have a desire to entertain Christ in our hearts, he will offer himselfe unto us as he did to Zacheus? When we read of the Publican in the former Chapter, who being truely humbled with the sight of his sins, went into the Temple, and prayed unto God, O God be mercifull to me a sinner, and that he went away justified, [Page 45]are we not to make this use thereof, that if we will humble our selves, and acknowledge our sin, God will likewise for­give us as he forgave that Publican? In a word vvhen vve read of the young unthrift in the Gospell, who though he had left his Father and his Countrey, though he had spent his patrimony, and that very lewdly, yet after that he re­pented and returned to his Father, his Father went out to meet him, and when he saw him, he was so joyfull for his Sons return, that he never expostulated vvhy he had left him, he never demanded hovv he had spent his portion, but for­getting all his former levvd behaviour, he entertained him as gladly as if he had never offended him; are vve not to make this use thereof, that though we have run riot with the Prodigal and lived never so levvdly, yet if vve repent and return unto God, he vvill receive us into favour as he did this Prodigall? For these things are written for our instruction, that we might apply the same to our selves, and finde comfort in them. It vvas a custome among some of the Heathen, that vvhen any man vvas cured of any dangerous disease, he vvent into the Tem­ple of Aesculapius, and there he registred his name and dis­ease, and the means whereby he was restored to his health, and the reason of this custome among them was this, that if any man fell afterwards into the like disease, he might there finde the means which he was to use for his recovery. And thus have Gods Secretaries the pen-men of the Scriptures set down in the Book of God many severall examples of such as have been hainous and notorious sinners, to the intent, that we observing both how they fell, and were aftervvards restored, finding mercy through their unfeigned repentance, might learn by their examples not to despair of mercy.

And therefore to conclude the first point, when soever thou art ready to despair of Gods mercy through the hainousnesse of thy sins, set this example before thine eyes, and remem­ber that this Publican though he vvere a grievous sinner, yet as soon as ever he sought for grace, he found grace, and was enabled to perform the works of grace. And thus much for the person that gave this gift, Zacheus a Publican.

The second thing which we are to consider, is the gift it self, or what he gives, I give saith he, the half of my goods. [Page 46]He gives of his own and not of other mens goods, and he gives bountifully of his own; for though he be rich, yet he gives the half of his goods.

Some are forward enough in giving, but they give that which they have no right to give, they give not of their own. Thus when the Devil tempted our Saviour, Mat. 4. he pro­mised to give him all the Kingdoms of the Earth: All these saith he,Mat. 4.5. will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me: here is a large gift; but the Earth is the Lords, saith the Pro­phet David, and all that is therein, and therefore the Devil had no right to give it, because it was not his own. Some give that which they have unlawfully gotten.

Thus when Ahab 1 Kings 2 [...]. grew male-content, and would eat no meat, because he could not get Naboth to part with his Vineyard: Jezabell promised him that she would give it him, Be of good cheere, saith Jezabel unto Ahab, I will give thee the Vineyard of Naboth the Jesrcelite, 1 Kings 21.7. and then she caused Naboth to be stoned to death, and gave Ahab the Vineyard which she had unlawfully gotten. Some give of their own, and that which they have given lawfully, but yet they give sparingly, as if they were unwilling to give.

Thus when the Jewes did sell their possession, and brought the money unto the Apostles to be distributed among those that needed, Acts 4.35. Ananias and Saphira likewise sold their possessions, as the rest did; but yet they gave more sparingly then any of the rest; for they kept back a part of the price to themselves. But we cannot properly be said to give, unlesse we give of our own; we cannot give of our own, unlesse we give that which we have lawfully gotten; and though we give of our own, and that which we have gotten lawfully; yet it is not acceptable in the sight of God, unlesse we give liberally For howsoever it be a more blessed thing to give then to take, as our Saviour said; yet to give that which is none of our own; as the Devill did, is but a meere delusion: to take from one to give to ano­ther, as Jezabell did, is no better then extortion; and to give sparingly of our own, as Ananias did, argues rather covetous­nesse and misery in retaining, then liberality in giving. But Zacheus as ye see here, gives of his own; I give, saith he, my [Page 47]Goods, he gives of his own which he hath lawfully gotten; for look what he had unlawfully gotten from others, he restores to the owners in the next words, and that with advantage, and he gives liberally of that which he hath gotten lawfully; for though he be rich, yet he gives the half of his Goods.

How hard a thing it is for a rich man to part with his Goods, we see by an example in the former Chapter, where there comes a rich man unto our Saviour, in the 18. verse, ha­ving as it seemes a full resolution to do any thing whatsoever, for the obtaining of Heaven. Good Master, saith he, what ought I to do, that I may inherit eternall life? as if he had said, Good Master, if there be any thing that I ought to do, do but teach me what it is, and I will do it: Oh I will do it whatsoever it is. But when Christ wills him to sell all that he had, and to give it to the poor, and he should have Treasure in Heaven, he went away heavy and discontented, as thinking he should have made but a hard bargain; and therefore rather then he would part with his goods, he would part with Christ and the King­dom of Heaven. So that here is a great difference between him and Zacheus. He, though he was spoken to by our Savi­our to give his goods to the poor, and that with promise of re­ward in the Kingdom of Heaven; yet he would not do it: Za­cheus here stayes not till he be spoken unto, but gives them a way voluntarily, and of his own accord: the one shewing what rich men are by nature, the other what they are by grace.

Euripides, when he brings in any women in his Tragedies, he makes them alwayes bad. Sophocles in his Tragedies, makes them alwayes good, whereof when Sophocles was asked the reason, he made this answer: Euripedes, saith he, represents women as they be, I represent them as they ought to be.

And thus the Evangelist in these two Chapters, represents before our eyes as it were in two severall Pictures, two diffe­rent examples of rich men, shewing us by the one what rich men are by nature, covetous and miserable, and by the other what they ought to be, and what they are by grace, franck and bountifull. If riches increase, saith the Prophet David, Psal. 62.1 [...]. set not your hearts upon them; but this is hard counsell for a naturall [Page 48]man, in whom covetousnesse and riches, are for the most part inseparable companions, covetousnesse being a meanes to en­crease a mans riches, and riches his covetousnesse.

There is a Riddle in a Athenaeus of two sisters,Athen. Dei­ [...]nos. lib. 10. which mutu­ally and by course brought forth one another; which though it be there spoken of the day and the night, which bring forth one another by course; yet it may as truly be said of riches and covetousnesse. For first, covetousnes is in labour, and brings forth riches; then riches wax great and bring forth covetous­nesse.

Hence it is, that the more a man hath, the more he desires; and though he have never so much, yet he is not satisfied; but as the Israelites when they had store of Manna, yet they mur­mured asmuch as when they had none: So though a covetous man have riches in abundance; yet he is no better contented then when he was without them.

And therefore it is, that covetous men are said to be misera­ble, miserable both in regard of that which they have not, and that which they have, that which they have not makes them discontend because they are without it, and as for that which they have, they are no better for it; for though they have what­soever they want, yet they want indeed whatsoever they have, because they cannot find in their hearts to use it. And such for the most part are rich men; so that this makes much for the commendation of Zacheus, that though he be rich, yet he is not covetous; but as God hath given him goods, so he imploies them to good uses, and as God hath given him bountifully, so he gives bountifully to others. I give saith he, the half of my goods.

First then, in that he calles them his goods, it confutes the Anabaptists, who hold that all things ought to be common, and that no man hath a right and propriety in any thing; but if this were true, how could Zacheus here give of his own? And the Scripture doth every where confute their opinion. We are forbidden by Gods Law to steale, but what needed a Com­mandement to inhibit stealing if all things were common? for if nothing were more proper to one then another, then no man could properly be said to steale,Deut. 27.17. They are accursed by [Page 49]God that remove the ancient bounds and markes; but if all things were common, to what end should there be bounds in mens Lands and possessions? The wise man saith, withdraw thy foote from thy Neighbours House, Prov. 15.17. least he be weary of thee and hate thee: but how should any man have a house of his own, which might more properly be called his house, if all things were common? The Apostle saith, 1 Tim. 6. Charge them which are rich in this World that they be rich in good works, ready to di­stribute, and willing to communicate; but how should one man be richer then another? or why should we be commanded to give to the poor, if no man had more right then another in any thing? We see that the Scripture alloweth of Contracts and bargains in buying and selling, as Abraham bought a field to bury his dead, Gen. 23. And Lydia is recorded to have been a seller of purple, Acts 16. But how should it be lawfull either to buy or to sell, if all things were common and nothing pro­per to any man? And we see that Zacheus here gives of his goods, by all which it is plain, that it must needes be an idle conceit of the Anabaptists, in holding that no man hath a pro­priety in any thing.

Secondly, from the example of Zacheus, in that he gives a­way part of his goods, we may learn this lesson; that when God doth increase our wealth and riches, we are not to keep them private to our selves, but to make others partakers of them: like a conduit, which being fed from a Fountain with water, retaines not the water within it felf, but as freely be­stowes it on those that want it. Let every one, saith the Apostle, 1 Pet. 4. As he hath received a gift, so let him minister the same one to another, as good Stewards of the manifold graces of God. So that we are but as Stewards to lay out Gods blessings, and to dispose them among others. For as God hath given light to the Sun, not only that it should be lightsome in it self, but that it should give light unto other Creatures: & as God causeth the rain to fall from Heaven, & to make the earth fruitful, not that it should retain the fruit within it self; but that it should bring forth herbes for the use of man: So when God powres down his blessings upon us, it is for the good and benefit of o­thers. We see in the body, when the stomack receives any [Page 50]meat or nourishment, it imparts the same to the rest of the Members, and so must we, because we are fellow-Members of the same body.

God gives severall gifts to severall Members. as to the eye to see, to the eare to heare, to the hand to work, to the feet to walk, and to the tongue to speak; yet they have not these gifts to themselves onely, but the tongue speakes, the eare heares, the handworks, and the rest do imploy their severall faculties for the good and benefit of the whole body. So it must be with us, for those gifts which God bestowes upon us, we must not keep them private to our own use, but make others also par­takers of them, as well as our selves. And so doth Zacheus, who imparts the goods which God hath given him to the be­nefit of others. But let us see now to whom he imparts them, I give, saith he, the half of my goods to the poor: not to his kindred or friends that love him, nor to the rich that are able to requite him, but he gives his goods to the poor that want them.Plutarch. in Cato. Majore. Cato dividing the prey among his Souldiers which he had got in the Warres, he gave (saith Plutarch) unto all alike, as thinking it better that many should return from the Warres with silver, then some few with gold, and that all should have something, rather then some few should have all, and all the rest nothing. But God deales otherwise in the distribution of his gifts, though he gives something to every man, yet he gives not alike unto all men, but to some he gives more, and to some lesse, thereby to exercise them in severall virtues; that the poor might be moved to pray unto God for the supply of their wants; the rich to thankfulness to God for his blessings; and that the poor might labour and take paines for their li­vings; and that the rich might help to relieve them of their su­perfluity and abundance. And therefore Zacheus, knowing that God hath given him riches, not so much for himself as the good of others, he imparts them here to the poor that want them. Our giving of Almes is compared by St. Paul, (2 Cor. 9.6.) To the sowing of seed. Now ye know when the Hus­bandman sowes his seed, he soweth it on the ground which lieth bare and naked, and not not on the ground which hath already Fruit upon it: and thus when we give, we must not give unto them that have enough of their own, but to [Page 51]those that have nothing.Luke 3.11. He (saith John the Baptist) that hath two coats, let him part with the one of them, to him that hath none. The Widow was counselled by the Prophet Eliseus 2 King. 4. To poure her oyle into empty vessels, 2 King. 4.3. not into vessels that Were full, and Would run over, but into empty vessels that would hold the more. And our Saviour wils us Luke 14. When we make a feast, not to invite the rich thereunto, Luke 14.12.13. but those that are poor. It is said of the Eagle, that when she seeks her prey, she is commonly attended by the lesser foules, upon whom when she hath filled and satisfied her self, she bestowes the remainders. And thus the poor are commonly waiting at rich mens doors, that when the rich are satisfied, the poor might be fed with their leavings. It is worth the observing how the rich man, Luke 16. is left by the Evangelist vvith­out all excuse, and hath nothing left to alledge for himself, why he was so hard-hearted to poor Lazarus. If he say, that he was not of ability to relieve the poor, and that he had but sufficient for himself and his family, the Evangelist answers, That he was a rich man, that he was clothed in purple and fine linnen, and that he fared sumptuously every day. If he reply, that though he were wealthy, yet there were so many of the poor, that it vvas not for him to relieve them all, the Evangelist ansvvers, that there vvas but one. If he reply again, that though there vvas but one, yet he vvas such a one as needed not to have begged, but vvas able enough to have laboured for his living, the Evangelist answers, That he could not labour, for he was full of sores.

If he reply again, that though he were full of sores, yet he was not in any great want and necessity, the Evangelist an­swers that he was so hungry, that he would have been glad of the very crums which fell from his Table. In a word, if he reply again, that though he was hungry, yet he would not stay till he might be served, and that he might have been ser­ved if he would have stayed; the Evangelist answers, that he stayed long enough, for he lay at his Gates. And as he is left without all excuse, so are all they, that turn avvay their ears from the cries of the poor. For first, lest any man should imagine, That giving to the poor is no matter of necessity, but left to every mans ovvn discretion, God hath given strick [Page 52]charge and command for the performance of this duty. Deut 15.11. Because there shall ever be some poor in the Land, there­fore I command thee, saying, thou shalt open thy hand unto thy brother, to the poor and needy in the Land: Charge them (saith Saint Paul. 1 Tim. 6.18. that are rich in this world that they do good, and be rich in good works, and that they be ready to distribute and wil­ling to communicate. Least any man should think again, that this is a duty which is imposed only upon those that are of ability, and that it concerns not those that have but sufficient to main­tain themselves,Ephes. 4.28 the same Apostle tels us, That though we have not of our own to give, yet we must labour and work with our hands, that we may have to give unto him that needs. Least any man should think again, that so he himself may come into want by giving to others, God hath given us his promise, that while we supply the wants of others, he will give us this blessing,Prov. 28.27. that we shall not want our selves. He that gives unto the poor, he shall not want, he shall be like unto a garden that is watered, Esay 58.11. or like unto a spring of waters, whose waters faile not. Thus the widow of Sareptha (1 King. 17.) while she imparted her meale and her orle to the Prophet, God gave such a blessing to that little which she had, that whatsoever she spent. yet it decreased not: and thus while we supply the wants of others, we shall have this blessing, that we shall not want our selves.Prov. 19.17. He that gives unto the poore, he lends unto the Lord, and the Lord will recompence him that which he hath given. Is not the poor then worthy that we should give him almes? yet God is worthy that requires it at our hands. Hath not the poor deserved that we should give him any thing? yet God hath deserved whatsoever we can give him. Is not the poor of ability to pay us again? yet God is able, and he hath promised to pay us for him. O saith Saint Basil upon the 14th. Psalm. Wouldst thou not have the Lord of heaven and earth be indebted unto thee? If any wealthy man (saith he) in the City should promise to pay thee for an other, thou wouldst take his word, and art thou afraid to take Gods word, when he hath bound himself by promise to pay thee for the poor? Indeed Evaegrius the Philosopher as we read of him, being exhorted by Synesius the Bishop of Alex­andria, to give some part of his goods to the poor, and that [Page 45]God would repay him an hundreed sold for it, he could hard­ly be brought to believe this doctrine; and therefore before he would give any thing to the poore, he took a Bond of the Bishop, for Gods payment of it. But is not God to be cre­dited without a pawne? and shall we doubt of Gods pay­ment for that which we lend him? Deus in paupere abscon­ditur, saith Chrysostom, panper quidem porrigit manum, sed De­us Juscipit donum. God lyeth hidden in the poore man. It is the poor man indeed, that stretcheth sorth his hand to take thy almes; but it is God that takes them. And there­fore we may well be assured, that what we give to the poore, God will' pay it us againe.

One writes of St. Thomas the Apostle, that he being com­mended to Gnodophrus the King of India, Rom. 15.20. Gal. 2.18. for a skilfull build­er (as the Apostles are compared in the Scripture to builders) he was appointed by the King, to build him a sumptuous and stately pallace. St. Thomas having received a great summe of mony of the King for the same purpose, distributed the mo­ny among the poor. The King being therefore incensed a­gainst him, caused him presently to be apprehended, and clapt, him in prison. It happened in the meane time, that the Kings brother fell sick and died; and afterwards being carried forth to be buried, he revived upon the suddain and was brought back againe. And coming to the King, he told him what he had seen and heard in Heaven; that he had seen a very good­ly Pallace which was newly erected, and that he had heard it was built by St. Thomas for the King of India, but that the King had made himself unworthy of it, whereupon St. Tho­mas was set at liberty; and the King by hearing the Apostles doctrine, was soone after converted to Christianity.

The History it self may well be but a siction; but this is most certaine, that whatsoever we give to the poore upon earth, is rewarded in Heaven. Come ye blessed of my Father, (will Christ say at the day of Judgement, Math. 25 [...]) inherite the King­dom prepared for you; For when I Was hungry ye gave me to eate, when I was thirsty ye gave me to drink, &c? And when the god­ly (who are unwilling to justifie themselves) shal say unto him. Lord when saw we thee hungry and gave thee meate? When saw we thee a stranger and provided thee harbour, &c. Verily will Christ [Page 54]say, in as much as ye have done it to one of the least of these my Brethren, ye have done it to me. Thus he counts, that what we give to the poor we give it to him, and he wil reward us as if he himself had received it.

But it may be demanded, what kind of poor are to be re­lieved? For answer whereof, we must distinguish of such as are poor. For some become poor and fall into want through their own fault, and that especially two wayes.

First, by unthriftiness, as by gaming, drinking, keeping ill Company, and unnecessary mispending that portion of goods which God hath given them. These, howsoever the World accounts them good-fellowes; yet God reputes them no better then the theeves, and no doubt without their repentance and a­mendment, they will be arraigned and condemned for theeves, at the day of judgement. For these by their unthriftiness do waste their Estate, mispend their time, loose their good name, impoverish themselves, and undoe their Children: and so by this meanes, do themselves more harme, then any theese could do, that should meete them in the high way, and take their purse away from them.

These, because they fall into want through their own fault, are the lesse to be pittied. And as these become poor through their own unthriftiness; so others by idleness & want of labou­ring in their particular Callings. For want is alwayes attend­ing upon idleness; and where idleness goes before, want fol­lowes after. And therefore Solemon speakes of an idle man in this manner.Prov. 24.30.31. I passed, saith he, by the field of the slothfull man, and loe it was all over growen with thornes, and nettles had cover­ed the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down: and then he sheweth what his end was, that poverty came upon him like an armed man. For he that will be idle must needes be poor. And this is the cause, that there are such swarmes of beggers in every place, who being well able to la­bour for their livings, choose rather to live upon other mers labours, and had rather live by begging then take any paines to get their living. These are wicked Generation, having this curse of God upon them to be vagabonds upon the earth, and to wander up and down from place to place, because they will not yield to the Ordinance of God: In the sweat of thy browes [Page 55]thou shalt eat thy bread. The faithless Steward,Gen. 3.19. Luke 16.3 Luke 16. though he could not digge, yet he was ashmed to begge; but these are more faithless in their Callings, who are not ashamed to begge, when they are able to digge or to take any other paines to get their livings. Such the Apostle will not have to be relieved, He that will not labour let him not eat, 2 Thes. 3.10. saith the A­postle. For by giving unto these, we both maintain them in their idlenesse, and we disable our selves from giving to those, that are not able to labour for their livings. And as these be­come poor through their own fault: So some become poor and fall into want through the hand of God; As such as loose their goods by fire, by theeves, or any other meanes which they could not avoid: or such as fall into decay through any infirmity; as by lameness, blindness, sickness or age, and so are not able to labour for their livings: or such as have a great charge of Children, so that howsoever they be able to labour, yet their la our will not maintain both themselves and them. These and the like are the poor whom the Scripture will have us to relieve, and to such no doubt Zacheus here gave. And thus much likewise for the persons to whom he gave his goods.

The last point to be considered, is the time when he gave them his goods I give, saith he, he gives them presently with­out any delay, he gives them not upon his Death-bed, or when he lyeth a dying; but he gives them now in the time of his health, while he might have still injoyed them.

As there are many that deferre their repentance to the end of their life, so there are many that deferre their liberality and almes-deedes to the poor, till the day of their death. But as the ones over-late repentance is seldome acceptable, because they do but then leave their sins, when they can sin no more: so the others late giving to the poor, is seldome available, be­cause they do but then give away their goods, when they can keep them no longer. And therefore it is the just judgement of God upon many, who having attained great wealth and riches, and doing no good therewith in their lives, are so over­taken by death upon the suddain, that they have no time to dispose of their goods at their ends, which may teach us to do it in our life-time our selves, and not to leave it to be done by [Page 56]others after us. All Gods Commandements are given ye know in the second person to every one, that every one might take them as spoken to himself, and so might performe them in his own person: We read of Trajan the Emperour, that upon a time as he was going to warre, a poor Widow met him, and taking hold of his horse, desired him before he went to do her justice. The Emperour willed her to rest content for a time, and he would not faile to do her justice when he returned home. Oh saith the Widow, but how if it happen that you never return? why then saith the Emperour I will leave it to my Successor, and he shall do thee justice in my roome: your Successor (saith she) and why not you your self? you are bound to do good in your own person, and what is that to you if another discharge that which is your duty? num te libe­rabit aliena justitia? will another mans justice excuse you? The Emperour was so moved with this speech of hers, that before he went any further, he in his own person did her ju­stice. And so may we say unto those, who put off those duties, which themselves ought to do, to be done by others; what is that to you if another discharge that which is your duty? or if you leave it to your Heire to relieve the poor? you are bound to relieve them as well as he; and if he should leave it to his Heire as you have done, what shall become of the poor in the mean time? Zacheus did not thus, but making his hands his executors, and his eyes his overseers; he gave his goods to the poor himself, and did not leave it to be done by others. And therefore if Zacheus, as soone as he was converted, was so fruitfull in good works, it may be a shame for us, if we that have pro­fessed Christianity so long, do come be­hinde him in the works of mercy.

HEre is mention in my text of gaining and losing, and a comparison between them: gaining the World, the whole world, a great gaine; losing the Soul, a mans own soul, a farre greater losse: For our Saviour, comparing them both toge­ther shewes that howsoever the gaine be great, yet the losse is greater; and that he that should purchase the whole World with the losse of his own soul, he should not gaine so much on the one side, as he should lose on the other; For what (saith he) is a man profited, if he shall gaine the whole World and lose his own soul?

First therefore, I will shew you what this gaine is. Secondly, what this losse is. And then having compared them both together, I will come to some Use to be made of it.

First then for the gaine, The very name of gaine, like a sweet per­fume, is pleasing to every man. Lucri bonus est odor ex [...]re qualibet, and though many are much affected with pleasure and delight; yet the h [...]ost are most affected with gaine and profit. What makes the Husbandman, to toile all his life-time but hope of gaine? What makes the Merchant to venture his life and his whole Estate, but hope of gain [...]? This is that which the most so affect, that they can never find any arietie in it; but the more they have the more they desire, and the greater the gaine the more it affects them. But [Page 58]here you see is the gaining of the whole World, a whole world of gaine; that if a man will part with his soul for any thing, he can hardly part with it upon a better bargaine.

If it were but for the gaining of one Kingdom in the world, what would a man hazard and venture for it?Judges 9.5. Rather then Abi­milech will not raign over Israel, he will put seventy of his Brethren to death together. Rather then Herod will stand in fear of losing his Kingdom,Mat. 2.16. Macrob. Sa­tur. lib. 2. cap. 4.2. Sam. 15.10. thousands of innocents shall lose their lives, though his own son be one of them. Rather then Absalon will not raigne, he will rise up in Armes against his own Father, and seek to de­prive him of life and Kingdom. And rather then Nero shall not raigne, his own Mother will be content to be murdered by him; Oc [...]idat modò imperet, Let him kill me, saith his Mother, so he may get the Empire.

A Kingdom can hardly be valued at too high a rate. For if we consider the state of a King, there is scarce any thing that may seem to make a man happy, that can be wanting unto him. His word, for the most part, is a sufficient warrant for the effecting of his plea­sure, and his intreatie a most forcible kind of command for the ob­taining of his desire: so that if he would have any thing, he may have what he likes, and no man deny him; if he would do any thing, he may do what he please, and no man oppose him.

If therefore a King be so mighty, how mighty should the Mo­narch of the World be? If he hath such command that hath but a Kingdom, What command should he have, that should have the whole World under his Dominion?

If King Assnerus his Dominions were so large, that he raigned over an hundred and seven Provinces;Hester 1.1. if his magnificence and bounty were such, that he made a feast royall for all his Princes and Servants, which continued for an hundred and fourescore daies: If King Salomons yearely revenues were so great, that he had six hundred threescore and six talents of Gold,Ester 1.4. 1 Kings 10.14. and Silver as plentifull as stones in the street: If King Xerxes his power was so unresistable, that Rivers and Mountaines could not stand before him,2 Chro. 1.15. but he was able to turn and overturne them at his pleasure; then what might not he do that were Monarch of the World, and had all Kingdoms and Nations to do him service?

A King, howsoever his power be great, yet he hath his equals in other Countries; and though his command reach very far, yet it reacheth no farther then his own Dominions: But he that were [Page 59]Monarch of the whole World; command where he would and he should be obeyed; for all the Princes of the earth should be his Subjects.

A King, though he may have whatsoever his Kingdom affords; yet every Kingdom affords not every thing, and those things do commonly most affect us, which other Countries do yield and are not to-be had in our own: But he that were Monarch of the whole World, whatsoever any Kingdom in the World could afford, he should be sure to have it, and happy were he that should first present it.

A King, though he may greatly advance his favorites; yet he hath but one Kingdom for himself and them, and if with Herod he should promise unto one the half of his Kingdom,Mark 6.23. and after pro­mise as much to another, were he taken at his word he might leave himself nothing: But he that were Monarch of the whole World, he should have severall Kingdoms for his severall favorites'; and yet leave himself more when he had inriched them all, then ever Alexander had after all his conquests.

It is said of Cyrus, that to perswade the Lacedemonians to follow him in the warres, he made them this promise; They, saith Cyrus, Plutarch. in Reg. Apoph­theg. that will be my followers, if they be Footmen I will give them Horses, if they be Horse men, I wil give them Chariots; if they have houses and tennements of their own, I will give them Villa­ges; and if they have Villages, I will make them Lords of Townes and Cities. This was a great advancement of his followers: But he that were Monarch of the whole World, where King Cyrus left there might he begin, They who were his favourites and Lords of Towns, he might make them Princes, and give them Kingdoms; if they were Kings he might make them Empe­rours; and if this were not enough he might double their Domi­nions. For a Kingdom in comparison of the whole World, is no more then a town in comparison of a Kingdom; then what would not a man do for so great a gaine?

And therefore the Devill, when he tempted our Saviour in the fourth of Matthew, knowing that there is not any more forci­ble argument, to perswade a man to any thing then the gain­ing of the World, like a cunning Orator, he reserved this temp­tation for the last of all, and when he had shewed him all the Kingdoms of the World and the glory of them, and had [Page 60]given him his promise,Mat. 4.9. That he would give him all if he would fall down and worship him, and saw that all this would not prevaile with him, it was high time for him to be gon, he thought it to no purpose to tempt him any longer, and so presently left him. For he that will not stoop to so faire a lure, he that will not be moved with so great a gain, he will be moved with nothing.

But now howsoever this gain be great, yet withall it hath di­vers inconveniences, which do lessen and diminish the value of it, And therefore as he that would purchase a house, he will not only know what commodities it hath, but he will likewise be informed of the inconveniences of it. So having heard of the profits and pleasures and preferments of the world, we are further to en­quire of the discommodities of it. And they especially are these three.

1 First, That whatsoever the world can afford us, yet it is but short and of small continuance. For were a man Monarch of the whole World, and had he all that his heart could desire, yet when he dieth, he must leave all that he hath, and all that he hath can neither deferre the comming of death, nor make him secure that he shall enjoy them an hour: and as he brought no­thing with him when he came into the world, so he must leave all behind him when he leaves the world.Fulgos. lib. 7. cap: 2| And therefore Saladine a great and victorious Prince in his dayes, he gave command when he lay upon his death-bed, that at his Funerall his winding-sheet should be carried on a spear before him with this proclamation, That of all the victories which Saladine had gotten, this winding­sheet was even all that he carried him. For when a man dies he must leave all; and though he have never so much, yet he may die before the day ends. So that this is one great inconvenience of the world, that whatsoever the world can afford us, yet it is but momentary and of short continuance.

3 Secondly, The pleasures, profits and preferments of the world, are not only short, but even for the time that a man enjoyes them, they can never afford him any true contentment. Therefore we see, that they who have much do still desire more, and though they have never so much more then they need; yet they are not satisfied with it.Plutarch in vita Pyrrhi. Plutarch writes of Pyrrhus the King of Epyrus, that when he prepared to make warre upon the Romans, Cyneas asked him this question, what he meant to do if he overcame them? The King made answer, that then he would leavy a grea­ter [Page 61]Army, and subdue Sicily. He asked him again, what he would do if that he vanquisht them? the King answered, that then he would go into Africa, and bring all Africa under his dominion. But (saith Cyneas) if you subdue all Africa, what then will you do? why then, saith the King, we will live merrily together, and spend the rest of our dayes in delight and pleasure. Alas (saith Cyneas) if that be all, what need all this labour? you have a King­dom already, & you may live as contentedly with that which you have, as if you had more. Cui quod satis est non sufficit, nihil suffi­cit. He that is not content with that which is sufficient, will never be content though he have more then sufficient. So that this is another inconvenience of the world, that the pleasures, profits and preferments thereof, can never afford any true content­ment.

3 A third and last inconvenience is this, which indeed is the greatest of all the rest, that the more a man loves and affects the world, the lesse he is affected with the love of God. Therefore our Saviour, to shew that the love of God and the love of the world cannot stand together, but that he that doth cleave to the one, must of necessity leave the other, he makes a flat opposition be­tween them. Ye cannot (saith he) serve both God and Mammon. We read of Thomas Aquinas the School-man, that when he came upon a time to Pope Innocentius the third of that name, the Pope had then great store of silver and gold lying before him; you see, saith the Pope to Thomas Aquinas, I cannot say, as sometime my Predecessour Saint Peter said, Argentum & aurum non habeo, Acts 3.6. Silver and gold have I none. True holy Father, answer'd Aqui­nas, but therefore you cannot adde as he did, Surge & ambula, Arise and walk: To note unto him, that the more he was carefull for the goods of the world, the lesse able he was to perforn such good works, as the Apostles did. For the love of the world, and the love of God, as I said before, cannot stand together. We see then, what it is to gain the world, and withall, the discommodi­ties and inconveniences of it.

Now again, though it be great, yet it may too dearly be bought, as when Gehazi gained two talents of silver, but a leprosie with­all.2 King. 5. If a man should angle with a golden hook, all the fish which he took would not make him amends for the losse of it: and it is not wisdome to venture any thing where a man may lose more then he can gain by the bargain. For gain is not so welcome and [Page 62]acceptable to any man, as losse is grievous, especially where the gain will not countervail the losse. But here indeed is a very great gain, the gaining of the world, but withall a losse that is far greater, the losse of all losses, the losse of the soul. Let us see therefore now what this losse is.

The soule, as the more excellent part of man, is put here by a figure for the whole man, the soule for both body and soule to­gether. And therefore that which is here called by Saint Matthew, the losing of the soul, is called by Saint Luke in his 9th. Chapter, the losing of a mans selfe,Luke 9.25. What (saith he) is a man advantaged, if he gain the Whole world, and lose himselfe? So that the losing of the soul, is the losing of a mans selfe both body and soule. The greatnesse of which losse will the better appear, if we take a view of a double misery which the soul which is lost is to un­dergo: the one in regard of the felicity it loses, the joyes of heaven, the other in regard of the torments if susters, the pains of hell; both implied in those words of our Saviour, Depart from me ye c [...]rsed into everlasting sire.

For the first, The soul which is lost, is for ever banisht from the sight of God, and therefore being banisht from his sight and presence, is withall excluded from all joy and happinesse. For the sight of God, as the Scripture tels us, is that which hereafter shall make us blessed.Mat. 5.8. Blessed, saith our Saviour, Mat. 5. are the pure in heart, and he gives this reason, for they shall see God. So that the sight of God shall make us blessed. When Saint Peter saw our Saviour transfigured on the Mount with Moses and Eli­as, he was so affected with the sight, that he cried out to our Sa­viour, Master, it is good for us to be here, if thou wilt (saith he) let us make three tabernacles, one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. If he were so affected with the glorious presence of Moses and Elias, how shall they be affected, that shall for ever enjoy the glorious company of all the Patriarchs. Prophets and Apostles, of all the blessed Saints and Angels, nay of God himself, where they shal see him even as he is, and face to face, as the Apostle speaks.Psal. 16.11. In thy presence (saith David) is fulnesse of joyes, such fulnesse of joyes, that if all the hearts in the world were one, yet it could not contain them, they cannot possibly enter into man, but he that is to be made partaker thereof, must enter into them, Enter (saith our Saviour) into thy Masters joy; Mat. 25.23. Chrysest. de Repar 1 laps. such fulnesse of joy, that as Chrysostom saith, If a man were to endure all the [Page 63]miseries of this life, and to suffer the torments of hell for a time, yet he might well be content to indure them all for the joyes of Heaven. St. Augustine saith more, That if a man were to injoy all the pleasures of this life,August. lib. de morib. and that for innumerable years toge­ther; yet he might well be content to contemn them all for the joyes of Heaven, though he were to enjoy them but for one day and no longer. For one day in thy Courts, saith the Prophet David, Psal. 84.10. is better then a thousand: If one day there, be better then a thou­sand here, how happy are they that shall injoy this happiness, e­ven for ever and ever: For there God will (as it were) share himself and all that he hath among his Saints, there he will make them all Kings and Princes, and will give them, saith St. Peter, 1 Pet. 5.4. a Crown of glory which shall never decay. There the Lord of Hosts, saith Esay, will make them a Feast,Esay. 25.6. Convivium pinguium et vini de­foecati, a feast of fat things and the purest wines: there they shall be filled, saith David, with the fatness of thy House, and thou shalt give them to drink out of the Rivers of thy pleasures. Thus God, to set as it were our teeth an edge with the joyes of heaven, hath given us in his word a taste thereof beforehand, but with this reser­vation, that the eye hath not seen, the care hath not heard, 1 Cor. 2.9. neither hath it entred into the heart of man, what God hath prepared for them that love him.

Therefore David cries out with admiration,Psal. 31.19. ó quàm magna est bonitas, &c. O how great is thy goodnesse which thou hast laid up for them that feare thee! how great, saith he, is thy goodness! he knew it was great, but how great he knew not. And therefore St. Paul, calls it the glory that shall be revealed: it shal be revealed,Rom. 8.18. but as yet it is not. For we shal not know it, until we injoy it, & when we enjoy it, we shal find it far greater then ever we expected. That as the Queen of Sheba, when she had seen the wisdom and glory of Solomon, she confest that she believed not the report thereof untill she had seen it; and when she had seen it,1 Kings 10.7. that she found that the half had not been reported. So then we shall say, many excellent things have been spoken of thee, thou City of God, which at first when we heard, the report was so great that we could hardly believe it; but now we see that we heard not then of the half of thy glory, and though the happiness which we expected was very great, yet we find it far greater then ever we expected. Now the more unspeak­able this happiness is, and the greater these joyes, the more mise­rable is the soule that may not injoy them, and the more intolera­bly [Page 64]is the losse of the soule that is banisht from them. When Abso­lon was banished from the Kings Court, and might not be admitted into the presence of David, it was such a vexation and torment unto him, that he wished rather to die if he had deserved it, then to live as he did for a time in banishment.2 Sam. 14.32. Then how wretched and miserable is their condition, that shall for ever be banished from the presence of God and the joyes of Heaven? And yet this is not all, for though the losse of their joyes were misery enough, though there were no more, yet that which remaines is farre more intolerable. For they shall not onely lose all these joyes; but withall, they shall suffer extream torments. The torments they shall suffer is Hell-fire, the manner, in every part and Member, and the time or continuance even for ever and ever. The fire which we have ye know, is so terrible, that a man would not for any thing hold his arme therein, but for the space of an houre. If there­fore the fire which we have here be so terrible, which God hath ordained for mans use and comfort; how terrible is that fire, which God hath onely prepared for a torment. Here whatsoever a man suffers, yet he is not tormented in every Member, but some suffer in one part, and some in another; but there every part shall be tormented and all together. Here whatsoever a man suffers, yet it continues not long, and the paine, the more violent it is, the lesse it continues, but there though the paines be never so intole­rable, yet they must suffer them for ever. If it were but for so many thousands of years, as there were severall houres from the Creation of the world to the day of judgement, yet they might comfort themselves in this, that there would come a time when their torments should cease; but what comfort can they have, when they consider with themselves, that when they have conti­nued never so long therein, yet still they are as farre from the end thereof, as they were at the beginning.

But here by the way, two questions may be propounded.

First. How it is possible, that the bodies of the wicked should continue for ever in Hell-fire, and not be consumed?

And Secondly, how it can stand with the justice of God, to punish the temporall sinnes of men with eternall punishment?

For the first we see, that the fire which we have, will consume and burn to nothing in a very short time, even those things which are more durable then our bodies are: and therefore how should the bodies of the wicked lie burning for ever in Hell-fire, and not [Page 65]be consumed. But if we consider Gods infinit power, we need not to make any doubt hereof, because he that hath said it, is able to perform it. For God that was able to bring this to passe for the Children of Israel, that their Cloathes waxt not old,Deut. 20.5. nor their shoes wore out, while they lived in the desert forty years together. God that was able to preserve the three Children in the fiery Fur­nace,Dan. 3.27. so that the fire had no power to hurt their bodies: and God that was able to preserve the Bush in the third of Exodus, that though the fire did burn it, yet it did not consume it: he is able like wise to bring this to passe; that the bodies of the wicked, though they lie burning for ever in Hell-fire, yet they shall never be consumed.

But the second question is somewhat more difficult, how it can stand with the justice of God, to punish the temporall sinnes of men with eternall punishment? For the punishment must not ex­ceed the fault, it being against the rule of justice, to inflict any punishment that is greater then the offence.

And therefore we see, Revel. 18.Revel. 18.7. That God did proportion the punishment of Babylon to the measure of her sinne, how much she hath exalted her self and lived deliciously, give her, saith God, so much torment and sorrow. But the pleasure of sinne,Heb. 11.25. as the Apostle tells us Hebrewes 11. is but for a season; and therefore seeing the sinnes of the wicked are but temporall, how can it stand with the justice of God, that their punishment is eternall?

First, Therefore we are to know, that sinne, though it be com­mitted, and past in a moment, yet as it is a trespasse against God that is infinite, so it deserves an infinite punishment. Tanto majus est peccatum, quanto major in quem peccatur. Every sinne is by so much the greater, and so deserves the greater punishment, as the person is the greater against whom it is committed.

If a man should dishonour and revile his Father, he deserves ye know, a farre greater punishment, then he that should disho­nour and revile his Neighbour. If a man should strike a publick Magistrate, he deserves a greater punishment to be inflicted upon him, then he should, if he struck but a private person; but every sinne is committed against God, and therefore deserves eternall punishment.

Secondly, Though the wicked do but sinne for a time, yet they have a perpetuall desire to sinne, and should they live never so long in this World, they would continue in sinne, For like as [Page 66]Gamesters, that delight in nothing so much as in gaming, they will usually play as long as they can see, and still have a desire to play longer, but that the night comes upon them and compells them to give over: So it is with sinners, they take their pleasure and delight in their sinnes, through the whole course of their life, and so would continually go on in their sinnes, but that they are prevented and cut oft by death. Voluissent (saith Gregory) sine fine vivere, ut sine fine possent in iniquitatibus permanere. they would have lived in this World for ever, that they might have continued in their sinnes for ever; and therefore as they would have conti­nually sinned, so they justly deserve to be eternally punished. And thus we have heard What it is to lose the soule, and the misery which the soule which is lost is to undergoe, both in regard of the felicity it shall lose, and the torments it shall suffer.

What comparison is there then, between the gaining of the World, and the losing of the soule? the gaining of the World with some temporall pleasures, and the losing of the soule with e­ternall happiness? the gaining of the World, whereby we are freed from some worldly miseries, and the losing of the soule, whereby we are subject to everlasting torments? the gaining of the World, whereby for a time we may advance our friends, and the losing of the soule, whereby for ever we undo our selves? All other losses whether of body or goods a man may well bear, but the losse of the soule, of all other losses is the most intolerable: whatsoever a man loseth besides his soule, yet he loseth that which was given him but for a time, and which at one time or other he must have forgone; but losing his soule, he loseth that which he might have kept for ever. Whatsoever a man loseth besides his soule, yet he may recover it again If he lose his Children as Job did,Job 1.19. yet he may have more: if he lose his friends as David did, yet he may find better:Dan. 4.31. if he lose his Kingdom as Nebuchadnezer did, yet he may recover it again or get another; but losing his soule, he loseth that which he can never recover. Whatsoever a man lo­seth besides his soule, yet he hath something left him. If he lose his goods, yet he may have a good name; if he lose his good name, yet he may have his liberty; if he lose his liberty, yet his life may be left him; and if he lose his life, yet his soule is remaining; but losing his soule, he hath no more to lose, but loseth all at once; his life, liberty, goods, good-name, even all that he hath, and his soule besides.

Xxres having escaped a dangerous tempest,Sabellic. lib. 2. but yet with the losse of divers of his Nobles, to reward the Governour of the ship for it, he set upon his head a Crown of gold; but withall,Ennead. 3. because he had not saved his Nobility, likewise he caused him to be behead­ed. So he gave him that which he could take away from him but he took away that which he could not give him; making him to lose not onely his reward, but his life to boote. Now who would have a Crown upon the like condition? If the Devill should offer as he did to our Saviour, the whole World unto any man, and should say unto him, All this will I give thee if thou wilt die presently: there is no man in the World would accept of his offer, for he should be so farre from gaining by the bargain, that he should lose all he had, and his life together. If this there­fore be so hard an exchange, then what is theirs, who for the gaining of the World do part with their soules?Job. 2.4. The Father of lies said true in this, skin for skin, and all that a man hath he will give for his life; but yet life and all he may well give for his soule, for he may lose his life and not lose his soule; but losing his soule he loseth life and all.Jonah. 1.5. We see that Seamen will cast away their goods into the Sea to save their lives, as the Mariners did, in the first of Jonas. We see in the Gospel, that the woman that was diseas­ed with an issue of blood, she valued her bodily health at so high a rate, that she spent all her substance upon the Physitians to be cured of her disease. And we see in the old Law, that every part and Member of our bodies, was valued by God at so high a rate,Exod. 21.24. that he that should put out another mans eye, or but strike out his tooth, he was to be punished with the losse of his own, and might not be excused with any o­ther satisfaction: if a man had taken away another mans goods, yet he was bound with his goods to make him amends; but in this case his goods would not serve the turne, but an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, and no other satisfaction. If therefore our bodies be so dear and precious, that every part and Member thereof, is more to be valued then our Worldly goods, then what gaine is sufficient to make any recompence for the losse of our soules?

We have heard then briefly, both what it is to gain the Would, and to lose the soule; and that the gain of the one cannot counter­vaile the losse of the other.

Vse. The use that we may make hereof is this, that therefore we af­fect not this World so much, as that thereby we hazard and in­danger our soules.

If a man have a Jewell of any great value, which he is to carry through any dangerous place, he will look carefully to it, and he will take no delight to converse with those by whose meanes he may lose it.

Now our soules as we have heard, are of an invaluable price; the riches, pleasures, and preferments of the World, are as so many snares to intrap our soules. So saith the Apostle. They that will be rich, 1 Tim. 6.9. fall into divers temptations and snares: and into many foolish and hurtfull lusts, which drown men in perdition and destruction. And therefore if we regard the safety of our soules, we must beware that we be not insna­red with the love of these.

Praeface. IT is the custome of Painters, that when they would draw the Picture of Death, they make a sceleton or bate Carcass of a man with a Sithe in his hands, as if he were mowing or cutting down grass: to signifie thereby the frailty of our nature, that we are but as grass, which is soone cut down, and soone withers. A similitude which is usual and ordinary in the Scripture, wherein we are more often resembled to grasse, and to the flower of the field, then to any thing else. The Prophet Esay was willed to cry, All flesh is grasse, and all the goodlines thereof as the flower of the field, Esay. 40.6. the grasse withers, and the flower fades. St. Peter hath the same si­militude almost word for word. All flesh is grasse, and all the glory of man as the flower of grasse, the grasse withers, 1 Pet. 1.24. and the flower there­thereof falles away.

So Job saith of man, that he comes forth as a flower, Job 1 [...].2. and is cut down. St. James saith of him, that he shall passe away as the flower, James 1.10. of the grasse.

And not to alledge any more places, David saith here, that mans dayes are as grasse, and as the flower of the field, so he flowrishes. Which similitude, the Scripture the more often useth, as being ta­ken [Page 70]from those things which are daily in our way and continually before us, that whereas we are so prone to forget our mortality, the very grasse and flowers of the field might be our remembran­cers; that if wee stirre but out of doores, and see how soone they come up and how soon they are gone; they might put us in mind of our own condition.

In handling of which similitude, I will first shew you briefly, how man is very fitly resembled to the grasse, and to the floures of the field, and then come to some Uses that may be made of it.

Man therefore is fitly resembled to these in three respects. In re­spect of their like beginning, in respect of their like progresse and continuance, and in respect of their like ending.

1 First, In respect of the like beginning and Originall of them. Ye know that the grasse and the flowers of the field do spring out of the earth, the earth as their mother, doth bear them in her womb and bring them forth. For God said at the Creation, Let the earth bring forth fruite,Gen. 1.11.and the hearb yielding seed; and so thorough that powerfull word of God, the earth still brings them forth. Though there be great difference between flowers, that some are more beautifull then others are, and make a fairer shew, some have a more fragrant sent then others, and some more variety of delight­full colours, yet they are all alike in this, that the earth is the place from whence they sprang & had their beginning. And in this regard man is resembled very fitly to grasse and to the floures of the field. For he had likewise his beginning from the earth, as the matter whereof he was first made.Gen. 2.7. Gen. 18.27. Job 4.19. 2 Cor. 4.7.

The Lord God, saith Moses, formed man of the dust of the ground. Therefore Abraham acknowledged, that he was but dust and ashes. Job saith, that we dwell in houses of clay, and that our foundation is in the dust: and St. Paul calls our bodies earthen vessels. And this is the condition not of some, but of every one of us. Though some do greatly differ from others, and make a fairer shew then others do, either in regard of their birth and parentage, or for their place and office, or for their wealth and riches, their beauty, wisdome wit or eloquence; yet they are all alike in this, that they had their originall from the earth and were made thereof. And so for their beginning all men are but as grasse, and the flowers of the field which spring from the earth.

2 Secondly, They are alike fortheir progresse and continuance. Ye know that the grasse and the flowers of the field are very tender [Page 17]when they first spring up; and when they are come to their full growth and strength, that they have taken deeper root and have a stronger stalk; yet still they are so weak, that the least blast of wind will shake them up and down, and any little force will put them up, and cause them to wither before their time: or if they continue their full time; yet their time is very short, they flour­ish but a while, and presently wither. In the morning saith David, Psa. 90.6. (speaking of the grasse in the 90. Psalme) it is green and growth up; but in the evening it is cut down, dried up and withered, And in this respect, man is likewise very fitly resembled to the grasse and flowers of the field. He is weak and tender while he is growing up, and when he is come to his full growth and strength; yet he is not so strong, but the least fit of an Ague you know will shake him, and any little sicknesse will soon pull him down, and bring him to his end before his time.

And though he escape all sicknesse and diseases, and all other casualties; yet his time is but short, age will come upon him before it be long and bring him to his end. And so in regard of his progresse and continuance, he is well likened to the grasse and flowers of the field.

3 Lastly they are alike in regard of their end. Ye know when the grasse and the flowers of the field do die and wither, they lose their beauty, they lose their colour, they lose their sent, and they lose their name, and at last are so dryed to dust and powder, that they are all alike, and cannot be known what flowers they were. In our Gardens and Fields we see many flowers, which while they are growing do greatly differ, insomuch that we can very easily distin­guish them, and tell what every one of them are: but after they are withered and dryed to dust, they are also like, that we cannot distinguish the one from the other. And thus it is with us, as soone as men die they lose their beauty, they lose their pomp, they lose their bravery, they lose their very names, and in the end are con­sumed to dust and ashes, and have nothing left them whereby they may be known. For the time that men are living there is great dif­ference among thent; some are of high place, some of mean condi­tion; some wise, some simple; some rich, some poore; some of one complextion, some of another; but being laid in their graves and consumed to ashes, Agamemnon cannot be known from Thersites; the rich glutton in the Gospel, cannot be known from Lazarus; but all are so like that we can see no difference. Respice sepulchra, [Page 72]saith St. Augustine, et discerne si potes Jrum a Rege, fortem a debili, pulorum a deformi, Look into mens Sepulchers, and distinguish if thou canst between the King and the beggar; the strong and the weak; the faire and the deformed.

Therefore we read of Diogenes the Philosopher, that when Alex­ander the Great as he was passing by, saw him looking very wisly into Tombs and Sepulchres, and demanded of him what he was looking for, Diogenes answered, That he was looking for the bones of King Philip, Alexanders Father, who had been the ter­rour of all Greece, and that he could not distinguish them from other mens bones, nor finde any difference: To note unto Alex­ander, that even he, notwithstanding all his pomp and bravery, after all his conquests, must in the end be laid in the dust, and then there would be no difference between him and others. We see then briefly, how man is like the grasse and the flowers of the field; and wherein this resemblance between them consists, That they are like for their beginning, like for their continuance, and like for their end. But that which the Prophet David here speci­ally intends, is the second of these, that they are like for their short continuance. For he saith, That the dayes of man are as grasse, not reckoning our life-time by years, or by moneths, but only by dayes, to signifie how soon our life passes, even as the grasse, and the flower, which doth not continue from one year to another, but as it comes up soon, so it soon withers And he saith, That man slourisheth as the flower of the field. Sient slos agri, non horti, As the flower of the field, not as the flower of the garden: for garden-flowers ye know are more carefully lookt to, the Gardiner keeps them standing as long as he can, because they make a faire shew, and are a grace to the gardens; but for field-flowers, they are subject, ye know, to many more dangers, they lie open to passen­gers that pull them up, and to the beasts, that either crop them, or tread them under foot, and if they escape all dangers, yet the time they flourish is very short; they come up later then the grasse, and yet stand no longer, for when the grasse is cut down, they are cut down together.

Here then in that we are resembled to grasse, and the flowers of the field, we may observe from hence two things, The certainty of our death, and the shortnesse of our life.

First, The certainty of our death, That we shall as certainly die, as we are sure that the grasse and flowers of the field shall fade [Page 73]and wither. Death indeed is uncertain in some respects, as in re­spect of the time, in respect of the place, and in respect of the m [...]ner thereof; because we do not know, either when or where or how we shall die. Death is uncertain in regard of the time, for we do not know when death will arrest us, whether by day or by night, whether in the morning, at noon, or in the evering, whether at the cock-crowing or in the dawning. For when we lie down, we do not know whether we shall rise again, and when we are risen, we do not know whether we shall lie down again. Death is uncertain in regard of the place, because we do not know where death will arrest us, whether when we are in company, or when we are alone, whether in the Field, or in the Town, whether a­broad, or at home; for when we go forth we do not know whe­ther we shall return again, and when we are returned, we do not know whether we shall go forth again. And death is uncertain in regard of the manner, because we do not know how death will arrest us, whether we shall die a naturall or a violent death, whether a painfull or an easie death, whether a lingring or a sud­den death. In these respects death is uncertain, yet nothing again more certain then death. For though we know not as I said, ei­ther where, or when, or how we shall die, yet we know for cer­tain, that either here or else-where, either sooner or later, either by one means or other, we are sure to die. Therefore David pro­pounds this question, What man is he that lives and shall not see death? Psal. 89.48. because death is common to all men, and no man by his greatnesse, strength, or wisdome, or any other means can avoid the same. And this the Heathen knew very well, and therefore though they worshipt the Sunne, the Moon, and all the Host of heaven, though they offered sacrifice to stocks, to stones, to men, to divels, and to all manner of creatures, whom they worshipt as Gods; yet among all their sacrifices, there was never any that offeted sacrifice to death, as knowing that death will never be ap­peased, and therefore that their sacrifices should have been to no purpose, Contra omnia aliquid inveniri potest, contra mortem ni­hil. One remedy or other may be found against every thing, but no remedy can possibly be found against death, Galen, Hipocrates, and other skilfull Physicians have found out many remedies against the most diseases, and have prescribed ma­ny rules how to preserve our health, and to keep us from sick­nesse, but how to preserve and keep us from death, there was ne­ver [Page 74]any that could invent any remedy. And though Paracelsus had such considence in his knowledge, that he professed him­selfe able, to keep a man by physick in so perfect a temperature, that he should never die of any disease whatfoever, yet he could not prescribe any physick against death. For though we diet our bodies, and use all preservatives to keep us from sioknesse, and though we live all our life time without any disease, yet either ca­snality or age will bring us to our graves. Therefore the grave is called by Job, Job 30.23. the house appointed for all the living, I know (saith Job) that thou Wilt bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all the living: it is appointed, and therefore cannot be avoided, it is appointed for all the living, and therefore none are exempted, but all that live upon the face of the earth are subject unto it. In severall Kingdoms there are severall Lawes, whereunto they are not bound in other Kingdoms. Now in the whole world there are three Kingdoms, where the Laws concerning death are di­vers. In heaven they have a Law, that they shall live for ever, and never die.Mat. 19.17. Therefore heaven is called by the name of life, If (saith our Saviour) thou wilt enter into life, (that is into heaven) keep the Commandements. And heaven is called Psal. 25. the land of the living, I should (saith David) have utterly fainted, but that I believe verily to see the goodnesse of the Lord in the land of the living: that is, in heaven, for there they live eternally, and never die. In hell there is a quite contrary law, that they die eternally. Therefore it is said of the wicked, Psal. 49. They lie in hell like sheep, and death gnawes upon them, because there they suffer the second death, which is everlasting. And here upon earth, there is a third law between them both,Heb. 9.27. That every one living shall once suffer death. Therefore saith the Apostle, Heb. 9. It is appointed unto all men that they shall once dye: not live here for ever, as they do in heaven, nor die for ever as they do in hell, but once they must die: and this is a law which all that live on the face of the earth are subject unto. God hath given great priviledges to many of his servants, and hath miraculously preserved them from many dangers;Exed. 34.28. 1 King. 19.8. Dan. 3.25. Mat. 14.29. Josh. 10.12.13. some he hath preserved without any nourishment for many weeks together, as Moses and Elius; some he hath preserved in the midst of fire, as the three children in the furnace: some he hath inabled to walk upon the waters, as Peter did; some he hath inabled to stay the course of the Sun, as Joshuah did: but to stay and hinder the course of death, and to free men from the same, this is a privi­ledge [Page 75]which God never gave to any of his servants. Therefore even they that lived before the deluge, though some of them li­ved seven hundred years, some eight hundred, some nine hun­dred years, and upwards, yet they died in the end: nature de­laying more and more in them, till it were quite spent, as a can­dle being lighted, wastes by little and little, till it quite goes out.

Seeing then it is certain that we shall die, this may therefore teach us to fit and prepare our selves against the coming of death, by frequent meditation and remembrance thereof. The oftner a man bethinks him of death, the better he will be prepared for it: as a man that foresees and expects a storm, he will provide himself the better against it come. And herein the Heathen them­selves may be patterns unto us, who though they knew not God, nor the punishment of sin in the world to come, yet knowing they should die, they used many strange and memorable devises, to put them in mind of their mortality. Ortelius writes of a Countrey in the World, where the people do use the bones of dead men in stead of their coin; which being continually before their eyes, they cannot but continually remember their ends. Plutarch writes of Ptolomie the King of Egypt, That alwayes when he made any sumptuous feast, among the rest of his dishes, the skull and bones of a dead man were brought in a platter, and set before him, and one was appointed to say thus unto him,Plutarch in Conviv. Sept. Sapientum. Behold, O King, and consider with thy selfe this president of death, that he whose skull and bones thou now seest, was once like thy selfe, and the time will come when thou shalt be like unto him, and thy skull and bones shall be brought hereafter to the Kings table, as now his are to thint. Isodore writes. That it was a custome in Constanti­nople, that alwayes at the time of the Emperours Coronation, a­mong other Solemnities this was one, A free, Mason presented the Emperour with divers sorts of marble, and asked him of which of them he should make his Tomb, that so he might re­member, even then when he was in the height of his glory, that he was but mortall. Dion writes of Severus a Roman Emperour, That while he lived he caused his Hearse to be made, and was often wont to go in into it, adding these words, Thou O Herse, as small as thou art, must contain him, whom now the whole world is searce able to contain. If these who were Heathen were so mind­full of their ends, what should we that are Christians? We know that God hath made the end of our life, the manner of [Page 76]our death, and the place thereof to be unknown and uncertain, that we might alwayes have it in expectation. So saith Saint Au­gustine, Latet ultimus dies ut observentur omnes dies. Augustine Hom. 13. The last day of our lives is hidden from us, that that day might be expected all the dayes of our lives. And indeed the reason why we are not prepared for the comming of death, is because we seldom or ne­ver think of dying; for who of us almost have any thought thereof, till either sicknesse, or age, the two Serjeants of death do come to arrest us? or if at any other time we bethink us thereof, it is only then when we hear the Bell to ring out for any, or when we see some of our neighbours to lie upon their death­bed, and past recovery. Then it may be we think of our ends, and that it is high time for us to prepare our selves for death, that we may be in a readinesse against God shall call us. But these medi­tations are but for a fit, and they presently vanish. I have seen somtimes, when a Fowler coming to a Tree where there were store of birds, and hath killed any one of them, all the rest have immediately flown away, but presently after, forgetting the dan­ger wherein they were before, they have all of them returned to the same Tree. And do not we resemble these silly birds? when death comes to our houses, and takes away any one of us, we are all amazed, and we presently think, that the next course may be ours, and therefore that it behooves us to reform our lives: but presently after, when the remembrance of death is out of our minds, we return again to our former courses. But he that will be provided against the coming of death, must alwayes have death in his remembrance. Tota vita sapientis debet esse meditatio mortis, The whole life (saith Gregory) of a wise man, ought to be a meditation of death. That as the birth of sin was the death of man, so the meditation of death may be the death of sin.

And as David here by comparing us to grasse, and the flowers of the field, implyeth thereby the certainty of our death, that we shall as certainly die, as we are sure that these shall fade and wi­ther. So he implyeth hereby the shortnesse of our life, that we shall not live long, but shall die soon, as the grasse and flowers do fade and decay in a short time. Theodorus Gaza tels us of a father that had twelve sons, and each of those brethren had thirty chil­dren, yet every one of them expired soon. The father expired within the compasse of a year, never a one of his sons but expi­red in a moneth, and never a one of their children but expired in a day.

Though this be spoken of the Year, which hath twelve months, and every month thirty dayes, yet their expiring so soone may well put us in mind of ours, seeing the shortness of our life is such, that we are not sure we shall live a year, no not a month; nay, though we be now wel for ought we know, yet for ought we know we may be dead before to morrow.

How many have we known, that have been well and lively in one houre, and yet dead the next? how many are there in this Land, that were alive this morning and dead before noon? Nay, how many are there in the World that are now alive, and since thou hast read these words (are now alive) are now dead? who no doubt made reckoning, as many now do, that they should have lived a long time.

But the Scripture teacheth us to make another account, by joyning together, as many times it doth, the day of our birth, and the day of our death,Eccles. 3.2. without making any mention of the time of our life, as if our lifetime were so short, that it were not worth the naming. So Solomon, Eccles. 7.Eccles. 7.1. Job 14.2. The day of death is better then the day of mans birth. So Job. Man that is borne of a Woman is of few dayes, and full of trouble, he comes up like a flower and is cut down. Upon which words, Bernard saith thus, In ipso statim introitu, de exitu quo (que) admonemur. In the very beginning and entrance into life, we are put in mind of the end of our life: as if there were no distance between them both.

And hence it is, that we are often in the Scripture compared to those things, which are of the shortest abode and continuance. So our bodies are compared to vessells of earth; we have, 2 Cor. 4.7. saith the Apostle, this treasure in earthen Vessells. He compares them not to Vessells of brasse, or Iron, which will last long, but to earthen Ves­sells which are soone broken.

In the Potters shop there are Vessels ye know, of divers sorts, some lesse some greater, some made for one use and some for ano­ther, but all so brittle, that a little force will break any of them to peeces.

And such is the frailty of our mortall bodies, some are stronger and more durable then other, but yet none so strong, but that a little sickness will soone pull him down, and bring him to nothing. Nay, earthen Vessells, howsoever they be brittle, yet if we let them alone, if we set them up safe, and keep them from falling, they will continue the same for a longtime; but such is our frail­ty, [Page 78]that we never continue in one stay, but though we look never so carefully to our selves, though we avoid all occasions of coming into danger; yet before it be long, even age will consume us.

So we are compared by St. James to a vapour, that appeares for a while, and presently vanishes; so by Job to a Weavers shuttle, that makes no stay in the Webbe, but passeth in a trice from one side to the other. So to a Garment that is soon worne out, to a tale that is, soone told, to a span which is soone measured, and here to the grasse and flowers of the field which are soone wi­thered.

The field we see hath variety of flowers, but none of them all do continue long but come up and are cut down, and others grow up in their roome. So it is likewise with the owners of those fields, they are soon gone, and others succeed them. There is not any field, that hath had such variety of flowers in it, as owners of it the same field which thou holdest, hath been held by thousands before thee, who held it for a while one after another, and lest it to thee, as thou must leave it to others after thee: and thou dost not know, whether thy self or the flowers which spring up in thy field shall be gone soonest; for thy dayes are but as grasse, and as the flowers of the field, so thou flourishest.

If you aske why God hath made our life so short, the answer is, that it is his goodness and mercy towards us, to shorten our dayes. For though Theophrastus the Philosopher complained at the time of his death, that nature had given to Harts and Ravens a long time of life, but a short time to man, who could better have imployed the benefit of time; yet indeed it is his mercy towards us that we live not so long, because he saw that a short life would be better for us in divers respects.

1 First, That we might the sooner be freed from the miseries of this life.Gen. 47.9. Few and evill, saith Jacob, have the dayes of the years of my life been. If the dayes of our life be evill, it is well they be few; for for if they were more, they would be more evill. Man (saith Job) that is borne of a Woman, Job 14.1. is of few dayes, and full of trouble. So full of trouble, that one of the wisest among the Heathen could say, Nemo vitam acciperet si dare turscientibus. Seneca. If life were not given us before we had knowledge of it, there is no man but would re­fuse it.Herod. Tap. Therefore the Tracians as Herodotus writes, were wont according to the Custome of their Country, to mourne and la­ment when their Children were borne, reckoning up the calami­ties [Page 79]which they were to undergoe, through the whole course of their lives, but when they died, they followed them to their graves, with mirth and rejoycing, because they were freed from a World of miseries. Our bodies are subject to labour and weariness, to sickness and paine, and a thousand Diseases: our soules, besides the grief and sorrow which they are subject unto, they are conti­nually assaulted with strong temptations, and alwayes in danger of many powerfull enemies, for we wrestle not, saith St. Paul, Ephes. 6.12. against flesh and blood, but against Principalities and powers, and the Prince of darkness; from all which we are not freed till this life be ended, and therefore God in mercy hath shortned our life, that we might the sooner be freed from the miseries thereof, and that in the mean time we might have this comfort, that though our life be misera­ble, yet withall it is short.

2 Secondly, God hath shortned our life, that we may the sooner come into his presence, and inherit the Kingdom he hath prepared for us. Ye know when Absolon lived in exile, and was kept for a time from the sight of his Father, it grieved him so much, that he wisht rather to die if he had deserved it, 2 Sam. 13.32 then to be kept any longer from his Fathers presence. God knowes how his Children, while they live here in this World, the place of their banishment, do long to be with him; saying with David, Psal. 42.2. Phil. 1.23. when shall I come to appear before the presence of God? and desiring with Paul, to be dissolved and to be with Christ: and therefore God in mercy hath shortned our dayes, that we may the sooner come into his heavenly Kingdom and in­joy his presence.

3 And lastly, God hath shortned our dayes, that we may be the lesse carefull for the things of this life, considering we shall injoy them so short a time. If a man be to travell into a farre Country, he will be the more carefull to provide the more, and to proporti­on his provision to the length of his journey, but if his journey be short, he will provide the lesse, and the nearer he comes to his journies end, the lesse carefull he is what provision he hath. God knowes if we were to live long in this World, we would be the more carefull for the things of this life and would think we could never provide enough; and therefore he hath made our life to be short; that we might be the lesse carefull to provide for it.

To draw then to a conclusion of all, we have briefly heard, why we are here resembled to the grasse and flowers of the field; and from [Page 80]thence, both of the certainty of our death, and the shortness of our life, and the reasons why God hath made our life so short, all which may serve to teach us two lessons.

1.Ʋse. 1 Not to make account that we shall live long as many of us do, but that we shall soon die. That we shall die we all know, but the most of us deceive our selves in this, that we put off the day of our death stil further from us: vvhen we are young, we think we shal live til we come to be old, when we come to be old we think we may live longer, and so we put off the time of our death still further and further. And hence it is, that we are so carefull for the things of this life, as if this World were the place where we should live for ever. We read of Alexander, that to shew his affection to a cer­tain Philosopher, he willed him to aske what he would of him, and he would give it him. The Philosopher desired him to give him the fee-simple of his life, that he might be free from death. O saith Alexander, if I could do this, I would do it for my self, why then it seemes (saith the Philosopher) that you are mortall. True, saith Alexander. Indeed saith the Philosopher, that you are mortall, I do not doubt, yet I greatly doubt whether you think that you are mortall, and shall ever die, because you live so, as if you thought you were immortall, and should never die. The like may be said to many of us; for though we cannot deny, but must needes ac­knowledge that we shall surely die, yet man, live so, they seek so greedily after worldly goods, they so pamper their bodies, and are so sumptuons in their buildings, as if they were immortall, and should never die. The Patriarcks though they lived so many years, yet they lived in Tents and in poor Cabins; but we that live not the half of their dayes, do build our houses so faire and so dura­ble, as if we meant here to set up our rest, and that we should ne­ver depart from hence, which argues that though we know we shall die,Theatr. Histor. ex Guid. yet we think we shall live a long time, whereas we should daily look to die. Like Messodanus a holy old man, who being in­vited by his friend to dinner for the morrow after. Why, saith he, do you invite me to morrow to dinner? I have not looked to live till to morrow this many a year. For we no sooner begin to live, but we begin to die, and look how many dayes of our life are past, so much of our life is already cut off, and the lesse is remain­ing; as the more of an Houre-glasse is already run out, the lesse it hath to runne.

And secondly, seeing we shall so soone die, it may therefore teach us so to live, as that death when it comes, may be welcome, and not fearfull unto us, and that is, by preparing our selves against the coming of death, by a godly life. For this is the comfort which a man can find when he lieth on his Death-bed, that he shall enter into a better life when this life is ended, and this com­fort he cannot have at his death, unless he have lived a godly life: Death to the wicked may well be fearfull, because as it is in it own nature, it is the wages of sinne, and imposed as a curse and punish­ment upon man for his transgression; but by virtue of Christs death to the godly it is otherwise, ceasing to be a curse unto them, nay, of a curse it is made a blessing, even a passage out of a misera­ble life into the Kingdom of Heaven. It was Sampsons Riddle,Judg. 14.14. out of the eater came meat, and out of the strong came sweetness. Which was meant of the honie which was found in the Lyon which Samp­son had slain; for so the Philistins ye know, expounded it, what is sweeter (say they) then hony, and what is stronger then a Lyon? and it may not unfitly be applyed to death; for what is stronger then death that subdues the strongest? yet after that Christ had vanquisht death, as he did for the godly, out of the strong came sweetness; for vvhat can be more svveet or pleasant unto us, then the passage out of a miserable life into eternall happiness? And such is death to the godly: and therefore if we would find this comfort at the time of our death, we must pre­pare our selves against the com­ing thereof by a godly Life.

IN the beginning of this verse we are exhorted to submit our selves unto God, and the reason thereof is given by the Apostle in the words immediately going before, because God resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble. Now because we cannot submit our selves unto God, unless we be carefull to resist the Devill, who labours by all meanes to withdraw us from godliness: therefore the Apostle addes in these words which I have read unto you. Resist the Devill and he will flie from you.

Division. The words consist of these two parts, An exhortation, to resist the Devill; and a motive or reason, because he will flie from us if we resist him. For as God is overcome by our yielding unto him, and therefore we must submit our selves unto God: so on the contrary we must resist the Devill, because he is overcome, and will flie away from us if we resist him. In the exhortatiō we may observe two things.

First, the person vvhom vve must resist.

Secondly, The manner how vve must resist him.

And first for the person, it is the Devill, vvhose name vvhich is here given him doth signifie an accuser. And indeed his name is not given him for nought, but as Abigail said of Nabal, Nabal is [Page 83]his name and folly is with him, so it may truly be said of the devill,1 Sam. 25. Accuser is his name, and accusation is with him: for his chief de­light hath been in slandering and accusing even from the begin­ning. Somtime accusing God unto man, as he accused God of en­vy to our first Parents in Paradise, to alienate mans affection from God: and somtime again, to alienate Gods affection from man: he accuseth on the other side man unto God, as he accused Job. And therefore he is called in the 12th. Chapter of the Revelation,: The accuser of our brethren, which accused them before God day and night. Now as a man that is to encounter with an Enemy, it is necessary that he know what his Enemy is, what weapons he will use, and what strength, and courage, and cunning he hath, that knowing them before-hand, he may provide himself the bet­ter to make resistance. So it is necessary for us to know what our Adversary is whom we are to resist, and therefore the Scripture doth set him out in his lively colours, and instructs us before-hand how subtile, how malicious, and how powerfull he is.

And first for his subtilty, he is called a Serpent, which ye know, is more subtile then any beast of the field: and this is the first name which the Scripture gives him. For he doth not alwayes roar like a Lion, but for the most part he lieth in wait like a Serpent, prevailing far more by his craft & policy, then by his strength and power. Therefore it is that he will not appear in his own likenesse, but like as the wife of Jeroboam, 1 King. 14. disgnised her selfe when she came to the Prophet, that she might deceive him. So the devill, though he be the Prince of darknesse, yet he transforms him­selfe into an Angel of light that he may beguile us. For if he should shew himself as he is, and in his own nature, then as one saith, Semel videris semper oder [...]s. If we saw him but once, we would hate him for ever. And therefore like Proteus he transforms him­selfe, somtimes into one shape, and somtimes into another, as he did into a Serpent, when he deceived Eve, who little suspected that it was the devill. Now besides his transforming and disgui­sing himselfe, he hath mille nocendi artes, a thousand wayes to deceive and beguile us. When he comes to tempt us to any sin, he will shew us the bait, but not the hook, the pleasure of sin, but not the danger of it. Ye know when he tempted our Savi­our Christ, he shewed him all the Kingdoms of the world, Mat. 4. and the glo­ry of them, but for the sorrow and misery, the vanity and vexati­on which were in the world, those he would not shew him. And [Page 84]so doth the devill deal with us when he comes to tempt us. He shews us the profit, the pleasure and delight, which we shall reap by sin, but for the sorrow and misery, the punishment and shame which shall attend upon sin, he hides and conceals them, yet that he may the better prevaile against us, he watcheth the time when we are at the weakest, and then takes the opportunity to set upon us. When David fled from his Son Absolon, it was the counsell of Achitophel, to pursue him in the night time while he was weary with travelling;2 Sam. 17. and it was the policy of the Philistins, (Judges 16) to set upon Sampson, while he was at the weakest, and least able to resist them. And thus deals our spirituall enemy with us, he watcheth the time when we are at the weakest, and then takes the opportunity, when he thinks us least able to resist his temptations, When the Husbandman had sowed good seed in his ground, Mat. 13. the enemy watched the time when men were asleep, and then he sowed tares among the wheat. And therefore when Pe­ter was fallen asleep, Marke 14. Watch and pray (saith our Savi­our) least ye fall into temptation; intimating thereby, That then the devill is most ready to tempt us, when he findes us least fit to resist his temptations. Thus when he tempted our first Parents in Paradise, that he might the better prevaile against them, he set upon Eve the weaker vessell, and withall took the advantage of her husbands absence, as thinking she might the sooner be over­come now she was alone. Thus that he might the better prevaile against Peter, he watched the time when Christ was taken, as thinking that then (if ever) he might be drawn to deny his Ma­ster, when he could not acknowledge him but with great danger. And thus that he might the better prevaile against our Saviour, he watched the time when he was hungry with fasting, as think­ing it most likely, that if ever he could bring him to doubt of Gods favour, now was the time when he had fasted so long, and God had provided no sustenance for him. And therefore he then laid his snares for Christ, when he saw be was hungry, and had no sustenance, as the Fowler layeth his limed ears of corn in a hard frost, when he sees that the birds are ready to famish. And thus he continually sets upon us when we are at the weakest, and least able, as he thinks, to make resistance. And as he watcheth the time when we are at the weakest, so he tempts us in those things wherein we are the weakest, by examining every mans disposition and humour, and in [...]ising him especially to those sins; [Page 85]whereunto by nature he is most prone and inclinable. For like as a man that goeth a fishing, he will have severall kinds of baits for severall kinds of fish, because every fish will not bite at every baite, but some are taken sooner with one kind of bait, and some with another: so the devill hath severall baits for severall per­sons, and before he tempts any man, he will conceive with what baite he will soonest be taken. If he perceive that Christ is hun­gry with fasting, he will present him with stones to be made bread, if he perceive that Ahab is covetous, and that he hath a desire to in­large his possessions, he vvill present him with Naboths vine­yard.

That like as Salust writes of Catilin a Traytor in Rome, that to draw others into the same conspiracy with him, he used this policy, to fit every man according to his disposition, giving horses to those that delighted in riding, Hounds to such as took pleasure in hunt­ing, and to every man those things vvhich best liked him: So doth the Devill, he observes to what sinne a man is most inclining, and fits his temptations as they are most agreeable to every mans hu­mour.

And as his subtilty appeares, both in watching the time when we are at the weakest, and observing what temptation is fittest for us: so likewise in this, that he begins at first with smaller sinnes, and drawes us on by degrees to evill, making the lesse sinnes like smal­ler wedges, to make way for greater. For he knowes that a man will sooner yield at the first to a little sinne, that sinne will grow in the heart as the child growes in the wombe: and that if he can bring us to give entertainment but to an angry thought (though we count this but a small matter) yet it will grow from the heart to the tongue, and from the tongue to the hand, so that many like Cain begin with anger and end with murder. For he knows that little sinnes, if we yield unto them, will grow to be great ones and will procure our ruin.

The Swallow in the Fable, when she saw the Husband-man be­gin to sow Hemp-seed in his field, she counselled the Birds to peck it up: because otherwise if it were let alone it would prove dan­gerous for them. The Birds could not see how so small a seed should do them any harme; but afterward vvhen it vvas grovvn ripe and vvas cut dovvn, the Husband-man made snares and nets of the Hemp vvhereby the Birds vvere taken. Those little sinnes vvhich vve thinke so small that they can do us no harme; yet the [Page 86]Devill vvill use them as snares to intrap us, and to vvork our de­struction. And therefore he vvill begin vvith small sinnes, and dravv us on by degrees from the lesse to the greater, as he drew on Peter from lying to perjury; and David from adultery to commit murder. And yet that he may the more easily deceive us, what sin soever he tempts us unto, he will commonly set such a Glosse upon it, that it shall seem to be either no sinne at all, or a very small matter till we have committed it. Nay, that which is strange, many times when he tempts a man to never so hainous a sinne; yet he will make him believe that it is a good vvork, and that he shall deserve commendation, and reward for the doing of it: as when he tempted Paul to persecute the Church, he made him believe that he did God good service: and when he perswads the Jesuites to the murdering of Princes, he make them believe that it is a meritori­ous worke, and puts them in hope of being rewarded by God, as the Amalekite was in hope of being rewarded by David, 2 Sam. 1.14, 15, 16. for bring­ing him word that he had killed King Saul, and instead of a reward he was executed for it.

And as his subtiltie appears in tempting us to evill under the co­lour of good: so likewise in tempting us to do that vvhich is good but to an evill end. As vvhen he tempts us vvith the Pharisees to give almes in publicke, and openly in the sight and view of the world, that vve may be seene of men and commended for it. The giving of Almes is a good deed, and to give them in publick is likewise lawfull, that others may be moved to do the like by our example. But the Devill knows that though it be a good deed, yet if a man do it openly for vaine glory, the good deed be­comes evill in the doer of it: and therefore he vvill tempt a man to do that vvhich is good, where he sees it vvill be a sinne in him that doth it. And indeed, his craft and subtiltie is such, & he hath so many vvays to deceive and beguile us, that vve have great cause to sear all our vvorks lest we be taken vvith his hook at unawars. He will do the best he can, to turn those good gifts vvhich God gives unto men, to be occasions of sinne.

Thus many times vvhere God gives Knovvledge and Learning, the Divill allures men thereby to pride; vvhere God gives beauty, the Devill allures men thereby to vvantonnesse; vvhere God gives strength the Devill abuseth it to do wrong & violence; and vvhere God gives vvit, the Devill turns it to gibing & scoffing at others; Yet still vvhen he tempts a man to sin, he vvill extenuate the same [Page 87]make it seeme lesse, and to make him to yield the more easily unto it, he will perswade him that God is infinitely mercifull, and that he daily pardons many sinnes of many that are far greater. When he hath brought a man to yield to his temptation, then he labours to make him continue in his sinne, by putting him in hope that he hath a long time to live, and that he may repent him when he comes to be old, and all in good time. And when he hath now brought him to this, that he sees him continue secure in his sinnes, then he will go a degree further, he will labour to hinder him from hearing the word, from praying unto God, and from all other meanes that might bring him to repentance: as the enemy when he hath besieged a City, he will stop all the passages, and will hin­der any from coming to the City for their aide and assistance. And these are indeed his most usuall vviles whereby he deceives us.

And as he is subtil, so he is very malicious. He would deale with us (if God would suffer him) as he dealt with Job: he would take away from us all that ever we have, and would leave us nothing, unlesse it were that which might do us harme; as when God gave him leave to afflict Job, he took away his goods, his Servants and his Children, but left him his wife to be a crosse unto him. There­fore it is that he is called our adversary: your adversary, saith the Apostle, 1 Pet. 5. Like a roaring Lyon, walkes about seeking whom he may devoure. For such is his malice, that he is never at rest, but goes compassing the earth from one end to the other,Job 1.7. seeking the destruction of the vvhole race of Adam, both in body and soule.

Now if ye ask the reason, why the Devill is so maliciously set a­gainst man: the reason is plain, because that man is the Image of God. The Devil bears infinite hatred to God for casting him out of Heaven, and because he cannot do God any harme; yet he seekes maliciously to deface his Image, and to be revenged upon man: not unlike the Panther, whose hatred towards man is so implacable, as St. Basil saith, that if he see but a mans Picture, he will set furi­ously upon it, and tear it in peeces.

Lastly, As his subtilty and malice are great, so likewise is his power. Therefore Christ calles him the Prince of this World, to shew that his power is very great. And therefore St. Paul when he tells us, that we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against Principalities and Powers: he councells us twice in the same [Page 88]Chapter, to take and put on the whole Armour of God, that so we might be able to resist his temptations. We see then what this enemy is whom we are exhorted to resist, one that is both subtil, and powerfull, and malicious. Though he were never so malici­ous against us, yet if he were not powerfull withall, like a curst Cow, as the Proverb is, that hath short hornes, for want of power to effect his malice, we might fear him the lesse. Or though he were both malicious and powerfull, yet if he were not subtil and crafty vvithall, the danger vvere the lesse, because there vvere some hope that vve might over-reach him by some meanes or other; but being both subtil, malicious and powerfull, it behoves us to be more careful to make resistance. And so from the person whom we must resist. I come to the manner how we must resist him.

The word which is here translated to resist, doth signifie to con­front, and to stand against as it were face to face, to note unto us, that we are not to yield and to turn our backs,1 Sam. 17.48.49. but to stand man­fully against him when he doth assault us. That as David when he was to fight with Goliah, he went against him and struck him in the forehead: So we vvhensoever we are assaulted by the Devill, are to stand against him face to face, and not to turn our backs like the Children of Ephraim in the day of battle.Psalm. 78.9. Therefore we are still commanded in the Scripture, to fight, to vvrestle, to quit our selves like men, to withstand and to resist, but never to flie and to turn our backs.Ephes. 6. And therefore St. Paul vvhere he particularly sets down the vvhole Armour of a Christian; vvhich vve are to use a­gainst our spiritual enemy, yet he mentions not any part for the back: there is an Helmet for the head, a Courselet for the breast, a Sword for the hand, Sandals for the feet, and a Shield to gard all the foreparts; but for the back and the hinder parts there is no Armour at all; to note unto us that we are manfully to stand against him, and not to turn our backs vvhen he doth assault us.

Now further, for the manner how vve are to resist him, we must deal vvith this Enemy as men do in Warre vvhen a City is be­siedged.

First, They shut up the Gates and make all fast, to keep the E­nemy from making entrance. And thus must vve do, vve must shut up as it vvere the Gates of our senses, vve must turn away our eyes from beholding vanity, vve must stop our eares from hearing vani­ty, and vve must strengthen every part and look that all be fast, o­therwise [Page 89]if he find any part to be vveaker then other, he vvill break in upon us.

We read Judges 18. that the Tribe of Dan. having no Inheri­tance nor possession of their own among the Children of Israel, they vvent up and down like spies to survey the Country, and finding the City Laish to be vveakly guarded, the Inhabitants thereof being careless and secure, and otherwise busied, they made towards it, they besieged it, and having conquered all the Inhabi­tants thereof, they took possession of it.

And thus the Devill having lost the right of his own Inheritance, and having no possession of his own among the Children of God, he vvanders up and down like a spie, and finding the soul of man to be meanly fortified, the Inhabitants thereof, the vvit, memory, vvill, understanding being unprovided, he sets upon it, and finding little or no resistance, he easily takes it, and therefore it behoves us to keep vvatch continually, and to look carefully to our selves, that we give him no entrance.

Secondly, We must not only be carefull to keep him out vvhen he doth besiege us; but vvithall vve must be carefull, and do our best endeavour to raise his siedge, vve must do the best vve can to beat him from the assault, and to put him to flight. And this is done by the vvord of God, vvhich is called by the Apostle, the Svvord of the Spirit.Eph. 6.17. Therefore vvhen our Saviour vvas tempt­ed by the Devill, Matth. 4. the only Weapon vvhereby he repel­led him vvas the Scripture, to teach us that hovvsoever he doth assault us, vve must betake our selves to the Word of God to resist his temptations. If he tempt us to covetousness and the love of the World, vve may say it is vvritten,Mat. 16.26. what shall it profit a man to gain the whole World, and to lose his own soule? If he tempt us to pride and vain glory, we must say it is written, God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble. If he tempt us to malice, we must say it is written, He that hates his Brother is a murderer. James 4.6. 1 John 3.15. If he tempt us to uncleanness, we must say it is written, Marriage is ho­nourable among all men, and the bed undefiled; but Whoremasters and Adulterers God will judge. In a word,Heb. 13.4. what sin soever he tempts us unto, we may find in the Scripture wherewithall we are to withstand his Assaults. For the Scripture is like the Tower of David, Cantic. 4.4. that was built for an Armory, a Thousand Bucklers (saith Salomon) do hang thereon, and all the shields of mighty men; and from thence we may fetch what Weapons soe­ver [Page 86]we are to use against our spirituall enemies, and without which we can never repell their temptations.

And therefore this shewes their extreame folly, that regard not to have any knowledge in the Scriptures; For how shall their hands be able to warre and their fingers to fight that are not ac­quainted with the word of God, and know not how to handle the sword of the Spirit? Such must needs be in a fearfull case, because they do voluntarily disarme themselves, and cast away their Wea­pons, and so betray their souls into the hands of the Devill, while they have not where withall to resist his temptations.

If a man had an enemy that had vowed his death, how carefull would he be to provide himself Weapons, and to get some cunning how to use the same, for the safeguard and preservation of his na­turall life. How carefull then should every one be for his soules safety, to put on the whole armour of God, and to learne to use aright this sword of the Spirit; that when Sathan his mortall ene­my assaults him, he may be the better provided to withstand him.

It is said of Hanniball a Carthaginean Captaine, that as long as Scipio his enemy was in the field and ready continually to bid him battle, he was alwayes afraid lest he he should be suddenly surpri­zed; and therefore never slept but with his armour on, and with a guard of Souldiers to keep watch about him. And we read of Saul, 1 Sam. 26. That while he slept in the field, he had his speare in a readiness stuck up at his Boulster: And so should we, while we are in this World, which is as it were the field of temptation, wherein vve are so often assaulted by Sathan; we should alwayes have the Word of God in a readines, that whensoever he assailes us, vve may be able to vvithstand him. But hovv farre are the most (especially they that are in their youthful dayes) from doing thus? Tell them of resisting the Devills temptations, forsaking their plea­sures and betaking themselves unto Gods service, they vvill be ready to say. Why art thou come to torment us before the time. Alios mores hee atas postulat. Our youth requires other kind of manners, and it is needlesse for us to do thus till vve be grovvn in yeares. For young men do commonly make account that they shall live long, that God vvill allovv them more liberty vvhile they are young, and vvill not require so much of them as of old men. But they should rather consider that which experience may teach them, that they vvho are young are as vvell subject to death as [Page 91]they who are ancient, like glasse which is as, brittle when it is newly made as when it is old, and so though they be young yet they may die soone; and therefore need alwayes to be in a readines against God shall call them. They should consider that which reason may teach them, that the longer it is before they seek God, the longer it will be before they can find him; as the further a man strayes out of his way, the longer it will be before he can find the same. And they should consider that which the Scripture teacheth them, that young men as well as old shal be called to an account at the day of Judgement of all they have done. And they should remem­ber the precept which the Apostle gives here, not in the future but in the present time, Resist the Devill, not resist him hereafter. If God as they imagine, regard not what they do in their youthfull daies, what needed David to pray,Psa. 25.7. Eccles. 12.1. Leuit. 5.7. Mar. 10.14. Remember not the sinnes of my youth; or Solomon to say, Remember thy Creator in the daies of thy youth. Why did God in the old Law, command that young Pi­geons should be offered unto him? Or Christ in the Go­spel forbid that young children should be kept from him? but to shew that our youth is to be consecrated to God, and to be sea­soned with Religion. If they think it too soon to forsake their sinnes, and to begin to serve God in their younger yeares: God will think it too late when they come to be old, to entertaine them to be his Servants; and as they have spent the greatest part of their time in the Devills service; so God will leave them to him whose work they have done, to pay them their wages. We our selves will be loth to take such a servant as is lame or old, and so unfit or unable to do us service, especially if he be one who while he was young and strong refused to serve us: And do we think that God when we have refused to serve him in our younger years will be content to receive us, when we are old and impotent to be his ser­vants? When we have served his enemie with the best of our daies will God be content to have the leavings?Sardus de morib. Gen. lib. 3, For if we serve him thus, what do we else, then as some of the Heathen were wont to do, whose custome it was that when they had eaten the meat themselves, they did sacrifice the bones unto their Gods.Deut. 25. We are forbiden by God to have diverse measures a greater and a lesse, because they that do thus are an abomination to the Lord. If God count it abominable for a man to have divers measures, a greater for himself & a lesse for his neighbour or a greater for his friend & a lesse for a stranger; How abhominable then must it needs be to [Page 92]God, when we have divers measures for God and his enemies, ser­ving sinne and Sathan, with the best and greatest part of our lives, and alotting the least and the worst part unto Gods service. And therefore it behoves us ever while we are young, to resist and withstand the Devills temptations, to renounce our pleasures and to betake our selves unto Gods service. And thus much concern­ing the former part of these words, Resist the Devill. I come now to the reason, which I will dispatch briefly. Resist the Devill and he will see from you.

The Devill though he be fierce when he gives the first assault, yet where he finds resistance he will break up the siege and fly like a coward. Ye know when he tempted our Saviour Christ in the fourth chapter of St. Matthew, though he gave the first blow, yet he took the last; and though he gave the on-set and set first upon him, yet he was the first that sounded the retreate, and was glad to leave him.

But it may be demanded, Whether the Devill will flee if he be resisted? Will he flee into Hell and be seen no more? No, that he will not; but if he flee from tho godly, he will be sure to take his pleasure of the wicked, and he will make them pay for it; If he cannot prevaile against our Saviour, he will enter into Judas; if he cannot have his will of men, yet rather then faile he will en­ter into the Swine:Math. 8.32. as a Hauke when she cannot speed of her prey, she will sease upon carrion; But though the Devill flee when we resist him, yet we must not be secure; for though he can not speed at the first assault, yet he will come againe: as when he took the foile in tempting our Saviour, he departed from him as St. Luke saith,Luke 4.13. Luke 20.40. but for a season. He is not like the Sadduces, Luke 20. who were so confounded with our Saviours answers, that they never durst ask him any more questions; but being overcome yet he will come againe: like Pharaoh, who though he were faine to let the Israelites go, yet they were no sooner gone but he present­ly pursued them; or like the Philistins (Judges 16.) who though they had often set upon Sampson and could not prevaile, yet they would not give him over but still assaulted him. For though the Devill do take the foile, yet he will not quite give over; but when he sees that he cannot prevaile one way, he will try if he can pre­vaile another. We see when God had given him leave to afflict Job. to try whether he could draw him to impatientie, and the De­vill had taken away all his goods, killed his servants, and destroy­ed [Page 93]his children, and could not in all this prevaile against him; yet he would not leave him thus, but got leave of God to assault him afresh, and to afflict his whole body with sores and ulcers; for he knows that our weaknes and infirmity is such, that though he can­not prevaile one way; yet another he may prevaile against us. If he cannot prevaile against David to lay hands on Saul the Lords annointed, yet he will try if he can tempt him to murder Ʋriah; If he cannot draw the Pharisee to extortion, adultery and the like Vices, he will go another way to work, and try if he can make him proud of his virtues.

And so though he be vanquisht in one temptation, yet he will tempt us again; & therefore we are not to be secure, but after that one temptation is past, we must expect and prepare our selves for another; yet this is our comfort, that though the Devill assault us never so often, yet God that here exhorts us to resist the Devill, will likewise help us to overcome him. Qui hortatur ut pugnes ad­juvabit ut vincas, He saith St. Augustine that exhorts thee to fight, vvill likevvise help thee to get the victory. If thou be ready to sink like Peter, Mat. 14.31. he vvill put forth his hand to keep thee from sink­ing: nay, if thou fall like Peter, yet he vvill not suffer thee to be quite overcome;Luke 22.61. but he will look back upon thee with the eye of mercy, and will raise thee again; For as the Devill encounters thee with new assaults: so God will supply thee with fresh forces, and his grace (if thou be but carefull to resist the Devill) shall be sufficient for thee against all his Temptations.

THe Apostle, having exhorted us before unto pati­ence, and not to faint when vve are afflicted, here he gives us a reason, which is as it vvere a cordiall to keep us from fainting; For it is God that sends afflictions, The Lord chastens. They be his beloved that are afflicted; He chastens whom he loves, and he he doth not torment and torture them like a tyrant; but he doth onely chasten them, even as a Father doth chasten and correct his children; For whom the Lord loves (saith the Apostle) he chastens: so that the parts to be considered in these words are three.

First,Division. The Agent or party afflicting, from vvhom these chastise­ments or afflictions are sent, and that is God, The Lord cha­stens,

Secondly, The Patient or party afflicted upon vvhom these chastisements or afflictions do light; namely the beloved of God, He chastens whom he loves.

And thirdly, The quality of the action, in the vvord chastens, vvhich implies, that they are not severe punishments; but fatherly chastise­ments.

And first for the Agent, or party afflicting, in that it is God that chastens.

The Doctrine to be gathered from hence is this,Dect. That God is the Authour of afflictions, All afflictions, all crosses and tribulations whatsoever they be, from the least to the greatest, come not by accident, chance or fortune, but by Gods providence. As we may see by these two things.

1 First, Because there is not any affliction that can light upon any man, but God hath ordained and fore-appointed the same; God, I say, in his eternall counsell, hath decreed, determined and fore-appointed whatsoever afflictiocan befall any man. This is mani­fest out of those words of the Prophet in the,Amos 3.6. 3d. of Amos, Shall there evill in a City (saith the Prophet) and the Lord hath not done it? Where by evill, is meant, not the evill of sin, but the evill of pu­nishment: for there is a two-fold evill, Malum culpae, the evill of sin, whereof God is no way the Authour (For thou art a God, saith the Prophet David, Psal. 5.4. that hast no pleasure in wickednesse.) And there is Malum paenae, the evill of punishment, as affliction and chastisement, and God is always the Authour thereof. And of this kind of evil the Prophet saith, That there shal be no such evil, no not in a whole City, but the Lord hath done it, that is the Lord hath decreed it to be done: for ye see the Prophet speaks of a future evill, Shall there be evill? and yet he saith, that the Lord hath done it, because in his decreed it. So we see that whatsoever He­rod and Pilat together with the people,Acts 4.28. did or conspired against our Saviour; yet God had decreed whatsoever they did, and they could not do any thing, but what God before in his eternall counsell had determined to be done.

Secondly, Because. God hath not only decreed all afflictions than can possibly befall us, but be doth likewise order and dispose the same, and brings them to p [...]sse in the self-same manner that he hath decreed them. For though God somtimes do use the Mini­stry of Angels to afflict us, as he used the Ministry of an Angel in the afflict on of David, and his people, by plague and pestilence: and though somtimes he use the Ministry of the Devill to afflict us, as he used the Ministry of the Devill in the affliction of Job: and though he use somtime the ministry of men to afflict us, as he used the Ministry of Josephs brethren in the affliction of Joseph, 1 King. 24. Job. 1.12. Gen. 37.28. Numb. 21.6. when he was sold to the Isra [...]lites; and though he use somtimes the Ministry of unreasonable and encelede creatures to afflict us, as the fiery serpents to [...]lict the Israelites, the heat of the Sun to [Page 96]afflict Jonas, Jonas 4.4. and a winde and a tempest to afflict the Discip [...]es, yet God himselfe is always the principall Agent,Mat. 8.24. and they but the instruments; God disposeth of the quantity and measure of our afflictions, and whomsoever he useth as instruments to afflict us, yet he restrains their power, and sets them their bounds which they cannot passe. So we see when the devill afflicted Job, God suffered him to take away all his goods, to kill his children and ser­vants, and to afflict his whole body with sores and ulcers, but he must stay there, God hath given him a charge concerning his life, and he can go no further.Job 2.6. God disposeth of our afflictions for their time and continuance, and sets down their limits vvhen they shall end and cease. So vve see in the affliction of the Israelites, that God determined the time that they should be afflicted, and the very same night that the years were expired, they were led out of Egypt, Exod. 12.41. and their afflictions ceased. God disposeth of our afflictions in regard of the end for which they were sent, by ma­king them serve for his own glory, and for our good. So we see in the affliction of Joseph, God disposed of his affliction for the benefit of his brethren. And therefore Joseph saith unto his brethren, Be not you sad, Gen. 45.5. nor grieved with your selves for that you sold me hither, for the Lord (saith he) hath sent me hither for your preser­vation. Though you (saith he) imagined evill against me,Gen. 50.20.yet God disposed it unto good. Seeing then, That God doth not only decree all afflictions, but likewise doth execute and effect the same, both by disposing of the manner of them, by limiting their time, and turning them to the end which he hath appointed, it is manifest hereby that God is the Authour of all afflictions, and that they come not by accident, chance or fortune, but by Gods pro­vidence.

Ʋse. 1 The use to be made hereof is divers.

First, Seeing God is the Authour of all afflictions, it may teach us this, That whensoever we are in any distresse, we are to passe by all second causes, and look specially upon God, as the principall Agent in all our afflictions. Many take notice of the means or instrument whereby they are afflicted, but look not up unto him that sent is: as the dog flieth upon the stone that is thrown at him, but mindeth not him that threw it, but in every affliction we look up to God as the principall Agent. Thus when Shimei reviled David. 2 Sam. 16. telling him openly before all the people, that he was a murderer and a wicked man, and that he was an usurper of [Page 97] Sauls Kingdom, and Davids Servants would have stain Shemei for railing on him, David would not suffer them to do him any harm, and he gives this reason, Suffer him (saith he) to curse me for the Lord hath bidden him: and so he looks not upon Shimei, 2 Sam. 16. 11. but he hath an eye unto God as the Authour of this affliction. Thus when the Devill had got a licence from God to afflict Job, and the Sabeans on the one side took away his oxen as they were plowing, and his asses as they were feeding in their places, and the Calde ans on the other side took away his Camels, and put his servants to the edge of the sword, Job though he understood by his servants that it was done by them, yet he passeth them by as being but the instruments, and ascribes it to God as the principall Agent. The Lord (saith he) hath given, Job 1.21. and the Lord hath taken, blessed be the name of the Lord. And thus when Joseph was afflicted by his brethren, and sold into Egypt, though he knew that this was done by them, and that of an evill intent and meer malice towards him, yet he looks not upon them, but he looks upon God as the Author of his affliction.Gen. 45.7.8. Gen. 50.20. The Lord (saith he) hath sent me hither for your preservation, and the Lord hath disposed it unto good. So that whensoever we are any way afflicted, we are to passe by all second causes, as being but the means and instruments which God useth to afflict us, but we are especially to have an eye unto God, as to the principall Agent, and to remember that it is God that chastens us.

Ʋse. 2 Secondly, Seeing God is the Authour of all afflictions, There­fore whensoever we are afflicted, we are to humble our selves under the hand of God, and to bear with patience whatsoever it shall please God to lay upon us. For seeing God is the Authour of our afflicti­ons, who as Saint Paul saith, 1 Cor. 10. is faithfull, and will not suffer us to be tempted above our power, but will give an issue with the temptation, that we may be able to bear it: and seeing that if we indure chastening, as the Apostle here telleth us in the next verse, God offers himselfe unto us as unto Sons, Heb. 12.7. he offers himself as a father unto us, therefore we are patiently to under go all afflictions that he shall lay upon us. Diogenes the Philosopher being visited with sicknesse, and being impatient by reason of his pain, his friend to comfort him, willed him to be of good chear, and to bear it with patience, because God was the Authour of his sicknesse. Oh, saith the Philosopher, but this is that which grieves me the more, this is that which maketh me the more impatient, seeing that my [Page 98]sicknesse is sent of God. But it is not so with the children of God, they are always the more patient when they are afflicted, and do bear the same without murmuring and repining, because God is the Authour of their afflication. So when old Eli 1 Sam. 3. un­derstood by Samuel, what God had threatned, even to root out his house for ever, he submitted himself unto Gods will, It is (faith he) the Lord, 1 Sam. 3.18. Psal. 39.9. let him do what seemeth him good. The like did David, Psal. 39. when the hand of the Lord was so heavy upon him, that it even consumed him, yet he bare it patiently, I became (faith he) dumb, and opened not my mouth, for it was thy doing. When Jobs wife would have had him to blaspheme, and to curse God in the extreamity of his pain,Job 2.10. Thou speakest saith Job, like a foolish woman, shall we re­ceive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evill? as thinking it unreasonable, that we should be content to receive the one, and not the other. If our earthly parents do chasten and correct us, we will endure it with patience, and should we not en­dure the chastisement and correction of our heavenly Father? We have had (saith the Apostle, here in the 9th. verse) the fathers of our bodies which have corrected us, and we have given them reve­rence, and should we not (faith he) much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits? We will suffer the Physician in the time of our sicknesse (because he hath seen our water, or felt our pulse) to let us bloud, we will suffer him to prescribe us a lesse diet, and to take away from us the use of some meats, wherein in our health we were much delighted, and we will patiently endure the want thereof, and not murmure against him. And should we not yield as much unto God, as we do to the Physician? yet if God take away from us any of those things wherein we were wont to take comfort and delight; if he afflict us with the losse of our goods, with the losse of our health, or with the losse of our friends, we presently fall into great impatiencie, as if so be God dealt too hardly with us: But doth not God know what is best for us? if he afflict thee with the losse of thy goods, he fore-saw (it may be) they would have done thee harm, and that thou would'st have set thy heart upon them. Nisi perdidisses tu illa te fortè perdi­dissent, faith Seneca. If God had not withdrawn thy riches from thee, it may be, thy riches would have withdrawn thee from God. If God take away thy health, and afflict thee with sicknes, it may be, it is to cure thee of a more dangerous disease, as fore­seeing that otherwise if thou hadst had thy health, thou wouldest [Page 99]have taken a greater surfet of the pleasures of this life. If God do afflict thee with any kind of disgrace, by suffering thee to be wronged in thy good name and credit, it may be he doth it to teach thee humility, as fore-seeing that otherwise thou wouldest have waxed proud, and vain-glorious. For vic [...]sin the mind, saith Plato, are as diseases in the body, and chastilements as medicines, and surely God is the Physician that knows best how to apply them. And therefore whensoever we are any way afflicted, we are to possesse our soules with patience, because it is God that chastens. Lastly, Seeing it is God that chastens, this may therefore teach us in all our afflictions to seek vnto God for help & deliverance, Ʋse. 3 that he that wounded us may cure & recover us, & the same hand that cast us down may raise us up again. I (saith the Lord, Deut. 32.) kill and make alive. I wound & I heal. Therefore he wils us to call upon him in the time of trouble, and he will deliver us.Deut. 32.32. For howsoever by our sins we provoke him to afflict us, yet if we call upon him for mercy and grace, he hath an ear to hear us, an eye to behold us, a heart to pity us, and an hand to help us. And thus much concerning the first point, the Agēt or party afflicting, That it is God that chastens.

I come now to the second, namely, The Patient, or party af­flicted, the beloved of God, he chastens whom he loves.

Doct. God though he love whatsoever he hath made, yet among all his creatures he loves man best, and among men especially those, who are of the houshold of faith, which is his Church. These he loves with an everlasting love, he hath given his only Son for their redemp­tion, and hath adopted them in Christ Jesus to be his children: And yet howsoever he loves them so dearly, yet many times he doth afflict and chasten them; for so we see here, whom he loves, he chastens. The Doctrine that we may gather from hence is this, That they who are in the love and favour of God, are neverthelesse afflicted. In the 11th. of Saint John, Behold Lord, John 11.3. he whom thou lovest is sick. Christ loved Lazarus, and yet did not free and ex­empt him from sicknesse.Dan. 9.23. Daniel was greatly beloved of God as the Angell Gabriel told him, yet Daniel was cast into the Lions den. The Virgine Mary was freely beloved of God, as the same Gabriel told her, Luke 1. yet a sword was to pierce through her heart, Luke 1.28. Luke 2.35. 1 Sam. 13.14. Job 1.1. as old Simeon prophesied. David was a man according to Gods own heart, yet David was often and many wayes afflicted. Job was a just and an upright man, yet Job was extraordinarily afflicted. Saint Paul was a chosen vessel of God, yet after he was converted, his whole life was nothing but a continued affliction. In a word,Acts 9.15. all [Page 100]the Patriarchs, Prophets and Apostles, and all the beloved chil­dren of God, even from the beginning of the world to this pre­sent time have suffered affliction. Therefore Christ saith Revel. 3. As many as I love, Revel. 3.19. I rebuke and chasten. Read over the Scriptures, and ye see examples hereof almost in every leafe.Gen. 39.20. In one place ye shall see Joseph cast into the dungeon, Dan. 3.20. in another the three chil­dren into a fiery furnace; 1 King. 22.27. here ye shall see Michea fed with the bread of affliction, there David washing his couch with tears; in one place ye shall see Steven stoned to death, Psal. 6.6. in another ye shall finde John the Baptist beheaded. Acts 7.59. To be short, as it was said of Rome here­tofore,Mark. 6.27. that a man could not step into any part thereof, but he should tread upon a Martyre, so a man can hardly read any part of the Scripture, but he shall light upon the affliction of the chil­dren of God either one or other: affliction being common to eve­ry one of them, and more common then any thing. The floud that overspred the whole face of the earth in the days of Noah, was common & generall, yet eight persons, ye know, were freed, frō the flood,Gen. 6.18. & preserved in the Ark Death is more cómon & general then the flood,Gen. 5.24. seizing upon the whole of-spring of Adam, and yet two persons Enoch and Elias have been freed from death,a King 2.,11 and were taken up into heaven while they were living upon the earth. Sin is more common and generall then death, and yet one person, even Christ, and he alone was free from sin, but affliction is more gene­rall then any of them all, which hath lighted upon all men without any exception, for even Christ himself though he were free from sin,Esay. 53.3. yet he was vir dolorum, as the Prophet Esay calls him, a man of sorrows, as being subject through the whole course of his life to much sorrow & affliction. For this is the condition of all Gods chil­dren, that first they must wear a crown of thorns, before they re­ceive a crown of glory; first they must suffer with Christ in this life, before they reign with him in the life to come. Therefore Christ wills us, if we will be his disciples, to take up his crosse every day, Acts 14. and follow him. And the Apostle tels us That through many af­flictions we must enter into the Kingdom of heaven.

Ʋse. 1 The use to be made hereof is two-fold. First, Seeing Goddeth visit his own children with the rod of affliction, then much lesse shall the wicked escape Gods judgements; if God chasten the godly whom he loves, and is loved of them, much lesse will he spare his enemies, & those that hate him. Prov. 11.31. Therefore Solomon, Proverbs 1 [...]. Behold the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth, much more the wicked and the sinner.

And therefore Peter, 1 Epist. 4. Chapter. If judgement, saith he,1 Peter 4.17.18. first begin at us, what shall the end of them be that obey not the Gospel? and if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? For if God chasten the one, much lesse out of doubt will he spare the other. You will say, but it is ordinarily seen in the World, that the wicked are not subject to the like afflictions that the godly are. Their houses, as Job in his 21. Chapt.Job 21.9. saith of the wicked, are peaceable without fear, and the rod of God is not upon them: and as the Prophet David saith of the ungodly, they prosper in all their wayes, and flourish like a green bay-tree. It is true indeed, and cannot be denied, that the godly many times do suffer in this World more crosses and afflictions then the wicked; but therefore we must remember that the punishment of the wicked is kept and re­served till the World to come. Lazarus was farre more afflicted in this life, that lay full of sores at the rich mans gates, and would have been glad of a morsell of bread; then the rich man was, that fared so sumptuously and lived in pleasure: but therefore what saith Abraham to the rich man, Sonne, saith he,Luke 15.25. remember that then in thy life-time receivedst thy good things, and Lazarus evill, but now is he comforted and thou art tormented. Whensoever therefore we see the godly to live in affliction and misery, and the wicked in prospe­rity and hearts-ease, yet it need not trouble us, because there will come a time when the wicked shall be punisht and the godly com­forted, When the godly shall have all their teares wiped from their eyes, Revel. 7.17. and the wicked shall suffer Gods wrath and vengeance; for if God af­flict and chasten such as he loves, much lesse shall the wicked escape Gods judgements.

Secondly, Seeing God doth chasten those whom he loves, 2. Ʋse. this may therefore teach us to beware of censuring hardly of them, that are in a­ny distresse or affliction, as if this were an argument that they are out of Gods favour, and that God hath forsaken them. We are prone to judge, amisse of those that are in distresse. If Job, be afflicted,Job 4.7.8. Acts 28.4. his friends will think that he is an Hypocrite. If the Barbarians see a Viper hang on Pauls hand, they will suspect him therefore to have been a murderer: and if the Disciples see the man that was born blind,John 9.2. they will judge that either he or his Parents had sinned, as if they must needes be wicked persons that are afflicted.

The Samaritans as Josephus writes of them, when they saw that matters went prosperously with the Jewes, they were wont to say then that they were come of Abraham; but when the Jewes were [Page 102]under the Crosse and suffered affliction, they would then derive their Pedegree from Babel and other Nations, and would not ac­knowledge them for Abrahams Children, as if only the wicked and not the godly were subject to affliction. But we see here that God chastens whom he loves, and therefore that we are not to judge hardly of such as we see afflicted.

And thus much likewise for the second point, the Patient or party that is chastned by God, namely Gods beloved, He chastens whom he loves.

I now proceed to the third and last, the quality of the action in this word chastneth, which implyeth (as I said) that God doth not torment and torture us like a tyranne, but he doth onely cha­sten us, as a Father doth chasten and correct his Children: these chastisements do not proceed from God as an angry judge, for our plague and punishment, but as from a merciful and loving Father, for our correction and amendment; for herein he offers himself unto us as unto Sonnes, as the Apostle saith. So that these chastise­ments to the godly are signes of their adoption, and pledges of Gods love and favour towards them, which that we may under­stand the better, I purpose to shew you two things.

First, vvhat these chastisements are, or how God doth chasten us.

And secondly, To what end they are, or why he doth chasten us.

Concerning the first, these chastisements of God are sometimes called in the Scripture the judgements of God: So they are called by the Apostle, 1 Pet. 4. The time, saith he, is come, that judgement must begin at the house of God. 1 Pet. 4.17. That is to say, the judgement of chastisement, for the judgements of God are of two sorts, judicia castigationis, & judicia vindicte & condemnationis, the judgements of chastisement or correction, and the judgments of revenge and condemnation.

And this distinction is taken out of St. Paul, 1 Cor. 11. When we, saith he,1 Cor. 11.32. are judged, we are chastned of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the World. So that there is a judgment of cha­stisement which lights upon the godly, and a judgment of con­demnation which lights upon the wicked. And these judgements are sometimes publick and generall, and sometimes private and particular. Publick and generall, as when a whole Land or Country is afflicted; as either by Warre, by Plague and Pestilence, by Death and Famin, and any other common and generall af­fliction.

Thus we see, 1 Chron. 21. That when David had sinned against God, by causing his people to be numbred, God to chasten and correct him for it, offers him his choise of three publick afflictions, either a generall dearth and famin all over his Land,1 Chron. 21.12. for the space of three years, or the Enemies to come and invade his Land, and prevail against him for the space of three months, or a Plague and Pestilence among his people for three dayes.

David being in this extremity, did choose rather to fall into the hands of God then into the hands of men, because there is mercy with the Lord in his chastisements, and so there died of the Pesti­lence threescore and ten thousand in three dayes. This was a ge­nerall or publick affliction.

Sometime again they are privat or particular, as when any par­ticular house or family, or any privat man is chastned and afflicted, and that either outwardly or inwardly: outwardly as by the losse of goods, by the losse of health, by the losse of friends, by the losse of liberty, and the like. And thus Gods Children are often af­flicted. Some are afflicted with want and po [...]erty, as L [...]zarus was,Luke 16.21. some with the losse of their health, as the Pal [...]i [...]-m [...] was,Mat. 9. 1 Sam. 2.23. Gen. 39.20. Job 16.2. Psal. 59.1. some are crost in their Children, as Eli was; some are wronged in their good name and credit, as Susanna was; some restrained of their li­berty, as Ios [...]ph was; some wronged by their friends, as Iob was; and some persecuted by their enemies, as David was. These are outward chastisements.

Sometimes again, God doth inwardly chasten us, as when either he leaves us for a time to our selves, so that we fall into some actual sinnes, and are afterwards grieved that we have offended God.

Thus Peter was afflicted when he had denied our Saviour, and wept so bitterly for his denial. Or when God withdrawes from us the feeling of his love and the comfort of his spirit:Mat. 26.75. So that we doubt for a time that God hath forsaken us, because we can find no inward comfort. And thus David was afflicted when he com­plained so grievously, Psal. 77.Psal. 77.7. Will the Lord absent himself for e­ver, and will he shew no more favour? hath he forgotten to be gratious, and will he shut up his kindness in displeasure? These are inward cha­stisements.

Now God in all his chastisements deales otherwise with the god­ly then he deales with the wicked. The one he chastens in love and mercy, the other he punisheth in his wrath and fury: the one [Page 104]he sustaines by his gracious assistance, and inables them to bear what he layes upon them: the other he gives over to endless de­spaire; to the one he brings a pruning knife to lop and purge them; to the other the Axe of desolation to cut them down and destroy them. And thus we see what these chastisements are.

Secondly, We are to consider to what end they are, or why he doth chasten us. The end why God doth chasten his Children. is partly for his own glory, and partly for their good. For his own glory two wayes especially.

First, To shew how greatly he is displeased and offended with sinne, insomuch that he doth not spare it in his own Children. For this is most certain, that if man had never committed sinne, he should never have been subject unto any affliction; but as soon as Adam had sinned against God, then God by afflicting him, made manifest how he is displeased and offended by sinne, because, saith God unto Adam, Gen. 3.17. Gen. 3. Thou hast eaten of the Tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldst not eat, Cursed is the earth for thy sake, in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the dayes of thy life, &c. For as there is nothing in the World but onely sinne that disho­nours God, so there is nothing but sinne that is displeasing and of­fensive unto him. And this is so offensive, that at first when it be­gan to spring up in Heaven among the Angels, God presently pulled up this weede by the root, and cast the Angels out of Hea­ven: afterwards when it began to take root in Paradise, among our first Parents, God weeded it from thence, and thrust them out of Paradise: afterwards again when it began to increase, and to spread it self all over the earth God to cleanse the earth from this pollution did send the deluge, and drowned all the world except eight persons; and still to shew how it doth displease him, even those whom he loves, he chastens for sinne, and doth not spare it in his own Children.

A second Reason, why God doth afflict us for his own glory, is to make manifest his power in our weakness, that when we are sufficiently humbled by affliction, and past all recovery of our selves, he might shew his power in our deliverance, and provoke us to thankfulness when he hath delivered us.

Thus he suffered Daniel to be cast among the Lions, the three Children to be thrown into a fiery furnace; and the Israelites to be so hotly pursued by Pharoh; that they were faine to flie through [Page 105]the read Sea with Moses, that when they were delivered, they might ascribe the glory thereof unto God, and say with the Pro­phet David, This is the Lords doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes: And these are the reasons which concern Gods glory.

Secondly, God doth chasten and correct us for our good. Si bonus est qui patitur, in bonum desinit quodcunque patitur. If he be good that suffers, it is for his good whatsoever he suffers. For howsoever afflictions seem evill to us, yet God like a skilfull Physi­tian that will make good use of poyson, turnes them to the good and benefit of his Children, and that divers wayes.

First, To withdraw us from the love of the World, and to draw us nearer to God; for when we are visited with any affliction, we are more ready to seek unto God for help, as the sick man re­paires unto the Physitian. While we live in health, and prosperity; we are more prone to forget God, as having lesse feeling of the want of his help, and we commonly take such a liking of this World, that we are loath to leave it; but when we are afflicted, then we seek unto God for help and comfort, which because we cannot find in the World, we grow weary of it.

Plutarch reports of a Souldier of Antigonus, that having a Dis­ease which was irksome unto him, it made him wearie of his life; insomuch, that he would adventure upon any danger, and there was no so desperate a piece of service, but he would alwayes be the foremost in it. The Generall much affecting him for his great valour, was at great expences to have him cured of his Disease; but when he had got him cured, looking that he should be as valo­rous and resolute as he was before, he found him far otherwise, and unwilling to put himself into any danger; whereof when the Generall asked him the reason, he gave him this answer, That when his Body was diseased, he was weary of it; but seeing that now it was whole and sound, he was loth to loose it. As it was with this Souldier, so God seeth it to be with many of us; when we are in adversity, we grow weary of this life, and can say with Jonah, Jonah. 4.8. It is better for me to die then to live: but when we are in prosperity, the case is altered; we take such a liking of this present World, that we are loath to leave it; but can say with Peter, Master it is good for us to be here; and are of the same mind as the Cardinall was, who pro­sest he would not leave his part in Paris, for his part in Paradise. And therefore as a Nurse, when she would weane the Child from sucking the dugge, will annoint her teates with some bitter thing; [Page 106]to the end, that the Child may begin to mislike them: So God to withdraw us from the pleasures of this World, sends us afflictions to reclaime us from our pleasures, and to make the same more un­savory unto us. For as the Children of Israel would never have thought of leaving Egypt, and coming into Canaan, if they had not been afflicted in the Land of Egypt: So many will never re­nounce the pleasures of this life, untill they be distasted thereof by affliction. And therefore God chastens and afflicts his Children, because affliction is a meanes to weane them from the World, and to draw them unto him.

Tentatio quasi inter­rogatio. A second Reason why God doth afflict them, is to make mani­fest those gifts and graces which lie hidden in them. For as show­ers in the spring time, cause the budds to appear which before were not seene; so afflictions make manifest many virtues in Gods Chil­dren which before lay hidden. If Abraham had not been com­manded to have sacrificed his Sonne, he had not had that occasion to have testified his obedience: and if Job had not been so grie­vously afflicted as he was, he had not had occasion to have decla­red his patience. Many virtues lie hidden in the Children of God, while they are in prosperity; but when adversity comes, then they break forth like starres in the night, and do shew themselves. I might alleage other Reasons why God doth chasten us, as to make us conformable to Christ our head, to shew us how weak we are of our selves, without Gods assistance, to stir us up to prayer, to teach us humility, and to exercise our patience; all which may hearten us in the time of affliction, because it is for our good that God thus afflicts us. We are much dejected when we are afflicted, we count our afflictions to be long and grievous for the time; but the Apostle teacheth us to make another ac­count. where he calles our afflictions both short and light, our light affliction, 2 Cor. 4.17. saith he, which is but for a moment. Some indeed are af­flicted longer then other, yet their afflictions are but short that continue longest.Acts 9.33. Mat. 9.20. We read of one Acts 9. that was sick of the Palsie, and kept his Bedde 8. years. St. Matthew tells us, of a Woman that was diseased with an issue of blood for 12. years. St. Luke tells us of a Woman that had a spirit of infirmity,Luke 13.11. and was bowed together, and could in nowise lift up her self for 18. years. St. John tells us of a Man that had been diseased 38. years. The time no doubt seemed long unto these,John 5.5. yet indeed our whole lifetime is but short, but a span long as David saith, and therefore our sufferings cannot be long, which are all comprized in so short [Page 107]a time. For afflictions are as it were Gods speedy Messengers, which he sends to do his Message or arrand unto us. Somtimes to tell us that we forget God, and therefore need be put in mind of him by being afflicted. Sometime to tell us that we are too proud, and therefore need affliction to be humbled by it: Some­times to tell us that we are too much afflicted with the love of the World, and therefore need affliction to be weaned from it. Of these and the like arrands they are sent unto us, and when they have done them, they are presently gone like the Angels which were sent over-night to Lot, and when they had done their ar­rands, went away the next morning. But though we suffered af­flictions for a long time, yet we might well count our sufferings short, in regard of that endless and infinite happiness which fol­lowes our sufferings. If our future happiness were of no longer continuance then the afflictions we suffered; yet this might com­fort us, that our sufferings come first, and our happiness after, and that our happiness is to come when our sufferings are over: which may afford us more comfort in our greatest sufferings, then the wicked can find in their greatest pleasures. The wicked have their pleasures first, they first injoy the pleasures of sin for a season, wherein they can take the losse delight; when they consider that after their pleasures are past, their sufferings are to come, which will eat up the pleasures which they have formerly taken, as the seaven years of famine which followed in Egypt, did eat up and consume the seaven years plenty which went before them.Gen. 41.30. The godly on the contrary have their sufferings first, and their happi­ness after, which being not short as their sufferings are, but end­lesse and eternall, if our hearts were affected with an unfain­ed love and desire of it, we could not but think all our sufferings short, though it were for a long time that we were to suffer, as the seaven years service which Jacob served for Ra­chell, Gen. 29.20. seemed short unto him, because he loved her.

WE have here in these words, a Proclamation as it were of open Warre, against all such as are im­penitent sinners, wherein two things are to be considered, The thing that is proclaimed, and the Person that proclaimes it. The thing that is proclaimed, There is no peace to the wicked, The Person that Proclaimes it, is the Prophet Esay, as Gods He­rald, and therefore proclaimes it not in his own, but the Lords name, not as from himself but from the mouth of the Lord, There is no peace to the wicked, saith my God.

And first,Gen. 16.12. concerning the thing proclaimed, as it was said of Ishmael, that his hand should be against every man, and every mans hand against him; so here it is said that there is no peace to the wicked, as if they were enemies unto all, and all unto them, and so had peace with none. They are enemies to God, enemies to men, enemies to themselves, and therefore can have no peace at all, either inward or outward, either at home or abroad, either with themselves or with others.

The Reason is, because indeed there can be no peace, where there is no righteousness. Therefore the Prophet, Esay 32. makes peace to be a fruit and effect of righteousness. The work, saith he, [Page 109] of righteousness shall be peace. And therefore the Prophet David, Esay 32.17. Psal. 85. joynes them both together, Righteousness, saith he,Psal. 85.10. and peace have kissed each other; where righteousness and peace as St. Austin saith, are propounded by the Prophet as two loving Friends, who so agree together, as that he who opposeth himself against the one, must needes oppose himself against the other, and so can never injoy peace, who regards not righteousness. But as Jehu said to Jehuram, 2 Kings 9. when he askt Jehu, 2 Kings 9.22 Is it peace? what peace, saith Jehu, so long as the whoredoms of thy Mother Iesabell, and her witch-crafts are so many? so while the wicked do multiply their sinnes, what peace can they have? what peace either with God, who hates all those that work wickedness; or what peace with the Creatures, who are alwayes ready to revenge Gods quarrel against his adversaries; or what peace with men, whether they be the godly or the wicked like themselves, while they hate the godly, and the godly them, as being Gods enemies; and the wicked again hate them, as knowing them to be such, as onely like them while they serve their turns, and will be as ready to do them wrong, if it be for their advantage: And what peace again can they have with themselves, while they have one with­in them that beares witness against them, even their own Consci­ence?

First, They can have no peace with God, no more then a Sub­ject can have peace with his Prince against whom he rebels. For the wicked are Rebels against God,Esay. 1.30. their disobedience in the Scri­pture is called Rebellion, to shew that while they disobey Gods Lawes, he accounts them no better then Rebels and Traytors, as if they were at defiance with him, and up in Armes against him. As indeed they are, because they both serve his Enemy the Devill, and make no account of disobeying God, so they may satisfie their own will and pleasure. For look what sinnes they delight in, they wholly devote themselves thereunto, giving them the chief place in their affection, and setting them up in Gods roome. So the E­picure makes his belly his God, the ambitious man makes honour his God, the voluptuous liver makes pleasure his God, and the covetous miser makes mony his God, because they perform that service unto them which they owe unto God; they love their pleasures, preferments and profits, more then they love God, they obey them more then they obey God, they fear more to lose them then to lose the savour of God; and they put more trust and [Page 110]confidence in them then they put in God. Therefore as they re­gard not God, so he regards not them, but when they seem to offer him their service, he rejects the same. So that even their very prayers which they keep for their last refuge, and whereby they think to curry favour with God in their distresse and affliction; are abominable unto him.

For so we see Proverbs 28.Prov. 38.9. He that turnes away his care from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination. Which is to be understood not only of such as refuse to hear it, but likewise of such as refuse to obey it, that though they tread in his courts, and come to Church, though they hear his word, and offer him their prayers yet because they are such as hate to be reformed, and will not leave their sins, God abhors all their service, and will ra­ther plague them for praying unto him, then accept their prayers. For so long as they refuse to obey his lawes, he holds them for rebels, and professeth himself an enemy to them as they are un­to him. So that the wicked can have no peace with God, because they are his enemies, and he theirs, only the godly have this peace, as being assured by faith that they are reconciled unto God in Christ Jesus, as the Apostle saith, Rom. 5.1. Being justified by faith we have peace with God through. Christ our Lord. They therefore that would be at peace with God, they must have faith, for like as our faith is, so is our peace, a true saith, a true peace, an hypo­criticall faith, an hypocriticall peace, a temporary faith, a tempora­ry peace: and look where there is a weak or no faith, there is likewise a weak or no peace. And so the wicked having no faith, to believe that God is reconciled unto them, they cannot have a­ny peace with God, but still look upon him as upon an angry Judge, and expect nothing from him but wrath and vengeance for their sin and wickednesse.

Secondly, As the wicked have no peace with God, so likewise they have no peace with the creatures, which are at enmity with them that are Gods enemies. Therefore we see how all the crea­tures from the greatest to the least, have opposed themselves against the wicked, and have armed themselves against those that have disobeyed God. Therefore God is called the Lord of Hosts, as having all creatures as souldiers under him, and ready, as it were, in battail-aray, to fight against them, that do not serve him. If God be offended with the old World for their sins, he need not march against them in his own person, but the Windows of hea­ven, [Page 111]the Springs of the earth, will conspire together, to send forth their water to overwhelm them. For all the creatures both in heaven and earth do take Gods part to execute vengeance upon his adversaries. The Angels destroyed the Army of blasphemous Ze­nacherib, slew the first-born of Egypt, and smote Herod. 2. King. 19.25. The fire from Heaven consumed the Sodomites, the two hundred and fifty that offeredincense, and Ahaziahs two Captains with their fifties. Acts 12.23. Gen. 19. 24. Num. 16.35.2 King. 1.10.11. Judges 5.20. Josh. 10.11. Exod. 14.28. Num. 16.32. Num. 21.6.2 King. 2.24.1 King. 13.24.2 King. 9.35. Acts 12.23. The Stars in their courses fought against Sicera, hailstones from heaven destroyed the Amorites, the Waters covered Pharaoh With his whole Army, the earth opened and swallowed Corah and his complices. Fie­vy Serpents stung the Israelites that murmured. Beares slew the children that derided the Prophet; a Lyon the Prophet that disobeyed the Lord; the dogges did eat Jezabell, and the wormes Herod. Hu­mane Authours are full of the like examples, how the creatures have been enemies unto the wicked. It is very memorable which they report of Ibicus the Poet, That being robbed by some ruf­fians, and haled through a field, and murdered by them, he see­ing none by, while they were thus haling him, but a company of Cranes flying over the field, he cried to the Cranes, you Cranes shall bear witnesse what they do unto me. The murderers were not known for a long time, but at last there being a great Solem­nity kept in the same field, whereat two of the murderers of Ibi­cus were present, suddenly a great noise of Cranes was heard o­ver the field, Heark, saith one of the murderers to his fellow, these are the witnesses which Ibicus said should disclose his death; which one over-hearing, and knowing that Ibicus had been mur­dered, began to suspect them, and telling the Magistrate what he had heard, they were sent for and examined, and confessed the fact, and were condemned, and executed. It were endlesse to instance in all the particulars, how the creatures have set them­selves against the wicked to revenge the Lords quarrels, and to bring them to confusion that have refused to serve him. So we read of Ha to Bonosus the Archbishop of Mentz, who was a great enemy to the poor, and was wont to call them mise and vermine, that when any poor came to him for relief in a dear year, he ap­pointed them to go into a barn, pretending that he would send them relief thither, but when they were there, he shut up the doors, and set the barn on fire, and so burnt them all to death to­gether: but afterwards by the just judgement of God he was haunted and assaulted, and pursued by mise, which could not [Page 112]by any means be kept from him, but swam after him through the River Rhene, and there devoured him. So we read of Hadrian, that proud insolent Pope, who made the Emperour stoop, and hold his stirrop, how he was afterwards stifled, and choaked by a gnat: God shewing by these and the like examples, that he hath all creatures at his beck and command to do him service and that he can pull down the pride of the greatest even by the basest creatures. The creatures were made for the service of man, as man was made for the service of God, God giving man sove­raignty over the creatures, and restoring to himself the Sove­raignty over man; but because that man rebelled against God, the creatures began to rebell against man, God making the creatures to become our enemies that were our servants, because we that were made to be his servants, were become his enemies. Therefore though the creatures be at enmity with the wicked, yet they are at peace with the godly,Psal. 34.7. Gen. 19.15. Acts 12.11. Acts 27.23, 24. Johsh 10.13. 1 King. 17.6. Exod. 14.22. Dan. 3.17. Dan. 6.22. Acts 28.5. even from the highest to the lowest. The An­gels do pitch their tents about them to preserve them from danger, free­ing Lot out of Sodom, & Peter out of prison, & comforting Paul in his dangerous voyage. The Sun & the Moon will stay their course till Joshu­ah be fully avenged of his enemies; the ravens will minister food to Elias; the waters will give way to the children of Israel when they are pur­sued by the Egyptians; the fire will not burn the three children that are cast into the furnace; the Lions will not do any hurt to Daniel, nor the viper to Paul. For the creatures are in league and at peace with them that are at peace with God, they do service to them that are Gods servants, which because the wicked are not, they therefore can neither have peace with God, nor yet with the creatures.

Thirdly, the wicked have no peace with men. Therefore it is said here in the former verse, The wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters do cast up mire and dirt. For the wicked are turbulent of their own nature, but if they be stirred or moved never so little, they begin like the sea when it is moved with winds to swell and foam, and disgorge their malice against them that offend them. Therefore it is said of the wicked, Rom. 3. Destruction and misery are in their wayes, Ro. 3.16.17 and the way of peace they have not known: not known the way of peace, either actively or passively, either to make peace among those that are at variance, or to imbrace and entertain peace when it is offered them by o­thers.Gal. 5.22. Gal. 5.20. And therefore the Apostle Gal. 5. names love and peace, and long-suffering, among the fruits of the spirit, and hatred variance [Page 113]and emulation among the Works of the flesh: to shew that as the godly, who are renewed by the spirit, live in unity and peace: so the wicked on the contrary are prone by nature to dissention and variance. They are easily drawn upon any light occasion to fall out with their neighbours, and not easily pacified, but hard to be reconciled where they have taken offence. Nay, they are so far from either making or taking peace, that they delight to sow discord and dissention among others, like the Scribes and the Pha­risees, who to make variance between Christ and his Disciples, sometimes accused the disciples to Christ,Marke 7.5. Mark. 2.6. why eat thy disciples with unwashen hands? sometimes Christ to his disciples, why eats your Master with Publicans anà sinners? and all to breed dissention and variance between them. But the godly on the contrary, who are called by our Saviour, The Sons of peace, they are peace-makers, Luke 10.16. labouring to unite and reconcile those whom they see at variance. So we read of Monistia, Saint Austins Mother, that when she heard there was variance between any of her neighbours, she would first go to one of them, and relate unto her some good of the o­ther, and having brought her to acknowledge it to be true, and wonne her to a better liking of her; then she would go to the other, and tell her that she had heard, there was some discontent between her and such a neighbour, but hoped it was not true, because she had lately been in her company, and heard her speak very well of her, and so by relating some good between them, she would breed a better liking of one to the other. Thus the godly seek to reconcile those whom they see at odds. Nay, if there happens any breach between themselves, and others, they will seek to be reconciled, though it be to their own disadvantage. So did Abraham, Gen. 13.8.9. Gen. 13. who when there fell a strife between his servants & Lots, he came unto Lot, Let (saith he) there be no strife, I pray thee, between thee and me, neither between my heard-men and thine, for we are brethren: Is not the whole land before thee? if thou wilt take the left hand, I will go to the right, or if thou wilt go to the right hand, I will take the left. Where you see how desirous he was of peace. Though Abraham were a better man then Lot, yet he stood not upon that, he stayed not till Lot would come unto him, but he went unto Lot, and was the first that sought reconcile­ment: and rather then he would not have reconcilement between them, he offers him his choise of the whole land, and so was content to purchase peace, though it were to his own losse and [Page 114]hinderance. For the godly who are the children of God, do imitate God,Heb. 13.6. who is called in the Scripture the God of peace, and therefore they are peace-makers, both seeking to unite and recon­cile others that are at dissention, and desiring if it were possible, and as much as lieth in them, to have peace with all men: whereas for the wicked, because they do not delight in peace, it is far from them: and have not either any peace with God, nor peace with the creatures, nor peace with men.

Lastly, As they have no peace abroad so none at home, as they have no peace with others, so none with themselves. They carry within them a guilty conscience which doth accuse and con­demn them, and will not suffer them to be at peace. Their con­science indeed doth not always trouble them, but then when it doth not, their case is more desperate. For like as it is in the sicknesse of the body, vvhen the pulse doth not beat, the body is in a more dangerous estate; so it is likevvise in the sicknesse of the soul: When the conscience doth not beat and check them for sin, their case is more dangerous, because it is a signe, that their conscience is seared (as Saint Paul speaketh) with a hot-iron; 1 Tim. 4.2. and that their custom of sinning doth take avvay from them the sense of sin, and makes them past feeling. But when sicknesse or any other crosse or affliction is laid upon them, whereby the con­science is wakened again, then it begins to torment them afresh and will so terrifie and affright them with the sight of their sins, that they shall finde no rest. Though the wicked had all the wealth in the world, and wanted nothing that their hearts could desire for their outward estate, yet as long as their sins are a wound to their souls, and a torment to their conscience, they can never have any peace in themselves. For this peace is only wrought by faith in Christ, whereby a man believes that Christ hath made a full satisfaction to God for all his sins, and therefore that they shall not be laid to his charge, which faith, because the wicked have not, nor ever can have, while they continue in their sins, they cannot have this peace, and wanting this peace, they want the greatest blessing that is. For he that hath this peace, though he have nothing besides, yet he wants not any thing, and he that wants this peace, though he have every thing else, yet indeed he hath nothing. This peace is a continuall feast to the godly, it makes them to fare (as it is said of the rich man in the Gospel)every day de­liciously. And this peace is the fruit of our peace with God, which Christ the Prince of peace, bath purchased for us, and bequeathed [Page 115]unto us and therefore calls it his peace, John 15. Peace leave I with you,John 14. [...].my Peace give I unto you, not as the World gives, give I unto you. For all the principalities and powers in the World, are not able to give us one jot of this Peace. The peace which the World gives, is false and uncertaine and doth oftten deceive us; but this is a true and certaine peace which never fails us; the peace which the world gives is onely outward, and onely affords us externall content, but this peace extends to the quieting of the conscience the peace which the world gives is only transitory as the world is, but this is as per­manent as the giver of it; for this is one of the chief of his gifts whose gifts you know are without repentance; And therefore he gives it onely to the godly and not to the wicked.

We have heard then, the thing that is proclaimed, that the wick­ed can have no peace, no peace with God, no peace with the crea­tures, no peace with men, no peace with themselves, their vvant of the first, their want of peace with God being the cause that they want the rest and have no peace with others.

Doct. And from hence we may observe, That there can be no security to those who continue in their sinnes. For how can they have any se­curity, who are not at peace with God, but have him for their enemy. God is never enemy to any but onely for sinne, sin is that which incenses his wrath and provokes him to punish them;Esay 63. there­fore saith the Prophet Esay 63. They rebelled and vexed his holy spi­rit, therefore he was turned to be their enemy and fought against them. And the Apostle to the same purpose, Rom. 1. The wrath of God saith he, is revealed from Heaven, against all unrighteousnes and un­godlinesse of men. Rom. 1 13. When therefore we see Gods wrath break forth against any place, as ye know he hath many wayes revealed of late against this Land, by that heavy visitation of Plague and Pestilence, whereby he swept away so many thousands, by hot burning-Fea­ver and other grievous diseases in the most places, by unseasonable­nesse of weather and immoderate showers, by suffering the enemy to give us the foile, and to have the better of us, and many other wayes; we may well be assured that our sins have provoked him, and if we repent not, these are but the fore-runners of greater judgements. God is not easily provoked to anger, but many times beares a long time with sinners, that by his forbearing them he might draw them to repentance; but if they go on, he will more and more manifest his wrath against them; which as their sinnes increase growes further and further, like fire which first takes hold [Page 116]of one house and then goes to another. He powres not out his whole Viall of his wrath at once but by degrees, the former judge­ments making way for the latter; the lesse for the greater; first making some smart that others may amend; which if they do not, his wrath will break forth upon them altogether. So we see he dealt with Pharaoh, God brought sundry plagues upon him and his people; yet the latter were more fearfull and grievous then the former, and when none of those judgements which he had powred upon them would make them take warning, in the end he drowned them all in the Red-Sea together. So when our Saviour Math. 24 had forthtold many judgements that should come up­on Jerusalem, for their contempt of the Gospel, and for their refu­sing and rejecting of grace when it was offered unto them, he adds this, That the end is not yet, and that all these are but the beginnings of sorrows: as they found afterwards by wofull experience; For in the end, vvhen he had many wayes plagued them before, and they were ne're the better, he powr'd out his wrath in full measure up­on them, and brought utter desolation upon them all. They might have understood by the former punishments (which were the be­ginning of their sorrowes) that there were greater coming except they prevented them; as when a man sees the smoke breaking out of the house, he may know there is sire, which will break forth into a flame if it be not looked to in time: And so may we, we may understand by Gods former judgements, that there are greater hanging over our heads, except we prevent them by unfeigned re­pentance. Let every one therefore in the feare of God, turn un­to him by true humiliation; assuring our selves, that as long as we continue impenitent in our sinnes, we make God our enemy, and so can have no peace.

And thus much for the thing that is here proclaimed, That there is no peace to the wicked. I come now briefly to the person that pro­claims it, the Prophet from the mouth of the Lord, Thre is no peace to the Wicked saith my God.

Doct. The Prophet proclaiming this fearfull doome against the wick­ed, he shewes that he is but Gods Herald, that he doth not pro­claime it in his own, but the Lords name; and that it was God that spake by him.

And from hence we may observe, That it is God that speakes by the mouth of his Messengers, and that the Message which they deliver, is not theirs that bring it; but Gods that sent it. Which serves for the [Page 117]instruction both of Gods Ministers, and of those that hear them. That Ministers are to deliver nothing but the Word of God, that they may be able to say as the Prophet here saith, saith my God, And as St Paul saith, That which I delivered unto you, I received from the Lord. Non valet haec ego dic [...], haec tu dicis, sed haes dicit do­minus. It is not sufficient saith St: Augustine to say, I say thus, or thus thou sayest, unlesse we can say, the Lord saith thus; That while we deliver no more then that which is agreeable to the Scripture, we may be sure we deliver Gods Message, and that we speak that which God puts into our mouths.

Secondly, This serves to instruct the hearers, that they must make account that they hear the Lord while they hear his Messengers. Therefore it is that the faithfull say Esay 2. Come let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord, the house of the God of Jacob, and he will teach us his ways, as making account that they were taught by God, while they were taught by his Ministers. He saith our Saviour,Luke 10.16. 1 Thes. 2.13. Luk. 10. that heareth you heareth me. And therefore St. Paul com­mends the Thessalonians 1 Thes. 2. that when he preacht among them, they heard what he delivered, not as the word of man but as the Word of God. Ye know when a Cryer doth make Proclamation in the Princes name, the Proclamation is to be heard, not as his that ut­ters it, but as his that sent it. Now Ministers are as it were Christs Heralds, to proclaime and make known his will unto us; which while they Proclaime, we must make account that we hear him while we hear them. And therefore as this serves to shew their fol­ly who make the lesse account of hearing the Word, because they are but men like themselves that deliver it: so it likewise serves to reprove those who are offended with Ministers when they re­prove their sinnes. For what reason hath any man to be offended with the Messenger for the Message lie brings, seeing he speaks not in his own name but in his that sent him. and it is not his, but his Lords Message.

THe scope of the Apostle in these words is this, to shew us the infallible truth of the Scriptures. And this he shews by the Author thereof two waies. First Negatively, that the Scriptures are not of mans invention For the prophecy (saith he) came not in old time by the will of man. Secondly Affirmatively, that the Holy Ghost was the Au­thour of them; But holy men of God (saith he) spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

But some man may say, Indeed the Apostle saith thus, but how doth he prove it? He saith, as St. Paul doth, that the Scriptures are inspired of God; 2 Tim. 3.16. but how doth he prove it? When Aristotle that great profound Philosopher, saw the books of Moses. and read what he wrote about the Creation of the world, he misliked his Books, because he proved not that which he wrote. Hic omnia di­cit, nihil probat, This man saith he, saith every thing, but he proyes nothing: But we are to remember, that though we may doubt of that which men say, because all men are lyars as the Scripture saith, and so need proofs to consume their sayings; yet the Scrip­ture [Page 119]being the Word of God, is of it self sufficient to credit and need not any proof for the confirmation of it.

The Jewes have a saying, that the Law doth not need any fortification, in regard that God was the Authour of it: and so God being the Authour of the whole Scripture, it needs no fortificati­on or proof to strengthen it; but whatsoever we find written therein, we need make no question of the truth thereof, but are bound to believe it.

True may some say, if we were assured that the Scriptures are the Word of God, & that God & not man was the Author of them, then we need make no question of the truth of those things which we find therein; But how shall we know them to be Gods word, and that no other was the Authour of them? Which because it is the summe of that which the Apostle delivers in these words, I purpose briefly to handle this question, How a man may know and be fully assured, that the Scriptures must needs be the word of God?

Concerning which question, there is a great controversie be­tween us and the Church of Rome. They say, that the onely Testi­mony of the Church, is sufficient to perswade us that the Scripture is the Word of God; and that if it were not for the Testimony of the Church, we could not give any credit to it. We say, that the Scripture is known to be Gods Word, by the inward Testimony of Gods Spirit; and that without this Testimony to perswade us hereunto, the testimony of the Church and of all other whatsoever, is insufficient.

Titubabit si­des nostra, si Scripturae vacillet au­toritas. Au­gust. de Doct. Christ. lib. 1. cap. 37. Our faith will stagger, saith St. Augustine, if the authority of the Scripture stand not firme. But how can the authority of the Scripture stand firme, if it be built onely upon so weak a foundati­on as the testimony of man; For the Church is subject to errour, both in doctrine and manners; and therefore this testimony may deceive us: But we require an infallible proof for the certainty of the Scriptures. They say that the Testimony of the Church is in­fallible, and when we wil have them to prove it, they prove it thus, because it is the pillar and ground of truth,1 Tim. 3.15. as the Scripture tells us. Thus if a man doubt of the authority of the Scripture, to prove it they send him to the testimony of the Church; and while he doubts of the truth of the testimony of the Church, to prove it, they send him back again to the Scripture. But if the Church be sufficient to perswade a man that the Scriptures are the word of God, how comes it to passe that Turks & Insidels, who have often heard this testimony of the Church, are not yet perswaded of the truth of the Scriptures.

How many thousands of Jewes are now living in Italie, and ma­ny of them in Rome, who deny the Gospel, and are not yet per­swaded that Christ is come? If the onely Testimony of the Church be sufficient, why make they not proof thereof upon them, that the World may see the virtue and efficacy of it: But we know experience tells them daily to their faces, that they cannot do it; and if you ask them the reason, they can give none but this, be­cause of the blindness and unbelief of the Jewes: why therefore say we, that that which is able to assure a man, that the Scripture is Gods word, must be able to illuminate his understanding, and to give him faith that he may believe it, but this is onely the work of Gods spirit. There is nothing more ordinary among the Pro­phets; then when they delivered Gods vvord to the People, to tell the People that it was Gods vvord which they delivered. Heare the word of the Lord, saith Esay (1.10.) The word of the Lord came unto me, saith Jeremie (1.4.) and thus every one of the Pro­phets from the first to the last, do testifie that they delivered the vvord of God.Esay 53.1. But who hath believed our report, saith Esay, so that where there was one that believed it, there were many that did not: and therefore if neither the vvord it self, nor the testi­mony of the Prophets concerning the vvord, could perswade them that it was the vvord of God, much lesse is the testimony of the Church sufficient, when St. Paul preached at Phylippi, Acts 16. there were many that heard him; but it is said there of Liddia, onely that God opened her heart, so that she attended unto that which he spake:Acts 16.14. now if she could not so much as attend unto those things which St. Paul delivered, unlesse that God had first opened her heart; much lesse could she have believed, that that which he spake was the vvord of God, but by the inward operati­on of Gods spirit:

The Word is sometimes called a light, because it is lightsome in it self as the Sunne, but as the Sunne though it be never so light­some, yet it cannot be discerned by those that are blind: So the Word, though in it self it be never so glorious, yet it is not appa­rent to us till our hearts be opened. The Word is sometime com­pared to seed, because it is fruitfull like the seed that is sowen; but as the seed which is sowen cannot bring forth increase, but by the influence and virtue which it receiveth from Heaven; no more is the word fruitfull and effectual in us, till God by his spirit give a blessing unto it. The word is not unlike the poole in Jerusalem, [Page 121]whereof there is mention John 5. The poole though it cured all outward Diseases, yet it had not this virtue, but then onely when the Angell did stir the waters: the word though it be the means to cure our inward infirmities, yet it cannot do it but onely by the motion of Gods spirit.

Now the first Disease which is to be cured is out spiritual blindnss, whereby we are ignorant of Gods will, his vvill is suffici­ently revealed in his vvord but we cannot discerne it to be his word till God by his spirit do inlighten our understanding. And there­fore St. Paul saith, 1 Cor. 2. vve have received the spirit of God,1 Cor. 2.13. that we might know the things that are given us of God: and presently after in the same Chapter, but the natural man, saith he, perceives not the things of the spirit of God, for they are foolish­ness unto him, neither can he know them because they are spiritu­ally discerned.

Now least we should imagine, that because we are assured of the truth of Gods vvord, onely by the testimony of Gods spirit, that therefore till his spirit do work faith in our hearts, the testi­mony of the Church, and the hearing of the word is but va [...]n and needless: we are to understand, that Gods spirit doth ordinarily beget faith in the godly by these outward meanes.

For first, the Testimony of the Church concerning the vvord, in­vites us to come with the rest to hear it, and while we are diligent and attentive in hearing it, Gods spirit doth ordinarily beget faith in our hearts, whereby we believe it; and when faith hath once taken root in our hearts, then we are so fully resolved of the truth of the Scriptures, that all those arguments whereof before we made but light account, are now like infallible demonstrations un­to us. For then we see plainly how necessary it was, that God should reveal his vvill unto us; and that if he have not revealed it in the Scripture, he hath revealed it no where. But that it is his will which he hath revealed in his vvord, these Reasons will con­firm us.

First, In that the majesty of Gods spirit doth appear in every part of the Scripture, wherein there is nothing that savours of hu­mane wisdom; but every thing therein is heavenly and divine, for if we consider the matter thereof, it far exceeds all humane inven­tion. For who could tell us of the Creation of the vvorld, and the fall of Angels? of the corruption of the whole nature of man, through the transgression and disobedience of our first Parents? [Page 122]of the redemption of the vvorld by the coming of the Messias? of the rewards of the faithfull in the life to come, and the punish­ment of sinners? These things and many other which the Scripture reveals, do so far go beyond the capacity of man, that had not God revealed them in his word, they could never have been known.

Secondly, If we consider who penned the Scripture, we shall find them for the most part to be simple men, and therefore of themselves not capable of those heavenly mysteries which they have revealed in their vvritings.Hos. 11.1. Zach. 11.12.13. Psal. 22.16.18. They were not learned, and yet they foresaw things to come, as if they were present, and foretold many things which many hundred years after did come to passe. They were not eloquent, and yet more powerfull in moving the affections, then Tullie, Demosthenes, and all the Rhetoricians in the vvorld besides. They lived not together, but in divers ages and se­veral places, and yet they agree so perfectly without the least con­tradiction, as if they had had but one mind among them. In a word,Deut. 32.51. Jonah 1.3.6: Jonah 4.9. they were not as other men given over to sin, but lived more uprightly then the most in their times, and yet they have re­gistred their own sins and infirmities, to remain as it were upon the file unto all Posterities, which had they been led by humane wisdom, they would never have done. All which shewes, that howsoever the Scriptures were written here by men, yet they were indicted by God in Heaven.

Thirdly, If we consider the perfection of the Law which is call­ed the Decalogue, we shall see that none but God could be the Authour of it. For there is not any good either outward or in­ward, which we are bound to perform to God or man, but it is there commanded, nor any evil from which we are to abstain, but it is there prohibited: all which to be comprized in so few words, farre exceeds the invention of men or Angels. Mens Lawes how­soever they fill many large Volums, yet they are still imperfect, and daily want something to be added unto them, which when they were made was not thought upon: Sometimes again they must have something detracted, that being thought convenient for the time when the Law was made, which afterwards is found to be inconvenient, in regard that mens conditions do so often change. So that as it is in the fable, when the Moon upon a time begged a new Coat of her mother: her Mother replied, that it was impossible to make her a Coat which would be fit for her, by [Page 123]reason that her shape did so often alter, as being now in the full, now in the wane, one while in one form, and strait in another: So it is impossible for men or Angels to make Lawes, which without adding or detracting should serve for all persons and all ages, be­cause their manners and conditions do so often change. But this Law which we find recorded in the Scripture, is so absolute and perfect, that it serves for all persons, in all places and all ages, and yet needes nothing to be added or detracted. All other Lawes ex­tend no further then to mens sayings or doings, their words and their actions, and take hold of them onely if they be not answera­ble to the Law, but for the thoughts of mens hearts they do not inflict any penalty upon them, but do leave them free. The Civi­lians say, Cogitationis paenam in foro nostro nemo luat, let no man be punisht in our Court for a thought. But this Law doth search into the secrets of the heart, not only restraining our actual sins, but our sinfull thoughts, even our very first motions and inclinati­ons to sin, though we do not yield our consent thereunto, to put the same in execution.Rom. 7.7. St. Paul saith Rom. 7. that he had not known concupiscence to be a sinne, if the Law had not said, Thou shalt not covet. For like as the Sunshine doth make us to see the least atomes or moaths, which if it were not for the bright light of the Sunne, we could not discerne: So this bright light of the Law discovers the least and most secret sins, which without this Law we could not have known. All other Lawes because they cannot judge of the heart, do require no more then outward obe­dience, and judge well of him that lives according to the Law for his outward Carriage. But this Law which as the Apostle saith, Heb. 4. is a discerner of the thoughts and intents, Heb. 4.1 [...]. requires both out­ward and inward obedience, and judgeth not him to be a good man, who frames himself outwardly to the observing of the Law, but not inwardly. For as a man is not to be counted well and in good health, though his hands and feete, and all the rest of his outward parts be sound and perfect, if his lungs or any other of his inward parts be unsound and diseased. So this Law doth not count him to be a good man, though his outward actions seem ne­ver so good, if his inward parts, his thoughts and affections be ill and disordered. In a word, all other Lawes propound no other but temporall rewards to those that observe them, and temporall punishments to such as trangress them: but the rewards and pun­ishments which this Law propounds, are both corporall and spiri­tuall, [Page 124]temporal and eternall, both in this World, and the World to come. By all which it is plain, that this Law which we find recor­ded in the Scripture, is in many respects more absolute and per­fect, then all the flowers which men have invented, and therefore that God and no other could be the Authour of it.

Fourthly, If we consider what effects the Scriptures work in the hearers and readers of them, it will confirm our faith in this point, that they must needes have God for their Authour, and not man.

The Doctrine which is contained in the Scripture, is quite op­posite and contrary to flesh and bloud, and crosses our nature. We naturally desire to live in peace and prosperity, we affect honour and advancement, ease, riches, pleasures, liberty and the like; which if the Scripture had promised, it would in all likelihood have been a motive to make men the more to affect and imbrace it. But we see the Scripture promises the quite contrary to these, crosses and troubles, persecution and hatred for the Gospels sake, and yet the sound thereof is gone through the World, and thousands do daily more and more affect it. When Cyrus would perswade the Lacede­monians to follow him in the Warres, he made them this promise, whosoever, saith Cyrus, will be my followers, if they be foot-men I will give them Horses; if they be Horse-men I will give them Chariots; if they have Houses and Tenements of their own, I wil give them Villages; and if they have Villages, I vvill make them Lords of Townes and Cities; and for gold and silver, I vvill heap it unto them by vveight and by measure.

Thus Cyrus allured them by his fair promises, as the likeliest meanes to vvinne their affections.Luke 9.23. But vvhat saith Christ in the Gospel to his followers? If, saith he, ye will be my Disciples, ye must daily take up my Crosse upon you; you must leave your Parents, Wives, Children and Friends, and all you have to follow me, you must be reviled and persecuted,Mat. 10.22. and hated of all men for my names sake.

Now this ye know, should rather hinder men when they read the Scriptures from imbracing the Gospel, and becoming Christi­ans: yet so effectual are the Scriptures, through the operation of the spirit in those that read or hear them, that nothing can hinder them from imbracing the same, which is an evident proof that no other but God could be the Authour thereof.

Lastly, if we consider the long continuance, and antiquity of the Scripture, how God in all ages hath miraculously preserved it, not­withstanding the malice of Satan, and all those Tyrants, and Per­secuters, who have opposed themselves against it, we may plainly see that it is the word of God. When the Jewes would have hin­dred the Preaching of the Apostles Acts 5.Acts 5.38.39. it was Gamaliels Coun­sell to let them alone, and he gave this reason, for saith he, if it be of men it will come to nought, but if it be of God ye cannot destroy it. All false Religions which have had their beginning and original from man, have continued for a time and have afterwards va­nish't: but the true Religion which the Scripture containes, hath continued without change in all ages, nay the more it hath been opposed the more it hath flourish't, God having ordain'd that the Persecution of those that professe the Gosple vvhich in all likeli­hood vvould have been a meanes to have rooted it out, should make men the more to affect and imbrace it. Histories are full of examples to this purpose, I will onely name one, and that out of Sozomen, when Christianity began to increase in Persia, the King being an enemie to the true Religion, sought by all meanes to root it out of his Kingdome. And first he imposed so grievous taxes up­on the Christians, that many thereby were brought into Poverty. And seing that the number still increased more, and that they would not leave their Religion for the losse of their goods, he threatned them in the end with the loss of their lives. Some few re­volted for feare of Torment, but the number of professers did daily increase, though they daily were Martyr'd. Amongst the rest, Simeon the Arch-Bishop of Seleucia vvas apprehended, and because he persisted in the profession of the Gospel the King sent him to Prison. And as he was going, Vstazares one of the Kings chiefe Officers about his house (vvho had been a Christian but for feare of torment had renounced his Religion) met the Bishop in the way and offered to salute him, but the Bishop turned away from him as from an Apostata, and would not vouchsafe to look at him;

Oh wo is me: saith Vstazares, what favour can I look for at Gods hands, whom I have denied, when in regard of my apostacy, my familiar friend will not vouchsafe me a word? And thus mourning and lamenting he ran to the King, and openly profes­sed himself a Christian, and added further, that he would never recant the second time whatsoever became of him. The King [Page 126]commanded that he should be beheaded at such a time, and when the time came, Vstazares sent this message to the King, to desire him that for all the faithfull service which he had ever done him, he would grant him this favour, that while he was led to the place where he should be beheaded, a Herald or Crier might go before him, and make proclamation, that Vstazares was to suffer, not for any treason or evill that he had committed, but only because that he was a Christian. The King granted his suit, as thinking that this would be a means to terrifie others, when they should hear that the King would not spare, no not those who were his chief Officers, if they professed themselves Christians. This in all likelihood should have been a means to make others revolt, but this made them to be far more couragious and resolute. Some imbracing the block where they were to be beheaded, as if their beheading had been their coronation: others running with such alacrity to the stake where they were to be burnt, as if the very flames which they were to enter into, had been the Gates of Heaven: The per­secution of the faithfull in all ages, being the whetstone of faith, as Saint Jerome calls it, which makes the godly that are persecuted the more willing to suffer, and the persecutours when they see they cannot prevail, the more willing to give over. In so much that Dioclesian a grievous persecutour, when he had used all the means that ever he could for the utter abolishing of the Christi­an profession, when he had sent out his Edicts for the burning of the Scriptures, for the torturing of Christians, and putting down their Churches, and saw in the end that he could prevail nothing, for very spight and anger he gave over his Kingdom. I might fur­ther shew you this, by the miserable ends of all those, who have professed themselves enemies unto the professours of that Doctrine which the Scriptures teach. Pharaoh the first persecutour of the Church that ever was, was overwhelmed in the red-sea with all his host. Dathan and Abiram, the first Scismaticks that ever were, were swallowed up of the earth, with all their Consederats: and such have been the ends of such as have succeeded them.

To passe over the examples which the Scriptures alledge,Pilat. Pilat who had unjustly condemned [...] Saviour,Euseb. lib. 2. cap. 7. fell afterwards into such misery that he slew [...], and so of an unjust Judge be­came a just Executioner.Nero. Nero after that he had made havock of the Church of Christ, he fell in the end into such extreamity, that he would have accounted it for a favour of any man that would [Page 127]have slain him, Ergone (saith he) nee amicum habeo, nee inimicum? as complaining that he could find neither friend nor foe, that would vouch safe to kill him, in the end he grew desperate, and stabbed himself.Maximinus. Maximinus as great a persecutour as ever Nero was, was struck by God with a strong disease, an invisible fire, as Eusebius writes, inwardly eating and consuming his flesh, and leaving him nothing in a short time but skin and bones, his eyes burnt out of his head through the extreamity of his torments, and he cried out before he died, that now Gods vengeance was lighted [...] him for his former persecutions.Valerian. Valerian the Emperour a­nother persecutour, was first taken captive, and led in triumph in his Emperours robes, & afterwards by the command of Sapores the King of Persia, he was flead alive, and so was tortur'd himself as he had tortur'd the Christians.Julian Apo­stata. Julian the Apostata in his wars against the Persians was wounded on the suddain, he knew not how nor by whom, Theoderet thinks he might be smote by an An­gell, Callistus that was present, saith he was struck by the De­vill, whosoever he was he was sent by Christ, by Julians own confession, for casting up some of his blood towards heaven, he cried out against Christ, Vieisti Galilee, Thou hast got the victory thou Galilean: and thus he died raving. Nay, when he was dead, the earth opened (saith Nazianzen) and swallowed it down, as not vouchsafing to bear so accursed a burthen.

It were endlesse to instance in all those particulars, whom God for their persecuting his truth in the Scriptures, hath made fear­full examples unto all others. The same may likewise be said of Hereticks, who seeking by their false & impious doctrins to corrupt the truth, have miserably perished in all ages.Simon Ma­gus. Simon Magus the father of all Heresies, as Eusebius calls him, having gotten great credit by his sorcery and Magick, persvvaded the people that he vvas God, but through Peters prayers as he was flying in the aire, his god-head failed him, and he vvas fetcht dovvn head-long. Olympius vvho blasphemously denied the Trinity, Olympius. vvhile he askt contemptuously, hovv three could be one, and one three? vvas smote with three fiery darts from Heaven, the points of these three joyning all in one.Arrius. Valent. Manes. Montanus. Nestorius. Lucian. Arrius, while he was doing that which nature requires, his bowels gusht out, and he miserably perisht. Valens the Arrian was burnt by the Gothes, Manes, was flead alive by the Persians: Montanus became his own hangman like Judas, Nestorius had his tongue eat a sunder with wormes. Lucian was [Page 128]worried and torne in pieces with Doggs. In a word, God hath alwayes been so zealous in the defence of his truth, that they who have opposed it, have not escaped unpunished; but howsoever, he hath let them go on for a time, yet in the end he hath payed them home, bringing vengeance and destruction like a whirle­wind upon them; which evidently shewes, that God is both the Author and Protector of the Scriptures.

Are the Scriptures then the word of God, 1. Ʋse. this therefore first serves te condemn the Papists, who vilifie the Scriptures and magnifie traditi­ons, giving more then they should do unto traditions, and less [...] [...] Scriptures, by making traditions to be more then they are, and [...] Scriptures lesse. Which put me in mind of a certain Epitaph, which one made of Erasmus, and when he had made it, he shewed it to his friend, and willed him to read it.

The Epitaph was this.

Out upon't, saith his friend, why what have you done? be in bonus is short, and you have made it long: true, saith the maker, but therefore I hope ver in vermibus is long, and I have made it short, and so have made amends for the former fault. And so do the Papists, they give more then they should do unto traditions, but therefore lesse to the Scriptures, seeking to cover one fault with another, and so double their fault, and make it the greater.

Secondly, 2. Ʋse. This serves to condemn those, who believe not the Scri­pture to be Gods word, as they shew they do not, who are not carefull to conforme their lives unto it. For do they who securely go on in their sins, believe what God threatens in his vvord against sinners? Doth the profane swearer, who can hardly speak a word but an Oath must follow it, believe this for certain, that God as he threa­tens, will not hold him guiltless that takes his name in vain? Exod. 20.7. Doth the common Drunkard believe this,1 Cor. 6.10. that no such shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven? Doth the Adulterer believe this, that Whore­masters and Adulterers God will judge? Heb. 13.4. Doth he that withholds the Labourers hire believe this,James 5.4. that the hire of the Laborers doth [Page 129]crie in the eares of the Lord of Hosts? Doth he, that deferrs and puts of his repentance, and yet presumes upon Gods mercy, be­lieve that to be true, that they who despise the riches of Gods bounty, and abuse his patience, Rom. 3.5. treasure up wrath to themselves against the day of Wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgement of God? In a word, doth any wicked liver believe this to be true,Rom. 2.9. 2 Thes. 1.8. that tribulation and anguish shall be upon every soule that doth evill? and that the Lord in flaming fire shall render vengeance to those that obey not the Gospell? For if they believed these things, it would strike such a terror into their soules, that they would not suffer their eyes to sleep, nor the temples of their heads to take any rest, till they had unfainedly humbled themselves for their sins past, and had testified to the World, by the reformation of their lives, that they are assured that God is the Authour of the Scriptures.

And lastly, Seeing God is the Authour of the Scriptures, it may therefore teach us, both to hear and read them with all reverence, 3. Ʋse. to re­nounce all Doctrines which agree not with the Doctrine which the Scripture containes, and if occasion requires, to stand in defence of the truth of those things that we find written therein, even to [...] losse of our lives, as many Thousar [...]oly Martyrs have done [...]re us.

THese words are an answer which was sent by Christ unto John the Baptist. For John the Baptist, as we see before, had sent two of his Disciples with this question to ou [...] Saviour, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? Christ to prove himself to be the Messias, refers them to the works which were done by him, Goe, saith he, and shew John what ye hear and see, The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the Leapers are cleansed, &c. Which words will not well admit any division; but for order sake we may observe two things in them, the persons and the cure which was wrought upon them. The persons ye see are of divers sorts; some blind, some lame, some Lepers, some deaf, some dead, and some poor, and every one of them had their severall cure. The blind received their sight, the lame walked, the Leapers were cleansed, the deafe heard, the dead were raised up, and the poor had the Gospel preached unto them. But it may be demanded, how Christ did shew by these works which he did, that he was the Messias; when we [Page 131]read that the like works have been done by others.Acts 9.17. Did not Ana­nias Acts 9. restore Paul to his sight, when he was struck blind? Did not Peter and John, Acts 3. restore the cripple, Acts. 3.6.7. that had been lame from his mothers womb? 1 King. 17.23. Did not Elias and Elizeus raise some that were dead: and have not the like miracles been wrought by others? But the answer is, That between the works which,2 King. 4.36. were done by them, and which were done by Christ, there is a great difference. For first, the miracles which they wrought, were not wrought by their own power, but by the power of God, God using them as his instruments to work those miracles. Therefore saith Saint Austine, Sancti non propria virtute miracula fecerunt, sed deo in illis operante. Those holy men did not work miracles by their own power and virtue, but by the power of God that wrought so them. Therefore we see, that they alwayes wrought them in his name, and prayed unto him that he would inable them.Acts. 9.17. The Lord hath sent me (saith Ananias to Paul) that thou mightest receive thy sight. Acts 3.6. In the Name of Jesus of Nazareth (saith Peter to the Creeple) arise, and walk. O Lord my God, 1 King. 17.23. I pray thee (saith Eliah when he raised the Widowes son) let this childs soule come unto him again. And so Elizeus prayed, when he resto­red to life the Shunamites Son.2 King. 4.36. All shewing thereby that they did not these miracles by their own power, but as God inabled them. But Christ did all by his Word and Command, as by his own power. This was that which the Centurion acknowledged, Speak (saith he) but the word, and my servant shall be healed; Mat. 8.8. and he proves it in the words following by an excellent reason, For I am a man (saith he) under authority, and have souldiers under me, and I say to this man, go, and he goes, and to another, come, and he comes, and to my servant, do this, and he doeth it. As if he had said, If I can do this by my authority, then what canst thou do? I am a man, and thou art God, I am under the authority of ano­ther, but thou art Lord over all; I have souldiers and servants at my command, to do as I will them; Sicknesse is thy souldier, and health is thy servant, and thou mayest command them; Say but thou to the palsie, go, and it will be gon; say thou to health, come, and it will come: and what thou willest them to do, they will do the same. Therefore in the Gospell, we see how he com­manded when he wrought any miracle. So when he raised the young man to life, Luke 7.14. Young man (saith he) I say unto [Page 132]thee, Mat. 8.3. arise. So when the Leper said to Christ, Mat. 8. Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. He presently answered, I will, be thou clean. Luke 18.42. So to the blind man, Luke 18. Receive thy sight. And thus he wrought miracles by his Word and Command which others did not.

Secondly, Though others have wrought some miracles, yet Christ hath wrought more then they all together. Some have cured the lame, but have not restored the blind; some have hea­led the sick, but have not raised the dead; some have done one cure, but not another, but Christ did all: Healing as we see Mat. 4. all manner of diseases among the people, Mat. 4.23. and doing those works, John 15.24. as himself testifies, John 15. which were never done by any other: as we shall see in handling the severall cures which he wrought here. Where first, it said, That the blind receive their sight.

We read in the Scripture of a two-fold blindnesse, the one outward, the other inward; the one corporall, the other spi­rituall; the one of the body, the other of the soul. Christ cured many that were outwardly blind, whereof some were such as had lost their sight, and could have seen before, and some that were born blind, and could never see at all, as the blind man that we read of John 9. the like cure whereof was never done by any but by Christ,John 9.32. since the World began. The blindnesse of the body is very grievous. For that which the Sun is to the world, the eye is to the body, which being void of sight, remains in a perpetuall night of darknesse. A man would count it a very grievous punishment to be kept in darknesse, but for a twelve-moneth together, where he might see no light. How grievous then must it needs be to them, who for want of their sight do a­bide in darknesse, and see no light for their whole life time? Truly saith Solomon, Eccles. 11.7. the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is, for the eyes to behold the Sun. Therefore we read of some Coun­tries which are near to the Pole, where the night continues di­vers monthes together, and the Sun doth not shew himselfe all the while, that the Inhabitants at the end of so long a night, at such a time as the Sun is wont to appear, and bring the day a­mong them, they get up to the top of their highest mountains, as striving to have the first view of the Sun, which as soon as they see, they crie out for joy, Behold the Sun, the Sun appears, and they put on their best apparell, and feast one another, So welcome is the [Page 133]light of the Sun among them, when they have wanted it long. For darknesse, ye know, is most uncomfortable: therefore though God sent darknesse as a plague among the Egyptians, Exod. 10.22.23. yet his people had light in all their dwellings. And therefore as hell is shadowed forth in the Scripture by the name of darknesse, to expresse the uncomfortablenesse and horrour of it,Mat. 22.13. Colos. 1.12. so heaven is illustrated by the name of light, to expresse the great comfort we shall finde in it; yet they which are in darknesse, and have not the light of the Sun among them, may have fire and candle, and other helps, to give them light, and to take away darknesse; but they who are blind, are always in the dark, and have no help against it. So un­comfortable a thing it is to a man to want his sight. In which re­gard, whereas it is said of Abraham, Gen. 25.8. That he gave up the Ghost, and died a good old age, and old man and full of years, and was gathered unto his people: It is only said of Isaac, Gen. 35.29. That Isaac gave up the Ghost, and died, and was gathered unto his people, being old, and full of dayes. It is not said of him, as it is said of Abraham, That he died in a good old age: but this clause is omitted in the death of Isaac, as Divines observe; and they give this reason, Because Isaac's old age, by reason of his blindnesse, could not be so good and comfortable unto him. For they want many comforts which others have, who do want their sight. Therefore when our Saviour askt the blind man, Luke 18:Luke 18.41. What he would have him to do for him, he presently answered, Lord, that I may receive my sight? as being more desirous to have his sight then any thing besides.

It is a grievous thing for a man to want his smelling or tasting, or any of his sences, or his hands or feet, or any of his limbs, but far more grievous to want his eyes, because the eye is the guide of the whole body, and directs every part and member of it, without which the tongue knows not before whom it speaks, the hand knows not what it is it takes, the foot knows not whi­ther it goes; but the tongue will erre, the hand will mistake, and the foot will stumble, vvhere there is not an eye to vvatch over all, and to preserve them from danger. Therefore God hath placed the eyes in the head, vvhere they may look to the whole body, because every part hath use of the sight to guid and di­rect it. When therefore vve read, That Christ cured the blind, and gave them their sight, vve may vvell imagine, that it vvas a vvonderfull benefit that he did for them. And therefore it [...] ­fused [Page 134]dravv us to bethink our selves, vvhat a blessing it is that God hath given us our sight, vvhereby vve take comfort in the sight of the creatures, in the sight of our parents, and children, and friends, and vvhereby vve are freed from so many dangers. Yet this is a blessing vvhich fevv do ever think of, but find the bene­fit and comfort of it, Carendo magis, quam fruendo, rather vvhen vve vvant then vvhen vve have it. If vve vvanted our sight, vvhat a benefit should vve lose, vvhat a losse should vve have, and vvhat vvould vve not give that vve might recover it? And therefore vvhen vve hear hovv Christ cured the blind, or vvhen vve see any that vvant their sight, it should put us in mind vvhat a bles­sing it is that vve can see, and therefore should be thankfull to God for it: yet though it be grievous to vvant the sight, and a great blessing to have the same: yet it is far more grievous vvhen the mind is darkened, and vvants the eyes of knovvledge and un­derstanding. For that vvhich the eye is to the body, the same is the understanding unto the soule; and vvhat blindnesse is to the one, the same is ignorance to the other. And therefore vvhen Christ did cure them outvvardly, so vve may vvell think, that he cured them invvardly, as he took avvay their blindnesse, and gave them their seeing, so he took avvay their ignorance, and enlight­ned them vvith knovvledge and understanding. And this vvas a greater cure then the other. Men commonly think that a man that is blind, is far more miserable then he that is ignorant; and that he, on the contrary, is in better condition that hath a sound and comely body, then he whose mind is adorned and beautified with grace and virtue.

But as the soule is more excellent then the body, so knowledge and understanding is more excellent then the sight, because the sight doth onely give light to the body, understanding to the soule. They who want the eyes of their body, yet they know they want them, and therefore will carefully seek for help if they may be cured: and if they cannot be cured, yet they have this help, that they may have one to lead and guide them. But they who want the eyes of their mind, do not know their blind­nesse, and therefore do not seek to have any help, but think them­selves well though they live in ignorance; vvhereby the Devill leads them blind-fold to hell before they be aware.2 King. 6.18.19. As the Army of the Syrians, being struck with blindnesse, were led into Samaria amongst the midst of their enemies, and [...]ew not where they were, till they were [Page 135]come thither, we may see then by that which I have spoken, that it is a grievous thing to want the outward sight, but far more grievous when the mind is darkened. And therefore as the blind here came unto Christ to be cured of their blindness, so we must likewise come unto him, to remove our spiritual blindnesse from us: because he is that day-spring from on high, as Zacharie said, that came to visit us, to give light unto them that sit in darknesse, and in the shadow of death, Luke 1.78. and to guide our feete in the way of peace.

And thus much concerning the first cure which is here mentio­ned, that the blind received their sight. And so I come to the next, that the lame walked.

As it is a great blessing to have the use of our eyes, and to be able to see, so it is a great blessing to have the use of our feete, and to be able to go. For God in framing the body of man, hath so disposed of every part and Member of it, that we cannot spare any one of them all, because all are necessary, every part being both serviceable one to another, and serving for the good of the whole body. If any part of the body do want any thing, all the rest will afford it the best help they can, the tongue will aske what will do it good, the eare will listen where it may be had, the eye will look after it, the foot will go for it, and the hand will bring it: and if any part be wanting, every part is the worse for the want of it. The eye saith St. Paul, 1 Cor. 12.21. cannot say to the hand, I have no need of thee, nor the head to the feet, I have no need of you. For as the eye doth serve to see for the body, so doth the hand to work for it, and as the head is made to rule and govern the body, so the feet to uphold it, every part having his several use and office, and no part being needlesse.

Therefore Livie reports, that when there was dissention be­tween the Senators and the Commonalty of Rome, and the Com­monalty refused to yield them aide, and the whole body of the Common-wealth was much troubled about it, Menenius Agrip­pa that was an excellent Orator being sent to make reconciliation between them, did tell them this fable; That upon a time there fell out some variance between the belly and the rest of the Mem­bers. The Members objected against the belly, that they were set a work to provide for it, and the belly in the mean while remain­ed idle and consumed all. And therefore they all conspired toge­ther, that they would not provide any longer for it, as they had done before. The foot refused to go any more for it, the hand re­fused [Page 136]to reach any meat to the mouth, the mouth denied to take it, the teeth to chew it; but what became of this? The belly be­ing almost starved with hunger, the whole body was the worse, the eyes waxt dim, and the eares dull, the hands grew weak, and the feete feeble, and all the Members began to faint and languish: and therefore in the end when they saw the danger, they were glad to be reconciled, having learned by experience, that there is not any part of the body needless, but where any one Member performes not the Office which belongs unto it, the whole body hath a want and is the worse for it. Though the tongue can speak, yet if the eare cannot heare, though the mouth can eat, yet if the hand cannot work; though the eye can see, yet if the foot cannot goe, it is a great defect to the whole body. Therefore as our Sa­viour restored the blind, and made them to see, which before they could not: So he cured the lame, and inabled them to walk, who before were not able to go or stand. Now some ye know fall lame by mischance, as Mephibosheth did, by falling when he was young out of his Nurses Armes.2 Sam. 4.4. Some are borne lame from their Mothers wombe, as the Creple that we read of in the 3. of the Acts. How these became lame which were here cured by Christ, it is not set down,Acts 3.2. but to be freed from their lameness howsoever it came, was a wonderfull blessing. For that which the foundati­on is to the building, the same are the feet unto the body, as being made by God to bear and support it. Therefore God hath placed them under all the rest, to uphold all, because the body is no more able to stand without them, then a building to stand without a foundation. Neither serve the feete onely to uphold the body, but likewise to carry it from place to place, wheresoever we have occasion to go, without which we cannot stir from one place to another without paine or trouble. So grievous a thing it is to be lame, and so great a benefit to have the use of our feet, which as it may put us in mind of this duty, to be thankfull unto God for giving us the perfect use of our lims, which we might have wanted as well as others. So it may likewise teach us to use them well; to use our Members,Rom. 6.19. as the Apostle speaks, as Servants unto righte­ousnesse. We find in the Gospel, that many were every where brought unto Christ that were lame and impotent, and we cannot go any where but we see the like, all which are as it were so many Preachers unto us, to admonish us what God hath done for us, in giving us our lims, and therefore that we ought to use them well, [Page 136]to his glory, our good, and the benefit of others,Job. 29.15. by being an [...]ye to the blind, and a foote to the lame, as Job was, that though we can­not heale them as Christ did, yet that we do help them the best we can, by having compassion on their infirmities, and helping them with relief that stand in need thereof, and cannot help them­selves.

And thus much briefly for the lame that were cured. The next cure which is here mentioned is that the Lepers were cleansed.

The Leprosie was a grievous and fowle Disease, and the conditi­on of a Leper, was of all other that were diseased, the most wretched and miserable.

For first,Levit. 13.46 as we see the Leper by Gods appointment was to live alone, and to be separated from the fellowship of Gods People, as unworthy to come into a clean Company. In which respect, the four Lepers, that are mentioned when Samaria was besieged,2 Kings 7.3. Numb. 12.14 dwelt out of the City, Myriam though she was the Sister of Moses and Aaron, was removed out of the Camp, and Azariah though he were the King of Juda, yet being smote by God with a Le­prosie, 2 King, 15.5 he lived a part in a several house. So uncomfottable it was to have this Disease, because they were excluded (as they are now that have the Plague) from all Company, which made many no doubt to pine away with grief and sorrow, as being forlorne, and left utterly dest tute of all help and comfort in their greatest ex­tremity.

Secondly, The Leper did weare four markes to be known by, his garments torne, his head bare, his mouth covered,Levit. 13.45. and he was to cry unclean, unclean, that others might know that he had the Leprosie, and might shun and avoid him. For the Leprosie was a Disease among the Jewes that was strangely infectious, which in­fected not onely the persons themselves, but their Garments and Houses, and that in such a manner, that as we see in the 14. of Leviticus, the infection might be seen and discerned upon them, it would fret into their Garments, and eat into the very morter and stones of their walles; and though the walles were plastered all o­ver again, yet it would break through them, that they were faine sometimes to pull down their houses. Insomuch, that some think (and it is very probable) that the Jewes in a proper and peculiar manner, were troubled with this Disease, which is unknown in these dayes, as ye know there are many Diseases now, which have not been known in former ages.

Now though the Leprosie was a grievous Disease, yet there is a Disease, the Leprosie of sin, that is farre more grievous. The out­ward Leprosie infects but the body, but this spiritual Leprosie in­fects the soule; so that no Leper is so unclean in the sight of man, as the sinner is loathsome in the sight of God. If we know of a man that hath an infectious Disease, we will be very wary how we come in his Company, for fear he infect us: But for those whose Company is far more dangerous, who by drunkennesse and the like communicating sins, do infect mens soules, many are so far from shunning their Company, that they take pleasure therein, as if they took delight to be infected by them. We have not any of those kind of Lepers which the Jewes had, but of these kind of Lepers, that by drunkennesse do daily infect others, I would we had not too many in every place. Those Lepers were separated from the Congregation, and were not suffered to come among them; but these Lepers that are drunk from morning to night, al­most every day in the week, and so continue infecting others all the year long, are not ashamed to shew their faces amongst us, but come openly to Church into the Congregation. Those Lepers were constrained to live a part by themselves, but these have liber­ty to frequent Tavernes and Ale-houses, where for the most part they are the welcomest guests. Those Lepers had their Cloathes rent in signe of their sorrow, and did acknowledge themselves un­clean; but these are so far from acknowledging their fault, that they take a pride in their sin, and glory in their shame, boasting that they are able to make others drunk, as if it were a Credit and commendation unto them. Those Lepers would gladly have been rid of their Disease, and therefore came unto Christ to be cleansed, and he did cleanse them. But what hope can these have to be cleansed by Christ, who delight in their Leprosie and are un­willing to leave it? Christ indeed is that skilfull Physitian, that cures both our corporal and spiritual Diseases, but it is onely of such as are loaden and weary of the burthen of their sins, and de­sire nothing more then to be rid of them. And therefore if they would be cured of their spiritual Leprosie, they must be weary of it, and have an earnest desire, and do their best indeavour to be freed from it, and then coming to Christ, as these Lepers did, they shall be cleansed.

The next cure which is here mentioned, is that the deaf heard. We read in the Scripture of two sorts of deafnesse, the one cor­porall, [Page 139]the other spirituall. The corporall deafnesse when the eare cannot hear is a great defect, and in some respect, it is better for a man to want his sight then to want his hearing; because by hear­ing we attaine more knowledge then we do by seeing. For hearing is the sense of knowledge and discipline: in which regard, Salomon when he begins to teach us Wisdom, Proverbs 1.8. first knocks at the doore where Wisdom must enter and cries, hearken my Sonne. For Wisdom and Knowledge is got chiefly by hearing, and, as some have thought, is rather lessened and impared then increased by seeing. Therefore we read of some of the Philosophers, who purposely put out their own eyes, that they might the better at­taine unto knowledge, wherein they thought that their sight would hinder them, and distract their minds with variety of ob­jects. And we read of many blind men that never saw at all, but were born blind; and yet have been famous for their wisdome and knowledge. But we never heard of any man that was deafe from his birth and could never hear, that ever attained to knowledge and understanding in any measure. For how should they have understanding in any thing, to know what they should do or leave undone, which they were never taught? and how should they be taught who could never hear, and so are uncapable of learning any thing? Therefore though God have strook some blind; and some dumb; yet he strook them not deaf but spared their hearing. Though he strook Zachary dumb Luke 1. for his unbelief,Luke 1.20. Acts 9.9. & Paul blind Acts 9. for persecuting the Church; yet he left them their hearing, because if he had strook them deaf withall, they could not have known his will. Blessed is he that readeth, Revel. 1.3. and they that hear the words of this Prophecy. Some cannot read, as they which are blind, and they which were never taught; yet they are not excluded from this blessing, because they may hear it read: but they who are deaf can neither read it themselves, nor hear it read by others. Yet I speak not this as if they who are born deaf, are therefore absolutely excluded from this blessednesse, but that they are excluded from the means of it. Yet God can save them with­out the means; and we may well think that God who is so graci­ous, will not exact the imployment of a talent, where he hath not given it.

I might further shew you many great inconveniences which come by deafnesse, whereby we might see, what a benefit it was [Page 140]which Christ did for them, in taking their deafnesse away from them; and what a blessing we have of God, in that he hath given us the sense of hearing. But though this outward deafnesse of the eare, be a grievous defect, yet there is a deafnesse, the deafnesse of the heart, (whereby obstinate sinners will not suffer that which they hear with their eares to enter into their hearts) which is farre more grievous. Such are they, who are compared by the Prophet David to the deafe adder, that will not hearken to the voice of the charmer; Psal. 58.4, 5. Pro. 1.20. but though wisdom cry aloud in the streets, yet they will not hear her. Such a one was Pharaoh, who though Moses & Aaron cryed daily unto him, Dimitte populum, Let my people goe, and though God thundred from Heaven with his judgements upon him, yet he would not heare them. And so though a man, as God willed the Prophet,Esay 58.1. life up his voice like a Trumpet, and cry never so loud, against covetousnesse, oppression, drunkennesse and the like; yet many stop their eares, and will not suffer what they hear to sinke into their hearts. This is a willfull and obstinate deafnesse. And this deafnesse, untill our hearts be opened as Lydia's was, is by na­ture in every one of us. And therefore as the deaf here came un­to Christ: so every one of us must come unto him to be cured of this deafnesse.

The next cure which is here mentioned, is Christ's raysing of the dead.

His raysing of the dead was a more miraculous cure then any of the former. The blind and the deaf whom Christ restored, did onely want their sight and their hearing, and had the rest of their sences, the lame whom he cured did onely want the use of their feet and had the rest of their limbs; the Lepers whom he cleansed did onely want their health, and had the use of their limbs and sences; but they which vvere dead had none of them all, but vvere deprived of them altogether: and so his raysing of such as vvere dead was a greater work then any of the former. Therefore when­soever he raised the dead, the people did greatly admire, and ho­nour him when he cured two blind men,Mat. 9.31. Math. 9, They spread [...]a­broad his fame throughout all the land. When he raised to life the Widowes sonne in Naim, Luke 7.16. Luke 7. All that were present praised God and said, A great Prophet is risen up amongst us, and God hat [...] vi­sited his people. And vvhen he raised Lazarus from the dead, John 11. it is said there, that many of the Jewes that saw what Jesus did, John 11. [...]5. believed in him. While a man is alive, though he be never so [Page 141]much diseased or so dangerously sick; yet vve send for Physitians, and use other means, because there is some hope that he may re­cover; but when he is once dead, there is no more hope, and there­fore we trouble our selves no further: so when the Rulers daugh­ter was sick, he came unto Christ and besought him for her, My little daughter saith he, lyeth at the point of death; but I pray thee come and lay thy hands on her and she shall live. Mark. 5.23. Mark. 5.35. But his daughter dy­ing before Christ came to her, some brought the Ruler word, Thy daughter is dead, why troublest thou the Master any further? as think­ing it in vain when his daughter was dead to seek for help; because the Physitian is not sought to for the dead, but for the living. But Christ that was as well able to revive the dead, as to heale the sick, raised diverse in the Gospel from death to life, whereof some are not named, but onely mentioned ingenerall; as here it is said, that the dead were raised up, without specifying in particular who they were: some are mentioned in particular, as the Rulers daughter whom he restored to life, when she was newly dead, Marke 5.Mark 5.42. Luke 7.15. Joh. 11.17. The Wi­dowes Son that was carried forth to be buried, Luke 7. and Lazarus that had been foure dayes dead, and was laid in his grave, John 11. If Christ then were able to raise the dead, while he lived here in the form of a servant, we may well he assured, that being in glory at the right hand of his Father, he is both able to raise our souls from the death of sinne to the life of grace; and to raise our bodies, when they lie dead in their graves, to the life of glory.

Indeed the raising of the body being dead, see us a thing incre­dible unto flesh and blood. And therefore when St. Paul Acts 17. did preach to the Athenians about the resurrection, they were so far from believing that the dead should rise, that they counted him a babler and laughed him to scorne. But as Christ here raised some from death to life: so at the [...]st day he will raise all;Act. 7.60. the one being as easie to him as the other. Therefore our bodies when they die, are said in the Scripture to [...]all a sleep, because Christ can as easily raise our bodies being dead as one man can wake another when he is faln a sleep. If many be fallen asleep in a Chamber together; yet one voice you know, is able to waken them all: and so the voice of Christ at the last day, sh [...]ll raise all that are dead in the whole world together. The hou [...]e shall come saith our Saviour John 5.John 5.28. in the which, all that are in their graves shall hear the voice of the Sonne of Man, and they shall come forth that have done good, unto the resurection of life, and they that have done evill unto [Page 142]the refurrection of condemnation. 1 Cor. 15.42. And therefore the buriall of our bodies is fitly resembled by St. Paul 1 Cor. 15. to the sowing of seed, because, as the seed being sowen in the ground, doth afterwards revive and spring up againe: so our bodies after they are dead and buried, shall be revived and quickned. Qui tibi grana seminum mor­tua et putrefacta vivificat, August. de ver. Apost. Sermo. 34. per quae in hoe saecul [...] vivas, multo magis te ipsum resuscitabit ut in aeternum vivas. He, saith St. Augustine, that quickens for thee the graines of Corne, when they are dead and rotten, whereby thou mayst live upon the earth for a time. much more will he raise thy self hereafter, that thou mayst live for ever in Heaven. For he hath not onely redeemed our souls but likewise our bodies; and therefore will not suffer them to perish in their graves, but will quicken them again, that both our bodies and souls may live with him. And thus much concerning his ray­sing the dead.

The last thing which is here mentioned, is that the poore had the Gospel preached unto them.

It is the saying of the Prophet Esay, Chap. 61.1. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath annointed me to preach good ty­dings unto the poore, he hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaime liberty to the Captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound. Which words Christ expounding Luke 4. when he preached in Nazareth, he applies them to himself, This day saith he,Luke 4.21. is this Scripture fulfilled in your eares; to shew that he was annointed of God to preach the Gospel unto the poor. Now by the poor to whom he preached the Gospel, they are understood, who are said by our Saviour Math. 5.3. to be poor in spirit. For there are two sorts of poverty, the one outward, vvhen a man hath not means to maintain himself but wants outward necessaries; the other inward vvhen a man is destitute of spirituall graces. And thus every one of us all are poor, but some do not see their poverty and want, as the La [...]diceans, Revel. 3.17. that thought themselves rich, and increased with goods, when they were poor and naked. Some see their poverty, and find in themselves a want of grace, and therefore do hunger and thirst after it; and these are the poore to whom Christ is said here to have preached the Gospel. Therefore in the place which I named before, the Prophet shews to what poor the Gos­pel should be preached, by naming presently the broken hearted, And Esay 66.2. The Lord promiseth, to have respect unto him, that is poore and of a contrite Spirit; the latter of these explaining the [Page 143]former, that they are the poor whom God respects, who are hum­bled with the sight of their spirituall wants, and bewaile nothing more then their want of grace. Such were they to whom Christ here preacht, as knowing that the Gospel which is the glad tydings of salvation, would be most welcome unto them, because it offers grace unto those who finding in themselves a want of grace, do un­feinedly and earnestly desire the same.

Here then we see who they be that are fit to hear the Gospel, and that do find comfort in hearing of it; namely, such as do see their spirituall poverty, and feele in their hearts a want of grace; & therefore renouncing their own righteousnes, do flie unto Christ to find [...]rest to their souls.Mat. 11.28. Therefore Christ in the Gospel invites only such to come unto him as finde themselves weary & heavy la­den, and rejected the Pharisees that trusted in themselves,Mat. 9.12. Mat. 18.11. Mat. 9.13. because the whole have no need of the Physitian. For he came into the World to save that which vvas lost, and he came not (as he saith) to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

To draw then briefly to a conclusion of all, if we would reape comfort by the preaching of the Gospel, vve must labour to see our spirituall poverty, to find in our selves our vvant of know­ledge, our want of faith, our vvant of grace, and then the good tydings of the Gospel will be as vvelcome to us, as cold waters to a traveller that is weary,Prov. 25.25. and as the bringing of good newes from a far Country.

THey are the words of the Church, expressing her longing desire after Christ.Division. And in the words we may observe these three things; the Act, the Object, and the Circumstances; the Act, sought, the Object, Christ, I sought him whom my soule loves; and the Circumstances are two, the cir­cumstance of time, and the circumstance of place; the time when she sought him, I sought him by night, and the place where she sought him, I sought him on my Bed, By night on my Bed I sought him whom my soul loves. And these are the parts, I will begin with the cir­cumstances, because they are set downe first in the words. And first for the time when she sought Christ, it was by night. Now night is taken two wayes in the Scripture. Sometime litterally, sometime metaphorically: litterally for the time which is opposite to the day; when the Sun hath passed over our Horizon and leaves us darknesse, through the interposition of the Earth between the Sun & us. So the night is taken litterally, when the Apostle saith, Thes. 5.7. They that are drunke are drunke in the night. Implying thereby that then drunkards were ashamed to be drunke in the day, (which now a daies they are not) but were drunk in the night that they [Page 145]might the better conceal it. Sometime night is taken metapho­rically, as when the Apostle saith, Rom. 13. The night is far spent, Rom. 13.12. the day is at hand, let us therefore cast off the works of darknesse, and let us put on the armour of light.

But in my Text, as I take it, the night is not taken metaphori­cally, because it is added, by night on my bed, which being joyn­ed together, do shew that they are both to be taken literally.

First, then here observe the Churches sincerity, By prayer she sought Christ, not openly in the day to be seen of men, as the Phari­sees were wont to pray in the streets, but secretly in the night, Mat. 6.5. when there were none to see or hear what she did. Ille colit vere, qui sine teste colit, He worships Christ truly, who worships him when there is no witnesse of it. Many will do that openly where they may be seen and commended, which they will not do secretly where they are not seen to do it: like the Monk that would fast whole dayes together, whil'st he was in the Monasterie, where men saw and commended him for fasting so long, but when he was in the Desart he could not fast, because there were none to see him. This was hypocrisie, but where there is sincerity, a man will rather do good in secret, that he may not be known to do it. So our Saviour Mat. 6. teacheth us to fast, When thou fast [...]st, Mat. 6.17. anoint thy head, and wash thy face, that thou seem not unto men to fast. So he teacheth us there to give almes,Mat. 6.3. When thou doest thine almes, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand do [...]th. So he teacheth us there to pray,Mat. 6.6. When thou prayest, enter into thy cham­ber, and shut thy door. All to be done in secret, that we may not be seen to do it, as the Church here sought Christ by night.

Secondly here observe the Churches Wisdome, She sought Christ by prayer, and made choise of the night as the fittest time to pray in. When we pray in the night, our ears and our eyes are not carried away with variety of objects, which many times so hinder us when we pray in the day that we cannot mind our prayers. And therefore it is, that commonly when we pray in the Church, we set our hands or our hats before our eyes, ma­king the day as it were night, that our eyes being not troubled with outvvard objects, our hearts may the better mind our prayers.

Lastly, Here observe the Churches importunity: For that vvhich is here translated by night, is by nights in the originall, implying that she sought him night by night, and would not give over, but [Page 146]continued importunate like the woman of Canaan, Mat. 15. til she had obtained her desire: Christ likes an importunate suiter that will take no demall, a wearilesse seeker that seeks while he findes, and till he finde what he seeks, will never give over. Such a suiter, such a seeker was the Church here, she sought him night by night, and though as it is said in the next words, she found him not, yet she still persevered, and never lin seeking untill she had found him.

And as she sought him by night, so on her bed. As the night is the time, so the bed is the place to rest in, but when others were asleep, and taking their rest, the Church was awake, and her thoughts and desires wholy set upon Christ. So that as Origen saith of Mary Magdalene, when she came to Christs Sepulchre, and found him not there, Maria ibi non erat ubi non erat, quia to­ta ibi non erat ubi Magister erat, Mary was not there where she was, but was wholly there where her Master was, So the Church was not there where she sought Christ, but was wholly there where Christ was whom she sought. So wholly with him in desire and affection, that she could find no rest, no not in the place of rest, but in thinking of him. As the Church here sought Christ, so must we that are Christians, we must seek him by prayer night by night in our beds, not suffering our eyes any night to sleep, nor the temples of our heads to take any rest, vvithout seeking of him. For if David would not suffer his eyes to sleep, till he had found out a place for the House of the Lord, then much lesse should vve, till we have found the Lord of the House, even him whom here the Church sought night by night on her bed. And thus much briefly for the two circumstances, the time and place, when and where she sought Christ.

I proceed to the Act in the vvord Sought, By night on my bed I sought him. Now Seeking implies these three things.

First, A want of that which is sought. For a man will not carefully seek that which he doth not want, but that vvhich he wants he will seek vvith the more diligence: as a man that is hun­gry will seek food because he wants it, but if he were not hungry, and vvanted not food, he would not seek it. So that seek­ing implies a vvant or need of that which is sought.

Secondly, Seeking implies a desire of finding that vvhich vve seek. For though a man do vvant a thing, yet if he have not vvithall a desire to finde it, he vvill not seek it: as a man that is [Page 147]in prison, though he want his liberty, yet he will not seek it, unless he have likewise a desire to have it: So that seeking implies not onely a want of that which is sought, but a desire to find it.

Lastly, Seeking implies a hope and possibility of finding that which we seeke. For though a man do want a thing, and though he be never so desirous to have it, yet if there be no hope of finding the same, he will not seek it; as a man that is sick, though he want his health, and be desirous to have it, yet if there be no possibility and hope of his recovery, he will give over seeking it. And in all these respects we are to seek Christ as the Church here doth. For there is nothing that we want so much as Christ, nothing to be desired in comparison of Christ, and nothing so easily found as Christ, which are so many motives to make us the more willing to seek Christ.

First, There is nothing that we want so much as Christ. We are all by nature the Children of wrath, enemies to God, and bond-slaves to Satan, and through the disobedience of our first Parents, Damnati priùs quàm nati, saith St. Augustine, guilty of e­ternall condemnation before we were borne. From this miserable condition we could not free our selves, neither could we be freed by any other but Christ, whom God hath made,1 Cor. 1.30. as the Apostle saith, to be wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption unto us: all which we must needes want, if we have not him from whom we must have them: and so there is nothing that we want so much as Christ. Many indeed do not find in themselves any want of Christ, because all their life-time they have lived without Christ in their natural estate, and never have known any better condition. For it fares with such, as it fares with them that are borne blind, who because they never had the benefit of sight, can­not so well conceive what it is to want it. And so these having never found any comfort in Christ, do not know what it is to want him: but if it please God to open their eyes, that they may finde in themselves a want of grace, and see the misery they are in for want of the same, they will see they want nothing so much as Christ.

Secondly, That there is nothing to be desired in comparison of Christ, we may see by this, because whatsoever we can desire without Christ, can never satisfie us and give us content. For till we be assured, that Christ hath took upon him the discharge of our debts, and hath reconciled us to God: our sins must needes be [Page 148]such a wound to our soules, and a terrour to our Conscience, that nothing can give us any true contentment. The riches, pleasures, and preferments of this World, may give a man some little content for a time, but ever and anon they are ready to faile him, and when affliction, sicknesse or death comes, they do all forsake him. Onely the comfort which he hath in Christ, both in sickness and health, both in life and death, will never leave him, and so nothing is to be desired in comparison of Christ. Nay, whatsoever we can desire for our good, we may have it in him; for God hath made him to be all in all unto us, that in him we might have every thing. If we be terrified with the sight of our sins,Mat. 1.21. Luke 1.71. he is that Saviour that came into the World to save sinners. If we desire light and fear darkness; he is that day-spring from on high that came to visit us. If we be hungry and desire food,John 6.35. John 4.14. he is the bread of life that came down from Heaven. If we be thirsty and desire to drink, he is the Fountain of living water, whereof he that drinks shall never thirst again. If we desire to go to Heaven, he is the way. If we desire to be freed from error,John 14.6. he is the truth. If we desire to be freed from death, he is the life: In a word, whatsoever we can desire for our good, we may have it in him who hath every thing: Ha­bet omnia qui habet habentem omnia, He that hath him who hath all things, hath all things with him; and so nothing is to be desired in comparison of Christ.

Lastly, As we want nothing so much as Christ, and as nothing is to be desired in comparison of Christ, so nothing is so easily found as Christ. For he invites all to come unto him, he never rejected any that came, but was alwayes found of all those that sought him. We see that at his Birth, he called both Jewes and Gentiles to come unto him, the wisemen that were Gentiles, and the Shepheards that were Jewes, to shew that he is not ( [...]) a re­spector of persons. We see that in his life, he called both young and old to come unto him; some that were but infants, and some of all other ages, to shew that he is not ( [...]) a respector of times. And we see that after his Resurrection from death, he commanded his Disciples to preach the Gospel all over the World in all Countries, to shew that he is not ( [...]) a re­spector of places, but accepts of all and rejects none; whosoever they be that come, whensoever they come, and from whencesoe­ver they come unto him. And though our coming unto him be for our good, for otherwise we cannot but everlastingly perish, [Page 149]yet he useth many motives to perswade us to come.Mat. 22.23. To make us the more willing to come unto him, he invites us in the Gospel by the parable of the King, that made a great feast for the Marri­age of his Sonne, and sent forth his Servants to call them that were bidden.

To shew how willing he is to receive us if we come, he pro­pounds the parable of the prodigal Sonne,Luke 15.20. who but coming to his Father, his Father made more haste and ranne forth to meet him, fell on his neck and kissed him, and received him as joyfully, as if he had never offended him. To shew us the danger of deferring our coming, and putting it off as many do, the whole time of their life, he propounds the parable of the foolish Virgins,Mat. 25.11.12. who were excluded out of Heaven, because they were not ready at the time to meete the Bridegroome. Yet to hearten us any time while we live to come, he propounds the parable of those that were called into the Vineyard, and shewes that he who came at the eleaventh houre, did not lose his reward, but received his hire.Mat. 20.9.

Nay, though we be stray'd away from him, and do not seek him, he shewes by the Parable of the lost sheepe that he wil seek us;Luke 15.4. and never linne seeking untill he have found us: All plainly shewing, how ready he is to be found of us, who so graciously invites us to come unto him; so joyfully receives us when we come, and so carefully seekes us when we are strai'd away from him.

To wind up then that which hath been delivered in this point. If seeking implies a want of that which is sought, a desire to have it, and a hope and possibility of finding that which we seek: and if there be nothing that we want so much as Christ, nothing to be desired in comparison of Christ, and nothing so easily found as Christ, it must needes follow from hence, that we must above all things seek Christ as the Church here doth. But how far are the most from thus seeking Christ? some seek the favour of great persons, some preferment and promotion; some seek their plea­sures, some wealth and riches, but Christ hath few seekers, and many are hindred from seeking Christ by their seeking of these. You know how they who were bidden in the Gospel to that great feast, pretended excuses why they could not come:Luke 14 18.19.20. one de­siring to be excused because he had bought a peece of ground, and so could not come, because he must go to see it; another be­cause he had bought five yoke of Oxen, and must go to prove them: another, because he had married a wife, and therefore [Page 150]could not come. All these things were such as might lawfully be done, but not sufficient to excuse them for not coming to Christ, whom as we want, so we must seek above all things. And this we cannot do till we can truely say, as the Church here doth, I sought him whom my soul loves.

Wherein she expresses her unfeigned love and affection to Christ, which kindled her desire the more to seek him. Anima est ubi amat non ubi animat, the soul is where it loves, not where it lives. And therefore the Church thus loving Christ could not chuse but seek him, as counting it her happinesse to injoy his presence, and to live with him.

The Courch ye know is Christs spouse, and there is nothing so tedious to lovers, and which they can lesse indure then one ano­thers absence. Hence was that vehement longing of the Church for Christs first coming, Esay 64.1. Ʋtinam dirumperes Caelos, O that thou wouldst rent the Heavens and come down! as wishing rather that the Heavens should be rent asunder,Esay 64.1. then that he should stay there, and she stay here and be absent from him. And hence it was that when Christ was to leave the World and told his Disciples before-hand of it, their hearts were troubled, and though he told them, that he went to prepare a place for them, that he went to his Father, that he would send them another Comforter that should a­bide with them for ever; John 16.6. yet still their hearts were filled with sorrow, because he would leave them, as being more willing to bear any losse then to indure his absence; and being no more able to be without him if he should leave them a while, then for Ivey to be without a tree or a wall, whereunto if it cleave not it will fade and wither: so grievous it was to them that loved Christ, not to injoy his pre­sence.

Now as it was with the Disciples and here with the Church: so it is with all those that do truely love Christ, they desire his pre­sence and bewaile his absence, more then any thing besides. Every one of us as we bear the name of Christians, so we will professe our love unto Christ, and be ready to say that we love him unfeignedly; but if we examine our selves for the tryall of our love and affection to him, we shall many of us find, that though we have Jacobs voice yet we have Esau [...] hands, and do shew by our works that we do not love him.Mat. 10.27. Christ requires that we love him above all, and saith, that he that loves Father, mother, Sonne or Daughter more then him, is not worthy of him; yet how many things are there that we love [Page 151]more then Christ? If we have a friend whom we truely love' because vve love him we vvill be loth to do anything that shall offend him; nay, vve vvill take his part vvhen he is spoken against, and vvill be offended vvith them that do speak against him: But vvhen vve hear Christ dishonoured, and his name blasphemed by all manner of swearing, vve can often hold our peace, vvithout being offended and reproving those that do thus dishonour him, and do vve not then love our friends more then vve love Christ?

If we have a friend vvhom vve truely love, because vve love him, vve vvill take his Counsell and follovv his advice, before any others that Counsell us othervvise; yet vvhen Christ stands on the one side, and covetousnesse on the other, and gives us contrary Coun­sell: vvhen Christ on the one side vvills us to give to the poore, to feed the hungry and to cloath the naked; and covertousnesse on the other side vvills us to part vvith nothing, but to get vvhat vve can, we follow rather what covetousnesse then what Christ Counsels us, and do we not then love our riches more then we love Christ? Christ on the one side wills us to follow him and we do it not, our pleasures on the other side to follow them and we do it, and do we not then love our pleasures more then we love Christ?

When David considered the wonderfull love of God unto man, he knew not what to think of it; but he cryed out in admiration, Lord what is man that thou art so mindfull of him, Psal. 144.3. or the Sonne of man that thou so regardest him! But when we consider the won­derfull want of our love unto him, we may cry out rather, O man, what is the Lord that thou art so unmindfull of him, or the Sonne of God that thou so little regardest him!

He loved us so dearly that he thought not his life too dear for us, but suffered a most shamefull and accursed death, to free us from the curse which was due unto us: yet we for requitall of this his love (though love be requited with nothing but love: as fire is kindled with nothing but fire) do so little regard him, that we preferre our friends, our pleasures, our wealth and riches, and for the most part whatsoever we love, before him.

How farre are such from being able to say truly as the Church here doth, I sought him whom my soule loves. Her love unto [Page 152]Christ was not verbal and outward, from the rine of the lipps, but real and inward from the root of the heart, from her soule and spirit, her soule loved him, she loved him, as the Church, Esay 26. desired and sought him, with my soule have I desired thee in the night; Esay 26.9. yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early. She loved him, as the blessed virgin magnified him. My soule doth magnifie the Lord, Luke 1.46.47. and my spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour. She loved him, as the Prophet David praysed him. Prayse the Lord O my soule, and all that is within me prayse his holy name. Psal. 103.1. Outward love from the lips may be false and counterfe [...], but inward love from the soule is alwayes unfained. And such a love it is which Christ doth re­quire and no other, that we love him with the heart, and with the soule, with all the heart, and with all the soule: So precious doth he account our love, that he will not have so much as the least grain of it lost, but will have it all. He hath millions of Angels that are inflamed with his love, who love him far better then we do or can, and our love unto Christ is no benefit to him, he reapes no prophet nor advantage by it, only because he loves us, he de­sires again to be beloved of us, and that unfainedly from our very soules. He will not have the soule and love divided, he likes not that soule that is without love, nor that love which comes not from the soule. If love come unto him and not from the soule, before he admit it he will first aske whence it came, as Micha asked the Levite before he received him. And if the soule come unto him without love, he will forbid it to come, as Joseph forbad his Brethren,Judges 17.9. Gen. 43. to come unto him without their Brother Ben­jamin.

And therefore if we will come unto Christ,Gen. 43.3. we must come with love, with love from our soules, as the Church here doth, I sought him whom my soule loves.

To draw then to a conclusion, that we may be the more care­full to seek Christ; let us meditate on those things which may kindle and inflame our love towards him, by considering how he desires our love and deserves the same.

If a man have shewed us any extraordinary kindness, and hath deserved our love, we could not but condemn our selves of un­thankfulness if we did not love him: Nay, though he have not deserved our love by any kindness he hath shewed us, yet if we do but heare that he is desirous of our love, because this is an argu­ment that he loves us, we will love him again. But Christ doth [Page 153]both desire our love and deserve the same. He desires our love, not for his own but for our good, that he might have occasion to re­quite our love. And therefore he useth most forcible Reasons to procure our love: Sometimes intreating us, and making it his earnest suit that we would love him.2 Cor. 5.20. We saith the Apostle, are Embassadors for Christ, as God beseeching you by us, we pray you in Christs stead (but for what?) to be reconciled unto God. Here is the strongest sute that ever was made: God and man were fallen out, man is the party that hath offended, and God is the party that sues to be reconciled; man that should intreat God that he would forgive him, is intreated by God that he would be content to be forgiven. Thus he sues for our love that should sue for his. Nay, he useth not onely intreaty to procure our love, but like­wise the promise of infinit rewards. The eye, saith the Apostle, hath not seen, the eare hath not heard, neither hath it entred into the heart of man, what God hath prepared (but for whom?) for them that love him. Was it ever heard of since the World began, that any man ever came to a poor begger, and offring him meat that was ready to starve and to perish for hunger, should intreat him to eat it, and not onely so, but wit [...]al, should promise to reward him for it? But God, though it be for our good that we love him, for otherwise we cannot but everlastingly perish; yet he intreats us that we would love him, and not onely so, but promiseth withall, to re­ward our love with the Kingdom of Heaven. So earnestly doth he desire our love. And as he desires so he deserves our love. If we should give a man but his diet or houseroome, we would think we deserved he should lo [...]e us for it. How then doth he deserve our love that gives us every thing? The very bread which we eat, nay the breath which we breath, we have it from him, in whom we live, and move, and have our being, and cannot live a minute without his blessing. The least blessing he gives us deserves our love, and we have nothing but our love to give him for all that he gives us. So abundantly doth he deserve our love. Great reason have we then to require his love in some measure, by loving him unseignedly as the Church here doth, I sought him whom my soule loves.

THese words are part of Agurs Prayer, and his Prayer in the whole verse consists of two parts, a deprecation of evil, and a Petition of good. The evil which he deprecates or prayes against is of two sorts, either such as is simply evil in it own nature, as vanity and lying, against which he prayes in the beginning of this verse, Re­move farre from me vanity and lies: Or such as are not simplie e­vill in their own nature, but yet may be occasions of evil, as riches and poverty, against which he prayes in the next words, Give me neither poverty nor riches. The good which he prayes for is a com­petent Estate, in the end of this verse, a mediocrity between the two extreams of want and superfluity. Feed me with food conveni­ent for me. And these are the parts of the whole verse.

Here then he prayes that God would give him neither poverty nor riches, neither over little nor over much, that he may neither live in want, nor yet in abundance; not because these in themselves are evil, but because they may be, and many times are occasions of evill.

To begin with the former, Poverty may be an occasion of evill [Page 155]two wayes, first, of evill to him that is poor; and secondly, of evill to others, through his being poor.

First, Of evill to him that is poor, because poverty doth com­monly make a man discontented and envious: discontented with his present estate, because he hath so little, and envious towards those whom he sees to have more: and these two, Discontent, and Envy, do commonly make those that live in want, to live in misery. Though a man have but little, though he have no more then will suffice nature, though he have but food and rayment; yet if he have the virtue of contentation, if he have learn'd with Jacob, to desire no more, but bread to eat, and clothes to put on; Gen. 28.20. Job 1.21. if he have learn'd with Job, to blesse God as well when all his goods are taken away, as when he had them; if he have learn'd with Paul, in what estate soever he is, therewith to be content, Philip. 4.11.12. and be in­structed both how to abound, and to suffer need: then any estate will be pleasing unto him, because he lives contented; but where this contentation is wanting, as it is for the most part in those that live in want, there the life is unpleasant, as we see by the Israelites, Exod. 16.3. who presently cried out when they were in want Would to God we had died in the Land of Egypt

And as Poverty doth make a man discontented because he hath so little, so it makes him envious towards those that have more: as Rachell envied her Sister Lea, Gen. 30.Gen. 30.1. because her sister had children, and she had none. For envy is a repining at anothers vvel­fare, and therefore whosoever he be that is envious, must needs be miserable wheresoever he is: and if it were possible for an envious person to be in heaven where there is nothing but felici­ty, yet because there are degrees of glory there, and he should see others in higher glory then himself, he vvould be miserable, and could not be vvell while he savv another better. Therefore Solo­lomon calls envy Prov. 14. the rottennesse of the bones, Prov. 14.30. because en­vy is as hurtfull to the mind and body, as rottennesse is that lies in the bones, which eates up the marrovv, consumes the flesh, and makes the body to pine and languish. And this is ano­ther evill which is occasioned by want, that for the most part it makes those that have but little, to be envious towards those that have more then themselves.

Secondly, as poverty is an occasion of evill to him that is poor, so of evill to others through his being poor; because want com­monly dravvs a man to use unlavvfull means, for the bettering of [Page 156]his estate, and supplying of his vvants, even to the damage and hurt of others. As sometimes by borrovving and not repaying. For he that is in want, is commonly more ready to borrovv vvhat he needs then to pay what he borrows, he is forvvard in borrowing but backward in paying, vvhich David notes to be the property of a bad man,Psal. 37.21. The wicked (saith he) borroweth, and payeth not again. For a man to be in want, so he be not in vvant through his ovvn fault, is no sin, and to borrovv vvhat he vvants, so he repay vvhat he borrovvs, is no sin: but to fall into vvant through his ovvn fault, through idlenesse, drinking, un­thriftinesse, and the like, and so to be driven to borrovv, to sup­ply his vvants, and aftervvards to be carelesse to pay vvhat he borrovvs, this is a sin, and this commonly is the sin of such as are in vvant. Yet he that is in vvant, though he pay not vvhat he borrovvs, he thinks it no fault, because he of vvhom he borrovvs is better able to bear it then he is to pay it. But vvhat though he be? Would'st thou be content, if another vvho is not so strong as thou art, having an heavy burden lying upon him, should remove it from his ovvn, and lay it on thy back, because thou art stronger, and better able to bear it? Thy vvant is thy burden which God hath appointed thee to bear, and shouldest thou disburden thy self thereof, and lay it upon another, be­cause he is better able to bear the same? mightest thou not as well by the same reason, deny to pay thy Land-lord the rent of thy house, because he is better able to bear the losse of the rent then thou to pay it? & therefore thy poverty will not excuse thee for doing wrong, as thou doest when thou borrovvest and payest not again. Yet poverty sometimes doth draw men to a greater evill then this, even to steal from others to supply their own vvants. For want is often an occasion of theft. This Agur im­plies in the next verse, where he gives this reason, why he desired a competent estate, and that he might not live in want; Lest (saith he) I be poor and steal. Luke 16. Thus the unjust Steward, Luke 16. fell from want to theft. For when he saw that his Lord had given him warning to give over his stewardship, he bethought himselfe what course of life he should take, to supply his wants when he was turned out of service, and being unwilling to labour, and a­shamed to begge, he resolved to steal, and in his accounts to de­fraud his Lord for his own advantage. And thus many will do if they be in want, and think that their want will excuse them for it. [Page 157]But will thy want excuse thee for doing that which God hath forbidden thee? must God be dishonoured because thou art in want? & were it not better for thee to suffer want for a time, then that God should justly condemne thee for ever, for thy disobeying him? God never suffers any so to be in want, that their want will excuse them for sinning against him, but though he give them not all that they want, yet all that they want is not so much as that which he gives them, and they may finde more comfort in that which they have, then their wants can discomfort them. Though the poor have mean houses, and hard lodging, yet this may be their comfort (which is a great blessing of God) that they can sleep in their houses, and take their rest in the night time, and commonly more soundly then rich men do, Qui vigilant in-plu­ma, as Cyprian speaks, who lie awake and cannot sleep in their beds of down. Therefore, saith Solomon, Eccles. 5.12. The a­bundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep. Though the poor have many a hard meale, and very slender fa [...]e, and though they want many necessaries for their bodies, yet they may comfort themselves in this, that God hath provided them a liberall diet, his Word and Sacraments for the food of their soules, and here­unto they have a right and interest as well as any others. Though the poor may not come into great mens houses, but are kept out by Porters, yet they have free liberty to come into Gods House; and though they have not accesse to rich mens tables, yet they may have accesse to the Table of the Lord as well as the richest. And though here the poor toile and take great pains to supply their wants, yet this may be their comfort, That God hath pro­vided them (if they serve him) a place of rest hereafter, and that the time is but short that they shall live in want, and be forced thereby to toile and take paines, for when they die, they shall be freed from their wants, and shall rest from their labours. Rev. 14.13. And in the mean time though the poor do live in want, yet as that holy Martyr said, when some threatned to famish her,Elizabeth Young. If you (saith she) take away my meat, I trust that God will take away my hunger. So if the poor depend upon God for that which they want, instead thereof he will give them contentment, by taking away their desire of that which they want, that they shall not need it. And these things, if the poorer sort considered, it would make their poverty lesse evill to themselves, and lesse hurtfull to others.

And as Agur here prayes, That God would not give him pover­ty, so likewise that God would not give him riches, Give me (saith he) neither poverty, nor riches. To pray against poverty (which many so fear) is no more then the most will do; but to pray against riches (which the most so desire) may be thought a Para­dox. But Agur here desiring rather to be good then great, and fearing that riches would make him worse, he praies that God would not give him riches. Though riches be not evill in their own nature, yet they may be (as we heard before of poverty) occasi­ons of evill, occasions of evill to him that is rich, and of evill to others through his being rich. First, Of evill to him that is rich. For riches do often make men proud, and to forget God. This Agur implies in the next verse, by giving this reason why he de­sired that he might not be rich, Least (saith he) I be full, and deny thee, and say, who is the Lord? For none are so prone to forget God, as they commonly are whom he hath blest with riches, though their riches should make them the more to remember him, as gifts call to mind the givers of them. Therefore Moses gave a speciall Caveat to the Children of Israel to beware they forgat not the Lord when he had enricht them in the Land of Canaan, Deut. 6.10. When the Lord thy God (saith Moses Deut. 6.) shall have brought thee into the Land, to give thee great and goodly cities which thou buildest not, and houses full of all good things which thou filledst not, and wels digged which thou diggedst not, vineyards and olive­trees which thou plantedst not, when thou hast eaten and art full, then beware lest thou forget the Lord. Deut. 8.11. And again, Deut. 8. Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast builded goodly houses, and dwelt therein, and when thy heards and thy flocks do multiply, and when thy silver and gold, and all that thou hast is multiplyed, then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord; implying that then they would be most prone to forget him. For riches by the fair shew they make, do steal away mens hearts from God,2 Sam. 15.6. Psal. 62.10. as Absolon by his fair shews to the people, did steal away their hearts from David. Therefore David gives rich men this counsell, Psal. 62. If riches increase set not your hearts upon them: because if the heart be set upon riches, then not upon God, For no man (saith our Saviour) can serve two Masters, Mat. 6.24. ye canno [...] serve both God and riches: no more then the eye, as St. Augustine saith, can both look up to heaven, and down to the earth at the same time.

And as riches do steale mens hearts from God, and make them not to regard him: so sometimes they steale mens hearts from themselves, that they regard themselves lesse then they do their riches, and therefore toyle continually to get Wealth; and yet are not satisfied though they have more then enough.

And therefore Agur in the 15. and 16. ver. of this Chapter, com­pares the covetous rich-man to those things that are the most in­satiable of all other: as to the Horse-leach which is ever crying give give, which sucks the blood untill she be filled, and then she fals off; and yet presently after she fals to it a fresh and is as hungry of it as she was before: To the grave that never cries it is enough, but though it receive never so many dead bodies, yet it consumes all; and is still gaping as it were, and opening the mouth that it may receive more: To the earth that cannot be satisfied with water, but though sometimes it be so glutted with raine, and made as it were drunken, so that it vomits it up againe, that a man would thinke that it had taken such a surfet, that it would brook rain the worse for a long time after; yet ye know if it be but without show­ers for a while, it will begin to chappe and chaune, and be as thirsty thereof as it was before: And so likewise to fire, which is of so insatiable a nature, that it cannot be exstinguisht with adding few­ell unto it; but the more fewell it has, the more greedy it is, catch­ing hold of all that is round about it; first of the chimney where it was first kindled, then of the roof of the house, then of the whole building; and yet it will not stay there, but will presently take hold of the house that is next it, and so will still go further & further, till it have devour'd and consumed whatsoever is nere it. Now as these are insatiable, as the Horse-leach is not satisfyed with sucking blood, the grave with the dead, the earth with water nor the fire with fewell: no more can a covetous rich-man be satisfied with riches, though he have never so much.

Hence it is, that such do make themselves drudges to the world to get wealth; and yet grudge themselves any part thereof, as un­willing to lessen that which they have. For the more they have,Viri divitia­rum. the more they desire; their riches which should be a medicine to cure them of covetousnesse, increasing their disease, and making them more covetous, and lesse willing to spend any thing upon them­selves. For Mammon doth commonly use his servants, as Garden­ers use their Asses in some Countries, loading them to the Market with good herbes, which are a burden to them and food for others,[Page 160]and turning them when they have done to feed upon Thistles. And thus doth Mammon deale with his followers, loading them with wealth, and not suffering them to injoy the benefit thereof, but makes them to fare the more hardly themselves to leave the more for others. This is called by Salomon Eccles. 6. an evill disease, whatsoever his heart desires, and yet he hath no power to eate thereof, but spares from himself & leaves it to strangers: And thus riches are occasions of evill to him that is rich.

Secondly, To others through his being rich. For riches make ma­ny to be scornfull and contemptuous towards their inferiours. For as poverty makes men to envy those that have more then them­selvs: so riches on the contrary to despise those that have lesse. This made the Church being in captivity, to say, Our soul, is filled with the scornfull reproof of the wealthy, Psal. 123. because they when they reprove do reprove scornfully. This we see by Nabal 1 Sam. 25. whom though David did reverence because he was rich,1 Sam. 25. & called him Father, Give I pray thee saith he, to thy Sonne David; yet Nabal gave him a scorn­full answer, Who is David and who is the Sonne of Jesse? There be many servants now a daies that break a way from their Masters, shall I then take my bread and my water, and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men whom I know not whence they be, Lucri genus quoddam divites habent iram, odisse quà donare viliùs constat. Martial. Rich men do make a gaine of their an­ger, and are more ready to reprove then to give, because it is cheap­er. It was fault enough in Nabal, to give nothing to David being then in want; but withall to reproach him because he would give him nothing, made his fault the greater.

Secondly, As riches make many to be scornfull and contem­ptuous: so more ready to offer then to suffer injuries. For many presume upon their wealth to do wrong, as knowing that they to whom they do it must be faine to put it up; because they are not able to contend with them. But God hath not therefore given men wealth, to arme them thereby to do injustice; but to inable them the better to do good unto others. And therefore if God have made thee wealthy, thy wealth should rather keep thee from wronging any, especially those, who are not of ability when they are wrong'd to help themselves.

Thou would'st count it great basenesse in another if he should fly upon thee with a weapon in his hand and strike thee with it, [Page 161]when thou hast none in thy hand to resist him. And doest thou not the same when thou fliest upon another, and doest him wrong, because thou hast wealth to bear thee out, & the other hath none? How far would'st thou befrō bearing with him if he should do thee wrong? For then thou wouldest say, should such a one as he do wrong unto me, and were it not a shame and disgrace unto me if I should suffer him? But indeed the meannesse of his condition should rather move thee to bear with him. I am sure our mean­nesse moves God when we offend him to bear with us, our vile­nesse makes him to spare and pity us. For so saith David, Psa. 103.14. Psal. 103. where he gives this reason why God doth pity us, and par­don our offences, and the reason is drawn from the basenesse of our condition, For he (saith David) knows our frame, he remem­breth that we are dust. And therefore his meannesse that doth thee wrong, should rather move thee to spare & pardon him, as our vile­nesse moves God to pardon us when we sin against him. We see then the reasons why Agur praies that God would not give him riches, lest his riches might be evill either to himselfe, or to others, to himselfe by making him proud, and not to regard God, or by making him covetous, and to regard himselfe lesse then he did his riches; or evill to others, by making him to scorne & contemne his inferiours, and to be more ready to offer, then to suffer wrongs

Here then observe from Agurs prayer to God, to give him nei­ther poverty, nor riches, that both riches and poverty come from God, who gives lesse unto some, and more unto others, of his free-gift. God had enough to have given enough unto all, that all might have been rich, and none poor. For the earth is the Lords, Psal. 24.1. as David saith, and all that therein is; Psa. 115.16. and though he have given it to the children of men, yet the right of disposing and distri­buting thereof he hath reserved to himselfe, to give how much, or how little, and to whom he please, and to take it again when he will from them, and to give it to others.1 Sam. 2.1 [...]. Therefore Hannah 1 Sam. 2. The Lord (saith she) maketh poor, and maketh rich, he bringeth low, and listeth up. So the Virgine Mary, Luke 1.Luke 1.53. He hath filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he hath sent empty away. Therefore God hath so disposed, that when we are borne, we come naked into the World, and bring nothing with us, and that again, when we die, and leave the World, we carry away nothing, but leave all behind us, that thereby we might know, that we have all from God, and nought of our selves. Si vestra [Page 162]sunt tollite vobiscum, saith Bernard, if they be yours, take them away with you. But man (saith the Psalmist) shall carry away nothing with him when he dies, neither shall his pomp follow him. And there­fore seeing we have them from God, and that it is he that gives both poverty and riches.

This may first teach us,Ʋse. 1. To ascribe unto God Whatsoever we have, and to acknowledge him to be the fountain from whence they spring, and the giver of them. Many make account that the goods which they have, they have not from God, because they were either left them by their predecessours, or such as they have got by their own labour and paines. It is true indeed, that many are born to fair lands and possessions, and have much left them by inheritance from their Ancestours; others attain unto great wealth and ri­ches, by their own labour and industry, and other means. But is not the gift of God in all these? who was it at the first that made their Ancestours rich, and inabled them to leave so much wealth behind them?Dent. 8.18. was it not God? It is not he (as Moses saith) that gives us power to get wealth and substance? Is it not he that pre­serves mens goods from fire, from water, from theeves, from ene­mies, and from a thousand other casualties that befall others? Is it not he that moves the hearts of our friends to be beneficiall un­to us? Is is not he that gives men health and strength to labour for their livings? that gives his blessing unto their labours? and that gives men wit and forecast to attain unto riches? He could if he pleased have made all our Ancestours as poor as La [...]arus, that they should have left nothing behind them for us. He can if he please so visite us with sicknesse, that like the woman in the Gospell, We may spend all that we have upon the Physicians. Nay he can,Luke 8.43. Deut. 28.23. if he please, make the earth as iron, and the heavens as brasse, and send a famine, as he did in the time of Elias, and then what would all that we have do us good, if we were debarred from the fruits of the earth which should sustaine and preserve us? And therefore we must not ascribe what we have, to our selves, or our friends, but unto God, who gives, as Agur saith, both pover­ty and riches.

Secondly, Seeing it is God that gives them, this may therefore teach us,Vsc. 2: To be content with that portion which God hath given us, whether it be more or lesse. Though we have a lesse portion then many others have, yet we must remember that we have it of God, of his free-gift, and therefore ought to be contented with it, [Page 163]and not to murmure that we have lesse then others, lest we pro­voke him by our murmuring to lessen that portion which he hath given us. The Jews in their Talmud have an Apologue to this purpose. That the Moon, upon a time, did murmure and complaine that God had not appointed her for so good a use as he appointed the Sun, because the Sun shines in the day, and she in the night time; and that God therefore for her murmuring did, as they say, diminish her light, and lessen her shining. Which though it be but a fable, yet it hath a true morall, that if we be not content with that portion which God hath allotted us, we do provoke him thereby to make it lesse. The Lord (saith Job) hath given, and the Lord hath taken, Job 1.21. blessed be the name of the Lord. If we should fall into poverty by the hand of God, as Job did, yet we are not to repine and mur­mure against him, because whatsoever he takes from us he takes but his own, which he gave us before of his free-gift, and not of our deserving. And indeed, if we consider our own deserving, though we have but little, yet even he that hath least, hath more cause to wonder, that he hath so much, then that he hath no more, because we have more then we do deserve, though we have ne­ver so little. For that which we have is of Gods free-gift, as Agur here acknowledges, Give me neither poverty, nor riches.

Thirdly, Seeing riches are from God,Ʋse. 3. it may therefore teach us to use them well, and to imploy them to good uses. For God hath given them, that we might use them to the glory of God, the maintenance of our selves, and the good of others; which if we do not, we abuse his blessings.Mat. 25.28. The servant [...]which imployed not the talent well which his Master had given him, had it taken from him, and was cast besides into outer darknesse. What then may we think shall become of those that imploy them ill, and abuse the blessings which God hath given them to surfetting, drunkennesse, and vo­luptuous living? These God will call to a fearfull account at the day of judgement, for abusing, wasting, and mispending his gifts. And in the mean time, God many times suffers them to want that which they have carelesly wasted, that they may see their fault what it is to waste by their want of it. I have read of a Duke in another Countrey, who seeing through his window a company of young Gallants that were a hunting, and ridde up and down over the corn-fields, and tread down the corn, he sent to bid them the next day to dine with him. And when they were come, he made them great cheere, but took order that no bread except a manchet [Page 164]for himselfe should be set on the Table. One of the Gallants spake to a Servitour, to bring in some bread, he went out as if he would fetch some, but came not again; another spake to another, who likewise went out, but came in no more: at last they told the Duke, that they wanted bread, And well saith the Duke, do ye deserve to want bread with your meat, who so trampled down the corn under your horse-feet. And thus doth God many times deal with those that do waste his blessings, causing them to want what they have formerly wasted, as the Prodigall did. Yet many that live wastefully will excuse themselves, and think their fault the lesse, both because (as they will say) they have enough to spend, and are able to do it, and because it is their own, and not anothers which they spend. But will this excuse them? Though thou hast enough, mayest thou therefore use it at thy pleasure, and is it no fault to waste and mispend it? If thy Cook that dres­seth thy meat for thee, because thou allowest him to have salt e­nough alwayes lying by him, should therefore put too much salt in the pot, or cast too much on thy meat, and when thou reproo­vest him, he should excuse himselfe, and say that he did it, be­cause he had salt enough, and therefore need not to spare, woul­dest thou take this for a sufficient answer? And will God take this as an answer from thee, That because that he hath given thee enough, thou mayest spend it wastefully, and though it were thine own (as indeed it is not, for thou art but a steward to use what thou hast as God hath appointed) yet if it were thine own and not anothers, mayest thou therefore mispend it as thou plea­sest? mayest thou not say as well that thy tongue is thine own, and mayest thou therefore speak what thou listest? but as thou shalt answer for the words which thou speakest, so for the goods which thou spendest, because thereby thou doest wrong unto him who is the giver of them.

Lastly,Ʋse. 4. Seeing riches are the gift of God, therefore we are to be thankfull to him for them, Qui serit benesicium metere debes fru­ctum, He that sowes a benefit, great reason he should reap some fruit of it, the fruit of thankfulnesse for the use of his benefits. Therefore they were commanded in the old Law, To offer unto God their first-fruits that so they might acknowledge that they had them from him, and therefore were to return them to him from whom they had them, as the rivers (saith Solomon) return to the sea from whence they came, and as Hannah did dedicate her Son Samuel to God, Eccles. 1.7. 1 Sam. 1.27.28. from whom she received him.

THe Prophet David having committed two hainous sins,Coherence. one upon the neck of ano­ther, adultery, and murder, and having con­tinued a long time secure and impenitent, at the last, as we read 2 Sam. 12 Chapter, God sent Nathan the Prophet to him, to denounce the judgements of God against him, by reason of his sins, which when David heard, he presently acknowled­ged his sins unto God, and so by his confession obtain'd pardon, whereupon he wrote this Psalm, and gave it this Title, A Psalm of David to give instruction, shewing thereby both the Maker of this Psalme. and that is David, and the end why he made it; to give instruction. The instruction which he gives, is of no ordina­ry matter, but of one of the greatest matters that ever fell into controversie, and that is mans felicity: teaching us in the first and second verses wherein we are to repose our felicity and happi­nesse, not in those things which the Philosophers taught, but in that which they never once thought upon, the forgivenesse of sins. [Page 166]For the Philosophers being guided only by the eye of reason which is more then purblinde in matters of religion; hence it came to passe, that while they aimed at felicity, every one shot his bolt so wide at the mark, one placing felicity in honour, a second in plea­sure, a third in riches; in a word, so many Philosophers, so many felicities. But David here a divine Philosoph [...] in regard of whom all the rest were but naturals, confutes them all by his own exam­ple: for David here, that lived in more true pleasure then the best of them, that had more riches then any of them, more ho­nour then all of them, he leaves all these, and ascribes felicity in the first and second verses of this Psalm to the pardon of sin, Blessed (saith he) is he Whose wickednesse is forgiven, and whose finis cove­red. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth no sin.

Now as a cunning and skilfull builder, if he have, any goodly building in hand, he will be sure to lay a very sound foundation: So David here having so weighty a Doctrine to instruct us in, as the felicity of man, he grounds the same upon a very excellent rea­son, a reason drawn from his ovvn experience, because he found himselfe to be most miserable and wretched till his sins were pardoned. For (saith he in the third and fourth verses) while I held my tongue, my bones consumed so that I roared all the day long, for thy hand was heavy upon me day and night, and my moisture was turned into the drought of summer. Whereby he shews, That while he plai'd the hypocrite, and cloaked his sin, while he held his tongue agagg'd as it were his own conscience that he might not confesse his sin, what a coile God had with him, how he was fain to lay him as it were upon the rack, and to stretch him asunder almost every joynt from other, before he could bring him to ac­knowledge his sin, and to ask for pardon. And this was the mise­ry which David was in while he continued in sin. Then in the fift verse he shews how he was freed and delivered from this misery, and that is by the confession and acknowledgement of his sin, I said (saith he) I will confesse my sin, and thou forgavest me the punishment thereof. Dixi confitebor, I did but say, or I had no sooner said, I will confesse my sin, but thou O Lord that mightest have taken me at the vantage, and condemned me out of mine owne mouth, thou forgavest me the punishment of my sin. Whereupon being struck with admiration of Gods mercy, he infers in this sixt verse a notable consequence out of the former Doctrine, That seeing he had sped so well by the confession of his sin, that there­fore [Page 167]others should be moved by his example, to do as he did, and to obtain pardon. Therefore (saith he) shall every one that is god­ly pray unto thee, therefore, wherefore? why because thou hast been so gracious unto me that was so grievous a sinner, because thou hast met me as it were in thy mid-way with thy mercy, so that I could no sooner think to confesse my sin, but thou likewise thoughtest to forgive me my sin: therefore shall every godly man though he have committed never so many sins against thee, be in­couraged by my example, to pray unto thee. And thus we see the coherence of these words with the former.

In the words for order we may observe these four things.Division.

First, The reason why men shall come unto God, implyed in this first word therefore.

Secondly, The persons that shall come unto him, every one that is godly.

Thirdly, The manner how they shall come, namely, by praye [...].

And lastly the time when they shall come unto him, in a time When he may be found. Therefore shall every one that is godly, pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found.

And first, for the reason why men shall come unto God, the reason is drawn from Davids own example, as if David had said thus, As I did to obtain mercy when I had sinned against God, so shall every godly man do, but I did pray unto God in a time when he might be foūd. Therfore shall every one that is godly pray unto thecin a time when thou mayest be found. Thus David alledges his own example, to en­courage us to come with considence to God for the pardon of our sins, though we have been never so hainous sinners. And from hence we may learn, That it is our duty to use well the examples of others, and to apply Gods dealing with them to our selves. For there­fore have the holy men of God set their examples before our eyes, that we might be bettered by their experience. For as they which first sailed over the seas, gave proper names unto dangerous places, where they themselves hardly escaped with their lives, as the Sage­bed, the Lavander-bed, with other like names best known unto Saylers: And as wain-men use to set up some bush, or other like marke where their waggons stuck fast, for a caveat to them that should come after them. So have the holy men of God furthered us in the Scripture by their experience, and taught us to eschew many incumbrances, which they could not so easily see and avoid, because they broke the ice first themselves.

The whole Scripture is written for our instruction, and there is not so much as one example in the whole book of God, but a man may make excellent use of it, if he will apply it unto himself. For to what end are there set down in the Scripture so many exam­ples, of the judgements of God upon unrepentant sinners; but that their examples might be a bridle to us, to restraine us from fal­ling into the like sinnes for feare we undergo the self same punish­ment.

When we read? of the rich-man that is tormented in hell, be­cause he did not relieve poor Lazarus; Luke. 16. are we not to apply this ex­ample to our selves, that if God have given us wealth and riches, and yet we will not relieve those that are in want & necessity; the like judgement will befall us which befell him.

When we reade of that unmercifull Servant,Mat. 18. who when his ma­ster had forgiven him ten thousand talents, he afterwards meeting with a fellow-servant of his that ought him but an hundred pence, demanded it of him, and because he was not of ability to pay the debt, he tooke him by the throate and haled him to prison, and that the Master when he heard thereof was so incenst against him, that he demanded againe the ten thousand talents (which before he had forgiven him) even to the utmost farthing; when we read this I say, we are to apply the same to our selves, that if we will not for­give those that have offended us, no more will God forgive us if we offend him. And this use St. Paul teacheth us, to make of these examples of Gods judgements upon sinners. 1 Cor. 10. where having spoken of the Israelites that perished in the wildernesse, They saith he, are examples to us, to the intent that we should not Iust after evill things as they did, 1 Cor. 10. and perish in the wildernesse three and twenty thousand.

On the other side, when we read in the Scripture of Gods wonder­full mercies toward repentant sinners, as here we have a notable example of Gods mercy upon David, who having committed two heinious sins, adultery and murther; yet as soon as God saw him ready to confesse himself guilty, and to acknowledge his sinne, God did presently forgive him, are we not to make this use hereof, that if we with David will acknowledge our sinne, God will be as ready to forgive us as he forgave him?

When we read of the poor Publican Luke 18. who being true­ly humbled with the sight of his sinnes, went into the Temple and prayed unto God, O God be mercifmll to me a finner, and that he [Page 169]went away justified, are we not to make this use thereof, that if we will humble our selves, and acknowledge our sinne, God will like­wise forgive us as he forgave this Publican.

In a word, when we read of the young unthrift in the Gospell,Luke 15. who though he had left his Father and his Country, though he had spent his patrimony and that very lewdly; yet after that he repented and returu'd to his Father, his Father went out to meet him, fell on his neck and kissed him, and was so joyfull for his sonnes return, that he never expostulated why he had left him, he never demanded how he had spent his portion; but forgetting all his for­mer lewd behaviour he received him as gladly as if he had never offended him, are we not to make this use thereof, that though we hvae rurme riot with the Prodigal, and lived never so lewdly; yet if we will repent & returne unto God he will receive us into favour, as he did this Prodigall? For these things are written for our in­struction, that we might apply the same to ourselves and find com­fort in them. That as they among the Heathen, who had been cured of any grievous sicknes, set down in the Temple of Aesculapius their names & diseases, & the means of their recovery, that if others fel in to the like sicknes, they might use the same means which others had done, & recover their health: So have Gods Secretaries the pen-men of the Scriptures instructed us therein by their own examples. They have not been tender of their own credits, but have Chronicled and Registred their own sins and infirmities to remain as it were upon the file unto all posterities, to the intent that we observing both how they fell and were afterwards restored, might learne when we are fallen into any sinne, to do as they did, and obtaine pardon. For what sinne is it that thou canst possibly fall into, but some of Gods children have already fallen into the same before thee? If thou sai'st thou hast lived riotously and luxuriously, the Prodigall will presently step forth and tell thee, that he also once laboured of the same disease, he lived as riotously as ever did any; yet after that he repented and returned to his Father, he was re­ceived into favour. If thou saiest, that thou hast been a persecutor of the godly, Paul will comfort thee by his example. If thou saiest thou hast denyed Christ, though it were with perjury, Peter will lay his example before thee. If thou saiest that thou art fal­len into a relaps since thou wert a Professor of Religion, and since thou hast beene enlightned by the Word of Truth, [Page 170]why and I saith David, was in the very same case, all the World knows that I committed both adultery and murder, long after I had been a principall professour.

Now what a glorious visitation of a sick soul is this, when all the Patriarchs, Prophets and Apostles, who have all of them been subject to the like infirmities, shall come to visite thee, and stand­ing round about thy bed to cōfort thee, shall every one of them tell thee, that his life for thine, though thy soul be sick to the death by reason of thy sin, though the arrow-head of despair begin to rancle in thy bowels, and thou be ready to despair of thy salvati­on; yet that it is impossible but that their examples, which are as it were so many preservatives of the Holy Ghosts own compoun­ding, must needs do thee good, if thou wilt apply them, and if thou wilt use the self-same means for thy recovery which they have done. For therefore hath David propounded his example unto thee, and saith, That therefore every one that is godly shall pray unto God, because he had prayed unto God, and had obtained mercy. And thus much for the reason, why men should come unto God for pardon? implyed, as we have heard, in this word therefore.

The second thing which is here mentioned, are who they be that shall come unto God? every one that is godly. Where we see who they be, that make good use of these examples, not the wicked, but the godly. For, as for the wicked, as they pervert the use of all things, so they abuse the examples of Gods mercies, and turn the grace of God into wantonnesse. When they hear that David and others have fallen sometimes into grievous sins, and that God did pardon them, they will challenge to themselves the more liberty to sin by their examples: as if David's being once overtaken with wo­men, vvere an excuse for adulterers, and Noah's being once over­charged with vvine, were a warrant for drunkennesse. For they will argue thus with themselves, David committed adultery, and yet David was saved, Peter for-swore himselfe, and yet Peter was saved, Moses was guilty of murder, Paul vvas a persecutor, the prodigall childe lived in riot and pleasure, and yet all these vvere saved; and therefore why may not I live riotously? why may not I swear and for-swear myselfe? vvhy may not I commit a­dultery, or murder? why may not I venture upon any sin vvhat­soever, and yet be saved as well as they? Thus they incourage themselves to sin their examples. So vve read of Theodosius the Emperour, that having committed a bloudy fact, he excused him­selfe [Page 171]by the example of David, but Saint Ambrose reproved the Emperour for it, Secutus es errantem sequere paenitentom, Thou hast followed him in sinning, follow him repenting: for their falls are registied to keep us from falling. And therefore the godly will make excellent uses of these mens falls.

As first, To corsider our great weaknesse in that the best and most sanctified children of God have fallen sometimes into grievous sins. For even David that was so holy a man,Maximi pec­catores opti­mi paeniten­tes. that vvas furnish'd with such extraordinary gifts and graces, yet he himselfe fell into adul­tery and murder. So Lot though his righteous soule was vexed with the uncleannesse of the Sodomites, yet he sell into incest with his own daughters. So Noah though he were a just man, and perfect in his ge­nerations, was over-taken with drunkennesse, and was drowned him­selfe with wine, after he had seen the drowning of the world with wa­ter. I might instance in others, and therefore when vve hear how they fell, their very falls as Saint Ambrose saith may serve to instruct us, Instruct unt Patriarchae non solum docentes, sed etiam errantes.

For first, we may learn by their falls (as I said before) to consider our weaknesses, how prone we are to fall into any sin whatsoever, if God by his grace do not continually uphold us. For even as a young infant, long as the Nurse sets it down upon the ground, and holds it up with her hand, it will stand upright, but if she take aw [...] [...]er hand never so little from it, it will presently fall of it's own ac­cord: So it is with us, and the best of Gods children, all the while that God doth strengthen and uphold us, we are inabled to stand, but if God do but withdraw his assistance from us, if he leave us to our selves never so little, we are prone to fall into some grievous sins, as David, Peter, and others have done. And there­fore that we are to work out our salvation with fear and trem­bling, as knowing that though we now stand, yet such is the frail­ty and weaknesse of our nature, that we may fall hereafter. And this use the Apostle teacheth us to make, 1 Cor. 10. [...] Cor. 10. where ha­ving shewed the Corinthians, That the Israelites though they were partakers of Gods spirituall blessings, as well as themselves, though they did eat of the same spirituall meat, and drark of the same spi­rituall drink; for they drank of the same spirituall rock, which rock was Christ, and yet afterward they murmured against God, and fell into sin. Wherefore (saith the Apostle, in the 12th. verse) let him that thinks that he stands, take heed lest he fall. Let him take [Page 172]heed lest he fall. Why? Why, because that which was their con­dition, the same may be thine, and therefore when thou hearest how they fell, take heed by their example, left thou fall here­after, and be more watchfull and vigilant overthy selfe, conside­ring the weaknesse and frailty of thy nature.

Secondly when the godly hear, how the best have fallen into grievoussins, it will teach them to beware of judging rashly of those who fall into the like sins, that they are therefore reprobates, and not of the number of Gods elect. For thus we ought not to judge of any whatsoever they be, whether they be yet converted or not. Many live vvickedly before their conversion, and follow the lusts of their hearts with all greedinesse, who neverthelesse through Gods mercy are afterwards converted and called to grace as Paul, Mary Magdalene, and the theefe on the Crosse. Others again, God suffers even after their conversion, and when they have been effe­ctually called to grace, to fall as it were into a relapse, and to pol­lute themselves with some horrible sins, as David, Peter, and o­thers have done, and yet hath reclaimed them and renewed them by repentance. And therefore vve are not to judge of any by reason of their sins, that they are not pertaining to Gods electi­on, because whatsoever their sins be, or vvhensoever they sin, yet God may either convert or renue them, as David here was renu­ed [...]epentance after his hainous sins.

[...]tly. When we see that so holy a man as David was fell into such sins, it may teach us, That there is no man so just and upright, as that he may stand upon his own righteousness. The best and most sanctified servants of God have their imperfections, so that none of them can say his heart is clean. Prev. 20.9. Some have more sins, and some fewer, but all some, and he that sins the least of all, hath sins e­nough to condemne him.James 3.2. In many things (saith Saint James) we offend all: though he be an Apostle, yet he exempts not himselfe, we (saith he) offend, he exempts not any other, we offend all, and that not in some, but in many things; in many things we offend all.Psal. 19.12. Therefore David, who can tell how oft he offends? Thus the best do sin, do sin in many things, do sin often, and therefore if the best do sin thus, and some of them fall into grievous sins, as David did, then who can stand upon his own righteousnesse? These uses the godly will make of his fall, and many other, and therefore he propounds this example to them, Therefore (faith he) shall every godly man. And so leaving the persons, who through [Page 173]his example shall come unto God. I come to the manner how they shall come unto him, and that is by prayer, Every one that is godly shall pray unto thee.

Where we see both the necessity of this duty, Every one that is godly shall pray, and so it is not left unto us as indifferent and ar­bitrary whether we will pray or no; and the object of prayer, and that is God, shall pray unto thee.

The necessity of prayer may appear by this, in that it is so ab­solutely commended in the Scripture without any simitation ei­ther of the persons, time, or place.Necessity of prayer. That there is no time ex­empted from praying, the Apostle shews Ephes. 6. where having forewarned us what mighty enemies do stand against us,Ephes. 6. that we do not wrestle against flesh and bloud, but against Princi­palities and Powers, and the Prince of darknesse; he therefore wills us, verse 18. to pray continually with all manner of supplicati­ons and prayers. So that there is no time when we are not to pray. That there is no person exempted from praying, the Pro­phet David shews us both by making this a note of the wicked, Psal. 13. That they call not upon God; and saying here generally, Every one that is godly shall pray unto thee. And that there is no place exempted from praying, the Apostle shews us, 1 Tim. 2. where he wills us to pray in every place; 1 Tim. 2.8. so that praying must needs be a very necessary duty, because it is so generally and so absolute­ly injoyn'd us. Fasting is a duty which is much commended in the Word of God, yet fasting hath his limitation of time; for there is a time when we are not bound to fast, & therfore our Saviour ex­cused his Disciples for not fasting, by an argument drawn from the time. Can the children of the Bride-chamber fast while the Bride­groom is with them, Mat. 9.15. as long as they have the Bridegroom with them they cannot fast. Giving of almes is another duty, which is much commended in the Scripture unto us, yet giving of almes hath a limitation of persons; for all are not injoyn'd to give almes, but onely such as are of ability, and they that are of ability are not injoyned to give almes unto all, but onely to such as are in want and necessity; but as every one is injoyn'd to pray, so to pray for all men, I exhort (saith the Apostle, 1 Tim. 2.1.) that supplica­tions, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men. So that if we put all these together, That every one is injoyn'd to pray, to pray for all persons, to pray at all times, to pray in all places, and to pray with all manner of supplications and [Page 174]prayers; This must needs be a very necessary duty, because it is so generally and absolutely injoyn'd us.

And indeed, there is great reason why prayer should have no limitation, because every man may easily performe the same. If God had commanded us to offer goats and bullocks unto him, the poore and the needy might have excused themselves for want of ubility; if God had commanded us to go a pil­grimage into fa [...]re Countries, and there do him service, the blinde and the lame might have excused themselves, by reason of their impotencie. But no man can pretend any just excuse why he should not pray, because every man may easily per­forme this duty. And thus much briefly: for the necessity of prayer.

The Object of prayer,Object of prayer. ye see, is God, Every one that is godly shall pray unto thee. He doth not say, shall pray to Saints, or Angels, or the Virgine, but unto thee. For this is the Title which David gives unto God, That he is the hearer of prayer, Psal. 65.25. O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come. For prayer is a part of Gods service and worship, and so to be given to no other but God. Therefore God commands us to pray unto him, Call upon me, faith God in the fifty Psalm. Christ teacheth us to pray unto God. Our Father, which art in heaven &c. The Spirit teacheth us to pray unto God. For God (saith the Apostle, Gal. 4.6.) hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, cry­ing Abba Father. So that if we would be instructed to whom we must pray, can we have better instructers then these, the Father, the Sonne, and the Holy Ghest, who teach us to pray unto God onely? Therefore if we search all over the Scripture, from the beginning of Genesis, to the end of the Revelation, among all the prayers which are registred therein, among all the Psalmes, one hundred and fifty, whereof two parts at the least are prayers, yet we finde not one prayer among them all, which was ever made to Cherubin, or Seraphim, to Raphael, Gabriel, or any of the Angebs; to Abraham, or I­saac, or any of the Patriarchs; to Moses, or Samuel, or a­ny of the Prophets; to Peter, or Paul, or any of the A­postles; to the blessed Virgine, or any of the Saints, but onely to God.

Thus if we would have presidents of prayer, can we have bet­ter presidents then these which the Scripture records, and which [Page 175]have been made by the faithfull in all Ages? And the reason is plain, because they had no warrant out of Gods word to pray to a­ny other but God; and they knew besides, that God and no other hears our prayers and sees our wants.

Indeed, the Papists who pray to Saints and Angels, hold that they cannot but see our wants and hear our prayers. For How say they, should not they see all things who sea the face of him that seeth all things: as if by seeing God they must see all things that God sees; which if it were true, their knowledg ye know must needs be infinite as God is.

And besides, this is plainly confuted by Christ, for Christ who tells us, Math. 18.Mat. 18.10. Mar. 13.32. That the Angells do alwayes behold the face of his Father in Heaven; He likewise tells us, Marke 13. That the An­gells are ignorant of the day of Judgement. And for the Saints de­parted, the Scripture tells us, That they know no more what is done upon the earth, and have no understanding of the affaires of the living. So Solomon tells us, Eccles. 9. That the dead know not any thing, nei­ther have they any more a portion for ever, Eceles. 9.6. in any thing that is done under the Sunne. If any of the dead should have any knowledge of the state of the living; then questionlesse Princes of the state of their Subjects, and Fathers of their children; But that Princes af­ter they are departed have not any knowledge of their Subjects, we see by Josias, where God gratiously promises to take him away, 2 King. 22.20. that he might not see the evill which he would bring upon the Jewes. And that Fathers have no knowledge after their departure of the state of their children; Job plainly tells us in his 14. Chapter, the 20. verse, speaking of a Father that is dead, and leaves children be­hind him, His Sonnes saith he, come to honour and he knows it not, and they are brought low and he perceives it not. Nay, Abraham the Fa­ther of the faithfull, to whom God promised, that he would multi­ply his seed as the Starres of Heaven; yet he had no knowledge after his departure what became of them. And therefore the Israelites Esay 63.16. ver. acknowledge, that Abraham and Jacob that were dead had no knowledge of their miseries, Doubtlesse say they, thou art our Father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Jacob know us not, yet thou O Lord art our Father and Redeemer, thy name is for ever. Si tanti Patriarche &c. If (saith St. Augustine) so great Patriarchs were ignorant, what became of the people that came from their loines? How shall the dead have ought to do in the knowledge or aide of the affaires and actions of their dearest survivers. But [Page 176]suppose they did know our affaires and actions, yet our hearts they cannot know; for this is proper to God onely who is the searcher of the heart.

Now our hearts ye know are the seate of our prayers, the lips do but vent them to the eares of men. And therefore Solo­mon in the 1 of the Kings the 8. Chapter, useth this as an argument why we are to pray to no other but God; because God and no other can hear our prayers; because he onely knows our hearts. Hear thou saith he,1 King. 8.39. in Heaven thy dwelling place, and do, and give to every man according to his wayes, whose heart thou knowest; for thou even thou onely knowest the hearts of all the children of men. So that he only is to be prayed unto that can hear our praiers, & he onely can hear them that knows our hearts, and understands with what af­fection we pray unto him.

But suppose again, that Saints and Angels could hear our pray­ers, and did know our hearts; and suppose that God had put it to our choise, whether we would pray to him or to them, have we not more reason to pray to him who is the fountaine of grace, then unto them who are but vessels of grace? Would they be so pro­pitious as he is unto us? Would they be so ready to hear our pray­ers? As he commands us to pray unto him: so he promiseth to gives us whatsoever we aske,John 16.23. Whatsoever saith our Saviour, John 16. ye shall aske the Father in my Name, he will give it unto you. And because of our selves we know not how to pray, nor what to aske, he gives us his Spirit to help our infirmitie, and to teach us to pray; He prepars our hearts as David saith,Psal. 10.17. and his eare hearkens thereunto. And because we are not so ready to ask as he would have us he therfore many times prevents our asking, & is more ready to grant our requests then we are to make them. So he promises, Esay 65.24. Antequam clament ego exaudiam. Before they call I will answer, and while they are yet speaking I will hear. So he dealt with David in this (32) Psalme, who had no sooner said, he would confesse his sinne; but God forgave him. Nay, as he prevents our asking: so many times he exceeds our desires, and gives us more then we aske of him,1 King. 3.13. So he dealt with Solomon, when he begged of God, that he would give him a wise and understanding heart, God gave him both that which he did desire and told him besides, I have also gi­ven th [...]e that which thou hast not asked, both Riches and Honour. And can we have greater incouragements then these to pray unto God, who is so ready to grant our prayers? And so there is great reason [Page 177]why we should pray onely to him. And thus much likewise for the Object of prayer, I now procced unto the last point, The time when the godly shall come unto God by prayer, nuncly, [...] time when he may be found.

But some man may say, why is there time when God may not be found? will God at any time absent himselfe, and keep himselfe out of the way when men seek after him? Indeed B [...]als Priests, 1 King. 18. They sought and all to besought their God s [...] morning to noon, but could not finde him. Cry (saith Eluck) [...] aloud unto your god, for it may be he is talking with some body, an [...] doth not mark you, or it may be he is rid on: of town, and is in his journey, or it may be he is taking a nap, and [...]ust be Wakened before he can hear you. Thus the Prophet derided their counterset good, but it is not so with the God of Jacob, Psal. 12 [...].4. the Keeper of Israel, neither slumbers, nor sleeps. If David seek him David shall finde him, nay David, and every godly man shall find him when­soever they seek him, Paul and Silas cannot pray at mid-night, but the will hear them.Acts 16.25. Mat. 18.20. Two or three cannot be gathered toge­ther in his name, but he will be in the midst of them. Nay, he is so far from not being found, that if thou offer thy selfe unto him with the Prodigall, he will go forth to meet thee;Luke 15.20. Luke 15.4.5. nay though thou be strayed away with the lost sheep, he will go after to seek thee, and never lin seeking untill he have found thee. Why, then, saith David here, In a time when thou mayest be found? why is there a time when God may not be found? The answer is, That there is a time (as the very words imply) when God may not be found, and therefore if we will find God, we must come in a time while he may be found. The time when God may not be found, is two-fold. Tempus impossibilitatis, and tempus improba­bilitatis. the time when it is impossible to finde him, and the time when it is unlikely to finde him. The time when it is im­possible to finde him, is when this life is ended. For after this life there is no time for grace, no time for repentence, no time for good works. Therefore it is that Christ saith, John 9.4. I must work the Works of him that sent me while it is day, the night comes, and then no man can work: by day understanding the time of this life, and by night, death. Hie amittitur vita aut recipe­ratur, saith [...]prian. In this life, the life to come is either lost or gotten. He that defers the seeking thereof till this life be past, he knocks with the foolish Virgins when the gates are shut, and [Page 178]then it is to late, he that seeks not for mercy till after this life, he shall find none, no not so much as a drop of cold water to coole his tongue. For as the tree falls so it lies, and as the day of our death doth leave us: so shall the day of judgement find us.

The time when it is unlikely to find God, is when he offers us grace, and we reject the same; when he calls us by his Word, and we harden our hearts; and when upon presumption of the mercy of God whensoever we repent, we deferr our repentance to the end of our lives, and so indeed do never truly repent. And there­fore the Counsell is very good, Ecclesiasticus 5.7. Make no tarry­ing to turn unto the Lord, and put it not off from day to day; for sudden­ly shall the wrath of God break forth, and in thy security thou shalt be destroyed.

And as there is a time when God may not be found: so there is a time when he may be found; & this time is likewise twofold, either more common and generall, or more proper and speciall. The com­mon and generall time when God may be found, is this whole life time, from the beginning of our life till the end thereof. And therefore if we must come unto God while he may be found, and he may be found this whole life time, then we cannot begin to soone to come unto him. Therefore Solomon counsells us, to remember our Creator in the dayes of our youth, that so we may be seasoned with godlinesse, and Religion in the beginning of our life.

The more speciall time when God may be found, is when he cals us unto him by the preaching of the word; for then he offers his grace unto us, and knocks by his Spirit at the doore of our hearts, that he may have entrance. If we open unto him, he will say to our souls, here will I dwell for I have a delight herein; but if we refuse to give him entrance, if we harden our hearts when we hear his voice, we know not when, whether ever or never he will come againe.

And therefore to conclude with the words of the Apostle, Be­hold, now is the accepted time, now is the day of Salvation; And therefore if thou wilt come unto him in the time accepted, de­ferre not the time; but come unto him while salvation is offered. The time that is past is altogether irrevocable, the time that is to come is altogether uncertaine, onely the time present, is the time accepted; and therefore come now while he may be found.

Division. TO passe over the Coherence of these words with the former, we may observe in them these two things; The great impiety of the Jewes in mar­tyring Steven, and Stevens great piety in his martyrdom. Their impiety is set down briefly in the first words, wherein is mentioned, both the person that was martyr'd, and that was Steven; the kind of his martyrdom, and that was stoning; and by whom he was thus martyr'd, namely by the Jewes, They stoned Steven.

Stevens great piety in his martyrdom, is set down more largely in the words following; and herein is declared both his faith to­wards God, and his charity towards men: both which he shews by a double prayer which he makes; first for himself, He called upon God saying. Lord Jesus receive my spirit; then for his perse­cutors, he kneeled down and cryed with a loud voice, Lord lay not this sinne to their charge.

First then concerning the impiety of the Jewes; the person that was martyred here was Steven, who according to his name, which in the Greek doth signifie a Crown, was the first, who after the Ascention of Christ,3. Sorts of Martyrs. was crowned with martyrdom. Now there are Martyrs of three sorts.

I First, Such as are Martyrs (voluntate sed non opere) in will and desire, but not in act. So Eusebius vvrites of Origen, that while he vvas young, he had such a desire to be a Martyr, that his Mo­ther was faine to hide all his apparel that she might keep him at home: because otherwise he vvould have gone to his Father, who vvas then in prison, to have suffered martyrdom vvith him. And so he was a Martyr in vvill and affection.

And it is very memorable, vvhich Sotrates, Theodoret and like­vvise Sozomen in their Ecclesiastical Histories, do report of a woman vvho so affected martyrdom, that vvhen she understood that Valens the Emperour, had sent Modestus the Governour of Edessa, with a band of souldiers to kill all the Christians, that were assembled there at St. Thomas Church, she ran thither in all hast with a child of hers; Modestus observing how fast she ran, caused her to be called, and asked her whether she was running? She answered, to the Church vvhere the Christians were assembled, Why, do you not know saith Modestus, that the Emperour hath sent me thither to put them all to death? I know it well, saith the woman, and therefore I make the more hast thither that I may dye with them. But why, saith he, do you carry your child with you? That he, saith she, may likewise be crowned vvith Martyrdom. This answer of hers, so moved Mo­destus, that he returned back, and diswaded the Emperour from the execution of it. And these vvere Martyrs in vvill and affection, but not in act.

II Secondly, There are others, that are (Martyres opere sed non vo­luntate Martyrs in act but not in vvill and affection. Such were those innocent babes of Bethlehem that Herod slew, vvhom St Au­gustine calls Primitias Martyrum, the first fruits of Martyrs; for these dyed for Christ that vvas to dye for them, and vvere Wit­nesses unto him, speaking vvith their bloud (as Chrysostom saith) that could not speak vvith their tongue, and confessing and shew­ing forth his praise, not in speaking, but in dying. And such a Martyr vvas that babe, vvhereof we read in the book of Martyrs, vvhich sprang out of his Mothers Wombe while she was burning at the stake, and vvas by the Papists cast againe into the fire, as thy [Page 181]brood of Heriticks. A more horrible and impious act in them then it had been being committed by any other, in regard of their doctrine; because they hold it as an Article of their Faith, that all Children are damned that dye without Baptisme; and yet they vvilfully burned this innocent before he vvas Baptized, and so (as they thought) did not onely cast his Body into the fire; but his Soule into Hell: though indeede this blessed Babe did not want Baptisme, but vvas Baptized vvith the Holy Ghost, and vvith fire; and vvas no sooner borne, but died a Martyr, (Mar­tyr opere non voluntate) a Martyr in act though not in vvill and desire.

III Thirdly, There are others, that are (Martyres voluntate et ope­re) Martyrs both in Will and Act; and such a Martyr vvas Ste­ven, vvho both in Will and Act did suffer Martyrdom.

Now, because as St. Austin saith out of Cyprian (Non paena sed causa facit Martyrem) it is not the punishment vvhich a man doth suffer, but the cause for vvhich he suffers, that makes him a Martyr. Let us see for what it vvas that Steven vvas here Martyr­ed. And this vvas (as vve see verse 52.) for the Testimony of Christ. Which of the Prophets, saith he, have not your Fathers per­secuted? And they have slaine them, which shewed before of the coming of the just One, of whom you have been now the betrayers and murtherers. He knevv that they hated Christ to the death, and had therefore Crucified him; He knevv that they had imprisoned his Disciples, and strictly charged them to Preach no more in his Name; He knevv that for Preaching in his Name he himself vvas here brought before the Councell, and had false Witnesses su­borned against him, and so could not but knovv that his bearing vvitnesse to Christ must needs endanger him; and yet vvith great boldnesse he bear vvitnesse to Christ; and for this it vvas that he suffered Martyrdom.

Here then, in Steven we may observe a difference betvven true and false Martyrs. True Martyrs suffer in a good cause, for the testimony of Christ and the defence of the truth: but false Martyrs suffer in a bad cause, for the defence of their errors.Epipha. con­tra Har. lib. 3. to 2. Har. 80. So Epiphanius writes of a sect called Martyriani, vvho count themselves Mar­tyrs though they suffred indeed for their vvorshiping of Idols.

So many have been registred for Martyrs, and canonized for Saints, in the Church of Rome, that have suffered as Traitors, and died for Treason But true Martyrs do suffer in a just cause, and [Page 182]such onely can have comfort in their sufferings.Mat. 10.39. He (saith our Saviour) that loseth his life for my sake, shall finde it: it is not e­nough to lose it, unlesse it be lost for Christs sake, otherwise there is no promise made of finding it.Mat. 5.10. Blessed are they that suffer per­secution for righteousnesse sake: it is not their suffering, but their suffering for righteousnesse that makes them blessed. Therefore the Apostles did not simply rejoyce in their sufferings,Acts 5.41. but that they were counted worthy to suffer for Christs sake. This was that which made Saint Paul so willing to suffer, that being fore-told by Agabus, Acts 21. That at Jerusalem he should be in bonds, and be delivered into the hands of the Gentiles, and being therefore in­treated by the brethren that,Acts 21.13. he would not go to Jerusalem, What mean ye (saith he) to weep and to break my heart, for I am ready not onely to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. And this was that which here imboldened Steven, because it was for the Testimony of Christ that he suffered Mar­tyrdome. And so leaving the first point, the person that was mar­tyr'd, I come to the second, the kind of his Martyrdome, and that was stoning. They stoned Steven.

Our Saviour, ye know, fore-told his Disciples of the great per­secution which they were to suffer,Luke 9.23. Mat. 10.22. Mat. 10.16. Mat. 10.17. Mat. 23.34. That if any man would be his Disciple, he must take up his Crosse every day, and follow him; that they should be hated of all men for his names sake, that he sent them as sheep among wolves, that they would be brought before the Coun­cels, and be scourged in their Synagogues, that some of them should be slaine, some stoned, and some crucified. All which not long after began to be accomplished. To begin with the Apostles, whom Christ vouchsafes the name of his friends:John 15.15. John 15.7. Revel. 1.9. John 21.17. Saint John the Disciple that Christ loved, was condemned to banishment by the Emperor Domitian, & was banished into the Isle of Pathmos, where he wrote the Book of the Revelation. Saint Peter the Disciple that loved Christ, was condemned by Nero to be crucified, and was hanged on the Crosse (as Saint Jerome writes) with his head down-wards, affirming himselfe unworthy to be crucified in the same manner that his Lord was. Saint Andrew, Peters brother, was likewise crucified, imbracing the Crosse, (saith Bernard) and say­ing, Per te me recipiat, qui per te me redemit, Let him receive me by thee, who by thee redeemed me: and hanging on the Crosse three dayes before he died, converted many in the mean time to Christ, Saint James the elder, the Son of Zebedec, and Saint [Page 183] Johns brother, was killed with the sword; and the person (as Clemens Alexandrinus writes) that had accused him, when he saw him condemned, was so moved therewith, that he profest himself to be a Christian, and having asked forgivenesse of Saint James, was beheaded with him. Saint James the younger, the son of Al­pheus, and Bishop of Jerusalem, because he would not deny Christ to be the Son of God, was thrown down headlong from the bat­tlements of the Temple, and being still alive, though both his thighes were broke, his braines were dashed out (as Egesippus writes) with a Fullers club. Saint Thomas who would not believe that Christ was risen from the dead, except he might put his hand into the wound which the launce had made, was afterwards in India (as some Authours report) thrust through with a launce, because he would not worship the image of the Sun, which was worshipt by them. Saint Paul was beheaded in Rome by Nero, on the same day (as some do write) that Peter was crucified, and so that may not unfitly be applied to them, which David said of Saul and Ionathan, They were lovely in their lives, and in their deaths they were not devided. 2 Sam. 1.23. I might further instance in the rest of the Apostles, and in the bloudy persecutions which afterwards followed, wherein there was made such havock of the Church, that if Ievemie, or David, had lived in those dayes, there had been matter for the one to have made new Lamentations, and for the other to sit weeping by the walls of Babylon, when he remembred Sion. Thus in these was verefied what our Saviour fore-told, con­cerning the persecution which they were to suffer; and the first of them all, which brake, as it were, the ice, and led the way to the rest, was Steven here, who was stoned to death. A kind of death which was appointed by God, for idolaters, blasphemers, and malefactors, that others seeing what punishment they suffered, might be kept from committing the like sins, for fear of under­going the like punishment. So we see Deut. 13. That the idola­ter that inticed the people to serve other gods, Deut. 13.10.11. was by Gods commande­ment to be stoned to deat, that all Israel might hear and fear, and the like might not be done any more in Israel. So he that blasphemed the Name of the Lord, Levit. 24.23. Levit. 24. was stoned to death by the whole Congregation, as God commanded. I might instance in others, So that stoning was a punishment appointed by God for wicked per­sons; yet Steven that was a holy man, was here stoned. Here then we may observe from the kind of his Martyrdome, which was [Page 184]stoning, That we are not to judge of a man by the kind of his death, because sometimes the godly die the same kind of death that the wicked do. 1. King. 16. Ahab, ye know, was a most wicked King, that served Baul, and polluted the worships and service of God, so that it is said of him, that he did more to provoke the Lord to anger, then all the Kings of Israel that were before him. Josiah on the contrary, was a most religious King, that brought Iudah and Ierusalem from their idolatry, and restored Gods service, so that it is said of him, That like unto him there was no King before him, 2. King. 23. that turned to the Lord with all his heart, neither after him arose there any like him. Yet these two brethren that were so unlike in their lives, were a­like in their deaths, both were slain in the warres by the hands of their enemies. The like may be said of Ionathan and Saul, a good Son of a bad Father, yet both of them slain in the field together. So seditious Sheba that conspired against David, died the same kind of death that Iohn the Baptist did, for they were both beheaded: and Steven here dyed the same kind of death that Achan did, for they were both stoned.

Doct. In a vvord, There is hardly any death that can be names, but some of the godly have been put thereunto as well as the wicked. And there­fore vve are not to judge of any by the kind of his death, that he died vvell or ill; because that kind of death vvhich befalls one, may befall an other. We commonly judge the vvorse of a man if his death be sudden, and count sudden death a fearfull thing: as indeed it is, especially if it be a violent death vvithall.

It vvas a fearfull kind a death which Charles the King of Na­varre died, both for the suddennesse and violence of it, who fee­ling great anguish in all his nerves, was, by the advice of his Phy­sicians, to be close wrapped in linnen cloth, which had been well steeped in Aquavitae, and the cloth to be sowed strait all about his body: one having sowed it, not having a knife ready to cut the thread, took the candle to burn the thread in sunder, and the thread flaming to the cloth took sudden hold of the same, and the Aquavitae, that the King in this flame was burnt to death, before he could be helped by any. And many come to such fearfull ends, and yet we cannot judge of them by the kind of their death, be­cause even the godly, whose death is precious in the eyes of the Lord howsoever they die, do sometimes die a violent death, and that suddenly: So did old Eli that was a good man; vvho hearing that the Arke of God was taken, 2 Sam. 4.18. fell backward from his scate, his neck [Page 185]brake and he dyed. So Job's Children no doubt were holy persons, having had godly education, and their Fathers prayers laid up in Heaven for them; yet While they were feasting together in their elder brothers house; Job 1.19. the house on the sudden fell down and killed every one of them. If therefore we judge of men by the kinde of their deaths, we shall condemn the generation of the righteous, and may bring on ourselves the like censure from others. For we do not know, by what kinde of death we shall glorifie God, whether we shall die an easie or a painfull death, whether a naturall or a violent death, whether a lingring or a sudden death.

The times have been, (God grant the like times may never come again) when there have been so great persecutions in the Church, that the faithfull have been put to all manner of deaths: whether God hath reserved us to the like times or no we do not know, we know we have no promise to the contrary; and therefore ought to prepare our selves for the like times, that if they come, we may constantly maintain the profession of Christ, though it cost us our lives, as here it did Steven. And thus much likewise for the second point the kinde of his martyrdom. And so I come to the third, by whom he was thus martyred, namely by the Iewes, They stoned Steven.

Ye all know that the Iewes, were the people whom God had cho­sen to himself above all other Nations. Behold, saith Moses, Heaven and the Heaven of Heavens is the Lords, Déut. 10.14. and the Earth and all that is therein, notwithstanding he hath set his affection on thy Fathers to love them, and hath also chosen their seed after them; Even you (saith he) hath he chosen above all people. For as for all other Nations, God counted them strangers, and left them to themselves, and did not vouchsafe them his Statutes and Ordinances; but suffered them to walk in their own wayes. But as for the Iewes he first taught them himself, and delivered them his Law from his own mouth: and because they desired to be instructed rather by men like them­selves; and therefore spake to Moses, Loquere tu nobiscum et audi­emus &c. Speak thon (say they) with us and we will hear, Exe. 20.19. but let not God speak with us lest we dye, God yielded to their request, and first taught them by Moses, afterwards by the Prophets,Luke 19.26. of whom A­braham said to the rich-man, They have Moses and the Prophets, let them hear them. But the Iewes were so far from hearing these, that Steven could here upbraid them Which of the Prophets have not your Fathers persecuted? And Christ complaine of them, O Jerusalem, [Page 186]Jerusalem, thou that killest the Prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee, as here they did Steven. Their sinne then is aggravated, in regard of the persons by whom it was committed. They were not the Gentiles, or any Heathenish people that knew not God, for then their sin had been the less; but they were the Jewes Gods cho­sen people, who commonly if they were offended with any, upon every occasion were ready to stone them. If they be offended with Moses, Exod. 17.4. because they were thirsty and had no water to drink, they are presently ready to stone him for it; If they be, offended with Caleb and Joshua, Numb. 14.10. for contradicting the spies that were sent into Candan, and for giving a good report of the Land they are likewise ready to stone them for it. And how often in the Gospel, did they take up stones, to have stoned our Saviour? And here they stone Steven for bearing witnesse unto him. And this vvas a greater sin in them, being the people of God, then if they had been heathen, The heathen shall rise up in judgement against them, for they re­verenced their Priests though they were Idolaters. The Marriners that were so tender-hearted to Jonas, shall rise up against them; for they hazarded their lives to save the Prophet, though it were for his sinnes that they vvere in danger to perish; but these mer­cilesse Iewes did stone him to death, who sought to bring them to eternall life.

And therefore, as the voice of Abels bloud, did cry aloud in the eares of the Lord against Cain that shed it, and was vox sangui­num, a voice of blouds as the Scripture calls it, as being not onely the voice of his bloud; but of all the bloud that might have come of that bloud, if it had not been shed. So here the bloud of Steven, did cry aloud against the Iewes that shed the same, and the bloud of all those that might have come from him, nay upon them was laid all the righteous blood that was shed before him:Mat. 23.34. for so our Saviour told them, Behold, I send unto you Prophets, and wise-men, and Scribes, and some of them you shall kill and Crucifie &c. that upon you (saith he) may come all the righteous bloud shed upon the earth, from the bloud of righteous Abel, to the bloud of Zacharias Sonne of Barachias, whom ye slew betweene the Temple and the Al­tar.

We read of Tomyris the Queen of the Scythians, that because Cy­rus the King of Persia had slain her son, she gathered an Army and made War upon him, and having vanquisht the Persians, she took Cyrus, and cutting off his head, she cast it into a barrell that was fil­led [Page 187]with bloud, thus insulting over it, Thou that wast so thirsty and insatiable of bloud, that thou slewest my son, shalt now have thy fill till thou be glutted vvith it. And thus the Jews vvho vvere so insatiable of the bloud of the Prophets, had in the end their fill of bloud, vvhen the bloud of all the righteous vvho had been slain from Abel to Zacharie, vvas laid upon them. And that may fitly be applied unto them vvhich the Angell saith Revel. 16. Thou art righteous O Lord, because thou hast judged thus, Rev. 16.5.6. for they have shed the bloud of Saints and Prophets, and thou hast given them bloud to drink, for they are worthy. And thus much for the persons by vvhom Steven vvas here martyred, namely the Jews. I come novv, from their impiety in martyring Steven, to Stevens great piety in his martyrdome: vvhich he shevvs, as I said, in a double prayer vvhich he makes, the one for himselfe, the other for his perse­cutors.

Doct. And from hence we may observe (before I come to his prayers in particular) in that he called upon God while the Jews were stoning him. The happy condition of a godly man that he is able to pray and call upon God in the greatest extremity that can befall him. The wicked may rage and persecute the godly, they may cast them in prison, and lay bolts upon them; they may bring them to the stake and burn or stone them, but they cannot hinder them from praying unto God, this comfort they can never take from them. Paul and Silas may be scourged, and imprisoned, and put in the stocks. Elias may be persecuted by Ahab and Iezabell, till he be ready to famish. Iob may have his body afflicted by the devill with sores and ulcers. Sampson may have his eyes put out by the Phili­stins, and Steven may here be stoned by the Iews, yet God leaves them not destitute of this comfort, that they are able to pray and call upon God in their greatest dangers. Nay the greater extremi­ty and danger they are in, God inables them to pray with the more fervency unto him. Hezekiah did never pray more fervently then when the sentence of death was pronounced against him, and he lay a dying. I beseech thee (saith he) O Lord remember now how I have walked before thee. As if he had said, now O Lord when I am ready to die, and no other can succour me,2 King. 20.3. now when Phy­sick and art do faile me, now when my strength is diminished and nature decayed, now when thou hast pronounced the sentence of death against me, now O Lord, now, now remember me. But it is [Page 188]not so with the ungodly, they call not upon God, they are least able of all to pray in their greatest necessity.Psal. 14.4. 1 Sam. 25.37. If they be in danger, or hear any ill tidings, their hearts like Nabals begin to die within them, and become as stones. For this is the priviledge of none but the godly, and an infallible argument of Gods mercy towards them, in that he inables them when they are in any perill to pray unto him. Therefore David, Psal. 66. the last verse, Blessed be God, saith he, that hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me. Upon which words Saint Augustine, Quamdin Deus non tollit a te oration em tuam, non amovebit a te misericordiam suam, As long as God doth not take thy praying from thee, he will not re­move his mercy from thee, because it is his mercy that inables thee to pray. If therefore, when thou art in any great danger, thou canst call upon God for his help and assistance, and canst say with the Disciples,Mat. 8.25. Psal. 6.2. Lord save us, we perish: if when thou liest sick, and keepest thy bed, thou canst pray with David, Lord be mer­cifull unto me, for I am weak; Lord heale me, for my bones are vex­ed. If when thou art drawing toward thy end, and art to leave the World, thou canst willingly resigne thy soule unto God, and pray as Steven did; Lord Iesus receive my spirit. Thou mayest well conceive great comfort therein, because only the godly are inabled in their greatest extremity to call upon God, as Steven here did. But let us come to his prayer, Lord Jesus receive my spirit.

He called upon God, saying, Lord Jesus, which invicibly proves, that Christ is God. This the Arrians, and some other Hereticks have blasphemously denied, and this the Jews to this day will not be brought to acknowledge. But the Scripture is not more plain in any thing then it is in this. For besides, that the Scripture gives him the Title and Name of God, that he is Deus in carne manifestatus, i Tim. 3.16. Rom. 9.5. John 14.1. John 14.14. Mat. 28.19. John. 5.23. Luke 8.28.31. Mat. 8.26. Mat. 4.23. Mat. 10.1. God manifested in the flesh, and Deus in saecula be­nedictus, God blessed for ever. And besides that we are taught in the Scripture to ascribe unto him divine honour, that we must believe in him, that we must pray unto him, that we must be bap­tized in his Name, and that we must honour him as we honour the Father: The very works and miracles which he did, do testi­fie of him, and prove him to be God. For if he were not God how did the devills stand in aw of him? how did the windes and the seas obey him? how did he cure all manner of diseases, and inable his Disciples to do the like in his Name? Did ever any man [Page 189]by his own power raise himself being dead? Did ever any man since the beginning of the World, as the blind man saith,John 2.19. John 9.32. John 9. open the eyes of any that was born blind? but these things we know were done by Christ, and do prove him to be God. If he were not God, how did he pardon and forgive sins,Mat. 9.2. Mat. 9.4. Colos. 1.16. which is proper to God, how did he know the thoughts of mens hearts, which is proper to God, and how is he said to have created the World, which is the peculi­ar work of God? And therefore Steven praying to the Lord Ie­sus, is said here to call upon God. He called upon God. saying, Lord Iesus receive my spirit.

The Papists do commonly at their death commend their souls to the Virgine Mary. So did Father Garnet, & so did Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, two that are reputed for speciall Mar­tyrs in the Church of Rome, though they suffered for treason, they commended their soules at the time of their death to the blessed Virgine. And it is a common prayer among them, Maria mater gratiae, tu nos ab hoste protege, & hora mortis suscipe. Mary the Mo­ther of grace, do thou defend us from the enemy, and receive us at the hour of death. But Steven here the first Martyr, commend­ed not his soule to the Virgine Mary when he died, but to Christ that redeemed it, Lord Iesus (saith he) receive my spirit. And he joyns these two Lord Jesus, together, acknowledging Christ to be both, both his Lord and his Saviour. Some disjoyne these, they will acknowledge Christ to be their Jesus, they vvill say they look to be saved by him, but they do not acknowledge him for their Lord, they will not serve him. Such are they who go on in their sins, and follow the lusts of their own hearts, and yet do look to be saved by grace. But such do greatly deceive themselves. For either Christ will be our Lord, or he will be our Jesus, we must be content to yield him obedience, and to live as becomes his ser­vants, or he will not save us. And therefore only the godly that serve him in their life, can with comfort commend their souls unto him at the time of their death, and say as Steven did, Lord Jesus receive my spirit.

He prayes not for his body, but for his soule. Though it were his body which was here in danger, while the Jews were stoning him, yet it is not his body, but it is his soule that he prayes for, as being more sensible of his future estate then of his present con­dition, and not so much regarding this present life, as the life to come. Many in their life, and at the time of their death, are [Page 190]carefull for their bodies, thinking of the great pain which their bodies are to suffer when death siezes upon them, and taking care how they shall be able to overcome the same. This care troubles many that are good Christians, who are the more afraid of death for the pain thereof, and imagine the pain to be greater then it is. That death is painfull there is not any question, Si nulla esset mor­tis amaritudo, non magna esset martyrum fortitudo, saith Augustine, If there were no sharpnesse and pain in death, it were no great for­titude in the Martyrs to suffer it. But though death be painfull, yet we must remember this for our comfort, that it will be no more painfull to us, then it hath been to the godly in all ages; and there­fore why should we be afraid to undergo that, which all the godly have undergone before us? Will not any man be content to be put to that, whereunto the King puts his chiefe Favourites? for he will think with himselfe, if I be put to no more then the Kings Favourites are, I shall fare well enough. The godly, ye know, are Gods chiefe Favourites, God loves and favours them above all others: if therefore they have suffered the paine of death, and have not been exempted by God from it, we may well be the lesse carefull to undergo it, and may assure our selves, that though the paine were never so great, yet Christ who hath redeemed both our soules and bodies, will inable us to bear it, and as Cyprian saith, Qui semel pro nobis mortem vicit, semper vincet in nobis. He that once overcame death for us, will alwayes overcome it in us. And therefore whether we die for the Lord, or in the Lord, we may well lay the care of our bodies aside, and may chearfully com­mend our soules unto Christ, as Steven here did, Lord Jesus receive my spirit.

Doct. I might hence observe the immortality of the soule, That though the body do die, yet the soule is immortall. This is signifi­ed by those words of Solomon, Eccles. 12.7. That the body shall returne to the earth from Whence it was taken, and the spirit shall returne unto God who gave it: Mat. 10.28. and by that saying of our Saviour, Fear not those that can kill the body, but are not able to kill the soule. But I will passe this over, and come briefly to the prayer which he makes for his persecutours, He kneeled down, and cryed with a loud voice, Lord lay not this sinne to their charge. Where first observe the ge­sture he used, he kneeled down when he prayed. The Jews did com­monly stand when they prayed. Therefore Christ alluding to this their custome, Mark 11. When ye stand, saith he, and pray, if ye [Page 191]have ought against any man forgive him, And the Jewes have a say­ing Sine stationibus non consisteret mundus, that the world could not consist without standing; that is, without praying, because they were wont to pray standing.1 Kings 19.4. 1 Chro. 17.16. The Prophet Eliah when he fled from Iezabel, he prayed sitting. And we read the like of David, that he sat and prayed. Other kinde of gestures we use in our prayers, which may be reduced unto these two heads, such as we use in regard of our Hope, or in regard of our Humiliation and Reve­rence.

In regard of our hope, we lift up our eyes, and we stretch forth our hands, as expecting and requiring Gods help and assistance. So David in the 121. Psalm, I will lift up mine eyes to the hills, from whence cometh my help. And Moses praying for the Isracletes Exod. 17. That they might prevale against Amaleck, he stretched forth his hands. For as Saint Austin saith, Oculus erectus expectat, manus ex­tensa postulat, The eyes being lift up expect help, and the hands be­ing stretcht forth, do seeme to reuqire it.

In regard of our humiliation and reverence, we uncover our heads, we bow down our bodies, and we kneele on our knees, we uncover our heads, which is Magnificentia depositio, a laying a­side of our greatnesse. And thus Kings and Princes, when they pray unto God, do uncover their heads laying aside their state, and acknowledging thereby, that they are Gods Servants: So we pro­strate our selves and fall down on our knees, as Steven here did, in token of the reverence we owe unto God in offering our prayers. And this gesture of kneeling, we finde to have been often used by the faithfull, and as the Magdeburgenses (who wrote the Centu­ries) affirme, hath been the most ancient gesture in prayer, and the most used by the Church in all ages.

Peter as we see in the 9. of the Asts, and Paul in the 20. did pray kneeling: so did the Prophet Daniel in his sixt Chapter. Saint James the first Bishop of Jerusalem, was so frequent in praying on his knees, that he made his knees as hard as the hoofe of a Camel with continuall kneeling. And the like did Asella as we read in St. Jerome. It is true indeed, that it is the heart and affection of him that prays, and not the gesture of the body which God respects, but withall this is true, that he that makes no conscience of praying reverently, doth never pray heartily; and he that will not bend the knee unto God, much lesse out of doubt will he bend the heart. O come let us Worship and fall down, saith the Psalmest, and [Page 192]kneele before the Lord our maker. Psal. 95.6. Micah. 6.6. Where withall shall I come (saith the Prophet Micah in his sixt chapter) before the Lord, and bow my self before the high God? To shew that he might not come into his presence but with great reverence.

And therefore this serves, to reprove those that shew no signes of re­verence unto God, 2 Chr. 6.13. Luke. 22.4 [...]. when they come before him to offer up their prayers, We see that Solomon, when he consecrated the Temple, 2 Chron. 6. he kneeled down and prayed: and a greater then Solomon, our blessed Saviour, Luke 22. kneeled down when he prayed be for his passion. If he therefore used such reverence in prayer, should not we much more? For shall mercy bend her knee, and shall not misery? Shall the Physician, and shall not the Patient? Shall the Master, and shall not the Servant? Shall the Judge, and shall not he that is to be judged? unworthy is he to taste of the well of the wa­ter of life, that will not stoop to take it.

And as Steven here kneeled down, so he cryed with a loud voice, Lord lay not this sinne to their charge: His kneeling and crying, argu­ing both the greatnesse of their sinne, and his earnest desire and ar­dent affection,Quod jussit g [...]ssit. that they might be forgiven. It is Christs precept Luke 6. Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you, blesse them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. And he did himself what he wills us to do, praying for his Crucifiers, even when they Crucified him Father forgive them, they know not what they do. Luke 23.34. Steven here follows his example, praying for his persecu­tors even while they stoned him, Lord, saith he, buy not this sinne to their charge. And thus according to Christs precept and example, he loves his enemies, prayes for his persecutors, and requites good for evill. And this is the very perfection of love, and an infal­lible argument, that they who can do it, are the children of God.

A wicked man may performe many Christian duties, and com­mendable actions upon by-respects; He may give Almes to the poor, that men may think the better of him; he may Fast, because abstinence is good for his health; he may abstaine from adultery, theft, and the like, for the avoiding of shame and discredit; and he may put up wrongs and not seek to be revenged, for fear of incon­veniences that may follow after it. But for a man to love his ene­mies, and pray for his persecutors, this canot be done in any by-respect; but must needs be the worke of grace in him.

This is that wherein the godly do most resemble God, in loving their enemies, and rendring good to those that deserve evill at [Page 193]their hands. God is so good, that he renders good for evill, as he tooke occasion from Adams sinne, to send his Sonne into the world for mans redemption; for which Gregory calls it, Felix pec­catum, a happy sinne, because it had so soveraigne a Medecine. The wicked are so evill, that they render evill for good; sometimes to God, as the Israelites did, taking their Eare-rings of Gold which God had given them in Egypt, and making thereof a Calfe which they worshipt, to the dishonour of God: sometimes to man, as Saul did to David, using all means to procure his death, who had saved his life.2 Kings 6.23. But the godly do imitate their heavenly Fa­ther, rendring good for evill, as Elisha made the Syrians to eate, and to drink, that were sent to take him, and as Steven here prayed for the Jewes that stoned him.

Division. SOcrates writes of Pambo the Herimit, that when one was reading to him the 39. Psalme, and had read but the beginning.Psa. 39.1: I said, I will take heed to my wayes, that so I offend not in my tongue. The Heremit willed him to stay there and to read no further; for this, saith he, is a lesson which will hardly be learned in a long time. Had the beginning of my text been read unto him, Thou shalt sweare, he would rather have willed him to have read on; because this is a lesson which is learned soone. For who can­not swear without a teacher? We may see young children, who before they have perfectly learn'd to read, have learned this lesson. So that if swearing were all which God required, almost every one might answer as the Ruler did our Saviour,Luke 18.21. All this have I done from my youth upward. But here is not onely an Oath to be taken, Thou shalt swear, but the object of an Oath, or by whom we are to swear, Thou shalt swear, the Lord liveth; and the conditions of an Oath or how we are to swear, Thou shalt swear, the Lord liveth [Page 195]in truth, in judgement and in righteousnesse. The first against the A­nabaptists who hold it unlawfull to swear at all, Thou shalt swear. The second against the Papists who hold it lawfull to swear by the Creatures, Thou shalt swear the Lord liveth. The third against all profane swearers, that take either false or fraudulent Oaths, Thou shalt swear in truth, or inconsiderate or unnecessary Oaths, Thou shalt swear in judgement: or lastly pernicious and wicked Oaths, which are taken for the performance of some unlawfull action, Thou shalt swear in righteousnesse. And these are the severall parts of these words.

And first, concerning the lawfulnesse of an Oath, I neede not stand long upon the proof thereof; because as the Lawyers say, Quod consuetum est praesumitur esse justum, That is commonly held to be just and lawfull which is ordinary and common. And yet be­cause the Anabaptists are of another opinion, and would utterly take away the use of an Oath, something must be spoken of the lawfulnesse thereof.

That it is lawfull therefore to take an Oath, we may see, espe­cially by these three things.

First, By the expresse commandement of God. If to take an Oath were simply unlawfull,Exod. 20. then God would not have forbid­den us, to take his name in vain, but to take it at all, as because it is simply unlawfull to swear by false Gods, he doth not forbid us to take their names in yaine; but absolutely forbids us to swear by them. And as he forbids us to swear by them:Exo. 23.13. so he commands us to swear by him. Deut. 6.13. Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and serve him, and thou shalt swear by his name. Which words are re­peated, Deut. 10. [...]0. with a little addition, Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, him shalt thou serve; thou shalt cleave unto him and swear by his name. So that the taking of an Oath, is not left unto us as a thing indifferent; but commanded by God, and that as a part of Gods service and worship. And therefore God promiseth a blessing to those that swear by his Name,Jer. 12.16. Jer. 12.16. It shall come (saith he) to passe, that if they will diligently learne the wayes of my people, to sweare by my name, The Lord liveth, as they taught my peo­ple to swear by Baal; then shall they be built in the middest of my peo­ple. And Psalm 15.4. He that sweareth, saith David, though it be to his own hinderance, and changeth not, Psal. 15.4. he shall dwell in Gods Taber­nacle. But if it were unlawfull to swear at all, he would not have placed him in Gods Tabernacle, that swears and keeps his Oath, [Page 196]though it be to his own hinderance; but rather him that sweareth not, though it be to his own advantage.

Secondly, by the example of those holy men in the Scripture, who have taken oathes, and that sometime publickly. Thus Abra­ham swore to the King of Sodom, Gen. 14.22. Gen. 31.53. Gen. 14.22. And thus Isaac swore unto Abimelech, the King of the Philistins, Gen. 26.31. sometime privately. Thus Jacob swore unto Laban, Gen. 31.53. And thus David sware unto Jonathan, 1 Sam. 20.17. I might alleadge further the example of Angels, and of God himselfe, who have taken oathes, and therefore to sweare is not un­lawfull.

Thirdly, by the end for which an oath was ordained. An oath is a means which God hath appointed for the ending of contro­versies, and for the decision of strife and contention. And there­fore the Apostle saith of an oath,Heb. 6.16. Heb. 6.16. that it is [...] the end of all strife. Thus for the determination of doubtfull causes,Exed. 22.11. God appointed the Magistrate, Exod. 22. to put men to their oathes; and the party suspected having thus taken an oath, was freed and acquitted. And this custome hath prevailed in all Countries. For all men being perswaded that there is a God from whom nothing is hid, and that he is a lover of truth, and an hater of falshood, and therefore that he will be revenged upon those that for-sweare themselves; hence it is that this custom hath prevailed all over the World, that mens oathes should be taken in doubtfull causes, that so the truth might be brought to light, and the matter decided.

Seeing then, that the taking of an oath it not onely permitted, but commanded by God; commanded as a part of Gods service and worship, and commanded with the promise of a blessing to those that take it. Seeing it is warranted by the examples of the Patriarchs and Prophets, of the Angels and of God himselfe, who have taken oaths; and seeing an oath was ordained by God for so excellent an end, as for the confirmation of the truth, and the decision of controversies, it is plain against the Anabaptists, that there is a lawfull use of swearing. And thus much concerning the lawfulnesse of oaths. I come now to the object of an oath, or by whom we are to swear, by God, and no other, Thou shalt swear, the Lord liveth.

The Heathen in their oaths were wont to swear by all manner of creatures. Some of them were wont to swear by themselves, [Page 197]or by some part of their body, as Otho the Emperour used to swear by his beard, and Polypheme the Monster by his one eye. Some of them were wont to swear by others, as the Ethiopians swore by dead mens ghosts, Caligula by his sister and wife Drusilla, and some of the Philosophers by the name of Socrates. Some swore by unreasonable and sencelesse creatures, as Socrates swore by dogs and goats, the Germans swore by the names of their horses, and the Egyptians by their garlick, leeks and onions. But to passe them over, the Papists hold it lawfull to swear by the Creatures. And they alleadge to this purpose those words of our Saviour, Mat. 23.21. Whosoever swears by the Temple, swears by it, Mat. 23.21. and by him that dwels therein; and he that sweareth by Heaven, swearth by the Throne of God, and by him that sits thereon. From whence they in­ferre, That swearing by the creatures is referred to the honour and glory of God, and therefore that it is lawfull to sweare by them. But I would aske them this question, Whether Christ in those words doth authorize the Jews to swear by the creatures, and justifie their swearing by the Temple or by Heaven? If they say, he doth not, how do they inferre that God is honoured by their swearing by them? If they say, he doth, then why doth Christ say, Swear not by Heaven, for it is Gods Throne? for if these oaths were lawfull,Mat. 5.34. Christ would not have forbidden them, and if they be unlawfull, God is dishonoured by them. And therefore they cannot inferre from those words, that because while the Jews did swear by the creatures, they swore likewise by God: and there­fore God was honoured by their swearing by the creatures, but rather that in swearing by them they could not avoid, but they swore also by God, and therefore dishonoured him while they counted it nothing to swear by them.

An oath is a part of Gods service and worship, and so to be directed to no other but God. Therefore God commands (as we heard before) to svvear onely by him.Deut. 10.20. Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, him shalt thou serve, thou shalt cleave unto him, and swear by his Name. And he complaines of the Jews, Jer. 5.7. That their chil­dren had forsaken him, and had sworn by those which were no Gods: implying thereby, That we are to swear by God, and no other. And he threatens Zeph. 1.5. That he will cut them off, that swear by the Lord, & swear by Malcham. It is a true saying, Quicquid illud est, per quod quis jurat, illud deificat. If we swear by any thing, whatsoever it be we deifie the same. For an oath is an invocation of the Name of God, [Page 198]as the onely searcher of the heart, whereby when we swear, we call God to witnesse that we speak the truth, and wish God to punish us if we do otherwise. So that whatsoever we sweare by, we attribute unto it these two things.

First, That it knows whether we speak the truth or no, and therefore it is that we call it to witnesse. So saith Thomas Aquinas, Jurare per Deum nihil alind est, quam invocare ejus testimonium. To swear by God, is nothing else but to call God to witnesse. So that while we swear by any thing, we call it to witnesse, and so attribute the knowledge of the truth untoit.

Secondly, That it is able to punish us if we swear that which is false. So saith the same School-man. Nihil aliud est dicere per Deum ita est, nisi quod Deus puniat me, si non it a est. It is nothing else to swear by God that it is so, but that God punish me if it be not so. So that while we swear by any thing, we give thus much unto it, That if we swear false, it is able to punish us. But these two things are onely proper unto God, and therefore we are to swear by no other. Whensoever then we swear by the crea­tures, as either by this light, which was the oath of the Manichees, or by the Roode, by the Masse, by our Lady, or the like; which as if we wanted oaths of our own, we have borrowed of the Papists; they are all superstitious and idolatrous oaths. It was decreed by the [...]ouncel of Carthage, that if a Minister should swear by any creature, he should first be sharply reprehended for it, and if he persisted in this vice, he should be excommunicated, because it is an abuse of Gods holy Name to swear by the crea­tures. And therefore Polycarp, as we read in Eusebius, chose rather to be torn in pieces by wilde beasts, as they threatned him at the first, or to be burnt at the stake, as he was after, ra­ther then he would prophane the Name of God by swearing, as they would have had him, by the fortune of Casar. So hainous a sinne was it thought by this Martyr to swear by the crea­tures.

If it be objected, That the Scripture maketh mention of some holy men that have sworn by the creatures, as that Joseph swore by the life of Pharaoh, Gen. 42.16. 2 King. 2.4. Gen. 42.16. and that Etisha swore by the soule of Eliah, 2 King. 2.4.

The answer is, That either they are not oaths, but onely vehe­ment obtestations, as some Divines do hold; or if they be oaths, yet because they are contrary to the Word of God, that we are [Page 199]not to imitate their examples: but we may say of them as St. An­gustine said in another case, Haec quidem in Scripturis santis legimus, non ideò tamen quia facta credimus, facienda creáamus, ne duns passins sectamur exempla violemus pracepta. We read (saith he) indeed of such examples in the Scriptures, not that because we believe they vvere done, we should therefore believe they may lawfully be done, left so we violate the commandement of God, vvhile that vve seek to imitate the examples of men. But thus much likevvise for the object of an oath. I come novv to the conditions, Thou shalt swear in truth, in judgement, and in righteousnesse.

The first condition vvhich is required in an oath, is, that we swear in truth: God to inflame us the more vvith the love of Truth, is called in the Scripture, Deut. 32.4. John 14.6. John 15.26.1 Tim. 3.15. the God of Truth. Our Saviour calls himselfe the truth; the Holy Ghost is called the Spirit of truth; Gods Word is called the Scripture of truth, and his Church is called the pillar of truth. To note unto us; That they who are Members of his Church, they who are instructed in his holy Word, they who are led by his holy Spirit, they who are redeemed by his Son, and adopted by God to be his children, they of all others are to stand for the truth, to imbrance it in their hearts, to testisie it in their words, and when occasion requires, to confirme it in their oaths. And to this end, God hath given us his sacred Name, as a Seal to ratifie and confirme the truth, that in matters of importance, the truth vvhereof cannot otherwise be known but by taking an oath, vve might use Gods Name, and call God as a vvitnesse to the truth of our speech. Whensoever therefore vve take an oath, vve must be sure that the matter be true vvhich vve swear, otherwise vve commit a most bainous sin; in calling God as a vvitnesse to that vvhich is false.

And vvhereas an oath is of two sorts; either assertory, of things that vve affirme; or promissory, of things vvhich vve promise to performe: vve must be sure that in them both we do swear the truth. For if either vve doubt of the truth of the matter, or have not a full purpose to performe our promise in taking such an oath, vve for-swear our selves. There are some that vvill make consci­ence of an assertory oath, and vvill be sure they sweare nothing but that vvhich they know to be the truth; yet for keeping their promise they make no great reckoning, though they have bound themselves by oath for the performance thereof. But every single promise, if the thing be lawfull, vvhich a man hath promised, [Page 200]doth bind a man; conscience to the performance of it, and when an Oath is added there is a double bond. And therefore it is said, Heb. 6.17. That God widing more abundantly to shew the stable­nesse of his counsell to the heirs of promise, bound himself by an Oath, that so (saith he) by two immutable things, (namely the promise which he had made, and the Oath which he had taken) we might have strong consolation. So that taking of an Oath, doth bind a man doubly to the performance of his promise. Nay, if that a man have once taken an Oath, though he were induced thereunto by fraud and deceit; yet the thing being lawfull he is bound to performe it. And this we may see by the example of that Oath which was made to the Gibeonites, Josh. 9.19. for vvhen the Gibi [...]nites came craftily to the Jewes, as though they had been men of a far country, and had brought them to swear that they would not hurt them, and the Iewes knew afterwards who they were, and therefore were offended that they should be spared; yet Ioshua and the Princes dia save their lives, in regard of the oath which they had made unto them. And be­cause Saul afterwards brake this oath by destroying the Gibeonits, there was a famine in the land for the space of three years; and till seven of Sauls Sonnes were bang'd for this fact, God was not appeased. So grie­vous a sinne is the breach of an Oath in the sight of God. And therefore whensoever we take an Oath, we must alwayes have an eye to this first condition, that we swear in truth.

Now there are two things contrary to the truth of an Oath.

First fraudulent and deceitfull swearing, when we take an Oath with an intent to deceive them unto whom we sweare, pretending one thing and intending another.

Such an Oath was that which Cleomenes took, who having made a truce with his enemies for certaine dayes, in the meane time set upon them perfideously in the night, pretending that the truce was made onely for the dayes.

Such an Oath was that which we read of in Theodoret. A wo­man with child was hired by some, to Father her child upon Eusta­thius the Bishop of Antioch; The woman being examined and put to her Oath, swore that Eustathius of Antioch was the Father of it; whereupon the Bishop was deposed and banisht. She after­wards falling into grievous sicknes, confessed that she had wrong­fully accused the Bishop; and yet denied that she was forsworn, because howsoever she pretended the Bishop, yet she meant it not of him, but of another in the City of the same name.

And such an Oath was that which was taken by Lasus, vvhen he had stolne a fish out of a Fish-mongers shop, as we see in Atheneus. For Lasus having stoln it, & another received it & both denyied it; being both brought before the Magistrate & put to their oath,Athen. deipnos. La­sus swore thus; that he neither had it nor knew any other that stole it; the other swore thus, that he neither stole it nor knew any o­ther that had it; because he himself had it, and Lasus stole it. These are fraudulent and deceitful Oaths.

Secondly, Contrary to swearing in truth, is false swearing or per­jurie, when a man takes an Oath, and yet knows that that which he swears is false. And this hath been alwayes accounted both before God and man, a most horrible, odious and damnable sin. Lying of it self is a heinous sinne, and therefore called Prov. 12.22. an abomi­nation to the Lord: because that God who is the God of truth can­not but hate and abhorre falshood. But now when a man binds a lye with an Oath, he sinnes not onely himself by lying; but endea­vours to entangle God in his sinne by calling God to witnesse that which he knows to be false. Hence it is that even the heathen them­selves have alwayes been religious in observing their Oaths.

We read of Alexander, that leading his Army against a City with a ful resolution to have utterly destroyed it, he saw Anaxime­nes the Philosopher, who had been his Tutor coming towards him, & thinking that Anaximenes would be very urgent with him to spare the City, he swore in a fury, that whatsoever it was that A­naximenes desired, he would not grant it. Anaximenes desired that he would destroy the City. Alexander seeing that he could not destroy it, but he must break his Oath, returned with his Army, and to save his Oath withall saved the City.

And we read of Regulus and some other of the Romans, that Hanniball had taken prisoners, that having taken an Oath that they would go to Rome, and if some of the Carthaginians vvere not ex­changed for them, they themselves vvould return, vvhen they came to Rome and effected not that for vvhich they were sent; yet they vvere so religious in observing their oaths, that though they knew for certaine that the saving of their oaths vvould be the losse of lives, yet they returned againe. So heinous a sinne vvas perjury their accounted, even among the Heathen.

And hence it is, that this sinne hath alwayes been so grievously punisht, sometime vvith banishment as among the Romans, some­time vvith death as among the Egyptians; for they inflicted no [Page 202]lesse then death upon every perjured person, as upon one who was guilty of two horrible crimes, impiety to the gods and insi­delity to men. Nay in this one there is a three-fold sin.

First, against God by an infinite wrong to his holy Name. If the King should commit the broad seale unto any Subject, to seale some matter which were for the honour of the King, and the good of the whole Kingdom, and the Subject should seale some other matter with it, which the King utterly detested, as being a dishonour to himselfe, a disadvantage to his subjects, and a be­nefit to his enemies: in so doing he should be guilty of high Treason. And thus is he guilty of high Treason against God, that abuseth his Name to the ratifying of falshood. For God hath committed his sacred Name as a seale unto us,Heb. 6.6. for the confirmati­on of the truth, and the ending of strife; both which, the con­firmation of truth, and the cutting off of contention, make much for the glory of God, and the good of all men. Now he that swears falsly, abuseth Gods Name to the confirming of a lie, which is most dishonourable to God, who is the God of truth, most acceptable to the devill, who is the father of lying, and most inju­rious to men, among whom there cannot possibly be any society, if there be no truth nor fidelity among them. If a man having a Tower or Castle committed to his keeping, should betray it to the enemy, he should be counted a Traitour to his Prince and Countrey. Gods Name (saith Solomon) is a strong tower, whereunto the righteous resort. Prov. 15.10. Now when a man swears falsly, he betraies this Tower unto the devill, who is Gods enemy; which is an in­finite wrong to Gods sacred Name.

Secondly, he that swears falsly is most injurious to men; for by this means many times it comes to passe, that the Jurors give up a false verdict, the Judge pronounceth an unjust sentence, and the party that is innocent is deprived of his right.

Thirdly, against himselfe: for by calling God as a witnesse to that which is false, while he seeks to escape the censure of men, he falls most fearfully into Gods hands, and to avoid a pecuniary mulct, or a bodily punishment, doth bind his soule over unto Gods judgements, who hath threatned before-hand, that he will not hold him guiltlesse.

This then being so hainous and horrible a sinne, both before God and man, what may we think of those who hold it lawfull to swear and for-swear, and both practise it in action, and defend [Page 203]it in writing? Thus the Romish Priests and Jesuits, being brought before the Magistrate, and put to their oaths, they hold it lawfull to swear and for-swear themselves. For this is the doctrine which is maintained among them, that unto dangerous interrogatories a man is not bound to answer, according to the meaning of the Magistrates demand, but that he may lawfully equivocate, and frame a safe meaning unto himselfe, and swear unto it. As if a Priest being examined before the Magistrate, whether he be a Priest or no; though indeed he be, yet he may mean that he is not one of Baals Priests, and so he may equivocate and swear that he is not. Thus Garnet Superiour of the Jesuits in England, being examined before the Councell, & put to his oath, whether he had not had any conference with Hall the Priest while he was in prison, he took it upon his oath that he had had no conference with him, and when it was proved to his face to be false, and that he was for-sworne; he answered onely this, that he had offended, if equi­vocation did not help him. Thus Tresham the Traitour, while he lay in the Tower upon his death-bed, and died presently after, he took it upon his salvation that he had not seen Garnet of sixteen years before, which being afterwards found to be false, and that by Garnets own confession, Garnet being askt what he thought of Tresham, he answer'd, he thought that he did equivocate. And thus under the pretence of equivocation, they hold it lawfull to swear and for-swear any thing. But this is most certain, that when we take an oath, and swear otherwise then that which we know to be the truth, whatsoever we pretend we are reputed as perjured in the sight of God. Quacunque arte verborum quis utitur, Isidor. de summo bonè lib. 1. Deus tamen (saith Isidore) qui conscientia testis est it a hoc accipit, sicut ille cui juratur intelligit. What cunning soever we use in swearing, yet God that sees the conscience, takes it in the same manner, as he understands it to whom he sweared. And thus much for the first condition of an oath, Thou shalt swear in truth. I come to the second, Thou shalt swear in judgement.

Now there are two kindes of oaths, which are contrary here­unto.

First, inconsiderate and unadvised oaths, as when we take an oath of that we do not understand, or when we swear to perform that which is not in our power. Such an oath is that which the King of India alwayes takes at his coronation, namely, That he will make the Sun to keep his course, and to give them light, that he [Page 204]will make the clouds to send them seasonable showers, that he will make their rivers that they shall never be dry, but run continually, and that he will make the earth that it shall not be barren, but bring forth fruit in due season. Now these things are not in the power of man to performe. And such an oath is that which the Papists take, when they vow virginity and a single life, as if the gift of continency were in their own power and ability. These are rash and unadvi­sed oaths. The Romans had a custome, that he that should swear by Hercules should first go out of doores, that he might think of the oath which he was to take, and deliberate upon the matter which he was to swear. If they were so carefull that they swore not unadvisedly by the name of Hercules, how carefull should we be that we use not Gods Name, but with great advise. And therefore before that we take an oath, we must pause upon it, and consider what it is that we are to swear.

Secondly, contrary to swearing in judgement, is idle, frivolous, and unnecessary swearing, when we swear without cause, or upon any light occasion. Thus some, though it be but a trifle whereof they are speaking, yet if they be not believed in every word which they speak, they will presently rap out an oath to confirme it; and so God must be dishonoured that they may be believed: yet their swearing is so far from saving their credit, and making them be believed, that it gives men occasion the more to suspect them. For who will believe that he makes conscience of swearing truely, that makes no conscience of swearing unnecessarily? or that he will be carefull that he deceives not his neighbour, that makes no reckoning of displeasing his Maker? For he that will not stick to dishonour God upon no occasion, it may not be suspected that he will for-swear himselfe, when by his oath he may gain any thing. But if the matter be not weighty, and of some importance, such swearing is the prophaning of Gods Name: for thus the Name of God is brought into contempt, while it is used in matters of no weight and moment.Exod. 18.26. Moses, as we see in the 18th. of Exodus, being Judge over Isracl, he substituted inferiour officers under him, and appointed the Weightier matters to be brought to himselfe, and re­ferred all petty controversies to be decided by them. If it were not sit for Moses to be called to the determining of inferiour causes, is it fit for us to call God as a witnesse to trisling matters? If a man have a jewell, he will not lay it to pawn for every trifle, and if he do, it is an argument that he makes little reckoning of it. [Page 205]And surely he makes but small account of Gods sacred Name, that is ready to pawn it upon every light occasion: yet this is a sinne then the which there is nothing more ordinary and common. Some there are that take a pride in swearing, and will scarce speak a word but an oath must second it, as if swearing were not so much a sinne, as a grace to their speech, and a matter of comple­ment. And these are counted the great Gallants of the World. Others that are given to unnecessary swearing, if a man chance to reprove them for it, they will say for themselves, that they do not swear of any ill intent, for they swear many times when they do not mind it, and therefore they hope that it is no sinne, because they mean no harme. But if that their tongues should speak treason, would it help them to say, that they did not minde it? would not their hearts be thought to conspire with their tongues, and should not their heads (think ye) pay for it? Can they bridle their tongues, and minde what they say, for fear of speaking treason against an earthly King, and can they not beware that they do not blaspheme the King of Heaven? but the truth is, that they see in the one a present danger, and not in the other. For should they speak treason, they know that every man would be ready to accuse them, and that they should presently suffer for it; but as for the dishonouring of Gods Name, because it is not censured among men, they do not regard it; others that are given to unnecessary swearing, will say, they have got such a custome of swearing, that they cannot leave it; as if their cu­stome of swearing did rather lessen then increase their sinne. Plato reprehending one for playing at dice, and he replying, do you reprehend me Sir for so small a matter? The matter indeed, quoth Plato, is small, but the custome of it is no small matter. And surely, if swearing of it selfe were but an ordinary sinne, yet it is made far the greater by ordinary swearing. If a thiese being brought before a Judge for some robbery he had commit­ted, should acknowledge the fact, and yet desire to be excused, because all his life-time he had been so accustomed to robbing, that he could not well leave it, would this excuse, think ye, serve his turne? And when he that hath daily robbed God of his glo­ry, by prophaning his Nune upon every light occasion, shall be called to an account at the day of judgement, and shall plead for himselfe, that he had so inured his tongue to swearing ever since he was a childe, that he could never afterwards leave it, will God [Page 206]take this for a sufficient excuse? Surely, if a man shall answer for every idle word that he speaks, much more shall he answer for idle oaths. And indeed there is great reason, that God should be a severe judge against those that swear unnecessarily, and upon no occasion.

For first, Though this be reputed in the world but a small sinne, yet there is not almost any sinne which a man commits, wherein he shewes so insolent contempt of Gods sacred Name, as he shews in this. For other sinnes which a man commits, yet he may pretend some shew of excuse. He that doth not sanctifie the Sabbath day, will pretend it may be some extraordinary businesse; he that steals from his neighbour, will pretend that he did it for necessity and want; he that kills a man, will pretend that he did it for the wrong which he offered him, and to save his credit & reputation; he that makes a lye that he did it for fear: and so for any sin a man may pretend something; but for ordinary swearing no excuse can be gi­ven, a man cannot pretend that he doth it for fear, or for his gaine and profit, or for any thing whatsoever. And therefore there is great reason, as I said before, that God should severely punish them, that swear idly and vainly, and upon no occasion.

Secondly, Because there is not any one sinne, that so ordinarily goes scot-free among men, as this ordinary swearing and profaning of Gods Name.

If a man do but slander and defame his neighbour, the Law takes hold of him and he shall under go the penalty; but for the ordina­ry dishonouring of Gods Name, it is not censured among men. We have Bedlams provided for frantick persons, we have Pest­houses provided for such as are infected, and we have Goales and prisons for theeves and robbers, but for such as are a thousand times more mad & infectious, for such as daly rob God of his glory, by profaning his Name without any occasion, there is no place of restraint nor punishment appointed. And therefore God who is jealous of his honour, hath taken the cause into his own hands, and threatens, that howsoever they that abuse his name do escape before men; yet he himselfe will not hold them guiltlesse. And thus much for the second condition of an oath, that we must swear in judgement.

And so I come to the last condition, Thou shalt swear in righte­ousnesse. I will speak but a word or two of it.

This condition requires, that the matter whereof we take an [Page 207]oath be just and lawfull; And hereunto are contrary all wicked oaths, vvhich are taken for the performance of any unlawfull acti­ons. Such an oath was that vvhich vvas taken by Herod, Marke 6.Marke 6.26 Acts 23.21. when for the saving of his oath Iohn the Baptist was beheaded. Such an oath was that which vvas taken by the Iews Acts 23. that they would neither eate nor drink still they had killed Saint Paul.

And such are those oaths, which have been taken by the Ie­suites for the murdering of Princes, and for the conceal­ing of their conspiracy and treason. Thus vvhen they vvent about the most horrible treason that ever vvas, their Gunpow­der-plot, the memory vvhereof vvil continue for ever to their per­petuall shame; they swore by the blessed, Trinity, and by the Sa­crament vvhich they vvere then to take, that they vvould never disclose it. A most horrible sinne, while they could not be content to be Traytors themselves, but God must be made an actor in their treasons, & his name must help to settle them forward therein. Non ad hoc institutum est juramentum ut sit ini juitatis vinculum: an oath was not ordain'd to this end that it should be the bond of iniquity, much lesse of Treason. Such oaths are better broke then kept. And therefore David (vvith vvhich I vvill conclude) when he had sworn in a passion to kill Nabal, 1 Sam. 25.32. yet afterward he spa­red him upon Abigails intercession, and blessed God for sending Abigail to intreate for him. Juravit David temeré saith St. Augus­tin, August. in Ser. de decol­lat. S. Johan. Bap. sed non implevit jurationem ma­jore pietate, David swore rash­ly, but he performed I not his oath with greater Pietie.

THey that dig into the Mines of the earth for sil­ver or gold, or the like mettals, they find faith the Philosopher, parvum in magno, a little in a great deale, but little good substance among a great deale of drosse, but small store of mettal in a great compasse. But they who search into the Mines of the Scripture, they finde on the cōtrary magnum in parvo, a great deal in a little, great store of mat­ter in few words, and much excellent treasure in a small compasse. This Prophecy of Jonas is very short; yet as St. Jerom faith of some the Epistles in the New Testament, that they are (Breves pariter et longoe) both short and long, short in words, long in substance; the same may be said of this Prophecy of Jonas, it is short in words, but yet very full of excellent matter; and among the rest, it con­taines in the compasse of foure short Chapters, three memorable examples of the riches of Gods mercy upon heinous sinners. The first upon the Marriners. The second upon Jonas. And the third upon the Ninivites.

1 The Mariners and they that were in the ship with them were all of them Idolaters, they worshipt feign'd Gods of mens devi­sing; but as for the true God that made Heaven and Earth, there was not one among them all that either served or knew him. Yet God who would as the Apostle faith, have all men to be saved,1 Tim. 2.4. and to come to the knowledge of the truth, by his providence brought Jonas into the ship among them, that he that was then flying from the true God, might be a meanes to bring them to the knowledge of him, and that they who were in danger by his meanes to perish, might by his meanes be kept from perishing.

2 The second upon Jonas, whose sinnes were more hainous and offensive to God, then the sinnes of the Mariners, because he was a Prophet, and knew Gods will, and yet disobeyed it, and the Ser­vant that knoweth his Masters will, as Christ faith,Luke 12.47. and doth it not, that Servant shall be beaten with many stripes. God Com­manded him to go to Nineveh, he refused to go, and resolved to take ship, and to flee to Tarshish: God was so offended with him for it, that he presently sent a Pursevant after him, he pursued him with a tempest, and would not suffer the Sea to be quiet, till he were cast into it: yet such was Gods mercy, that when Jonas was cast into the Sea, God would not suffer him to perish, accord­ing to his desert, but wrought his preservation after a strange sort, by causing him to be devoured, that he might not be drown­ed, and making his devourer to bring him safe to Land, and so sa­ved his life, even then when he was in the very jawes of death.

3 The third upon the Ninevites, who were so hainous sinners, that their wickednesse was come up before God, and cried up to Hea­ven unto God for vengeance: and God was so provoked, that the sentence was already gone out of his lips, that Nineveh should be overthrown after forty dayes: yet upon their Repentance and Humiliation, God that is infinitely rich in mercy, did spare the City, and repented of the evil which he had intended against them. Nay, when Jonas, to whom God had been so gracious, was of­fended that God would be so gracious to the Ninevites, as to spare them when he had proclaimed their destruction: God took upon him the defence of the Ninevites; and pleaded for them. All these examples plainly verifying that which God faith by the Pro­phet, and confirmes it with an Oath, Ezek. 33. As I live, Ezek. 33.11. faith the Lord, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wick­ed [Page 210]turn from his way and live. The two former examples, of Gods mercy upon the Mariners, and Gods mercy upon Jonas, are set down before in the two former Chapters: and in this Chapter and the next, it set down especially Gods mercy upon the Nine­vites, though the beginning of this Chapter containes his mercy to Jonas. For in the words of my Text, we may observe these 3 things.

First, Gods gracious renewing of Jonas his Commission, when he had so highly offended him, The word of the Lord came unto Jo­nas the second time.

Secondly, the Charge or Command which God gave Jonas, a­rise, go to Nineveh that great City, and preach unto it the preach­ing that I bid thee.

Thirdly, Jonas his execution of Gods Charge or Command, so Jonah arose and went to Nineveh.

Concerning the first, Gods gracious renewing of Jonas his Com­mission, God had given Jonas this Commission before, and that al­most in the very same words (in the first Chapter, the first and se­cond verses) yet because Jonas had made his first Commission void by his disobedience unto God, it was requisite, that if God would still have him to go to Nineveh, he should renue his Commissi­on, and give him a second Charge, about the same businesse, and that especially in two respects.

First, to remove some scruples out of Jonas his minde, which o­therwise might have made Jonas to think that God would not im­ploy him any more in it. For Jonas did not know what was be­fallen Nineveh, whether Nineveh yet stood, or was overthrown since the time that God had given him his first Commission, and had appointed him to proclaime their destruction: he could not tell, whether God had sent any other thither in his roome, to ex­ecute the charge which himself should have done, and he could not but think, that he had made himself unworthy of such an im­ployment, who had carried himself so rebelliously in it. And there­fore it was requisite, that if God would still have him to go to Ni­neveh, he should renew his Commission, as here he did. So when Peter had denied his Master, and had made himself unworthy of his Apostleship, by so foule a denial, least Peter might suppose, that thereby he had deprived himself of his place, and was no longer one of Christ Apostles, Christ was the more careful to restore him to his Office. And therefore as soones as Christ was risen, the An­gell, Mar. 16.7. had the women that came to the epulcher, to [Page 211]tell the Disciples and Peter, that Christ was risen.Mar. 16.7. But why is Pe­ter named more then any of the rest? was not he comprehended among the Disciples? But if the women had said, that the An­gell willed them to bring the Disciples this Message, Peter might have thought that he was not one of them, as having made him­self unworthy to be Christ Disciple, because he had denied him. And therefore Peter is more specially named, to assure him the better that Christ had both pardoned the sinne of his denial, and still counted him to be one of his Disciples as he was before. And so least Jonas might think that he had made himself unworthy of his propheticall Office, that had carried himself so rebelliously in it, God therefore here renews his Commission, and imployes him again in the same work whereunto he had before designed him.

Secondly, God renews his Commission, and gives him a new charge to go to Nineveh, because otherwise if Jonas had gone thither, upon his first Commission which he had made void, he had gone without his warrant from God, which had been dangerous for him. This we may see by the like example of the Israelites, in the 14. of Numbers. God had promised to give them the Land of Canaan, and so they were to fight with the Canaanites, and God would assist them. The spies that were sent thither did bring up an evill report of the Land, that the Inhabitants dwelt in high walled Cities, that they were men of great stature and very strong, and that they saw the Sonnes of Anak, who were Giants among them: which when the people heard, they presently fell to their old veine of murmuring, and distrusting Gods promise of bring­ing them into Canaan, they would have chosen them a Captain to lead them back into Egypt. Hereupon God sent a plague among them, then they would needes go and fight with the Canaanites, but then Moses forbad them, go not up, faith he, for the Lord is not among you, because ye are turned away from the Lord, there­fore the Lord wil not be with you. But they notwithstanding went & fought with the Canaanites, and were discomsited by them. For they had made themselves unworthy of Gods help and assistance, by distrusting his promise, and so had not Gods warrant for their fighting with them. And thus here it had been dangerous for Jo­nas, to have gone to Nineveh upon his first Commission, which he had now made void by his disobedience unto God, but that God sent him thither with a second Warrant. Here then observe Gods wonderfull goodnesse and mercy to Jo­nas, in not onely pardoning his former Rebellion, but restoring [Page 212]him to his propheticall Office and dignity from whence he was fallen. God deales more graciously with his Servants, then earth­ly Princes do vvith their Subjects. If a subject that is in any high Office, do rebel against his Prince, though the Prince be so graci­ous as to pardon his Rebellion, yet he vvill not suffer him to hold his Office, but vvill deprive him of it, even in point of policy, that he may be the lesse able, being in lower place, to rebel hereafter, and that the losse of his Office may remaine as a scarre and blemish unto him for his former Rebellion. But God here deales more graciously vvith Jonas, vvho had carried himself so rebelliously a­gainst him, both pardoning his sinne and restoring him to his place, that not so much as the least scarre of his former Rebellion, might remain to be seen, which shewes by the vvay, that the heresie of the Novatians was very grosse, in holding that all such as after Baptisme fell into sinne, vvere cut off from the Church, and could not attain unto salvation, howsoever they carried themselves af­terwards, and sought it vvith teares. But vvas not Circumcision the same to the Israelites, vvhich Baptisme is to Christians? and did not Johnas, after he vvas circumcised, rebell against God, and yet vvas pardoned and restored by God to his propheticall Office? Did not David after he vvas circumcised, commit adultery and murther, and yet did not the Lord put away his sinne upon his re­pentance? Did not Peter, after he was baptized, denie our Savi­our, and yet was restored unto his Apostleship, and afterwards proved a glorious Martyr? Therefore vvhen Acesius a Bishop of the Novatians, at the Councel of Nice, shewed Constantine the strictnesse of their opinions, how a man after Baptisme, if he will be saved, must live vvithout sinne, the good Emperour answer'd him, if this be so Acesius, then set up a ladder for thy self, and climbe alone into Heaven. For vvho could be saved, if none vvere admit­ted into Heaven that sinne after Baptisme? But vve know that Gods promise to sinners is generall, that at vvhat time soever a sin­ner repents, God vvill put all his vvickednesse out of his remem­brance. Christs invitation of sinners is generall,Mat. 11.28. Come unto me all ye that are Weary and heavy loaden, and I will refresh you. And Christ teacheth us daily to pray unto God for the pardon of our sinnes, to shew that as vve daily sinne, so vve are daily to pray for pardon, vvhich ye know vvere in vaine, if no man vvere pardoned that sins after Baptisme. But God here not onely pardon'd Jonas, but set [Page 213]him againe in his former place, and renewed his Commission which before he had given him. The Word of the Lord came unto Ionas the second time.

Did God then deale so graciously with Jonas who had so highly offended him; Let us therefore first learne by Gods example, to deale graciously with those that offend us, to pardon their offences, and to re­ceive them into favour as God did Jonas. It cannot be while we live in this world but that offence will be given us, and that we shall have just cause to be offended with others; yet that we may not be so offended as to seek to be revenged, the Scriputre still mentions Gods pardoning of them that offend him, to provoke us thereby to forgive others: God speaking as it were by his example unto us, and saying as Gideon did to his followers,Iudg. 7.17. Judges 7. Looke on me and do ye likewise. But we see that God is prone to pardon them that do grievously offend him, as here he did Jonas; and therefore we must forgive those that offend us. This the Apostle requires of us, Eph. 4 Forgive one another, Ephes. 4.32. as God for Christs sake hath forgiven you. This Christ requires of us, Math. 6. both with a promise, that if we forgive others, God will forgive us; and under a penalty, that God will not forgive us if we forgive not others: and binding us no otherwise to ask God forgivenesse, then upon this condition that we forgive others, Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespasse against us.

Whensoever therefore thou art offended with any, and think­est to be revenged on him that wrongs thee, consider the great danger if thou do it, consider the great benefit if thou do it not, and set GOD as a patterne before thine eyes, and remember how he pardons our offences. For what canst thou or any one pretend, why God should be willing to forgive thee, if thou be unwilling to forgive him that offends thee?

If thou sayest, that he that hath offended thee, is one that hath many times done thee vvrong, that thou hast forborne him a long time and forgiven him often; and therefore canst not indure to forbear him any longer, seeing he still provokes thee to be reveng­ed on him. I would ask thee again, and hast not thou more often offended God, then any can possibly offend thee? Hath not God forborne thee ever since thou wert borne, and dost thou not still every day offend him? Well therefore may'st thou forgive him that offends thee, if God have so often forgiven thee; Forgive him that offends thee an hundred pence, when God hath forgiven thee ten thousand talents.

If thou sayest againe, But I have been alwayes a friend unto him that hath done me wrong, I have shewed him much kindnesse, and never deserved but well of him; and therefore seeing he requites me evill for good, how can I forgive him? I would ask thee again, But hath not God deserved alwayes far better of thee, then thou of him that offends thee? Is it not God that gives thee life and health, and all things besides? Is it not he that gives thee rain from Heaven and fruitfull seasons,Acts 14.17. filling thy heart, as the Apostle speaks, with food and gladnesse? Is it not he that continually preserves both thee and thine from a thousand dangers? And yet thou not­withstanding dost daily requite him evil for good, by sinning against him: and therefore if he do thus forgive thee, then why shouldst not thou forgive him that offends thee?

If thou sais;t again, But if I still pardon and forbear him that wrongs me, I cannot but reap discredit thereby, because every man will think the more hardly of me. I would ask thee again, But did ever any man reape discredit by doing that which God commands him? And if thou shouldst reape discredit thereby; yet were it not better that thou shouldst be discredited, then that God should be disobeyed? Were it not better that men should think bardly of thee then that God should condemn thee? men thingk hardly of thee for suffring wrong, then that God should condemn thee for revenging the same? And therefore howsoever thou art wrong'd or oftended, regard not what others will think of thee; but what God commands thee; and let his example move thee to forgive others, who here forgave Ionas, that had so highly offended him, and restored him to his Propheticall office.

Secondly, Seeing God dealt so gratiously with Jonas, that had so grievously offended him; Let it therefore teach us, how heinuns­ly soever we have offended God, not to despaire of pardon. For Gods merty to others may well be a comfort and incouragement to us. Ye know it was an incouragement to King Benhadad and the Syri­ans to submit themselves to the King of Israel, 1 Kings 20. and to hope he would pardon them: because they had heard, that the Kings of Israel were mercifull Kings. We know that God the King of Kings is mercifull and gracious. Psa. 116.5. Gracious is the Lord and righteous, ye our God is mercifull. Bis misericordiam posuit saith Am­brose, semel Justitiam, He saith but once that God is just or righteous, but twice in one verse that God is gracious: that as his justice might keep us fró sinning so his mercy & grace much more might keep us from despairing. Therefore to shew that he is gracious [Page 215]and mercifull, he commonly bears a long time vvith sinners, he doth not punish them so soon as they offend him, but doth long forbear them, that his forbearance and long-suffering might lead them to repentance. He cries to such as go on in their sinnes,Prov. i. 22 Prov. 1. Ʋsque quo simplices, How long ye simple ones will ye love simplicity, and ye fooles hate knowledge? He cries to Jerusalem, Mat. 23.37. Mat. 23. Quoties volui. How often Would I have gathered thy children toge­ther, as a her doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would net? He was content (Luke 13.) to expect fruit of the fig-tree the fourth year, when he had forborne it three years before. He was able to charge them, (Numb. 14) that though they had seen his glory, Num. 14.22 Psal. 95.10. yet they had provoked him ten times. Nay he was able to charge them, that forty years long he had been grieved with that generation. So gracious is God in forbearing them long that do offend him. And as he is long-suffering, so he is slow in punishing, not inflicting his judge­ments altogether, and at once, but by little and little, and by de­grees. Therefore it is said, Revel. 16. That the Angels powred out the vials of Gods wrath upon the earth. Revel. 16.1. Now ye know a viall hath a narrow mouth, that which is poured out of it, comes but guttatim, drop by drop, and is long coming out. So it is when god punishes, his punishments come slowly, that even while he is punishing, men might be drawn to repentance. And if they repent, how many soever their sinnes have been, hovv hainous soever, and hovv long soever they have continued therein, he is ready to forgive them. You will say, indeed if I could repent of my sins, I doubt not but God who is so infinitely mercifull would receive me into favour, and be reconciled unto me in Christ Iesus: but I have so hard a heart, that still I go on, and continue in sinne, and cannot repent. I would therefore aske thee, But art thou not displeased with the hardnesse of thy heart? and doest thou not desire to forsake thy sins, and to be reconciled unto God? Oh this, you vvill say, is that which I desire above all things in the World. Then knovv for thy comfort, that thy state is better then thou supposest, and I may say unto thee from Christ, as Christ said to the Scribe,Mark. i [...]. 34. Marke 12. Thou art not far from the Kingdom of God. For could'st thou be displeased vvith the hardnesse of thy heart, if thy heart vvere hardned? could'st thou be desirous to forsake thy sinnes, if thou vvert not weary of them? and could'st thou desire to be reconciled unto God, If thou didst not love him? for these, though thou thinkest thou canst not repent, are [Page 216]signes of thy repentance, vvhich though it be weake, yet he who hath promised, that he will not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smeaking flax, will accept of it: and notwithstanding thy sinnes, will he gracious unto thee, as he was here unto Jonas. And so from Gods gracious renewing of Jonas his Commission, I proceed to the Charge which God gave Jonas, which containes two things.

First, The place which God sends him unto, Arise, and go to Nineveh that great City.

Secondly, The work which God appoints him to do, Preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee.

The place which God sends him unto is Nineveh. The Ninevites were so hainous sinners, that their wickednesse (as we heard be­fore) was come up before God, and cried up to Heaven unto God for vengeance, yet God would not destroy them before he had sent unto them, that before their destruction, they might have warning.

Doct. Here then observe Gods dealing with sinners, He commonly first sends to admonish them of their sinnes, before he inflicts his judge­ments upon them. God might, if he pleased, and that without any breach of justice, be revenged on the sudden upon the wicked, without sending unto them, and giving them warning: but first, he threatens before he punishes, to teach them thereby to avoid his judgements.Deut. 20.10. God made this Law, Dent. 20. That no City should be destroyed, before that peace had been offered unto it, that before their destruction they might have warning, and might imbrace, if they would, the conditions of peace to prevent their ruine. As God will have us to deale in mercy with our enemies, so he himselfe like­wise deales with sinners.

First, Giving them warning, and threatning his judgements before be inflicts them. Though God was highly offended with Pharaoh for dealing so cruelly with the Children of Israel, yet God would not send his judgements upon him, till Moses was sent to fore-tell him of them. Though God vvere so offended with the old World for their sins, that he purposed to overwhelme it with water, and by an universall deluge to destroy all flesh, yet he vvould not do it, till Noah had forvvarn'd and admonisht them of it. And at the end of the World, when the World shall be destroyed, and consumed by fire,Luke 21.25. yet there shall be vvarning of it; for there shall be signes in the Sun, the Moon, and the Starres, as our Saviour saith, [Page 217]that the very Heavens may become Preachers (as it vvere) unto us to admonish us to repent, by fore-warning us of the end of the World, and the day of judgement. And here though the Nine­vetes vvere so hainous sinners, yet he sends unto them, that being fore-warned of the danger they were in, they might repent, and avoid the same.

Now Nineveh vvhereunto God sends Jonas, is here said to be a great City, And so it is else-vvhere called in the Scripture. Thus Moses speaking of Nineveh, Gen. 10.Gen. 10.12. The same (saith he) is a great City; and here in the next verse, it is called an exceeding great City of three dayes journey. And by that which Histories re­port of it, it seems to have been the greatest City in the World, and fevv ever since for largenesse and beauty have been compared to it. Indeed, if it be true, which some vvrite of the City Quin­sai in the Kingdom of China, it vvas a City far larger then Nine­veh, as being in compasse a hundred miles, but aftervvards it vvas overthrown by an earthquake, and another Quinsai built but far lesse, being but thirty miles in compasse, which is just halfe of that bignesse which Nineveh was. For Nineveh was in compasse, no lesse then four hundred and fourscore furlongs, which make threescore miles. The Walls of Nineveh were an hundred foot high, and they were of that thicknesse, that three Carts might go side-long together upon them, and upon the Walls were fif­teen hundred Turrets, and each of them an hundred foot higher then the Walls. The City of Babylon was so great, that Aristotle in his Politicks calls it a Countrey rather then a City, and vvrites that when it vvas besieged, and the enemy had taken one part of it; some part of the City did not heare thereof, till three dayes after, so large was Babylon from the one end to the other. Yet Ba­bylon was not so large as Nineveh, but lesse in compasse by al­most an hundred furlongs. Nineveh was many years in building, and by no fewer at once, then ten thousand work-men, and it was so populous, that God tells Jonas in the next Chapter, the last verse, That there were six-score thousand in it that knew not their right hand from their left: and therefore if there were so many infants, what a multitude were there of all other ages, no doubt but many more in that one City, then there are now in some King­doms. But now what must Jonas do vvhen has was come to Ni­neveh? Preach (saith God) unto it the preaching that I bid thee.

What this was which he was to preach, we see afterwards in the fourth verse, namely, That Nineveh should be overthrown after forty dayes. This God commanded him to preach, and gave him his message. And from hence we may observe, That the Prophets had their direction from God what they were to deliver, God put into their mouths what they were to speak, and they spake onely that which they were appointed by God. 2 Pet. 1.21. So saith Saint Peter, That Prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but the holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. So saith Zachary, Luke 1. That God spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets; because they spake onely that which God put into their mouthes. Therefore we see in the Old Testament, that every one of the Prophets from the first to the last, have still in their Sermons, Verbum Domini, or haec dicit Dominus, The Word of the Lord came unto me, or, Thus saith the Lord, to shew that they were but Gods Messengers, to deliver that which God appointed them, and that the Message which they delivered, was not theirs that brought it, but his that sent them.1 Cor. 15.3. 1 Cor. 11.23. So Saint Paul in his Epistles, I delivered (saith he) that which I received: and I received from the Lord that which I de­livered unto you. This was that which Christ enjoyned his Apo­stles,Mat. 28.20. Mat. 28. Teach them (saith he) to observe all things whatso­ever I have commanded you: & this is that which God here enjoyns Jonas, Preach (saith he) unto it the preaching which I bid thee. And so leaving the Charge which God gave Jonas, I come to the last point, Jonas his execution of Gods Charge, which containes his obedi­ence to Gods Command, So Jonah arose, and went to Nineveh.

When God commanded Jonas the first time to go to Nineveh, he was disobedient unto God, and refused to go, but he paid so dear for his disobedience, that he would have no more of it; God hath so schooled him by affliction, that now he is become another man, ready to go whithersoever God would send him, and to do whatsoever God would command him, like Paul who being struck to the ground from heaven, was content to do any thing that Christ would have him,Acts 9.6. Doct. Lord (saith he) what wilt thou have me to do?

Observe then from hence, That affliction is a very forcible meanes to reclaime us when we do go astray, and to bring us to ebedionce. This David acknowledges of himselfe in particular, Psal. 119.67. Be­fore I was afflicted I went astray, but now (saith he) have I kept thy word: and this Esay testifies of others in generall, in his 26. chap. 9. verse, When thy judgements (saith he) are in the earth, the inhabi­tants of the world will learn righteousnesse.

For Gods judgements are his Messengers which he sends to re­claim us, like Officers which are sent after fugitive Servants to bring them home to their Masters. So hunger (ye know) reclaimed the Prodigall, affliction Manasses, and a tempest as Gods Purse­vant reclaimed Ionas, and made him ready to execute that vvhich God commanded, vvhich before he would not. Before, he thought it a very hard Commandement, that he should leave his own Coun­trey to go to Nineveh, leave the place vvhere he had been bred and borne to preach among strangers, leave the people of God to preach among Infidels. He thought it vvould be very dangerous for him, to carry so unwelcome a Message to the Ninevites, that Nineveh should be overthrown after forty dayes. He remembred besides, that God was so gracious, that though God had sent him to proclaim their destruction, yet if the Ninevites should repent, he would spare the City, and so he should be counted a false Prophet among them. And many other scruples no doubt came in his mind, for which he thought it a very hard Commandement; but now he stands not upon any difficulty, but goes readily a­bout it. His example then may teach us this lesson, that when Gods will is made known unto us, we must readily yield obedi­ence thereunto, and do that which God Commands, though it seeme never so difficult, never so dangerous. It might have seem'd unto Noe a very hard Commandement, when God Commanded him to make the Ark, and there were many difficulties which might have taken away the edge of his obedience, and discouraged him from taking such a work in hand. He might have been discoura­ged with the tediousnesse of the work, that seeing God would have him make it so large and so great, it would hold him a long time before he could finish it.

He might have been discouraged by the great cost and charges which he was to be at in making the Arke. For besides his extra­ordinary paines and labour, it must needes be an excessive charge unto him. The sending up and down to provide such a World of stuffe and timber, the felling, sawing, and squaring of it, the bring­ing it to the place where the Arke was to be made, the vvorkmens daily vvages for so many years, and the great store of food which vvas to be provided and laid up in the Arke for the preservation and susterance of all the living Creatures vvhich vvere to abide in the Arke for a twelve-moneth and upwards, must needes be a mat­ter of excessive charges. He might have been discouraged by the [Page 220]continual taunts of the vvicked, vvho vvould scoffe and deride him for making the Arke, and make him a common by-word among them, vvhile he vvas about it. But Noe having respect unto Gods Commandement, his disobedience brake through all these difficul­ties, and he took the vvork in hand, and accordingly finisht it: so it might have seem'd unto Abraham a very hard Commandement, vvhen God commanded him to sacrifice Isaac, and there vvere ma­ny difficulties vvhich might have discouraged him from the doing of it, and hindred his obedience. He might have alleadged that Isaac was his onely Sonne, and that he had no other to be his Heire, to inherit the goods vvhich God had given him: that God had given him Isaac to be a comfort unto him in his old age, and had promised that all the Nations of the earth should be blessed in him: that he and Sarah his vvife vvere old, and so not like to have any more Children. He might have pretended, that it was a most barbarous and unnaturall Act, for a Father to kill his own Sonne, that it would make him odious among his Neighbours, and be a foule disgrace and reproach unto him, vvheresoever he came. and many pretences he might have alledged vvhy he should not do it; but having Gods Commandement, he stood not upon any dif­ficulty therein, but vvent readily about it. For vvhatsoever it is that God Commands us, though it seeme never so hard unto flesh and bloud, yet we are bound to yield him obedience, because he hath absolute power and Command over us. The Command of a Father over his Sonne is very great, and vvhat will not a Sonne do that lieth in his power vvhen his Father Commands him? Nihil quod pater jubet grave nisi sitimpossibile, Nothing is grievous that a Father Commands, unlesse he Commands an impossibility. We see how the Rechabits, Jer. 35. were commanded by Jonadab their Fa­ther, that neither they themselves, nor their Sonnes, nor their Daughters, nor their Children and Posterity for ever after them, should ever drink any wine, or build any houses, or sow any seed, or plant any Vineyards, or have any, but that all their dayes they should dwell in Tents. Though their Father hereby did abridge them of many commodities and comforts of this life, vvhich are both lawful and necessary, yet because it was the Command of their Father, they abstained from every thing that he forbad them, and obeyed his vvill. And vve see that Isaac, vvhen his Father was to offer him for a burnt-offring, though Isaac was then about twenty five years old, as Josephus vvrites, yet he resisted not his Fa­ther, [Page 221]but suffered him to binde him, and to lay him upon the Al­tar, submitting himself to the very death to his Fathers vvill. So the Command of Princes over their Subjects is very great, and what vvill not a Subject be content to do for his Princes sake?2 Sam. 23.16. ye know vvhen David did long to drink of the vvater of the vvell of Bethle­em, three of his Servants did break through the Host of the Phi­listins, and brought him some of it even with the hazard of their lives. So when Xerxes was upon the Sea in a dangerous tempest, and the Governour of the ship told him, that there was no hope to escape, unlesse the ship vvere lightned: divers of his Nobility cast themselves into the Sea, that the King might escape. And we read of a Prince of Syria, that his Subjects vvere so ready to do vvhat he Commanded, that vvhen he called to a Centinel that vvas on the top of an high vvatch-towre, and bad him come down vvith all speed to him, he presently leapt over the Battlements, and stood not upon the losse of his life to shew his obedience. If Children be so much at the Command of their Fathers, and Subjects of their Princes, then vvhat should not vve do for our heavenly Father the King of Kings vvhen he Command us? For he hath absolute power over us, our goods and our lives, our bodies and our soules, and all that we have, are at his disposing, and therefore what­soever he Command us, though it seeme never so difficult or dangerous, yet vve ought vvith Ionas here, to yield him obedience.

Division. WE have here in these words a double description, the former of an impenitent sinner, the latter of a penitent person: and each of them is de­scribed both by his property, and by his condi­tion. The impenitent sinner is described by this property, that he covereth his sinnes, and his con­dition is, that he shall not prosper. The penitent person is described (as you see) by a double property, he confesses his sinnes and with­all forsakes them; and his condition is, that he shall have mercy. And these are the severall parts of these words.

And first for the property of an impenitent sinner, that he co­vers his sins. For our better understanding thereof, I purpose to ex­plaine these two things.

• 1. How sinne may be said to be covered.
• And 2. What is the cause that makes a man cover and hide his sinnes.

For the first, we are to know that the Scripture makes mention of a twofold covering or hiding of sinne; the one by God, the o­ther by man. God is said to cover our sinnes when he doth forgive them, and doth not impute our sinnes unto us; and he that hath [Page 223]his sinnes thus covered by God, is pronounced by David to be hap­py and blessed. Psal. 32.1. Blessed is he whose wickednesse is for­given, and whose sinnes are covered;Psal. 32.1.blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth no sinne. He that hath his sinnes thus covered by God, neede not care though they be known to all the World.

Secondly, there is a covering of sinne by man, and this is like­wise twofold, vvhen a man doth cover either the sinnes of others, or his own sinnes. The sinnes of others two wayes especially, by charity or by flattery. By charity, when vve conceal the faults of others, to keep them thereby from shame and disgrace, as Shem and Japhet covered their Fathers nakednesse; for charity will co­ver, as St. Peter saith, a multitude of sinnes. Or else by flattery, for the flatterer who is but a fawning friend,1 Pet. 4.8. knowing that men love to be commended, and not to be dispraised, he frames himself to speak nothing but that which is pleasing, and therefore will highly commend men for their virtues, or any good parts that he sees to be in them; but for their faults or vices, he will be sure not to speak a word thereof, but he will hide and cover them. But Solomon here speaks not of covering other mens sinnes, but of co­vering of our own, when a man doth what he can to conceal his own sinnes, and to keep them hidden, as Achan hidde and covered his theft that it might not be known.Iosh. 7.21. And thus a man may be faid to cover his sinnes four wayes.

First, by a plain and flat denial of them.1. Negando. Thus Sarah when she heard, Gen. 18. that she should conceive,Gen. 18.15. and bring forth a Child in her old age, she laught at it,2 King. 5.25. and being reproved by the Angel for laughing, she presently denied it. Thus Gebezi, being repre­hended by the Prophet for taking a bribe, he would have covered his sinne by denial of it. And thus many when they are suspected or accused of any thing which indeed they have done, but think it cannot easily be proved against them, they will never confesse it, but seek by their deniall to keep it secret. They will never be brought to confesse they have sinned, till they be taken in their sinne, so that the first time of their taking, shall be the first time of their sinning; for they will be sure to confesse no more then can be proved against them. This is one kind of covering of sinne. And hitherto may they be referred, who hold with the Pelagians, that they do perfectly fulfill Gods Law, and that they are free from [Page 224]sinne:Luke 18.11. or that say with the proud Pharisee, I am not an extertioner, I am not unjust, I am not an adulterer like other men: or with the Church of Laodicea, Revel. 3.17. I am rich, I am increased with goods, and I have need of nothing; for these do hide and cover their sinnes by their deniall of them.

In stead hereof, we must lay our sinnes open, and inge­nuously confesse them. For he that doth deny his fault, he is not therefore without fault, because he denieth it, but he both doubleth his fault by his deniall thereof, and is the further from obtaining pardon for want of acknowledging it: as he that hath received a wound in his body, both makes it the worse, and is the further from being cured while he seeks to conceale it.

And therefore whensoever thou hast done any thing which thou shouldst not have done, though thou be ashamed to have it known, yet being charged therewith, beware of denying it, but think thus with thy selfe, It is too much that I have done already, let me not therefore double my fault by my deniall of it, but what I was not ashamed to do, yet let me not be ashamed to confesse, that God may pardon it.

So did David being reproved by the Prophet Nathan, he did not deny, but acknowledge his sinne, and obtain'd pardon,2 Sam. 12.13. I have sinned against the Lord (saith David) and the Lord hath put away thy sinne, saith the Prophet; which question-lesse had not thus been put away, if David had sought to have covered his sin by his deniall of it.

2 Secondly, A man may be said to cover his sinnes, by translating the fault,Transferendo and shifting it off from himselfe to ano­ther.

And this is a sinne as old as Adam, and committed first by him. For Adam ye know being reproved by God for eating of the forbidden fruit, to excuse himself, he laid the blame upon Eve, Gen. 3.12. The Woman that thou gavest me, she gave me of the Tree.

And the Woman that the blame might not rest upon her,Gen. 3.13. did lay it on the Serpent. The Serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.

And this shifting off the blame from our selves to others, we have learned of them.

If Saul be reproved by the Prophet Samuel, for transgressing the Commandment of the Lord, in sparing the king of Amalek, and the best of the cattell; he will post it from himself,1 Sam. 15.20, 21. and lay the blame on the people: I obeyed the voice of the Lord, but, saith he, the people took of the spoil, And if Aaron be reproved by Moses, for his sin in making the golden calf, he will lay the fault on the people for it: Thou knowest, saith he, this people, that they are set on mischief. And they said unto me, Make us gods. Exod. 32.22. And thus many when the fault which they have committed, is so plain and evi­dent that they cannot well deny it, yet to excuse themselves, they will lay the blame upon others. This is a second kinde of covering of sin. And hitherto may they be referred, who to ex­cuse themselves, ascribe their sins unto fate or destinie, as the Priscilianists did; or that make God to be the Author of their sins as the Libertines did, for these do hide and cover their sins by laying them on others. Instead hereof, what sin soever we have committed, we must take the blame wholly upon our selves, and not seek that others may bear the blame for what we have done. If we do any thing which we think is praise­worthy, and deserves commendation, we would be loath that others should be sharers therein, and would think our selves to be wrong'd by those, who should take to themselves the praise of that which was done by us. And therefore when we have done amisse, great reason we should take the blame to our selves, and not lay it on others. So did Jonah when he had of­fended God, by flying to Tarshish, and God therefore punished him with a tempest on the Sea, that they were all in danger to be cast away; he took the blame wholly upon himself though it would cost him his life: Take me up, saith he,Jon. 1.12. and cast me into the Sea, for I know that for my sake this tempest is upon you. And so did David, when he had sinned against God, by numbring the people, and God therefore sent a pestilence on the Land which swept away many thousands; and David saw the Angel which smote the people, he took the blame wholly upon himself, and said to the Lord, Lo, I have sinned, I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done? let thy hand I pray thee be against me, 2 Sam. 24.17. and my fathers house. And thus must we do, whensoever we have sin­ned, we must take the blame wholly to our selves, and not seek [Page 226]to hide and cover our sins, by shifting them off from our selves to others.

3 Thirdly, a man may be said to cover his sins, by extenuating, diminishing,Extennando. and lessning the sin. Thus the harlot when she inticed the young man to commit folly with her, she lessened the sin whereunto she inticed him,Prov. 7.18. Come, saith she, let us take our fill of love, and delight our selves in daliance: giving it the name of love and daliance, which indeed was whoredome. And thus many will lessen and extenuate their sins, making their sins to be lesse then they are, and themselves lesse sinfull, making great sins to be but little,Luk. 16 6. and little sins to be none at all. Ye know how the unjust steward did with the debts which were owing to his lord, he lessened the summe, setting down but fifty for an hundred. So do many with their sins their debts unto God, they lessen and diminish the summe of them, making talents but pounds, and pounds but pence, and pence nothing. This is a third kinde of covering of sin. And hitherto may they be re­ferr'd, who lessen and extenuate the heinousnesse of sin, making some sins, as the Papists do, to be but veniall, and that they do not deserve eternall damnation. For these do hide and cover their sins by their lessening of them. Instead hereof we must aggravate our sins, making our sins, as indeed they are, out of measure sinfull,Ezra 98. the more to humble us. So did Ezra, O my God, saith he, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee: for our ini­quities are increased over our heads, and our trespasse is grown up to the heavens. And so did St. Paul, who because he had persecuted the Church of Christ, though he did it of ignorance, yet he aggravates his sin,Act. 26.11. that he persecuted the Church of God above measure, that he wasted or made havock of it, that he punisht them often in every Synagogue, that he compell'd them to blaspheme, and that he was exceedingly mad against them. Thus in extreame detestation of his sin, he strives to make it extreamly heinous,Ephes. 3 8.1 lim. 1.15. and thought himself for his sin not onely the least of all Saints, but the greatest of all sinners. So far was he from covering his sin by lessening the same.

4 Lastly, a man may be said to cover his sins, by justifying, maintaining,Justificando. and defending of them. Thus Jonah being angry for the gourd that withered, when God asked him whether he [Page 227]did well to be angrie, he justified his fault, I do well, saith he,Jon. 4.6. to be angrie even to the death. And thus many when they have no other evasion, when they can neither deny the fact, nor shift it off from themselves, nor lessen the same, yet they will justifie their faults, and stand in defence of that which they have done. So do they, who when they have committed a sin, will pretend very specious and plausible reasons why they did the same, that so it may seem to be no sin in them. We read of Dionysius the tyrant, that coming into a Temple where there were Idols that were richly adorn'd, he took away from one of them a cloak of gold; and being askt why he did it, He an­swered, that he did it to pleasure the Idoll, because the cloak was too heavie for Summer, and too cold for Winter: And afterwards taking Sea, and finding the winds to be favourable to him in his navigation, See, saith he, how the gods do approve of sacriledge: but these were but pretences to cloak his cove­tousnesse. And hitherto may they be referr'd, who to justifie their faults, do alledge examples out of the Scripture of holy men, that have fallen into the same sins; as Noahs example for their drunkennesse, Davids example for their adulterie, Peters for their perjurie, for these do hide and cover their sins, by ju­stifying the same by the examples of others. And this is the worst kinde of covering of sin. For is it not a fearfull thing to be imboldned to sin by their examples, whose examples are set down to make us afraid to sin? to follow their examples in something which they did, which they repented that they ever did? and to mark how they sinned, and not to mark how they were punisht for it? For their punishment is registred as well as their sin, to keep us from falling into the like sin, for fear of undergoing the like punishment. And yet these are not afraid to commit the like sins, and will justifie the same by their exam­ples. Instead hereof, of covering our sins by our justifying of them, we must arraign and condemne our sins and our selves for them: otherwise if we justifie any of our sins, those sins which we justifie, and do not condemne, will condemne us. And thus having shewed you, how men may be said to cover their sins, I will now proceed to the causes of it.Causes why men cover their sins.

The causes which make men thus to cover their sins, either [Page 228]by denying them, or by laying the blame thereof upon others, or by lessening their faults, or by justifying and standing in de­fence 1 of them; the causes hereof are especially three. Sometimes fear,Fear. sometimes self love, and sometimes hypocrisie. Some­times fear, of suffering either disgrace or punishment, or incur­ring displeasure if their sins should be known, and not be kept hidden.Act. 5.2. Thus Ananias when he had sold his possessions, out of a covetous minde he kept back part of the price, yet he con­ceal'd what he had done for fear of disgrace.Iosh, 7.21. Thus Achan hid his theft for fear of punishment. And thus Rachel hid the Idols which she had stolne from her father,Gen. 31.34. for fear of incurring her fathers displeasure, if they had been found with her. But is not this a preposterous kinde of fear, not to fear to sin, but to fear what may follow when we have sinned? To fear displeasure, disgrace, or punishment, and not to fear that which will bring us unto it? For this is all one, as if a man should be afraid to be poysoned, and yet not be afraid to drink poyson. O but you will say, when I sin I am in hope to keep my sin unknown, and therefore am the lesse fearfull to sin, as hoping to escape dis­grace or punishment while my sin is kept hidden. But though thou mayest hide thy sin from man, canst thou hide it from God? canst thou sin so secretly that God shall not see thee? or canst thou hide thy sins from thine own conscience, that is as good as a thousand witnesses against thee? Quid prodest non ha­bere conscium, babenti conscientiam? What profits it thee, that no man is privie to that which thou doest, having a conscience that is privie to it, and will condemne thee for it? And there­fore thou shouldst be afraid to commit sin, because God and thy conscience knows what thou doest, though it be unknown to men.

2 A second cause of our covering of sin is self-love. For as when we bear any hatred to another,Self-love. our hatred will make us ag­gravate his faults, and to lay them open; so self-love will make us to lessen our own, and to hide and cover them. Thus because the Pharisees hated our Saviour, they never lin mali­ciously speaking against him, backbiting his person, depraving his miracles, and carping at his doctrine. But for their own sins, their eyes were so blinded with self-love, that they could not [Page 229]see them. He that looks upon any thing through a perspective, if he look one way through it, it makes every thing seem to be greater then it is; but turning the perspective, and looking the other way through it, it makes it seem lesse. So it is with us, while we look through malice and ill-will upon others, and self-love upon our selves, it makes other mens sins seem greater then they are, and our own lesse; but let us turn the per­spective, that their faults and not ours may be lessened by us.

3 A third cause which makes a man cover and hide his sins, is hipocrisie; whereby a man desires to seem better then he is,Hipocrisie. and so for the saving of his good name and credit will conceal his faults. For sin hath this property, that it leaves a bad report, and an ill name behinde it; and therefore there is not any man though he delight in sin, but in regard of the shame of it, he had rather conceal it then have it known. Therefore sins are called the works of darknesse, Ephes. 5.11. because he that commits them will avoid the light, that his sins may be the better conceal'd, and hidden. And therefore the devil,2 Cor. 11.14. who is called the father of sin and sin­ners, he transforms himself into an angel of light, that so he may seem to be better then he is. For there is none so bad, but he hath a desire to seem good; and hence it is, that hipocrites desire to seem religious, and though they serve the devil, yet they will mask in Gods liverie that they may be counted his servants, not desiring so much to be so indeed, as to seem to be so in outward appearance. For the health of the bodie, every man had rather to be well, then to seem to be so; and there­fore if a man have received a wound he will lay it open before the Chirurgion that it may be cured, not caring for a plaister that will hide his sore, but for one that will heal it. But for the health of the soul, many had rather to be thought to be well, then to be so indeed, taking no thought for their sins but this, that they may keep them secret, and so fearing more to be hardly thought of by men if their sins were known, then to be condemned by God for their covering of them. And thus much for the propertie of an impenitent sinner, that he covers his sins: I come now to his condition, that he shall not prosper.

Where first we may observe, that impenitent sinners who co­ver their sins, are crost in that which they most desire. They de­sire nothing more then that they may prosper and thrive in the world, and they think they shall prosper and thrive the better while they conceal their sins; which if they were known, would impair their credit and estimation. But God crosses them in that which they most desire,Iosh. 7.21. for they shall not prosper. No doubt but Achan thought to prosper the better, when he stole the two hundred shekels of silver, the wedge of gold, and the Babylonish garment, and hid them in his tent; but it thrived not with him,Iosh. 7.25. for God brought it to light, and Achan was sto­ned to death for it. No doubt but Gehazi thought to prosper the better by the bribes he took of Naaman, 2 King. 5.23. and would not confesse that he had taken them; but it thrived not with him: for though he [...]id his sin,2 King. 5.27. yet he could not hide his leprosie which he got with them. No doubt but Jezabel thought to prosper the better, when she caused Naboth to be stoned to death, and got his vineyard, and yet covered her sin, under pretence that Na­both had deserved to be stoned, for having blasphemed God and the King; but it thrived not with her, for God brought it to light, and her to a miserable end for it. So Herod no doubt thought to prosper the better, when hearing that the King of the Jews was born, he intended to murther him, to prevent the danger of losing his kingdome; and yet to cover his sin, willed the Wisemen as soon as they had found the babe to bring him word,Matth. 2.8. pretending that he also would go to worship him; but it thrived not with him, for God both brought to light his mur­derous intent, and himself to shame and disgrace by it. And not to instance in too many examples, the Scribes and Phari­sees no doubt thought to prosper the better, while they devour­ed widows houses; and to cover their sin made long prayers, that so they might be thought to be devout and religious: but it thrived not with them, for Christ both discovered what they did,Matth. 13.14. and denounced a wo against them for it. Thus God finds them out, and brings them to light that cover their sins, not suffering them to prosper, and so crossing them in that which they most desire. Yet when or wherein they shall not prosper is not here set down, but onely in generall that they shall not [Page 231]prosper; to the intent that they may never be secure, but may still expect while they cover their sins, that God will punish them some way or other, either in their own persons, or in their children, or in their goods, or in their good name, or in them all together.

Secondly, here we may observe, that to prosper is the gift of God, who therefore denyes it to them that sin against him by covering their sins. Therefore the Psalmist saith of the godly man, that look whatsoever he doth it shall prosper: Psal. 1.3. but for the un­godly he saith, It is not so with them. So it is said of Joseph, that he was a prosperous man,Gen. 39.3. and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand. So it is said of that good King He­zekiah, That the Lord was with him, 2 King. 18.7. and he prospered whither soever he went forth. I might instance in others.

But some man may say, may not the like be said of the wic­ked? do not they often prosper in the world, and have successe in that which they take in hand?Iob 21.7.9. was it not for this which Job complained, that the wicked are mighty in pomer, that they spend their dayes in mirth, that their houses are safe from fear, and that the rod of God is not upon them? And was it not for this that David envied the wicked, That they prosper in the world, Psal. 7 3.12. that they have riches in possession, and that they come in no misfortune like other men? We must therefore understand, first, that though to prosper be the gift of God, yet in his wisdome he gives in sometimes to the godly, and sometimes to the wicked. For that which St. Au­gustine saith of wealth, may be said of prosperity, Ne putetur esse mala datur & bonis, & ne putetur esse summum bonum datur & malis; Lest prosperitie should be thought to be evill, it is sometimes given to those that are good; and lest it should be thought to be the chief good, it is sometimes given to those that are bad. If onely the wicked and none of the godly should prosper in the world, it would be a means to draw many to ungodlinesse, that they might prosper by it. And if onely the godly, and none of the wicked should prosper here, it would be thought they were godly for no other end but that they might prosper. This was that which the devill ye know objected against Job, for his serving God, Doth Job, saith the devill, fear God for nought? Hast thou not made an hedge about him, and about his bouse, [Page 232]and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blest, saith he, the works of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. But put forth thy hand and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face. And thus if God should give prosperitie to none but the godly, the wicked would be readie to object against them, that they therefore served God, because God would prosper them, and that otherwise they would be as ungodly as others.

Whereas the godly indeed do as well serve God in the time of adversitie, as they do in prosperitie; as Job when all that he had was taken from him, did blesse God as well as he did when he had them. The Lord, saith he, hath given, and the Lord hath taken, blessed be the name of the Lord. And therefore prospe­ritie is commonly given indifferently by God, sometimes to the godly, and sometimes to the wicked. But yet there is great difference between their prosperitie, for the prosperitie of the wicked continues not long, but is soon gone; They may co­ver their sins, and prosper for a time, but God at one time or other, either here or hereafter, brings their sins to light, and themfelves to confusion.

Therefore Solomon, ye see, speaks not here of the present time, but of the future; he doth not say they do not, but that they shall not prosper, because though they may prosper for a while in this world, yet at last they come to a miserable end; and miserable, ye know, is that prosperitie which ends in miserie.

Such was the prosperitie of Haman, and Herod, they pro­spered for a while, but their end was miserable. But the god­ly on the contrarie prosper more and more; though their be­ginning be good, yet, as Job was, their end is better. Marke, saith David, Psal. 37 37. Psalme 37. the perfect man, and behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace: and in the next verse, But the end of the wicked shall be cut off. For God being the just Judge of the world, it cannot be otherwise, but that between the end of the godly, and the end of the wicked, there must needs be great difference.

Therefore when Abraham prayed for Sodom, that it might be spared for the righteous sake that were therein,Gen. 18.23.25. wilt thou (saith he) Gen. 18. destroy the righteous with the wicked? that be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked, and that the righteous should be as the wicked that be farre from thee, shall not the judge of all the earth do right? to shew that it can­not stand with the justice of God to respect them alike, and to make no difference between the godly and the wicked. We see many times that the wicked do flourish, and prosper in the world, and live in great credit and estimation: the godly on the contrary, are many times vilified, and privily slander'd, whereby their good name (which is the godly mans Heire) is much called into question: but God who never failes to help them to right, that do suffer wrong, at one time or other brings the wicked to shame, and makes the in­nocency of the godly known.

This is that which God promises,Psal. 37.6. Psal. 37. He shall bring forth thy righteousnesse as the light, and thy judgement (or just dealing) as the noon-day: the meaning is, that though thy innocency and just dealing, may be obscured and hidden for a time, as the light in the night, yet God will bring it forth like the light in the morning, and make it more and more, to appear like the Sun at noone; whereby both thy innocencie, and the falshood of those that un­justly accuse thee, shall be openly known. This we see by the ex­ample of Daniel, who was cast by his accusers into the Lyons Den,Dan. 6.16. Dan. 3.21. and by those who were cast into the fiery furnace, yet God mira­culously made known their innocency, and brought those that ac­cused them, to shame and destruction. It is very memorable, which we find recorded to this purpose, in the Ecclesiasticall Histo­ries.

Three grace le [...]e Companions accused Narcissus, a holy Bishop of an hainous crime, and used fearfull imprecations against them­selves, if the thing were not true whereof they accused him.

The first wished; that if it were not true, he might be burnt.

The second, that he might die of some grievous Disease.

And the third wisht that he might lose his sight. And not long after, God was reveng'd on every one of them in the same man­ner. For the first had his house set a fire in the night, where both himself and his houshold were burnt to death. The second fell sick of a fearfull disease, and died of it. And the third seeing what [...] befallen his Companions, confessed how they had wrongfully [Page 234]accused the Bishop, and with weeping and mourning lost his sight. Whereupon the Bishop, who had been deposed upon their accusa­tion, was restored unto his Bishoprick, God having thus made his innocency known, and brought them to shame that so falsly accu­sed him. And thus much for the former part of these words, the description of an impenitent sinner, who is described as you have heard, both by his property, that he covers his sinne, and by his condition, that he shall not prosper.

The penitent person is described by a double property, he con­fesseth his sinnes, and withall, forsakes them, and his condition is, that he shall have mercy. I will speak briefly of them in a word or two.

Those words of St. John. 1 John 1.9. If we confesse our sinnes, he is faithfull and just to forgive us our sinnes, and to cleanse us from all unrighteous­nesse, are as it were a commentary upon my Text, and the one place may serve well to explain the other. St. John names onely our confessing our sinnes. If, saith he, we confesse our sinnes, implying under confessing our sinnes, our forsaking of them: because as St. Ambrose saith, Confessio peccati est professio desinendi, our con­fessing of sinne, is a profession of leaving the same. Solomon in my Text doth name them both, who so confesses and forsakes his sins, and so expresses what St. John implies. And Solomon addes that he shall have mercy, but what mercy he doth not shew, St. John there­fore shewes what this mercy is, that God will forgive him his sinnes, and will cleanse him from all unrighteousnesse: which you know is the greatest mercy. For if we consider how highly God is offended, with sinners, how deeply we are indebted unto God by our sinnes, or the great benefit we reape by Gods forgiving us, we cannot but see Gods infinite mercy, in forgiving our sinnes upon so easie a condition, and requiring no more of us for the forgivenesse of our sinnes, but that we confesse them. If a Creditor should require no more of his Debtor, that were indebted in a great summe unto him, but to acknowledge the debt, & he would freely forgive him; would not every man magni­fie the Creditors bounty, in releasing his Debtor upon so easie a condition? but thus deales God with us, he requires no more of us but to confesse our sinnes, and promises to forgive us. If (saith St. John) we confesse our sinnes, God is faithfull and just to for­give us our sinnes: faithfull and just, and so we need not make a­ny [Page 235]doubt thereof, because his faithfulnesse and justice are ingaged upon it. But some may say, it may seeme, that seeing God is just, he should rather punish us, then forgive us our sinnes, because his justice requires that we make him satisfaction, and that he reward us according to our deserts. We are therefore to remember, that confession of our sinnes and faith in Christ for the pardon of them do alway go together: so that we cannot truly confesse our sins, but we must needes have an eye unto Christ, for the forgivenesse of our sinnes. God therefore cannot but forgive us our sinnes, be­cause he is just, for otherwise he should be unjust to his Sonne, who hath made satisfaction to God in our roome, and by his active and passive obedience, hath merited for us that our sinnes should be forgiven. And herein appeares the admirable wisdome and good­nesse of God, in so contriving the work of our redemption, that his justice should plead for the forgivenesse of our sinnes, which pleaded before for our condemnation. For if ye aske why God should condemn us for our sinnes: the Reason is, because he is just, and justice requires that having offended him, we should make him satisfaction: And yet if ye aske why he should forgive us our sinnes, the reason is here given by St. John, because he is just, and justice requires, that Christ having made satisfacti­on for us, we should be forgiven. And so we see what mercy it is which he shall have, who confesseth his sinnes: namely, the pardon and forgivenesse of them.

THe first coming of Christ may well put us in mind of his second coming, his coming as a Lambe, of his coming as a Lion, his coming in humility, of his coming in glory. The day of his first coming ye know is past, and yet so past, as that we are still to call it to mind, and must ne­ver forget it: the day of his second coming is yet to come, yet so to come, as that it will come we know not how soone, and we must alwayes expect it. And therefore as it hath been a Custome in some Countries, that when they kept a feast, after other dishes, a deaths head was brought in, and set upon the Table before the guests, to teach them while they were feasting, to remember their ends: So I thought it not unfit at the time of this feast, which we celebrate in remembrance of Christs first coming, to bring in as it were a deaths head among you, by choosing such a Text as may put you in mind of his second coming at the day of judgement, because that is a day which is alwayes to be expected: whereof the Apostle in the words which I have read, gives a double Reason.

First, because it is certain, that this day is coming. For you your selves (saith he) know perfectly that the day of the Lord comes.

Secondly, because it is uncertain when it will come. For it so (saith he) comes as a thief in the night, whose coming is uncer­tain, and upon the sudden. So that the points to be handled in these words are these, the day it self, and the coming of it, and in the coming of it, that it is certain that this day will come, though when it wil come, it is uncertain. And first, concerning the day it self: The day of judgement is here called, the day of the Lord, & sometimes in the Scripture, the great & notable day of the Lord. It is called the day of the Lord, to put a difference between that day and all the dayes, while we live in the world. While we live in the World, the dayes in the Scripture are called ours. For though all dayes indeed be the Lords, because he made them, as the Prophet David saith,Psal. 74.16. The day is thine, and the night is thine, thou hast prepared the light and the Sunne; yet in the Scripture they are said to be ours, because they were made for our use. Therefore God speaking of the time of mans life, Gen. 6. His dayes, saith he,Gen. 6.3. shall be an hundred and twenty years. Thus Job speaking of the prosperity of the wicked, They spend, saith he, their dayes in welthinesse. Job. 21.13. Psal. 90.12. Thus David speaking of the uncertainty of this life, Psal. 90. Teach us, saith he, to number our dayes. Thus the dayes while we live in this world, are called ours. But the day of judgement is alwayes called,Esay 13.7. Joel 2.1. 2 Pet. 3.10. the day of the Lord. So Esay 13. Behold the day of the Lord comes. So Joel, The day of the Lord comes, and is nigh at hand. So St. Peter, 2 Pet. 3. The day of the Lord comes as a thief in the night. Thus still it is called the day of the Lord, because though all other dayes be ours, yet this day he hath wholly reserved to himself, to call us to an account of all our dayes. To some of us he hath given ten thousand dayes, to some twenty thousand, to some thirty thousand; and all the dayes from the beginning of the World to the end thereof, he hath di­vided amongst us, giving more unto some, and sewer to others; to himself he hath reserved but one day onely, and the last of all, yet such a day, as wherein he will call us all to an account, of all things that we have done in all our dayes.

At this day the Drunkard shall be called to an account of all the dayes he hath spent in drunkennesse.

At this day, the idle person shall be called to an account, of all the dayes he hath spent in idlenesse.

At this day the voluptuos liver shall be called to an account of all the dayes he hath spent in pleasure. For this is the day which the Lord hath appointed for the examination of all our dayes. The dayes which he hath given us are dayes of mercy, wherein he offers grace unto all, and invites them to repent: this day is onely a day of judgement, wherein he will execute his justice on those that are impenitent. Therefore it is that the time of this life is called in the Scripture, Esay 49.8. Dies salutis, the day of salvation, as Esay 49. I have heard thee (saith God) in the time accepted, in the day of salvation have I succoured thee. Which the Apostle expounds, 2 Cor. 6.2 Cor. 6.2. of the time of this life, while grace is offered. Behold (saith he) now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation. But the day of judgement is called in the Scripture, dies irae, the day of wrath,Zeph. 1.15. Zeph. 1.15. That day (saith the Prophet) is a day of wrath. And Revel. 6. The great day of the wrath of the Lord is come. And therefore God, who for the time of this lise, is called by the Apostle the father of mercies. yet after this life, when he shall judge the World,Psal. 49.1.2. he is called by the Prophet David, a God of revenge. For be that is so mercifull to all in this life, that he makes the Sun to shine, and the rain to fall both on the good and the bad; yet after this life, at the day of judgement, he will rain snares on the wicked, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest, this shall be their portion for ever to drink.Psal. 11.6. We see then the rea­son, why it is called the day of the Lord? because in that day he will call us all to an account of all our dayes, that such as in their days have done their own will, might therefore in his day suffor his will, & because they would not imbrace his mercy, while he offered them grace, in stead of mercy, they might feel his justice. His power had a day when he created the World, & all things therein, and by speaking the word made them all of nothing. His mercy had a day when he redeemed the world, by giving his only Son to suffer death for man that had so highly offended him. And his justice shall like­wise have a day when he shall judge the World: at which day he will appear so terrible to the wicked,Revel. 6.16. that when they see him, they shall cry to the mountains to fall upon them, and to the rocks to hide them from the presence of him that sits upon the Throne, & from the wrath of the Lamb. But all in vaine, because as they in their own dayes might have found life, but would not seek it, so then in his day, they shall seek death, but shall not find it.

And as here it is called the day of the Lord, Acts 2.20. so elsewhere it is called [Page 239] the great & notable day of the Lord, Joel 2.11. and the the great & terrible day of the Lord; because on that day, more great & terrible things shall come to passe, then ever came to passe in the World before. The Prophet Esay was shewed a vision which did so greatly astouish him, that he saith, his heart panted, and fear came upon him, Esay 21.3. that it made him to stoop when he heard of it, and dismayed him when he saw it. What was that vision which was able to affright so great a Prophet? He saw the fall of Babylen, how that mighty City, the glory of Kingdoms, as the Scripture calls it, should be overthrown, and all the stately buildings thereof should be brought to ruine. But on this day which is here mētioned, there shal be a matter which is far more fearfull, not the desolation of one City or Kingdom, but the fi­nall overthrow and utter ruine of all the Kingdoms and buildings in the World together. For on that day the very foundation of the earth shall be shaken, so that all the buildings thereof from the least to the greatest shall be shivered asunder, and quite over­thrown. Though our walls were as strong as the walls of Nine­veh, which as Authors write of them, were made of that thicknesse, that three Carts might go side-long together upon them: though our Turrets were as high as the Spires of Egypt, or the Tower of Babell, whose top they would have made to have reacht up unto heaven: though our houses were as sumptuous as the Pallace of Alcinous, where the walls were of brasse, the entries of silver, and the gates of gold; yet on this great day, if they continued so long, they should all be overthrown. For what shall be able to stand on that day, when there shall be earthquakes on the one side, and fire on the other, which shall overthrow and consume whatsoever is before them. On that day there shall be so great an earthquake, as Saint John tells us Revel. Rev. 6.12.14. 6. That all mountains and istands shall be moved out of their places: On that day there shall be so great a fire all over|the World, that Saint Peter tells us,2 Pet. 3.10. The heavens being on sire shall be dissolved, the elements shall melt with fervent heat, and the earth and all the works therein shall be burut up. On that day there shall be the greatest number assembled toge­ther that ever were. For then heaven and earth, as it were, shall meet together, on the one side Christ and his Angels shall come from heaven, thousand thousands shall attend upon him, and ten thousand thousands shall minister unto him: on the other side, shall be Adam and Eve, with their whole of-spring, even all that have lived from the first to the last in all ages, from one end of [Page 240]the world to the other in all Countries they shall all appear on that together.Gen. 13.16. God promised Abraham the father of the faithfull, that his seed should be as the starres of heaven, Gen. 15.5. & in number like the sand on the sea-shore, which ye know is innumerable: yet all these in compari­son of that infinite multitude which shall be assembled together at the day of judgement, are no more then an handfull. For then all without exception, both Jewes and Gentiles, beleevers and infi­dels, even every one in his own person shall appear on that day, and not one shall be wanting. Therefore, saith the Apostle, 2 Cor. 5.2 Cor. 5.10. We must all appear before the judgement-seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that which he hath done, whether it be good or evill. All and every one, to shew the generality, that none are excepted, and we must appear, to shew the necessity that it cannot he avoided. When the King in the Gospell invited many to the marriage of his Sonne, Luke 14. they pretended excuses for their not coming, one saying, that he had bought a piece of ground, another, that he had bought five yoke of oxen; another, that he had married a wife, and could not come: so that of those which were invited, there were many wanting. But no excuse shall be taken at the day of judgement, but as all shall be summoned to appear on that day, so none shall be absent. There shall not any be permitted to appear by his Atturney, but all must come in their own persons, and none be suffered to put in sureties. We see ma­ny times that such as are to come before earthly Judges, do break out of prison, and escape the judgement that should passe upon them: but there can be no hope for any to escape at the day of judgement, for indeed the whole World, is as it were, Gods prison-house, every part whereof on that day, shall bring forth their prisoners.Rev. 20.13. The Sea, saith Saint Iohn, Revel. 20. did yield up her dead that were therein, and death and hell delivered up the dead that were in them, and they were judged every man according to his works.

Lastly, On that day there shall a finall separation be made be­tween the godly and the wicked. While we live in this world, the good and the bad, the elect and the reprobate, do live, ye know, promiscuously together. And therefore the Church is compared in the Scripture, sometime to a floor, sometime to a field, and some­time to a fold: to a floore, wherein is both come and chaffe, to a field, wherein is both wheat and cares, and to a fold, wherein are both sheep and goats.Mat. 25.32. But on this great and notable day of [Page 241]the Lord they shall be distinguisht, and an everlasting sep [...] ­ration shall be made between them. For then Christ shall place the sheep on his right hand, and the goats on his lest: the wheat and the corn shall be carried into his barn, the chaffe and the tares shall be cast into the fire; the godly shall be taken up into heaven, the wicked thrown into hell. And in these respects, it is called the great and notable day of the Lord, because so great and notable things shall come to passe on that day. And thus much concerning the day it selfe.

The second thing to be considered, is the coming of |this day; and therein two things are set down, that it is certain this day will come. For you your selves (saith he) know perfectly that the day of the Lord comes. And that it is untertain when it will come, It comes (saith he) as a thiefe in the night, Whose coming is uncertain, and not known when he comes.

And first, concerning the certainty of the coming of this day, Saint Peter tells us of some that make but a mock of Christs com­ing, or the day of judgement.2 Pet. 3.3. Know this (saith Saint Peter) that there shall be scoffers in the last dayes, Walking after their own lusts, & saying, where is the promise of his coming; for since the Fathers fell asleep, all things continue (say they) as they were from the beginning of the cre­ation. And thus many because the World hath continued so long a time in the same state, do perswade themselves that it shall con­tinue so for ever, and that there shall be no end of the World, nor day of judgement. These Saint Peter in the same place con­futes by this reason, That though the World have continued in the same state for a long time, yet it followes not from thence, that therefore the World should continue so for ever: for it wa a long time from the Creation of the world till the coming of the floud, yet the world was then destroyed by one of the elemente whereof it was made, namely, by water: and so though it seems a long time till the end of the world, yet in the end it shall be de­stroyed by another element, namely, by Fire. And as they who lived in the time of Noah, would not be perswaded that the world should be drowned, till the floud came suddenly, and swept them away; so the end of the world, and Christs coming to judge­ment, shall as suddenly come upon unbelievers, while they think not of it. Christ indeed, doth deferre his coming in divers respects, As that the number of the elect may be fulfill'd, whom God hath de­creed from all etermity to call in all ages by the preaching of the Gospel, [Page 242]till the end of the world, that the patience of the faithfull, who waite and long for the coming of Christ may be tried and exercised, and that the wicked may be left without excuse, being forborne so long, and ha­ving had so large a time of repentance.

In these respects Christ defers his coming, but though his com­ing be deferr'd for a time, yet in the end he will not faile to come, as the Scripture assures us by evident testimonies, by visible signes, and by invisible reasons. The testimonies are divers, The Prophe­sie of Enoch which is alleadged by Saint Jude is plaine and evident,Jude 14.15. Enoch (saith he) the seventh from Adam prophesied, saying, Behold the Lord comes with ten thousand of his Saints to execute judgement upon all, and to convince all the ungodly among them of all their wicked deads. Where ye see the world was no sooner made, but that the end thereof was presently fore-told; for Enoch was but the seventh from Adam, and yet he prophesied of Christs coming to judge­ment, and that so plainly as if he had seen him coming, Ecce ve­nit, Behold (saith he) he comes. Dan. 7.9.10. So Daniel prophesied of the day of judgement, I beheld (saith he) till the thrones were prepared, and the auncient of dayes did sit, there issued forth a fiery stream, and came forth from before him, thousand thousands ministred unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him, the judgement was set, and the books were opened. I saw (saith Saint John) the dead, both small and great stand before the Lord, Revel. 20.12. and the books were opened, and another book was opened, which was the book of life, and the dead were judged, &c. Where to shew the certainty of Christs coming to judgement, he speaks (ye see) thereof as if it were past, because he shall come at the time appointed, as certainly as if he were come already. I might alleadge many other places, wherein the coming of Christ to judgement is plainly fore-told. And as the Scriptures have fore-told Christs coming to judgement; so to as­sure us the better thereof, it hath likewise given us many signes which go before it, whereby we may know that it will not be long before he come. When the King, ye know, is come to a Town, he commonly sends his harbingers before him, and when they see his harbingers, they say the King is coming because they know by the coming of his harbingers, that it will not be long before the King himselfe comes. Christ hath given us many signes of the end of the world, and his coming to judgement, which are as his harbingers sent before his coming: and these signes which go before his coming, are of two sorts, either such as go longer [Page 243]before his coming, and are further from it, or such as go but hard before, and shall be nigh unto it. Of the former sort are divers signes as the preaching of the Gospell all over the world, foretold by our Saviour Mat. Mat. 24.2. Thes. 2. Rom. 11. Luke 17. 24. The revealing of Antichrist that man of sinne, and sonne of perdition, fore-told by the Apostle, 2 Thes. 2. The calling of the Jews, fore-told by St. Paul. Rom. 11. The great security & want of faith which shal be found in many, foretold by Christ, Luke 17. And many other signes which the Scripture mentions many whereof are already past, and are fore-runners of the end of the world, and shall continue and prolong their course till the very day of Christs coming to judgement. Of the second sort are those fearfull signes which the Scripture mentions in divers places, as that the earth shall tremble, and move out of her place; Mat. 24.29. Acts 2.20. that the seas shall roare, and make an hidcous noise; that the powers of heaven shall be shaken, that the starres shall fall from heaven, that the Sunne shall be turned into darknesse and the Moon into bloud, before that great and notable day of the Lord come. These things shall come to passe at the end of the world, and when these things come to passe, they are evident signs that the end of the world is then hard at hand. For like as it is in the body of man, when the eyes waxe dimme, and the sight failes, when all the joynts waxe weake, and the whole body trembles, it is a signe of old age, and a manifest token that he in whom these signes are to be seen, is very near his end, and cannot hold out long. So it is likewise in the great Body of the world, when the eyes of the world, the Sunne and the Moon begin to wax dim, and their light failes; when the hea­vens shall be shaken as it were with a palsie, and the earth shall tremble, and move out of her place, as the Scripture speaks, it is a manifest signe that the world is ending Lastly, As the Scripture hath foretold the end of the world, & Christs coming to judgment, both by evident testimonies and visible signs, so likewise by divers invincible reasons. For first, all other things which the Scriptures have fore-told, are come to passe, as namely, of Christs first coming in the flesh, of the destruction of Jerusalem, of the dispersion of the Iows, of the coming of Antichrist; all which, and many other, as they have been fore told, so they have been likewise accomplisht: and there­fore the Scripture having likewise fore-spoken of the end of the world, and of Christs second coming, they shall also be ful­filled in their due time. For Gods will is immutable, and what he hath said must needs come to passe at the time appointed.

Secondly, Gods justice requires, that all men should be rewarded according to their works; and therefore that the wicked should hereafter be punisht, and the godly comforted: We see many times that the wicked do persecute and oppresse the godly, and such as are great do wrong the poor, and defraud them of their right, and yet in this world they escape unpunisht: It remaines therefore, that if God be just, their judgement is reserved till another world, that the wicked howsoever they live here in pros­perity, may there be punisht, and that the godly who live here in affliction and miserie, may be refresht, and comforted. For it is a righteous thing with God (as the Apostle saith) to recompence tri­bulation to them which trouble you, 2 Thes. 1. and to you which are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Iesus shall shew himselfe from heaven with his mighty Angels.

Thirdly, If there should not hereafter be a day of judgement, then many sinnes which have been committed here in secret should never come to light, and so Gods justice in punishing offenders could not so well be made known and manifest; and therefore that hypocrites may be known and discovered, and the very thoughts of their hearts, and their most secret sinnes, which have been concealed from the eyes of the world, may be laid open, it is necessary that there should be a day of judgement, that so Gods justice may the better appear in their condemnation. I might al­leadge other reasons, but I think it needlesse, seeing the coming of this day is so certain, that the Apostle saith here, You your selves know perfectly that the day of the Lord comes.

And therefore I will come to the next point, That though it be certaine that this day Will come, yet when it will come it is uncertaine; as the Apostle here shews, by saying, it so comes as is thiefe in the night, Whose coming is on the suddain, and when it is not expected. Therefore the coming of Christ to judgement, is likened by him, sometime to the coming of the floud that drowned the old world. So Mat. 24.Mat. 24.38. As in the dayes that came before the floud, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, untill the day that Noah entred into the Ark, and knew not untill the floud came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Sometimes his coming is likened to a snare. So Christ having fore-told us,Luke 21.34.35. Luke 21. of his coming to judgement, Take heed (saith he) to your selves, lest at any time your hearts be over­charged with surfeiting and drunkennesse, and the cares of this life, [Page 245]and so that day come upon you unawares: for as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Snares, ye know, are laid for birds & wilde beasts, while they do not suspect them, they securely seek their food, and follow the prey as they use to do, and are suddenly taken. So shall many be at the day of judgement, while they are following the profits & pleasures of this world, as they are accustomed to do, this day shall come as a snare upon them, when they think not of it. And sometimes his coming is resembled to the coming of a thiefe in the night. A similitude which is often used in the Gospell, first, by our Saviour, and afterwards borrowed from him by his Apostles. Christ saith, Mat. 24.Mat. 24.43. know this, that if the good-man of the house had known in what watch the thiefe would have come, he would have watched, and would nat have suffered his house to be broken up: watch therefore, for ye know not in what houre your Lord doth come. So Revel. 3.Revel. 3.3. If thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee (saith our Saviour) as a thiefe, and thou shalt not know at what houre I will come. So Saint Peter, 2 Pet. 3.10. The day of the Lord comes as a thiefe in the night: and so Saint Paul here, The day of the Lord comes as a thiefe in the night. To shew that it will come at unawares, and when it is not expected. A thiefe, ye know, will not come openly to a house in the day when men may see him, but he will come in the night when candles are out, and men are asleep, and think not of him. So will the day of the Lord come, it will not come on the sudden before men be aware, and take them unprovided, when it comes upon them. If then the coming of this day be unknown, this argues their folly, who pre­sume to set down the particular time when this day will come; though our Saviour saith plainly, Mat. 24.Mat. 24.36. That of that day and houre knowes no man, no nor the Angels of Heaven, but his Father onely. For other matters God hath revealed in the Scriptures the definitive time when they should come to passe. So for the old World to repent before the coming of the floud,Gen. 6.3. Gen. 15.13. Jer. 25.11. Dan. 9.25. he set down an hundred and twenty years. So for the Israelites to be afflicted in the Land of Egypt, four hundred years. For the captivity in Baby­lon, he set down seventy years. And for Christ first coming, seventy weeks.

But for his second coming, he hath not any where set down the time but concealed it from us: and therefore for any man to enquire thereinto, as many have done, is but vaine curiosity; [Page 246]because it is not for us to know the times, and the seasons which the Father hath put in his own power. For God hath concealed this day from us, that we might continually expect this day, least it come upon us at unawares. Therefore our Saviour whensoever he makes mention of his coming to judgement, he wills us to watch, that we may be prepared and ready at the time whensoever he comes. And indeed great reason. If we have a cause to be tryed before an earthly Judge, especially if it be in a matter of any great moment, as such as concernes our Land and inheritance, ye know what great paines we will take before­hand, that we may be provided against our cause be handled, we will search out our records, we will read over our evidences. We will make ready our Witnesse, and not willingly omit any course we can take, that sentence may be pronounced on our side, we have every one of us a cause to be tried at the day of judgement, e­ven the weightiest cause that ever was handled, not concerning our Lands or inheritance, but concerning a matter of farre greater importance, even the everlasting salvation or damnation of our bo­dies and soules, and therefore it behoves us continually to watch, and to be alwayes in a readinesse,Mat. 22.11. Mat. 25.3. that we be not found unprepared, like the guest in the Gospel, without our wedding Garments, or like the foolish virgins without oile in our Lamps. To this end we must often think of the day of judgement, and remember that whatsoe­ver we do, we shall be called to an account of it. Therefore the Scripture doth often propound the day of judgement unto us, and useth the same as a special Reason, to reclaime us from sinne, and to move us to repentance.

This Saint Paul tells the Atheniant, Acts 17.30. Acts 17. That God admo­nishes all men every where to repent, because he hath appointed a day, wherein he will judge the world in righteousnesse. Thus Solomon tells the young man,Eccles. 11.9. Eccles. 11. That though he rejoyceth in his youth, and followes the lust of his eyes, and the wayes of his heart; yet he must remember withall, that God for all these things will bring him to judge­ment. Therefore Basil gives us this Councel, to have alwayes the day of judgement as a Schoolmaster before us, that so we might be kept from committing evil, by having this day before our eyes, as a scholler is afraid to do any thing undecent in his Masters presence. Damascen makes mention of a certain King, who having the day of judgement alwayes in his mind, he was so affected with the re­membrance of it, that he wholly abstain'd from those pleasures [Page 247]& delights, whereunto he had been before addicted. The Kings Bro­ther seeing the King to be so strangely altered, & knowing withal, the cause thereof, willed him not to think of the day of judgement, but to passe his time in pleasure and recreation, as he had done be­fore when he thought not of it.

The King to argue his Brothers folly, caused his Herald the very next morning to sound a Trumpet a loud at his Brothers doore, which was a signe in that Countrey, that, he at whose door the Trumpet was sounded, had offended the King, and was therefore to be led to execution.

His Brother as soone as he heard the Trumpet, came trembling to the King, and desired pardon, and promised that he would ne­ver offend him again. Why saith the King, art thou so afraid when thou hearest this Trumpet, and should not I be afraid of that great Trumpet that shall call me to judgement? if thou be afraid, because of this Trumpet, of offending me; much more may I by the last Trumpet of offending God. And indeed the most despe­rate sinner that is, if the day of judgement were alwayes in his minde, so that he were wholly possest with the remembrance of it, it would make him afraid to commit sinne, and so hasten his Re­pentance, because he may die and be called to judgement, he knows not how soone, and if he be impenitent when he dies, he will be found impenitent at the day of judgement. Hic hic amittitur vita aut recuperatur, saith Cyprian, In this life the life to come is either lost or gotten, lost by continuing impenitent in our sinnes, or got by repentance. God made this Law, Levit. 25. That if a man had had a house in a walled City, and had sold the same,Levit. 25.29. yet he might redeeme it within the compasse of a year; but if he redeemed it not within that time, it should afterwards be too late to recover it again, which Origen expounding, he saith, that by this house is un­derstood our heavenly Habitation; that house whereof the A­postle speakes: We have a house not made with hands,2 Cor. 5.1. but eter­nall in the Heavens: by him that sells this house is understood a sinner, who sells as it were and forgoes Heaven by his sinnes, yet such (saith he) is the mercy of this Law-giver, that he hath given a sinner the whole year of this life for the recovery thereof, that what he sold by his sinnes, he might redeeme by repentance; which if he redeemed not before the year of this life be ended, it will be too late afterwards. He that repents not till this life be past, he knocks with the foolish Virgins, when the Gates are shut,Mat. 25.11.12. and then [Page 248]he cannot be let in,Luke 16.24. he that seekes not for mercy till after this life, like the rich man, he shall finde none, no not so much as a drop of cold water to coole his tongue. And therefore now while it is call­ed to day, think thus with thy self, God hath spared me hitherto, and not taken me away, that I might repent, how long he wil spare me I do not know, he may take me away before to morrow, & if he take me away before I repent. Christ will condemn me for my impeniten­cie when he comes to judgement: I will therefore now make a vow unto God, even now before I goe out of his house, that I will not suffer mine eyes to sleep, nor the Temples of my head to take any rest, till I turne unto God by unfained repentance, and resolve with my self to lead a new life, that so I may be sure not to be found impenitent whensoever he comes.